Slides 2 & 3 source: http://www.sba.gov/nsbw/about See full blog post here: http://blog.hubspot.com/expert-small-business-advice-slideshare

1. best advice forThe
SMALL BUSINESSES
from experts who have lived it

2. Did you know that…
OVER 50% OF AMERICANS
OWN OR WORK FOR A SMALL BUSINESS?

3. Did you know that…
SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE 2/3OF NEW JOBS IN THE U.S. EACH YEAR?

4. Did you know that…
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL SMALL
BUSINESS WEEK?

5. NATIONAL
SMALL BUSINESS
WEEK
THAT’S RIGHT LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN...

6. NATIONAL
SMALL BUSINESS
WEEK
THAT’S RIGHT LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN...
is now

7. TO CELEBRATE AND SHARE
ALL THE
BIGTHINGS SMALL BUSINESSES
ARE DOING

8. We asked
small business owners
to share their best advice
on all the tips and tricks of running a
SMALL BUSINESS

9. Here’s a
at what they said…
LOOK

10. “In my opinion, the greatest key to small
business success is to not hold your cards
too close to your chest. Tell people about
your great idea. Tell anyone who will
listen. Actively seek feedback from the
larger community as a whole, with a
particular emphasis on potential
customers. You'll be surprised at how
many people will be both willing and able
to contribute."
Craig Brown, Founder & CEO
Recruitment Rocket

11. "Starting a small business is like riding an intense
roller coaster. There are tons of twists, turns, loops,
ups & downs. Sometimes you manage the business
thinking about the next quarter and sometimes it's
just managing hour by hour. The key is to stay
focused and enjoy the thrill of the ride."
Eric Dosal, Co-Founder & CEO
BrightGauge Software

12. “Unlike huge corporations, as a small business
owner you have a chance to interact with your
customers face-to-face on a daily basis. By
treating each and every touch point as an
opportunity to gain a better understanding of your
customers, you’re ensuring your small business
will continue to grow and evolve to meet their
unique needs and expectations.”
Shawn Graham, Small Business Owner, Fast Company
Blogger, and Marketing Consultant to Small Businesses

13. “People say that small businesses are
hard work, but the reality is that it's hard
work like you've never known -- you
eat, sleep, live, and breathe your
business. There's nothing harder, but
there's also nothing better -- small
business owners are some of the the
world's most wonderful, dedicated, and
intelligent innovators."
Laura Fitton, Inbound Evangelist
HubSpot

14. “Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake
once said, ‘So often people are
working hard at the wrong thing.
Working on the right thing is
probably more important than
working hard.’ After working hard
for 13 years as a small business
owner, these words ring true with me
more than ever.”
Mark Lingo, President
Precise Hire

15. “Being a small business owner is
the best. It's incredibly hard but it's
been totally worth it. I love creating
-- and I love being a part of a team
that cares about people and cares
about telling stories. I doubt I
could have a tougher job -- and I'm
sure I couldn't have one that is more
rewarding.”
Ryan Koral, Owner
Tell

16. our greatest returns have come from taking and
tackling real problems on behalf of our potential customers and
partners."
Arlyn Davich, CEO & Founder
PayPerks
unconventional paths
“Trust your idea enough to know that it can challenge the status quo --

17. “Network to find like-minded business people who
you can talk to about your day-to-day activities.
Decompressing, venting, sounding bored --
whatever you want to call it -- they will see
solutions that are hidden in plain sight. Maybe you’ll
answer your own questions once you hear
yourself out loud. You’ll do them the same favour
in return. And don't limit it to just a few people --
make it a larger circle and make it social. Like a
temporary, rotating, casual advisory board.
Refreshments wouldn’t hurt.”
Mark Hudson, President
Guardian Call

18. “Take at least one family vacation a year. It's easy for small
business owners to be completely consumed by their business, and
it's imperative to let your family know they are your number one
customer on a regular basis."
Melinda Emerson, Small Business Expert and Author

19. “You demonstrate your best-in-the-world
status by using your brain to create best-in-
the-world content for your business. The small
businesses that do this won’t need a big
marketing budget to get traction and disrupt --
and eventually displace -- legacy companies.
It takes hard work and brainpower, sure, but
those aren’t things most SMB marketers I
know are afraid of.”
Brian Halligan, Co-Founder & CEO
HubSpot

20. That’s all folks.
THANKS FOR
TUNING IN…

21. SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
keep celebrating
Check out these resources
for small businesses from
HUBSPOT