Many startup crises can be averted by seeking expert guidance in the planning stages, long before leases are signed or business cards are printed. Like a savvy career counselor or financial planner, the right advisor can help you build a solid foundation as well as steer you through choppy waters once you open your doors. Consultants, business coaches and even seminars can nip problems in the bud.

The author describes -- and refutes -- four common business plan myths to assist start-ups and growing small businesses.

A business plan isn't as useful for raising financing as the prevailing entrepreneurial wisdom holds, argues the founder of an Internet marketing concern. Instead, focus on building the business and the money will follow, the author advises.

A planning meeting should set the foundation for real strategy, not set forth the strategy itself. Find out how one company made the most of its two-day session.

Financiers decode business plans, looking for the secrets of probable success. If yours shows a customer-driven opportunity that your company's talent, passion and skin in the game can actually pull off, they're more likely to be impressed.

Know how to make sense of the current economy and its impact on franchise funding. Financing is still available for qualified people, but selecting the right funding strategy is more important than ever. It's time to get creative when thinking about financing options

If anything's hot in today's economy, it's saving money, including a broad range of green businesses helping people save energy, water and other resources. For those seeking flexible hours and low startup costs, these five green businesses to start at home may be the best way to join the green business wave.

They say that wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from making mistakes. How true. This article intends to help you gain wisdom from the experience of others rather than having to pay the cost of learning from your own mistakes. These mistakes can represent real dollars--and avoiding them can make a big difference in the total investment you need for your new business and ultimately how profitable the business becomes.

Franchising isn't for everyone. Successful franchisees often differ from the typical entrepreneurs in significant ways. Read on to see if you have 8 key characteristics to survive in a franchise.

Some franchise businesses thrive in tough times. Learn about the best industries and niche markets to buy a franchise within during a recession.

Start a business in less than a month?! That's right. It doesn't have to take weeks or years.

These businesses are booming despite the gloomy economy. Some have minimal startup costs for the entrepreneur on a shoestring, while others may require a heftier investment - but immediate cash flow.

Make sure you’ve covered all your bases before you launch. These 7 essential steps apply to any business you might want to start -- don't skip a single one!

In the midst of all the activity of starting your own business, important elements of legal planning can be overlooked, sometimes with consequences that aren’t easily remedied. The following are 10 common legal mistakes made by new business owners and advice on how to approach each situation.

Here's an insider's guide to four of the best startup resources, which provide information, advice and assistance, often at no charge. Armed with the proper coordinates, you can gain quick, direct access to one-on-one counseling, step-by-step strategic guidance, legal advice, funding opportunities and more.

Whether you are growing your marketing consultancy practice to add more employees and take on more clients, or you are expanding your online product distribution business to include a retail store, the location of your new space and the terms of your lease are paramount to the continued success of your business. Learn more about moving from your basement to the perfect piece of commercial real estate with this article.

Despite the real and significant decline in American manufacturing jobs, the number of U.S. entrepreneurs who are starting up manufacturing companies is rising--and has been pretty steadily for years. That's the message of a 2006 report from the Kauffman Foundation, which found the growth of an index of entrepreneurial activity for manufacturing was higher than the same figure for services and trade from 1996 to 2005. U.S. manufacturing is making a comeback, and with high-quality products and fast delivery, it's beating out overseas competition.

Before you decide to move, expand or relocate your business, check out this Quick-Read to learn what really matters as you make your decisions.

Even in a tough real estate market, stay focused on your business plan when making relocation decisions. Decisions to lease or buy, as well as where, when, and what -- all depend on your business's specific goals.

California continues improving its business environment by focusing on entrepreneurial concerns and what the state can do to help.