Operating a Business
|
3 minute read
A Guide to Assistance for Small-Business Owners
Written by:Manoj Kukreja
If you already run or are thinking of starting a small business, you’re far from alone. In fact, the vast majority of businesses operating in America today are small businesses, so there are millions of people out there just like you, people who have dealt with the same struggles and had the same questions as you have. Fortunately, many of these professionals have put what they have learned online, so there are many resources out there that can help you to start or grow your business. Whether you’re just beginning to create a business plan or you’re looking to buy property and expand, you can find helpful advice to set you on the right path.
Getting Your Business Off the Ground
- Creating a Business Plan: Learn about how to plan for the success of your new business and use this plan to help secure funding.
- Choose Your Business Structure: You’ll need to decide whether your business will be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation.
- The Beginner’s Guide to Business Research: Part of planning for a successful business is gaining a firm understanding of your industry and your competition as well as the customers you hope to serve.
- Starting a Business: Check out this detailed guide that covers business structures, asset management, required legal documents, and steps that you need to take to make sure that your business is correctly established.
- Get Financing and Mentoring: Futurpreneur offers support and even financial help for young entrepreneurs.
- A Business Plan Framework for Modern Times: A well-thought-out and well-written business plan can have a big impact on whether or not your business is successful.
- Business Start-Up Handbook: This guidebook covers everything from determining whether entrepreneurship is right for you to figuring out what to do if things start going wrong with your business.
Home-Based Businesses
- Ideas for Starting a Part-Time Business From Home: If you’re thinking of starting a home-based business but you’re not sure what kind of business to go into, this page has lots of ideas.
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Running a Small Business From Home: Deciding to operate a business out of your home comes with pros and cons, and you should explore them thoroughly before you hang out your shingle.
- Tax Advantages of Operating a Home-Based Business: Running a business from your home allows you to take advantage of a variety of tax deductions.
Franchising
- Is Franchising Right for You? If you really want to start a business but don’t have a concrete plan for what you want to do, buying a franchise of someone else’s business could be a good option.
- What Is Franchising? Learn the basics about buying a franchise and its advantages and disadvantages.
- Information Sheet: Franchising: Do your research carefully to ensure that you’re buying a franchise of a solid business.
- Franchisee Checklist: Before you buy a franchise of a business, make sure that you fully understand what you’re getting into.
- Franchising Information for Buyers and Owners: It’s important that both sides go into the process of expanding a business through franchising with a clear idea of their expectations and obligations.
- Five Things to Consider Before Franchising Your Business: Once you have a successful business, you might consider offering franchises to others. Before you do so, think through whether it’s likely to strengthen or weaken your business.
- Which Franchising Structure Fits Your Business? If you’re thinking of franchising your business, consider which approach would best fit your brand.
Expanding Into New Locations
- How to Plan a Commercial Real Estate Purchase: When it’s time to buy a home for your business, check out these tips from the Business Development Bank of Canada.
- Six Key Considerations for Financing Your Commercial Property: You can get a mortgage to buy business property just like you can for buying a house.
- How to Get a Mortgage as a Small-Business Owner: The key to getting a loan to purchase commercial property is convincing the bank that you’re a low-risk borrower.
- Find Commercial Property for Sale: Explore listings to choose the perfect new home for your business, whether you’d rather build fresh or buy a business that’s already ready to occupy.
- Considerations Before Expanding Your Business: Think about how opening a new location will affect your professional and personal lives before taking the plunge.
- How to Use a Traffic Study to Select a Retail Site: When you’re buying commercial property, choosing a good location is critical.
Legal Help
- Find the Permits and Licences You Need: Different provinces and municipalities will have different requirements for legally operating your business. Search here to find which rules apply to your business.
- How to Legally Start Your Own Business: You’ll need to do a lot of planning and make a lot of decisions before you can start a business, including choosing the type of business structure you’ll use.
- Trademarks, Copyright, and Other Intellectual Property: Find out how to legally protect your ideas, inventions, and branding.
- Key Legal Issues to Consider When Starting a Business: Read this guide to learn about business models, how to incorporate a business, intellectual property, and hiring.
- What Are the Legal Obligations of a Business? Many of the legal requirements of owning a business will need to be handled when you first start the business, but others will need to be monitored and taken care of on a regular basis.
