Basic Requirements For Business Success

By Greg Pierce
Owning a business is one major achievement most people dream about. They work hard at gaining enough funds to support the expected expenses necessary in starting the company. More money will later on be required especially when the need for additional employees arises. Most aspiring businessmen work too hard on acquiring the capital that they often get, and sometimes blinded with ambition, and forego the vital planning process, and then they go ahead with hazy decisions instead. Eventually, they find themselves in the midst of debt and failure among many other hitches. In order to avoid common problems associated with any type of business, it is best to first determine the obvious causes.

Creating a business plan is the most fundamental step before tackling on other conceived preparations. A good plan is not achieved overnight but through months and years of careful study. Everything from finances, manpower, feasibility, and expertise regarding the industry has to be dug up and analyzed. Coming up with a detailed and systematic process about how you intend to run the company is vital no matter what type of product or service is going to be sold. This way, you are able to jot down and organize all thoughts and suggestions that may contribute to the overall improvement of the business. Failure to lay out a clear diagram of your company is tantamount to low income and even bankruptcy.

A business that is run by a good leader is almost always on its way to success. One who is approachable and listens to comments from employees and frequent costumers will definitely be able to perform an on-going evaluation of certain processes involved in transactions. In this event, progress is at hand because of recurrent developments based on observed activities. Nevertheless, it is essential to have a knowledgeable person in charge who knows how to discipline and regulate unethical employee behaviors. Also, managers should also set a good example for the staff to follow.

Just because a business company is on its way to success does not mean it may now be permissible to cut short on advertising. In fact, it is necessary to continue giving out inexpensive rewards to loyal consumers like promo pens for instance. Many corporations do without this strategy thinking that profits will still continue to increase. Little do they know that cheap as they may be, these promotional gifts somehow attract clients who will evidently create a great impact on the business revenues and earnings.

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Great Corporate Events Brings The Workforce Together

By Stewart Wrighter
Every company, whether it is large, small or medium-sized, will want the whole workforce to work as one. Indeed, what people are finding out these days is that by getting them all together in one place, more training and inspirational talks can be aimed at them which make them more cohesive to say the least. With this in mind, corporate events planners have really pulled out the stops to find venues that are conducive to this kind of gathering. For those interested in finding out more, try looking for 'team building events' online to see the array of venues available.

In the past, some companies may have had fun days where all the workers got together with their families and brought along picnic lunches to spend some time together in a park or something similar. But this new turn of fashion means that people go to very organized and up market venues where even the stars and celebrities that we love are in attendance.

Inspirational speakers abound at these places but what they are really there for is to make the entire workforce work in the same direction. That is, making the company more profitable and this ensures that the workforce has steady jobs for the foreseeable future. Pep talks are all very well, naturally, but getting people to like each other is a whole new ball game.

If someone working in a section of the company on one side of the country actually meets up with his counterpart in a different section, then they will obviously fit a name to a face and this is what makes life better all round. This kind of meeting place, which can host several thousand people in some instances, is surely a great way to put people together in a non work related environment but which puts the point across successfully.

They have plenty of things for the workforce to do and usually range from high-powered entertainment programs, with world-renowned stars performing, to down home-style gatherings which allow people to just enjoy the countryside. Horses and anything in the country mode is required as one would expect and the kids and adults alike can get some riding lessons too.

Barn dances or even full black tie mode dinner parties are available to suit even the most sophisticated of tastes, and if it is dance lessons that are needed, these are available too. Indeed, these meetings can be tailor-made to suit just about any occasion and the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating.

What the company should be able to see quite quickly is that the whole workforce works that little bit harder to make the company successful. If they have one of these events every year, if the results are obvious, then the workforce has something to look forward through those hard days of winter. The company should be able to monitor how the event has improved sales etc and if it has, then this should certainly be tried regularly to boost morale all round.

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Starting Up Your Own Business By Using A Government Grant - Never Pay Back The Money

By Kenny McClellan
There are many people who are tired of going in and punching the clock for somebody else. These people, who are basically entrepreneurs who have yet to start their own business, are exactly the kinds of people that the government will give financial grants to so they can build their own business. Many times, these people who get so fed up for working for somebody else, are the exact same people that will go on to grow multimillion dollar companies. They just need a little bit of financial help to get them going. This is where government grants come into play.

Especially with the way the economy is today, the banks are not really giving out small business loans like they once were. With more and more companies claiming bankruptcy every day, it has become increasingly difficult for people with really great ideas to start their own business. This is what makes the opportunity of getting a business grant such a worthwhile endeavor. This is money that you never have to pay back no matter what winds up happening to your business.

There are only a couple of things that you need to do in order to get one of these grants. The first thing obviously is to have a solid business plan as well as projections for what you think your company will achieve. They're not just going to hand out checks because you want to open up an ice cream store. But, if you have a dedicated plan that shows you intend to make a good return as well as have it all mapped out on paper, then your ice cream store is a definite possibility.

The other thing we need to do is make sure you fill out a grant application is properly. If you are not filling out the application is properly, they are just going to skip over your application entirely and move onto the next person who did it correctly. So it is absolutely vital that you fill these out the right way.

Every year there are millions and millions of dollars that remained unclaimed. If you've been thinking about starting a business but have let the lack of finances hold you back, then this is a huge opportunity for you to put yourself on the map. Anyone who has ideas but is stuck punching a clock for someone else, owes it to themselves to see if they can break the mold.

Don't let the fact that you didn't know there were grants available be the reason you don't get your business off the ground!

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Using Free Government Money To Help You Start A New Business - Most Don't Even Know About This

By Claire Johansen
A lot of people do not know that the government gives away millions of dollars every year for people to start up new businesses. If you have been thinking of starting a new business and the only thing holding you back is the financial resources, then looking at government grants would be a great way to get off the ground.

The best thing about these government grants is that it is completely different than trying to get a loan from the bank. This is money that the government gives you that you never have to pay back. Because most businesses operate in the negative for at least a first year due to start up costs, attaining one of these business grants would allow you to be profitable from the very beginning.

You might be wondering why the government would be willing to give out money to people to start businesses when the economy is already in such bad shape. The reason is because if someone is willing to start a new business, then that person is obviously driven enough to make it work. If the business thrives, it'll open up a whole new set of jobs which will then in return help the economy. There are thousands of people out of work today that have been trying to find jobs for well over a year. If new companies begin to open, hopefully a lot of these people will be able to find work.

Every year there are millions of dollars that are not given away just because people do not know that they have an opportunity to apply for these grants. The amount of grants that are available is also quite large. Getting some free government money to open up a business is just the beginning. There are also grants for things such as fixing up your home, going to school in a variety of other things. So just because you are looking at a government grant to help you with your business, don't pass by any other opportunities that may be available to you.

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Finding Discount Sports Memorabilia

By Jordan Flask
For those who enjoy attending sports events, the idea of owning at least one item of memorabilia can be quite attractive. The ability to show off a favorite team with clothing or an autographed baseball, for example, is something that many fans strive for. However, not everything on the market is affordable. How can a person hope to find discount sports memorabilia?

1. The first option a person can use to find sports memorabilia at a discount is through the internet. There are a number of websites that have frequent sales on their products, and should a person have good timing, they may even find something at a price so low it may never occur again. Auction websites are also good internet options. Former owners of the items who are looking to bring in extra money or free up space in their home or storage unit will list them at a lower price to start the bidding. These are great ways to find discount sports memorabilia.

2. If the seeker has not found what they were looking for online, there are still options available offline. Because of the high number of sports fans in the world, there is bound to be some products available at local flea markets and garage sales. In many scenarios the buyer may even be able to barter down the price with the seller; if the item is particularly valuable, however, this may not work out as planned. Regardless of whether or not the price can be knocked down further, finding discount sports memorabilia at such events is always a possibility to look out for.

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How to Observe a Storm Chaser

By Michael Wooledge
When a sizable hailstorm hits, akin the one that happened here in San Antonio in November, it seems like roofing contractors come out of the woodwork, but in what way or manner do you know when the pact they furnish is "too excellent to be bona fide?"

"Storm chasers," as they are known in the business, journey from state to state doing exactly what the name implies, chasing hail storms, hurricanes and tornadoes. They swoop in, work for a couple of months patching up blemished homes and fly right back out when the next storm comes along. In the event this happens, where does it leave the homeowner when their roof leaks in two months? Well, not similarly high and dry, closer to mad and wet!

To certify you don't end up one of those exasperated consumers, here are a few tips on how to make out a "Storm Chaser".

Remember that "too beneficial to be true" deal? The one whose estimate was thousands of dollars lower than everyone else's? Or how about the guy who pronounced he would bring his own insurance adjuster to be sure you received the maximum you were due from your insurance partnership? I particularly like the one who sees your insurance paperwork and states he will do the work for less, but charge the insurance establishment the whole they are willing to pay so you can get a kickback, thus committing insurance fraud. Most consumers in these circumstances might think they are getting a great deal, and might not even think there is anything at all wrong with any of these circumstances. Nevertheless, any one of these can lead to major trouble for the homeowner.

First, let's peruse the "too good to be true" deal. It is always a excellent idea to get more than one roofing contractor to give you an grade, and most reputable roofing contractors will not charge to take a look and give an calculate. If you have an estimator come out and give you a bid that is significantly lower than the others, a red flag should soon go up. If they can provide to do the work for that much of a discount, you can bet they are cutting corners somewhere.

Next, let's tackle the insurance cases. Always have your own insurance house send out an adjuster to analyze your roof for damage. An adjuster who is working for a roofing contractor may not always have your best interests in mind and may not come up with the exact findings your own insurance establishment would. This can be a costly mistake for any homeowner. If a partnership offers to complete work on your home at a discounted price and charge your insurance partnership a different amount, they are committing insurance fraud. As a homeowner, this can land you in hot water as well. Many celebrated companies can and do offer rebates or coupons. nonetheless, you will be charged and expected to pay strictly what their estimate says, only receiving the rebate once the work has been finished.

Deciding a roofing contractor can often be a challenging and time consuming task, but knowing what red flags to look for can give you a great quality when looking for a San Antonio roofing contractor.

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Business Survival - Planning for a Rainy Day

By Joe Maas
There may be nothing worse for a business than to have its owner suddenly die...especially if it's your business.

Let's look at what can happen to a business when an owner dies.

Todd Carpenter was the 55-year-old sole owner of a successful construction company. Todd hoped to sell his company to a third party in the next 18 months.

What Todd needed was a way to ensure that his company would survive if he died or became disabled during that period. Before he could put any plan into place, Todd was killed in a tragic traffic accident. Soon after his death, key employees left the company for jobs with more certain futures. They feared that the company might not continue without Todd's leadership and personal financial backing.

The employees' departures caused a decrease in revenues, as well as the default of a number of contracts, which exposed the company to significant liabilities. Long-time customers grew uneasy with what they perceived to be a rudderless ship and moved their business to Todd's competitors. Todd's bank grew uneasy as well and decided to call in his company's debt; debt Todd had personally guaranteed.

Within weeks of Todd's death, his key managers were gone, his company defaulted on a number of contracts, revenues plummeted, customers jumped ship and any prospects of securing replacement financing quickly disappeared.

As you can see, business continuity planning is vitally important to your company. Without a well thought out "survival plan," the consequences to employees, customers and, most importantly, your family and estate are dire. (Don't think that your estate will escape the notice of your business creditors.)

Fortunately, there are a number of methods sole owners can implement today to help avoid the type of business collapse that Todd Carpenter's business experienced.

First, to keep key employees on board after your demise, offer ownership; perhaps via a buy-sell agreement, or offer additional compensation if key employees stay on or continue to run the company. The amount of compensation can be tied directly to the company's profitability and continued success. As an additional incentive, offer these employees a substantial bonus (called a "stay bonus") for staying with the company; one that can be funded with insurance that can be accessed in case of your death.

Second, alert your bank to your succession plans. Meet with your banker to discuss the arrangements you have made and show him or her that insurance to affect these plans is in place. Make sure your creditors are comfortable with your succession plan. Ask them what arrangements they would like to see in place.

Third, create a written plan that states:
1) who should take on the responsibility of running the business;
2) whether the business should be sold (and if so, to whom), continued or liquidated; and
3) who your heirs should consult regarding the sale, continuation or liquidation of the company.

Finally, work closely with a capable insurance professional to make certain the necessary insurance products, such as funding for the stay bonus or buy-sell agreement, are purchased by the proper entity, (you, your trust or the business) for the right reason and for the right amount.

Not sure where to begin? Contact your business advisory team - attorney, banker, insurance agent, CPA - for recommendations.

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