Posted on 08/31/2010 Mary Kennedy Thompson likes helping people. As president of the Mr. Rooter franchise, she considers her company an
opportunity to help people find their dreams and make them come true. Her
franchise trumpets its partnership with Ronald McDonald House charities on the
home page of its website.
So it wasn't an uncharacteristic leap for the well-traveled former Marine to
find herself in Haiti last May, teaching women how to make sure their water is
clean and healthy.
"When the earthquake hit... Continue Reading »Posted on 08/23/2010 Like most entrepreneurs, Joanna Meiseles spent her summer vacation hard at
work--except that Meiseles, founder of the successful
SnipIts kids' haircut franchise, spent
hers in the classroom. Her goal: Refine a proposed new business venture while
enrolled in Babson College's 10-week Summer Venture Program.
Fifteen people were selected to participate in the free program, which
offered undergraduates, MBA students and recent alumni the opportunity to
accelerate their startup ventures by giving them work space, mentorship, faculty
guidance and resources, plus peer stimulation. The program even offered free
housing in Babson dorms.
Meiseles, who's been an entrepreneur for the past 15... Continue Reading »Posted on 08/18/2010 A group of 14 Palestinians and Israelis are working hard in San Diego,
Calif., this week, collaborating on potentially innovative food products for the
U.S. market.
Yes, you read that correctly. Palestinians and Israelis, working together to
reach a common goal. Capitalism, it seems, neatly trumps political enmity.
"It's fascinating to see how well Israelis and Palestinians work together
when we're not talking about politics," says Sanford Ehrlich, Qualcomm executive
director of entrepreneurship for the Entrepreneurial Management Center and an
associate professor of management at San Diego State University. "When you're
talking about your profession rather than politics, it's easy... Continue Reading »Posted on 08/12/2010 Cindy Ashton says she was thrilled in June when she received the Call to
Service Award, the highest honor awarded by the office of the president of the
United States for 4,000 or more hours of volunteer service to the community.
But the award got her thinking about all the people in the world who need
even more. IHTML clipboardt seemed to Ashton that her accomplishments to date were only a drop in the
bucket. She determined that she had to do better.
Her solution:
The Red Carpet
Dreaming Tour, to raise money for children's charities. The... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/29/2010 The move to help women become empowered, grow their businesses and succeed as
entrepreneurs is gaining power and influence around the world.
The latest example I've learned about is the Global Banking Alliance for
Women, a network of financial institutions worldwide that aims to accelerate the
growth of women in business. The alliance, celebrating its 10th anniversary this
year, has about 30 members and growing, from banks to financial institutions
such as American Express OPEN. It also includes affiliates, from
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to women's business organizations,
universities, research centers and government agencies. "Anyone who's aligned in
economic... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/20/2010 You can do everything right and still leave your customer with a negative
impression, as today's article,
"Pay Attention to the Customer Experience," points out. Authors Ann Thomas
and Jill Applegate believe entrepreneurs need to know that possibility
exists, and do everything they can to counteract it.
The article is an excerpt from the book
Pay Attention! How to Listen, Respond and Profit From Customer Feedback.
It describes two customer experiences surrounding car repairs. In both cases,
the problem was a loose gas cap that caused the "service engine soon" light to
come on.
In each case,... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/16/2010 Thom Ruhe believes firmly that entrepreneurship is the key to world peace.
"If you think about it," says the Kauffman Foundation's director of
entrepreneurship, "if you're giving birth to something--a company--you're adding
value in your society, employing people, producing a product that's in demand in
the market and contributing to your community. You're less likely to strap a
bomb to your body and kill a bunch of people."
That's why Ruhe is particularly delighted about this week's
Startup Weekend
in Tel Aviv, Israel, arranged by co-organizers Amir Harel and Eddie Reznik.
Startup Weekend is a
catalyst for startups... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/11/2010 Looking for a fun way to drum up some interest in your business? Take a tip
from Office Depot, which keeps dreaming up wacky contests to introduce its
newest office offerings.
Last month it was the "Show Us Your Seat" contest. Seven people won a
La-Z-Boy office chair after submitting a photo and a story about their
"makeshift" or unique office seat. The contest was a way to introduce Office
Depot's exclusive new line of La-Z-Boy office chairs. (Click
here to see
the winning entries.)
This month it's the
"Technology Apology"
contest, designed to showcase the new Ativa... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/08/2010 The Stevie
Awards for Women in Business is soliciting entries. As an entrepreneur who
strives for excellence, you ought to take your best shot. Click
here for an entry kit.
The Stevies are open to all women entrepreneurs, executives and the
organizations they run, worldwide. It doesn't matter whether you're large or
small, public or private, profit or nonprofit. The award was created "to raise
the profile of exemplary organizations and individuals among the press, the
business community, and the general public."
The
54 categories range from Best Entrepreneur and Best New Company to
Communications Campaign... Continue Reading »Posted on 07/05/2010 What makes a truly successful entrepreneur?
The Guardian Life Small
Business Research Institute believes it has the answer.
The latest study in the research series, "The Guardian Life Index: What
Matters Most to Small Business Owners," identifies six characteristics common to
small-business owners who increase their revenue and expand their companies even
in recessionary times.
The study is called
"Six Dimensions That Characterize Success-Oriented Small Business Owners."
And if you want to be counted among those "success-oriented small-business
owners," here are the traits you need to foster:
1. Collaborative. Success-oriented small business owners learn how
to delegate... Continue Reading » |
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