Small Business Information


Congress's Latest Patent Legislation a Big Win for Entrepreneurs, Small Business


"Mr. Watson. Come here," Alexander Graham Bell said to his aide, "I want you." Those were the first words transmitted through Bell's breakthrough technology, the telephone. The history books document that moment, but a pivotal event took place three days earlier. On March 7, 1876, the U.S. Patent Office granted Bell patent number 174,465, cementing his legacy as the inventor of the telephone.

Why Many Business Owners Don’t Want Their Kids to Inherit the Company


Being a business owner is considered an “American Dream” by many, yet when it comes to succession planning, a recent survey reveals that not everyone feels the same way about passing the torch onto their children.

How Small Businesses Can Manage Cashflow to Thrive in 2023


Intelligent cashflow management is the essential fuel of startups and digital businesses, particularly in a challenging economy. According to experts, it can mean the difference between surviving, thriving and failure.

How to Attract the Best Candidates for Your Business


As most business owners know, one of the most valuable assets your enterprise needs to thrive is top-notch talent.

Small Business Tips to Launch and Thrive


May, which is National Small Business Month, is the ideal opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of small business owners, take a closer look at the challenges they face, and connect them with valuable resources.

Optimism Prevails Among Minority Business Owners, Survey Shows


Even as minority business owners face new economic challenges, including supply chain disruptions and inflation, results from PNC's recent Economic Outlook survey show an impressive resiliency and positive mindset among these business leaders, according to Marshalyn Odneal, national sales executive for Minority Business at PNC Bank.

7 Things to Consider Before Buying Small Business Accounting Software


The world of small business accounting software can be a minefield for any business owner. However choosing the right package is one of the most critical business decisions you will make.

3 Essential Tools for Starting and Maintaining a Small Business


We believe that there are 3 factors that drive the success of small businesses.

The Power of Why: Your Psychological Ally To Marketing Success!


Here's why 'WHY' is such a profit-making marketing trigger."Stop taking two and three plates of food," my mother said to me angrily.

Small Business Strategies - Four Critical Success Factors


Scenario OneDuring a recent presentation, a business owner was given the following challenge. If 10 of his 100 employees were asked to name the top 3 organizational goals for the current year as they perceived them to be, would he receive the same 3 goals from everyone or would he receive 5, 10 or even 25 different goals? The business owner shook his head and thoughtfully responded, "No, I am sure that I would receive more than 3 goals.

Starting Your Small Business


Where do you find more customers?How do you compete with bigger businesses?Answer. Build loyalty and rewards.

Attributes Of Companies You Don't Want To Buy!


There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of companies tobuy. Each purchase opportunity has to stand on its own merits.

How to Achieve Real Success in Business: Five Breezy Tips


Achieving real success should be the goal of any good businessman. But what is real success? I believe that it is no just money, or instant growth.

Professional House Cleaning - The Dirty Little Secret


Are you tired yet of all the books out there telling you how easy it is to start a house cleaning business? I'm not inferring that all their information is bad, but let's be honest about how "easy" it really is.There's a dirty little secret hanging over the cleaning trade that nobody talks about, but every professional cleaner runs into.

Accounting Methods - Cash and Accrual


When starting a business, you have to determine the method you are going to use for accounting and paying taxes. The two choices are the cash method and the accrual method.

How to Start a Pet Transportation Business


Pet Transportation Services are needed as the number of pets in the U.S.

Is Your Business Profitable?


What's your job profitability? Do you know?Many business owners are unsure of their profitability at a company or job level. They "think" they are making money because they have a few dollars in their checking account.

Finding the Right Virtual Assistant for Your Small Business


Articles abound advising the business community how to properly screen when looking for a Virtual Assistant (VA). Unfortunately, some of the advice may lead you astray, as it often ignores the fact that VAs are not employees but independent contractors providing professional business to business (B2B) services.

Change May Be Your Ace in the Hole


Whether it has been thrust upon you by external market forces or it has simply bubbled up from the internal dynamics of your enterprise, change itself always presents opportunity for improvement. And in a knowledge based economy, change may be the only thing we can count on as small business people.

7 Tips to Improving Your Cash Flow


Cash is King..

Five Facts and One Motivating Factor Behind a Successful Home Business


All legitimate home business entrepreneurs insist and announce loud and clear that a successful home business is not about an overnight thing. And that you cannot get rich overnight and so on.

Breaking The Chains!


Everyday, customers and business owners are bombarded with billboards, logos, print and electronic ads from huge corporations. With annual ad budgets that are more than our businesses' SALES in an entire year, our small independent businesses are getting squeezed out of consumers minds (and wallets) more and more each year.

Todays Chef, Tomorrows Restaurateur -- Startup Tips by Restaurant Consultants Inc


Researching information for a recent business plan, I came across an interesting number of 54,000. What is the big deal about that? Over 54,000 new restaurant business licenses were applied for in the last twelve months nationally.


More Resources

Definition of Security: Small Business Owner
Yes, that IS security when nobody can downsize you because you OWN that small business of yours! But preserving that special advantage is a never-ending job. In fact, do you know what needs to be preserved more than anything else?Well, since they hold the future of your business in their hands, I believe that an outside group of people whose behaviors can effect your business' survival more than any other, deserves your rapt attention.
Deciding Which State To Incorporate Your Small Business In
Once you've decided to incorporate your small business the next step is deciding which state to incorporate in. A common misconception is that businesses must incorporate in their state of operation.
7 Card Tricks That Improve Your Personal Networking Power
CARD SHARK7 Card Tricks That Improve Your Personal Networking PowerThe humble business card has been a mainstay of business and industry for years. But despite it's small size and cost, it's one of the most powerful marketing tools you will ever possess.
An Example of Business Automation - eCards with pizazz
The last time I spoke and went into a bit of detail on business automation. Today I would like to give you some details of how I actually used it personally so you get to see first-hand what I wanted, how I went about doing it and finally executing it.
Comparing Boston Area for a mobile car wash business
The Boston suburbs seem to be rich with possible locations to wash cars and a mobile car wash would be well served in that market. The customers have good jobs, high paying salaries and indeed demand such personal car washing services.
Starting a Small Business: Balancing Risk and Reward
In a perfect world, starting a small business would be risk free, but just as with everything else; the degree of risk determines the value of the reward.According to the National Commission on Entrepreneurship, at any given time, 6% to 9% of the United States adult population is involved in planning for a new business.
Job Costing - Do You Know How?
What's your job profitability? I meet with business owners every day that are unsure of their profitability at a company or job level. They "think" they are making money because they have a few dollars in their checking account.
Three Big Barriers To Small Business Marketing Success
When you feel like you're always busy working on your business, but not getting where you want to go, it can be frustrating trying to figure out how to get your marketing on track. It can easily become a "not seeing the forest for the trees" feeling.
Racing the Competition
What is the Big Race all about when it comes to creating relationships?The big race is simply the ability to win the deal on a consistent basis. You will need to perfect your message, be able to state it clearly and precisely, and follow up relentlessly.
Virtual Assistant - Questions Answered
What is a Virtual Assistant?A Virtual Assistant is a person or persons with whom businesses and individuals outsource administrative and technical tasks. Virtual Assistants work from their home office.
Pressure Washing Market Niche
Those who are in the pressure washer business should not neglect the Hotel exterior cleaning niche. Many five-star hotels spend significant dollars in making sure that their grounds are meticulously cleaned.
Analyzing Customers in Your Business Plan
The Customer Analysis section of the business plan assesses the customer segments that the company serves. In it, the company must 1) identify its target customers, 2) convey the needs of these customers, and 3) show how its products and services satisfy these needs.
Packing Material Thats Cheap!
Shipping materials can be expensive! Even the styrofoam "peanuts" can cost a great deal. Here's a great idea for packing paterial that is bio-digradable, easy, and best of all.
Excuses Franchisees Make; When They Violate Exclusive Territory Agreements
One of the biggest excuses franchisees of home based and serviced based franchises make when violating their exclusive franchise agreement with their franchisor and fellow franchisees is: My Family Works There. As a franchisor, I cannot believe how many times neighboring franchisees steal each others clientele or work outside their exclusive franchise area.
Cashing In Your Chips & Pastures New
No, I'm not talking about gambling or dairy cows - although business is often referred to as a gamble, I'm referring to your exit strategy. That time when you decide to 'play no more' and go off and practise your golf swing.
Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Joining a Professional Association
I'll be the first to admit that I went a little nuts when I moved I moved recently in terms of going all-out to participate in a variety of professional associations. I had some experience with most of the groups that I visited in other places I had lived, or had clients who had positive experiences with certain groups.
Small Business - Is The Accounting Profession Ripping Them Off?
My 16 year-old daughter said, "Gee Dad! You look just like an accountant" And she wasn't being complimentary. Accountants are perceived to be boring, stodgy and conservative.
Why Do Franchisors have Exclusive Territories
The reason we Franchisors call it an exclusive territory is because we will not sell that area again to another franchisee. That is your area to market and to conquer and to generally obtain as much market penetration as possible.
Should I Franchise or Not?
A reader of one of my online sessions asked should he franchise his business or not. He had set up a service business and was getting ready to expand and wanted to know if franchising was a good potential strategy for this.
Leverage The Power of Publicity For Your Small Business
Your business is only as good as the number of people who knows about it. For your venture to grow, you need to start spreading the word about your business.

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How the Humble Ice Cube Made Business History
Gather round while I tell you the story of Kennebec Ice. It's a story full of valuable business lessons even though it happened long ago.
Franchise Buyers Lying On Forms
The Federal Trade Commission which governs the franchise industry thru the franchise rule, which enforces Franchise Disclosure laws seems to think that consumers need to be protected even when they lie. Often The FTC takes complaints from consumers who claim they had been ripped off or lied to from someone selling a Biz-OP or some corporation, which sells franchises.
Why Does a Business Fail and What Can You Do to Stop It?
I believe the number one reason why a business will fail is lack of planning. This can be due to various reasons, perhaps because the market research wasn't sufficiently carried out in the first place, or because the financial burden was higher than was planned for etc.
Is a Small Business Web Site a Wise Investment?
One of the greatest pitfalls in e-commerce is Field of Dreams thinking, the notion that all one has to do is "build it (a web site) and they will come.""I can't think of anything further from the truth," Ron Scott, a Riverside, California web designer, says.
How to Wash Mobile Homes as a Business
Washing manufactured homes, mobile homes, can be a lucrative and steady business. Generally Mobile Home owners desire to have their mobile homes washed twice per year.
Job Costing - Do You Know How?
What's your job profitability? I meet with business owners every day that are unsure of their profitability at a company or job level. They "think" they are making money because they have a few dollars in their checking account.
Predicting Business Retirement Satisfaction for Business Owners
Most business owners do not think of selling their companies as "retiring". Instead, these vital entrepreneurs see selling their business as a "transition.
The Beauty of Focus and Plan B
Did you ever have one of those days or weeks when you said "What in the world am I doing running this business?!"Yeah. Me too.
Business Reviews that Work
What is the satisfaction & expectation review of the business history to date?You have spent a lot of time and effort gathering information about your clients and potential customers. You have kept track of everything that you need to know and have followed-up with precision.
How To Start a Small Business
Not sure how to start a small business? This guide will offer you some useful tips on the basic requirements of starting a small business.Initially, there are two types of businesses available to you, Sole Trader or Partnership.
Franchise Company Operations Manual Sample Outline
Many companies wish to expand and a few wish to use franchising as a method of expansion. Not a bad idea, but one must consider the importance of the fine details.
The Franchisors Heavy Load
Why are we over regulation the franchising industry, what purpose does it serve? Rules and laws are fine, level playing fields are nice, but the customer votes with their dollar and the entrepreneur and companies can only sell what people are willing to give up that unit of trade we call a dollar for.The FTC, Federal Trade Commission is going to pile on more regulation and minutia to the rules of franchising, but what purpose does it serve? The free market should decide and the right to free contract will determine which businesses succeed and which fail.
Do You Want Your Own Fully Programmable ERP? - Part 3
Continuing from the second article:6. About the aground mathematical model, let us to see the product k:First quantity received in 10/6/98, quantity 1,000, unit cost US$ 34.
5 GREAT WAYS to Gain New Contacts
What are the 5 best ways to gain new contacts?There are many ways to use the media to promote your business. You must ultimately decide what is best for your business.
Mini-Blind Cleaning Business, Case Study
Sometimes the simple businesses are the ones, which make good money. Take mini-blind cleaning for instance.
FFP vs. CPFF Contracts
SBIR Corner: FFP vs. CPFF contracts:In the SBIR/STTR world, the single most important decision you need to make is whether you are going to bid a job as Firm Fixed Price (FFP) or as Cost plus Fixed Fee (CPFF).
Entrepreneurs and Franchisors Watch Out
New Franchisors and Entrepreneurs need to watch out as they enter into the world of franchising. What advice can I give to a new franchisor, I was asked today by another entrepreneur with a wonderful new concept; what are the tiger traps that lay ahead?So you are a new franchisor? Who can you trust? Can you trust FranData? The Industry's information source was thought to be a friend, is it? Well they can get you on a list so that SBA Loans for your new franchisees go smoothly.
How to Promote Your Business by Entering Contests
You are probably hard at work promoting your business (and if you're not, you should be!), but if you haven't submitted your profile to any contests yet, you may be missing a golden opportunity.Receiving an award for your business can increase your company's credibility.
Six Sigma for Small Business
It is not surprising that some people may perceive Six Sigma as being only for large corporations. Major corporations such as Allied Signal, Black & Decker, Dow Chemical, Dupont, Federal Express, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, Kodak, Motorola, Sony, and Toshiba have all rolled out Six Sigma efforts and achieved outstanding results.
Packing Material Thats Cheap!
Shipping materials can be expensive! Even the styrofoam "peanuts" can cost a great deal. Here's a great idea for packing paterial that is bio-digradable, easy, and best of all.