Q. Should Small Business Owners offer paternity leave when male employees have a new addition to the family? 

A. There are certain situations where employers must offer paternity leave—it’s a government regulation. There are other situations where an employer should offer paternity leave—it’s beneficial to the business. First, we’ll explore “must” and then we’ll consider “should.”  

If an employer has 50 or more employees, the business may be subject to th...

Q. I have a cash flow problem in my small business. I never seem to have enough money to pay all of the bills and myself. Do you have any ideas regarding how I can increase the cash flow of my business?

A. Often, small business owners struggle with cash flow issues. Many find that they are putting their personal money into their business to cover monthly expenses. Obviously, in the long run, the cash generated by the business must exceed the cash used by...

Q. I’ve just started a small business with my spouse. I’m looking forward to spending time with him, but, being with your spouse 24/7 can put a real strain on a relationship. You two are married and have worked together for years. Do you have any advice for how to make that arrangement work?

A. We are business partners and coauthors. We share the stage during speeches and the microphone during interviews. We co-owners of multiple businesses. We are also m...

Q. I’ve been at my current job for almost a year now. I really enjoy it, but I am completely overwhelmed by emails. I can never seem to stay on top of them. Do you have any suggestions?

A. Unfortunately, this is a common problem in businesses, both large and small. For most of us, email is both a blessing and a curse. It makes asynchronous communications possible, which aids productivity. It acts as written documentation, and enables the busy entrepreneur...