The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)'s 7(a) loan program is the most popular source of small business financing backed by a federal guaranty. Loans can be approved for amounts up to $5 million, with maturity rates from 10 to 25 years, and average APR rates of 6.30%-10%. Since SBA 7(a) loans have strict requirements, a majority of small business owners do not get … [Read more...]
Starting Your Own Business – What is the Hold Up?
“Women make me the most money.” This is the abbreviated headline from a March 22, 2018 CNBC article featuring an interview with millionaire investor and Shark Tank celebrity, Kevin O’Leary. I follow the Shark Tank show in moderate gusto, due to my significantly limited TV watching time. It's always an experience to see the "Shark" investors in their world, deciding with … [Read more...]
Franchising – Is It Right for You?
Franchising is a great way to start a business without having to start from scratch. An established and reputable franchisor will help you with everything from operations, legal, and finance to marketing, sales, and human resources. Since many aspects of running a business might be outside of your expertise, franchising makes it a lot easier to become a business … [Read more...]
Business Planning is a Business
Starting a business seems easy enough. Obtain a business license and do what you like forever all while making money. Sounds like a dream come true. That’s pretty much what I thought when I started my first business 10 years ago. No, I wasn’t quite that naive, but I did think it would be easy. It was far from. There were easy parts of course, building the website, marketing, … [Read more...]
Social Media Business Pages vs. The Traditional Business Website
I had someone recently ask me, "Do I need a website of my own since I already have an active social media presence?" The short answer: No. A website isn't a requirement, no different than any other marketing medium. You’re the boss, and you’ve earned the right to decide what marketing strategies you’ll pursue and what marketing strategies you won’t. It all boils down to your … [Read more...]
Setting up Your Business Entity
Hello Women on Business community!! I am so excited to be a contributing writer to this page. I can’t wait to connect with you all, and I hope to provide value and helpful information over the coming weeks and months! One of the most frequent questions I am asked about starting a business is how to create a business entity, and which business structure to choose from – an … [Read more...]
5 Critical Steps to Choose the Right Business Partner – Infographic
Choosing a business partner is a big decision -- really, really big. This is the person you'll work closely with for years to come if you're successful, but you won't have a chance of reaching your goals if you and your business partner are not the right match. As business partners, you'll be tied to each other. Decisions made by one partner will directly affect not just the … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Increase Your Small Business Website Conversions
You've invested time and money into building your small business website, but are you getting the website conversions that you need? It doesn't matter if you want those conversions to be closed sales, downloaded ebooks, newsletter subscriptions, or something else. The recommendations included in this article will help you boost those conversions. Your website is an important … [Read more...]
Ready to Become a Solopreneur? Here Are 3 Steps to Get You Started
Tired of the 9-to-5 lifestyle? You may want to consider transitioning from employee to solopreneur. Just make sure you can manage the demands of being the visionary, brand ambassador, accountant, and technical specialist. A solopreneur is somebody who develops their own personal brand in order to market their products and services. They’re not creating a company to hire … [Read more...]
3 Key Areas to Improve Your Business
The small percentage of entrepreneurs who succeed know this: If your business is going to succeed, you must focus on constant improvements. Small incremental changes in your business are the key to succeeding in business. Following are three key areas every business should focus on: 1. Customer Acquisition Getting new customers is tough for most businesses. Getting new … [Read more...]