“Independent business owner” is a phrase with two meanings. Of course, it means being the owner of an independent business. But another way to look at “independent business owner” is to let this phrase define the very personality of the…

Selling your business is a major decision! You have devoted your time, money and energy to building, running and operating your business. It may well represent your life’s work. You have decided that now is the right time to sell,…

You’ve made the big decision to put your business on the market. Your reasons for selling are valid, carefully-considered, and “good” – the kind that won’t make a prospective buyer shy away. Now, you may tell yourself, comes the fun…

1. Make sure you have a valid reason for selling your business. Don’t decide to sell because you have had a bad week or because moving closer to the grandkids sounds like a good idea. Also, don’t decide to “test…

What is the true income of an independent business? This is a question of interest to many parties–including prospective buyers, investors, and lenders–but nobody is more determined to know the answer than the Internal Revenue Service. What makes the “truth”…

“Your salespeople didn’t listen when I placed my order, and when I wrote a letter to complain, they still didn’t get it right. I guess they don’t read any better than they hear.” Daniel Langley, the owner of a central…