Small Business Blog

The market analysis section of your business plan should illustrate your industry and market knowledge as well as any of your research...

The Microsoft Office Suite (Office 2007 and later) comes with pre-designed graphics and diagrams called SmartArt.  This tool can be used...

Commonly known as consultants, freelancers and self-employed, independent contractors are individuals who are hired to do a particular...

As you manage your business, you will be faced with important decisions that may impact the future of your company. This may seem...

If you’re planning to start or expand a business, you might need financing help. SBA participates in loan programs for business owners...

Entrepreneurs must prepare five main documents before applying for a small business loan. These vary depending on the lender, the...

Employees and independent contractors are not the same. As a small business owner, it is important to understand the differences between...

A trade secret is any confidential piece of information that provides your small business a competitive advantage over rivals. As such,...

Multiple times per week, clients ask me how to go about protecting their business names, company logos, and catchy slogans. They...

As a small business, your logo is your main identifying mark. It portrays what you stand for as a company; is one of the first things...

Determining how to price your products and services is a tough decision all entrepreneurs face. Small business owners — especially those...

As a sole proprietor or single-member limited liability company (LLC), the mere thought of tax season may cause anxiety. Before you get...

This week, the Iowa Western Small Business Development Center staff spent time in Iowa City watching its Venture School kick-off. Iowa...

In our last post, we discussed how to easily and correctly issue and file 1099s for non-employees. Today, we’ll discuss another...

As a small business, you likely hired the help of independent contractors, lawyers, and other outside services throughout 2014. Despite...

The holiday season is officially upon us, which means shoppers scrambling to buy gifts for their loved ones — and sales opportunities...

Traditionally, entrepreneurs in need of financing for their start-ups and small businesses had two options — apply for a bank loan or...

Clients frequently visit our SBDC in search of grants to help fund their small businesses. The reality of grants, however, is they’re...

Today I was sitting with a client who is a successful business, running a successful commercial service. He told me that hiring the right...

As you know the first thing that needs to be done is a Business Plan.  But where do you start? How long does it have to be?  At what...