Starting a Business Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners

Using Home Equity to Buy a Business

Financing Your Dream Business Prospective business buyers are always looking for innovative ways to come up with the money to start a company or acquire an existing one.  If you want to buy a business, your choices may be limited based upon what you own, what you owe, how good your credit rating is, and […]

Read More

How to Write a Business Plan

What is a Business Plan? Business plans are essentially resumes for companies.  They provide a description of what your business involves, how it hopes to operate, what level its earnings are expected to reach, and how soon those milestones will be met.  Anyone who wants to start a business must write a business plan, primarily […]

Read More

8 Tips on Buying a Franchise With Your Spouse

Life Partner and Business Partner? Enjoying a solid, stable marriage can provide a terrific foundation for your financial future – owning a business together.  Many married couples are also co-owners of companies, and one of the easiest ways this is accomplished is through the purchase of a franchise.  You two have already figured out how […]

Read More

Top 10 Mistakes People Make When Buying a Franchise

Look Before You Leap Once you have decided to go into business for yourself, one option is to buy a franchise rather than start a company from scratch or purchase an ongoing operation from its current owner.  There are many benefits to buying a franchise, among them high brand recognition, a strong corporation backing you […]

Read More

Part-Time Franchises for Work At Home Moms

What is a Part-Time Franchise? Buying a franchise business is a great way to become an entrepreneur and help secure your financial future.  Franchises are available in an amazing number of different industries and can appeal to people with all sorts of skills.  Although most businesses require an owner’s full-time attention, there are plenty of […]

Read More

Best Business to Buy for a Corporate Dropout

Leaving the Corporate Rat Race Quite a few nine-to-fivers express an interest to buy a business – no more bosses looking over their shoulder and no more asking permission to take a day off for personal reasons.  These days, however, people are just as likely to be pushed out of Corporate America as opposed to leaving […]

Read More

What Happens After You Buy a Franchise?

After the Paperwork Has Been Completed A fairly sizable check has changed hands and mountains of documents have been initialed and signed.  You are now the proud owner of a franchise operation.  It might be a retail store, a mobile business, or perhaps something you can do from home.  Maybe it’s a restaurant, or a […]

Read More

Buying a Franchise – The Importance of Due Diligence

What is Due Diligence? A legal term that has taken on extra-legal meaning over the last seventy years or so, due diligence was originally coined in reference to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933.  Following the stock market crash in 1929, brokers were given some very specific steps to follow before being allowed to sell […]

Read More

Most Popular Food Franchises

“I’ve Got a Little List…” With apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan – the above quote is from their operetta, The Mikado – making a list of the top “this” or the best “that” is always a challenge.  Strong opinions abound, and any attempt to compile the most popular food franchises across the United States is […]

Read More

Franchises Are Turnkey Business Opportunities

Turn the Key—Open the Door—Start Making Sales For people exploring the prospects of starting their own business, a strong argument for buying a franchise involves the “turnkey” aspect of things.  While not every franchise business opportunity is a turnkey business opportunity—more about that below—every franchise has the potential for making a grand opening an easy […]

Read More

Buy a Franchise or Start Your Own Business

Living the Self-Employment Dream Many people think about owning and running a business all their own, with no one to answer to but themselves.  The two most common ways of achieving this dream involve starting your own business or buying a franchise.  Each has pros and cons, and you must examine your personal preferences, business […]

Read More

Five Secrets to Buying a Great Business in Uncertain Times

Plenty of Economic Challenges The Dow Jones Industrial Average continues to show erratic behavior and the unemployment picture remains bleak despite recent government intervention.  In spite of disappointing economic news that never seems to end, there are still some terrific opportunities out there for entrepreneurs who want to buy an existing small business.  Uncertain times […]

Read More

Top 10 Pizza Franchises in 2009

Pizza Franchise Review The pizza business includes both mom-and-pop establishments as well as some of the largest corporate players in the world of franchising.  Because ingredients are relatively inexpensive and equipment is minimal – the most you need is a pizza oven, a clean workspace, and some well-trained pizza flippers – owning a pizza franchise […]

Read More

How To Use 401(k) For Business Financing – 401k To Buy a Business

Creative Business Financing There are a number of interesting ways to finance a business purchase.  The most traditional method involves securing a loan from a bank or a credit union.  You could also pool funds from friends and relatives or ask the seller to carry a note for a portion of the purchase price, or […]

Read More

How Do I Start a Franchise?

Creating the Franchise Concept The wily entrepreneur will always express a desire to start a business and make lots of money.  While there are no guarantees, it is difficult to succeed if you don’t even try.  One of the ways to leave a lasting impression on the world of business is to start a company, […]

Read More

What Are Different Types of Franchise Ownership?

Choices – Lots of Choices The decision to buy a franchise as your entry into the world of business ownership should not be taken lightly.  Franchising is one of the most popular ways for people to run their own business, but even that field can be divided into subsidiary choices.  Once you have determined that […]

Read More

Franchise Investment vs. Return – How Do You Find Franchises With Great Return On Investment (ROI)?

What is ROI? There are a number of technical definitions to describe the business term ROI, or “return on investment”.  For example, InvestorWords.com says, “A measure of a corporation’s profitability, equal to a fiscal year’s income divided by common stock and preferred stock equity, plus long-term debt.  But what does that mean to a prospective […]

Read More

The Role of a Franchisee – Franchisee Responsibilities

Franchising: A Two-Way Street After choosing to purchase a franchise, you rightfully expect the parent company to come through with a great deal of support.  After all, you are forking over tens of thousands of hard-earned dollars in the form of a franchise fee, not to mention additional sums of cash for equipment, supplies, inventory, […]

Read More

First-Time Business Buyers: What You Need To Know

Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap Making the transition from worker bee to small business owner involves a great deal of time, effort, money, and personal commitment.  It is not a decision to be made hastily nor taken lightly.  There are certain questions you need to ask and certain elements to consider, with every step along the […]

Read More

E-2 Visas: What is a E-2 Visa?

Investing in the United States from Overseas Depending upon the state of the U.S. dollar and its relative value against various foreign currencies, overseas investors may find that putting their money into U.S. investments will grant them a very favorable rate of return.  For foreign nationals who wish to take this path, the U.S. government […]

Read More