When Does a Descriptive Mark Supplemental Registration Improve Branding?
What can be branded? Names of businesses, associated logos, taglines, slogans, names of products, and even product shapes, sounds, smells, and colors can be part of your brand.
Earnings Growth Versus Revenue Growth
Contribution Margin Formula
Small Business Financing
Business Capital Structure
Business Lending
Growth Capital vs Working Capital
Capital Sources For Your Business
Loan Covenants Examples
5 Steps to Deal with your Difficult Employees
Business Bad Debt
Risks in Your Business Relationships
Business Debt Schedule
Business Debt Consolidation
Book Value
Determine the Best Type of Business Loan for your Business
How to Assess Your Need for a Business Loan
Is Crowdfunding a Good Way to Raise Business Capital?
2017 Business Tax Filing Deadlines Have Changed {Infographic}
American Stock Exchange
Payback Period for Buying a Business
![How to Protect Your Business Intellectual Property [Infographic]](https://exitpromise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Screen-Shot-2016-12-01-at-2.34.09-PM.png)
How to Protect Your Business Intellectual Property [Infographic]
Effective Annual Rate
Business Value
Cap Rate
EBITDA Valuation
Working Capital vs. Change in Working Capital
Dry Powder Definition
Buy-Side and Sell-Side
Non-Solicitation Agreement
Employment Agreement
Big Impact of Small Business
Subordinated Debt
Asset-Based Lending
Buy-Sell Agreement Definition
Exclusivity Definition
Rule of Thumb Definition
Intangible Assets
Pro Forma Definition
Affordable Care Act 2015 Employer Reporting Requirements
What Types of Business Entities Can an LLC Own?
Latest Forbes Post: What You Should Know When Applying For a Bank Loan
2015 Top USA Entrepreneurship Programs
What Does a DBA Do?
How to Set Up Various Types of Business Entities
Latest Intuit Post: How HSAs Save Money
Raising Capital: Understanding the Options for Your Business
There are several types of loans available to business owners — so many, in fact, that the options can seem overwhelming and confusing, especially to smaller business owners without a lot of experience raising capital. This guide will help educate you on the options so you can make a more informed decision about financing your growing business while limiting added risk.
Google Analytics Reports: What Are Visitors Doing on Your Website?
You’ve invested in Search Optimizing your website with better content, meta-code, and Social Media links. Traffic to your site has increased, and you’ve even started to receive more calls and orders. What’s next? The first thing to realize is that SEO is an open-ended process that is never really complete. It comes with victories and setbacks, and you need to be vigilant about the ways in which your web visitors interact with your site.
Latest Forbes Post: Small Business Owner Retirement Strategies
According to the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration, “Currently, the Social Security Board of Trustees projects program cost to rise by 2035 so that taxes will be enough to pay for only 75 percent of scheduled benefits.” This bleak reality is not of great concern to the successful entrepreneur who may not need to rely heavily on social security benefits retirement. Yet, any potential reduction in social security benefits in the future is a serious threat to the well-being of the 28 million small business owners in America.
How to Know When It’s the Right Time to Borrow Money for Your Small Business
Obtaining financing from a bank or lender for your small business can be quite the task. That’s why it’s important to know when it’s the right time to do it. You may not get the results you want if you do it at the wrong time. Depending on your business goals and objectives, you may want to borrow money right away or bootstrap for as long as possible and borrow money later on down the line. Below are 4 questions you should ask yourself (and answer) to determine if you’re ready to borrow money for your small business (especially if it is a startup).
Keeping Track of Your Competitors’ Intellectual Property
As businesses grow and develop, so do their intellectual property (IP) assets. And if these businesses are engaging in proper IP management, they are filing trademark and patent applications to protect their IP. However, because of the public nature of both trademark and patent prosecutions, one may get an inkling of their competitors’ business plans if they monitor these application filings. Though not a perfect way to predict the exact nature of your competitors’ future offerings, keeping track of IP filings can be a guide to where your competitors are moving.
Latest Forbes Post: Paying Taxes In Retirement
Successful entrepreneurs have unique opportunities to plan for paying taxes in retirement. Learn more about how to create taxable and non-taxable assets.
When Does Your Website Become Your Greatest Risk?
Do you have a website? Do you have images on your website? Do you know where those images came from? Truly, do you? If you didn’t create the images yourself or you didn’t license the images from their owner, you are probably violating copyright infringement laws. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t know; innocent infringement is still infringement!
Small Business Web Design: Don’t Make Web Users Scroll?
If the headline of this piece makes you nod in agreement, you’ll be surprised by what we have to say. Have you noticed, for example, that some of the most successful websites today, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google Images offer infinite scrolling? The truth is, the last time people had any difficulty scrolling was before the turn of the century, and the idea that websites should keep their information “above the fold” is an outdated myth.
Exit Planners: Help Business Owners Make Companies More Profitable
My business partner, the author Jack Beauregard, and I recently had breakfast with Lorraine McGregor from Vancouver, BC Canada. Lorraine is the author of books on Exit Planning and Entrepreneurship, as well as an experienced business consultant. We were all discussing why so many business owners were delaying (the inevitable) transition planning from their businesses.
Small Business Loans: Is It the Right Time to Refinance?
Unfortunately, owning a business does not make someone an expert in financing. The lenders are the ones who know the ins and outs of rates and terms and documents. To even out the playing field, it is important for a small business owner to ask the right questions and consider the following factors when deciding whether to refinance:
The Best Organizational Structure for Your Growing Business
Managing the people side of a growing business is often just as difficult as managing operational challenges. From finding top talent to establishing and building a company culture, the human side of a business is a constant work in progress.
As businesses grow, one consideration leaders must wrestle with has to do with what is the best organizational structure. How many layers will the business have? At what point are other leadership roles outside of the CEO required? Answering these questions is essential if the business wants to continue to grow.
Latest Forbes Post: Entrepreneurship Lessons For Success
Why You Need a Google Plus Business Page
The world of “social media” has become a confusing crowd of personal and business pages, almost too many to name. There’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, not to mention Instagram, Tumblr, Yelp, and more. When online articles talk about the Top 10 and Top 15 Social Networking Sites, you know you’re in trouble. Who has the time? So here we are to tell you about Google Plus, aka “Google+,” and to encourage you to establish and use a Google Plus business page. Why invest your time in this social platform over some of the others? Well, the fact that it’s from Google should provide your first clue.
Business Valuation Experts
Business Valuation Experts come in many forms, and for a business owner it can be very difficult understanding the various designations. More importantly, when the business owner is in need of a valuation, understanding exactly what type of expertise is necessary and ultimately who to hire can become a daunting task.
Getting a Patent: Outline of a Patent Application
If you are considering getting a patent, you should be familiar with the items that must be included in a patent application. Below is a detailed outline of the material you will need to prepare to patent your new invention.
Latest Forbes Post: New Business Opportunity Vital Questions
Latest Forbes Post: ACA Grandmothered Plans Help Small Business
Obamacare was promoted to the approximately 5.8 million small business owners in the U.S. as a mandate which would not apply to them, nor result in a penalty if they chose not to offer health insurance to employees. Unfortunately, for those same small business employers who previously offered health insurance coverage as part of an employee’s total compensation package there is no place to hide. Premiums are skyrocketing.
The True Cost of Debt When Growing a Business
Many small business owners borrow money to start and grow their business. And is often the case those same business owners find themselves hitting credit limits established by banks and other lenders causing enormous growing pains for the business. Simply stated, running out of business capital when you’re growing a business is difficult at best.
![How to Calculate Debt Service Coverage Ratio [Tool]](https://exitpromise.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/iStock-502733644.jpg)
How to Calculate Debt Service Coverage Ratio [Tool]
Debt Service Coverage Ratio compliance often is required or necessitated by covenants in a bank loan agreement. A bank loan covenant regarding the debt service coverage ratio will specify the amount of income a business and/or its guarantor must generate relative to the debt principal and interest payments on an annual basis to remain in compliance with the covenant. The business owner, or his or her CFO or Controller, should monitor this ratio carefully on a monthly basis so the covenant is not unintentionally broken.
Latest Forbes Post: 5.6M Small Businesses Blindsided by Obamacare
Make Your Contact Form a Success
Latest Forbes Post: Bank Loan Alternatives in 2014
Finding money to grow a business has changed tremendously since the great recession. Whether sourcing capital in the form of debt, equity, or something in between, also known as mezzanine, it’s safe to say entrepreneurs have more multiple options than ever to pursue. That doesn’t make the task an easy one to accomplish. Unfortunately for the entrepreneur, the additional options have only served to increase the confusion surrounding their need for cash.
Adjusted EBITDA Definition
One of the many questions asked by entrepreneurs as they plan for the sale of their business is related to the Adjusted EBITDA definition.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Patent?
When people come to talk with me about patenting their inventive idea, inevitably this question arises: “How long will it take to get a patent?” When I tell them it will probably take close to three years, their jaws drop in surprise. “Really, it’s going to take that long?!??!!?!” YEP.
The Advantages of Buying an Existing Business
Most individuals who consider themselves entrepreneurs believe they must start their own business to earn the title. However, what some do not realize is that the entrepreneurial spirit can be fulfilled in a variety of ways, not the least of which is purchasing an existing business. The following is a list of advantages for buying a business over starting one from scratch.
When Growing Your Business, Is Your Web Presence Growing with You?
Today, web technologies like WordPress, Drupal, DotNetNuke, and Joomla allow website owners to make their own updates. No longer are you dependent on a webmaster to fit your changes into their schedule, and you’re not going to get a $100 bill for fixing a typo or updating a phone number either.
The Importance of Attitude in Buying a Business
People often overlook the attitude of the buyer and how greatly it can affect the outcome of the deal. Confidence is key.
Mezzanine Debt: Growth and Acquisition Capital
As markets recover post-recession, business owners are presented with growth opportunities. However, a business owner may not have access to the capital needed to execute on a growth strategy. Where does a business owner turn?
5 Ideas to Scale A Business
Suppose you are a key shareholder in a private company with sales in the $2M to $30M range. What percentage do you need to grow Sales in order to build a business that is 10 times bigger in 10 years – or 25.9%?
Latest Forbes Post: Understanding Bank Loan Covenants
Selling Stock Implications When It’s Time to Sell
Many entrepreneurs faced with the demands on cash of a growing business are tempted to sell equity to outside investors, or perhaps give away stock to retain a valuable employee. Diluting your stake in this way may solve the immediate problem, but it can have unforeseen consequences when the business eventually is sold. Stockholders’ personal circumstances evolve in different ways over the lifetime of a company, and whatever the original intention everyone may not be on the same page when you are ready to sell.
Surviving Due Diligence & Contract Negotiation
You have endured multiple meetings with potential buyers. You’ve written dozens of emails and suffered through several rounds of negotiations to secure the best price and deal structure. At last you have decided on the offer to accept. That’s the worst of it over then? Think again – you have yet to experience the joys of due diligence and sale contract negotiation.
How to Calculate Customer Concentration Risk
If a customer’s total revenue for the year represents 8% or more of all revenue for the same year, you have a customer concentration risk.
Latest Forbes Post: Obamacare Medicare Taxes — Increasing Your 2013 Tax Bill {Infographic}
Latest Forbes Post: Year-End Tax Tips Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know — Before They Expire
Non-Solicitation Agreement | How to Keep Your Best Employees
If you’ve grown a valuable business, there is no doubt your employees are a big part of your success. You also know that hiring, training, and managing a great team of productive employees is a difficult task. And keeping your best employees is yet another accomplishment! But the painful truth is your competition would be very pleased to hire away your best employees.
Three Keys to an Effective Performance Management System
For most companies, the end of the year is a time when employees and leaders go through the annual review process. This process is designed to rate performance for the year and, if applicable, apply a merit increase. Many companies consider this their performance management system. A true performance management system however is much more involved.
Latest Forbes Post: How Obamacare Affects Employers
Multiple Business Structures: Their Combinations & Tax Consequences
Check out the website of your favorite fast food chain and you will see most have multiple business entity structures noted in the fine print. For a large business, this practice has been commonplace for decades. It involves layering one form of a business entity either alongside or in conjunction with an operating business.
Latest Forbes Post: 11 Tangible Ways Entrepreneurs Can Help Veterans
6 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Always Do
When Should You Have Intellectual Property Licensing Agreements?
An intellectual property rights owner (licensor) authorizes certain rights to another (licensee) in exchange for an agreed payment in the form of either a fee or a royalty, or some combination of both.
When SEO and Usability Join Forces
When optimizing your website for search, you might wonder: Am I creating a site for search bots or for real people to use, and is there a difference?
Latest Forbes Post: The 4 People Who Made Entrepreneurship Sexy
Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Which is Right For My Business?
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act there is a distinct difference between an independent contractor and an employee. This difference lies mainly in the way they are paid and the way taxes are withheld. Understanding the difference between them and times when both are appropriate to use can help business owners determine which is best for their situation.
Latest Forbes Post: 7 New Tax Changes Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know
Latest Forbes Post: How To Tell If Your ‘Right-Fit’ Employee Is Wrong
What is a Trademark? Trademark Definitions & Considerations
The legal definition of a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods and services. Most commonly we think of names and logos, but marks also include taglines, slogans, and even product shapes, sounds, smells, and colors.
IRS Code Section 409A and its Impact on Stock Options
Can You Say ‘Algorithm?’ How Google Sees Your Website
To the business owner with a website, what happens in a Google search is a mystery. Why doesn’t your site show up when you do a search? What’s the magic formula for getting to the top of Google?
4 Ways to Increase the Value of a Business
Often, business owners ask me one of those “quick questions” – what can I do to maximize the sale price of my business? The answer? Not as simple as you may think. But there are 4 factors that can increase the value of your sale price.
Contract Provisions Checklist
Entering into a new contract is an exciting time for any company. The agreement is signed with the hope that it will grow the business and result in a long, mutually beneficial relationship with the other side. While such optimism is warranted, the importance of entering into a legally sound contract is critical to the protection of your business.
Definition of EBIT
EBIT is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes. This is a term Bankers often use as a measure of a business’s earnings from operations. The EBIT reveals operating profitability without non-recurring or unusual income or expenses.
