Money
How Small Businesses Can Raise Money, Get Loans, Get Paid
5 Ways to Cut Costs Without Outsourcing
Outsourcing contracts are down 19 percent, according to this recent report, with many U.S. companies bringing operations back home. This is generally good news for the nation’s economy, but some …
Finance Expert Coaches Etsy Sellers in New Book
When Etsy launched in 2005, the e-commerce site turned thousands of hobbyists into professional craftspeople. Woodworkers, knitters, seamstresses, and others suddenly had a virtual storefront through which they could sell …
How to Kick Up Your Credit Score
No matter how large or small your business is, it’s important to have a great credit score — both for you and your business. Good credit scores are like money …
Do You Have Enough Savings to Retire?
The U.S. Small Business Administration warns that too many small-business owners today lack sufficient retirement savings. In fact, wage-earning or hourly employees are more likely to be well-prepared for retirement …
7 Ways to Sort a ‘Slow Pay’ from a ‘No Pay’ Client
It’s an all too common dilemma for small-business owners: How much time do you give customers to pay overdue bills before writing off your losses as bad debt? Deciding when it’s …
How Will the IRS Delay in Processing 2012 Tax Returns Affect You?
You’ve probably been following the recent federal tax law changes to determine how they’ll affect your small business. Whatever the financial impact, the IRS recently announced that it won’t start accepting …
In the Trenches: Managing Year-End Forms
A lot of good and bad comes with the end of the year. The good is reflecting back on our performance. The bad is doing all of the tax- and …
How to Grow an Artisanal Business
Many small-business owners rely on their personal skills and artistic sensibilities to produce the items they sell. That’s very satisfying, of course, but your “make one, sell one” approach will …
5 Tips for Shipping Products Cost-Effectively
“Choosing your company’s method of transportation is extremely important,” notes Inc. magazine. “The right mode of transport can lead to quick and efficient shipping and delivering, and happy customers, to …
3 Pricing Mistakes Your Small Business Should Avoid
It’s a conundrum for just about every entrepreneur: How do you set the right price for a product or a service? If you charge too much, you could inhibit sales. …
Fact Sheet: Your Business Credit File
If you’ve ever taken out a loan or a credit card on behalf of your small business, your company probably has a credit history similar to that of an individual …
How ‘Sellable’ Is Your Business?
Ever dream of selling your business for a profit? Or maybe you’d like to know what prospective buyers think of your company’s potential? Entrepreneur and angel investor John Warrillow developed …
Finding Optimism in a Pessimistic Economy
Entrepreneurs are generally an optimistic group, but a recent plunge in the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index suggests that small-business owners are more pessimistic about their operations now than they’ve …
Is Your Company Ready to Go Public?
More than 127 U.S. businesses held initial public offerings this year, up nearly 7 percent from 2011. Those IPOs raised more than $42 billion, with an average return of 16 …
10 Tactics for Dealing with Slow-Paying Accounts
Tired of waiting for checks from certain customers? Some accounts seem to take eons to pay their bills. For small-business owners who rely on cash flow, this can be a …
