TEN OBSTACLES TO BUSINESS SUCCESS

1.    MONEY - As in not enough.  If you want your company to flirt with bankruptcy, try running it without a cash reserve.

2.    PLANNING - As in non-existent.  Most successful franchises cost an arm and a leg, because you get a DETAILED BUSINESS PLAN outlining every step of the way.  So how many McDonald's have gone out of business in your neighborhood?

3.    NO PAYCHECK FOR THE OWNER - Save money.  Do everything yourself.  Live off the excess cash at month's end. This is a sure road to inadequate pricing and bankruptcy.

4.    NO MARKETING PLAN - One sure way to close your doors is not to let the public know your doors are open for business.

5.    MY FAMILY WILL HELP - Some business owners forget that slavery ended a century ago.  Clear working agreements with reasonable wages are needed for all employees, even family members.

6.    THE IRS WHO? - Ignore this guy and you could be in debtor's prison before you reorder your business cards.

7.    WE DO EVERYTHING - Stretching operations too think because you can't say "No" to a customer can affect product quality.

8.    THE MOUSETRAP THAT COULDN'T CATCH MICE - You need monitors and controls on all phases of production.

9.    THE BEST SALESMAN CAN MAKE THE WORST SALES MANAGER - Once a company is headed in the right direction, choosing the wrong employee can be as deadly to your firm as forgetting to renew the lease.

10.    LOSING A KEY EMPLOYEE - In a small business, losing a key employee can affect profits.  Get to the root of employee problems.