University of La Verne SBDC Small Biz Blog

  Domain Name (Google Domains) What is a Domain A domain name is a unique address that identifies a website or online service, and it is used to locate and access resources on the internet. A domain name, website, and  URL are not the same thing.  A URL or   Uniform Resource Locator is a complete web address, including the domain name, used to access a web page like: http://www.stasiasbakery.com.  The domain name is What comes after “www.” in a web address and after the “@” in an email address such as stasiasbakery.com.  The website is the only content people see and interact with when they visit pages associated with a domain name.  Having a domain name is important for showing up in search results. When customers search online, your domain and website can show up in the search results. Brand building, by controlling how your business shows up on the web. With a domain, you own how your business shows up on the web. Professionalism: Today’s consumers expect businesses to have a websit

Mel Austin is an actor, comedian, and owner of Squeaky Clean Comedy, inc, also known as Laughing 2 Success. Mel is a self-described clean comedian and motivational speaker for church events, corporate training, and anti-bullying seminars for school-age children. “We are taking the benefits of laughter and making it available to everyone by being clean,” Mel explained. Mel is a United States Marine Corps Veteran who, as a high school student, liked to motivate students in pep rallies and eventually motivate soldiers in the Marine Corps. Mel continued to increase his skills through Toastmasters and speaking engagements. A friend eventually got Mel into acting and he branched out into comedy. “So it is here, now 29 years later. It all comes full circle, and I'm literally combining all of them: motivation, comedy, and inspiration. All in one and bringing that in many different venues,” Mel said. Challenges One of the challenges Mel experienced, like most performers, is taking gigs and

Are you a professional looking to start your own business but don't know how to set it up? If you are a professional like a doctor, lawyer, or accountant then you may need to form a professional corporation. In this video, I’ll explain what a professional corporation is, who needs to form a corporation, and how to set one up .  What is a Professional Corporation? So, what is a professional corporation? According to the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act: "A corporation organized under the General Corporation Law or pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13406, that is engaged in rendering professional services in a single profession, except as otherwise authorized"  CALIFORNIA CORPORATIONS CODE, §§ 13400-13410 This means anyone who is licensed under the provisions of the Business and Professions Code as a professional needs to form and operate the business as a corporation. If you are new to the business, a corporation is a separate business entity you want to lear

If you have a passion for fixing things and enjoy working with your hands, starting a handyman business may be the perfect way to turn your skills into a profitable business. Starting a handyman business can be an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy working with their hands and want to be their own boss. With the demand for home repairs and renovations on the rise, starting a handyman business can be a lucrative venture. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to get your handyman business up and running successfully. Business Planning One of the first steps in starting a handyman business is identifying your target market and competition. Your target market includes the specific group of people or businesses you will be serving with your services. This may include homeowners, property managers, real estate agents, and small business owners. Another important step in starting a handyman business is creating a business plan and setting goals. Your goals shou

Are you struggling to develop a successful marketing plan for your business? Creating an effective marketing strategy can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By answering seven critical questions about your business, you can develop a comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with your goals and maximizes your return on investment. In this article, we'll walk you through each question and provide actionable tips and insights to help you create a marketing plan that drives results with examples. Let's get started. Check out the example here. Question #1: What is Your Business Identity? Your business identity is the unique set of characteristics that differentiate your brand from competitors and make it recognizable to customers. This includes factors such as your company's mission, values, unique selling proposition, brand name, logo, and visual identity. Consistency in these elements across all marketing channels and customer touchpoints helps reinforce your brand

  Learn what is required to fund your small business for start-up and growth. If you are unsure of how the business loan process works or if you qualify then join us for this webinar. In this webinar you will learn about:  Lending resources SBA loan programs Qualifications and requirements SBA loan application process Do's and don't when financing your business What is a CDC? CDCs or Certified Development Companies are private, non-profit entities with a mission to provide business financing to those who aren’t quite strong enough for bank financing. CDCs are certified by the SBA (Small Business Administration) to administer SBA 504 loans, primarily for commercial real estate. There are more than 260 CDCs in the United States. SBA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provides the rules, processes, and guidelines an SBA Lender may, must, or should follow. The Credit Box/internal credit policy – determines the lender’s appetite for risk. i.e. minimum FICO scores, collateral requi

If you’re planning to start a business, forming a corporation can be a great way to protect yourself from personal liability, raise funds, and manage your company more effectively. In this video, I’ll explain what a C-corporation is, how to form one, and stay to the end and learn the little-known details about corporations like issuing stock and taxes. So let’s get started! What is a Corporation? A C-corporation is a type of business structure that is considered a separate legal entity from its owners. This means that the corporation can enter into contracts, own property, and take legal action in its own name.  Advantages Some advantages of forming a C-corporation are: Limited liability protection for owners who are called shareholders and are generally not personally liable for the corporation's debts or legal liabilities.  C-corporations can raise large amounts of capital by selling stocks to investors. C-corporations can exist indefinitely, even if the owners or shareholders ch

Do you have a small business website and are looking to sell a couple of products or are you looking to create a simple eCommerce website and think it takes hundreds or thousands of dollars? In this final part of my Google sites series, we will take your small business website and set up a simple eCommerce website with a cart integration and keep track of the money you make. This is part 3 of a series on building a small business website with Google sites. In part 1 , we created the site and set up our basic pages for a video marketing company. In part 2 , we upgraded the site with a professional domain name, email, booking page, and blog for our customers. In this final part, we are going to use a free app called Ecwid to create a store with some products and use a program called Wave Accounting to keep track of your finances.  Set up The first thing we need to do is to set up our store. Head to your google site backend and log in to edit your site and we are going to add a store page