Business Blogs: Trends, tips, and real-life anecdotes from industry experts.

Ever watch Airplane? Or did I just reveal my status as dinosaur. (If I didn’t, my kids will be the first to tell you how ancient I am sooner or later anyway.)
But I digress… as usual.
In the movie, when the passengers were asked to assume “crash position,” they immediately started to scream, wave their hands [...]

I recently spoke with Shashi Srikantan, founder of Quench Bath and Body, on StartupNation Radio. Her company offers bath and body products from around the world. What a star she is!
�
Though she’s just recently become an entrepreneur, thanks in part to her use of our StartMeUp! program, Shashi has always been interested in beauty products.  [...]

The numbers are gloomy. Statistics show that of one hundred new business startups, eighty will be out of business within five years. Too often, the causes of these failures are recurring inefficiencies and their offspring: fire-killing and distraction. Most business owners wake up in the morning with only a vague sense of their ultimate, primary [...]

I’m not a techno-phobe; I don’t fear technology. I hate it. Or it hates me. Either, or.
Yesterday I read about Web 3.0, which was a little disturbing to me, since, until recently, I thought that Wikipedia was a book for witches and am still unable to switch my Facebook profile from French language-mode. Oh, and I accidentally [...]

Are you starting a business with a family member or a close friend?
I know, I know. You are incredibly excited. You have a winning, million-dollar idea, and you are pursuing it with one of your favorite people. What could go wrong?
Well, unfortunately, much can go wrong and sometimes it happens very quickly [...]

So let’s review for a minute. By now, you’ve:

Started discussions with your family and decided that you might be interested in owning your own business, and
Accumulated a nice list of opportunities to consider.

Now we’re on Step #3. The analysis phase. I recommend starting with an Excel spreadsheet, each franchise disclosure document (FDD) and an old-fashioned pen [...]

As you start deciding which franchise is for you, there are dozens of sources to reference to gain valuable information about available opportunities. If you are searching for a retail opportunity in your own town, take some time to drive around and see what’s there. Use other helpful resources like YellowPages.com and Google to see [...]

Good evening Startup Nation visitors! Today we begin a 15-part, five week crash course that will help you decide whether or not franchising is the right thing for you. Starting your own business can be extremely daunting.

What is the right business for me?
How do I get financing (or do I even need financing)?
Home based? Retail? [...]

“Sufferin’ succotash! What is the deal with that thing called an S-Corp and how do I get me one?”
Yes, in my last blog I told you about the many benefits of an LLC and why most small businesses would benefit from them. But now comes an interesting comparison. The LLC v. the [...]

When talking to Jody DeVere about her company Ask Patty, it’s hard to know where DeVere ends and Patty begins. Both are smart, accomplished and energetic women, but only one has built several businesses, had children, and adapted through several industries. The other is a cartoon.

Like best friends though, they do most everything together: like [...]