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Expert Answers to Biz Questions Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.
Education Tips and Insights for Small Business Owners
While there are more resources than ever for small business owners to put to good use in their quest to bring out the best in their company, nothing beats having a solid education designed for entrepreneurs. It’s an undisputed truth that earning an education seems to become more expensive over time, making it essential to know exactly what kind of classes, learning strategies and degrees offer the highest return on investment year after year after year.
Be Sure to Look for Free Learning Opportunities
In addition to signing up for business classes and degree programs, small business owners should also check to see if there are any free online classes they can put to good use. What’s more is there might also be local guest speaker sessions or seminars where entrepreneurs can learn from their peers and more experienced business owners. Free courses and seminars are a great way to fit an education into any budget and busy schedule.
Learning Is a Great Way to Network
Home-based companies owned and operated by a single individual offer much in the way of convenience, but they often don’t offer very many opportunities to connect with other professionals. Classrooms are a great place to learn as well as a great place to network with other business-minded individuals who could become clients, contacts or business partners. While there are more formal networking opportunities involving name tags and conference rooms, not every entrepreneur networks the same way, and a classroom might provide a more comfortable setting for some.
Multi-Faceted Education
Another great thing about earning a small-business-owner-focused education is that entrepreneurs can learn new ways of approaching issues common to their industries. Participating and learning with other business owners can provide out-of-the-box thinking and new perspectives. Such skills can not only be applied to business life, but possibly even one’s personal life as well, which can branch off into various different branches of thought that can then bloom into business opportunities.
Know Which Degrees Are the Best for Business Owners
Entrepreneurship, marketing, management and business are obvious degree and course options for entrepreneurs, but there are other options that prove useful as well for those looking for a truly well-rounded education. For instance, writing and English degrees can go a long way when it comes to optimizing your business for search engines, and knowledge of technical writing is sure to prove useful if yours is a complicated, intricate or in-depth product or service that might not be easy to understand at first glance.
An educational background in accounting and/or finance is great for bookkeeping, a skill many small business owners often leave in the hands of online software. While there’s no doubting such software is a great tool for small business owners, it can’t beat the expertise and insight provided by someone’s who’s great with numbers.
Earning a communication degree helps business owners learn how to communicate verbally as well as non-verbally, which is a great skill to have in a company that often interacts with clients and several employees. Knowing how to connect with and forge relationships with a variety of different people is a skill owners of companies big and small should learn.
Computer engineering is another solid degree choice for entrepreneurs, mainly because there’s so much business being conducted online these days. Being able to build, maintain and improve a business site are great skills to have, and they can save business owners a great deal of time and money over the long haul.
Learn How to Better Relate to Employees
Another solid reason to gain an education as the owner of a small business is to learn how to better relate to and connect with employees. This skill is especially vital in an industry like technology where all employees might not be the most tech-savvy individuals. Such communication and interpersonal skills can make employees feel more confident and competent at their jobs, which could be just what they need to stick around in a company where they might feel a bit out of their realm of comfort.
Learning is most certainly a lifelong endeavor, and that’s especially true when it comes to small business owners. Classes and degrees can go a long way in solidifying a business as well as strengthening an owner’s vision.
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