Business and Franchise Articles

• 05.15.12 - Five mistakes people make when deciding if the ROBS structure is right for them

  Five mistakes people make when deciding if the ROBS structure is right for them - The usage of rollovers for business startups, or ROBS, is growing at a rapid pace and sadly, many financial professionals attempting to provide oversight don’t properly understand the ERISA and Internal Revenue Code guidelines. Working with inexperienced firms comes solely at the retirement plan owner’s risk and can easily be avoided by working with a reputable, experienced firm.

   

• 05.04.12 - The Importance of Having Business Mentors

  The Importance of Having Business Mentors - Most successful entrepreneurs have great confidence in their abilities. They are comfortable making decisions with imperfect data and willing to own the outcomes. The good ones, however, understand that they “don’t know what they don’t know” and that others pose experience and skills that they do not.

• 05.03.12 - Examining various at-home business options for entrepreneurs

  Examining various at-home business options for entrepreneurs - Going into business for yourself gives you the flexibility to take your business wherever you want and certain entrepreneurial endeavors are particularly well-suited for working from home.

   

• 05.02.12 - Planning ahead before opening a fun, exciting bar

  Planning ahead before opening a fun, exciting bar - Many people who enjoy nightlife choose to pursue their entrepreneurship dreams by opening a bar.

   

• 04.20.12 - Starting a coffee shop and improving its chances of success

  Starting a coffee shop and improving its chances of success - With adequate business funding, you can work toward your goal of opening a coffee shop.

• 04.17.12 - Seeking beneficial resources as a woman in entrepreneurship

  Seeking beneficial resources as a woman in entrepreneurship - More women are trying their hand at business ownership in an effort to explore their passions while making a living - a trend that is supported by increased rates of higher education.

• 04.16.12 - Examining the primary causes for business failure

  Examining the primary causes for business failure - When starting a business, there is a high risk that the enterprise could go under.

   

• 04.17.12 - What it truly takes to run a business

  What it truly takes to run a business - Before you make the leap into business ownership, it’s a good idea to ask yourself some tough questions to make sure you’re up to the job.

• 04.10.12 - Employee or Entrepreneuer: Predicting Your Success as a Business Owner

  Employee or Entrepreneuer: Predicting Your Success as a Business Owner -

  Do you dream of being your own boss? Fantasize about making heaps of money and setting your own hours? If so, you’re not alone. As many as 70 percent of the individuals who seek help from a business broker or franchise consultant have the same dream, but many will never achieve it because of one thing: fear.

• 04.10.12 - Examining the startup costs associated with opening a beauty salon

  Examining the startup costs associated with opening a beauty salon - Many people who have a passion for hair and beauty choose to turn their interests into a full time job.

• 04.04.12 - The best locations to start a business and experience growth

  The best locations to start a business and experience growth - When starting a business, it's important to make sure that you have a viable location where you can attract customers, boost sales and maintain your overall bottom line. 

• 04.03.12 - Familiarizing yourself with common restaurant ownership mistakes

  Familiarizing yourself with common restaurant ownership mistakes - Many people who have a passion for food and an interest in entrepreneurship choose to use business loans to open up restaurants.

• 03.23.12 - ROBS: Paying Yourself a Salary

  ROBS: Paying Yourself a Salary - The result is:  An aspiring entrepreneur or franchise owner launches his/her new business through a cash investment by their retirement plan.  Thus funded, the new business is not responsible for monthly payments which accompany interest-bearing small business loans. The business now can also offer participation in the company’s 401(k) plan to his/her employees—a rare and highly attractive benefit in today’s tight economy.

• 03.23.12 - Preparing to open a bed and breakfast as a budding entrepreneur

  Preparing to open a bed and breakfast as a budding entrepreneur - Starting a business is something that many people dream of doing.

• 03.22.12 - Using the World Wide Web to start a business or buy a successful franchise

  Using the World Wide Web to start a business or buy a successful franchise - If you're interested in starting a business or purchasing a franchise to enter the realm of entrepreneurship, you might want to look to the World Wide Web for assistance.

• 03.21.12 - Finding Financing through Peer-to-Peer Networks

  Finding Financing through Peer-to-Peer Networks - Peer-to-peer loans are a relatively new small business financing vehicle, and already a few peer-to-peer loan communities are flourishing online. Here’s how it works. Peer-to-peer platforms are composed of a collection of investors who make loans available to borrowers. In effect, each investor is considered a “micro-lender.”

• 03.19.12 - ROBS: Misconceptions, Misrepresentations and Lots of Hot Air

  ROBS: Misconceptions, Misrepresentations and Lots of Hot Air - Early on, skeptics said that large numbers of people would never invest their IRA or 401(k) into a business or franchise, yet we have helped more than 5,000 people in all 50 states invest more than two billion dollars through Rollovers for Business Startups (ROBS).

• 03.07.12 - How to get what you want from lenders and banking institutions

  How to get what you want from lenders and banking institutions - When aspiring business owners and franchisees need funding, they can turn to nontraditional sources of credit or they can look to banking institutions for assistance. When approaching a traditional lender, it is important that an entrepreneur puts his or her best foot forward.

• 02.07.12 - Managing your cash flow efficiently to avoid financial pit falls

  Managing your cash flow efficiently to avoid financial pit falls - Once you begin your business and start making money, you'll officially have a steady income that needs to be managed on a regular basis.

• 02.06.12 - Calculating a break-even analysis to avoid financial mishaps

  Calculating a break-even analysis to avoid financial mishaps - Although entrepreneurs might have enough initial funding to launch a small business, this money can quickly start to dwindle when they have to start paying for both fixed and variable costs.

• 01.23.12 - Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Business Right Now

  Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Business Right Now - In today's economic climate, some may be afraid to open a business, but really now is the perfect time!

• 01.12.12 - How to make the most of the interviewing and hiring process

  How to make the most of the interviewing and hiring process - It can be nerve-wracking to hire your first employees once the burden of handling daily responsibilities becomes too much for you as an entrepreneur.

• 01.10.12 - Researching the competition to improve your business

  Researching the competition to improve your business - You may find it hard to focus on much else other than your own company when operating or starting a business or franchise, but looking outside of the box is the first step toward making sure you're a prominent player in your industry.

• 01.09.12 - Avoiding business plan mistakes when working out the details

  Avoiding business plan mistakes when working out the details - Before starting a business or franchise, it's important to have a viable business plan in place to guide you along the way.

• 01.06.12 - Fine-tuning your leadership traits when starting a business

  Fine-tuning your leadership traits when starting a business - In order to find success as an entrepreneur when starting a business, it's important for you to embody key characteristics of a good leader.

• 01.05.12 - Creating an emergency plan for your business or franchise

  Creating an emergency plan for your business or franchise - When starting a business or franchise, how you're going to prevent your company from going under in the event of a natural disaster is likely the last thing on your mind.

• 01.04.12 - Market research tactics put startup financing to good use

  Market research tactics put startup financing to good use - Market research has been used by new and existing companies of all sizes for many years.

• 01.03.12 - Using social networking to make things a little easier when starting a business

  Using social networking to make things a little easier when starting a business - When starting a business or a franchise, it can be difficult to build a network that you can rely on when you need a little help maintaining your bottom line.

• 12.30.11 - Raising money for startup financing in 2012

  Raising money for startup financing in 2012 - Starting a business is impossible without the appropriate amount of funding, but sometimes startup financing is not easy to come by.

• 12.23.11 - The startup financing all-stars of 2011

  The startup financing all-stars of 2011 - Each year, a number of new business ventures come to prominence, and 2011 was no different. A few businesses garnered great attention from investors and became the hottest startup financing success stories of the year, according to Business Insider.

• 12.13.11 - Calculating personal finances and expenses prior to starting a business

  Calculating personal finances and expenses prior to starting a business - Whether you're starting a business or buying a franchise, it's important to get your personal finances in order prior to launching your big idea.

• 12.12.11 - Taking precautionary measures to avoid early business mistakes

  Taking precautionary measures to avoid early business mistakes - As a small business owner, it can be difficult to know which route to take when you're approached with a big decision.

• 12.08.11 - Hiring the right employees after starting a business

  Hiring the right employees after starting a business - With passion and a little bit of training, entrepreneurs are often motivated enough to keep themselves afloat during the early stages of starting a business.

• 12.07.11 - Gaining and maintaining an edge on the competition

  Gaining and maintaining an edge on the competition - Whether you're just starting a business or you've been in the industry as an entrepreneur for years, it's important to keep up with the competition in order to maintain your overall bottom line.

• 12.06.11 - Engaging in social networking to benefit your business

  Engaging in social networking to benefit your business - There are a few ways that you can expand your online presence quickly and efficiently, and one of them is social networking.

• 12.05.11 - Silicon Valley not alone in supporting tech startups

  Silicon Valley not alone in supporting tech startups - While California's Silicon Valley is known for attracting a host of startup companies in the technology sector, Entrepreneur magazine reports that many are finding a home in Montana's Gallatin Valley and many other locations.

• 11.28.11 - The advantages of taking the time to create a marketing plan

  The advantages of taking the time to create a marketing plan - When starting a business or a franchise, it's important to know how to make the most of your investment, especially if you're using your retirement funds.

• 11.22.11 - Examining the benefits of declaring your business a C corporation

  Examining the benefits of declaring your business a C corporation - When starting a business, there are a number of different things to consider when declaring the type of company you are going to operate.

• 11.21.11 - Adhering to advertising laws as a small business or franchise owner

  Adhering to advertising laws as a small business or franchise owner - Whether you're thinking about starting a business or franchise, there are some laws that you must abide by when it comes to advertising your goods and services.

• 11.17.11 - Calculating start-up expenses prior to launching a business or franchise

  Calculating start-up expenses prior to launching a business or franchise - If you're interested in starting a business or opening a franchise, chances are you already know that it's no easy task to stay afloat an entrepreneur.

• 11.16.11 - Choosing a business structure

  Choosing a business structure - If you choose to go the other route and incorporate your business, the SBA says that there are numerous benefits that come with doing so.

• 11.14.11 - Creating a detailed plan before starting a business

  Creating a detailed plan before starting a business - Whether you have experience in starting a business or you're entering entrepreneurship for the first time, it's important to develop a detailed business plan.

• 11.14.11 - Creating a business name that will attract consumers

  Creating a business name that will attract consumers - Starting a business or a franchise for the first time can be exciting, but there's a large amount of preparation involved when it comes to making sure your company has a shot of staying afloat after the first year of operation.

• 11.10.11 - Three startup business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs

  Three startup business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs - If you're interested in starting a business but don't know where to begin, you're not alone.

• 11.07.11 - Questions to ask yourself before starting a business

  Questions to ask yourself before starting a business - Although you might be interested in starting a business or buying a business, there are a few things you need to know before moving forward with your plans.

• 11.07.11 - The Benefits that come with Buying a Business and Franchising

  The Benefits that come with Buying a Business and Franchising - After working in the same field for years, some people may eventually decide to take a leap of faith and open up their own business.

• 07.01.10 - ROBS: Is an appraisal necessary

  ROBS: Is an appraisal necessary - Rollovers for Business Startups (ROBS) have become increasingly popular as a viable way to fund a startup. In this type of transaction, an individual invests up to 100% of their existing retirement funds into a small business or franchise without taking a taxable distribution or getting a loan. At Guidant Financial, we call this ROBS financing structure iFinance.