Small Business Information

Starting a Small Business: Balancing Risk and Reward


In a perfect world, starting a small business would be risk free, but just as with everything else; the degree of risk determines the value of the reward.

According to the National Commission on Entrepreneurship, at any given time, 6% to 9% of the United States adult population is involved in planning for a new business. Most of these aspiring entrepreneurs, they say, will start a "Lifestyle Business" - primarily providing employment to themselves and their families. The balance will find themselves in "Entrepreneurial Firms" - those growth companies that, according to the NCE, created two-thirds of net new U.S. jobs in the 1990s.

Both are fraught with risk - and potential reward. Ask a small business veteran about the risks, and three likely come to mind: employees, inventory, and accounts receivables. These are both the bad news and good news of business. In the audiobook, "Sound Advice on Small Business," author Jim Schell says, "The bad news is that they're a headache to manage, but the good news is they exert leverage."

What business would Schell, a seasoned entrepreneur and co-author of "Small Business for Dummies," start if he had it to do all over again? With his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, he says in a perfect world it might be any business without employees, inventory, and minimal accounts receivables. Seriously, though, Schell says, "Without [them], you can only grow so far, so big. With them, the world is our oyster."

Jim Schell offers advice to entrepreneurs on managing a small business each week in the free audio newsletter from What's Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz/full_story.asp?ArtID=92

About The Author

Cunningham is a principal of What's Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz, a publisher of business audiobooks and online audio programs on marketing, sales, and small business strategies.


MORE RESOURCES:

Dividend.com

BofA's Small Business Lending Woes
BusinessWeek - 19 hours ago
by Amy Barrett Bank of America (BAC) has taken a hit on small business lending—and that could mean still tighter credit for entrepreneurs. ...
Analysts: Sooner is better for BofA capital raise Bizjournals.com
Bank of America Corporation Q3 2008 Earnings Call Transcript Seeking Alpha
Bank of America Announces Third Quarter Earnings and Capital ... International Business Times
Wall Street Journal Blogs - DSNews.com
all 861 news articles


Reuters

Candidates Present 401(k) and Small-Business Plans
New York Times, United States - 13 hours ago
Campaigning in Ohio, Senator Barack Obama also put forth a proposal to deal with the economic crisis, urging a rescue plan in which the Small Business ...
Obama Proposes Small Business Rescue Plan Washington Post
Obama proposes small business rescue plan United Press International
Obama, McCain Scramble to Address Voters' Fears Wall Street Journal
New Hampshire Business Review - New Hampshire Business Review
all 239 news articles


SMALL BUSINESS Negros producers transcend boundaries
Inquirer.net, Philippines - 8 hours ago
By Chupsie Medina MANILA, Philippines -- An advocacy that was started by 15 women from Negros in the early 80s has blossomed to become today an outstanding ...


Couldn't be more timely, Small Business Expo set for Thursday
Great Falls Tribune, MT - 5 hours ago
By JO DEE BLACK • Tribune Business Editor • October 11, 2008 What's a small business owner to do in this uncertain economy against a backdrop of tightening ...
Tight race expected in HD20 between Jack Allen, Deb Kottel Great Falls Tribune
all 2 news articles


How Small Business Owners Can Cope With the Crisis
BusinessWeek - 21 hours ago
Chad Moutray, chief economist at the US Small Business Administration, says small business owners are scared like everyone else. "A lot of them are sitting ...


More (Gloomy) Numbers for Small Business Owners
BusinessWeek - 21 hours ago
This week American Express Open Small Business Monitor released a survey based on the responses of 602 small business owners across the country. ...


Small Business Economic Hotline available
ReporterHerald.com, CO - 4 hours ago
The US Small Business Administration’s Colorado District Office has launched its first-ever Small Business Economic Hotline in response to the concerns ...


Economic impact on small business
WLUC TV6, MI - 18 hours ago
It may be only a small business with 6 employees, but the problems of Wall Street trickle down to them. "What it's doing, it's destroying the confidence of ...


CBS News

Obama Criticizes Republican Tactics
New York Times, United States - 23 hours ago
In his address, Mr. Obama proposed several measures for struggling small-business owners, including a proposal to give small-business owners loans through ...
Barack Obama says negative ads won't sway voters Los Angeles Times
Obama calls for haste with $700B bailout Toledo Blade
Obama in Ohio GOP hotbed Cincinnati.com
Dayton Daily News - Fort Worth Star Telegram
all 619 news articles


Cape Breton Post

Scotiabank goes the extra mile to meet with small business people
Cape Breton Post, Canada - 12 hours ago
The Scotiabank Small Business Get Growing to a Million RV tour made a pit stop in Sydney Friday on the cross-Canada tour, which began on June 3 in Vancouver ...
Small business is a big deal Bugle-Observer
Scotiabank hits the road for small business Cape Breton Post
all 3 news articles

Small-Business - Google News

Home | Index | SiteMap