Survey: Small business owners see long road to recovery

With COVID-19 cases surging and a new wave of restrictions looming, challenges persist for small business owners according to data from the Q4 Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index. While the index score rose 12 points for the second straight quarter, overall optimism levels remain just over half of what they were in late 2019.

For the third consecutive quarter, respondents most frequently ranked the loss of business or closings because of the impact of COVID-19 as their top concern. Attracting new business, worries about financial stability and reduced cash flow were the other top concerns.

“With COVID-19 numbers hitting new high-water marks across many states, small businesses are facing another steep round of challenges,” said Steve Troutner, head of small business at Wells Fargo. Read more.

Why Small Business Owners Need to Reconnect With Their Mission

My business partner and I have operated a college admissions consulting firm, Top Tier Admissions, for almost twenty years. The first few months of 2020 were business as usual as we prepared a new class of applicants for the admissions cycle ahead. Then came March.

You know too well what happened next. Standardized tests were canceled. High schools closed. Colleges closed. Students were sent home. Sports, clubs, and every other activity were canceled. What would this mean for both our business and our students? Was college even happening in the fall? Given how radically the landscape had changed, was it time for us to pivot? Read more.

Your small business may need a ‘makeover’

Whether you’ve been operating 10 days, 10 months or 10 years, it’s time for a “makeover” for your small business. If you’re going to survive and thrive in the COVID-19-dominated economy, it’s time to think of your small business as a startup.

Remember what it was like? You had an idea, a dream. You didn’t know how it was going to turn out but you seized any opportunities that came your way, continually changed as you learned more about your business, and worked long and hard. But you believed in yourself.

It’s time to do that again, given that customers’ buying habits and needs have changed. It can be scary, but it can also be exciting. And most of all, it’s necessary. Read more.

Get Back to Basics with These 10 Small Business Improvement Tips

Running a business can get complicated. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and forget the basic strategies that got you there. But staying strong in those areas is a must, as members of the online small business community can attest. Get their top tips for going back to basics in the list below. Read more.

The True Failure Rate of Small Businesses

Have you heard that 90 percent of new businesses fail? Or that 50 percent of new businesses fail? Stick around in the entrepreneurial community long enough and you’ll likely hear a wide spectrum of claims, mostly falling between these two extremes.

But what is the true failure rate of small businesses? And should it influence your decisions as an entrepreneur? Read more.

3 Choices for a Better Business Year: Plans, Goals, and Resolutions

There is a difference between plans, goals, and resolutions. We use these words somewhat interchangeably, but maybe we shouldn’t.

• A plan is a strategy or identified steps, and possibly includes a list of available or dedicated resources and costs.
• A goal is about the future, an aspiration, what we hope will happen if it goes well.
• A resolution is a purpose, something determined, approved, a decision, a commitment of time, money, and energy.

A plan can take the form of a standard business plan or marketing plan. It can also be a more individualized funding, HR, security, disaster, continuity, or operations plan, for example. It seems odd, but many plans have no specific goal to measure; their purpose is merely “to plan,” check a box, and be able to say that “I planned…” or “we planned to…” Read more.

The 13 Biggest Small Business Technology Stories Of 2020

Every week I round up the five most important technology stories for small businesses and give an explanation why. This week, I’ve selected the 13 technology stories that stood out for me. Why? Because they’re about technology trends than not only affected small businesses in 2020 but will continue to have an enormous impact in 2021. Read more.

4 Entrepreneurship Lessons That Will Help You Grow in 2021

New year and new learnings. The key for this 2021 will be to respond to what knowledge and capabilities did we acquire or develop during the past year that we can use to our advantage to continue operating?

According to the study “Entrepreneurship ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean against COVID-19” by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), technological enterprises are those that can better enhance their capacities to be more agile; something that we have verified over the last few months of working with Justo, a startup that, together with my partner, we created in Chile in 2018 and now we have expanded to Mexico, Peru and Colombia.

We share these four lessons that, like us, will help you to be prepared in this new year: Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

Walking away or trying harder is a very precarious proposition that many face quite often in careers, relationships, etc. Basically regarding anything that requires a commitment for an undetermined length of time. Sometimes it appears easier to walk away, but I’d argue that wouldn’t be the case if you consider why you were there in the first place and recall your original goals and objectives. Trying harder may work but not without evaluating what needs to change to produce different results. In any event, if faced with this decision, definitive action must be taken. Act swiftly. Act decisively. Make it happen. Make it count.

The coronavirus crisis: A catalyst for entrepreneurship

Throughout human history, crises have been pivotal in developing our societies. Pandemics have helped advance health-care systems, wars have fueled technological innovations and the global financial crisis helped advance tech companies like Uber and Airbnb. The present coronavirus pandemic will arguably not be an exception; entrepreneurs can be expected to rise to the challenge.

Businesses play a key role both in helping society get through an economic crisis and in creating innovations that shape society after a crisis. So one key question is: how will the ongoing crisis influence future society?

While it’s hard to predict the future, we can develop an understanding of what is ahead by analyzing current trends. Read more.

These Young Entrepreneurs Saw Covid-19 Coming and Changed the Way They Serve Their Customers

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown affected businesses in many ways. There were problems from manufacturing to distribution. Many brick and mortar stores saw sales decline. According to Yelp , about 98,000 businesses closed permanently.

This development brought many entrepreneurs back to the planning table to find better ways to serve their customers. Many B2B ( Business to Business ) companies have adopted the D2C ( Direct to customers ) model to reach their customers directly. At the same time, it seemed that some companies received the memorandum and did something different beforehand, allowing them to prosper in the crisis.

And it seemed that e-commerce brands were some of the biggest winners of the whole situation, along with remote interaction, online entertainment, e-learning, and health and fitness . So naturally, companies shifted their focus to better satisfy their customers and, of course, prosper. Studies show that during the height of the pandemic in May 2020, total online spending across the globalized world reached $ 82.5 billion, an increase of 77% year-over-year. Read more.

These Are the Opportunities Entrepreneurs Can Capitalize on in 2021

Across so many industries, opportunities arise during crisis, due to newfound problems that entrepreneurs set their minds out to solve. We asked a number of our entrepreneurship professors to reflect on where those opportunities currently live as we turn the calendar to 2021.

“Families are particularly positioned to take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities. Business families have long histories to draw from when dealing with difficulties. Family businesses tend to focus more on relationships with clients as well as suppliers and others in their business, which become a boon in a crisis because they provide business families with greater levels of flexibility when making changes in order to adapt or innovate. Family businesses also tend to be more conservative financially than their non-family counterparts, which allows them to take advantage of expansion, growth, and even acquisition opportunities during downturns when other businesses cannot.” Read more.

7 SEO Digital Marketing Trends for 2021

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most crucial elements of an organization, providing it with the necessary visibility to attract more customers. A strong SEO strategy allows a company to position its website to attract more visitors, increasing the chances of turning these prospects into customers.

Businesses often forget why they are in business and who benefits from their services. They often give SEO a short shut-eye and move on to the next fad. This is detrimental to your online success. Read more.

The Rise of Empathy in Digital Marketing

COVID-19 is, in many ways, proving to be a disease of uncertainty. The disease isn’t a crisis in just one area of the world or plaguing just one section of the population — the new coronavirus is a tangible threat to every single person on Earth.

People everywhere are experiencing higher levels of anxiety and depression as their loved ones fall ill, as they lose their jobs, as they are forced into isolation and as the future becomes even more shrouded in mystery. Businesses, too, are suffering from the disease, as consumer spending plummets and most everyone is driven indoors and online.

During this time of fear and uncertainty, businesses have responded by investing heavily in digital marketing, hoping to capitalize on the throngs of people logging onto the web for work, school, and entertainment. However, not all businesses are investing in marketing to sell their products or services; many are simply producing content to engage with consumers — or to show their audiences that they care. Read more.

Personal Branding: The Key to Success in the Digital Age

The world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, famously said, “Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” In this digital age, as a company or individual, you should audit your presence online to see what would come up when prospects search for your name. Maximizing your digital presence is essential for your company or personal brand as online sales, resources, education, and sales have all skyrocketed. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, expert, thought leader, executive, or business owner, maximizing your digital presence has proven to bring more connections, customers, and revenue.

Since the pandemic, the majority of executive meetings, sales demos, and business transactions are conducted online. Consumers are heavily researching online, looking for the right connection or right representative that they can trust and build with. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

I’ve been thinking about how things continue to change and disrupt business, and life as we knew it. Some entrepreneurs are already responding to challenges by adapting, innovating and creating to not only survive, but to thrive. Why? Because they know that pivoting in tough times is essential… thinking outside the box, acting swiftly and decisively, embracing change, remaining open-minded to possibilities and ultimately, capitalizing on opportunities. It’s a very logical approach and plan of attack. It makes perfect sense as doing little or nothing would be disastrous. So, this poses the question, What are you doing to ensure your future success?

Want to Take your Business to the Next Level in 2021? Try These 5 New Year’s Resolutions

Most business owners (and people!) are looking forward to moving on from 2020 and into a new year. While there will of course still be large challenges for businesses in 2021, many entrepreneurs and business owners are heading into January feeling hopeful.

Why? Of course positive news around vaccines is encouraging, but more so, many business owners feel the lessons they learned over the course of the pandemic will make them stronger in 2021 and beyond. Here are five New Year’s Resolutions from business owners who persevered through 2020 and are going into 2021 stronger than ever. Read more.

How Washington can boost American entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs play a critical role in the American economy. The new businesses they launch provide new goods and services. They also provide existing goods and services more efficiently, forcing incumbents to do a better job through competition. And while most media attention seems devoted to potentially high-impact technology startups, regular “mom and pop” businesses can be important mechanisms for upward mobility. We want a dynamic economy where labor and capital can be employed as productively as possible. Entrepreneurship plays a big role in making that happen.

It remains to be seen how entrepreneurs navigate the post-pandemic economy. But before the coronavirus outbreak, there were several disturbing long-term trends about America’s startup superpower. Among them: New businesses have become a smaller share of all companies than they used to be, as well as their share of total employment. These trends are illustrated in “Federal Policies in Response to Declining Entrepreneurship,” a new Congressional Budget Office report on the subject: Read more.

Why Entrepreneurs Should Aim to Fail — That’s Right. They Should Actively Seek It.

Here’s a viewpoint that might cause you to do a double take: Actively seeking rejection means you’re learning, adapting and getting that much closer to your destination.

Before you click away, just think about this a moment: Entrepreneurs are innovators: They defy conventional wisdom to find ways to improve it, and they challenge assumptions to approach a given industry or need from a unique perspective. They live at the intersection of innovation and practicality. For them, failure is a necessity to reach success.

So, maybe failure’s “teachable moments” are actually worth striving for because they help you attain that innovation. Read more.

States of Growth: When and Where American Entrepreneurship Has Thrived

Study shows ambitious U.S. startups are not in decline — but timing and location matter.

The year 1995 was a good time to be an entrepreneur. Especially a high-tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, with the internet boom starting, the economy growing, venture capitalists searching for new investments, and a whole horizon of novel business ideas to explore.

Indeed, a new study co-authored by an MIT professor shows that U.S. startups founded in 1995 enjoyed more growth than startups founded in any other year from 1988 to 2014. Other things being equal, the startups of 1995 were three times as likely to grow significantly as those from 2007, which had to battle through the 2008-2009 Great Recession. Read more.

The Secret of Entrepreneurial ‘Luck’ in 3 Simple Steps

I’m going to reveal a secret to you: when I was seven years old and I knew a difficult day was coming, I would put on my Spider-Man underwear. The superhero was my favorite and making it part of my routine gave me a strange sense of certainty that allowed me to face any difficulty. It didn’t matter if it was Tuesday (PE day), if I ran into the bully in the classroom, or if I hadn’t studied for the test: if I was wearing my The Amazing Spider-Man boxers, I felt like luck was on my side.

And my little ritual worked. Or so I thought. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

Successful people use the power of visualization; their motto is visualize and materialize — from imagination to reality. Even Albert Einstein said: “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.”

13 Quotes to Inspire You to Try New Things in the New Year

The new year is your chance to start over—a fresh beginning. It’s a good time to set new goals, change old habits and try new things. Because if you don’t get out of your comfort zone, if you aren’t learning and taking risks, you won’t grow. You’ll stay right where you are. Start your new year adventure with inspiration from these quotes. Then go see what’s out there! Read more.

The #1 Thing to Do to Set Yourself Up for a Better Year

Most of us learn to avoid discomfort of all kinds from a very young age and the evading gets perpetuated as we grow into adulthood. As far back as many of us can remember, when we got hurt, our parents would just kiss our boo-boos to immediately make everything okay. When we got into an argument with friends, we were told to say we’re sorry and that all would be forgotten. When we were participating on a sports team, we all got awards, no matter what, just for being there and showing up. Read more.

How to Help a Business Thrive During an Economic Recession

Most entrepreneurs at least partially depend on the state of the economy for their businesses to thrive. During times of high consumer confidence, spending is higher, companies are willing to take more risks and most businesses are able to generate more revenue. But during times of hardship, it’s harder to get financing, revenue dries up and the entrepreneurial environment is more barren.

That said, it’s possible to see an economic downturn (or recession) as an economic opportunity, rather than a detriment. And with the right strategies, you can help your business thrive under these conditions. Read more.

Why Post-Traumatic Growth Could Be the Key to Thriving in 2021

It would be a colossal understatement to say 2020 wasn’t how any of us envisioned the first year of the new decade. The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still surfacing. It will be months, if not years, before we know how the pandemic impacted not only on our economy and cultural norms, but also our physical and mental health.

Although it’s important to reflect on the negative effects of the pandemic, it’s also worthwhile to consider the potential silver lining. In the wake of traumatic events, many people experience positive psychological change in the form of something called post- traumatic growth. Read more.

10 Predictions From the Past About the Future From Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Clancy, and More

When it comes to reading the proverbial crystal ball in business, Inc. has had some wins and some misfires. Here are a few of our best and worst predictions from years past, graded on a scale of A to F. Read more.

Expand Your Knowledge to Help Grow Your Business and Side Hustle in 2021

It’s crucial that entrepreneurs continue to learn and stay engaged with their industry. The more you know, the better able you are to adapt to changes, come up with innovative solutions, and scale your business. But it’s hard to find the time to go to seminars or read books when you’re running a business. Instead, check out some of the many learning resources available online. Read more.

Get Back to Basics with These 10 Small Business Improvement Tips

Running a business can get complicated. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and forget the basic strategies that got you there. But staying strong in those areas is a must, as members of the online small business community can attest. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

At times, it needs to be just about you, and you alone. Think. Meditate. Daydream. Listen to nature. Be sure to make some time for you, at the very least, each weekend ahead of the work week. You and everyone around you will be better for it. Make ‘alone time’ part of your weekly routine in 2021.

US Economic Outlook for 2021 and Beyond

The U.S. economy is improving after the destruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cautiously positive outlook is based on experts’ reviews of the key economic indicators, including gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment, and inflation. Analysts also have taken a hard look at interest rates, oil and gas prices, jobs, and the impact of climate change. Read more.

Outlook 2021: Must Know Small Business Trends

Notwithstanding recent global pandemic, the 2021 outlook for small businesses is very promising. The small business space is changing at an increasingly accelerated rate. Competition, automation, workplace culture and technological advances are just a few of the factors that are molding the future for small business. Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs need to be in-the-know about the latest market trends in order to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. Read more.

How to Build Your 2021 Business Strategy in the Face of Uncertainty

Recently, we’ve seen signs that many businesses are reopening during the last quarter of 2020. Yet uncertainty remains. In some states, businesses have reopened in recent weeks only to be told to close or reduce their capacity for customers. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to plan for the future. Consequently, many business owners and leaders might wonder how they can develop a growth strategy for 2021. 

What you need is a strategic direction to provide purpose for your business and help you set realistic goals to accomplish in the coming year. Read more.

The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship

By all counts and measures, Bradley Smith is an unequivocal business success. He’s CEO of Rescue One Financial, an Irvine, California-based financial services company that had sales of nearly $32 million last year. Smith’s company has grown some 1,400 percent in the last three years, landing it at No. 310 on this year’s Inc. 500. So you might never guess that just five years ago, Smith was on the brink of financial ruin–and mental collapse.

Back in 2008, Smith was working long hours counseling nervous clients about getting out of debt. But his calm demeanor masked a secret: He shared their fears. Like them, Smith was sinking deeper and deeper into debt. He had driven himself far into the red starting–of all things–a debt-settlement company. “I was hearing how depressed and strung out my clients were, but in the back of my mind I was thinking to myself, I’ve got twice as much debt as you do,” Smith recalls. Read more.

Why Entrepreneurs Need To Talk About Their Mental Health

72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health issues compared to just 48% of non entrepreneurs. That’s according to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health. 49% of entrepreneurs deal with mental health issues directly while only 32% of others experienced them. Similarly, 23% of entrepreneurs have family members who face these issues compared to just 16% of others with family members who face these same types of issues.

I’ve been an entrepreneur now for almost a decade (9 years and counting). I’m just one of 500 million entrepreneurs; we make up about eight percent of the global population, amazingly. As a category – we are exponentially more likely to suffer from mental health problems, and yet, people don’t talk about that enough – it is fetishised and glamourised, so here’s an attempt to share some data and personal experience to show the other side. Read more.

Entrepreneurship & Mental Health: A 4-part Original Series

Since 2006, Techstars has helped hundreds of startups succeed, both as businesses and as people. This original 4-part documentary series focuses on the most common mental health issues facing entrepreneurs, told through the stories of some remarkable people — and the mental health professionals who work with people in need. Read more.

Research shows a link between sleep and entrepreneurship

Many people have experienced a few nights of bad sleep that resulted in shifting attention spans, impulsive tendencies and hyperactivity the next day–all behaviors resembling ADHD. A new study found that this dynamic may also be linked to increased entrepreneurial behavior.

“We’re not advocating depriving yourself of sleep to get ahead,” said Jeff Gish, a professor of business at the University of Central Florida and co-author of the paper. “We’re saying that there appears to be an interesting link between sleep and entrepreneurship. ADHD-like tendencies can be a benefit, rather than a hindrance in spurring ventures. But there is a potential downside. Even though sleep problems might lure an individual to an entrepreneurial career, if the sleep problems persist they can subsequently leave the individual without the cognitive and emotional competency to be an effective entrepreneur in-practice. Read more.

7 Tips for Dealing With Your Coronavirus Anxiety

Are you feeling anxious? Stressed about the current events? I want to empower you to take steps to control your fears, because having anxiety about the coronavirus isn’t going to help you.

Stress can boost your immune system in small bursts. However, when stress is prolonged, like what our world is currently facing, the immune system’s increased effectiveness slows down and eventually drops in the opposite direction. Like you, your immune system gets exhausted and cannot optimally function when it is exposed to long-term stress. And, given that your immune system is responsible for fighting off pathogens and keeping your body healthy, a stressed-out immune system can result in greater susceptible to illness. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

My one goal for 2021 is to make a difference in the lives of people I already know or will meet, for business or otherwise. Whether it be a small task or a larger project or an impromptu lunch or even just a phone call, I want people to realize the value of the time we spend together and as such, the value of further developing our relationship. Of course, I don’t expect value to be realized without positive results. To that end, I fully expect to earn the perspective and opinion I’m striving to achieve, learning from and correcting mistakes I’ve made in the past. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.’ Happy New Year!

Most Small Business Owners Remain Optimistic Going Into 2021

A new survey by Capital One Business reveals small business owners are cautiously optimistic. And many are looking for a return to more favorable business conditions come 2021.

According to the survey conducted from November to December 2020, about 53% of small business owners report their business financial position is the same or better than the pre-COVID-19 period. A further 67% of the owners are confident their business will return to pre-pandemic operations and revenues. So, there is growing optimism over the state of the economy and possible resilience among small businesses. Read more.

The Best of 2020: Entrepreneur Staff Picks

The story of 2020 itself has been remarkable. Our task during this pandemic year was to find the smaller stories that exemplified the trials, challenges and triumphs forged from historically damning circumstances — while still keeping an eye on the future and forward progress of innovative entrepreneurialism. 

Along with our esteemed network of contributors and collaborators, the collective staff of Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com set about that task as determinedly as we could, and we hope the results have motivated you half as much as they’ve inspired us. 

To that end, and in tribute to all the small-business owners who’ve navigated this often-heartbreaking year, here is a shortlist of both site exclusives and print selections — hand-picked by members of our editorial team — that we were proud to shepherd and share. And we look forward to continuing to tell your stories in 2021. Read more.

6 New Year’s Resolutions for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses at the End of a Very Tough Year

If you’re up for a task—a really easy one—I’d like you to commit to making 2021 better than 2020.

Easy peasy, right?

This year has certainly knocked us all on our duffs, and there still is no way to know how much longer we’re in for economic strain, stay-at-home orders, and irregular sales patterns. But I am confident that we can make New Year’s resolutions to ensure we aren’t taken by surprise by anything in 2021—save aliens taking over the planet (at this point, nothing is outside the realm of possibility).

Permit me to set a few resolutions we can share as entrepreneurs. Read more.

Key Skills Of A 21st-Century Entrepreneur And Why They’re Important

Being a 21st-century entrepreneur is a demanding and exciting challenge. This is because the world is growing and changing so rapidly that it requires innovative thinking skills of an entrepreneur to stay ahead of their competitors. The 21st-century entrepreneur has to be highly organized and flexible. This means that a 21st-century entrepreneur is constantly thinking and planning. One way to do this is by creating and maintaining effective business plans. Furthermore, a good entrepreneur should also have excellent communication skills, leadership capability and the ability to lead others effectively. Read more.

How female entrepreneurs can thrive in good and bad times

Before the pandemic hit this spring, women were launching more than 1,200 new businesses every day — roughly twice the rate of men. In fact, in 2019, 21% of employer businesses had majority female ownership, according to a report by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

What a difference a year makes.

Women-owned businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. One study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the number of female business owners dropped from 5.4 million to 4.0 million in just two short months, a 25% decline.

The loss of one fourth of female business owners is unprecedented and, as the study points out, may have longer-term ramifications for job losses and economic inequality. Read more.

Dear Entrepreneur, You’ve Been Brainwashed as an Employee.

My manager wasn’t happy. She pulled me aside. “You’re always the last one to arrive and the first one to leave. Why is that?”

I was working as a business consultant for a big fancy company you’ve probably heard of. Three letters. I was on the road most of the time, sleeping in hotels, eating every meal with colleagues. I’d go to the hotel gym to burn off some angst, and they’d be there too. It was driving me crazy.

So when I was back in the home office, I learned how to optimise all my processes so I could maximise my time for myself. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

This year was definitely not without challenges and mistakes. But in learning from the same and working towards making necessary corrections, successes were also realized. Although some gaps still need to be closed the near future looks bright and I’m excited about the year ahead. Such is the life of an entrepreneur – successes, challenges, mistakes, realizations, learning experiences, course corrections and, of course new ideas. It’s a whirlwind, stressful at times… exhilarating as well. So, here’s to putting 2020 behind and looking forward to the New Year. Yes, there’s reason the windshield is much larger than the rear view mirror. Now, it’s time for eyes on the road ahead, accelerating whenever possible, slowing down for curves and with a few stops in the rest areas to recharge. Happy New Year, my friends.

10,000 of America’s restaurants have closed in the past three months

About 17% of America’s restaurants have already permanently closed this year, with the industry in further danger according to a new report. The National Restaurant Association is publicly pleading with Congress to pass new stimulus to help the industry that has been damaged by the pandemic. The group said Monday 110,000 restaurants have already permanently shuttered in 2020, with 10,000 of them closed in the past three months.

The group released results from a survey of 6,000 restaurant operators, revealing that 87% of full-service restaurants reported an average 36% drop in revenue and 83% expects sales to be “even worse” over the next three months as the virus continues to lash the United States. And 37% of restaurants said it is “unlikely” they will be open in six months from now, if there are no additional government help.

“Save Restaurants!” Written by a restaurant owner.

As I walk into the grocery store with 30 other people at the same time, I think about my restaurant which allows parties of 6 total, and meticulously spaces out reservations by 10 minutes ensuring guests that aren’t from the same party do not arrive at the same time.

As I take a cart, that has had just the handle sanitized, I think about my restaurant which invested thousands of dollars (so far) on ink and paper to print disposable menus to ensure no two guests touch the same menu.

As I walk over to the produce aisle with 15–20 other people around me, I’m reminded of the strict “no mingling / no walking around the restaurant other than to use the washroom or enter/exit” policy we have in place and the 6ft distance between tables which has cut our capacity in half. Read more.

Eight Obstacles Entrepreneurs Never Expected To Have To Overcome When Starting Their Businesses

The easiest part of opening a business is coming up with the idea and filing the paperwork. The most challenging part often might not be apparent right away. No leader can predict or prepare for every obstacle they might encounter as a business owner, and hurdles can vary by industry and by each entrepreneur. However, with a little insight from more experienced entrepreneurs and the right mindset, you can successfully guide you and your business through any challenge. Read more.

Entrepreneurs: How To Start a Business Now!

My mission is to help entrepreneurs start their business and empower them to exponentially succeed. So entrepreneurs, today, you’re gonna learn how to avoid waiting for the perfect moment and how to start your business now!

“Don’t work for yourself only – but for all the people believing in you and your dream.“

Kevin Harrington

In the video below, I bring you along my journey from investing in the Ginsu Knife to becoming the Original Shark on the TV show Shark Tank. Here’s the thing, we all have to start somewhere but the only way you can become a successful entrepreneur is by starting now!! Read more.

10 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Power Through Tough Times

Let’s be honest: things are changing rapidly, the world is chaotic right now, and struggling entrepreneurs are scrambling to maintain any sense of control during these tough times. I know, because I feel it, too. But with so much up in the air, there’s still a lot of optimism to hold on to. Folks may be divided these days, but what we all have in common is the goal to keep striving for success. Read more.

Starting a Business in 2021? Read These Expert Tips First

Is your new year’s resolution to start a new business venture? If so, you’ll need insights from business experts to help the journey run smoothly. Members of the online small business community have tips for every aspect, from legal documents to marketing. Read on to prepare for your new business in 2021. Read more.

6 biggest fears to overcome if you want to be successful in 2021, according to a futurist

Research shows the that the biggest barrier to ongoing success isn’t time, money or resources — it’s resistance to change and lack of risk tolerance.

As fast-moving and unpredictable as today’s world is, we’re all forced to adapt on a daily basis. In my years of research as a futurist, I’ve found that fear comes in six flavors. If you shift your perspectives and learn to conquer them, the possibilities will be endless in 2021. Read more.

The uncertainty of 2020 created the perfect time to diversify and expand. After all, it’s been said that necessity is the mother of invention. To that end, Acceler8Success Group was formed mid-year, building upon Acceler8Success principles and methods that have proven successful since 2014.

Widely recognized as industry leaders & influencers, Acceler8Success Group leadership have extensive experience as entrepreneurs in small business & restaurants, as senior-level executives within nationally recognized brands, and as franchisees within successful franchise systems. Learn more.

16 HARD (but Totally Doable, Totally Worth It) Resolutions You Haven’t Tried and Won’t Fail

Don’t believe the hype: Setting a New Year’s resolution is worth doing every year. With the right intent, chasing a goal or two promotes discipline, reinforces accountability and encourages self-reflection. It makes you better.

However, goals aren’t always easy to reach. On January 1 you may be pumped up and ready to go, planning to tackle your resolutions with ease. But what about January 31? By then, many people realize how fickle motivation can be. It comes and goes at random, and that alone makes some resolutions hard to stick with. In fact, a landmark study by the University of Scranton found that 77 percent of the 200 people surveyed abandoned their commitments after just one week. Read more.

2021 Small-Business Economic Outlook

Just weeks from now, 2021 arrives, and business leaders must be prepared for abrupt shifts in the needs of their customers. For example, if your business boomed during the pandemic, are you prepared for a post-pandemic slowdown? Read more.

Warren Buffett Says 4 Choices in Life Separate the Doers From the Dreamers

Ever read something Warren Buffett said or did and mumble to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Outside of Buffett’s mastery of investing, his down-to-earth wisdom is not only legendary but we all nod in agreement with the simple and yet profound effect it has on our lives. Read more.

How Changing Your Perception Can Help You Achieve Your Goals Faster

I spent a summer in college training in different warfare specialties as part of my Navy ROTC scholarship. One week during the training, my fellow cadets and I were invited to go out on one of the Navy’s crown jewels: an Aegis destroyer. 

These extraordinary ships were the first of their kind. The technology of them is beyond the scope of my full understanding, but at the basic level, they work like this: When a missile fired from the ship neared its target, it was able to detect the scattered energy coming from that target and adjust both its trajectory and momentum based on this data.

This was called painting the target, and these ships could do it with incredible precision. 

Why am I telling you this? Because painting the target is exactly what your brain must do anytime it wants to accomplish a goal. Read more.

Here’s What Happens Every Minute on the Internet in 2020

In 2020, an unfathomable amount of digital activity is occurring at any given moment. This ongoing explosion in activity is the aggregate output of 4.5 billion internet users today, a number that’s projected to increase even further in coming years.

This powerful visual from Domo helps capture what happens each minute in today’s hyper-connected internet era, and it’s actually the eighth edition produced since the year 2012.

What can we learn from the evolution of what happens in an internet minute? Read more.

What to Do When Your Routine Becomes a Rut

I recently moved from North Carolina to Arizona. The cross-country road trip was an adventure for me—and for my cat family. Needless to say, our routines were thrown into disarray, and our lives experienced a major upheaval. During the journey, I was struck by how our daily lives follow a fairly consistent pattern. This got me thinking about why we like routines so much, and how we can maintain stability without getting stuck in a rut. Read more.

5 Proven Truths About Finding Happiness

Happiness is a state we all want to achieve, but it often seems elusive. Have you ever felt happy one moment and then thought that it won’t last, which makes you feel less happy in the next moment? How frustrating is that?

What is happiness? Is it a state of mind, a mood, or a way of living? Is there a way to increase it? Read more.

A Message From Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

Listening to friends that have coached me along through challenges I’m gaining more confidence in realizing that a clear mind and well-rested body enables me to get more things done than I’ve ever imagined possible. Unfortunately, it easy to slide back into old habits, but knowing and acting upon what must be done to get back on track are essential to regaining and maintaining balance. This is definitely one of those weeks to get back on track and especially ahead of what is shaping up to be a very, very busy first quarter.

And so this is Christmas…

The wonderful John Lennon song, ‘Happy Christmas‘ is repeating over and over in my mind. The lyrics seem so appropriate considering the emotional roller coaster ride of 2020.

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
A new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

Speaking of the dear ones, my heart goes out to our seniors. It’s just not fair what they must have been feeling through this pandemic. Loneliness. Despair, Uncertainty. I actually believe, Unfair may be the best word to describe what they should be feeling. They’ve done so much for our country. Many are part of the greatest generation and lived through the worst of times only to work toward hope of a better life. They have sacrificed a great deal and achieved the American Dream of prosperity and a better life for their children and grandchildren. And now with so much uncertainty, they must be wondering what will become of their families, even before considering themselves. It’s so unfair they’re experiencing this burden after all they’ve done over the years.

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fears

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
The rich and the poor ones
The war is so long

The pandemic has affected us all… weak, strong, rich and poor. Is it possible to think about the future without fear? I’m not sure, as there is so much unknown and so many rumors, contradicting opinions and of course, motives that may or may not be in our mutual best interests. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in theories that it can seemingly bring life to a stop. We must not let it overwhelm us, but it is understandable when it does. Please talk to someone when that may occur.

And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fights

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fears

It’s so sad that racism continues to be at the core of this year’s unrest, protest and yes, riots. My heart breaks for the poor and underprivileged and especially during these rocky times as they will be the ones hurt the most. Their neighborhoods have been ransacked, crime is increasing and opportunities are diminishing in the inner city across our country. I can’t help thinking about the uncertainty and despair these people are feeling. I do not have confidence the events of this year will benefit them at all. I do pray I am wrong.

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun

And so happy Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

What will the future hold for our youth. It’s been said technology will be front and center for future generations as has been the case for Generations Y & Z. Yet, we’re hearing story after story about children having issues with Zoom classes and being out of the classroom. There has been opinion that today’s youth will lag behind in education for the first time in, well, forever. That’s troubling. I think it’s safe to say they, and all of us do need personal interaction in our lives. As much as we’ve grown accustomed to using devices to communicate, there’s nothing like face-to-face interaction. I, for one certainly miss seeing loved ones. I also sorely miss getting together with friends and colleagues at business events. I can’t imagine what children must think about interaction with loved ones abruptly changing from kisses & hugs to FaceTime calls.

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun

Another year coming to an end. Resolutions and goals for a great year have long faded for many. The loss of friends and family members. Many taken from this earth much before their time. And now, it’s suggested, recommended, encouraged to rely on hope. I’ve never been one to view hope as a strategy but maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to include it with some planning, shifting and pivoting that all appear to be necessary to survive and, hopefully thrive in our changing world. I guess, hope is and has been part of my strategy all along. I can see it being beneficial toward being optimistic. Not sure I can deny ‘Live – Hope – Pray’ being a good foundation for anything and everything moving forward. I’m in!

To all, I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I do hope it’s a good one and without any fear.

5 Must-Do’s for a Successful Personal Transformation

A caterpillar doesn’t morph into a butterfly by random chance, nor does a personal transformation randomly occur. Instead, both scenarios happen through a series of meticulous and orderly steps over a period of time.

When I was looking for a personal transformation, I tried various strategies that only led to more stress and worrying. Not seeing any progress, I started to let self-doubt creep into my mind, which led me to become even more unproductive.

Although it seems daunting to think about becoming someone that you’re currently not or learning a skill that seems impossible in this moment, transformations are essential for continual success and growth. Read more.

The World Goes Round: On Life, Death and Keeping Busy in the Year That Changed Us

It was March 6, 2020, a Friday. I was 40 years old, and I’d envisioned what this day might look like for some time, and I’ll say that in none of those visions was identity theft part of the plan. But 2020 kicks like that. Read more.

5 Anxiety-Provoking Habits Among High Achievers

Anxiety is on the rise. A CDC survey completed by approximately 5,400 people this past June showed that the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was three times higher than those reported in the second quarter of 2019.

Achievement-oriented individuals are especially prone to anxiety. They experience tremendous pressure to excel in multiple areas. High achievers expect to earn a healthy income, excel professionally, raise perfect children, have a beautiful house, keep a full social schedule, and be pillars of their communities. They expect themselves to maintain a high level of productivity despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Read more.

5 Types of Business Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Are you looking for different types of business opportunities to start your own company? Do you have an entrepreneur mindset? Are you the kind of person who wants to go into business to be your own boss and succeed through your own decision making? Many people feel the call to become an entrepreneur, but are not sure what type of business opportunity to pursue. Read more.

104 Best Sales Books for Boosting Your Skills & Performance in 2020

As a lifelong learner, I turn to books whenever I want to expand my thinking or improve my performance. And for leveling up your sales skills, nothing beats one of the best sales books.

I pulled together the top books from a range of sales disciplines to give you the information you need to stay relevant, lead conversations, understand the trends — and of course, improve your game. Read more.

Connecting the Right Brands, People and Opportunities!

Acceler8Success Group has achieved success in many aspects of small business and franchising. Widely recognized as industry leaders and influencers, Acceler8Success Group leadership have extensive experience as entrepreneurs in small business and restaurants, as senior-level executives within nationally recognized brands, and as franchisees within successful franchise systems.

Our goal is to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs architect a plan of continuous accelerated movement toward a pinnacle of desired success, even if and when previously thought to be unattainable. This process has been developed around our proven e-IDEA (explore, identify, develop, execute & analyze) methodology. Deployed effectively, it is key to sustainability and ultimately, to success… Acceler8Success!

Great Leaders Are Thoughtful and Deliberate, Not Impulsive and Reactive

You set aside the first hour of your day to work on a strategy document that you’ve been putting off for a week. You haven’t been disciplined about getting to it, but you’ve had one crisis after another to deal with in the past week. Now, finally, you’ve carved out 90 early morning minutes to work on it.

First, however, you take a quick peek at the email that has piled up in your inbox overnight. Before you know it, you’ve used up the whole 90 minutes responding to emails, even though none of them were truly urgent. Read more.

6 Mental Habits That Will Wear You Down

Do you struggle with self-doubt and self-defeating habits? Do you want to feel more confident about yourself and what you have to offer? Do you focus on pleasing others, rather than following your dreams and living your best life? 

The best way to start feeling better about yourself is to notice the automatic mental and emotional habits that don’t serve you well and find more self-compassionate, life-affirming ways to think and behave. With conscious awareness and a daily focus on changing old habits, you can begin to build new, positive emotional pathways in your brain. Our brains possess the capacity for neuroplasticity, which means that practicing new ways of thinking and behaving can actually change your brain’s neurons and the pathways between them. Read more.

“Just wanted to share the message above as I know this time of year can be quite stressful. I hope this helps you make today better than yesterday. Just one day at a time, my friends. Just one day at a time. You got this!” – Paul Segreto, Founder, Acceler8Success Group