Some points you showuld be aware of when working with independent commission sales Representatives

2. I am always surprised when talking to someone who is thinking about
going into their own business or on the verge of jumping into a business as
to how little they know about some basic business terms.
We have put together what we think are the basic business terms for
anyone thinking about going into business or are already small business
owners.
1. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE - Obligations (bills/invoices) to pay for goods and
services received.
2. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE - Moneys due for goods sold or services
rendered evidenced by notes, statements, and invoices of a present obligation
3. ANGEL INVESTOR - An angel investor is an affluent individual who
provides capital for a business startup, usually in exchange for convertible
debt or ownership equity. Angel investors organize themselves into angel
groups or angel networks to share research and pool their investment capital.
4. BANKRUPTCY - A condition in which a business cannot meet its debt
obligations and therefore petitions a federal district court for either
reorganization of its debts or liquidation of its assets. It may be voluntary or
involuntary.
5. BREAKEVEN POINT - The point at which the volume of sales or revenues
exactly equals total expenses - the point at which there is neither a profit nor
loss. It is essential that you always know your breakeven point and need to
revisit it often to ensure there have been no major changes.
6. BUSINESS PLAN - A comprehensive or simple planning document which
clearly describes the developmental objective of an existing or proposed
business (see Business Plan Outline in our resource and information center).
A business plan should be developed each year and can be very simple (one to
two pages) especially if outside financing is not necessary. One of our basic
principles is you plan your work and work your plan.
7. CAPITAL - Assets less liabilities, representing the ownership interest in a
business.

3. 8. CAPITAL EXPENDITURES - Business spending on additional plant
equipment and inventory.
9. CASH DISCOUNT - An incentive offered by the seller to encourage the
buyer to pay within a stipulated time. For example, if the terms are 2/10/N
30, the buyer may deduct 2 percent from the amount of the invoice (if paid
within 10 days); otherwise, the full amount is due in 30 days.
There is a negative to cash discounts. If one of your better clients or
customers pays in 30 days and takes the cash discount, how hard are you
going to push to have your key customer or client repay the discount?
10. CASH FLOW - An accounting presentation showing how much of the cash
generated by the business remains after both expenses (including interest)
and principal repayment on financing are paid. A projected cash flow
statement indicates whether the business will have cash to pay its expenses,
loans, and make a profit. Cash flows can be calculated for any given period of
time, normally done on a monthly basis.
Cash Flow is one of the key terms you need to know and be able to
calculate. It is right up their in importance as the Breakeven Point.
11. CHARGE-OFF (write-off) - Accounting transaction removing an
uncollectible balance from the active receivable accounts.
12. CLOSING - Actions and procedures required to affect the documentation
and disbursement of loan funds after the application has been approved and
the execution of all required documentation and its filing and recording where
required.
13. COLLATERAL - Something of value - securities, evidence of deposit, or
other property - pledged to support the repayment of an obligation.
14. CORPORATION - A separate entity having its own rights, privileges, and
liabilities distinct from those of its members. The process of incorporating
should be completed with the state's secretary of state or state corporate
counsel, and usually requires the services of an attorney.
15. COSTS - Money obligated for goods and services received during a given
period of time, regardless of when ordered or whether paid for.

4. 16. CREDIT RATING - A grade assigned to a business concern to denote the net
worth and credit standing to which the concern is entitled in the opinion of
the rating agency as a result of its investigations.
17. CHAPTER 11 - Filing Chapter 11 of the Untied States Bankruptcy Code is
frequently referred to as a “reorganization” bankruptcy. While individuals are
not precluded from using Chapter 11, it is more often typically used to
reorganize a business, which may be a corporation, sole proprietorship or
partnership. Under Chapter 11, a business may continue to operate but the
creditors and court must approve a plan to repay their debts. There is no
trustee unless the judge decides that one is necessary. If a trustee is
appointed, the trustee takes control of the business and property.
18. DEBTOR IN POSSESSION (DIP) Financing - This is a special form of
financing provided for companies in financial distress or under Chapter 11
bankruptcy process. Usually this security is more senior than the debt, equity
and any other securities issued by a company.
19. DEFAULTS - The nonpayment of principal and/or interest on the due date
as provided by the terms and conditions of the loan.
20. DISBURSEMENT - The actual payout to borrower of loan funds, in whole
or part. It may be concurrent with the closing or follow it.
21. EQUITY - An ownership interest in a business
22. EQUITY FINANCING - Capital or operating expenses in exchange for
capital stock, stock purchase warrants, and options in the business financed
without any guaranteed return, but with the opportunity to share in the
company's profits. Equity financing includes long-term subordinated
securities containing stock options and/or warrants.
23. EQUITY PARTNERSHIP - A limited partnership arrangement for
providing startup and seed capital to businesses (See Article in Resource
Section on Partnerships (a marriage without sex).
24. ESCROW ACCOUNTS - Funds placed in trust with a third party by a
borrower for a specific purpose and to be delivered to the borrower only upon
the fulfillment of certain conditions.
25. FINANCIAL REPORTS - Reports commonly required for financial
assistance, e.g.: Balance Sheet - A report of the status of a firm's assets,
liabilities and owner's equity at a given time. Income Statement - A report of

5. revenue and expense which depicts the results of business operations or net
income for a specified period of time.
26. FINANCING - New funds provided to a business, by either loans, purchase
of debt securities, or capital stock.
27. FORECLOSURE - The act by the mortgagee or trustee upon default in the
payment of interest or principal of a mortgage enforcing payment of the debt
by selling the underlying security.
28. FRANCHISING - A continuing relationship in which the franchisor provides
a licensed privilege to the franchisee to do business and offers assistance in
organizing, training, merchandising, marketing, and managing in return for a
consideration.
Franchising is a form of business by which the owner (franchisor) of a
product, service, or method obtains distribution through affiliated dealers
(franchisees). The product, method, or service being marketed is usually
identified by the franchisor's brand name, and the holder of the privilege
(franchisee) is often given exclusive access to a defined geographical area.
Always do your Due Diligence before committing to buying a franchise.
Please read Franchising found in the resource section.
29. GROSS MARGIN - Gross Margin equals the company’s total sales revenue
minus its cost of goods sold divided by the total sales revenue expressed in a
percentage. The gross margin represents the percent of total sales revenue
that the company retains after incurring direct costs associated with
producing the goods and services sold by a company.
30. INCUBATOR - A facility designed to encourage entrepreneurship and
minimize obstacles to new business formation and growth, particularly for
high technology firms, by housing a number of fledgling enterprises that share
an array of services. These shared services may include meeting areas,
secretarial services, accounting services, research libraries, on-site financial
and management counseling, and word processing facilities.
31. INSOLVENCY - The inability of a borrower to meet financial obligations as
they mature or having insufficient assets to pay legal debts.
32. INTEREST - An amount paid a lender for the use of funds.

6. 33. LEASE - A contract between the owner (leaser) and the tenant (lessee)
stating the conditions under which the tenant may occupy or use the property.
34. LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST - The maximum rate of interest fixed by the
laws which a lender may charge a borrower for the use of money.
35. LENDING INSTITUTION - Any institution, including a commercial bank,
savings and loan association, commercial finance company, or other lender
qualified to participate with SBA in the making of loans.
36. LEVERAGED BUY-OUT - The purchase of a business with financing
provided largely by borrowed money, often in the form of junk bonds.
37. LIEN - A charge upon or security interest in real or personal property
maintained to ensure the satisfaction of a debt or duty ordinarily arising by
operation of law.
38. LIQUIDATION - The disposal, at maximum prices, of the collateral securing
a loan and the voluntary and enforced collection of the remaining loan
balance from the obligators and/or guarantors.
39. LITIGATION - Refers to a loan in "liquidation status" which has been
referred to attorneys for legal action. Also, the practice of taking legal action
through the judicial process.
40. LOAN AGREEMENT - Agreement to be executed by borrower, containing
pertinent terms, conditions, covenants, and restrictions.
41. LOAN PAYOFF AMOUNT - The total amount of money needed to meet a
borrower's obligation on a loan. It is arrived at by accruing gross interest for
one day and multiplying this figure by the number of days that exist between
the date of the last repayment and the date on which the loan is to be
completely paid off.
This amount, known as accrued interest, is combined with the latest
principal and escrow balances that are applicable to what is now referred
to as the loan payoff amount. In the case where prepaid interest exceeds
the accrued interest, the latter is subtracted from the former and the
difference is used to reduce the total amount owed.
42. MARKUP - Markup is the difference between invoice cost and selling price.
It may be expressed either as a percentage of the selling price or the cost price
or is supposed to cover all the costs of doing business plus a profit. Whether

7. markup is based on the selling price or the cost price, the base is always equal
to 100 percent.
43. MATURITY - As applied to securities and commercial paper, the period end
date when payment of principal is due.
44. MERGER - A combination of two or more corporations wherein the
dominant unit absorbs the passive ones, the former continuing operation
usually under the same name. In a consolidation, two units combine and are
succeeded by a new corporation, usually with a new title.
45. MORTGAGE - An instrument giving legal title to secure the repayment of a
loan made by the mortgagee (lender). In legal contemplation, there are two
types:
(1) title theory - operates as a transfer of the legal title of the property to
the mortgagee, and
(2) lien theory - creates a lien upon the property in favor of the mortgagee
46. NET WORTH - Property owned (assets), minus debts and obligations owed
(liabilities), is the owner's equity (net worth).
47. OBLIGATIONS - Technically defined as "amount of orders placed, contracts
awarded, services received, and similar transactions during a given period
which will require payments during the same or a future period."
48. ORDINARY INTEREST - Simple interest based on a year of 360 days,
contrasting with exact interest having a base year of 365 days.
49. PARTNERSHIP - A legal relationship existing between two or more persons
contractually associated as joint principals in a business. As I said earlier,
read the article in the Resource section on Partnerships (a marriage without
sex).
50. PATENT - A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the
inventor, issued by the Patent and Trademark Office. The term of a new
patent is 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was
filed in the United States or, in special cases, from the date an earlier related
application was filed, subject to the payment of maintenance fees. US patent
grants are effective only within the US, US territories, and US possessions.

8. Note: the key to a patent is your desire and ability to defend the patent.
This can become a very costly proposition.
51. PRIME RATE - The interest rate which is charged to business borrowers
having the highest credit ratings for short term borrowing. Note, you will as a
small business owner always be charged prime plus certain percentage.
52. PRODUCT LIABILITY - Type of tort or civil liability that applies to product
manufacturers and sellers.
53. PROFESSIONAL AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS - Non-profit,
cooperative, and voluntary organizations that are designed to help their
members in dealing with problems of mutual interest. In many instances,
professional and trade associations enter into an agreement with the SBA to
provide volunteer counseling to the small business community.
54. PROPRIETORSHIP - The most common legal form of business ownership;
about 85 percent of all small businesses are proprietorships. The liability of
the owner is unlimited in this form of ownership.
55. RATIO - Denotes relationships of items within and between financial
statements, e.g., current ratio, quick ratio, inventory turnover ratio, and debt/
net worth ratios (see Key Financial Ratios in our resource section.)
56. RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) - The amount of profit (return) based
on the amount of resources (funds) used to produce it.
57. TURNOVER (Business) - Turnover is the number of times that an average
inventory of goods is sold during a fiscal year or some designated period. Care
must be taken to ensure that the average inventory and net sales are both
reduced to the same denominator; that is, divide inventory at cost into sales at
cost or divide inventory at selling price into sales at selling price. Do not mix
cost price with selling price. The turnover, when accurately computed, is one
measure of the efficiency of a business.
58. VENTURE CAPITAL - Money used to support new or unusual commercial
undertakings; equity, risk, or speculative capital. This funding is provided to
new or existing firms that exhibit above-average growth rates, a significant
potential for market expansion, and the need for additional financing for
business maintenance or expansion.

9. 59. WORKERS' COMPENSATION - A state-mandated form of insurance
covering workers injured in job-related accidents. In some states, the state is
the insurer. In other states, insurance must be acquired from commercial
insurance firms. Insurance rates are based on a number of factors, including
salaries, firm history, and risk of occupation.
WITHHOLDING TAX - Is an amount withheld by the party making payment
to another (Payee) and paid to the taxation authority. The employer (party)
collecting the payment acts as a collection point and the moneys belong to the
taxation authority. This is the responsibility of the employer and cannot be
ignored. It is one of the few things that are not protected from any legal action
and the officers of the company are held personally responsible for.
Martco Coaching and Consulting is part of Jancris International LLC,
which works with start up companies and ongoing small business owners in a
variety of ways. Our site is full of information that helps both the start up
company and ongoing small business. Please use as much information as you
desire. If you want to consider our services, we are flexible and will develop a
program that achieves your objectives without destroying your pocketbook.
Please contact us services@jancris.com
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