While some sweethearts can handle the pressure of building a relationship and a company, many others warn it's a difficult path. The constant interaction, the strain of juggling work and personal life, and the trials of entrepreneurship can take a toll. The secret to making it work? Have a good marriage in the first place.
Companies of all sizes are urging their franchisees to share ideas and help each other out. They're holding conference calls and conventions, setting up mentoring programs and sending in veteran owners to assist newcomers or struggling outlets.
Issues large and small marked another litigious year for the U.S. franchising industry. Here's a look at the landmarks.
New York's Spot Dessert has been holding contests on Facebook and offering discounts to people who "like" the place—and that's just the beginning.
It's no secret that some entrepreneurs use home equity to finance their companies, but during the housing boom they leaned on it harder than ever. That set them up for a credit crunch when the market collapsed.
Small companies are using a host of online options to make billing and payment as easy—and inescapable—as possible. Some are even trying to head off problems before they arise by checking potential clients' credit history over the Web.
Growing numbers of Americans are striking out on their own as solo entrepreneurs. And a whole industrial complex has sprung up to support them, with everything from temporary offices to online services.
We answer questions on choosing a company name, creating an iPhone application and raising funds online.
These scorned entrepreneurs didn't get mad. They got profitable.
The daily deal trend is continuing to spread its wings, this time to the gay community. Is this a long-lasting trend or a fad?
Chargebacks, reverse credit-card transactions, can happen when a consumer disputes a charge or if there's a processing error. To recoup the loss, merchants must prove to the card company that the transaction was valid, which often is hard to do.
Auto mechanics hope the new small-business-friendly tone in Washington will re-energize the Right to Repair Act, a bill they say levels the playing field with dealerships.
There are two words that will grab a prospect's attention every time: The person's first and last name.
President Barack Obama is expected to meet Thursday with small-businesses owners in Marquette, Mich., who are using improved broadband access to grow their companies.
The number of businesses owned by black men and women grew at more than triple the national rate in recent years, a trend that may be linked to a long-stagnating job market.
Banks are hoping to ignite a rebound in small-business lending, which is lagging behind recent increases in loans to other types of companies and consumers.
President Obama praises Egypt's entrepreneurial spirit.
Panera Bread Co.'s Ron Shaich, discusses his early days at the helm of Au Bon Pain to his latest entrepreneurial endeavor, Panera Cares.
Small businesses whose books are audited by a hired certified public accountant improve their chances of getting a loan than businesses with less scrutinized financial statements.
Books are becoming popular marketing tools for self-employed professionals able to take advantage of new forms of publishing, including electronic publishing and print-on-demand.
Three weeks into his medical leave, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is staying closely involved in the company's strategic decisions and product development.
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Starting a business is a lot like becoming a parent. Not only do you have to prepare for your start-up emotionally and financially, but you have to be committed to its constant needs until it's mature enough to hum along on its own. And even then (much like a child) it will always need you in some capacity, no matter how old it gets.
With the economy in the dumps, an array of franchisers are raising their standards for prospective buyers.
Small 'business-to-business' companies are trying their hand at marketing on sites like Facebook, but some find social media might not be the best way to connect with their target audience.
Entrepreneurs have long tapped family for help in launching new businesses, but recent data suggest that friends and family may be less willing to take such a gamble on their loved ones.
Curves, whose 30-minute workout for women once made it among the world's fastest-growing franchises, seems to be running out of steam.
Use this startup calculator to figure out the true costs of launching a company. How much do you think it will take to open your business?
From Palo Alto Software, the makers of Business Plan Pro
With inspiration from the Better Business Bureau
Entrepreneurs operating on a tight budget may be tempted to forgo professional help in preparing their companies' returns. But experts say the investment is typically worthwhile to maximize deductions and avoid penalties.
The U.S. push to spur homegrown innovation by fast-tracking the patent process might do more harm than good, some in the patent industry say, by giving money-rich companies an edge over start-ups.
The widely repeated notion that small businesses face disproportionate regulatory costs rests on some questionable calculations and assumptions.
Approaching an industry with fresh eyes can lead to a great business concept. After all, Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos was a hedge fund guy, not a bookseller, when he applied technology to the way books get sold.
Being first on the scene rarely pays off, a new research paper concludes. Think Netscape, Friendster and Commodore Business Machines.
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Beauty comes at a price. L'Oréal outgrew the global cosmetics market in 2010, delivering 5.6% organic sales growth. But that wasn't enough to satisfy investors who fear L'Oréal mightn't significantly improve on that this year.
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Shares of Ocado tumbled after John Lewis Partnership Pension Trust sold its 10.4% holding in the online grocer at a discount.
After a decade of lobbying, retailers in Michigan appear close to winning a repeal of the state's notorious Item Pricing Law. The law requires all stores to affix a price sticker to every jar of baby food, every box of Jell-O and every slithery bag of frozen spinach in their stores.
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Wall Street Journal on Small Business: Small business owners jumping on new opportunities; how the White House plans to help small businesses; and the business owners who want more government regulation.