In the News
Stimulus Funding for SBA Loans Runs Out—AgainIn a case of legislative déjà vu, the Small Business Administration has announced that funding for two popular lending programs is on the verge of running out - again.
WSJ.comIn the News
Consumers Buy Into 'Buy Local'More groups are forming to send shoppers to home-grown independent businesses. But their impact on jobs is hard to quantify.
BusinessWeek.com
Management & Operations
5 Free Tools That Make You Look More Professional
Anything that you can do for free that will keep your business looking professional to your customers and not affect your bottom line is a good thing. Here are four services that all businesses need from time to time, but if you can avoid paying for them, then that’s all the better. These are: faxing, conference calling, videoconferencing, and PDF document creation. BusinessKnowHow.com
Management & Operations
Happy Employees Make Thriving Companies
Create programs that promote a healthy work-life balance and enrich your employees' lives. Entrepreneur.com
Management & Operations
Rid Yourself of These 10 Damaging Word-Habits
Perhaps you have convinced yourself that your speech is not a problem. You are getting by fine because you can hide behind email and supervisors or managers. Perhaps, you have continued to advance in your career despite your less than eloquent elocution. Why have you procrastinated this work? Clearly people with excellent phrasing and superior vocabularies are impressive. Why wouldn’t you want to join their leagues and meet a new level of success in your career? Here are some quick-tips that will elevate your elocution immensely. BusinessKnowHow.com
Management & Operations
Fire Your Relatives. Scare Your Employees. And Stop Whining.
It's not the economy, stupid, it’s you. So says George Cloutier, author of “Profits Aren’t Everything, They’re the Only Thing” (HarperBusiness, 2009). NYtimes.com
Start-Up Issues
10 Tips for a Strong Start
Make sure you have a clear vision and plan--and that you stick to them. Entrepreneur.com
Technology Issues
Better Business Bureau’s Data Security – Made Simpler Program Will Help Small Business Owners Protect Their Sensitive Data
“The FBI considers the cyber threat against our nation to be one of the greatest concerns of the 21st Century,” said Steven R. Chabinsky, the FBI’s Deputy Assistant Director in charge of the Cyber Division. BusinessKnowHow.com
Financial Issues
Get Back in the Black
Strategies to help struggling entrepreneurs dig out of debt. Entrepreneur.com
Financial Issues
SBA Loan Proposals Will Help Few Small Businesses
The Small Business Administration's loan guarantee programs can't revive credit access because most small businesses use other types of credit. BusinessWeek.com
Financial Issues
New Credit Card Rules' Double Standard
A batch of new restrictions aimed at curbing the most egregious credit card practices kick in Monday, but business owners will need to stay alert -- the new rules don't cover cards used for corporate purposes. CNNmoney.com
Financial Issues
The Lending Crunch: 'It is Very Hard to Survive'
Small business loans continue to dry up at the nation's biggest banks. Eleven top TARP recipients -- including Wells Fargo, by far the nation's largest lender to small companies -- cut their collective small business loan balance by more than $2.3 billion in December, according to a Treasury report released late Tuesday. CNNmoney.com
Branding, Sales, and Marketing
Using E-mail During a Blizzard to Drive Sales and Build Goodwill
Did you use e-mail during the snow storm of 2010 to drive traffic to your Web site or create goodwill? If you didn't, here are some good examples to follow next time. ClickZ.com