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A List of Five Small Business Resources You’ll Want to Know About

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The Internet is Full of Resources for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, you are never alone, especially if you’re partnering with a successful franchise opportunity. Personal networking, mentorship, and the Internet’s abundance of small business resources are easily accessible. The business world is not as cut-throat as lawyers and your MBA faculty romanticized it to be. There are guides, tools, and resources omnipresent to help address any snags you find yourself in. You might just need to know where to look.

This article will discuss five of the best sources of business knowledge covering topics like tax information, hiring guidelines, and back-office systems.

Filing Taxes as New Small Business Owner

A common mistake many neophyte business owners make is believing that the IRS will overlook their business before profiting. This is far from true. The IRS takes huge bounds to audit small business and start-ups even before they enter the black. Hiring a CPA or tax preparation service is one of the major small business resources that will pay for itself. Organized books and accounting will not only make tax season less of a headache, it will help you find your business’ strengths when time to expand comes.

For support in filing taxes enlist the help of SCORE. This organization is a group of retired executives who have the expertise to mentor you through the toughest business challenges. Local SCORE chapters provide valuable practical advice, tools, and education you will need as you start out.

Finding a mentor is simple through SCORE’s network of experienced entrepreneurs.  You can visit a local chapter or access their information online. The SCORE website can be used as a manual. You can find instruction on all relevant business inquiries. Information like how to structure your business for legal and tax purposes, proper deductions, and steps to partnering with a tax preparation agency are a few clicks away.

Where and How to Hire Employees

The internet is an extensive and far-reaching tool for collecting and retaining talented members of your team. Every position, skill-set, and congruous personality can be found for your business. First, you’ll need to narrow down the employees you’re looking for by job title. Then, you’ll need to post job openings throughout various internet forums. There are a variety of credible small business resources where you can post job openings.

Job Posting Forums

  • Indeed
  • Monster
  • LinkedIn Jobs
  • Craiglist
  • SimplyHired

Post all relevant information on these sites. Include information like credentials, minimum work experience, expected compensation, and summarize the job description. There are also a number of recruitment agencies that you can use if your business is scaling quickly.

The Small Business Administration

The SBA is an independent agency of the federal government whose sole purpose is to assist small business owners. Whether finding a small business loan with advantageous rates or seeking out free education on segments of business like financing, marketing, or managing—the SBA is a widely comprehensive small business resource. Many of the first time tasks of opening a business from the ground up are outlined in the SBA’s literature. Tasks, like writing a business plan, or picking out a point of sales system are outlined in easy step-by-step guides.

The SBA’s mission is: “The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.”

Free Online Small Business Resources

The convergence of the online world has introduced new dissemination of information that before only experts had access to. Now, small business owners don’t need to attend massive amounts of school or attend conventions to gain the skills needed for success. Training can come in a variety of free online business resources. Business blogs like Small Business Trends and You’re the Boss Blog give insider tips that can give you a competitive edge. Entrepreneur, INC., and Forbes also publish great articles to keep business owners informed.

LinkedIn is another stream of valuable information. This website is the social media of business. LinkedIn helps individuals network with other professionals. Not only does this boost your chances of partnering with other credible professionals, but it can provide a daily rundown of all the news affecting your industry.

Buying a Franchise

Many choose franchising over opening an independent business so that they will also have the support they need. All the organizations like the SBA, SCORE, and your local chamber of commerce will all be there to help, but it’s a little different with a franchisor assisting you.

The difference is that you own your own business within a company that is 100% invested in your success.

When your franchise unit prevails—-generates huge income—the entirety of the franchise company prevails. This mutual investment is a schematic for huge business advancement. A reputable franchise will be a framework of small business resources. For more information on how franchising can make your entrepreneurial pursuits easier, click here.

 

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Qualities Need to be Successful in Pet Franchises

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Succeeding in pet franchises isn’t difficult, but to do it with ease, there are a few qualities that one should have. While it’s nothing outlandish, you should definitely do a quick evaluation as you plan to open your first of many pet franchises and see where you hit the bill and where you may miss.

To be successful in pet franchises you need:

pet franchisesTo possess a vision

Have an idea of what you’re starting, what you want to do, and where you want to go. While many vagabonds start their journeys knowing they want to go somewhere, but having no destination, this is not something that pet franchises, or any business, can do successfully. By setting reachable goals, you’re setting yourself up for success.

Good Communication
To succeed in pet franchises, you don’t have to be the king of conversation, but you should definitely be comfortable talking to others. You will have to form meetings, talk to consumers, suppliers, employees, and potential business partners without sending the wrong message. Communication also comes in three forms: verbal, non-verbal, and written.

Guide and Support Team

As the owner of a pet franchises, you will have employees looking to you for direction. It will be your job to guide and this goes along with the first need: a direction. Know where you’re going so you can lead your team there. Without the knowledge, you can’t lead and you may end up seeming like you don’t know what you’re doing.

Believe in Yourself

Opening pet franchises is a big deal, it’s natural to question or second guess yourself, but don’t listen to your own doubt. At the end of the day, you’re making a big move and it’s important to remember why you’re making that big move and what it means to you. That belief is the wind under your wings that will make you fly.

Cultivate a Learning Atmosphere
It’s not just pet franchises, but all franchises must cultivate learning because it’s a learning experience for you as well as the employees. Encourage knowledge and view mistakes as a chance to learn instead of a huge screw up that will end all life. It’s not that bad and remember: you don’t learn from success.

Preserver
Bad things will happen—bumps in the road, unplanned downfalls, but that is franchising. Pet franchises are warm and in an excellent place as the market grows, but, just as any business owner, be prepared for some things to not go as planned and keep going. You never know what may be an opportunity waiting to happen.