It happens all the time: a couple sits down for a nice meal and before the woman even unfolds her napkin, the man is handed the wine list. But it’s a move that can cut into your wine sales and hurt repeat business. How come? Because females buy and drink the majority of the wine sold in this country, that’s how come. Women account for 64 percent of wine consumers in the United States, according to the Wine Market Council. And their tastes are sophisticated and informed.

Debt is dangerous. When used smartly, debt is a vital building block for a fast-growing business. Before taking on debt, be sure you can predict the future cash flow available to pay it off. Further protect yourself by balancing debt with equity. And finally, manage your personal and business risk by looking at the big picture—what would happen if the business could not provide enough cash to pay the loan back? All loans have to be paid back in cash.  

Want to beat the big guys in this game? You’d better find the right corner—or in-line or end-cap. “Of all the decisions a new restaurant owner will make, the biggest is real estate,” says Steve Greene, COO of Camille’s Sidewalk Café in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “If you’ve got a bad site, it doesn’t matter what a great marketer or operator you are.” But hitting that sweet spot can be a hard play for small and medium-sized chains, let alone independents.