SmallBusinessExecutiveInforming, Inspiring and Connecting Businesses
Groupon’s value could be $15 billion; co. heads to China
Groupon news-of-the-day: The local deal-of-the-day site that also has been generating its own news-of-the-day might be worth $15 billion in an initial public offering, Sandra Guy reported in a detailed column about the company in the Sun-Times. Guy also cites NeXtup research, which pegs Groupon stock at $40 per share based on an offering of [...]
Lillian Bjorseth: Check your ego at the networking door
By Lillian D. Bjorseth, Guest Columnist If people agree that networking is more about the other person, then why do so many forget to check their ego at the door? It can be disconcerting and downright irritating to talk with someone who uses “I” a dozen times in the first few minutes. Over and over [...]
Digital tablets go to the office
Increasingly, digital tablets are entering the workplace, The New York Times reported. An Apple executive said in a conference call last month that more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 companies were trying the iPad, the story reported. By 2015, “tens of millions” of tablets from leading technology companies will be used at work, Ted Schadler, vice [...]
GrubHub aims to double in size in 2011
Chicago-based GrubHub.com is looking to double its current workforce to 200 and expand to reach 26 cities this year, Bloomberg reported. The company rang up $8.3 million last year in revenue from its average 15.5 percent commission on orders and expects to hit $17 million this year, the article said. Founder Matt Maloney said the [...]
2-D codes expanding but need explanation
So-called 2-D codes can be a mobile marketing resource, leveraged to increase revenue. That is, if they are used properly, writes Jamie Turner, author and chief content officer at 60SecondMarketer.com in a post on Mashable.com. The codes, which also are called QR codes, are being added to billboards, books, business cards, in-store advertisements, social media pages, T-shirts, webinars [...]
SBA announces loan refinancing program
After being criticized by some lenders for dragging its feet on a program approved by Congress five months ago, the U.S. Small Business Administration said it will begin accepting refinancing applications on Feb. 28. The temporary two-year program is designed to enable small business owners to refinance their mortgage debt with a 504 loan from [...]
Study: Businesses buy locally for mutual support
Most small retailers will use local marketing campaigns to attract customers this year, with about 20 percent planning to use social media to drive local traffic, according to a survey of 600 business owners conducted in January by American Express. What’s more, most business owners said they try to walk the talk themselves by purchasing [...]
Why companies shouldn’t fear creative leaders
In a business climate that increasingly requires businesses to grow by innovation, company mindsets that peg creative individuals as being unfocused or quirky need to change, according to management professor Jennifer Mueller, author of a new leadership study published by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Creative individuals aren’t always thought of as effective leaders, [...]
A longer view on innovation shows growth
Increased efficiency is often blamed for job loss, yet the money saved from innovations can fund future economic growth, a new study by the McKinsey Global Institute reported. “Companies can pass on those savings to their customers in the form of lower prices, leaving households and businesses with more money to spend elsewhere. They can [...]
How to start a business for $3,000
By Ann Meyer Lindsay Saewitz might not fit the stereotype of a risk-taking entrepreneur, yet she chucked a job hunt in favor of launching CitySwarm last fall. Her new events business aims to provide engaging experiences to young professionals in their 20s and 30s, Saewitz said. She came up with the business idea after organizing [...]
