| Small Business Center
Four Insider Sites You Should Know About
We all know about Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, Forbes, and the
rest of the heavy hitting publications that make the business world
go around. They’re usually great — and it pays, in
more ways than one, to keep up with what they say.
Still, there are a lot of other voices out there as well, and unfortunately
some of them get lost in the shuffle. This month, I explore a few
of the lesser-known resources and publications that smart small business
owners should be paying attention to:
1. Ana Rincon’s Online Business / Hosting site
For those of us who monitor the Web for online business news,
Ana Rincon is one of the most reliable and familiar faces out there.
Her monthly newsletter on About.com does a fantastic job of not
only running down what’s new in the world of online business,
but also covering the basics in a clear and original way.
Valuable Article: Business 101
Ms. Rincon has the ability to make the tried-and-true resonate
in fresh and illuminating ways. Check out this article for an invaluable
rundown of the basics of smart entrepreneurship.
2. SCORE.org
Calling themselves both "counselors to America's Small
Business" and “America's premier source of free
and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs,” SCORE.org
is a Washington D.C.-based, non-profit organization that offers
advice, seminars, and even classes on small business information.
SCORE is also a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business
Administration (which we reviewed in depth in the
Aplus.Net
September newsletter).
Valuable Article: SCORE’s
business tools.
Business plans, financial planning tips, online workshops,
leadership advice, and lots of other valuable tools are all
gathered here. Check it out.
3. AllBusiness.com
Positioning themselves as friends of today’s “growing” (as
opposed to “small”) businesses, this online media
company isn’t exactly a tiny, unknown resource (it’s
gotten mentioned in Forbes and The Wall Street Journal), but
it’s still sometimes overlooked when stacked up against
some of its bigger neighbors. Which is a shame: AllBusiness,com
actually takes a somewhat novel approach, confronting more specific
problems that may pop up in the face of the unsuspecting small
business manager.
Valuable Article: Seven
Ways to Make Money With Your Website
Today’s online business entrepreneur, while facing a
perhaps difficult level of competition, has several can’t-fail
options to start the ball rolling. AllBusiness.com runs them
down here.
4. The Street.com’s
small biz section
So you’re behind the wheel of a thriving small business,
but your aspirations go much further. For the truly ambitious
and forward-thinking entrepreneur, the Street offers details
on profit margins, nonprofits, female-oriented advice, and other
topics not so readily found in most small business sites.
Valuable Article: Four
Technologies For Growing Your Business
Designed for the entrepreneur who’s past the first stage
and looking for the next growth stage in his or her business,
this insightful article runs down the importance of such things
as video conferencing and customer management best practices.
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