SmallBusinessExecutiveInforming, Inspiring and Connecting Businesses
How to avoid hurting your social media image
By Marsha Friedman Guest columnist – I remember when the Internet first gained prominence and it became apparent that having a website was essential for any commercial enterprise. Back then, web designers were not plentiful and few people thought to hire a professional to create a site. They felt that any web presence was better [...]
How small businesses can win globally
By Mona Pearl Guest columnist Business leaders today have the skills and finesse to identify and execute great deals globally. It’s the soft issues that surface on the international stage that cause unanticipated and disastrous problems. Most of the challenges occur when executives don’t understand the business culture and customs of the target market and don’t do sufficient [...]
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 [...]
GrubHub adds New York partner for next jump in online users
Chicago-based GrubHub has announced a partnership with New York-based Next Jump, which provides employee rewards programs, including deals on restaurants and other goods and services, to more than 100 million people at companies throughout the United States. Terms of the partnership weren’t disclosed, but GrubHub will pay to participate with Next Jump, which recently launched [...]
Petite dessert trend has consumers buying more
By Alison Kessler Medill News Service – It seems you can have your cake and eat it, too. Desserts, unlike their main dish counterparts, have gained popularity by shrinking. The National Restaurant Association’s 2011 annual survey ranked bite-sized mini desserts No. 2 in the dessert trends category, and national chains and independents alike are making room [...]
Through social media, small businesses connect, promote and learn
By Hillary Markow Jewish Business News – Six months before it opened its doors for business, Uva Spa & Wine Boutique had Facebook fans. Less than a year later, it was working with a daily-deal site to market its products and services. The company’s low-cost social media strategy paid off early on, with 60 percent [...]
Entrepreneurs’ motivation may determine job creation prospects
It pays to know the difference between “necessity” entrepreneurs and “opportunity” entrepreneurs, Eva Pereira suggests in a Forbes blog that explores entrepreneur-led economic development in Haiti, where the unemployment rate has been 75 percent. Pereira cites data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a nonprofit research organization, suggesting entrepreneurs who sell their wares on the streets [...]
Entrepreneurs build wealth in China
First-generation entrepreneurs lead the pack of those creating wealth in China, a New York Times blog reported. A study by Bain & Co. suggests the number of Chinese individuals with 10 million renminbi, or about $1.5 million, in assets will hit 585,000 this year, twice as many as in 2008. And many have made their [...]
Growing European e-commerce market presents opportunity
Europe’s e-commerce market surpassed the U.S. market last year by generating $182 billion in sales, up 12.5 percent from the prior year, Chicago-based Internet Retailer reports. American-owned businesses generated about 12 percent of Europe’s e-retailing sales. The U.K. market, which is the largest in Europe, saw e-commerce sales climb 23 percent last year from 2009, [...]
Avoid underpricing products by analyzing costs, competition and customer need
By adding value to their products and services, small businesses can boost prices without losing sales, the New York Times reported. Small business owners who underestimate their costs often underprice their goods and services. To determine how much to charge, consider competitors’ prices and whether your products offer more value, suggested pricing consulting Rafi Mohammed, [...]
