Posts Tagged ‘Starting a Business’
by Steve Strauss on November 11th, 2009
Q: I hear that half of all small businesses fail. What’s the secret then to sticking around for the long-haul?
Jess
A: Of course there are a lot of things that go into creating a successful business, but one of the most important, and one that is often under the radar, is the need for a great recipe, or two.
Huh?
Think about any great recipe that you like. Why do you use it? I bet the reasons are essentially two-fold. First, you like the result, that is, the tasty food. Second, you probably like it because you can count... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on October 6th, 2009
Q: With business slower than usual it does seem like a good idea to check out possibly getting into e-commerce. I certainly have the time! I was hoping you could give me some steps to follow. Thanks –
Linda
A: There are so many great things to be said about e-commerce that I am not sure where to begin, but let’s start with this one: E-commerce is, even today, a fairly new market; it has really been around for a little more than a dozen years.
Being able to tap such a huge market at the relative start won’t happen... Read more »
by Chad Maslak on September 9th, 2009
One of the most common emails that I receive from my newsletter subscribers is about the frustration they experience when they are trying to purchase wholesale merchandise to resell. Often times the frustration actually comes when they think they have found the perfect product or a wholesale distributor only to discover that the products that they want to sell are already selling on eBay for the same price or less than what they can buy them for!
In other words, you won’t be making any money and at best you’ll find that you’ll be lucky just to break even!
This... Read more »
by StartupNation.com on August 19th, 2009
We are women. Watch us Manage!
I have people ask me, usually men, how do you do it all? How do you take care of the family, and your business, and be so management oriented? Did you study business management in college, get an MBA? No sir, I did not even finish high school. I even worked at McDonalds as the French fry girl 10 years ago, now I run a multi-million dollar company.
Shhh, my Secret! I had to work really hard, re-train myself, be willing to admit failure, be willing to change what was not working, and develop... Read more »
by Robert Cyr on August 4th, 2009
Due to the continued unemployment facing our nation many people are looking for other ways to make some extra money to pay the bills, which unfortunately continue to come in each month. The liquidation industry offers a unique opportunity to do just that, as there is an overabundance of merchandise to resell and a constant supply of consumers who want to squeeze ever dollar. These two factors make for a healthy cash flow for entrepreneurs like you and I.
Sales are slow at the major retail outlets and stock that sits too long is being liquidated. This is our chance... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on May 28th, 2009
Q: I am a combat veteran and am having a hard time finding work. I have thought about starting a business but am not sure. Do a lot of vets go the small business route?
Bill
A: I met Bill when I was in D.C. last week for the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Week. As I am writing this column on Memorial Day weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to answer his question here because there are a lot of vets in the same boat.
There are 25 million veterans in the United... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on April 28th, 2009
Q: I recently lost my job and am thinking about starting a business. I have a good idea for a website but I am concerned about all of the competition. Do you think it is possible to make my online business different and better, and if so, how?
John
(Part 2 of 2)
A: Last week, I discussed the unique properties of the Internet and why it is so important to use those when creating an online business. This week, I want to drill down a bit deeper and look at what it really takes to create a successful online... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on December 25th, 2008
Q: I was recently laid off from my job of 10 years. I don’t really have any savings. Could I start a business somehow given my circumstances? Even if I could do something part-time until I get another job would help. Thank you.
Ellen
A: Of course the conventional wisdom is that this is a bad time to start a business, and one thing I know about conventional wisdom is that it is there for a reason; that is, maybe the group knows a thing or two.
No, this is not the greatest time to go into business for yourself,... Read more »
by Jag Kaurah on October 14th, 2008
The short answer is yes. You see, there is this thing called the "China Price". This started with manufacturers in China selling their goods so much below the normal price that it sent shivers down the backs of manufacturers world wide. In the past, factories wanted to ship very large minimum quantities and have exclusive agents. With increasing competition and manufacturers from other countries having to offer the China Price the minimum order quantities demanded by factories have come down and exclusive agencies are getting less prevalent.
In theory, you can now order a product of a small enough quantity,... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on September 23rd, 2008
As the internet makes contacting and communicating with businesses incredibly easy, more entrepreneurs are considering setting up a wholesaler business. A wholesaler is basically a middleman between manufacturers and retailers. Wholesalers buy products in bulk from manufacturers and then sell them at a markup to retailers. There’s no doubt that wholesaling can be a very lucrative business, especially when you carry a full line of products within the same product category.
Getting started as a wholesaler
Find potential manufacturers – This may sound simple enough but it truly is a time-consuming process, as not all manufacturers are willing to take... Read more »