Business Guides

You Asked, We Answered...Question: How do I register my business name?Answer: If you are selling your soaps and cosmetics under a name other than your given legal name, then you need to register it as a business name. You don't want to register a business name already in use. Therefore, before registering a business name you should do a free online search in your state. You can also perform a federal search for trademarked business names by using http://tmsearch.uspto.gov  Registering your business name can be done with your county's clerk's office or with your state government depending on your location. 

Question: I love the lotion made by Victoria Secret named “Love Spell”? Can I make my own and sell it under that name?Answer: The rule is that you are not allowed to sell products by a name that causes confusion in the market. However, you are allowed to compare your own product to another in the market. Apply this rule by naming your lotion something different than “Love Spell” and then using the statement “Compare to Victoria Secret Love Spell.” This is a common technique used by brands such as Equate, sold at Walmart. When in doubt, you can reference how a big retailer compares their products to others and protects themselves with disclaimer statements. If you have further questions we recommend contacting a patent and trademark attorney in your area.

Batch records are a critical part of maintaining Good Manufacturing Practices. This excel spreadsheet is an easy way for you to keep track of your own records at home. Simply print the formula record and as you make the product fill in the data. Keep the record in a safe place such as a file cabinet. In the event of an audit or customer complaint it will then be readily available for review.Download this as an Excel Sheet, Click Here.

Implementing Good Manufacturing Practices in your business is an important part of growing a sustainable company.  As part of a quality program you will want to develop a system for recording adverse event reports.  If you have nothing to report it is recommended that you close the year with a single line item that states "No adverse event reports received in the year of xxx."  For received adverse events we recommend this tracking form. 

"7 Business Tools That Are Perfect for Solopreneurs" is an article we found on Inc.com that has some great tips for the solo entrepreneur. Number 6 and 7 are particularly interesting, especially if you are thinking about or already sell your handmade products wholesale.To read this article, Click Here. 

Bringing an idea fully to life is nearly impossible if new entrepreneurs dont do their research. Here are some of the most common mistakes that rookie entreneurs make when starting their business.

Many people view the month of January as an opportunity for a fresh start. I see it as a fork in the road: we can choose to stay on our existing path, or we may choose to pave a path to change. Either way, there’s something psychologically powerful about the first month of a new year—it sets the pace for the next eleven months of our lives.

Many business owners experience decisions that deal with sunk costs. For some, it may seem like too much of a risk to lose money, so it may be bettter to cut losses before a situation escalates. It's best to make the appropriate decision for your business.

What small business owner doesn't want to run a more profitable business with fewer expenses, and less stress? Here are three ways that you can begin to apply the power of project management to your business, starting today, to improve your bottom line.

Keeping up with the many legalities that come with selling handmade products can be a full-time role in its own right —even when your operations are based out of your home. Here are some of the important regulations all handmade business owners should be aware of to ensure that product labels are compliant with the latest regulations, and to protect your business from potential legal action.  

Are you trying to determine how to increase soap sales and improve the profitability of your soapmaking business? Try to upsell soap — to everyone, on every sale. Here are five simple ways to increase revenue when selling soap.

To those without a business background, it’s fairly easy to confuse cash flow with profit.  They’re not unrelated, but it’s important to understand how both concepts impact the operation of your business.  An explanation of this interrelationship requires an understanding of basic accounting principles.