Most of us want to read more books. When it comes down to it, though, finding a book worth reading is harder than finding the time to read. The barrage of fiction, biography, business, self-help, investment, and other books on the shelves is daunting. To be sure, just because someone writes a book and gets it published does not make it worth reading.

Selling your business is a lot like selling your house. There are certain things you can do that will quickly up the value of the business without spending too much time, money, or effort. For instance, by fixing up the yard and changing the front door on a house, you can completely change its appeal and subsequent value.

Whenever I talk to small business owners, I try to learn about their goals for the future. What kind of sales increase to they expect to see? What major purchases do they want to make? Will they move their office or hire more employees? Most of the time, a business owner has answers to all of those questions. But when I ask "What's your exit strategy," it usually results in silence. I might as well ask, "Have you filled out your will yet?"

If you have ever lived in Maine or even been to Maine, you have probably wondered about buying a business, moving a business, or starting a business here. There are some obvious advantages and disadvantages of running a business in Maine, and some not so obvious. For this week's blog entry, I thought I would cover what I think are the key Pros and Cons in making this important decision. If you read this and have a thought, please feel free to enter it in the comment section.