business plan Archives

7 Lessons for Entrepreneurs in the First Month of Business

Startups are all about innovation, but there is an overall formula for success that is not unlike that of any other business. Here are seven essential lessons every entrepreneur can complete within their very first...

byPiyush Jain

January 2, 2018

5 Ways to Refresh Your Business Plan for a Successful 2018

A new year is the perfect time to get a head start on refreshing your business plan. It’s also the perfect time to reflect on the passing year, consider triumphs and failures, and craft new...

byBrian Colling

December 29, 2017

3 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting Business Financing

The three best ways to increase your chances of getting financing for your startup are to: Know what lenders look for when determining if and how much financing they will provide Be prepared and professional...

byAnne MacRae

December 21, 2017

7 Common Non-Disclosure Contract Mistakes Startups Make

Of the many contracts that startups draft and execute, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are among the most common. Protecting intellectual property is a key concern, and thus, startups want to legally prevent employees, vendors and investors...

byCher Zevala

December 14, 2017

How to Set Yourself and Your Business Up for Success in 2018

Amid all the holiday revelry, days off and cookie consumption this December, make sure to carve out some time to spend setting yourself and your business up for success in the new year. Here’s a...

bySusan Guillory

December 13, 2017

Using Market Research to Create an Actionable Business Plan

Whether you are writing your business plan for investors or developing it for strategic purposes, including the right market research is critical. In fact, your market research is often the deciding factor regarding whether you...

byDave Lavinsky

December 13, 2017

How to Write a Business Plan: Tips from the Experts

For even the most organized and motivated entrepreneur, writing a business plan can be a daunting task. After all, your business plan is your first opportunity to make critical evaluations of your idea, and to...

byInstant Offices

December 3, 2017

7 Secret Weapons to Help You Bounce Back from Business Failure

When you’ve put all your time and energy into a business idea, seeing it fail can be a soul-crushing experience. It’s certainly not uncommon, though, and the rate of business failure gets higher with every...

byBlair Nicole

November 6, 2017

5 Questions to Ask Before Turning Your Side Hustle Into Your Career

Many people dream of turning a side hustle, hobby or passion project into a legitimate, full time job. In fact, according to a study done by Invoice2go, nearly half (47 percent) of those in the...

byGreg Waldorf

November 1, 2017

The One Essential Element Most Business Plans Miss

Every entrepreneur or business owner knows they need a business plan to raise money. What most don’t know, however, is the kind of plan that attracts funding. Such business plans have one element that others...

byDave Lavinsky

October 24, 2017

6 Lessons You Wish You Knew Before Owning a Retail Store

Owning a retail store can be very rewarding, but it can also be a tricky business to balance if you’ve never run one before. Even for an experienced retailer, there is a delicate balance between...

byNicole Walters

October 11, 2017

How to Prep Your Side Hustle to Become a Full-Time Business

For many entrepreneurs, there comes that inevitable moment where balancing a full-time job with a growing side hustle just can’t be done anymore. It is time to take the next step and transition out of...

byDeborah Sweeney

September 25, 2017

Advice for Young Entrepreneurs (from a Young Entrepreneur)

Growing up, it always irritated me when I would read books and hear about teenagers, as young as 13 and 14, making millions by starting their own business. I started my own landscaping business at...

byStephen M. Lowisz

August 12, 2017

How to Know if Your Strategic Business Plan is Out of Date

When you started your business, you probably put some work into a business plan. If you then looked for financing, you probably updated it at that point. Since then, your business plan has likely been...

byAnn Logue

July 31, 2017

How to Grow Financial Skill to Grow Financial Capital

No sugar coating, let’s start with tough talk A study of 2,500 entrepreneurial companies, conducted by Xero, found that 65 percent of business failures are due to financial mismanagement. Financial knowledge and accountability is a...

byStephanie Breedlove

July 13, 2017

4 Steps to Researching Your Startup Idea Before Writing a Business Plan

When you come up with a new startup idea, it’s natural to get excited. You want to get things moving quickly, and you start envisioning what life would be like if you were in charge of...

byAnna Johansson

July 3, 2017

7 Tips to Secure Financing for Your Small Business

Commercial lenders are conservative by nature. They want to know their money is secure. They need to be confident that the borrower will be able to repay the loan or that assets that can be...

byAnne MacRae

June 29, 2017

Why Your Business Plan Doesn’t Have to Be More Than a Page

If you didn’t go to business school, the idea of drafting a business plan might make your head spin. You envision a 20-pound document with terminology you can’t understand that essentially lives at the bottom...

bySusan Guillory

May 8, 2017

5 Compliance Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Starting your own business is a dream-come-true that comes with a long list of disclaimers. Yes, it’s exciting, but as most of you are well aware, it can also be a rough ride. One of...

byTodd Bryant

May 4, 2017

What You Need to Know About Taxes Before Starting a Business

Starting a business requires time and preparation, and preparing to meet tax obligations can affect many of the steps you must take when you open your business. In fact, you must deal with several items...

byJohn Milikowsky

April 18, 2017