Ron Consolino and Don Doggett are management counselor for SCORE, These columns are intended to provide general information.  

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Don Doggett

Ron Consolino

PERSONAL FACTORS
• Need to Know the Business
• Personal factors
• Preparation
• Ready to be an Entrepreneur
• Volunteering with SCORE

ORGANIZATION
• Choosing the Right Legal Structure
• Keep a lean orgainization
• Limited Liability Company
• Partner Problem
• Partnership Agreement
• Should I take on a partner
• What's goodwill

MARKETING
• Anticipate trends to capture new business
• Area Demographics
• Charge for Services
• E-Commerce
• Extend market reach by networking
• Franchise concerns
• Get trademark savvy(c)
• How to do business with the US government
• Listen to what your Customers Want
• Managing Client Expectations
• Marketing can make a difference
• Marketing Plan
• Market Research at little or no Cost
• Networking
• Thirty Percent Customer
• Web Site

LOCATION
• Leasing Space
• Picking a Location

OBTAIN FINANCING
• Financial Plan
• Financing a new business
• Finding the Right Financing
• Finding the right Bank
• New SBA loan program for veterans
•Obtain a Bank Loan
• Prepare a Complete Loan Package
•SBA Grants
• SBA Loans
• Start-up Cash
• Use a line of credit to manage cash flow
• Why Business Plan - No Loan

CASH MANAGEMENT
• Business Controls
• Business Insurance
• Cash Management
• Collecting from customers
• Consider leasing equipment
• Financial Ratios
• Granting store Credit
• Inventory Control
• Know basics of financial statements
• Save money on routine purchases
• Small Business Financial Management
• Sound Cash Management
• Surviving Hard Times
• Understanding the numbers

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
• Characteristics of successful franchises
• Franchise
• Get Your Small Business on the Web
• Home Base Business
• Independent Contractors
• Investing in a franchise
• Preparation for a patent application
• Starting a beauty business
• Start New or Buy an Existing Business
• What comes after a patent search
• What makes a good website

MANAGEMENT
• Attitude
• Bookkeeping goal should be accurate timely data
• Carefully weigh employee retirement
• Devise a backup plan
• Employee Training
• Free access to business data
• Got sales! Good now control costs(c)
• Hiring new employees
• Job description
• Leadership (**)
• Lessons from an experienced entrepreneur
• Loitering Problems
• Make Home Office professional
• Management Skills
• Need partnership agreement
• Owners need to learn value of businesses
• Problem Employees
• Run a family business like a business
• The basics of business life insurance
• Time is Money
•Top Heavy Management
• Use Independent Contractors Carefully
• When are you ready to start up? 
•Worker's compensation