You can obtain an ISBN through R.R. Bowker, the U.S. ISBN agency. It is responsible for assigning ISBNs as well as providing information and advice on the uses of the ISBN system to publishers and... (more)

Wow, tough situation, tough question to be asking. There isn't a book somewhere that has this kind of thing written down. Ownership normally starts with shares, like shares of stock, even in small... (more)

You're way off. Cash flow is about flow and timing: Factors like how fast you pay and how fast you get paid are vital, but you know nothing of that by just knowing the sales, costs and expenses.... (more)

Your budget doesn't stand alone. It fits your strategy. Prepare a sales forecast you can live with, and then a cost of sales and expense budget to make sure you have enough money to cover costs and... (more)

Pricing is magic. It's a combination of common sense, knowing your costs, understanding what drives your customers and making the deal a good value for everybody in the chain. Standard margins... (more)

Not knowing what industry you are in, my general answer would be to go to a competitor and arrange some sort of vendor finance where you could get paid back over the next two to three years. I... (more)

For this type of business, you can determine a trend per dollar sold. Once you know your approximate level used per dollar level of sales, you can benchmark it and use it as a foundation for sales... (more)

You really want to be in a space occupied by a supermarket or dry cleaning business or other renters that generate good foot traffic, preferably in the type of demographic you are trying to target.... (more)

Professional limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships and professional corporations/associations can permit you to structure different tiers of ownership interests. You can... (more)

Look at your current database as your greatest asset and keep your new brand under the existing business for the time being--but only if it is truly complementary to your current product or service... (more)

Sounds like you have a big mess on your hands. I'm impressed that you've been able to operate without his share of the revenue. How much longer will the company be able to operate without these... (more)

You can certainly have three brands within the umbrella of a single company. You'll need an attentive and bright bookkeeper to set up your books to account for the three lines of business... (more)

Generally, when you form a not-for-profit entity, you have to state the specific public purpose of the entity--for example, "a clinic to provide medical services at no charge to people living... (more)

Start out small and do it yourself from your own store. You've got a retail advantage over someone in his or her home kitchen who doesn't have any retail "shelf space" whatsoever. Then... (more)

First, realize you are still a relatively small company and too much emphasis is being placed on a seeming need for titles. The real need is to generate business and to draw up an organizational... (more)

Start out small and do it yourself from your own store. You've got a retail advantage over someone in his or her home kitchen who doesn't have any retail "shelf space" whatsoever. Then... (more)

Good question. There are several ways to determine where your fees fall. If there's an industry association, that's a good place to find out the range of fees in your area. Your local chamber of... (more)

Government agencies typically require a traffic study when there is controversy with a neighborhood group about your project or your development needs to go through an environmental review process.... (more)

I've been in business for 17 years. I've hired independent contractors as stylists and also hourly people, which ends up costing more. How do I make this work? I've owned two salons at times, but... (more)

Yes, a price restructuring is needed. With an overall environment of inflation (i.e., a rise in the cost of basic goods and commodities, especially fuel), it's expected and understood that... (more)