Guidant Financial Group Blog

It is the start of a new year, a fresh start for many business owners. In an article for The Street, Laurie Kulikowski suggests some resolutions that entrepreneurs can make this year.

"Some can be quite simple, such as improving time management skills, whereas others can take a bit more strategy, such as finally getting on the social media bandwagon. Small-business owners should also use these early days to refresh their business plans and make an effort to, finally, implement some of those ideas you had but never quite put to use."

She suggests and explains ten resolutions such as "Stand out in a crowded social media space" and to "Create an effective brand" that entrepreneurs should consider. Read the full article here.

Check out the profile of Guidant Financial on the inc500 list.

As we approach a new year, many people are looking forward and are predicting a hopeful future for small business.

Laurie Kulikowski, a reporter for The Street, predicts that circumstances in 2012 will encourage people to start their own businesses.

Kulikowski writes that a "trend likely to ring true in the new year: an entrepreneurialism boom. Unemployment is still high, and the bump from seasonal jobs will soon be gone. Additionally, military troops are coming home, and some will have trouble finding jobs."

The article quotes Jennefer Witter of The Boreland Group saying that "With returning veterans who are leaving the military to those who are laid off, many will decided to take their professional lives in their own hands and create businesses that will provide long-term security, income and, most important, their own say in their professional lives."

Read the full article on NuWire Investor here.

Check out the profile of Guidant Financial on the inc500 list.

Magic Johnson with David Nilssen

During the meetup, they heard from such notable speakers as star athlete Magic Johnson and Twitter founder Biz Stone.

He asked what Johnson considers to be his greatest failure. 

Johnson replied that successfully overcoming the "dumb jock" persona was tough, but ultimately making sure that what the customer wants vs. what he personally likes was something he had to learn to put into practice.

A great reminder for anyone who owns a business and offers services or products to consumers.

Despite economic uncertainty, the Labor Department reported a rise in payrolls during the month of September.

CNN Money reports, "Employers added 103,000 jobs in the month ... And July and August were both revised higher, showing an additional gain of 99,000 jobs over the summer."

However, the increase still reflects a weak economy. CNN Money explains that "the economy has recovered only 2.1 million of the 8.6 million jobs lost since the recession began."

Read the full report here.

The Wall Street Journal reported some economists believing this growth is "Not weak enough to call it a recession, not strong enough to qualify as a healthy recovery/expansion."

Read the full article here.

Check out the profile of Guidant Financial on the inc500 list.

A list today on CashtoStart shares the Top 10 Crowdfunding Websites for Entrepreneurs. View that list here.

Though New York took the top spot,  we're certainly proud our home state ranked second!

There is a higher rate of entrepreneurs starting businesses today than we’ve seen in the past decade and a half, this according to the “Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity”, an annual index known as a leading indicator of new business creation in the United States.

A recent Inc. article highlighted this trend of economic independence. More and more people are taking direct control of their financial futures and becoming self-employed.

A deep recession and a shaky job recovery have persuaded many would-be entrepreneurs to put the corporate world behind them and set a new course for financial independence. A new vision for startup growth offered by both public and private sectors are encouraging this trend to continue.

This entrepreneurial spirit is at the heart of what Guidant is all about. We thrive on helping those seeking to finance a small business or franchise. We hold more top honors than any other industry provider, including national excellence awards from the Inc500, Small Business Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Check out our 401k Small Business Financing Structure to learn how you can invest your own retirement funds into starting a small business or franchise without any taxes or penalties.

Could this be the year?  For the third year in a row, one of Guidant's cofounders is a semifinalist for the “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year”.  This year they were nominated as a package deal.

David Nilssen and Jeremy Ames been selected by Ernst & Young as a Pacific Northwest semifinalist in one of the nation’s most prestigious business award programs for entrepreneurs.

Recognizing business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries, the Entrepreneur of the Year awards, according to Ernst & Young, “are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.”

We couldn’t be happier for David and Jeremy. They have kept Guidant not only afloat but full steam ahead in this last year’s tough economy—a remarkable feat for the men we call our leaders and friends.

We’ll learn whether David and Jeremy is crowned the award winner at a June 18 ceremony in Seattle. We’ll keep you posted!

Meanwhile, we’ve all got our fingers crossed and we’re hoping that, as the old expression goes, “The third time is the charm.”

On June 5th, 2009, Entrepreneur.com released an article about the 7 Essential Startup Steps. The article did a pretty good job of identifying steps that a new small business or franchise owner can take before launching to ensure a higher likelihood of success. They suggested that one:

• Do more market research
• Find the right financing
• Hire a great attorney
• Get a good CPA
• Use the right business entity
• Pick a good name
• Make sure you have the proper licensing and permits

This general information is very helpful for entrepreneurs. Having helped more than 4,000 people fund a business through 401(k) small business investing, Guidant has seen many different people from all walks of life go into business for themselves. There is one thing that we know brings immeasurable value to a new business owner…building a great team! This can include, but is not limited to a business broker or franchise consultant, attorney, CPA or tax professional and much more.

If you are considering opening or buying a business or franchise and would like to meet a professional in any of these areas – call us. We will happily make an introduction!

Scott Halford's column, Brainy Business, was fantastic today! Found on Entrepreneur.com, Scott focused on How to Avoid Self-Sabotage. He points out three very great points to consider:

• Avoid the "yes but..." trap. Instead, try using "yes and" so that you're additive to the idea process, not a detractor. You'll create barriers for yourself if you allow "yes but" to infect ideas.
• Create separate from evaluation. Brainstorm ideas free from evalution will allow creativity to flow. You can always go back later and try to evaluate whether it's valid or not.
• Think first, speak second. If you verbalize a negative emotion...it's more likely to become true (even if it's not in the first place).

We found this article very interesting because many individuals talk themselves out of starting a business because they act emotionally rather than logically about the decision. In addition, some of the greatest ideas never get off the ground because they are evaluated too quickly.

So what is the real lesson? Let your steak marinate for a few days before you cook it.

Do you think you need hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy or start a business? That may not necessarily be true! There are many low-cost franchise opportunities for individuals who are interested in owning a business.

Each year, Entrepreneur Magazine releases their Franchise500 list and subsequent lists to celebrate different franchise categories. This year, they ranked the following businesses as the top low-cost franchise opportunities:

• Instant Tax Service
• Jani-King
• Jan-Pro Franchising Int'l Inc.
• Kumon Math & Reading Centers
• ServiceMaster Clean
• Merle Norman Cosmetics
• Stratus Building Solutions
• Jazzercize Inc.
• Vanguard Cleaning Systems
• RE/Max Int'l Inc.

These franchisors, although not endorsed by either Guidant Financial Group or Entrepreneur, offer a way for new small business owners, franchisees and entrepreneurs to get into business for less than $50,000. A business or franchise of this size can still be financed, fairly easily, in this market. Many people are using 401(k) small business investing or unsecured loans to acquire their business. In addition, an SBA loan can still be a viable option.

Before you invest in any business or franchise it's important that you investigate the opportunity by interviewing attorneys, consultants and existing franchisees (if applicable). In addition, make sure you work with a reputable small business financing company so that you can adequately capitalize your small business or franchise investment.

Yesterday, The Entrepreneur's Source (E-Source) announced a new strategic partnership with Guidant Financial Group. This alliance adds to E-Source Coaches' arsenal of services for the aspiring entrepreneur. With this partnership, E-Source Business Coaches will not only help individuals find the right business for their lifestyle, goals, needs and expectations, but also assist clients through the challenging aspect of financing a new venture.

We are proud that E-Source chose Guidant Financial Group as their preferred funding source. Over the past five years we have worked extremely hard to build a reputable and reliable set of services. This partnership validates those efforts. While we dominate the market for 401(k) Rollovers (investments in a business using retirement funds), Guidant also helps individuals secure financing by means of SBA loans and unsecured loans and provides equipment financing.

We look forward to helping even more entrepreneurs invest in themselves, create jobs and keep American small business moving! Learn More about Franchise Financing.