Government, Politics and the Economy
SBA's Karen Mills on How She's Thawing Small Business Credit
SBA Administrator Karen Mills discusses how her agency is working to get banks to lend to small business again. BusinessWeek.com
Polls, Politics and the Small Business Majority
Do the Small Business Majority's Polls really indicate support for requiring employers to provide healthcare or pay the penalty? We don't know and here's why. NYTimes.com
Shlaes: Rahm Emanuel’s Crisis Breeds Healthcare Trouble
They say that rash actions lead to reckless policies. That was a big takeaway of the economic crisis and a lesson the Obama White House needed to learn. Bloomberg.com
Management and Operations
Small Business Success: Money and Mojo
Smart business owners accept the need to learn new tricks to survive in the new economy, but which entrepreneurs are succeeding and what can we learn from? It t urns out that s uccessful owners stand out in two ways: By their money and their mojo. SmallBizTrends.com
The Right Time to Find a Business Partner
While it may be lonely at the top, you shouldn't rush out to find a business partner. Finding the right one for you and your business takes thought and work. USAToday.com
Legal Issues
FICO Lawsuit to Proceed
Fair Isaac’s trademark infringement lawsuit against credit-scoring competitors Experian and TransUnion will proceed after a US District Court judge denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss the case. BizJournals.com
Taxes and Financial Issues
What a Higher Minimum Wage Means for Small Business
The minimum wage has just gone up—employers must now pay hourly workers at least $7.25 per hour—and many are concerned about the effect this will have on small business. But are rising labor costs entirely a bad thing? WSJ.com
Control Costs, Improve Your Cash-Flow, Stay in Business
We all know that poor financial management is hard to overcome, a problem exacerbated by the recession, adopting an airtight plan to control costs now is the first step to fixing your cash flow problems. BusinessWeek.com
Technology Issues
The Emily Post of Twitter
Every conversation has rules, even conversations limited to 140 characters. Here are the five essentials of Twitter etiquette that you need to know before venturing out into the world of micro-blogging. BusinessKnowHow.com
SEO: The Link Between Linking and Page Rank
The number of sites linking to your website matters to the search engines. Here's why and what you should do to make sure you're found. ClickZ.com
Health, Benefits and Labor Issues
Health Insurance: Paying for Healthier Employees, Not Just Healthcare
The trend in recent health insurance contracts shows how the growing interest in performance guarantees has evolved in recent years. Workforce.com
Branding, Sales and Marketing
Reaching Teens
Teenagers make up a unique demographic. Here is what you and your marketers need to know about their use of devices and media to better reach them. ClickZ.com
Sales Tip: Purposeful Communication
Whether it is a face-to-face meeting, a phone call, or e-mail, customers want is a reason for your communication, they want you to have a point and for you to get to it. If you do, your customer will be much more receptive to your next call. ManageSmarter.com