http://www.gaebler.com Useful Resources for Entrepreneurs. Tons of Entrepreneurial Resources for Small Business Owners! en-us Copyright 1999-2009 Gaebler Ventures LLC rss@gaebler.com (Ken Gaebler) rss@gaebler.com (Ken Gaebler) http://www.gaebler.com/Business-Idea-Generator.htm Need free business ideas? This business idea generator gives you sample business ideas. You'll find some silly entrepreneur ideas along with an occasional great idea for starting a business. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, December 13, 2009 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:16:16 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/IRS-Form-1099-K.htm IRS Form 1099-K ensures that small business owners who don't declare all of the revenues they receive via credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and services like Paypal will no longer be able to hide those revenues from the IRS. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, November 24, 2009 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:09:20 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Small-Business-Technology-Transfer-STTR-Program.htm The U.S. government's Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program can be an attractive federal funding source for small companies. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, November 24, 2009 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:08:20 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Financing-Small-Business-Acquisitions-Debt-Service-Coverage-Ratios.htm How much will you be able to borrow to buy a new business? We look at financing options for buying a business. The first thing you'll need to understand is how debt service coverage ratios work and how that will impact your small business acquisition financing alternatives. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, October 19, 2009 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:15:23 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Business-Plan-Length.htm When it comes to business plan writing, size does matter. Some say a short business plan is the way to go, while others argue for longer business plans. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, October 8, 2009 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:32:14 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Reasons-For-Selling-a-Business.htm Business owners will sell a business for a variety of reasons. We've listed out the Top 10 reasons that business owners decide to exit a business and put a company up for sale. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, October 6, 2009 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:12:32 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Vehicle-Service-Contracts.htm Buying a vehicle service contract can be a smart move for business owners that have company cars or company trucks. However, it's critical that you understand what you are buying before you sign on the dotted line. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, October 5, 2009 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:58:11 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Sample-Customer-Surveys.htm Looking for sample customer surveys? Here's a sample customer satisfaction survey that can be used by small business owners to identify improvement opportunities. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, September 1, 2009 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:15:11 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/How-to-Form-a-Trade-Association.htm Wondering how to form a trade association? This article discusses the necessary steps for forming a trade association and promoting a trade association. We also touch briefly on why trade associations are formed. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, August 17, 2009 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:30:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Small-Business-Healthcare-Reform.htm Small businesses should support health care reform, but not for the reasons currently being cited by the spinmasters in Washington DC. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, August 13, 2009 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:16:32 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Confidentiality-Breach-Can-Ruin-Business-Sale.htm When selling a business, confidentiality is key. If employees, competitors and others find out that an owner intends to sell a business, the consequences can be extremely negative, well beyond simply putting the business sale at risk. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, July 20, 2009 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:28:12 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Selling-Business-in-Down-Economy.htm Selling a business in a down economy? It may not be the best time, but some distressed sellers don't have a choice. In this article, we discuss a few important things to consider before you decide to sell a business. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 29, 2009 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:58:35 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Choosing-the-Right-Team-to-Sell-a-Business.htm Business owners don't typically sell a business on their own. It's a team effort, and you will be the captain of the team. We offer a few tips on how to choose a good team to help you sell a business. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 18, 2009 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:27:04 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/What-Business-Should-I-Start.htm What are the best businesses to start in a down economy? We've got some great research for you on good businesses to start, based on some number crunching by a very talented industry research firm. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 17, 2009 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:43:44 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Promotional-Printing.htm In the market for a printer for promotional items or direct mail pieces? We discuss a few criteria to use when sourcing printers for promotional items. We also recommend some good promotional printers we've worked with. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 10, 2009 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:59:41 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Small-Business-Expert.htm Small business expert is a title that anybody can claim. However, a real small business expert must truly understand what it takes to start, build and grow a successful startup. We list some small business experts who we think are the real deal. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 5, 2009 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:45:22 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/How-Many-Telesales-Agents-Should-I-Have.htm Telesales can be a great way to boost sales, but how many agents should you have? We discuss what can happen when you have too many telemarketers or telesales agents. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, June 1, 2009 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:07:35 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Bing-Microsoft-Search.htm Bing Microsoft search offers a fresh new approach to search that is very consumer-friendly. SMBs will do well to start using Bing search and see how they can leverage it for small business success. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, May 27, 2009 Thu, 28 May 2009 03:18:35 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Customer-Feedback.htm VistaPrint, an online supplier of graphic design and printed products, is a great resource for small business owners. One key to their success is learning from customers by listening to customers. Discover how they leverage customer feedback to implement a very effective continuous improvement program. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, May 21, 2009 Thu, 21 May 2009 17:22:30 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Small-Business-Health-Options-Program.htm The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP Act) can help small businesses and millions of workers get access to affordable small business and self-employed health coverage. Getting this bill passed is fundamental to a solid economic recovery. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, May 13, 2009 Wed, 13 May 2009 16:22:30 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/History-of-Workers-Compensation.htm The history of workers compensation is a history of problem solving. While workers compensation is not perfect, it has allowed our economy to thrive in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, May 8, 2009 Fri, 08 May 2009 17:16:27 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Domain-Length-Research.htm Conventional wisdom has it that a short, memorable domain is essential for website success. We analyze domain name lengths for the most popular websites. The results of our domain length research may surprise you! Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 24, 2009 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:35:47 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Best-Small-Business-Forums.htm 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. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 22, 2009 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:13:17 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Do-Shopaholics-Make-Good-Entrepreneurs.htm 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? Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 8, 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:38:17 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/How-to-Get-a-DUNS-Number.htm Small business owners have a lot of questions regarding how to get a DUNS number. This article offers detailed information on getting a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 7, 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:45:02 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/How-to-Get-a-D-and-B-Number.htm Wondering how to get a D&B number? We explain how to go about getting a D&B number for a small business and we showcase a couple of extras from D&B that are worth investing in. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 6, 2009 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:31:36 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Q1-2009-Decline-in-United-States-Business-for-Sale-Transactions.htm It's a tough time to sell a business. Data from BizBuySell.com shows a marked decline in the number of business-for-sale transactions that closed in First Quarter 2009. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 6, 2009 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:05:06 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Q1-2009-Business-for-Sale-Valuations-By-City.htm How much is my business worth? It's a question we hear often from business owners. Fortunately, we've got some business valuation trend data for Q1 2009 that lets you know what business are selling for. This data is provided to us by BizBuySell.com. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 5, 2009 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:00:04 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/How-to-Rename-a-Bunch-of-Microsoft-Word-Docs.htm Wondering how to rename multiple files quickly and easily? Here's a way to give many files a new name without having to manually rename each file one at a time. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, April 4, 2009 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:45:01 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Companies-That-Are-Good-To-Women-Entrepreneurs.htm Certain companies are good to women entrepreneurs. This list, provided by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, honors companies that award contracts to women business owners in a fair and consistent way. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 26, 2009 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:32:01 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Internet-Hoax-Psychology.htm What is it about Internet hoaxes that make us simultaneously love and loathe them? We discuss the psychology of Internet hoaxes, including a discussion of our own satiric piece that got us 15 seconds of buzz. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 20, 2009 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:42:01 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Economist-Blames-Twitter-for-Down-Economy.htm A new study suggests that Twitter is the root cause of the current economic malaise. Policy experts predict a Twitter moratorium may be declared for Summer 2009 as part of an effort to stimulate economic production and reverse GDP declines. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 19, 2009 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:32:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Small-Business-Stimulus.htm What's in the small business stimulus package for small business owners? We've got the highlights of how the stimulus program will impact small business owners and entrepreneurs. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 18, 2009 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:32:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Self-Employment-Assistance.htm 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. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 18, 2009 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:09:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Escape-From-Cubicle-Nation.htm If you want to become an entrepreneur and only plan on buying one book, we recommend Escape from Cubicle Nation. It covers not only the emotional issues associated with leaving corporate life but also the nuts and bolts of launching a business. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 13, 2009 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:08:33 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Google-Friend-Connect-API.htm Google Friend Connect API lets you use Google account or Yahoo account. No more anonymous spam comments polluting the web! Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 12, 2009 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:18:13 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/List-of-Chambers-State-Directory.htm We've created a chamber of commerce directory that provides a list of chambers in every city in the United States. If you haven't joined your local chamber, you may be missing out on a great networking opportunity. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 11, 2009 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:14:23 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Business-Budgeting.htm This article covers the fundamentals of business budgeting. If you are not creating a business budget, you may be impeding on your chances of owning a successful business. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 10, 2009 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:09:54 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Interview-with-Spicy-Pickle-Franchising-Co-Founder-Tony-Walker.htm We interview Tony Walker, co-founder and COO of Spicy Pickle, an eatery that makes some amazing sandwiches and boasts the world's best spicy pickle. Now expanding via franchising, Spicy Pickle is looking for experienced restaurant operators. Great business opportunity with a great franchisor! Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, March 4, 2009 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:14:14 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Denying-Service-to-Restaurant-Customers.htm Customer service in restaurants gets tricky if a patron is drunk, unruly or is not wearing appropriate clothing. We discuss when restaurants can deny customers service and tell them to go somewhere else. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 28, 2009 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:11:08 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/The-Accidental-Startup-Business-Basics-for-the-Chance-Entrepreneur.htm We received an early copy of The Accidental Startup by Danielle Babb. It's a great book for people who want to start a business. Read our business book review on this excellent new book. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 24, 2009 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:46:01 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Divorced-Business-Owners.htm What happens when a married couple that owns a business together decides to get a divorce? We present a few suggestions on how to handle getting divorced if you own a business with a spouse. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 23, 2009 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:12:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Caps-on-SBA-Goodwill-Financing.htm The SBA is talking about imposing caps on goodwill financing for SBA guaranteed loans. That's not a smart move and here's why. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 20, 2009 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:29:21 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Business-Valuation-Trends.htm Looking for business valuation trend statistics or data on business valuations? We've got information on asking prices, revenue multiples and cash flow multiples for top U.S. cities. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 19, 2009 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:40:22 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Book-Review-Problem-Solving-101-Ken-Watanabe.htm Staff writer Anna Gaebler reviews Ken Watanabe's book, Problem Solving 101. Written in simple terms for children, it is a must-read for any child or adult who finds that they are not achieving their goals. This is a great gift for young people in your life whom you wish to put on the path to success and sensible thinking. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 14, 2009 Sat, 14 Feb 2009 10:40:22 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Taxes-on-Barter-Income.htm In a tough economy, barter trades become more popular. But you cannot avoid taxes by bartering. We discuss tax obligations on barter deals. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 12, 2009 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:07:51 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Buying-a-Business-to-Get-United-States-Citizenship.htm U.S. citizenship is a prized global commodity. A well-kept secret is that buying a U.S. business can put you on a fast path to becoming a U.S. citizen. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 11, 2009 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:15:01 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Tax-Forms-to-File-for-LLCs.htm LLCs are a popular organizational structure these days, but come tax time many LLC owners are mystified on which tax forms LLCs must file. We shed some light on tax forms for LLCs. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 11, 2009 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:30:13 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Stimulus-Plan-Fraud.htm What portion of the massive government stimulus plan will be stolen by crooks? Unfortunately, we anticipate exponential growth in stimulus money scams. The government's pocket -- your pocket -- is about to be picked! Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 5, 2009 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:07:43 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Free-Business-Advice-from-SCORE.htm 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. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 4, 2009 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:05:03 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Crowdworkers-Microsourcing-Parallel-Employment.htm Here's a free business idea you can have. It involves setting up a new form of employment that cuts big tasks up into small tasks and delegates them out to thousands of workers. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, February 1, 2009 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:00:12 GMT http://www.gaebler.com/Time-Value-of-Money-Businesses.htm 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. Gaebler Ventures Resources for Entrepreneurs, January 31, 2009 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:01:35 GMT