WHEN you are operating or planning a small business that is seeking funding for less than five million dollars, it's wise to consider writing your own plan.

WHY you are the best qualified. You probably have superior knowledge of your target market, prospective customers and your product or service. If not "superior," at least, you have adequate knowledge. You are probably resourceful enough to find the necessary data and general information.

One of the most common horrific mistakes a business can make is hiring the wrong accountant. Once hired, it can be very costly to hire a replacement accountant due to the nature of the job which inherently and directly impacts your bottom line. Choosing the right accountant for your business can mean the difference between success and failure. Read on to find out how you can keep from making the same costly mistakes tens of thousands of businesses make every year.

Ask anyone trapped in a cubical about their entrepreneurial dream and they will tell you, I want to own my own business. Ill make more and have more time.

Only 2% of small business owners (SBOs) live that dream. The other 98% find their businesses owning them. They work more hours and have less money. They experience more stress, and feel even more trapped.

What happened to the dream? What happened to the money? What happened to the freedom?

Cash flow. To stay in business, you've got to keep a steady stream moving through your company.

A small business owner mentioned the other day that he has "enough work to keep his staff busy until next February." Another mentioned that his current projects were ending and he needed to "start beating the bushes for more work." Which one do you think will be successful?

So you think you're not justified in taking time away from your business because you're self-employed? Here are five great reasons why you should definitely take a vacation:

1. Physical down time

You work hard to grow and maintain your business. Trying to be superhuman will certainly take its toll if you allow it to. Give your body a break by taking in some RandR.

A lot of business owners Ive spoken with lately have commented how their business is slow because of "the recession." If you are one of these people, you might want to reconsider your position. Before blindly saying a condition is being caused by a recession, you might want to ask yourself, "What will it cost me to buy into this?" Consider if you will that your thoughts create your reality. If you doubt that, study any spiritual, religious, philosophical, writing over the last 5,000 years and you will see this lesson over and over.

Do you sometimes find yourself just going "through the motions" of your business from day to day? Has the excitement gone out of your daily routine?

What happened? Remember way back when you began doing this? You were excited and enthusiastic about what you were going to do. What went wrong? Where did the excitement and enthusiasm go? More importantly, how do you get it back?

Competition in the business world is often viewed as a negative thing, but it doesn't have to be. Competition can benefit you, your competitor, and especially your customer!

Let's look at some of the ways in which competitors can help you:

Purchasing a franchise has become one of the most popular avenues for individuals looking to escape the rigid work day of a 9 to 5 job and take the leap into the world of independent business owner. After all, who doesnt dream of being their own boss and controlling the limits of their own financial future?

As a specialist in getting restaurants open, it is surprising how many people ask, How can I get out of my restaurant? Reasons for this question vary greatly, from a death in the family to a merger with another firm, to the end of a lease.

Selling your restaurant requires quality prior planning if you are going to realize the maximum value for the business. This planning is not much different when getting out than when you first got into that business.