Starting your business

You have a business idea. Now it's time to turn it into a reality with these how-to guides and practical tips that will set you up for success.

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Fleet TCO: Calculating Total Cost of Ownership from Cost to Depreciation

Learn the factors involved in calculating the total cost of ownership and the benefits fleet management provides to companies. There are hidden costs to consider.

Start and Grow Your Dump Truck Business

Do you know how to start a dump truck business? This is a promising field to get into for truckers and entrepreneurs alike. Find out what you need to know.

How to Start a Home Daycare

Learn how to start a home daycare. Find out how childcare can be a rewarding and lucrative career opportunity for people who like working with children.

13 Steps to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Workable Strategy

Give your latest business idea a shot at success. Learn how to turn an idea into a business plan that transforms your concept into a tangible product people can use.

Are You Ready To Be an Owner Operator?

Find out if it's time for you to take control of your truck driving career as an owner operator and what steps are necessary to start your new business.

Why Defining Responsibility in a Workplace Is a Must

Outlining the responsibilities of each employee in your workplace can promote key factors that contribute to an effective business. Learn more here.

25 Business Name Generators to Help You Choose a Company Name

Consider using one or more of these 26 company name generators to help you find the best name for your business.

Hobby vs Business: Pros and Cons

Understanding the difference between a hobby and a business allows you to make an informed decision about your income and side hustle.

Owning a Business With Your Spouse: Pros and Cons

There are several ways to start a business with your spouse, but first weigh the various pros and cons.

Running a Business from Your Home: Pros and Cons

Weigh the pros and cons of running a home business, and learn tips for running a successful home-based business if you decide it's right for you.

10 Tips for Acquiring Your First Clients or Customers

Explore tips for acquiring your first client, including how to target and attract the right customers.

Hiring and Managing Employees in a Family-Owned Business

Manage your family-owned business effectively and fairly with these helpful tips, whether you only work with family or share duties with non-family employees.

How to Buy HR Software Tools

Learn about the benefits of HR automation, 13+ types of HR software and tips for choosing and buying the right tools for your business.

How to Start a Business: Do's and Don'ts

Thinking about starting a business but unsure of where to begin? Use this guide to understand the steps you need to take to lay a foundation for your business' success.

Business Licences and Permits: An Overview

Learn about business licenses and permits you may need for your own business in this comprehensive guide.

Opening a Franchise: Do's and Don'ts

Learn what a franchise is, dos and don'ts when opening one, the costs involved and how to hire employees to work at the franchise.

How to Choose the Right Project Management Methodology for Your Business

Learn about some of the main project management methodologies used today and discover how they can benefit your business workflow.

Getting a Business Coach: How to Find a Good Fit

Discover the benefits of working with a business coach and how to find a coach that meets your professional needs.

Common Office Layouts: How To Choose the Best One for Your Business

Learn what an office layout is, possible office layout options for your business and tips for picking the best layout for your company.

Making an Operational Plan for Your Business: Key Concepts

Operational plans are a useful business tool. Learn what an operational plan is and how to write one. Review answers to frequently asked questions about these documents.

Choosing a PR Agency: 5 Considerations

Learn what public relations is, the services PR agencies offer, what to look for in a PR agency and how to choose the best one for you.

What Is Product Design? An Overview

Product design is a multi-step process that requires keen oversight and knowledge from a product designer. Learn about this process and the role of product designer.

Subscription Business Models: 3 Tips and Considerations

Learn what a subscription business model is, the benefits to using one, types of businesses that have one and tips to determine if it's right for you.

What Is a Cooperative? An Introduction

What Is a Small Business? Understanding Definitions and Benefits

Learn the qualifications to be considered a small business for various industries.

How to Start an Online Business: Best Practices

Learn how to start an online business including projecting costs and creating a business plan.

How To Start A Franchise: An Overview

Learn about the benefits of becoming a franchisor by licensing out your business model to distributors.

A Guide to Accounting Software for Your Small Business

Learn why it's important for a small business to use accounting software, view features to look for and explore possible options to consider.

A Guide to Merchant Accounts in Banking

Discover what a merchant account is, when and why your business needs one, how to choose and set one up and answers to FAQs regarding merchant accounts.

Budgeting in Business: Best Practices and Examples

Learn about best practices for creating and maintaining a business budget.

Registering a Domain Name for Your Business: Best Practices

Learn what a domain name is, why you need one and how to set up a business domain name.

Starting, Growing and Managing a Fully Remote Business

Tips for identifying (or pivoting to) a new remote business opportunity and hiring and managing a distributed team.

How to Start a Social Media Management Company

Learn the benefits of starting a social media management company, types of services to offer, how to hire employees and the best ways to market your company.

How to Start a Pool Cleaning Service

Learn how to start your own pool cleaning service, how much money you'll need, how to register your small business and the best ways to market your company.

How to Start a Landscaping Business

Learn how to start your own landscaping business, explore the benefits, how to register, how to hire employees and ways to market.

How to Start an Internet Marketing Company

Learn the benefits of starting your own internet marketing company, how to hire employees, how to register your business and ways to market your organization.

How to Start Your Own Direct Sales Company

Learn what a direct sales company is, how to start one, how to determine the products you'll sell, the estimate of how much it'll cost and ways to market it.

How to Start a Bar: An Overview

Learn how to start a bar and the necessary steps to welcome patrons. Consider marketing, licenses and permits to ensure you're ready for the marketplace.

How to Start a Catering Business

Learn the basics of running your own catering company including coming up with a concept, hiring employees and finding loyal customers.

How to Start a Clothing Line

You have many options when it comes to starting a clothing line. Learn how to go about writing a business plan, establishing prices and creating a marketing strategy for your new clothing line.

Opening Your Fast Food Restaurant: Best Practices

Discover what resources you'll need to open your own fast food restaurant and plan for its success.

Starting a Construction Company: Key Considerations

Starting a construction company takes time and research. Learn the key considerations to starting your own construction business.

How to Start a T-Shirt Company

Starting a t-shirt company requires some forethought and planning. Know what you need to do in order to run a legal and profitable t-shirt business.

How to Start a Website: Best Practices for Your Business

Learn how to start a website with these best practices. Select the ideal website design program, know what information to include and review answers to FAQs.

Opening a Restaurant: Startup Costs and Best Practices

Learn the basic costs and responsibilities associated with opening your own restaurant.

9 Steps to Writing a Business Plan (With 2 Templates)

Use business plan templates to help you provide direction for your business, set effective goals and showcase your organization's potential to investors.

Google My Business: How to Get Started

Learn more about how you can use Google My Business to optimize your customer engagement.

Creating a Business Model Canvas: Best Practices

Learn how to use the business model canvas tool to improve company operations.

Leasing vs Buying Space for Your Business

Decide whether buying or leasing an office space is right for your business in this comprehensive guide.

How to Get Started With an X (Twitter) Business Account (In 4 Steps)

Wondering if Twitter is the right platform for your business? Take a look at these tips on creating a Twitter account for your business.

Best Practices for Setting Up Business Email

Learn what a business email is, the benefits of having one, tips to follow when creating one and possible options for email services and domains to use.

Domain Name Ideas (and Alternatives) for Your Business: Best Practices

Choosing the right domain name for your website can convey your business purpose and enhance brand identity. Learn more in this comprehensive guide.

How to Determine Pricing for Your Business

Learn what pricing is in business, common types of pricing strategies and price vs. cost.

A Guide To Starting a Vending Machine Business

Start your own vending machine business by following this guide for entrepreneurs.

What Is a Call to Action? An Overview

The right call to action can make the difference between successful sales and low engagement. Learn more about how a call to action can benefit your business in this comprehensive guide.

A Guide to Customer Relations Management

Learn the basics of customer relations management for business owners.

Creating a Marketing Strategy for Your Small Business

Learn how to develop a marketing strategy for your small business.

A Guide to Expanding Your Business through Franchising

Thinking about franchising your business? Learn what a franchisor does, how they make money and other frequently asked questions about becoming a franchisor.

What Is the Definition of Sales?

Learn what selling is, the types of selling and the roles that fall under this profession. Use the list of good salesperson qualities to help you make the best hiring decision.

How to Start (and Scale) a Food Truck Business

Learn about the licensing requirements, financial projections and marketable strategies that come with starting a food truck business.

Real Estate Property Management: An Intro

Learn the basics of real estate property management and how it can impact a business.

What Is a Brick-and-Mortar Store?

Learn what a brick and mortar store is, advantages and disadvantages and alternatives to this type of retail method.

Gmail for Business: Best Practices for Your Business

Learn what Gmail is, the Gmail features that will most benefit your organization and best practices to keep in mind when using Gmail for Business.

Small Business Loans: What is a Loan Principal?

Your loan principal is only a portion of what you owe on a loan. Learn what a loan principal is and the different ways your business can pay it off.

Setting Up a PayPal Business Account: An Intro

PayPal business accounts offer both benefits and drawbacks for companies. Consider what they are and how to create an account before doing so.

What is the SBA? How the Small Businesses Administration Can Help

Learn about the many funding options, training and mentorship programs available through the Small Business Administration (SBA).

What Is a Limited Liability Company (LLC)?

Opening a Coffee Shop: A Quick Guide

Learn the basics of starting a coffee business in this quick, comprehensive guide.

How To Start a Cleaning Business: An Intro

In this guide, we'll cover how to start a cleaning business.

How to Know if You Have the Entrepreneurial Personality

Learn the top traits of an entrepreneur and how you can tell whether or not you possess the entrepreneurial personality that drives success in business.

Resources For Entrepreneurs: An Introduction

Learn about basic resources for beginning entrepreneurs and how they can help your business.

Traits of Entrepreneurs: Real World Examples

Learn about the traits of entrepreneurs that make their start-ups successful, so you can identify your own entrepreneurial personality.

Making an Organizational Structure for a Business

Learn the steps for making an organizational structure for your business to implement policies, procedures, management expectations, and more.

Core Competencies: What They Are and How to Identify Them

Find out what core competencies are, examples of common core competencies and the steps you can take to determine your company’s core competencies.

The Recruitment Process: How to Attract, Hire and Onboard Top Talent

Learn about the six stages of the recruitment process lifecycle and why it's important to implement your own recruitment process right away.

Customer Acquisition: A Guide for Businesses

Learn the importance of customer acquisition, increasing market reach and what you can do to reduce customer acquisition costs.

Building a Compensation Strategy for Your Business

Building a compensation strategy takes time and research to attract talent and remain competitive. Learn why you need a compensation strategy and how to build one.

The Ultimate List of Skills Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed

Learn about the skills entrepreneurs need to succeed and how you can develop them to improve your business.

The Most Important Business Skills for the Workplace

Determine the type of business skills you already possess and consider three of the most important skills you need to effectively run your business.

Programs for the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged in Small Business

Find out about the support available for businesses that are owned by those who are socially or economically disadvantaged and how to qualify for SBA-run programs.

What Is a Net Lease in Commercial Real Estate?

Learn all about net leases in commercial real estate and how business owners may benefit from the various types of leases.

How to Find Commercial Lease Space

Finding a commercial lease space for your new business is a matter of finding the right location, size and landlord for your particular needs.

Claiming Your Label Name: A Guide for Small Businesses

If you are trying to decide on a label name, there are some things you need to consider to ensure that your business branding is protected.

Feasibility Studies: An Intro to Feasibility Analysis

Learn about feasibility studies in business and the steps to conduct one.

An Entrepreneur's Guide to Leases for Commercial Property

Learn about commercial leases and how to negotiate terms for your business.

How To Register the Name of Your Business

Searching for a business name is one of the most important steps toward starting your own business. Learn how to register a business name for your business.

Forming Your Business as a Corporation

Learn about the steps needed to form a corporation and the pros and cons of doing so.

What Is Considered a Workplace? A Few Definitions

Learn what a workplace is, the various types of workplaces and how to create a great and productive workplace.

Writing a Mission Statement for Your Team or Business

Learn how to write a powerful mission statement for your organization.

How to Write a Business Description for a Business Plan

Learn what a business description is, the steps and tips for creating one and answers to FAQs regarding business descriptions.

Planning for Business Success: An Overview

Read more about planning for business success, including best practices for creating an effective business plan and the benefits of planning to achieve goals.

Goals vs. Objectives in Business: A Guide for Managers

Setting goals and objectives is important if you're growing a business and you can learn more doing so by understanding the difference between the two.

What are the responsibilities of an employer?

The role of an employer encompasses a wide range of responsibilities to employees. Learn everything you need to know about what it means to be an employer.