tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78427703438333910042011-12-30T05:03:04.120-07:00The Arizona Western College SBDC program mission is designed to enhance the economies of Arizona's La Paz and Yuma County by providing up-to-date counseling, training, and technical assistance for the business communities.AWC SBDChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17843318279888892142noreply@blogger.comBlogger947125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-19568008755348009822009-04-15T10:19:00.001-07:002009-04-15T10:24:11.257-07:002009-04-15T10:24:11.257-07:00<p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">When the history of the worst recession since the Great Depression is written, August 2008 will stand out as a pivotal month. That appears to be when the credit crunch became a vicious cycle, consuming small businesses in a vortex of vanishing credit lines and increasingly restrictive loan terms. </span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">For Mark Lane, president of Coed Sportswear and Printed Matter, that's when his bank of seven years called in all of their notes, despite the fact that he'd made a host of difficult decisions -- laying off employees, cutting benefits, and slashing other costs -- to maintain what he thought was a "strong, healthy" banking relationship.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/banking-lending-credit-services/12278126-1.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1956800875534800982?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/Y_aa-idxq7M" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/use-tarp-to-directly-aid-small-business.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-11044055996593751662009-04-15T10:13:00.001-07:002009-04-15T10:16:28.677-07:002009-04-15T10:16:28.677-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Today features the final blog entry from student submissions. It's written by Caleigh Conahan, an Operations Management Major from Hazleton, PA. Caleigh is a Junior.<br /><br />The economic conditions have unveiled to the public what I like to call "the two faces of management."<br /><br />First, there is the 9-5 manager who is not concerned with his/her employees or the betterment of his/her company, rather he/she believes by showing up to the office his/her job is done and pay deserved.<br /><br />Second, there is the manager who has always been--or developed into--the innovative leader.<br /><br /><a href="http://scrantonsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/common-sense-management.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here to read more...</span></a><br /><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><em style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"></span></em></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1104405599659375166?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/5ha5l4IBe78" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/common-sense-management.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-11930901630275524942009-04-15T10:09:00.001-07:002009-04-15T10:11:31.129-07:002009-04-15T10:11:31.129-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">Every business has cash-flow bottlenecks, but if your small business is so tight on cash that you find it difficult to pay salaries or meet day-to-day expenses, then it is time to look for the causes and find solutions.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">Here’s how to avoid some common cash-flow mistakes – and ensure that your small business stays in the red.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Not Evaluating Your Clients’ Credit History</strong></span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">You should check out your client’s credit history; if you don’t, it’s very likely that those with bad credit will delay their payments. If this happens, you should cut back on how much products you are supplying them with and at the same time bill them for the maximum.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.morebusiness.com/cash-flow-problems"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><br /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1193090163027552494?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/R2dFjuCEhiU" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/common-business-cash-flow-mistakes-tips.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-36989249163877517232009-04-15T10:05:00.001-07:002009-04-15T10:07:51.455-07:002009-04-15T10:07:51.455-07:00<p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Just as you need to continuously monitor and reduce direct and indirect expenses in your regular business, you will also need to reduce costs in your online business if you want to increase your profits. </span></p> <span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><strong>If you plan to purchase products, then do some research first.</strong></span> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">If you plan to buy and sell, it’s important for you to research which items move fast and which move slowly.</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">You can do this by going to sites like eBay and observing the items that are in greatest demand. eBay also makes it possible to check out the top ten fastest-moving items.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.morebusiness.com/reduce-online-costs"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span><br /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-3698924916387751723?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/VDWTg89jAC8" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/lower-cost-for-online-business-7-ways.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-29575319498282467682009-04-15T10:02:00.001-07:002009-04-15T10:04:03.652-07:002009-04-15T10:04:03.652-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">Part of running a successful small business is learning how to negotiate both with your customers and with your vendors. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">There is a fine line between asking for a deal and asking for too much. Just as you would not want your customers to make unfair demands about price, you should not make such demands of your vendors. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">That being said, there is nothing wrong with trying to negotiate a better price, especially for items that you purchase on a regular basis.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.bizthreads.net/archives/796"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-2957531949828246768?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/r_eOe8NTktE" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/negotiating-better-deal-with-vendors.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-18289150363851140342009-04-15T09:50:00.004-07:002009-04-15T09:54:48.704-07:002009-04-15T09:54:48.704-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">It’s a growing small business dilemma: Do you need to offer your customers credit? If you sell to consumers, you can offer lay-away plans and other simple ways patrons can pay for their purchases before they receive them. You’re not expected to offer credit other than processing standard credit cards. The situation is more complex when you’re selling to businesses since standard business-to-business credit terms are Net 30, meaning the balance is due by the customer 30 days after the date on the invoice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/banking-lending-credit-services-payment/12278191-1.html">Click here to read more...</a><br /><br /></span><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><br /><br /></a></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1828915036385114034?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/3mbcAkIfTdk" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/should-your-business-extend-credit.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-67190295008566231772009-04-15T09:46:00.002-07:002009-04-15T09:48:23.525-07:002009-04-15T09:48:23.525-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Too many businesses, large and small, claim the recession snuck up on them. I remember in January 2008 having a debate with my then bosses who insisted the economy was fine, while I argued otherwise. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">So I want to go on record now and predict that, sooner than most of us think -- like they sang in the musical <em>Bye Bye Birdie</em> -- that "gray skies are gonna clear up." I'm not alone in my optimistic outlook either. According to a recent <em>CNN Money</em> article on the <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/06/news/economy/recovery/index.htm?section=money_latest" target="_blank">economic recovery</a>, amidst the economic doom and gloom of soaring unemployment, plunging home values, and thousands of businesses teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, "a growing number of economists see a recovery on the horizon -- perhaps even a strong rebound." (Last month's <em>Blue Chip Economic Indicators</em> newsletter had a similar, though more tempered outlook.)<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/economy-economic-indicators/economic-conditions-recession/12278132-1.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-6719029500856623177?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/O1KjqtolLsU" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/get-your-business-ready-now-for.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-11896063954483903312009-04-15T09:43:00.002-07:002009-04-15T09:45:11.543-07:002009-04-15T09:45:11.543-07:00<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Northern Virginia-based financial planner Christopher P. Hill is in hot demand these days. His clientele, most of them baby boomers, are in a real pickle as they stand by and watch their retirements diminish day by day. Hill has heard his share of tragic tales of woe as of late. Folks who visit his offices seeking advice at times spill their guts and often even shed tears as they seek a financial planning miracle to help them protect whatever is left in their accounts.</span> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">As I sat down with Hill, I got the sense he was more than a financial planner. Judging from the various notes of deep appreciation and sincere thanks Hill receives regularly, Hill’s clients clearly see him as a real hero. One such Hill fan sent in a touching note of gratitude:</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://growsmartbusiness.com/2009/04/interview-with-financial-planning-executive-christopher-hill/"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Click here to read more...</span></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1189606395448390331?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/MADcPspVpK0" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/interview-with-financial-planning.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-48017888117431798682009-04-15T09:35:00.004-07:002009-04-15T09:40:31.561-07:002009-04-15T09:40:31.561-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Since you only have a finite number of hours to get your work done, the secret to getting the most out of each and every workday is to manage your time.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Done right, business time management can indeed be an effective technique for focusing on what really needs to be done while removing the clutter and distractions that may get in the way of achieving your goals.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are some time management tips to help you in business:</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.bizthreads.net/archives/879"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-size:78%;"> </span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-4801788811743179868?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/aC70qa_7qAc" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/office-time-management-tips.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-69857626129425159772009-04-15T09:30:00.004-07:002009-04-15T09:32:43.449-07:002009-04-15T09:32:43.449-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Statistics show that nine out of ten small businesses are family owned and operated; no big surprise there. After all, isn’t a start-up virtually by definition a family business? Indeed, what small business can be founded without some involvement, if not a lot of sacrifice, from the family members?</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">But when the founders ultimately decide to take their leave, orderly transfer of management and ownership to next generations breaks down significantly. In fact, less than one third of small businesses are transferred to family, and that number includes those that work and those that don’t.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In a past career as a business consultant, often working with families who work together in their businesses, I discovered at least two important small business succession planning truths:</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://blog.smallbusinessadvocate.com/banking-investors-capital/successful-small-business-succession-planning"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-6985762612942515977?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/Jpof1dvsTPs" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/successful-small-business-succession.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-11194978370590979172009-04-15T09:18:00.004-07:002009-04-15T09:22:11.570-07:002009-04-15T09:22:11.570-07:00<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/161752/facebook_redesign_revolt_grows_to_17m.html">Facebook</a> continues to evolve as it strives to master its own business model. With the <a href="http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&amp;u=http://www.pcworld.com/article/161932/facebook_caves_to_user_gripes_over_redesign.html">latest evolution</a>, Facebook makes its service more valuable to businesses. With the updated Fan Page, businesses now have the ability to send updates straight to the news feed of any person who has chosen to be a fan of that business.This will help companies make their online marketing strategies more viral.<br /><br />Additionally, Facebook is adding an analytics tool called Insight so you can better understand the demographic of your fans. If your business currently does not have a Facebook fan page, now is the time to jump on the opportunity for maximum early exposure.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising/12276372-1.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here to read more...</span></a> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1119497837059097917?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/i65D-poPiDA" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/facebooks-latest-design-update-helps.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-17579437645949798012009-04-15T09:14:00.003-07:002009-04-15T09:16:18.135-07:002009-04-15T09:16:18.135-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Time flies. Thirteen months ago I posted <a href="http://blog.timberry.com/2007/09/economic-dark-c.html" target="_blank">Economic Dark Clouds</a> here in September of 2007. Back then I said “the economic news is clustering now,” but my point was essentially sticking to the fundamentals …</span></p> <blockquote style="font-family: verdana;"><p><span style="font-size:85%;">With some notable exceptions, your business moves up and down far more because of very-micro specifics of what you and your team and your customers do. Your specific marketing programs, your new product release, your email campaign, your pay-per-click keyword decisions, your product development, your word of mouth … it’s what you do with your business that moves it up and down, not what happens in the headlines.</span></p></blockquote> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">… but at that point I really had no idea how bad this whole thing was going to get. And that’s with apologies to Anita’s post on <a href="http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2008/10/small-business-optimistic-economy.html/" target="_blank">small business optimism</a> yesterday.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://smallbiztrends.com/2008/10/7-business-planning-fundamentals.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"> </a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-1757943764594979801?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/oeBS0r9-2wY" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/7-business-planning-fundamentals.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-24539768778393803232009-04-15T09:04:00.002-07:002009-04-15T09:08:16.834-07:002009-04-15T09:08:16.834-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Web design has changed significantly. What are the changes, and how can you to take advantage of them? Let me tell you a story.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1999, the Internet bubble was at its peak. New companies — all planning to become “the next big thing” — were launched daily. These companies were famous for two things — thinking BIG and massive “burn rates.” “Burn rate” refers to the rate a company goes through money. They were spending hundreds of thousands on programming to produce web sites considered mediocre by today’s standards.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://smallbiztrends.com/2006/10/five-ways-web-design-has-changed-to-the-advantage-of-small-businesses.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-2453976877839380323?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/ggPnZf3xmbQ" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/five-ways-web-design-has-changed-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-48394159450272433052009-04-15T09:00:00.003-07:002009-04-15T09:03:04.651-07:002009-04-15T09:03:04.651-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the things Sears Roebuck became famous for is their Craftsmen tools, especially their socket wrenches, which are mechanical wrenches. Once, when I was buying one of these wrenches I was confronted with options of “Good,” “Better” and “Best,” a strategy for which Sears is also famous. When I asked about the difference between the Better and Best models I was told that the Best model had more notches, or teeth, inside the mechanism. This would allow for finer adjustments to be made when tightening a bolt or nut. Plus, in a tight situation, the extra notches make the Best model work, well, best.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">For the past 30 years, the marketplace has increasingly become like that “Best” socket wrench; every year, it acquires more notches. Except in the case of the marketplace, notches are called niches (I prefer “nitch,” but some say “neesh” – tomato, tomahto). And just as increasing the notches in a mechanical wrench allows for finer adjustments, niches create finer and more elegant ways to serve customers, which they like – a lot.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://blog.smallbusinessadvocate.com/management-fundamentals/small-business-wonderful-world-niches"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter<br /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-4839415945027243305?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/Rfkzhs53XB4" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/small-business-and-wonderful-world-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-42128634778423459182009-04-15T08:57:00.003-07:002009-04-15T09:00:02.325-07:002009-04-15T09:00:02.325-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the companies I worked for before cartooning full-time was doing some reorganization. The endless rounds of layoffs had everyone jumpy.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">After one round, management must have noticed, so we had a meeting in the break room where, after more explanations of the company’s health and a well rehearsed sigh we heard “you know, it’s never easy letting good employees go.” And then, to his fellow management in the back, “what a day, guys! Who wants to grab some drinks after work?”</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://smallbiztrends.com/2008/12/how-not-to-lay-people-off.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /> </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-4212863477842345918?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/jZ_wOjXyBqc" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-not-to-lay-people-off.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-55987615127048630832009-04-15T08:45:00.002-07:002009-04-15T08:47:48.921-07:002009-04-15T08:47:48.921-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In theory, a partnership, especially with a friend, is a great way to start in business. Unfortunately, it rarely works out right. Here are some partnership killers:</span></p> <ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Sharing your capital instead of expenses. Work out a plan where the costs and expenses are shared rather than all of your money and resources.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2009/04/14/partnership-killers/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here to read more...</span> </a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-5598761512704863083?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/313cYkFleU0" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/partnership-killers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-69422307413778947472009-04-15T08:29:00.004-07:002009-04-15T08:42:04.995-07:002009-04-15T08:42:04.995-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Better Business Bureau warns small business owners that reports of scammers plying their trade through telephone relay services — typically used by the hearing impaired to make phone calls — are cropping up all across the country. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">BBB has received reports from many types of businesses that received suspicious orders through TTY or telephone relay services. These services are meant to assist the hearing impaired in making telephone calls and often rely on an operator who relays a typed message from the caller to the business. Because, by law, the operator is not allowed to disclose the origin of the call, this service allows the scammers to hide their identity.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2009/04/13/beware-of-telephone-relay-fraud/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-6942230741377894747?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/PSukvKtcMGg" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/beware-of-telephone-relay-fraud.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-55414582303056156572009-04-15T08:23:00.004-07:002009-04-15T08:29:32.486-07:002009-04-15T08:29:32.486-07:00<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Nearly 60 percent of small business owners think the Obama administration doesn’t understand the needs of small firms, according to a recent survey conducted by City Business Journals Network.</span><p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="textBodyBlack"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span id="byLine"></span>More than 40 percent are less optimistic about the national economy than they were when President Barack Obama took office, compared with 26 percent who are more optimistic. Nearly half think Obama will serve only one term in office. When asked their political affiliation, 42 percent said they were Republicans, 34 percent said they were independents and 16 percent said they were Democrats.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;" class="textBodyBlack"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30154900/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" class="textBodyBlack"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><br /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style=";font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-5541458230305615657?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/WyAc92nw7lU" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/small-firms-obama-doesnt-understand-us.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-69799882666536388852009-04-15T08:18:00.003-07:002009-04-15T08:21:22.162-07:002009-04-15T08:21:22.162-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">The NFIB’s latest report on small business sentiment is out. The NFIB’s Optimism Index is one of the longest standing indices of small business sentiment, and so I tend to place a lot of weight on it.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">It shows that conditions and sentiment are not a pretty sight among small businesses.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">Although there have been some tiny signals — albeit weak signals — from other sources suggesting things may be looking up in the economy, you wouldn’t know it from looking at the NFIB report. First of all, there’s this chart:</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/04/small-business-optimism-is-down-but-sharp-upturn-expected.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></a><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style=";font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-6979988266653638885?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/07FpCd3yqJk" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/small-business-optimism-is-down-but.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-80895902722099573652009-04-15T08:12:00.002-07:002009-04-15T08:14:12.449-07:002009-04-15T08:14:12.449-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>For generations, business owners </strong>have learned that while Profit may be the Queen of business, Cash is King. And there is never a moment in the life of any business, large or small, when this generally accepted truth doesn’t apply. But in 2009, or anytime the economy slows, small businesses must elevate Cash to an even more supreme level. Consequently, these days, and for the foreseeable future,</span></p> <p style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Cash is Emperor</strong>.</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Any Questions?</span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Blasingame’s 3rd Law of Small Business states: “It’s redundant to say, ‘undercapitalized small business.’” There are at least two reasons this statement is a law and not a maxim:</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://blog.smallbusinessadvocate.com/management-fundamentals/small-business-cash-king-emperor"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span><br /></a><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-8089590272209957365?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/CzOq_U_PDPw" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/for-small-business-cash-is-no-longer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-82509886578054088022009-04-15T08:07:00.006-07:002009-04-15T08:09:56.781-07:002009-04-15T08:09:56.781-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Many of you who </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://yourbiz.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/14/1743842.aspx" target="_blank">read my Twitter post</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> a couple of months ago took me up on the offer to get on the social networking site and started tweeting to help promote your business.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Unfortunately, many of you just don't seem to get Twitter yet (don't worry -- I'm not going to name names).</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />You can't just tweet over and over again about your products or services. Well, actually you can do whatever you want on Twitter, but just listing products in hopes someone will head over to your Web site and buy your wares is going to get you ostracized, aka un-followed, and fast.<br /><a href="http://yourbiz.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/08/1884151.aspx"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here to read more...</span></a> <a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"> </a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">For Email Marketing you can trust</span></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-8250988657805408802?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/Mz7-hZt3EcY" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-you-can-rock-on-twitter.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-40374906726341408502009-04-15T07:10:00.003-07:002009-04-15T07:11:56.449-07:002009-04-15T07:11:56.449-07:00<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Many small businesses grow by taking on investors. This can be an excellent strategy, but there are a few things to consider first before you make any decisions.<br /><br />An investor is someone who provides capital (cash!) in exchange for a piece of the ownership of your company. The money they bring in can be a real lifesaver. It gives you an important tool for growth and can shore up your financial statements. In addition, some investors wish to make other contributions to your business, such as their time or areas of expertise.<br /><br />So what's not to love? There can be a downside to sharing ownership of your company. Make sure you understand up front what else investors may believe ownership entitles them to. Will they assume you have to take their advice? Can they insist on changes? Can they "help" you run the show?<br /><br /><a href="http://sbdcnet.ning.com/profiles/blogs/investors-can-help-and-hurt"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here to read more...</span></a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</span></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-4037490672634140850?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/C4vgA1ChuLo" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/investors-can-help-and-hurt.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-34287479776893045532009-04-15T06:55:00.002-07:002009-04-15T06:59:52.791-07:002009-04-15T06:59:52.791-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Starting a business does not always involve an innovative product or service idea. In fact, you can literally make an excellent living by simply using what you already have – your mind! </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Tutoring businesses are booming as the college admission process grows more competitive and a 4.0 GPA is no longer a worthwhile academic feat. As long as you have a college degree, good communication skills, and a passion for helping others, you can help students of all ages achieve their full academic potential. Or, if you have musical experience playing an instrument, you can become a private music instructor. Both academic tutors and music instructors are in high demand by parents around the country.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.morebusiness.com/tutoring-business"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter<br /></a><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-3428747977689304553?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/9IQFUHYhpMg" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/teaching-your-way-to-thousands-starting.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-73321689782215498732009-04-15T06:47:00.003-07:002009-04-15T06:52:02.874-07:002009-04-15T06:52:02.874-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Failure to become properly licensed can have a variety of consequences, so it is imperative that all small business owners learn the regulations in their location so that they can meet every requirement. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Which business licenses you need will depend on your location as well as the type of business that you own. Because there is such a variety of requirements from location to location, it is impossible to provide a list that would apply to every business owner. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Instead, below are some of the most commonly required business licenses. You will need to do some research to find out which apply to your location and your business.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.morebusiness.com/business-licenses"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-7332168978221549873?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/y-7hdGJ2cYU" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/business-licenses-which-type-do-you.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7842770343833391004.post-50349895176382251602009-04-15T06:43:00.003-07:002009-04-15T06:47:49.445-07:002009-04-15T06:47:49.445-07:00<p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Whether you are a writer, web developer, graphic designer or virtual assistant; there are more and more online opportunities every day for freelancers who want to work from home–either full time or to supplement their existing income. </span></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are some excellent online resources that you can use to start and operate a successful freelance career, regardless of your industry.</span></p><p style="font-family: verdana; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2009/04/13/ten-excellent-freelance-resources/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Click here to read more...</span></a></p><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.azsbdc.net/register.aspx?center=93080&amp;subcenter=0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Online Request for SBDC Counseling</span></a><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001x9-V8yQgJyG3HRWQr8PZrw%3D%3D">Sign up for our AWC SBDC Email Newsletter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/safesubscribe.jsp" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/safe_subscribe_logo.gif" border="0" width="168" height="14" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /></span></a></span><a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >For Email Marketing you can trust</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7842770343833391004-5034989517638225160?l=awcsbdc.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/Ybcy/~4/eMkLf30bdlY" height="1" width="1"/>Anna Marie Ferazolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01946863191224562086noreply@blogger.com0http://awcsbdc.blogspot.com/2009/04/ten-excellent-freelance-resources.html