Small Business Information

Small Business Information

Should I Franchise or Not?

A reader of one of my online sessions asked should he franchise his business or not. He had set up a service business and was getting ready to expand and wanted to know if franchising was a good potential strategy for this.

Franchises Must Meet Legal Definition to be an Actual Franchise

All franchises must meet the legal definition of a franchise no matter what they call it before it is an actual franchise. This is the Federal Trade Commissions take on the franchise rule.

Mattress Cleaning Business: How To Manual

A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if you have tried everything to contain your allergies, but feel like it is not enough. Instead of just purchasing the equipment to rid your fabric furniture and mattresses of allergens, you can also help others in your community to feel the relief and make a good income at the same time.

How to Start a Carpet Cleaning Company

Opening a carpet cleaning business is a great way to earn money as your own boss. This is a relatively simple business to start, with low overhead, and little experience required.

How to Profit from Business Consulting Opportunities

Business consulting opportunities might be just what your are looking for in a home based business.What do you do? Do you possess a mastery of your career? Are you articulate and able to convey ideas clearly? If so, you may be the perfect candidate for providing business consulting services.

Window Cleaning Business Case Study

How do window cleaning franchise businesses start? It is a fascinating case study indeed, as most all window cleaning businesses start from such humble beginnings; a bucket of water, a sharp entrepreneur and a quality squeegee. I never thought in a million years I would ever enter the Window Washing Industry.

Mini-Blind Cleaning Business, Case Study

Sometimes the simple businesses are the ones, which make good money. Take mini-blind cleaning for instance.

Truck Detailing Shop Business Case Study

As an entrepreneur you can learn a lot by following the real life case studies of other entrepreneurs. Often the text books in school leave out the beginning details and the juicy part of how it all comes together and is created out of nothing but a thought.

Carwash Franchisor Case Study

There are only a handful of car wash franchises in the world. This might offer some insight on how car wash franchises come into existence.

Home Based Franchise Case Study

Here is an interesting case study of a company, which franchised mobile car wash units. It started with the humblest of beginnings indeed.

Pressure Washing Business Case Study, Tractor Cleaning

So often small service businesses fail to exploit niches, which have little if any competition. I know as I built my companies we always tried to identify all the market niches and go after them.

Mobile Truck Washing, Case Study

Most folks in the pressure washing business are happier to do business cleaning concrete or flat work, because it appears to be easy. Some do both fleet truck washing and concrete, which makes sense.

Truck Wash Business Case Study

Often smart entrepreneurs look for out of the way businesses, things out of the mainstream but businesses, which have a good customer base and steady incomes. This is an extremely interesting story.

Boat Cleaning Business Case Study: Entrepreneurship 101

How do marine type businesses start? Have you ever thought of turning a hobby into a business? Let me tell you a story of how I got into the Boat Detailing Business when I started our in the car cleaning business which grew into a franchise system. So often we read in business books to study markets and develop business plans when in reality it does not exactly work that way.

Awning Cleaning Business Case Study: Entrepreneurship 101

It is most fascinating to study how entrepreneurs spot opportunity in the market place. "My name is Lance Winslow and I am a serial entrepreneur, I admit I am addicted and need help.

Asphalt Paving: Striping Your Parking Lot

As you may already know, asphalt paved parking lots do need maintenance from time to time. One known asphalt paving maintenance technique is to have your parking lot re-striped to add a nicer look to existing asphalt paving properties.

The Joy and Hazards Of Finding Your First Office

Q: I have outgrown my home office and need to find office space for me and two part time employees. I am really excited about opening my first official office, but never having rented commercial space before I don't know anything about how this process works.

SBAs 8(a) Program Can Help Some Companies Compete

Q: A friend told me that as a woman of Native American descent I might be eligible for a special SBA program that will help me start a small business. He said I could compete for government contracts through this program.

One Of The Best New Business Opportunities May Be Right In Your Home - A New Daycare Business

The day care industry is expanding. There are now more than 100,000 licensed child-care centers and 250,000 licensed family day care homes across the United States.

How to Handle Rejection When You Start an Office Cleaning Business

"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you."Thank goodness starting an office cleaning business isn't anything like skydiving! If you fall flat on your face, there's no chance that it's going to hurt that bad.

Debt Collection Techniques

Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be followed by businesses to mitigate the bad debt crisis:Sending a pre-collection letter. Hiring a collection agency.

11 Benefits of Starting a House Cleaning Business

One of the biggest fears people have about starting a house cleaning business is the fear of having no real security. But for natural entrepreneurs, security comes from designing your own life.

Employee Induction - Are you Inducting your People - A Practical How To

In today's fast paced marketplace it is easy to neglect the small important things!Recently we assisted an organisation prove they had complied with their obligations in inducting their employee. The employee tried to bring a claim for severe stress against the business.

Business Plans - What Consultants Don't tell You!

Do you have a Business Plan? Congratulations, but you are in a small minority. And if you have a plan, is it integral to your business, and instrumental to its growth? If the answer to this question is yes, then you need to read no further.

Your Business and the Story of a Tree; Part One

This morning, I went to take a short walk outside. I've been feeling a little more flexible since this weekend, and I figured a stroll would help me keep that liquid feeling in my bones that I've missed so much.

Mobile Detailing Expansion Considerations

Expanding your business requires you to take a good hard look at your business (checking under the hood). You need to ask yourself.

Fleet Washing Expansion Considerations

Many times small businesses want to expand their businesses and are not sure when the best time to do that might be. The key of course is cash flow.

Common Mistakes When Planning Your Medical Spa

Everything starts with a business plan: If you don't have one. Write it.

Don't Quit Before You Get to the City!

We were more than excited. Our women's doubles tennis team had won our division, successfully competed in three rounds of the playoffs and had emerged as finalists in the city competition.

Modern Clear Coats, Auto Detailers and visit to Lexus of North America

We visited Lexus USA, home of the Lexus North America Head Quarters to help us better understand the latest innovations in automotive clear coast. As professional auto detailers we must know our customers cars and finishes.

Pressure Washing Graders and Tractor Motors

When pressure washing heavy equipment each piece of equipment has a slightly different procedure to ensure efficiency. When a pressure washing company is bidding such jobs by the piece of equipment instead of the hour, they must be cognizant of this so they can maximize profits.

Sexual Harassment - Its just not on!

Sexual Harassment is a disturbing part of employment life in the modern era and is unacceptable! From junior clerk to boardroom it continues on in its various guises from seemingly harmless fun to stalking.In most countries there is comprehensive legislation that clearly prohibits this form of behaviour and puts business and individuals on notice that sexual harassment will not be tolerated.

Pressure Washing of Paving Equipment and The EPA

Many pressure washing companies will be glad to take on additional work when a company calls them up to come and wash, but the days of cleaning asphalt compactors, steamrollers, paving equipment with diesel fuel are gone forever. If you are caught doing it the old fashioned way it's a $1,000 fines in the United States, fist offense and you pay for cleanup.

Pressure Washing Heavy Equipment

One of the best ways to make money in the pressure washer business is to power wash heavy equipment. It is not necessarily easy work and you will get quite greasy but it is steady work and there is lots of it.

Presentations and Sales Automotive Detailers

Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I have often shopped the competition to see what their knowledge base was to gage their worthiness as a formidable competitor in the market place.

Trailblazer Interview with Diane J. Levin, Partnering Solutions

Today is a Red Letter Day! It's special because today is the first edition of the Trailblazer Interviews.You'll meet some of the most fascinating, talented folks in the ADR world who I call Trailblazers.

Starting a New Business in a Small Town

Q. I am a former pastor who left the ministry after sixteen years to spend more time with my family.

The Misconceptions of the Value Of Disclosures in Franchising

Disclosure laws in franchising are suppose to help the consumer. They don't.

Franchise Buyers from Hell

I ran a franchise company for many years, a car wash franchise, and we use to get the most ridiculous franchise buyers who thought they wanted a franchise. It seems we had to deal with these Kookoo birds because they have consumer rights and the Federal Trade Commission, which looks over franchising goes out of their way to let these consumers get away with these tall tales.

Bogus Investor and Consumer Complaints and Consumer Misrepresentation

Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission gets investor and consumer complaints. But how much of these are actually real? These agencies then act on such complaints and increase regulations.

More Resources

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FTC Report on Franchise Rule Making; What Purpose?
The Federal Trade Commission out of the blue decide in November of 2004 that they wanted to revamp the franchise and business opportunity rule; specifically addressing franchising. Now then, why now? To prove to the masses that the Federal Trade Commission is in control? After all it is nearly 10 years after the Federal Trade Commission considered revising the rule, before this report has surfaced again.

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How to Start an Office Support Service
Office support services can range from basic data entry to a fully-staffed office handling all the details of a client's business.An office support service company can start very small, offering only a limited selection of services and expanding as you gain the capacity to do so.

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Home Based Franchise Case Study
Here is an interesting case study of a company, which franchised mobile car wash units. It started with the humblest of beginnings indeed.

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11 Things Small Business Owners Can Learn From Rudy Giuliani
1. Leadership Is Learned - While many people appear to have an innate ability to lead, most learn from their life and business experiences, then put these lessons into practice.

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We Know Who THEY Are
Am I the only one that does not have an "A" button on my computer? I have looked on the keyboard, monitor and hard drive I can not find that darn thing anywhere. Nobody will tell me where it is.

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Your Business and the Story of a Tree; Part One
This morning, I went to take a short walk outside. I've been feeling a little more flexible since this weekend, and I figured a stroll would help me keep that liquid feeling in my bones that I've missed so much.

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Boston Suburban areas a good choice to run a business
BioTechs even with the latest news had shed over 1000 jobs two years ago, as it was reported by The Financial Times, WSJ, and Bloomberg that only 17 of the nearly 1300 BioTech firms were actually profitable. In 2002 the number of jobs were in the 30,000 range in Biotech.

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Tell Me The Reasons Why I Should Believe You?
Have you ever heard the phrase, 'PREPONDERANCE OF PROOF'?I recently heard it to describe a situation where a person was backed up against a wall (legally speaking) and needed a way out of the mess.The legal guy came in and said, 'I feel we may win this case'.

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Finding the PERFECT Alliance Partner
Where do you look for the appropriate alliance?One of the most asked question is "Where do you find a good alliance partner?" It is actually fairly easy. You can find potential alliances by taking some time to research potential partners.

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Computer Related Habits From Small Business Owner - Be Prepared, Avoid Despair
Aside from the fear of losing a spreadsheet or research project prepared for a client, what prompted me to write this article was the realization that it takes nothing short of persistent follow up to stay ahead of computer threats which could ruin my business. I also accepted the fact that keeping my computer free of viruses and spam is paramount to ensuring my computer is not going to harm others.

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Where To Get Money For a Franchise Idea
How often have you thumbed through a business opportunity magazine, noticed a franchise opportunity advertisement, and felt you'd really like to get in on that..

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Success Tips for Small Business Owners
Running a small business requires many skills. However, to do this successfully you need to organize yourself first.

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Knowledge is Power
Why does research and education play an important part of the business relationship?Have you ever attended a business briefing or meeting without reading the materials ahead of time? I know I certainly have, and I also know that I felt like a fool when asked a question. It was up to me to be informed about the meeting and to read the information, and I neglected to do so.

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Finance Your Small Business: So Much Money, So Little Time
$37.4 million funded from venture capital today.

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Age Old Marketing Technique Improves Business Plan Executive Summaries
Every business plan book tells you how the Executive Summary is your opportunity to provide a brief overview of your business plan; capture your readers' attention and imagination; and, summarize the plan's highlights and key selling points.So, why am I telling you these 3 things when you probably already know them?Because it's useless advice unless you employ one, not so obvious, age old marketing technique to make these points come alive.

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Are You Ready to Own and Operate a Business?
How often has someone thought of starting a business based solely on the fact they think it will be easier than working for someone else. Fact is, owning and operating a business can be one of the most grueling experiences you will have.

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Carwash Franchisor Case Study
There are only a handful of car wash franchises in the world. This might offer some insight on how car wash franchises come into existence.

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Common Sources of Financing for Small Business
The choice of financing is an important determinant of whether a product reaches the market, or whether an existing business can survive. The choice of financing is an important part of being an entrepreneur and business owner, and the ability to raise cash when you have no or limited history takes skill and creativity.

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Keeping a Partnership ALIVE and THRIVING
What are the best methods for keeping a good business relationship?Once you have a business relationship in place, you need to work on that relationship to keep it intact. As a matter of fact, people nurture their business relationships more than they do their families! The first and most obvious method is to follow up with questions and requests in a timely manner.

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Choose Your Own Guru
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.

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