Helping you achieve success in your business
News For You
Monday October 20th - Sunday October 26th

Small Biz: Heres the help we really need - CNNMoney.com
President Bush's announcement Tuesday that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will temporarily do away with its insurance caps and cover all deposits in non-interest bearing accounts was a measure aimed straight at Main Street. But critics say the step doesn't address the most critical problem threatening small businesses: slow sales and a sluggish credit market.

Small Business - Big Profits - CNNMoney.com
How do lean businesses outperform rivals with fatter payrolls? A look at four entrepreneurs who cracked the code.

Practically Speaking: Inspiration Can Be Found in Many Places, but You Need to Be Looking - New York Times
Successful people say inspiration isn’t all luck. Equally important is having an open mind, especially in tumultuous times.

Agency Says Small Businesses Get Close to a Quarter of U.S. Contracts - New York Times
The Small Business Administration said that $83.2 billion of government contracts went to small businesses in the last fiscal year, a record amount.

Stretching Sales - MSNBC
Having good salespeople on your team is key to getting business. The owner of a yoga company takes us through her journey of building the right kind of sales team. 

Elevator pitch: Now you see it... - MSNBC
If your outfit is not really suited for a belt, but it's also not fitting without one, Kathy Miller-Kramer says she has the perfect solution.

A.S.A.P. Branding--PMS Color - Entrepreneur.com
Use a strategic hue and consumers will associate the right emotions with your brand.

Unearth the Hidden Publicity Gems in Your Business - Entrepreneur.com
Build exposure for your brand by showing off your company's expertise and top employees in trade magazines.

The basics of greening your business - Entrepreneur.com

Run a more eco-friendly company with these 5 easy and cost-effective tips.


Get Back to Business Planning Fundamentals - Entrepreneur.com
In a recession, it's important to know what adjustments to make to your business plan. Here are three fundamentals to remember.

What have you done today to feel proud - Entrepreneur.com

How one question can inspire mompreneurs to take a leap of faith away from baby steps and do something big each day.

Entrepreneurs Need Social Networking - Entrepreneur.com
Dan Schawbel, a leading expert in social networking and a Gen-Y branding expert, explains what business owners need to know about the trend.

Monday October 6th - Sunday October 12th

Ray Kroc - Entrepreneur.com
Burger Baron

Frugal Choices for On-Demand Tech - Entrepreneur.com
The software-as-a-service concept is growing, bringing low-cost internet applications to businesses of all sizes and saving entrepreneurs dough with zeros and ones.

Profits for a Better World - Entrepreneur.com
Socially responsible young entrepreneurs are creating for-profit businesses to enact social change.

Excerpt: The Knack… and How to Get It - Fox.com
Veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky, the man behind Inc.'s popular Street Smarts column, and Inc. editor at large Bo Burlingham, his longtime collaborator, team up once again as authors of The Knack: How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up. An exclusive excerpt.

Five Ways for a Business to Save Money (Layoffs Not Included) - Fox.com
Five creative ways to save money for your company -- none of them involving layoffs.

In the Hunt: Economy Stalling Your Small Business? Shift Gears - New York Times
These may not be the best of times to start or run a small business, but one man’s struggle to hang tough may hold lessons for the legions of entrepreneurs.

Vintage Vroom - cnn.com
It's midmorning of a cool May day on the California coast. Standing amid rolling fairways and tightly trimmed greens, entrepreneurs Jared and Brooke Zaugg are basking in the glory of their creation, not a golf tournament but a celebration of machinery. Today the Ocean Course links, wrapped around the Ritz-Carlton hotel at Half Moon Bay, are home to the third annual Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance.

Fix This Web Site - cnn.com
Our makeover mavens take apart an ailing e-commerce site and highlight traffic-boosting design and navigational changes.

Profiting from foreclosures - cnn.com
The California suburbs around Los Angeles are filled with foreclosed houses - and in each one, entrepreneur Ramon Mercado sees opportunity.


Monday September 29th - Sunday October 5th

You Can Weather the Economic Storm - Entrepreneur.com
Attention to product price sensitivity and financial creativity can help you thrive in any economy.

Pedal-Powered Delivery Methods Save Big Bucks - Entrepreneur.com

Bicycles offer a healthy, hassle-free alternative for entrepreneurs to deliver their products.


Evade the Copywriting Text Trap - Entrepreneur.com
Use these 5 tips to give buzz words the boot and focus on actionable messages.

How to Maximize Your Export Profits - Entrepreneur.com

Learn 3 ways to save when dealing with foreign goods.


Economic Crises Call for Better Marketing Plans - Entrepreneur.com

Waiting for the next crisis to hit means you will have waited too long to revise your business plan.

3 Perks That Work in Lieu of Raises - Entrepreneur.com

Keep employees happy with creative benefits they'll value more than money.


Likes Taking Risks, Profitable Returns - NYT Small Business
In a financial counterpart to online dating services, innovative companies are giving small businesses a new way to meet prospective investors.

Where Businesses Go for Internet Reliability - NYT Small Business
Internet peering points or co-location buildings are the best place businesses to get online, at a relatively low cost.

Time Is Running Out for New Tax Breaks - NYT Small Business
Businesses may take an immediate write-off of up to $250,000 for equipment purchased in 2008, double the amount allowed in 2007.

Building Better Bodies - NYT Small Business
Can’t afford sick workers? In one Michigan town, small companies are paying more to keep them well.

Tool Kit: Yes, I’m a Prima Donna (Want to Make Something of It?) -  NYT Small Business
They are usually extremely good at their jobs, but sometimes ignore rules and procedures. They are known as office prima donnas and dealing with them is tricky.

Where to find investors - CNNMoney.com
Q: How do I get investors to help take my company to the next level? -Michael Solovy, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Slow sales? No credit? No problem - CNNMoney.com
With credit tight and consumers nervous about spending, the current economic situation is grim for small businesses, but entrepreneurs traditionally thrive on adversity. As incoming business slows in many industries, some owners are fighting the sales slump by exploring new marketing strategies, stepping up their customer service, and deepening their relationships with other businesses.

Small businesses hire as big companies cut - CNNMoney.com
Have you been a victim of corporate-America layoffs? Look to small businesses for your career future.








Monday September 22nd - Sunday September 28th

Specialists Win More Referrals - Entrepreneur.com

If you claim to do everything, your clients won't rely on you for anything.

A Business That Succeeds With E-mail Marketing - Entrepreneur.com

Fur-Get Me Not keeps customers well-informed with company news, events and stories.

A.S.A.P. Branding--Adjective -  Entrepreneur.com
Sum up your brand advantage into one word, and stay in customers' minds.

Workplace Flexibility Lets Mothers Thrive - Entrepreneur.com
Get creative with scheduling and tap into the experience and talents of women seeking a mom-friendly workplace.

3 Steps to Increase Your Health Capital - Entrepreneur.com
Treat your well-being as an asset and all of your assets will benefit.

3 Honest Ways to Raise Startup Money - Entrepreneur.com

Create a healthy foundation for your business by combining enthusiasm with honesty.


Forget the Sale--Go for 'the Kill' - Entrepreneur.com

Create the scenario that can help you establish invaluable business relationships.

Starting an Online Business in a Down Economy - Entrepreneur.com

As shoppers flock to their computers instead of driving to the mall, entrepreneurs with e-businesses can make a hefty sum.


Video: Entrepreneurial expertise: successful selling - MSNBC.com
In this ‘Your Business’ Web exclusive video, Ruth Sherman, a strategic communications consultant and President of Ruth Sherman Associates, provides tips on how to successfully sell your good or service.

Small biz secrets: perfecting pitches and setting price points - MSNBC.com
In this ‘Your Business’ Web exclusive, Erica Duignan-Minnihan, CEO of Minnihan Consulting discusses the perfect ‘elevator pitch’ and Jeffrey Carr, Executive Director of NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurial Studies explains how to set price points.

Entrepreneurial Edge: Helping New Technologies Grow Into Businesses, the San Diego Way - NYT Small Business
Despite problems in the broader economy, San Diego remains a breeding ground for new companies. The reason: a nonprofit organization called Connect.

Shifting Careers: A New Generation, Poised to Reinvent - NYT Small Business
A new book argues that growing interest in diversity and social responsibility is changing the way companies need to reach consumers.





Monday September 15th - Sunday September 21st

How to influence Policy Makers - Entrepreneur.com
Local election results often have an immediate impact on your business and community. Here's how to help those results go in your favor.

Computer Problems Got You Stranded? - Entrepreneur.com
Here's how to find emergency care for your ailing laptop.

Creating a Green Office - Entrepreneur.com
Think in terms of financial payback when considering and implementing your eco-friendly office.

5 More Reasons This Election Matters - Entrepreneur.com
Barack Obama and John McCain gave us their positions on issues relevant to small business. Here's where they stand on other important issues.

Technology Tools: E-mail's Little Helpers - FOXBusiness.com
Getting more out of Outlook.

8 Places To Get Cash When The Bank Says No - Small Business News CNNMoney.com
Wall Street's growing crisis has led banks to clamp down on lending. Try these alternate funding sources to get the cash your business needs to grow.

Repair Firm Rescues Dying PCs In Ambulances - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com
When a computer takes a sick day, Chad Stone and PC911 can be at the door within hours. And if the patient is really dying, technicians will march it out to their ambulance on a gurney.

Boost Your Site's Search Ranking - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com
Question: I've been learning about SEO and trying to work it into my company Web site, fretzels.com, which can definitely use an SEO makeover. My company, Fretzels by Jill, makes really unique hand-dipped gourmet chocolate-covered pretzels like you've never seen or tasted before.

Online bookings: No more no shows - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com
Like many business owners who rely on client bookings, London Elise used to check her voice-mail obsessively. She couldn't afford to miss requests for appointments at her San Francisco skin-care studio, Soothe Spa. So Elise, 35, spent much of her day playing phone tag with customers, trying to nail down times that worked for all concerned.

How to land a bank loan - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com

Kenneth Barnett knows the frustrations of striking out in the loan game. In the last six months, he's been pitching his profitable, four-year-old underwater lighting manufacturer Aqua Lights to banks near his headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga. Itching to grow, the CEO is looking to borrow $500,000 in expansion capital to develop his product line and build out his staff.


Helping deaf callers connect -  Small Business News - CNNMoney.com
Jason Yeh wanted to build a communication device that at least 10% of the U.S. population would be eager to use. Early adopters would include Jason, 24, and his father, John, 61, who had just sold the family software company. The Yehs could tap into federal funding that would cover most operating costs and launch the company with a modest $1.5 million in startup capital. They had access to cheap skilled labor. And they could avoid pricey market research, because they knew their market intimately.

The ROI (Return on Investment) of Sleep - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com

Odds are you're not getting the eight hours of nightly shuteye experts agree you need. Here's why it matters - for you and your business.


The FSB 100 - Small Business News - CNNMoney.com
FSB's annual look at America's fastest-growing small, public companies. Read on for their success secrets, including global expansion, savvy marketing, long-term planning - and sometimes, old-fashioned luck.