Category: Small Business Ideas
How to Get People to Remember Your Business Name
Everyone wants to be remembered. When someone says your name, it’s a magic that can solidify any business relationship. Here’s how to get people to remember your name successfully. 1. Repeat Their Name When you are introduced to someone, repeat their name back to them. This will prevent you from forgetting their name as soon as they say it. For example, when the other person says “Hi, I’m Mary”, repeat “It’s nice to meet you,Read More
Funding Circle Raises $65 Million for Peer-to-Peer Small Business Loan
Venture capital firms have come to see small business lending as an industry ripe for a shakeup, given the slow pace of lending since the financial crisis and unmet demand for credit, which is estimated at billions of dollars a year. Funding Circle, a British peer-to-peer lender, is the latest to benefit: The company announced on Wednesday a new $65 million dose of capital from Index Ventures and other firms. Funding Circle’s online platform lets individual or institutional investors fund loans thatRead More
THE CHALLENGE: ‘Two guys with no revenue’ learn a venture-capital lesson
Customers carry a card or keytag and scan it to earn rewards. The company also offers a quick-pay component with auto-reloading capabilities. Business owners receive detailed information to track usage among customers. Mr. Bailey says the business is doing well, drawing “millions” in revenue. What he isn’t so certain about, however, is when a young business like his should seek outside funding. To date, Spoonity has raised about $500,000 through self-financing and government grants, includingRead More
7 Tips for Getting Started with Social Media for Your Business
Small business owners who haven’t gotten started with social media might be overwhelmed, intimidated and confused by sites like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Vine when they consider what to do and what not to do when using these sites for business. The good news is that it can be easy to get started using social media sites for your business, and not only can it be fun, but it can also open upRead More
How to Write a Unique Selling Proposition
A unique selling proposition (USP), or unique selling position, is a statement that succinctly outlines how your business, product or service is different from that of your competition. It identifies what makes your business the better choice, and why your target clients should choose you over the competition. Your USP can be an effective tool that helps you focus your marketing goals, and verify that every piece of marketing collateral you create successfully sets youRead More
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
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
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
Start-Up Lendoor Aims to Use Crowdfunding for Small-Business Loans
Crowdfunding — gathering lots of small checks from individuals to finance a company or a project — is a hot area in Silicon Valley at the moment. Now, one fledgling company in New York wants to bring the principles of crowdfunding to a dusty sector of American finance: small-business lending. The company, Lendoor, plans to introduce a way for local businesses to borrow money from their customers and other individuals online. It is the latestRead More