So then, why would you run a business this way? Yet, that is exactly what small business owners do every day. They have a vision for a business: offering the very best product or service, standing out from the competition, and serving lots of happy, satisfied customers who talk about their business for years. MORE >>

Every business needs to differentiate itself, to find a way to show the world how it’s unique and different. But if you asked Business Plan Pro user and hair salon owner Michael Helene Phillips the same question, her answer would be “customer service and relaxation.” The focus on the whole customer is unique. MORE >>

am talking about business resolutions – specific actions and efforts you should take over the course of the next few months to strengthen your business, improve your customer’s experience, and strengthen your team in the year ahead. Here then are 10 new-year-business-resolutions for 2012! Review your strategic plan.  MORE >>

Last year, only 50% of all small business in the United States had a website.  When 2011 began, 64 percent of small businesses reported having a website, but that still left an astounding 36 percent of small businesses without a web presence. Do all small businesses need to have a website? MORE >>

For small business owners, the outlook remains uncertain and worrisome. For the third consecutive month, NFIB's Small Business Optimism Index fell -- continuing at a recession-level reading for an economy fighting its way through a recovery. And don't forget about their inflation worries. No new jobs. MORE >>