White Castle, the oldest fast food company in the United States, opened their doors to the Columbus market in 1929 and has made the city home to their corporate headquarters. In 2017 they expanded upon their almost 400 domestic locations with a new international market – China – with two Castles in Shanghai. On SeptemberContinue reading…

With the start of fall and temperatures turning cooler one can’t help but think of the coming holiday season. For most of us that conjures up visions of family food and fun but for small business owners it also means increased inventory, holiday staffing nightmares and long nights. Here are some tips to help youContinue reading…

As we head into the fourth quarter of 2018 now is the time to drive hard to the finish line and maximize your business results. Taking your marketing into high gear leading into the holidays is a great way to expand your reach and your revenue. So what is the best thing to do toContinue reading…

Your Customers: You may think you’re the boss of your business but in reality YOUR CUSTOMERS are! They tell you what and when they want it, how much they’re willing to pay for it, and work with you based on their expectations. And, most importantly, THEY are the ones that PAY YOU!  If they aren’tContinue reading…

I recently returned from the America’s Small Business Development Center’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.  I had the opportunity to attend a workshop at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Experts from the Global Intellectual Property Academy and Office of Governmental Affairs provided a “top 5” list that captures common international intellectual property issuesContinue reading…

From September 15th to October 15th we celebrate the culture and contributions of Hispanic Immigrants and American citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.  During this time period seven of those countries celebrate their Independence Day. At the Ohio SBDC Latino Center at Columbus State we work with entrepreneursContinue reading…

So your business plan is complete and you’re all set to go to the bank for a small business loan but have you checked you personal credit score? You may ask yourself, why does my personal credit matter if I’m getting a small “business” loan? Well I hate to break it to you, but yourContinue reading…

Here we are in September. Four months left to make or break your sales goals for the year. So what does your does your sales funnel look like? Plenty of hot prospects ready to buy or a bunch of maybes with people wanting to take some time to think about it? If it is between “No”Continue reading…

As a business owner, you probably have a website, a business Facebook page, maybe a blog, an e-mail marketing newsletter, a twitter account, you’re linked in to LinkedIn, and maybe you’re even posting things on the newest social media craze.   You’re doing everything possible to get your message out to increase awareness, and obtain thatContinue reading…

In its second year, Mercadito Raíces, a Latino food business incubation program of our Latino Center hosted 5 vendors at the Latino Festival, August 11th and 12th in downtown Columbus, Ohio at Genoa Park. The Mercadito Raíces program is a 5 month training program where Latino food vendors turn their business idea into reality. DuringContinue reading…