Category: Running a Business

Business Broker Fees: A Complete Guide for Small Business Owners

Several years ago, my business partner and I decided it was time to sell a website we had worked on for a number of years. This was the first time either of us had sold a business, and weren’t sure where to start. Tapping our professional networks, I connected with J. Money, who had sold his own website and now helps other business owners do the same.  His fee—a 10% success fee of the sales price—was well worth it to… Read More

Get Your Business Ready for Black Friday 2024

Black Friday is a big deal for small businesses, says Brittany Long, an email and marketing systems expert who is known as “The Queen of Evergreen”.  Last year, Black Friday promotions brought in more than six figures in revenue for her own business. And as someone who also teaches other business owners how to create effective email promotions (including Black Friday promotions) using AI tools, she’s seen her students get excellent results, too.  “Black Friday is a huge opportunity,” she… Read More

Do You Need a Business Coach or Mentor To Get to the Next Level?

“Initially I never thought I wanted or needed a business coach,” says Barbie Clemons, a licensed massage therapist and Gentle Scar Therapy Specialist, who owns Calming Waters Massage in Yarmouth, MA. “My business was going ok, no issues or problems and I seemed happy with the way things were.”  But a chance email led her to eventually work with three business coaches, who have helped her breathe new life into her business. “My income from teaching clients has increased 40%”… Read More

California Secretary of State Business Search

Many businesses call California home: including more than 1.7 million private-sector businesses and more than 3 million sole proprietorships, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.  If you plan to start a business in California, or if you want to do business with companies operating in the state of California, you can use the California Secretary of State's business search tools to access official information about your own business and other businesses registered in the state. Nav Technologies, Inc.… Read More

Small Business Saturday 2024: How to Maximize Marketing, Sales & Community Support

Small Business Saturday offers a once-in-a-year opportunity for small business owners to increase sales and build strong customer relationships.  Sheri Long is the owner of Sugar and Spice, a Las Vegas-based business that makes and packages boxes of gourmet chocolate peanut butter balls, while also serving as a workforce development site for young adults who have aged out of the foster youth system or those with autism and developmental disabilities. Small Business Saturday is the only retail event her business… Read More

How Banks Assess Credit Risk in 2024

When your business needs financing, you'll find that some of the best options require the most documentation. Why? It all comes down to credit risk. Banks and other financial institutions need to gauge the risk associated with lending to your small business.  Understand how lenders approach credit risk, and your business can improve its qualifications. What is Credit Risk? The term “credit risk” evaluates the risk of default; in other words, it tries to predict the possibility of losing money… Read More