Small Business Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersSmall Businesses Seek Alternative LendersSmall businesses are having a difficult time borrowing money for expansion from big banks, says the Los Angeles Times. Big banks are reluctant to lend to small businesses and are more comfortable lending to large corporations. In October, small banks and other lending institutions approved 46.3% of loan applications compared to 9.3% from big banks. Despite ads […] New SBA Financing Programs … More Money for Small BusinessBrett Palmer, president of the Small Business Investor Alliance, credits SBA’s Sean Greene for shortening wait times for SBIC licenses to less than 6 months and as a consequence, the annual rate of new licensees has more than doubled over recent years. The SBA grants licenses so private entities can provide money to small businesses. […] UPS Store Waives Franchise Fees For 10 VeteransUPS Store, in a move to support IFA’s “Operation Enduring Opportunity”, announced in BizJournals.com, that it will waive franchise fees for ten first-time veteran franchisees. This amounts to $300,000 in financial incentives. Prospective franchisees should sign a Letter of Intent between January and June 2012, said Tim Davis, a former U.S. Marine and now UPS […] Small Business Optimism Up Since JuneThe National Federation of Independent Business reports that the October level of small-business optimism index is the highest since June. “Owner optimism improved a smidge, mostly because the outlook for business conditions and real sales growth became less negative,” said the NFIB report. However, the new-jobs subindex weakened in the same month as there was […] What Happens After You Buy a Business?There should be no surprises after you buy a business if you thoroughly studied and investigated the business. What you should do now is to smoothly go through the transition phase as the new owner, and with the right decisions and actions, the business will thrive. After You Buy a Business … 1. Maintain the […] Getting the Best Terms When Buying a BusinessYou have dreamed of owning a business. Now that you have found the right one for you, negotiate to buy the business. You do not want to end up with terms that can ruin your opportunity before you even take over the business. Negotiations will evolve so you must have an open mind and a […] Banks To Increase Lending To Small BusinessesAfter meeting with Vice President Joe Biden, major lenders are increasing loans to small businesses. According to American Banker, Biden met with executives from 13 banks including Citigroup, KeyCorp and M&T Bank. Citigroup pledged $24 billion in loans to small business in the U.S. over the next 3 years. President Barack Obama has said […] Top 10 Reasons to Buy a Business TodayWith today’s rising unemployment, there is a corresponding rise in the number of prospective buyers looking for businesses for sale. Most people dream of owning their own business, being the boss, setting the rules, controlling their lives, and earning for themselves. Starting a business can be difficult. You have to spend a lot of time […] Should You Sign a NDA when Buying a Business?There are some steps in the business for sale process that benefit both the seller and you, the buyer. These steps protect the seller from “time-wasting” buyers, and the buyer from acquiring lemons. One of the most important questions when buying a business is “Can I see your financial statements?” Numbers provide vital information to […] Going “Places” With Your Business – For FREE!One of the latest emerging trends for businesses in today’s market is the ability to let customers “check-in” at your business. In essence, you’re giving customers the chance to announce to their social networks that they’ve stopped in. There are a number of these new geolocation services giving you a chance to try some truly […] Internet Security – How Serious Should Your Business Take it?Perform any search on any engine about how many computer viruses are in existence and you will get the same answer… too many to count. Most computer viruses are targeted to attack computers running Microsoft’s Windows operating system, while Apple computers running Mac operating systems experience drastically fewer attacks. Considering most businesses and home users […] Becoming Your Own Boss: Surety Bonds and Other Requirements for Running a Used Car DealershipThree years ago marked the beginning of the recession. And, although the country is not entirely healed, signs of progress are visible. Americans have begun to trust in the economy again and spend. An industry that is experiencing financial growth and promise is used car dealerships. Sales within the car industry grew over 10% from […] How Do Payroll Services Work?What is a payroll service and how does it work? To a business there is perhaps no more important part of its infrastructure than its payroll service. The purpose of a payroll, simply put, is to make sure that each and every single person in a company’s employment is financially compensated for their work to […] Payroll Solutions That Can Make You MoneyThere are few things that deplete an employee’s morale more than, having worked hard for a month, receiving an inaccurate wage which does not reflect their own levels of commitment. Be it late, or too little, wages not paid properly can make workers question all areas of their business; not least the competency of those […] What Is CEO Time?For many of us, it could be triple the value of what it is now. Meaning: Your company could be earning 3 x as much money. (We’ll assume your compensation stays the same!) Ask a CEO or Small Business owner how he divides his time between CEO work, Managing work and “Chief Employee” work (where […] Intentional ReferralsReferrals – we love to get them, we hate to ask for them! And yet, almost nothing can be more beneficial to the entrepreneur or small businessman. Referrals provide new business at almost no cost, and frequently provide a new customer who’s pre-sold. A referral strategy, regularly executed, can make a colossal difference to your […] 23 Penetrating Sales Questions You Need To Start AskingA couple of weeks ago I wrote a post called, 11 Lame Questions You Need to Avoid”. It generated some interesting comments and one reader asked, “What questions should I be asking?” What ARE the questions sales people should be asking to increase their sales and improve their results? Certainly this depends on your industry […] 4 Secrets to Developing the Perfect PR PitchYou might have a great story, but if you don’t know how to present it, you’re not going to grab the media’s attention. Remember what seems like a great story for you might not seem that way to the media. Building a great pitch for a TV segment or magazine article takes some time, thought […] Z Is For Being In The ZoneOK – I have to admit, by the time I got to Z in this series, I had to be a little bit creative about the title, but actually being able to get in the Zone is an important part of running a business. Let’s face it, we all have projects – things we want […] Y is for Yo Sushi (and other stories)Well, this article isn’t exactly about Yo Sushi! It’s about the fact that if you pay attention to the big companies around you, it’s very likely that you’ll find ideas that you can apply to your own business. Remember, big companies can afford to do things – they can afford to hire the best marketing […] |
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