Small Business Advice

Small Businesses Dodged a Bullet on E-Verify – For Now

By Shawn Hessinger - May 23, 2013 - 1 Comment

If you haven't heard of the E-Verify system yet, chances are you will in the future. E-Verify is an online system used by employers to verify that a worker is eligible to work in the United States. Very recently there was a push to make E-Verify a mandatory requirement for ALL employers. It … Read More

The Rise of Entrepreneurship In Chennai, India

By Sramana Mitra - Jan 8, 2013 - 9 Comments

Once known as the Detroit of India because of its automobile industry, Chennai is getting much of its current economic growth from the information technology sector. Chennai has a highly literate population and the availability of skilled technical talent at a reasonable price-point, over time, has … Read More

Small Is Mighty: Surviving and Thriving

By Fred Lizza - Jan 4, 2013 - 3 Comments

Small business owners are known for their resiliency. Heading into 2013, small businesses have survived the big box invasion and weathered the most challenging economy in recent history. While The National Federation of Independent Business’ recent report on small business owners’ optimism … Read More

Your Website: Do You Know When It’s Time for A Tune-Up?

By Jennifer Shaheen - Dec 30, 2012 - 10 Comments

Did you know that your business website is a lot like your car? It’s true. We depend on our cars for many things. It’s really hard to get around town without one. Running errands, meeting clients, rushing delivery items to the Post Office just in the nick of time: as a business owner, how … Read More

Change Your Mind, Change Your Marketing

By Jamillah Warner - Dec 28, 2012 - 8 Comments

Have you ever left your house heading one place — somewhere that you don’t go to often? But without thinking you slipped into auto pilot and ended up at work or at the grocery store that you always go to or at your child’s school? It’s a habit formed by repeated actions. Witthout … Read More

The One Hit Wonder Approach Is Bad For Business

By Jamillah Warner - Dec 24, 2012 - 2 Comments

We all have our favorite songs. Some of them are by artists that had long and inspiring careers. As we enjoyed song after song, album after album, a relationship formed. We began to understand what to expect from that artist. And that awareness creates a fan who organically checks out every new … Read More

Targeting Options for Twitter Advertising

By Annie Pilon - Dec 20, 2012 - 4 Comments

Twitter is already a prominent social network, but its advertising program is still constantly evolving. The latest development is the introduction of “negative keyword targeting,” which is meant to help advertisers using Promoted Tweets avoid having their ads appear in search pages where they … Read More

Employers Say Wellness Programs Work

By Rieva Lesonsky - Dec 19, 2012 - 9 Comments

Are you worried about the rising cost of health insurance for yourself and your employees? You’re probably not alone, and concerns about cost may be one reason why nearly all (87 percent) of business executives nationwide believe workplace wellness programs are beneficial for their … Read More

Start Up Failure Rates: The Definitive Numbers

By Scott Shane - Dec 17, 2012 - 13 Comments

Back in 2008, I wrote a post on startup failure rates that has proved to be very popular. Because that post was based on the 1992 cohort of new companies, many people have asked me if the numbers are true for today’s start-ups. Roughly speaking, the answer is yes. But don’t take my word … Read More

University of California Angers Many with Logo Change

By Small Business Edito… - Dec 17, 2012 - 2 Comments

The importance of branding can be seen when changes are made, no matter how small. Customers and fans of a brand and of what it represents may be more sensitive to these changes than we might at first believe. Just ask the administrators at the University of California who recently decided to … Read More

Don’t Go Postal

By Diane Helbig - Dec 9, 2012 - 15 Comments

Regardless of the legislation and regulations surrounding the U. S. Postal Service, there are business lessons we can learn from its experiences. 1. Plan for Change Nothing in business remains constant. Business owners need to keep an eye on changes occurring in their industry, as well as … Read More

The Lost Decade of Income

By Scott Shane - Dec 3, 2012 - 3 Comments

The terrible recovery continues. Slow economic growth and high unemployment have kept household income on a downward trajectory. A recently released Census Bureau report (PDF) reveals that real household money income fell again in 2011, marking the fourth straight annual decline. Median … Read More