At first I thought it was a joke. I received a press release from the SBA's Office of Advocacy with the headline: Small Businesses Leading Nation's Economic Recovery. Amazingly, it wasn't a joke or even a misprint. The release cited the Small Business Economy 2012 Annual Report as the basis...

Small business is the engine that is driving the American economy. A phrase we have all heard a lot. But little help has been provided during this recession to help small businesses survive.

The National Export Initiative, created by an Executive Order, was created to "improve conditions that...

Every media outlet is talking about the public outrage regarding the full-body scanners and pat-downs being used by airport security. For me, and many small business travelers, this is just another issue that makes flying frustrating.

Politicians pontificate about the important role small business plays in our economic recovery....

There is so much talent in all of us. Sometimes a little guidance, assistance, mentorship or just someone to believe it us can make all the difference in the world. I've found that's true for entrepreneurs who struggle to turn their dreams into reality. Mentorship and technical assistance can turn...

When you think of diversity in the workplace you typically think of race and gender, but in reality workplace diversity is much broader. Consider your co-workers, they differ in a variety of ways such as age, marital status and family responsibilities. All of these differences can lead to stereotyping which...

Take at face value the unemployment statistics and you'll be sadly mislead. The current 9.7 percent unemployment rate is only part of the story. The real story is behind the numbers -- the story the media never speaks about -- and that is the number of people who have become...

During the past seven years, I've talked with hundreds of thousands of small business owners and entrepreneurs. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've heard an entrepreneur share a story about a failed business venture that ends with, "I was ahead of my time."

Because...

One of the biggest assets a business can have is talented, loyal employees who understand the importance of customer service. I beam with pride when someone compliments one of my team members at SBTV.com. It confirms what I already know: I'm fortunate to have the best and the brightest working...

Every year during Women's History Month, my thoughts turn to my mother. Why? Because my mom was a pioneer in the field of women business ownership.

Mom became an entrepreneur at the end of World War II which was unheard of in those days. The war left her...

Great question don't you think? I thought so when a Fox News anchor asked me that question during a live television interview recently. Honestly, I was caught off-guard for a moment as I struggled to balance the traditional business etiquette norms and the realities of today's business world. In this...

Take a good look at your desk. What do you see? Piles of paper. Unopened envelopes. Half-empty coffee cup. Part of last Wednesday's lunch. Experts say the average desk worker has 36 hours worth of work on their desk at any one time. No wonder we waste up to 3...

If you haven't already, it's time to make your New Year's Resolutions. It is motivating to start off with a clean slate and lofty goals to make changes for the better during the coming year. Unfortunately, most of us fail miserably at sticking to our commitments. Why? Typically, we're overly...

Anyone who understands the reality of what it takes to run a successful small business knows that unions and small business are like oil and water. But the politicians in Washington DC don't get it. Why? Because they've never had to make payroll. Allow me to share a brief story...

Social media is a hot new marketing tool that is helping many small businesses grow without spending a fortune. However, social networking can create problems for small firms when employees spend too much time using the technology for personal rather than business reasons.

I remember when I started my...

Perhaps, you've seen the major media campaign sponsored by American Express and NBC Universal promoting the Shine a Light contest where a small business can win $100,000 in grant money and marketing support from American Express. While American Express is spending bundles on marketing their brand, they are putting...

The staff at the SBA released a major news release recently announcing small businesses can now watch videos from the SBA on YouTube. Wow! What a wonderful use of our taxpayer money.

And while the SBA is posting videos Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said just this past Friday,...

So Why Does the Obama Administration Want to Give SBA TARP Funds?

I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with listening to the sound bites from Administration pundits espousing feigned concern and commitment to helping small businesses survive the current economic crisis. I'm also tired with the headlines...

When you interview a potential employee for a job opening, according to federal and state law you are forbidden to ask a candidate his or her age. Furthermore, it's illegal to discriminate against job applicants based on their gender, race or religion. But today it's easy to pre-screen candidates and...

Recently, the SIIA (Software Information Industry Association) held its eighth annual Information Industry Summit. The organization is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry.

Ten companies were chosen to be introduced by the organization as representing the next wave of groundbreaking technology. According to Ed Keating,...

Corporate employees and small business owners may as well live on two different planets. Corporate employees work hard to meet the goals and objectives of their organizations just as small business owners do. But unlike small business owners, corporate employees never have to worry about making payroll or keeping the...