New businesses developing a business plan can use myRealRate to gain insight about the costs of card acceptance based on their projected sales volume and transaction size within a specific industry category.
myRealRate.com is a nationwide database of the real costs to accept credit and debit cards. New businesses developing a business plan can use myRealRate to gain insight about the costs of card acceptance based on their projected sales volume and transaction size within a specific industry category. Existing businesses now have an authoritative resource for comparing their rate and to find out if their merchant card processing fees are higher or lower than the industry average.
Tanya McFarland and Courtney Miller both say they jumped into owning a business with their “eyes wide shut.” The two women had worked together at a portrait studio for more than a decade. Shortly after McFarland quit to spend more time with her family, Miller called asking if she wanted to open a photography business together.
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Lauren Nevada started out making party dresses for herself and friends but a large order from a prominent retail store made her realize the business "needed to become more established." She sought the help of her local SCORE chapter and SBA location. She says "Both ended up being life-savers because they introduced me to the nitty-gritty aspects of creating a business. I could never have started my business without their mentorship."
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Word of mouth has long been considered the best advertising a small business can get. And in today’s digital world, word of mouth is even more important and effective than ever. But the social media explosion has transformed how word of mouth works.
Word of mouth has long been considered the best advertising a small business can get. And in today’s digital world, word of mouth is even more important and effective than ever. But the social media explosion has transformed how word of mouth works.
Social media vastly amplifies word of mouth in a 24/7 system. But many business owners are puzzled about how this works, and what to do.
Published Nov. 7, 2012
Daniel Kehrer from BizBest.com talks about Small Busines Investment Companies and how they can help fund your small business.
By Daniel Kehrer
Founder, BizBest.com
What does your growth-minded small business have in common with Apple? Not much, perhaps, but here’s one thing: The multi-gazillion dollar tech company got early funding from a unique type of investment firm called a Small Business Investment Company – and so could you.
About the Author
Daniel Kehrer, Founder & Managing Director of BizBest Media Corp., is a nationally-known, award-winning expert on small and local business, start-ups, content marketing, entrepreneurship and social media, with an MBA from UCLA/Anderson. Read more of Daniel's tips at
www.BizBest.com, follow him at
www.twitter.com/140Main and connect on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/in/danielkehrer.
1113 Canal St
The Villages
FL
32162
United States
How SCORE Helped
SCORE helped me refine a business plan and cash flow to determine if my ideas added up to a viable business. The helped figure out start-up costs, how to incorporate, how to surround myself with people whose skills compensated for the ones I did not have. As I hired an architect, a contractor, did a build-out and opened Bear Dance Boutique, SCORE was with me advising me every step of the way. They have continued to be an awesome business resource as my business expands.
Transformed an idea into reality.
Owner: Kim St. John
Good Dog Naturally and The Scrubby Puppy in Covington has been serving tail-wagging treat lovers for eight years. The pet supply store, self-dog wash and grooming business is owned by North Shore residents Angela Sagona and Colleen McAuliffe, who started the business after Sagona’s golden retriever, Teak, passed away from thyroid cancer.
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Published Oct. 30, 2012
I recently launched a business doing onsite home computer repair. Things have started
out pretty well, and now I want to expand my reach by putting together a website. I’ve engaged
someone to do the technical part of it, but I prefer to write the copy myself. Are there any tricks
Caught in a job layoff when the nation's economy tanked, Willie Priaulx found a new career in a really lousy glass of beer. A home brewer for 20 years, he decided on the spot to start the tap beer line cleaning business.
"Write a business plan. Ask a mentor. Ensure the product or service you offer is both unique and needed. Then, do it better than your competition," he said.
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I was laid off in September 2009. After several weeks, it became clear that I could not get a job in a local funeral home since my husband was still working for the same company that had laid me off, making competition wary. While we had always wanted to open our own funeral home, we could not afford it, so we decided that I could open a direct disposer establishment (without viewings, visitations, or services).
I found a SCORE pamphlet at the local Career Central (unemployment agency) that I was going to. That's when I found George, my mentor.
6631 State Road 54
New Port Richey
FL
United States
My Successes
We have bid on and received a County Indigent Cremation contract. We've remodeled our small office to include space for a part-time Funeral Director and a part-time book-keeper. We have grown from serving 13 families in our first year, 231 in our second year, and project about 400 this year.
What's Great About My Mentor?
George's guidance, knowledge, and patience are the cornerstones on which I have built a solid, stable, successful busines. I highly recommend SCORE become every business owners' initial resource for information. If you are ever thinking about starting a business in Pasco County, I suggest you call SCORE first. Second, ask for George. He is the Best!
How SCORE Helped
I had never even had a lemonade stand... that's how much business knowledge I had. My SCORE mentor told me about so many things that I did not even know about like worker's comp, unemployment taxes, corporations taxes, and payroll taxes. That last one I would not need for a long time! I spoke to my mentor several times, and he guided me in the right direction. He came by my office and helped me in many ways. Even though he did not have a lot of knowledge about the funeral industry, he did know how to start and run a successful business. My paper financial records have all been migrated to QuickBooks. My advertising dollars are being wisely spent. And my business is growing.
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