First Published in Wall Street Journal
A Look at the Future of Small Business Financing
When is it going to get easier to get cash—and what do we do meanwhile? Those are the questions small-business owners have struggled with since the economy took a nose dive. Many banks reacted to the financial crisis by tightening their standards, driving entrepreneurs toward other sources of financing, such as alternative lenders and crowdfunding. Now, despite the slow but steady recovery, it’s still tough for many small firms to get a traditional loan. So,Read More
Steve Strauss
Running a small business like basketball
Q: Steve – Reading your column I get that you are a sports fan. I love to use sports analogies in my business and when I speak with my staff – I find that it is relatable. Glad to see you do the same. Do you have a favorite? — Bill A: Well, I did graduate from UCLA, but unfortunately attended after the glory days of Bruin basketball under legendary coach John Wooden. But evenRead More
Trent
50 Side Businesses You Can Start On Your Own
In the past, I’ve discussed how it’s a good idea to spend your spare time dabbling in entrepreneurship: it fills your time with something that you choose (and thus you enjoy) and sets up a potential long-term revenue stream. I also discussed how I got a side business going myself. Since then, lots of readers have written to me, asking for ideas on how to start a simple side business. What follows is a listRead More
SBO Editor
Business License Compliance Handbook
The Business License Compliance Handbook is a helpful document for small to medium sized business owners. The Business License Compliance Handbook can be downloaded without charge from Business Licenses, LLC. Almost every business operating in the United States of America is required to maintain multiple business licenses, permits, and tax registrations with the government. That’s a tall order when you consider that there are 55 states and territories, over 3,000 counties and parishes, approximately 36,000Read More
ANNA WILDE MATHEWS, ANGUS LOTEN and CHRISTOPHER WEAVER
Small Firms Start to Drop Health Plans
Small companies are starting to turn away from offering health plans as they seek to reduce costs and increasingly view the health law’s marketplaces as an inviting and affordable option for workers. In the latest sign of a possible shift, WellPoint Inc. said Wednesday its small-business-plan membership is shrinking faster than expected and it has lost about 300,000 people since the start of the year, leaving a total of 1.56 million in small-group coverage. DuringRead More
How to Write a Business Plan for a Small Business
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN1wgKosS8A The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business as an independently owned and operated business that is not dominant in its field. Developing an idea for a small business takes a lot of imagination, planning and paperwork. An essential component is a business plan, which will help your business attract investors, secure funding and gain attention as you get established in the local business community. A business plan expresses your idea in writing,Read More
Annie Mueller
Great Examples of Investments For Small Business
Don’t be afraid to spend money to Investments For Small Business; just be sure you’re spending on stuff that will help your business grow. Don’t be afraid to spend money on your business; just be sure you’re spending on stuff that will help your business grow. Here are 10 stories, from real small businesses, of small investments that have turned out to be well worth the cost. 1. Administrative help “One of the most importantRead More
Jim Blasingame
Small business brand value is more than the Q factor
Have you noticed that every new on-air person hired by a TV network looks like a soap opera actor? They’re all young and pretty. We’re left to think that non-beautiful people need not apply. That is, unless you’re familiar with a certain marketing measurement. Marketing Evaluations Inc. is the proprietor of a marketing metric used extensively to hire on-air talent. It’s called the Q factor Score, and it’s as rude as it is simple. A prospectiveRead More
Neil C. Churchill and Virginia L. Lewis
Harvard Business Review: The Five Stages of Small Business Growth
Categorizing the problems and growth patterns of small business growth in a systematic way that is useful to entrepreneurs seems at first glance a hopeless task. Small businesses vary widely in size and capacity for growth. They are characterized by independence of action, differing organizational structures, and varied management styles. Yet on closer scrutiny, it becomes apparent that they experience common problems arising at similar stages in their development. These points of similarity can be organized intoRead More
Opening A Small Business
Take your business to the next level – Business Growth
Business Growth is a major concern, of course, to entrepreneurs everywhere, especially if your business is new. Here you will find some simple suggestions on what you can do to see your small business prosper. You have to, of course, have a good product or service, one that’s in demand, that people really want. Otherwise, even if you successfully opened your business and have incredible traffic, you’re business still may not grow much if yourRead More