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A business strategy that depends on giving away basic services for free and charging for premium services.

Usage: The web entrepreneurs wanted to use the freemium business model.

Taxable revenue less all tax-deductible expenses and credits.

Usage: Taxable income is usually different from net income because of tax laws.

The line on a financial statement that identifies the profits. Also, the main point of a discussion or document.

Usage: The bottom line was that the decision maker said, “No.”

Intense business activity over a long period of time. From a reference to a race that is 26 miles and 385 yards (or 42.195 kilometers) long and is a test of endurance and skill. Compares to a sprint.

Usage: The team put in a marathon session to get the project ready for presentation to the client.

The signature space on a contract, a sign-in sheet, or any other document that requires a signature. 

Usage: A sales contract isn’t a contract until the signature is on the dotted line.

Enthusiastically get a job done. From a reference to  any team game played with a ball where a player receives the ball and takes it toward the goal.

Usage: The team leader was looking for someone to run with the ball and organize dinner when they had to work late.

Financial INdustry Regulatory Authority. Pronounced fin-rah. An independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States, dedicated to investor protection and market integrity.

Usage: FINRA responsibilities include enforcing industry and federal securities laws.

“Repurpose” seems to be an ever-so-useful word. It’s a lovely catch-all, more so than “reuse” and “recycle” and far better than “salvage.” Akin to  http://bit.ly/vyXg7m

The creation of an unreal, or virtual, version instead of the actual version. Generally refers to the elements of computing such as hardware, software, storage, and networks.

Usage: As a result of virtualization, computing is not limited to things that are in the same place at the same time but rather can take advantage of resources that are in separate places.

A budget process where every line item needs to be justified.

Usage: Every five years, instead of a budget based on the previous year’s budget, we create a zero-based budget.

The ordered series of events in a project that take the longest to complete and thus influence the schedule. Commonly used to refer to a project’s required activities or resources.

Usage: Activities that were not on the critical path were not included in the budget.

Term defined by US securities law to describe someone who earns at least $200,000 per year or has at least $1 million in net worth and is interested in making certain types of risky investments. 

Usage: The entrepreneur was looking for accredited investors so he could raise the funds to expand his business.

The amount of cash that a company is spending each month. Typically used with start-up companies that are not yet selling or bringing in revenues.

Usage: Unless we get new investment, our burn rate of $300,000 means we’ll be out of money by the end of the quarter.

Subject Matter Expert. Pronounced smee. An individual who has a great deal of knowledge on a specific subject. Frequently pronounced smee.

Usage: In order to learn more they needed to consult with a few SMEs.