Business Quote 2/29/2012 "Entrepreneur"

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."

Vidal Sassoon



Vidal Sassoon, CBE (born 17 January 1928) is a widely recognised British hairdresser, credited with creating a simple geometric, "Bauhaus-inspired" hair style, also called the bob. Due to the popularity of his styles, he has been described as "a rock star, an artist, [and] a craftsman who 'changed the world with a pair of scissors.'"

His "wash and wear" philosophy liberated women from the "tyranny of the salon" and "revolutionised the art of hairstyling." Sassoon's styles became "emblematic of freedom and good health," and their popularity allowed him to open the first chain of worldwide hair styling salons, complemented by his hair-treatment products. He is also remembered for his television commercials in the 1960s. A documentary film about his life, Vidal Sassoon: The Movie, was released in 2010

Floral Designer Quotes - Preston Baily

“Creating an entrance is the most important thing of a party. You want to get their (the guests) attention.”

Preston Baily

Preston Bailey was born and raised in the tropical paradise of Panamá. Moving to New York City in 1968, he began his career in the design world as a fashion model at the age of 19.

Ultimately, Preston’s innate talent for design and dramatic sensibilities led him to the event industry. After 30 years in the business, Preston Bailey has become renowned for his gift for completely transforming raw, ordinary spaces into sumptuous, theatrical environments.

Because of Preston’s unique ability to create breathtaking, memorable events, he has developed a client base that includes royalty, socialites, business moguls and celebrities such as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, Liza Minnelli, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Cosby, Matt Lauer, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, Donny Deustch, Jennifer Hudson and Ivanka Trump, among others.

Adding another dimension to his remarkable portfolio, Preston has been tapped for endorsements, launch events and licensing deals by major brands, including Sandals Resorts, Godiva, Hewlett-Packard, 1-800-Flowers, and more. His art installations have been commissioned to draw in consumers at prominent locations across the globe, such as London’s Covent Garden and Hong Kong’s fashionable Landmark Mall. In addition, he is the author of four best-selling books, Design for Entertaining, Fantasy Weddings, Inspirations, and Celebrations. His newest book, Flowers, hit shelves at the beginning of October 2011.

Most recently, Preston partnered with The Wedding Planning Institute to offer a first-of-its-kind wedding and event planning course that is available at nearly 2,000 accredited colleges and universities in the United State, as well as online.

Preston is also much sought after both as a television guest and public speaker. His numerous national television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra, CBS’s The Early Show, and NBC’s Today Show.  He regularly appears in dozens of publications including Town & Country, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle Décor, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and New York Post.

Reporting Business Income and Expenses: Which Accounting Method is Right for You?

  by Caron Beesley, Moderator

I have addressed some key tax consolidations that small business owners and employers need to be aware of as we head into tax season, including the specific tax requirements that impact employers this time of year as well as changes to tax law that can benefit all businesses during the 2010 tax filing season.

While these considerations are very important, especially if you are new to business ownership, is also important you establish and follow clear accounting methods and periods to ensure you are accurately reporting all income and expenses for the tax year tha-s just passed.

Whether you follow a calendar year, a fiscal year or a short tax year, each tax payer is required by the IRS to use a consistent accounting method (i.e. how your compan-s transactions are recorded in your financial records), but how do you determine wha's right for your small business?
Below are some tips for choosing an accounting method and tax year for your business.

Choosing an Accounting Method

The two most commonly used accounting methods are cash and accrual. They key difference relates to how you account for how money goes in and out of your business.

1. Cash Method: This is a popular choice for small businesses because of its simplicity. Using this method your gross income is not counted until payment is actually received. Likewise, expenses are not counted until they are paid. For example, if a painter completes a project in November 2010, but does't get paid until January 2011, under the cash method you would report this income in January, whereas if you used the accrual method you would report it in November.

For expenses, the same model applies.
The cash method is ideally suited to sole proprietors, freelancers and smaller un-incorporated businesses that have less complex finances and do't wish to hire or outsource their accounting processes to a specialist.

Advantages/Disadvantages: While the cash method gives a solid view of cash flow, the downside of is that it does't give a true picture of profitability or trending. For instance, you may have had a really busy August, but because you did't get paid until September or October, those months are artificially skewed as peak months.

2. Accrual Method: With this method, income transactions are reported in the year that services were performed or all products were delivered, regardless of when the income was received or you get paid. As a rule of thumb, the job completion date should be your guide for recording the income in your books. Expenses are counted as transactions when you receive the goods or services (when you became liable for the expense) - regardless of whether you paid for them in that tax year or not and can be deducted as business expenses on your 2010 tax return, even if you didn't pay for them until January 2011.

Advantages/Disadvantages: The advantages and disadvantages of accrual accounting methods, basically flip are essentially the same as the cash method, but flipped. So, while the accrual method gives you a solid view of income and outgoings, it can make cash flow trickier to assess. Because although your books may show significant booked income, there's a possibility you may not have received that cash in hand yet.

What the IRS Says about Accounting Methods

The IRS offers more information on business accounting methods online in Publication 538 Accounting Methods and Periods. But as a general rule it's good to be aware of these basics when it comes to choosing your accounting method:

• You must choose an accounting method when you file your first tax return. To change the method down the line requires approval from the IRS.
• No single accounting method is required. You must use a system that clearly reflects your income and expenses, and back it up with good record-keeping.
• Use the same accounting method from year to year.

Choosing a Tax Year

Your tax year determines what specific period of time you report your income and expenses - it's also known as your fiscal or accounting year.
Again you have two choices:

1. Calendar Year - Running from January 1 to December 31, the calendar year is adopted by most small businesses as their tax year simply because it is easy and intuitive (corporations are the only business type who cannot use this method).

2. Fiscal Year - A fiscal year runs for 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of any month except December 31.

As with accounting methods, consistency is required, you must use your chosen tax year method for your first business tax return and for all subsequent future returns. If you need to change your tax year, you will need to file Form 1128, Application to Adopt, Change, or Retain a Tax Year, searchable on http://www.irs.gov./

Business Quote 2/28/2012 "Entrepreneur" Guy Kawasaki

"The best reason to start an organization is to make meaning - to create a product or service to make the world a better place"

Guy Kawasaki

 entrepreneur, investor, author

Guy Kawasaki (born August 30, 1954) Guy Kawasaki is the co-founder of Alltop.com, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics on the web, and a founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures. Previously, he was the chief evangelist of Apple. Kawasaki is the author of ten books including Enchantment, Reality Check, The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries, How to Drive Your Competition Crazy, Selling the Dream, and The Macintosh Way. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College

Floral Inspirations : Grand Lobby Arrangements





Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival ...Special Event at Epcot®

Overview

Excitement is in bloom at Epcot theme park this spring with the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV!

Watch Disney spring to life with colorful flowers and gardens, dazzling Disney character topiaries, live music and fascinating programs. Held March 7, 2012 through May 20, 2012, this special event beckons you to be inspired by nature at its finest.

Festival Highlights

Behold brilliant botanicals, unique gardens and so much more at Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV. From March 7, 2012 through May 20, 2012, you can enjoy the following festival highlights:

• Educational presentations at the Festival Center
• Themed weekends
• Special displays
• Fun for kids

Designer Presentations

See how green your thumb can be as some of the nation's top designers help you plan everything from planting your first garden to enhancing your home's curb appeal. With expert advice from HGTV and DIY designers and Epcot gardening experts, you're sure to be inspired!

 

 

 

 

Topiaries

You'll find more than 100 topiaries throughout Epcot theme park—including more than 75 Disney character topiaries! Highlights include character topiaries representing Buzz, Woody and Lotso from the Disney•Pixar film Toy Story 3, Lightning McQueen and Mater from the Disney•Pixar film Cars 2, and other classic favorites.

 

Flower Power Concert Series

Enjoy unforgettable live music from the 1960s and 1970s during the Flower Power Concert Series. You'll find a different artist every weekend during the festival at America Gardens Theatre. Show times are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

 

Admission

Epcot theme park admission is required. Most Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival events are included with admission to Epcot theme park. Availability is limited for some events. Events may be rescheduled or cancelled at any time.

Whether you want to improve your gardening skills or simply savor colorful scenery, a spectacular array of experiences awaits you at Epcot theme park during this year's festival.

GA Get Your Business On Line With Google Expo

Hello Fellow FE ( Floral Entrepreneurs),

Google is hosting a great (free) expo.  If you can, please try to attend some of the session.  The opportunity to work directly with google technicians doesn't come around that often. Georgia Get Your Business Online – a new program from Google – is an easy, free, and fast way to get your business online.

If you don’t have a website or Google business listing, you’ll find everything you need to get started – web professionals at your side every step of the way. We’ll also provide the computers or a plug-in for your own laptop.

If your business is already online, you’ll find tools and resources to help your business succeed online.

 

At these events you can

•  Get a free website and business listing
•  Get 1:1 advice and tips
•  Learn more about online marketing
•  Network with your fellow small business owners
•  Free, easy-to-build Intuit website
•  Free customized domain name
•  Free web hosting for one year Free online tools and training

Join us in person and get your business online for free.

Register for the event

• March 1 - March 2, 2012
• 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• High Museum of Art 1280 Peachtree St. Northeast
  Atlanta, GA 30309

Learn more about the event

Create your website today! Customize and publish your website in less than an hour. Get Started

Our partners

---

Why get online?

63^% of small businesses in the U.S. do not have a website

97^% of consumers look online for local products and services

Harper Music

Tamara Harper doubled her student roster.
Learn how

Four Tips to Boost Your Business in 2012

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Kim McCoy

http://blog.americasmart.com/2012/02/24/four-tips-to-boost-your-business-in-2012/

Colliers International released its U.S. Retail Highlights: 2012 Outlook this week. Here’s a roundup of the top trends:

 1. Invest in e-commerce and reap the rewards. Make sure your site is easy to read and navigate on both desktop Web browsers and mobile devices. Mobile-phone commerce alone accounted for $6.7 billion in sales last year and that number is projected to soar to $10 billion in 2012.

2. Luxury shoppers are feeling less self-conscious and are buying more. Look for accessories, leather goods, watches and electronics to do well in 2012.

3. Customer service and convenience will often outweigh price for consumers, especially for long-term loyalty. Focus on easy but effective solutions like minimizing wait times in checkout lines, streamlining the returns process, maintaining inventory levels and offering adequate parking.

4. Create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time-only items and offers. The use of mobile applications is escalating price competition and retailers must find new ways to captivate the customer.

Business Quote 2/27/2012 "Entrepreneur" Anita Roddick

"Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that's exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking."

Anita Roddick

Anita Roddick Biography (Dame Anita Perella Roddick): Entrepreneur and ActivistFamous for : Founding The Body Shop chain of stores, being an environmentalist and a human rights campaigner.Roddick details : Born - October 23, 1942 Littlehampton, Sussex, UK / Died September 10, 2007

Business Quote 2/26/2012 "Entrepreneur"

The entrepreneur is our visionary, the creator in each of us. We're born with that quality and it defines our lives as we respond to what we see, hear, feel, and experience. It is developed, nurtured, and given space to flourish or is squelched, thwarted, without air or stimulation, and dies.

Michael Gerber

Michael Gerber Biography : Author and Entrepreneur
Famous for : Being the author of several business strategy books including "The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It".
Gerber details : Born - USA / Lives - United States of America

How to Be Everywhere - Building a Profitable BRAND by Thinking Outside the Blog

Hello fellow Floral Entrepreneurs (do you like the sound of that J).  I touched on the fact you should make yourself, your products and your brand known in many different medians.  Well this video will make that fact clear. It's a long video  ... but I believe that is will really help you to role out you next advertising campaign.  Don't give up on the pod cast either.  You can give bridal tips or  2012 color trends.  How about these subjects "How to seek out a good florist" or "The ten things you should ask when your interviewing a florist".  There so many subjects that I know  you can come up with.  Think outside the box.

passion + purpose = vision,

vision will keep you going when you feel like giving up on your dream.

Don't sell yourself short and don't give up.

FLORAL FLASH: [Event news] Floral Couture: BYOB.....Bring Your Own Bunch!

Floral Couture

BYOB.....Bring Your Own Bunch! Grab a bunch of flowers from your local grocery store and join us on Friday, February 24th at 6:30pm to learn to create them into something beautiful! Cost: $25, bring your own vase and take $5 off!

How to set up a store front on Facebook

Here are three videos that can help you to set up a store front on Facebook.  You can feature your best selling designs or feature new ones.  For those of you who have design schools feature all of your up coming classes ... this tool can work with in the floral industry just as well as any commerce offered online.  Remember  promote your   business as many places as you can.  Every customer has thier favorite way to communitcate. Don't leave out any potential customer. Always remember:

Creativity + Business Sense + the 21st Century Floral designer =

Great Success! 

  

 

http://fanpagetoolkit.com/index/applicationsuite

by Charlie Brooks, Demand Media

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/open-own-boutique-facebook-29489.html

Open your own boutique and promote it using Facebook to harness the power of social media to increase your boutique's exposure. Although it isn't possible to do e-commerce directly on Facebook as of September 2011, creating a Facebook fan page to promote your boutique gives your business a presence on Facebook, whether you sell items on a website or only at a brick-and-mortar location.

Step 1

Sign in to your personal Facebook account, then scroll to the bottom of any screen and choose "Create a Page." Alternatively, visit the Facebook home page and click "Create a Page." Although it isn't necessary to create your Facebook fan page while signed in to your personal account, doing so allows you to administer the fan page from your personal account.

Step 2

Select "Brands and Products," then choose a subcategory for the goods your boutique sells. Upload a main photo to act as the profile picture for the boutique's fan page, then input basic details about the page and click "Finish" to be taken to the page. Click the "Invite Friends" link on the right side of the page, choose the names of all the friends you'd like to invite to become friends and click "Send Invite."

Step 3

Drag your mouse over the URL in the browser address bar, right-click and select "Copy." Paste the address into update messages you send out on other social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ to publicize the boutique there. Friends on other social networks need not be your friend on Facebook to "Like" your boutique's page.

Step 4

Post regular updates to the page's news feed regarding new items you add to your boutique, changes to opening hours, promotions and discounts and any other information that it's pertinent for current and perspective customers to know. If you operate your boutique online, whether in addition to or instead of in a physical storefront, paste links to pages on your site into the status updates you send out via the page to embed links to products and information pages in your fans' news feeds.

Business Quote 2/21/2012 "Branding" Scott Talgo

"A brand that captures your mind gains behavior. A brand that captures your heart gains commitment."

 Scott Talgo

San Francisco CA: The newly created position of chief strategy officer at Landor Associates goes to Scott Talgo. The move is said to reflect Landor’s efforts to work more closely with creative and strategy directors at clients around the world. Talgo, who co-founded the St. James branding firm in 1991, comments: “Clearly the trend around the world is for brand strategy and business strategy to continue to integrate. Landor is committed to partnering with clients to build powerful brands that deliver real shareholder value. Doing that in the 21st century means having world-class brand strategy that complements our world-class design competency.”

How Pinterest Is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Social Media for Business

BY Jason Falls | February 7, 2012|

http://www.entrepreneur.com/

Move over Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Another social media site is stepping up as a valuable marketing tool for businesses.

Pinterest, an online bulletin board for your favorite images, launched in 2010 and is already experiencing wild growth. The site registered more than 7 million unique visitors in December, up from 1.6 million in September. And it's driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined, according to a recent report from Cambridge, Mass.-based content-sharing site Shareaholic.

Why should small businesses care? To answer that, you first have to understand how consumers are using the site. Pinterest allows you to organize images -- maybe pretty sunrises or wines you've tasted -- into boards for specific categories. When you "pin" something new, your followers will see it. They can like, comment or re-pin it to their boards. Like Facebook content, your Pinterest pins can go viral.

Brides-to-be can pin pictures of different wedding dresses to review, and people shopping for a new car can pin images of their options. When I joined Pinterest I started a board to show the Major League Baseball stadiums I've visited. The possibilities are unlimited.

Here's a look at why some business owners -- particularly retailers -- might want to seriously consider starting a business profile on Pinterest now.

How It's Being Used
Perhaps the most powerful business application is the ability to post images of your company's products on your Pinterest board and link them back to your website. It works as a sort of virtual store catalog.

But remember that this is social media. If you simply display images of your products without contributing other content or sharing other users' pins, you'll likely find that people don't pay much attention. After all, no one likes a self-absorbed blowhard.

Related: What's With All the Interest in Pinterest?

But savvy social media users know not to get too promotional. For example, Whole Foods Market pins pictures of delicious-looking food, food art and images of recycled or reused products to inspire customers to be environmentally responsible. Daniel Gordon, who runs Samuel Gordon Jewelers in Oklahoma City, pins pictures of his rings and watches, but he also has a board for images that make him laugh and other types of products he loves.

Driving Sales
Pinterest already is driving buyers to some websites. In the last six months, the retail deal site ideeli.com has seen a 446 percent increase in web traffic from Pinterest and sales resulting from those visits have increased five-fold.

"We continue the Pinterest conversation with [the] members by following their pins, and we love to give feedback outside of the shopping category -- whether that means commenting on a great recipe or [giving] a heart next to our favorite pet pics," says ideeli.com social media manager Sarah Conley. "We also see Pinterest as a growing resource to better understand our members and the larger retail landscape."

Is Pinterest Right for Your Business?
The site does have some drawbacks for businesses. If your product or service isn't particularly visual, your images may not tie directly back to your brand. Pinterest also doesn't offer business-oriented features, and its search function prioritizes pin and board subjects ahead of "people," the category that brands would fall into.

The best way to determine if Pinterest could attract buyers is simply to give it a shot. Set up an account and start pinning things that are relevant to your business but not too promotional.

Related: How to Use Social Media for Research and Development

If you run a lawn-care center, for instance, pin pictures of landscaping you find online or snap in your community. If you're a brick-and-mortar store, pin shots of the interesting sites and people around your neighborhood and photos you take at community events. You also can search through Pinterest's categories and add some inspirational, funny or beautiful images you find.

Then, follow interesting boards and individuals who post images that inspire you. Once you've done some pinning of other people's content for a week or so and attracted a few followers, create a new board of your products. Add descriptions and perhaps the price to the images. Make sure they link back to your website and start tracking pinterest.com as a referral source in your website analytics.

Next, try creating an image of a special deal or coupon just for your Pinterest followers. Upload it to a new board for Deals. Perhaps offer a prize to the person who gets the most likes or comments on a re-pin of the coupon, and then see who shares it the most. Don't fret about creating multiple boards. People who follow you will see them all.

In a month or two, see if you're getting referral traffic or sales. Depending on the results, you may need to tweak your boards with new images and words.

One thing is clear whether you're on Pinterest for personal or business reasons: the best images -- be they funny, beautiful or thought provoking -- attract the most attention and followers.

Business Quote 2/21/2012 "Branding" Walter Landor

"Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind."

 

Walter Landor

Walter Landor (9 July 1913 – 9 June 1995), born Walter Landauer in 1913 in Munich, Germany, was a brand design legend and the founder of Landor Associates. He was an acclaimed designer and a pioneer of branding and consumer research techniques widely used to this day. Landor Associates, the company he founded in 1941, has offices around the world and enjoys a significant reputation for rigorous strategic thinking coupled with groundbreaking creativity,  He had a particular gift for creating designs with broad popular appeal, such as the Coca-Cola script. Brands as diverse as General Electric, Japan Airlines, Levi Strauss, and Shell Oil all benefited from his vision and commitment.

Flower Flash: Halls Atlanta Wholesale Florist Inc is MOVING!

Halls is MOVING! But DON'T PANIC! We're literally moving 1 block, to our other facility at 630 Angier Ave. The little map on the right here --->  explains it all. We won't interrupt any of our services during the move, but as of 04.02.12 you'll be shopping in greater style, at our more convenient and updated location! We'll close the doors on our 51 year history at 740 Ralph McGill Blvd on Saturday afternoon March 31st, and re-open at the 630 Angier location on April 2nd.  :) 33% OFF MOVING SALE!!!! We've NEVER EVER EVER had a sale like this before!!! From Wednesday February 22nd until the time we sell out of merchandise, we're clearancing a vast majority of our in-stock inventory. Everything in Supplies (hard-goods) that has a round pink sticker will be 33% off our normal wholesale prices. Yep. We're talking about prices that absolutely define the term "Moving Sale"! The Fine Print Here's the details and caveats of the sale: 1.      All clearance and pink-tagged items are sold "as-is" with no option to re-order at this price and no returns. 2.      No back-orders, rain-checks, or special orders. 3.      Materials on sale or clearance must come from the main supply floor only. 4.      Only items with the pink tags are sale items. No exceptions. If it doesn't have a pink sale sticker it is NOT a 33% off item. Attention Bargain Shoppers!!! For those of you (like me) who love a great bargain: In addition to the 33% clearance sale, we've also got an entire clearance section where things are between 50% and 75% off their original wholesale sale price. Make sure to pack a lunch for this one, and drive a BIG truck!

Business Quote 2/21/2012 "Branding" Al Ries

"What's a brand? A singular idea or concept that you own inside the mind of the prospect." - Al Ries

Al Ries is a marketing professional and author. He is also the co-founder and chairman of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Ries & Ries with his partner and daughter, Laura Ries. Along with Jack Trout, Ries coined the term "positioning", as related to the field of marketing, and authored Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, an industry standard on the subject.

Ries graduated from DePauw University in 1950 with a degree in liberal arts and accepted a position with the advertising department of General Electric before founding his own advertising agency in New York City, Ries Cappiello Colwell, in 1963. The agency later changed to a marketing strategy firm, Trout & Ries.

Floral Ideas: Bridal Bouquets 2/21/2012

Take a look at these bouquets.  Try some of them out by tweaking them with your style and personality.  Since we are talking about the business of floral design.  Put you brand on it.  Your brides will be pleased and excited! Remember designers you're in a creative business.  

 Creativity + Business Sense + the 21st Century Floral designer =
Great Success! 

We have to fully engaged in each part of this equation.

Government Grants for New Small Businesses

http://www.ehow.com/about_5510618_government-grants-new-small-businesses.html

 By Pennee Struckman, eHow Contributor

With planning and perseverance, you can find grants and funding sources for your small business. Government grants for new small businesses are available. Although the federal government doesn't offer grants to start or expand a small business, researching the available government grants is worth the effort.

Avoid the grant sites with URLs that do not end with .gov. The federal and individual state government have Internet sites dedicated to assisting small business with grants, financing and sources of venture capital.

Related Searches:

1. Federal Grants

   • Small business owners applying for a grant are asked to supply a business plan, source of other income available to the business, and personal information when using Grants.gov. Grant seekers can use the "Find Grant Opportunity" link to see the available grants. Using this website will also give the owner access to grants created by the American Recovery Act.

   Businesses and Non-Profits

   • The federal government runs USA.gov, a website that provides information and assistance for individuals and businesses. Small business owners can find expert guidance on conducting business with the federal government, importing and exporting, tax assistance, financial assistance and help with state funding.

     State Grants and Funding
   • Using the USA.gov link, business owners can access State Programs. When the list appears, choose your state of residence. The grants currently offered are listed.

   State Grants for Certain Businesses

   • The government supports states with assistance to provide business grants and loans at the state and local levels. Venture capital grants are also available at the state level. Some states offer grants for childcare centers, businesses that create energy-efficient technology, and businesses that increase tourism in the state. These grants usually ask the recipient for an equal investment amount. The state government sometimes combines the grant with financing from other sources.

   Additional Small Business Resources

   • In addition to the federal opportunities funded through the states, the U.S. Department of Commerce sponsors the MBDA, the Minority Business Development Agency. This division has links for all fifty states, where business owners can find grant and funding resources. A business does not have to be minority-held to use this site.

   Small Business Administration

   • The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides abundant resources to businesses. The resources include small business loans, which are at reduced interest rates; training; and information on obtaining government contracts, setting up a business plan, and finding interest-free capital.

   Before Applying for a Grant

   • Write a business plan. It does not have to be detailed, but it does need to include a plan of action for starting and maintaining the business.

     When applying for a grant, gather income and debt information before starting the questionnaire