Digg it UP - Business

Ideal or Real Food Cost in the Restaurant Business
Most culinary schools today are still teaching their students how to compute the wrong food cost. Granted the math is right, but the dollars involved are hurting the bottom line of our restaurants. The problem arises from the separation of percentage points and dollars.Banks Use Dollars, not Percentage Points One thing I am quite sure of is that banks do not accept percentage points as deposits, believe me I’ve tried! For some reason the teller just looked at me dumbfounded then just started chuckling. Matter of fact she had so much fun with it she showed the teller next to her who responded in much the same manor. I didn’t find the humor in it since I

sionals, comparing price and style before deciding. Ask for recommendations from other businesses that have a “look” you find appealing. Finally, don’t skimp on your marketing materials. They represent your business.

4)Wimpy Website

The wimpy website was usually done by a start-up web designer who may create something pretty and charge you very little. The website hangs out there in cyberspace collecting cyber dust and you end up disappointed because it’s not generating leads or sales.

Sun Zi Art Of War - Three Business Lessons From Deployment Of Troops In Marine Battles
After crossing a river, get as far away from its bank as possible and move on. When an invading force of the enemy is crossing a river, never engage it in the midst of the river itself. Rather, let half of its force cross the river first, then attack it so that you can gain the advantage. If you are eager to attack an invading enemy, never engage him at the point where he plans to cross a river. For a commanding view and to ensure better chances of survival against the enemy, occupy high grounds. Never move upstream to engage an enemy. These are the principles for deploying troops in marine battles. - Chapter Nine, Sun Zi Art of War Above are the princip

In my years helping small business start-ups, I’ve seen the same mistakes repeated over and over. Many of these mistakes are the same ones I made with my first business two decades ago. They’re really easy to avoid for start-up entrepreneurs who are willing to learn the secrets and short cuts of other successful entrepreneurs. With each, I’ve included the rationale behind the mistake and how you can avoid it. Depending on where you are in the start-up process, use this information to avoid unnecessary struggle, wasted time and money.

1)No business plan

Before you start your business, you need a simple, written business plan, even if you’re solo. The plan should explore:

Your products and services

Your pricing

Your projected year one gross revenues

All your projected expenses

Your market research

Your marketing plan and budget

Your projected gross profit (profit before taxes)

You need these plans so you’re in control of your business; otherwise your business is being run on default and you end up spending money without a clear strategy. Many small business owners don’t have written plans because they think writing them will take too much time. The ones who do, succeed. Why not join them?

2)Under funding

Even if you’re starting a home-based business, you need some money to start up. If you plan on hiring employees, purchasing inventory and leasing space, it’s obvious you need seed money, but you may underestimate how much.

For a small service home based business, you’ll need office furniture and supplies, marketing and branding materials, a strategically planned website, some technology (software) and a healthy marketing budget. If you’re bricks and mortar, you’ll also need money for expenses like equipment, supplies, six month’s rent, payroll etc.

To avoid underfunding, refer back to your business plan. How much money do you need? Funding is available from many sources: family, friends, personal savings, credit cards, home equity, independent small business loans, the SBA and through Prosper.com. Figure out how much you’re willing to invest in yourself. What are you telling others if you’re not willing to invest in your own business? If you set a budget and develop a smart plan for how you’ll spend that money to launch your business, you’ll get the results you want.

The next mistake is made often by under funded start-ups.

3)Amateurish marketing materials

Don’t hire the first graphics or web designer you meet. Worse yet, don’t entrust your business’s marketing image to high school or college students because you’re trying to save money. How you’re perceived in the world will depend heavily on your business graphics, logo and website.. It’s important to think about how you want your business to be perceived, what colors will reflect that image, and what marketing materials you really need. Certainly you need business cards. But, do you really need letterhead and envelopes? Not everyone does. Do you need a brochure? Uniforms? Signs? How will all of this work together to present a unified image.

The key again is planning. Look carefully at the work of any graphic designer you’re considering using. See if you really connect with it. Speak with a minimum of five professionals, comparing price and style before deciding. Ask for recommendations from other businesses that have a “look” you find appealing. Finally, don’t skimp on your marketing materials. They represent your business.

4)Wimpy Website

Servicing The Needs Of Expanding Offices And Facilities
If your business is in the process of development, you'll realise that there many aspects to office expansion that you'll need to cover. For instance, you might be building an additional floor onto your building, or renovating any existing unused parts of your building to accommodate your burgeoning staff levels and equipment. But whether you require building services or facilities management, you can be sure that you and your business won't have to undertake these daunting tasks without support.Many companies offer full property management services that are tailor-made to meet the needs of any business - large or small. If you've just moved your business into a larger

r market research

Your marketing plan and budget

Your projected gross profit (profit before taxes)

2)Under funding

The next mistake is made often by under funded start-ups.

3)Amateurish marketing materials

4)Wimpy Website

Travel Tips To Get Through TSA Security
Here are a few tips for traveling with golf gear since there is no better time than a vacation to hit the links. Fertilizers used on many golf courses can trigger explosive trace-detection equipment. Before flying, be sure to clean off clubs. Also remember to pack clubs in a travel bag and consider leaving it unlocked.Vacations are also a great time to go scuba diving, catch some fish or go camping. Scuba tanks are not allowed on commercial airlines for safety reasons. Ship scuba tanks or consider renting a tank at your destination. Fishing tackle and sports gear - such as bats and lacrosse sticks - must be checked.Outdoor enthusiasts will pack sun tan lotion,

website, some technology (software) and a healthy marketing budget. If you’re bricks and mortar, you’ll also need money for expenses like equipment, supplies, six month’s rent, payroll etc.

The next mistake is made often by under funded start-ups.

3)Amateurish marketing materials

4)Wimpy Website

Quick Tip - Shushing a Loud Cell Phone Talker
Janet, one of my clients from Chicago, recently asked my advice on dealing with people who talk loudly on their cell phones while in public. I know I’ve been guilty of this offense before as my voice tends to project very well and sometimes I forget that I don’t need to speak very loudly for my phone to pick it up.Sometimes, like when you’re in a movie theater, any kind of loud cell phone talking needs to be quieted immediately and the most direct way is the best. But often in public, you may feel a bit awkward telling a stranger to mute him or herself.The other day at the gym, I found myself in this second scenario. I was on a treadmill with my headphones on

4)Wimpy Website

One Product - Service - Client Does NOT Make A Business
Recently a new client came to me in total frustration. She had been working with another coach who had insisted she focus on offering, and aggressively marketing, only one service. Now she was out of energy, out of money, and couldn't understand why she was failing. A great salesperson in her previous work, she was struggling to sell enough of this one service to support herself.This talented and skilled professional was on a slippery slope to a failed business. She was using one of the most enticing and dangerous models for the direction of her business: Offering just one service to just one market.One service, one big client, one product, does not make a one-p

4)Wimpy Website

You need to do a lot of research before beginning to build your website, like keyword and domain name research. Writing content that’s compelling to visitors and search engine optimized is key. Constructing a map of your website with all the navigation options well thought out is also important. I discourage clients from building their website until they understand the tactics that will make it a magnet for prospects, and a profit center in their business. I’m sure you don’t want to waste hundreds, even thousands of dollars on a website that doesn’t give you a return on investment.

5)Poor time management

We aim to become entrepreneurs because we want to be our own boss and be in control of our lives. But when we first start, we suddenly realize that no one but us is structuring our time each day. So many start-ups have told me that they work all week and don’t seem to get anything accomplished, or that they sit at their desks not knowing what to do next.

If you have a clear vision of where you want to be in a year and a detailed roadmap for how to get there, you just need to follow the directions! It’s easy to get distracted by daily tasks or new ideas and opportunities. Set aside time each week to review these opportunities to see if they serve your vision. Otherwise file them in an idea folder for the future and stay tightly focused on those priority activities that will grow your business now.

Be a smart start-up; get ahead of the curve by avoiding these discouraging and costly mistakes. You’ll experience less stress, reduce the first year learning curve, and increase the bottom line.

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Free US government grants are available to meet the different needs of the citizens of the United States. Free US government grants come in cash, loans, technical advice and other programs.

A good Guiding Principle speaks to your company's future direction and values in a few words. Your Guiding Principle communicates the vision by capturing the essence of what your organization will be.

Are you a Fontana homeowner who is interested in selling your home? If you are, you likely already know that the condition of your home will have a huge impact on how well it sells, as well as how much it sells for.

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