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Succession Planning for Small Business Owners
Owners who are the lifeline of their companies often have all the knowledge and connections their businesses need to thrive. …
How to Reduce Your Tax Liability When Selling Your Small Business
Taxes are an important factor in the sale of any small business. Here's why: Proceeds owners receive from the sale …
Small Business Basics: Attaining a Business Bank Account
Every small business needs a bank account. It's key for spending money on your business or accepting money from customers. …
Starting the Acquisition Process: The Right Ways to Connect with an Owner
Ready to take on the small business acquisition process? Your research, conversations with key industry players, and searches on business …
Preliminary Due Diligence: How to Evaluate a Business Before Buying It
It can be exciting to find a small business that meets your criteria for acquisition. But do you know how …
Your Go-to Guide to Equip Your New Coffee Shop
Thinking of opening a coffee shop? You'll need to set up your space so your team can create delicious drinks …
Best Practices to Optimize Your Production Line
Want to build smarter products, realize cost savings, or remove complexities? In this article, we share some of the best …
Incorporating Manufacturing Standards in Your Production
Manufacturing standards can help your business produce products in the most efficient, safe, and sustainable ways possible. Designed well, your …
Is a Distressed Business a Good Opportunity?
Distressed businesses exist in every industry. Some can be great opportunities, especially when they're purchased for a low price and …
Term Loans for a Business Acquisition
When it comes to funding a small business acquisition, loans are one of the most common sources of capital. Many …
Points to Keep in Mind When Paying Your Business Broker
Brokers play an important role in the sale of your business, and most are compensated when the work is complete. …
Solution Finder: Inventory Management Systems
Looking for real-time inventory visibility? There are lots of inventory management systems that can help you track what you have …
Your Go-to Guide for Financing an Acquisition
Have you thought about taking out a loan to buy a business? Many owners do. There are lots of loan …
Strategies to Collect the Money Your Business Is Owed Before Closing Your Doors
When you’re closing your business, one of the most important steps you should take is claiming your business’s outstanding accounts …
The Role You Might Play in Post-Sale Training and Support
When you transfer your business to a new owner, one of the terms of your sale may be to provide …
Solution Finder: E-commerce Platforms
If you’re considering selling products or services online, you need an online storefront that lets shoppers find your business, compare …
Assist the Buyer of Your Business Through the Due Diligence Process
Before making an offer for your business, most buyers will ask for a period of due diligence. This block of …
Small Business Financing 101: Venture Capital
When you’re looking into financing options for your small business, you may wonder whether venture capital should be part of …
What Kind of Insurance Do I Need for My Business?
Have you thought about the types of insurance your business will need? If you haven't, take time right now to …
Assess Your Skills, Interests, and Goals Before Searching for a Franchise Opportunity
If you're like many aspiring business owners, you know the benefits of opening and operating a franchise unit. But you …
Franchisor Training: What to Expect
After signing your franchise agreement, you can enroll in franchisor training. This is a program your franchisor may offer to …
Location Can Be the Make or Break Factor for Your Franchise's Success
Most franchisors provide their franchise unit owners with a territory in which they can own and operate a business. For …
How to Attain Financing for Franchise Construction or Renovation
There are many costs to starting a franchise unit. After the franchise fee, one of the most significant costs is …
Considering a Franchise? Here's How to Make a Smart Call.
Thinking of owning a business? Franchises make it easy, but it's risky to go after any opportunity without some careful …
It May Be Time to Update Your Business’s Logo
Over time, some logos grow stale. This is especially true for logos that lean heavily into a design element that’s …
Restaurant Loans and Other Ways to Raise Cash
Real estate, equipment, inventory, technologies, wages, and insurance are some of the many costs you’ll need to cover when starting …
Small Business Basics: Insurance
Have you thought about the types of insurance that are needed to protect your small business? If your business is …
Three Quick Tips Before You Accept an Offer for Your Business
If you’ve received an offer to buy your business, you might be eager to sign off, cash out, and move …
Solution Finder: Office Phone Solutions
For many businesses, phone calls are one of the first points of contact with customers. Few spend time thinking of …
Strategies to Increase Your Conversion Rate
Online presence drives sales for nearly every business, but having a site, a social media page, and Yelp reviews isn’t …
Consider Licensing Your Product or Process
Has your company developed a product or process that’s innovative, patentable, and useful to other businesses? Think about licensing it—especially …
Form Your Exit Team
When you’re closing your business, you’ll need to work through some legal, tax, and procedural concerns that can be overwhelming. …
What You Need to Know to Buy a Second Business
Want to buy another business? Many owners are making this smart move to grow and scale their current business, reach …
Small Business Basics: How to Attain a Mailing Address for Your Home-Based Business
Do you need a separate mailing address for your business? Many small business owners say yes. That's because there are …
Which Path to Entrepreneurship Is Right for You?
Wondering how to become a business owner? There’s more than one way to reach this goal. In this article, we’ll …
What Your Business Is Worth—and How to Sell It for More
Do you know what your business is worth today? Lots of factors weigh in. Sales, profitability, and growth trends certainly …
Post-Transition: The Actions You Need to Take After Buying a Business
You’ve spent months searching for a business to buy, pouring through financials, negotiating offers, and navigating financing. After buying a …
Ready to List Your Business? Presentation is Key.
Ready to list your business for sale? Whether you choose to sell it with a broker or go it alone, …
Looking for Buyers? Consider Your Employees.
Would you sell your small business to an employee? Could your employees lead your business? These are important questions to …
Solution Finder: Email Marketing Services
Email marketing continues to be a powerful way to reach new customers, stay in front of existing customers, and convert …
Keys to Capture Better Information about Your Customers
Do you collect data from your customers to drive sales? If you aren't doing it today, consider starting. This move …
Find the Right Attorney to Help You Sell Your Business
Before, during, and at the close of your business, you’ll need a lawyer to help you protect your business secrets, …
Solution Finder: Computers for Your Business
We’re all familiar with computers—most of us use them every day—but when it comes to understanding features like processing power, …
Confidentiality and the Sale of Your Business
Owners often wonder whether they should share the news of their sale with others or keep their plans to exit …
How to Appraise Your Business Assets
Once your business has fulfilled its outstanding orders and completed its jobs in process, you can begin to inventory, appraise, …
Issue Your Employees' Final Paychecks and Tax Forms
Most states have rules on when final paychecks must be issued. In some states, you’ll need to provide final paychecks …
Solution Finder: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
If you employ others—and plan to make more hires as you grow and scale your business—consider an applicant tracking system …
Reasons You Might Need a Franchise Partner
Is a franchise partner right for you? There are a number of reasons you might say yes. Let's dive into …
Evaluate the Asking Price of a Business
Two of the most difficult parts of buying a business are learning to evaluate the asking price and proposing a …
How to Write a Business Plan for Your Franchise
When you apply for an SBA loan, a term loan, or another form of financing, you may need to present …
Negotiate the Terms of an Acquisition
You’ve found a business that meets your criteria and you’ve vetted it with your accountant and attorney. Now, your focus …
Create a Business Plan That’ll Help You Attain Financing for Growth
When you apply for an SBA loan, a term loan, or seller financing for a business you plan to buy, …
Using an SBA Loan for a Business Acquisition
Many business owners take on an SBA loan to cover the costs of a small business acquisition. Named after the …
The Due Diligence Process for Business Acquisitions
In the due diligence process, you’ll review the ins and outs of the business you intend to buy. You’ll gather …
Should You Outsource Your Manufacturing or Produce Your Products Onsite?
Outsource manufacturing or produce on-site? You'll need to give this question some thought as you decide how and where you’ll …
Buying a Business That Isn’t for Sale
One of the best growth strategies for your current business—or to expand your investment portfolio—may be to buy another established, …
Small Business Financing 101: What Is Creditor Insurance?
When you take out a mortgage, loan, or line of credit for your small business, your lender may ask you …
Ask for the Reviews You Need to Help Your Business Grow
According to a recent study, nearly 90 percent of consumers now read reviews for local businesses as part of the …
Write a Business Plan to Finance Your Startup
If you're applying for a loan, grant, or another form of funding for your new business, you'll need to create …
Where to Start When Starting a Business
When you're starting a business, you need a plan—a checklist—that will help you stay organized and ensure that you're covering …
Develop a Business Plan That’ll Help You Attain Financing
When you apply for an SBA loan, a term loan, or seller financing to buy a business you’ll need to …
Selling Your Business? You'll Need a Busines Purchase Agreement.
One of the final pieces of selling your business is signing off on the business purchase agreement. Once your buyer …
Small Business Basics: Attaining a Business Bank Account
Ready to spend money on your business or accept money from your customers? If so, you'll need to take on …
Business Tours for Prospective Buyers
One of the ways prospective buyers will size up your business is by touring your site. In this article, we’ll …
Smart Strategies for Finding a Business Broker
When you’re selling a business, you might choose to work with a business broker, a professional who can market your …
Loans to Consider to Buy a Business
Loans are one of the most common sources of capital owners use to buy a business. Many banks offer three …
Buy a Business: The Sales Agreement
After you’ve found a business to buy, evaluated its viability, and negotiated its terms, your attorney will draft a sales …
What Earn Outs Mean for the Sale of Your Business
When you put your business up for sale, you might receive offers that include terms for earn outs. Earn outs …
Solution Finder: Website Analytics Programs
How is your website performing? We should all be asking this question on a regular basis, any time changes are …
How to Design and Print Interior and Exterior Signs
Roadside signs, building-mounted signs, and interior signs can help you make a great first impression for your business. In this …
Nine Tasks to Take on Before Buying a Franchise
Thinking of buying a franchise? You aren't alone. The number of people interested in this path is on the rise, …
Solution Finder: Shipping Services
If you sell products online, shipping and logistics will be an important part of your process. Lots of businesses work …
Steps to Get Certified as a Minority-Owned Small Business
Historically, minority business owners have been up against more challenges than others in building a successful, thriving business. Fortunately, the …
Checklist: Documents to Bring to Meet with a Business Broker
When you sell your business, your business broker will ask for a specific set of documents to create your listing …
Simple Strategies to Reduce Labor Costs
Labor cost might be one of your biggest expenses. And, if you're like many business owners, this could be a …
Pro Tips for Better Employee Onboarding
It can be exciting to add new employees to your workforce, especially those who care about your mission and show …
Which Business Expenses Are Tax Deductible?
One of the easiest ways to save your business money is to reduce your income tax bill. Doing this means …
Pre-acquisition Action Items: Steps You Must Take Before Buying a Business
Buying a business is a complex process. One of the smartest moves you can make is to spend time studying …
Solution Finder: Appointment Setting Applications
The best appointment scheduling app allows customers to schedule appointments with their favorite small business from their desktops or mobile …
How to Build a Customer Loyalty Program
You’ve likely heard the statistics: It’s much more cost-effective to keep past customers on your roster than go after new …
Solution Finder: Bookkeeping Systems
Every small business needs a bookkeeping system to record its financial data and transactions. These systems can help you manage …
What is Discovery Day and How Should I Prepare?
Discovery days are an event franchisors hold to showcase the business to prospective franchise unit owners. This event provides the …
How to Set the Right Prices for Your Products and Services
The formula to set a price is easy. First, sum up your costs per unit. Then, add a reasonable profit …
Considering New Product Lines? Start Here.
Planning to sell a new product? This move can help you enter new markets, offer new items of value to …
Your Go-to Guide to Setting Up Healthcare Benefits
Is your small business looking into health benefits? This could be a smart move. It's one of the most sought-after …
Retirement Plan Selection: How to Find the Best Option for Your Business
Lots of small business owners agree that retirement plans are an important tool for finding and retaining employees. Retirement savings …
Your Go-to Guide to Setting Your Salary
When you invest time, resources, and energy into your business, it’s reasonable to be compensated in return. But determining when, …
Your Go-to Guide to Business Trends
Trends can pay off in big ways for business owners ready to capitalize on them. Sometimes, being in the right …
Solution Finder: Restaurant Point-of-Sale Systems
Virtually every restaurant needs a table management system to collect payments and track sales. Restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems are robust …
Solution Finder: Business Loyalty Programs
It takes a lot to impress customers. You can offer a great setting, great prices, and a great experience, but …
Recordkeeping After Closing Your Business
Once you’ve closed your business, many of your obligations come to an end. Recordkeeping is not one of those obligations. …
A Step-by-Step Guide to Evaluate a Business Listing
Businesses listed on business brokerage sites often follow a specific format. It can be great to have this consistency—and benefit from …
Should a Commercial Bridge Loan Be Part of Your Financing Strategy?
When it comes to real estate purchases or improvements, many business owners find that they need fast access to capital. …
A Crash Course on Franchise Agreements
After reading the franchise disclosure document (FDD) and taking part in discovery day, you may be given an important document: …
Smart Play: Franchise Resale Opportunities
Sometimes, it's better to buy an existing franchise unit than start a new one. The benefits of these “franchise resales” …
Smart Play: Offering the Seller an Earnout
Some businesses look risky to buy. Owners make promises that can't be verified, or they make projections that seem too …
How to Renegotiate a Purchase 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 …
Every Startup Needs an Attorney. Here's Why.
An attorney can be an invaluable member of your team, especially as you work through the startup stage of your …
Using Authorized Signers for Your Business
As your business grows, you may need some assistance navigating the everyday tasks of operations, including signing checks, paying bills, …
The Mistakes You Must Avoid When Buying a Business
From overlooking key issues to making missteps in negotiations, most first-time business buyers make mistakes when buying a business. In …
