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POPSSocial networking gone wild? Is their irrational exuberance in the social networking world these days? A billion dollar price tag for the less technologically savvy site Linked In could hint at such a bubble. Yes it generates revenues already unlike many companies during the dot come heyday. On the flipside, times are ripe for innovative social networking sites built by entrepreneurs, as long as you can attract a following - which is getting harder and harder in the crowded social networking world.
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POPSPutting women's economic agenda in the forefront With all the chatter about Hillary Clinton inevitably losing her bid to become the first female President of the United States, much of the dialogue ends there. Even during the campaign, little was said about enduring economic divide between women and men. This article lays out a few areas worth looking at. They all warrant a closer look.
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POPSCorporate Marital Bliss Great article outlining how Disney and Pixar have made it work and how Pixar has maintained some degree of entrepreneurial culture within a large corporation.
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POPSNot a bubble but still painful For better or worse? The WSJ's poll of economists says that the boom in oil and food prices isn't an investing bubble but a fundamental shift in supply and demand.
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POPSMeasuring innovation Fascinating look at how to measure innovation. Stephen Dubner, one of the author of Freakonomics, has tapped some of the leading thinkers on innovation to share their thoughts on measuring. Not surprisingly, the answers range dramatically on their ideas on how to get this done (or in some cases better not to).
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POPSThe MAP (cnn) If you've found yourself in awe of CNN's map and its functions, here's a story for you. The story briefly cites the name of the entrepreneurs behind the map technology: http://www.perceptivepixel.com/ These are entrepreneurs I'd like to learn more about.
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POPSCan Facebook cure malaria? According to Reuters, a British serial entrepreneur launched a social networking site designed to help fight malaria. Yet another entrepreneur bringing capitalism and the spirit of entrepreneurship to social causes!
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POPSComing soon to a country near you Canada's leading the way but it looks the US could soon introduce legislation to ban potentially toxic plastic bottles. Scary stuff -- from what some of the labs are showing. Could cause companies like Nalgene to take a hit but offers up a new niche for entrepreneurs.
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POPSCalifornia cracks down on health insurance fraud Good news for California consumers. The state government has been weighing what to do about insurers who have canceled policies using odd and sketchy loopholes once a patient is diagnosed with a serious illness.
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POPSStart your own entrepreneurs group I just came across this December article today but I think a writer's house at the University of Pennsylvania has lessons for entrepreneurs. Everyone says it - support networks, mentors, etc. are critical for any successful small business owner. Much like writers, entrepreneurs are casting out into unchartered territory on their own. It helps to have a group of people charting their own journey to talk to and work with. This article has an interesting tale of how this writer's haven blossomed from one professor idea, but particularly with web 2.0 to facilitate it, it's never been easier to create your own group, support network or exchange forum with other entrepreneurs in your area. Yes, there are zillions online, but find people who you can actually see and meet with in person. There are other small business owners in your area, and no doubt they need someone to talk to as well.
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POPSPinkberry -- nothing's perfect Bring a disruptive product to market and you're sure to inspire copycats and face the wrath of a few detractors. Pinkberry must pay for its "all-natural" claims. $750,000 is not small change but probably won't bankrupt Pinkberry. The question is whether its misrepresentations of healthiness will do anything to slow down the lines at Pinkberrys in cities around the country. Perhaps the other bigger question is whether the copycats like Red Mango which is oddly enough right across the street from a new Pinkberry on 14th and 6th avenue in Manhattan (along with so many others in close proximity) will draw the crowds away from the "original." It does seem unlikely that Pinkberry and its competitors with very very similar product offerings can both survive and thrive.
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POPSPlan first, quit later A few good points in this article - throw yourself a business kick-off party, find the right workspace, etc, but really -- don't wait until day 1 to put your business plan down on paper. You'll want to start the brainstorming process long before you go out on your own. By day one, you should have a business plan in place and perhaps even some clients. The author of this articel is right- it can take two years for even a business with the best laid plasn so don't jump ship if you can't afford to without doing some planning up front and before you're on your own.
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POPSMcCain's preexisting conditions As I've mentioned before in my health care coverage, right now, if you have cancer, diabetes among other diseases, you will not be able to get health insurance (if your employer doesn't already provide it) on the individual market. New York guarantees coverage for all, but for that reason, everyone pays much higher premiums for small business and individual coverage. Paul Krugman does a great job laying out why Senator McCain's health care plan would do nothing to change that. It's one of the scarier parts of the American health care system. Imagine you lose your job, decide not to buy insurance, find out you have cancer and are denied health insurance coverage at even the highest rates. That's reality right now for Americans in a majority of states.
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POPSPatent reform is moving along Much to the dismay of the pharmaceutical industry and the cheers from the tech world, patent reform is moving along in Congress. Of course, it could all coming to a screeching halt and if it doesn't pass soon, no one in Congress will touch it closer to Election Day. We'll be keeping an eye out
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POPSPlastic no more Today's NYT blog on plastic bag offers up one more sign of the public's appetite for the green movement. Soon perhaps if New York City follows Whole Foods we'll all be carrying our groceries in our hands or our own bags. Looks like big businesses like Whole Foods are finding new ways to commercialize the green movement wiht the GreeNYC bags and alternative plastic bags is probably a difficult niche to break into now. But more and more we'll all be moving away by will or perhaps by force from the everyday things we do to pollute the earth. Small businesses have hundreds of new ways to find greener substitutes, make a profit, and save the earth
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POPSGovernment adding to the unemployed Great Wall Street Journal that outlines how the government by contracting with private companies actually adds to the ranks of the uninsured in the United States.
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POPSMore of a push for health care reform This article outlines how the highly anticipated or widely feared recession could hit hospitals and doctors too. If the medical industry was ever recession-proof, it's definitely not now. With some exceptions, consumers are likely to cut back on medical care as they fear a coming economic crisis. The downturn in the economy could add ever more to the push for reform to the health care system.
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POPS Trading your frappucino for a smile Not so long ago, Starbucks was putting all the local small coffee shops out of business - -new flavors of coffee, types, styles. It seemed that the local mom and pops would never be able to compete. Yet again the small entrepreneur lives to sing another tune. I too once thought I have few options beyond Starbucks for a pretty good cup of coffee. Now, i've got several options. Joyce near my house in Brooklyn offers really great coffee and the women who work there know my name and my order. At Grey Dog, a local Manhattan coffee haunt that just opened its second store near my office, I can get probably the best coffee I've ever sampled for 15 cents less than the same cup of Starbucks coffee. The staff is great. Now Starbucks will spend the next several years trying to feed that spirit and possibly better coffee back into its brand. Sometimes it's just too difficult to compete with a smile and a personally brewed cup of coffee
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POPSHelp for the 24/7 entrepreneur Many if not most entrepreneurs find their business world and personal life colliding. Since it's hard to leave work behind when you go home or perhaps you work from home, hiring a range of personal assistants -- drivers, cooks, housekeepers - can only help your business. This article lists a range of household services that you can outsource and offers a range of good tips on the best places to find help.
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POPSQuiet on the immigration legal front but not for small businesses The immigration debate may have suddenly turned eerily silent this year. The silence is deafening for small business owners. Congress's standstill is forcing small business owners to do without their typically seasonal workers from other countries. This article spells out the problem quite succintly and also makes it clear that the pain is acute for the small business owners reliant on immigrants.
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POPSIt's the little things. Today the Dealbook points out that J. Crew's stock price has more than doubled. A few weeks ago the Times columnist dug into the little things the CEO Micky Drexler has done to turn around the company. You see it when you walk in their stores -- members of the staff are helpful. The layout's amazing and the clothes are much much more enticing than a year or two ago. Big or small, it's important for all business owners to focus on the little things like merchandising that can generate big returns in the long run.
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POPSExciting computer news According to this WSJ, small businesses will soon have more opportunities to dump their internal servers and jump on board Google and Microsoft's servers. Cost savings, no headaches from server problems. The real question: what are the potential downsides of ditching your internal server?
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POPSSaving on taxes Here's a list of expenses you might not even know you could deduct. This article offers a clear overview of how to make determinations of whether something should or should not count as a business expense. The list of possible deductions might give you, small business owner, a new way of looking at your taxes and save you some money.
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POPSBikram yoga for entrepreneurs Stress can provide needed fuel for a small business owner. Too much of it can be crippling. This business owner offers a glimpse of the benefits of Bikram Yoga (I'm a recent convert and I'm hooked.) That said, any exercise has health benefits and could really help entrepreneurs with a 24-7 business cycle gain an edge in focus. It's impossible to work at peak efficiency all the time. Working out, even if there seems to be no time for it, can make you more productive during your hours at work and keep your mind focused. Bikram yoga does try to help practitioners focus during practice and give you tactics to apply to the rest of your life. Exercise though in whatever form you take it can only help your business
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POPSBad news for your local lending institution. Credit's tight, but in general local community banks try to make extra efforts for their clients. For that reason, this news could put another crimp in the sources of lending to small businesses. The possible closure of a local bank is bad news for many communities. Also -- moves that would force lenders to bolster reserves might put another pinch on small banks' lending abilities
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POPSMind the gas prices... More bad omens on the economic front. Rising gas prices could have several meanings for business owners. Of course, if your business involves driving, costs are going up. If your business relies on consumers driving long distances to get to your store or use your goods, times are getting tougher. Whatever it might mean for your business, the time is now to weigh it and to plan ahead. Scary but important to plan your strategy. Perhaps it's time for a hybrid.
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POPSGood LinkedIn overview From my brief encounters with LinkedIN, I'm not sure it's the ultimate networking tool, but this article offers a good overview.
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POPSNeed another marketing scheme? Hmmm -- what will leap year generate for you? This article doesn't say. Firms are launching advertising campaigns to drum up "leap day" business. Not clear if this will help your business, but it could be a fun excuse for a promotion, if nothing else
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POPSForeign language lessons Some exciting sites for learning languages that might be useful to small business owners who work abroad or are looking to do so in the near future.
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POPSGood news - but how good? Yes-- more depreciation allowances and increasing in expenses will be a help to many small businesses. But -- can and should bars, restaurants and other retailers count on consumers using their tax rebate checks to buy or with the downturn in the economy, will consumers be focused on saving those checks? The article does make a good point that small businesses should start tax planning now with advisors and accountants if they plan to take advantage of these deductions.
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POPSNever really a solitary endeavor Entrepreneurialism can be a lonely endeavor but as this article demonstrates communities are critical. An entrepreneur needs support from a community of advisors and when lots of entrepreneurs are clustered in an area it actually fuels growth and development
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POPSWatch out!! If you're using Bank of America for your personal or small business credit card, read on: expect a huge interest rate hike. Right now, other credit card companies and banks haven't jacked up rates quite as high, but it's worth keeping a close eye on your statements and anything hat comes in the mail in the next few months. Banks are taking huge hits to earnings, so it won't be surprising to see other companies find new ways to gain new revenue streams rom their existing customers. Eek!!
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POPSMore bad news about the lending environment The Fed survey didn't leave much room for optimism. We've been hearing about the credit tightening from a number of different surveys and from conversations with lenders and borrowers, but today's news from the Fed makes it seem even more likely that small business borrowers are going to have an even tougher time accessing capital
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POPSNew Way to Go Wireless? Hate your internet connection? This article offers up WiMax as an interesting alternative -- though the downsides still look pretty hefty
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POPSA few good recession proofing tips Karen Klein's Recession Proofing article has some good advice. Rather than fretting right now, take a few steps to insulate your business from the recession. The two tips I clipped seem the best ways to prep your business -- the worst case 12-month cash flow scenario planning and wedding out unprofitable customer. Best case scenario- the recession doesn't hit or affect your business and by taking these steps, your business generates better returns.
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POPSSound familiar? credit woes McCain's conundrum might sound familiar to many small business owners. While most small businesses don't have the opportunity to use donor lists as collateral, the idea of going to extremes like taking out a life insurance policy might...
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POPSSlightly more stimulating to small businesses Some small business lobbying groups will be happy to hear that the Senate added the incentive for businesses to deduct losses for up to 5 years. One more small biz bonus beyond the House bill. Question is - can it get done quickly and in time to make a difference?
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POPSGoal setting -- Good lesson for entrepreneurs The theme here is goals for world health - but the lessons are important for entrepreneurs. Merely setting goals for your business will put you that much closer to reaching them. Every entrepreneur should be working from a detailed business plan, but it's easy to run on auto-pilot once your business is up and running. Set goals- business and perhaps personal. Find the right way to measure them. Sounds trite perhaps but you'll inevitably be much further along than you would without them.
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POPSPricing Power? What won't consumers pay top dollar for? Sounds impressive and I would love to try a "siphoned" cup of coffee, but seriously, when does something price about its top possible value. With the talk of a market downturn, people still can create market niches that consumers will believe is a luxury and will pay accordingly.
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