Regulations On Opening Your Own Winery

Alcohol Control Boards are found in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and in every Canadian province. These Boards are responsible for issuing the permits you will require to produce any type of alcohol. Your business must adhere to their regulations. You'll need to contact both the federal and state alcohol control offices for your permits.

In the United States, you can visit www.ttb.gov/forms/5000.shtml
Some individuals hire a representative to get through the process. Call the local Alcohol Control Board in your state or province in which your winery is based to begin filing the permit application.

Green-er Small Biz in 2009

Energy Star is run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency but the program actually does help small business save $$$$ on energy costs and can provide technical help. Sign up and you receive a How-To guide for analyzing and upgrading your facility, lists of energy equipment & service contractors, access to free workshops & public relations materials to promote your efforts. They have an ad to help you promote your GO GREEN efforts that permits you to drop in your logo. The main site is: www.energystar.gov/smallbiz.

The site also has a link for Canadian businesses. We like that!!!!!

Obama Support for Loophole Will Hurt Small Biz

Considering the dire state of our nation's economy, President-elect Barack Obama was expected to support existing federal small business programs and propose new policies that would stimulate the middle class economy and create jobs for our nation's 30 million small businesses. But, it looks like his appointment of Karen Mills, Venture Capitalist, to head the U.S. Small Business Administration, indicates he will support H.R. 3567, a loophole that will hurt small business.

Mills is president of MMP Group, a private equity investor and adviser since 1993. From 1999 to 2007 she was founding partner and managing director of Solera Capital, a New York based venture capital firm. She is lead director of Scotts Miracle-Gro. Her husband is president of Bowdoin College.

There appears to be a significant disconnect between President-elect Obama's campaign promises to American small businesses and the actual policies he is proposing.

In February, Obama released the following statement, "Over half of all Americans work for a small business. Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy and we must protect this great resource. It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)

Any mention of President-elect Obama's February statement, or specific plans to stop the flow of federal small business contracts to "corporate giants" are conspicuously absent from the Obama-Biden Transition Team website, www.change.gov.

Change.gov and the Obama-Biden campaign website, www.barackobama.com, significantly minimize the importance of our nation's small businesses, which employ more than 50 percent of all Americans.

Less important topics such as "Rural" and "Service" received major headings under the issues section of the Obama-Biden campaign website while issues relating to America's small businesses, which create over 80 percent of all new jobs were relegated to the site's lower priority people section between "Seniors" and "Sportsmen." (http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/sbhome/)

The American Small Business League (ASBL) is predicting the Obama Administration may be preparing to roll out policies and legislation that could have a severe negative impact on the small businesses he acknowledged were the "backbone of our nation's economy."

From January 2001 to October 2008, Obama received more than $1 million in campaign contributions from the venture capital industry, according to Maplight.org. The site also indicates that the venture capital industry contributed heavily to senior Democratic leadership. (http://www.maplight.org/map/us/interest/F2500)

The ASBL predicts President-elect Obama will support H.R. 3567, the Small Business Investment Expansion Act of 2007, which will create a new loophole in federal contracting law that will allow our nation's wealthiest investors to receive billions of dollars in federal small business contracts. The venture capital industry has spent millions of dollars lobbying Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to have the legislation passed.

"I predict President-elect Obama will not restore the Small Business Administration's budget and staffing as he promised during the campaign. I don't think he will do anything to stop Fortune 500 firms from receiving federal small business contracts," ASBL President Lloyd Chapman said. "I believe he will sign legislation to create another colossal loophole that will divert billions more in federal small business contracts to billionaire venture capitalists. People need to start noticing the dramatic difference between what Obama said during the campaign and what he is actually doing."

Mail Order Catalogs Consume 8 Million Tons of Trees A Year

How many duplicate mail order catalogs have you received this season?
Here are some stats on catalog waste:

* Over eight million tons of trees are consumed each year in the production of paper catalogs.
* Nearly half of the planet’s original forest cover is gone today. Forests have effectively disappeared in 25 countries, and another 29 have lost more than 90% of their forest cover.
* Deforestation contributes between 20% and 25% of all carbon pollution, causing global climate change.
* More than one billion people living in extreme poverty around the world depend on forests for their livelihoods.
* There are other significant environmental impacts from the catalog cycle. The production and disposal of direct mail alone consumes more energy than three million cars.

The manufacturing, distribution, collection and disposal of catalogs generates global warming gases as well as air and water pollution. Reducing the number of unwanted catalogs that are mailed will help the environment.

(Small businesses can use a data management system such as ,the SmartMover Web service that ensures mail pieces--like catalogs--reach their intended recipients without duplicates, delays, detours, or flat-out returns – reducing waste and saving valuable time and money. Consumers can request a Junk Mail Reduction Kit from a recycling program in their state. The Bay Area Recycling Outreach Association, for example, has a great package.)

Discounted Franchise Options For Veterans

Vet Fran, short for Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, was launched 10 years ago by the International Franchise Association to provide financial incentives to assist veterans in acquiring franchised businesses.

Don Dwyer, founder of The Dwyer Group, lobbied for Vet Fran and made it happen. The Gulf War was underway; 100 franchisors stepped up and offered discounts to all veterans of the U.S. Armed Services (who were honorably discharged). Domino's Pizza, for example, charges a franchise fee of $25,000 but the fee for veterans is $5000.

Currently, more than 300 franchise organizations have joined the effort and the programs receive full cooperation from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, the U.S. Small Business Association and the Veterans Corporation. Today, the Vet Fran Task Force is chaired by Don Dwyer's daughter, Dina Dwyer-Owens, CFE, president and CEO of The Dwyer Group.

The most popular franchises among veterans are:
~The UPS Store
~Matco Tools
~Meineke Car Care Centers
~PostNet Int’l Franchise Corp.
~Aire-Serve Heating & Air Cond.
~CruiseOne
~Sport Clips
~Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies
~Dunkin’ Donuts
~Mr. Electric
~Mr. Rooter

For more info on the program, visit www.franchise.org/Veteran-Franchise.aspx

10 ?'s To Ask Yourself Before Starting Your Small Biz Engine

Before you launch your small business, ask yourself these 10 questions (the questions--and your answers--will also help you put together your business plan):

1. Do I have the stick-to-it-ive-ness to be an entrepreneur?

~you'll need to have the type of detail-oriented personality that doesn't give up when
things don't go your way; you need to be your own advocate & bull-dog in the face of adversity and be able to forge ahead when facing doubt and criticism from friends & family (see posting on Ben & Jerry)

2. Do I have a valid business idea?

~you might have a wonderful idea, but you must do research to make sure you can make it happen; is there competition in your region? can you offer the same product/service but do it
faster? cheaper? better? this is the time to analyze your small business and make these tough decisions before investing any money, time, soul energy.

3. Do I have the skills & talent to pull it off?

~yes, we all want to succeed, but it is important to realize our limitations. If one dreams of opening a catering business, are we able to lead? to pull together & energize a small team? to book weddings, parties, and corporate events? Can we consistently provide great service & products?

4. Am I located in the right market for this type of business?

~ask yourself: Is there an audience to support the business I want to start? If you want to want to start a pet sitting service, do you live in an area of pet owners? If you love cars and want to detail them, do you live in a market (like Los Angeles or Long Island, New York) where people love their automobiles and enjoy driving around in slick rides detailed to perfection, and are who willing to pay top $$ for the look of perfection?

~you might a great idea for a business, that you can execute in a great way, but do you have the audience, customers? This leads us to the next question...

5. Who is my target market?

~who will buy my muffins? who will hire me to landscape their gardens? who will hire me to be the dj at their events? do I live in an area where the client base is broad enough to support my small business?

6. How will I promote, market & advertise my small business?

~do I have the budget to advertise? where will I advertise? how else can I promote this business? will i host a "grand opening"? send out press releases? contact local media in the effort to gain free publicity with an article/interview/editorial feature?

7. Where will the $$$$ come from to start this small business?

~ask yourself: will I leave my current job or should I keep working 9 to 5 and run this biz on a part-time or weekend basis? can i leave the healthcare benefits on my current job to strike out on my own? have I saved enough money to keep the business going until a dedicated client base kicks in for this business?

8. What will my office operational set-up be?

~will you work at home? at the kitchen table, attic, garage, spare room? or will you need an outside facility--such as a shop? this overhead will greatly increase your expenses.

9. Can I work alone?

~many would-be entrepreneurs love their business idea, but suffer great anxiety from the isolation that ensues; entrepreneurs often miss "the water cooler" conversation they enjoyed at their former workplace--what kind of person are you? will you enjoy the independence, or will you miss your former colleagues? would you pursue your small business with greater zest if you had a partner? you might turn your sole proprietorship into a partnership.

10. What will I name the business?

~what's in a name?....we live in a very quick and visual universe. a book or magazine cover can make or break a sale. the name of your new small business can make or break your new enterprise. think about it carefully and test it out on neighbors and friends. do a google search on the name to make sure it is not being used. pick a name that will make you proud of your business every time you say it, and develop a quick-pitch (15 seconds or less) to describe exactly what your business does--

Now that you have answered these questions, you can begin to work on a business plan.
A business plan is a must if you need to apply for a loan. A business plan is also a good idea because it helps you to research & answer every question you might have about the business before you get started. Good luck with these questions and let us know how you do. send us an email: smallbizstartup@gmail.com.

Licensing

Once you develop your brand, you can begin to think about making money through "licensing."

Licensing now accounts for more than $175 billion in global retail sales . Licensing is a tool used to make money by loaning out your name & logo to another company that will actually manufacture and distribute the goods.

It is a contractual deal to permit use of a brand in association with a defined product, for a defined period of time, in a defined territory.

Licensing is the process by which a brand / property owner extends a trademark or character out of its regular environment of doing business and onto products of a completely different nature.

Ralph Lauren started as a tie company. As the company expanded, they expanded via licensing to extend their brand. The company "licensed" their name, trademark, brand image to companies that sold cosmetics, for example, to create the broad line of Ralph Lauren fragrances.

Watch companies for example make big money deals to create cute novelty watches based on Sponge Bob, Elvis, Betty Boop, Barbie, movie tie-ins, etc.

Licensing can boost your business by expanding your company's market reach, creating new revenue streams, build your global awareness, develop new promotional & retail partnerships.

And Bobble Heads now exist for every type of character ranging from sports figures to cartoon characters and so on. The company signs deals with cartoon companies, etc. to manufacture the items, market and distribute them.
Bobble Heads date back to 1842, but it was the Willie Mays Bobble Head of 1998, that started to generate new excitement for the fun figurines.

Once you develop your brand, you can work to become a viable candidate for these lucrative licensing deals. Work on establishing your branded presence in the marketplace and the licensing deals will follow!

BRAND YOURSELF

You don't have to be a Fortune 500 corporation to have a 'brand'--sure, we associate the branding process with products/services such as "Brillo" , "Subaru" , "Apple" or "H.&R. Block", but we can all create and market ourselves and our small businesses with a Personal Brand.

Your brand is your identity. Build your brand based on who you are, and what you want your company to say, to mean, to represent.

What message do you want your company to convey? This is part of the branding process. You can create a logo that ties-in with the message you want to send to your clients and potential customers.

For example, if you run a small kiosk that sells coffee in a busy office complex, you might want to convey "speedy service" with "quality" coffee. Maybe the coffee cup in your logo is flying quickly through the sky? Or, maybe to suggest that fresh brewed aroma, you create a bag of coffee beans that looks professional, but fun.

Everything you do in your small business should be all about your brand. If someone approaches you and wants to pitch a product to you to sell in your store, make sure it is appropriate to your brand. Your brand--in the case of the coffee kiosk--is all about fresh taste, rich brew in a speedy setting--selling fountain pens or fresh baked bread from your kiosk is not in keeping with your brand. Deliciously prepared fresh sandwiches to go, however, might be.

Who are you? What do you represent? Make a list of five words or concepts that best tell who you are and/or what your small business is, and you are on your way to creating your own brand.

Subaru is all about creating an automobile for the rebel, the non-conformist, the person who doesn't mind quietly standing out in the crowd. Every car they design and manufacture, their showrooms, their salespeople, speaks to this emphasis on individuality. What do you want your company to convey?

LOVE & MONEY: Turn Your Passion Into A Moneymaking Enterprise

Do What You Love & The Money Will Follow:
Most successful entrepreneurs say they started their business because of the interest & passion they had for the topic, rather than a way to 'get rich quick.'

As you contemplate launching your small business, make two lists:

The first should be a list of your interests and hobbies. Do you love sports, gardening, crafts, cooking, building projects, cars, etc.

The second list should be a rundown of the skills and talents you have.
Are you a good speaker, are you detail oriented, do people tell you that your baked goods are top-notch, are you great with kids or animals, etc.?

Examine your two lists and see where the ideas and concepts intersect.
~For example, if you love cars and you are detail oriented, would you enjoy running a car detailing service, or
~If you love baking bread, and consistently turn out good products, could you bake for a local catering company?
~You have a passion for animals--how about a doggie day care, dog/cat sitting service?
~You have extra rooms in your home and enjoy taking care of people--plus you live in a college town & there are never enough hotel rooms for special events: how about a bed & breakfast?
~You love sports and photography: why not take photos and create DVDs of local teams, golfers, bowlers, etc.?

You can do what you love and the money will follow, so rather than stress how and become obsessed about starting a business that will make you a mint this year, consider taking the time to start a business that you will really love working on and developing; if you love it, you will enjoy it every day and you will love watching it succeed.

You Can Turn Your Passion Into A Moneymaking Enterprise!

3 Ways To Start Your First Small Business

There are 3 ways you can start your first business:
*one, as an independent entrepreneur starting from scratch
*two, purchase a "business opportunity" or "turnkey package"
*three, buy a franchise
Let's examine each option:

1. Launch an independently-owned business from scratch.
You have a business idea about which you are passionate and believe you can deliver your product or service to the marketplace better, cheaper or faster than the competition (if competition does exist for your new business idea.)

You'll be working alone as your own Small Biz Superman/woman. You start at home, part-time or on weekends without leaving your current job, benefits, etc. Once you build up clients or sources of revenue you are ready to expand your biz and possibly leave your 9 to 5 workplace.

Examples of an independently-owned small businesses include:
*making desserts, pastries & breads to sell to caterers & restaurants
*home insurance inventory service run from your laptop and camera
*landscaping service including firewood delivery/snow removal during the winter season
*open a retail store
*run an online auction business

2. You buy a "biz opp" or "turnkey package"
Business opportunity packages run the gamut from gift basket businesses to vending machines to car detailing services to snow cone or popcorn kettle machines. Startup costs run from $100 to more than $5000 to purchase these packages.

Companies sell you a "turnkey package" that usually includes a manual, marketing ideas and tools/inventory to start the business--the idea is that everything is included you just 'turn the key'--to get started. Make sure you investigate the company--see posting of November 21 on "How to Investigate A Biz Opp"--before you send any money to anyone. You are still working on your own but have a company that possibly provides you with basic tools such as accounting software, products, and perhaps a toll-free support line for help.

3. You purchase a franchise.
Franchising is a multi-trillion dollar business and it is estimated that about 66 cents of every dollar in the U.S. is spent at a franchise. Examples include: 7-Eleven, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, McDonald's, Midas, Meineke, and Supercuts.
Advantages: According to the International Franchise Association, a franchise is a way to "be in business for yourself, but not by yourself." You receive everything from help in choosing the location, to signage, uniforms, training, follow-up, products, software, advertising support.
Disadvantages: Can be costly, must pay royalties to company, terms may expire, must be able to follow franchise mode of operation and not deviate from patterns of doing business.
Check out franchise.org to learn about
franchising and get an idea of costs, training.