The Skills for Success
Math, along with numbers in general, scare many small business owners. Rather than deal with this fear, they often stick their heads in the sand and ignore the hard truths and opportunities that come…
The Procrastinator’s Guide to Year-End Analysis
The first week of January, newspapers and magazines offer a flurry of tips on creating and sticking to New Year's Resolutions. By the first week in February, most have been tossed out the window.…
Debt vs. Equity: What’s the Right Type of Financing for You?
As you prepare to grow your business, one of the first things you'll consider is funding. Most entrepreneurs base their decision primarily on the repayment terms: what sort of interest/return does…
The Three Rules of the Hole (plus a bonus rule)
I’m sure it seems like I blather on about the importance of good bookkeeping, and my clients don’t believe me until they get into a cash crisis. If you remember last month’s story from Laura…
5 Key Success Factors for Growing Your Business
Most entrepreneurs are always plotting and strategizing growth, whether it’s expanding the number of acres in production on their farm, creating new product lines, or opening up another café. After…
Financing A Sustainable Food System in New England
by Lisa Sebesta How can we finance a sustainable food system in New England? In late January, 125 people gathered for a one-day session to tackle this question. Obviously, it’s difficult, if not…
9 Tips for Growing Your Business
We’re sick of New Year’s resolutions, too, don’t worry. But January is as good a time as any to take a step back and review your approach to growing your business in the coming year. That empty…
Alternative Funding PSA
This is a PSA for those food entrepreneurs trying to finance their ventures, whether you’re established, starting up, or still dreaming: there’s funding out there, waiting for you to find it.
Micro-Finance: Challenges and Opportunities
A few years ago, I heard a presentation by Acción about their loan packages for food and beverage entrepreneurs. I was shocked to learn that their interest rates were around 16%, marginally lower…
QuickBooks Best Practices for Restaurants and Farms
Anyone who works in the food industry knows the expression: “Garbage in, garbage out.” For those that are unfamiliar, it means: The quality of your end product will only be as the ingredients you put…