Data security should be a vital area of concern for all small-business owners. Considering all the important data stored virtually, it is easy to see why a single breach can cause serious damage to your business. According to a 2012 Verizon Data Breach study, about 174 million records were compromised the same year. 74 percent of these cases were from external sources.

The records you should keep vary depending on your business, location, and industry. They may include:

Social media is a huge presence in branding and marketing for your business.

Without it, you'll miss out on big marketing opportunities to gain valuable customers. The more innovatively you utilize a social, mobile presence, the more benefits you'll see from it.

New research into attitudes and work has consistently shown that happy employees make their employers more money. While it can be tempting to believe that happiness is something that has little to do with a person's employment, most people's work environments actually have a lot to do with whether or not they're happy. Whether you're a small-business owner, a brand-new startup, or the CFO of a well-established Fortune 1000 firm, invest in your business by investing in your employees' happiness. Here are seven ways you can transform your workforce into a smiling, horde of productive and happy moneymakers.

From the brand new startup to the veteran entrepreneur, an injection of cash into an organization always comes in handy. The problem? Most people don’t know where to start, often leading to wasted time and disastrous fundraising failures.

The following guide will take you through the steps necessary to take your fundraising efforts to the next level. I won’t just tell you how to get there, but also the pitfalls that you need to avoid so that your hard work doesn’t end in failure.

How personal is your text message marketing?

Find a way to make your text messages more personal, and your customers will feel you are talking directly to them, making them more likely to respond. Add that to SMS marketing's impressive 98 percent open rate, and you've got a winning combination.

But there isn't a lot of room in a text message, so just how can you make it feel more personal?

Advancing your academic training is a worthwhile investment and important step to take when developing your career. Although some people may be able to achieve professional success without further studies, the reality is that higher education is vital. People who limit themselves to an undergraduate degree may find it more difficult to compete for better paying jobs in the future.

What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur?

If you're thinking of starting out in business, that question has most likely been on your mind.

Of course you want your business to succeed, and your journey into entrepreneurship to be a fruitful one.

Social media is a driving force in advertising in the modern digital era. Many companies, whether they are multi-billion dollar companies or local Mom and Pop shops, have found success in advertising on Facebook. All it takes is a little bit of marketing know-how and an optimized budget.

My partner and I run our law firm, Denmon & Denmon Trial Lawyers, out of three office locations in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. Using Facebook has been a major asset for our business - with the highly customizable features and options Facebook Ads offers, we are able to reach our exact audience with the most effective message. As trial lawyers, our business is a bit of a niche market, and it can be tricky to reach our potential clients. Facebook’s ad platform allows you to target specific demographics with tailored messages, so you can make sure your marketing strategy is as precise as possible.

Investing in the stock market can be a good venture for most people, though many businesses are not aware they can also benefit when they let their company get in on the action. Here are just a few of the advantages you can rely on if your business plays the market instead of just using it personally.

Human resource management ranks among the most difficult tasks a business owner must face. With the ever-expanding laws and regulations concerning healthcare, benefits, equal opportunity legislation and more, it can be impossible for a business owner to maintain compliance.  The larger the company, the more difficult compliance becomes and the stiffer the penalties for non-compliance.