SmallBusinessExecutiveInforming, Inspiring and Connecting Businesses
SingleHop named Chicago’s fastest-growing firm by Inc. magazine
Chicago-based SingleHop Inc. is the fastest-growing Chicago-area business with three-year sales growth of 7,305 percent, according to Inc. magazine, which ranked the company No. 25 on its 2011 Inc. 500 list of fast-growing firms. SingleHop, a provider of dedicated servers and web hosting, was the top-ranked web hosting company on the list and the second-fastest growing IT services [...]
Some employers to drop health insurance when exchanges launch
The advent of government-mandated insurance exchanges could spur some companies to drop insurance for their workers, according to an Associated Press report published in the Chicago Sun-Times. About 20 percent of companies responding to a July survey by benefits consulting firm Towers Watson said they were uncertain what benefits they would offer after 2014, when health insurance [...]
Collaborative website aims to draw attention to Midwest travel
By Ann Meyer As a marketing consultant to the destination travel industry for more than a decade, Robin Malpass watched as Midwest tourism bureaus and resorts struggled to attract attention in a tough economy. She knew the Midwest was often overlooked as a destination for travelers. “People often dismiss it,” Malpass says. “People think you [...]
Why it pays to select the right corporate structure now
By Elisha Prero and Alan Maclin Jewish Business News A fool learns from his own mistakes, the late Rabbi Noah Weinberg used to say. But a wise person learns from the mistakes of others. Weinberg, who was founder and dean of Aish HaTorah, taught a generation how to apply principles of the Torah to business. His dictum had [...]
Guest columnist: Informed decisions start with research
By Marcy Phelps Guest Columnist Whether you’re starting a business, introducing new products or services or adding locations, it pays to do some research. Informed decisions make the best decisions, and businesses need a solid understanding of their target markets. Unfortunately, neither your customers nor your competitors make up one homogeneous group. What motivates people [...]
Appeals court strikes down individual mandate in health care reform
An appeals court in Atlanta today ruled the “individual mandate” in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional, while upholding the rest of the health care reform law passed last year. With today’s decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, observers expect the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case next year. [...]
Hot IPO market catches a chill
Due to a volatile economic situation, the market for Initial Public Offerings has cooled considerably in recent days. Six out of 12 companies scheduled for IPOs this month had postponed them as of Wednesday morning, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. The about-face surfaced after investor confidence plummeted due to stock market fluctuations and controversy over the national [...]
How to prepare to launch a successful business
By Jodie Jacobs Jewish Business News Whether you’re tired of office politics, a victim of downsizing or have a passion for something other than what you’re doing, you may think you’re ready to leap into the world of entrepreneurship. But how can you prepare to be successful in a difficult economy? When asked if people [...]
Nice Cream maker aims to keeping churning product by changing state rules
In business, luck can change overnight and sales can melt away. Chicago ice cream entrepreneur Kris Swanberg thought herself fortunate to be able to parlay an ice cream maker she received as a wedding gift into a new business opportunity three years ago. The fresh fruit and interesting flavor combinations, combined with organic ingredients, made [...]
High Growth Illinois aims to create jobs by helping businesses take off
Free business advisory services, educational programming and networking for high-growth companies will be available at the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College in Palatine through a new program called High Growth Illinois. The program, which began providing counseling services last month and plans to roll out more offerings this fall, is targeted at companies [...]
