Introduction to Business


Book Description

Introduction to Business covers the scope and sequence of most introductory business courses. The book provides detailed explanations in the context of core themes such as customer satisfaction, ethics, entrepreneurship, global business, and managing change. Introduction to Business includes hundreds of current business examples from a range of industries and geographic locations, which feature a variety of individuals. The outcome is a balanced approach to the theory and application of business concepts, with attention to the knowledge and skills necessary for student success in this course and beyond. This is an adaptation of Introduction to Business by OpenStax. You can access the textbook as pdf for free at openstax.org. Minor editorial changes were made to ensure a better ebook reading experience. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.







The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)


Book Description

The SSBCI provides funding to states, territories, and eligible municipalities to expand existing or to create new state small business investment programs, including state capital access programs, collateral support programs, loan participation programs, loan guarantee programs, and venture capital programs. This book examines the SSBCI and its implementation, including Treasury's response to initial program audits conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and Treasury's Office of Inspector General. These audits suggested that SSBCI participants were generally complying with the statute's requirements, but that some compliance problems existed, in that, the Treasury's oversight of the program could be improved; and performance measures were needed to assess the program's efficacy.




Fintech, Small Business & the American Dream


Book Description

Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. They are the biggest job creators and offer a path to the American Dream. But for many, it is difficult to get the capital they need to operate and succeed. In the Great Recession, access to capital for small businesses froze, and in the aftermath, many community banks shuttered their doors and other lenders that had weathered the storm turned to more profitable avenues. For years after the financial crisis, the outlook for many small businesses was bleak. But then a new dawn of financial technology, or “fintech,” emerged. Beginning in 2010, new fintech entrepreneurs recognized the gaps in the small business lending market and revolutionized the customer experience for small business owners. Instead of Xeroxing a pile of paperwork and waiting weeks for an answer, small businesses filled out applications online and heard back within hours, sometimes even minutes. Banks scrambled to catch up. Technology companies like Amazon, PayPal, and Square entered the market, and new possibilities for even more transformative products and services began to appear. In Fintech, Small Business & the American Dream, former U.S. Small Business Administrator and Senior Fellow at Harvard Business School, Karen G. Mills, focuses on the needs of small businesses for capital and how technology will transform the small business lending market. This is a market that has been plagued by frictions: it is hard for a lender to figure out which small businesses are creditworthy, and borrowers often don’t know how much money or what kind of loan they need. New streams of data have the power to illuminate the opaque nature of a small business’s finances, making it easier for them to weather bumpy cash flows and providing more transparency to potential lenders. Mills charts how fintech has changed and will continue to change small business lending, and how financial innovation and wise regulation can restore a path to the American Dream. An ambitious book grappling with the broad significance of small business to the economy, the historical role of credit markets, the dynamics of innovation cycles, and the policy implications for regulation, Fintech, Small Business & the American Dream is relevant to bankers, fintech investors, and regulators; in fact, to anyone who is interested in the future of small business in America.




HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business


Book Description

An all-in-one guide to helping you buy and own your own business. Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own start-up seem too risky? There is a radical third path open to you: You can buy a small business and run it as CEO. Purchasing a small company offers significant financial rewards—as well as personal and professional fulfillment. Leading a firm means you can be your own boss, put your executive skills to work, fashion a company environment that meets your own needs, and profit directly from your success. But finding the right business to buy and closing the deal isn't always easy. In the HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business, Harvard Business School professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff help you: Determine if this path is right for you Raise capital for your acquisition Find and evaluate the right prospects Avoid the pitfalls that could derail your search Understand why a "dull" business might be the best investment Negotiate a potential deal with the seller Avoid deals that fall through at the last minute Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.







Small Business Survival Book


Book Description

Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do before starting a business; what to do while the business is up and running; and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. With a combined fifty years of small business experience between them, authors Barbara Weltman and Jerry Silberman know what it takes to make it in this competitive environment, and in Small Business Survival Book, they show you how. In a clear and concise voice, Weltman and Silberman reveal twelve surefire ways to help your small business survive and thrive in today's market. With this book as your guide, you'll discover how to: * Delegate effectively * Monitor cash flow * Extend credit and stay on top of collections * Build and maintain credit and restructure your debt * Meet your tax obligations * Grow your business with successful marketing strategies * Use legal protections * Plan for catastrophe and disaster recovery Whether you're considering starting a new business or looking to improve your current venture, Small Business Survival Book has what you need to succeed.




The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts


Book Description

Government law attorney Steven J. Koprince teaches you to concentrate on the crucial but complex Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other rules required for keeping contracts alive and avoiding penalties. Each year, the federal government awards billions of dollars in small-business contracts. The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts puts a wealth of specialized legal counsel at readers’ fingertips, answering the most important compliance questions like: Is a small business really small? Who is eligible for HUBZone, 8(a), SDVO, or WOSB programs? What salaries and benefits must be offered? What ethical requirements must be followed? When does affiliation become a liability? Small-business contracts are both the lifeblood of hundreds of thousands of companies and a quagmire of red tape. No one can afford to be lax with the rules or too harried to heed them. The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts empowers contractors to avoid missteps, meet their compliance obligations--and keep the pipeline flowing.




The SBA Loan Book


Book Description

Spurred by President Obama, the Small Business Association has stepped up its loan program to companies around the nation. But to receive an SBA-guaranteed loan, firms must navigate a complex course of processes, qualifications, documentation, and approvals. You need this new edition of Charles Green's invaluable book to chart the best way to apply for and get an SBA loan. Green wastes no time in showing: Why an SBA loan guarantee is a good option in tough economic times How to choose the right bank at a time when many banks have failed and credit is tight What the new rules and regulations say about the paperwork and documentation loan applicants must supply In today's turbulent economic climate, solid financial backing is the key to small business survival. And this fully updated guide to SBA loans will help you land it.




Business Made Simple


Book Description

Is this blue book more valuable than a business degree? Most people enter their professional careers not understanding how to grow a business. At times, this makes them feel lost, or worse, like a fraud pretending to know what they’re doing. It’s hard to be successful without a clear understanding of how business works. These 60 daily readings are crucial for any professional or business owner who wants to take their career to the next level. New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Donald Miller knows that business is more than just a good idea made profitable – it’s a system of unspoken rules, rarely taught by MBA schools. If you are attempting to profitably grow your business or career, you need elite business knowledge—knowledge that creates tangible value. Even if you had the time, access, or money to attend a Top 20 business school, you would still be missing the practical knowledge that propels the best and brightest forward. However, there is another way to achieve this insider skill development, which can both drastically improve your career earnings and the satisfaction of achieving your goals. Donald Miller learned how to rise to the top using the principles he shares in this book. He wrote Business Made Simple to teach others what it takes to grow your career and create a company that is healthy and profitable. These short, daily entries and accompanying videos will add enormous value to your business and the organization you work for. In this sixty-day guide, readers will be introduced to the nine areas where truly successful leaders and their businesses excel: Character: What kind of person succeeds in business? Leadership: How do you unite a team around a mission? Personal Productivity: How can you get more done in less time? Messaging: Why aren’t customers paying more attention? Marketing: How do I build a sales funnel? Business Strategy: How does a business really work? Execution: How can we get things done? Sales: How do I close more sales? Management: What does a good manager do? Business Made Simple is the must-have guide for anyone who feels lost or overwhelmed by the modern business climate, even if they attended business school. Learn what the most successful business leaders have known for years through the simple but effective secrets shared in these pages. Take things further: If you want to be worth more as a business professional, read each daily entry and follow along with the free videos that will be sent to you after you buy the book.