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Where did my cash go?
That's a question many small business owners ask themselves way too often. In other articles, I have written about balance sheets and income statements as financial tools to help entrepreneurs manage their businesses. But what if that entrepreneur could predict how much cash would be coming into and going out of the business on a monthly basis? Or better yet, be able to look months down the road and have an idea of the intake and…
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The calla lily image way of marketing
Many small businesses advertise because they know they should. Only a few put any planning into the ads beyond what they want to say. This lack of planning causes the business owner to miss out on some of the best advantages of advertising.
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Business planning 101
Developing a business plan is hard work and at times a daunting task for business owners. However, business planning can help move any company or small business forward. "Why write a business plan?" you may ask. There are many reasons why writing a business plan is essential to any owner.
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The secret to a successful business plan
As a current or future small business owner, you will experience the opportunity to write a business plan. It is not an evil invention of the financial or business industry full of hoops to jump through in order to delay your dreams. It is a tool to help you evaluate your idea’s potential before you talk to the bank or share it with other potential partners.
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Branding your local business
As we think of a company, what do we remember about it? The logo, the slogan, the price or the experience we have with the store or product? For most shoppers, it is the experience they have that they remember the most and for the longest, particularly if it was helpful in solving a need or involved a pleasant impulse purchase.
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Making your ad more creative
We sometimes see an ad that really catches our eye or ear and think, “Why can’t I come up with something like that?” You can, if you follow some time-honored points in advertising creative strategy.The five points for better creative advertising are:
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Your banker and your small business
Many small business owners have mixed feelings about their bankers. One day they are happy and the next day they are upset with them. Plus, many small business owners are unaware of how to work with bankers other than to go in and ask for money when they need it. They do not know the importance of keeping the banker in the loop on many decisions affecting the owner’s small business.
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Balance sheet – Does it matter to a business?
One of the three forms a business owner often does not understand is a balance sheet. This form is one of the best methods for an owner to determine the financial health of a business and possibly start to see where to improve the business.
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10 do's for website promotion
The internet has become a household tool that it seems everyone knows how to use. Even first graders know how to wiz around on the web faster than I do sometimes. But while it is now a commonplace part of our lives, do you effectively use it as a small business owner to benefit your own business?
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Using your website to generate repeat traffic
Many small businesses have their own website now. In fact, it is often the first marketing tool used by owners to help increase sales over traditional marketing efforts. Unfortunately, many websites, once hosted, are never changed or updated to keep attracting repeat traffic to the site. This lack of updating causes people to find the site stale and not return to it.
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Put your best fork forward: National Nutrition Month
National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education campaign launched each March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign expanded from National Nutrition Week to National Nutrition Month in 1980 to reflect growing professional support and increased public interest in nutrition. The goal of the campaign is to reiterate the basics of healthy eating and to celebrate the expertise of registered dietitian nutritionists.
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Nitrogen: Flex and go fast
It's April 4 and raining again in central Missouri. A lot of work planned for fall did not get done. Opportunities to catch up in late winter or early spring have been nil. I expect a spring where the value of good decisions will be magnified.
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Strategies for nitrogen on wheat this spring
Apply 60–90 lb N per acre to boost wheat growth this spring. Early or aerial application can improve yield when ground access is limited.
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Dicamba injury and insurance
Dicamba can harm neighboring plants, leading to third-party injury claims involving business liability insurance plans.
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Third-party injury and federal crop insurance
Multi-peril crop insurance is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agencies. For row crop producers, the most common multi-peril crop policies purchased are revenue protection and yield protection. Both of these insurance products use the insured farmer’s actual yields in determining the level of indemnity, if any, to be paid.
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Professional liability insurance
Perhaps the best-known type of professional liability insurance is malpractice insurance carried by medical professionals. Professional liability insurance carried by other professionals, such as accountants and architects, is frequently called errors and omissions insurance. Professional liability insurance is intended to covers lawsuits arising from professional services.
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Wantland tops 2019 state 4-H dairy judging contest
Lila Wantland judged herself to the top of the senior division of the Missouri State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest. The contest was held Aug. 17 at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Wantland was the high individual in the intermediate division of the state contest in 2018.
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Water availability
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report
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Impact of major weather events
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report
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Wildlife population trends
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report
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Atrazine detects in surface water
Atrazine levels in Missouri surface water sometimes exceed EPA's 3 ppb limit but remain below harmful thresholds.
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Farmer participation in conservation programs
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report
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Precision ag tools
Discover how precision ag tools like sensors, drones, and GPS improve efficiency, cut costs, and boost yields for smarter farming.
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Irrigation and water use efficiency
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report
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Biotechnology use and adoption of GE crops
Excerpted from the Environmental Impact of Missouri Crop Production report