SmallBiz-Info

There's power in numbers. Partnerships allow you to accomplish more together than you could ever do on your own. This is especially true for small businesses with limited staff, resources, and time. When it comes to sustainability, becoming partners with other companies up and down your supply chain can help your small business achieve its goals more quickly.
Here are a few suggestions to get started:

1. Expand your view. Look up and down your supply chain to see where you can come together

to advance both your goals.
2. Communicate your objectives. Understand your environmental footprint and impact and

make it clear where you are focused on making changes to reduce that impact. Ask for help

and offer to help. Voicing your objectives is the best avenue to finding mutually beneficial

partnerships.
3. Leverage the knowledge. Look to others for their expertise and for ways to put that expertise

to work for your business. Likewise, look at what expertise your organization can offer that

could help others advance their sustainability goals.
Article taken from : http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/

Norwalk, Conn.

Small businesses are accustomed to coming together and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. As more and more small businesses work to become energy smart and preserve natural resources, looking to their employee base to help implement change is an obvious starting place.
Here are several ways you can get every employee to help make your small business greener:

1. Have them turn off their computers when they're not in use.
2. Ask them to set their computer monitors to low-power mode after 10 minutes of non-use.
3. Encourage them to turn off the lights and office appliances when they are not needed.
4. Have them wear comfortable, seasonal clothing appropriate for changes in building

temperature.
5. Ask them to share other energy savings ideas with their co-workers.

Article taken from : http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/

One of the best ways to get initiatives off the ground that are meant to benefit the environment is to empower your employees to lead the charge. You can harness the energy of your workforce to create a green team, a management-supported and self-empowered group of individuals who share a common goal of educating, supporting, and seeking changes that will reduce your environmental footprint—things that align with your company's sustainability goals and enable environmental improvements and cost savings or productivity improvements through their everyday practices.

Green teams can gain support and build momentum within your company. Start with these five simple steps:
1. Select a leader. This person should be committed to the program, passionate, and willing to

manage others.
2.Seek management support. Getting buy-in from the boss and setting a tone from top

management will ensure the team has access to the information and resources needed to

succeed. More importantly, it'll help make sure the team's efforts are forwarding the overall

goals of your company.
3. Recruit a small number of green team members. Send an open invitation or target people who

are outwardly enthusiastic about the program and able to commit time to help spearhead the

effort. Limit the number of green team members. Anything more than eight people might get

bureaucratic and make it hard to gain consensus on important decisions and courses of action.
4. Share roles and expectations early. Be sure everyone is in sync with the company's green

mission and the requirements to get there.
5. Set goals and measure results. Plan the next 12 months. Determine what you'll track in terms

of progress made. Start with low-hanging fruit, or easily attainable goals. The best way to

foster success is to demonstrate success early on, and usually the momentum will build from

there. Share your results with the larger community—the entire office, an extended group, or

the whole company. Your idea might become a program or process adopted by the entire

company.

Article taken from : http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/

Ever wonder why so many small businesses never survive the owner's death? Entrepreneurs often get so involved in day-to-day management of their baby that they never contemplate what would happen if they were no longer around. Planning for succession is a critical strategy for business owners who want to leave not only a lasting legacy for their years of hard work, but also financial security for themselves and their loved ones.

The key, of course, is to begin the succession process well before retirement is contemplated. It takes time to determine if the kids have the capability or desire to take over the family business—or if a key employee shares the vision and ethics the founder inspired. And it most certainly takes time to install a funding strategy that can provide the resources necessary to compensate the owner adequately when he or she is ready to sell.

Structuring a proper succession plan takes considerable thought, which is another reason why so many small business owners procrastinate. Does your plan address a catastrophic event, like the sudden death or long-term disability of the owner? Continuity planning is a key component to any sound succession plan. Does it provide a written formula for adequately valuing a business that would pass IRS scrutiny? Is a buy-sell agreement in place to lay out the parameters of any transition, and are all parties aware of the tax ramifications? If children are involved in taking over the business, how does the owner equitably deal with those kids who can't or don't want to be part of the business?

Like most things in life, there's no quick fix when it comes to an effective succession plan. So if you want to maximize the legacy your business leaves behind, the time to start planning was yesterday.