Today’s featured contribution in our SBA TOP 10 Needs of Small Business Owners series is written by Shannon Wilburn – who is the president and co-founder of Just
Between Friends Franchise Systems Inc. Shannon is also very involved in small business organizations including the Small Business Council for the Tulsa Chamber.
1. Solid customer service policy and a mantra to exceed your customer’s expectations. In every business, in some form or fashion, you have a customer. If you don’t provide good customer service, you are spinning your wheels.
2. Effective Networking resources – Small Businesses need to know how to network.
3. Funding options and access to capital – especially for start-up businesses.
4. Access to effective expert consultants – for example, JBF is planning to franchise in Canada so she is seeking experts to help with this process: CPA, Attorney and other with Canadian business expertise.
5. Strong Staff/employees – whether it is outsourced or on site staff, a strong, reliable and well-educated work force is vital.
6. CEO with vision and leadership capabilities.
7. A strong competitive analysis – understanding competition – analyze who they are and what they are doing that works – and doesn’t work.
8. Knowledge of government regulations for your industry – and how they will affect you -this includes tax law, workers comp and other regulations that affect small business. This also includes being aware and knowledgeable of other initiatives that may affect their business.
9. A mentor – someone to help guide business decisions looking at the whole picture in your life. Providing mentoring resources would be a big benefit.
10. Networking resources – particularly globally – to help expand and grow markets.
Thank you Shannon for your contribution and we wish you all the best in 2013!
Research to determine the Top 10 Needs of Small Businesses in America 