Small Business Trends

The world is changing and so is small business. Trouble is, with all the bad economic news out there, many have forgotten just how awesome the opportunities are for small businesses to day. Boldly going where no small business owners have gone before, small businesses can now complete on level footing with big brands, stretch there influence around the world and innovate like the biggest research and development departments. Come to think of it, I guess we haven’t forgotten. What are you planning to do with your small business today. Grow, go global and innovate. The future belongs to you!

Retail

Marketplace replaces chain locations with mom and pops. What a great new trend transforming malls from a marketplace for chain stores to champions of small business. This trend is likely to increase the influence of small business in the retail sector. As big retail moves to the Web could a new opportunity for small business retail be created. WSJ

Tech

Google will help you reach the world. There was a time when no business without offices around the world, a global staff and a gigantic marketing budget could ever be considered global. Now, that has changed. No matter who you are, what you sell, where you are or how large or small your business is, you can go global too. TheNextWeb.com

Innovation

What can a submarine sandwich teach entrepreneurs about innovation? Small Business Trends executive editor Anita Campbell gives us four important lessons from the world of big sandwiches that will transform the way you run your business today. Open Forum Innovation

Trends

Seeking out clusters of innovation. We take a peek at a new report which claims that “innovation clusters” defined as “geographic concentrations of interconnected firms and supporting or coordinating organizations” are the key to reviving the U.S. economy (and probably economies around the world.) What sorts of innovation clusters exist in your community. Open Forum Innovation

Policy

What will a tax overhaul mean for your business? Though officials insist it’s too early to be specific, the Obama administration is apparently considering legislation that might close tax loopholes, simplify taxes and lower rates while broadening the tax base. While every business owner likes to hear about lower rates and simpler taxes, overall tax reduction is the best policy. We’ll reserve judgement until we see more of the plan. NYTimes

The best kind of taxes for small businesses are low ones. With news that from Washington the Obama Administration may be considering a tax overhaul designed to tighten loopholes, simplify taxes, lower rates and broaden the tax base, it’s important to remember one key point. Progressive and high taxes hamper entrepreneurship. Since new business is the key to economic recovery, the right choice on taxes is imperative. Small Business Trends

Customer Service

A crash course in world class small business service. Seizing responsibility when something goes wrong is the best way to deliver world class customer service no matter how large or small your company might be. You may not think of a mistake as the best opportunity to display customer service. But responding incorrectly is the best way to fail in a big way. Todd Youngblood’s “SPE” Blog

Strategy

Can you sell your brain on the Internet? Yes, we know this sounds like some really weird eBay auction but what Matt Mansfield is actually talking about in this post is selling your expertise. Selling your expertise to clients is probably the one of the least expensive businesses to start. Overhead is low when you carry your product around in your head. Matt About Business

Resources

Burning entrepreneurial desire. Small Business Trends founder Anita Campbell chats with Kip Marlow on “Entrepreneurs Insight Radio” about the drive, determination and energy behind creating a small business today whether on the online or off and advice about what it takes to get started as an entrepreneur in today’s global economy. The Entrepreneurs Club of America

Workforce

Innovative small business to provide hires in 2011. Want to figure out where a substantial number of new hires next year will come from? Look no further than progressive and innovative small businesses who, according to surveys, are already planning to do hiring in 2011. Is an economic recovery finally on its way starting from the bottom up. Winning Workplaces