Author Archives: John A. Lizotte


About John A. Lizotte

I'm a Small Business Marketing and Development Consultant. I help small business owners and home office professionals start or grow their business by educating them on how they can differentiate themselves and the way they do business.

SBA’s Experts Offer Advice on Business Expansion in November Online Web Chat

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s November web chat will offer advice to entrepreneurs looking to grow or expand their businesses. If you are considering expansion of your company’s product or service, the free web chat will help you learn how to make your next move.

WHO:    Sharon Miller, executive director of the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, will host the November web chat on “Expanding Your Business: What You Need to Know.”  The center is home to the SBA’s Women’s Business Center.  Miller will offer tips and advice on how to make the best business decision before taking on a new growth strategy.  Chat participants can get answers to their questions about what crucial items they should measure before considering expansion.

WHAT:   SBA’s web chat series provides small business owners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs.  Chat participants have direct, real-time access to the web chats via questions they submit online in advance, and during the live session.

WHEN:   Tuesday November 30, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Miller will answer questions for one hour.        

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New Site: Six Steps to Exporting Success

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Commerce, SBA Launch New Online Tool To Help Small Businesses Begin Exporting.  New Site: Six Steps to Exporting Success.

WASHINGTON – Small businesses interested in exporting now have a new online tool to help them tap into the global marketplace to grow their business. Developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Six Steps to Begin Exporting, www.export.gov/begin, is the latest tool in the National Export Initiative toolbox to help entrepreneurs begin exporting.

The six-step process begins with a self-assessment to help potential exporters gauge their readiness to successfully engage in international trade.  The self-assessment is  followed by sections on training and counseling programs; resources to create an export business plan; information on conducting market research; assistance for finding foreign buyers; and investigating financing for your small business exports, foreign investments or projects.

Upon completing the self-assessment, businesses receive a score indicating their level of readiness.  Based on the score, additional resources are identified fitting their specific needs, including SBA and its nationwide resource partners SCORE and Small Business Development Centers, as well as Commerce’s U.S. Export Assistance Centers, which provide individualized support.  

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Transactions and Collections – How to Get Paid and Paid on Time

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It doesn’t matter what type of business you operate, making sure you get paid on time and as seamlessly as possible (for both you and your client) is critical to your success and survival.

But knowing how to get paid isn’t as easy as it sounds. The payment options that work for one business, may not work for another. Likewise, getting paid on time requires you put the right pre-emptive measures in place for collecting what you’re owed and  managing past-due payments.

To help you make the right decisions for your business, here are some pointers about setting up customer payment options, tips for getting paid on time, and what to do if you don’t!

What Payment Options are Right for Your Business?

It doesn’t matter whether you operate a brick and mortar store, an e-commerce site, or a home-based business, cash has to flow from A to B. But what payment options are right for your business? Here are some quick insights and FAQs that may help you decide.  

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Starting and Growing an Online Business: An Entreprene​ur’s Checklist

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“I’m starting an online business – where do I start?”. It’s broad question, but is one that comes up repeatedly on small business forums and discussion boards.

Of course, an online business is merely a vehicle for the product or service you are selling. So starting a Web-based business – and making it a success – will take more than just “getting online”. 

There are two fundamental steps you will need to take. The first is to treat your online business like any other business venture and pay attention to business start-up processes; second, you’ll need to generate traffic to your site.

Below are some tips and best practices that can guide you through these steps – with all your check boxes ticked. 

Starting an Online Business: Be a Responsible Business Owner

Whether you are starting an innovative new online business or setting up a hot dog stand, you must pay attention to the fundamentals of business ownership. For online business owners, this means more than just building a Web site and registering your domain name. You’ll also need to comply with the regulations that govern your type of business and the products and services you sell.  

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