Buying a Small Business


Recent Buying a Small Business Articles

Organic Snacks

Think your organic pretzels would sell in a snap? This growing natural foods niche might just prove you right.  Read more

The Best Industries for Starting a Business Right Now

What niches are poised for growth? Our annual list this year features green toys, organic snacks, historical site tours, physical therapy, location-based app...  View slideshow

6 Great Historical Site Businesses

Catering to casual tourists is an industry growing at 16 percent a year. These businesses are some of the best in this hospitality niche.  View slideshow

Elevator Pitch: StorageByMail

StorageByMail lets customers ship away their clutter to a storage facility. Can it get $1.3 million from investors?  Read more

5 Start-ups Bubbling Up At TED

Five projects to watch from the TED community.  Read more

Founders Ousted at Brewpub

A merger goes hopelessly wrong at Penn Brewery.  Read more

Elevator Pitch: Smackages

Smackages gives women free makeup samples online. Can it get $1 million for its own makeover?  Read more

How to Assemble a Team to Buy a Business

Sure, there are the obvious experts you need by your side when buying a business. But did you consider a technology analyst, who could help evaluate the stat...  Read more

Small Circus, Big Dreams

Small circus troupes are creating opportunity for agile performers with entrepreneurial aspirations.  Read more

Elevator Pitch: Lifesta

Lifesta lets people resell their unused Groupon coupons. Can it raise $1.5 million?  Read more

How to Negotiate When Buying a Business

If you're naturally gifted in the art of negotiation, buying a business will put your skills to the test. If you're not, you're going to need to brush up in ...  Read more

5 Things You Should Never Say While Negotiating

If you're new to negotiating or find it difficult, here are some missteps to avoid.  Read more

What to Look For in a Seller

So you're buying a business. You'll want to collect as much information as you can about the seller's business operations, finances and personal motivation.  Read more

CES Versus SXSW Interactive

While thinking about these two conferences this month, I realized that I haven't looked in-depth on what the difference is between the two.  I hear l...  Read more

The Best and Worst Franchises to Own

Thinking about opening a franchise? The SBA ranks the franchises with the highest failure rates.  Read more

How to Finance an Acquisition

The credit crunch has led to an increase in seller financing, asset-based lending and alternative sources of capital for buyers.  Read more

How to Start a Jewelry Making Business

Be it quartz or slightly quirky, jewelry is a hot market. Here is how to find your niche and get started selling gems.  Read more

5 Tips for Executing a Successful Acquisition

It is a buyer's marketplace out there for deal seekers. But negotiating a reasonable price and creating synergy is an art not every company masters.  Read more

6 Top Performing Industries for 2011

Want to start a business in 2011? Market researcher IBISWorld has targeted six industries with high potential for growth in the year to come for small and me...  View slideshow

Elevator Pitch: Keen Guides

Keen Guides makes iPhone travel apps for the hearing impaired. Can it get $1.2 million to cover more cities?  Read more

How to Build and Maintain Good Business Credit

In a tight economy, good credit is key to expanding your business. Here are a few tips to keep your credit on track.  Read more

Restoring Trust to Banking

Smart companies such as Venmo, BankSimple, and PayPal are experimenting with clever ways to rebuild trust in the banking system.  Read more

The 2010 Business Valuation Guide

Are you looking to buy or sell a business? Here's what you need to know about private company business valuations.  Read more

A Stagnant Market

Business valuations have remained frozen in time for the past nine quarters. Are there any signs that that will change in 2011?  Read more

How Much Is Your Company Worth?

This chart shows how much businesses are selling for in 131 industries. Where does your business fit in?  Read more

Elevator Pitch: ShopKeep

ShopKeep makes point-of-sale software for small businesses. Can it raise $1 million from investors?  Read more

The Demand Economy

How to locate deep pools of demand in a shrinking marketplace  Read more

Hot Market: The Aging Population

Baby boomers are hitting old age—and they are terrified of nursing homes. If only there was some way to keep the elderly in their homes and healthy.  Read more

Hot Market: Eco-Friendly Homeowners

Forget McMansions—tomorrow’s home is smaller and greener.  Read more

Hot Market: Consumer-Friendly Financial Services

The fees are high. The service is lousy. And strange charges appear for no reason. There has to be a better way to bank.  Read more

Hot Market: Locavores

Tainted burgers. Contaminated eggs. E. coli scares. No wonder Americans are looking close to home for their food.  Read more

Hot Market: Insomniacs

The problem with an always-on, 24-hour, caffeine-fueled culture: When you want to go to sleep, your humming brain won’t let you.  Read more

Hot Market: The Outsourced Work Force

More businesses are turning to remote workers. But can you really be sure that your off-site employees are working?  Read more

Hot Market: Bike Commuters

In urban areas, the average motorist spends nearly two days a year stuck in traffic. Perhaps biking is the answer.  Read more

Making Your Business Sellable 

Serial entrepreneur John Warrillow answers reader questions on how to build value in your business.  Watch video