Starting Your Own Business - Business Incubator - Holding Company - Venture Capital - Gaebler Ventures

Starting a business can be an exciting venture offering many rewards. However, you must be prepared and you must understand the basics.

Starting a Company. Starting a small business isn't easy. This article, one of many entrepreneurial resources on our site, helps you assess whether entrepreneurship is right for you.
Why Small Businesses Fail. The best way to avoid failure is to understand failure. Learn why most small businesses fail and then take steps to ensure that your new business will be the exception to the rule.

Choosing the Location for Your Technology Company. We provide 50 reasons why Chicago is the best city to locate technology companies.
Before Writing Your Business Plan. Here are four steps to starting your business that get you ready to write your business plan.
Starting a Consulting Company. Starting a consulting business? If you have expertise and skills that others need, starting a consulting firm may be your ticket to the entrepreneurial ball.
Starting a NonProfit Organization. Starting a nonprofit organization is easy. We walk you through the the steps to start a nonprofit, including recruiting a board and applying for 501(c)(3) status.
Young Entrepreneurs. There's probably nothing more worthwhile than teaching a kid how to be an entrepreneur. Whether it's helping them to start a lemonade stand or build a website, you'll be giving them skills and a way of living that will last a lifetime!
Business Failure. Why do businesses fail? The main reason is that the business owners didn't take the time to learn why most businesses fail before they ventured into starting a new business.
Small Business Failure Rates. Interested in small business failure rates? When it comes to how often startup businesses fail and how long it takes to fail, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction. But it is possible to determine what leads some businesses to succeed while others fail.
Five Tips for Starting a Business on the Cheap. Wondering how to become an entrepreneur? You don't need a ton of money to start a business. Here are five tips for starting a business on the cheap.
Starting a Magazine. Starting a magazine? The allure of owning a magazine is irresistible to many would-be entrepreneurs, but it's tough to make it in the competitive world of publishing. We offer some tips for starting a magazine that will put you on the path to publishing success.
Starting a Restaurant. Starting a restaurant? Are you aware that restaurants have a higher business failure rate than other businesses? The bottomline is that opening a successful restaurant is easier said than done.
Starting a Moving Business. Starting a moving business? Smart move! Families move once every five years, and there's also good money to be made in moving businesses. But opening a moving business isn't a sure thing, as we explain in this article on how to start a moving business.
Advice for Female Entrepreneurs. Looking for advice for female entrepreneurs? We've assembled some great tips for women entrepreneurs -- it's time to shut those boys up once and for all!
When to Quit the Day Job. When starting a business, it's wise to keep your day job. But eventually you get to the point when it's time to cut the cord. We discuss how you can know when it's time to quit the day job and focus on your business full-throttle.
Becoming an Entrepreneur After Years in Big Business. Even the most talented corporate executives often fail when making the switch to fast-growth, startup companies. If you are a big-business executive contemplating starting a business or joining an existing startup, here's some food for thought.
Lessons from Parking Lot Economics 101. Opening a parking lot is a great business. That's one takeaway from this article. But, more importantly, perhaps you will think differently about starting a business after giving this article a quick read.
eBay Entrepreneurs. Are internet auctions your ticket to starting a profitable new business or boosting revenues for your existing business? We think the recent eBay entrepreneurs phenomenon holds many lessons for all entrepreneurs.

Choosing Your Core Team. Studies show that startups with multiple partners do better than startups with just one founder. As you start your new venture, who will be on your core team?
Starting an IT Consulting Business. Starting an IT consulting business is an excellent path for those who are interested in becoming an entrepreneur. Here's how to do open an IT consulting firm.
Invention Evaluation Services. Invention evaluation services will evaluate your ideas. But how should you evaluate invention evalation services? Here's how.
A Case Study in Industry-Changing Entrepreneurship. Free MLS listings? Are you nuts? Learn how a game-changing entrepreneur is taking on the real estate industry.
What Is Web 3.0 and Why Should You Care?. What is Web 3.0? It's coming soon and it's going to be big. If you don't start figuring it out now, you will some big money-making opportunities.
Starting a Business in Alabama. How do you start a business in Alabama? The Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network can help.
Starting a Business in Kansas. How do you start a business in Kansas? The Kansas Small Business Development Center is available to meet your entrepreneurial needs.
Avoid Common Business Mistakes. The common ways businesses fail can be overcome with advice on how to avoid common new business mistakes.
Resource to Start a Business. The Minority Professional Network is a great resource to help start a business.
Entrepreneurship or Job Security?. Why should you become an entrepreneur? Determining whether or not you're cut out to be an entrepreneur can be a difficult task. Here we take a look at what to consider in terms of job security, and why people may be choosing more careers in entrepreneurship.
Attributes of Entrepreneurs. What does it take to become an entrepreneur? It takes a certain mindset and a different way of thinking to get into business.
What It Takes to Become an Entrepreneur. What exactly does it take to be able to succeed as an entrepreneur? This article will examine the mindset necessary for someone to succeed on his or her own in business.
Why Network Marketing Makes Sense. This article discusses why network marketing businesses are fast-becoming the first option for budding entrepreneurs looking to get their feet wet before jumping in the deep end of entrepreneurship.
How to Stay Successful During the First Year. The first year of running your business is the most important, and determines whether you are set up for success or failure. These tips will help get you through that first year, so success is the only direction you will be heading in.
Due Diligence on Business Incubators. Thinking about starting a business with the assistance of a business incubator? Be sure to do your homework before you finalize your business incubator choice.
Choosing the Right Business Partner. Statistically speaking, businesses started by partners do better than businesses started by individuals. Choosing the right business partner, however, can be quite a challenge.
Does Age Matter To Be Your Own Boss. What's the best age to start a business? It's a hotly debated topic, but at the end of the day isn't it the case that you can be successful as an entrepreneur at any age?
Thinking Like an Entrepreneur. The Internet's presence in our society has created many opportunities for individuals seeking to open up a small business. The only thing needed is to develop the entrepreneurial ability to be able to create a profitable business.
Key to Success of Startups - Expertise. Fundamentally, what determines the success of an organization? What impacts the transition of a start-up into a successful business? We hone in on the ultimate success factor for startups.
Common Myths About Starting a Business. Entrepreneurs often believe myths that cause them to have doubts while starting a business. We debunk common myths about entrepreneurship so you can successfully start a business without letting anything get in the way.
Estimating Startup Costs. Anytime someone wants to start a business, they are usually in the red, because they have to first spend money before they open for business and become fully operational. Estimating startup costs is an essential step, because if done the wrong way, the company might be dead in the water even before opening its doors. Entrepreneurs must understand important of not underestimating costs.
Starting a Business in a Small Town. Many aspiring entrepreneurs fear starting up businesses in small towns because they feel there is no room to grow or be profitable. We discuss the benefits of starting up your business in a small community and offer advice on what to be careful of when starting a business in a small town.
Challenges In Starting a Dotcom Company. Starting a dotcom company may seem a lot easier than setting up an offline store. But there can still be a lot of unforeseen challenges to it.
The Root Cause of Failure in Entrepreneurship. It is a well-known fact that all ninety-five percent of businesses fail within the first five years of inception. This article will take a look at some of the common pitfalls to succeeding as an entrepreneur and what to avoid when going through those first five years.
Retirement Myths. Growing up we were taught a lot of things that at the time were as real as anything else we believed at that time. Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny all played a huge role in our lives at a time when we were too innocent to know the difference. This article will take a look at some of the similarities between Santa, the Easter Bunny, and retirement.
The Job Security Myth. A myth can be defined as a traditional story accepted as history which serves to explain the world view of how things are done today. This article will take a look at how the popular phrase, "job security", is fast-becoming one of the more popular myths in the 21st century.
Good Resources for Starting a Business. When opening your new business, there are many different resources that can help. We discuss several good sources for help when starting a company.
SBDC Counselors: Unsung Small Business Heroes. This is a tribute to America's Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC). If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or own a business, your local SBDC offers free advice for entrepreneurs. That's right free business consulting is available to you, and, trust us, SBDCs offer very high-quality business consulting services.
Job Mentality Versus Business Ownership Mentality. Business ownership is not for everyone. If it were, more and more people would become business owners and fewer people would be looking to work for business owners or companies. This article will summarize the differences between a business ownership mentality and a job mentality.
Ethnic Entrepreneurs. When recent immigrants decide to set up their business, they may have to face a number of challenges. Despite that, millions of immigrant entrepreneurs have boosted the economy of their host countries by being able to run successful businesses.
How Are Today's Entrepreneurs Different from the Past?. Entrepreneurship is on the rise! We examine the various reasons for this surge and the ways in which today's entrepreneurs think as compared to their predecessors.
Tips on Starting a Business in College. It is rare, but there are some young buckaroos who get the entrepreneurial itch early in their college career and decide they want to join the few who are looking to control their own destinies. Here are some tips for how to succeed as a young entrepreneur still in college.
Good Tools for the Self Employed. It's hard to be a successful entrepreneur if you don't have the right tools. If you are newly self-employed, here are some must-have products and services that will help you succeed.
Recurring Revenue Business Models. Starting a business? Buying a business? If so, there's one question that you absolutely must ask. Does your new venture have a recurring revenue business model? If not, you might want to go back to the drawing board and look at other options.
Time Value of Money Businesses. When starting a business, making smart choices on your business model is critical. In considering the best businesses to start, you may want to look for business concepts that profit from the time value of money.
Free Business Advice from SCORE. At Gaebler.com, we get more requests from entrepreneurs asking for help than we can possibly manage. For those we cannot assist, our advice is always the same. Talk to your local SCORE counselor. SCORE is a simply amazing organization that offers excellent resources for entrepreneurs across the country.
Self-Employment Assistance. If you are unemployed and want to start a business, you might qualify for self-employment assistance as part of your state's unemployment insurance benefits program. The program is called Self-Employment Assistance. It offers a weekly allowance sent to you as a check, as well as free training on starting a business.
Are Shopaholics Better Entrepreneurs?. It's just a theory but we believe shopaholics, people who need to shop in a somewhat compulsive manner, have the potential to be great entrepreneurs. Do you agree that they've got a leg up on others or do you think we've got it all wrong?
Best Small Business Forums. Our list of the best small business forums and entrepreneur communities may be the secret weapon you've been looking for. Couple our entrepreneur resources with these helpful forums and you'll be unstoppable.
The Opportunity Cost of Entrepreneurship. Becoming an entrepreneur is a big decision. It’s guaranteed that running your own business will teach you many marketable skills. Learn about marketing, accounting and management first hand with your own business.
Why You Need Business Partners. Going into business for yourself? Consider taking on a business partner. Forming a sole proprietorship can be challenging. A partner can help you make critical business decisions and help you avoid mistakes.
The Psychology of Entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur has its rewards, but are you prepared for the psychological aspects of entrepreneurship? Being able to manage the day to day ups and downs will help you keep your focus on achieving what you set out to do.
Staying Productive as an Entrepreneur. First time entrepreneurs are often faced with the challenge of constantly motivating themselves to stay productive. They are removed from an environment in which tasks are readily handed to them and are for the first time in charge of ensuring that everything gets done. Following a regiment of focusing on delivering at least one tangible good every day will help you keep focused and on track.
Do You Really Need A Business Plan?. Investors usually don’t read them, they are based on future assumptions that never materialize, and they take a lot of work to put together, so are business plans required when starting your own business?
The Developer's Dilemma. Building your company’s first product can be an exciting venture that provides entrepreneurs the greatest creative freedom to design, create, and build great products. However, many entrepreneurs fall into what I call the developers dilemma, the all too often trap of developing too many features for your product or service. Avoiding the Developer’s Dilemma will help you achieve quicker success with your product.
Do Journalists Make Good Entrepreneurs?. We think journalism is a great training ground for would-be entrepreneurs. This article discusses a few advantages that journalist entrepreneurs have over mere mortals.
Entrepreneurship Trends. What are the trends in business startups? Are more or fewer people becoming entrepreneurs? New research suggests a slowdown in new business starts.
Business Model Fixes. You’ve launched your business, are following your business strategy, but your business model is failing, what should you do?
Constructing a Business Model. Business models are the foundation and core of what determines your business’ success or failure. Using the 7 questions below will help you articulate and analyze what your business model is, how it is constructed, and methods to improve it.
Success is Standing Out, Not Fitting In. Fitting in with the crowd is often the norm because it is the easy thing to do, but taking a firm stand, by standing out from the crowd will provide your business with the attention you need to be successful.
How Not to Charge You Customers. Firms like Facebook and Twitter are rigorously scrutinized in the media for not charging their users access to these platforms. Many critics argue that since both social platforms have millions of users, they should be able to charge a few dollars for every user and generate hundreds of millions in revenue. We’ll analyze what would happen if they did charge their customers and what you can learn from how to properly charge your customers if you provide free services.
When to Become an Entrepreneur. Those of us who have the itch to start our own businesses ask themselves, when should I do it? Many feel that working in the workplace for several years to gain experience would benefit them as an entrepreneur later.
Doing Right While Doing Business. Business used to be seen as the necessary evil to generate a profit, however today’s businesses and entrepreneurs are approaching business as a new means to do social good while generating profits.
How to Become an Entrepreneur. Almost everyone has thought about becoming an entrepreneur, fulfilling the dream, but for many the reality is they never even take a step towards entrepreneurship, it only stays a thought and a dream.
Start With The Problem. Too many entrepreneurs get excited about their feature rich products that they lose sight of the critical issue at hand. What is the problem?
What Type of Business Entity Should You Form?. Business used to be seen as the necessary evil to generate a profit, however today’s businesses and entrepreneurs are approaching business as a new means to do social good while generating profits.
Do You Need an MBA to Start A Business?. Entrepreneurs come from a vast array of different backgrounds. Many have doctoral degrees, some just high school degrees, and some have MBA’s. Many want to be entrepreneurs see getting an MBA a means to learning how to launch there own business, but there are many gaps between what you’ll learn in business school and what you’ll need to know to be a successful entrepreneur.
The 2-Minute You. The 2-Minute You is an exercise to help you identify who you are, what you want to do, what you’re good at, and help you find an entrepreneurial path that will help you leverage your skills & knowledge and help you follow your interests & passions.
Characteristics of a Perfect Business. How do you build the perfect business? What strategies do you need? This article explains the critical factors and strategies you need to have in order to build your successful business.Business used to be seen as the necessary evil to generate a profit, however today’s businesses and entrepreneurs are approaching business as a new means to do social good while generating profits.
Industries That Porter Would Recommend. Michael Porter has provided a fundamental framework to evaluate and analyze opportunities to generate a profit within a given industry. Using Porters own 5, we evaluate industries that have the highest criteria for each of Porters 5 forces and review how you can use Porters 5 to identify opportunities to start a business.
Top 10 Reasons Not To Be Your Own Boss. I want to be my own boss. Really? Don't be so sure about that. In honor of Boss's Day, here are the Top 10 Reasons Not to Become an Entrepreneur and Be Your Own Boss.
When Passion Isn't Enough. There’s no question passion is a requirement for any entrepreneur, but we also know that passion alone is not enough to create a successful business. This article discusses how passion can be both your saving grace and your troubling companion as one entrepreneur shares her story of the challenges.
Profits vs. Passion. Passion is the primary ingredient for any entrepreneur to succeed, but focusing on passion alone will not guarantee success. Avoiding the blindness that can be associated with a strong passion and identifying profitable opportunities can help align your passions with the right business opportunities that provide you with greater probability for success.