Monday, August 18, 2008

Some things to look at!

http://sbinformation.about.com/od/bizopportunities/a/startup101.htm


I thought this website was interesting and educational, not to mention its not 30 pages long, short and to the point. check it out!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU7o5KLoX9o



Also, a Family Business Video
Creative..short and easy to watch/listen

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Innovation Helps Franchises Grow

Even in a sinking economy, flexibility and creativity keep high-demand franchise concepts spreading.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/franchisezone/article196418.html

5 Small Business Management Questions to Help Choose Marketing Programs

http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/small_business/strategies.htm

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Here is an interesting article about the benefits of giving employees more flexible schedules.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25608377/

Entrepreneurial contests

This is a post from another blog I read. It questions whether entrepreneurial contests are worth it or not. There is also an interesting video.
http://yourbiz.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/12/1260351.aspx

Rough Start, Great Business!

This is a pretty inspiring story about a guy who had a rough start. It just goes to show that you've never got an excuse to give up!

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2008/sb20080512_133843.htm?chan=search

VIDEO NETWORK...Entrepreneur

http://www.entrepreneur.com/video/index.html
Great videos linked here....all geared to small business owners!!!

NO-Employee Small Business Numbers Grow

http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2008/08/no-employee-small-business-numbers.html/

Dressing Casual while running a business??

Smaller Cows...more profitable

Monday, August 11, 2008

Beijing 2008: Business Is Booming

Although China has spent billions to bring the Olympics to Beijing, they will be bringing in billions with tourist spending.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/growyourbusiness/internationalexpansion/article196310.html

Thursday, August 7, 2008

WSJ report: Its normaly very good

The WSJ report on Small Business will run in the edition of Monday, Aug. 11, as a separate 8-page section.


Blogger babies

These are some cute pictures of the trio of Ryan, Aditya, and Haley. It's cool how there showing that blogging is a big thing and eventhough these babies can't speak, but they can sure show off the cute pictures of themselves.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Balancing work and family

This article :http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25934685/, has some great advice for working mothers (and fathers!) on balancing out your life.
Here is a particularly insightful excerpt:
"A very small part of what you do will have a profound impact on your family or your business. So take an inventory of everything that needs to get done and commit each day to completing the big things (often the hard things) that will make a huge impact. Instead of just tackling each workday as one large block of time, divide it into different types of work. Schedule a bit of time for phone calls, a bit of time for e-mails and a big chunk of time to get projects done."

i.e There is only a limited amount of time in one day, so focus on the things that are important to you.

Sweet Taste of Success

This is an interesting article I read about how even with the tough economy, dessert makers are thriving. I think this just goes to show that it all comes down to finding your niche in the market place.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25561551/

Sacrifices Small Business Owners have to make.

Here is an older article about 2 small business owners sacrificing there paychecks so they didn't have to lay any employees off during hard times. I think this shows strong values and commitment to the employees.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/worklife/successstories/article81752.html

Generation differences

I thought this article is interesting. The influence of small business owners during the baby boomers generation and the Generation Xer's.


http://www.womenentrepreneur.com/newsresource/3468.html

Friday, August 1, 2008

lower numbers of teenage employees

I came across this article about the younger work force decreasing! This surprised me because growing up all of my friends and I worked at 15 and now they are starting to work at older ages. Could this hurt small businesses like restaurants that rely on young workers?

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-article-a-113170-m-5-sc-47-the_young_and_the_restless-i

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

A Google workplace....would you consider offering such perks?

Video Resumes......



Would you consider them when hiring employees for your small business?

From Our Friends at Google

This site has a story about Google trend. it will trend any word for how many people over the last couple of years have looked that word up. it may be a great way to do some trending on what types of things are becoming more popular and what is on its way out.
http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/3759266

Entrepreneurs Who Get Published...interesting

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_66/s0806069940206.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+small+business+stories

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

How much should we listen to employees?

I just read an interesting quote by Steve Jobs:

"It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do."

What do you think?

Kevin

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Academic Journals on Small Business Exist!!

You can access the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, a peer-reviewed academic journal that provides actual research being done in the area of small business and entrepreneurship. Go to the Bucks main web page, Library, Start your Research, Online Resources...Perhaps a few of you could find and summarize some stuff you might find there.
Thanks in advance!
Kelly

New ideas in wedding market, plus a new service targeting grooms.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24794573/


I was browsing MSNBC and I stumbled across that article.

I like the idea of TheManRegistry.com. Kudos to the creator for finding a new niche.

Girls (and guys too, if you want to comment), would there be draw for a wedding service that helped you save money? IE- provided creative, inexpensive ideas for weddings? Just an idea from a guy who's older sis does that for her friends.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Customer Service

I came across these neat examples of companies that focus on customer service. The shoe website is my favorite!

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fsb/0709/gallery.where_customers_come_first.fsb/index.html

War good for small business?

This is a link to some scary statistics I read. They are about the love hate relationship between war in Irag and small business. Although this seems to be a postive aspect, I have to ask: Can there actually be a "positive" to this war?



http://smallbusiness.aol.com/features/inc/entrepreneurs-and-iraq

small business help in PA all in one place

http://online.wsj.com/small-business/local-business-help?frame_src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzgate.org%2Fpa%2Fbfh_wsj.html
this URL is very long but it takes you directly to a WSJ site that gives you a bunch of business help that is PA related. if you go back one page you can pick any state you want.
since this is the second blog post that i have submitted that involves The Wall Street Journal, for disclosure reasons I should state that I work for the Wall Street Journal.
thanks
ron

Did you think that naming your business was easy???

Wow. I had no idea the naming process could be so exhaustive.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_72/s0712048778082.htm

That 3-page article gives you a pretty good idea of what's involved.

Now for a question. Obviously, all the legal stuff is a requirement. What about everything else though? Would you spend all that time cross-referencing dictionaries, language books, etc?

The Importance of Branding.

Here's an awesome article that discusses the importance of developing a Brand.

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2008/sb2008069_694225.htm

Do you think that it's important for a small business to worry about brand?

Monday, July 14, 2008

Did you ever hear of SECOND LIFE????

small business computing

this site has some good informaton on computers and software used for small business. it seems that most small businesses rely a great deal on computers, but we may not think to much about them. this article is a little old, but it has good information on open source (free in many cases) software for small business. I use some of the products and they work very well.
http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/buyersguide/article.php/3679161
ron

Wall Street Journal web site

There is a bunch of great small business stuff on the Wall Street Journal web site. most of it is free. go to www.wsj.com and look down the left hand side for small business.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Pizza in a cone!

What do you think about this franchise idea??? Do you think it would work in Bucks County???
http://www.konopizza.com/

Friday, July 11, 2008

Inspirational videos

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-video-a-112771-i_see_me-i

I am not sure how to post videos in blogs but that should be the link to them. I was looking at the small business section of yahoo.com and they had these short videos of small business owners and how they developed. I thought it was awesome to see just how the different types of companies and different people and different visions evolved. They all have some good advice!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

A unique vacation policy....



What is your opinion? Post a comment...please!!!!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

GOING GREEN...Is it good for small business?



Seems to be a growing trend in business...any thoughts?

What is an Antipreneur??

http://feedroom.businessweek.com/index.jsp?fr_story=5881993500bd0f506d60ed448135350c5e8ada41
Watch the video linked above….local and sustainable…that’s what it’s all about! What do you think about this new type of small business owner? Is this a concept that will flourish?