If you're a small business owner applying for a loan or other credit, it pays to understand what lenders are looking for. From the point of view of the small entrepreneur the decisions that banks and other credit institutions make can often seem random. In fact, they are anything but.It's crucial to understand that lenders are not necessarily risk-averse. Providing credit has a built-in element of risk. By offering you credit they are, in effect,...more
No, this is not going to be a racy article, but it is a valid comparison of the topic at hand. For those who are native English speakers, that phrase in my title usually has to do with reproduction. That's a topic I want to discuss with you in your home business.When I got started thinking about my home business, I came from a technical background. I got to thinking about all the complex ways I would leverage my skills and setup a marketing...more
There are a myriad of things you must think about when opening any type of business whether it is a small business or a large corporation and one of those is how business law may affect you.Failure to pay attention to business and corporate law can land you in a world of trouble-both legal and financial. The good news is that you do not necessarily need to be a graduate of a fancy business law college or have a business law major to brush up on the basic ideas of small business law and corporate business law.If you've paid attention to the headlines lately, you probably know that employment law for business is one of the number one areas where you can get into trouble if you aren't up on all the employment laws and regulations. There are numerous laws that govern the employment of both regular employees and contract employees. Just for a broad overview, take a look at all the employment business laws you must meet: - Civil Rights Act of 1966. - The Equal Pay Act of 1963 - Americans with Disabilities Act - The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 - The Age Discrimination in Employment Act - The Equal Employment Opportunity Act - The Bankruptcy Act - The Occupational Safety and...more
Peer out of your office door, what's your secretary doing right now? If you answered surfing the internet, taking a nap, or reading a magazine, it's time to rethink where your money is going. In an ideal situation, a secretary would be paid for the work they accomplish and not for watching the clock. If is my theory that small businesses can save...more
So the time has come for you to purchase a home and take on home ownership.Home ownership will be perhaps the largest responsibility you ever take on in your life. But it will most likely be the most rewarding thing you ever take on in your life as well.But before you go out and buy that rake, snow shovel, and lawn mower to keep up with all of your...more
The DebtIn America, it is not only accepted that the majority of us are knee-deep in credit card debt, it is normal. Two generations ago it was just flat out wrong - a sin, to have any kind of debt at all. Today it is quite a different story and credit card debt is a mega, multi-billion dollar a year industry. The major credit card companies are eating it up like hotcakes and our credit reports are taking a lot of the heat. More than 75% of all college students are in credit card debt within their first year of school. From Sears to Visa to Diner's Club, people are adding to the debt stock pile that the distributors thrive off of. There are tens of thousands of websites that support and offer more to this enormous problem and it has got to stop! We have to draw the line individually, because there are no boundaries on the excessive spending in America.What's Really HappeningIt's even stated in the Bible - "The borrower is slave to the lender." In any case, where you have taken out credit on something; be it a car, mortgage, student loan, credit card, etc..., you are borrowing money. Not only that, but you are borrowing more money than you need. The average APR (annual percentage...more
A fundamental challenge of small business can be summarized as "too many tasks, too few people."Unlike large enterprises which can have whole teams devoted to limited tasks - think "Task force for the unification of stapler specifications and...more
Are you wanting to apply for a new credit card but feeling hesitant to perform the credit card application online? If so, you need not be concerned. Advances in the technology of secure e-commerce have made online credit card applications literally...more
Even with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in your credit report you can still qualify for a sub-prime mortgage. Once approved, you can then use your mortgage to improve your credit history, qualifying you for lower interest rates in the future.The Effects of...more
In 1996, in the movie Jerry McGuire, actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. made famous the phrase "Show Me the Money!" Ten years later, a variation of that command, now "Show Me the Data!" rings in conference rooms throughout the country. Managers far and wide, at...more
Things can change fast!Tactics will probably no longer dominate the public relations plan. Instead, when needed, they'll hopefully assume their properly limited role as the primary means for moving a publicity message from one point to another.But in...more
Sorry to remind all you died in the wool smokers but November was Lung Cancer Awareness month. But no don't click away - spare a few moments of your time, please .. If hard words on packets wash over you, let me put the financial case to you for...more