Archive for September, 2009
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Positive or Negative, Customer Reviews Can Increase Sales
It wasn’t too long ago that I refused to shop online, which was such a shame because I hate malls! Nonetheless I wouldn’t buy anything that I couldn’t see with my own eyes and touch with my own hands. I had heard too many stories from friends and family members who bought products online only […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Small Business by Megan Dorn
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Entrepreneurs, Who Are These People Anyway?
A lot of research is done every year on small businesses and the small business community, but not nearly enough is done on the entrepreneurs behind these businesses. Sure, you can occasionally find statistics regarding demographic information, but who are these people, what is their background, and what makes them tick?
The Kauffman Foundation recently released […]
2 Comments » - Posted in Entrepreneurship by Megan Dorn
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Small Business Tip of the Week: Dissolving a Business
Before you file for a formal Certificate of Dissolution, get your business affairs in order to avoid any unforeseen issues.
Examine existing contracts to see if they impose any ongoing requirements. If you don’t have any provisions in place to allow them to be canceled, you’ll have to honor them. Also look at your business insurance […]
No Comments » - Posted in Small Business by Megan Dorn
Friday, September 25th, 2009
Where Great Business Ideas Come From
All businesses start with one simple thing—an idea. This doesn’t have to be the boldest idea in the world. It doesn’t have to be life-changing. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be novel at all. What your idea does have to be is right for you and the market you plan to work in.
Great ideas […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Entrepreneurship by Megan Dorn
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
SBA Raises Cap on Guarantee of Goodwill Financing
After backlash from the lending industry, the Small Business Administration is changing its restrictions on the guarantee it extends on goodwill financing.
Prior to March of this year, goodwill financing, which is the amount of a loan used to purchase a small business’s intangible assets (brand, customer base, etc.), did not have any cap at all, […]
No Comments » - Posted in Business and Politics by Megan Dorn
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
The Pros and Cons of Turning Your Hobby in to a Business
It’s easy to get swept up in the idea of turning a passion in to profits. Hey, if you enjoy it and you’re going to spend the time doing it anyway, why not make some money on it? Right? Not necessarily.
While the hobby-to-business route may work out for some people, it’s not for everyone. The […]
No Comments » - Posted in Entrepreneurship by Megan Dorn
Monday, September 21st, 2009
Small Business Tip of the Week: Pitching the Media
To get your business covered in the news, you need to reach journalists and pique their interests. That starts with a pitch.
Unfortunately too many small business owners are so enamored with their companies that they forget to step back and administer the “who cares” test. One trick to passing the “who cares” test in the […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Small Business by Megan Dorn
Friday, September 18th, 2009
Do You Eat Your Own Dog Food?
OK, I’m not actually asking if you eat dog food. Rather, when a company says that it “eats its own dog food,” what it means is that the company and its employees actually use the products and services produced by the company. This is also referred to as “dogfooding” (not a term that you necessarily […]
