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Domain Registration, the WHOIS Directory, and Your Privacy

July 1, 2015

Sometimes, staying out of the spotlight is a good thing

By Jesse Wilson

Staying Out of the SpotlightSo you’ve taken your first step towards getting your business online by registering a domain name. Congratulations are in order! You’ve now stepped onto a virtual stage that has the potential to exponentially expand your audience. However, you need to be prepared to deal with the paparazzi waiting just outside the door. Here’s what you should know about registering domain names, the WHOIS database, and your privacy.

WHOIS: Don’t worry, it’s not another acronym

In 1982, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF for short) published a protocol that was used to create a directory of users on the ARPANET, which was the predecessor to our beloved Internet. That directory contained the contact information for anyone who requested to send data over the network.

Today, the WHOIS system is in place to ask the question, “Who is responsible for this domain name or IP address?” Every domain name that’s registered must have a record of the person or organization who registered it (i.e. the registrant). That record must be publicly available and includes (among other things) the name, address, telephone number and email address of the domain’s registrant.  (more…)

Maybe You’re Not Built For Business

June 29, 2015

maybe-youre-not-built-for-businessUh, what??  At first glance, the title of this week’s blog might seem like a strange thing for FranNet to advocate. But there’s a deeper meaning in this attention-getting headline that includes lessons we want all of our potential clients to be aware of before investigating a franchise opportunity. Not everyone is cut out to own or run a business. Let’s explain what exactly we mean by this….

Everyone is familiar with the American Dream concept. It holds that if you work hard enough, have your success, and pay your dues, you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. This we understand. We understand that people from all walks of life have dreams of starting their own business and being their own boss. But the simple reality is that not everyone can make the grade. And our consultation process is specifically designed to indicate the difference.

We don’t want to see failures. Which is why at FranNet, we don’t just agree that you’re fully prepared to run out and start a business of your own without extremely careful consideration. It does us no good if this first path is chosen, only to close up shop shortly thereafter. That’s a lot of wasted time, effort and most importantly—money. The better path is to begin on a journey of extreme self-discovery through due diligence. Simply put, if you want to own a business and be successful, you’re going to have to help us do a lot of homework with you.  (more…)

From Business Planning Class… To Event Planning Business

June 26, 2015
Majestic EstateSuccess Story: Iowa

•  Southeastern Iowa SBDC
•  SBDC Counselor: Janine Clover
•  Client: Majestic Estate, LLC – SBDC client since 2014

“When you start a business you don’t know what you need in terms of permits, licensing, and forms. The SBDC is a great guidance . . .” — Tammy Adams, co-owner, with sister Lorraine Guerra, of Majestic Estate, LLC.

Impact of working with the Iowa SBDC: The sisters took a business plan writing class offered by Janine Clover, director of the Southeastern SBDC in Burlington. With her guidance, they were able to put together a detailed business plan that they entered into the 2015 Des Moines County Business Plan Competition in May. Lorraine and Tammy were the overall winners of the competition and received a $5,000 seed capital grant intended to support their company’s start‐up costs.

Read the whole story, and learn more about Majestic Estate, LLC and the Iowa SBDC.

Continue Your Education As A Business Owner

June 24, 2015

continue-your-educationThis week’s blog is going to delve into territory reserved for existing franchisees who desire a continuing education for the small business owner. We feel it is also important to maintain and nurture your franchise after you’ve set up a successful business. There are many types of entrepreneurs who would deem themselves fit to run a business. But there is also a good portion of owners who feel they could be doing a better job.

That’s where continuing education for small business owners enters the picture. Several professions, such as careers in medicine, law and accounting, actually require continuing education classes—some of which are on an annual basis. It’s simply a way of maintaining a sharp acumen to your particular skill set.

Seminars are a popular choice because of the varied information presented, as well as the networking possibilities. An excellent resource website for finding applicable small business seminars and workshops can be found on the U.S. Small Business Administration Events Page. Here, you have the ability to refine a search by subject and zip code, so that you can find something that appeals to your franchise, and close by.  (more…)