Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business. Creating a business plan is a critical first step for any ...

Find out what you must do before starting a business, from writing a business plan to getting the proper insurance.

Elysse Bell is a finance and business writer for Investopedia. She writes about small business, personal finance, technology, and more. Samantha (Sam) Silberstein, CFP®, CSLP®, EA, is an experienced ...

Don’t let economic fears deter you from starting a business. A well-planned and researched business idea can still succeed even in a challenging economy. Before launching your venture, focus on ...

You need to think of what you want and whether your plan’s findings suggest you’ll get it. For instance, is your objective to gain freedom from control by other people? If your plan shows that you’ll ...

Dianna Gunn built her first WordPress website in 2008. Since then, she's poured thousands of hours into understanding how websites and online businesses work. She's shared what she's learned on blogs ...

Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia ...

Best Website Builder for 2025: 10 Tools to Create a Website Easily How to Start an Online Store: 12 Crucial Steps for Success in 2025 Whenever you hear about building something from scratch, it can ...

Many people dream of starting a business but they don’t know how to start a business from nothing. It can feel overwhelming and intimidating to think about where to begin, and many talk themselves out ...

A home business requires a lot of the same preparation as any other business, but you can skip finding an office or retail space. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our ...