Small Business Glossary: C

capital: The ratio of your business's debt to assets or equity.

capital expenditure: Money spent to replace and improve business facilities, not for operating expenses.

cash disbursement: The transfer of funds from a central account to diverse accounts to effect more efficient cash management.

cash flow: The cash generated by a business's operations to produce and sell its products.

certified management accountant; CMA: A designation of professional accounting achievement sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), which isn't regulated by the government.

certified public accountant; CPA: An accountant who has met educational and experience requirements and has passed a national uniform exam to qualify for a state license.

click-through: A situation in which a Web user sees your online ad and clicks on it to take him or her directly to your business's Web site.

cobrand: 1. (verb) Capitalizing on the benefits of two compatible brands that present similarly desirable attributes to consumers by combining those brands. 2. (noun) The combined brands of two separate businesses.

collateral advertising: A stand-alone advertising vehicle, such as brochures, newsletters, and electronic direct mail.

contingent worker: An employee who works in your business on a temporary basis.

cooperative; co-op: 1. A business designed so that customers who purchase from it actually own a portion of the business. 2. An agreement in which many suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors of various major products and goods offer advertising money to their retailers.

copy: The actual words in an advertisement, distinct from the layout, picture, music, and so on.

copyright: 1. (noun) Protection provided by the government to the creators of original works, giving the owners of the copyright the exclusive right to reproduce the work and protect its use. 2. (verb) To apply government protection to original work you created.

corporation: A business structure that establishes the business as a separate legal entity, which protects its owners' personal assets from claims against the business.

cult brand: A brand that consumers have adopted, taking ownership of that brand, and its product or service.