There's something to be said about learning from failure Read more...

In today’s tough economy, there is an unfortunate domino effect in accounts receivable—your customer is late in receiving payment so it becomes a late payer of your invoice; unless you receive payment you could be short of cash needed to pay your bills. If your business routinely bills for goods and services and you’re sitting with accounts receivable that have begun to age, be aware of the practical and legal steps you can take to collect what you’re owed. Read more...

No matter what state the economy is in, American consumers have consistently said they'd pay more for "green" products and services and that they prefer to do business with socially-responsible companies. Read more...

The recession has ended and the economy is rebounding. You are thankful that, although a little bruised and battered, you and your business survived. For several months after, you limped along and licked your wounds, but now things are looking up. You’re at a steady trot now and your books are once again in the black. Your belief now is that slow and steady will win the race and if you stay consistent and maintain status quo, you’ll do fine. But will you? Read more...

A recent Gallup poll found that business owners ranked the highest in job satisfaction, with 87% saying that their job is the “ideal job” for them. Small business owners tend to be optimistic, but even the most positive among us sometimes can use a little help staying motivated and upbeat. This article contains some tech tools that you can use to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind. Check them out -- and share your own suggestions in the comments field. Read more...

Entire businesses are focused on green technology, and sustainability. There’s even some franchise businesses that are either going green, or who are offering franchise business models that are green. So, do you think that all this talk of “green” is just a fad? Or, like me, do you feel that it will be an increasingly important part of our everyday lives? If you are thinking about becoming a green franchise owner, I’d like you to keep a couple of things in mind. Read more...

Once you’ve prepared your company for government business, it’s time to dive in! This blog post will tell you how to target opportunities and where to look for your first contract. Read more...

In these tough economic times, you may be finding your customers are taking longer to pay outstanding invoices. Or even worse -- they may not pay at all. Don't put your business in jeopardy. Learn good business practices that can protect you from late or non-paying customers. Read more...

Business plans are always wrong, but vital. Wrong because they don't predict the future but vital because they're the key to tracking assumptions and interdependencies and long term goals vs. short term actions, tasks, responsibilities, priorities, and resources. If you don't have a plan you don't have plan vs. actual to use for management. But what about the big surprises, the really unforeseen, as in Nassim Taleb's book 'The Black Swan?' How does business planning deal with the totally unpredictable big events? Read more...

If folks return their forms completely and in a timely fashion, it will save the taxpayers considerable amount of money. Read more...

Attending and exhibiting at trade shows can give your business a big boost. But you have to be smart about your setting your trade show agenda. Read more...

It’s probably a good idea for most business owners to focus on the core of their business, such as selling fishing lures or designing websites, and use experts to help them in financial matters. According to the IRS, more than 80% of small businesses use accountants to prepare their returns, something you may be acutely aware of during tax season. But tax return preparation isn’t the only reason to use an accountant. Here are five areas to discuss with your accountant: Read more...

Have you ever thought about the framework of the economy and how it effects the way you do business? Most of us haven't because we're too busy actually doing business to worry about that. But it's worth thinking about, especially if you're a microbusinesses. (This article was originally published in The Journal Blog. Read more...

I think that all banks across the country have gotten together to come up with a common response to the question "Are you lending to small businesses?" The response I have heard in almost every instance is "We're lending if the businesses qualify." What?!? The last two years have been a perfect storm of tightened credit standards and the economy negatively impacting small business P&L statements. The result… fewer businesses "qualifying" for credit. Here are a few things you MUST know if you are going to be able to break this credit strangle hold. Read more...

Here are 10 businesses with potential for growth in 2010 and beyond that require little startup capital. In many cases they can be run out of a home office. Most require minimal equipment beyond a computer, phone, printer, a few tools, and perhaps your car or truck. You won't need advanced degrees or highly specialized training beyond what you may already have or can learn on the job. Read more...

New technologies are being developed daily, and a lot of them can be used for business. Read more...

Small-business set-asides in government contracting can provide more opportunity than meets the eye. In this post, I’ll discuss the different types of small businesses and how different size businesses can work together to meet small business goals. Read more...

Do you get rave reviews on your culinary skills? Could your tasty treats be a recipe for business success? Starting a home-based food business may sound fun and easy, but beware -- you could land in hot water. Read more...

Don’t dismiss business planning just because you don’t need to show a document to anybody. One of the best fringe benefits of a good business planning process is the teamwork and collaboration it can generate. Read more...

The past decade brought to business an astonishingly powerful new way to speak and listen and join in with their customers, colleagues, and friends. In 2009, the promise of social media came to life. For businesses who want to succeed online, the future looks very bright. Read more...

Small and medium-sized businesses want and need to deal with governments at all levels. Here are some sources of state and local government information. Read more...

You don't have to have your own blog to draw attention to your business. Here are the best ways to get established bloggers to write about you and your company. Read more...

You may have incorporated your business or formed a limited liability company (LLC) with the idea of obtaining liability protection for your personal assets. Think you’re protected? Think again. You may not have the protection you expect. Here are three traps that can put your personal assets at risk and how you can protect yourself. Read more...

A lot of us are thinking about weight loss around this time of year (favorite New Year's resolution, right?). Many of us are also thinking about business planning, figuring out what we want 2010 to have in store for our firms. So, what happens when you combine those two ideas? You might be surprised ... Read more...

Many entrepreneurs approach us for assistance in seeking funding. They show us their business plan, describe the growth they anticipate by updating their commercial kitchen, purchasing a store front, or plead their case on how they need funding to make payroll. Whether that funding is for equipment purchases, real estate or working capital does play a factor in securing financing, however, what matters most is a four letter acronym…“FICO”. Read more...

More and more small business people are using the iPhone or the iPod Touch and downloading productivity apps from the iTunes Apps Store, turning their smart phones and iPods into amazingly productive tools - mini-computers, in essence. This article contains recommendations for useful business apps for your iPhone or iPod Touch -- direct word of mouth from others. See what they recommend. Read more...

Do you remember the last time you made a major purchase? Whether that purchase was a house or a car, you attempted to gather as much information as possible in order to make sure you were doing the right thing. Well, investing in a franchise business of your own is major. Here’s how to research one. Read more...

Sometimes it seems like the government speaks another language. In this post, I’ll provide a short glossary of government-contracting terms that will help you navigate your journey toward securing government business. Read more...

Are you planning a holiday party for your company this year? Holiday events can be a fun way to say thanks to your employees for a job well done throughout the year. But sometimes the holiday cheer can get out of control, resulting in serious consequences for your business. Read more...

Whether you develop a full formal business plan or not, use business planning to manage your long-term goals and the short-term steps to achieve them. Develop measurement and accountability. Optimize your use of resources. Manage your business better. All of these benefits can be part of business planning process, even without the full formal plan. Read more...