Small Business

Selling a Business

Sun, 06 May 2012 17:30:43 +0100

After you have built up your business, you might decide -- at some point -- that it's time to sell. Indeed, if you are getting close to a major life transition, selling can seem attractive.

Effective Questionnaires for Market Research

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:54 +0100

One of the primary research tools used to acquire data is the questionnaire. It is a simple and easily categorized way to gather information directly from customers. For optimal success, distribute a questionnaire to a systematic random sampling of your target audience, as opposed to a general audience.

Questions to Ask When Buying a Business

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:50:07 +0100

Buying an existing business can be a great way to become your own boss without going through the headaches of startup. However, there are also some risks to be aware of. To improve your chances of success, look for a business in an industry you're familiar with and where you have some past management or operational experience.

Give Back to Your Community While Gaining New Business

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:35:28 +0100

Everyone knows that putting up an "Open" sign or hanging a shingle is no longer enough to make yourself known to potential customers. And even traditional and social media marketing efforts may not be enough to do the trick. More small businesses are recognizing that to make an impression, you also need to get out of your comfort zone and connect with your business's local community....

Small-Biz Lending Initiatives Will Drive Job Creation

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 17:18:05 +0100

Political gamesmanship has reached an all-time high in Washington. The partisanship dividing Congress is damaging its ability to help small businesses, and therefore our struggling economy. To spur business growth and encourage financial success in the New Year, lawmakers must work together on policies and programs that will help small businesses create jobs....

A Smart Way to Take Credit Card Payments

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:20:13 +0100

Interchange fees. If you're a small merchant, you know how irritating they are, because you have to hand the bank a piece of the transaction each time a customer pays with a credit card. The fees average around $2 on a $100 transaction,

Workplace Safety Regulations and Your Small Business

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:06:54 +0100

Is your workplace safe for your employees? If one of your workers is injured on the job, your company could face substantial fines and penalties -- and even small businesses may be subject to federal safety regulations. No matter what size your business is, you need to know how laws about worker safety affect you....

Strange Burgers Invade the Fast Food Universe

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:21:50 +0100

It’s wacky burger week in the world of fast-food franchising. We recently told you about the $16 foie gras and truffle burger being sold by Wendy’s in Japan. Now comes word that a Belgian chain called Quick has launched a line of Star Wars-inspired burgers to promote the upcoming “Phantom Menace 3D” premiere.

Cordray Appointment Ultimately Good for Small Business

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:18:34 +0100

President Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray to the directorship of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should be a good thing for consumers and ultimately the small businesses they patronize---but you wouldn't know it to hear some of the large business organizations holler about it.

Consumer Borrowing Surges in Late 2011

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:28:08 +0100

Consumers were confident enough at the end of 2011 to push borrowing levels up by $20.4 billion in November, the Federal Reserve reported late Monday. Outstanding consumer credit rose to $2.48 trillion during that month, the Fed said. That was the highest level since November 2001, and it was more than twice the predictions of economists surveyed before the report was released....

5 Ways to Spot Bad Employees -- Before They're Hired

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:54:24 +0100

About a week after Brina Bujkovsky hired Chris*, the new shipping manager for her online personalized gifts company, she realized something was terribly wrong. Other employees became alarmed when they noticed the new hire creeping in and out of the lunchroom with a backpack.

How to Compare Equipment Leasing Companies

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:56:53 +0100

Covering the start-up costs required to launch a business can be an overwhelming challenge in today’s economy. One major purchase in particular is office equipment, and it can become quite costly depending on the type of business you are starting.

Personal Loans Make a Comeback

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:26:58 +0100

At a time when banks remain reluctant to approve business loans, many are issuing more and more unsecured personal loans. SmartMoney reports that SunTrust Bank handed out 23 percent more personal loans through September 2011 than it did in the same period a year ago, while TD Bank issued 5 percent more personal loans. Wells Fargo and Capital One also say their personal loans are up....

Your Credit Score: You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:22:53 +0100

If you, like a lot of businesspeople, have been wrestling to boost your credit score, get ready for a figure-four necklock. There's a new credit score in the ring and it's a monster, armed with mechanisms to assess your creditworthiness that make FICO look like a 98-pound weakling.

10 Inspiring Small Business Office Views

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:13:21 +0100

A View to a Thrill What do you see when you look up from your desk? A sparkling ocean? Panoramic views from high above a bustling city? An endless azure sky? We can't all be so lucky--but some entrepreneurs are. In between brokering deals, managing employees, and building their companies at a frenetic pace,

Working Backwards to Create a Great Customer Experience

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:09:13 +0100

Marketing is pretty logical, really. It's simply the process of getting someone with a particular business need to know, like, and trust you. Of course, then you must turn that know, like, and trust into try, buy, repeat, and refer. It's like leading someone down a path.

10 Ways Your Small Business Is Being Ripped Off

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:40:31 +0100

Giving Rip-Offs the Kiss-Off Shady credit card processors. Fly-by-night Web marketing "experts." Useless extended warranties. Bogus travel expenses. These and other classic rip-offs have one thing in common: They cost small businesses billions of dollars a year -- and they probably cost your business more than you realize.

5 Ways to Damage Your Credit Score

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:41:17 +0100

How to improve your credit score. It's a topic discussed endlessly in the small business world. And for good reason: No one really knows the answer. Actually, that's not true. Lenders know, but they're not telling. So let's look at the other side of the coin: how to damage your credit score. Avoid these mistakes and you can be sure your score will benefit.

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2011: The Small Business Year in Review

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:15:54 +0100

Let's not kid ourselves: For the vast majority of small businesses, 2011 wasn't just a year to forget. It was a year to wrap up and bury in a very deep hole.

You're the Boss. Give Yourself a Performance Review!

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:12:42 +0100

When was the last time you had a performance appraisal?

I realize one of the benefits of owning a business is that you don't have a boss. You can decide to do whatever you want, and you reap the rewards -- or clean up the mess -- all on your own.