Displaying items by tag: Startup

If you want to open your own restaurant, be prepared for stiff competition. Here are three ways to make your establishment stand out from the pack....

Venita Walker never intended to run a business. In fact, when she signed on as a part-time Avon salesperson in 2010, her full-time job was managing a Cincinnati law firm. After coming up short on her monthly bills, Walker, a single mother of a 4-year-old son, decided to augment her income with a sideline gig.“I looked at Mary Kay, Avon, and other...

You don’t have to have a Harvard MBA to know that the economy hasn’t climbed out of its slump entirely just yet. Household debt has grown, unemployment remains relatively high, and Americans aren’t spending the way they once did.With all these obstacles, you’d think it would be the worst time to start your own business. But a struggling ec...

From going out too much to having too many founders, here's what you've been doing wrong.When you write and read about start-ups all day long, you see founders make a lot of mistakes.As an observer of and dabbler in start-ups, I've kept track of all the things I'd try to avoid as an entrepreneur.Here are the most common mistakes early stage...

There are many good reasons to pursue your dream of owning a successful franchise. For starters, when you buy a franchise, the idea and process of running that business has already been proven. However, owning a franchise is not guaranteeing success, but minimizing risk. After understanding the facts, and...

It's a question every business buyer faces. Here are five major differences between buying an independent business versus a franchise.Buying a small business is a major career step. One of the first decisions you'll need to make relates to the type of business you hope to acquire. Specifically, you will need to decide whether to buy an independent...

How to identify good timing and make the most of the opportunities it presents.Timing is everything. You’ve likely heard this said many times before, but a clear explanation of why is rarely forthcoming. And, since timing is so important, how can you identify and take advantage of good timing?New opportunities typically arise because of new...

These three stats reveal why now might be the best time to buy into an existing franchise.In a time of economic uncertainty, starting a new business can be scary. Entering into a market with the backing of a tried-and-true business model and brand recognition, however, can be slightly less nerve-wracking. Therefore, it's no surprise that for the...

Everyone has insecurities when doing something new. Here are three ways to build strength and be self-confident.New challenges and opportunities can be exciting, but they can also test your self-esteem. Whether you are launching a new business, stepping into a bigger management role or even representing a new product, you likely lack the...

Avoid these eight "traps," and your long-term success is assured.I recently received an e-mail from the motivational speaker and real estate investor Paul LeJoy. He's been wildly successful in real estate sales and has mentored and worked with dozens of entrepreneurs.In his e-mail, LeJoy identified eight pitfalls that lie athwart every pathway to...