Tips from March 17, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss marketing your business with your blog. Listen - Do you know what is going on in your industry? Your blogosphere? The world today? You need to listen to know what others are talking about, what people want to know, and what people need to know. Listen first, then blog. Personal & Professional - Create a relationship with clients, or potential clients, in the blogosphere. Include others you work with who contribute to your blog. Create a short bio on each employee, and let them interact as well. Don't Be Too Salesy! It is okay to sell to your readers, but only after you create a brand and a relationship with your readers. Avoid being too salesy, instead, blog about what is important to your industry, followers, and clients, and add a short product placement at the end. Get into a rhythm of posting to your blog. Post a few times every week, about 2-3 times is a go... [Read Full Article]

In the NewsCompliance Science: What Workforce Managers Need to Know About Immigration EnforcementAmong the administration's top priorities, immigration remains on track largely due to bipartisan interest in Congress. While an immigration reform bill may be out of the question this year—major expansion of aggressive enforcement efforts is well underway. ManageSmarter.comIn the NewsWalmart Places a Mega Buy with YahooThose tie-ins are part of an ad deal between Walmart and Yahoo is the largest the Bentonville, AR-based company has made to date with a single online publisher, according to... [Read Full Article]

In the NewsU.S. to Help Banks in Distressed AreasThe Treasury Department will invest up to $1 billion from the federal bank bailout fund in small banks and credit unions that make loans to small businesses in some of the communities most ravaged by the economic downturn, officials announced on Wednesday. NYtimes.com Management & Operations How To Develop Your Global Leadership Pipeline To stay competitive in your industry and accomplish your goals, it is important to have strong leadership. This stems from executives, managers, and even entry-level employees, as they develop skills for improving the... [Read Full Article]

Everyone has seen the start-up of a small business in movies or television. It all seems like a piece of cake, right? You take a great idea, find an abandoned location, declare that you're starting a business, and in a few weeks, your business is filled with products, people, and money. In reality, that is never going to happen (unless you're Uncle Jesse from Full House starting up the Smash Club).Starting a business takes time, and lots of it. When you have a great idea, there's no time to lose. Start acting to launch your business is immediately. Most businesses average a 9-12 month planning and organizing process before opening its doors. Use the timeline below as a guide to track your progress on your start up business.NOTE: This is a guideline. Every business is different. Use this as a basic template to see our recommendations on what to do for a start-up. Some businesses many not need all these steps. Some may need to delve deeper into certain aspects. Ev... [Read Full Article]

Government and Politics A Small-Business Owner Takes His Case to the Top Last week, one entrepreneur had the opportunity to ask President Obama a question that no doubt has been on the mind of many others regarding small business loans. NYtimes.com Government and Politics Obama's Small Business Plans: Where They Stand President Obama has been talking -- a lot -- about what Washington needs to do to help save small businesses. Over the past week, he's introduced a half-dozen different initiatives aimed at unlocking credit, creating jobs and expanding the Small Business Administration's loan pr... [Read Full Article]

Tips from February 8, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss types of business to start that are economy-specific. Debt Collection: A very unpleasant job to say the least, but in a tight economy, bills go unpaid and there is always a need for debt collectors. Job Search Agency: Are you personable? Outgoing? Have a number of contacts in your industry? This could prove to be a great business to start Computer Security: If you're computer savvy, look into this industry. You would be protecting networks and systems against unauthorized use and abuse. Energy Auditors: A great job for the green-friendly people. Businesses and homes need help to save money by reducing energy costs. Daily Overview: Start a job that this economy NEEDS. Find your niche based on your experience and get started! [Read Full Article]

Government, Politics, and the Economy Retail Sales Rebound Into Xmas as Shares Show Consumer Not Dead From the recent spike in sales, it's beginning to look a lot like the retail holiday season will be happier than predicted. Bloomberg.comManagement and OperationsWhy Unemployed College Grads Should Channel Their Inner Entrepreneur Recent college graduates who are unemployed should think about taking to their entrepreneurial skills and start their own business. BusinessKnowHow.comManagement and Operations [Read Full Article]

Even readers inexperienced in the entrepreneurial world will find Entrepreneur Journeys by Sramana Mitra to be an inspiring and insightful book compiled with compelling interviews. The book does not bog its audience with jargon or technical phrases making the stories easy to follow in this soft cover. Not to mention, the collection of short vignettes makes a great book for readers always on the rush. Busy readers can peruse the stories at their own pace and savor each moment.  Coming from an extensive business background, Sramana understands the challenges entrepreneurs face when starting and managing their business. She founded three companies as an entrepreneur CEO and worked as a strategy consultant in California since 1994. Her weekly columns in Forbes or her contributions to TheStreet.com reflect a distinct viewpoint on the business world. With Entrepreneur Journeys, Sramana has an entertaining and engaging style in her works. The interviews in this book showed a... [Read Full Article]