·         Poor location 

·         Poor inventory management 

·         Over-investment in fixed assets 

·         Poor credit arrangement management 

·         Personal use of business funds 

·         Unexpected growth 

Gustav Berle in The Do It Yourself Business Book (published by Wiley Co.) adds two more reasons to Michael Ames' list: 

·         Competition 

·         Low sales 

Do I have what it takes to own/manage a small business?  

You will be your own most important employee, so an objective appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses is essential. Some questions to ask yourself are: