Small Business Information


Hard Money Lenders -- No Money Down The Easy Way


Would it help you as a real estate investor to be able to"Close For Cash in Days," even if you're tapped outfinancially?Hard money lenders are perhaps the best way to get 100%financing with easy qualifying, money for fix- up, and fastclosings.So what can hard money lenders do for you? Hard moneylenders make relatively short term (12-24 month) loans toreal estate investors for the purposes of acquiring theproperty and rehabbing the property.

The Hidden Treasure in Your Business


I started working with another new client last week. He has been in business for about a year and a half.

6 of 1, Half Dozen of the Other


Motivational author and speaker Jim Rohn says that for a business to succeed it takes about ahalf dozen things. Of all the millions of things you do, it's really that half dozen that count.

Small Business Success Tip: Learn Something New Everyday


Your grandfather probably told you to "learn something new everyday". Your grandfather was giving you advice that works for your small business as well as your own education.

Is It Recess Yet?! Confessions of a Self Employed Workaholic


I have a confession to make. My name is Caroline and I'm a workaholic.

The Care and Feeding of Your Small Business


While I was hard at work last week, an everyday drama was playing out in a hospital room in the next town. My niece was working on presenting me with a new great nephew.

Tell Me a Story: A Simple But Powerful Tool to Build Your Business


Everyone loves a good story. Whether it's the story of your vacation to an exotic place, the story of how you met your spouse, or the story of your small business, people get drawn in and feel involved.

Beating the Small Business Cash Flow Blues


Small business owners can relieve a lot of their own cash flow problems, according to Caroline Jordan, small business advisor and author. "Small business owners have more control over their cash flow than they realize.

A Key to Success: Be Consistent


Over the years I heard the best way to learn something is toto teach it. Well, this week's topic, practicing consistentbehavior, is definitely something I need to learn and practicemore effectively.

Yeah, It IS Lonely At the Top


Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely as the Maytag repairman. Loneliness and isolation are very common problems for business owners.

Proper Care and Feeding of the Business Owner


That sizzling sound you're hearing may be a symptom of a major hidden cause of businesses closing their doors. It's called burnout.

Patient Records - Your Responsibilities


As a practise gets larger & larger the associated problems that you inherit increase with that growth. The Practise Manager finds it increasingly difficult to tend to his duties and look after the administration of the Practise.

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.

How to Start an Office Support Service


Office support services can range from basic data entry to a fully-staffed office handling all the details of a client's business.An office support service company can start very small, offering only a limited selection of services and expanding as you gain the capacity to do so.

The Perfect Mission Statement


One way to determine your companies mission statement is based on a general overview of the company. Some important questions are asked like: Why does the company exist and what kind of business is it in? Is there a particular market or niche that it will concentrate upon? How will the company be distinctive in its business methods? Once these questions are answered, the focus moves to the accomplishment of these broadly expressed objectives.

Mission Statements: More Important Than You Thought


If an organization lacks a mission statement, it is worthwhile to at least try to draft one. Even if it does not yield an acceptable final draft, the exercise will be rewarding for the hard work which must go into figuring out the company's direction and putative purpose.

Increase Sales in Your Home Business With These 10 Simple Ideas


Every home business has the same problem of how to increase sales without a hugely expensive marketing campaign. By utilising the following simple ideas you will be able to do just that.

Drivng Home the Point - An Outsourcing Story in China


A few years ago, I visited Beijing for the first time. At Beijing airport, I got into a taxi and paid 450 yuan (about US$54) to get to the city.

Taking Stock


Back when I owned an inventory-based business, one of my better customers had a clever barb in his repertoire. If we were out of anything he needed in his order, he would say "You know, this would be a great place to open a supply house.

Gold Medal Delegation


When the recent Games of the XXVIII Olympiad came to a close in Athens, two events stood out in my mind as perfect examples of the importance of time management:1. Teenage swimmer Michael Phelps, America's most-celebrated Olympic athlete, matched Mark Spitz's record of four individual gold medals with a stirring comeback in the 100m butterfly.

Where To Get Money For a Franchise Idea


How often have you thumbed through a business opportunity magazine, noticed a franchise opportunity advertisement, and felt you'd really like to get in on that..

Does Your Business Need a Toll-Free 800 Number?


Should your business have a toll free number for customers to make sales, service and billing inquirers? The industry began in the early 1970's and today most customers expect you to have it. Providing a toll free line can bring in a number of benefits to your business.

Multiple Clients Create Your Independent Business


Would you rather have one good client paying you fivethousand dollars per month or ten smaller clients payingyou five hundred dollars each per month? Here are two good reasons for choosing multiple clients over just one client.1.

A Look at Incorporating a Business in Florida


As you may know, there are many ways to incorporate a business in Florida. While companies exist to do the legwork and paperwork for you, the most direct way is to contact the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporation's website itself.

Not Listening Can Hurt Your Small Business


Most small business owners seek advisors who can help them improve their businesses. They want advice from those who have the experience and really know what they're talking about.

Start a Technical Writing Service


Technical writing services are employed to explain the details of a topic in a way that is easily understood by the readers. In todays information age, technical writing jobs are increasingly common.

How to Start a Paper Shredding Business


Paper Shredding Business Opportunities are blossoming up everywhere because in recent years, privacy concerns and new policies have forced companies all over the country to invest in paper shredding services. Large corporations and small are in need of shredding services.

How To Write A Business Plan


Writing a business plan is a fundamental step to ensuring your business has every chance of succeeding. Common statistics state that 9 out of 10 businesses fail on the first 5 years of operation, and of the remaining 10%, 90% fail in the following 5 years.

A Business Tail: Veterinarian Foams at Mouth, Chases Tail, Learns New Tricks--Case Study


Many self employed professionals find themselves overwhelmed, frustrated, and confused when it comes to running their businesses. The deep skills they have in their professional field do little to prepare them for the dog-eat-dog world of running a business.

Collaborative Negotiating: A Win-Win Strategy


COLLABORATIVE NEGOTIATING:Collaborative negotiating is a win-win strategy that can focus the resources of the people involved in the process towards strengthening results, productivity, quality, creativity, and innovation in problem-solving. To use the collaborative approach to negotiating you will have to agree on the aim of negotiations.

Look Like Sizzle, Be The Steak


You've heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Advertising initiatives best reach their target audience with benefits and the "wow" effect, not the value or features of their product or service.

Employee Monitoring - Business Risks For Employers And How To Avoid Them


E-mail and Internet use are integral parts of the typical worker's daily routine. Because of its speed and overall convenience, e-mail has replaced the interoffice memorandum as the preferred method of communication.

20 Great Ways to Market Your Business Locally


Whether your target audience is in your neighborhood or across the world, you can use your local resources to get the word out about your business. Your local community is easily accessible and provides dozens of opportunities for building a buzz about your product or service.

How the Crab Effect Obstructs Growth and How to Conquer It


Some of the greatest words of wisdom for any man or woman seeking change or growth are, "Surround yourself with people who will support and believe in you."Creating any kind of significant change requires determination, focus, energy, a game plan, and more than anything else, desire and a positive attitude.

Creating a Paperless Office


When working from home, it is usual to find that you have your office in an area that is not very big, such as a box room or even in the corner of the kitchen. When your business really takes off, you will begin to discover that your work area starts to get swamped by paperwork and that you are running out of storage space.

Pressure Washing and Hospital Accounts


Most pressure washing companies never look into some of the best niche markets. One, which you may not have thought about is Hospitals and if you run a pressure washing company it can mean good steady income.

Doing Business With Friends: Five Tips for Preserving the Friendship... and Your Sanity!


My colleague, Jane, recently lamented to me an all too familiar story about mixing business and friendship. Jane subcontracted copywriting work out her friend, Joan.

Reverse Merger: Have They Taken the Reverse out of Reverse Merger?


Are the promoters and consultants destroying the market for Reverse Merger? First lets take a look at reverse merger. In a Reverse Merger, an operating private company merges with a public company that has little or no assets, nor know liabilities (the "shell").

Motorizing for Profit - The Craftsmen Have Left the Building


In the summer, I can't drive two blocks without seeing the activity of the construction industry. Road contractors, house builders and landscapers are everywhere.

5 Tips for Hiring a GREAT Bookkeeper


Bookkeeping?the "dreaded" word is something we all have to worry about. Business owners rarely go into business to deal with the financial aspects of running a business.


More Resources


Government Does Not Pay Its Bills on Time
Many small companies work very hard to get new accounts. Occasionally they try to get government contracts to supply products or services.
The Care and Feeding of Your Small Business
While I was hard at work last week, an everyday drama was playing out in a hospital room in the next town. My niece was working on presenting me with a new great nephew.
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.
Electronic Franchise Disclosure and E-Signature Future for Investors
It has been discussed allowing Franchising companies to electronically disclose franchise documents to the public and prospective franchisees. If the Federal Trade Commission wants to make UFOC information available electronically through email to catch up with the newest technologies then it will get complaints and make up another rule saying no unsolicited UFOC maybe sent through email.
Small Business Savvy: Reaching Key Big Business Decision Makers
As a solo entrepreneur or small business owner, one of our key challenges can be reaching key decision makers in larger companies. Getting to the right person who can seal the deal can be a frustrating experience, especially if you don't have a game plan.
Financial Dose for Business
The goals of businesses have undergone much evolution from the times when entrepreneurs were content with anything that they received above the capital invested. Businesses now want to expand their reach globally, riding on the wave of technology.
Provide Affordable Health Care To Employees At Little To No Cost To You
You can provide affordable health care plans to your employees. If you feel overwhelmed by health care plan costs, you may be able to achieve far more than you believe.
Forming a Corporation - Investors
You've come up with the best idea since sliced bread, figured out a business name and formed a corporation. There is, however, one small problem.
Low Cost or Highly Funded Start Up
Many new ventures are preoccupied with all the money they are going to make, rather than how they are going to the about making it. Set realistic goals by setting realistic steps-discreet 'doable' actions, each of which connects to the next one in some logical progression.
Shopping For a Franchise
Shopping for a franchise is easy if you know what you are doing. You can choose between radio adverts, newspaper adverts, personal recommendation, Internet, or visit a franchise exhibition.
Are You Making the Most of Your Intern?
KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of the program. Interns like direction, but don't like to feel they are being constantly checked on.
Why Clean Mobile Homes for a Business?
Manufactured and Mobile Home owners know that the weather this year will be quite harsh. It's imperative these owners to clean out rain gutters and debris from on top of their homes.
Small Business Marketing Secrets: Look Like Sizzle, Be The Steak
You've heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Advertising initiatives best reach their target audience with benefits and the "wow" effect, not the value or features of their product or service.
1 Overlooked Key to Small Business Success
Is this you?You dreamed of owning your own business, doing what you love and enjoying unlimited earning potential. You researched.
Business Relationships Defined
What makes a business relationship?What really makes a business relationship? This may be very hard to define as it goes beyond just meeting the person and chatting about something you have in common. A relationship is developed over a period of time and usually does not happen instantly.
Small Businesses With Work Trucks; A Warning
If you are a non-operator owner of many work trucks, you should keep your business credit card with you not leave it in one of the trucks. You should not issue them to employees without strict guidlines.
Cost Effective Franchise Regulations, Come again
The Franchise Group at the Federal Trade Commission in all their ego and glory has proclaimed that franchise disclosure laws are "Cost Effective." I hate to break it to the FTC, but your comments and court are completely naked.
Pressure Washing at Golf Courses
There are many potential niches for pressure washing companies that often go unchecked. Some are quite lucrative and are worth investigation if you own a pressure washing business.
How To Make Sure Your Customers Still Trust Your Small Business
The stock market is still on a wild roller coaster ride. Trust in business is at an all time low.
How to Promote Yourself to Small Business Riches
You've heard it before; we're living in an information age. The business world is no longer driven by tangible products but on information and ideas.

More Small Business Information:

Related Articles


SBIR - A Nice Add-on Business
If you are a small business and qualify to participate in the SBIR program, it is a natural enhancer to your existing business. If you are small enough you may be able to start a company using SBIR funding, but you will soon come to realize that if your sources of income are not diversified (with SBIR being only one source) you might fall victim to funding cycles and no income.
Designing a Franchise Training Program
If you intend to franchise your company you will need to design a bullet proof training company for your new franchisees. This is above and beyond the training program you will design for them to administer to their new employees.
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.
Window Cleaning Business Start Up
Should you buy a business opportunity or Franchise if you want to get into the window cleaning business? Or just start your own and work hard; grow the business into a full-time profession and expand from there? Let us talk briefly about window cleaning franchises is in general.One could argue without too much difficulty that buying a window cleaning franchise is simply a waste of money, after all you could simply go down to be 99 cents store and by a bucket 3 towels and a squeegee and hey, you are in business right? Well one could argue that, since to really be in business, you probably need to get a business license, insurance, buy some business cards and make a few flyers.
Reaping the Rewards of Cost Cutting
In these days of insecurity and uncertain futures, the tendency is to manage for survival but the smart business leaders are actively hunting for profits.And they are doing this without launching costly new initiatives or major capital investments.
Due Dilegence 101 Or What You Do Not Know Can Kill You! - Part 1
Introduction:This article is written as a general discussion on the subject of "Due Diligence". It is for informational purposes and not intended to be a definitive guideline for your exact situation.
Get Out Of The Rut And Back On the Track
Do you sometimes find yourself just going "through the motions" of your business from day to day? Has the excitement gone out of your daily routine?What happened? Remember way back when you began doing this? You were excited and enthusiastic about what you were going to do. What went wrong? Where did the excitement and enthusiasm go? More importantly, how do you get it back?Of course, this may be a signal that it is time for you to make some changes or to "move on.
Local Search and Internet Yellow Pages - A Whole NewVocabulary for Small Businesss
Buyers want both online and local information about where to buy Most small businesses are local in nature, serving people who live nearby. Their customers found them through traditional methods like the Yellow Pages or newspaper ads.
Promote Yourself More Successfully
One of the great challenges for independent professionals and small businesses, especially when starting out, is generating visibility to ultimately lead to generating sales.One of the specific challenges, I have found, is knowing what to say about yourself and your operations and services when asked "so what do you do?"? Have you ever stumbled over your words when asked what you do?? Have you ever received the response, "Oh, I see", followed by silence?? Do you ever feel as though you do not know what to say about yourself?I am reminded of the 'elevator speech theory' (I do not know to whom to attribute its invention), which simply poses "if you were in a lift that opens on the tenth floor and in walks Bill Gates who asks what you do - what would you say, and you have only until the elevator gets to the bottom?"I have personally struggled with this at times, and equally have found that when I get it right, results flow - which initially could be as simple yet important of getting more time to converse with the person asking the question of you.
Making Your Purpose Your Business Step #2- Getting From Point A to Point B
In my previous article, Step 1, your challenge for the month was to research where your passion lies. Based on your research you might have discovered that self investigation can lead us to two places; either we find out our answer or we realize we need to ask more questions to get that answer.
Tips on Setting Up Your Small Business Bank Account
One of the first things you will need to set up is a bank account. We recommend a large bank because:They have locations everywhereThey have longer hoursThey will probably buy out your local community bank anywayIf you are an owner/operator of a small business, you will appreciate having a Debit or ATM card for your business.
Mobile Car Wash Market Opportunities in California
The current lack of industry leaders represents an exceptional opportunity for a large and organized mobile car wash company to achieve regional domination and eventually dominate the Southern California carwash market. The best place to start a regional assault on this market would be to concentrate North and West of Los Angeles; Chatsworth and Simi Valley to Malibu and Tarzana to Santa Barbara.
Mobile Pressure Washing and Cleaning Scheduling
If you own a mobile car washing, pressure washing or auto detailing business you know that when your crews and machines are parked and working that you are making money. You also know that when those units and crews are driving or stuck in traffic you are losing your shirt in costs and inefficiencies.
Australian Workplace Agreements - How They Work For You
The employer / employee relations environment has been constantly evolving during the last 25 years. In Australia, as in many western nations, the balance between employers and employees has shifted back and forwards usually in response to supply and demand.
Small Business Essentials: Start Here
Thinking of starting a business on line? If so there are two things you absolutely must commit to before ever opening shop on the web. Any one who refuses to realistically consider these two factors should not be in business.
De-Ionization Decisions in Mobile Car Washing
Many mobile car wash operators would like to add de-ionized water to their cleaning process. However before you do this you need to understand the reality of the return on investment.
Modern Clear Coats, Auto Detailers and visit to Lexus of North America
We visited Lexus USA, home of the Lexus North America Head Quarters to help us better understand the latest innovations in automotive clear coast. As professional auto detailers we must know our customers cars and finishes.
Top 7 Small Business Resources for 2005
If you want to start a business in 2005, and start making money almost immediately, the sites listed below are some of the best I have found. I've chosen each site because it is absolutely outstanding in providing the tools you need to get started, as well as taking you through the steps you need to get started immediately.
Incorporating a Small Business: S corporations versus C corporations
If you've been considering incorporating your small business, you've probably been confused about the difference between S and C corporations.The similarities between S and C corporations are as follows:1.
Five Break-through Ideas to Immediately Increase Profits and Improve Cash Flow
Too often in business we get trapped into reviewing our sales numbers without analyzing the all important "profit" number. This is commonly referred to as the "bottom-line" of a business.