Business Strategy & Advice

Social distancing guidelines and state-mandated business closures have devastated retail shops across the country. Bridal salons have felt a particularly harsh impact given the inherently personal nature of the industry, and salon owners have been forced to pivot their businesses quickly in order to stay afloat. One of those owners is Janice Yoder of Adore […]

At Gravity, we work directly with small and midsize businesses to help them process credit card payments. As such, we’ve witnessed firsthand the effects recent shutdowns and restrictions have had on these businesses since the outbreak of COVID-19. We wanted to take a moment to share some of that impact here and point out that, […]

Have you ever heard a manager give feedback to their entire team, but you knew that feedback was intended for one specific person on the team? If so, you’ve witnessed the “scattershot approach” of giving feedback — spraying little pellets of candor across the entire team rather than delivering a tough message to the single person who […]

The Internal Revenue Service recently launched Identity Theft Central, designed to improve online access to information on identity theft and data security protection for taxpayers, tax professionals and businesses. Identity Theft Central is available 24/7 at irs.gov/identitytheft. It is a resource on how to report identity theft, how taxpayers can protect themselves against phishing, online […]

People work for two reasons: to make enough money to earn a living and/or to do work they feel matters.  And yet, at least 13% of workers don’t even make a living wage through their paycheck, and millions of others are stuck doing menial work where they could be fired by an algorithm if they […]

For storing passwords: 1Password Once you forget a password, you have to go through a few pesky steps to reset it. What if you didn’t have to do that? What if you had one place that will store all your passwords and log you in to all your accounts with one simple click? The 1Password […]

When I finished grad school, I walked off the podium with a boatload of confidence, an MBA degree inscribed with fancy Latin words, and sheer obliviousness about what it actually means to lead a team of people. I was hired as an assistant manager of a Target store and given the keys to a multimillion-dollar […]

It’s risky. It’s an insane amount of work. It could the best decision you ever make. If you’ve always hungered to start a business of your own but weren’t sure where to begin, start here. Good luck. And when it’s time to start accepting credit cards, give us a call. Contents 1. Conduct market research […]

One of the biggest challenges managers face is dealing with performance issues when they arise. As a manager, your job is to help each one of your employees do their best work, but if someone is struggling, you might have to take more direct action. Ignoring performance issues not only impairs your team’s ability to […]

One-third of employees report feeling levels of stress that are unsustainable. Forty-two percent of people have left a job simply because it was too stressful. The effects of stress lead to trillions of dollars in lost productivity every year. These are just some of the distressing stats author and leadership coach Tracey Grove shared with […]

Whether you like it or not, as a small-business owner you will have to work with attorneys at some point. Given the inevitability of this interaction, it is wise to set the best possible foundation for these relationships.  Even with limited resources like funds, office space, or employees, there are a number of common pitfalls […]

If you’ve recently moved into a management role, it is crucial for you to develop the skill of delegation. Delegation is not merely a tactic to minimize your personal workload; it is one of the most effective ways to develop your employees and give them stretch assignments to grow and improve. Although it’s natural to […]