Most people who step into the small business world have some idea of what they want to do. They’ve got a passion, some kind of inspiration that lights them up—and that can be a great starting point. The problem is, passion projects aren’t always profitable and that represents a huge barrier to success. When shaping […]
Creating a Plan
9 Fantastic Family Business Ideas That Are Easier Than You Thought
Who says you can’t mix business and family? Even though our families may drive us crazy from time to time, especially the no-filter uncle at Thanksgiving, there are plenty of business owners who have created startups with their families in charge. While coming together to act as one family may be easy, finding the perfect […]
Make Sure to Consider These Common Expenses When Preparing Your Startup
You’re almost ready to start your new business. You and your partners have come up with a killer idea for a company that you know your clients are going to love. You’ve even thought about what you’re going to name your brand, and how you can improve your chances of getting your product or service […]
7 Crazy Startup Ideas That Worked
I believe many people put way too much stock in the startup idea. Doing the business, doing the work, getting things done, and execution are all more important. Obviously a bad idea can make a business unsuccessful, but a good idea is no guarantee. And very few successful businesses are based on being the first […]
Thinking About the End User Comes First
Jack Davies is a product design engineer who believes that passion combined with an understanding of how the end user will interact with the product is the key to successful design. Davies says bad design comes from not truly understanding—and only assuming—how people might use a product. Watch the video to learn more about this […]
9 Important Goals to Hit in Your Startup’s First Year
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and have yearned to start your own business, now is the time. With the highest survival rate in over a decade, approximately 79.9 percent of startup companies are surviving their first year of operations. However, this is no small feat. As a business owner, you have to be very […]
11 Common Mistakes in a Startup’s First Year
Getting a company up and running is an exciting time. You likely have a strong passion for what you’re doing and a vision for where you’d like to go in the next few years. Everything is new, fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, you’re also inexperienced in running a new business and may make mistakes before you […]
Restaurant Industry Trends: What to Adopt and What to Not
Establishing and running a restaurant in the 21st century is not what it used to be. Even in the last decade, the industry has undergone tremendous change. Restaurant owners must be ready to adapt as their customers become increasingly knowledgeable, dine out more frequently and expect higher standards and a faster service. With a growing […]
Become a Pet-Friendly Business
Pets have always been our best friends, but now more than ever they can also be our business partners. The power of pets in our economy is strong and taking advantage of opportunities in pet culture can help build business. In the U.S., more than two in three households has a pet. That’s nearly 393 […]
Why It Pays to Focus Your Business on a Narrow Niche
Everyone in the business world has heard of the old bestseller by Geoffrey A. Moore titled “Crossing the Chasm,” but most entrepreneurs have no idea how it relates to them. In fact, it’s all about the “focus” required to get early stage technology products across the deadly chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers. Most […]
