Article Family property management business builds on a vision See how one family has grown their Wisconsin-based property management business, Patriot Properties, over the past five years. Article Couple using food truck to pay it forward Making good on a longtime dream, these Dupaco members opened a food truck. And now they’re using their small business to help others. Article Credit union helps couple reach their dreams These Dupaco members—and lifelong dreamers—count on their financial cooperative when they need a little help seeing their dreams through. Article The Midwest Girl: Dupaco believes in us The Midwest Girl owners are proud of their roots. Through their business, they've learned how much others love calling the Midwest home too. Article Dupaco gives caterer chance to pursue dream Monté Autry caught the cooking bug early and dreamed of preparing meals for others. Dupaco believed in his dream to become a caterer. Article Dupaco helps member open unique yoga and cycling studio in Dubuque Dupaco Community Credit Union member Ashley Ayala reflects on her journey of opening Soul Revolution Yoga + Cycling Studio in Dubuque, Iowa. Article Domino’s franchise owners discover recipe for success Over the years, this longtime business owner has discovered that credit unions have his best interest in mind. Read his story. Article Providing more than financial support in a jumbled world Jumble Coffee Company was built from the ground up. The owners say that wouldn't have happened without the support of their credit union. Article 3 steps to help you start your first podcast A podcast can help you market your business. Not sure where to begin? These three steps can help you start a podcast for your business. Article Hiring a virtual assistant? Here are 3 things you should know Hiring a virtual assistant can benefit businesses in nearly any industry. And when done with intention, it can help grow your business. Article 6 best practices to build a website that works for your business A website plays a critical role in your small business. Here are six best practices to help you create a site that works for your business. Article When’s the best time to write a business plan? At its core, a business plan is a road map for your project. But when’s the best to write a business plan? It depends. And here’s why. Article 4 tips to help you consider how to finance your business Are you thinking about starting a business? Consider these tips to help you finance your business and become a more confident entrepreneur. Article 5 tips to increase the value of your business before you sell Learn how to increase the value of your business as much as you can. Think of it as a reward for all the years of hard work you’ve put in. Article Finding a fair price: Here’s what to consider with your business valuation Learn what factors can influence your business valuation so you're better prepared when you sell your business. Article The 6 most important things business buyers want to know When you’re getting ready to sell, try to keep the buyer’s point of view in mind. Here are six factors most business buyers want to know. Article 4 questions you’ll want to answer before you sell your business Have you decided to sell your business? Asking—and answering—these four questions can help guide you through the process. Article Letting go: Tips to help you hand over the reins to your business Learning to delegate control and hand over the reins is especially important if you’re selling or passing down your business to family. Article 6 exit strategies: Which is best for your business? Moving on from your business? Here are six exit strategies to consider so you can walk away knowing that your business is in good hands. Article A step-by-step plan to help close your business the right way It’s never an easy decision to close your business. But having a plan in place will help things go smoothly. These steps can help you. Article Working capital: What is it, and how much does your business need? How much working capital does your business need? Learn how to better manage your working capital so you can focus on growing your business. Article Does your business have hidden money? It’s time to take a closer look If you’ve made a profit but don’t have the cash to pay your tax bill, your money might be hidden in one of these areas. Article 5 strategies to help you manage your company’s seasonal demand One of the biggest business challenges is a sudden fluctuation in sales and cash flow. These strategies can help you manage seasonal demand. Article These tips can help you improve cash flow in your business All small business owners should aim to have more money coming in than going out. Learn how you can improve cash flow. Article Empower your customers so you can reduce the need to collect debts It can be a challenge to collect debts owed by your customers who pay late, or not all. Learn how to reduce the chance of overdue payments. Article 3 ways you can unlock the cash in your business If your business is short on cash, the money you need might already be there. Can you unlock funds in these three areas? Article Learn how to reduce costs without sacrificing great service Trying to improve your business’ cash flow? You might be able to reduce costs without impacting your service. Here’s how. Article 7 tips to help you defend and justify your prices Have you ever had to justify your prices to customers? If you’re confident in your pricing, these tips can help you defend your plan. Article Should you increase prices? Here’s what to consider before you do One of the best ways to get more cash coming into your business is to increase prices. But here’s what you should know before you do so. Article 5 strategies to help you boost your bottom line As you try to increase your profits, these five strategies can help you boost your bottom line to make your business more profitable. Article Learn how budgeting and cash flow forecasting can help your business No business owner knows exactly what the future holds. But budgeting and cash flow forecasting can reduce your level of uncertainty. Article 6 smart ways to raise capital for your small business Once you know how much funding you need to start your business, it’s time to decide how you’ll raise capital. Explore these six ideas. Article Set your business up for success by keeping good records A solid accounting system helps you make better decisions for your business. Learn about your options to document your business records. Article Pricing strategy 101: Here’s what to consider when you get started The prices you charge can dramatically impact your sales and profits. Here’s what to consider when developing your pricing strategy. Article How can a competitor analysis help your business? You might have more competitors than you realize. See how a competitor analysis can help you understand your market. Article The business records you need to keep (and why) If you put a little time and effort into keeping your business records up to date, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress later. Article Learn how to develop your business’ USP (unique selling proposition) As a business, it’s helpful to stand out. One way to do this is by ensuring potential customers understand your USP. Article Learn how to choose a business name with these 7 tips A good business name can be your business’ biggest asset. Wondering how to choose a business name? Here are some tips to keep in mind. Article 5 strategies to help you build credibility and attract customers Your first customers are often the hardest to get. These five tactics can help you build credibility and authenticity to attract customers. Article Want to enter a new market? Here’s what to consider first Thinking about starting a business? Here are some things to consider as you weigh the cost to enter a new market with the potential returns. Templates Business revenue potential Download our business revenue template to calculate the revenue potential of your business or idea. Checklists Update your business model Looking to scale your business? Download this checklist for tips on updating your business model. Calculators Business loan repayment calculator Need to borrow money to start your business? Use our free business loan repayment calculator to compare interest rates, loan terms and payments. Health Check Financial health check Use our free Financial Health Check to create a customized report with steps you can take to keep building your business. Business Planners Lean business plan Think of this business plan as a shortcut to a complete business plan. It can help you quickly get to the core of your business idea and evaluate its feasibility. Article Identify new markets and customers to help your business grow Ready to grow your business? These strategies can help you find new customers to bring your business to new markets. Article IP basics for your business: How to protect intellectual property Anything you create has the potential to be copied by someone else. Here’s what you need to know about how to protect intellectual property. Article Why every business owner should protect and value their intangible assets Intangible assets often make up the “secret sauce” of your business. Learn what these assets are—and how to best protect them. Article What new market vertical opportunities exist for your business? If you’ve exhausted the growth opportunities in your market, it might be time to explore trying a new market vertical to keep moving forward. Article Inspiration to help you uncover your next new product idea Successful businesses regularly innovate. These tips can help you uncover your next new product idea and maximize your chance of success. Article 8 steps to help you create an effective marketing plan If you’re serious about getting the best value for your marketing budget, you’ll need a marketing plan. Here are eight steps to consider. Article 10 tips to help you start building an effective social media strategy Social media can help you reach more customers. Learn how to start building an effective social media strategy for your business. Article Waiting for your next big idea? Here’s where to find business inspiration Business inspiration doesn’t always strike when we need it to. But there are tactics you can try to find new ideas for your business. Article 7 steps to help you create a promotional plan that works With so many ways to promote your business, you want to choose wisely. These steps can help you make a promotional plan that works. Article Looking for a smart way to share resources? Consider a business partnership Forming a business partnership to pursue common goals can be a smart way to share resources, costs and risks. Article Can adding a new online distribution channel help your business? To win new customers and keep your existing ones, research whether you could add a new online distribution channel to your offerings. Article Getting more orders? Congrats! Learn how to build capacity Don’t be afraid to expand your operations if there’s enough demand to justify it. These ideas can help you build capacity. Checklists How to increase your sales Looking for ways to increase your sales? We have some ideas. Download this step-by-step checklist to learn more! Templates Forecast your cash flow It’s important to monitor the cash flow of your business so you can plan ahead. Use this template to forecast your cash flow. Business Planners Financial performance plan Quickly map out different factors that impact your business' financial performance. Step-by-step guides Business startup guide Download our business startup guide to understand the steps you'll want to take to turn your vision into reality. Calculators Burn rate calculator Download this burn rate template to calculate the date when your business will likely run out of cash (also known as the cash-zero date). Templates Break-even business expense template Try our free break-even calculator to see how much you'll need to sell to break even with your business expenses. Calculators 5 ways to increase profit margins As you try to increase your profit margins, these five strategies can help you boost your bottom line to make your business more profitable. Business Planners Business planner A sound, well-constructed business plan is the blueprint for success. Use this simple business plan to start yours! Article 6 metrics you can use to track your business’ growth These six metrics are commonly used by businesses to keep tabs on how they’re doing. Which ones can you move higher to grow your business?
