Small Business

Introduction To Getting A Patent

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 16:44:21 +0100

Introduction to Getting A Patent: Even if you don't invent things for a living, you might still have a great idea. Chances are, if you actually pursued your invention you will have found that you don't exactly have the resources necessary to produce it yourself. Any plans you create will need to be shipped off to someone else. How, though, can you protect your idea from being stolen?

Starting Businesses In The Cooking Industry

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:43:49 +0100

Starting businesses in the cooking industry: What is the essence of a good cook? The essence of a good cook is a mixture between preparing delicious meals and the type of cookware a person uses to prepare a dish. There are several steps person has to take in order to become an entrepreneur in the food industry.

What Is Disaster Planning For Small Business

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:43:04 +0100

What is Disaster Planning For Small Business: No one knows just how many small businesses owners lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. No one knows how many will be able to come back from disaster. But the odds are that the ones who successfully rebuild there businesses will be the ones who had a disaster plan in place before the hurricane struck. A solid small business disaster plan has three components, protecting human resources, protecting physical resources and planning for business continuity.

Easy Business May Be The Hardest Of Them All

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:42:31 +0100

If you have a deal with a company that tells you that you can sell their products without needing to be a legal business with a federal tax id number or a reseller’s permit, then you are spending a lot of time for very little.

What Is Copyright And How Does One Protect It?

Wed, 2 Aug 2006 19:23:08 +0100

What is copyright?
No one can reproduce your work with- out your permission - not even a personal letter. How much of a writer's work can be legitimately used? A poem of 40-50 words is generally considered to be OK. Usually one is not allowed to copy substantial amounts of another writer's work without their express permission.

Finding Experts, Sources And Contacts

Tue, 1 Aug 2006 19:22:39 +0100

I was asked to write an article on a short deadline. No problem, I thought. Then I got the article specifications which included quoting several experts in the article.

7 Essential Resources For Small Business

Tue, 1 Aug 2006 19:21:49 +0100

If you want to start a business, but you don't have a lot of money, these resources can help you get started, and most of them are free.

So you want to start a business but you don't have a lot of money? Start your business online, and it won't be a problem.

Copyright - Getting It, Protecting It And Keeping It

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:21:10 +0100

What is it?
Copyright is often misunderstood. It is not the ownership of something but it is the right to prevent others from copying some types of work known as “literary” or “artistic” works.
“Literary” applies to computer programs, data spreadsheets, and instruction manuals even though really, these are normally just factual. Perhaps obviously it covers books, novels etc. It covers the wording for a website and this Factsheet

http://www.sabusinesshub.com/section/content.php?SectionId=4&SubsectionId=12&ContentId=297

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:20:41 +0100

Protecting Your Intellectual Property: You've finished your new business idea, got the name and a great logo, designed a new way to do something, maybe even the domain name which is just right and now you want to stop others using it. Copyright may help you (click here to read the copyright arti

Top Ten Tips When Business Is Slow

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:20:12 +0100

How's your business going to keep growing with the holidays just around the corner? What can you do when most people don't want to spend money now? If you are concerned the cash flow won't flow and you won't have enough income for the

The Impact Of Price Popularity On Profits

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:19:43 +0100

The goal of almost every business owner is to generate a profit either for themselves or their shareholders. This can be challenging at best. So much thought and effort go into running a business, accounts payable, accounts receivable, dealing with vendors, customers, etc. Because of this people sometimes do not focus on one of the most important factors-

The Steps From Product Idea To Product Success

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:19:20 +0100

Michelangelo once said that his statue of David was embedded in the block of marble and he merely chipped away the edges to reveal it. Is your product idea inside your mind just waiting to come alive? Or, is your product already formed and you need only to smooth out the edges?

Work At Home, Go Bankrupt At Home--it's Your Choice

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:18:49 +0100

If you want to make an income working at home, you must mitigate spending in the early phases of your venture. If you spend wildly, you will never make money. I can promise you this now. It happens to almost every person who tries to work at home; it happened to me and I nearly gave up, too.

Home Business Legalities And Tax Advantages

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 19:18:26 +0100

Anyone may use this article free of charge, provided the article is not altered and the resource box remains intact.

Most cities and/or counties require you to have a business license and/or permit. Check with your local government municipalities to find out what the requirements are for where you live. Depending on where you live, you should

Identifying Some Common Work At Home Success Characteristics

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 19:18:04 +0100

Do people that are successful in home based businesses share some common characteristics and, if so, what are the primary ones?

The dictionary defines successful as:
*having a favorable outcome, or
*having obtained something desired or intended, or
*having achieved wealth or eminence

How To Evaluate A Product Opportunity

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 19:17:43 +0100

Day after day my in box, and I'm sure yours as well, fills with opportunity propaganda on how to make money. Do this, and poof, you're rich. Become an affiliate and sell my ebook, and poof, you're making lots of money. I don't know about you, but I can't tell what’s a good opportunity and what’s not any more. Because of this, I created a list of nine criteria, a sort-of checklist, to use when I do find something that I don't think is full of "poof."

The "secret" Joint Venture Secret

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 09:33:38 +0100

You don't have to be in business online long before you hear or read hundreds of times that joint ventures are the secret to big success. The fact is, that joint venturing with those who are already in contact with your target market is a big shortcut to profitability.

The Power Of Possibilities

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 09:32:36 +0100

Did you know the one thing that holds most people back is the simple fact that they think too small? What separates the average business owner from the super successful isn't her timing or her resources. It's her ability to think bigger than others, and take action on the things that will create the biggest successes.
Take for instance the typical small business owner in your area. Go into any local shop and ask them how many customers they have from out of state. Chances are it's

Intellectual Property Law

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:32:01 +0100

Intellectual Property Law can be quite confusing at times. Copyrights, trademarks and patents all have a role in protecting your hard earned content and knowing their role is half the battle.

Intellectual property in itself refers to the creations of the mind, including such things as: artistic works, literary works, inventions, names, images, symbols, and designs used in commerce. In other words, the intellect that is the possession of an organization or an individual is considered intellectual property.

Start A Business In A Small Town

Sun, 23 Jul 2006 09:30:24 +0100

Q. I am changing careers after sixteen years to spend more time with my family. We moved to a very small town (less than ten thousand people) and I want to start an Internet café business and also offer PC repair. How can I investigate and then promote this business?

SA Entrepreneurs Shoot Themselves In The Foot

Sat, 22 Jul 2006 09:29:36 +0100

SA Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs and their businesses have a tendency to ambush themselves when they aren't looking. This affects how much revenue they can generate, how fast their business rises, and even if they survive after the first few years. If you feel there is a possibility you are getting in your way to success, review these elements to see if any of these items might apply.

The 7 Traits Of An Exceptional & Successful Entrepreneur

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 09:28:59 +0100

How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, "Success is a journey and not a Destination?" Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end unto itself, but is instead an ongoing process.

Selling Your Online Business

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:59:53 +0100

I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend in Monte Carlo recently and being surrounded by the luxury yachts and other symbols of extreme wealth got me thinking about retirement :-)

Ok, I know, I am far too young to retire but one day I may well have had enough of working online (or indeed working!) and may want to sell my website businesses and of course, this is the case for any other business owner.

Small Business Success - It's A Matter Of Confidence

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:59:22 +0100

was floored! I couldn't believe what they were saying! But there they sat -- three of the biggest film stars of our age -- telling the world they had issues with confidence. I was watching an interview where Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore were talking with Oprah Winfrey. Their conversation gave me a lot to think about in regard to small business success.

Outsourcing And Your Business

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:58:53 +0100

Outsourcing is an established way of doing business today, allowing companies to maximize their budgets and resources - and generate better products.

Also referred to as subcontracting, outsourcing simply means acquiring a product or service rather than producing it in-house. Outsourcing is suitable for just about any industry.

Survival Tips For Small Business

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:58:18 +0100

You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or whatever you've got to know how is to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of that business has to be run as a "tight ship."

Goal Setting For Successful Home Business

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:57:47 +0100

The ability to set goals and effectively motivate yourself to achieve them are two essential skills that will help you achieve success in you home business.

To try and start a business without goals could be compared to throwing a baseball pitch, blindfolded in the dark. What would be your chance of getting your pitch on target? Never mind getting a strike-out. Unless you are very lucky it is unlikely that you will have any success without properly setting out goals.

Successfully Adding A Service To Your Business

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:57:03 +0100

There will come a time in your business where you feel ready to add another service offering. To make this successful, there are ten tips to consider before moving ahead.

1) Revisit your business plan. If you don't have one, write one for your business as it currently exists (even a one-page, brief summary will work fine). Compare how your business plan will be the same or different with the addition of this new service.

Let Your Survey Write Your Business Plan

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 08:56:27 +0100

Most entrepreneurs first write their business plan and then develop their services or products. This causes them to generate and fulfill a marketing plan that requires them to swim upstream using the backstroke. To save the stress, consider placing the business plan on hold until first completing a few customer surveys. Okay, some of you are saying, "Catherine, how can you do a survey before you know who your market is?" Yes, this is one challenging double edge sword, that is, if you're mindset is set there.

Six Key Areas For Evaluating A Strategic

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 08:55:45 +0100

Strategic alliances are increasing at a rapid rate. It is good for business, good for the consumer. A strategic alliance is similar to a joint venture. Everyone remains in his or her own entity, yet come together for a single purpose or period of time to create something that could not otherwise be created.

Top Ten Mistakes Made In The First Few Years

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 08:55:02 +0100

Service business owners make many common mistakes that cost them to be ineffective with their resources. Business Coach, Catherine Franz, shares with you a list of the top ten mistakes no one usually discusses that are at the very top of that list.

Top 10 Lessons For Small Business Success - As Learned From My Twin 2 Year Olds

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 08:54:38 +0100

Small business success is very similar to learning to walk, talk and spell. The basics have to be understood before moving on to the next step. I am blessed to have twin 2 year old girls in my life and am amazed constantly how much I learn from them on a daily basis. As I watch them run around and explore, I find myself realizing just how much my observations apply to being successful and happy in life and in business.

Construction Equipment Sales: Estimating The Market

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 20:52:04 +0100

Construction Equipment Sales: Heavy construction equipments are required in all parts of the world. Their demand has increased all the more after the growing economy in the Indian

The Next Big Idea: Finding Yours

Fri, 9 Jun 2006 20:50:06 +0100

The Next Big Idea: The business enterprise has two, and only two, basic functions: marketing and innovation. It is not necessary for a business to grow bigger; but it is necessary that it constantly grow better. - Peter F. Drucker

Home Business In South Africa

Thu, 8 Jun 2006 20:49:20 +0100

Success With a Home Business: Starting a home business is a big undertaking. There are key elements to properly set up a home business. If anything is forgotten or left out it could make starting the business difficult or impossible. The following are key elements that every home business owners needs to have in place before actually starting their business.

Small Business Success: Passionate Self Belief Is The Key

Wed, 7 Jun 2006 20:48:45 +0100

Most of us have many ideas about what it takes to get ahead. Ask 100 people what they need to succeed and you'll hear: more education &/or training, lots of money, loans, contacts and luck. Wouldn't you agree?

Small Business Service Providers:

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:48:17 +0100

Small Business Service Providers: When you run a home business, there are all sorts of professionals whose services you need. They are often indispensable, saving you two or three times what they cost. But what do you need, and how do you know who to choose?

Product Pricing: How To Set The Right Price

Wed, 7 Jun 2006 20:47:02 +0100

Product Pricing: An often-neglected part of home business is the pricing of your services. You know what you can do, you know there's a market for it, but do you know how much you can get away with charging, without putting the customers off? Here are a few tips to maximise your profit margin.

Organising An Exhibition Stand

Wed, 7 Jun 2006 20:46:26 +0100

Organising an Exhibition Stand: Rita Davenport had been given a free hand to design and manage an exhibition stand for her company. The Marketing Director had briefed her extensively on the overall idea and left her with an open brief to produce something that would attract customers, dealers and the trade press.

Marketing Without Selling

Wed, 7 Jun 2006 20:45:24 +0100

Attending Trade Shows

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:44:51 +0100

Attending Trade Shows: Almost all products being sold in the market today have already been sold before by their competitors but what makes other products a hit despite their being new in the market? Most entrepreneurs say it is a matter of marketing your products to your target market.

Doing Business Abroad: Taking Your Business Internationally

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:44:18 +0100

Doing Business Abroad: At some point in your business' life, you might be contacted by someone in a far-away land who's heard about your business somehow (probably through the Internet). This will be your first encounter with the international market. For many businesses, once you've conquered your local area and done business by post or email with other areas of the country, dipping a toe into international markets seems like the next big step.

Marketing Infoproducts: Package Your Brain!

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:43:46 +0100

Marketing Infoproducts: As long as you are providing a service, there will always be a ceiling on how much you can earn that is based on the number of hours you can work in a week. Even if you hire an assistant and/or raise your rates, you are only raising the ceiling a little higher. The way you can blast that ceiling sky-high is to package your brain into infoproducts and sell them online.

Small Business Mistakes

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:43:16 +0100

Small Business Mistakes: When you're starting a home business, it's all too easy to make mistakes -- after all, you've never done this before. Fortunately for you, though, you can learn from others' errors, by making sure you don't do any of these things.

Marketing Research: Know Your Customers

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:45:49 +0100

Marketing Research: Having a competitive advantage over other businesses targeting the same market as yours is a basic, survival must: many choose to develop longterm relationships with their customers, in an attempt to create such competitive advantage

Understanding Balance Sheets:

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:45:10 +0100

The balance sheet is important to business operations in general. It provides a snapshot of what the company owns and what they owe to outside sources. The balance sheet is also known as a profit and loss account

Small Business Systems: The Key To Success

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:44:29 +0100

Small Business Systems: When I mention business systems to you, what comes to mind? Do you think of an IBM mainframe computer sitting in a big room in the middle of your building? Do you think of expensive, highly specialized software? That’s what many small business owners ...

Home Business Tips: To Make Your Venture A Success

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:44:04 +0100

Home Business Tips: So you’ve started a home business venture and are looking for home business tips to make your venture a success. There is no doubt that there is a vast opportunity for entrepreneurial people to make ...

Starting A Vending Machine Business In South Africa

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:43:15 +0100

If you’ve been considering your business options, vending machines are certainly worth putting on the list. There are some nice profits to be made.

Vending machines can be owned or rented by a store owner or by an entrepreneur that distributes the vending machines among ...

Internet Marketing On A Budget

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:42:52 +0100

Internet Marketing On A Budget: It is probably safe to say that the most important, least expensive marketing tool you possess when it comes to Internet marketing on a budget is your time—the time you spend and the time you wait.

Seo: Tools Of The Trade

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:42:14 +0100

Before you start optimizing your site for search engines, there are some tools that you should arm yourself with. These tools can become your best friends when it comes to SEO, especially when you’re just starting out. The first and most important step in any search engine position campaign is recognizing which keywords you should optimize your site for...

Blogging: What Is It And How Can It Help Your Business?

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:26:53 +0100

Blogging: One of the challenges of blogging is to come up with good posts that interest readers and keep them coming back. Sometimes I do not feel like I have good original wisdom. It is presumptuous to think I can have top quality original material all the time.

Small Business Owners And Work Life Balance

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:26:24 +0100

Small Business Owners and Work Life Balance: It's important to get a handle on mood swings or energy shifts if you want to maintain your work life balance and be successful in business. According to psychologist and researcher Martin Seligman, some folks appear to be hardwired to respond optimistically and hopefully to work life balance upset and life's ups and downs. Others are wired for opposite responses.

Small Business Mentors: How A Mentor Can Help Your Business

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:25:56 +0100

In business terms the description 'wise' translates into someone who is experienced in running a successful business operation, and who is adept at passing on that knowledge. With over 65% of businesses failing in their first year of trading, the suggestion would be that new business entrepreneurs should seek all the assistance the can get!

Small Business Owner Vs Inspired Entrepreneur: 10 Crucial Differences

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:25:14 +0100

Small business owner vs inspired entrepreneur:When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business...

Startup Confidence: Do You Really Believe You'll Be A Success?

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:24:41 +0100

I was recently invited as a guest on a 4-day cruise boarding a ”True” Luxury Liner. Every room was a suite. I knew via their website we had a bathroom bigger than the one in my home, a sitting room, bedroom, mini-bar and balcony. I knew I needed a break and kept saying I did. It came just before I was due for foot surgery. In my heart I know when we continue to say what we want and believe, it comes to us bigger than what we expect.

Marketing Without Selling: Is It Possible?

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:24:07 +0100

Marketing Without Selling: I remember back in the mid 90s when I was "in between" jobs, in debt and broke. My "in between" job status at that time for a period of about one year was a car salesman. Now, I know what your thinking. Why? My answer.....hmmmmmmmm. Anyhow, it happened and as it turned out, it became quite a learning experience. What I experienced as a car salesman in my very brief career by choice, was rather disturbing. This is by no means an article on selling cars. This is what salesmanship is and is not.

Small Business Risk Taking: It Has Its Rewards

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:23:36 +0100

Small Business Risk Taking:

People often tell me that they are amazed at how willing I am to take risks. For me, it's less about the risk itself, and more about the opportunity and excitement it generates, which compels me to step out of my comfort zone again and again.

Women Entrepreneurs: It’s Not Just A Man’s World

Mon, 29 May 2006 12:22:49 +0100

Women Entrepreneurs: I had the honor of speaking this week at a women's business association luncheon on the topic of entrepreneurship. When I mentioned to my wife the day before that I was speaking to group of women entrepreneurs she asked, "Why on earth would they ask you to speak?"

Small Business Networking And Strategic Alliances

Fri, 26 May 2006 18:19:20 +0100

Small Business Networking and Strategic Alliances: Networker's know that you always get back more from your network then you have to give to it. However, that should not stop you from thinking about new ways you can help the people in your network. Your network is full of people who would like to partner with you, though neither of you may have approached the idea or formalized a plan. Here are some suggestions for ways that you can form strategic alliances with other businesses in your network.

Small Business Marketing Tips: Ways To Increase Your Revenue

Fri, 26 May 2006 18:18:50 +0100

Small Business Marketing Tips: Marketing is the most important factors to increse your sales. From my experience, I always follow 10 secret ways to increase my sales. If you are struggling to increase your sales, Please follow these 10 marketing tips. You will discover something new to apply your marketing strategies.

Goal Setting For Small Business Owners

Fri, 26 May 2006 18:18:24 +0100

Goal Setting For Small Business Owners: Are you setting goals? I used to subscribe to the belief that goals were not important. I mean, you never knew what life would throw at you, so why plan? Well, I started setting goals a couple of years ago, and I can't tell you how incredibly my life changed. If you want to get anywhere, you've got to know where you're going. And goals are just the tools to help you do that. More than likely, you will tweak your plans and revise your goals along the way, but the goals are there for guidance.

Small Business Tools

Fri, 26 May 2006 18:17:42 +0100

Small Business Tools: To make a home business run smoothly and professionally a person needs some essential tools. These tools are important to making the workload easier and keeping the business organized. The following list explains the top five important home business tools.

Starting A Small Business In South Africa

Mon, 22 May 2006 17:03:03 +0100

Starting a Small Business in South Africa: It is very important before you go on your own to weigh all the alternatives relating to starting a small business.

BEE Now ‘vital’ For Winning New Business

Mon, 22 May 2006 17:02:08 +0100

Black economic empowerment is increasingly regarded as important for winning business across all regions of SA, says a report released by Grant Thornton at the weekend.

BEE South Africa: Sabotaging The Bee Process

Mon, 22 May 2006 16:44:13 +0100

We believe that any organisation that insists on rating its suppliers using narrow based principles is sabotaging the BBBEE process.

RSS: News You Choose

Mon, 22 May 2006 16:43:24 +0100

Why is RSS So Magical?
The answer is simple: RSS is news you choose.
How Does it Work?
Publishers and webmasters provide content and news in an RSS feed. Users view the content of interest in an RSS reader or news aggregator. The aggregator or reader contains the collection of feeds that are of interest to the user. As the RSS feed is updated the content in the reader or aggregator updates with the new information. At any point, users can remove a feed from their aggregator or reader and no longer receive information from that source. Ultimately, the user is choosing the news and content they wish to view.

RSS Promise For Internet Users

Mon, 22 May 2006 16:42:22 +0100

The RSS promise for end-users is simple:

Rss, Xml And Feed Readers

Mon, 22 May 2006 16:38:29 +0100

Have you seen them yet? The little orange graphics that say XML or RSS? Have you ever wondered what the heck they are? Yeah, me to. And, being as curious as a cat, I had to find out!