Great Ideas for your Small Business: Take Some Advice from the Mail-Order Queen (LILLIAN VERNON) The first thing i thought when I met Lillian Vernon was, “Wow, I hope I have as much energy and look as great as she does when I’m older!” This petite powerhouse of the mail-order industry started her business on … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Reinvent Yourself (WALLY AMOS) On march 10, 1975, at 7181 sunset boulevard in Hollywood, Wally Amos, showbiz talent manager, became Famous Amos, the Cookie Man. Using his Aunt Della’s chocolate chip cookie recipe, Amos sold deluxe cookies for the unheard of price of $3 a pound. Celebrities and locals … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Learn about a Culture before Doing Business Sometimes an international business deal that makes perfect sense falls apart for no apparent reason. The numbers look good, but personalities clash, or someone says something that sends the deal spinning out of control. The problem may be caused by a breach … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Explore Opportunities in Russia If you want to understand the challenges of doing business in Russia, consider this: Although new ATM machines adorn major boulevards in Moscow, most people are reluctant to use them. Fear of being robbed is one reason, but that’s not all. Until 1997 it was … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Get to Know Your Customers Personally One of the benefits of owning a small business is being able to get to know your customers, suppliers, and vendors. When you meet people, jot down a few personal notes on the back of their business cards or on Rolodex cards. Ask … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Demand Great Service from Vendors David gumpert, an author, journalist, and website wizard, gave me a great idea when we met in Washington, D.C., to celebrate Small Business Week a few years ago. When he’s negotiating with new suppliers or vendors that he wants to do business with, he … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Take Advantage of an Online Technology Marketplace Licensing new technology to other companies is a win-win scenario for everyone involved. Corporations invested $187 billion in research and development in 2001, according to the Battelle Memorial Institute, and selling licenses and collecting royalties is one way to earn back that … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Train Your Employees Online In the rush to upgrade computers and buy new software, many business owners forget that people need to be taught how to use the software before they can begin to be more productive. Employees can lose up to three weeks of work time tackling computer … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Find the Right Communications Technology for Your Business When it came time to consider the best kinds of communications technology for my business, I turned to an expert I can trust: my sister Amy Berger, founder of Berger Technology Research in Reseda, California. Communicating with your customers is the … Read more
Great Ideas for your Small Business: Five Great Things to Buy Before you can be truly high-tech, your business needs to have the right equipment and be set up properly. Here are the five things your office probably doesn’t have but should, according to business equipment expert Mie-Yun Lee: 1. Computer backup system. It’s easy … Read more
