Most business owners know the SBA can provide many different benefits for small business owners. What you may not know is that the SBA also provides certifications for particular types of business owners, including minorities, veterans and women. Obtaining these certifications could give a business a competitive edge in seeking new business opportunities and establishing credibility in the market.
Incubator Program Offers Resources for Entrepreneurs
The Ennovation Center, an Independence incubator program for entrepreneurs, opened in 2010 and has been serving small business owners ever since. The Ennovation Center is located in what was previously the Independence Regional Medical Center, allowing it the unique capability of housing a wet-lab and five fully equipped kitchens in addition to group work spaces, conference rooms and private offices. The Ennovation Center focuses on three business areas: bio-tech, culinary, and business & technology.
Choosing the Best Buyer for Your Business
Entrepreneurship is a wonderful thing; however, at some point, entrepreneurs may decide to sell their businesses for a number of reasons ranging from an impending retirement to partner dispute to new entrepreneurial pursuits. Establishing the seller’s desire for a sale makes for a better sale strategy and allows the seller to find the right buyer.
Looking for Investors? Consider the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit
If a startup does not manage to entice the right investors, the company is often left to seek funding through bootstrapping or bank loans which may be hard to obtain. Without access to the right investors and capital, startup may not be able to grow and succeed. For business owners in Kansas, the Angel Investor Tax Credit may be the additional incentive that entrepreneurial companies need to attract investors.
Initial Public Offerings
Initial public offerings or “IPOs” transition a company from being private to going public. Most often companies go public to raise capital, but companies may also raise capital though other means such as a private offering. Alternatively, some companies may be required to go public based on their size of the company and the number of shareholders such as Facebook. Regardless of company size, entrepreneurs should consider whether going public is right for their companies. Some advantages and disadvantages to going public are explained below.
Phantom Equity Agreements
Most entrepreneurs are always looking for ways to incentivize and reward key management and top performing employees in order to keep them within the organization. A common incentive is to offer ownership in the company to key employees through a stock plan. While ownership may seem to be an attractive option, adding an owner to the business creates risks for the current and potential new owner.