I happened to catch an episode of Shark Tank for the first time this weekend.   This reality television show has some great lessons for entrepreneurs. If you haven’t seen  this show before, it’s basically American Idol for the small business owner.  Entrepreneurs get to pitch...

If you’re serious about being the next Tony Hsieh, the man who just sold Zappos for around $1 Billion dollar to Amazon, then you need to understand the mindset of a venture capitalist (VC).  An excellent starting point is the blog Both Sides of the Table, written by Mark Suster. Mark...

Does your business need money from the bank? Well, you probably won’t get it. Banks have always preferred lending to those who don’t really “need” the money. This tendency is especially exacerbated by the current credit crunch. It’s not likely to change anytime soon, no matter...

Beware small business owners, tax rates on ordinary income will go up starting in 2011!  Because of the increase in personal taxes, your current business ownership structure may no longer be optimal.   Personal tax rates will affect every business owner whose ownership is in the form of an...

Size is in the eye of the beholder.  We hear the moniker “small business” thrown around but the definition of what a small business differs from source to source.  Who thinks what does make a difference.   It affects a business in the types of capital that they can access and...

Small business owners can get government guaranteed or government funded loans through the SBA (Small Business Administration).   The two most popular programs are 7(a) and  504. The types of business that typically receive these loans can include start-ups, sole proprietors and...