Wednesday, December 12, 2007

How The Government Can Help You Start Your Business

Copyright © Lori Held
http://www.naaheld.com

When starting your business you can use all the help you can get, and the federal government can be a great source for assistance. You may wonder in what ways can they help you get started. Here are three areas the government offers help in getting your new business off the ground.

You need money to start your business and the government can help you get the cash you need in two ways. First option offered would be a loan. The government has hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding set up for small business and entrepreneurs. There are loans created specifically for low-income businesses, handicapped individuals, military veterans and more. The second option for funds would be one of the fifteen hundred grants that are available through fifty-two government agencies. The grants are separated and grouped by state and business category. Such categories include but are not limited to agriculture, general business and real estate. You can also find grant money for research and development of your business. Many of these grants start at five thousand dollars and can end in the six figures. Best of all these do not have to be paid back. It's like receiving free money.

So you know that money can be found, but what about other assistance. The government has this covered also. They offer assistance for small business expansion, development and renovation. There are fifteen hundred government sources to provide the needed assistance for small businesses. A place to start looking for this information would be the SBA, or small business administration office. You can find this in your phone book, online or the help desk at your local library. Through the government you can receive counseling, training to improve skills to help manage and operate your business. There are some forms and guidelines that are to be completed. For some examples of these forms and more detailed information you can read source books on finding government as well as private foundations. These books can be found at your local library also.

Money and assistance are no longer a concern. Lastly the government offers advisory services to you. These services will assist you in improving your management skills and labor management relations. This is very important knowledge when beginning business.
There is so much the federal government can do to help you get your business up and running. It's just a matter of taking the time to find your local sources and get the process started. Be sure to take advantage of these offers. It's not everyday someone will hand you free money that will go to making yourself more money. So don't wait any longer, get the process started and you'll be well on your way to a flourishing, successful business.

Best Regards,
Lori Held



http://www.naaheld.com

Monday, November 26, 2007

Investing Your Money Wisely

Copyright © Lori Held
http://www.naaheld.com


If you are involved in business then chances are you are so caught up with the day to day operations that you sometimes forget that there are alternative ways for you to earn from your money. But in fact, there are cases where you will actually earn more from your investments than from your actual business. This is because you will have to deal with overhead expenses, salary, and capitalization in an actual business. On the other hand, all these factors are not present in investments. In other word, you are making your money work for you when you invest rather than the other way around.

So how exactly can you go about this endeavor? The fact is, investment requires in-depth exposure to the market so you would know where you invest your money in. There are many investment options you can choose from. Even your regular saving account and time deposit in the bank can be regarded as an investment because you are able to earn a specific amount of interest rates from this endeavor.

Aside from these though, there are other investment options that will let you yield higher rates for your money. Some of these opportunities include investing in the stock market, in mutual funds, and even in foreign exchange. But from the description of these options, it is quite obvious that it is necessary for you to watch the movements of the market consistently so you will be able to know when to buy and when to sell.

However, you should note that just in operating your own business, investing in these endeavors presents risks also. Different investment options have varying amounts of risks so you need to study how much risk you are actually willing to take. For example, if you decide to buy a particular stock from a known company at a high price, it is possible that this stock will not cost the same the following day because of management problems or other issues that can suddenly arise. Even investing in mutual funds carries some risks because the interest rates you are expecting may not be as high as you are anticipating.

Overall though, investment is a good way to earn while enjoying the convenience of being in control of your time and your money. Investments also somehow provide you with a sense of security because you know that your money is managed by competent financial managers. In addition, you should note that diversification is important in today’s world. Diversification simply means that you need to put money in different investment options so your risks are balanced in different industries. In this regard, investments certainly gives you that flexibility because you are free to choose the investment medium that suits your needs best.

Best Regards,
Lori Held


http://www.naaheld.com

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Managing a Family Business

Copyright © Lori Held

Business and personal matters are hard to combine but in a family business, owners are forced to deal with both personal and professional issues at the same time. This situation leads to pressure on the part of the business owner to perform according to the expectations of his family and sometimes, it hinders him from doing what is necessary to improve business operations. In addition, he is also pressured to make decisions that are acceptable to all members of his family to be able to enjoy a harmonious relationship at home.

However, it is important to realize managing a business in today’s environment is not that simple. There are times when difficult decisions need to be made to ensure the survival and the profitability of the business. So whether it is a family owned business or not, the business should be managed as a serious enterprise and not something that is just founded as a hobby because this will surely lead to failure if it is not properly managed.

It is also important to tackle the issue of succession in the business especially if the owner of the business has more than one child. There had been a lot of cases wherein the children of the owner fight over the ownership of the business because the owner did not make it clear who will own the business after he has passed away. Now, everyone wants to avoid this scenario and the truth this, avoiding these kinds of situations can just be a matter of planning. Having a defined succession guide will enable all the children to live harmoniously with one another while helping the business success.

There should also be a designated leader whom everyone should be able to respect and obey in the business. The leader should also be capable and can make sound business decision. This is because if he turns out to be incompetent, other family members can feel that they could have handled the situation better themselves and you want to avoid this scenario as much as possible.

But even if the all members of the family do succeed in having a good business relationship though, it is still recommended that they separate business from personal matters. This will enable them to make decisions without bias for the betterment of the business. In addition, separating the personal from the professional will make business owners more flexible in making decisions at the workplace.

Probably the most important thing in managing a family business properly though, is ensuring that the whole family will have a good relationship that will last even if the business doesn’t. Ultimately, family is still more important than the business because the business can be replaced but your family cannot be replaced.

Best Regards,
Lori Held


http://www.naaheld.com