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Joel Babbit quit a lengthy career in advertising to launch Mother Nature Network, an environmental news site, after raising $10 million in start-up funds – all in one day.
Holiday Inn's sweeping upgrade includes stripping its brand from 700 franchisees, cutting loose hotels that are part of its storied past.
Entrepreneurs are tapping their social networks for funding via "crowdfunding" sites that allow businesses to raise money collectively toward a monetary goal.
Environmental advice is a booming industry expected to outperform all other small- and midsize-business sectors in 2011, according to IBISWorld research firm.
Advocates for entrepreneurs welcome an extension of Bush-era tax cuts. But the package lacks other key measures.
This December, end-of-year planning is made even more complicated by tax uncertainty. Keep the focus on what's known rather than what's not, advises Barbara Weltman.
The Obama administration's latest attempt to jump-start small-business lending is facing headwinds even before it launches.
U.S. small businesses continued to hire in November. But job growth remains modest compared with prerecession years, and many entrepreneurs say they plan to hold back for some time to come.
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Despite the tough economy, there are several ways that small businesses can reward their employees, customers and key business partners this season.
On Ridgefield, Conn.'s Main Street, Black Friday got off to a slow start this year, though foot traffic picked up throughout the weekend thanks to some local and national incentives.
Entrepreneurs have long tapped family for help in launching new businesses, but recent data suggest that friends and family may be less willing to take such a gamble on their loved ones.
Inspired by camaraderie in the aftermath of 9/11, Scott Heiferman of Meetup creates a way for strangers with common interests to connect in person.
This week: Bid to boost small-business lending in China, and early stage start-up valuations continue to fatten up.
Fewer new businesses are getting off the ground in the U.S., available data suggest, a development that could cloud the prospects for job growth and innovation.
For more than half of U.S. entrepreneurs, home is where the office is. Still, starting a business from home isn't ideal -- or even possible -- for every entrepreneur.
Sure, big-box stores offer vast quantities and deep discounts. But for something special, seek out an independent merchant. WSJ's small-business team put New York's boutiques to the test.
Discounting is a tempting strategy for small firms eager to drive store traffic, but big sales don't always bring big profits.
Call it the ultimate test of the parent-child relationship: starting a company together. A number of families are giving it a shot, and they often find that teaming up brings strong advantages.
General Motors' CEO said he wants the Obama administration to relax restrictions on executive pay placed on the company after last year's government bailout.
Starting a business is a lot like becoming a parent. Not only do you have to prepare for your start-up emotionally and financially, but you have to be committed to its constant needs until it's mature enough to hum along on its own. And even then (much like a child) it will always need you in some capacity, no matter how old it gets.
With the economy in the dumps, an array of franchisers are raising their standards for prospective buyers.
Small 'business-to-business' companies are trying their hand at marketing on sites like Facebook, but some find social media might not be the best way to connect with their target audience.
For many would-be entrepreneurs, money is the insurmountable hurdle. Here's a look at three entrepreneurs who launched companies for less than $150.
Curves, whose 30-minute workout for women once made it among the world's fastest-growing franchises, seems to be running out of steam.
Use this startup calculator to figure out the true costs of launching a company. How much do you think it will take to open your business?
From Palo Alto Software, the makers of Business Plan Pro
With inspiration from the Better Business Bureau
Never mind traditional accounting principles. When it comes to managing costs, the best approach to growing a profitable business is to deduct your profits first.
A top Senate Democrat said Friday he plans to introduce legislation seeking to repeal an unpopular small-business tax-reporting requirement that was introduced to help pay for the health-care law.
Access to capital remains limited for the bulk of franchisees looking to expand, remodel stores or upgrade equipment.
The Bay Area's Ramar Foods has ambitions to expand beyond its original Filipino clientele, in part by persuading the children of immigrants that it isn't stodgy to eat the same food as mom and dad.
The number of small businesses offering health insurance to workers is projected to increase sharply this year, a shift that researchers are attributing to a tax credit in the health law. Many small businesses, however, remain opposed to the law.
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When FreshDirect CEO Rick Braddock took the helm of the online grocer in March 2008, the five-year-old company had yet turn a profit and was seeing consumer demand start to falter.
Visit our How-To Guide for Small Business to get tips from The Wall Street Journal's reporters and columnists on everything from "How to Pick a Credit Card for Your Business" to "How to Attract Talent to a Small Company."
Insights for starting and running a small business. Tuesdays
Wall Street Journal on Small Business: How local small businesses are doing better this holiday season; franchisors are choosier these days about who they select to be franchise owners; and growing your business on YouTube without making a video.
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