Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Upfront from MyBusiness Magazine
  • What's in It for Me?
    06/03/2008
    You have to spend money to make money. Congress just made investing in your business a lot easier this year by passing the Economic Stimulus Package for the American People Act of 2008, a bill signed by President Bush.
  • First Impressions: Catch More Customers With a Compelling Sign
    06/03/2008
    Everybody knows the old saying: You can't judge a book by its cover. But when it comes to choosing where to shop, that maxim doesn't always apply. Chances are, most potential customers will judge the quality of your business by the appearance of the sign out front. If you've spent your budget making the inside of your store look professional, but your sign hasn't been updated since 1983, it's time to reevaluate—and revamp—your signage.
  • Pressure at the Pump?
    06/03/2008
    Check out these simple ways to ramp up your mileage and alleviate some pressure at the pump.
  • Green Ways
    06/03/2008
    Recycling paper is no longer enough to claim that your business is green. So what does it take? Peek inside True Green @ Work: 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business (National Geographic Books, 2008) to find out.
  • Mission Possible
    06/03/2008
    Social entrepreneurs balance bottom lines with a desire to make a difference
  • Retention Tips From a Pro
    06/03/2008
    How one small business owner avoids turnover
  • Tax Trap: What You Need to Know About Vehicle Expensing
    06/03/2008
    The expensing and deducting of vehicles include a number of special rules, so it's important to keep a few things in mind when purchasing a vehicle for business use.
  • Coping With Copycats
    04/02/2008
    In school, you could hunker over your paper and shield it from prying eyes. But it's not that easy in the business world.
  • Flying Fears
    04/02/2008
    Too anxious to travel by air? Here's how to lower your apprehension
  • No Exclusions: How to Market to a Niche--and Everyone Else
    04/02/2008
    Gayle Clark isn't ashamed to admit that not all of her customers get the same treatment at her Detroit-based automotive repair shop. In fact, it's something she even touts--especially to her female customers, who make up a special niche that Motor City Sales and Services has been filling since 2002.
  • Transform Your Seasonal Business to Survive the Slow Times
    04/02/2008
    At this time every year, Scott Ralls and his wife, Andrea, are in full planning mode, preparing for the peak season at Southwoods Camp in Paradox, N.Y. Every summer the upscale camp, located on 100 acres in the picturesque Adirondack Mountains, hosts 300 children for two four-week sessions. But when fall sets in and the campers return home to their families, the Ralls face one of the most pressing problems for seasonal small business owners--enduring the off season.
  • You Snooze, You Win
    04/02/2008
    Sarah Fitzharding's work is hectic. When she's not traveling across the country for her marketing-research consulting business, she's dashing around her home base of New York City to various client meetings. Despite her harried schedule, Fitzharding rarely misses her afternoon nap.
  • IRS Offers Savings for Hiring Disadvantaged Workers
    04/02/2008
    If you want to save money on next year's business taxes, remember one number: 8850. That's the one-page IRS form that you should ask new hires to sign as part of their new employee paperwork. The Small Business and Work Opportunity Tax Act of 2007 extended the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for hiring certain disadvantaged workers through Aug. 31, 2011, but many small business owners either don't know about the program or think it's too cumbersome.
  • Protect Customers From Hackers
    02/11/2008
    You've heard the horror stories about data security breaches that lead to identity theft and stolen accounts. The reality? Your customers put more than just their financial information in your hands when you swipe their credit cards. If you aren't already taking steps to protect their data, now is the time to start. If you accept Visa or MasterCard®, the Payment Card Industry now requires you to determine your compliance with new data security standards by completing a questionnaire, which assesses everything from your credit-card acceptance process to storage of sensitive financial information (the No. 1 cause of security breaches).
  • Curing Inbox Overload
    02/11/2008
    Looking up from a project the other day, I realized I'd neglected my inbox: It was backed up to 87 e-mails, just sitting there, weighing me down. I know some of you are spitting out your coffee—just 87 e-mails? I have 1,973, you say, or maybe just 489. I know, I know. I used to be like that, too. I was so proud of my ability to juggle all the communications I received every day—from clients, employees, friends—and still be effective.
  • Time Is on Your Side
    02/11/2008
    Beating the top 5 time bandits in any business
  • Traffic Control
    02/11/2008
    The next time you're stuck in traffic, consider this: Putting down your cell phone could help you--and your fellow road warriors--arrive at your destination sooner.
  • Crafting an Employee Recognition Program That Works
    02/01/2008
    How can you craft effective employee recognition programs? Cindy Ventrice, author of Make Their Day! Employee Recognition That Works (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003), offers these tips.
  • Make Over Your Office and Make Employees More Productive
    02/01/2008
    Letting employees have input about office decor is an inexpensive perk that can yield big results in your overall workplace environment, says Franklin Becker, chair of the department of design and environmental analysis at Cornell University and author of several books on office-space planning.
  • Going Green
    11/30/2007
    Save money and the environment with your next rental car
  • No Jerks Allowed
    11/30/2007
    Attract the best by demanding positive engagement from all employees
  • Fashionably Late
    11/30/2007
    Sean Conta and Matt Douglas may have arrived late to the party-planning market, but they're no wallflowers. Through strategic networking and personalized service, the Punchbowl Software owners brought their startup out of the shadows.
  • Plan for the New Year Now
    11/30/2007
    Last-minute tax moves to lower your bill
  • The Cost of Staying Connected
    11/30/2007
    Cell phones have become a business requirement. But picking the best plan for your small business can create a lot of static.
  • Avoiding the Crowd
    09/26/2007
    With a deluge of marketing messages for customers to sift through, some small-business owners are turning to emerging technologies to stand out
  • A Healthy Balance
    09/26/2007
    Job sharing allows doctors to embrace passion for medicine and commitment to family
  • The Beauty of Bluetooth
    09/26/2007
    Technology to talk hands-free makes its way into mid-priced cars
  • Keeping Score
    09/26/2007
    Why credit scores should influence your hiring decisions
  • A New Kind of Home Office
    09/26/2007
    Live/work developments appeal to urban small-business owners
  • Mapping Your Travel Budget
    09/26/2007
    Guide offers tips on navigating costs
  • Secret's in the Size
    07/25/2007
    It started as a goof. Friends Tim Mikkelsen and Phyllis Wright-Herman were hanging out drinking champagne when Mikkelsen discovered an old family photo album. Ripe for satire, the two began to come up with snarky captions for the '60s-and-'70s-era pictures. Inspired, Mikkelsen sat down at his vintage pica typewriter and tapped out some of the captions on stationery cards.
  • Shooting for Safety
    07/25/2007
    How to use video surveillance to protect your employees, your customers and your business
  • A Paperless Payday
    05/30/2007
    Paper or plastic? With the growing popularity of payroll cards, more businesses are pondering that question. The answer was easy for Mallard Group, a Grand Prairie, Texas-based company with a workforce that is on the road year-round.
  • Turning a Corner
    05/30/2007
    What the Bundt pan did for cakes, Matt Griffin hopes to do for brownies. It's a dream he cooked up a decade ago as a bachelor who loved brownies but couldn't make them. Every time he tried, the edges would bake long before the center, leaving chewy corners but a soggy middle. So when Griffin came up with an idea for a maze-like pan with rounded channels to distribute heat evenly and deliver more crust per square inch, he patented it--sure that licensing deals with big bakeware companies were just around the corner.
  • Walking While You Work
    05/30/2007
    Forget whistling. Thomas Niccum has discovered a new way to boost his productivity and spirits while he works--walking. Niccum, the owner of Burnsville, Minn.-based Lancet Software, traded in his traditional office desk for a treadmill more than a year ago and hasn't looked back.
  • Rule of Law: Ensuring Eligibility
    04/02/2007
    Why I-9 compliance is crucial to your business
  • Getting to the Gate
    04/02/2007
    Web site helps business travelers anticipate airport parking and security checkpoint snags
  • Greatness Is All in Your Mind
    04/02/2007
    Research shows that discipline, not talent, determines success
  • The Cost Of Keeping Customers
    04/02/2007
    Pamela Cook of PF Cook Brick Company has no control over rising fuel costs that drive up the price of bricks and force her to pass on the increases to customers. But her creative ways of helping them handle the hikes keep her customer base steady.
  • Laugh Your Way to the Bank
    04/02/2007
    Adding a dose of humor to your workplace can boost your bottom line
  • The Perfect Pitch
    04/02/2007
    How mastering an elevator speech can take your business to the next level
  • Spring Clean Your Car
    04/02/2007
    Warm weather is a perfect time to shape up your ride
  • When the Competition Leaves
    04/02/2007
    Don't just sit back and celebrate when a competitor folds. Cash in on all they left behind.
  • By the Book
    02/04/2007
    Why you should put your company policies in writing
  • Brighten the Winter Doldrums
    02/04/2007
    How to fire up employees during the post-holiday gloom
  • Road Rules
    02/04/2007
    Don't let gas prices blow up your budget
  • What's in a Word?
    02/04/2007
    Five quick ways to sharpen your vocabulary--and boost your business
  • Keep Communications Open at Your Business During a Disaster
    02/04/2007
    Open communications with employees and customers kept one business afloat when a flood damaged its manufacturing plant
  • Lighten Your Load
    02/04/2007
    Save time and a trip to the doctor's office by using a luggage-shipment service
  • Saving for a Rainy Day
    02/04/2007
    Sue Burnett took out a loan to start her staffing business. Thanks to her perceptive fiscal philosophy, she hasn't needed one since.
  • Help for the Spelling Impaired
    02/04/2007
    Do you cringe every time you have to compose an office memo or draft a proposal? Does responding to customers or clients via e-mail make you nervous? If you're not the world's best speller, it's easy to make a mistake that could embarrass both you and your company.
  • The High Price of Hotel Parking
    11/21/2006
    When to skip the rental car for a cab
  • Making a Move
    11/21/2006
    Owning a business doesn't anchor you to your hometown forever. Learn how one small-business owner started over somewhere new.
  • Party Protocol
    11/21/2006
    Make sure your halls aren't decked with harassment claims after your annual holiday office party by preventing offensive behavior.
  • Pay What?
    11/21/2006
    How to determine if you're paying enough to attract the best employees.
  • Plan Now, Save Later
    11/21/2006
    Year-end tax moves you shouldn't miss
  • Time Travel
    11/21/2006
    Avoid airport hassles by packing your carry-on with toiletries from the past.
  • Coffee Talk
    11/02/2006
    When Jason and Theresa Belkin wanted a low-cost way to find out what customers thought of their coffee shops, they turned to an old-fashioned comment box.
  • Check, Please
    09/20/2006
    How to know if outsourcing payroll makes sense for your business
  • Drive to Succeed
    09/20/2006
    Did you pull up to the office this morning in a sleek black Mercedes? If not, your employees might have been surprised
  • Perks Without Pay
    09/20/2006
    Raises aren't the only way to reward employees
  • Point Given
    09/20/2006
    Do you have a lot of airline or hotel points piled up, but don't have time to use them on an exotic getaway? Many preferred travel programs allow you to donate your points to charitable organizations. Though donations aren't tax deductible, giving goes a long way.
  • Small-Screen Stars
    09/20/2006
    New companies offer do-it-yourself TV advertising to small business
  • Tell Me About Yourself
    09/20/2006
    The legal boundaries of pre-employment background checks
  • Bag of Tricks: How to Prevent Airlines from Losing Your Luggage
    07/25/2006
    While airlines claim 98 percent of luggage lost are returned within a few hours, it's better to plan ahead so that you're not stuck without clean socks (or worse) on your next big business trip.
  • Class Act
    07/25/2006
    Small-business owners who offer educational classes to customers have discovered: If you teach them, they will buy.
  • Home Sweet Business
    07/25/2006
    How to know when it's time to move your home-based business elsewhere
  • Keep the Power
    07/25/2006
    How to protect your business during a power failure.
  • Report for Duty
    07/25/2006
    Why the military makes a perfect training ground for entrepreneurs
  • Lock Down: Fortify Your Business Against Identity Thieves
    07/25/2006
    It's not uncommon for businesses to request personal information from employees and customers, but if this information falls into the wrong hands, it could put individuals at risk for identity theft and spell disaster for your business.
  • Spying on Yourself
    06/27/2006
    Through reverse secret-shopping missions, these business owners learn ways to improve their customer service.
  • Test New Waters
    05/25/2006
    Expanding into new areas that complement your existing business is a good way to boost profits. But experienced business owners say look before you leap.
  • In-flight Comfort
    05/25/2006
    A new Web site helps travelers find the best seat on the plane.
  • Good Question
    05/25/2006
    Can you ask a potential employee if he's ever had a heart attack? No, and small-business owners looking to cut health-care costs by screening potential hires for health problems during interviews ought to look elsewhere.
  • Making Paper Work
    05/25/2006
    What to keep, what to toss.
  • Brushed With Greatness
    05/25/2006
    After spending a week styling hair at the White House, Luna Howard knew her small business had made the cut.
  • A Perfect Fit
    05/25/2006
    Some small businesses are getting money from large, national brands.
  • Wheels of Fortune
    05/25/2006
    How to determine the best way to pay for your new wheels.
  • Meet on Your Feet
    05/16/2006
    When it comes to important discussions and brainstorming sessions, Patrick Cody is the first one out the door. He's not afraid of conflict or of making decisions-far from it. The founder of Cody Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, simply finds it more productive to tackle some of his biggest challenges on foot.
  • The Lease You Can Do
    05/05/2006
    If you're like most small-business owners, your business is located in leased space. When it comes to commercial leases, keep one thing in mind: Leases are binding contracts.
  • Super Stars
    03/29/2006
    Millions of viewers of ABC's hit show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" don't know that the real heroes of the show aren't the corporate sponsors who typically get national television exposure from the program. It's the local small businesses that make the quick renovations happen.
  • Rocky Mountain High
    03/29/2006
    If you get lost between the moon and New York City, hopefully you'll land in Denver.
  • New 401(k) Option
    03/29/2006
    A new kind of 401(k) is making it easier to save for retirement. Available for the first time in 2006, the Roth 401(k) allows participants to invest in these plans with after-tax dollars, which means the tax bill has already been paid on these funds (as opposed to traditional 401(k)s, which are funded with pre-tax dollars).
  • You're Golden
    03/29/2006
    Marianne D'Eugenio, 58, spent 20 years working at a large Connecticut hospital. She left her position-director of Internal Auditing-in 1997. During the following five years, she worked in several positions before taking a class about entrepreneurship.
  • Listen to Me
    01/25/2006
    For small businesses, finding the right way to market a product or service is vital, says Nancy Boese, regional director of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center.
  • Remote Control: New technology helps business owners slash energy costs
    01/25/2006
    The average small-business owner can expect his oil and propane heating bill to be about 32 and 30 percent higher, respectively, than last season’s, according to a report issued by the Energy Information Administration. That means keeping energy costs down will be a priority until warmer weather arrives.
  • NFIB Taps Veteran Business Executive
    01/25/2006
    With extensive experience in both the business and political worlds, Stottlemyer has earned a reputation as an effective leader who understands how public policy affects business.
  • Yelp Wanted: New Web sites amplify word-of-mouth referrals
    01/25/2006
    When Dara Roberts asks new customers how they found out about her hair design business, the answer is always the same—someone told me you were good.
  • Amazon Strengthens Travel Services
    01/25/2006
    By 2007, 55 percent of all U.S. travel purchases will be made online, according to market research firm PhoCusWright.
  • Fleet Focus: Wheelin’ and Dealin’
    01/25/2006
    You may feel like you work out of your car—now you really can with Ford’s new General Contractor F-250, a souped up office on wheels.
  • When Cupid Comes to Work
    01/25/2006
    With office romance on the rise, employers should be aware of the hazards of workplace dating. In the past, most employers adopted strict no-dating policies forbidding workplace relationships. Yet in recent years, many have backed away from hard-line policies and instead tackle the issue through a code of conduct enforced on a case-by-case basis.
  • Spread Your Message Far and Wide: Getting listed on comparison shopping search engines is an effective way to reach new customers
    01/25/2006
    Some of the best online soirees recently came of age. Shoppers are flocking to shopping engines like BizRate.com and Yahoo Shopping to compare the offerings of many merchants side by side. The benefit for small-business owners is an educated customer base poised to purchase. According to Forrester Research, 75 percent of users eventually purchase a product they researched on these sites.
  • Defeat Your Doubters: Your worst critic is often that little voice in your head
    01/25/2006
    Self-doubt impacts all business owners to a degree, particularly at critical junctures such as hiring employees or developing a new market, Jain says. The question is: To what extent does self-doubt hold you back?
  • Wasted Time
    01/25/2006
    Think your employees could be slacking off sometimes?
  • Steal Traps
    01/13/2006
    Protect your small business from identity theft.
  • Enlighten Me
    11/21/2005
    How Cathy Filgas uses an employee shadow program to break down silos at her small business
  • Better Late Than Never
    11/21/2005
    Last-minute tax moves to make before Dec. 31
  • Experience Matters
    09/27/2005
    While customer experiences are most often associated with the retail industry, service enterprises are also jumping on the experience bandwagon.
  • Start the Chatter
    09/27/2005
    Mastering the Art of Small Talk Can Help Your Small Business
  • Out with the Old
    09/27/2005
    If you want to get rid of old hardware, the question remains: Who wants this stuff?
  • Living Off the Fad of the Land
    07/26/2005
    Scott Huskinson never imagined he'd fund his kids' college tuition with silicone wristbands.
  • Child’s Play
    07/26/2005
    Children inspired these innovative small-business owners.
  • More Than a Handshake
    07/26/2005
    Although there are tricky contract issues that will require a good small-business lawyer, the following tips can help you write a simple but enforceable contract without enlisting legal help.
  • Dash It All
    07/26/2005
    Equip your vehicles with a "dash camera" — a compact digital video recorder that can be set to record specific driving actions such as heavy acceleration or braking, swerves, and of course, collisions.
  • Before You Go
    07/26/2005
    How to conduct an exit interview -- and why you should.
  • Welcome Back
    07/26/2005
    The business travel slump is over, according to a new study from the Travel Industry Association of America.
  • Sign Me Up
    06/01/2005
    Every small-business owner dreams of landing a big client. So when DeNyse Signs won a huge UPS account, they were thrilled—and terrified. While new business is welcome, it can also change the way you operate.
  • How to Hire a Lawyer
    06/01/2005
    5 things to consider when seeking legal help
  • Happy Trails
    06/01/2005
    Staying stress-free on the road
  • Can You Hear Me Now?
    06/01/2005
    Written messages aren’t the only data you can send over the Internet.
  • Clean Machine
    06/01/2005
    You want your business to make a good impression. What do your car and work vehicles say about you? Many car washes offer business accounts that make regular upkeep easy and affordable.
  • Picture Perfect
    03/30/2005
    The owner of The Angus Barn steak house has one rule: Employees within 20 feet of a problem must find the solution. This problem-solving tip has led to better customer service, improved employee morale and overall better business.
  • Ask and You Will Receive
    03/30/2005
    You’ll never know if you don’t ask. Follow these guidelines for an effective employee feedback program.
  • Speak the Truth
    03/30/2005
    At some point as a small-business owner, you will undoubtedly receive reference requests about current or former employees. In providing information, it’s important to recognize potential liability risks. Employers who provide references may find themselves being sued for defamation or negligent referral. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be straightforward. Below, MyBUSINESS clears up some confusion about references.
  • Buy or Lease?
    03/30/2005
    Buy or Lease? For many owners of small businesses requiring multiple vehicles, deciding whether to buy or lease is a difficult decision. George Malina, president of Small Business Select LLP in Aurora, Ill., says each method has its merits.
  • Before You Buy
    03/30/2005
    Acquiring other companies is a good way to grow your small business.
  • Sleep Secrets
    03/30/2005
    If you’re like many business travelers, road trips do a number on your sleep schedule. Jet lag, unfamiliar hotel rooms and putting in extra hours can wreak havoc on your body. According to the National Business Travel Monitor, 42 percent of business travelers said they didn’t sleep enough on business trips last year.
  • Perfect Order
    03/30/2005
    If your New Year’s resolution to get organized fell short, spring is a great time to try again
  • Big Mouth
    03/30/2005
    Don’t leave word-of-mouth marketing to chance.
  • Stop the Revolving Door
    03/30/2005
    Learn to recognize the telltale signs that an employee is unhappy on the job -- before it’s too late
  • Grandma, What Big Ideas You Have
    02/01/2005
    This spunky grandmother took a family salad dressing recipe and turned it into a thriving business with the help of her grandson. Try tossing in a few of their ideas to make your business grow.
  • Back to Work
    02/01/2005
    What the law says about reservist employees returning to your small business
  • Lighten Your Load
    02/01/2005
    You know the feeling. You’re taking a short business trip, but your suitcase looks and feels like you’ll be gone for weeks. You packed the full-size toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner and even your favorite snacks for an overnight trip.
  • Know it All
    02/01/2005
    Dennis Paschalis never worries about his employees wasting time on the road. As the owner of a 10-employee national trucking business, Paschalis used to require his drivers to call in with updates on their locations at least three times a day.
  • Space Matters
    02/01/2005
    Sales are up and your bottom line is in great shape. But if you can’t meet demand because you and your employees are working on top of each other, it may be time to move. Consider these points before settling in to new digs.
  • Buying Guide: Office Chairs
    02/01/2005
    Take a Seat: How to Shop for a Chair
  • Custom-Tailored Service
    11/19/2004
    Personal customer service is the biggest advantage small businesses possess over their large counterparts.
  • Moves to Make Before It's Too Late
    11/19/2004
    Last-minute tax tips to make your new year bright
  • Beat the Clock
    11/19/2004
    A procrastinator's guide to shopping for business gifts
  • Speak Easy
    11/19/2004
    Improving your speaking voice could make your profits sing.
  • Buying Guide: Small-Business Security Systems
    11/19/2004
    Small-Business Security Systems
  • You Gotta Have a Gimmick
    10/01/2004
    Small businesses are perfectly suited to fill a niche in the marketplace. Learn how two companies stepped in to fill a need before anyone else did.
  • eCheap
    10/01/2004
    When it comes to buying technology, ingenuity stretches the company dollar.
  • Buying Guide
    10/01/2004
    Sun Microsystems Sunfire V20z
    Perfect for: Expanding businesses that need practical flexibility
  • Shelf Space
    08/01/2004
    Developing a new product is the easy part. Getting it out to consumers is the real challenge.
  • Small Business Briefs
    08/01/2004
    Is there a GAAP? When your small business prepares financial statements, do you follow GAAP – generally accepted accounting procedures?
  • What's It Worth?
    08/01/2004
    How to know what to charge.
  • Say What?
    08/01/2004
    Some companies have found that a bit of edge keeps them on top.
  • Five Tips for Trimming Phone Bills
    08/01/2004
    What could you do with an extra $543 a month? A recent report from the Small Business Administration says that’s how much small businesses spend on telecommunications services in a 30-day period. Here are a few tips on dialing back those costs:
  • Running Into Profits
    05/28/2004
    Those jogging sessions you squeeze in between work and home can do more than decrease your stress
  • Rule Book
    05/28/2004
    Does your small business need an employee manual?
  • Chunk of Change
    05/28/2004
    Navigating Employment Taxes
  • Small Business Briefs
    05/28/2004
    Instead of keeping you awake, that cup of java at the office might actually hamper your ability to work, especially for men.
  • Changing Spaces
    05/27/2004
    Some companies are finding that you don't have to be in the creative industry to benefit from a cool office.
  • Home In on Your Image
    05/03/2004
    HereÆs a way to set yourself apart from big chain competitors: Use a drawing of your home or small office building on mailings and marketing materials.
  • How Did We Get Here?
    04/15/2004
    Everyone agrees the nation's health care system faces a crisis. But why are so many Americans uninsured?
  • What Works For You?
    04/15/2004
    Find a solution that fits your business.
  • Health and Happiness
    04/15/2004
    Find options to lower your costs.
  • The Juice is Loose
    04/01/2004
    How creativity can spark growth in your business.
  • Small Business Briefs
    04/01/2004
    Thanksgiving is months away, but that shouldn't keep you from being grateful for all that is good in your life today.
  • Broad Brand
    04/01/2004
    How a fresh brand can rev up your business.
  • The Time is Now
    04/01/2004
    An improving economy means it's time to focus on employee retention.
  • Diversity in the Workplace
    01/29/2004
    Legal experts offer advice on workplace practices.
  • Remote Control
    01/29/2004
    5 Questions to Ask a Mobile Solution Vendor
  • Elbows off the Table
    01/29/2004
    And other rules of etiquette you may have forgotten
  • Small Business Briefs
    01/29/2004
    In effect since Jan. 1, new optional standard mileage rates from the IRS allow small businesses to compute deductible costs of vehicles used for business purposes.
  • Seeking Help
    01/29/2004
    Finding the right employee sometimes calls for creative recruiting.
  • You Are Here
    01/29/2004
    Trailblazing entrepreneurs prove that hot businesses aren't always found in industry hotbeds.
  • Five Moves to Make Before the New Year
    12/19/2003
    As the calendar counts down to Dec. 31, it's a good idea to make a few final financial moves that will help your small business ring in a prosperous new year.
  • Stacking Up Sales Overseas
    11/26/2003
    Sam Calagione wasnÆt thirsting to expand his micro-brewery to international markets.
  • Bar None
    11/26/2003
    A deadline looms for retailers who use point-of-sale (POS) systems to ring up customer sales.
  • Sweet Victory
    11/26/2003
    Across America, small businesses are banding together to take back their Main Streets.
  • Do's and Don't's of Debt Collection
    10/21/2003
    Follow these tips to avoid fines.
  • Here's How to Purchase Used Goods Wisely
    09/29/2003
    If you donÆt have the expertise to evaluate whatÆs offered, buy certified used equipment directly from manufacturers such as IBM and Dell.
  • Need Equipment? Think Used.
    09/29/2003
    As a small business start-up, PowerHouse Timing had big needs--routers, servers, telecommunications hardware and more--but a small budget.
  • Slow Down and Back Up
    09/29/2003
    Don't let computer problems wreck your business.
  • Stuck in Mud?
    09/29/2003
    Sytemize your business for smoother operations.
  • Supersize It? No Thanks!
    09/29/2003
    Route 11 Potato Chips sticks close to its roots.
  • To Fax or Not to Fax?
    09/29/2003
    How the new rules affect your business.
  • Blogging For Business
    07/31/2003
    What you need to know about the latest trend on the Internet.
  • How to Profit from Your Losses
    07/31/2003
    Did the faltering economy deal a heavy blow to your investment portfolio? If so, the tax law may provide some relief to cushion your losses.
  • Get Fired Up
    07/31/2003
    Spice up your main business with customer education courses.
  • Get Away
    06/03/2003
    5 ways to enjoy time off.
  • Will a Non-Compete Protect Your Small Business?
    06/03/2003
    A few things to consider in a non-compete agreement.
  • Free to Grow
    06/03/2003
    A few small business owners in Tampa celebrate independent, locally owned businesses.
  • Winning the Spam War
    06/03/2003
    4 ways to arm yourself in the battle against junk e-mail.
  • 5 Ways to Get Rid of Clutter
    04/15/2003
    Having trouble finding your desk underneath all the papers? You're not alone.
  • Make Driving Less Taxing
    04/15/2003
    Get bigger tax breaks for bigger SUVs.
  • Thinking Outside the Box
    04/15/2003
    Make referrals the building blocks of your business.
  • Working With Women
    04/14/2003
    The number of women-owned businesses continues to grow at twice the rate of all U.S. firms, and most of these are small businesses.
  • To Be Continued...
    04/10/2003
    The health care crisis is a complex issue. Unfortunately, there are no simple answers.
  • Filling the Gap
    03/31/2003
    When reservist employees are called to duty.
  • The Change Up
    02/11/2003
    Find new uses for your products.
  • Mediation for Small Business
    02/10/2003
    Cheaper and faster than the courts.
  • Breakthrough Ads
    02/05/2003
    Use your fleet for low-cost marketing.
  • 8 Tips to Spot Bad Checks
    02/04/2003
    American consumers write approximately 1.2 million bad checks every day.
  • Creative Ideas Don't Have to Be Costly
    12/10/2002
    If you think all superheroes originate in comic books or Hollywood studios, you haven't been to Wolcott, N.Y., lately.
  • Staying in the Loop
    12/05/2002
    Continuing education for entrepreneurs.
  • Retirement Plans: Choosing From the Alphabet Soup
    12/04/2002
    With sales to make, employees to lead and a bottom line to protect, staying on top of retirement plans can fall by the wayside.
  • Taking Stock of Your Intellectual Property Assets
    12/04/2002
    Whether you're looking to sell or merge your company or raise capital, intellectual property is essential to properly valuing your business in the transaction.
  • Just Ask
    10/08/2002
    Use email to start a conversation with online buyers.
  • Saddle Up
    10/03/2002
    Use inexpensive software to get close to customers.
  • Running a Tight Ship
    10/02/2002
    Use a former Naval officer's tips to steer clear of personnel problems.
  • Gift Management
    10/01/2002
    The business of charitable giving.
  • Save Some Green
    08/08/2002
    Trim landscaping costs by going native.
  • A Crisis Waiting to Happen?
    08/07/2002
    Even if you can't predict extreme external or internal events, you can keep them from sinking your company.
  • Tax-Free College Savings
    08/05/2002
    A state-sponsored college savings program called the "529 Plan" lets you invest in mutual funds for your child's or grandchild's education with tax-free earnings.
  • Once Upon a Time
    06/06/2002
    Use stories to perk up your presentations.
  • Be Flexible or Fold
    06/04/2002
    When sticking to your business plan is a bad idea.
  • Ready for Launch
    05/29/2002
    Successful product introduction depends on creativity.
  • Cards Help Company Connect
    04/15/2002
    In this age of low long-distance telephone rates and in-a-flash email, it seems the handwritten letter has gone the way of the rotary phone.
  • Infiltrating Voicemail
    04/15/2002
    Welcome to the voice mail battleground. It's where small business owners fight to communicate with their customers, vendors and even their own employees.
  • Keeping Track of E-tickets
    04/15/2002
    The "e" in e-ticket becomes "e" for elusive as we simply forget it and the associated monetary loss.
  • The New Rules for Economic Survival
    04/11/2002
    Given the unpredictable nature of today's economy, here are five defensive measures you can take now to keep your assets safe.
  • Earnings Envy
    04/11/2002
    Small business owners' earnings are surprisingly "virtually identical" to those of wage and salary workers.
  • A Tip to Get Customers
    04/11/2002
    Wouldn't it be great if customers kept your business card in their wallets for years and pulled it out to see your company's name on a weekly basis?
  • Creative Client Gifts Set You Apart From Competitors
    04/11/2002
    It's not too early to think about holiday client gifts. Besides avoiding a last-minute rush, you'll also have time to go beyond the traditional fruit basket and popcorn tin.
  • Protect Yourself
    04/10/2002
    Records to store off-site.
  • The Language of Business
    04/09/2002
    If you're targeting customers outside the U.S., at some point you'll need to translate your materials into another language. Here, we give you the scoop on translation options for a small business.
  • Revamping Retirement Plans
    04/03/2002
    The tax legislation President Bush signed into law contains significant changes that apply to virtually every type of retirement plan. Here's the scoop on the changes most likely to affect you.
  • Curb Your Ego for Success
    04/03/2002
    A mixture of extreme personal humility and intense professional will is the key to transforming a company from good to truly great.
  • Getting Their Attention
    04/02/2002
    In the world of direct mail, the only thing that matters is the envelope. The envelope has two reasons for being. One is branding, and the other is to make the recipient want to open it.
  • Haven't Filed Your Taxes Yet?
    04/01/2002
    Small business owners will find some good news in the tax legislation changes affecting them as they file their 2001 returns. Here are the highlights.
  • Offbeat Funding Techniques
    03/28/2002
    Strapped for cash to help your business launch or grow? Here are some unusual and creative ways small business owners have liquified their companies:
  • Not Firing a Poor Performer
    03/28/2002
    Pizer realized that he misunderstood how his unemployment insurance rates are calculated. Rates, he learned, are based on a combination of factors, including the number of terminations a company has and overall payroll, among other things.
  • Getting the Scoop on the Competition
    03/28/2002
    Almost every small business owner snoops on their competition.
  • The "Penalities" of Following a Sucessful Parent
    03/28/2002
    There was an unwritten rule among performers on the Ed Sullivan Show: Never follow an animal act or a child performer -- you'll flop.
  • Casing the Jointû-With Class
    03/27/2002
    When you're a 20-something launching a dotcom start-up, office cubicles may do for your digs. But once you've arrived big time, beanbag chairs don't cut it.
  • He Cuts Trees by Day, Swimsuits at Night
    03/27/2002
    By day the man who carried the mermaid is Bruce Garrison, lumberjack. By night he creates ladies' swimsuits. Unable to sleep,
  • Where I Do My Best Work
    03/27/2002
    Like many entrepreneurs, Scott Cleland often does his best work when he's not working.
  • Work/Life Makeover
    03/27/2002
    Helpful prescription for time.
  • Standing Up to Adversity
    03/27/2002
    Most people wouldn't put the words "cool" and "wheelchair" in the same sentence. Jay Johnson, the founder and CEO of FENA Design Inc., in St. Cloud, Minn., plans to change that.
  • Keeping Customers on the Edge of Their Seats
    03/27/2002
    A small Alpharetta, Ga., company is working to repair some seats of power in the White House.
  • Stand Out
    03/25/2002
    Celebrate unusual holidays appropriate to your business to stand out
  • Be Your Own Billboard
    03/25/2002
    When Cynthia McKay, CEO of Le Gourmet Gift Basket in Denver, Colo., founded her business in 1992, she would ride up and down the elevators of busy downtown Denver office buildings with a gift basket, like it was a delivery to someone in the building.
  • They'll Get Your Goat (Milk)
    03/25/2002
    A man, dressed in his Sunday best, appeared at the front door of Dennis and Patti Dean's palatial estate in rural Ohio. He was investigating the rumor that country music star Wynonna Judd had moved in and built a recording studio which was disguised as a
  • Generation Gap is Often Between Kids
    03/25/2002
    Significant conflict can erupt when there is a big difference in the ages of children working together in their family's business.
  • Avoid Isolation
    03/25/2002
    Whether you work from home or in a one-person office, you may occasionally miss those coffee room chats and just-between-colleagues schmooze sessions.
  • Stress Reduction Not a Simple Resolution
    03/25/2002
    New Years Resolution: To reduce stress in 2001.
  • Powerful Little Black Book
    03/25/2002
    It could hardly be more basic: a slim, oversized hardcover ledger book. Yet for many small business owners, the Beat Yesterday book is akin to a bible.
  • Primo Promotions
    03/14/2002
    There are many low-cost ways retailers spread the word about their businesses.
  • The Entrepreneur's Summer Dilemma
    03/14/2002
    I've enjoyed taking "real" vacations. But it's not always easy, as most entrepreneurs and small business owners have learned.
  • Don't Show You're Hurting!
    03/14/2002
    Call it a slow down, a recession or a myth, but whatever you do, don't admit to it.
  • Criticize Without Crushing
    03/14/2002
    Learn to criticize politely but firmly.
  • Protecting Your Good Name
    03/12/2002
    The lesson here is clear: for those thinking of starting a new business or renaming an existing one, consult a trademark attorney before finalizing your business's name.
  • An Investment TIP for Unsure Times
    03/05/2002
    The economic instability brought on by the terrorist attacks is likely to be with us for some time. More than ever, keeping the overall safety of your assets should be a prime concern while the economy takes time to sort itself out.
  • Tilt the Success Odds in Your Favor
    02/21/2002
    What entrepreneur wouldn't want to know the probable success rate of a new product, service or sales pitch before risking money on it?