| budget | plan used to decide how much money can be spent and the way it will be spent | You should probably set aside some of your budget for advertising. |
| business plan | written document that explains in detail how a business will achieve its goals | I’ve decided to start an event planning service. Can you review my business plan with me? |
| chain store | one of a series of stores owned by one company and selling the same products | Every time I go to a mall, I see the same chain stores. |
| crowdfunding | act of raising small amounts money from a large number of people to fund a product or business venture, usually over the Internet | We raised money for our product through a crowdfunding Web site. |
| entrepreneur | someone who starts a business and takes on the financial risk for the business | Before starting a business, speak with other entrepreneurs to get their advice. |
| expand a business | take an existing business and make it bigger | We decided to expand our business and open new stores in three different locations. |
| expense | amount of money you need to spend to pay for something | What are your expenses and how much money do you expect to earn? |
| funding | money given for a certain purpose, such as a program or project | We had to receive extra funding to ensure the success of our business. |
| investor | someone who gives money to a business, in hopes of making money from that business later | Even if we only get one or two investors, it will help us get the business started. |
| loan | money that is lent to someone, often from a bank, which must be paid back, usually with interest | I’ve already arranged to take a business loan from my bank. |
| networking | connecting with other people to exchange information and develop relationships | Networking and talking to like-minded business people is an important part of our business. |
| pitch | present an idea to try and persuade someone to do something
| Pitch your business idea to people who might want to invest in it. |
| profit | money a business makes after all business costs are paid
| Don’t expect to earn a profit during your first year of business. |
| retailer | company that purchases large quantities of products from various sources for a low price and sells them to customers in small quantities for a profit | Nowadays, there are so many retailers that sell everything for low prices. |
| start-up | small company that is just beginning | Some friends and I have an idea for a software start-up. |
