Small Business Information


Franchisor Prospect Checklist Sample Form


Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and the litigation it is important to keep impeccable records. From the first phone call, email to the signing of the franchise agreement everything should be documented.

Mobile Car Wash Market Opportunities in California


The current lack of industry leaders represents an exceptional opportunity for a large and organized mobile car wash company to achieve regional domination and eventually dominate the Southern California carwash market. The best place to start a regional assault on this market would be to concentrate North and West of Los Angeles; Chatsworth and Simi Valley to Malibu and Tarzana to Santa Barbara.

Temporary Staffing Agency: How to Start


The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit growth being commonplace. Companies find it convenient and cost-effective to work with a temporary staffing agency to fulfill unforeseen demand, fill short-term vacancies, and assist with changing workloads due to restructuring or mergers.

Packing Material Thats Cheap!


Shipping materials can be expensive! Even the styrofoam "peanuts" can cost a great deal. Here's a great idea for packing paterial that is bio-digradable, easy, and best of all.

How to Curb Antique Shop Theft Inexpensively


If you have ever had your antique shop or mall ripped off, you understand that it's very hard to detect. There are simply so many items to keep track of, and an item can be missing literally for months and you may not realize it.

Going Public by Way of Regulation D (504) Offering


Under the Securities Act of 1933, any offer to sell securities must either be registered with the SEC or meet an exemption. Regulation D (or Reg D) provides three exemptions from the registration requirements, allowing some smaller companies to offer and sell their securities without having to register the securities with the SEC.

Are You Making the Most of Your Intern?


KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of the program. Interns like direction, but don't like to feel they are being constantly checked on.

Beginning an Internship Program


CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR INTERN: Specify the number of hours the intern will be needed each week. Will specific hours be adhered to, or will the schedule be more flexible? Applicants want to know up front what they will be paid, if anything.

Implementing an Internship Program


CONSIDERING COMPANY NEEDS: In identifying your needs for the internship, you need to examine the chief responsibilities of the position. And the broader they are, the more flexibility you will be giving yourself and the intern.

Internships: Good for Everyone


Many job applicants want a job but often do not have the prerequisite experience, experience that they can only have by getting a job. Managers who take the chance and hire them may have to spend considerable time and effort training them, only to find the new recruits unsuitable or unhappy with the jobs and looking for employment elsewhere.

Janitorial Cleaning Service: Getting Started


A janitorial cleaning service is one of the best businesses for a hardworking, blue collar person to start from scratch. Every business and every building needs to be cleaned once in a while - in some cases, many times each day.

There Is Security in Change... But Use Caution


It has been said that the only constant is change. That statement, while true for everyone, it is especially true for those engaged in business activities.

Consistency with Janitorial and Cleaning Businesses


Consistency is a huge word when operating your business. I believe it is one of the key ingredients to success.

Do Your Best; Hire the Rest


One of the hidden perks of raising six children is the learning laboratory it provides for the parents. My wife and I have learned how important it is to teach our children to do things for themselves and become problem solvers.

Start a Resume Writing Service for Profit


The resume writing service serves an important role in the economy. Many qualified candidates have a difficult time marketing themselves to employers and turn to a professional writing service for assistance.

Buy a Flower Shop: Serious Considerations


You've always liked flowers and you think the idea of turning emotions into floral expressions sounds like tremendous fun. You are between careers and have been investigating business opportunities in your community.

How To Start A Blind Cleaning Business Quickly And Easily


Starting the blind cleaning business is one of the best marketable business ideas you could latch on to. If you give the requisite amount of time and dedication, there will be no cap on your earnings.

Small Business 101: Deadly Ignorance


American small business is again in transition. Many employees, now working from home, are no longer tied to a geographic office and the woes of commuting.

Five Quick Ways to Speed Up Cash Flow


At one point or another, almost every business runs short of cash. Whether due to normal fluctuations in demand or an unexpected decline in sales, cash shortfalls are the bane of every company, and are responsible for sleepless nights for many business owners.

Lack of Vigilance Can Harm the Bottom Line


The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the fat out of costs.Cost cutting and profit increases can amount to much the same thing if handled correctly.

Reaping the Rewards of Cost Cutting


In these days of insecurity and uncertain futures, the tendency is to manage for survival but the smart business leaders are actively hunting for profits.And they are doing this without launching costly new initiatives or major capital investments.

50 Ways to Save Money


There are countless ways to save your business money. Unfortunately, many Australian businesses are overlooking them, or simply don't have the time to go searching them out.

Are You Running Your Business or Is Your Business Running You?


Being a small or home-based business owner can be loads of fun and very rewarding.You may have decided to go into business because of your need for personal freedom or to fully unleash your creative genius.

Top Ten Blunders Business Owners Make


In today's marketplace the words 'job security' have become an oxymoron. So more and more people are venturing on their own.

Motorcycle Detailing Procedures Manual Sample Outline


If you are a motorcycle detailer and need to expand your business you will need to have several crews working for you. Each team will need a team leader and/or manager.

Aircraft Washing Service Operations Manual


Anyone who is serious about washing aircraft as a full time profession should be prepared to write a manual, which will insure proper procedures are followed during the washing process. Each crew team leader and manager should be well versed and trained in washing each type of aircraft.

Fleet Washing Operations Manual Sample Outline


In the Truck Washing Business every single type of vehicle is washed differently. If you are going to run a mobile onsite fleet washing business with multiple trucks in multiple cities you will in fact need a comprehensive manual to keep your crews and equipment running at an optimum.

Carwash Manual Sample Outline


Car wash businesses are unique to other businesses. In fact they are about as unique as the many different type of vehicles one is asked to wash.

Quality Controls for Franchising Companies Sample Outline


Quality control in franchising companies is paramount and all franchising companies must have strict guidelines to insure consistency. To insure this takes place throughout your franchise system you must make this a policy in your confidential operations manual.

Mobile Pressure Washing and Cleaning Scheduling


If you own a mobile car washing, pressure washing or auto detailing business you know that when your crews and machines are parked and working that you are making money. You also know that when those units and crews are driving or stuck in traffic you are losing your shirt in costs and inefficiencies.

Franchising and Royalty Payments


If you are thinking of turning your current into a franchising company you will need to determine a fair and equitable franchise royalty fee. There are a number of questions you will need to ask yourself in determining this fee such as what services you will provide to your franchisee team and what that will cost.

Banking and Company Credit Card Policies for Small Business


Does your small business have a banking and credit card policy? If not, perhaps you might wish to think on it. Developing such policies and procedures is not a difficult task.

Accounting and Billing Procedures for Small Business


No matter how small your small business is, it is essential to have some sort of accounting and billing police and methodology. This will prevent you from making mistakes and upsetting vendors or even bouncing checks.

Equipment Maintenance Manual for Mobile Cleaning Business Outline


Service Cleaning Businesses must maintain their equipment in order to insure it is ready to go when the company vehicles reach their customer. It does not matter how many service vehicles or employees you have, a manual can save you both time and money.

Competition Relations in Auto Detailing


There is significant competition in auto detailing and car washing. Even more between types of cleaning businesses, as each company attempts to expand into other services which are the mainstay of similar business models.

Combating Over Regulation of Small Business


Many small businesses do quite well due to the blood, sweat and tears of their proprietors. Unfortunately in doing to well often you find that the competition uses the government to attack you.

Franchising Companies Relationship Strategies


Franchising Corporations need to maintain an iron fist when it comes to certain things in order to maintain absolute integrity of the system; Consistency, Quality, Cleanliness and Customer Courtesy or Service. Ray Kroc in his book; "Grinding it Out" made that point perfectly clear, some called him a hard ass on the details and indeed it served him well and turned 11,000 franchisees into millionaires along with some 1500 executives early on.

Employee Relations Manual Sample Outline


Most smart entrepreneurs and all large corporations have Employee Relations Manuals. Nearly all businesses with over five or more employees have some sort of employee manuals but not all have Employee Relations Manuals for their managers.

Community Relations Strategy for Small Business


Does your company have a community relation strategy? Have you even considered it? It is essential to have policies in place. Having run a small business for years which eventually turned into a multi-state franchise system, I realized early on that a business who is part of the community it serves can survive the ups and downs of the business cycles, making it somewhat recession proof.

Does Your Company Have a Business Image Manual


Every business regardless of size needs a "Business Image Manual" to protect their band. Even the smallest companies with only a few employees is well served when there is a business image manual in place.


More Resources


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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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'.
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.
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.
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..
Success Tips for Small Business Owners
Running a small business requires many skills. However, to do this successfully you need to organize yourself first.
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.
Finance Your Small Business: So Much Money, So Little Time
$37.4 million funded from venture capital today.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Choose Your Own Guru
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.

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Business Relationships Defined
What makes a business relationship?What really makes a business relationship? This may be very hard to define as it goes beyond just meeting the person and chatting about something you have in common. A relationship is developed over a period of time and usually does not happen instantly.
How to Start a Paper Shredding Business
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It is estimated that 78% of all small business start-ups fail within the first twelve months years, and long-term survival is likely for only 22% of all new business start-ups.At the same time huge corporations with seemly vibrant trade suddenly close their doors.
Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Number for Your Business?
Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Number for Your Business? The answer is YES! If you run a home business, whether it's a direct sales business, a part-time venture, or if you work full-time from home, if you don't have a toll-free number, you could be leaving money on the table.Studies show that a potential client is 50% more likely to contact a business who has a toll-free number.
Measuring Your Way to Success
Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews yet your ratio of speaking to return rate is not where you would like it to be? Perhaps you are a trainer whose delivery is complimented time and again, and yet you are only being asked by 10 to 20% of the clients you see for a repeat performance?Are you starting to think that there is something wrong with your message or delivery despite the rave reviews? Maybe you were wondering if your fee is too steep. That may be a valid concern when organizations are faced with discretionary spending, but the rule of thumb is that you are only charging too much if more than 1 in 5 people complain about it.
How To Get Slightly Famous in Print
Early in my career, I wrote an article for a small business magazine about self-publishing as a marketing tool for businesses. Because I specialize in helping businesses get into print, the article only took a few hours to write.
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Marketing a New or Small Business on a Budget
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How to Find A Group that Needs Speakers
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