Small Business Encyclopedia
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No matter what business topic you're interested in, you'll find our category list is an easy way to navigate our small-business encyclopedia. From Accounting and Advertising to Location and Operations, every topic offers information on the terms that matter most. And if you can't find what you need here, our Terms A - Z list makes tracking down terms a snap.
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Popular Terms
Sole Proprietorship
Definition: A business that legally has no separate existence from its owner. Income and losses are taxed on the individual's personal income tax return.
Pricing a Product
Definition: To establish a selling price for a product.
Competitive Analysis
Definition: Identifying your competitors and evaluating their strategies to determine their strengths and weaknesses relative to those of your own product or service.
Network Marketing
Definition: A business model in which a distributor network is needed to build the business. Usually such businesses are also multilevel marketing in nature in that payouts occur at more than one level.
Partnership
Definition: A legal form of business operation between two or more individuals who share management and profits. The federal government recognizes several types of partnerships. The two most common are general and limited partnerships.
Market Research
Definition: The process of gathering, analyzing and interpreting information about a market, about a product or service to be offered for sale in that market, and about the past, present and potential customers for the product or service; research into the characteristics, spending habits, location and needs of your business's target market, the industry as a whole, and the particular competitors you face.
Popular Articles
These Coworkers-Turned-Friends Started a Side Hustle on Amazon — Now It's a 'Full Hustle' Earning Over $20 Million a Year: 'Jump in With Both Feet'
Achal Patel and Russell Gong met at a large consulting firm and "bonded over a shared vision to create a mission-led company."
Samsung's New Ad Pokes Fun at Apple's Controversial 'Crush' Ad
Creative universes overlap in a new ad from Samsung.
This Couple Turned Their Startup Into a $150 Million Food Delivery Company. Here's What They Did Early On to Make It Happen.
Selling only online to your customers has many perks. But the founders of Little Spoon want you to know four things if you want to see accelerated growth.
All Startups Need a Well-Defined Brand Positioning Statement. Here's a 3-Step Framework to Help You Craft One.
Startup founders often lack time but they should invest resources in identifying a winning brand position that will then drive all their strategic decisions.
An Ohio Pub Is Going Viral for Its 'No Exceptions' Door Policy — Here's Why
Only people of a certain age can grab a drink on a Friday or Saturday night at Donerick's Pub in Ohio.
Dell Is Labeling Hybrid Employees With 'Red Flags' Based on How Often They're in the Office
Dell will consider the frequency of employee badge swipes when it determines how hybrid employees are reviewed, rewarded, and compensated.