2018-06-09 15:16
Businesses are finding it increasingly more difficult to locate, recruit and onboard talented new employees, particularly for high skill positions. Having extensive experience as a rec… Read More
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Cogent Analytics Knowledge Center Blog
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The Cogent Knowledge Center is a library of blogs with valuable information for small business owners. Cogent provides how-to's and tips on improving business performance and increasing profitability.
2018-06-07 18:04
Rob and Robin Braiman sat down with Kathy Ireland to discuss how their approach of service to others has created growth for the company. This is a short segment for the full interview that a… Read More
2018-06-07 15:29
It is imperative that business owners take risks. That is how owners reach their goals, grow companies and make money. But, not all risks are good risks. They are more likely to… Read More
2018-06-05 13:14
The SBA defines a small business as one that employs 500 persons or less and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; small businesses are representative of 99.7 percent of all… Read More
2018-06-03 11:00
Do you have a business to sell in the next few years? If so, then you are joining the ranks of a significant number of owners who also wish to sell.
Baby boomer business owners (born f… Read More
2018-06-01 12:41
Traditional small business owners often tend to give millennials far less credit than they deserve. Although old school thought leaders have a lot to bring to the table, to increase profit… Read More
2018-05-31 11:00
“I just need to sell more, and I’ll get out of this hole.”
“I just need to sell more, and I can retire in five years.”
“I just need to sell more, and I&rs&hell…Read More
2018-05-30 18:08
Human nature is inescapable, and we all experience its challenges from time to time. We do not mind doing a task that has to be done when it is easy, when we are interested in it, or w… Read More
2018-05-29 15:03
Talk to any business owner about their business, and it won’t be long before the conversation turns to the problem of finding talent and keeping it. It’s a key issue i… Read More
2018-05-29 11:00
Although many small businesses have already either filed their tax returns or have filed their Form 4868 for the purpose of requesting an extension, there are many small businesses and indiv… Read More
2018-05-28 18:02
Service-based businesses often find that they simply don’t make enough profit no matter how many clients they have or how amazing their staff members are.
Let’s take small archit… Read More
2018-05-27 17:19
A major part of the American Dream is building and owning a successful business. Every year millions of dollars, hours of sweat equity and unlimited hope are poured into starting and r… Read More
2018-05-26 17:01
With absolute certainty, when it comes to running your small business, you know best. However, every small business owner is eventually faced with issues whereas connections to other like-mi… Read More
2018-05-25 15:26
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 17 million individual American citizens are affected by identity theft. Since the larger data breaches have occurred over the pa… Read More
2018-05-24 11:00
Education and preparation will become critical to continued growth in the U.S. manufacturing industry during the remainder of 2018 and beyond. In order to produce continued growth, there wil… Read More
2018-05-23 14:49
As we previously discussed the various types of owners involved in a business, we concluded that eventually most would lose interest or lack the skills to run their company. Whether, it is t… Read More
2018-05-22 11:00
Is there anything that gets a bigger yawn than talking about procedural systems?
Maybe not, and it is too bad because a lot of business owners have the wrong idea about them.
These are some… Read More
2018-05-21 13:48
No, seriously – paperwork can make your life easier if it is the right kind. If it is the wrong kind it can make your life much more difficult (living hell comes to mind).
Did yo… Read More
2018-05-20 11:00
All right, so perhaps we’re pushing it a bit by looking at how we can help small businesses prepare now for 2020. However, we’re of the opinion that with the speed in which techn… Read More
2018-05-19 11:00
Businesses of all sizes, for decades, have been seeking answers as to how they would have the ability to improve negative business functions vastly before disaster strikes. With this k… Read More
2018-05-18 17:57
Small business owners often fail to consider themselves large enough to set specific plans of action regarding the growth of their businesses. You, as a small business owner are larger than… Read More
2018-05-08 15:48
Cogent Analytics featured on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® to discuss the next generation of strategic business consulting.
The post Cogent Featured on Worldwide Business with k… Read More
2018-04-30 10:00
Congratulations on your accomplishment. You have built a successful business through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. You have invested time, money and sweat, and it has fin… Read More
2018-04-30 10:00
Most every small business owner desires dedicated, hardworking and loyal employees. The problem is how to do you cultivate and re-enforce those values? We pay people what we believe to be a… Read More
2018-04-27 14:53
Business colleges may take a semester or two to cover this topic. There are in-depth charts and analyses to sharpen one’s skills. However, for those of us that no longer have the time… Read More
2018-04-27 14:43
Remember U.S. National Small Business Week
April 29, 2018, through May 4, 2018
Each year since 1963. the President of the United States makes the National Small Business Week proclamation. A… Read More
2018-04-27 14:34
Small businesses have or should have financial statements that provide a health measurement of the business and whether they are profitable or not. Your business financial can include data o… Read More
2018-04-26 10:00
Why does one go into business? Consider these four classifications of Owners; the inventor, the salesman, the entrepreneur and next generation. Where does your client fall? There is almost n… Read More
2018-04-26 10:00
Small business owners often struggle with how they can attract top talent for positions within their company that will best grow their business. Every business started small and will have at… Read More
2018-04-25 12:21
PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
One of the first considerations is the determination of the sales revenue required by the company to meet its payroll, expenses and desired profit. Are we expectin… Read More
2018-04-25 12:10
There is no doubt – 3D printers have a wow factor. Whether they are creating a plastic knee joint, one-of-a-kind metal turbine blades or a chocolate pyramid, they are a marvel.
B… Read More
2018-04-25 12:00
Many small business owners, whether they are just opening their doors or they’ve been in business for awhile, often find themselves lost in the digital noise, face in their hands, repe… Read More
2018-04-24 13:35
Most business owners start their companies so they can be their own boss – they want to get away from others telling them what to do. However, they forget, ignore or do not under… Read More
2018-04-07 18:13
We cannot possibly stress the importance of investing time each month to calculate your small business taxes and making proper payments required by the IRS. Many small business owners are si… Read More
2018-04-05 10:00
On numerous occasions, I have asked plumbing, coating and finishing, HVAC, or glass company owners and executives, “What is it you sell?” I get a variety of answers like excellen… Read More
2018-04-02 15:48
Attempting to read the housing market, so far this year has become challenging at best. In 2017 nearly everything driving the housing market teetered on what would remain after the natural d… Read More
2018-04-02 15:04
Many businesses have a profit drain in the guise of inventory sitting on their walls, whether it be for resale, for assembly or for use in performing company services. Dependent on the size… Read More
2018-03-29 13:55
I’ve done some recruiting during my career, and the first thing I ask an applicant is, “Which company did you work for before, and why did you leave?” Money only rises to t… Read More
2018-03-27 10:00
Many small businesses do not seem to understand the importance of taking small steps all year long as one of the most vital keys to minimizing tax responsibilities and avoiding expensive tax… Read More
2018-03-24 10:00
Before 2008 when the economy had fallen into a deep recession, many business owners and HR professionals opined that employees were fortunate to have been hired and ought to be grateful mere… Read More
2018-03-21 10:00
It is an excellent time to be in the transportation industry. E-commerce has been good for it and will continue to fuel its growth. Growth creates challenges and trucking companies – w… Read More
2018-03-20 19:24
A trend is a pattern in the company’s performance over time. While trend analyses are often used to determine and evaluate financial performance, they may also be utilized to highlight… Read More
2018-03-15 14:23
What is a SWOT Analysis? SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The analysis utilizes these headings in a quadrant format (Fig. 1) to list core competencie… Read More
2018-03-14 10:00
Ask a business owner what he needs to make his company successful, and most likely he will say “sales.”
Then, using the questions below, ask him about his customers, and most lik… Read More
2018-03-13 10:00
One of the last things that most small business owners consider is doing a Budget. A large number of owners do not understand the value obtained from a having a budget. Often, when budgets a… Read More
2018-03-08 12:52
Every day employers complain that while they truly need, if not require, reliable, trustworthy, ethical employees, these qualities just aren’t that simple to acquire in many of their p… Read More
2018-03-08 12:44
If you own a small or midsize business, whether online or bricks and mortar it’s quite likely that you’re aware of the difficulties directly related to the insane balancing act b… Read More
2018-03-07 13:07
Do you want it to seem like you have more hours in the day? Do you want to work smarter, not harder or longer? Do you want to reach those goals which have been on the back-burner year after… Read More
2018-03-06 14:35
As with any business, it’s the duty of a business owner or assigned business manager to competently and adequately guide their company through to the initially intended achievements of… Read More
2018-03-01 13:10
In this blog, we discuss basic checklists and the importance of implementation in business operations.
If you’ve ever been on a plane, you may have noticed the pilots completing their… Read More
2018-02-27 17:56
Life cycle Marketing – Is rapidly becoming regarded highly as one of the most effective avenues to acquiring and retaining clients/customers and incrementally increasing small business… Read More
2018-02-27 11:00
Suppose that your analysis of your client indicates that the proper Labor Burdened Rate is not being used and the Overhead Recovery Rate is too low. Normally, this would require an increase… Read More
2018-02-22 11:00
“Problem Solving” is a loaded phrase: Be careful with this one, my friends. Before jumping in the deep end, I want to share something about myself that I have found to be effecti… Read More
2018-02-21 17:48
A lot of business owners know about the benefits of strategic planning, especially when they see their competition using it and growing. But, many do not know if it will help their company… Read More
2018-02-20 20:29
If you want to build a wildly successful inside sales team, here is a list of 5 traits you must inspire:
1. Focus 2. Confidence 3. Authority 4. Permission 5. Passion*
Focus is a state of bei… Read More
2018-02-20 11:00
In businesses of all sizes we often hear that performance targets have not been met due to a lack of employee communications. The irony of this is, in today’s world, we have more tools… Read More
2018-02-16 11:00
Some things just never change. As long as there have been businesses, we all remain well aware that word of mouth has shown to be the best form of advertising that a business will ever achie… Read More
2018-02-14 11:00
I attended a Human Capital Seminar / Conference last year at the PGA National in Palm Beach Florida. Whenever I attend one of these events, I am always amazed that over a three day period of… Read More
2018-02-13 11:00
As of 2010, a Census from the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) published a report stating that 99.7 % of all American businesses are small businesses. In ad… Read More
2018-02-08 21:08
With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) bill passed, signed by the President and implemented, small to midsized businesses may be feeling dazed and confused about just exactly how these change… Read More
2018-02-08 11:00
“I don’t like coming to work like I used to. The business is running me; I’m not running the business. All I do is work. I’m just an employee. I can’t do this a… Read More
2018-02-06 21:59
“I don’t like coming to work like I used to. The business is running me; I’m not running the business. All I do is work. I’m just an employee. I can’t do this a… Read More
2018-02-02 20:55
In three days Super Bowl LII will be played. The New England Patriots are a Football Dynasty as they have achieved five super bowls wins, winning two within the last four years, and now hopi… Read More
2018-01-31 14:11
Want to get a room full of business owners fired up?
Just mention the word taxes and everyone has an opinion. It usually is a strong one, and frequently includes the words “too much&rd&hell…Read More
2018-01-30 16:42
It is baffling to experts. Why won’t business owners learn how to read, understand and manage their financials? Why don’t they want to control their money? Why can’t they r… Read More
2018-01-25 14:26
Just like people, businesses go through growth stages. And, just like people, each stage has unique challenges and rewards – think five years old vs. 15 vs. 25 vs. 35. Just ten years c… Read More
2018-01-23 22:08
Cogent Analytics, through the Cogent Cares initiative has teamed with Objective Zero to help bring the nation’s veteran suicide rate down to zero. By donating time and expertise, Cogen… Read More
2018-01-09 11:00
Every business owner wants to be successful. However, each one has a different definition of what that means to him or her – money, security, recognition in the industry, material item… Read More
2018-01-04 11:00
You are in business to first, last and always sell something.
This is such a basic tenet of business it deserves a “duh” and head slap. And yet, it is amazing how many business o… Read More
2018-01-03 11:00
It is hard to get a business loan, even when you know what you are doing. It is doubly difficult to get one when you do not know how to play the game – and make no mistake it is a conf… Read More
2017-12-28 11:00
So you have a great idea and want to pitch it to your leader. You know it’s a great idea, so how do you persuade the powers that be to give you the green light? Well, as the joke goes… Read More
2017-12-27 14:06
If you have ever worked in manufacturing or any logistical capacity that supports manufacturing; then you have worked with the Bill of Materials. BOMs are the core of your logistical master… Read More
2017-12-21 19:55
Why… three letters which are utterly simplistic and valuable though often not communicated in the business world. When questioning clients or tasking employees, the “why”… Read More
2017-12-20 11:00
The majority of businesses who limp along do so because they are not able to generate enough cash flow to be truly successful. The lack of money is typically caused by internal problems &nda&hell…Read More
2017-12-19 11:00
There is no question about it, technology has changed the industry of wholesale distribution, and it will continue to do so. If you are not already, you will soon be using these words &ndash&hell…Read More
2017-12-14 11:00
Establish Price based on Gross Margin
One effective means of establishing selling price is based on gross margin. Using this approach, it is imperative that you have a good understanding of… Read More
2017-12-13 11:00
Changing the culture in your organization is the hardest mission you will ever have to do in your career. The culture in most, if not all organizations is shaped by the workers that make up… Read More
2017-12-12 11:00
Cost of Goods
The importance of knowing what expenses constitute Cost of Goods and what expenses constitute Overhead are critical to establishing a meaningful Chart of Accounts. A meaningful… Read More
2017-12-07 11:00
It’s imperative that business leaders understand the difference between Gross Profit, Gross Margin, and Markup as well as how they can affect the company. Often-times these terms are u… Read More
2017-12-06 11:00
Are you a business owner who expects to fund your retirement by selling your company?
If so, you are not alone. Most owners who are selling their businesses believe they will make enough mon… Read More
2017-12-05 11:00
Chart of Accounts
The key to managing a profitable Company starts with the Chart of Accounts. It should be designed specifically for your business to give you useful and accurate information… Read More
2017-12-01 11:00
Developing an Accurate Forecast
It has often been said that forecasting is a waste of time. After all, it’s just a guess and as such will only generate inaccurate and unreliable inform… Read More
2017-11-30 11:00
Often times our clients need to generate additional revenue. They may have a dozen good reliable customers but in order to increase their profits or cover their overhead or replace customers… Read More
2017-11-29 11:00
“Good Employees” is at the top of any business owner’s Wish List. But, wishin’ don’t make it so. It takes time, effort, knowledge and skill to create and manage… Read More
2017-11-28 11:00
“Good Employees” is at the top of any business owner’s Wish List. But, wishin’ don’t make it so. It takes time, effort, knowledge and skill to create and manage… Read More
2017-11-21 08:00
Full Content It seems about every other week there’s a news story about a major hack at a multi-billion company, exposing all kinds of customer data such as credit card numbers, bankin… Read More
2017-11-20 08:00
Full Content Although it seems like it, smartphones have not been around for long. In this short time they have changed the way people live their lives and do business. Cells have blurred th… Read More
2017-11-17 12:30
In general, employees who work more than 40 hours a week are entitled to overtime pay at a rate of 1 ½ times their “regular rate” if they exceed the 40 hours. However, cer… Read More
2017-11-16 12:17
Working at Cogent is one of the blessings in my life. I am incredibly thankful that I was given the opportunity to evolve into the person I am today. I started with Cogent over two years. Ro… Read More
2017-11-14 15:56
When you ask business owners why they started their companies you get a variety of answers – personal satisfaction, freedom, security, create a legacy, control, responsibility to commu… Read More
2017-10-20 18:57
Look around and you will see that at every level of business – from Nike and Apple to your local landscaper and painter – companies are joining forces. Strategic partnerships are… Read More
2017-10-17 18:52
Business analysts are cautiously optimistic about the growth of the construction industry. They believe the industry has entered a realignment and renovation phase, which should produce incr… Read More
2017-10-16 18:48
Greensboro, North Carolina – October 16, 2017 – Cogent Analytics, through the Cogent Cares initiative, sponsors the Fall 2017 Trailablaze Challenge to benefit the Make-A-Wish Cen… Read More
2017-10-13 18:46
Are you familiar with Golden Handcuffs? The idea was developed years ago as a solution to a common workplace question – how can a business keep key employees from leaving? Companies st… Read More
2017-10-11 18:28
An entrepreneurial spirit is part of the American dream – a lot of people want to have their own business. But, most people never take the steps to make it happen. They do not follow t… Read More
2017-10-07 17:29
Small Business Have a Big Role
Small businesses play a big role in the overall health of the US economy and in the well-being of a large percent of the population. They employ almost half of… Read More
2017-10-05 18:40
Your business is doing well and you are ready to grow. But, your cash flow does not support the expenditures you want to make. So, you need a bank loan. Before you fill out the paperwork her… Read More
2017-10-02 17:06
Building a successful family business can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, or it can be one of the most frustrating. Many times it is both, often on the same day. It is… Read More
2017-09-28 07:00
The Architectural and Engineering (A& E) Industry’s business cycle is one of peaks and valleys. Its history is filled with boom and bust times. Its customers (i.e. manufacturing, s… Read More
2017-09-26 07:00
Over the years a lot of major industries have had boom and bust cycles – manufacturing, steel, auto, rubber, construction and infrastructure. Some industries have recovered from the bu… Read More
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