Government, Politics and the Economy

Mobius: Derivatives and Stimulus Money May Trigger New Financial Crisis

According to Templeton Asset Management Ltd.’s Mark Mobius, a new financial crisis will develop from the failure to effectively regulate derivatives and all the extra global liquidity from the government's stimulus spending. Bloomberg.com

Survey: Small Business Optimisim Slips, Expect Slow Recovery

The NFIB's monthly index of small business optimism slipped one point to 87.9 last month. It had gained 7.9 points since March, indicating a view the the economy was stabilizing. FoxBusiness.com

Management and Operations

Consumers as Consultants

Small businesses seeking advice have an ideal consultant, the Internet-savvy consumer, to help with decisions on everything from what to sell to how the company operates. The best part is, this advice is likely to work since it comes from the company's own target audience. WSJ.com

Supplying to Wal-Mart is no Sure Thing

Yes, Wal-Mart does business with small suppliers, usually starting them out in local markets. When, and only if, a supplier makes the grade, it might be considered for national distribution. Even then, don't celebrate too soon. BusinessWeek.com

When You Should Turn Away Business

Business owners, being naturally concerned with their bottom lines, don't like to turn down business. It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes that's exactly what they should do. BusinessKnowHow.com

Legal Issues

Liability from a Misdirected Email

Sending an email to the wrong person usually results in only mild embarrassment, but as the CEO in this case learned, one misguided email mixed with some poor judgment can stir up a potent legal stew. BusinessManagementDaily.com

Taxes and Financial Issues

How CIT's Troubles Could be Your Troubles

If you took out a loan through the SBA from 2000 to 2008, you may be familiar with CIT, the largest such lender for that period. The problem is that its loan activity has plummeted in 2009 and if they hold your loan, their troubles could be your troubles as well. NYTimes.com

Technology Issues

Microsoft: 9 Security Patches You Need Now

Microsoft has released six bulletins with fixes for at least nine documented security vulnerabilities in a range of products that put users at risk of malicious hacker attacks. ZDNet.com

Social Networking and Your e-Policies

A recent survey showed that 22% of employees use social networking five or more times per week, and 15% access social media while at work for personal reasons, but only 22% of companies have a formal social networking policy. Does your company? BusinessManagementDaily.com

Health, Benefits and Labor Issues

Borzi Confirmed as Labor Department’s Top Benefits Regulator

Former congressional pension and healthcare staffer, Phyllis C. Borzi, widely known for her pro-organized labor positions, has been confirmed as the Labor Department’s top benefits regulator. Workforce.com

Branding, Sales and Marketing

Email Marketing: Improve Your Sender Reputation
There are reasons why email recipients click the spam button and why ISPs block e-mail. Learn what they are and how to avoid them. ClickZ.com

10 Tips to Master Email Marketing
Building a loyal customer base is more art than science, and we’ve got 10 tips to you master that art. SmallBusinessComputing.com

Surprising Study Results on Salespeople and Sales Management

There is surprising data on who would make a successful sales person or sales manager, empirical data borne out by the old “red sled test.” ManageSmarter.com