Some anonymous statistician working for your Uncle Sam recently divined that a new small business is started every 10 seconds. And, what's more, few live to their first birthday. Why do some businesses succeed while others falter? One reason is that the successful business owner is able to make adjustments if things don't work out exactly as planned. In effect, the successful business owner is able to right a sinking ship, while the unsuccessful owner just goes down with the ship. Let's take a look at how you can fix common problems that may occur in your business.

• Determining if you're succeeding— a look at how you figure out whether you're meeting your goals and whether your business is where it should be.
• Avoiding common pitfalls— a look at mistakes many small businesses commonly make and how you can avoid them.
• Recognizing and resolving problems— a look at what to do if you're beset by any one of a number of common problems, such as with your cash flow, paperwork, employees, or facilities.