Archive for March 2009
Jeff Cornwall: A new Fortune Small Business/Zogby Poll has found that a little less than half of small business owners say that they have been affected by the recession. What is really remarkable to me about these results is that if you listen to the media, every business in the US is on the brink [...]
BusinessWeek: Rob Larimer had two broadcasting jobs at the start of 2008: a full-time job as chief editor in the newsroom at an NBC affiliate in Louisville and side gig recording radio shows for a local oldies station. But he lost his radio job when the station changed formats in July and was let go [...]
Defying Recession To Launch Biz
CNNMoney.com: When metal worker Ken Kash was laid off in July from his job at a theatre set company, he decided not to look for another full-time position. Instead, he’s pursing a longtime dream: launching his own company. “I’m 48, and I feel that if I wait too much longer, I won’t have the energy [...]
When Banks Say No, Microlenders Say Yes
The New York Times: When banks say no, owners of cash-starved small-businesses aren’t giving up on finding loans. Many are turning to microlenders for the money they need to meet the payroll, buy supplies, pay the rent and keep the lights and heat on. These microlenders — community-based nonprofit lenders that draw on a varying [...]
Hello Baby Helps New Parents Ease Into Parenthood With Their All-In-One Shop
In a niche that we generally find many mompreneurs making there mark, Trevor Ginn is making his. What do they have in common? Parenthood. Trevor is a father and the founder of Hello Baby, an UK-based business which sells everything you could need for your baby, from clothing and bedding to strollers. Anything a new [...]
photo credit: aloxe Last year in there was an enormous surge in bicycle sales with the high gas prices and everyone switching over to more efficient ways of travel. So Mr. Graves, an Oregon bike store owner stocked up on winter equipment expecting sales to be the same. However, sales have dropped quite a bit [...]
photo credit: Rob Lee A recent article by Brian Neale stated that during this current recession, your first sales meeting of the new month should revolve around selling the products and services to your consumers that make their lives easier. This is a huge plus in your companies book as people everywhere right now just [...]
MinnPost: Inspiration for Matt Desmond’s latest font struck him while browsing vintage Russian weaponry at a Minneapolis gun show. There he came upon an artillery box of bandoleers featuring a font from a bygone era. The typeset was hastily stenciled and spray-painted blue. Gritty and original. Just his style. An iPhone picture, and a few-clicks-of-a-mouse [...]
photo credit: kozumel Thinking of launching a popcorn related business opportunity? According a report on American Popcorn, popcorn really pops in a down economy: A fourth generation business American Popcorn, the makers of Jolly Time has survived the Great Depression and several more recessions after that. “We’ve kind of been through the tough time at [...]
photo credit: @MSG The fact is that franchise companies still want to grow; and many individuals are still chasing the American Dream. Both groups realize that the lack of available credit is hampering their ability to make this happen. Solutions exist, but they often require some out-of-the-box thinking and aggressive efforts on everyone’s part. Third [...]
Unusual Soaps Keep Mom's Business Alive
KJCT8.com: A Whitewater mom is beating the odds in this tough economy. She turned a hobby into a successful business by making unusual products that are now sold world-wide. Kelly Devries makes special soaps that look like pickels, bacon and eggs, doughtnuts, hot dogs, and even dentures. The gentle hand and body soaps come in [...]
The Kangaroo Club Mompreneur: Talita Feuerstein
examiner.com: Why did you decide to open the Kangaroo Club? The idea for Kangaroo Club was born during the last months of my pregnancy. I had been doing the “office job”, and I realized I was unable to unwind and enjoy my family at the end of a stressful day. The minute my son smiled [...]
Entrepreneurs’ Secret: Smarts, Guts, and Luck
Harvard Business: Great entrepreneurs share and need SGL: Smarts, Guts, and Luck: Smarts The best self-made entrepreneurs possess outstanding street smarts, intuition, emotional and conceptual intelligence as much as–and often more so than–book smarts, analytics, and managerial intelligence. It is why founders are usually very good getting companies to a certain level, but usually less [...]
On The Rebound: David Jones & Ed Basconi
BusinessWeek: David Jones and Ed Basconi had worked together at an electronics production plant in Johnson City, Tenn., since the early 1980s, weathering three different owners: Texas Instruments, Siemens, and EPIC Technologies. But with production moving to Mexico, Jones took a buyout in 2007, and Basconi is one of a handful of employees staying on [...]
‘Pajama Mom’ Helping Jobless Online
NBC29: As employers shed jobs across the U.S., one web-savvy woman is helping others find success from the comfort of their own homes. Leslie Truex, the self-named “Pajama Mom” has spent the past 10 years living and working online operating her own website. “I would search the internet for work-at-home jobs and I would share [...]
Tax-Time Tips For At-Home Workers
CNN: It is at least 1,000 pages long. It costs $787 billion. And it’s as thick as two telephone books. The size and scope of President Obama’s stimulus package is staggering. But for many Americans who work at home, their concerns about the package can be reduced to one question: What’s in it for me? [...]
You Can Have Your Chocolate, And Sell It Too!
While we work our way out of this recession, there is one industry I am sure will make it through; the chocolate industry. Everyone loves a little treat once in a while. Chocolate is an affordable luxury, one that just about any budget can make room for. In that case, wouldn’t it make sense to [...]
photo credit: timsamoff The month of March holds great opportunity for business owners all over to enjoy 4 different free webinars on marketing. We could all use a little advice and help in the marketing world, especially during tough times when everyone is searching for new way’s to market their business/product. ●Mad traffic webinar. This [...]
Weary of Looking for Work, Some Create Their Own
The New York Times: Alex Andon, 24, a graduate of Duke University in biology, was laid off from a biotech company last May. For months he sought new work. Then, frustrated with the hunt, he turned to jellyfish. In an apartment he shares here with six roommates, Andon started a business in September building jellyfish [...]
photo credit: guspim When opening a new business or even in an existing business, it is very important to survey your customers. There is so much information that a business owner can obtain from these surveys. Below are a few good reasons that you should survey your customers. Gaining feedback. Ask them what they truly [...]
CharlotteObserver: Consumers are spending less. Commercial lending is scarce. Employees are being laid off. For two Charlotte families, those conditions signaled the right time to open their new business. Small Business Management Solutions opened in September to provide administrative services and office and meeting space for small companies and contractors. Services include telephone answering, appointment [...]
Makers Of Toys, Clothes Fear 3rd Party Inspections Will Ruin Business
Columbus Business First: Jessica Waldegar is an artist by training, but she can also do the math on a new federal law she fears could put an end to her handmade baby products business. A law passed by Congress in August bans lead and phthalates in toys and mandates that children’s products, including clothing, undergo [...]
Balancing A Bottle And A Blackberry? This Mompreneur Knows How You Feel.
PR.com: By 8:00 am on Monday morning, Felicity Chapman had gone for a run, handled two dozen messages and reviewed the financial statements for her business, all as she refereed breakfast with her two young daughters, Kaia and Siria. Such is typical in the life of a “mompreneur”, as the growing species of mom-entrepreneur hybrids [...]
On The Rebound: Cheryl Ferrara
BusinessWeek: Cheryl Ferrara was laid off three times in two years, most recently as international sales manager for luggage maker Travelpro in Boca Raton, Fla. Disillusioned with corporate work, she approached small business counselors at SCORE for help starting her own business. Early in 2008 she launched a Web site to sell hand-made rosaries and [...]
Starting a business can be an appealing option for laid-off workers, but actually running one is rough in a recession. If you were entering the workforce during this recession, would you still want to start a small business? Yes No Not Sure View Results
Obama Unveils Proposals To Help Small Bizs
Associated Press: Amid misgivings over his spending blueprint, President Obama has decided to provide billions of dollars in federal lending aid aimed at struggling small-business owners. The broad package of measures to be announced today includes $730 million from the stimulus plan that will immediately reduce small-business lending fees and increase the government guarantee on [...]
Many are Selling Their Jewelry During Hard Times
photo credit: lepiaf.geo It seems that everywhere you look today there are signs and tv commercials offering a high price for your unwanted jewelry. You ship it to them and they send you cash fast for your gold or silver. But is it all that safe really? Should consumers be worried about sending away all [...]
photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography When we drive through our neighborhood now, we see so many big restaurants closing their door’s. Outback has been one of them in two surrounding cities now around my house alone. But the one’s that seem to be doing just fine, are the quick service restaurants. McDonald, Burger King and [...]
Family-Run Business Finds Success With The New Orleans Snoball
Inspired by the New Orleans Snoball, The Original Snoball Shack has taken this delicious treat and released it from those traditional binds. Through their licensing opportunity, the Snoball Shack has allowed entrepreneurs around the US to start up their own Snoball stands in their locations. Because it’s not a franchise, there are no fees, just [...]
Make Money And Friends While Selling A Healthy Lifestyle
examiner.com: Lisa Sallin, mother of 2 young children and a former school teacher, makes a very nice living with Herbalife. She sells the products and recruits others to represent the company. However, like so many people, she was skeptical about the company and its practices when a year ago, her husband brought home a DVD [...]
Mom Finds A Bailout In Direct Sales
The Philadelphia Inquirer: When De Ann Mensch was laid off last month for the second time in little over a year, she did not polish her resume. Instead, the ex-bank teller (and ex-mortgage loan closer) burnished her sterling silver jewelry and her sales pitch. Now the softspoken Mensch, 44, of Pennsburg, spends several hours a [...]
photo credit: Wesley Fryer Right now, the visionaries among us are engaged in a dual strategy. On the one hand, they’re looking inward to shore up their businesses internally. On the other, they’re looking outward, pouncing on opportunities created by the economic downturn. Below are some steps that smart leaders are already taking. Monitor your [...]
photo credit: crazytales562 Here’s a thought. If you are in the retail sector and you’re concerned about dwindling sales, you may want to consider reviving a payment option we don’t hear much about anymore — layaways. In today’s economy, instant gratification that a customer receives from instantly purchasing a product or item isn’t exactly always [...]
New Spin On Vinyl: Bundled MP3s
Fortune Small Business: Like many music retailers, Nathaniel Bernier was getting squeezed. His store, Wild Rufus Records, in the seaside town of Camden, Maine, was selling fewer CDs. It was suffering as a result of the music industry’s broader woes – CD sales nationwide were down a steep 17.5% last year. To make matters worse, [...]
Reader’s Digest: Ginny Jones started Kinetic Electric Group by tapping the family bank. To start her electrical contracting business, Ginny took $75,000 out of her family’s savings and used her credit cards. Over the following months her staff grew from three employees to 45. In their first year, they did $1.875,000 in gross revenue. She [...]
It’s Friday and time for another edition of “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” Unique products to amuse and inspire. Spoonlidz Ice treat maker devised a lid that transforms into a small spoon after simple bending. Practical and eco-friendly! Flash Drive Dispenses Post-It Notes Since the USB drive was always meant to carry your virtual-world [...]
On the Web, No One Can Hear You Scream
The New York Times: Can big Internet companies actually provide responsive customer service? Two items today raise this question for me and tell two versions of the all too familiar story of someone who simply can’t get anyone at a Web site to answer the telephone and fix something that has gone awry. The Washington [...]
Start A Home-Based Biz? Answer 4 Questions
KVAL.com: Gary E. Smith, an instructor at the Lane Community College Small Business Development Center said a desire to run your own company isn’t enough. He stated four things people should think about before they start their own company. 1. Delegate vs. Abdicate: Someone who delegates is involved in the entire business process and gives [...]
Bison IT Offers A “Solution” To Computer Maintenance
When you run a business, you need your computer to run smoothly. The more computers you have, the more daunting that task can become. While having a team to handle any problems that might arise would provide a quick solution, it might not be very cost effective for you. As more people stopped paying for [...]
Meet the Founders of Amy Michelle Designer Diaper Bags
Readers Digest: The goal of Amy Michelle Bags is to accommodate the travel needs of both the baby and mom and be fashionable at the same time. The saturated markets of baby products and women handbags did not offer an organized, functional baby bag that was also sophisticated and elegant. “Instead, a mom who chose [...]
Ways to Bounce Back from Setbacks
photo credit: squacco Everywhere you look, read and hear…people are being laid off left and right or out right fired from their long time secure jobs. Everyone is beginning to wonder how they will bounce back from this recession. Karen Salmonsohn recently answered how to bounce back from your setback with a few ideas of [...]
photo credit: gruntzooki In a recent article by Scott Belsky, he argues that there is too many ideas floating around in business today but without very much action to follow them. It is one thing to brainstorm all day and come up with 100 new ideas on increasing your productivity, but without putting them into [...]
photo credit: billaday In today’s economy, small business owners are getting advice from their advisor’s and tax consultants left and right to lower prices, cut staff, cut pay and sick day’s as well as cutting out vacation days. However, there are several other options that a small business owner can take advantage without letting go [...]
photo credit: Nicholas_T In 2008 we all started to realize just how severe the recession was getting, with job losses increasing rapidly, small businesses dropping off the grid and farming jobs dropping rapidly. However, the good news is that job losses today do not appear to be increasing like they were last year. The stimulus [...]
photo credit: darrenstone A woman recently visited Columbia to see her good friend’ who use to work on wall street up until 4 years ago. They moved back home to open Rodrigo’s own business that started out with five employees. Today Rodrigo’s business has grown to over 300 employees. In addition to his brokerage business, [...]
What You Should Tell Your Employees
photo credit: Adam Tinworth Many business owners in the down economy are finding themselves not knowing what to tell their employees as far as the perk’s, benefits, raises, jobs in general, etc. Below is a short list compounded from Guy Kawasaki’s list on what you should be telling your employees…the truth! The market budget is [...]
photo credit: richardmasoner It is indeed a new year which means new everything, from businesses to technology and yes even new economic trends and business trends. A short list of 2009′s new technology and small business trends is below. Government plays a larger and growing role in the economy. The number of small businesses will [...]
Entrepreneur Finds Her Niche In Salad Dressing
The Sacramento Bee: It’s a recipe any entrepreneur would salivate over: Find a niche. Add liberal amounts of food industry experience, a dash of chutzpah and a catchy name. And a great-tasting product doesn’t hurt, either. Those ingredients have whipped up a hit for Dorene Humason of Folsom. In less than two years, her Chinese-inspired [...]
Gadgetwise: Why do so many Twitterers seem to be aspiring stand-up comics? “Good news: Cure for diabetes in mice,” Josh Donoghue, known as awryone, tweets from somewhere in Connecticut. “Bad news: in order for the cure to work on people, they must release whole mice into the bloodstream.” “I fell victim to a Fonzie scheme,” [...]
AdSense Publisher Sues Google And Wins
Search Engine Watch: What if everyone whose account was canceled sued Google?” That’s what a Google litigation paralegal asked the judge in a Palo Alto small claims courtroom. The judge ruled in favor of an AdSense publisher who brought a suit against Google for canceling his account without giving reason – and not paying up. [...]
