When starting a business, it’s typical to look for venture capital, angel investors, and even co-founders to help get the company up and running. While funding is necessary for almost all businesses, seeking it out yourself isn’t necessarily the right path for everyone. Instead, knowing how to bootstrap your startup might be a better option.How...

As a business owner, it can be painful (and costly) when an employee leaves your company. And since high turn-over can signal problems to other prospective talent, it’s important to retain them for the well-being of your business. No matter which employee quit, determining why they left is the first step to building a stronger...

Seattle has long been known for inciting the country’s coffee culture. But now that we’re all sufficiently caffeinated, these days it’s the technology scene causing a buzz. Situated well north of the traditional tech enclave known as Silicon Valley, Seattle has come into its own as a magnet for innovative companies and a supportive community...

You’ve perhaps heard a lot about branding a business, but how much time have you invested in building your personal brand? Just like a business’ brand helps form that company’s identity, your personal branding is part of how you market yourself. It can encompass everything from your experiences to your beliefs. And, when it’s done well,...

Each section in a business plan has a specific purpose. Together, they can help an entrepreneur run their company. While some sections focus on market opportunity, other aspects of your business plan must address potential challenges. One of these obstacles is competition and your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. This information influences how you build your new product...

Whether you’re in charge of the family finances or you run a small business, you may wonder how to pay off debt effectively. We could all benefit from tools to help us handle our money better. From creating a budget and tracking your spending to handling debt repayments, these are the top tools you can...

Organizational structures, and the way those structures are visually represented in charts and diagrams, are important because they help sort out three key aspects of business operations: specific job duties, reporting relationships, and decision-making authority. That’s why it’s important to understand the different types of organizational structures and how management differs in each of them....

One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs involves staffing and delegation. It can be hard to know when to hire full-time or put extra help in place and how to do it the right way. Small businesses and new entrepreneurs might want to consider the virtual assistant, or VA. A VA is basically an independent contractor or freelancer who performs support-staff tasks and functions, often...

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or burned out, and constantly daydream about running away from it all, maybe you need more than a vacation. Maybe what you need is a sabbatical. A sabbatical is a long-term, sustained absence from work that’s designed around a specific purpose or intention. It’s not an extended vacation but rather a refocusing of attention...

Most ambitious entrepreneurs have the same major objective — for their startup idea to become the next big thing. It may be hard to imagine, but Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerburg were once in the same position as most business owners. Coming up with an idea for your startup business should be approached with the same dedication as...