If you haven’t decided what kind of small business you want to open, you may want to read this to get an idea of which industries have a limited, if any, future. The economy may be improving, but a recent report by IBISWorld shows that many industries continue to decline into oblivion. Considered to be dying, these industries have a declining life cycle, where revenues and the number of companies have been in decline for the past decade, and have a forecast of continued decline in the next five years. Whether it be due to outsourcing, offshoring, or being rendered [...]

Sometimes the best (and most challenging) part of deciding to start your own business is deciding what type of business you want to have. Maybe it’s the little café you’ve always dreamed of having, maybe it’s an offshoot of what you used to do when you worked for somebody. Whatever you finally narrow it down to, for that moment the possibilities are endless and possibly overwhelming. If you think you might want to try and have something you can run from home, we have some home-based business ideas with the best growth potential courtesy of AllBusiness.com.
Personal Trainer
With the baby boomer [...]

With the recent passing of the JOBS Act, there is hope on the horizon once again for small businesses. That hope brings the possibility of new jobs, decreased unemployment numbers, and more. Looking at the small businesses slowly gaining popularity, there is a decidedly noticeable absence of truly innovative, successful entrepreneurship. Are they all gone?
According to the latest Kauffman index, we are actually at some of the highest levels of entrepreneurship in over 15 years.  As people have been laid off or “retired early,” many have needed income beyond their pension or unemployment check.  Some of these have gone into [...]

Next to making the decision about taking the plunge to start your own business, the next most difficult decision is choosing what kind of business to run. Business Finance Store has offered a lot of articles that talk about the different types of businesses to run,from buying an existing one to becoming part of a franchise. Now we offer some feedback from existing business owners who took part in a survey to rate the top franchises based on 33 measurements. Conducted by Franchise Business Review, the poll of 22,000 franchise owners showed that overall satisfaction was up by 2%, as [...]

It’s hard to believe that some businesses have been doing well given the economic damage wreaked by the recession, but there are. So how can you get in on the game? A recent article by IBISWorld, a publisher of industry research, showed that many industries have not only done okay in the past few years, but exploded in activity. Categorized as “hyper-growth” businesses, these industries have been able to thrive in the past decade to a staggering degree. Below are the top seven of these strong industries.
Internet Game Developers
An industry that has experienced a 378,925% growth in revenue over the [...]

Are you a small business or startup leader who has successfully reached out to more sophisticated venture capital investors? You may have experienced barriers to getting certain kinds of grants or funding from a selection of U.S. government offices in 2011 or years past; some changes late last year are opening up the doors for VC-backed businesses to be able to get more government funding. This is a must-read if you have found that any small contributions from a backer with a “VC” label have blocked your eligibility for much-needed government money. After all, just because a small enterprise might [...]

Running a small business means you have to stay on top of every aspect of your company.  With all the directions you’re pulled in, it’s easy to overlook the leaks that may be causing your business to lose money. Recently, an article went over some of the most common rip-offs that happen in small businesses and what you can do to prevent them.
Credit Card Processing Gone Wrong
The credit card processing game is notoriously complex to understand, with all kinds of different companies, issuing banks, and processing networks involved. While many are legitimate and trustworthy, some are considered fly-by-night and [...]

Small businesses fail more often because of a lack of capital, rather than a lack of sales. Without cash, you can’t grow. That’s why managing cash flow is essential for meeting customer demand and taking advantage of new growth opportunities. Here are tips to effectively manage your cash flow.
Control inventory
The best way to avoid overstocking inventory is by ordering materials for jobs only after you have a purchase order in hand (rather than for jobs you may get later on). Also, take care to control inventory that’s seasonal or subject to changes in technology or fashion.
Are there times when the client can [...]

Maybe you’re ready to own your own business, but aren’t sure about taking on the responsibility of having employees. Are there any viable businesses out there where you can not only be your own boss, but the only employee, too? Turns out, there is, about 21 million of them, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Perhaps for some inspiration, or at least a confidence boost, we thought we’d share some findings from an article that covered the most common types of businesses with no employees, some of which you can guess, but a few may surprise you.
Miscellaneous Services
We know this [...]

Looking for resources to help your small business succeed?  You’ve come to the right place!  We have a ton of news, tips, resources all related to helping your small business succeed.
We’ve got a ton of information on here.  In case you missed it, here are some of the top posts on some popular topics:
Institutional Lending:
Lending Spotlight: Chase Business Line of Credit: A quick look at one of Chase’s biggest lending options for small businesses, it could be a great option for you.
Best Business Credit Cards for 2012?  Some Good Deals on Small Business Credit: Learn what makes business credit cards [...]