A business model that aims to consolidate in the fragmented tour-packaging industry must rely on the entrepreneurial owners of the local businesses it acquires, according to the writer. A case is made for developing the people who will build the business, rather than, as is practice for many consolidators, putting them out of business.
Entrepreneurs confronting the unhappy task of having to downsize when business conditions change need to execute in a way that preserves the dignity of, and, ultimately, the relationship with, the employees, says an entrepreneur who laid off her entire staff in the wake of the dot-com crash. Downsizing well involves throwing away the rulebook and dealing with people on a personal level, she writes.
Running your own business on your own terms means freedom in your schedule and approach. It can also mean slim funding. This Co-founder of The Baby Einstein Company was seeking to avoid entanglement with venture capitalists and found that doing business on a cash-only basis was the answer.
Balance sheets of many emerging companies show that their intellectual property is their most valuable asset. For that reason, owners and managers must focus their energies and resources on its development and protection.
Venture capital firms consider key variables in your business plan before committing capital to the project. Prepare your management team to answer the questions discussed here. This article also explains the securities and documents that result from venture capital negotiations.
At a time when branding is more important than ever for entrepreneurs, Lillian Vernon, the doyenne of direct-mail retailing, talks about branding herself to reach her customers. In the past half century, the strategy has enabled her company to get valuable publicity, as well as more easily extend its product line and weather times of crisis, the author writes.
Because he makes a living at sorting through the finances of failing companies, this turnaround specialist knows that the single most important approach for building new companies or salvaging dying ones is careful cash flow management. This entrepreneur writes on the balancing act and the pitfalls to avoid while managing your money.
Knowing how to work the system gives you control over one of the most important issues concerning your business: the ability to handle your cash. Whether you’re black or white, whether you’re running a freshly funded business or a proven establishment, cash flow matters. The publisher of Black Enterprise shares what he’s learned about diligent cash-flow management during three decades in the magazine business.
How do you survive personally when your business goes bust? In an article that is both realistic and compassionate, the author lays out a financial plan for the seven lean years. Stash away cash during the fat years, downsize quickly once the handwriting is on the wall, and consider moving to a lower-cost geographic area are among his suggestions.
Issuing shares privately is a viable way for small and growing businesses to raise capital, exempt from many registration and reporting requirements. Here are the rules you need to know.