Most Recent Questions
Question added to topic Home Based Business • June 17, 2011
Does a Home-Based Business Need a License?
Whenever you work from home, there are a number of legal considerations you will want to explore. The first is whether or not you are "zoned" to work from home. If you own or rent an... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • June 16, 2011
How Do I Have a Prototype Built?
You'd probably need to get the prototype built before you go to a manufacturer, unless you have a previous relationship with a company who is willing to work with you.
There a lot of... (more)
Question added to topic Money • June 10, 2011
How Much Should I Charge for My Service?
You need to work out what your numbers are on the expense side first, then determine what you bring in terms of value to the table to price your services accordingly. Since you are in the... (more)
Question added to topic Legal Basics For Startups • June 3, 2011
How Do I Start a Personal Training Business?
Many personal trainers do business under a name other than their own. For example, someone named Angela Smith may want to do business as "Body by Angela" or "Angela Smith Personal... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • June 3, 2011
How Do I Protect My Personal Assets?
There are two important steps you can take to protect your personal assets when starting a company. First, make sure you are operating as a corporation or a limited liability company. A local... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • June 2, 2011
Should I License My Product Idea for Royalty Fees?
If this is the type of arrangement you choose to make, you'll need to do a lot of due diligence. It's best to talk to people who have actually done this to get an idea of the "ins and... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 27, 2011
What's the Best Plan for Paying Back Investors?
What you're suggesting here sounds much more like a loan than an investment. Think of an investment as someone buying a percentage of ownership in your company in exchange for a sum of money that... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 26, 2011
We Launched. What's Next?
It sounds like everything is set. Now, you need customers.
Your next move will depend on what you're selling. Are you in a high "traffic" area? Do you have all the names and contact... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 23, 2011
How Do I Design a Prototype?
Start with your own industry and see if you can find someone who will build something for you directly, or can refer someone who can "freelance" for you.
You can also use the internet... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 17, 2011
Can I Protect My Idea Without a Patent?
This is a tough situation. Patents just aren't that protective anymore.
I own a corporation and I stopped signi (more)
Question added to topic Franchises • May 17, 2011
Can I Find an Investor for a Seasonal Product?
I'm going to assume that when you write "venture capital" what you really mean is an investor -- someone who will write a check in exchange for a share in your business. For the record,... (more)
Question added to topic Marketing • May 17, 2011
What Are the Best Ways to Advertise a Niche Product?
What kind of marketing support is the manufacturer giving you? Do you have any sales sheets? Do they do any social media or other forms of advertising?
Next big question: What's your... (more)
Question added to topic Grow Your Business • May 17, 2011
How Can I Attract More Customers?
It depends on several factors. Begin by asking yourself what makes your Internet cafe different or special. Is it the cool place to be because of the decor or music? Is it in a popular or... (more)
Question added to topic Marketing • May 17, 2011
How Do I Get Companies to Advertise on My Website?
The simple answer is by doing your homework and persevering. First, you have to know two things: What demographic markets comprise your 2,000 to 4,000 site visitors and what kinds of services they... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 13, 2011
How Do I Relaunch a Defunct Business?
Any time you want to launch or resurrect a business, you have a couple legal issues to consider when choosing a name. First, you want to be sure that the name is available with your state's... (more)
Question added to topic Grow Your Business • May 13, 2011
Can a Partial Partner Shut Down a Business?
Shuttering a business because the other partner won't pony up is a clear sign of discord. The partner demanding the contribution could either be trying to (unfairly) precipitate a rift, or could be... (more)
Question added to topic Starting a Business • May 12, 2011
How Much Does it Cost to Launch a New Product?
Numbers are the language of business. It is critical to "know your numbers" on the expense side before plunging into any business venture. You're talking about starting something... (more)
Question added to topic Marketing • May 9, 2011
How Do I Get Boutique Owners to Sell My Retail Product?
I would suggest a strategic mixture of all of the above.
Start by sending the owners on your target list some information about your company, such as your mission statement and any materials... (more)
Question added to topic Building a Website • May 6, 2011
How Do I Launch a Membership-Based Website?
Membership websites come in all shapes and sizes, and include everything from simple blogs that require a login to rich content sites with privileged access to premium content based on the status... (more)
Question added to topic Grow Your Business • May 6, 2011
Should I Change My Company's Name?
Any time you form a new company you are, essentially, starting from scratch in building up the business credit associated with that company. If you don't have a bank account or other credit... (more)
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