Resource Nation Blog - Small Business Articles, Resources and Advice

How to Manage Cash Flow

Lydia Kim — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:38:31 +0000

Some businesses today are using credit cards to help finance new purchases, pay vendors, and add employees, but what happens if those credit cards don’t get paid off, or your business needs a larger line of credit? You might think credit cards and charge cards are one and the same. Both cards are borrowing money from an issuing company based on…

iTunes U: The Business Tool You Aren’t Using (but should be)

Monique L. Myers — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:27:04 +0000

Didn’t go to Stanford for your MBA? Well, now you can. Top notch universities in the US and abroad, business schools, museums, public broadcasting stations and state education organizations are all part of YouTube EDU, Academic Earth, MIT Open Course Ware and iTunes U which offer free downloads of educational podcasts or videos. These presentations cover a range of topics from VoIP security…

Will Tax Withholding Affect California Retailers Over the Holidays?

Monique L. Myers — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:43:03 +0000

At the start of this week, California workers will notice their paychecks are slightly smaller. In July, California legislature passed a plan to falsely increase state revenue until June by increasing the Personal Income Tax withholding by 10%. Technically this is not an increase in the personal income tax as any extra withholding will be returned in April, it is…

Great Business Start-Up Ideas For Under $5000

Ellisa Brenneman — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:42:15 +0000

In today’s economic environment, individuals with entrepreneurial mindsets are exploring new ideas for businesses that will not only survive in a recession, but will also thrive. The key to starting a new business is maximizing its resources while remaining lean in operations. Let’s face it: most people do not have $100,000 sitting in their pockets. So, how is it possible, then, to start a…

Skype Still King, but New Programs May Offer More

David Liu — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:58:48 +0000

Video chat and a VoIP service has been showing up on space shuttles, airplanes, offices, public schools, and even Oprah. Recent improvements in standard internet speed (currently over three quarters of all American households have broadband, according to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association), now allow more and more options for internet telephony to enter the market.

Currently, the highest rated…

The SWOT vs. the Risk Analysis

Ellen Arndt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:17:11 +0000

Many business plan writers and entrepreneurs have engaged in heated debates as to whether a business plan should include both a SWOT and risk analysis. The SWOT tool assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your new or existing businesses, whereas the risk analysis looks at the risks faced by your venture and how you intend to overcome those obstacles. When looking…

Yahoo to End Paid Inclusion after 2009 Microsoft Merger

David Liu — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:34:55 +0000

Search engine Yahoo will end its paid inclusion program (similar to pay per click) at the end of the year after complaints that having paid advertisements included in organic search results could create biased results. The move is not a PR one though – Yahoo originally stated that its paid inclusion program was still up in the air at their July…

The Art Of Planning For Small Business Success

Ellisa Brenneman — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:29:51 +0000

We all know the value of hard work, especially in one’s own ventures. There’s a slippery slope to avoid with it too, and that’s where hard work becomes more than just something to keep you up at night, it becomes an Art form. I spend a significant amount of time consulting and restructuring business plans to whittle down and refocus clients so…

VoIP on Cell Phones: Recent News Changes Industry

Monique L. Myers — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:07:01 +0000

VoIP systems revolutionized office phone systems and phone system capabilities allowing more businesses on-the-go capabilities at a low cost. Just recently, cell phone providers realized this could revolutionize the mobile industry as well.

Last week the media networks went crazy covering the two major VoIP service and cell phone developments. First, Verizon announced that it will be working with Google’s Android software and will begin…

Analyzing Your Competitive Landscape

Ellen Arndt — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:22:48 +0000

Every business plan should entail a comprehensive overview of your business’ marketplace competition. Any business that provides a similar service or product in the same region may be viewed as a primary or secondary competitor. Identified competitors underscore the impetus of expanding your company’s product or service into the selected market. As such, your business needs to highlight and build upon the weaknesses…