by Christina Lee on June 23rd, 2009
This month, Entrepreneur focuses on forms of “Creative Financing,” or non-traditional means of funding small businesses. One of these – grants – is generally advertised as free government money, no strings attached.
However, applicants must prove themselves worthy before reaping any rewards, through a rather extensive application process. Each grant program holds their own requirements, though in general, applicants can qualify if they meet these few:
Your business is small enough. Such size requirements are typically determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration. For all wholesale trade industries, this means 100 employees or less, according to clearinghouse Grants.gov.
Your business... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 26th, 2008
As this year’s economic downturn spiraled, rising and persevering entrepreneurs had to prove themselves to be more motivated than ever. Many times, they created their own market, their own niche and in turn, their own success. May they continue to inspire in 2009:
Vaughn Jereaux , The Vaughn Jereaux Collection
Back when he studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a professor told Jereaux he was more fit to design for another company, rather than his own. Despite such advice, Jereaux used his namesake and a $20,000 cash prize to start his own line of custom-made cocktail, evening, and special... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on March 13th, 2008
There’s a new marketing tactic businesses are using and finding great success with. E-brochures are exactly what you think they are, with the same format, information and purpose but there are a bundle of advantages to using the online version in addition to the live one you probably already utilize. Entrepreneur.com sums them up below:
Cost effectiveness– No more guessing numbers for your print run, then winding up with too few or too many brochures. The cost of an e-brochure is fixed, whether you send out one or one million of them. Fees are based on the number of pages... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on January 16th, 2008
If you haven’t seen it already, Entrepreneur.com has a great article listing 20 things to consider before you take the leap. Here are the first 5:
"Factor 1: Get company-wide commitment. Every employee should be a vital member of your international team, from the executive suite to customer service through engineering, purchasing, production and shipping. You’re all in it for the long haul.
Factor 2: Define your business plan for accessing global markets. An international business plan is important in order to define your company’s present status and internal goals and commitment, but it’s also necessary if you plan to... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on January 10th, 2008
You might think that we are still in a bit of a pioneer era as far as starting your own business goes. In fact, with the Internet age, this is actually truer than it was a decade ago. Entrepreneurs are defined by the fact that they believe and usually can accomplish something better than the next person, maybe in a way that has not been done before. For this reason, entrepreneurs are usually strong personalities who prefer to go it alone.
Still, even entrepreneurs need some assistance when it comes to running a good business, no matter how capable an... Read more »