In mid-September, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) released their bi-annual State of the Market report. This document focuses on the first half of 2015 and contains valuable information for small business owners in the City. This publication is part of AEDP’s research and data series on the City of Alexandria. This report is released twice a year… Read more »

This post is a continuation of last week’s topic and was written by Patricia Frame of Strategies for Human Resources, our guest author for our solopreneur blog series. Recently, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance on when a person is an independent contractor and when they are an employee. Even if you… Read more »

We know how important good data is for small businesses as they develop their business plans or look to grow their businesses. In the past, it has been challenging to get the information needed from a single source. Now, there’s a new tool available to help small businesses with their research needs. Earlier this month,… Read more »

This post was written by Patricia Frame of Strategies for Human Resources, our guest author for our solopreneur blog series. We’ve all heard tips for business development and networking. These three tips aren’t new to you, I bet, but the real issue for most of us is whether we do each consistently – or not… Read more »

Everybody’s talking about millennials and it’s no wonder; they are a very influential cohort. There are two important contexts that compel small businesses to better understand millennials: marketing and the labor force. Millennials are a desirable consumer demographic, and businesses need to understand how to grab their attention and how to appeal to their distinct… Read more »

The weather is warming and the National Cherry Blossom Festival has begun. Spring is finally upon us, and Alexandria soon will notice an upswing of visitors to our community. Our colleagues at Visit Alexandria tell us that tourism generates millions of dollars in revenue for local businesses and city government and supports thousands of local… Read more »

This post was written by Patricia Frame of Strategies for Human Resources, our guest author for our solopreneur blog series. I recently got an invite to an interesting looking one-day event directly relevant to my interests and, with discounts, the price would only be $1600 plus expenses! I was talking with another consultant about all… Read more »

Tips from the United States Patent and Trademark Office This week’s blog post was written by Craig Morris, Managing Attorney for Trademark Outreach at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A trademark is an essential part of a brand, helping to distinguish a business’s unique products and services from what another business offers. It can… Read more »

One of the critical predictors of the success of a new venture – whether it’s a totally new business, a new product or service line, or approaching a new market – is the quality and extent of forethought and planning. At the Alexandria Small Business Development Center, we are strong proponents of thorough business planning…. Read more »

Whether you are opening a new business in the City of Alexandria or expanding the physical location of an existing business, it is important to be aware of the City’s build-out requirements.  The permitting process may be easier and smoother if you choose architects and contractors who are have done work in the City of… Read more »