Grand Rapids

Employees

Faith R. VandenBerg, CPA Senior Accountant	William M. Heikoop, CPA Manager	Sarah J. Pastoor, CPA, MBA Manager
Melissa A. Graveling Accountant	Kristie L. Senneker Accountant	Cheryl L. Griffin Administrative Assistant

News from the Web

Urgent Action Needed: Contact IRS to express concerns about tax preparer registration proposal

CPAs across the country should contact the IRS to emphasize the burdens CPAs, CPA firms and businesses will face if the IRS fully...

By Martin Vaughan and Corey Boles Karen Port of St. Louis fears that President Barack Obama's plan to let tax rates rise for top...

Individual investors are making a big shift from stocks to bonds as they flee from risk, analysts said. -More-

When to discharge taxes in bankruptcy

CPAs can help clients and their attorneys determine if bankruptcy is a viable option for resolving federal tax liabilities. -More-

Planning for a company's future includes devising a process to choose a successor should a company leader leave. -More-

Fed deserves continued congressional scrutiny

Congress must continue to pay close attention as the Federal Reserve works to translate financial regulatory-reform legislati -More-

Next phase of CARD Act takes effect

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act restrictions barring "unreasonable late payment and other p -More-

IRS to discontinue paper coupon deposits

The Internal Revenue Service announced that at the end of the year it will stop accepting paper coupons for deposits of payro -More-

Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York illustrate the challenges faced by America's households as they work to free t -More- Free...

The Obama administration tries to put a positive spin on troubling housing market figures every month, pointing to measures s -More-

A government program to help struggling homeowners has a backlog of 118,000 people who have been waiting six months or more - -More-

The latest unemployment statistics paint a mixed picture, as labor markets got better in some states and worse in others, but -More-

It could take the housing market as long as two decades to recover the $6 trillion it has lost in value since 2005, according -More- Must-...

Although Newsweek ranks the U.S. at No. -More-

A joint proposal from the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board to overhaul l -More-

Many homeowners are applying to refinance their existing loans to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates, with ref -More-

A group of six Democratic Senators is asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to require U.S. -More-

The webinar Clients with Foreign Bank Accounts: What Accountants and Financial Planners Must Know about Reporting Requirement -More-

Goals are dreams with deadlines. -More-

Need a Lawyer? A Route to Free Legal Advice

By Mike Michalowicz There's no way around it. As an entrepreneur, you'll (at some point) need the services of an attorney—...

Cash Only, Please

By Emily Maltby Regulars at Peter Luger Inc., the iconic steakhouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., know the drill. If they're not toting...

By Martin Vaughan and Corey Boles Small-business legislation pending in the Senate would aid some profitable firms with tax...

Small Firms Lagging, With Bulk of Job Losses

By Sara Murray Most of the job losses at the end of last year took place at the smallest firms, underscoring how small...

Dot-Jobs Draws Worry

By Sarah E. Needleman Job-site operators are bracing for an influx of competitors as the dot-jobs domain widens its reach.So...

Enterprise Dispatch

Robotic vehicles have been used for space exploration, deep-water drilling and a range of other exotic applications. Now one start-up is...

On a Tight Budget? How to Land a Client

By Emily Maltby It's a common conundrum for business owners when sales aren't pouring in.To get more customers, you need to...

Obama Urges Passage of Small-Business Bill

By Jared A. Favole President Barack Obama Tuesday urged Senate Republicans to stop what he said is the obstruction of...

Monitoring the Monitors

By Sarah E. Needleman In 2003, Jane Terry installed software on her kids' computers to monitor their activities. Nothing...

The Gift of Gab -- If You Can Stand It

By Barbara Haislip Give a speech. Win a client.As simple—or even scary—as that formula sounds, a host of entrepreneurs have...

Expectations for the United States economy turned sharply negative on concerns about unemployment and a tight credit market, as pessimists...

Public comment on a series of questions will help the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Standard Setting for Private Companies formulate recommendations...

Thirty-one members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a bipartisan letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner urging changes in...

Mary Kramer, publisher of Crain’s Detroit Business , will moderate a panel discussion exploring how to fix Michigan’s economy at the...

Big Banks Loosen Lending Standards

By Sudeep Reddy And Robin Sidel Big banks in recent months eased standards on small-business lending for the...

Start-Ups on a Shoestring

By Colleen DeBaise, Sarah E. Needleman and Emily Maltby You don't have to break the bank to start a business.For many would-...

By Sarah E. Needleman To the relief of most bosses, few employees garner as much media attention (or folk-hero status) as...

By Christina S.N. Lewis "Something's burning," said Anita Zeldin. Alarmed, the 53-year-old former banking executive rushed...

'Super Angels' Fly In to Aid Start-Ups

By Pui-Wing Tam And Spencer E. Ante Much of the venture-capital industry is undergoing a shakeout. But a...

When You're Most Vulnerable to Fraud

By Rob Johnson Five years ago, Ed Couvrette was on top of the world.The manufacturing company he founded, E.F. Couvrette Co.,...

The Old College Try

By Laura Lorber Jordan Holt needed a business plan. So he went back to school.A technician for a military contractor in...

The Credit Crunch That Won't Go Away

By Emily Maltby Where's the money?The economy is on the mend. The government has launched a boatload of programs to get...

No Splendor in the Grass

By Sarah E. Needleman The brutal summer heat has cooled demand for many small landscaping businesses, adding distress to a...

Gloomy School Season Looms

By Emily Maltby Small retailers are bracing for another disappointing back-to-school season.Last year, a tougher credit...

Microloans Helps Some Small Businesses Survive

By April H. Lee Like many small businesses caught in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Tri-State...

When Violence Strikes the Workplace

By Sarah E. Needleman "My executive assistant is opening the mail with a butcher knife."Those were the worrisome words that...

Technology Basics for Business

By Colleen DeBaise Adapted from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press). Technological...

The IRS announced last week that the agency will realign its Large and Mid-Size Business (LMSB) division to create a more centralized...

The IRS announced that starting with next year’s tax filing season it will no longer provide tax preparers and associated financial...

Fall/Winter CPE Catalog on its Way

Watch for the 2010 MACPA Fall/Winter CPE catalog to arrive in your mailbox over the next two weeks. You’re sure to find excellent...

Three CPAs Successful in Primary Bid

Congratulations to three CPAs who were successful in last week’s primary election! CPA Rick Snyder won the Republican nod in the race for...

Baidu's CEO Pursues Growth

By Owen Fletcher Google Inc.'s pullback in China earlier this year left homegrown giant Baidu Inc. more dominant than ever as China's...

By Martin Vaughan U.S. Senate Democrats proposed scaling back new Internal Revenue Service reporting rules that were part of...

Fundraising From Friends and Family

By Dyan Machan Bank lending to small businesses is still in the dumpster, and venture capital investment remains way down....

Protecting Personal Assets

By Emily Maltby Harry Clark, a serial entrepreneur from Temecula, Calif., is taking a hard-line approach these days when investors,...

By Ryan Streeter The past few years have seen no shortage of commentary about the comparative economic environments in China...

SBA's 7(a) Program in Limbo

By Ruth Simon Pinnacle Bank made just two loans through the Small Business Administration in 2007 and 2008. So far this year...

Back to School for Boss? Tax Breaks Can Help

By Barbara Weltman If you're a small-business owner seeking more training for yourself or for your staff, now is the time to...

Stores That Can't Stay

By Sarah E. Needleman Next month, flu-shot provider WellCheck LLC will open its first retail stores—150 units in shopping...

By Riva Richmond When Alissa White, owner of online retailer Matcha Source LLC, of Los Angeles, opened a temporary "pop-up"...

This Tweet Requires Pen and Ink

By Katherine Rosman Chandra Greer, the owner of a Chicago stationery store called Greer, recently had an idea, "The easiest ways to...

Restitching a Firm That Nearly Unraveled

By Julie Jargon J.W. Hulme Co., a Minnesota luggage maker that almost came unraveled during the credit crisis, is on the...

Becoming the Boss Can Cost Plenty

By Sarah E. Needleman In late 2007, Taylor Senatore and Jennifer Frank withdrew most of their personal savings—a combined $250,000—to...

Struggle to Fix Unpopular Tax Measure

Associated Press WASHINGTON—Tucked into the new health-care law is a requirement that could affect nearly 40 million...

Affordable 3-D Arrives

By Emily Maltby (See Corrections & Amplifications item below.) Jeff David used to create his sports helmets the traditional way...

Partisan Clashes Stall Legislation

By Naftali Bendavid And Stephen Power WASHINGTON—Partisan feuding Thursday jeopardized the prospects of...

By Darrell A. Hughes Bank of America Corp. on Thursday will commit $10 million in grants to nonprofit organizations that lend to small...

Big Firms Win in Small-Business Bill

By Martin Vaughan A Senate bill promoted as a boon to small businesses includes significant tax benefits for large companies...

VCs Stretched on Many Boards

By Scott Austin Entrepreneurs looking for sage advice from their investors say they're encountering a problem: Some venture...

When the Folks Give You the Business

By Sue Shellenbarger Watching fellow college students working for $7.50 an hour after graduation, Tana Walther, a fashion-...

By Colleen DeBaise (See Corrections & Amplifications below.) Lunchtime wouldn't be nearly so fabulous for budget-conscious...

Lights Out Means Lost Sales

By Sarah E. Needleman On a recent morning, Frank Christopher arrived at the New York nightclub he co-owns to find its online...

Apple Looks to Small Businesses

By Ian Sherr Apple Inc. is boosting efforts to appeal to a new type of customer: small businesses. The consumer electronics giant...

By Mike Michalowicz If there's one thing we small-business owners need it's more time in our days. If you're like me, you're...

The Oyster Industry's Nemesis: Water

By Jeffrey Ball HOUMA, La.—Oysters are dying in their beds in the brackish marshes of southern Louisiana, but the culprit isn't...

By Sarah E. Needleman For the New York Yankees, it's a new era of family control as the late George Steinbrenner's sons Hal...

For Disabled, a Job Hunt Alternative

By Sarah E. Needleman David Shunkey is autistic and doesn't speak. Around the start of the recession, he got laid off from two jobs....

Summer Calls, but Getting Away Is Tricky

By Sarah E. Needleman The official start of summer may be just days away, but for many small-business owners, relaxing at a...

The Art (and Journey) of Raising Funds

By Rosalind Resnick For an entrepreneurial start-up, landing that first check from an investor is a milestone.What many...

By Tom Barkley Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged banks and regulators Monday to seek out ways to ensure that small...

Risky 'Search Funds' Draw Dollars

By Kyle Stock "Search" funds, small pools of money that seek to buy and manage small companies, are drawing a record number...

Entrepreneurs Flock to Pet-Chicken Market

By Sarah E. Needleman Hobbies often hatch small-business ideas. Chickens are no exception. Ruth Haldeman began adopting...

In Gulf, Usual Loans Not an Option

By Emily Maltby Kim and David Chauvin's shrimp-trawling company has had its share of knocks, but the couple has always managed to find...

By Martin Vaughan An Internal Revenue Service watchdog warned Wednesday the paperwork burdens on small businesses may...

Curves Loses Stamina, Closes Clubs

By Richard Gibson Curves International Inc., whose 30-minute workout for women once made it among the world's fastest-...

Sam's Club to Offer Loans Up to $25,000

By Karen Talley Wal-Mart Inc.'s Sam's Club will begin offering loans of up to $25,000 to members in an effort to set itself...

A Sample Can Be Simple and Cheap

By Sarah E. Needleman Kimberly Isaac used to dream of an easy way to transport the heavy tanks she relies on to indulge in her favorite...

By Emily Maltby A number of states have stepped in to help cash-strapped entrepreneurs get access to credit, primarily by...

Firm Toots Horn Via Search Ads

By Sarah E. Needleman A common gripe among U.S. soccer fans is that vuvuzelas, the South African horns heard buzzing...

And Now, the Tricky Part: Naming Your Business

By Emily Maltby Jake Schwarz, an attorney, spent months trying to settle on a name for his law firm. He considered using the founders'...

NYU Starts Venture-Capital Fund

By Joseph De Avila New York University plans to launch a $20 million venture-capital fund that aims to spur technology...

By Barbara Weltman The NFIB Small Business Economic Trends Report for June 2010 continues to show that owners complain about...

CIT Prepays $1.25 Billion In Debt

By Matt Jarzemsky CIT Group Inc. prepaid $1.25 billion of debt after securitizing receivables and selling assets, relieving part of the...

What's in a Name? Sometimes, a Lawsuit

By Emily Maltby Jimmy Winkelmann started a clothing company several years ago to mock fellow students who wore the outdoorsy The North...

For Some, Hiring Cheap Is Mistake

By Sarah E. Needleman You still get what you pay for.That's the message compensation experts have for small-business owners...

Disasters' Silver Lining: Green

By Sarah E. Needleman When a large number of people die, such as after a massive fire, shooting or natural disaster, Michael...

Tax-Saving Moves for Small Businesses

By Bill Bischoff If you're a shareholder in a successful closely held C corporation, you know this year's federal income tax...

Smaller Players Will Find Gulf Tougher

By Ángel González The troubles of behemoth BP PLC now threaten the small oil and gas companies that helped unlock the Gulf...

You, Too, May Be a Winner!

By Dale Buss (Please see Corrections and Amplifications below.) A growing number of corporations, nonprofits and universities are...

By Victoria McGrane It's the 11th hour for sweeping financial-overhaul legislation in the U.S Congress, and the U.S. Chamber...

Before You Moonlight...

By Shara Tibken The terrible economy is pushing lots of full-time workers to moonlight—as entrepreneurs. With money tight...

The SBA Has a Deal for You

By Marshall Eckblad The government is trying to entice more small businesses to tap one of its loan programs. Before...

Earning Cash With YouTube Videos

By Diana Ransom Like many realtors in hard-hit markets across the country, David DeVore of Orlando, Fla., hasn't had much...

House Aims to Boost Small-Business Loans

By Martin Vaughan WASHINGTON—The U.S. House approved legislation Thursday to create a $30 billion fund to boost lending to...

Three Minutes to a Million

By Emily Maltby Rupila Sethi knew how much would be riding on the next three minutes. As she stood at the podium Tuesday at...

By Scott Austin Start-ups hungry for cash are often expected to pay a fee to pitch to angel investors. But some free...

What Makes a Mattress Cost $33,000?

By Anjali Athavaley How much would you spend for a good night's sleep?Some people might say $33,000. That's the price of E.S...

Is Start-Up Savvy in Your DNA?

By Dyan Machan Ross Staszak and Aksel Güngör have just graduated from Drexel University. Both want to start companies, and both are...

BP's Independent Dealers Face Threat

By Naureen S. Malik Protests and boycotts of the BP brand generated by the Gulf spill aren't likely to have a big immediate...

House Approves Small-Business Tax Incentives

By Martin Vaughan The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to eliminate capital-gains taxes on some small-...

Facebook Currency Rankles Some

By Sarah E. Needleman Facebook Inc. has been rolling out its own currency, to be used by members to buy virtual goods in...

Will Your Business Idea Fly?

By Sarah E. Needleman Before committing to a solo public-relations practice last year, Saverio Mancina emailed more than two dozen...

Mass. Race Highlights Health Care

By Naftali Bendavid BOSTON—High health-care costs are so sensitive in Massachusetts that when two health-care company...

Three Best Ways to Become Eco-Friendly

By Sarah E. Needleman As images of the Gulf oil spill disaster continue to flash on TV monitors, small-business owners may...

By Martin Vaughan Gabriel Durand-Hollis, owner of a San Antonio, Texas-based architecture and interior design firm, is no John Edwards....

Control Freak No More: Picking No. 2

By Sarah E. Needleman After years of growing their ventures, many small-business owners end up like Eric Poses – calling all...

Leave the Business to the Kids? Maybe Not

By John Warrillow When Brian France took over as the CEO of Nascar, he completed a feat that may be even more difficult than...

House Readies Capital-Gains Bill

By Martin Vaughan WASHINGTON—A bill to eliminate capital-gains taxes on many investments in small businesses could come to...

CIT's Challenge: Find Cheap Funding Source

By Aparajita Saha-Bubna Lack of cheap funding continues to hamstring CIT Group Inc. (CIT), six months after leaving...

Steering Grads to Start-Ups

By Shira Ovide Like many other college students, 19-year-old Ian Jennings Jablonowski treks to rock concerts and plays...

Recession Brings Tough Love to Family Firms

By Ruth Mantell Expecting Mom and Dad to set you up with a cushy job in the family business? Not so fast. In this economy,...

How to Win Venture Capital

By Colleen debaise Adapted from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press). The process of...

Need a Loan? Ask the Boss

By Sarah E. Needleman Every year, business owner Jim Fab lends his 25 employees as much as $4,000 interest-free for personal...

Commercial Deals Abound but Loans Are Scarce

By Emily Maltby Real-estate prices are enticingly low in many areas of the country, prompting business owners to pursue...

-More-

Homeowners are most likely to begin contemplating walking away from a mortgage when a house's value falls 75% below the value -More- Live...

Consumers were more likely to pay their credit card bills than their mortgage in the third quarter, according to a TransUnion -More-

The Treasury Department is looking into altering its "net present value" test, which is used to determine whether modifying a -More-

The number of houses put under contract but not yet sold in December was up 1% from the previous month's figure, the National -More-

A closer look at common XBRL missteps

Companies made a wide variety of errors in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) submissions during the Securities an -More-

The IRS has issued a notice, clarifying that gift tax can apply to transfers of property to a wholly owned grantor trust desp -More-...

Big companies face bigger taxes under President Barack Obama's proposed $3.834 trillion budget. -More-

A new generation of executives is showing that they're more comfortable with data collection and analytics to improve busines -More-

Don't be yourself -- be someone a little nicer. -More-

CPAs have an extraordinary commitment to the public interest. -More-

The AICPA, the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy recently ann -More-

Senate banking committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said he was in favor of the idea of limiting proprietary trading -More-

U.K. -More-

Last week, political dynamics changed when Democrats lost a Massachusetts Senate seat. -More-

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Traders are discussing the possibility that a market correction might be coming as investors become increasingly concerned ab -More-

The IRS has issued a notice designating the recent Haiti earthquake as a "qualified disaster" for federal tax purposes. -More-

-More- SEC Quarterly Update Webcast Series Q1 2010 March 2010: In this information-packed webcast series, you will get "plugged-in" to...

Developing and emerging nations are calling for the adoption of international accounting standards for small businesses, acco -More-

In two months, the U.S.

Questioning the low mortgage default rate

While the foreclosure rate has risen steadily, the mortgage default rate has remained relatively low, Richard H. -More-

The Obama administration is pushing to get the Senate votes needed to confirm Ben Bernanke for a second term as chairman of t -More-

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board issued new guidelines on accounting and disclosure rules of financ -More-

Benjamin Franklin, inventor, statesman

Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure. -More-

The AICPA Tax area's Tom Ochsenschlager, CPA, and Ed Karl, CPA, discuss recent rulings and regulations on disclosure of taxpa -More-

A Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday would allow companies to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns. -More-

On Friday, the Internal Revenue Service started accepting e-filed 2009 tax returns, kicking off tax season. -More-

The Internal Revenue Service has released the 2010 maximum allowable values under the cents-per-mile and fleet-average valuat -More-

As tax season gets under way, practitioners should be aware of a number of 2009 developments affecting corporations and their -More-

How to attract aspiring CPAs

Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, who leads Oracle's Health and Human Services Practice, discusses what accountants need to do to -More-

Responding to charges that the Federal Reserve tried to hide details of the U.S. -More-

Fed may have overpaid on AIG settlements:

French banks received 100 cents on the dollar in a November 2008 deal with the Federal Reserve to settle trades with American -More- The...

The most recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey of fund managers shows that investors' risk appetite is growing. -More-

There seems to be little hope of escape from a truly jobless recovery, given the dismal rate of job creation in the country, -More-

David Crowe, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, is predicting a recovery for the sector in 2010, -More-

The Internal Revenue Service has released the 2010 maximum allowable values under the cents-per-mile and fleet-average valuat -More-

Massachusetts voters elected Republican Scott Brown to the Senate, adding pressure on Democrats to approve legislation to ove -More-

Senate aides said Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., could clear the way for a Senate vote on Ben Bernanke's confirmation fo -More-

The AICPA Personal Financial Planning Section has the resources CPAs need to ensure that clients turn to them when considerin -More-

The International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation has published the first of its comprehensive set of training mate -More-

So if you think your life is complete confusion because your neighbor's got it made, just remember that it's a grand illusion -More-

By Colleen DeBaise Adapted from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press). Running a business...

The Internal Revenue Service shelved a proposal for new rules on taxing employer-provided cell phones. -More-

Advocates of women- and minority-owned small businesses are releasing the first studies that track the flow of federal stimul -More-

President Barack Obama this weekend defended his proposal to subject as many as 50 financial institutions to a levy to recoup -More-

Although delinquency rates are slowing down, losses related to souring credit card loans are still high. -More-

How CPAs should prepare to serve aging clients

When a client begins to suffer from diminished mental capacity, it can interfere with the CPA/client relationship. -More-

Governments and all types of businesses have to be proactive to combat fraud, waste and abuse. -More-

Weather dependent industries -- which make up a thrid of all business in the U.S., according to the Commerce Department -- ar -More-...

Inflation-adjusted weekly wages in the U.S. declined 1.6% last year, the largest drop since 1990. -More-

Filing season essentials for CPAs to know

Tax season is just around the corner, and 2009 featured a number of important changes affecting individuals' tax returns. -More-

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Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will host finance chiefs and central bankers from the Group of Seven nations Feb. -More-

In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board established the Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee to serve as a sta -More-

Removal of the adjusted gross income limit and the ability to defer taxes make converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA esp -More-

Federal Reserve officials will meet Jan. 26 and 27 to discuss the economic recovery and their policy. -More-

Seven tips for seeking a private letter ruling

Applying to the IRS for a private letter ruling (PLR) can provide greater clarity concerning a transaction or relief for a di -More-

Bankers and analysts interviewed for this article say a tax on big banks proposed by the Obama administration is unlikely to -More-

A right delayed is a right denied. -More-

A new Securities and Exchange Commission auditing standard is aimed at strengthening rules for concurring reviews of auditing -More-

On Friday, the Internal Revenue Service started accepting e-filed 2009 tax returns, kicking off tax season. -More- IFRS Quarterly Webcast...

When disaster strikes, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti, CPAs may be looked to for assistance to those in need. -More-

Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., told the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission that the Federal R -More- 2009...

Without further action by Congress to stimulate hiring, the U.S. -More-

U.S. -More-

Sallie Krawcheck, president of global wealth and investment management at Bank of America, said there were a few surprises in -More-

Labor leaders, the Obama administration and Democratic leaders in Congress said they have arrived at a compromise over a prop -More-

A Wall Street Journal analysis found that executives, investment bankers, traders, money managers and other employees at 38 o -More-

Are you ready for XBRL?

Most U.S. -More-

Overseeing financial institutions helps the Federal Reserve set monetary policy and will help it withdraw stimulus support fo -More-

AICPA chairman: Get involved and start young

In his January Chair's Corner column, AICPA Chairman Robert R. -More-

The economic recovery may be threatened once government support dries up, as evidenced by unexpectedly low December retail sa -More-

The King of the Streets Moves Indoors

By Katy McLaughlin Los Angeles Chef Roy Choi is standing in front of the restaurant space he closed on a day...

Firms Reflect and Look Ahead

By Emily Maltby The holiday season is typically a time for rest and reflection. But it is also a boon for small-business...

Niche Clothiers' Ranks Shrink

By Douglas Belkin CHICAGO -- There was a time Gary Anders would approach short men wearing sport coats hanging to their knees and hand...

Boring Meetings? Get Out the Water Guns

By Emily Maltby Heather Logrippo says her employees didn't seem too enthusiastic at first when she handed out construction paper and...

Small Business Economic Indicators

By Diana Ransom When you're a small-business owner, issues like whether you can afford to give your assistant manager a...

By Grace L. Williams Who: Brett and Derek Satterfield What: HardToFindItems.com, a Web site that sells unique or unusual items Where...

Mogul Applied Franchising to Real Estate

By Stephen Miller Art Bartlett wasn't the first to apply to home sales a franchise model more often associated with selling hamburgers,...

More Workers Set Up Shop at Home

By Colleen DeBaise Adapted from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press). So maybe 2010 will...

Firms Fight Banks Over Frozen Notes

By Liz Rappaport Hundreds of businesses are fighting to recover billions of dollars tied up in frozen auction-rate securities, a year...

Chrysler Dealers Fight Closings

By Emily Maltby In May, Randy Painter and his nine siblings were taken aback to learn their 65-year-old family business—two...

Businesses Seek Revisions to Health Bill

By Neil King Jr. WASHINGTON -- Businesses are set to push for modifications to the Senate-approved health bill, while urging lawmakers...

By Colleen DeBaise In 1985, after a grueling trial ended in a hung jury, criminal-defense lawyers Larry Flax and Rick...

Limiting BlackBerry Interference on Vacation

By Colleen DeBaise Adapted from the upcoming book THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press, Dec....

With Scant Jobs, Grads Make Their Own

By Toddi Gutner Andrew Levine knew he wouldn't find a job in investment banking when he graduated with an M.B.A. from the...

A Fir-Trader Family Reunites

By Kevin Helliker Last spring, John Brussock quit a corporate job to launch a start-up called DeliverMyChristmasTree.Com to...

By Willa Plank What happens when your sweaters or electronics aren't sold before the Christmas holiday? Instead of...

Start-Ups Set to Get Cash in '10

By Pui-Wing Tam After a dismal 2009, venture capitalists are preparing to ramp up their investments, injecting much-needed...

Community Bankers Meet With Obama

By Damian Paletta WASHINGTON—Community bankers got their first exclusive meeting Tuesday with President Barack Obama amid an...

How to Resolve the Morale Issue at Work

Effective Ways to be a Master Networker

By Diana Ransom What comes after the fall?As the still-feeble U.S. economy stumbles to its feet, some entrepreneurs are...

Cash Prizes for Good Ideas

By Teri Evans When Andrew Schuman bought Hammond's Candies in 2007, the nearly 90-year-old candy company was operating in...

Stimulus Relief Extended for SBA Loans

By Emily Maltby The Senate voted this weekend to temporarily extend funding for two popular stimulus provisions that reduced...

Another Chance for Small Business Loans?

By Diana Ransom When President Barack Obama met with banking CEOs earlier this week, he urged them to "take a third and...

Entrepreneurs Struggle With Estate Tax

By Emily Maltby Whatever the outcome of the federal estate-tax debate in Congress, many family-owned businesses likely will...

By Aleksandra Todorova Shortly after Byron Hebert started his business, Daytona Limos, in 2007, he applied for and received...

Three Best Ways to Use Social Media

By Willa Plank How else can we say it: Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Twitter, Facebook...

Small Firms Yield to Energy Giants

By Ben Casselman Exxon Mobil Corp.'s acquisition of XTO Energy Inc. is the latest sign of a changing of the guard in the U.S. oil patch...

DOE Becomes Venture Capital Force

By Neil King Jr. When tiny Fisker Automotive Inc. hit a financing glitch last year, threatening its plan to build a fancy...

Gas Stations Fume Over New Practice

By Richard Gibson Big Oil is having trouble with some of its little guys.Dozens of gas-station dealers are lodging...

By Bill Bischoff Attention, small-business owners: it's not too late to make some smart moves and slash your business' 2009...

Three Best Ways to Build an iPhone App

By Riva Richmond If you've got regular customers with shiny new smartphones, then building a mobile application might be...

White House Jobs Proposal Draws Weak Praise

By Diana Ransom President Barack Obama's latest plan to spur job growth among small businesses is drawing lukewarm praise...

Firms Aren't Sold on Jobs Tax Credit

By Gary Fields and Kris Maher An Obama administration plan to give small-business owners tax credits to hire new employees likely won't...

Car Dealers Seek Reprieve

By Emily Maltby Congress may give relief soon to car dealers who lost franchises as part of the government-funded bankruptcy...

Apps Created for Small Business

By Riva Richmond Barbara Heinrich says she isn't computer-savvy, but last month the owner of Local Motion, a clothing...

Uptick Catches Entrepreneurs by Surprise

By Emily Maltby Blake White anticipated that his order-fulfillment company would ride out the recession by streamlining operations and...

Three Benefits of Hiring Someone Overqualified

Tepid Times for Seasonal Shops

By Diana Ransom Back in January, Bill Quinn thought he was being prudent when he decided to stock his online imitation tree...

Goldman, Buffett Aid Small Business

Goldman Sachs said it is launching a $500 million small-business assistance program that includes an advisory panel with billionaire...

(Business Edge, October 2009) Research shows very few companies actually know how to create an effective strategic plan and successfully...

(Business Edge, October 2009) Every business needs a cost-effective way to keep its name, products, or services in front of prospects and...

Small Businesses Could Face New Credit Squeeze

Business owners could face a new credit squeeze as early as next month, as two popular stimulus provisions expire before Obama's small-...

Entrepreneurs Get Creative for Funding

With venture capital scarce, small-business owners find alternative financing.

The Double Whammy of Bankruptcies

Bankruptcy is an ordeal for executives at any business. But entrepreneurs' personal assets are in jeopardy along with their business.

Can You Afford to Hire?

If the recent jobs report is any indication, the economy may be on its way up. But before you start hiring new workers, run the numbers to...

Starting on a Shoestring

It’s tougher than ever for would-be entrepreneurs to raise capital. Luckily, it’s also getting much easier to start a company on a small...

Innovative Ways to Reel in Cash

As the credit crunch makes raising financing more difficult, small business owners finding creative ways of raising extra cash.

Funding Your Social Venture

It's tough for any business to find funding. But social ventures can tap unique sources.

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