Introducing HuffPost Small Business: A Letter From The Editor

Entrepreneurship, at its most basic level, is about starting something new. New ideas. New products. New strategies. Adventures in capitalism, you might say. It is with this pioneering spirit that we're proud to announce the launch of HuffPost Small Business, an all-new destination for entrepreneurs to learn, grow and engage with one another.

So what can you expect from HuffPost Small Business? Here's a snapshot:

Board of Directors -- Our world-class group of entrepreneurs, including Sir Richard Branson, who regularly sound off on a variety of issues, offer advice and create a smart, ongoing conversation.

Success Stories -- A special section celebrating the best and brightest of American business. Entrepreneur Spotlight features timely and topical Q&As with entertaining entrepreneurs hailing from a variety of industries. My First Million chronicles the lives and entrepreneurial journeys of superstar entrepreneurs like real-estate mogul Barbara Corcoran and Groupon founder Andrew Mason. Made in the USA is a snapshot of offbeat industries and the companies that have found success in them. And The Next Big Idea? inspects Americans' weirdest, quirkiest, most unlikely products and the small businesses that make them.

Small Business America -- Our stable of thought-provoking bloggers, representing a wide range of entrepreneurs and experts alike. From the challenges facing startups to the impact of policy decisions in Washington, their opinions will get you talking.

5 Things You Need to Know -- Our ever-expanding library of how-to guides, featuring practical, plainspoken advice on topics ranging from hiring your first employee to managing customer feedback.

As many of you know, I came to AOL in January 2010 to embark on my own entrepreneurial journey of sorts. With the launch of AOL Small Business, we created a fresh resource for entrepreneurs, and the experience of planning, executing and realizing a vision -- for a population of readers that does the same, day in and day out -- was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. When AOL and The Huffington Post joined forces earlier this year, I began to recognize the huge opportunity that could come from starting up once again, building an even bigger and bolder site with partners who have charted their own entrepreneurial story in the digital media space. Like any journey of this nature, there were inevitably some bumps in the road, but as every entrepreneur knows, hitting a few also helps you steer clear of future ones.

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned from my entrepreneurial friends over time, of course, is the importance of building a great team. I'd like to offer an especially big thanks to Janean Chun, Nate Hindman, Alicia Ciccone and Travis Donovan for helping make this launch happen. The site you're busily clicking around and exploring is the result of their very hard work over the past several months.

Between our ongoing news and features, Board of Directors and Small Business America -- plus the ideas and feedback we encourage you to start sharing immediately -- I'm confident in saying that we're about to kick off a conversation about entrepreneurship you won't find anywhere else on the Web. I can't wait to get started.

Rod Kurtz
Executive Editor
HuffPost Small Business

Comments

[givemlharry]

02:16 PM on 09/02/2011

Boy the cynics are out today.
As an entrepreneur and small businessman for 30 odd years I applaud the new site. As an American building an alternative energy business in the fast growing market of Africa, I would make one suggestion though. There is great opportunity here, which china is exploiting and Americans are not. Concentrating solely on America is a myopic view. There are entrepreneurs all over the world with fresh new ideas that are making real change in the world. There are new ideas and markets and products that you should be putting your spotlight on that are in other areas of the world. Just one, if I can toot my own horn, is at www.powerstationafrica.com.

[oliver clothesov]

03:18 PM on 08/20/2011

what's the difference between a criminal and a CEO? a CEO has enough resources to form a corporation...

[Dilbar ss]

08:46 AM on 08/18/2011

Web design is nothing new in today's blooming online scene. If you're not taking action in establishing an online presence for your business, then you're being left behind and it could seriously hurt your business in the long run. It is indeed that diversity of technology makes your online identity more engaging and brings in more benefits and loyal visitors.
http://www.andemarketing.com/

[lars828]

05:27 PM on 08/17/2011

Anyone on the small business staff ever own or run a small business? How many and for how long?

[pwright433]

05:15 PM on 08/17/2011

I have a hard time buying into the sincerity of this blog since it comes from those that consistanly attack the small business as the EVIL Empire of evin republicans that are out to destroy the world, poison the water, kill off the elderly and poor people. Give me a break already. Why isn't it all about how to detroy small business which our current admin seems bent on doing.

[freethinking moderate]

08:10 AM on 09/01/2011

Republicans are out for BIG BUSINESS, not small business. If you were a small entrepreneur who was intellectually honest, you'd already know this.

[Spaceman Eddie]

02:00 PM on 08/17/2011

Build customers, and the jobs will come.

[jamessporter]

11:09 AM on 08/17/2011

Since HuffPost was purchased by HuffPost, not only has the Propaganda and Censorship increased dramatically but since Time Warner, AOL and HuffPost are members of the Corporate Elite that has killed small business, what a farce that you would act as if you are a champion of small business...GIVE ME A BREAK!

[Patrick Sauer]

09:49 AM on 08/18/2011

That's the spirit!

[JoeWolfe]

10:48 PM on 09/05/2011

Well James, your post wasn't censored so I'd say that a good sign, huh? Let's see what they come up with - I like the idea of focusing on the entrepreneur - they don't teach this stuff in school - just harp on going out and getting a job - why not teach the kids to go out an CREATE a job for yourself (and maybe others) - why not teach them skills they could use to grow and protect the money they make (like trading stocks)?

Joe
http://how-to-make-money-with-penny-stocks.blogspot.com/

[Robert Levin]

09:31 AM on 08/17/2011

Rod - Congratulations and best wishes to you and your team.

[jeff16]

03:57 AM on 08/17/2011

This actually looks like salvation for this leftist propagandist rag. I would assume it will be about some form of capitalism. Thats going to be a hard stretch for the redistributionists residing here.