Entrepreneur
Do You Need a Business Degree to Start a Business? A Real Answer
You don’t need a business degree to start a business. Here’s what really matters (and what doesn’t).
Latest
Marketing
How to Market Your Small Business Locally for Free (Without Yelling at People in Parking Lots)
How to market a small business locally for free with Google, partnerships, and word-of-mouth — no yelling at strangers required.
Labor Day: The Holiday That Small Business Owners Pretend to Take Off
Labor Day for small business owners isn’t really a day off. Here’s the Life Hat take on why you should still claim a break.
The Tool Hat
The Best Free Tools to Track Your Business Expenses (Without Duct Tape Spreadsheets)
The best free tools to track small business expenses — from Wave and Zoho to GnuCash and Google Sheets. Ditch duct tape spreadsheets for good.
Life
Reducing Stress as a Small Business Owner Without Quitting to Open a Taco Stand
How to reduce stress as a small business owner without quitting to open a taco stand. Practical, funny tips from the Life Hat.
Human Resources
Employee Retention Strategies That Don’t Require a Ping-Pong Table
Employee retention strategies small businesses can actually afford. Forget ping-pong tables—here’s how to keep your best people.
Accounting
Do Small Businesses Get Tax Refunds? The Answer Nobody Likes
Do small businesses get tax refunds? Here’s the plain-English answer, why refunds are rare, and smarter ways to plan for taxes.
Legal
Does FMLA Apply to Small Businesses? A Plain-English Guide for Owners
Does FMLA apply to small businesses? Here’s a plain-English guide to thresholds, exemptions, and smart leave policies owners can use.
Legal
The Contracts That Protect You From Clients Who "Forget to Pay"
Clients don’t “forget” to pay—they forget accountability. Here’s how small business owners can use contracts to protect themselves and actually get paid.
Life
Why Small Business Owners Don’t Sleep (And What Might Help)
A survival guide for 3 a.m. brain spirals: how owners can get their brains to log off so they can actually sleep.
Human Resources
The Employee Onboarding Experience That Doesn’t Feel Like a DMV Visit
Tired of onboarding that feels like standing in line at the DMV? Here’s how to make it actually welcoming (and funny).
Leadership
How to Stop Running Every Meeting Like a Hostage Situation
Your meetings are not an episode of 24. Learn how to run them like a leader, not a kidnapper.