BizOp Blogs

Meryl.net: 1. Listen. Sounds obvious, but freelancers might not understand the client’s request and start working on the project without understanding what the client said. It’s OK to ask for clarification. Better to ask and get it right the first time than produce something off target and have... More

AllBusiness: When you can legally fire employees isn’t an easy question to answer. Laws and cases have become increasingly protective of employees. Although the “at will” doctrine is still prevalent in many states (meaning that you can freely fire an employee at any time), there are... More

SmallBusinessTrends: 1. The Nine and Zero Effect. People associate the number nine with value and zero with quality. Look at the difference between fast food and a gourmet restaurant. A burger meal can sell for about $4.99 while a gourmet entree at the best place in town may go for $30. So the psychology... More

Small businesses have been reopening in Iraq as violence in many parts of the country has been declining. Many businesses closed in 2006 and 2007 during fierce fighting between Sunnis and Shi’ites. But now with improved security, small business is coming back to life. VOA News: About a year ago,... More

Nextgov: The Veterans Affairs Department wants to put companies owned by veterans at the top of the pecking order for agency contracting opportunities. VA published a proposed rule change on Wednesday in the Federal Register that would establish a set-aside program for veteran-owned and service-disabled... More

LaunchLab.co.uk: Small business across the UK are sceptical about the benefits of bringing the Olympics to London and even the capital’s firms are not getting too excited, a business think-tank claims. The facts: Research by the Tenon Forum, part of Tenon accountancy firm, shows that only one in 10... More

Get Entrepreneurial: 1. Embrace change. It’s an inevitable part of running a business. Rather than fighting it, wasting valuable time and eventually losing, you’re better off anticipating, planning for, and embracing change. As a small business owner you should be nimble and react quickly... More

Internet Mastery Marketing Blog: Manage Your Cash Flow What do online entrepreneurs, freelance writers, real estate agents, virtual assistants, and plumbers all have in common? We face periods of uneven cash flow. To ensure that you always have money reserves, be sure to develop a budget that allows... More

Fortune Small Business: Question: Our current Web site, fusedsolutions.com, does an okay job of portraying the appropriate information to those that get there, but unfortunately not many get there. Can you please give us a few tips on how to get our site to the top of search lists and build substantial... More

CRM Buyer: Have you been bumped from a flight? Belittled by a hotel clerk? Or stewed in a doctor’s waiting room? Then Rupert Barkoff wants to hear all about it. By day, Barkoff is a lawyer at Kilpatrick Stockton in Atlanta and a national expert on business franchising. But his hobby — his... More

U.S. News & World Report: Running a small business can be a life-consuming process, so sometimes small-business owners miss the forest for the trees. Maybe that’s why only about 16 percent of businesses with fewer than 50 employees in the United States have 401(k) plans. Small-business owners... More

RisMedia.com: With so many Realtors facing a more challenging market, the agents who best differentiate themselves, will be the ones to ultimately lead the pack and obtain the most business. To get started, here are a few tips from Simon Payn, founder of Ready to Go Newsletters, for agents who are looking... More

HollandSentinel.com: Some tips for helping find success with a small business: * Networking. Social networking sites are a great way to connect with other small-business owners who understand the issues you’re facing every day and to secure strong contacts before starting your business. * Business... More

Wall Street Journal Blogs: Most small businesses can’t even dream of sponsoring the Olympics. But that doesn’t mean the games can’t be part of their marketing efforts. VerticalResponse, a direct marketing firm, offers some fun ideas on its blog for Olympics-themed promotions and ad campaigns... More