For small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, the web is a wellspring of information, insight, and advice. But like everything the Internet has to offer, you need to know where to go to find what you need. Here is my list of essential small business blogs divided into several, broad categories: General Small Business Info, […]
Author Archives: Gary Barzel
Five Smart Uses for Your Tax Refund
As the economy continues to sour, many are giving extra thought to how they will spend their tax refunds. The question of where to allocate this “additional” cash is all the more weighty for the growing population of people who are either self-employed, unemployed, or in transition. So what is the best use for your […]
Is Now the Time to Invest in a Franchise Opportunity?
There are several attractive incentives to investing in a franchise business. By buying into a franchise opportunity, you can take advantage of a proven business model and an established brand recognition, not to mention all the training and support that many of the major franchisers have to offer. But with the economy in a recession, […]
Microloans Provide Needed Financing to Some Small Businesses
As the economy continues to sputter along, the sources of traditional small business financing have been quickly drying up. Collectively, banks and commercial lenders are requiring more collateral while simultaneously approving smaller loan amounts. And this is coming as other personal financing products, such as home equity loans, are getting harder to come by. As […]
How Small Businesses Can Retain Employees in a Recession
In the midst of all the outrage surrounding AIG’s infamous bailout bonus packages, a surprising detail has emerged. The so-called “retention” bonuses were paid to 52 people who have packed up and left the company. Though one could perhaps argue that the people who left technically could afford to leave, and anyway they weren’t doing […]
Famous Companies that were Founded in an Economic Recession
In several of my previous posts, I mentioned that hard economic times are known to be the harbinger of innovation and business opportunity. So I thought I would give you a few examples of some famous companies that got their start in the harshest of economic conditions: General Electric (GE). GE got its start in […]
Laid Off? Get Back to Work by Starting Your Own Small Business
As the unemployment rate surges across the nation, a diverse group of people of various ages and backgrounds are suddenly being faced with the question: What next? History attests to the fact that economic difficulty often spurs innovation and creativity, and our current economic crisis should be no different. In a recent post, I noted […]
Stop Overpaying On Your Overhead Expenses!
Do you know that you may be paying too much for many of your overhead expenses? Here are 12 simple ways that small businesses can save a significant amount of money on some of the most common operating costs: 1. Cell phones and business credit cards Cell phone plans and credit card options can vary […]
The $787 Billion Recovery Package: How Can Small Businesses Benefit?
After all the politicking, President Obama finally signed into law last week the $787 billion recovery package designed to give a much needed boost to the U.S economy. Contained in the hundreds of provisions and over 1,000 pages of this bill are many opportunities for small businesses. You just need a little patience to sift through it […]
8 Reasons Why the Recession is Good for Small Businesses
In the midst of this chilly recession that doesn’t look like it is going anywhere any time soon, there has been a lot of talk about how difficult it is to start, operate and grow a small business. But even the darkest clouds can come with their silver lining. Much emphasis could be made on […]