It has become common, perhaps even fashionable, to refer to new businesses of all kinds as "start-ups". In truth, most of these businesses would be better classified as small businesses bizop . Understanding the distinction between terms is not just a matter of semantics. This is a crucial issue, which can impact a fledgling business as it informs everything from goals and expectations to strategies and funding models. Innovation And Intention The differences between a start-up and a business are rooted in their respective approach to two elements: innovation and intention. Innovation is essential to any start-up, because the business as a whole is usually based on a great idea or a new way of doing things, designed to upset the existing order and offer an alternative. In terms of intentions, a start-up has high hopes for growth and seeks to make its idea known to as large an audience as possible, as quickly as possible. This process is very uncertain and may take years to