First, it contains some unusual choices, and not the usual suspects. For instance, on it you’ll find such sites as Search Engine Land, co-founded by Danny Sullivan a well known name in search engine circles. The topic is so niche-y it’s not one you’d automatically associate with small businesses. Another site on the list is the Wall Street Journal Business Technology blog — not everything on that site relates to small businesses, but it’s good solid information.

The other reason this list is unusual is that it’s formatted as a “slideshow.”

Actually the slideshow consists of a series of pages with an image and short description and paginated navigation that just feels like a slideshow. Presenting it this way makes it easier to concentrate on each blog separately as you read about it.

Small Business Trends is the third blog on the list, right after Guy Kawasaki’s How to Change the World. Congratulations, also, for making the list to online friends John Jantsch’s Duct Tape Marketing blog and Professor Jeff Cornwall’s Entrepreneurial Mind.

This is a post from: Small Business Trends

Best Blogs for Small Businesses - A Slideshow

On the first morning after the heavy rain storm when my connection wouldn’t, well, you know, connect, I didn’t think anything of it. I had a meeting out of town, packed my computer and my notes and headed to the car.

On day 3 of no connection, I called the cable company. Via my phone I toured many departments, visited India and back — and still no connection.

“We’ll have to send someone out, Ms. Brown. How is next Saturday between 2-4pm?” Seeing as Saturday is three days hence, it wasn’t my first choice but the show must go on.

I packed up and headed to the local library for their wireless. Connected. Ah, that sense of no longer being marooned. I retrieved email, wrote a blog post, did some research and responded to my email.

Gads – my email wouldn’t send!

I packed up and headed to the local coffee shop for their wireless connection. Comfortable seats, a connection that works both ways — receiving AND sending. Yet there was something not so right about taking without giving, so I bought a coffee. $4.25 later (because you can’t go into a coffee shop and just buy ordinary coffee — shouldn’t you experience something different?) I send my email. Then I smell the scones. Another $2.00 later I’ve gotten caught up and yet – no I haven’t because more email has come through and another blog comment to respond to and a request for a proposal and an hour turns into many hours and it’s dinner time.

I pack up to feed my family only to realize that I have a project due to a customer by morning and they are expecting it by email. Which I don’t have in my home office at the moment. So after dinner it’s back to the coffee house again.

This frustrating dance continues for three more days, packing up my office, starting at the free library, ending up at the coffee shop, wasting gas and drinking and eating into my profits.

Finally Saturday arrives. (more…)

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Running My Business from the Caribou Coffee Parking Lot at 10 PM

The main thesis of the book is that prediction is very difficult and the statistical tools used to manage risk are flawed because they don’t deal well with “Black Swans” — really rare events with outsized effects, like September 11.

The book makes several useful points for entrepreneurs and investors that come from the existence of Black Swans.

• One of these is that a valuable investment strategy is to put the vast majority of one’s investments in very safe instrument like treasury bills and the rest in venture capital-type investments. If you are lucky, one of those VC-like investments will be a Black Swan and give you a Google-type return.

• A second valuable point is the uselessness of forecasting when you can’t predict the future with much accuracy. From the arguments in the book, it is easy to see how much time entrepreneurs waste preparing financial projections that invariably are incorrect.

• A third valuable point is the sensitivity of outcomes to the variance in initial conditions. If there is even a moderate amount of variance in those conditions — like the talent of entrepreneurs or the attractiveness of their opportunities — the amount of variance across ventures becomes so magnified over time that one can explain tremendous differences between the most and least successful start-ups from minor differences in initial conditions. To me this point helps to explain how we get tremendous successes like Google from start-ups that, on day one, look only a little different from the typical start-up.

The one recommendation I would make to entrepreneurs interested in the information in this book is to get a book summary. The author is long-winded and spends a lot of time trying to impress readers with his knowledge of philosophy and superiority over other experts. I found that tiresome; and it detracts from the message. A good summary would just avoid the problem.

Editor’s note: In keeping with Professor Shane’s suggestion of reading a book summary, I found a free summary of The Black Swan over at BookJive. BookJive looks to be a helpful service that will even email new book summaries to you. There’s also a short YouTube video excerpt describing the Black Swan theory, delivered by Nassim Nicholas Taleb himself. — Anita Campbell, Editor

* * * * *

About the Author: Scott Shane is A. Malachi Mixon III, Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Case Western Reserve University. He is the author of eight books, including Illusions of Entrepreneurship: The Costly Myths that Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Policy Makers Live By; Finding Fertile Ground: Identifying Extraordinary Opportunities for New Ventures; Technology Strategy for Managers and Entrepreneurs; and From Ice Cream to the Internet: Using Franchising to Drive the Growth and Profits of Your Company.

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The Black Swan for Entrepreneurs

One very common question relates to what I call “The learn while you earn” model.

This model was a personal favorite of mine when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I would apply at 2 or 3 really different companies for positions that interested me in a general way, and in my mind, I had very little risk, because I would be learning about these totally different types of businesses, while getting a paycheck. Wow! If it turned out that I didn’t like the business, or at least my role in it, I could resign, and try something else. I did this a lot.

People looking at franchising ask me this common question:

“Joel, are there any franchise companies out there that will let me work with a local franchisee, to see if I like the business?”

My answer (being the laid-back, totally politically correct person that I am not) is No.

That is as long winded as my answer will ever be.

“But why not, Joel???”

There may be a few franchise companies out there that will let that take place, but I would not advise it. It comes down to the major difference between employment and small business ownership.

(more…)

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Does This Franchise Company Get It?

I didn’t expect ANYONE to find fault with the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau is like motherhood and apple pie. Who could say anything bad about them?

But then I put out a quick note on Twitter about becoming accredited by the Better Business Bureau. And to my surprise I got back several messages from someone I know stating essentially that the Better Business Bureau was a waste of time. If the messages hadn’t come from someone whose opinion I respect highly, Denise O’Berry, this post might have been a simple straight forward announcement and that’s it. But there’s more to this story worth exploring ….

Becoming Accredited by Better Business Bureau

So the news is, Small Business Trends LLC is now accredited by the Better Business Bureau and the associated Better Business Bureau Online. You have to first be accredited from your local Better Business Bureau in order to be accredited with the Better Business Bureau Online.

In order to get accreditation, I was required to fill out an application, provide trade references, pay the membership fees, prove that I had a privacy policy of my site, and have been in business over a year — plus not have any outstanding BBB complaints. Oh, and the local Better Business Bureau office insisted on meeting with me personally to learn about the business and check me out.

(more…)

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Better Business Bureau - Valuable or a Waste?

Small businesses, however, usually cannot afford sophisticated business dashboards, except for the dashboard we have, say, in QuickBooks. There’s also the free MyBizHomepage that works together with your QuickBooks data to give you more intelligence. Those are great for what they do, which is manage key financial indicators.

But as someone who spends a lot of time online and who uses dozens of online applications (software-as-a-service, or SaaS) to manage certain functions and narrow slices of my business, I now have a growing need.

My need is to get access to lots of data and information and even charts contained in the Web applications I use.  Unfortunately, the information and charts are scattered all over the Web. It’s a nightmare just to keep track of all the different Web applications I use and the associated logins, let alone visiting the administration panels of those applications to check the data and charts in them. Some of the applications I review every few days, and some I review everyday or even several times a day.

In an article at the AppGap, I outline how I have cobbled together a rudimentary dashboard to run my business, using Netvibes. Here is an example of a page in Netvibes where I can manage intelligence culled from some of the many online applications I use (Statcounter and FeedBurner), via embedding widgets into a Netvibes page:

You may also recall that recently I wrote about using Netvibes to manage social media accounts. Well, this is an extension of that same idea, but using Netvibes to also manage other business applications.

I think there’s a business opportunity for a company to come up with a simple dashboard app that serves as a gateway and access point to all these online software applications we increasingly are using — and the valuable data in them. And designed specifically for small businesses to use.

This is a post from: Small Business Trends

Do You Use a Business Dashboard?

You’ll hire the best only when you recruit the best.

As some readers suggested, and as Coppola did with Godfather II, I’m going to go back to the beginning, the start of the hiring process. And that’s recruiting.

These are the steps and resources I’ve found to Recruit the Best Talent … with the least expense required of your time or money. That’s important to include both: your time and your money.

SET THE STAGE

• STEP 1: Clear, Precise, Thorough Job Description.

Make absolutely sure this is your first step. Appropriate levels of detail vary for each job. Include the need that’s solved with this person’s hire. It’s impossible to measure their success, and yours for their hire, without it. Include their incentives. Do not proceed to go before this is completed.

Your goal is clear now. The next step is made easier.

• STEP 2: Clear, Precise, Job Qualifications.

The details make the difference here, too. Your work environment, the setting, their workspace, personality of their colleagues … all must be included along with specific task-related skills necessary to perform the tasks of the job. You’ll hire the person that fits your needs, stated or not. The purpose here is to state them clearly, for everyone’s acceptance.

• STEP 3: TOE the line.

• Transparent. You’ll be rewarded with greater engagement, participation, input and…forgiveness as you make this recruiting process transparent for all. Tell everyone, tell them repeatedly and put it in writing. And demand the same of everyone else. Small companies usually are at an advantage here. But this is a double-edged sword.
• Openness. Keep all parties informed, all to all, on the progress of each step in this recruiting process. It’s time-consuming if your time horizon is very short. Otherwise, it’s obvious this is an investment whose immediate return comes in the form of …
• Engagement. The holy grail of small business success. Recruiting and hiring is a perfect opportunity to create another layer of engagement with the current members, with the future member.

Everyone now knows when and what you want to hire. And why.

And they know they’re engaged in the process.

Who and Where are the next questions. Who has the qualifications? Where do you find them?

(more…)

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How to Hire the Best (for the least expense)

Today I ran across Noobpreneur’s intriguing comparison of entrepreneurs and religious leaders — both led by faith.

Having worked with Pearle Vision franchise owners for years before opening my own business, my hesitation in stepping out on my own was always that fear of the unknown. I admired the entrepreneurial spirit, the risk-taker element, and yes, the apparent attitude of faith in themselves that they would be successful.

This past Sunday while staying on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institute I had the pleasure of hearing the renowned pastor, educator and speaker Rev. Peter Gomes. The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes is an American Baptist minister and since 1970 he has served in The Memorial Church, Harvard University.

His sermon was calling “Acting Extravagantly.” He referred to a New Testament story where a woman poured expensive oils over the head of Jesus. It is a well-known biblical story that teaches us, among other things, about acting with boldness and fervency and passion, instead of being timid or going half way or holding back.

However, as I listened to his message of the benefits of acting with extravagance I thought about small business owners and our desire to stand out in the crowd. We have smaller budgets, little or no support staff, fewer resources at our disposal, and as expenses such as gas and healthcare increase, our disposable income available for making a difference dwindles daily.

Yet it is with an act of faith and perhaps a little extravagance that we can in fact make a bigger splash than the big guys. I am reminded of Brent Leary’s article the other day about David Meerman Scott giving away a 20-page document for free which led to $1 million in revenues. Was it an extravagant act to give away valuable information expecting nothing in return? Certainly it was an act of faith.

When you think “entrepreneur” and “extravagant” Donald Trump certainly comes to mind. I found an article listing Trump’s success factors: ferocity, passion, idealism, perception and instinct.

Under the comments for idealism author Evan Carmichael talks about Trump’s extravagance:

The Trump Organization has become synonymous with luxury, lavishness, class and extravagance. It didn’t get that way by following its competitors. It got that way because Trump was not afraid to think big, to do what hadn’t been done before and in a way that many couldn’t even imagine. His ability to blur the line between fantasy and reality helped push Trump’s company into a league above the rest.

In what way have you seen entrepreneurs have enough faith in themselves to act boldly, with extravagance? What were the results?

This is a post from: Small Business Trends

Entrepreneurs: Have Faith, Act Extravagantly

I found it motivating and useful. It has many good tips about time management and about structuring a business model using outsourced help.

I even recommend you read it.

But one thing I’d suggest you NEVER do is take the title of this book literally.

Listen, I’m all for recurring revenue streams (love ‘em) and for making money while I sleep (who wouldn’t be?). But anybody who’s ever started or built a business knows that you can’t do it on 4 hours a day, let alone 4 hours a week. It simply won’t happen for the vast majority of us (I’m tempted to say nobody) — no matter what business you’re in or how well you manage your time. You might be able to get away with a shorter workday temporarily for a period of time, but not for extended time periods. Not even if your goals are just “to make a living.”

That’s the topic of this week’s column over at the OPEN Forum, where I suggest a more realistic target: A 4-Hour Workweek? Try a 40-Hour Workweek.

What is your workweek like? Do you manage anything close to a 4-hour workweek?

This is a post from: Small Business Trends

The Myth of the 4-Hour Workweek

I can’t tell you how many people have asked me this. The answers are myriad, but, beyond the shear distraction and fun of having a worldwide water-cooler at my disposal, one of the biggest benefits of social media, to me, has been … access.

Social media is about layers of access

A few weeks ago, Business Week senior writer and blogger, Steve Baker, wrote the cover story for the magazine about blogging and social media. Not too long before that, I’d never heard of Steve and I am fairly confident he’d never heard of me. But, I started following him on Twitter after stumbling upon his account, because I wanted to see what he was up to and I enjoyed his “tweets.”

Knock, Knock, it’s Business Week calling!

While writing his story, Steve regularly asked his Twitter followers for input, at one point asking people to share their feelings about the role of blogs, social media and Twitter. I wrote something like,

“Blogs are the big show, IM/social media is the backstage pass and twitter/micro-blogging is the afterparty. It’s about layers of access.”

Steve dug the quote and a few months later, it ended up, “I” ended up, in the cover story in Business Week. Pretty cool, right?

In fact, this very story actually proves the point of my quote.

Blogging, social media and, especially micro-blogging give you access to conversations you’d never have been able to have … or would’ve been given the evil-eye for trying to join in. And, as more influencers beyond the tech-world join in the conversation, the broader and deeper the access becomes.

How’d you like to land a book deal with a major publisher?

Think that might help your reputation or business? Chris Webb, hotshot editor (actually just changed to even bigger muckety-muck title) from Wiley, is a regular user of social media, especially Twitter. But, even I was surprised when, a few weeks ago, he posted this tweet:

“Pitch me a book idea in 140 characters or less. Go.”

With tens of thousands of people desperately trying to get attention of top book editors every year, here, in the hallowed halls of Twitter, direct access was being served up on a platter. So, we’ve seen how micro-blogging has given access to mainstream print media and major NYC publishers. But, what about radio or TV?

Can micro-blogging and social media give you an in with TV?

How’d you like to be on NBC news? Here’s a big tip. More and more news producers are turning to micro-blogging as a way to find news, sources and segment ideas. Because micro-bloggers are, to a certain extent, self-selecting mavens and, to use Malcom Gladwell’s term, sneezers. They are dialed in and are often sources of huge news and interesting stories and points of view.

Want to be on NBC TV?

Example: NBC 4 Managing Editor (Central Ohio), Ryan Squire, is a regular Twitter user and often not only shares stories, but looks for them on Twitter. Got an idea that’d be relevant to his market and you’d like to see on NBC? Join in the conversation with him.

And, don’t be high and mighty about it not being the NYC market. Just as stories regularly begin in major markets and expand outward, others start local and trickle up to the major markets.

In the end, the conversation is great, it’s also about layers of access.

Blogging is, indeed, the big show. It’s where the meaty, public and sometimes deep conversations and comment debates happen. IM is a nice place to build on those conversations in a more private virtual setting. And, micro-blogging is the after party, that secret place where you get access to the ideas and questions before they even become the conversations that the “rest” of the world sees.

The deeper you follow the exchange of ideas, the more likely it is that magic happens, both for you and for your business. Because, at its heart social media and business success share one huge congruence … they are all about the relationship.

And, with social media, it’s often not about the relationship or conversation you’re having with the customer, but rather the conversation you’re having with the greater community…and the one they’re having about you.

* * * * *

About the Author: Jonathan Fields is a former hedge-fund lawyer turned serial lifestyle entrepreneur, copywriter, Internet and direct marketer, speaker and writer. You can find him blogging on entrepreneurship and lifestyles at Awake At The Wheel, crafting high-impact copy for clients at Vibe Creative or training people to become entrepreneurs and career renegades at Career Renegade. His next book, also called Career Renegade, is due out from Random House/Broadway Books In January 2009.

This is a post from: Small Business Trends

Grab Attention Of Top Editors And Producers With Social Media