A Guide To a Successful Entrepreneurial Journey For Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Starting a venture is exciting and daunting at the same time. The excitement of embarking on a new journey, charting a new course, being independent and in control, the possibility of amassing substantial personal wealth, making a difference in the world are all reasons to look ahead with great excitement and anticipation. But at the same time, wading into the unknown, stepping outside your comfort zone, lack of a steady and predictable income, and skepticism by those around about entrepreneurship as a career choice, can create stress and anxiety. How do you prepare yourself to undertake such a journey? Read more.

Too often we think about what others will think about our plans, our vision, our dreams. Sometimes, we even doubt ourselves. But, what if? What if those plans, visions, dreams do work out? Learn how Acceler8Success Group may be able to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals and objectives.

Women entrepreneurs have it best in these metro areas: report

If you’re a woman starting her own business, you might want to consider moving to the Southeast, according to a new study.

On Tuesday, SmartAsset published a report that found the best U.S. metro areas for women entrepreneurs this year. Of the top 10 cities, four were in the Southeast. Learn more.

8 Myths of Private Equity

If you mention private equity to the average person, their first thought will likely be negative. They’ll think of an industry that destroys companies in search of the almighty profit, irrespective of who gets in the way.

In reality, private equity is an important instrument. At a certain point as a founder, you will have taken your company as far as you can on your own. To continue growing, you’ll need private equity.

In order for you to make use of this valuable instrument, you must first dispel the common myths about private equity companies. Read more.

Executive Opportunity: Invest in Your Own Business Brokerage Office

Small business and restaurant resales are on the rise making it an excellent time to consider owning your own business brokerage office. Learn more.

How to Get Your Business to Stand Out During COVID-19

Creativity is vital to any successful marketing strategy. It is the only way your business will stand out against your competition, and these days, it’s more critical than ever. Tapping into your creativity in these times of immense uncertainty and stress may seem impossible, but with the following tips, it’s actually much easier than you think. Read more.

She Built a Business With $30 Million in Revenue–and a Mission to Root Out Racism in the Construction Industry

Racism has always existed in the construction industry. But as the nation grappled with outrage and protests in the wake of the police killings of Black Americans including Breonna Taylor and George Floyd earlier this year, racist incidents in the White-dominated industry have come under more scrutiny than ever before. Read more.

9 Easy Ways to Stay Mentally Sharp

One of the scariest aspects of aging is the realization that your brain can’t function as well as it used to—whether that means accidentally putting the car keys in the microwave or forgetting the name of a new grandchild, it can be daunting.

Most people will experience some form of “brain aging” in their life, ranging from fuzzy thinking to Alzheimer’s disease. Although some causes of memory loss are genetic, you can still improve your brain’s sharpness. The earlier you start, the better—just like losing weight, it is easier to prevent brain aging than reverse it. Read more.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

In Tough Times For The Unemployed, Franchising Might Be Their Answer

With millions unemployed and numerous industries struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, some people who are out of work are considering a new career.

As positions dwindle in the fields they are familiar with, people are finding themselves forced to go outside their area of experience. And for some, that Plan B could be a blessing in disguise.

Owning a franchise has gained popularity in recent years, even in times of economic prosperity, as individuals have looked for a “second act” in their professional life. Franchise sales often do well in a down economy because unemployed people are tired of the lack of control they have in a corporate setting and are ready to become their own boss. Of course, there are also the additional dangled carrots of potentially more income and freedom. Read more.

Are you ready to own your own business?

Are you thinking of going into business for yourself and learning how the choice of a franchise can “jump-start” the process and your earning potential?  Well, Franchise Foundry can help. Working with in-house franchise professionals you will work one-on-one in determining if you’re right for franchising and whether it is right for you.  If you determine that franchising is a path to consider, you will be introduced to various industry segments and ultimately, brands that could be a “right-fit” situation . . . all to help ensure your future success! Learn more.

What makes successful franchises so profitable?

Every business owner dreams of the sustainability of their enterprises. Providing a good product or service, satisfying customers, establishing a reputation in the market are all generally great aspects to base a business on. To kick things up a notch, companies expand, but franchising does not happen overnight. It is just the beginning of a long process that needs constant hard work. Read more.

Identifying the Next Great Restaurant Franchise

When you need insight, asking an expert is the right way to go. Which is why Barbara Castiglia, host of The Main Course, sat down with Dan Rowe, Founder & CEO, Fransmart to discuss all things franchise. Why did we turn to Rowe to learn more about how to grow franchises? Good question. Rowe specializes in finding the next big thing in the franchise world. For more than 20 years, he has identified and grown brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries, QDOBA Mexican Grill and The Halal Guys from small unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today. Under Dan Rowe’s direction, Fransmart’s franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, as well as facilitated franchise investments that cumulatively generated over 1-billion in revenues to date. In other words, he knows how to make franchises a success. Read more.

If you’re looking for a business lending source to help finance your start-up or manage your future wealth, contact us today. Benetrends Financial, a pioneer in the industry, has helped thousands of potential small business owners like yourself secure funding over the past 35 years. Learn more.

Business Ownership: Deciding If Franchising Is The Best Route For You

Currently, there are more than 30 million small business owners in the U.S., and of those, nearly 800,000 are owned franchise businesses. Although franchise owners are considered small businesses, they have a lot of advantages that go-it-alone company startups do not share. There is sometimes a substantial investment upfront to invest in a franchise; however, the benefits are numerous. 

Although some people might consider franchise owners to be the epitome of Type A personalities set to revolutionize the world, many real franchise owners might indicate quite the contrary. Franchising is a system that operates on replicating the success of others. Read more.

5 Reasons A Franchise Business Is Even More Important Today

In 2019 and early 2020, the experts were predicting consistent growth in the franchise market. The International Franchise Association, in its February 2020 report, forecasted that franchises in the U.S. would grow by 2.8%, adding 232,000 jobs in 2020, for a total of 8.67 million employees.

While Covid-19 may have altered that prediction somewhat, there is great news about franchising, even during an economic or health crisis. Many franchise brands are even thriving, depending on the industry. So, for franchisors and franchisees (franchise owners), there are many reasons franchising will be more important in 2021 than ever before. Read more.

Technology and How it is Improving Franchising

 Using technology in business is essential for business growth and development, keeping ahead of the competition and increasing profits. Some of the best franchise opportunities around have understood this in exactly the right way and their franchisees are reaping the rewards. Read more.

Would you think about building a house without blueprints?

The purpose of a blueprint is a high-level plan that guides collaborators through the process of designing and contributing to the development of an open course. Its purpose is to visualize the overall “architecture” of the course to guide the design, development, and cooperation process. Now, think about how exploring franchise ownership would benefit from the development of a blueprint as its high-level plan? Learn more.

[Year in Review 2020] The Top 10 Books of 2020 for Entrepreneurs

Undoubtedly and unfortunately, the biggest development of the year 2020 was the coronavirus pandemic – with triple shock effects in health, economic, and social spheres. Though a big setback to many firms, a side-effect was a boost to digital adoption and hybrid business models. See our reviews of the books Pandemic Inc. and Coming Back from COVID for insights on business resilience.

The selection of our Top Ten Books this year provides advice for business models, leadership, tech trends, design thinking, startup ecosystems, storytelling, and connecting to a larger purpose. Read more.

He’s an Inspirational Serial Entrepreneur and a Founder’s Best Friend

Sam Kamani and his effervescent personality have sparked tens of thousands of founders. How? They’ve all read his book, “The 30 Day Startup.” His second book, “Business in the Time of Corona,” was recently released and offers insights on the value of pivoting with guidance as to when and how to best do so. That kind of advice is critical for founders who are typically not flush with cash and often naive about what’s involved, “The biggest disconnect is that founders start with an idea for a solution but the most successful founders start with a problem to solve. All founders get so fixated and have tunnel vision on their own product that they forget about the problem they need to solve,” says Kamani. Read more.

More Entrepreneurship, Less Recidivism Among The Formerly Incarcerated

Recidivism is a big problem in the U.S. Research shows that, within three years of their release, two out of three formerly incarcerated people are rearrested and more than 50% are incarcerated again. In New York, 53% of formerly incarcerated inmates are rearrested within three years.

Since finding steady, gainful employment is difficult for this population, such statistics shouldn’t be that surprising. Read more.

Are you ready to franchise your business or put your recently franchised brand on the right track?

Utilizing a hybrid coaching/consulting approach, the Franchise Foundry team develops and deploys effective short and long-term solutions in franchise management & operations, change management, traditional & digital marketing, relationship & business management technology and domestic & international franchise development. Franchise Foundry also assists franchise brands in raising capital and exploring merger & acquisition opportunities. The company has an expanding list of client brands across various industry segments, with its primary goal of positioning clients with unique, differentiating propositions to stand out in today’s highly competitive business environment. Learn more.

4 Future Trends That Represent Massive Opportunity

Staying on top of trends is how entrepreneurs succeed. I love reading and researching data to understand what’s to come. Sure, no one can predict the future — yet, but excited for the time when AI will do that for us — but trends are our best bet when it comes to projecting where business is heading.  

Not many years ago, we were predicting the rise of something called a smartphone and becoming comfortable with the idea of wide-scale digital subscription services with monthly fees and cars that drive themselves. Now the iPhone and Netflix are part of our everyday lives. Read more.

“ Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

10 Tips for Performing Franchise Due Diligence

For many, purchasing a franchise will be the most significant investment they’ll ever make, and no one should ever buy a franchise without performing the proper due diligence. Whether it be looking over the Franchise Disclosure Document or talking to advisors, it’s imperative to really dig in and do the research required to get a full understanding of the brand and the franchise requirements. Read more.

Forget 2020: Mark Cuban’s Secrets to Focusing on the Future

Mark Cuban knows what he would do if he were starting over today. That is if he wasn’t a globally recognizable billionaire in his early 60s, if he were instead a fresh-faced 20-something just out of college or someone looking to make his way in the world, Cuban would focus his time and energy on one thing: voice computing. He would learn everything he possibly could about scripting for Amazon and for Google Home. He would build a business around teaching both at-home consumers and commercial enterprises how to personalize and customize their voice-activated devices. Read more.

Why Entrepreneurs Need To Talk About Their Mental Health

72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health issues compared to just 48% of non entrepreneurs. That’s according to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health. 49% of entrepreneurs deal with mental health issues directly while only 32% of others experienced them. Similarly, 23% of entrepreneurs have family members who face these issues compared to just 16% of others with family members who face these same types of issues. Read more.

Tony Hsieh, entrepreneur who made Zappos an online retail giant, dies at 46

Tony Hsieh, an e-commerce entrepreneur who built Zappos into an online shoe and clothing retail giant and became an influential figure in technology and management circles, before stepping down as chief executive in August, died Nov. 27. He was 46. His death was announced in a statement by Zappos chief executive Kedar Deshpande. Read more.

4 Strategic Business Lessons From Entrepreneurs Who Run Their Business Completely Online

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has already brought enormous change in the way we do business. Millions of people are forced to run their business completely online, working from home. Of course change is inevitable in business, things change in time; but the pandemic made it compulsory to adapt to a new reality, to survive. Even after several months, the future still looks uncertain; the only thing we can be sure of at the moment is, doing business online.

Right now, for any entrepreneur, the main emphasis should be on sharpening the digital business strategies. Here, four entrepreneurs from different countries and different sectors share their experience and a lesson they’ve learned while running their completely online businesses. Read more.

Faces of Entrepreneurship: Melisse Shaban, Virtue

What does “entrepreneurship” mean to you?
Melisse Shaban: To me, entrepreneurship is having a vision, something you see potential and opportunity in, or recognizing an unmet need or a better solution to a problem. Like an extreme sport, serial entrepreneurs love a challenge and embrace risk. It’s the rush of doing something that hasn’t been done in the way you think it can be done and living with the consequences. There’s no 9 to 5, there’s no “it’s just a job.” There’s no “it’s a living.” It’s a passion, almost a compulsion. It gets inside you. The only way to get it out is by exercising that opportunity. Read more.

If you’re looking for a business lending source to help finance your start-up or manage your future wealth, contact us today. Benetrends Financial, a pioneer in the industry, has helped thousands of potential small business owners like yourself secure funding over the past 35 years. Learn more.

How Entrepreneurs Think About Debt

In the 20 years I’ve been covering entrepreneurs and trying to better understand why some businesses succeed and others fail, few things have surprised me more than the realization that many owners routinely sign personally for loans, explicitly putting their homes at risk. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who didn’t know this. In fact, I’m confident there are spouses of business owners who don’t realize how widespread (or close to home) this practice may be. At Forbes and The New York Times I worked with very smart business journalists who believe that those who work on Wall Street or in venture-backed startups take great financial risk — even though it’s generally with other people’s money — without fully appreciating the risks taken by everyday business owners. Read more.

10 Apps to Help New Entrepreneurs, Still at Black Friday Pricing

Technology can make life easier for entrepreneurs, especially new ones who are trying to grow their businesses. But enterprise technology isn’t always super affordable. Fortunately, we’ve rounded up some of the most useful apps on the market that are still at Black Friday prices. These are the final hours of these sales, though, so get on them now. Just use code BFSAVE40 to score an extra 40 percent off. Read more.

Move Makers Consulting Equips Entrepreneurs with ‘Practical’ Strategies for Social Media Success

At the onset of the pandemic, Lamonte Lans, also known as “Monty”, was among the brilliant minds who quickly realized that the dynamics of entrepreneurship would never be the same again. He described the global circumstance as a “wake up call” for entrepreneurs to embrace innovative ways in reaching out to their consumers. Hence, Monty built Move Makers Consulting to help businesses and individuals grow and scale their success on Instagram. Read more.

Below is our Weekly Recap with links to each day’s newsletter from the previous week. We’re pleased to report that the relaunch of Acceler8Success Cafe has been a success as evident by the increasing numbers in views on and shares from our site, across social media and from the many messages received. Thank you to all our readers and previous and new subscribers for helping to put Acceler8Success Cafe on the road to success!

Acceler8Success Cafe Monday 11.23.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Tuesday 11.24.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Wednesday 11.25.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Thanksgiving Day 11.26.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Friday 11.27.20

Our goal is to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs architect a plan of continuous accelerated movement toward a pinnacle of desired success, even if and when previously thought to be unattainable. This process has been developed around our proven e-IDEA (explore, identify, develop, execute & analyze) methodology. Deployed effectively, it is key to sustainability and ultimately, to success… Acceler8Success! Learn more.

7 Entrepreneurs Reveal How They Spend Their Holidays

Entrepreneurs and business owners are always juggling a lot of things and when time comes for a holiday sometimes entrepreneurs like to take a break or sometimes they like to catch up on certain projects. Just like everyone has a unique business, their approach to holidays is also unique. Read more.

11 Most Famous Entrepreneurs of All Time (and What Made Them Wildly Rich)

From Oprah to Hans Christian Anderson, we’re sharing these tales of past and present entrepreneurs who had to claw their way to the top. Read more.

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Holiday Book Club: A Roadmap for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Want more opportunities to be innovative and entrepreneurial? Wharton School professor Ethan Mollick is here to help.

Mollick recently published the book “The Unicorn’s Shadow: Combating the Dangerous Myths that Hold Back Startups, Founders, and Investors” (published by Wharton School Press). Through his research — which he labels evidence-based entrepreneurship — he uses data to call out some common myths he sees in the world of entrepreneurship, and he challenges young entrepreneurs to think differently on their paths to success. Read more.

10 Success Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs

In the digital age, becoming a successful entrepreneur is more accessible than ever before. Anyone with a few bucks and an internet connection can become an Internet mogul if they play their cards right and have the patience and savvy to work the system. Our founder, Eric Porat, took a website from scratch to 70,000 visitors per month in three years and has since sold dozens of websites for over half a million dollars.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it’s far from it. So here are 10 tips for success to get you started. Read more.

3 Top Lessons From Entrepreneurs Who Successfully Pivoted In The Pandemic

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, millions of entrepreneurs and business owners have had to reinvent themselves or their businesses in order to stay afloat.

Many suddenly found themselves offering services that were no longer viable in a pandemic, or products that were no longer as much in demand as consumers hunkered down at home and cut their spending. From restaurant owners to event planners, millions have had to seek out new ways of doing businesses—or new businesses entirely—in order to survive. Not all have been successful.

But some nimble entrepreneurs have been able to establish new sources of revenue and are not just surviving but thriving. Here are three top lessons from entrepreneurs who’ve successfully pivoted in the pandemic. Read more.

Small Business Saturday November 28th

Saturday, November 28th is #SmallBusinessSaturday. As you shop and dine on this annual event by American Express, please remember that franchises are small business just like Mom & Pop businesses on Any Street, USA. And, just like those independent business owners, franchise owners take entrepreneurial risk, invest their life savings, work long hours, give back to their local communities, compete with big box retailers and much more. Please help in this cause by frequenting these businesses and by sharing your experience and photos across social media. Thank you! #ShopSmall #ShopLocal #ShopFranchise

Thanksgiving is Important for Entrepreneurs… Why?

It’s Thanksgiving, and you are probably looking forward to spending time with family and friends… or just getting some much-needed rest. But for entrepreneurs, Thanksgiving is something much more important. It’s a time to be thankful for how far you’ve come and all of the ups and downs involved in pursuing your business dreams in the past year. Plus, it gives you a valuable tool to use throughout the year. Read more.

This Thanksgiving, Entrepreneurs Should Focus On Gratitude

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, but not because it is the only day where it is socially acceptable to gorge myself on turkey (which, in my opinion, is a highly under-appreciated meat, but I digress.)

I love Thanksgiving because it forces me to take the time to reflect on the past year and the people and experiences that shaped it.

Entrepreneurship is an amazing journey, full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It’s such a rapid-fire experience that sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Read more.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

John F. Kennedy

Thanksgiving 2020: An Attitude of Gratitude

Indeed, I am very grateful for many, many things in 2020: my family, my health, my friends, SBE Council supporters and members, and the ongoing opportunity to advocate for entrepreneurs and small businesses – especially during this challenging period in our nation’s history.

In this week’s Growth Without Barriers podcast with host Gregg Stebben, we highlight several things all of us should be grateful for: Read more.

Entrepreneurship Skills Can Last A Lifetime

When it comes to adapting to the ever-changing and complex world of work we currently inhabit, the qualities of entrepreneurs are probably up there. After all, to cope with the demands of startup life, entrepreneurs often have to be open-minded, confident, creative, determined, and disciplined, all of which are qualities that are valuable in whatever form of life we find ourselves.

It’s perhaps no surprise, therefore that there is a growing interest in developing entrepreneurship skills in young people, with a number of platforms available for youngsters to put their skills to the test. Read more.

How Generation Z Is Altering the Face of Entrepreneurship for Good

For the longest time, my generation, the Millenials, were touted as the Entrepreneurial generation. For the most part, we have lived up to the billing. However, as the world evolves, the art of business evolves with it, and it turns out that Generation Z has more to do with this evolution than many care to admit. 

Generation Z entrepreneurs are springing forth at such a startling rate that a recent Gallup Student Poll found that 40 percent of students surveyed from grades five to 12 stated they wanted to run their own business. Then, 24 percent said they have already started. At this rate, it isn’t at all challenging to see Generation Z take over as the most Entrepreneurial Generation. Read more.

As you’re shopping on November 28th #SmallBusinessSaturday please remember that some of your neighbors may own local franchises and as such, are #smallbusiness owners just the same as local Mom & Pop owned businesses. So, #shopsmall #shoplocal and #shopfranchise as you can. Thank you!

Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Are Vital to Our Economy and We Must Nurture Both

Urban entrepreneurs and small businesses may originate and operate differently. But for each to flourish, they require resources and professional expertise that increasingly are not evenly applied. Yet, both are vital to Main Streets, neighborhoods and the financial revitalization of cities.

Far too often, the resources needed to foster hubs of activity focus more on tech startups than the more traditional small businesses like coffee shops, cleaners and hair salons.

But small businesses need nurturing, too, given their significance to national and local economies —  two-thirds of new jobs and 44 percent of U.S. economic activity. Read more.

The Launch: Shining A Spotlight On Female Entrepreneurs

Until recently, the entrepreneurial field was typically reserved for the male gender, but it has increasingly been infiltrated by strong, fearless, and intelligent women in recent years. The Launch is a PR business and coaching company with the sole mission of shining a spotlight on these enterprising women through the power of publicity.

Led by award-winning PR mogul Lynn Mooney, The Launch was created with the female entrepreneur and startup in mind. The brand takes Mooney’s decade of industry experience and creates DIY PR digital products for those businesses who want to get the word out but lack the big agency budgets. Read more.

6 Reasons to Appreciate Entrepreneurship This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is upon us once again, a time when Americans eat delicious food, spend time with family, and (hopefully) step away from work. And as always, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on what you’re grateful for.

And why not? After all, gratitude has been proven to increase health and happiness. In fact, studies have shown that people who practice gratitude experience fewer aches and pains, feel healthier, are more resilient, and even sleep better than those who don’t. Thanksgiving or not, everyone should make a habit of practicing gratitude. Read more.

If you’re traveling this holiday week, please stay safe. Take extra time if you’re driving. Be patient if traveling by plane. And, be alert if vacationing. Enjoy. #Thanksgiving #travel #staysafe

Franchises are Small Business Too!

Franchises are small business just like Mom & Pop businesses on Main Street, USA. And, just like those independent business owners, franchise owners take entrepreneurial risk, invest their life savings, work long hours, give back to their local communities, compete with big box retailers and much more.#SmallBusinessSaturday #ShopSmall #ShopLocal #ShopFranchise #DineSmall #DineLocal #DineFranchise

45 facts about small businesses in America

Data from 2017 and 2018 showed that fewer than 80% of businesses make it beyond their first year, while only around half survive for at least five years or more. In 2019 small businesses provided employment for nearly 60 million workers, and the pressure of making payroll every week can be decimating if sales don’t meet expectations. And that was before the pandemic took its toll, shuttering thousands of small businesses, some closing temporarily but many for good. Small Business Saturday—when independent sellers hold sales and specials to attract holiday shoppers away from Amazon and big-box retailers—falls on Nov. 28 this year. Supporting these businesses has quite possibly never been more important. Read more.

Entrepreneur’s Thanksgiving: Reasons to be thankful in running a business

Thanksgiving is such a special time, and for those of us who have been fortunate enough to be able to start a business, we have more to be thankful for than ever. I was thinking of my own life as an entrepreneur and CEO of CorpNet. Every day running a business, marketing my business, working with my treasured small business employees and customers, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for so many things. Read more.

5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Ease the Inevitable Holiday Stress

For the better part of my life — well into my adult years — I celebrated the holiday season much like Ralphie in A Christmas Story. I welcomed the season by hanging holiday lights, starting Christmas music as early as Thanksgiving and re-watching every classic Christmas movie all month. It was the time of year that I allowed myself the indulgence of acting much younger than my years reflected.

Then something happened that changed all of this for me. I became an entrepreneur. Read more.

Entrepreneurs: What Are You Most Thankful For?

“As an entrepreneur, I am most grateful to those first few customers who took a chance on us during the early days. The first customers are far and away the hardest to secure. Every enterprise startup needs a first customer who believes enough in the startup idea to look past startup risks and is willing to invest into the future potential of the product. Thank you!”

Marius Moscovici, Founder & CEO, Metric Insights

More quotes by Entrepreneurs.

5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Get Ahead Over the Holidays

With the holidays coming up, most of the world is looking forward to taking a week or two off from work, spend time relaxing, vacationing and spending time with family. Not entrepreneurs!

While most sane founders do, of course, spend at least a few days soaking in the holiday cheer with their loved ones, we can’t help continuing to work on our business to prepare for an even stronger new year — especially because we know our competitors are doing the same. Read more.

As you’re shopping on November 28th #SmallBusinessSaturday please remember that some of your neighbors may own local franchises and as such, are #smallbusiness owners just the same as local Mom & Pop owned businesses. So, #shopsmall #shoplocal and #shopfranchise as you can. Learn about Small Business Saturday.

Business Ownership: Deciding If Franchising Is The Best Route For You

Currently, there are more than 30 million small business owners in the U.S., and of those, nearly 800,000 are owned franchise businesses. Although franchise owners are considered small businesses, they have a lot of advantages that go-it-alone company startups do not share. There is sometimes a substantial investment upfront to invest in a franchise; however, the benefits are numerous. 

Although some people might consider franchise owners to be the epitome of Type A personalities set to revolutionize the world, many real franchise owners might indicate quite the contrary. Franchising is a system that operates on replicating the success of others. Read more.

Pope inspires young entrepreneurs to rebuild economy

Pope Francis urged young economists, entrepreneurs and business leaders Saturday to promote post-pandemic development models that involve the poor.

Francis, in a videotaped message for a forum of young people in Assisi, Italy, said the worst reaction once the coronavirus pandemic ends would be to “fall even more deeply into feverish consumerism and forms of selfish self-protection.” Read more.

Understanding SBA Loan Types

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers an array of loans designed to give entrepreneurs a boost when starting or growing their businesses. 

These loans feature favorable interest rates, extended payback terms, and flexibility in use of proceeds. With the myriad types of loans available and complex applications, many small business owners turn to an SBA loan specialist like Benetrends to help them navigate the process.  

As seen in the recent post, SBA Loans: What They Are and How to Get Them,  understanding SBA loan types is an important step. Here is a look at the most common SBA loans, their criteria, uses, interest rates, and details. Read more.

Entrepreneurship Is Accelerating at the Fastest Rate in Decades During This Pandemic

As officials in many areas impose new pandemic lockdowns and restrictions going into the holiday season, things can seem bleak. Depression rates are up, people are fleeing cities in droves, elected leaders regularly violate their own orders, and fraud is rampant in the government’s COVID-19 stimulus programs.

It’s understandable to feel frustration and despair. But more Americans are pushing past the grimness to create and invent during this challenging time. Entrepreneurship continues to soar during the pandemic, as displaced dreamers and imaginative doers spot new opportunities and build new businesses at a record pace. It may be one of the few 2020 bright spots. Read more.

Our goal is to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs architect a plan of continuous accelerated movement toward a pinnacle of desired success, even if and when previously thought to be unattainable. This process has been developed around our proven e-IDEA (explore, identify, develop, execute & analyze) methodology. Deployed effectively, it is key to sustainability and ultimately, to success… Acceler8Success! Learn more.

Today’s edition of Acceler8Success Cafe for Sunday 11.22.20 is our Weekly Recap where we share links to each day’s newsletter from the previous week and a preview of that day’s most popular shared article. We’re pleased to report that the relaunch of Acceler8Success Cafe has been a success as evident by the increasing numbers in views on and shares from our site, across social media and from the many messages received. Thank you to all our readers and previous and new subscribers for helping to put Acceler8Success Cafe on the road to success!

Monday 11.16.20

How Being An Entrepreneur Outside of Your Business Life Creates Success

You can find entrepreneurs in everyday people, the kind of people you see at the grocery store, and in your neighborhoods. Everyone has entrepreneurship inside of them; it’s just how they use it. Some of these people create opportunities for their business, and others create opportunities for their life. Very few people can do both.  

David Baker is one of the people who live an equally exciting business and personal life. An author, speaker, and advisor of entrepreneurial experts, this guest on Making Bank is a successful man who launched a 25-year career of advising experts in their fields. Being called the “experts’ expert,” Baker is here to discuss how his life is just as exciting outside of his work life, how when you get caught up in current success it can cause damage. Read more.

Tuesday 11.17.20

3 Tips for Solopreneurs to Stay Ahead in a Constantly Changing World

Sodan Selva was on the fast track early in his career. He went to grad school, studied economic development and landed a job in investment banking.

But his dream wasn’t to be an investment banker. His dream, from the time he was 9, was to be a musician. So he saved up his money as an investment banker, then quit his job and struck out on his own. It’s the stuff legends are made of—the young and passionate dreamer turning his back on the cushy and safe but also stuffy and boring desk job to carve his own path, to follow the road less traveled, to chase the muse that had grown in his heart since he was a young boy.  

Two decades later, Selva’s analysis of this first bold move of his career is succinct: “That was my first majorly failed entrepreneurial adventure. It was all passion, no product market fit.” Read more.

Wednesday 11.18.20

This Is An Entrepreneurs Surefire Weapon Against Burnout

Entrepreneurs are responsible for forging their paths forward in business, but that can lead to burnout, fast.

The best way for entrepreneurs to fight against burnout is by developing emotional intelligence. Here are a few ways this commonly misunderstood soft skill will help protect your mental health and transform your day-to-day. Developing emotional intelligence will help you… Read more.

Thursday 11.19.20 Special Franchising Edition

6 Ways Being in a Franchise System Helped Me Survive Covid-19

Want to know one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made as a small business owner? Whether or not to become a franchisor and turn my brand into a franchise system. Turning Code Wiz into a franchise system came with many hard moments that challenged me as an entrepreneur. But becoming a franchise system has also rewarded me in ways I could have never even imagined. The other thing I could have never imagined? Living through a global pandemic as a business owner and leader. 

But here I am. The proud owner of a franchise business and a survivor of 8-months of Covid-19 and the health and economic impacts it created. I am grateful every day – for both the health of my family and that I turned my business into a franchise. Because turning my business into a franchise system helped it survive Covid-19. Read more.

Friday 11.20.20

How we can revive entrepreneurial courage in America

Thirty years ago, Fortune Magazine ran a story proclaiming much hope and optimism that our nation was in “a golden age for entrepreneurs” that makes these “the best of times for launching a business in the U.S.

The evidence in 1990 was clear: Our economy was expanding, with new opportunities for new-starts. Personal capital was plentiful. And the power of the computer had leveled the playing field for the smallest of businesses. Read more.

Saturday 11.21.20

What Does Entrepreneurial Freedom Mean to You?

For many people, one of the main motivations behind starting their own business is the idea of the freedom it represents. In many ways, this is quite a bizarre concept because most of the small business owners I know are also some of the hardest working people I know. Despite this, I know very few who, once they have made the leap, would go back to the 9 to 5.

Entrepreneurial freedom is about so much more than escaping the same old, same old of the working day. It’s about being the master of your own destiny and reaping the rewards of your own endeavours. Read more.

Our goal is to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs architect a plan of continuous accelerated movement toward a pinnacle of desired success, even if and when previously thought to be unattainable. This process has been developed around our proven e-IDEA (explore, identify, develop, execute & analyze) methodology. Deployed effectively, it is key to sustainability and ultimately, to success… Acceler8Success! Learn more.