How to Solve Bad Online Reviews for Your Small Business

Get Negative review or bad reviews are very dangerous for the survival of our business, but instead a positive reviews or good reputation is vital to the success of a small business. Today,
with so many customers researching businesses online before they decide
where to buy, a bad online review on sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, Google Places,
and even your own social media pages can

Need your video to go viral? Try Virool.com

Crazy Startup Of The Day - PickyDomains.com

https://www.virool.com/
In Jan. 8, 2010, the infamous "Double Rainbow" clip appeared on YouTube, documenting a hysterical reaction to a natural phenomenon. For about seven months it languished, barely seen--until Jimmy Kimmel tweeted a link to his followers, proclaiming it the "funniest video in the world." Views today sit at well over 37 million.

Targeted-network exposure (i.e., telling the right things to the right people) can help any video go viral. And Alex Debelov, 25, and Vladimir Gurgov, 26, founders of San Francisco-based Virool, have latched on to this concept as a way to help brands. They have developed a self-serve, social video advertising platform with campaigns starting at $10, depending on the reach and medium selected.

So far 12,000 publishers have signed on, including independent websites, blogs and mobile-game and Facebook-app developers such as WordPress and Zynga. They're lured by Virool's analysis of online user behavior, such as Facebook activity and content shared, which pinpoints where and what types of videos will be promoted effectively. "Good content matters, but viral videos don't become viral by themselves," Debelov asserts. "Even more important is the discovery and distribution. You have to find the audience that has an affinity for a particular advertiser's brand of content."

Virool grew out of Crelligence Media, a contest platform where brands could crowdsource the creation of ad videos, which Debelov started in 2008 while a student at Babson College. "We started with the thesis that people want to watch videos, not video ads … and there was no company that specialized in promoting them," he says. When they launched Virool in 2011 Debelov and Gurgov focused on pitching to agencies and big brands like Sony and Intel. In 2012 they cast their net wider, and more than 1,000 advertisers signed on within three months. (Now they bring in 1,000 new advertisers daily.) Debelov and Gurgov were accepted into the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator in summer 2012.

Investors are big fans. As of July 2013 Virool had raised $6.6 million from notables like Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Gmail creator Paul Buchheit and Lady Gaga's manager, Troy Carter. The company now has 100,000 advertisers posting 300 videos daily, more than 40 million viewers every month and 2013 revenue projections of $12 million to $15 million. The biggest challenge these days is hiring the best and the brightest--and quickly.

"We're up to 12 and growing, and we're going after Google employees with our perks," Debelov says. His trump card: In 2014 Virool's top employee will receive a Virgin Galactic ticket to outer space.

[Via - Entrepreneur.Com]

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Top 95 Franchises in Every Industry

Here are Top 95 Franchises in every Industry : Entrepreneur's franchise rankings are based on objective, quantifiable criteria, including system size, growth and financial strength and stability. But there's a lot more to consider when you're looking for the best franchise for you.



This listing is not intended to recommend any particular franchise, but rather to offer a starting point for your

Business Ideas : Starting a Bookkeeping Business

If you're detail-oriented, a lover of numbers, and honest to a fault, a bookkeeping business might be the perfect match for you. The fact that so many people dislike doing bookkeeping is good
news for anyone who enjoys the ins and outs of financial record
keeping.



Lacking time or inclination, entrepreneurs and growing
businesses often need help with their financial housekeeping
despite the

Hot Startups - Radius.com

Crazy Startup Of The Day - PickyDomains.com
 

http://radius.com/

Most people start their professional lives working fast-food jobs or retail gigs, but Darian Shirazi isn't most people. At age 15 he began purchasing computer components in bulk from Asia and marketing them on eBay, generating such impressive sales that the online auction giant soon offered him an engineering internship. After two summers at eBay, Shirazi began exploring other opportunities, and in 2005 he became the first-ever intern hired at Facebook, then a fledgling startup whose dozen staffers worked close to Shirazi's family home in Palo Alto, Calif.

"They were guys not that much older than me, working on something I thought was cool," Shirazi recalls, admitting, "It wasn't clear to me if it would become anything big or not."

Shirazi exited Facebook after two years--his parents insisted he leave to attend college--but by that time it was clear big things were in store not only for the social network but for him, too. He dropped out of the University of California, Berkeley, within a year, and after traveling the globe returned to Silicon Valley in 2008 to launch San Francisco-based Fwix, a hyperlocal news aggregator that trawled the web to curate a range of business data encompassing everything from license registrations and Yelp reviews to Facebook likes, Twitter posts and Foursquare check-ins.

Fwix built its business by licensing information to media publishers and software developers, but Google had bigger things in mind. "Google wanted to prioritize our local business data for lead generation," says Shirazi, now 26. "I thought, That sounds like a great idea. Why don't we build our own business?" So he turned down Google's $35 million acquisition offer and in spring 2012 rebranded Fwix as , leveraging his massive local database to provide real-time information optimized for sales teams targeting the U.S. small-business market.

"It was easy to walk away from [the Google offer]. I got lucky on Facebook, and it helps when you've had a win and don't have to worry about money," Shirazi says. "A lot of people haven't been lucky enough to be part of something like Facebook. But I also believe that if you're in a position to build something big, you have to make that happen."

Shirazi is definitely thinking big with Radius, stating that he aims to build a sales intelligence platform for the SMB segment on par with Dun & Bradstreet's information services for the enterprise market. Radius offers sales teams insight into more than 26 million small businesses in the U.S., compiling data from disparate web sources to identify opportunities across new and established companies, as well as delivering advanced lead-generation tools as stand-alone SaaS offerings or integrated with Salesforce.com services.

Radius clients can assemble lead lists based on filters that include location, vertical, web activity, consumer reviews and ratings, ad spending, revenue and company size. They can also access up-to-date business information like phone numbers, e-mail addresses, owner names, employee head count and revenue. Pricing starts at $99 per month.

"What we're offering is a huge opportunity for marketing and selling organizations to become more efficient by letting them target businesses that need their products and services," says Shirazi, who serves as Radius' CEO. "We're also helping improve relationships with existing customers and reduce call spam. To me, we're building a business, but we're also doing a lot of good."

Earlier this year Radius wrapped a $12.4 million funding round led by American Express. Shirazi, who would not disclose revenue, plans to triple the firm's sales force by the end of 2013, concurrently exploring new and more effective methods for crunching data and developing, filtering and categorizing leads.

"I love building companies, and I love building ideas," Shirazi says. "It's what I want to continue doing for the rest of my life."

[Via - Entrepreneur]

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7 Steps to Unleash Fresh Business Ideas

It happens to all of us: One minute we have so many fresh ideas
that we can't wait to share them with the world.
The next minute, the
well is dry, and we're wondering if we'll ever have another original
thought. I've been there, and I'm sure you have, too. A "thought desert"
can be frightening and sometimes even paralyzing, especially for entrepreneurs and business owners, since new ideas are

How to Grow Healthy Beans

There is nothing nicer than home grown beans. A fresh bean with that snappy crunch when you are eating them raw is priceless. You can't get that crunch from shop bought beans, as they have been off the bush for too long. They are a warm season crop and are perfect for putting into summer salads. Beans(Phaseolus vulgaris are in the Fabacaeae family along with many other common plants. There are many different types of beans, runner, scarlet, board, french and more. Most beans are annuals. This means that they live between 6-12months. But Runner/Scarlet beans (Phaseolus coccineus are perennial beans and die back over autumn/winter to re-emerge in spring. They are also known as the Seven year bean because that is how long they live. Like all climbing plants, beans need support, even the dwarf varieties. However, the climbing varieties produce more beans than the dwarf (bush) ones. In warm climates, beans can be grown all year round, which gives you an excellent supply of fresh vegetables.
Cultivation Notes.
As with all vegetables, beans need a full sun position which gets 6-8 hours of sunlight each day. Beans along with other legumes such as wattles and green manure crops are able to fix nitrogen gas from the atmosphere. There is a symbiotic relationship between the roots and a bacteria called Rhizobium. The nitrogen is stored in the roots in swellings called nodules. The nitrogen is released into the soil when the plant dies and decomposes. Green manure crops such as russel lupins are often grown to about 50cm, then dug into the soil to refresh the nitrogen content of the soil. Beans are a great vegetable to plant after cool season broccoli and cauliflower which use up all the nitrogen present in the soil.
Beans like a pH of between 6-7 and if it is slightly on the alkaline side that is fine with them. Remember to lower your pH you add sulfur and to raise your pH you apply lime. In readiness for your planting beans whether seed or seedling, the soil needs to be open, friable and well drained. As with peas, bean seeds will rot if the soil is too moist. I recommend incorporating blood and bone, compost and cow or sheep manure. Another secret in the soil preparation is too add some potash. Once the beans have germinated you can apply a small amount of pelleted chicken manure. Liquid feeding regularly also helps to keep the plants healthy. But remember, too much nitrogen will prevent them from flowering and cause soft sappy growth which is prone to insect attack and fungal disease.
Hint: It is a good idea when they first start flowering to side dress the plants with a high potassium fertilizer.
For growing beans I think the ridge and furrow style is best as it makes picking and watering the beans much easier. To create a furrow, with your spade dig a trench on one side and pile the soil on top of the already existing soil. Then on the otherside do the same thing, piling the soil on top of the already existing soil. Using the back of a metal rake flatten the top of the ridge. This is where the beans are planted. The benefits of this method are that the soil drains really well, it is easy to walk along the furrows and they allow the moisture to slowly seep into the soil.
Seeds Versus Seedlings
I prefer to grow beans from seeds and sow directly into the veggie patch. I would only recommend sowing seeds in punnets to start them off is if your area prone to frosts. Beans hate frosts and it is important to know when frost finish in your area, so you can plan when to plant your seeds. I also find as beans seeds are big, that planting them in pots isn't satisfactory. Often small pots are used and the beans pop out. This especially applies broad beans which have a large seed. It is also the fuss that you need to bestow on the punnets, making sure the soil doesn't dry out or the cat decide it is a lovely place to sleep.
To ensure the seeds germinate, the soil temperature needs to be between 15C - 24C and the air temperature needs to be at least over 15C. Once the temperature goes over 30C for long periods, the plants will shut down and stop growing. Of course we can't control the weather, but this is handy information because it explains why some years the yields are poor.
Staking
Beans as with any climbing plant need some sort of structure to climb on. Some bean varieties can grow as tall as 2 meters. Pole beans which are excellent for small gardens and need a pole with some sort of chicken wire wrapped around them, so the beans can climb up. Dwarf beans only grow about 30cm high and will also benefit from having a least one wire to twine around. For ordinary beans there are several options. One is to put some tomato stakes at each end of the row and run twine or wire the entire length. Wrungs need to be about 30cm apart with the lowest one between only about 5cm -10cm from the soil. This allows the bean tendrils to attach to the wire and start climbing.
Or you can make your own obelisks out of bamboo or cane stakes. There are also metal ones available. From personal experience I have discovered if using obelisks to only put 1 plant per structure. There needs to be at least 50cm between each obelisk to prevent fungal diseases developing. The secret of growing beans is space which allows between plants. This allows good air circulation and sunlight to penetrate to the leaves. Space also helps stop the spreading of disease.
One thing I have learnt that the obelisk system doesn't work for broad beans. The best trellising method is the old stake in the ground with string or wire running the length of the bed. I found with the obelisk that the broad beans got powerdery mildew, it wasn't easy to pick the beans and the structure obscured the air flow. That year, I didn't get many beans.
For perennial beans such as scarlet runners trellis and chicken wire are excellent supports especially if they are up against the fence or the shed. Another interesting trick is to mix them in with other plants over an arbor, as the flowers are gorgeous and they are quite an attractive garden feature!
Flowering
Climbing beans takes between 10-12 weeks before the beans are ready to harvest and dwarf beans take between 8-10 weeks. It is a good idea to pick the beans daily as this will encourage the bush to produce more.
Beans are self-pollinating flowers so theoretically you only need one plant. However, you won't have many beans, it is better to have a row of them. Cross pollination by insects is possible but is rare because pollination occurs before the flower opens. Inside the petals, the anthers are pushed up against the stigma which promotes automatic pollination when the anthers open. Because beans rarely cross pollinate each other, no hybridization occurs between different varieties, so you can plant different varieties close together.
Watering
Beans with other large seed plants are prone to rotting and the leaves are prone to fungal diseases. It is recommended once you have planted the seeds only water them once. Begin watering again when you see the first leaves appearing. For all your vegetables, I recommend you water them early in the morning. This allows all day for the leaves to dry. If you water them in the evening, the leaves don't dry and mildew develops. Another trick is to water at ground level as overhead watering causes the fungal spores to be splashed up onto the foliage.
Hint: It is important when the beans are forming, that you keep the water up to the plants.
Pests and Diseases
I don't have much trouble with pests, except when the seedlings are young. Snails and slugs love young plants, so it important to protect them. You can try picking them off by hand, especially after rain or use a snail trap of beer in a glass jar 1/2 sunken into the ground. They crawl in, get drunk and drown. There is also the finely crushed egg shells circle, that you put around each plant which they hate crawling over. There is a new product for pots, which is a copper strip that you attach around the pot. There is also a spray to repel them with but I haven't tried it.
If you are having trouble with caterpillars, then I suggest using an organic spray called Dipel which the active ingredient is Bacillus thuringiensis. It won't harm you, your children, pets or other beneficial insects. Longlife pyrethrum is also good for sap sucking insects such as white fly and aphids, but also kills caterpillars earwigs.
I have more trouble with diseases, especially powdery mildew. It has a dramatic effect on the plants, causing the beans to taste bitter and horrible. It also reduces the amount of beans you will harvest. To try and control this disease you can mix one level teaspoon of bicarb soda into one litre of water. Add one litre of skim milk and a pinch of Condy's Crystals which you can get from a produce agent (someone that supplies fed etc to horse owners). Spray it on the leaves every two weeks. Remember, only make a small amount, as this type of spray does not keep - the skim milk will go bad and smell disgusting. There is also a good lady bird which can be identified by yellow and black bands. She eats the mildew, so don't kill them.
If your plants get rust, which usually presents itself under the leaves and is the colour orange, stop watering over head and try increase the air circulation. There are chemicals that will control it, but won't get rid of it completely. They are strong chemicals I don't like using them.
Hint: To help control the build up of pests and diseases, I recommend practicing crop rotation.
Harvesting and Saving your own seed
To tell if the bean are ready to pick they should be about 8-15cm long, a nice colour green and be firm to touch. The best way to tell if they are ready is to harvest one and eat it. Harvesting time varieties from season to season and from temperature zone to temperature zone. It depends on how warm or cold it has been while the flowers and pods are developing.
If you decide to save your own seed, leave some of the pods on the bush and let them ripen. The pods will turn brown and start splitting. This means they are ready to harvest. Take the seeds out of the pods and store them into a clean glass jar or brown paper bag, label them with what variety they are and the date. Place them in a dark, dry and cool place. Don't store any that are soft or have mildew on them.
Growing Broad Beans
I am not a big fan of the taste of broad beans, but have discovered that I like eating them (pods and all) straight from the bush when they are very tiny. They taste great. Broad beans are a winter crop and do well in temperate and tropical areas over the colder months. They do best where the soil temperature is between 6C and 24C but don't like frost prone areas. If flowers form they won't set pods if there has been frosts. They are best planted directly into the soil about 5-10cm deep with about 15cm-20cm apart. Rows need to be about 70cm apart. This spacing allows the air to circulate freely and helps keep them free from fungal disease. You can start harvesting from 12 weeks on, depending on how cold it is.
Hint: To encourage broad beans to flower laterally, pinch the apical merristem out (this is the tip of each vertical stem)
Growing Runner/Scarlet Beans
These beans are perennial. I recommend you plant them somewhere where there is a structure for them to twine around and when you see you new growth popping up that you apply a small amount of blood and bone, compost and animal manure to help them getting going again. A handful of potash around each plant will also encourage them to develop healthy flowers. Picking the beans daily will encourage a higher yield. In autumn when the plant is dying down, don't cut off the foliage until it is brown and dead.
Beans are a good summer crop and will produce a high yield per plant if you look after them and provide them with their cultural requirements. Lots of space, sunlight, air and not too much nitrogen. A climbing frame of some sort is also essential, even for the dwarf variety. You can't beat fresh beans from the garden.

Giving Your Health a Boost With Beans

At first glance, beans don't seem to be the most glamorous of foods, and may not appear to be an excellent source of nutrition. Their bland appearance, however, belies their numerous health benefits. By learning more about beans and their positive impact on your well-being, you might find yourself tempted to purchase more than one type of this under-appreciated food.
Beans, which are also known as legumes, are found in a number of flavors and colors. They possess both unique and overlapping characteristics, which are further explained below:
Black Beans
Black beans may seem like a fairly common food today, but they were only introduced to Europe in the 1500s. They are rich in protein and fiber, which proves very useful to the body's digestive system. Together, these two nutrients help move food through the stomach and intestine at a healthy rate. As a result, neither of the organs is overworked when digesting food.
Black beans also help you to maintain a healthy blood sugar. As your body digests food, your digestive system breaks it up into smaller parts. Occasionally, the body will absorb food in uneven amounts, which can cause simple sugar to rapidly rush into the bloodstream. When this occurs, your blood experiences a sudden rise in its sugar count, which may cause blood sugar spikes. On the other hand, your blood stream might absorb sugar in insufficient quantities, which can cause an unwanted drop in your blood sugar. The protein and fiber from black beans enable the body to break down food at a steady pace, thereby preventing both scenarios.
In addition to improving the efficiency of your digestive tract, black beans can help keep your cardiovascular system safe from disease. Black beans are brimming with soluble fiber, a nutrient with firmly established track record of lowering bad cholesterol. This type of fiber can also knock out free radicals and reduce inflammation within your arteries, effectively lowering your odds of developing coronary disease. Recent studies have even found that black beans can root out tumors in the colon that may become cancerous.
One cup of cooked black beans contains 64% daily value (DV) of folate, 60% DV of fiber, 38% DV of manganese, 30% DV of magnesium, 30% DV of protein, 24% DV of phosphorus, 28% DV of thiamin and 20% DV of iron.
Soy Beans
You would be hard-pressed to find a legume with more nutrients than soy beans. Just one cup of cooked soy beans (without added salt) has 10 grams of fiber (41% daily value) and 29 grams of protein (57% DV). The parade of nutrients doesn't stop there - the same serving size has 71% daily value of manganese, 49% DV of iron, 42% DV of phosphorus, 41% DV of vitamin K, 37% DV of magnesium, 35% DV of copper and 25% DV of potassium.
Like black beans, soy beans can protect against heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol with its soluble fiber content. This legume also contains polysaturated fats, which produce hormones that enable the heart to run more efficiently. Soy beans also feature insoluble fiber, which allows waste to quickly pass through your digestive tract. Research suggests that soybeans can alleviate and prevent a number of health issues related to the digestive system, ranging from constipation and hemorrhoids to diverticular disease and colon cancer.
Black Eyed Peas
This type of bean might have a somewhat funny and misleading name, but it has more than enough nutrients to make it part of a well balanced diet. A serving size of one cup of cooked black eyed peas contains 89% DV of folate, 45% DV of fiber, 41% DV of manganese, 27% DV of phosphorus, 24% DV of iron, 23% DV of magnesium, 23% DV of copper.
Black eyed peas are a great option for those with digestive problems, as they are a great source of fiber, a nutrient well-known for its ability to help your digestive system. If you're seeking an additional source of potassium, black eyed peas are a good bet; one cup of this bean has 14% DV of potassium. Potassium is a do-everything nutrient, as it can keep your blood pressure at healthy levels while strengthening your bones and muscles. And if you're worried about your waistline, there is more good news - 1 cup of cooked black eyed peas only contains 200 calories and 1 gram of total fat.
Great Northern Beans
Another type of bean with a memorable name is great northern beans. These beans are frequently used in baked bean dishes and various soups. You can buy them in either canned or dried form at the supermarket.
Great northern beans are a protein and fiber powerhouse; one cup of canned great northern beans has 51% DV of fiber and 39% DV of protein. Fiber and protein aren't their only nutrients, as a cup of this legume will also net you 53% DV of manganese, 53% DV of folate, 36% of phosphorus, 33% of magnesium, 23% DV of iron and 14% DV of both calcium and vitamin B6 (these numbers are also from canned great northern beans). In addition, a cup of great northern beans has only 1g of fat. Feel free to stock up on this bean, as they can last up to one year in storage; just make sure to place them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Lima Beans
Talk about versatility - lima beans are sold canned, frozen, dried and fresh in their shells. Generally, small lima beans in their dried form have a relatively mild taste, whereas baby and regular size lima beans have a mushy texture and buttery taste.
In whatever form you purchase lima beans, you can rest assured that they will provide you with a bountiful amount of nutrients needed for good health. One half cup of canned lima beans provides a shopper with 43% DV of manganese, 18% DV of fiber, 15% DV of vitamin C, 11% DV of iron and 10% DV of potassium.
A person on a diet may have no better friend than lima beans, as a ½ cup serving of canned lima beans has only 88 calories. Lima beans keep your bad cholesterol and blood pressure at healthy levels, and can help lower your risk or heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Kidney Beans
As you probably have guessed, kidney beans get their name from their reddish and somewhat long appearance, which resembles the human organ of the same name. Kidney beans can also be found with white coloring. As with lima beans, a consumer has a number of options when buying kidney beans, as they are found in fresh, frozen, dried and canned forms. These beans have a fairly bland taste compared with their legume counterparts. This one drawback, however, is negated by their wide use in a number of dishes, including chili, refried beans, casserole and salads.
Kidney beans contain all of the health benefits expected from a legume; one cup of canned kidney beans contains 54% DV dietary fiber, 27% DV of protein, 23% DV of phosphorus, 23% DV of folate, 22% DV of manganese, 17% DV of iron and 17% DV of potassium. It should be noted that kidney beans are fairly high in sodium (32% DV for a one cup serving).
The high amount of folate in kidney beans is good for expecting mothers, as this nutrient has been shown to help prevent birth defects. The fiber in kidney beans is great for your digestive tract, and their protein is used by your body to bolster your heart muscles.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are a key ingredient for a number of well-known dishes, including refried beans, beans and rice, chili and various soups and stews. One cup of canned pinto beans contains 44% DV of fiber, 36% DV of folate, 27% DV of manganese, 24% DV of selenium, 22% DV of phosphorus, 19% DV of iron and 17% DV of potassium. The main beneficiaries of pinto beans are your heart, digestive tract and blood pressure.
Other Beans to Consider:

• Red Beans
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Cranberry Beans
• Fava Beans
• Corona Beans
• Navy Beans
• Marrow Beans

Cool Startups -FieldCandy

Startup Of The Day - PickyDomains.com

http://www.fieldcandy.com/

Entrepreneur: John Harris, founder of FieldCandy, a U.K.-based brand of designer tents with offbeat graphics such as a block of cheese, floral and galactic motifs, leopard print, bubble wrap--even a time machine.

"Aha" moment: Harris, formerly a furniture designer, and partner Rhona Carr had retired in Italy. "We had a lovely life--and hated being retired," he says. "We both missed working and having something to get up in the morning for." On a trip to an exhibition for outdoor recreation, the two discovered an entire hall devoted to tents--all the same, all utterly boring. "There was certainly nothing designer-y, feminine or sexy. It didn't exist," Harris says. "It was very much a product for guys with tattoos and canoes who go into the forest and shoot deer. We wanted to change that and make it a fashion product."

Field test: Harris and Carr spent a few years researching their idea, dreaming up designs and learning to print graphics on tent flysheets. With an initial investment of about $400,000 of their own money, they launched FieldCandy in November 2011 with 40 unique designs. Within a few days, international design blog The Cool Hunter featured the company on its homepage; from there, word spread via the internet.

Fresh air: FieldCandy enlists a variety of illustrators, photographers and fashion and graphic designers to come up with prints. Among those who have contributed are Terry Pastor, known for his album artwork for David Bowie; Philip Gatward, photographer for Nike, Coca-Cola and Heineken; and fashion brand Basso & Brooke. Harris, who wishes to "attract different designers from around the world to have different cultures of designs, different styles of designs," fields requests from 30 to 50 artists each week.

Rugged outdoors: "FieldCandy tents are fun. But they're serious, too," the company's website proclaims. Made in Derbyshire, England, the A-frame tents are constructed to withstand extreme weather conditions. They feature an inner lining of 100 percent cotton (instead of traditional plastic), extra-strong pegs of hardened aluminum, heavy-duty zippers--even lockable storage pockets. "Our principle in business is doing whatever we do to the best of our ability and executing it with a bit of panache rather than the same as everybody else," Harris says.

High stakes: The printed tents, available at FieldCandy.com, range from $600 to $900 (basic solid colors are $400). FieldCandy sold 1,200 units its first year, mainly to customers in the U.S., Japan, Australia, Germany, the U.K. and South Korea. The company also creates promotional tents for brands such as Sony, Orange and various book publishers.

Glamping it up: FieldCandy aims to become an international lifestyle brand. The company is unveiling designs from tattooist Saira Hunjan, who has worked on the likes of Kate Moss and Jude Law; British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes; and Lee Clow, the U.S. creative director responsible for some of Apple's most famous ads.

[Via - Entrepreneur]  

 

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Business Lessons: 15 Management Tips for Small Business Owners

Management is the process of influencing people to act together to
accomplish common goals and objectives using available resources
effectively and efficiently. No matter how small your business is, you
have to act as a better manager to optimize your resources and achieve
success in your business. Whether you only have one or five employees in
your organization, you have to learn how to

How To Create A Business Note That Is More Attractive To A Note Investor

You are selling your small business (business value under $1 million for this article).
You would like the buyer of your business to come in with an all-cash offer, or be
able to qualify for an SBA guaranteed loan. However, in many cases the owner of the
business ends up taking back the financing because the buyer is not able to make
an all-cash offer or does not qualify for an SBA guaranteed loan. So you create a
"business note" and you now become the "bank". At first that may seem okay, but
after a couple of years of receiving payments you may decide you want to get back
into business and you need the cash that is tied up in your business note on which
you are receiving payments. So now you want to sell your business note to raise
cash for your next business venture. What is it worth? That will depend a lot on how
you structured the note.
The objective of this article is to help you structure the
note so that it is more attractive to a prospective business note buyer.
Assumption: This article discusses the structure of a note that includes only the
business assets of a business. If a business also includes real estate that is being
sold at the same time as the business, that real estate should be sold in a
transaction that is financed separately from the business assets. This allows each to
be valued and financed in the most optimum manner. For example, it may be
possible to finance the real estate with a lower down payment, for a longer term,
with a lower interest rate, and without a personal guarantee.
The objective of a business note buyer or investor when buying future business note
payments is to minimize the risk of a default on the note. Therefore, they look for
specific things when evaluating the purchase of future payments from your business
note. Those include the following:
buyer's down payment
number of payments made on the note (also known as "seasoning")
buyer's credit history
personal guarantee of the buyer
total amount of payments being sold
cash flow of the business and past profitability
length of term of the note
payment amount
offsets
lien position of the note
amortization of the note
experience of the buyer with the type of business purchased
interest rate on the business note
documentation of the business sale
Unlike the purchase of a piece of real estate, the tangible assets of a small business
may not be adequate to cover the amount due on the business note if the buyer of
the business defaults. Therefore, the business note buyer is looking for ways to
lessen the likelihood of a default. If there is a default on the note, the business note
buyer will require that the business buyer follow through on their personal
guarantee which secures the business note.
A cash down payment of at least 33 percent should be made by the business buyer.
This down payment should not come from borrowed funds. The reason for requiring
such a large down payment is to make it less attractive for the buyer to "walk away"
from the business if they encounter problems. If they have a significant amount of
their own money invested in the business, they may think twice about walking away
from the business when things get tough.
If the down payment was less than 33 percent, then the business note buyer will
require that the difference be made up by additional payments on the business
note. The business note buyer wants to see that the new owner of the business has
at least a one-third equity investment in the business between the combination of
cash down payment and payments made on the business note while operating the
business.
Business note buyers want to see that at least two monthly payments have been
made on the note by the new owner of the business. For new owners of professional
practices such as doctors or dentists, a larger number of paid monthly payments
will be required. This serves a couple of purposes. It should show that the new
owner is generating cash flow from the business. It also allows the new owner to see
if the business is meeting their expectations. As part of the "due diligence"
performed by the business note buyer, they will interview the new owner to see if
any problems exist that might lead to future problems making payments on the
business note. They will want to know if the new owner was "mislead" by the seller
of the business.
The buyer of the business should have a credit score of at least 600. A higher score
is required by the business note buyer when the value of future business note
payments being purchased reaches a certain level. Any "clouds" on the business
buyer's credit history should not be current. These should have been resolved
before purchase of the business.
The business note must be personally guaranteed by the buyer. It cannot be
guaranteed by the company buying your business. Specifically, it cannot be
guaranteed by a person signing on behalf of the company. If there is a default, the
business note buyer will be coming after the personal assets of the individual(s)
making the personal guarantee. A personal financial statement for the buyer should
be obtained to verify that they have the necessary assets should it be necessary to
fulfill the personal guarantee.
The maximum amount a business note buyer will buy in a single transaction is
between $300,000 and $450,000. You can create a business note for more than this
maximum amount, but the business note buyer won't buy more than their
maximum at one time. This means when the period is completed for which
payments have been sold any remaining payments will once again come to you. At
this point you will have the option of selling future payments again, if you want to.
The cash flow of the business must be adequate to service the note and provide
additional cash for the new owner to live on. The cash flow should be at least 1.25
times the amount required to service the note. The business should have been in
the same location for at least 3 years (4 years for restaurants and bars), and it
should have been profitable over that time.
The term of the note should not be longer than 72 months with 36 to 60 months
being preferred. You can create a business note for longer than the recommended
period, but a business note buyer will only buy the number of payments with which
they are comfortable. The objective is to minimize the risk to the note buyer. The
longer the term, the greater the likelihood that something will go wrong. The note
buyer is looking to minimize their risk because the note is not fully secured by the
assets of the business.
A key item related to the term of the note is the term of the lease of the space in
which the business operates. In order to avoid a major disruption to the business
due to a problem renewing the lease, the term of the lease should be at least as
long as the term of the business note.
The business note must be in first lien position. The business note cannot be a
second position lien behind a bank loan. If there is a default, the second position
lien holder may have a difficult time recovering their investment.
The business note should be fully amortized over its term. There cannot be a
balloon at the end because there is probably no way to refinance the balloon at the
end of the note term. If a bank was not willing to finance the original transaction, it
is unlikely that they would be willing to finance the balloon at a later date.(Notes:
Some business note buyers may accept a balloon if it can be amortized within 24
months using the same monthly payment used to pay the note. Other business note
buyers may buy payments up to a few months before the end of the note term, but
leave the balloon for the business note holder.)
The business note buyer wants to see that the new owner of the business has prior
experience running the type of business being purchased. This is especially
important for the purchase of a "high-tech" business or a professional practice. The
assumption is that someone with experience in the type of business has a better
chance of succeeding than someone without prior experience.
One of the biggest factors contributing to the discount that the seller will have to
take when selling the future payments is the difference between interest rate on the
original business note, and the yield required on their investment by the business
note buyer when they buy the future note payments. Therefore, the interest rate on
the business note should be set as high as possible while still allowing a monthly
payment that can be covered by the cash flow of the business for the term of the
note.
The deal is not done until the paper work is done. There are stories where people
documented the sale of a business on a napkin or restaurant place mat. That will
not be adequate if you have any thought of selling your business note in the future.
There are four main documents that should be produced. It is recommended that a
lawyer be used to help properly prepare these documents. The documents are listed
below.
UCC-1
chattel security agreement or chattel mortgage
promissory note
purchase agreement
The UCC-1 documents that the seller is holding a "perfected" lien on the business.
This document is filed with county government and is part of the public record. If
there is a default, this document indicates that the business seller will be first (after
tax liens) to receive proceeds from the sale of any business assets.
The "chattel security agreement" is a list of the tangible assets of the business. This
will usually be the furniture, fixtures, and equipment that are the tangible assets of
the business. The intangible assets are things like a loyal customer base that can be
lost if the new ownership does not provide the service received from the previous
ownership. The chattel security agreement does not become part of the public
record, but is necessary to document what the tangible assets were at the time of
the business sale.
If any vehicles are part of the security for the business, the title of the vehicles
should indicate that you are the owner of the vehicles so that the new business
owner cannot sell these vehicles without your knowledge.
The promissory note documents the details of the sale like value of the note at the
time of sale, the term of the note, the monthly payment, the interest rate, and any
other special terms such as late payment fees.
The purchase agreement ties the whole transaction together. It may contain
information that is not specifically contained on the other documents such as
provisions to provide periodic financial statements to the seller which could then be
made available to a prospective note buyer for evaluation.
The promissory note or the purchase agreement should not contain any "offset"
statements which would allow the business buyer to deduct from payments made
on the note due to problems running the business or problems with equipment
purchased as part of the business. If the promissory note or purchase agreement
does contain "offsets", then the business note buyer will require at least 6 months
of seasoning to see if there have been any events that would activate the "offset"
provisions.
The following table summarizes the factors contributing to a business note that will
be more attractive to a prospective note investor.
Note Factor
Preferred Value for Note Factor
Buyer's Down Payment
At least 33% in cash that was not borrowed
Minimum Number of Payments Already Made (Seasoning)
2 monthly payments (more are preferred and more are required for professional
practices) by the new owner
Buyer's Credit History
Buyer must have a credit score of at least 600 with no recent "clouds" on credit
history
Personal Guarantee
Personal guarantee required (cannot be a person signing on behalf of corporation or
partnership)
Total Amount of Payments Being Sold
Maximum is $300,000 to $450,000 in a single transaction (note can be created for
more than this amount, but the maximum that can be sold at one time is $300,000
to $450,000)
Cash Flow of the Business
Cash flow should be at least 1.25 times the amount of the monthly payment on the
business note.
Length of Term of the Note
72 months maximum but 36 to 60 months is preferred (Note can be created for a
longer term but business note buyer won't buy the payments beyond a certain
point.)
Lien Position of the Note
First lien position only
Amortization of the Note
Note must be fully amortized within the note term
Experience of the Buyer
The buyer should have prior experience in the type of business being purchased.
Interest Rate
As high as possible such that cash flow can support the required payment for the
term of the note.
Documentation For Sale
UCC-1
Chattel Security Agreement
Promissory Note
Purchase Agreement
Real Estate
Real estate that is part of the business should be sold in a separate transaction from
the business assets
Of course, a business note can be structured other than recommended above,
especially if the seller does not anticipate selling future note payments. However, if
the seller has any thought that they might want to sell future note payments, then
the seller should follow the above recommendations as much as possible.
If you have an existing business note or are in the process of creating one as part of
the sale of a business, and you are thinking about selling some or all of your future
payments on that note, then we can help you determine what an investor would be
willing to pay for those payments. Please contact us today for a free, no obligation
quote on the sale of your future business note payments.

Afra AmirSanjari is the Principal for Peacock Capital. Peacock Capital specializes in solving the cash flow challenges of Small/Medium Businesses, Government Vendors and Individuals with innovative financial solutions by providing a network for securing operating capital.

Business Ideas : Sell On Ebay

How to Start a Business on eBay
A lot of eBay sellers start out selling odds and ends they have around the house-and for good reason. For items that are in good condition, you'll probably get more money for them on eBay than at a garage sale.



You probably have plenty of stuff that you'll never miss and you really don't need to store or dust anymore. And it's a relatively risk-free way to test

Benefits of Beans - A Natural Fat Burner!

Discover the incredible weight loss benefits of beans, how to best prepare them and how much you should eat to get maximum benefit from beans - one of nature's amazing fat burning foods.
Legumes, also called beans, are some of the world's most ancient cultivated plants. According to fossil records, prehistoric man was familiar with growing and eating legumes.
There are now more than 33,000 types of legumes, and legumes are the second most popular food (grains being the first) for providing protein to people around the world. In comparison to grains, however, beans have approximately an identical number of calories, but contain two to three times more protein. As a matter of fact, beans are really a superfood.
Here is a list of some popular bean varieties: pinto, kidney, navy, black, lima, and mung beans.
There are many other varieties of beans, including Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans (white kidney beans), garbanzo beans (chickpeas), and kidney beans (pink, red, white/cannellini, light, and dark). As consumers become more and more interested in beans, there are brand new varieties that are coming into the market on a regular basis.
What is the reason for this sudden interest in beans?
Actually, there are a couple reasons. Beans are hearty, taste delicious, and contain many nutrients that are beneficial to maintaining good health.
You can purchase dried beans throughout the year in supermarkets, grocery stores, whole food markets, health food stores, specialty stores, farmer's markets, and roadside stands.
The Fat Burning Benefits of Beans
Beans are an excellent source of low-fat protein, folate, fiber potassium, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and phytonutrients. They are sometimes referred to as the poor man's meat because they contain an abundant amount of protein. Actually, beans are among the healthiest, budget-friendly protein supplies anywhere.
Lysine is an amino acid that is not commonly found in many plant proteins, but beans are an exception, because they are high in lysine. This causes beans to be an excellent choice for people who are vegetarians, consuming such healthy dishes as rice and beans. Lysine is one of the two amino acids that the body needs in order to synthesize Carnitine. Carnitine is essential to your body's ability to produce energy.
There is a familiar saying that beans are good for the heart. This is true, but there are a lot more benefits from beans. Beans supply a lot of soluble fiber in the diet. When soluble fiber moves its way through the digestive tract, it catches cholesterol-containing bile and drains it out of the body before it has a chance to be absorbed. You can actually make your total cholesterol level go down up to 10% in six months by simply eating one cup of beans daily. Reducing your overall cholesterol level may also lower the incidence of heart attack.
Beans are packed with fiber to curb cravings and leave you with a sense of satiety. Beans also aid in lowering blood pressure levels, which helps to protect the heart.
Besides their ability to lower both cholesterol and blood pressure, beans additionally prevent blood sugar levels from going up too fast after eating food. This is why beans are a great food for diabetics, people who are resistant to insulin, or those who suffer from hypoglycemia.
Beans contain fiber for a constant supply of energy. Beans are also packed with water soluble vitamins, particularly thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and folacin. Folate is essential for lowering concentrations of homocysteine. Without sufficient folate in your diet, your homocysteine level increases and can cause harm to your blood vessels and your heart.
In addition to folate, beans also contain a good amount of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, all of which are healthy minerals and electrolytes which, when combined, can help to lessen the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
For anyone who wants to burn off fat, beans are indispensable. Their bulk will leave you feeling full without adding excess calories.
There is also research indicating that beans can help to prevent several types of cancer, particularly pancreatic, colon, breast, and prostate cancers. This is because of lignins, a phyto-estrogen found in beans that has properties similar to those of estrogen.
The risk of getting estrogen-related cancer, such as breast cancer, can be reduced by incorporating lignins in your diet. It is also believed that they can offer protective benefits for the male reproductive system by warding off cancers. Intestinal cancer might be prevented by incorporating phylates and other compounds found in beans into the diet.
Beans contain antioxidants, which help to protect the heart from damage caused by free radicals, reduce inflammation, and help wounds to heal.
Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, as they are commonly called, contain a high level of antioxidants from phyto-chemicals called saponins. Chickpeas are not only a reliable source of protein and folate, but can also help people to lower their cholesterol levels.
When you have so many beans to choose from, it makes sense to add beans to your fat burning diet every day.
How to Cook Beans
People who eat beans on a regular basis have the benefit of lowering their cholesterol levels.
The fact that they are low in calories plus contain a great deal of fiber make them an ideal choice for your fat-burning diet and daily nutrition.
When looking to purchase dried beans, you want to shop at a grocery store or market that does a lot of business so it is bringing in fresh goods all the time. Choose the freshest dried beans rather than a product that's been in the store a year. Try to find beans that aren't very old. This might not be an easy task, so you may have to depend on your market for their freshness.
You will realize the importance of buying fresh beans if you ever have the experience of cooking beans for many hours, only to realize that they are still not cooked. Do you understand the reason why? The reason is that the beans are not fresh.
Whenever you buy beans in a whole foods market or any supermarket that sells dried beans in bulk, inspect the receptacles to make certain they have lids and look sanitary. Make sure you look to see if there is any powder around beans that come in bags. This indicates they are not fresh. Choose beans that are intact rather than broken.
Before cooking your beans, you should look at them carefully when they are still dry, and remove any extra debris, such as rocks, insects, and lumps of dirt. You're going to find some, however it's easy to remove any. Next, rinse off the beans by putting them in a colander and running cold water over them.
After this step, soak the beans for a minimum of one hour; soaking beans overnight is even better. You should always soak any variety of dried beans overnight before you cook them.
Common knowledge dictates that when you soak beans for a longer time period, you do not need to cook them as long, and they will cause less gastric disturbance.
Beans that are fresh and recently picked cook up faster. Pressure cooked beans may be used in certain recipes to obtain a better result.
You can add beans when preparing dishes however you like. You will learn that adding beans to any recipe will add additional health benefits. The following are a few quick ideas. I know you will be able to discover many more ideas on your own.
Beans are a fine addition to any soup, salad, or casserole dish. They can also be made into a puree.
Prepare a batch of hummus using garbanzo bean puree with minced garlic and olive oil.
It is simple to make a Middle Eastern type of pasta if you add garbanzo beans to whole grain penne pasta, then mix these ingredients with extra virgin olive oil and mild-flavored cheese, then sprinkle with fresh oregano.
Simmer precooked garbanzo beans in some tomato paste, add curry to the mixture, then add some chopped almonds; pour this mixture over brown rice. Toss some garbanzo beans into your salad, soup, or stew recipes.
Mix garbanzo beans with various herbs and sauces for a delicious treat.
Traditionally, chili is made with red kidney beans; red kidney beans are also used when preparing tacos and Mexican soups. Helpful hint: Substitute beans for the beef in these recipes.
If you want to make your own distinct take on tamale pie, when you make kidney beans consider putting them over cornbread and then grate low- or fat-free cheese on top.
Mix black, white, and red kidney beans with tomatoes and scallions, and toss with a dressing made of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and black pepper to make a tasty three-bean salad.
You can cook a delicious meal from Tuscany that is prepared using white, cannellini beans (large kidney beans that are white instead of red), rosemary. and fresh chopped garlic.
Add some beans to pasta dishes.
You can make a delicious spread for a sandwich wrap by mashing beans with diced garlic cloves.
Prepare salads made from beans by combining a variety of beans, then pour a dressing made from oil and herbs on top.
If you would like to eat a delicious layered dip, mix black beans with cilantro, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, and guacamole.
Black beans combined with rice produce a delicious and creative Cuban dish.
Make a batch of black bean soup by mixing cooked beans with onion, tomato and seasoning. If you want to try a different kind of burrito, try using black beans instead of the typical pinto beans.
Serve black beans in combination with various toppings over baked potatoes.

Decaffeinated Coffee Beans Do Not Grow On Special Trees

Coffee beans all contain caffeine. From the beginning they have and always will. That is what the Ethiopian goat herder Kaldi noticed about his goats eating the coffee "cherry" fruit from the coffee tree. They were basically under the effects of caffeine and would not sleep. That had to be funny! As a result and after a few other tests, coffee was born. That was way back when over 1000 years ago. Even though all Arabica coffee beans contain caffeine, to some it's more of a nuisance than a stimulant so some prefer it gone. How do we get this unofficial legal 'drug' of sorts out? That, my friend has many answers.
The first process we will discuss is a chemical process using methylene chloride. It is also called the European Process (EP or KVW). In this method of decaffeination, the raw green coffee beans are soaked in near boiling water. This extracts the flavor oils and the caffeine from the coffee. The water is then separated and put into a tank where it is treated with the chemical methylene chloride. This chemical sticks to the caffeine and is then removed from the flavor oils. The beans are brought back into the mix and they absorb the once lost flavor oils. It has been my experience and arguably some other coffee geek's as well that these decafs processed with methelyene chloride taste the best. The quality of the cup is superb over other decaf processes, as long as the beans are processed and hulled correctly at origin.
Methelyene chloride sounds bad but it really is a safe method to decaffeinate coffee beans because is it never absorbed by the bean. It is really a solvent and will not bond with the coffee; just with the caffeine. However this chemical method can cause some sensitive tummies to become agitated because there are traces left behind. I have found that most people that have this irritation usually know what is from and ask me if my decaf is processed with it.
Another decaffeination method is called ethyl acetate. This process is called the 'natural process' because ethyl acetate is a chemical compound found in some fruits. This process happens the same way as the methelyene chloride process above; the difference is that ethyl acetate is a natural chemical vs. methelyene chloride being a man made solvent. I still think a methelyene chloride processed decaf coffee tastes of better quality. However some folks do not notice the irritated stomach as much with this process.
The next decaffeination process we will talk about is the Swiss Water Process (SWP). During this process, the green coffee beans are again soaked in near boiling water. As stated before, this extracts the caffeine and flavor oils from the coffee. The difference in the SWP is that the water is then put into a tank where it is forced through charcoal filters. It is also circulated around in hot water to remove the caffeine. The beans are then brought back into the mix to absorb their flavor again. However, this process allows more flavor oils to be damaged and/or removed affecting the overall cup. Upside is that no chemicals of any kind are used however SWP coffees are higher in price. I do feel that these coffees, though they appear of better quality visually lack flavor and are quite flat.
OK so yet another process to decaffeinate coffee is called the mountain water process or MWP. In Mexico, a company called Sanroke developed this decaffeination process where they use water from the glaciers of the Pico de Orizaba Mountain in Mexico. The process they use is the same as the Swiss Water Process: using water to float the coffee oils and caffeine in a solution, then using a special filter to remove caffeine, and returning the water soluble oils to the coffee. The only difference is that the coffee is awesome! The MWP decafs are very close to non-decaffeinated premium coffees. But they are more expensive.
The last process of decaffeinating coffee is the C02 process. In this process, the raw green coffee beans are mixed with pure water. When the coffee absorbs the water the grains expand and the pores open. This allows the caffeine molecules to become mobile. Then, the carbon dioxide is added to the water making it fizzy, like sparkling water. What happens is the carbon dioxide acts like a magnet and attracts all the caffeine. When the caffeine is captured by the carbon dioxide, it is removed. The carbon dioxide does not touch the flavor molecules so it gives the coffee an excellent taste in the finished decaffeinated coffee.
There is one last 'unofficial' decaffeinating process and that is roasting. It's unofficial because it does not completely decaffeinate, not even 99.9% like the other methods. It's a lot less. Roasting will burn off caffeine to some extent and the darker the coffee is the less caffeine there is in it. Most of your espresso blends are comprised of dark roasted coffee beans. So you guessed it, when you think you are getting an extra dose of jolt in that extra double shot of espresso think again Jack. Most people think that espresso has more caffeine naturally but not quite!
If you want the extra jolt, try a chocolate bar, a shot of soda, an aspirin or two or a slice of cake made from a box cake mix. Caffeine is a hot commodity! This caffeine is gotten from decaffeinated coffee and added to these products. Yes sold on the resale market. It is big business!
So contrary to some beliefs decaffeinated coffee does not grow on a special tree. It gets that way by man. Like so many other things huh? Many coffees come in decaffeinated versions including organic coffee. When you buy your next bag of whole bean coffee, look to see what decaffeination process is used. You will find that this is not easy with most store bought coffees. You may have to go to your local independent coffee shop or roaster. I bet they have what you are looking for.

Tony DiCorpo is a coffee roaster, barista and coffee business consultant. He has authored many articles on coffee and the coffee business. Tony has extensive experience in business and collectively more than 20 years experience in sales, business management, entrepreneurship and the coffee business.

Australia's Best Business Magazines by Bean Media - An Independent Review

Australia's Best are a set of four separate business magazines published by Sydney-based media company, Bean Media Group. They cover four industries, namely Retail, Manufacturing, Food and Drink, and Building, Construction and Mining. Competition in the business magazine world is high, but Australia's Best seem to be leading the way when it comes to providing a high-quality business title. It may be a bold statement, but these business magazines continue to impress.
By sniffing around Bean Media and the Australia's Best magazines, I have found that there has been some very positive feedback about the magazines, and the readership and circulation is one of the best in the country. Indeed, by the rate that Bean Media are receiving subscription requests for Australia's Best, they will hold the title of biggest circulating business magazines for each specific industry within a matter of months.
But, once you take a look into the Australia's Best magazines themselves, you will discover that it's not just a quality readership that adds immense value to Bean Media Group's portfolio of 'Australia's Best'. The editorial content is very good, the quality of the magazines themselves is very high and the angle that Bean Media take on highlighting specific companies that are accepted into Australia's Best is innovative. Indeed, the advertisements and the editorial in Australia's Best in submitted to Google and Yahoo news worldwide, so the company seem to be providing a high quality online service as well as delivering on their claim to be the best business magazines in Australia.
What is also impressive about Bean Media's magazines, are the quality of companies that appear within Australia's Best. The company has secured editorial features on major industry heavyweights that adds a rubber stamp of approval to Australia's Best. BHP Biliton, Myer, McDonalds, Multiplex, Ford, Toyota and FoodWorks are all companies that have been accepted to appear in their relevant Australia's Best magazine. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty more companies that are in the magazines, but the scale and quality of these companies is definitely not small.
Bean Media also run the Australia's Best awards for companies that have demonstrated efficient supply chain management. The awards are fast-becoming highly regarded in the supply chain world and Bean Media have noticed an uptake on companies applying to be featured within Australia's Best.
If companies are accepted, they can expect an in-depth editorial feature on their company with added exposure through both Google and Yahoo news. Bean Media don't make any claims to add additional online distribution channels, but we've seen company features popping up on many international business websites, including the International Business Times. Such exposure for companies is obviously highly valuable, especially so considering Bean Media don't charge for companies to be featured in the Australia's Best magazines.
The success Australia's Best seems to continue to grow and the company is exhibiting at a number of major exhibitions in 2010 showing off it's impressive portfolio of magazines. Bean Media will be at National Manufacturing Week, The Retail Expo, Design Build and Fine Food Australia.
Another reason why they should be proud of their work with Australia's Best, is the approval from numerous industry associations around the country. These include SCLAA, CILTA, APICS, LAA and NRA. These partnerships that Bean Media have formed adds a significant number of industry professionals to their subscriber database. As mentioned earlier, the distribution is expected to climb throughout 2010 to be the highest in the country for each industry magazine.

Unemployed? Launch A Startup

Startup Of The Day - PickyDomains.com

http://www.carpenterjames.com/
James + James, a handmade furniture company based in northwest Arkansas, was born out of simple necessity: "We needed money and jobs," said co-founder James Eldridge.

In 2011, while unemployed, James Smith tried his hand at carpentry. He spent $40 on materials and built a coffee table in his garage. He then listed it for sale on Craigslist and watched as orders for other pieces of furniture came pouring in.

Eldridge reached out to his old college friend after seeing a photo of the table on Twitter. They launched James + James in January 2012 in Springdale, Ark.

"Northwest Arkansas is a great place for young people who have have crazy ideas," said Eldridge. "There's lot of startup capital available, and business costs here are low."

The company has grown far beyond the two James's: It now employs 22 people and has already crossed $1 million in sales.

[Via - CNNMoney]

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Move over, Uber, two Bay Area startups have found a new ways to rent cars out.

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Weekend Business Ideas

Starting a low-cost business on the weekend is one of the easiest
and most risk-free ways to dip your toe into the waters of
entrepreneurship. It only takes your free time, a small investment in
marketing materials and business supplies, and some hard work.




Do you love working around your house--cleaning, organizing, making
improvements? Because if you can run a household, you can start

Uber Clones - Taxi Beat

Startup Of The Day - PickyDomains.com

https://taxibeat.com/

What exactly does Taxibeat do?
Taxibeat is a mobile application that helps a consumer easily locate nearby taxis and choose the best available taxi based on the feedback that previous passengers have given. We introduce a reputation mechanism in the taxi industry, which is something that didn’t exist.

How did the drivers react to being rated?
When we launched, the crisis had already started in Athens. And most of the taxi drivers here had lost about 50 or 60 percent of their jobs. So they adopted us, because they hoped for new customers.

Taxibeat is cited as a rare Greek success story. Are you an outlier?
I tend to think of ourselves as starters of something new—not only us, but a small community of people in an ecosystem that is forming right now.

By community you mean …?
I’m talking about startups and people with new ideas. And one driving force for this is this crisis. Sometimes a crisis is an opportunity. You’re with your back to the wall, and you have no choice. So this happens with many people who have lost their jobs here. They try new things and stop being dependent on state money. Most of them will fail, but many will succeed.

You launched during the crisis?
Yeah, if you look back now, it looks crazy. We were just a team of three with €40,000. And I was out on the streets trying to attract drivers by distributing leaflets, out in the heat.

You once said Greece is a bridge between the developing world and the developed world. Is that an advantage?
Many other markets face the same problem—many Latin America markets, where we’re expanding now. Many Asian markets, Southern Europe markets. So we found ourselves developing a really innovative idea because we had this market at the intersection of the developing world and the developed.

Are you turning a profit in Greece?
In Greece, we are profitable, yeah. And we’ll be profitable also in Brazil this summer. Each of our markets will be profitable after the first year or so.

Greeks have always been entrepreneurial, going around the world …
Yeah. And they almost always succeed.

Taxibeat allows you to take your business overseas while staying here.
That’s true. There’s a story behind this, because our first country after Greece was Brazil, and we managed with the help of two Greek entrepreneurs who lived there. Our main investors are people from the Greek shipping business. The shipping sector is the only one in Greece that is famous for being successful internationally, starting from Onassis. It’s no accident.

Your family was in the shoe business. You didn’t want to pursue that?
I did. It was an export factory which I took over with my brother. We had it for 15 years. And then we had problems with taxes and Chinese exports. We went bankrupt in the mid-’90s.

Your career traces Greece’s story.
Yes. But at the same time, the Internet was starting to explode. I self-trained myself as a developer, as an engineer. And then I created my own startup, which was a B2B online supplier for businesses. And then I failed, and I started all over again.

In some countries failure isn’t seen as an advantage, as it can be in Silicon Valley. Was that a problem?
It was. It was really hard. What can I say? I always wanted to do something for myself and solve problems and extract value out of this problem-solving.

In Greece, do you see that as potentially removing the stigma of failure?
Yes. When you see so many people around you having the same problems, you don’t feel this guilt. There are lots of opportunities in this crisis.

[Via - BusinessWeek]

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How to Buy a Business in Australia

So now its time to take that big plunge and be your own boss. Where will I start? What do I look for? And for that matter what business will I buy? Will I relocate? Can I get finance? Who do I go to for the right advise?
These are just a few of the concerns when you decide on buying a business and believe me its not an easy road ahead, but with the right advise and the right business for you there are rewards unlimited to help you on the way to building a bank and a good quality of life. This article will help you all the way.
Important Points when Buying a Business
Every day I receive emails from purchasers and business owners needing assistance in selling or buying. I use my many years of experience in business sales and running a chain of shops to assist them in the right decision for them. It's a bit like a psychologist really. Its just not a sale for me, it's a dedication.
The first thing to remember is you must get it right the first time because the business you buy you should be in for at least 4 to 7 years. I advise my vendors and purchasers to give yourself a 4 year plan. You may love the business so much you want to stay longer but the majority of people are burnt out after 4 years and are looking for a change, especially if it's a café or restaurant, and if you feel it's wearing you down the business will suffer if you don't sell then and of course you won't achieve a good price if the business is run down.
Finding a Business!
I find in my business newspaper advertising brings me very little sales. My statistics tell me a genuine purchaser will go to the search engines to find a broker and scan the listings. We do use the papers to get our website name out there and this works to our advantage far more than a long expensive add that lasts one day. Our site http://www.bestbusinessbuyes.com.au is the most valuable tool we have and our journal Best Business Buys gives you months of good reading to give a purchaser information on how to buy and where. So scan the net under search engines business brokers, if you can not find a business on our site there are other brokers listed that may be of assistance to you. Or better still tell us what you want and we will go find it for you!
Anywhere in Australia.
Problems with Newspaper Adverts
You will often see a private add in the paper and you may think this is great, we will cut out the agent and get the business cheaper.
DON'T BE FOOLED!
Now I am not saying all private adds are no good, some may work out, but in my experience those people who try to do it themselves do it because they have either been burnt by an agent not servicing their business, so they think they will do it alone, or the profit is low in the business and they need a quick sale, or of course the common one the agents fee offends the owner and he thinks he can do it better himself. Or he may think the advertising costs to sell his business is less if he dose it himself.
WRONG!
When you are dealing with a private sale you feel uncomfortable saying what you really think, and uncomfortable asking certain questions so as not to offend the owner. With a broker you can be open and tell us all your concerns. We will work them out with the owner and rectify them if possible. We as the agents should now the business as well as the owners, that's our job. I look at a business when I list it as my own and sell it as if it was my own. A good broker should be there to help you with that sale to the end. Too many owners who try to sell themselves end up in conflict with their buyers.
And after a few months of failures TRYING to qualify buyers he finds out it's not that easy & worst of it he has given out his figures all over town for all the clients to see, so the business you are looking at has been exposed to untold people who may be using that information to start down the road.
The poor owner ends up coming to us anyway. Remember if you stay with the broker handling the sale of the business he should be the one to assist you all the way, and if that business does not work out the best for you he most often then not will find you another.
You Have Found the Business you Want to Buy!
The first thing you will need is finance. Are you already cashed up? Or do you need finance. Are you on a redundancy package? These are all the questions your broker should ask before you plunge into a sale.
We are financiers and finance most of the businesses we sell without supplying figures to obtain the loan. Remember the majority of businesses do not always show the true figures of the business but if you look back at the ad backs of that business the business may be a very viable business. Most accountants will reduce the net profits for a business, so the tax implications are not so high for that business. If the adjusted profits are good the business is saleable and your broker will advise you of this at the time. But never, ever buy a business on hearsay of the takings, if its not in BALACK AND WHITE in the accountants formatted profit and loss statement then its not considered saleable. Never buy unseen profits.
Business Finance
For finance to buy the business you will need to complete an application. This way you will know how much you can afford to borrow on the business you are looking at. Not all Brokers are financiers! We are and sell businesses because of it. We use a financier who lends without looking at the figures of the business you are about to buy. But with other institutions such as banks or private lenders you will need the following.
We will arrange finance for you without an up front fee. Most finance brokers charge a fee of between $3,000 &$ 6,000 to get you your finance. We at Arwon Realty do this FREE because we are paid on settlement to sell the business by our vendors (owners). It is in our best interest to get the finance for our buyers so we in turn can get the business sold, and therefore offer a better service to our vendors when listing their business. We finance 90% of all business sold!
What will I need to supply to my Finance Broker?
- Profit and loss statements of the business you are purchasing
- Bank statements for your own personal accounts.
- Pay slips of your current employment or if self employed a profit and loss statement for the past three years of trading
- Mortgage documents for your existing home or properties
or sales contracts for freehold you hold in your and your partner's name.
- Personal information, date of birth or passport (photo copy of drivers license)
- CRA credit check (you can do this yourself for a cost of $29.00)
- The rates notice of the homes in your name
- Liability and asset declaration.
- The amount you needed to borrow (You must include the cost of solicitors for advise and contracts.)
Accountants advise: Do it! That way you know you are covered. I have lost many sales from Accountants advising their clients not to buy and seen many unhappy buyers losing out on a sale because an account has breezed over the figures and said no don't buy! But at least if you do take the plunge and buy anyway after you have had that advise you are assured you did get advice if something does go wrong. After all your accountant is paid to look after you and professional accountants will ring us or the vendor's accountant to get the full story of the business!
There are good and bad accountants just like there are good and bad brokers. It's important to check the licenses of all your professional people. Find out how long they have been in the profession and their experience in that field before engaging them.
We work with both the accountants while selling the business and are more than happy to answer all questions relating to the business in question. We will also arrange appointments for your accountant to speech with the vendor's accountant if required.
It's always wise to stay with the accountant who handles the business you are purchasing, that's if he is a helpful accountant, if he knows that business well. It's a big plus to continue on with him, after all he is the one that will advise you when you are ready to sell.
Many people use more than one accountant today. I find a good accountant who knows a business well is a must to stick with it till the end. I have dealt will some excellent accountants. Two that come to mind are in my local town and are as good as any on this planet they are dedicated to their clients and have help me evenly throughout my last two sales (MCW Accounting Tumut, Paisley's Accounting Tumut and Steven Walker & C.O Tumut) These accountants are totally dedicated to their client's businesses and have enhanced the sale of two of the best businesses in town by showing truthful and accurate accounting.
Your Business Broker
As Brokers we will supply your accountant a profile on the business so its easy for him to understand. Always insist on a profile when looking at a business. This will give you all the information you need to convince you this is the right business for you. It will include all the statistics of the business and a good breakdown of the figures the reasons for the sale price, etc.
Your broker may ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is essential to protect the vendor under the confidentiality act. Sign it and send it back ASAP. It does not commit you to buying the business. It is a mandatory requirement before you look over the figures. You will find your broker will not send you figures if you don't sign.
If you have made your decision to buy the business be sure you are proceeding before you commit! Put in an offer only when you are ready to proceed. Is this is the business for you can you see yourself in for the next few years? Is the family happy with the move and the change, and most of all is the business viable for you?
I sold a produce store in Tumut recently to a buyer from Magnet Island who owned a bed and breakfast (would you believe), and they are just loving it and doing very well, so don't be scared to take the plunge and move on. Most of our buyers are relocating and the stories I have to tell are just amazing!
Look around be sure the area is where you see yourself for the next 5 years. If you are relocating ask your broker to give you the statistics on that area, home prices schools etc.
As Brokers and licensed Business agents we pride ourselves on relocating people and finding them the best business for them, but it's a big plus if the buyer has some idea of what he feels comfortable working in, and after we produce the information to him and his accountant we expect if all is OK he will proceed. If you have doubts tell your broker. Its unfair to hold up the sale for another interested party.
You will then need to sign an offer to purchase the business. We have a standard offer to purchase, this will give you the rights to proceed. The time normally for the option is one week from agreeing to proceed and this also takes the business off the market. It includes a deposit normally of 1% of the purchase price. This deposit is not refundable should you decide to pull out of the sale, unless it specifies subject to the reasons why you have pulled out.
So do your homework first! Be sure your accountant is happy with the figures. Your finance is approved and you are confident you are 100% proceeding before you signed on the dotted line.
Your broker will then issue sales advice to the Vendors Solicitors with all the conditions included that you require, such as the lease terms and training requirements. After they have looked over the advice and done their investigations for the sale they will prepare the contracts and send them to your Solicitor for exchange of contracts. You will need then to pay a 10% deposit on the business. This is normally arranged by the finance broker, if you have applied for finance, and can be done in a deposit bond or cheque. This is deposited into your agent's trust account until settlement.
You should have a Solicitor picked out before you decide to look around so you are confident with him when you are ready to proceed.
At Arwon Realty we stick tight with the Solicitors through out the sale keeping in contact with them throughout the progress all the way for a smooth settlement.
The contracts should take no longer than 2 weeks to prepare and when the exchange of contract takes place this means you now are totally committed to purchase this business. Any problems should be sorted out between the two solicitors in this time.
The contracts are exchanged between the two solicitors and settlement should take place in the next 2 - 4 weeks. Business sales are always longer than the normal residential sales as the solicitors are responsible to see you have a new or exchanged lease for the business. If the property is included in the sale a 149 certificate (zoning and compliance certificate) must be sort by the council to check out the compliances with council this take longer than normal.
Before settlement you have 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after settlement for training. Your vendor must give you this time to help you understand the running of the business. We advise the training is done after settlement so both parties are not showing their nervousness while running the business. This could cause the customers to feel a little uneasy.
We advise our vendors not to inform the staff of the sale until exchange of contract for the same reasons. Your finance must be in the solicitor's office 48 hours before settlement for a smooth transaction. Your agent will hold the deposit of the business 10% on exchange of contract and this will be in her trust account until she receives an order on the agent from the solicitors on both sides.
Settlement Day!
We will be there with you for the stocktake. Now some businesses advertise their business WIWO. That means whatever the stock is in the business when you take over is yours and we don't count the costs of the stock on settlement. If the add states + stock then we have to stocktake before settlement and this is done before mostly the evening before, after close of the till, with both present and an independent person to help with the stocktake.
So now you are the proud owner of a business that should if your broker has worked for you be the best asset you now have and we wish you all the very best of luck and look forward to the day we can asset you in selling for a higher profit!