Article Library
Select a category below to narrow your search:
- All
- Build Your Brand
- Buy a Business
- Buy a Franchise
- Close Your Business
- Connect
- Find the Right Systems
- Grow Through Acquisition
- Improve Your Competitive Position
- Lead Your Team
- Navigate Your Legal and Risk Needs
- Plan for Succession
- Prepare for Startup
- Restaurant
- Sell Your Business
- Take on Tax and Financial Concerns
Small Business Financing 101: Small Business Grants
Too many people tell small business owners that they can't attain grants. But the truth is that there are quite …
The Right Attorney for Your Acquisition
Buying a business? It's a must to include an attorney on your team, especially as you work through the complex …
How to Connect with the Owner of Your Target Business
Your research, conversations with key industry players, and searches on business listing sites should help you find some high-potential businesses …
Post-Transition: The Actions You Need to Take As the New Owner of a Business
You’ve spent months searching for a business to buy, pouring through financials, negotiating offers, and navigating financing. Now you’ve closed …
Owner Actions Connect: Customer Service Consultants
Looking for a pro who can help your customer service team perform at its best? Consider these options: Owner Actions …
Find Your State or Territory Labor Office
Have you hired employees? Do you plan to do so in the near future? If so, be sure to connect …
How to Find an Accountant Who Can Help You to Sell Your Business
An accountant can play an important role in helping you sell your business. They can organize your company’s financials and …
Owner Actions Connect: Collections Service Providers
Looking for a collections team to help you collect on past-due accounts? Consider these options: Owner Actions is in …
Set Up a Data Room to Sell Your Business
When selling your business, potential buyers will want to view some of your core business documents. Financial, procedure, and personnel …
Take Steps to Reduce Technology Downtime
Network infrastructure downtime is sometimes unavoidable. Even the most advanced networks in the world at places like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, …
Preliminary Due Diligence: Steps to Should Take Before Making an Offer on a Small Business
It can be exciting to find a small business that meets your criteria for acquisition. But before pressing forward with …
Owner Actions Connect: Bankers
Looking for a banker who can help you secure the funding you need? Consider these options: Owner Actions is in …
Owner Actions Connect: Industrial Designers
Looking for an industrial designer who can help you prototype your idea and adjust it to its final form? Consider …
Owner Actions Connect: Web Designers
Looking for a web designer who can help you create a site that converts visitors into paying customers? Consider these …
Owner Actions Connect: Graphic Designers
Looking for a graphic designer who can help you create a logo, signs, or marketing materials? Consider these options: Owner …
Owner Actions Connect: Virtual Assistants
Looking for a virtual assistant who can help you take on the tasks weighing you down? Consider these options: Owner …
Owner Actions Connect: ROBS Advisor
Looking for a ROBS advisor who can help you use your 401(k) or retirement to fund your business idea? Consider …
Owner Actions Connect: Manufacturing Consultants
Looking for a manufacturing consultant who can help you find efficiencies, eliminate bottlenecks, or expand your capicity? Consider these options: …
Owner Actions Connect: Licensing Specialists
Looking for a franchise coach or consultant who can help you find franchise opportunities, understand the financing options available to …
Owner Actions Connect: Franchise Consultants
Looking for a franchise coach or consultant who can help you find franchise opportunities, understand the financing options available to …
Owner Actions Connect: IT Services
Looking for an IT manager who can help you with network issues, technology selection, security, and strategy? Consider these options: …
How to Set Up Social Media for Small Businesses
Whether you’re a local shop or an e-commerce store, establishing your business’s social media presence is vital. Now, it’s more …
What to Consider Before Buying an Established Business
As a business owner, you know the importance of growth. Efforts to grow organically through increased awareness, by building a …
Tell the IRS and Other Tax Agencies That You're Closing Your Business
Once you’ve decided to dissolve your company, tell the IRS and your state and local tax agencies your plans for …
How to Terminate Employee Savings and Benefit Plans
There are many steps to winding down your business’s operations. Once you fulfill your business’s outstanding orders and release your …
How to Settle with Creditors Before Closing Your Business
If you’re following our closing guide, then you’ve already reported your planned closure to your landlord, bank, suppliers, utility providers, …
How to Report Your Business Closure to Your Creditors
One step many owners miss in the closing process is notifying creditors. This must-do step is important because it helps …
Owner Actions Connect: CFO
Looking for a outsourced CFO? Consider these options: Owner Actions is in no way affiliated with these providers, and we …
Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Second Business
From overlooking key issues to making missteps in negotiations, there are mistakes to avoid when buying a second business. In …
Celebrate Opening Day for Your Franchise
Lots of work goes into starting a franchise unit, and your opening day is a milestone achievement. To celebrate, think …
Help Your Employees Transition to Government-Sponsored Health Insurance
Did your business offer health insurance? If so, you might wonder how your team will maintain health care coverage until …
Set Up Your Web Domain
When you’re building your online presence, there are two steps you’ll need to take right away: claim your domain name …
Share Your New Contact Information with Your Employees and Network
Before parting ways with your employees, contractors, suppliers, and others you work with on a regular basis, take time to …
What Do You Want Your Business to Be Known For?
How can I help my business stand out? New and seasoned business owners alike struggle with this question. To find …
Before the Handshake: How to Vet Your Job Candidates
It isn’t easy to find great job candidates. It’s harder still to know whether the people you’ve shortlisted will have …
Strategies to Improve Your Business Social Media Profile
Having a social media presence for your business is essential these days. But with approximately 3.5 billion internet users worldwide, …
Owner Actions Connect: Human Resource Managers
Looking for a human resource manager who can take on your business's people-related tasks? Consider these options: Owner Actions is …
Cover Your Small Business Construction or Renovation Costs
It can be expensive to start a small business, especially one that requires a high-traffic physical location. Many business owners …
Small Business Financing 101: How to Save on the Equipment You Need to Start or Grow Your Small Business
When you’re starting or growing your business, you need to navigate every expense carefully to stretch your dollars. And, for …
Small Business Financing 101: Portfolio Loans
Portfolio loans are one of many options you can pursue to raise cash for your small business. Sometimes called a …
Who’s on Your Team: Navigating Franchise Brokers, Coaches, and Consultants
When searching for a franchise, you may come across a franchise broker, coach, or consultant who offers to help you …
How to Use Your Retirement Savings to Fund Your Business Acquisition
You have many options for attaining the funding you need to finance a business acquisition. But if the idea of …
The Right Accountant for Your Acquisition
A knowledgeable business accountant is a must for any small business acquisition—and for all the work that follows. Here's why: …
How to Find a Second Business to Acquire
If you own a business and are interested in growth, you may want to find a second business to acquire. …
How to Renegotiate with the Seller
Due diligence is one of the most important tasks you’ll take on when buying a business. Through the process, you’ll …
Close the Deal: 11 Things You Need to Take Ownership of a Small Business
A great deal of work goes into finding a business to buy. Once you’ve found one, completed the due diligence …
Your Go-to Guide to Completing the Sale of Your Business
Completing the sale of your business is a major milestone. In this article, we’ll explain the last step—the closing process …
Navigate Your Final Tax Filings for Your Small Business
There are many steps to closing your business. After completing projects, selling assets, and paying debts, you'll need to make …
How to Hire Employees Who Will Make Your Franchise a Success
Will your franchise succeed? The answer can depend on the people you bring on board. That's why it's vitally important …
Lease or Buy: How to Make the Right Call for Your Franchise Location
For most franchises, location is a factor you can’t afford to get wrong. You'll need to spend time assessing your …
How to Sell Your Business’s Remaining Inventory, Equipment, and Items of Value
An important step of closing your business is selling off the assets it needed to conduct its operations. Before proceeding, …
Term Loans for Franchisees
When it comes to financing a franchise opportunity, loans are one of the most common sources of capital. Many commercial …
How to Tell Your Customers Your Business Is Closing
Ready to tell your customers about your impending closure? This is an important step you'll need to take when you’re …
Consider Asset-Backed Financing for a Business Acquisition
There are many ways to cover the costs of a business acquisition. One that few owners consider is asset-backed financing. …
How to Design Your Website to Amplify Your Brand
Your business’s website is one of the most important tools in your arsenal. Once a tool to list the products …
Expand Your Business into a New Region
Want to expand your business (or overcome stalls in growth)? You might look to new markets to extend your reach …
How to Build Passive Sources of Income for Your Business
Most often, your revenue will come from delivering high-quality products or services to your customers. But, sometimes, you can boost …
Considering Discount Codes for Your Business?
A 2020 survey found that 88 percent of consumers in the United States used coupons or discount codes when shopping …
The Pitch: Keys to Winning Over Investors and Others
Most small businesses rely on outside sources of funding, especially when they’re starting up or ramping up to expand their …
Social Media Campaigns: How to Track Your Success
Using social media for your business is vital, but it’s not enough to simply post content. You need to track …
How Buying a Business Can Give You a Competitive Edge
As a business owner, you know the importance of growth. You may already be growing organically through increased awareness, by …
How to Hold Your First Board Meeting
One of the first things you’ll need to do after incorporating your business is arrange your first board meeting. This …
Learn to Delegate Business-Critical Tasks
Many small business owners find it hard to delegate tasks, not only because their business is a product of their …
Small Business Benefits: Your Guide to Getting Started
One of the best ways for your small business to attract and retain an employee is by offering them benefits. …
Conduct Your Own Competitive Analysis in Ten Simple Steps
Competitive analysis can help you identify your competitors, find out what and how they’re selling to their customer base, and …
Why You Need a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Purchase a Business
When you find a business you'd like to purchase, your attorney will draft a letter of intent (LOI) to indicate …
The Pros and Cons of Buying an Established Business
Before you decide whether buying a business is the right path for you, take some time to learn about the …
The Fundamentals of Buying a Business
Wondering how to buy a business? Many people do, especially when they see the benefits others have achieved by taking …
Help Your Customers Find Your Restaurant
Your site is selected. Your team is in place. You've got a killer concept and a menu to match. All …
How to Elect Your Business’s Board of Directors
Is your business a public company? If so, it will need a board of directors that represents its shareholders’ interests. …
How to Find Businesses That Are for Sale
Maybe you've heard about the benefits of buying a small business, and you've even decided which kinds of operations you …
Small Business Basics: How to Register Your Business with State and Local Governments
After selecting your business’s name and choosing its structure, you may need to register your business with your state and …
Best Practices for Employee Performance Evaluations
Does your business conduct performance evaluations for its employees? If so, your team is likely benefiting. Employee performance evaluations can …
Directories That Can Help Others Find Your Business
Yellow pages and Who’s Who lists may not be relevant for your business today. Instead, there are many other directories …
Small Business Basics: Attaining a Business Credit Card
Obtaining a business bank account is important, but you should also consider signing up for a business credit card to …
Why Choose Asset-Backed Financing?
There are many ways to finance a business. One that few business owners consider is asset-backed financing. Many banks and …
Studying Your Target Franchise’s Requirements
Every franchise has a set of requirements prospective owners must meet to begin the ownership process. In this article, you'll …
How to Find Franchise Opportunities That Suit Your Skills, Interests, Goals, and Budget
Many sites list franchise opportunities, making it easy for prospective owners like you to find and compare options. But, sometimes, …
Your Guide to Reading a Franchise Disclosure Document
When you're evaluating a franchise for purchase, one of the documents the franchisor will share with you is the franchise …
Build Your Customer Base through Collaborations
Of all the ways to grow your business, one of the simplest is setting up collaborations with people who work …
Why You Need to Develop Customer Personas
Businesses that excel in meeting their customers’ needs have one thing in common. They know their customers deeply. They understand …
Should I Buy a Distressed Business?
You can find distressed businesses in every industry. Some can be great opportunities, especially if they can be bought for …
Site Security: How to Protect Your Business Location
Theft and vandalism are two security problems that could drive up costs for your business. There are costs to replacing …
What You Need to Know to File Your Business’s Patent and Trademark Documents
If you’ve developed a unique product or a design, you should take steps to protect it. Filing for a patent …
Grow Your Business with a Franchise Model
Have you developed a business with a winning concept, solid strategy, and scalable model? You might consider franchising it. In …
Solution Finder: Tax Software
Business taxes can be challenging to navigate, but tax software solutions can make tasks like state and federal filings and …
Solution Finder: Payment Processing Systems
Almost every brick-and-mortar business—and those with on-the-go sales teams—needs a physical system for processing payments. When your team needs to …
Solution Finder: Customer Relationship Management Systems
With customer relationship management (CRM) systems, you can manage your customer data across every part of your business. Many of …
Small Business Financing 101: How to Use Your Retirement Account to Fund Your Small Business Startup
Many small business startups rely on loans for their early capital needs. But if the idea of hefty loans and …
Find a Great Location for Your Restaurant
Need a great location for your restaurant? Lots of factors come into play. To start, you'll want to be close …
Asset-Backed Financing for Franchise Owners
There are many ways to finance the purchase of a franchise unit. One that few aspiring business owners consider for …
Considering Franchisor Financing? Here’s What You Should Know.
Does the franchise you're considering offer franchisor financing? These programs are a popular way to cover the startup costs of …
How to Create a Logo for Your Brand
Your business’s logo screams a message about your brand. It tells your audience if you’re legitimate, demonstrates that you’re in …
Partnering to Raise the Capital You Need to Buy a Business
It can be expensive to buy a business. In many cases, the costs are far higher than a person can …
Small Business Financing 101: Estimating Startup Costs
What does it cost to start a business? It varies for every company, but having a guide you can depend …
Consider Using an SBA Loan to Buy a Business
SBA loans are one of the most commonly used ways to finance the purchase of a business. Named after the …
How to Formally Dissolve Your Business
If your business is organized as a partnership, LLC, or corporation, then you may need to file dissolution paperwork to …
Small Business Basics: How to Set Up Email Addresses for Your Small Business
Every small business needs an email address to communicate with customers, vendors, distributors, and employees. Many need multiple addresses, not …
The Reasons You Need a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Purchase a Business
When you find a business you'd like to purchase, your attorney will draft a letter of intent (LOI) to indicate …
Find an Accountant for Your Acquisition
You'll need to find a knowledgeable business accountant for any small business acquisition—and for all the work that follows. Here's …
