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10.12.00    Solving the Commission Equation
Nonsalaried outside salespeople require enough compensation to motivate them while not making them too comfortable

10.10.00    Making Dough from Organic Bread
Market research is important -- but educating customers is absolutely vital when carving a niche in a premium market

10.5.00    Does Your Answering Machine Give the Right Message?
With so many voice-mail systems to choose from, selecting the right one can be tricky

10.3.00    A DIY Guide to Patent Research
The Net has great tools for helping you learn about protecting your idea. But sometimes, you still have to go with the pros

9.28.00    When an Employment Contract Is a Must
In many situations, both the company and the employee benefit from a written pact the clearly sets out responsibilities and rewards

9.26.00    Starting a Web-Design Business from Ground Zero
Use your own site to market your abilities, and make sure you can offer all the latest technology -- and knowhow

9.21.00    Selling Pizza to Italians
A pizzeria-chain owner needs to set his business apart in a country where "pizza is pizza"

9.19.00    Looking for an Angel
Spread the word among those you trust -- and visit at least one Web site: ACE-Net

9.14.00    Safety Nets for Web Designers
From liability for site malfunctions to intellectual-property suits, developers face risks that make insurance a necessity

9.11.00   Valuing a Partnership in a Startup
Providing funds in exchange for a piece of the business can be tricky. You'll need to take several steps to make sure it's a good deal

9.7.00    Succession Strategies for a Family Business -- Part II
A third party can provide an objective evaluation of the business at a delicate moment of transition

9.5.00    Succession Strategies for a Family Business, Part One
It's crucial to resolve any emotional conflicts that can arise when selling to a relative

8.31.00    A Short Course on Raising Capital
Tips on getting started on the road to venture funding

8.29.00    Cashing In on E-Customer Data
Online marketing info needs to reflect customer behavior, not just names and addresses. But be upfront with customers about any data you collect

8.24.00    Of Web Links, Licensing, and Legal Pitfalls
How you link to other Web sites will vary. For generating business or revenue, you'll need a contract

8.22.00   A Field Guide to Guerrilla Marketing
Some tips on getting product reviews and publicity on a tight budget

8.17.00    Betting Everything on the Franchise?
Not every business is suited to the concept, nor is it meant for the do-it-yourselfer

8.15.00    Exit This Way
Some strategies for getting the most out of closing down your company

8.10.00    From a Chef's Kitchen to the Frozen Food Aisle
It takes a lot of dough and elbow grease to get a restaurant favorite into supermarkets

8.3.00    How Taxing Is It to Have Out-of-State Clients?
It depends on how much work you physically perform outside your resident state

8.1.00    A Self-Portrait That Can Nab Profits
How to draw up a company profile that can help secure long-term business

7.27.00    Pitching a New Consultancy
Step No. 1: Make sure there's a market need for your services

7.25.00    Thriving after Restructuring
Communicating openly with staff can help smooth the way after a major organizational shift

7.20.00    Think Like a Customer
The first job for a training consultant is to sell herself

7.18.00    Making Sure a Pet Shop Isn't a Real Dog
You'll have to do lots of research. Look closely at financials, fixed assets, and potential competition

7.13.00    Sampling the Fashion Industry
How can a new fabric importer find the right customers?

7.11.00    Looking for Seed Money?
Here's how friends and family can put informal "stock" in your business ideas

7.6.00    In Search of High-End Investors
How can a financial adviser add the right names to his little black book?

6.29.00    Can a Successful Car Mechanic Drive Off on His Own?
Good skills aren't enough. Without plenty of ambition, organization, and a good location, you'll end up getting wrecked

6.27.00   Can This Soldier Thrive on the Small-Biz Battlefield?
A veteran who wants to become an entrepreneur, needs to do some research, but special help is available

6.22.00   Building Your Business Plan: Where to Begin, Part 2
A well-researched, detailed document can help your proposal stand out

6.20.00   Building Your Business Plan: Where to Begin, Part 1
The Internet is swarming with help. Here are some good cyber starting points

6.15.00    Profit by Associating with Your Peers
Becoming a member of an industry trade group can help get your startup off the ground

6.13.00    How to Run a Lean, Mean, Manufacturing Machine
Some tricks for keeping the customer happy and the stock rotating

6.8.00    When Your Card Processor Turns On You
You don't have to put up with late payments and high fees

6.6.00    How Public Should a Private Company Be about Its Stock?
The SEC doesn't have rules covering this question, but honesty is the best policy when dealing with employees

6.1.00    Hot Machines for Cold-Callers
Telemarketing tools don't come cheap, so pick the right one

5.25.00    Renegotiating a Loan, from a Weak Position
The trick is to convince your lender that your business is worth more alive than dead

5.23.00    How Do I Pick the Right Incubator?
Nonprofits offer more hand-holding, while for-profits like fast growth and take a chunk of your business

5.18.00    How to Make a Payroll Service Pay Off
Look for accuracy, timeliness, and a wealth of services

5.16.00    It Pays to Advertise — Again and Again and Again
But a magazine must do some advertising of its own to make the point clear

5.11.00    When a Home Office Serves Two Masters
If you're employed and run a business on the side, watch out for tax pitfalls

5.9.00    Budgeting for Growth
Keep short-term goals flexible, and shift resources to match your targets

5.4.00    SAR-SEP: The Retired Retirement Option
You can't start one anymore, but small companies have plenty of other choices

5.2.00    All Tied Up: A Look at Noncompete Agreements
Each state has different laws, so make sure you know the ropes before you sign

4.27.00    Business Death and Sales Taxes
Bankruptcy won't erase your obligations

4.25.00    Beware the Financing Roller-Coaster
Give up equity in your startup or take on debt? Each has its ups and downs

4.20.00    Debunking Myths about OSHA Rules
Small businesses are often afraid even to simply ask the agency for information

4.18.00    Tracking Down the Right Call-Tracking Software
You'll find plenty of options for this key customer-service product. Here's what to consider

4.13.00    What Does It Cost to Launch a Consultancy?
You'll find out by doing some legwork. One tip: Avoid long-term commitments until your company is viable

4.11.00    If You're Off the VCs' Beaten Path
Companies outside the high-tech hubs can have a tough time attracting investors

4.6.00    When It's Time to Sell the Dunkin' Donut Franchise
What a savvy owner should know before putting a store on the market

4.4.00    Finding a Bean Counter You Can Count On
Small firms give extra attention, but only the biggest handle IPOs

3.30.00    Be Prepared: The Art of Pitching to VCs
Keep focused, and make sure you have an answer for just about any question

3.28.00    No Net Taxes? Well, That Depends
A look at the guidelines for taxation of Web sales

3.23.00    Trademarks: To the Speedy Go the Spoils
You also have to be thorough to protect yourself from suits and infringement

3.21.00    Taking a Read on the Bookselling Business
Getting started has never been easy, but lately the competition and margins are even more hazardous

3.16.00    The Arcana of Qualifying as a Disadvantaged Business
Start with the SBA's vast resources for helping the uninitiated navigate these contract programs

3.14.00    Employees On Call: How Do You Pay Them?
Here are some guidelines for a complex compensation issue

3.9.00    Is This Mailing List Worth the Price?
At $35,000 a pop, you'll want to make sure before buying

3.7.00    To Get Your Press Releases Read — Make Them Readable
Dump the jargon and don't use "revolutionary" (Second of two parts)

3.2.00    Why Press Releases Fail: It's the Message, Not the Medium
Often they try too hard — and are too hard to understand (First of two parts)

2.29.00    Yes, You Can Find Good Business-Plan Software
Plenty of options are available, but you'll have to work to make sure your plan doesn't sound canned

2.24.00    Is Youth an Obstacle in the Trade-Show Trade?
How to convey gravitas and get the stalwarts of your industry to come to your events

2.21.00    Is Customer Data the Web Company's Real Asset?
The second of two articles on how people are trying to make money on the Web

2.17.00    The Would-Be Web Entrepreneur's Revelation: "The Internet Has No Profits!"
A look at common revenue models for e-businesses: First of two parts

2.15.00    Buy a Sure Thing or Start Your Own Business?
It's a matter of your appetite for risk and some complex calculations

2.10.00    Venturing into the Venture-Capital World: A Road Map
Find angel investors first. Know your spiel cold. Don't forget to ask for money

2.8.00    Can You Trust an Angel to Keep a Secret?
They rarely sign confidentiality agreements till a deal is struck, so know who you're dealing with before you talk

2.3.00    To Angels, There's Nothing Heavenly about an Unprepared Entrepreneur
Get your management team lined up before you try to lure them

2.1.00    Hearing Only Good News about a Franchise? Keep Digging
Find objective sources, and ask tough questions

1.27.00    Courting Board Members: What Makes a Ms. or Mr. Right?
You need a mix of insiders and outsiders who will tell it like it is

1.25.00    The Credit-Card Processing Labyrinth: A Guide for Web Merchants
It's easy for newbies to get lost in the fees and options

1.20.00    Carrot and Stick: The Psychology of Options Vesting Schedules
Setting up the right system requires you to balance several conflicting issues

1.19.00    What Price a Startup?
Valuing a company that barely exists is a subjective process

1.13.00    Does a Big Five Firm Have to Audit Your Books?
Local firms cost less, but the Big Five cachet may reassure your company's future buyers

1.11.00    The Myth of Free Government Money: A Perennial and Pernicious Scam
Why do so many entrepreneurs believe in the Tooth Fairy?

1.6.00    When Is an Employee not an Employee?
Second in a series on contract arrangements that blur the definition of staff

1.4.00    No, You Can't Give Leased Employees Incentive Stock Options
A look at contract arrangements that blur the definition of an employee

12.30.99    Selling Foreign Marketing Expertise to Small, U.S. Tech Companies
Two tips: Define your niche, and be prepared if success strikes

12.23.99    When It's Time to Say "Adieu," You'll Be Glad You Have an Exit Agreement
Partners should draft the terms for departure while their relationship is fresh

12.21.99    S Corps and LLCs: Shields for Your Personal Assets
Choose carefully. The type of business structure you opt for will have significant tax consequences

12.16.99    What to Really Look For When Buying a Cash Business
Check the books for "phantom" employees, extra expenses, and other methods of distorting the financial picture

12.14.99    There's More Than One Way to Skin the Compensation Cat at a Startup
Creative partners have more leverage than ever in negotiating attractive terms

12.9.99    The First Rule of Web Customer Service: Let Them Order by Phone
Some people want an alternative to giving credit-card numbers on the Web

12.7.99    How a Small Trucking Company Can Really Get Moving
Alliances with other regional companies could expand your reach

12.2.99    Drafting the "Goldilocks" Contract — Not Too Simple or Too Complex
Many service businesses use agreements that afford little protection

11.30.99    The ESOP: Motivator for Staff, Tax Breaks for the Boss
Last in a two-part response on giving equity to employees at closely held companies

11.25.99    The Options Option: How Private Companies Can Use Stock as an Incentive
Part one of a two-part answer on giving employees equity

11.23.99    From Home to Office: The Shock of Moving Your Business
Entrepreneurs are often unprepared for the costs

11.18.99    Help for Employers Who Hire People on Public Assistance
A guide to federal and state tax incentives and other programs

11.16.99    Will You Be My Mentor?
A mature businessperson may be glad to help a young tech entrepreneur get going

11.11.99    How Do You Test for "Emotional Intelligence"?
Pointed questions, intuition, and references are still the best ways to evaluate job candidates

11.9.99    Get Real, Entrepreneurs: There's No "Free" Money for Businesses
No one's going to hand you a fistful of dollars, but here's how to find a loan

11.4.99    Finding the Right Pay Scale for Your Sales Force
It's complex, but consider such factors as how long it takes to sell your product

11.2.99    Why There's No Such Thing as a Free Share
The SEC says you have to be a registered securities dealer to distribute stock

10.28.99    From Popcorn to Projectors: Resources for Running a Movie Theater
And now — on video — there's a course that shows you the ropes

10.26.99    Starting a Franchise without Getting Burned
Get professional advice before sinking your savings into a brand-name franchise, and talk to an owner

10.21.99    For the Taxman, Even Informal Partnerships Have a Life of Their Own
It's tempting to file as two individuals. You may only cheat yourselves

10.19.99    Homegrown Meets High Tech: Piecing Together an Online Quilt-Selling Business
A mix of traditional and Web resources is the best way to find craftspeople

10.14.99    Time To Shop for Camp Kitchikoomee's Signature Duds
Tips for a camp owner on starting a clothing sideline

10.12.99    Building Corporate Culture: Getting Leaders to Deal with the "Soft Stuff"
The challenge is getting hard-driving execs to subscribe to your credo — not sabotage it

10.7.99    Discovering America: A Spaniard Seeks a U.S. Beachhead
Spanish trade missions provide a compass for local companies eyeing foreign markets

10.5.99    Cutting the Partnership Knot
Tie up all the loose ends when dissolving a business

9.30.99    What's Behind High Small-Biz Failure Rates?
Flawed statistics may make entrepreneurs' prospects look worse than they are

9.28.99    Computer Security: Don't Leave Open a "Back Door" into Your Business
An unsecured Web site is an invitation to hackers

9.23.99    Making Leaders out of Technicians
Be sure to back up a promotion to manager with training

9.22.99    Beware: Confidentiality Agreements Are Far from Ironclad
Real protection comes from a patent application

9.16.99    What Makes an Antique Mall Tick? Critical Mass
A group of dealers can do far better together than in isolated shops

9.14.99    Tapping into the Venture Boom from Abroad
A Turkish Net startup eyes American VC cash, but luring U.S. investors won't be easy

9.9.99    The Life Cycle of a Venture-Funded Company
When to fund yourself, how much equity to give up, and other tips for the startup

9.7.99    Web Malls Can Help Small Local Retailers Look Big
They need a smart look and fresh merchandise to prosper — just as they do on Main Street

9.2.99    Starting a Business Is No Cure for Burnout
The stress will only get more intense. Here's how decide whether entrepreneurship is for you

8.31.99    There's Nothing Simple about Retirement Plans
Options and resources for the smallest companies

8.26.99    You Need More Than an Idea to Get a Venture Capitalist's Attention — or Money
Want funding for your Net company? Do your homework about your market and VC firms

8.24.99    Getting Part-Timers to Take Their Jobs Seriously
Hire astutely, and make them feel they're part of the team, too

8.19.99    First-Class Marketing on a Coach Budget
A health-claims auditing startup needs to make up for its lack of money with ingenuity

8.17.99    The Novice Entrepreneur: How to Get Enough Knowhow
If do a lot of legwork, you won't need a degree to get going in business

8.12.99    You Bring the Money, I Bring the Knowhow
What's it all worth — if we call the whole thing off?

8.10.99    The Etiquette of E-Mail Marketing
Be sure you don't spam your customers

8.5.99    When You're No Longer a Startup, Where Do You Go for Financing?
There are lots of options — each has its costs and limits

8.3.99    Haunted by a Health-Coverage Choice
Even if you were shortsighted, you needn't get stuck with a bad policy

7.29.99    Getting a Collections Firm Star Billing on the Web
The challenge for this Net latecomer is to create a site that reflects its reputation

7.27.99    A Salute to the Corporate Uniform
With a serious dress code, even casual clothes can boost your company's image

7.22.99    Is That Foodmaker's Deal Really So Savory?
A caterer/restaurant should be wary of paying for recipes

7.20.99    The Art of Making a Splash Online
Tell a dramatic story that explains how you're different, and be candid

7.15.99    Pitching Your Net Software to Small Biz
First narrow the target market, then pound the virtual pavement

7.13.99    Launching a Soft Drink Is a Hard Business
The cola kings won't want your idea, but some smaller players may

7.8.99    Scooping out Nuggets of Data about Your Niche
Here's how to find the market info you need. But beware: Broad averages can be dangerously misleading

7.6.99    How Does an Offshore Programming Shop Grab Their Attention?
Remote work is great, but you need a sales outpost near your clients

7.1.99    The Exhibitor's Quest: Good Display Gear For Less
Trade-show equipment prices seem sky-high, but it's worth spending for durable goods