This Week's Highlights Business.gov's Ultimate Guides
Business.gov has been working hard to provide a set of "ultimate" guides for a variety of business topics as a go-to resource. The first of the guides is The Ultimate Business Law Guide – A “Cheat-Sheet” to Preventing and Resolving Business Conflict. One of the most important skills a business owner must master is how to defuse conflict and alleviate problems. Read more...
Recent Articles in the Community Small Business Matters Putting the "Social" into Social Media Marketing - 3 Tips for Interacting with your Customers
We’ve all heard about the benefits of using social media to engage with customers and market your business. But just how is it done? So many brands make the mistake of using social media for just pushing messages out there while ignoring the fundamental point of social media – being SOCIAL! But just how do you get social? Learn more with these three tips from a successful small business who is using social media on a tactical level to engage with customers, market their business and grow foot-traffic. Meet "Fuego Mundo". Read more... Five Tips for Finding Small Business Firend Banks
If you are in the market for business financing you may have noticed that the SBA is tentatively reporting a healthy increase in small business lending. However, finding the right bank for your small business financing needs can still be a time-consuming challenge. So just who is lending? And what is your best strategy for finding and approaching a bank? Here are five tips to help you find small business friendly banks. Read more... Starting a Home-Based Frnchise Business - 6 Steps to Help You Find the Right Opportunity
More often than not, when we think of franchise opportunities, we tend to think of businesses with a physical Main Street, strip mall or commercial office presence. However, home-based franchises are now one of the most popular franchise sectors out there. If you are interested in starting a home-based franchise business, here are six points to consider in your research. Read more... Business Law Advisor Starting a Travel Business
Travel businesses offer a wide spectrum of services, with the intent of saving their clients time or money. Read this guide for a brief overview of the steps you need to take to legally start a travel service business. Read more... Working With or Near Children? Protect Your Clients and Your Reputation by Staying On Top of Regulations
You are responsible for ensuring a safe environment for your employees and customers. When your business caters to children under the age of 18, you will likely comply with additional safety requirements. Whether you are tutoring students in your home or you own a gymnastics studio, there are some basic precautions you can take to create a safe environment. Read more... Laid Off and Looking to Start Your Own Business? Understand Your Unemployment Benefits First
Due to the recent economic downturn, many businessmen and women find themselves out of work for the first time in their careers. Whether you are job hunting or planning to use the time off to start your own business, learn the dos and don’ts of collecting unemployment benefits. Read more... In The Loop Power User Spotlight: Complementary Skill Sets. Regulatory Know-How Spell Success for Partnership
Mark Aselstine left his career in real estate development to start a wine club and export business with his brother-in-law. Turning an appreciation for fine wine into a successful business allows him all the typical benefits of being your own boss, including being able to spend more time with his family. In addition to his role as a business owner, Mark, also know as MarkAse, spends a great deal of time sharing his experiences and expertise with the Business.gov Community. His commitment to the Community makes him worthy of the title “power user” and we recently asked him to share his story – which we found is actually one of the keys to his success. Read more... The Industry Word 10 Signs You Need to Revise Your Business Plan
Is it time to revise your business plan? Join the club. Most well-managed businesses revise their plans often. They realize that what really optimizes the business is not just a one-time throw-away business plan, but a business planning process tht involves regular review and revision. The planning becomes like steering, which means management. and metrics. And accountability. It’s about managing change. Read more... Unless You Are An NBA Star... Protect Your Brand
Last month I discussed the difference between a personal brand and your business brand and tried to make the connection between the two more clear. I also discussed how your personal brand can impact your business brand and gave examples of how it can be harnessed beneficially. One thing I did not address is protecting it. Here, in an abridged version of his latest post, Michael Bowers of the Ohio Small Business Development Center reflects on a celebrity’s recent use of their personal brand and discusses the importance of being cognizant of the choices you make. Read more... Location. Location. Location: Where You Run Your Business Matters
Some places are business-friendly; some are not. If you are about to start up or expand your business, consider what your choice of location can mean to your success. Learn about why location matters, state-level concerns, and finidng business-friendly states. Read more...
For More Topics, Visit the Discussion Boards | 
