Sam’s Club Rolls Out New Services for Small Business Owners
Sam’s Club has made an effort to bolster its business amid increasing pressure from rival Costco.With a goal of increasing loyalty of small business owners, the chain, a subsidiary of Walmart, is offering five new services for small business owners, which it claims can save members up to $2,300 per year:1. Identity Theft: Provided by LifeLock, members will save up to 25 percent on annual support.2. Accounting services: Through a partnership with 1-800Accountant, Sam’s Club members will have access to bookkeeping services for as little as $29 a month.3. Business Lending Center: Sam’s Club will team up with loan marketplace Lending Club to…
The 10 Best Cities to Live in as an Entrepreneur
At the end of last year, NerdWallet did some thorough research in order to identify the best places for entrepreneurs to live in the United States. In determining these cities, they took several factors into consideration, including cost of living, networking opportunities, the state of the local economy and the ability to secure investment. Let’s take a look at which cities stacked up on top. Omaha, NebraskaWould you believe that Omaha isn’t the only city in Nebraska to make it on this list? There are a number of reasons for…
An Inexpensive and Intuitive Way to Get Into Mobile Apps
There can be no doubt that mobile apps are one of the most exciting business opportunities out there. With a captive consumer base that can purchase your creations at the click of a button, it’s no wonder that countless entrepreneurs are flocking to the mobile app business.You’ve probably read all about the phenomenon of Flappy Bird, which was gripping the world at the end of last year and the beginning of this one. If you haven’t, Flappy Bird was a simple ad-supported game where you helped a small bird stay aloft while dodging an endless stream of obstacles. You may not have read, though, about how the Flappy Bird phenomenon ended: The game’s…
Own an OsteoStrong Franchise
OsteoStrong is a new natural way to achieve strong bones, better balance, stronger muscles and pain-free joints and back. The OsteoStrong franchise opportunity is perfect for anyone interested in natural, wellness-based systems seeking to own their own business.Founder and President Kyle Zagrodzky started OsteoStrong with the idea that he wanted to help people in a way that was beneficial to all ages and types of people.OsteoStrong was founded in 2011 and by 2014 OS has become the fastest growing franchise in Tennessee, and one of the top 100 fastest growing franchises in the country with 500 locations slated…
Could Affiliate Marketing Work for Me?
Business opportunities come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. One that you may have heard a lot about, especially nowadays, is affiliate marketing. Whether you’re looking to expand your current business, or you’re looking to get your start as an entrepreneur, affiliate marketing is something that you need to know about and understand.So, what is affiliate marketing, exactly? We’re going to be breaking it down to the basics so that you have a starting-…
Emerging Trends for Aspiring Entrepreneurs to Explore
One of the best ways that you can start seeking out new business opportunities is by envisioning where the future is heading. Now, you don’t need to be a crackpot futurologist to figure out the latest trends, but you should, at the very least, be keeping a close eye on what new businesses and technologies are beginning to emerge.Just ask yourself from time to time what’s capturing the public consciousness? What is it that people are wondering about more and more, and how can…
Should You Start Your Next Business With a Friend?
It’s a situation that many young entrepreneurs find themselves in — surrounded by other likeminded individuals, often friends, who want to go into business with them. Of course, in many cases these individuals have never worked together before. They only know one another through different social settings, and may, in some cases, simply be lifelong friends.At first, it seems like a great idea, going into business with people you already consider friends. But, is it really? In your professional life, you’ve probably already realized that friendship and business do not always go hand in hand. In fact, the pressures of business can often put a…
The Shoe That Grows Is Making a Difference
Not every invention can lay claim to changing millions of lives for the better. But there is a very special one that has done just that.The Shoe That Grows in the brainchild of Founder and Executive Director Kenton Lee. While living and working in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, one day he noticed a little girl who had shoes that were way too small for her feet. That’s when it hit him. What about a shoe that could adjust and expand – so children…
What to Consider When Hiring Staff
Is your startup beginning to get some wind behind its sails? Is it getting harder and harder for you and the other founders to stay on top of everything? Then it’s time to bring on staff.Depending upon your previous professional experience, it’s entirely possible that you may have a very limited understanding of what goes into the hiring process. This can cause problems with startups, as brining on the right people at the business’ nascent stages is critically important.RELATED: SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY HIRING TIPSWhile there’s plenty to …
Red Flags That Your Cofounder Isn’t Right for the Business
When you have a startup, the people that make up the founding team are just as important as the actual product or service itself. To no small extent, your startup’s future success will depend largely upon the personalities of its founders, as well as how well those personalities come together. When it comes time to seek out investors, you can bet that those investors will pay close attention to the founders and how well they work together. So, what are some signs that one cofounder might not be a good match for the startup? That’s what we’re going to examine.RELATED: SHOULD YOU START YOUR NEXT BUSINESS WITH A FRIEND?Not Contributing AnythingIn certain situations…
Best Pizza Franchises To Own
The pizza industry is booming to the tune of $40 billion annually, and you can join the boom with one of these best pizza franchises.A whopping 93 percent of Americans eat pizza at least once per month. When it comes to choosing a franchise business to jump into, it would be hard to go wrong with America’s favorite food.RELATED: TOP RESTAURANT FRANCHISES TO OWNBrowse our listing of the top pizza franchises to help narrow your search. All of these chains are…
Top Cleaning Franchises to Own
Starting a business does not have to cost you a fortune. Save time and money investing in one of this year’s top cleaning franchises.A cleaning business might be an ideal way to realize your entrepreneurial dreams. Why a cleaning franchise? For starters, it’s low cost of entry. Still need convincing? According to The Wall Street Journal, home services are a multi-billion dollar industry enjoying double-digit growth. That means a steady market with consistent demand.RELATED: TOP LOW COST FRANCHISESBelow you …
Top 10 Franchises of 2015
If you’ve been thinking about opening your own franchise, this list of the top 10 franchises is a great place to start. If the franchises on this list don’t appeal to you, you might find that the list will spark some ideas about what franchise might.Anytime FitnessThis is a large health and fitness club business with a multinational presence that currently has approximate 2400 franchises in operation. As you may well know, the health and fitness boom is alive and well across the globe, and this is part of what makes these franchises an attractive option. An Anytime Fitness franchise typically has startup costs…
RFID in the Sheets
USA Today: The plush robe in your hotel room now comes with an electronic leash. To keep robes and towels from checking out, a small but growing number of hotels are starting to use new radio frequency chips to keep track of their inventory. The RFID technology — which stands for radio frequency identification and requires an installed chip that can be read by an electronic reader — has been used by various industries for several years to organize product storage and tally shipments. With cotton prices rising and fewer employees in housekeeping, hotels are using the tech to monitor the whereabouts of bathrobes, bed sheets, duvet covers, bathmats, pool towels and banquet linens.