Expert advice and insights from Wyoming SBDC advisors to help your business thrive.
Paul Johnson
The bad news: a cyber-attack could not only slow down your small business, it could ruin it. Over 90% of small businesses were targeted by cyber criminals in 2024.
Monica Patten
Naming and creating brand assets for your company can be fun brainstorming activities. However, many founders learn about marketing as they develop their business.
Devan Costa Cargill
In today’s rapidly evolving HR landscape, employee retention is no longer just about competitive pay. It's about building an environment where people want to stay.
Kyle Trumble
Top 3 AI-Driven Techniques to Boost Small Business Awareness on Social Media In today’s digital-first world, social media is often the first place potential customers encounter your brand.
Paul Johnson
Many small business owners ignore cybersecurity because they think it’s another big “thing” they must do when they are already overwhelmed with other tasks.
Rob Condie
Have you ever received an email that you thought might be a little bit suspicious, maybe even fraudulent? People all around the state, and even the world, are seemingly always unfortunately looking...
Ty Schanck
In today's visually-driven market, captivating graphics are no longer a luxury – they're a necessity. For Wyoming's small businesses, however, the cost and time associated with professional design...
Devan Costa Cargill
A dollar is not stretching like it used to. Managing your personal finances is critical if you plan to buy a car, a home, or apply for business funding.
Kenny Overby
Did you know that May is International Export Month? As we celebrate this important time, many of our Wyoming exporters are discovering the invaluable resources offered by the SBDC, the University ...
Steen Stovall
Determining the right amount of cash to keep in your business account is crucial. Many business owners take one of these approaches: keeping an arbitrary amount that feels right, ignoring it until ...
Sarah Mikesell Growney,Janean Forsyth Lefevre
While it is the month of love, we are not helping you find your long-term partner when we talk about matchmaking. “Government matchmaking” means meeting one-on-one with government agencies or prime...
Kayley Achi
Artificial intelligence can seem like an overwhelming, complicated topic. Nearly every day there’s news about companies like Google and Microsoft investing in AI or incorporating AI tools into thei...
Audie Cunningham
Many small business owners understand the impact social media marketing can have on their business. The problem I often hear from owners is that they can’t find the time to manage their social medi...
Peggy Baker
What is Foreign Ownership Control and Influence (FOCI) and why does it matter? As you begin to build your business and seek board members, leadership, and investments, it is imperative to be mindfu...
Suzette Nickle
Q&A with Suzette Nickle, Director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Denver, where her team works to help Colorado and Wyoming companies export.
Rob Condie
Is it possible to run your entire business in spreadsheets? Or will you need to upgrade to accounting software that can take additional training and could be costly? From my time working with...
Maureen Johnson
May is known as the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) World Trade Month, so it is the perfect time to determine if exporting could be right for your small business.
P.J. Burns
A business plan is like a roadmap that guides you through starting your business and is a crucial tool for any entrepreneur. It helps you launch your business on the right foot and provides a...
Steen Stovall
Tax season has arrived, and with it the significant accounting and financial challenges it can pose for even the most organized business owners.
Jill Kline
One of the many services the Wyoming SBDC offers is helping entrepreneurs determine their financial needs for starting or expanding their business. This often results in the business seeking a loan.
Kyle Harrison
If you haven’t already considered how you’ll convince shoppers to buy from your store instead of your competitors, now is the best time to start! One of the simplest ways to attract customers to yo...
Audie Cunningham
E-commerce sales make up about 22% of total retail sales and online retail sales continue to trend up year over year. So, for many businesses, selling online seems like a great option.
Maureen Johnson
The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network at the University of Wyoming is one of six nationwide to receive the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Cybersecurity for Small...
Rob Condie
There are many things you need to be aware of right away when launching a small business. One of those things you must know to be successful is the difference between the top five financial account...
Maureen Johnson
On July 1, 2023, Google made the switch from Universal Google Analytics to Google Analytics 4, and you may be wondering, what exactly is different about this version of analytics and why does it...
Audie Cunningham
July is not when you typically start humming holiday tunes, but it is the perfect time to start thinking about your holiday sales season. Starting now will set you up for a successful sales season,...
Maureen Johnson
If you are a small business owner preparing for a strategic planning session, you know that the approaches available to conduct strategic planning are as unique as your small business.
Maureen Johnson
Strategic planning is crucial for small businesses to establish clear goals, allocate resources efficiently, and navigate a rapidly changing business landscape.
Maureen Johnson
Receiving a market research analysis can be incredibly valuable for small businesses. It can provide insights into customer needs, preferences, industry trends, and competitive landscape.
Kyle Harrison
As a small business owner, you likely spend most of your day thinking about your customers. You may consider how many customers you have, what and how much they buy, and how to get new customers.
Maureen Johnson
Advertising a small business to tourists can be a great way to increase sales and revenue. However, it’s important to understand how to effectively advertise to the right audience in order to get t...
Devan Costa Cargill
The tourism industry is facing tough competition when it comes to hiring seasonal workers. With the growing hybrid economy and rising wages, Wyoming business owners have found themselves...
Maureen Johnson
The Wyoming Business Resource Locator tool, accessible at WyomingBusinessResources.org, is an interactive business resource tool that can be used as an informational reference for Wyoming...
Steen Stovall
Obtaining startup funding for a small business can be particularly elusive — as most traditional business loans require one or more years in business — but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Jim Drever
I attended a session at the 2022 America’s Association of Small Business Development Centers conference about business leases, which inspired me to look further into the topic.
Peggy Baker
As business owners and managers prepare for the year ahead, employee annual reviews and goal setting are also on the horizon. How do you make your employees’ annual reviews and goal-setting more...
Devan Costa Cargill
Workplace morale should be a top priority for employees and small business owners alike. Spending time in a positive work environment is important for productivity and retention.
Paul Johnson
As a small business owner, you obviously wear many hats in your operation. In most cases, you likely wear all the hats. Creating and implementing a sustained, strategic marketing effort is a...
Cindy Unger
As a small business owner, you need to be thinking about some kind of retirement savings for yourself and your employees. In this competitive employment environment, having a retirement plan for yo...
Kelly Haigler Cornish
Small businesses interested in applying for funding through the federal small business innovation research (SBIR) and small business technology transfer program (STTR) have a couple of options to...
Mike Lambert
Wyoming business owners are struggling to retain staff and one of the most common things I hear when speaking with clients is, “I just can’t afford to increase salaries in this economy, and my...
Jill Kline
John from Cheyenne recently sent me a note asking, 'How soon can I expect to see some real growth in my new business?' That's a good question and one that is on any new business owner's mind, but...
Nik Giraldo
Starting a small business is tough. It takes grit, courage, and discipline to take an idea and make it a functioning business in the face of difficult odds.
Audie Cunningham
If you’re anything like me, the holidays often sneak up on you. If you are a busy entrepreneur, this may be particularly true for you too. No matter what time of year you’re reading this post –...
Peggy Baker
The Wyoming Community Navigator Program was created to assist small business owners, especially rural, Veteran, Women and Minority owned business owners, and connect them with available resources a...
Steen Stovall
Inadequate cash flow management can cripple a small business and is one of the major causes of small business or start-up business failure. Here are seven tips to avoid cash flow problems at your...
Kyle Harrison
I’ve performed in many marketing roles, and by far the most difficult is social media management. Platforms change and trends come and go. In the Wyoming SBDC Network Market Research Center (MRC), ...
Jim Drever
I recently returned from a business trip, so this topic is fresh on my mind. There are a lot of different levels of protection you may need depending on where you are going and what information and...
Peggy Baker
Communication within your staff is one of the most critical investments you can make in your business. Building the infrastructure for internal communication takes time and can be challenging when...
John Privette
If you are shipping goods to international markets, your pricing strategy should include Incoterms. If you pick the wrong incoterm or do not understand the definition, the cost of your mistake coul...
Janean Forsyth Lefevre
Word to the wise: Give yourself a lot of lead time when renewing your SAM registration and if possible, renew BEFORE it expires. In April of 2022, the SAM.
Paul Johnson
In early 2020, I contributed a Biz Tip article on staff development, but much has changed in the composition of our workforce during that time.
Cindy Unger
As a Business Advisor, I ask almost every start-up entrepreneur I work with if they have any bookkeeping experience. The reply I get is often accompanied by a look of panic.
Kelly Haigler Cornish
The federal agencies participating in the small business innovation research (SBIR) and small business technology transfer (STTR) issue funding opportunity announcements that list research topics.
Rob Condie
As businesses look for ways to make their operations more efficient it makes sense to look within at their own processes and practices. In many cases this means reviewing training protocols and job...
Mike Lambert
If you have been a user of Google’s G-Suite or Google Apps for your business, you are undoubtedly aware that this formerly free program has transitioned into a paid subscription service that is now...
Audie Cunningham
We all know that catching your audience’s attention on social media is important. We also know that it can be a difficult goal to achieve. Many small business owners are managing their own social...
Jim Drever
Most of the time cybersecurity focuses on online threats. While this is important as there are plenty of people fiddling to see if they can trick you or find a way to remotely break into your...
P.J. Burns
Hiring individuals that fit into your company culture has always been important, but now with national unemployment at historic lows, choosing employees that are most likely to stick around is...
John Privette
By Guest Author: Patty Brewer, Export Finance Manager with the SBA’s Office of International Trade As I drop my kids off at school, I hear other parents telling their children – Make Smart Choices...
Paul Johnson
“Customer Experience” is one of the biggest buzz phrases in business today. Some large companies have even installed a Chief Experience Officer in the executive suite.
Cindy Unger
Estimated Taxes for Small Businesses Estimated Tax is the method used by the IRS to collect taxes on income that is not subject to withholding, such as income from self-employment, interest,...
Jake Dixon
Not much beats social media when it comes to sharing experiences with friends, family and even your small business. Whether you pay for ads on social media or prefer to expand your reach organicall...
Rob Condie
Those looking to start or grow a small business inevitably run into the accounting systems vs Excel worksheets matchup when tracking their finances.
Mike Lambert
One of the services that we offer at the Wyoming SBDC Network Market Research Center is no-charge analysis and recommendations for websites and social media.
Steen Stovall
When starting a business, there are four fundamental areas that need to be addressed: business concept, organization, customer relations, and operations.
Bruce Morse
One of the most frequent questions we receive is regarding cash flow challenges that business owners are facing. It is one of the things that tends to keep them up a night and yet they aren't sure...
Peggy Baker
By guest author Patty Brewer, Export Finance Manager with the SBA's Office of International Trade Robert Heinlein said there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Janean Forsyth Lefevre
Big news about SAM.gov! By April 4, 2022, the federal government will transition away from using the DUNS Number as the authoritative entity identification number.
Paul Johnson
The New Year is when many of us attempt to revisit and revise our personal habits. It's also a great time to do the same with business operations.
Cindy Unger
The answer to that question is a resounding yes. However, the reasons for writing a business plan may not be what you think. Learn why a business plan is essential for your startup success.
Kelly Haigler Cornish
Is your small business looking to apply for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding at the Department of Energy (DOE)? If yes, you will want ...
Rob Condie
The biggest hurdle that I have seen for those looking at starting a business in Wyoming is finding funding. This obstacle is different for every business as some businesses (such as service...
Mike Lambert
As I sit at my desk on a beautiful September day, I am intrigued by an on-going class that is being offered through the Wyoming SBDC Network entitled The Five Principles of Marketing. This class details five disciplines that are vital in developing a marketing strategy.
Bruce Morse
It goes without saying that every business strives to build a professional team of employees to serve their customers. But not everyone sees the importance of building a team of professionals to...
Paul Johnson
Writing effective advertising, web, or social media content is vital to customers making a purchasing decision or even visiting your establishment.
Cindy Unger
As a sole proprietor, partner or member of an LLC, you will be responsible for paying Estimated Taxes to the IRS on a quarterly basis at the point where you owe tax of $1,000 or more when your retu...
Rob Condie
Keeping your employees engaged can be a struggle, especially if you’re trying to get back to pre-COVID levels of morale. Higher morale often leads to increased output from your workers, higher...
Janean Forsyth Lefevre
Government contractors are all familiar with SAM: The System for Award Management. This is often the first stop on the journey to becoming a contractor as a firm registers here to do business with...
Peggy Baker
From Guest Author Patty Brewer, Export Finance Manager with the SBA’s Office of International Trade. You are reaching for the moon. You are exporting your awesome product and getting attention from...
Bruce Morse
Spring is here and we are fast approaching the start of Summer. With the warmer weather comes an influx of visitors to Wyoming businesses ready to see what you have and spend their money.
Cindy Unger
Credit card acceptance seems quite simple on the surface but behind the few seconds between cardholder swipe and receipt, the process is quite complex, involving multiple stages and companies.
Audrey Jansen
As part of the expanding services within the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network’s CARES Act Recovery Program, a one-stop e-commerce site has been released for Wyoming...
Andi Lewis
It is becoming increasingly important that federal contractors implement a robust cybersecurity program. Why? The 1 reason is to protect your company from unscrupulous people or organizations who...
Peggy Baker
It is a tough time to be a small business owner; trying to support production and manage your team all during a global pandemic, looking for ways to diversify your customer base.
Steen Stovall
In the normal life cycle of every business there are going to be some periods of highs and lows. However, there may be periods when the highs may get really high and the lows may get really low.
Bruce Morse
One thing that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed for many small business owners is that they were not as prepared as they could have been for a dramatic financial downturn.
Paul Johnson
Now, more than ever, alternate approaches to reach potential customers are vitally important. Some of those channels might include a revamped social media strategy, a fresh look at product and...
Cindy Unger
If you are selling online, then you may be responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax to any of the over 12,000 tax jurisdictions in the United States.
Jim Drever
Poor password management is probably the cause of most of my calls and emails that begin with the phrase “I think I’ve been hacked…”. There is a wonderful darkweb site (pwndb) that has a searchable...
Jake Dixon
The digital marketing landscape in 2020 is more crowded now than ever, and you can probably guess why. As more small businesses across Wyoming are getting into e-commerce, entrepreneurs are finding...
Steen Stovall
What are the Five Key Financial Ratios for Small Business Owners Small business owners often overlook the importance of financial ratios. Financial ratios, simply stated, are tools that turn a...
Andi Lewis
Wyoming woman-owned businesses can take one or several approaches when it comes to working with large companies, the state, or the federal government.
Mike Lambert
Today, one thing most people will agree upon is that the world in late 2020 is vastly different than the one we lived in a hundred years ago… or was it January? This change covers most areas of lif...
Bruce Morse
Consumers have been moving more of their purchases online even before the pandemic hit. However, when COVID-19 did hit the move to online purchasing accelerated at such a clip that it is leaving so...
John Privette
What is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement? The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is an updated version of the nearly 25-year-old, trillion-dollar North American Free Trade...
Bruce Morse
The COVID-19 pandemic that has descended on the entire world has shed a bright light on the need for paying attention to the financial side of a business.
Janean Forsyth Lefevre
Small businesses in every industry can potentially expand their markets by selling their products or services to government agencies and a big part of this is developing an effective capability...
John Privette
On May 13, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued guidance for small businesses receiving less than $2 million of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding. The U.S.
Paul Johnson
We’ve clearly heard that the greatest challenges you face during these times are financial pressures. And while numbers ultimately drive the success of your small business, there are other aspects ...
Jake Dixon
It's hard to believe how quickly COVID-19 has changed the business landscape. Every industry has been impacted and small businesses are being hit the hardest.
Jim Drever
Fighting Cyber Threats in Challenging Times The greatest outputs of small businesses during challenging times are often innovation and organizational change.
Peggy Baker
Many small businesses in Wyoming are still trying to figure out how to operate during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but now is also a good time to make plans for the future.
Andi Lewis
Finding Government Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Small businesses in every industry can potentially expand their markets by selling their products or services to government agencies.
Jill Kline
How COVID-19 Affects Small Businesses Continuity is important for every stage of business. Wyoming now has several confirmed COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) cases and things are changing quickly.
Steen Stovall
A strategic plan is a written document used to focus a small business’ plans for the future. It summarizes its goals and clarifies why they’re important.
Kelly Haigler Cornish
Identifying your customers goes a long way in increasing a small businesses sales, but it can also play a major role in receiving funding from some sources.
Jessica Schneider
Successful businesses are the result of years of hard work, determination, and sacrifice by business owners and their families. As such, most business owners want to preserve the product of their...
Jake Dixon
Small businesses in almost every industry can expand their market through government contracting. This is due to the large scope of products and services sought by local, state, and federal agencies.
Bruce Morse
Tax time is upon us, and near the end of 2019, business owners likely received a notice from their county assessor regarding taxes and their personal property that is used in the business.
Paul Johnson
One of the greatest strengths (and liabilities) of owning a small business is that the actions of a single employee can have a direct impact on your bottom line.
Audrey Jansen
When you are running a business, it is incredibly hard to find the time for social media. The phone is constantly ringing (and frustratingly, it’s more likely to be a spam call than an actual...
Cindy Unger
Although crowdfunding has a long history of supporting books, films, art and music projects and more, the first online crowdfunding platform companies started appearing around 2001.
Peggy Baker
Written by guest author Mike Galloway of Our Wyoming Life YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world with over 2 billion users and more than 500 hours of video uploaded every minute.
Steen Stovall
Buildings often outlive their original purpose. Outdated gas stations become obsolete, factory and mill buildings remain standing long after the industries they supported disappear, or...
Andi Lewis
Navigating the new fbo.gov website: beta.sam.gov Whether you’re new to government contracting or you’ve been doing it for a while, there are some new steps you need to take to thoroughly research...
Jake Dixon
For small businesses in Wyoming, email marketing can be an effective way to secure potential customers and re-engage your current clientele. Unlike in days past, the strength of email marketing now...
Kelly Haigler Cornish
If you have an idea or invention, there is a federal innovation funding program that may be able to help youwith research, development, and commercialization. This program awards about $2.
Jill Kline
For a state with a small population, resources for Wyoming entrepreneurs are abundant. However, the question from business owners in all stages of their life cycle is often, “That’s great.
Rob Condie
Are you wondering what can be done in your business to get ready for the tax year end? Here are some ideas to save you some hassle: Contact Your Accountant Schedule a meeting to talk about your...
John Privette
Regardless of the news on trade agreement negotiations, international trade continues to present opportunities for Wyoming small business. In support of international trade, the state of Wyoming...
Bruce Morse
School is back in session and fall is officially here, so why not take some time to spruce up your retail space before the holiday season arrives? Spruce Up Your Exterior Start outside, and look at...
Susan Jerke
Congratulations, you’ve made the decision to open a real, brick and mortar retail store! The main advantage of an independently-owned store over online shopping is the opportunity to really connect...
Rob Condie
Making sure someone is the right fit and will stick around for a long time are the two main goals small business owners usually have when hiring employees.
Sarah Hamlin
In our current age of rapid information and automation, it is easy to forget how we used to communicate with our community. As a business owner, understanding the difference between building an...
Paul Johnson
Traditional marketing activities include advertising, publicity, and sales — approaches that are certainly not going away. But those outward-facing strategies join today’s inbound marketing...
Jake Dixon
There are many benefits to writing frequent blog posts — as long as the topics are relevant to your business. The simple answer to whether your small business should have a blog is “Yes, if you hav...
Cindy Unger
In a gig economy, companies hire independent contractors and freelancers to complete temporary, flexible jobs, as opposed to full-time employees.
Mike Lambert
In recent months a lot of effort has gone into renewing the vision for economic growth in Wyoming. One component of the plans by the Governor and the Wyoming Business Council recognizes that...
Bruce Morse
Billboard advertising can be very effective if it’s the right fit for your business and if it has been designed to be viewed by users traveling at high speeds.
Sarah Hamlin
Let’s face it, online shopping is here to stay. In addition to seeing an increase in online sales, we are also seeing an increase in offline sales influenced by what customers search for online.
Andi Lewis
You may be surprised at the types of products and services the federal government is looking to buy from small businesses in Wyoming. Whether it’s supplying food to fire fighters, providing...
Sari Kimbell
By Guest Author Sari Kimbell, Founder & CEO of Food Business Success. Are you dreaming of turning your passion for baking, brewing, cooking, gardening, knitting or jewelry-making into a business? O...
Nik Giraldo
Just in time for the summer tourism season, Google has recently announced improvements to its own personalized travel planning service called Trips which allows users to plan and book their activities.
Cindy Unger
You had no clue that one business could actually be both an LLC and an S Corp, did you? Let me explain further... What is an LLC? A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a legal entity formed under...
Rich Lyles
There are several unwanted telemarketing calls making the rounds in our state and they’re not limited to medical braces or extended vehicle warranties.
Jim Drever
SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) swapping is a major cell phone industry-wide problem and is growing. Simply, a criminal calls a wireless company claiming to be the owner of your number and that th...
Jake Dixon
You have a product or service to sell and know your target audience, but now you need to create an effective message that leads to sales. Creating Marketing Personas — sketches of a key customer...
Mike Lambert
If your business has exempt employees (employees who do not have to be paid overtime), then you should pay attention to new proposed rules issued last month by the Department of Labor (DOL).
Melissa Forziat
When you don't know exactly who would be interested in your product or service or you don't know exactly what to say to them, you are either marketing inefficiently or losing out on sales! Being...
Kelly Haigler Cornish
Do you have an environmental, medical, robotic, distributed ledger, cybersecurity, educational, manufacturing, space or Internet of Things innovation? These are just some of the 24 broad topics to...
Rich Lyles
The United States Air Force has begun the process of replacing the Minuteman III missile system and this could be a big opportunity for small business in Wyoming.
Audrey Jansen
Websites are a vital piece of any marketing strategy, but most entrepreneurs struggle with how to get started creating theirs. To help you get started we've created this handy checklist on how to...
Bruce Morse
There are a number of things that small business owners have to be concerned about these days; cybersecurity, social media marketing, finding employees, competing with the big box stores and the li...
Greg Jordan
Operating a small business in Wyoming can seem like a lonely proposition. Sometimes you feel like there is nowhere to turn and you are the only one facing the problems of ownership.
Jill Kline
New hire onboarding and employee orientation sets the stage of a new employee’s perception of your business and culture, and perhaps more importantly, clearly establishes the businesses expectation...
Jim Drever
How can you tell if a business is one you want to do business with? Both businesses and consumers want to make sure the companies they choose to do business with are legitimate and won't rip them off.
Andi Lewis
An excellent growth tactic for small businesses is to pair with a larger business to go after work and to learn the ropes of government contracting. One way to do this is through the U.S.
Rob Condie
When it comes to small business goals for 2019, bookkeeping may not be the top of that list for most business owners, especially the tedious task of reconciling.
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