May 18, 2014
When ‘Going Lean’ Goes Wrong
By ROBERT J. MOORE
Preserving capital by going lean is all the rage, but start-ups can falter if they confuse lean with cheap.
Christopher Berkey for The New York Times
Mark Cleveland bought Hobby Lobby International in 2009, and aimed to expand its radio-controlled products.
Hobby Lobby International has almost the same name as a far larger and socially polarizing company. Experts recommend rebranding.
May 19, 2014
A Good Deed Crosses Two Cultures
By DEB WEIDENHAMER
In China, many people stay in their own small circles of family and friends and suspect that anyone trying to get into their group must have an ulterior motive.
May 16, 2014
Today in Small Business: ‘Let’s Take This Offline’
By GENE MARKS
Meet the Drone Dudes. Even your happy employees are job hunting. A McDonald’s worker in Denmark makes $21 an hour.
May 15, 2014
Today in Small Business: The Canadian Dream?
By GENE MARKS
A business owner’s guide to a stress-free vacation. How technology is changing our food. Should you move your business to Texas?
More About Small Business
Conversations
From Making Bagel Baskets to Thinking Much Bigger
By JOHN GROSSMANN
With robots and skilled labor, Drew Greenblatt re-engineered his firm from one making simple wire baskets to one producing custom pieces for aerospace clients.
Risqué Names Reap Rewards for Some Companies
By JOHN GROSSMANN
Nowadays, the bar for grabbing attention has moved higher — or, more precisely, lower.
Hanging a Shingle in Detroit
By STACY COWLEY
An urban area filled with empty buildings and an underused labor force offers some powerful advantages but it also has its challenges.
Small-Business Guide
Facebook Revamps Ads to Compete With Google
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
Small businesses can use tools on Facebook to track customers from ad to website, and target audiences more precisely.
Post a CommentCase Study
A Business Owner Seeks an Alternative to Seven-Day Workweeks
By JOHN GROSSMANN
Carlos Vega, a New Jersey pizzeria owner, faced a decision: Should he expand his small restaurant or concentrate on selling his popular red sauce?
Case Study
Seeking Even Faster Growth, an E-Commerce Company Stumbles
By ADRIANA GARDELLA
Jimmy Beans Wool, a successful, growing online yarn merchant, expanded and ran into trouble.
Bits Column
On Instagram, a Bazaar Where You Least Expect It
By JENNA WORTHAM
Though not designed as an e-commerce site, Instagram can offer shoppers the thrill of discovery.
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Small Business: Can’t Get a Bank Loan? The Alternatives Are Expanding
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Just Ahead, Your Next Office
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Applied Science: Small Business, Joining a Parade of Outsourcing
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Winter’s Not Just Cold and Snowy. It’s Expensive.
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Small Business: Retail Businesses That Try Crowdfunding Face Some Skepticism
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For Small Businesses, a Road Without a Map
Insight & Analysis
Conversations
Dealing With Online Reviews: ‘You Can’t Take This Personally’
By IAN MOUNT
The founder of a company that helps people and businesses control their online reputations recommends acknowledging errors.
Start-Ups Try for a Piece of the Lucrative Industry of Catering to Pets
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
A number of trends, including widespread pet ownership and the rising incomes of owners, are combining to spur a growing pet product industry.
Supporting Start-Ups With Connections, Advice and Caffeine
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
The 1 Million Cups program is run by entrepreneurs, and local chapters are springing up across the country.
Conversations
Making Consignment Stores Destination Shopping
By JOHN GROSSMANN
Thirty-four years ago, Donna Speigel opened a consignment store in Cincinnati. Today she has 11 stores, 90 employees and annual revenue that she said exceeds $5 million.
Case Study
A Content Company Weighs Becoming a Technology Company
By BRYAN BORZYKOWSKI
A start-up looks for a way to get stalled revenue growth moving again.
Some Businesses Go Creative on Prices, Applying Technology
By DONNA FENN
Figuring what to charge customers for a product or service can be difficult, but some entrepreneurs are using pricing software or time discounts to their advantage.
Post a CommentFrom the Magazine
It’s the Economy
How Obamacare Could Unlock Job Opportunities
By SHAILA DEWAN
By redistributing financial risk, the new health-insurance system might prove a boon to entrepreneurs.
The Small Picture
Capturing the Soul of a Business in a Single Photograph
Photos from readers that reveal something meaningful about the ups and downs, the grind and the rewards of building a business.
More Photos
Submit a Photo
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