To clarify, I’m referring to a “business incubator” not a “small business accelerator.” To be sure, there is a ton of overlap between the two. But, in reality, the differences are more than just semantics. The first topic is one of the most misunderstood topics in this space. Many entrepreneurs—both big and small—have been quoted claiming that they want to join a startup accelerator or incubator because it will help them get their businesses started faster and get some traction before they need to raise equity funding or do any serious marketing. Here’s the problem: these programs are NOT accelerators!

After all, as the CEO of a startup, I have to think like an entrepreneur. I have to be concerned with the next big thing. And the next big thing is software. How you are going to get your money back is going to depend on how well you do it.

As a small business owner, you’ve likely experienced numerous difficulties during the run-up to the start of your business. Perhaps you didn’t anticipate that it would be a challenge to get started on your online marketing campaign. You might not have imagined that there would be so many obstacles that stand between you and your business. There are a few factors that may have contributed to this.

Incorporating a business refers to a legal process used to form a company's corporate entity. It simply means that you are creating an entity that is legally separate from you. A corporation can own property, sign contracts and can be sold, go bankrupt without your involvement. Specifically, you will not be held personally liable for these because an incorporated company is a separate legal entity recognized by law. They are identified with terms like “Inc” or “Limited” in their names and are separate from their owners. Although the steps of incorporating a company vary from one state to the other, there are six basic steps you need to know.