Small Business News Stories to Help You Stay Current


Mobile small business news

From the possibility of a new, cheaper iPhone to Instagram getting video capabilities … tech and social media stories dominated the week.

And, because this past week ending June 22nd was National Small Business Week here in the United States, we had a rash of announcements. We covered many of them.

As usual, the Small Business Trends editorial team takes you behind the scenes to show you how these and many other stories may affect small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Tech

Apple may sell $99 plastic iPhones… in 6 or 7 colors. It’s a big departure for the computer, smartphone and tablet leader, but the buzz has been going on for a while. A recent news report quotes industry sources.

Going mobile with Dolphin. As a business person, you know the importance of mobile connectivity. TJ McCue looks at how one browser may improve your mobile experience. The mobile Dolphin browser may also improve your productivity.

Yahoo! Small Business Vice President speaks.  In an exclusive live Hangout, members of the Small Business Trends community on Friday sat down with Yahoo! executive Tom Byun.  Byun explained how Yahoo! supports small businesses with their online presence, especially those with 10 employees or under.

By 2015, mobile marketing will generate $400 billion in sales. The Mobile Marketing Association’s study projects big rewards for mobile marketing in the future, but how about for the here and now? Well, it’s estimated mobile marketing generated $139 billion in sales in the U.S. last year.

Avoiding BYOD Nightmares. Do you allow your employees to use their own devices at work? Do you understand the practical and security implications?

New McAfee position shows focus on small business. The security software company named former Apple executive Bill Rielly this week as new senior vice president for small and medium-sized business.

Funny smartphone messages. If you’ve ever sent or received a smartphone message, you’ve probably seen the typical “message sent from my iPhone” or “message sent from my BlackBerry” footer. But what if you could make that message a little more creative and more your own?

Social Media

Instagram adds 16 second video. The announcement came this week and seems a clear response to the success of Twitter’s video service Vine. Still there are some interesting differences between the two services. Check out our report on the big announcement with video from the event.

Twitter to Hand out $1 Million in Ad Credits to Chase Small Business Customers. Twitter is partnering with Chase Bank to offer Twitter ad credits if you use certain Chase small business banking products.

Have you used Hootsuite lately? The tool lets you manage numerous social media media channels from the same platform. Small Business Trends founder Anita Campbell does an in-depth review of the service and tips for getting the most out of it.

Entrepreneurship

Can college graduates start a business instead of looking for a job? Richard White suggests answering some important questions before you make the decision. Since entrepreneurship and self-employment both present challenges, consider your options carefully.

A success story to inspire. Sramana Mitra, founder of One Million by One Million, tells the story of Senthil Nayagam, co-founder of RailsFactory. Though a college drop out, something not looked upon favorably in his native India, he has been a success. Here’s what his experience can teach others.

The sunk cost fallacy. As an entrepreneur, you may occasionally invest in bad ideas. It’s part of the game. The trouble comes when you keep investing after knowing you’ve made a mistake. Think you’re going to recover that initial investment somehow? Now you’re buying into the the sunk cost fallacy. Here’s how it works.

A case study in customer service. Customer service is important to every business. But you don’t need to be theoretical when considering what makes great customer service for a business.  Jeanne Bliss of CustomerBLISS gives us an example of one business that can serve as a gold standard.

Management

Many small business owners still aren’t hiring. Rieva Lesonsky reviews the Sage SMB Hiring survey.  Only about 25 percent of businesses say they either have hired or will hire this year. Meanwhile, 47 percent have no plans to do so.

Getting your company back into good standing. Did you know your business could end up in bad standing in the state where it was created? This can occur in instances when an LLC fails to file certain required reports and payments, for example. Nellie Akalp explains the possible consequences and solutions.

Best ideas for your startup. In a recent Twitter chat sponsored by FedEx Office, members of the Small Business Trends community made suggestions for how to make a startup better. From cutting costs to creating an effective business plan, check out these crowdsourced tips.

Policy

You can’t judge a book by its cover. Unless you’re the IRS. The federal tax collection agency claims to know the age, ethnicity and even the line of business of the most likely tax cheat. Here’s more from Scott Shane, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University.

How do you define small business? The answer is important for tax purposes. But there may be another reason this designation matters, reports Megan Totka, chief editor for the website ChamberofCommerc.com. A proposed bill could change the government’s definition of small business.

SBA promises increased lending to veterans. Rohit Arora, CEO and co-founder of Biz2Credit, reports on the initiative. He also tells us what a 5 percent increase in lending will mean to veterans interested in running a small business. Tell us what you think of the initiative.

National Small Business Week

Small Business Week Announcements. There were plenty of announcements coming out during National Small Business Week, from new products and services, to contests, surveys and tips.  Here are some roundups breaking down the top news and announcements for you:  Roundup #1. Then there’s Roundup #2.  And don’t forget Roundup #3.

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Shawn Hessinger Shawn Hessinger is the Executive Editor for Small Business Trends and a professional journalist with more than 20 years experience in traditional and digital media for trade publications and news sites. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and has served as a beat reporter, columnist, editorial writer, bureau chief and managing editor for the Berks Mont Newspapers.

2 Reactions
  1. Shawn,

    Pretty interesting updates from last week. It’s a busy week for small business in the US – thanks to the National Small Business Week. I watched SBA’s UStream video and I learn some great lessons from the talks.

    SmallBizTrends.com readers should watch it too – http://www.sba.gov/nsbw/nsbw