BizScoops

Professional Networking

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:10:12 +0000

Networking is vital to a small businesses growth. Typically, small businesses owners rely on their existing networks for initial customers. In addition, small business owners will try to quickly expand their networks in hopes of generating new customers. While this push to increase business contacts is understandable, small business owners should be careful to not alienate contacts. Here are some simple guidelines to professional networking:

Purchase Agreement

admin — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:17:16 +0000

The purchase agreement outlines detailed terms and conditions of a transaction. These items include (i) Purchase Price Terms, (ii) Escrow, (iii) Representations and Warranties, (iii) Provisions of the contract that are crucial, (iv) Special Considerations, (v) Indemnity, and (vi) Post-closing covenants / restrictive covenants.

Email Marketing

admin — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:44:42 +0000

Indication of Interest Example

admin — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:12:06 +0000

This is an example indication of interest (IOI) for users to review. Buyer LLC is pleased to submit this indication of interest to purchase Specialty Retailer, Inc. (the "Company") in an asset transaction. Based on our discussions with the management team and the information provided, we believe the Company is a good fit with our investment criteria - to invest in growing companies with scalable management teams and infrastructure. We have a strong track record investing in specialty retail companies and are excited about the opportunity Specialty Retailer represents. We believe our background and years of experience building retailers both through organic initiatives and acquisitions makes us a valuable partner in achieving the Company's strategic growth plans.

Transaction Processing

admin — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:01:54 +0000

Review of Financial Statements

admin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:52:13 +0000

There are several different tasks an accounting firm or auditor performs for a company. Typically, accounting firms or auditors review a company's financial statements on an annual basis. The three types of review are as follows: (i) Audited, (ii) Reviewed and (iii) Compilations.

SEO Factors

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:03:21 +0000

Employment Agreement

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:23:33 +0000

An employment agreement is a formal employment agreement that addresses key terms and conditions of a person's employment. It's also commonly referred to as a senior management agreement or SMA. The following issues are usually addressed in an employment agreement:

Engagement Letter

admin — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:24:19 +0000

An engagement letter is a combination of items - it's a proposal, contract and listing of services to be provided. It basically formalizes the relationships between a customer and service provider (such as consultant). Key items included in an engagement letter include the work to be performed, key project deliverables (e.g., presentation, written work) and timing / structure of any payments.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:31:07 +0000

A letter of intent (LOI) is the preliminary agreement entered into between a buyer and a seller. This document summarizes the transaction terms and conditions that have in principle been agreed to by both parties. Here's a walkthrough on the key items found in a LOI.

Inidication of Interest (IOI)

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:22:38 +0000

An Indication of Interest (IOI) is a non-binding offer submitted to Seller to indicate valuation in general terms, usually a range of for the consideration the Buyer would pay. Obviously, IOIs may have a different order for paragraphs and information but generally an IOI is contains the following information.

Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

admin — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:36:00 +0000

A non disclosure agreement (NDA) is a confidentiality agreement between two parties. This basically prevents one of the parties from disclosing the information specified in the agreement. This helps to ensure proprietary and sensitive material is kept confidential. A NDA usually contains the following key items:

Swift Financial Raises Another Round of Funding

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:17:45 +0000

Financing Needs of Your Business

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:55:20 +0000

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:53:32 +0000

here is a general process that holds true for M&A processes. For purposes of this discussion, we will be taking the potential buyers point of view. This walk through is of course a simplified, high-level walk through but it should provide a useful base. We will be adding more details and examples around the M&A process soon. The M&A process can be broken up into a couple segments as shown below. The M&A process includes several documents including:

Licenses and Permits

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:17:25 +0000

There are several state and/or federal licenses, permits and/or requirements that you need to be aware of as you start a business. While my list below is not meant to be a complete list, the following items are a good place to start:

Business Insurance

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:10:31 +0000

Legal Entities

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:20:25 +0000

There are several types of legal entities to choose from for starting a business. Each legal entity has its advantages and disadvantages but generally, a limited liability corporation (LLC) is the best option when starting a new company. However, it is important to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each legal entity before making a final decision.

Small Business Financing Snapshot

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:58:21 +0000

Small businesses are predominantly funded by commercial banks. Small business financing is generally provided by those banks located in the same community or in communities nearby. As of June 2006, small businesses owed an estimated $634 billion to commercial banks - yes, $634 billion.

Franchising

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:24:16 +0000

You may find that you prefer to buy a Franchise due to the amount of data that is provided and the operational assistance that you will be given. It is important to note that every franchise offers varying degrees of support and brand value. The costs of franchises vary but the following provides some guidelines when considering if a franchise is right for you: