How to Turn Your Hobby Into a Successful Business
If your hobby is your true love, then why not consider making it your career too? Here are 10 steps to turn your hobby into a successful business.
By Kody Wirth |
How to Write a Nonprofit Business Plan [Updated for 2021]
Writing a business plan for a nonprofit organization is a bit different than a traditional plan. Learn the differences and build a successful business plan.
By Angelique O'Rourke |
How to Pick the Right Attorney for Your Startup
Picking the right attorney in your startup is as important as picking the right business partner. You can’t underestimate the importance of selecting an attorney who “gets” your business model, your market opportunity, and most importantly, your fundraising and exit strategy.
By Caroline Cummings |
How to Open a Successful Hair Salon
Planning to open a hair salon? Here's what you'll need to do to get started—plus tips from two successful salon owners.
By Lisa Furgison |
5 Things Startups Can Learn From Angel Investors
Angel investors can teach you a lot about what it takes to start a successful business. Whether you're seeking angel investment or just looking to grow a better, stronger business, they're people worth listening to—and here's their best advice for startups.
By Tim Berry |
How Seniors Can Use Technology to Become Entrepreneurs After Retirement
If you’re a retiree looking for business ideas or ways to leverage your skills and experience into a new project or business opportunity, here are some ways you can use technology to get started.
By Lindsay Engle |
How Founders Can Become Better Leaders
You may have a great business idea, but are you ready to be a great leader? Here's how you can improve your leadership skills, and run your startup better.
By Kateri Kosta |
Get Your Cafe Business Up and Running with These Handy Resources
Stay abreast of what's going on in the coffee shop industry using these handy resources. From networking sites to educational magazines, there's sure to be something you haven't read before. Here are our favorite resources.
By Angelique O'Rourke |
Top Small Business Technology Trends of 2016
What trends will 2016 bring? We have compiled a list of 7 business technology trends for 2016 that will help drive performance and grow your small business.
By JT Ripton |
Choose the Best Colors and Fonts for Your Brand
Many distinctive brands are known for their colors and fonts. Usually there is a deliberate and careful planning process that leads to this selection.
By Elicia Putnam |
The Pros and Cons of Being Your Own Boss
What are the pros and cons of being your own boss? Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software, gives you the rundown. If you're thinking of starting a business, read this first.
By Tim Berry |
10 Tips on How to Start a Consulting Business
Are you considering starting your own consulting business? Business planning expert Tim Berry offers 10 tips on how to do it well.
By Tim Berry |
Need a Good Reason to Start a Business? Here are 30.
Are you toying with an idea for a business? A lot of people think about starting a business, but for whatever reason the idea never becomes a reality. If you’re an entrepreneur who is on the fence about starting a business, we have the encouragement you need to take the first step. We asked 30...
By Jonathan Michael |
Will Having a Positive Attitude Really Help Me Be More Successful in Business?
Many scholars and researchers have studied the benefits of having a positive attitude. Athletes focus on winning as well as skill development. Optimism leads to more creative thinking and the energy to accomplish goals. A positive attitude reduces stress and leads to better health according to the Mayo Clinic. Operating a business successfully requires energy, health and creativity as well as many other skills and resources so a positive attitude is an asset that can benefit any business.
By Arlene Soto |
Ask Me Anything! (Well, Almost Anything)
Hi. I’m Noah and I’m COO here at Palo Alto Software. In case you didn’t know, Palo Alto Software is the great company behind Bplans. Our goal has always been to help entrepreneurs succeed in business. In addition to making business planning software, we also try and help by providing all of the articles and advice...
By Noah Parsons |
Our 10 Most-Read Articles of 2014
2014 is on its way out. I don’t know about you, but as the year comes to a close, I love looking back to consider how the year unfolded. Did everything go as planned? What things were unexpected–good or bad? What did I learn from my experiences? Finally, what can I take with me to help me...
By Jonathan Michael |
The Millennial Entrepreneur: Idealistic or Realistic? [With Infographic]
Earlier this spring, studies in both the U.S. and the UK have reported declines in entrepreneurship: more startups failing, fewer getting off the ground, and low growth expectations for those currently open. After all this time, is it possible that entrepreneurs are now an endangered species? I hope you can sense the sarcasm in my...
By Jonathan Michael |
Is It Time to Hire an Employee?
If you own your own business and find that you simply don’t have enough time on your hands to be able to do all the things you need to do, you may be asking yourself should you hire an employee? If you’ve already got employees, your question will be similar, when is the right time...
By Lisa Furgison |
Creating a Positive Work Environment
When it comes to managing your employees, one of the most important things you can do for them involves setting the right tone at work. We’ve all heard some of the horror stories about terrible jobs or bad managers, and the one thing each of these stories has in common was the negative workplace environment....
By Scott Huntington |
5 Ways to Spy on Your Competition
Most companies are continually looking for ways to get an edge over their competitors, and a time-honored method is simply to spy on the other guys. Technically, it falls under the category of market research, unless, of course, it’s actual spying. But, we’re not going to get into corporate espionage here—we’ll stick with the “market...
