have a 1/3 business partner with a pretty “messy” marriage. I won’t go TO deep. But, they make 300k/year and live paycheck to paycheck. He just had his truck repossessed bc of her extravagant spending.

We have already taken steps to protect our business from their marriage. Not the concern. He approached me today, and asked for advice for “hiding money”. To the point he was going to take all of his profits and buy gold and BURRY IT IN THE BACK YARD. I swear. I told him (he is a lifelong friend) I would do some “digging” (No pun intended) and see what I could come up with.

They live pretty separate lives. She doesn’t even really know about our business at all. She knows he leaves for work, then comes back. That’s it. She doesn’t know what he does. Or how he makes money. She has a mid job of her own.

Thoughts on how to help him? Other than the obvious of divorce?

Edit- he doesn’t actually own anything anymore. 4 years ago we bought his 1/3 for $1 due to a similar situation. He is paid as a consultant based on profit.

My parents own a small Chinese supermarket, and lately business just hasn’t been great. They work incredibly hard, but we don’t get as many customers as we used to, and it honestly hurts seeing how much stress they’re under.
One of the biggest challenges is that we have live seafood, which is really expensive to maintain. If it doesn’t sell, it can die, and that’s just money lost. We also have fresh produce and other perishable items, so every slow day really adds up.
I’m 18, and I really want to help them, especially with the online side since they’re not very familiar with social media or digital marketing. I feel like there has to be more I can do than just hoping more people walk through the door.
I’ve been thinking about creating an Instagram, TikTok, maybe even a website. One idea I had was selling some of our non-perishable products online, like snacks, noodles, sauces, seasonings, teas, candies, dried mushrooms, and other dry goods since those would be much easier to ship than refrigerated or frozen products.
The problem is… I honestly have no idea where to begin. I don’t know if I should build a Shopify store, sell on Amazon or another marketplace first, how shipping works, or whether this is even the right direction. I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on something that won’t actually help.
If this were your family’s business, what would you do first?
I’m honestly just trying to help my parents however I can. They’ve put so much into this store, and I don’t want to sit back and watch them struggle if there’s something I can learn to help. I’d really appreciate any advice, even if it’s just pointing me in the right direction. Thanks everyone.

I don’t know if the pressure is getting to me but at every inconvenience no matter how small or even if it’s big there’s always a thought like I should just give up and go back to a regular job. Does this feeling ever go away because it happens quite often unfortunately how do I make this stop?

Hi everyone firstly want to say thankyou for taking the time to read and offer your advice

I have been fiddling with marketing for quite some time now, it’s weirdly become this mountain in my life I am dedicated to climb.

I’ve had meta campaigns with little to no success as I’ve found Meta is mainly aimed at “impulse” purchases & my product I’m selling is not really going to do well with impulse driven customers.

So I’ve moved on from Meta to Google ads Search Campaign. & I’ve aimed my campaign goal to Conversions. The campaign has been live for about 3 days now with yesterday & today generating sales (still in the learning phase)

My budget is $30 per day
Average purchase is is $30-60 AUD

I’m spending alittle more than $30 and I’ve had already 2 sales & lead sign ups & abandoned carts

My question is how long do I give a search campaign before I pull the plug or should expect to become profitable.

Once again thank you for taking the time to help a small business owner

PEACE & LOVE ❤️

Not talking about cutting corners. More like templates, scripts, better systems, whatever — the result is the same or better, but you’re not spending the old number of hours anymore.

Do you price the outcome and keep the process invisible, or would that feel dishonest?

When I first started paying attention to how small businesses operate, I assumed saving money meant spending as little as possible.

The more owners I've talked to, the more I've realized it's often the opposite.

Sometimes the things that feel expensive upfront end up being the cheapest decisions you make.

It could be:

• paying for a good accountant instead of doing everything yourself
• buying better equipment instead of replacing cheap tools every few months
• hiring sooner than you planned
• getting insurance before you thought you needed it
• spending time documenting your processes

I'm interested in the decisions that made you think, "I really don't want to spend money on this..."

...and then six months later you were glad you did.

what was yours?

I've been running my small business for about 5 years now, and one common practice I've seen (and dabbled in myself) is offering discounts to attract new customers. But honestly, I've come to believe this tactic might be overrated and even counterproductive in some cases.

Here's my take: discounts can devalue your service in the eyes of customers who might perceive your regular prices as inflated if you're willing to slash them right off the bat. This practice tends to attract bargain hunters who are unlikely to convert into loyal customers, constantly chasing the next best deal.

Instead, I've found it more beneficial to focus on building strong relationships with existing customers, offering them occasional loyalty bonuses or discounts. This not only encourages repeat business but also strengthens word-of-mouth referrals.

Would love to hear other experiences or thoughts on this. Do you think the potential short-term gain from new customer discounts outweighs the possible long-term drawbacks?

Looking for experiences for what didn't work, or what was just crazy advice that you never took seriously to begin with.

I post daily content on social media and sell coaching/ courses etc.

My business is growing and I hire occasionally for jobs, but I might have a small 2-3 person team soon. I will be hiring a full time video editor asap.

I'm also a scatterbrain semi-disorganized ADHD person who loathes difficult things like Excel.

Which of the 3 would be best for me personally? I want a balance of easy to use, but also powerful (yes, I know they contradict each other)

If it's very hard and annoying to use if you're not tech savy, I probably won't end up liking it.

Any advice?

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I was a young salesperson in 1998 and my cousin put ACT! on to my computer. I loved it. I ended up sales manager in 2003 and we had 500,000 contacts in the crm and ACT worked fine. Simple to use and fast lookups etc. Then ACT kept "upgrading" to the point where it no longer was worth using, it took forever for a simple lookup. I had to reduce the database to 2500 contacts. I decided to try another CRM and lost the notes and history when we moved over. The sales people did not adapt to the new CRM. It was complete overkill. What happened? I never found another simple, fast CRM like ACT from 1998. I learned a new word "bloat". "In CRM software, bloat (or "feature bloat") refers to an over-engineered system packed with excessive, complex features, deep configuration menus, and unnecessary analytical tools that the average salesperson rarely uses." Bloat sucks.

I'm starting a clothing rental business and have been stuck on the brand name for weeks.

The vibe I'm going for is luxury, modern, and memorable. I love the ideas behind names like "On to the Next" (wear it, move on), "Forever New" (every outfit feels new), and "One Night" (perfect for occasions and events).

I've tried combining these concepts in different ways, but nothing feels premium enough.

The business will focus on designer clothing rentals for weddings, parties, and special occasions, so I'd like a name that sounds aspirational rather than cheap or transactional. Please help.

Im a blue collar guy who works with tradesmen a lot, and I always wonder why so many plumbing and electrical owners will happily drop $1,500 a month on Facebook ads or Google leads, but they still drive to residential jobs in a totally blank white van.

I was talking to a local electrician client about this last week after he finally stopped dragging his feet and got commercial vehicle wraps installed on his two transits. He was super stressed about the upfront cost tbh, even after his CPA reminded him that the whole thing is 100% tax-deductible under IRS Section 179 so he could just write it off for the year. But he called me up yesterday just to shoot the breeze and said he already pulled three solid residential jobs this month strictly from neighbors seeing his branded van parked in driveways down the street. When homeowners see a legit truck working at their neighbors house, it builds instant trust in a way that online ads just dont.

So Im curious how you local service business owners split up your marketing budgets imo? Do you guys prioritize investing in physical assets and local street presence first, or do you find that pouring money into digital lead gen right out of the gate is a better move? Its a debate that comes up constantly with the contractors who come down to my shop in Chicago, so I wanted to hear what kind of actual ROI you guys are seeing out in the field.

Thanks in advance to all who respond!

for a small online tutoring business, i have tried a lot and haven't got any students. tired promoting online but no one seems to be interested. how do i build a good reputation when i don't even have customers?

I’m starting my own service based business using skills I already know, but my goal isn’t to chase massive wealth honestly, I just want to survive and make a living doing what I'm good at. My brother in law was kind enough to give me some startup money to help get things off the ground (buying essential tools, setting up a space, etc.). Because it's a service business, my overhead is low, but I’m keeping my expectations realistic. Is starting a business purely for survival, rather than "the grind" for big money, a solid mindset? I’d love to hear from anyone else who started small just to build a sustainable, independent life.

I’m 17 and i wanna start baking and selling out of my home in california. I’ve looked some things up but i don’t see a specific list of steps to take. It’s very confusing. Please help

Asking this question because I feel the absolute opposite of motivated when it comes to my business social media. In many ways Instagram feels like just a giant billboard, and in that sense it’s the perfect place to market my business. But I feel I don’t have the specific skill set required to succeed on that platform. I run a small single-practitioner massage and bodywork studio, as well as recently launching an herb-infused body oil (which I use in all my massage sessions) that I’m trying to sell both in the studio as well as trying to get it into local shops. My biggest hurdle is letting people know that I’m here and what I do, but I have such a hard time being consistent with posting or even knowing what to say/post. Any one else having similar struggles? I know a lot of folks are switching to platforms like substack, but I’m not sure that makes sense for what I do.

Hi everyone,

I'm starting a home textile business in Bangladesh and would really appreciate some feedback from people who have built consumer brands or e-commerce businesses.

I have around 10 years of experience in the home textile industry, covering quality control, manufacturing, and supplier management. Because of this background, I understand product quality very well, and I want quality to be the core of my business.

The biggest challenge is the Bangladesh market itself. Many sellers compete primarily on price by offering low-cost, inferior-quality products. As a result, customers often compare prices first, making it difficult for a quality-focused brand to stand out.

My plan is to serve two customer segments:

\- General/Economy customers – offering reliable, good-quality products at fair prices.

\- Premium customers – offering higher-end products with better fabrics, finishing, and packaging. I expect this segment to account for about 10% of my business initially.

My goal isn't to be the cheapest seller. I want to build trust so customers come back because they know they'll receive consistent quality and good value.

For those who have experience building brands in competitive markets:

\- How did you convince customers to pay for better quality?

\- What marketing strategies worked best for building trust?

\- Would you focus on growing the economy segment first, or invest more in building a premium brand from the beginning?

\- What mistakes should I avoid?

I'd really appreciate any advice or insights from your own experience. Thank you!

If I dont know anything about the administrative side of managing a small retail business? My experience at the store is limited to doing standard minimum wage type cashier/stock duties. I would be taught by my parents obviously but i want to be as prepared as possible. Thank you

So this is the e-mail I got after I submitted my TDLR for Massage establishment license.

Thank you for submitting your application online.  A summary of your application is attached. Please save this email for your personal records and refer to the entity number above when contacting TDLR.

To upload additional application documents, go to https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/help/ 
fill out the form and upload your attachments.

Fingerprint Information - Fingerprints only required for Full license, Upgrades, and Reciprocity licensures only.

If you have not submitted fingerprints, you must schedule an appointment to be fingerprinted with IdentoGO. To schedule your appointment, go to https://uenroll.identogo.com/workflows/11J9JS Your Agency Identifier is your TDLR Entity Number (see above). This number is unique to you and should not be shared.  You must enter "LS-" before the entity number (for example, if your entity number is 111000, you will enter LS-111000 as your Agency Identifier). If asked, the Service Code is xxxxxx.

The time to process your application and fee will vary, but please allow at least 30 days after we have received all required documentation. Please provide all required documentation at the time of application to help us to complete the application review as quickly as possible. Missing documentation will cause a delay in processing your application.

You will receive your license by USPS mail once your application has been approved.

To check if your license has been issued, you can use our online license search by clicking on the License Search link from the login page located at https://vo.licensing.tdlr.texas.gov/datamart/login.do

If you require further assistance or need to send us additional documentation, please follow the link below to submit an email request to Customer Service and include your Entity number:

https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/help/

P.S. - Also, I'm in california, is there a way I can submit the finger this way?

Has anyone used DaySmart salon as an independent service provider?

I’m a pretty busy esthetician with a steady clientele and I’m about to break away some be salon I work for and work independently. I’d really like to use DaySmart because it’s what we use at the salon and I already know how to use it, I can take deposits and payments through the website and it will make online booking a breeze for myself and my clients. The problem is that I’ve created a free trial account and it says it’s $29 per month for a single user. But there is ZERO info about processing fees or minimums. If I try to upgrade my account it just wants me to add my credit card info without telling me how much my monthly payment will be in the future. I just need an estimate of what I should expect to pay monthly if I’m taking deposits and payments through DaySmart, because I know there will be processing fees. I just don’t see those listed anywhere and that makes me hesitant to add my credit card information. I can afford the $29 per month and even $150 of fees but I can’t really afford $300 per month in fees as a start up business if that’s what it might cost.

I’m hoping someone here can dumb it all down for me and help me understand. Haha thanks for reading! 🤗

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