Plan Your Business Archives

Which Entity Should You Incorporate Your E-Commerce Business As?

You’ve drafted a detailed business plan, identified your unique selling proposition (USP), and defined your business model. It’s almost time to launch your e-commerce business! Before you open your virtual doors and begin taking orders,...

byMyCorporation

September 16, 2019

The Ultimate 10-Step Checklist to Starting an Online Business

If you plan to start an online business this year, your website needs to be a serious player from the start, not a thrown together afterthought. While rushing in without a plan might work for...

byDan Fries

September 13, 2019

5 Creative Financing Tools to Kickstart Your Business

Traditional banks today aren’t typically willing to lend to startup ventures, unless you have a stellar track record and money already in the bank. Only 30 percent of businesses are bank-funded, according to Linda Jenkins,...

byMarcia Layton Turner

September 5, 2019

Rare Breed: Why Unconventional Entrepreneurs Make Successful Leaders

The following is excerpted from "Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different" by Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger, copyright 2019. Reprinted with permission from HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. We met...

bySunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger

September 3, 2019

Starting a Coaching Business Isn’t Easy: Here’s How to Do it Successfully

Entrepreneurs offering life and business coaching seem to be popping everywhere. It’s clearly a hot field; but with no barrier to entry, anyone with an internet connection can be a coach. Not everyone, however, will...

byThe Oracles

August 29, 2019

3 Reasons Why it’s a Great Time to Be an Entrepreneur

There’s one constant for small business owners and entrepreneurs: the continuing need to adapt in the face of changing technological and societal landscapes. This need to evolve and move quickly can be challenging, but positively,...

byMelissa Schneider

August 21, 2019

This Mother-Daughter Duo Offers Lessons in Entrepreneurship After Building Their Own Successful Startup

There’s so much great advice out there on how to start a business, but you never really know what’s real until you do it. I not only dove in head first, but I also did...

byChessa Eskandanian-Yee

August 12, 2019

Franchise or New Business: Which is Right for You?

Thinking of starting a business? Before you do, consider an option that gives you an established system and known brand: a franchise! There are many benefits to running a franchise, as there are benefits to...

bySusan Guillory

August 9, 2019

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Franchise

For someone with the financial capability, it might seem like a no-brainer to buy a franchise and capitalize on an opportunity. But the idea of stepping into the franchising world shouldn’t be taken lightly. Not...

byJustin E. Crawford

August 6, 2019

Think it Through: The First 3 Steps to Business Planning

The following is adapted from “Think it Thru: Business Planning,” available at select bookstores and on Amazon. The book has a corresponding Learning Management System (LMS) with additional tools and resources. "Think it Thru" proceeds...

byLaura Guillaume

August 6, 2019

5 Best States in Which to Open a Franchise in 2019

If you’re considering opening up a franchise this year, or even next, there are likely a lot of considerations that you’ve had to contend with. Though many aspiring entrepreneurs spend the bulk of their time...

byNav

August 1, 2019

4 Self-Made Millionaires Reveal the Best Investments They Ever Made

From bitcoin to bonds, there are so many investment options today it’s hard to choose. We asked these millionaires and advisors in The Oracles about the best investments they ever made — and their predictions for the...

byThe Oracles

July 25, 2019

Hustle Overdrive: Start Sustaining Your Business Instead

In today’s entrepreneurial culture, hustling is a source of pride for many. But the question must be asked: Should we be proud of hustle? Is there any other way to maintain success? And if hustle...

byJustin E. Crawford

July 24, 2019

8 Signs Your Startup Will Fail Within the First 5 Years (and How to Avoid it)

You're finally ready to launch the business you've dreamt about for years. You have a real passion for what you're doing. Unfortunately, that may not be enough to succeed. The first few years of business...

byLexie Lu

July 24, 2019

7 Highly Successful Leaders Share the Advice They Wish They Could Tell Their Younger Selves

Imagine if you could send a letter back in time to your 18-, 20- or 25-year-old self. What words of advice would you give? What do you wish you would have known back then? We...

byThe Oracles

July 17, 2019

Why All Budding Entrepreneurs Need to Embrace Market Research (and How to Do It)

Market research is one of the most powerful tools available to budding entrepreneurs. Effective market research can not only help you decide if your business idea is worth pursuing, but it can also help you...

bySimon Slade

July 10, 2019

How to Determine if Your Product Idea is Business Worthy

Every new product or business starts with an idea. Hopefully, this idea will be the seed for success and given the proper care and maintenance to bloom. But how do entrepreneurs determine if their idea...

byAlex Song

July 9, 2019

5 Productivity Tips to Prepare for a Summer Slump

If you stop to think about it, is your business cyclical? Do you have some months or times of year where business is booming, and others where it all but grinds to a halt? For...

bySusan Guillory

July 5, 2019

Becoming an Entrepreneur: Expectation vs. Reality

Working your own hours and working on projects that you care about is ideal for those who want to be their own boss, but it does not come without its own challenges. Some may say...

byCraig Dempsey

June 23, 2019

How the Gig Economy is Redefining Entrepreneurship

Modern technology has had a disruptive impact on every aspect of our lives, and work is no exception. For the first time in history, we have the tools and resources to conduct our business from...

byCole Midkiff

June 19, 2019