What are the top trends that you need to know about as a small business owner? Entrepreneur and columnist, Gene Marks, share his key insights and the one thing you must do in 2017.
Gene Marks is a columnist, author, and small business owner. He owns and operates the Marks Group PC, a highly successful ten-person firm that provides technology and consulting services to small and medium sized businesses.
Gene also writes every day on business, politics and public policy for the Washington Post and weekly for Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, and the Huffington Post.
Gene has written 5 books on business management, specifically geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is The Manufacturer’s Book of Lists.
Nationally, Gene appears on Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC discussing matters affecting the business community.
Through his keynotes and breakout sessions, Gene helps business owners, executives and managers understand the political, economic and technological trends that will affect their companies so they can make profitable decisions.
Prior to starting the Marks Group PC Gene, a Certified Public Accountant, spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG in Philadelphia where he was a Senior Manager.
Icebreaker
My most admired entrepreneur is Kim Kardashian.
Think Like A Journalist Quote
The difference between where you are today and where you’ll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you’ve read. –Jim Rohn
Success Quote or Tip
Learn to delegate to grow your SMB.
Career Highlight
Gene was running his own technology company as a Microsoft partner. Gene used writing as therapy. He started writing a column for a local paper. Find out why this helped him personally and professionally. He’s since gone on to author five books and writing for national papers and online publications. Hear how he’s created a writing habit that’s fueling his business and feeding his soul.
When It Didn’t Work
Gene is accountant by training. He lied. Early in his business he was doing accounting work for his dad. They were in business together. Find out why he lied to a client and ultimately lost that client. Hear the lesson he learned that has positively impacted his business.
Be 100% accountable to succeed.
Top Tips Top Trends Impacting SMBs In 2017
- Healthcare plans are changing…not in 2017 but will change in 2018-2019. Obamacare expected to go away. Meet with your benefits people and educate employees. These healthcare changes will affect individual employees.
- Paid-time off: there will be national legislation on this for new parents and employees. Start looking at your paid-time-off policy. Millenialls especially attract the younger generations.
- Customer relationship management: expected to grow 15% in 2017. Have a good database system. Insightly or Zohos for larger companies Microsoft Dynamics. Salesforce.
- HR platforms: Bamboo, Gusto, Paychecks, Namely.
- Taxes: enormous changes to tax codes in years after 2017. A lot are good but they’ll result in lower tax rates and bigger deductions. Meet with your CPA by June 2017.
What is one piece of technology, video or multimedia equipment, or app that you just can’t live without?
CRM application
One book, documentary, blog, podcast, or Internet Channel to watch?
Contact
Washington Post columns by Gene Marks
Mentioned In This Episode
CRM applications: Insightly, Zoho CRM, Microsoft Dynamics, and Salesforce
HR applications: Bamboo HR, Gusto, Paychex, and Namely
About.me and LinkedIn.com
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