SafeguardsInc. staff The Essential Business Survival Guide in a CrisisInc.'s solutions center offers expert advice on handling panicked customers, interrupted supply chains, webinars, Zoom meetings, hyper kids, and a work environment that changes by the hour.
SafeguardsKimberly Weisul New Updates: What Loan Forgiveness Will Look LikeThe latest guideline refinements offer more clarity -- but will still leave some business owners guessing.
SafeguardsTom Foster Lessons From the Lone Star RestartHere are seven tips from Texas business owners to help you make a smooth return to the shop, store, or office.
Principal Financial Group SPONSORED CONTENT 12 Cash Flow Ideas to Help Businesses Get Through 2020Survival requires ingenuity, determination, and availing yourself of the many resources available to businesses during and after COVID-19
SafeguardsCameron Albert-Deitch In Atlanta, a Private Club Reopens to Address a Public CrisisAt the Gathering Spot, Ryan Wilson is brokering some of Atlanta's most important conversations between activists, politicians, business leaders, and celebrities. Here's what he thinks needs to happen next.
Principal Financial Group SPONSORED CONTENT What Businesses Need to Know About Federal Stimulus During Covid-19There are many options, so choose what makes the most sense for you and your business
SafeguardsGabrielle Bienasz Most Small Businesses Have Reopened, but Owners Expect a Slow Return to NormalA new poll by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce finds business owners don't foresee economic conditions improving to pre-pandemic levels for months.
Principal Financial Group SPONSORED CONTENT How Businesses Can Reopen Offices and Return to Worksites in 3 Careful StagesAs states relax shutdown orders, here are the stages of reopening that protect your customers, employees, and business.
Principal Financial Group SPONSORED CONTENT How Small Businesses Say They're Changing Operations (and Liking the Results) in 2020From cleaning to workflow, returning to the office will include some very important shifts. Here is where most SMBs will start.
SafeguardsCameron Albert-Deitch Inauguration Day: Hope for the Best. Be Prepared for Any UglinessPro-Trump mobs are threatening Washington, D.C., and state capitals this week. Small businesses may need to take precautionary measures.
SafeguardsCameron Albert-Deitch Businesses Step Up Security, Anti-Violence Rhetoric in the Wake of D.C. RiotAs Washington, D.C.'s small businesses brace for more trouble, the rest of the country's business owners fear the economic consequences of an unsettled democracy.
Covid Resource CenterBrit Morse How to Encourage Employees to Get the Covid-19 VaccineSome people are hesitant about the Covid-19 vaccine, which is reasonable. Here's the best way to talk to employees about it.
SafeguardsBrit Morse How to Bring Employees Back to Work When They're Getting Vaccinated at Different TimesPeople will likely get the vaccine at different times. Here's what that means for your workplace.
SafeguardsSophie Downes The Pandemic Has Hit Women-Owned Businesses Harder, Says This Facebook SurveyThe social media company's Global State of Small Business Report says that micro-businesses have also struggled.
The FutureHillel Fuld How to Prepare Yourself and Your Team for a Post-Covid-19 WorldWhile we don't know when it'll come, eventually the pandemic will end and you need to be prepared. Here's where to start.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Is Hygiene Theater Overkill? In the Workplace, Probably NotAll that extra cleaning can get expensive, but it might be worth it for the morale boost.
SafeguardsAkhil Kambhammettu Small Businesses Gird for Another Wave of the Coronavirus Unlike Any OtherAs coronavirus cases ratchet up across the U.S., many business owners are drawing on their backup plans.
SafeguardsBurt Helm A Debilitating Mental Health Crisis Almost Ended His Life. Now He Wants to Save OthersWith Made Academy, Aaron Harvey is showing employers how to get smart about mental health at work.
SafeguardsCameron Albert-Deitch Covid-19 Decimated the Fitness Industry, but Some Founders See It as Opportunity KnockingFitness entrepreneurs are planning for post-pandemic now. What that will look like is still very much a question.
SafeguardsAmi Kassar Let's Put the EIDL Program Back to WorkThe Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program could be a crucial lifeline for struggling business owners across the U.S.--if it were working as Congress intended.
SafeguardsBrit Morse A Covid-19 Vaccine Looks Promising. Can You Require Employees to Take It?As the number of cases skyrockets across the U.S., Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech offer hope to end the pandemic.
SafeguardsCameron Albert-Deitch Hard Lessons and Simple Routines Helped These Founders Beat the Stress of 2020How confronting personal crises led one company's co-founders to emerge stronger.
SafeguardsGabrielle Bienasz What These Veterans Learned About Entrepreneurship From the Front LinesThese high-performing CEOs credit their success to swabbing the deck and nearly losing a limb.
SafeguardsPeter Cohan 4 Rules for Networking in the PandemicHow to make contact when you can't meet in person.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom What President Joe Biden Means for YouThe former vice president won the top job, but undoing Trump's discordant legacy won't be easy.
SafeguardsBrit Morse How to Prepare Your Business for Contested Election StrifeThere's growing concern that the election could spark looting and destruction--leaving business owners with smashed windows and damaged merchandise. How to prepare for potential damages.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom What Election Indecision Means for America's Small Businesses The prospects for another relief program are dim, even after the election.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom The Fed's Main Street Lending Program Changes Its Terms, AgainThe central bank makes its lending process more palatable for smaller firms. The question is, will they bite?
SafeguardsRobert Litan The Case for a Market-Based Incentive to Promote Vaccines and Get the U.S. Back to WorkCovid-19 must be stopped to restore our economy. Paying people to get vaccinated may be the solution.
SafeguardsKeith Ferrazzi The Next Six Months Are Critical: Use Them to Turbocharge Your BusinessBeing in business has been harsh over the past six months. But being in business over the next six months offers the chance for your organization to transform employee teams.
SafeguardsAmi Kassar I Said Goodbye to My American Airlines Executive Platinum Status--and I Couldn't Be HappierA recovering frequent flyer bids good riddance to the road warrior lifestyle--and finds a silver lining in the pandemic.
SafeguardsLeigh Buchanan Winter Is Coming. Restaurants Are Getting ReadyEntrepreneurs, designers, and restaurateurs themselves are devising novel ways to extend outdoor dining into the frigid months.
SafeguardsAkhil Kambhammettu 3 Important Lessons From Airbnb's Pandemic PivotBrian Chesky led Airbnb out of disaster this year. What can entrepreneurs learn from his rapid-fire decision making?
SafeguardsBill Murphy Jr. United Airlines Just Shared the Perfect Leadership Message. It's Only 8 WordsScott Kirby went back 78 years to quote Winston Churchill, and it's suddenly apt again.
SafeguardsAnna Meyer Cities and Startups Are Poised for a 'Great Reboot'The pandemic's impact on small business has been deep, but Inc.'s Arnobio Morelix predicts a startup renaissance is around the corner.
SafeguardsVictor W. Hwang Andrew Yang Talks With Me About EntrepreneurshipThe former presidential candidate on what needs to be done to restart the economy.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom The SBA Makes It Easier to Apply for PPP Loan ForgivenessA first look at the new forgiveness application now available to businesses with the smallest Paycheck Protection Program loans.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom President Trump Calls for Standalone Relief for Small BusinessesBusiness groups may be in favor of Trump's call for piecemeal relief efforts, but Congress might not abide.
SafeguardsMark Coatney Pence v. Harris: A Rare Vice Presidential Debate That MattersThe stakes for a VP debate have rarely been higher, particularly for small-business owners awaiting some form of financial relief from the Covid-19 pandemic.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of PPP Loan Forgiveness DelaysSome banks aren't even ready to process PPP loan forgiveness applications--nearly a month after the SBA program launched. Why that's going to put a lot of business owners in a bind.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Business Leaders to Congress: 'No Recess Without Relief'More than 200 U.S. private- and public-sector groups have called on Congress to pass additional economic relief for small businesses before the November election.
SafeguardsBrit Morse How to Pay for Damages Caused by Civil UnrestThe U.S. Small Business Administration is offering loans of up to $2 million for businesses damaged during recent protests.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom In the First Presidential Debate, Small Businesses Have One Agenda Item: Show Me the MoneyWith nearly two million businesses already shuttered in 2020, the stakes for the economy have never been higher.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom Why Tweaks to the Fed's Small-Biz Lending Program Won't Fix ItThe Federal Reserve offered changes to its Main Street Lending Program, but borrowers are still likely to balk.
SafeguardsBrit Morse CDC Reverses Its Controversial Guidelines on Coronavirus TestingThe Centers for Disease Control now says those exposed to someone with Covid-19 but as yet asymptomatic do need to get tested before returning to the workplace.
SafeguardsBrit Morse How to Tap the New $10 Million Grant Program for Black-Owned Small BusinessesThe Amex-supported 'Coalition to Back Black Businesses' offers grants and training opportunities for hard-hit founders of color.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom Pandemic Be Damned: Business Owners Are Still Opening StoresWith so many uncertainties today, expanding your company's brick-and-mortar footprint right now might seem genuinely bizarre. These founders disagree.
SafeguardsBrit Morse How This 24-Year-Old Entrepreneur Pulled Off a Coronavirus Pivot Before His Company Even LaunchedThis nanofiber filter startup quickly switched gears to make material for facemasks.
SafeguardsGabrielle Bienasz Even Businesses Miles Away From the Wildfires Are Suffering a Terrible TollAlready beleaguered restaurants and events businesses near the path of the wildfires say they're struggling to manage amid ash, smoke, anxiety--and the pandemic.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom New Yorkers Can Dine Inside Restaurants Again. Will They Have the Appetite?The city's shattered restaurant industry gets limited relief as the colder months approach.
SafeguardsSophie Downes Google and Facebook Look to July 2021 for an Office Return. Can You Do the Same?Plans to resume business as usual by next July might be unrealistic. But you can learn from how the big companies are planning for it.
SafeguardsLindsay Blakely In the Elite Beach Enclaves of the Hamptons and Cape Cod, Restaurants Extend the Season. It Still Might Not Be Long EnoughCity dwellers who flocked to the beaches to ride out the pandemic aren't ready to head back yet. Restaurant owners remain skeptical that autumn will make up for the rough summer.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom With Stimulus Talks Stalled, Small Businesses Put Hope in Long-Term Loan ProgramsBusinesses in industries decimated by the pandemic say the Paycheck Protection Program helped, but it's not nearly enough.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom Businesses Balk at Trump's Payroll Tax HolidayWith little time to digest IRS guidance on Social Security and Medicare tax deferral before the program launched, most advisers are telling employers to wait.
SafeguardsSophie Downes Pet Paternity Leave and Other Pandemic Perks Companies Are Offering NowIn the current crisis, business leaders feel a heightened urgency to boost morale with thoughtful extras. Here's how to do it right.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom The Fed Needs to Step Up to Help Main StreetWith states running out of Cares Act funding and the Paycheck Protection Program on ice, all eyes should be on the Federal Reserve's Main Street Lending Program right now.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Covid Testing in the Workplace Is Tricky. Here's What Experts RecommendTemperature checks and Covid-19 testing are a good idea to keep employees safe, but be careful about privacy and record keeping.
SafeguardsMelissa Santoyo 4 Things You Need to Know About Covid-Proofing Your Air SupplyAs more businesses reopen, facemasks and surface sanitization aren't the only concern. Clean air is essential for a safe return to the office.
SafeguardsBrit Morse The Case for (and Against) Ditching Offices for Remote WorkTwo Inc. 5000 founders and a Harvard business professor discuss the pros and cons.
SafeguardsCarey Smith Why a Recession Is a Perfect Opportunity to Build for the FutureAs horrible as this pandemic is, there are companies that will turn it into a growth opportunity. Yours can be one of them.
SafeguardsLindsay Blakely He Faced Down Entrepreneurship's Hidden Demons--and Emerged a Better LeaderWhile struggling to build his company, Matt Munson hit rock bottom--and climbed out. Now, he wants to help you do the same.
Economic OutlookGabrielle Bienasz Businesses Don't Like a Virtual DNC, but They Like the Pandemic Even LessMilwaukee businesses are still reeling from the loss of the Democratic National Convention, but the bigger problem is Covid-19.
SafeguardsKeith Ferrazzi 6 Ways to Come Back From the Pandemic With a Stronger TeamWorking from home has accelerated innovative team-building trends. How to make traits like agility, collaboration, and candor a permanent part of our management process.
SafeguardsJoe Bargmann Behind the Wild and Sometimes Wacky Facemask EconomyThe face-covering business went from zero to crazy money in five months, with manufacturers pivoting production lines and brands seizing the moment to advertise.
SafeguardsBrit Morse The PPP Failed Minority-Led Businesses. 3 Ideas for What Could Work InsteadWith the Paycheck Protection Program over, it's clear that minority-led businesses needed more, and potentially different, help.
SafeguardsPaul Schoemaker Put Risk Management on the MenuThe restaurant industry is trying to adapt its service to Covid-19. But both restaurateurs and consumers need to take a new, and safer, approach to dining out.
TaxesDiana Ransom Why Businesses Should Ignore Trump's Payroll Tax HolidayThe president signed a series of executive orders that are supposed to help Americans. But for business owners, they're another headache to handle.
Startup LifeJessica Stillman New Study: Go Ahead and Eat That Cake or Binge Watch That Show Enjoying life's momentary pleasures helps rather than hinders long-term achievement, new research finds.
Cash FlowBrooke Henderson She Was Rejected by 86 Investors Before Hearing a Single Yes--and It Was From Jay-ZAfter years of fits and starts, Denise Woodard's Partake Foods is now seeing a surge in sales. Here's her advice for other founders of color.
SafeguardsLeigh Buchanan How Entrepreneurs Are Reducing the Stress of Back-to-SchoolReopening schools requires more than frequent disinfection and spacing out desks. Small companies are tackling some of the other issues educators may face.
SafeguardsJessica Stillman Want to Be a Great Remote Team Leader? Actions Speak Louder Than Words Charisma matters less than reliability and helpfulness when you're leading remotely, new research finds.
SafeguardsMarcel Schwantes 5 Hard Realities About Remote Work Every Manager Should KnowHow employees' personalities fit in with a great remote workplace.
Economic OutlookDiana Ransom This Is Not a Disaster Movie. If Congress Doesn't Act, Though, It Could Start to Feel That WayAs lawmakers quibble over expensing business meals, the consequences for failing to move on a Phase 4 stimulus bill are vast.
SafeguardsGabrielle Bienasz Survey: Businesses Remain On Guard As the Coronavirus Resurges in the U.S.A new poll by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce shows more businesses girding for a second wave of closures.
SafeguardsSuzanne Lucas What to Do If Employees Refuse to Wear a MaskYou get to set the rules (within your state guidelines), but don't forget about the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Covid Resource CenterDiana Ransom With Federal Unemployment Benefits Set to Expire, Businesses Face a Lose-Lose ScenarioBusinesses that have struggled to hire during the pandemic welcome the end of the federal program that gives the unemployed an extra $600 a week, but they may be facing something far worse if it does.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom What Businesses Can Expect From the Phase 4 Stimulus PackageCongress is set to begin negotiations on the next round of stimulus. For business owners, new measures could bring more tax relief, renewed access to forgivable loans, and more.
SafeguardsAnna Meyer Starbucks's CEO on the Mask Mandate, Walk-Thru Stores, and Other Leadership Lessons From the PandemicKevin Johnson discussed the global coffee chain's Covid-19 response and new store designs in the works.
Covid Resource CenterDiana Ransom Businesses Face Existential Threats, Made Worse by PoliticiansWhat happens when a second round of business closures hits on top of months of low to no revenue? It isn't good.
SafeguardsMinda Zetlin Disney Made a Controversial Decision. Here's What Business Owners Can LearnThe smartest move is telling customers exactly what to expect.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Facemask Exemption Cards: What You Need to KnowIf a customer hands you a card that exempts him or her from wearing a mask, it's most likely fake. But the law it points to is very real. Here's a primer on the 30-year-old Americans With Disabilities Act.
SafeguardsJames B. Biagi PPP Loan Forgiveness: What You Need to KnowTake these steps to ensure you're complying with the law.
SafeguardsEmily Canal 3 Innovations Meeting New Demand in the Covid-19 EraBoth low-tech and high-tech companies are getting a boost during the pandemic.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom From P.F. Chang's to North Dakota: PPP's Biggest BeneficiariesIn Round 1, companies in harder-hit states saw lower approvals for the Paycheck Protection Program relative to the number of businesses in each state. That trend continued through Round 2.
SafeguardsMinda Zetlin 7 Remote-Work Skills Every Leader Needs to MasterLeading a remote team is hard. Here's how to do it right.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom The PPP Is Now Extended Through August 8This may be some businesses' last chance at forgivable loans.
SafeguardsHoward Tullman How to Protect Your People From Maskless MoronsThe science may be unequivocal--masks save lives--but the issue has become politicized. For business owners, keeping employees safe from Covid-19 now means keeping them safe from unruly customers.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom With an End to PPP in Sight, Here's What's NextThe latest bill wending its way through Congress is a much more targeted version of the Paycheck Protection Program. Here's an early look.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Employee Liability Waivers: What to ConsiderAsking employees to sign a waiver before returning seems like a simple ask, but you may be putting yourself and your business at deeper risk.
SafeguardsBrit Morse 7 Reasons You Should Still Apply for a PPP LoanAlthough the Paycheck Protection Program's ability to help small-business owners has been a source of debate, there are still many reasons you should apply.
SafeguardsMinda Zetlin Target and Best Buy Got High Marks on This Test. Customers Should Be HappyAce Hardware, Hobby Lobby, and Levi Strauss got a failing grade.
SafeguardsPaul Schoemaker Are You Ready for the Next Big Shock?Covid-19 isn't a singular event. Smart companies learn fast and then take advantage of whatever surprises come next.
SafeguardsNatalie Nixon Why Now Is the Right Time for Creativity, Collaboration, and ServiceDays of uncertainty are perfect for inventive thinking, working together, and customer obsession.
SafeguardsMitchell Barnett 3 Ways to Strengthen Your Covid-19 Cash-Management StrategyHow to predict your cash flow in an unpredictable environment.
SafeguardsEmily Canal How to Recover Costs Fast If Your Business Has Been LootedHere are the steps to take to expedite an insurance claim--and what your options are if you're not covered.
SafeguardsAnna Meyer Consumers Are Nervous. Here's the Safety Checklist They Want to SeeCustomers are deciding where to shop based on precautions that companies take.
SafeguardsLindsay Blakely 5 Things to Consider Before You Use Software to Monitor Remote EmployeesThere's nothing illegal about remotely monitoring your team with software applications. It's how you use them--and what you do with the data--that can get you into trouble.
SafeguardsSophie Downes PPE Kits Are Confidence in a Box for Returning EmployeesSwag sellers and pantry providers have shifted to safety items in place of coffee mugs and snacks.
SafeguardsLeigh Buchanan Use These 7 Steps to Keep Your Warehouse Workers SafeWarehouse employees experience safety challenges when conditions are normal. To protect pickers, packers, and shippers from Covid-19, companies must do more.
Owner's ManualJeff Haden Need to Improve Cash Flow? Get Better Payment Terms in Return for Lower Prices. Here's HowIf you have to cut prices, make sure you get paid more quickly in return.
SafeguardsKevin J. Ryan UV Light Can Help Disinfect, but Comes With Huge Covid CaveatsExperts are sounding the alarm on UV light products, which remain poorly regulated.
SafeguardsBrit Morse Reopening? Learn How to Help Your Employees Feel Safe PsychologicallyYou can provide all the PPE you want, but it's also crucial that your employees are emotionally secure in their workplace.
Owner's ManualJeff Haden Why Smart Bosses Make Remote Employees Communicate Less, Not MoreResearch shows less 'face time' leads to increased creativity, better problem-solving, and higher productivity.
Cash FlowDiana Ransom The Fed's Loan Program Just Got SweeterRevisions to the Main Street Lending Program include reduced minimum loan values and longer repayment terms, making them more desirable for smaller companies.
SafeguardsGabrielle Bienasz This Company's App Is Helping Hundreds of Barbershops ReopenDisruptions from Covid-19 have increased demand for Squire's barbershop software.
SafeguardsEmily Canal How to Handle Customers Who Won't Follow Safety RulesWhen you reopen your business, you need to make new policies clear to customers--and respond appropriately if they refuse to comply.
Cash FlowDiana Ransom PPP Update: You Have Until June 30 to ApplyThe Small Business Administration and the Treasury Department clarified the application deadline in addition to the extent of loan forgiveness companies can expect under the new PPP.
SafeguardsDiana Ransom Why the Fed's New $600 Billion Lending Program May Get a Cool Reception As the Federal Reserve kicks off its much-anticipated new business loan program, lawmakers and business groups are already talking about changing it.
SafeguardsLindsay Blakely How to Add a Covid Surcharge Without Alienating CustomersSome service businesses are asking customers to help them weather the pandemic. It can be an effective strategy--as long as you frame it right.
