http://www.business-venture.info Entrepreneur, Business Start Up & Business Funding Articles Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:58:52 GMT Article Site Master Version 3.0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.business-venture.info/100-Percent-Nothing/1 What would it be worth to you to receive a steady stream of new customers with little or no effort on your part? Would you be willing to pay 10% of the revenue they generate? 20%? 50%? Or do you believe that you can't afford to pay anything? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/5-4-3-2-1/2 A streak dating back more than three decades came to an end at midnight on New Year's Eve. For the first time since 1972, as America rang in 2005, "America's Oldest Living Teenager" was not in Times Square to count down the dropping of the giant ball. The 75-year-old host of ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" was in the hospital, recuperating from a stroke suffered a few weeks earlier. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/About-Ending-Competition/3 1. Why should I not compete with others? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Abstract-Business-Marketing-Strategy-Entrepreneur/4 If you look at those Corporations in franchising today you see the great companies that use these systems to move markets and deliver products and services to America. Franchising is obviously a power play in the marketing strategy game book. General Motors uses the franchise system or special teams, dealerships, to move their products in each market. Now take your mind to the "Family and friends Program" in Telecom, that is still being done by all those selling mobile communications. Think of some of the ways hyper type marketing has been done in so many areas and market sectors with so many different niches or market segments. Think of the new term appropriately named as viral marketing thru the use of ezines, forwarding emails and adhoc networks of friends and acquaintances within one's email box. Look at the organic evolution of a real virus and how it gets what it needs within your body; virus vector modeling is fascinating as it is so close to grass roots political campaigns, referral marketing or Internet link exchanges. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Achievements-Outweigh-Education-Experience/5 Q: When it comes to succeeding in business, which do you think is more important: education or experience? -- Regina M. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Adding-Service-After-Buy-Business/6 When you buy a business, you should have a plan. Why have you chosen that particular business? Why that particular time to buy a business? What can you bring to the business? Some of the most successful business stories are of people who buy a business with the intention of bringing their specialized set of skills to it, and using them to grow the business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Ancient-Warrior-Secrets-Modern-Entrepreneur/7 The words you see onscreen trigger subconscious responses. Dark images penetrate your mind. Your heartbeat increases slightly. Your muscles tighten. Like a warrior advancing to combat, you prepare to engage with your market. Ready, aim, fire. You send an email! Everyday, military metaphors are projected across our computer screens. Guerrilla marketing. Market penetration. Global domination. Competitive intelligence and more. How do you approach your marketing, your business? At the end of the day, do you feel like you have been in battle? Suffering battle fatigue. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Angel-Investors-Online-Business-Plan-Scams/8 We've all seen the hype: "We'll put your plan in front of thousands of investors!" "We'll write you an award-winning online business plan!" "Only $3,000 for thousands of investors to learn about your company!" Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Answering-Why-You-Now-Business-Plan/9 Business plans continue to be an essential element of the capital-raising process. They must convince investors to take notice - investors that are shrewder today due to the ups-and-downs they have experienced over the past few years. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Are-Entrepreneur/10 With all the buzz about everybody being an entrepreneur these days wouldn't it be nice if you could really find out if you have what it takes? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Are-Ready-Own-Boss/11 You have this burning desire you want to be on your own. The temptation is so great that you want to quit your job. Enough is enough. You're sick of working for other people for a ridiculous pay. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Bank-Clerk-Entreprenuer/12 What seems like a century ago, I left school and joined a well-known High Street Bank. In those days working as a bank clerk was a well-established route for many school leavers and perceived to be a proper job with prospects. It wasn't long before I became disillusioned with the world of banking and sought a change of job. In complete contrast to my previous job, I became a clerk in the local hospital dealing with the injured and infirm, but it was a role that I found strangely interesting and rewarding. In today's parlance, it is known as job satisfaction. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Become-Recognized-Authority-In-Field/13 You don't have to be rock-star famous before you are recognized as an authority in your field. You just have to begin to get the word out. Your goal is to be the person that people think of when your field is mentioned. At first, that may happen only locally, but take heart. Start where you are, with what you have, and you'll light a spark that could eventually become a firestorm of publicity. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Becoming-Successful-Creative-Entrepreneur/14 Hello Creative Entrepreneurs! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Before-Business-Plan/15 Purveyors of conventional wisdom would have you believe that the very first thing you ought to do when setting up a new business is to create a business plan. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Before-Getting-Franchise/16 Buying into a franchise is a great way to be part of a recognized brand with the benefit of lower advertising outlay. With many franchises to choose, here are some tips before you get involved with franchise: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Best-Selling-Entrepreneurial-Authors/17 Ray Bradbury's quote, "You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down" may sound extreme but, as anyone building a business knows, it has a lot of truth in it. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Better-Way-Make-Big-Money/18 If you want to make big money, you have to play not to work. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Beware-Opposition/19 Any time you make changes in your life you are going to be met with opposition from people who would prefer you to stay exactly as you are. Sadly, these people are often the ones that love you the most; your family, friends, partners and even work colleagues. However, in your moments of entrepreneurial seizure, the greatest opposition that you will experience (particularly if you're a seasoned employee) will come from within yourself. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Bonsai-Marketing/20 Site location analysis of regional service areas and planning for mobile businesses is just as important as choosing a fixed site for any business. The region must be scouted out whether you are simply adding another service unit or deciding to open an entire new marketing area. Now, assuming that you have decided to go for it and open a new territory, you must send in a scout. You must take the high tech data and then move your marketing ability in the right direction. Much like any well thought out military advancement, you need to find out what we will be dealing with, so you gather even more intelligence. Here are some of the information you must need to know. Lets assume you are in a automotive mobile maintenance business for this discussion, each type of business might have different parameters, but this will help you in your development of your own plan. First you must know where your customers are, you need to scout and locate; Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Book-Yourself-Solid-Simple-Selling-Process/21 As a service provider you may not want to think of yourself as a salesperson. You are in the business of helping others and you may not feel comfortable with the sales process. However, you need to let clients know that your service is available. Here are some ways to do so: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Boss-Dead/22 Some of us are born into families with "it", some of us are just driven over the edge to "it", and some of us crave "it", but just haven't figured out how to attain "it." That "it" is an Entrepreneurial Spirit that is a powerful force that can be the key to your success, and yes?sometimes even failure. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Boundary-Setting-Solo-Entrepreneurs/23 Select the best response to the statement below: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Bring-That-Difference-Business/24 Romans had a phrase for this- First among Equals. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Build-Own-Board-Experts/25 The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to help spot new opportunities and potential pitfalls. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Building-Value-Through-Publishing/26 "Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) to purchase Clayton Homes for $12.50 in cash per share. Deal worth $1.7 Billion." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Development-Basic-Ingredients/27 Cooking isn't much different than building a business. You have the basic ingredients all laid out on the counter and if you put them together in the right way - you have a nice meal to nourish your heart, body, and soul - and the pocket too. With a little creativity, it even comes out looking pretty too. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Feels-Like-Arranged-Marriage/28 Q. I was laid off six months ago. Jobs in my field are scarce so I moved to a new town to start a home business. People have paid me for everything from website maintenance to pet sitting. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Ideas/29 Richard Branson, billionaire founder of Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airlines, may be better known for his efforts to circle the globe in a hot-air balloon than for his business successes. He suggests that "Being an adventurer and an entrepreneur are similar? You're willing to go where most people won't dare." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Leader-As-Ultramarathoner/30 Have you ever heard of an ultramarathon? A standard marathon is just over 26 miles. An ultramarathon is usually on the order of 50 or 100 miles, though there are some that span one thousand! Imagine the endurance required to run such a race. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Life-Want-Build/31 In the early days of my first consulting business, I knew I needed some sort of plan to give me the greatest chance at success. I took many a wrong step, yet in the end I managed to put a solid business together. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Name-Choose-One/32 It's very important to get your business name right. You may already have a business name but it's not too late to change it. Let's face it; big organisations change their business and product names all the time. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-No-Guarantee-Riches/33 Q: I'm thinking about starting a business since that seems to be how most rich people get rich. I don't have any business experience or much money, but I'm a fast learner and have lots of energy. Any free advice? Peter J. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Plan-Executive-Summaries/34 Companies seeking capital often ask how long the Executive Summary of their business plan should be. The answer depends upon the use of the summary, mainly determining if 1) it precedes the full business plan, or 2) it will be used as a stand-alone document. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Plan-Myths-Solo-Entrepreneurs/35 Don't let these stop you from having a business plan for success! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Planning-Overview/36 The successful entrepreneur is generally more inclined, once a business idea is selected, to sharpen the concept by a detailed planning process. The result of this step is a comprehensive business plan, with its major components being the marketing "mix," the strategic plan, operational and logistical structures, and the financial proposal. The purpose of the business plan is to recognize and define a business opportunity, describe how that opportunity will be seized by the management team, and to demonstrate that the business is feasible and worth the effort. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Planning-Students-First-Time-Entrepreneurs/37 More and more students, both in undergraduate and graduate institutions, are deciding to launch their own ventures upon graduation rather than taking the traditional route of working for another firm. Likewise, more and more individuals are leaving their jobs to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Start-Up-Tips-Entrepreneurs/38 When's the last time someone asked you: "What's new?" If you're starting or growing a business, an e-business, or a web site, the answer is: "Everything!" - especially on the inside. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Startup-Checklist/39 Use this comprehensive checklist to plan each step of your new business and transform your dream of entrepreneurship into reality. These steps may not necessarily be completed in the order listed, however, you can use them as a guideline for completing all of the necessary business startup tasks. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Business-Success-Listen-Voices-Experience/40 Discover the pitfalls of owning your own business BEFORE... [you make a BAD choice!] Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Can-Make-Money-Without-Money/41 When I ask why you don't start your own business, I always hear, "I don't have money to start a business." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Chairman-Greenspan-FED/42 So many people work their whole life to make money, but they know so little about out monetary system. They know so little about the Federal Reserve Bank and so very little about the brilliant minds, which make it all work. To get a better insight to the behind the scenes strategic planning and the intense thought which goes into making it all work I recommend you read a few books on the subject. Let's start on an easy one for your on-going education as an Entrepreneur; I recommend you first read: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Coating-Service-Business/43 There are many coating businesses in the market today, but have you ever asked yourself how one gets into this line of work? How they are formed or what prompts someone or some entrepreneur to go out and start a business to fill this niche? Well this is an interesting case study that shows how we became interested in this industry from a sub market of the coating business; Spray in Bed Liners. Our company is in the auto detailing business, www.detailguys.com and we often service auto dealerships. Our customers need service for spray in bed liners for the pick-up trucks they sell. So we looked around at all the possible Biz Op companies doing this and the franchises too. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Cockroach-Test/44 Let me ask you a question? Imagine I would offer you $10 for eating 10 living cockroaches. Would you do it? Now listen, I raise the ante and offer you $100. How does that feel? If you hear me saying "you get $1000 bucks" does that change something? Here is the ultimate offer 1 million dollars for eating 10 living cockroaches right now. What is your feeling now? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Common-Stock-Venture-Capital-Transactions/45 When raising capital for a business venture, a company can either raise debt capital, equity capital or a combination of the two. Debt capital is money loaned to the company at an agreed interest rate for a fixed time period. Conversely, equity capital is money invested by owners (shareholders) for use in business operations that need not be repaid. Combinations include convertible securities which may be debt that can be converted into equity at some point in the future. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Company-Needs-Mission-Statement/46 Does anyone remember that book "Built to Last" done y the Stanford class and professor? Well change that to "Built to Merge." My grandfather was personal friends with Bill Hewlett and David Packard and I bet they would not have wanted this merger with Compaq either. It is interesting that one night about 3 in the morning I was reading that book and decided to change or mission statement and focus on the things that meant the most to our team and our customers. I stayed up all night writing that mission statement to make sure it was in line with the books comments on what it takes to make and keep a company great. This was about 5 years ago when "Built to Last" was the talk of the business world and it was written up in many of the newspapers, and magazines I was reading at the time. WSJ, Financial Times, Investors Business Daily, The Economist, NY Times, etc. Even hit the best sellers list for a while, not bad for a business non-fiction book by a professor. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Compensating-Entrepreneurial-Style/47 I recently took an entrepreneurial quiz which evaluated my answers and informed me I would do best as a hired hand! So why am I a successful home business owner? Because I've learned to fill the holes in my entrepreneurial style, and compensate for my deficiencies. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Competing-Big-Dogs/48 You run a small consultancy. You're well qualified, experienced and dedicated. Yet you can't get a meeting with the corporate decision-maker. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Competitive-Edge/49 In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates of Microsoft writes of "friction-free capitalism" made possible by developments in communications, chief among them the Internet and its World Wide Web. In this context, "friction" is everything that keeps markets from functioning as the "perfect competition" of economics textbooks. This friction can be a function of distance between buyer and seller, costs of overcoming this distance, and incomplete or incorrect information. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Confidence-Preparation-Courage/50 It always amazes me when I see someone on television holding a press conference - a lawyer outside a courtroom, a businessperson at the launch of a new product. Reporters ask hardball questions. The answers are given with conviction, without hesitation. The person being questioned exhibits supreme confidence. Where does that confidence come from? How do they get it? What lessons are there for those of us who also have to face difficult circumstances and need that same, high level of confidence? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Corporate-Espionage-Franchising/51 Franchising Trade Journals do not do well, because today with all the industry regulations only about 1800 active franchise actually exist in the US. Down sharply over the past five years. Why? Over-regulation. Now you have a Bank Cooperative, which owns a company that collect data, FranData of Uniform Franchise Offering Circulars, which are the industries required disclosure documents to new franchise buyers. The company sells it to attorneys and to competitors of which many probably are financed through that bank. My God can this be real. Then they work with industry Trade Journals to do Top 50 franchises lists, but to be qualified to be reviewed they of course wish to see your UFOC; Uniform Franchise Offering Circular. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Create-Entrepreneur-Dream-Team/52 I hear it all the time. "What should I do about . . .?" As a business owner you're faced with the daunting task of making all the decisions that affect your business. Should I remain a sole proprietor, become an LLC or is an S Corp better? Should I start using an electronic PDA or stick with my trusty, but out-dated, Day Runner? In what direction should I take my marketing? Is the color right on this logo? PC or Mac? Paper or plastic? Aargh! Big decisions. Little decisions. It can be overwhelming, especially when you consider how each decision has a bearing on the success of your business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Create-Turnkey-Business/53 You're a smart, hardworking entrepreneur, and you're moving fast. You are highly educated in your field and your business is growing and getting busier each day. But somehow, you find yourself stuck. You're doing more tasks that take you away from your core business, you are working more and earning less. You need help. Wouldn't it be great if there was someone, anyone out there who could help you take away some of the daily tasks so you could focus on the things you really love? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Creativity-Entrepreneurship-Discovering-Purpose/54 Hello Creative Entrepreneurs! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Creativity-Entrepreneurship-Evolution-Intellectual-Property/55 In each of us, there is a creative spark - a unique purpose and destiny for which we are born. Most of us have forgotten what that special gift is, or we are afraid to live it. My successful secret formula as outlined in my seminars, e-book and CD's will help you unlock your creative potential and discover your purpose in life. Passion, right-action, hard work and a commitment to excellence will create the quantum leap you desire in your life today! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Creativity-Entrepreneurship-Key-Questions-Students/56 Hello Creative Entrepreneurs! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Curb-Enthusiasm/57 Isn't enthusiasm a good thing? Aren't we urged to be enthusiastic about what we do? To be committed? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Customers-Why-Should-They-Buy/58 There are a whole range of reasons why customers buy a product or service. They usually buy to solve either real or perceived problems. They want to move away from pain and towards pleasure. They want to feel better after having made the decision to buy a product or service than they did before. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Daffodil-Theory-Business-Practice/59 At times all of us need a bit of inspiration to add to our day. When I first read this article, I had started my own home based business and was in a bit of a slump. This inspirational story was exactly what helped spring me into action and keep on going. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Danger-Hate/60 As you have shown an interest in starting a business of your own it would be safe to assume that you want to change your life. You want more money - more control over your life - more respect. But just as we each have a dream, we also have a reality. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Deal-In-Details/61 What Startups Need to Get a Business Loan, Part 2 Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Definition-Entrepreneur/62 Entrepreneur Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Delivery-Companies-Make-Grade/63 In the United States we have the most efficient delivery service companies in the world. This is because the free market competitive system has pushed entrepreneurs to become more efficient to make more profit and to keep costs down. More and more products are now delivered right to your door. Businesses have found efficient ways to do this and consumers are loving it. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Designing-Franchise-Company-Computer-System/64 One of the most important management tools a franchised company needs is a great computer system. The system must integrate with all the franchised outlets and also be able to interface with the Corporate HQ computer system. There are many companies which have already set up specialty IT systems for franchisors, but much of an off the shelf system will need modification. Be sure when talking with software vendors that you make sure that you get what you want and do not simply fall for the sales approach of them telling you what you need? After all, how on earth would they know that? Designing and/or securing a computer system will require some pre planning thought on your part. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Desire-Money-Business-Sense/65 For those of us who grew up with parents who worked for businesses rather than owned them, the world of business can be quite a mystery. Even more so if we've dared to try to start one of our own. There is the factor of what type of business to start - a product or service business. There are the issues of doing a good market analysis, licensing the business, understanding the codes of law governing businesses, and determining just what type of business structure to choose - especially if the business will have employees. For example, should we start a sole proprietorship or a corporate business? It's a lot to work on, and it's not an overnight process to the road of success. But, the most crucial challenge to whether a business succeeds or fails lies deep within the realm of emotional versus financial intelligence. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Determine-Niche-Successful/66 What's a niche? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Developing-Contract/67 As a service provider, the most important type of "boundary" you can set as a business owner involves those policies and procedures that govern how you interact with your clients. The more precise you can be about the services you provide, your fee structure, and what you expect from your clients, the smoother your work relationships will be. And the most effective way to make sure that each party involved understands these policies -- and that there is no confusion -- is to have each client read and sign a written contract. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Differentiation-Strategies-Franchise-Companies/68 With the growing number of franchise offerings recently it is difficult for the smallest franchise companies to compete. They generally do not have the advertising budgets to pick and choose which markets the franchise prospects will be calling from. Many rely solely on Internet Marketing; unfortunately 80% of such leads are not so good. On top of this obstacle they must compete with sales departments of larger franchise companies, which have lots of experience. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Dirty-Dozen/69 1) No Umbrella Business Plan or Strategy -- Without a plan, there's no serious way to gauge the growth and progress of your business. You need a realistic map for where the customers will come from and where your business is going. You also need a plan to bail you out when difficult personal and business times come your way. Solution - get a plan together. Stop thinking about it and do it. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Disneys-Failures-Could-Inspire-Entrepreneurs/70 You are a struggling entrepreneur and sometimes it feels like you are pushing a 3 ton boulder up a steep hill. Costs keep mounting and you are considering giving up. Well before you do, check out these 10 setbacks that Walt Disney had, some were financial nightmares that put him millions of dollars in the red: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Distinctions-Successful-Solo-Entrepreneurs/71 SUCCESSFUL Solo-Entrepreneurs approach life and business from a perspective that is new, fresh, and rather unorthodox. The differences are subtle, yet significant. These distinctions are more than just fads or interesting tips; they are direct, measurable SHIFTS in how you will approach your business, your personal life, your relationships, etc. - for the rest of your life! They are direct from the experience of hundreds of successful solo-entrepreneurs! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Do-Have-What-Takes/72 I think it's fair to say that not everyone is cut out to be a successful business owner, now some of you maybe disputing this statement but hear me out. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Documenting-Partnerships-Business-Plan/73 Forging partnerships to improve market penetration has become commonplace, particularly for "new economy" businesses. And, most companies proudly mention their many partnerships in their business plans. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Does-Really-Take-Money-Make-Money/74 The short and simple answer to this question is NO! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Dont-Hire-People-Over-50/75 In a recent talk to the Detroit Economic Club, President Bush told of a powerful statement made to John Bailey by his wife, "Just what part of the writing on the wall don't your understand - companies don't want people over 50!" The White House staff had become aware of an amazing story of entrepreneurial success stemming from John's wife's words. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Dorm-Room-View/76 As a senior in high school, he paid cash for a BMW with money made by selling newspapers. In 1983, as a college freshman, he sold custom-made PCs and parts out of his dorm room?hiding them behind his roommate's shower curtain whenever Mom and Dad visited. A year later, with just $1,000 in start-up capital, he dropped out of school to focus fully on his expanding business. It took him just eight years to become the youngest CEO ever of a Fortune 500 company. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Double-Down-On-Marketing/77 If you want to compete in the world of high growth startups, you better know how to play the marketing game. Marketing has become a big stakes game where companies are betting fortunes on the success of their products. Nowadays if you can't play the big marketing game you may not even get the attention of the customers you need to grow your business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Double-Income-Automatically/78 It is a common known fact that it is far cheaper to keep an existing customer then it is to acquire a new customer. With this fact in mind you need to do everything possible to keep your existing customers happy and find complimentary products to offer your existing customers. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Dream-Create-Become-It-Design-Dream-Board/79 Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps"? A Dream Board is a visual picture of the dreams you have for your life. Some of my clients also use this concept to visualize their businesses! It's their first business plan. One thing that is important to remember, though, is not to "get stuck" on your dream boards. We all have plans for our future, but it's important to watch the universe for signs of "its" plans for us. Otherwise, we might miss out on some great opportunities! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Drive-Website-Traffic-Unconventionally/80 If you believe that every little bit helps then keep reading... Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Earn-1000-Week-Part-Time/81 About 6 years ago I started to notice that certain friends of mine had quit their jobs but continued to live very luxurious lifestyles - seemingly without doing very much. I thought they must just be using up their savings until I discovered they were all making a fantastic living by spending just a few hours a week doing something I had never heard of before - "financial spread betting". Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Easy-Everybody-Would-Do/82 Q: I started my business about a year ago and everything is going fine. We're growing and making a profit, but the stress of running the business is really starting to get to me. I spend more time worrying than working. Sometimes the pressure is almost more than I can take. I'm starting to think that I'm not cut out to run my own business. Do you have any advice that might help me decide what to do? -- Steven S. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/eBay-Smart-Choice-Entrepreneurs/83 Attention entrepreneurs: If you think the search for the ultimate moneymaking business opportunity is like searching for a very small needle in a very big internet haystack, then think again! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Electronic-Tools-Entrepreneurial-Success/84 "Half of any job is having the right tool" was one of the earliest lessons I learned from my father growing up on a farm in Nebraska. As an organizing and productivity consultant, it continues to serve me well. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Elements-Operating-Successful-Business/85 Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live your dream? A good place to start would be to recognize that there are three elements, and only three elements, that separate success from failure. If you exercise one of the elements, you might just be successful. Two and you will probably succeed. Three, and you can practically guarantee your success. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Employee-Entrepreneur-Taking-Plunge/86 Before you decide whether or not running your own business is right for you, start by pinpointing your area of expertise and assessing your aptitude for business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Enterprising-Route-Go-Own-Way/87 DON'T talk to me about education for entrepreneurs. They're pouring far too much public money into it already - not counting the millions some well-known Scottish entrepreneurs are prepared to waste on it. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur-Infopreneur-Info-Products/88 The term "Infopreneur" is a relatively new industry buzz word that is making waves because it opens doors for entrepreneurs to generate new streams of income. Simply put, an infopreneur sells information. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur-Inside-Story/89 Enjoying the title of entrepreneur is a hollow feeling. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur-Keep-Sanity/90 Define for yourself what an Entrepreneur is: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur-Life-Remembered/91 I was reminded of my own mortality today. I guess you can say I had a near death experience, though the death I experienced was not my own. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur-That-Starved-Time/92 Being an entrepreneur and running a successful home-based business is stressful at times, and can be hectic. Success within a home-based business though, absolutely demands time management skills, or the chores that need to get done will be left undone, and procrastination, as well as a serious "personal time deficiency" will occur. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneur/93 The Department of Labor predicts that the #1 employer in 2010 will be "self." A recent Internet poll of 25-44 year olds revealed that 90% of them hoped to own their own business. A survey conducted by Ernst & Young found that 75% of influential Americans believe that entrepreneurship will be the defining trend of the 21st century. Some of the factors that have attributed to the rise of the modern day entrepreneurial spirit are access to technology, a global economy, and corporate stagnation. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Artist-Paint-Picture/94 James had an original concept and he needed an investor. He had a compelling business idea that was a sure winner with the right financial backing. James painted a great picture of the vision he had for his business, but there was just one problem: James wanted to be a businessman, when he needed to be an artist. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Business-Plan-Down-Dirty/95 Does the idea of running your own business sound exciting? Do you have a business up and running and want to take it to the next level? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Difference/96 Who would ever have imagined that going door-to-door in my neighborhood selling figs from a bright orange shopping cart would have been my entrepreneurial beginnings? I surely did not. But, now that I look back and also look around me at other business owners, I see clearly that so many of the traits common to entrepreneurs are present at a very early age. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Emotions/97 It's your first business or the next Great Idea in your ongoing business, online or offline, it doesn't matter. The roller coaster ride is a theme and variations on the same experiences. First the exhilaration -- THIS idea, or THIS business is THE one. It'll put you on the map with lots of money in your bank account. It can't fail. It's just too good. Have you said this? More than once? I have, and several times during my life, with numerous businesses and varying levels of success. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Hate/98 Today, I got an email from a lady who hates all business people and entrepreneurs, because they are Greedy, Arrogant and a Host of other atrocities. She was replying to an article I wrote about entrepreneurs and how they bring to the civilization; everything you see, everywhere you go and without us, you would have nothing. Here is the email I received: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Motivation-Speech/99 Running a business is not an easy endeavor, it takes courage, hard work and a strategic mindset. I feel now that I am retired looking back on it all, that it is my duty to provide to new entrepreneurs a few of the secrets of how to get things done. Every year through out our long history spanning over a quarter of a century, The Car Wash Guys Team had been careful to watch changes that affected our business. One year we are watching droughts in the North Western Hemisphere and how the water supply affects our operations. We needed the water to wash cars and our countrymen need it for farming and drinking. Water is life. We also saw heavy El Nino seasons on the Western United States, British Columbia Canada, Mexico, Central America and parts of Western South America; imagine running a car wash business when it rained almost 60 days straight and we are not talking the drizzle like in the North Eastern US each year. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Ongoing-Education/100 I would like to give some advice to all the up and coming entrepreneurs; if you really want to be a superstar not only do you have to work harder and smarter than the competition, but you must always keep learning. I built a company from a bucket of water and a sponge into a National Car Wash Franchise System in 23 states. To do this you need to know more than what they taught you in school and you can never turn off your brain. Every person is different and has different interests. But I would like you to read thru my recommended reading list. This is a list I hand out to MBA and Entrepreneurial Students when I give speeches. It is a list of recommended book, biography, audio tapes and movies. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Speech-Small-Business/101 Having built a business from a bucket of water and sponge, which started over 25 years ago in a National Franchise chain in 23 states, I feel comfortable discussing entrepreneurship. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurial-Traits-That-Drive-Sales/102 Frequently overlooked and hidden deep within our marketing tool box is the ultimate marketing vehicle for your business - you! Many small business owners are so busy figuring out how to increase sales and revenue they forget to grow themselves as business owners. If you aren't evolving yourself, aren't you being counterproductive to your business development? Marketing our businesses isn't just about what ads to buy or what networking event to go to next; it's about us as people, as entrepreneurs. The following marketing traits are often overlooked by entrepreneurs but are pivotal to your long-term success. What's more, they cost very little yet earn a savvy entrepreneur a lot. Show Your Personality -- Customers want to know who you are. That's great that you offer the fastest tax services in town, or your gift baskets can be custom-made and delivered anywhere in 24 hours. But who are you? Your customers and prospects want to know. Especially if you're facilitating business on the Internet, building trust is key to making a prospect feel comfortable buying from you. One of the most effective ways to build trust is to express your personality. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Are-Hauling-Buckets/103 Once upon a time, there was a village on the banks of a fine, clear river. The villagers all drew their water from the river, and used it to cook, and bathe and water their gardens. Life was good. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Ask-Novice-Entrepreneur/104 Great question! Overwhelm is very common even among the most veteran entrepreneurs, so take solace in the fact that you are not alone. With the ever-increasing numbers of new entrepreneurial endeavors, and therefore new entrepreneurs, there are many who are experiencing the very same feelings as you. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Benefits-Vs-Features/105 Entrepreneurs know their business. They know their product, their service. Many of them write creative Web sites. But, one thing they are not as adept at is promotional copy. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Biggest-Cost/106 When launching a new product or company, an entrepreneur must consider their biggest cost - the opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is an economic term that is defined as the cost of passing up the next best alternative when making a decision. For instance, if an asset such as capital is used for one purpose, the opportunity cost is the value of the next best purpose for which the asset could have been used. In the entrepreneur's case, this asset typically includes the entrepreneur's time and money. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Challenge/107 Living in the twilight zone has its advantages. In the early days of starting my business, I found the limitations of living in a rural area to be restrictive. However, later I realized that those limitations were not an obstacle that could stop me; they were only a challenge that would strengthen me. Since my business would be smaller, I would have the advantage of fewer employees and less strife in the processes of doing business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Dilemma/108 In business, you plan to protect your inventory, your unique ideas and approach, and your money. It's easy to replenish inventory, come up with new ideas and make more money. What isn't renewable is your time. On that premise, time is your most valuable commodity. Business victory requires an appreciation and respect for your own intrinsic value. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Get-Better-Age/109 Q: I'm thinking about starting a business after I retire next month. I'll be 65. Am I too old to start a business? -- Milton A. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Make-Money-Global-Brands/110 Did you know that thousands of companies from all over the world are looking for enthusiastic individuals to represent their products overseas? That person can be you. From Chinese toys to Brazilian bikinis people are making money reselling all kinds of products for a profit. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Prayer/111 As I awaken with the gift of yet another day and prepare for the tasks at hand, I offer up this most ardent prayer: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Qualities-Needed-Business-Success/112 What is it that sets a successful businessperson apart from an average businessperson? Is it down to pure and simple luck, or is it all about having an amazing idea and a successful and strategic business plan in place? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Shoot-Themselves-In-Foot/113 Entrepreneurs and their businesses have a tendency to ambush themselves when they aren't looking. This affects how much revenue they can generate, how fast their business rises, and even if they survive after the first few years. If you feel there is a possibility you are getting in your way to success, review these elements to see if any of these items might apply. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Top-Mistakes-Avoid/114 1. Isolating Yourself Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs-Well-Being-Before-Profits/115 I believe the spiritual aspect of life, especially to entrepreneurs, is very important. While business may be the focal point for an entrepreneur's life, it's your outlook on life that shapes what kind of person you are. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurs/116 An entrepreneur is an innovator. She sees a need in the marketplace and creates something new to fulfill that need or improves upon an existing mechanism that already fulfills that need. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Innovation-Information-Product-Generation/117 Introduction Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Insight-Closer-Look-Entrepreneur/118 Life as an entrepreneur is the American Dream. To be able to be your own boss, own your own business, never report to anyone else, work from home, make unlimited earnings and income potential, etc. Owning your own business most definitely has its perks. But on the other hand, there are the downsides. However, being an entrepreneur myself I view these only as challenges. The will to work hard, fanatically, solitary isolation, being slammed of your ideas from other people, the uncertainty of making the business grow to fruitation are all quite scary considerations. But it's best to know that it is out there, that it is the negative side. To be willing to gamble your money, other peoples money, to invest a massive amount of time and energy into your business is something that should be considered. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Passion/119 Entrepreneurship has been my passion for as long as I can commit to memory to learning how to type, and that started in 5th grade! Strangely enough, I wasn't raised around lots of business owners growing up in New Jersey nor surrounded by many business-minded individuals. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Really-Means/120 Introduction: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Story-Over-Regulation-Franchising-1/121 Jim and Sally run a successful auto business, which they have built up over two decades and have expanded to three stores and many of their friends keep saying, "You should Franchise." They think about this for about five years read a few books, like "Franchising for Dummies," The "E-Myth", "The Franchising Bible" and many others on the shelves of the new big book store in town with the coffee shop inside. They finally decide that it makes sense especially as they have friends and loyal employees who wish to be associated with them and even own the first franchises. So they set out to franchise. They visit an attorney since that says in all the books to do. Most books about franchising are, at least in part if not whole, written by S2D2s (lawyers: S2P2s; Self-Serving Parasites of Planet) anyway, so they take that advice and visit an attorney. The S2D2 explains the MUD and helps by charging them a good chunk of change; $35,000 to prepare a boilerplate document which is so complicated they could not do it on their own without years of study. They give the S2D2 (scoundrel) the money and they look at the document and start asking questions. They do not ask him about the price gouging laws that their state has after all the flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan, although they feel severally violated in the outrageous costs to prepare the documents. After all there is some new shop equipment they need to test cars to stay in compliance with the latest smog certificates and they are not cheap either. So they ask some typical questions instead of why they had to pay so much. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Entrepreneurship-Story-Over-Regulation-Franchising-2/122 Sally and Jim have launched their automotive franchise business and are now selling franchises; problems arise as lawyers and over regulation threaten to ruin their life's work, see how it ends; tragedy or success. A realistic story of modern day franchising. . . Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Envisioneering/123 It never ceases to amaze me. Almost everyone peers into the future through a rear-view mirror. The future is imagined as a continuation of the past. I suppose there is a certain security in that; much like a padded cell. Hardly anyone practices creative envisioneering. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Evaluating-Opportunity/124 Business opportunities are often based on broad trends, such as: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Every-Student-Should-Start-Business/125 With the economic downturn, students in all the major business schools have been dropping out of their entrepreneurship classes and transferring back to classes where they think they have a secure future. Students and professionals who were once planning to start businesses now have decided to go back to their cushy jobs. Everything is going back to normal. Or at least that is how it looks. Below are nine reasons why any student should start a business:You gain experience. Owning and running your own business is an incredible way to gain experience and credentials regardless of whether you decide to stay in business once you graduate. Jaime Gonzalez of Oklahoma State University received the highest job offer in his entire graduating class. Now, there are two kickers: First, he was the founder of an IT consulting company, and second, he had a 2.4 GPA. Hmmm...I wonder if starting a business helps in getting a better job when you graduate? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Everything-About-Public-Domain-Info/126 What to Look Out For: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Executive-Suites-Way-Save-Cash/127 Cash is one of the most important resources to a new business. One of the best ways to conserve cash for a startup business that is in need of office space is to rent an executive suite rather than to rent traditional office space. Most people don't even know this little secret. In fact, most people don't even know what an executive suite is. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Expand-Resourcefullness/128 The success and failure for the entrepreneur is largely dictated by the ability to gain access to resources, both personal as well as those of others. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/F-Words-Entrepreneur-Should-Know/129 Start your own business, and soon enough, you find yourself in a situation where there are many things you want to say, all of them unprintable. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Face-Fear-Ladies/130 Okay, I'll begin by telling you that I've been divorced for about 5 years, have an amazing family and by anyone's standards, I have a wonderful life. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Fear-Factor/131 I recently conducted a lil' survey asking my colleagues what were their biggest fears when thinking about starting a business or running their business. The following are the top three fears that resulted from my survey and some ways to combat them. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Fear-Failure/132 Of all the real or perceived impediments to success, the biggest is the fear of failure. Certainly, there are often many other obstacles to overcome, but it is this one phantom that prevents most people from even attempting to create the success they imagine that they want. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Financial-Issues-Business-Startup/133 A primary inhibitor of business start-up is that few people have the financial cushion to give up a job for the uncertain income of a start-up venture. In a recent survey, about 30% of new business founders identified inadequate funding as their biggest hurdle, and a similar amount said lenders were too conservative. About 15% reported being unable to find investors, and a similar amount claimed a lack of collateral. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Financial-Strategies-Transitioning-Salaried-Solo/134 7 Financial Strategies for Transitioning from Salaried to Solo Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Financing-Business/135 Anyone who is serious about making some money is already very well aware of the fact that it takes some type of investment to make this happen. I've read a lot of copy that suggests one can build a business for free, if they are willing to spend an extra amount of time to compensate for their lack of financial backing. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Find-Expert-On-This/136 Many people who set up as consultants never make more than a minimal living. They get some clients who like them, but are so dependent on these few businesses that the resignation of a key contact can destroy their business for months ahead. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Focus-Key-Successful-Startup/137 The definition of a startup means you have very few resources to employ and little time to get them to do something valuable. The clock is always ticking, and the money (if you even have any) is running out by the day. With so little to leverage, you need to make sure that the focus of your company's product offer is as razor sharp as possible. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Found-Guru-Now-What/138 In my last article, "Follow That Guru", I told you about the one (1) simple technique I used when starting my home business, "A Name". Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Four-Steps-Entrepreneurship/139 As more and more people start or consider starting their own business, it is important that they understand the core steps that are required to launch successful ventures. These steps include spotting, assessing, selecting and executing upon opportunities. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchise-Business-Franchise-Businesses/140 Franchise business is being part of a successfully proven business that has a name or trademark that is well known and profitable. Franchise businesses are strategically tried and marketable with options to expand by offering products and services that appeal to the consumer. Having to make the decision on which franchise business to buy can be challenging. Franchise business consultants can offer assistance to evaluate current franchise opportunities with valued insight. A franchise business consultant may also be able to offer assistance to the business owner who wants to make a current business franchisable. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchise-Business-Learning-About-Business-Opportunities/141 Hair care has been around as long as humans have been on the planet. The earliest record of personal hair care dates back 2.5 million years ago, when brushes used to create cave paintings in Spain and France were adapted for use in hair grooming. Interestingly, many of the innovations in hair design that are still used today originated in the late 19th century. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchises-Emotional-Fulfillment-Challenge/142 Does A Franchise Meet Your Needs? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchises-Emotional-Fulfillment-Control-Destiny/143 Does A Franchise Meet Your Needs? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchises-Exit-Strategy/144 At an International Franchising Symposium in London, Peter Holt made the bold statement to his audience of Franchisors that they needed to understand that their business would fail, and in fact all businesses are bound for failure. Needless to say, there were a few shocked faces in the crowd. He was making the point that it really is just a matter of the number of calendar flips before time strangles any business. It's a hard point to argue when you think that the Neanderthal Fortune 100 included Barney's Dinosaur Obedience School. Not a lot of money in that these days. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchises-Proven-Business-System/145 Franchises offer the first time business owner a proven and successful business opportunity. If you are looking to start your own business for the first time, franchises provide you with the greatest opportunity for success. When you purchase a franchise from the "Franchisor", and become a "Franchisee", you are not only purchasing a business, but a complete business system. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchises-Success/146 Many people believe owning a franchise will make them rich, financially secure, and provide the life of their dreams. True, franchises have an extremely high success rate, and a very high satisfaction rate among their owners. But is that success guaranteed when you purchase a franchise? NO! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Franchising-Companies-Need-New-Franchisee-Checklists/147 When franchise companies are moving fast in the market place they must pay attention to the details. If a franchisor fails to give the required items as outlined in the franchise agreement to the franchisees on the prescribed timeline they risk legal issues and regulatory issues. In addition even if they do provide the items on time, there is a chance later that a franchisee may claim that something was not provided and they will use this to break the franchise agreement, sue or file a complaint with regulatory bodies at the state level or even the FTC, Federal Trade Commission. But if you keep proper records and have checklists and monitor dates and deliveries you can win a law suit or force a regulatory agency to backtrack. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Getting-Rich-Isnt-Bad-Idea/148 You've seen plenty of articles claiming to offer you the secret to getting rich. Some ideas, however, are thin veneers covering some scheme that often involves multi-level marketing or a service with questionable intents. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Goals-New-Venture-Creation/149 More and more corporate workers are leaving their jobs to start new ventures. When taking this leap, it is important that the goals of these entrepreneurs are solid, as these goals may ultimately determine the success of the new venture. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Good-Big-Idea/150 Q: I want to start my own business. I have tons of business ideas that all sound great to me, but my husband is not so sure. He says that we need to figure out a way to test my ideas to pick the one that has the best chance of succeeding. I'm ready to just pick one and go for it. What is the best way to determine if a business idea really is as good as it sounds? -- Hannah C. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Good-Questions-Answers-Bad-Questions-Replies/151 I'm convinced that asking the right questions is one of the most important skills you need to become a successful business person. Questions have the power to direct you or to distort you. The right kind of questions will direct you to success the wrong kind of questions will direct you to bankruptcy. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Grow-Micro-Business/152 If you want to grow your micro-business (defined as a business with fewer than five employees), you might consider some of the findings of a survey by Statistics Canada. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Habits-Successful-Entrepreneurs/153 Habits get a bum rap. When you think about your habits, I bet you think of the "bad" ones - the ones that you aren't particularly proud of, like eating too much sugar, or smoking, or dwelling on your negative thoughts. According to Webster's dictionary a habit simply is: A pattern or action that is acquired and has become so automatic that it is difficult to break. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Health-Insurance-Solo-Entrepreneurs/154 One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for self-employed entrepreneurs. So what can you do to reduce ever increasing costs of health care coverage? Here are a few tips. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Hearing-That-Entrepreneurial-Voice/155 Women business owners are our only clients, so naturally we celebrate and support female entrepreneurship. Operating in this market gives us the good fortune to learn about some of the deeper themes in the lives of women business owners. It gives us insights into what really matters to women, and to what contributes not only to their success, but more importantly to their happiness and gratification in their professional lives. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Herb-Filled-Pillows-Make-Million/156 Lauren Rosenstadt was a single mom working at a herb company in Bethesda, Maryland. A herb (pronounced "erb") is a plant that has medicinal, savory, or aromic qualities. One day while at lunch with a friend whose daughter suffered from insomnia, Lauren thought, "If I could fill a pillow with herbs, that would be soothing and help my friend's daughter sleep." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Heroic-Entrepreneur-Profiting-Brilliance/157 If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's, you'll find a definition something like, 'A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war'. Some heroes in our lives have earned that badge of honor by doing something everyone feels is heroic as defined in the traditional sense, whether it's running into a burning building to rescue a child, pulling an injured woman from a car accident, or fighting the enemy in the time of war. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/History-Enterprise-Car-Rentals/158 So few really understand the drives and motivations of entrepreneurs. Many write about them, some lecture and teach about what they are, how they operate and what they have achieved; yet so few really understand them. So many fail to realize the dedication and sacrifice it takes to win at that level and the super stars are so rare that one just has to look in awe. One of the greatest stories of Entrepreneurial success is that of Jack Taylor who founded Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I therefore recommend this book about the History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car Book is; Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Home-Based-Business-Entrepreneurs-Think/159 Too many people are trying to start their home businesses with an ordinary employee's way of thinking. This has become a common reason why not long after sitting down and giving it a fair look into even the most lucrative business opportunity they bump into, they put it away and decide not to take any chances. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Home-Based-Business-Entrepreneurs/160 Have you ever heard that only a small part (5%) of 'all' Home-Based Business entrepreneurs achieve success? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Home-Based-Business-Success-Empathy/161 EMPATHY is a Natural Talent, you were born with it and you will never loose it. It can be a blessing or a curse in a home based business. If you develop it, it can make you a Millionaire. Mary Kay, of Mary Kay cosmetics, did just that. If you have it, it is your most important key to a successful home based business. Business plans, cash flow projections, marketing analysis, etc. are skills that are needed in a home based business, but they can be learned from a workshops, courses or books. Your Natural Talent is what gives you the competitive edge. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Hot-Online-Business-Ideas/162 Would you like to find the key that unlocks the door to a gold-mine of online response, sales and results for your business? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Hurricane-Katrina-Death-Entrepreneurship/163 I've seen terrible images today on the television and internet-bodies of the elderly and infants floating in attics, buildings collapsing, seals washing up in the middle of highways. All I can say is that our thoughts go out to those in New Orleans, Gulfport and surrounding areas in this sad time. We will keep the people who have been hurt or passed away and those who were close to them in our prayers today and in the weeks to come. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Ideal-Length-Business-Plan/164 How long should a business plan be? A business plan needs to be whatever length is required to excite the investor, prove that management truly understands the market, and detail the execution strategy. From surveys of investor needs, Growthink has found that 15 to 25 pages of text is the optimum length in which to accomplish this. Any more and the time-constrained investor will be forced to skim certain sections of the plan, even if they are generally interested, which could lead them to miss essential elements. Any less and the investor will think that the business has not been fully thought through, or will simply not have enough information to make an investment decision. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Identify-Growth-Factors/165 In "The Incredible Hulk", mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner discovered that when he was exposed to "gamma rays" he was transformed into a massive beast that could ferociously muscle his way to victory in any situation. Other than being disfigured, green, and in nothing but his boxer shorts, the Hulk discovered that a single growth factor could drastically change his ability to handle his problems. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Increase-Profits-No-Pain-Change-Approach/166 Implementing changes, even when they're good for your business, can be tough. As the old adage goes, old habits die hard and it's just as true in business as it is in our personal lives. It's simply easier to take the path of no resistance and revert back to doing what we've always done. Here's a way to skyrocket your profit potential by linking change to pain and payoff. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Increasing-Business-Successful-Referral-System/167 What I've discovered from most of my small business clients is that most would prefer to build their business through referrals rather than through direct mail, advertising in newspapers, radio, TV. However, most leave the referrals to a somewhat chaotic, unplanned approach. When they have a repeatable system of going after referrals their business growth suddenly explodes. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Independent-Auto-Detail-Shop/168 Owning a detail shop can be an exciting and rewarding business indeed. Many times an owner of an independent Detailing Shop will wish to add those items he/she believes their customers want. Since an independent detail shop is not a franchise or affiliate they can try new things and do what ever they want. They use their knowledge of the industry, a little intuition and luck; it is a best guess issue. For an independent detailing shop entrepreneur; there is no proven business plan to go by, but the savvy operator who is in touch with their customers seldom has to face a shot in the dark. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Innovation-Incubator-Build-Running/169 If your company is like the one I work for, your people are talking about the need for innovation. Mine has just announced a new program "that will bring a standardized approach to gathering and evaluating your ideas for generating new revenue and improving our business." An Innovation Team has just formed, with a new electronic mailbox and a contest offering cash prizes for the year's best ideas. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Innovations-Cleaning-Industry/170 According to the latest edition of Pool and Spa news; the costs of maintaining a pool, maintenance service averages about $30.00 to $150 per month depending on competition, size of pool and area you live in. This seems similar to maintenance costs associated with cleaning of the family cars if you hire out a mobile detailing service or mobile car wash. For this reason we have been studying their industry for parallels and ways to incorporate some of their methodology, software for scheduling and other anomalies associated with that industry for ideas to incorporate into ours. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Isnt-Time-Started-Fly/171 I am going to begin this article by sharing a shocking fact... Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Its-Good-Know-Banker/172 Recently my bank opened a new branch that is a few miles away from my house. I used to visit the local branch that was located in the grocery store and enjoyed seeing the ladies on a weekly basis who were the tellers. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Judging-Entrepreneurial-Ideas/173 Most entrepreneurs constantly come up with new ideas. Whether they are working on another project, driving, or lying in bed, their minds are constantly churning out new products, services and ways of doing things. For these entrepreneurs, the startup challenge shifts from coming up with ideas to choosing which idea to execute. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Key-Qualities-Successful-Entrepreneurs/174 A recent poll conducted by Forbes magazine shows that majority of its readers would prefer to become a billionaire rather than a Nobel peace prize winner, a great scientist or a famous athlete. There is no secret that most of the average people dream about getting rich albeit very few makes any real effort to become one. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Launch-New-Franchised-Outlets/175 It is paramount that all franchising companies work hard in the critical launching of all franchises in their new territories. In this present period most franchisees come into the franchise systems with much personal debt and barely squeak by on their initial capital needed. One major error or mistake and the franchisee will fail due to under capitalization. Below it a sample outline and message to new franchisees; I recommend that you take a look at this and develop a policy and plan to help your new franchisees in the beginning gain ground on their new markets. You should copy this article and make notes on it and then take the outline below modify it to fit your business model and write several paragraphs for each number and lettered item to cement your new franchised outlet marketing plan. While reading this policy and outline below realize that it was written for a mobile car wash business and your plan will be significantly different but this will help you in making a first class strategy to win market share for your newest team members. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Leadership-Attributes-Business-Success/176 Business success is essentially the result of successful leadership. Contrary to the popular myth, leaders are not just born. Leadership skills can be learnt and developed. A business is a distinct reflection of the leader, who may be the owner or manager. A business is never successful despite the leader, it is always successful or otherwise because of the leader. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Learn-Compress-Time/177 In the popular 1980's movie "Dune," man learned that by "folding space" the distance between two points shortened and he could cover those distances faster. Around 1995, we found a substance that could bend time in the business community -- it was called Venture Capital. With enough of it, we could compress the evolution of a startup company from a few decades to a few years. Companies like Amazon, eBay and most recently Google showed us that billion dollar companies could be built in years, not decades. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Lessons-Learned-One-Entrepreneur/178 For the past ten-months, I tried every drug from the popular Vioxx, Celebrex and Aleve, to the long-standing Percocet, Ibruprofen 800, with some other fabulous ones like Fexeril, Ulltram, Naproxyn, and Antevert. (And, this is my short list). Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Lessons-Learned-Successful-Entrepreneurs/179 Entrepreneurs are a special breed of high achievers. They create things, get things started: businesses, clubs, churches, associations, even nations. Their motivations vary. Not all want to be rich. Not all want to produce a Fortune 500 company. Some are motivated by pleasure or civic pride or the desire for fame. Mary Madden, president of Information America, told me she and Burton Goldstein started their company because it gave them freedom and flexibility. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Lonely-Hat-Marketing-Parable/180 Jones was a typical entrepreneur who worked long hours and wore many hats. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Magic-Float/181 If you've ever received a service today and paid for it in 30 days you've experienced the concept of "float" - the time difference between when you receive a service and when you paid for it. In most cases this time period is a convenience to you as a customer, but in the world of business marketing it can absolutely transform your business. In the last 18 months we've grown our marketing budget at Swapalease.com (the company that owns me) by more than 1000% by simply leveraging the concept of float. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Magic-Thinking-Small/182 Hey! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Major-Reasons-Businesses-Fail/183 This year, over 800,000 of the approximately 2,000,000 start up businesses will fail! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Making-Financial-Transition/184 Making the financial transition from paid employment to earning a living on your own is probably the single biggest challenge facing many would be entrepreneurs. For most, the mere thought of financial insecurity holds them back from even trying. But if you have the vision, persistence and the ability to respond to market feedback the financial rewards will soon follow. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Marketing-Laws-Inspired-Entrepreneur/185 The following laws will provide guidance on how to act, think and work in a lean way. You can apply these laws to all areas of your life, work and business to get bigger results from the time you invest. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Message-Prospective-Franchisees-Franchisors/186 Many franchise companies fail to send the proper message to their prospective franchisees. This is partly due to the over regulation and intensity of litigation in the industry. Smaller franchisors are generally hurt the most from these factors and consumer or buyers of their American Dream seem to feel slighted at a the impersonal approach. Many franchise company's sales departments walk a fine line between disclosure laws and the information they are allowed to depart to the prospect franchisees. This immediately causes friction. To alleviate this problem smaller franchisees need to send a more personal message in the name of their founder to re-assure prospects that they care. Below is a sample letter our company, The Car Wash Guys, www.carwashguys.com , has used to allow our prospects to see thru the legal quagmire created by the regulatory bureaucracy and the franchise lawyers in their haste to sue franchisors. I recommend you copy this article read the letter a few times and put it into your own words so that you convey how you truly feel, make it sincere and understand that your prospect needs to know they are more than just a number. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Methods-Generating-New-Ideas-Entrepreneurs/187 Summary: Even with a wide variety of sources available, coming up with an idea as the basis for a new venture can still be a difficult problem. The entrepreneur can use several methods to help generate and test new ideas including focus groups, brainstorming and problem inventory analysis. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Microbusiness-Help-Enjoy-Better-Retirement/188 Not having enough money for a comfortable retirement tops the list of financial concerns among aging Americans, according to a recent Gallup Poll. It even outweighs peoples' worries about having a serious illness or accident. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Mistakes-Entrepreneurs-Make-Before-Start/189 So you want to start a business. You have an idea. Lets say you want to be a carpenter. You print some brochures, some business cards, and take out an ad in the Yellow Pages. You pay $600 for a website and a domain name that tells everyone about your amazing credentials and experience. You distribute your fliers at a local grocery store. And then you wait. And wait. And wait? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Mobile-Car-Washing-Opportunities/190 The long-term outlook for the Mobile Car Washing industry is positive. It is ripe for savvy company to develop regionally or nationally to dominate the market. Currently in the mobile car wash industry there is no well-known companies as is the case with other service businesses such as Domino's Pizza, Midas Muffler, Thrifty Rent-A-Car, and Jiffy Lube. These companies will be able to develop revenues and market share sufficient to sustain franchisees as local leaders in their fields. The Mobile Car Washing Industry awaits a company, which can standardize the industry and allow for consumers to know what to expect. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/More-Clients-Customers-Dont-Sell-Service/191 Whether you are just starting your business or focusing on growing it, I'm sure you are like most small business owners you are looking for ways to get more clients and customers. There is a lot of information out there on selling, persuasion tactics, and gimmicks to get people to buy. I am suggesting a radical shift in perspective when thinking about the question: How do you get more clients and customers? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Mother-Invention-Two-Dallas-Electricians/192 To morning commuters, the hulking truck encircled with barricades and traffic cones may be nothing more than a road-clogging nuisance. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Motivation-Commitment/193 Why do people start small businesses? The most frequently cited motivation for business start-ups is to allow the entrepreneur to achieve independence; money is secondary. Is this surprising? The other reasons named most often are that an opportunity presented itself, a person took over the family business, or the person simply wanted to be an entrepreneur. Identify your motivation. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Needs-Versus-Wants-Entrepreneurs/194 How often do the words "I need" come out of your mouth, as it relates to your business? When you run your own company, it's easy to think that the only way to succeed is to be moving forward with your expenses -- the newest technology, a broader circle of professionals providing you services, involvement in more and more costly marketing efforts, etc. And it's particularly difficult to resist the urge when you know you can generally take a tax DEDUCTION for any business expenses. But did you ever stop to think how many of those requests are actually needs, and how many are simply wants? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Nemisis/195 Living in the twilight zone has its advantages. In the early days of starting my business, I found the limitations of living in a rural area to be restrictive. However, later I realized that those limitations were not an obstacle that could stop me; they were only a challenge that would strengthen me. Since my business would be smaller, I would have the advantage of fewer employees and less strife in the processes of doing business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/New-Rules/196 Last week I was working with one of my small business clients, a bright and dynamic woman who's passionate about positioning her artisan business for growth. We were talking about her financial picture and forecasting robust sales over the next three years. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Non-Profit-Structure-Right-Business/197 If you have a business idea, or an idea for a service for your community, there's one decision you must make early on: are you going to structure your project as a for-profit business, or as a non-profit corporation? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Not-Forget-About-Little-Guy/198 Every business has to start somewhere. What truly makes this country great is the freedom of enterprenuership that every one of its citizens have. Capitalism at its best signifies the power of a single person to reach monumental goals and turning a simple idea into a huge corporation. But in our pursuit of this glorified state, have we snubbed the little guy? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Oil-Change-Guys-History-1/199 How do franchise companies come to be? How do they start. What type of a person or entrepreneur becomes a franchisor? Below is the story of how one small company became a franchisor in the mobile oil change business. The story is written from our point of view and opinion. We claim freedom of speech, of the press in its entirety since a good part of it is opinion based. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Oil-Change-Guys-History-2/200 Franchise companies are not born they are made and when studying the history of franchise companies, it is amazing how similar they really are. To continue this story we are in the height of the Dot Com Bubble with money flowing in Silicon Valley and personal services and labor is at a premium indeed; Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Oil-Change-Guys-History-3/201 Studying the history of franchise companies is interesting is watching all the ways they grew and all the partnerships, vendors and mergers along the way. It is a myriad of deals and team building, which makes it all possible. Continuing Part III of the saga: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Oil-Change-Guys-History-4/202 One trait of franchisors and something you will find in all their biographies both; official and unofficial is their competitiveness and refusal to give up. Now onto Part IV of our saga: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Online-Millionaires-Worried-About/203 I just arrived back from the best seminar I have ever attended in the last 10-years. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Online-Women-Entrepreneurs/204 Saving time means pacing yourself, being organized, and always prioritizing your duties, responsibilities and efforts. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Opportunity-Does-Not-Knock/205 Q: I'm graduating this year with a degree in business and would like to start my own business rather than get a corporate job. I have a few business ideas, but none of them really gets me excited. Should I just put my business plans on hold and get a job until the right opportunity comes along? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Oriental-Business-Principles-Online-Enterprises/206 "The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools." - Confucius Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Outcomes-Need-Focus-On/207 Successful business owners and managers need to be very clear about what outcomes they want. Whether you call them goals, objectives or targets, these are the factors that you're ultimately judged on. Outcomes determine whether your business is a success or a failure. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Owning-Own-Business-Becoming-Entrepreneur-1/208 Almost every day, I talk with people who want to start their own home-based businesses. I receive an interesting reaction when I ask people, "What are you looking for in a home-based business?" The most common response I get is, "Umm, well . . . I don't know." Keep in mind that these people have requested information about starting a home-based business. They have taken time and effort to go online and fill out a form, or do some research. And yet, they don't know what they want. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Paradigm-Entrepreneurial-Success/209 Entrepreneurship is a great magnet to deliver new ideas, unique approaches and innovative technologies. When conducted in a proper way, turning people into entrepreneurs improves a country's economic situation and aids sustainable progress. However, transition to become an entrepreneur is not that aspiring to all. Risks and uncertainties involved in starting a new business coupled with stagnant economy discourage people to step up the plate and take a swing. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Part-Time-In-Home-Business/210 As a first time entrepreneur, there are a variety of franchises, dealerships, distributorships, and licensing opportunities available for purchase. Many of these you can start by working part-time from your home. In doing so, you save thousands of dollars in start up and operating costs, while at the same time reducing your overall risk. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Perfect-Little-Coffee-Shop/211 Ah, coffee, the drink of choice when I want to share a special moment with friends, when I want to sit and ponder life or when I want a moment alone. I am an avid coffee drinker. I love coffee and I love the atmosphere of a good coffee house, a caf Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Pitcher-Powerful-Business-Tool/212 Mission Viejo, CA - June 14, 2005 - Bob Meyer, a former major league pitcher in the 1960s who signed four-consecutive major league contracts with the New York Yankees, is now the most visible spokesman for the worldwide commercial barter industry. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Power-Personal-Environments/213 I've got to admit, I'm a big fan of comfort. I like it when things in my world are stable and reliable. For example, my home is my sanctuary. I live here, and I work here. I like it to reflect peace, order and beauty, so when a messy remodeling project was underway - like the recent replacement of a water-damaged bathroom ceiling - it affected me. I was stressed and cranky. My husband might not have been quite so generous and called me downright crazed. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/PR-That-Entrepreneurs-Overlook/214 If that sounds like you, here's what you may be missing once the new enterprise is launched Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Pre-Vs-Post-Money-Valuation/215 When a company decides that it must raise capital, a key question that must be answered is how much the company is worth. For example, if the business needs $500,000 to get started and/or grow, how much of the equity in that company should $500,000 command? Once this question is answered, the company will go out and try to find investors. When doing so, a key question often arises as to whether the valuation is "pre-money" or "post-money." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Preparing-Outsource/216 It's important to understand when to add individuals to your business model. Adding a new team member should be an easy transition - that's where organization comes in. Clearly defined processes such as workflow, workspace, filing system, and other key functions in the business should be identified. Structure is one of the most overlooked aspects of business success - especially time management and documentation structures. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Prescription-Future-Technological-Revolutions/217 The world sure has changed in the last two-decades hasn't it? When I started out in business, there were no cell phones, fax machines, computers, etc. And I am not that old, having just retired at age 40. Indeed, in the better part of two-decades everything changed. And it is still changing and moving along. What will the next two-decades bring? You can probably figure it out with a little thought and watching the trends, new discoveries and think of what kinds of things the military, health care, entertainment and government industries will want. I recommend this book which foretold much of what we see now about a decade before we had it: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Profile-Women-Leaders/218 Leadership is based on two words, "pressure and support"and that the leadership is the power to influence people to move in a direction that you believe in your heart is a good direction for most people" (Fennell, 1999, p. 267). Adams and Yoder noted that "evidence from contemporary studies on sex-roles and leadership indicates that men and women, with similar education, career aspirations and training, have basically identical scores on measures of psychological masculinity and femininity." In other words, the traits we assume are important in good leadership can be found among people of both genders. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Protect-Assets-In-Business/219 Many people are starting an online business without a thought about the danger this may pose to their personal assets. The type of protection you need depends upon the nature of your business and the amount of your personal assets. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/PTO-Justification-Means-Ends/220 Some would say about certain issues that the means do not justify the ends. Well more often the ends do not justify the means. For instance if you are trying to accomplish something and know that if you do use the most approved PC methods then you cannot get to the desired results, but use those methods anyway as to not appear to offend anyone, then in the end you offend everyone by wasting their time and by failure of the project. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Pursuing-American-Dream/221 This morning I woke up at 4:30 in the morning, as usual, poured myself a cup of coffee, as usual, and thought about what my son said to me yesterday evening. You see, he's 2 1/2 years old and talking quite well, for his age. When I came home from working all day I was greeted with the always joyous "daddy's home, daddy's home" but today, this greeting was followed by "daddy no you go to work!". It's amazing what a 2 year old can know and understand. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Qualities-Franchisors-Need/222 When I got into business I wanted to build a company, which helped people and provide a product and service that people loved and were willing to pay for; one I would not have to sell or convince anyone of. Something that people truly wanted to extend and enhance their pursuit of happiness. I found the perfect service that everyone wanted and where sales were not really needed at all. In addition I found a way to allow my team to reap the rewards of delivery of that service to the masses. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Questions-Entrepreneur/223 Entrepreneurial e-gnorance Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Raising-Capital-Business-How-Long/224 Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully complete a financing. In actuality, a company seeking financing needs to budget between 500 to 1000 work-hours to the capital-raising process, spread out over a 6-9 month time period. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Raising-Entrepreneurs/225 Adolescence brings with it many challenges - for both parents and kids. Young people, still new to the world, are embarking on a journey to discover their passions, joys, and authentic self-images. More often than not, however, their journey more closely resembles an elongated stampede of enraged elephants than it does an innocent soul-searching endeavor. But no one said growing up would be easy. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Rambling-Confessions-Recovering-Entrepreneur/226 I told my family that I finally accepted that my passion had become an ob- session, and you could even call it an addiction. They all laughed. What had taken me 25 years to accept, they had known for years. My wife detected my addiction as early as our honeymoon in Paris. All I wanted to do was spend time at the Bourse trading francs on the spot market. She kept on nudging me to see some old picture in the Louvre. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Realism-Vs-Optimism-Business-Plan/227 The most important function of a business plan is to create interest among investors so that they write a check. In achieving this goal, business plan writers are often challenged by determining the proper level of optimism in their plan. That is, they must create a compelling story to investors while maintaining credibility. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Reducing-Stress-Being-Entrepreneur/228 Starting and running your own business can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be very stressful. For most of our almost 40 year marriage my husband has been an entrepreneur and I have sometimes worked with him. Having built my own business as a Stress Reduction Coach I have been reflecting on the stresses of being an entrepreneur. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Reluctant-Entrepreneur/229 It seems odd to think of a person opening a shop, knowing that they're not at all interested in selling or in face-to-face interaction with customers. But that's exactly what many Internet business owners have done. And they've done it well. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Right-Time-Become-Entrepreneur/230 A number of economic changes are magnifying the role of small business and creating the impetus for entrepreneurship. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Right-Venture-Capital-Firm-Partner/231 Venture capital firms are comprised of individual partners. These partners make investment decisions and typically take a seat on each portfolio company's Board. Partners tend to invest in what they know, so finding a partner that has past work experience in your industry is very helpful. This relevant experience allows them to more fully understand your venture's value proposition and gives them confidence that they can add value, thus encouraging them to invest. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Risk-Necessary-Grow-Business/232 A business owner is thoroughly responsible for their own financial survival and possibly the financial survival of their employees. Business owners, for the most part, seem to be "risk takers", who really don't easily "go with the flow". They are inventive and somewhat confident, as just having their own business does mandate that they possess these qualities. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Risks-Entrepreneurship/233 The "spark" for many entrepreneurs is seeing an opportunity that doesn't yet exist. Ted Turner, for example, launched CNN because he perceived that people wanted more television news than they were being offered. It took a lot of patience on Turner's part to realize the vision, but he had read the market in a way that few "experts" did at the time. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Role-Statistics-Prospect-Modeling/234 Identifying prospects has come a long way since the days of simple list buying. With the hype flying fast and furious, sometimes it's difficult to sort out truth from fiction and to put things in the proper perspective. Without worshipping buzzwords, however, two of the most important developments in recent years have been the rise of statistics and databases. These have allowed companies to create more accurate profiles of their prospects, even giving rise to the term "prospect modeling" itself. Let's see how these two developments have helped shape prospect modeling. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Running-Business/235 Not everyone is cut out to run a business. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. It takes a special talent. Some owners of small businesses have it and some don't. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Rx-Falling-Corporate-Profits/236 Once again the squeeze is on as renewed inflation worries slow the economy's growth and many companies resort to believing that cost cutting is the best means to scramble back to profitability in an uncertain economy. The problem with this classic approach is that it sends the clear message to your brightest and best talent that no matter how well they perform, today there is no job security. Not only does such a move have a serious impact on morale, but as the economy improves we will find ourselves once again in a very tight labor market. It will be next to impossible to replace laid-off workers and worse yet, your current work force, especially those brightest and best, may well decide that it is time to move on to greener and possibly more secure pastures before the next downturn hits. Is there a better approach than cutting off your nose today and spite your face tomorrow? Absolutely! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Salon-Marketing-Wireless-Broadband-Internet-Access/237 Our client in Chicago did, located right outside downtown too...a right competitive area. Everbody's looking for some kind of edge and we found it for them. Want to hear...the rest of the story. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Secret-Extraordinary-Accomplishments/238 I sat watching a documentary on U.S. Navy SEAL Team Training on the local exercise channel. It showed young men, mostly in their early 20's, enduring grueling ocean swims in near-freezing water. It showed these same young men forced to swim underwater (holding their breaths) until a major percentage of them passed out and had to be rescued by their instructors. It showed weeks of grueling training in which ordinary men are transformed into incredible machines with wills of steel and unshakable discipline. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Secret-Revealed-In-Business-Code/239 Beginners often rush into business without any planning. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Secrets-Favorite-Government-Auction/240 I love bargains. And there's no better place to find bargains than an auction. And there are no better auctions than government surplus auctions. My favorite government surplus auction takes place the 3rd week of September every year in the County Park. I won't tell you which county park as this is my best-kept secret! Even though the auction is advertised in the local papers (as required my law), I usually find the same 20-30 people mulling around, looking at all the lots. And many of them I know are not high-bidders! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Secrets-Successful-Entrepreneurs/241 Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It is about creating a life, as it is about making a living. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. From the relatively safe cocoon of the corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, you will be venturing into the unchartered territories of business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Securing-Venture-Capital-Financing/242 Widget sales are booming - the competition is scrambling, demand is up, and the books are finally treading water. Your core management team has big ideas for the future of Widget Inc. Opportunity is abundant; but how will you fund that next big leap? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Selecting-Venture/243 The basic rule is simple: "Find a market need and fill it!" The process of finding the need, and the method chosen to fill it are where the difficulties arise. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Self-Esteem-Entrepreneur/244 Isn't it funny how people think that being self-employed is so cool? They think that you get to take lots of vacation time and spend all of the profits. What they don't realize is that you put in outrageous amounts of blood, sweat, and tears to get there. They don't know that you have to take the blame for every single thing that goes wrong. They don't know how many times you fell flat on your face before making it work. They think that you simply come up with a cute little idea over dinner one night and within a couple of months you're flying high living the rich man's life. The reality of the situation is very different. Statistics consistently show that most successful entrepreneurs failed a handful of times before finally finding that winning formula. It's during the failure years that you earn all of those future vacations and big fat salaries. Delayed gratification takes on a whole new level, doesn't it? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Senses-Entrepreneur/245 If you have seen me speak you will know that I believe the word 'entrepreneur' is used way too much these days. People seem to wear it as a badge instead of just getting out there and doing entrepreneurial things. Just because you run or own a successful business doesn't necessarily mean that you an entrepreneur. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Set-Yourself-Apart-Others/246 "Real champions believe in themselves even when no one else will!" Author Unknown Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Should-I-Go-Into-Business/247 Rohit Kochgaway was very upset with his boss for his rebuking him today in office. He was very upset with his job. When he reached home in evening his wife got the penalty for asking to go out in form of bad mood. After one hour at home, he exploded the bomb. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Six-Degrees-Separation/248 Through just five or six intermediaries, you could be linked to millions of others. It is the notion behind what has been dubbed the small world effect. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Small-Business-Self-Employed-Principles/249 It is widely held that one of the most important ingredients in small business success is perseverance. Deciding on a strategy and sticking with it. I would agree but you need to be clear that the strategy is in alignment with your passion in business and your natural action and communication styles. It's also helpful to have effective strategies to follow through on what you set as your priorities, goals, plans, calls to action... and other components of your daily business activities. These principals will give you ideas to be effective when working on your business; so you can be persistent, passionate and productive in your small business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Smart-Marketing-Strategies-Solo-Entrepreneur/250 Are you ever frustrated or hesitant when you talk to prospective customers because you can't readily explain why they should come to you rather than go to your competitors? Sure, you might have your 30-second elevator speech, but then they ask you that dreaded question, "So what makes you different?" Then, all those self-doubts creep in, and you just aren't sure what to say. Differentiation can boost confidence--yours in yourself and that prospective customer's confidence in you! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Solo-Mojo-Entrepreneurs/251 I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition. He persevered with his passion for writing, buoyed by the love and support of his family, by drafting ten pages daily for two years. Since the completion of his novel, he started a new advertising business and is co-authoring a non-fiction tale on top of his other interests. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Something-Nothing-Something-Share/252 Betrayal, it can hit you like a load of bricks falling from the sky, leaving you with a pit in your stomach that no pill can cure. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Start-Business-Selling-Government-Surplus/253 Did you ever wonder what happens to all that government equipment that is purchased each year by federal, state, and local governments? They don't just throw it away! By law, all unused and out-dated equipment must be sold back to the public at a public auction! That's right. Everything is available to you and I the American taxpayer. There are primarily two ways that the government does this: on-site auctions or online auctions. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Start-Franchise/254 Franchising Information Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Start-New-Business/255 While it is tempting to just leap into a new business because of it's exciting possibilities, a few key planning points will vastly increase your chances of success. These steps aren't difficult, but they're easy to skip. Many businesses ultimately depend on a slim profit margin, so planning can really help the process. Too many restaurant patrons, for instance, assume that running a restaurant seems fun because of the many restaurants they have visited, but restaurants have an especially high failure rate. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Business-By-Book/256 I've gotten several questions recently about the legalities of starting a business. So, this week I thought I would address a few of the more common legal issues most new businesses face. But first, let's get the mandatory legal disclaimer out of the way: the advice dispensed by this columnist is probably no better or worse than the advice dispensed by other columnists. Do not take the following advice as gospel or bet the future of your business on any advice given herein by said columnist. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Business-Making-Saving-Money/257 Bootstrapping in the context of business start-ups refers to the use of creative financing approaches such as leveraging personal savings, credit-card debt, loans from friends and family, bartering, and other means to launch a business. Some business founders use bootstrapping because they have no other choice. Just about anyone who has approached a bank has learned that "only established businesses need apply." Bankers typically look for cash flow, assets, an established customer base, and a successful track record on the part of the business that is seeking a start-up loan. Obviously, this is a short list that is impossible to fulfill when you are just getting started. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Business-Tips-Bootstrapping/258 Bootstrapping a business startup does not necessarily mean that you are unable to find traditional sources of capital. It may mean that you are clever, or that you know a bargain when you see it, or that you are the type of person who derives a certain satisfaction from crafting something using your own hands and vision, from scratch. If this is the way you feel, a franchise is probably not for you. A venture capitalist, if you could even find a member of that rare species when you are just starting out, is also likely to want some or too much control, and your vision might be thrown out of the window in that scenario as well. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Company-Shoe-String-Budget/259 A lot of people never start businesses because they believe they don't have enough money to do so. Unfortunately, these same people don't realize that many of the world's most successful companies were started on a shoe-string budget by an entrepreneur with limited resources. Below is a list of tips to help you save money when you're first starting a company: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Own-Clothing-Company/260 Starting your own private label clothing company is not as difficult as you may think. I assure you that the founding members of Volcom, Paul Frank, Hurley and Von Dutch, are not mad geniuses of fashion. You can duplicate their rise to brand stardom provided that you have the following: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Starting-Up-Keeping-Going/261 So you had that fantastic business idea, the one that's going to be wildly successful and make you a fortune - and even better, you actually did something about it and started your own business. Good for you! Not everyone gets even that far. Most people sit and day dream about what they might do if only .... Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Startup-Never-Closes/262 When it comes to a startup, the luxuries shared with established companies are few and far between. Chief among them is the luxury to close at the end of the day. Big companies have the benefits of capital, customers and receivables. Startups, on the other hand, have jack squat. They need to work twice as hard to make half as much, and even then they're not working nearly enough. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Steps-Guarantee-Business-Success/263 Many of us slave away for years for one uninspiring company after another and dream of the day when we can sack the boss and go it alone. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Strategies-Overcoming-Obstacles-Discovering-Gifts/264 What are the unique gifts that differentiate you from other solo entrepreneurs? The path to discovering your gifts may take a lifetime, but you can use the exploration process to begin to use your gifts NOW! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Street-Book-Smarts-Entrepreneur/265 The latest series in "The Apprentice" features 2 distinct group of candidates. One group, who are only high school graduates are termed as "Street Smarts" by Donald Trump whereas, the other group are all college educated with some having MBAs and advanced degrees. They were termed as the "Book Smarts". Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Success-Business-Profile-Sylvia-Acevedo/266 Sylvia Acevedo needed a break from her technology job so she bought an old Victorian house to remodel into a bed and breakfast. "Being an engineer working in technology, I really felt I didn't do a lot of tangible work. But with the bed and breakfast, at the end of the day, I felt like I had actually done something." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Success-Find-Million-Dollar-Opportunities/267 They're really are powerful million dollar opportunites everywhere. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Success-Secrets-Mike-Litman/268 Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day in New York and yes, I spent it alone :}. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Successful-As-Franchisee/269 Will I be successful as a franchisee? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Successful-Entrepreneur-On-Web/270 Becoming a successful entrepreneur in the online world is no different than becoming a successful entrepreneur in the brick-and-mortar world. Both tasks require vision, determination, and hard work. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Successful-Entrepreneur/271 Print off this page, take the quiz and find out if you've got what it takes! See the scale at the bottom to mark yourself. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Sure-Want-Start-Own-Business-2/272 Why, exactly, do you want to go into business for yourself? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Surprising-Secret-Small-Business-Success/273 Would you like to increase your chances of business success by 350%? The good news is that you can! Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Survive-or-Thrive-1/274 You've probably heard this, or maybe you will relate to this personally. Have you ever arrived somewhere and wondered, "How did I get here?" or "Why am I here?" Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Surviving-Pitfalls-Business-Ownership/275 The morning sun sheds its brilliance and warmth on your sleeping face. 10:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Finally, after half an hour of lying in bed, you decide to get up and start your morning routines. Your work day officially starts fifteen minutes later as you stumble to your computer, still wearing what you woke up in, coffee in hand. And so goes the life of the entrepreneur. You get to decide when, how long, who with, where and what you work on. No boss. No politics. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Taking-Charge-Getting-Results-Choice-Yours/276 As one of the most successful direct sales entrepreneurs in the industry, I have found there are two kinds of people in the world, those who would like success and those who are serious about success. There really is no in between. Think about it. Everyone wants success in their life; they want to make more money, have more time, have less stress and really make their mark in the world. The people who actually do it are the people who will not accept any alternatives. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Term-Sheets-Raising-Venture-Capital/277 Entrepreneurs and companies who are seeking venture capital often negotiate with one or more venture capital firms on a number of important issues. These issues include the amount of capital to be raised, the investment terms, etc. The document which summarizes these terms is known as a "term sheet." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Territory-Limitations-Policies-Franchise/278 All franchised companies must have Territory Limitations to maintain the peace within their systems. Often the unspoken ethics of territory limitations are blurred with mobile, home based or online franchise companies. Territory limitations in fixed site franchises are fairly cut and dry. There is your store, no other stores will be placed in the surrounding area delineated on this map within your franchise agreement. Generally things run pretty smoothly in this case. However as co-branding methods, partnerships and online sales increase as consumer demand for the brand increases we often see the franchised companies embattled in encroachment lawsuits in an already litigious industry. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Think-Dont-React/279 How you think, your relationship with yourself is what decides how well you communicate with your customers and relate to your team. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Time-Management-Tips-Solo-Entrepreneurs/280 Does it seem like everyone and everything is vying for your attention all at once? It can be hard for solo entrepreneurs to know what to do first, let alone try to find the time to get caught up. Here are some time management tips that will help you to stay on top of it all: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Tips-Choosing-Office/281 You have decided to strike it out on your own and set up a business consultancy. Chances are you want to look at getting your own office premises. Besides ensuring that your rental payment does not create serious cash-flow problems in the medium term, you have to look out for these other factors: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Tips-Starting-Entrepreneurs-Ignore-Peril/282 1. Do What You LOVE: If you've chosen your business because you read that this niche was the next hot one, or because your favorite uncle (or your best friend) thinks you'd be well-suited for this business, you may as well pack up now and save yourself some time and money. If you don't love what you do, it will show...potential customers will know it and will go elsewhere. Is it possible to be successful anyway? Sure -- but it won't be easy and it won't be fun...and isn't that why you want to be in business for yourself anyway? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Tips-Would-Be-Entrepreneurs/283 Every evening as the sun sets beyond the mangroves that line the shore along the western bank of Lake Myakka, Florida, herds of wild deer and wild black pigs come down to the water's edge to drink and slake their thirst. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Traits-Exceptional-Successful-Entrepreneur/284 How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, "Success is a journey and not a Destination?" Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end unto itself, but is instead an ongoing process. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Traits-Shared-Successful-Entrepreneurs/285 The first step in deciding whether to start a business is to ask yourself this important question: "Do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?" A variety of experts have documented research that indicates that successful small business entrepreneurs, whether male or female, have some common characteristics. How do you measure up? It will be up to you -- not someone else telling you ­- to develop projects, organize your time and follow through on details. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Traits-Skills-Successful-Internet-Entrepreneurs/286 There are certain traits and skills that many successful online entrepreneurs have in common. Some mentioned in this article may seem simple, but don't overlook their importance. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Traits-Successful-Entrepreneur/287 Want to know why certain people succeed and others don't. Well successful people have certain traits? Do you have them? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Traits-Successful-Entrepreneurs/288 Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten of those traits that I consider to be very important. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Turn-Talent-Into-Thriving-Professional-Business/289 There are tons of books and articles available to help professionals start up their business, but few that give practical insights on how to nurture your business once it's out of its infancy. At some point, every self-employed professional reaches the same dilemma: how to build a strong brand and grow their business without taking on too many clients, undervaluing their expertise, or sacrificing their lifestyle. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Undercapitalization-Entrepreneurs-Start-Up-Money/290 This year more than 17 million people will become entrepreneurs, according to the National Association of Self Employed (NASE). By the end of the year, 8 million of them will return to the corporate world because their entrepreneurial effort did not succeed. Many will say the businesses failed because of insufficient capitalization. Actually under-capitalization is not the cause of failure, but a symptom of a far more serious problem. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Used-Book-Case-Study/291 Dwight Payne and Gary Heap reside in Santa Barbara, CA, where they attend college and pursue their mutual hobby of science-fiction book collecting. They pooled their book collection of over 4,000 volumes, and sci-fi magazines going back over twenty-five years. All neatly catalogued and indexed, they estimate it would cost $20,000 to assemble the collection today. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Vendor-Relations/292 Communication is the key to vendor relations. In your small business, you will be in need of many products and services. Unfortunately, not every company that provides these products and services will have their act together as much as you do. You, as a small businessperson, were able to carefully study each purchase because it was your money. You knew exactly when, where, how and at what price you were willing to partake in those purchases. Not all vendors you deal with will have such savvy folks working for them. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Venture-Capital-Negotiating-Issues/293 When companies enter into negotiations with venture capital firms, there are several issues which need to be defined and agreed upon. This article describes the key issues. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Veteran-Entrepreneurs-Growing-Ranks/294 When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about business, speaking to groups and organizations about business, or consulting with companies who want my advice about the running of their business, I teach a weekly class on the subject of (care to guess?) starting and running a business. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Visionary-Entrepreneur/295 Any success you have in life must begin with a vision. A vision is the ability to see what others cannot see. It is being able to have a picture in your mind of exactly the result you intend to produce. The visionary entrepreneur is able to see exactly what his or her business is going to look like in every detail when it is finished. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Ways-Increase-Profitability/296 1) Go back to basics. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Entrepreneurship/297 In discussing entrepreneurship and writing articles on the subject, I have found that it aids understanding when we begin by agreeing on exactly what the word means to us. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Kind-Business-Should-I-Start/298 It's not uncommon to reach your 30s, 40s or even 50s and still wonder, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" Few people are fortunate enough to be certain of their destinies early on and the rest of us are forced to do some soul searching. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Makes-Entrepreneur-Tick/299 It is only natural that when you start a business, you are doing something different than most people. They not only will look at you because you stick out like a sore thumb _ but human nature will cause people to naturally ridicule what you are doing. They will tell you all types of things like: "You're not business material." "You can't make a living working for yourself." "You'll fail because nobody can ever make any money that way." Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Makes-Entrepreneur/300 Rupert Steiner in his book 'My First Break' attempted to define the secret of becoming an entrepreneur and following interviews with over one hundred entrepreneurs, Steiner concluded that there was not one defined path. He has, however, drawn out observations of an entrepreneur's personality traits. They have a tendency to be rebels, outsiders, original thinkers, risk takers and break new ground. Entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for new business opportunities and have the guts it needs to start up a business. They have total commitment to what they are doing, which verges on obsession behaviour. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Makes-Person-Entrepreneur/301 Entrepreneurship is generally characterized by some type of innovation, a significant investment, and a strategy that values expansion. The entrepreneur is often quite different in mindset from a manager, who is generally charged with using existing resources to make an existing business run well. The roles of entrepreneur and manager are not necessarily incompatible, but entrepreneurs are seldom patient enough to be good managers. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Startups-Need-Get-Business-Loan/302 You want to get a good, solid overview of what it takes to acquire that business loan you need, especially if you are a startup. The essential element of what the lenders out there require of you can be wrapped up in the acronym, C. C. C. These are... Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Takes-Entrepreneur-Series-Action/303 Many people have the professed desire to be their own boss, start their own business ecetera, ecetera... Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/What-Takes-Entrepreneur/304 Q: I am interested in starting my own business. I have a business degree and lots of experience in my chosen field, but I don't know if I have the necessary skills to really make it on my own. Any advice? Marie C. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Where-Pucks-Going/305 The "Great One" said it best Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Which-Niche-Conquer/306 I'm sure that you've heard about how many start up companies fail when they first begin, and the reason that most (if not all) of their failures is because they don't create a good fountain to build on. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Why-High-Tech-Startups-Fail/307 With billions of dollars of venture capital residing down the street on Sand Hill Road, two Stanford professors are attempting to answer a fundamental question "why does it always take longer and cost more to build a hi-tech company than anyone ever expects?" For all the intellect, experience and graduate degrees in the venture capital industry, the sad truth is that 80% of venture capital investments do not pan out. While the reasons for this high attrition rate are too numerous to list here, a simple fact defines every successful investment - the company figures out how to bring in more money than it spends. The secret to solving this fundamental equation these two professors believe lies in the Sales Learning Curve. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Why-Most-CEOs-Entrepreneurs-Fail/308 Times are tough. The economy is in a constant state of upheaval. Is your company doing better than most? Are you placing greater emphasis on pure performance? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Will-Business-Survive-Without-You/309 I had a health scare in December. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Woman-Became-Successful-Bill-Collector/310 I have worked in the credit industry for over 17 years now. When I first started out, I only knew a very few women in the industry. That number has grown over the years, but not by much. Being a bill collector has always been categorized as a "man's industry". Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Work-On-Not-In-Business/311 Are you busy? Everyone's busy! Ask anyone they'll tell you how busy they are. But how many people are accomplishing real results? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Write-Own-Business-Plan/312 If you are just starting a company and looking for funding, or looking for additional funding for growth, you will need to develop a traditional business plan. Creating a business plan is a business hurdle that entrepreneurs seem to dread. Do you do it yourself? Do you hire someone to do it? How do you get it done quickly, but without spending too much money on it? Will what you do yourself be adequate to get funding? Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Youth-Advantage/313 You should wait until you're older and have more business and real-world experience before starting a business. You should just focus on school for now. Nobody will take you seriously at this age. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.business-venture.info/Youth-Entrepreneurship-Disappointing-Truth/314 The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one who dreams of starting their own business. The freedom of being your own boss has billions of people seeking financial independence and other entrepreneurial expectations. But is entrepreneurship for everyone? Are their any restrictions on who can become entrepreneurs? Sadly, the answer is yes. Many people turn their heads when it comes to assisting young people with business projects, they believe age plays a vital part on the success of an entrepreneur, this in some cases causes the entrepreneur to abandon their dream. Sat, 17 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT