My Comments

• The New Federal Minimum Wage - 07/25/2008
  It seems like every time there's a minimum wage hike, concerns abound that the result will be squeeze on small business which will affect the economy as a whole, but I can't help but suspect that it must be counterbalanced if not outweighed by the fact that some 15 million people are getting a raise. Plus, I seem to recall reading that some over 90% over small businesses pay at a rate higher than the minimum anyway.
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• Making the Most of Networking Events - How to Work a Room - 10/26/2006
  Great tips, Scott! I'm going to have to pick up a two-compartment business card holder. Really interesting links, too, especially the one to the guy who wears a nametag all the time. Fascinating.
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• Using Security Guards - 10/25/2006
  I bet a lot of business owners just call up their local security service with no idea of how to even evaluate the service they're about to be paying for, or how to effectively coordinate with their guards. Nice to get some insight from one who clearly knows of what he speaks. Thanks, Geoff.
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• Monetizing your Web site - 10/25/2006
  Good stuff! With all the hype about blogging and podcasting and search engine optimization, I often wonder if too much of the focus might be being drawn away from the rock-solid fundamentals, like the subject of this guide. Seems to be that the owner of just about any site with any traffic at all could benefit from reading this closely. Twice.
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• Choosing a Company to Build Your Software - 10/25/2006
  Great tips, Rob. This certainly is a daunting area for a lot of people (particularly baby boomers). With the real noephyte in mind, I wonder if perhaps you have some insight on how to figure out what platform or language will suit a given business' needs, i.e. PHP vs. java, et. al? You've got some great links about what to do then, but this seems like a fundamental question a lot of people could probably use some help with.
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• Microsoft Excel - 10/06/2006
  I'd also recommend ASAP Utilities,, a free add-in which automates many common tasks performed in Excel.
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• Resume Search - 10/05/2006
  Those looking to hire freelancers should also make sure to check out the Guide to Finding Freelance Projects.
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• Marketing Your Business With a Blog - 10/04/2006
  Great insights, Brian. Web-savvy businesspeople who are considering whether a blog will benefit them have a lot to think about and act on here. Regarding the less tech-fluent, though, I wonder if you share the sense I get that despite all the media buzz about blogs and bloggers, a lot of people out there (many small business people included) are still a little fuzzy on where the true power of the blog lies. I would direct those people to check out a newsreader (I recommend Bloglines) and subscribe to a couple of blogs to see what all the hype is about.
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• Making Your Website User-Friendly - 10/04/2006
  Jay, I couldn't agree more with your "don't run before you walk" point. I suspect a lot of classic, brick-and-mortar businesses are intimidated by the ever-shifting landscape of website design possibilities out there. But for those kinds of businesses, even the simplest of sites is worlds better than no site at all. The pressure to include a bunch of fancy functionality only unnecessarily confuses the issue.
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• Growing Your Business with Smart Technology - 10/03/2006
  Here's a great site for "tech smart" Web-based software apps, which are much cheaper and every bit as robust as their PC-based predecessors. http://www.37signals.com
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• Better Managing Your Time - 09/22/2006
  For personal time and stress management, David Allen's "Gettings Things Done" system is all the rage these days. http://www.davidco.com
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• Traveling Smart - 09/22/2006
  I hear positive buzz on travelzoo.com, too, though I don't personally know anyone who has used them for business travel.
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• Writing a Business Mission Statement - 09/18/2006
  I wonder what percentage of small business owners think that their mission statement would just be "Make a lot of money." I also wonder if businesses that DO have a mission statement perform better over the long run. Maybe there's a study out there about this sort of thing?
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• Keeping Your Web Site Fresh and Timely - 09/18/2006
  Wendy makes some good points here that I sure hope businesses will pay attention to. My pet peeve is any retail business with a website that that doesn't prominently list its business hours. Maddening!
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• Pennsylvania State Small Business Services and Resources - 09/18/2006
  Has anybody else see all the ads PA has been running in last couple of years, trying to attract business from the tech sector? They make it seem like there's tons of gov't assistance available.
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