Very few entrepreneurs want to close their business. Sell, yes. Merge, maybe. Shut it down, I doubt it. The reality is that more than 50% of all new companies opened in the U.S. and Canada close within the first three years. That means you need to know when, in fact, it may be best to cut your losses and get out.

Those setting up a new business sometimes think they cannot register for VAT until they have reached a certain turnover (wrong), others feel the last thing they want to do is register for VAT, its just more admin and more tax isn't it?

Is your business short on help? Good help, that is? Did the best administrative assistant you ever had leave because her husband was relocated to Timbuktu? Now what? You�ve been through countless resumes and none of the candidates seem to measure up. Maybe you need extra help once in a while, just to keep your regular assistant�s head above water. Are you a small business owner who can�t afford, or don�t have enough work, for a full-time secretary?

Should you be in the early stages of a business start-up then there are elements to your personal business banking service which you should be looking for � and if you haven�t yet set up an account now is the time to take a deep breath and go shopping! It�s a competitive market, and it�s often hard to be sure which services you should be looking for to provide the best service for your small business. Certainly the basics such as a business current account, savings account...

Do you feel like you have the �pedal to the metal,� spending all you can on advertising but still can�t get the growth of your business into the fast lane? The fact is, if your customers aren�t engaged, it may not matter how much you spend on advertising. Just like a car in neutral isn�t going anywhere (no matter how much gas you give it) until the transmission is engaged, your business isn�t going anywhere until your customers are engaged. There are ways to engage them.

Are you starting an online business with a small budget? That's OK. Online businesses are one of the lowest cost businesses to run - if you know what you need to pay for and where to go.

In about 85 percent of all business sales, sellers accept a cash down payment and a promissory note to pay the balance in installments. However, many sellers don�t want to be in the lending business and would prefer not to hold business notes. The good news is: they don�t have to. If you created a business note to unload your company, you can sell the note to someone else. Find out how easy it is to sell your your seller financed business note.

Find out why choosing the path of authentic self promotion and marketing your small business effectively will challenge you to evolve continually as a person and as a professional.

You can advance your business agenda by making the inaction, rather than the action of someone else, the trigger for your desired activity. But beware the pitfalls. A lighthearted approach to self-serving letters and emails.

It is important to ensure the correct selection of personal protective equipment is made as not all safety equipment will meet the same performance requirements or provide the same protection. For example, not one type of glove provides adequate protection against all chemicals or a respirator designed to be effective against medium air levels of a chemical may not be effective against high levels of the same chemical.