Local Business News

The Case Against Vacation Policy

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
IT consulting firm Bluewolf lets employees take as much vacation as they want, whenever they want—as long as they meet their goals

Rising Health-Care Costs Hurt Small Biz

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
A survey of some 4,000 self-employed individuals and business owners with 10 or fewer employees finds most can't afford to offer health insurance to employees

The Lowdown on Strategic Investments

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
This kind of cash infusion can be a boon to your small business, but beware: There can be complications

Does Wal-Mart Really Hurt Small Business?

Wednesday, July 02, 2008
It's conventional wisdom that when it comes to small companies, Wal-Mart is bad news. But is it true?

Matching the Right People to the Right Jobs

Friday, June 20, 2008
Your workforce's skills change over time, and so does your business. Getting the right people into the right jobs is key to your company's growth

Yvon Chouinard on Entrepreneurship

Friday, June 20, 2008

Entrepreneurs Reinvent the Funeral Industry

Friday, June 20, 2008
Traditionalists scoff at them. But these outsiders are revolutionizing one of the world's oldest professions

Meet the Antipreneurs

Friday, June 20, 2008
They're against advertising, corporate America, and globalization. That's good for business

Manage Your Sales Reps Better

Friday, June 20, 2008
Rather than hire an in-house staff, Rebecca Herwick learned to manage her sales reps better

How Angel Investors Get Their Wings

Thursday, April 17, 2008
Backing entrepreneurs with good ideas can be a moneymaker for these daring investors who go where venture capitalists fear to tread

Intrapreneurs and Adaptive Persistence

Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Author Gregg Vanourek on applying entrepreneurial principles to your life, why a recession can be a good time to start a business, and more

A Conversation with Michael Gerber

Monday, March 24, 2008
The small business guru and best-selling author argues that anyone can become an entrepreneur

You Don't Have to Ditch the Day Job

Monday, March 17, 2008
Here are seven tips on how to launch a successful Internet outfit without leaving your desk

Alumni Networks: Knotting the School Tie

Wednesday, March 12, 2008
While tapping former classmates to help build a business isn't a new idea, getting in touch with them is getting easier

What I Did at VC Camp

Sunday, June 29, 2008
Venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners gives student entrepreneurs a business boost with access to its expertise and contacts

Bush Names Small Business Administration Chief

Thursday, June 26, 2008
But Sandy Baruah, a Commerce Dept. official, has only limited small-biz experience, and, if confirmed, will have only a few months to serve

Room at the Top of the SBA

Friday, May 23, 2008
Steven Preston is out at the Small Business Administration, leaving business leaders and politicians wondering who's next

SBA Loans Plummet

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The total of the agency's flagship 7(a) loans is down 18%. The agency blames the economy; others cite the flight of banks from the program

Business Bankruptcies on the Rise

Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Tighter credit, rising commodity prices, and slipping sales aren't slamming just Wall Street; now small businesses are getting hit

Indie Filmmakers Hit Their Target

Thursday, June 05, 2008
Taking cues from musicians' Internet business models, filmmakers are transforming the movie biz by handling marketing, distribution, and DVD sales

Fixing Fishman

Wednesday, June 04, 2008
How a routine packaging redesign at the high-end music equipment maker kick-started a companywide turnaround

Wolfgang Puck vs. Wolfgang Zwiener

Friday, May 30, 2008
Two restaurant chains with similar names are about to square off in a trademark-infringement showdown

The Escalator Pitch

Friday, May 16, 2008
Veteran entrepreneurs and financiers have long understood the need for succinct pitches. Enter the Twitpitch. It's not what you think

Horween Leather Faces an Uncertain Future

Friday, May 16, 2008
Horween, supplier to the NFL and NBA, is making a bundle, but whether this fourth-generation tanner can make it to a fifth is anybody's guess

John Gagliardi Scores with Maverik Lacrosse

Friday, June 20, 2008
John Gagliardi is on top of his game—in lacrosse and in business

A Health-Care Entrepreneur-Turned-Farmer

Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The local foods movement and concern for the environment are among the reasons for the growing popularity of community-supported farming

Not Just for Celebrities

Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Russian-born jewelry designer Lana Fertelmeister's line is popular with Hollywood. Now she wants to expand into accessories and clothes

Gary Vaynerchuk Is Thirsty

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The host of WineLibraryTV wants to use the Internet to make him bigger than Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, and Oprah

Centuries-Old Family Businesses Share Their Secrets

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Other enterprises can benefit by borrowing strategies from these companies that have prospered generation after generation

Why 'How' Matters More Than Ever

Thursday, June 26, 2008
New columnist Dov Seidman says human connections are key in a hyperconnected world—no matter whether you're a doughnut maker or a doctor

When the 'Silver Tsunami' Fails to Hit

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Coyne Partnership disputes claims of an impending deluge of retiring baby boomers, and explains how the truth could affect your business

Why Sharing with Competitors Is Smart

Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Jim Koch, founder and chairman of Boston Beer Co., explains why it shared 10 tons of hops at cost with craft brewers

Ten Reasons Gen Xers Are Unhappy at Work

Thursday, May 15, 2008
Corporations really need folks in their 30s to early 40s, but there is a tentative relationship at best between that cohort and Corporate America

How to Make Meetings Matter

Monday, April 28, 2008
They're a crucial part of the business process, but if your meetings are planned on autopilot, you're probably not sending the right message

Auctions on eBay: A Dying Breed

Monday, June 02, 2008
As consumers opt for fixed-price purchases, what happens to the company that perfected the art of online bidding—and the scores of e-auctioneers?

Do Reputation Management Services Work?

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A new industry promises to help counter negative search results on the Web. Hiring one of these fixers may make nasty comments go away

Business Software for Free

Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Management software that's easy—and free

The Apps Small Biz Needs Now

Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Want to get rich? The company that gives small business owners the tools they need to work smarter and faster will be the next Google

A Web Site in a Jiffy

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Better software makes it easier than you think