31st January 2006
Q: I would like to start an online dropshipping business, but I have no idea how to get started. I would like to specialize in giftware and accessories. Where do I find products and how do I get set up a website without any technical knowledge?
A: In ...
31st January 2006
Q: I have outgrown my home office and need to find office space for me and two part time employees. I am really excited about opening my first official office, but never having rented commercial space before I don't know anything about how this process wo...
31st January 2006
I've gotten several questions recently about the legalities of starting a business. So, this week I thought I would address a few of the more common legal issues most new businesses face. But first, let's get the mandatory legal disclaimer out of the way:...
31st January 2006
Q: I want to start an online business. Since I don't know anything about ecommerce and building websites and such, I'm thinking about starting out selling products on eBay, then pay someone to build a website for me once the money starts coming in. The bi...
31st January 2006
In the last column we discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and speed up cash flow. This week we will look at setting up an...
31st January 2006
Q: My partner and I are having a hard time coming up with what we feel is the perfect price for our new product. We know what competing products sell for, but we don't know if it's better to price our product cheaper than theirs or charge more based on wh...
31st January 2006
Q: My youngest son wants to borrow $5,000 to start his own business. My wife is afraid to tell him no. She thinks we should just give him the money and not expect anything in return. I disagree. He doesn't have a very good track record with money, so I'm ...
31st January 2006
QUESTION:
Should I build and maintain my business Web site myself or pay someone else to do the work for me? -- Wesley L.
ANSWER:
When you say, pay someone else to do the work for you, Wesley, I am going to assume that you are talking about hiring a ...
31st January 2006
QUESTION:
I recently launched a website for my sporting goods business. Do I need to do anything special to attract customers to my website? I know nothing about search engines and marketing as such. Please tell me where to begin. -- Sean M.
ANSWER:
...
31st January 2006
Since this is my first column of 2004, I thought we'd spend a few minutes talking about those well-intentioned, though seldom kept promises we call New Year's Resolutions.
In addition to "This year I will lose weight!" and "This year I will stop smoki...
31st January 2006
Last week's question from Anthony R. on how to choose the franchise that would best fulfill his life-long dream of owning his own business sparked a number of emails from other readers wanting to offer their two cents on the subject.
Some folks offered...
31st January 2006
When my column on paying income tax on eBay profits ran it brought a wave of emails on whether you were required to report income earned from eBay sales to the IRS sparked a number of additional questions and comments from eBay sellers who were hoping tha...
31st January 2006
As a small business person-slash-advice columnist I dread the first quarter of the new year. Not because in my mind my own business fortunes start at zero again every January or because I have already dismissed every New Year's resolution I made when the ...
31st January 2006
Q: I am interested in starting my own business. I have a business degree and lots of experience in my chosen field, but I don't know if I have the necessary skills to really make it on my own. Any advice?
Marie C.
A: You've hit the nail on the head, M...
31st January 2006
Q: I hear so much about people who started selling on eBay and eventually turned it into their full time business. Is it really possible to build a profitable business just selling junk on eBay?
-- Alex K.
A: If Fred Sanford were alive today, Alex, I...
