Dashboard

A weekly roundup of small-business developments.

What’s affecting me, my clients and other small-business owners this week.

The Economy: Moderately or Very Worried

A small-business owner speaks out against corporate greed. One barometer shows optimism for the United States and the world economies hitting an all-time low. The Fed downgrades growth and sees continuing high unemployment. But maybe shale reserves will save us! More than one out of three small-business owners are moderately or very worried about going under in 2012. But SurePayroll says we’re optimistic! The “supercommittee” may be leaning toward tax reform. Corporate bond issues hit a wall. Jeff Miller is feeling bullish for stocks. Groupon raises $700 million. An asteroid will pass close to Earth Tuesday.

People: Somebody’s Hiring!

Did you know there are 11 metropolitan areas with more than 100,000 businesses? And 98 percent of them are classified as small businesses. Blanche Lincoln explains why small businesses matter. A report says that small businesses are hiring faster than big companies. ADP reports the private sector added 110,000 jobs in October. Another report says that small-business payrolls increased 30,000 in September. Still another says that small-business employment dropped again. Holiday hiring plans are on hold for many — unless you’re spending the holidays in North Dakota. Occupy Wall Streeters cause one small-business owner to fire 21 employees. The Evil HR Lady points out five scary mistakes. Most small businesses support L.G.B.T. workplace fairness. Kevin Durant plays flag football. A boy in a wheelchair scores a touchdown.

The Data: Retail, Restaurants and Home Prices Show Gains

Retailers report solid sales gains, and the Restaurant Performance Index rises. Light vehicle sales are the highest since 2009, and the third quarter showed the largest gain in home ownership since 2004. Construction spending increased (pdf), and a Paynet survey finds a rise in small-business borrowing. But our national debt increased $203 billion in October. College Humor lists its best Halloween costumes. Manufacturing growth decelerated. Consumer bankruptcies declined but consumers are still pessimistic. Gasoline usage is the lowest since October 2008. A trip to the grocery store costs at least 12 percent more. The Dallas Fed’s manufacturing survey shows sluggish expansion.

Management: Guess Who’s the Most Powerful?

Forbes lists the 70 most powerful people in the world. Matt Wilson explains how Bank of America handled damage control from its debit-card-fee fiasco. Dale Traxler explains how to identify genius. Jeff Haden offers 12 negotiation tips for people who hate negotiating. Gwen Moran shares 10 creative money-saving tactics for small-business owners. Lisa Petrilli offers 12 heart-stopping leadership lessons from a Black Hawk Army Ranger. Jimmy Kimmel shows how mean parents can be.

Red Tape Update: A Regulation Contradiction?

Robb Mandelbaum reports that small businesses lose contracts to big companies because of fraud and loopholes. The National Federation of Independent Business releases a letter to President Obama urging five steps to improve the regulatory process for small businesses. But wait, it seems the Obama White House has approved fewer regulations than the George W. Bush White House. The House of Representatives approved two bills Wednesday intended to make it easier for small businesses to access capital. And in case you were wondering, it’s been affirmed: we still trust in God. These 30 corporations paid no federal taxes, despite showing profits. A congressman vows to help the yachting industry. An expert talks about what businesses should know about health care reform. Only a few small-business owners have taken advantage of the health care tax credit, and an accountant offers an explanation.

Marketing: How to Market In a Flat World

In this video, a sales trainer says we need to tell stories. The Eisen Agency tells its story. Jeremy Epstein tells a great story about how to market in a flat world. Google tops the list of Web brands. Kristi Hines explains how to improve e-mail bounce rates. Which company has the top Facebook page and why? A survey finds that taking pets shopping is important for some buyers. Steve Martin (no, not that Steve Martin) lists his 10 mistakes salespeople make, including: “They fidget with many accounts and don’t focus on the winnable ones.” A blogger notes 10 things that lasted longer than Kim Kardashian’s marriage. Yolander Prinzel explains how small businesses can succeed with social media (hint: return on investment).

Technology:  A Game Changer?

Your Office Anywhere introduces a cloud computing service for small businesses. This video shows Microsoft’s amazing version of the future. A new service helps small businesses create mobile friendly Web sites. Toyota unveils four health care and nursing robots. Is Google+ Ripples a game changer for small businesses? Amtrak adds Wi-Fi! Two technologists review four cloud-based customer-relations applications. One in four retailers offers their customers a mobile app.

Start-Ups: Mark Zuckerberg’s Advice

A young data storage company raises $37 million in less than a year. Steve Blank explains why venture capitalists should be start-up chief executives. Brad Plumer says America doesn’t have a small-business problem — it has a start-up problem. One piece of evidence: A 2010 Rand study found that Americans are more likely to start new businesses as soon as they turn 65 and qualify for Medicare. In a rare interview, Mark Zuckerberg has some advice for start-ups. Vinicius Vacanti writes about the long grind before becoming a success: “Now that I look back, I realize that I was wrong to think that we had nothing to show for two and half years of hustling. You’re learning every day. And, when the inspiration strikes, you’re going to be ready to pounce on it.”

Around the Country:  Betting Big on Detroit

America’s Favorite Small Business is chosen. The deadline to apply for San Francisco’s Women 2.0 Pitch is Nov. 30. A new book says that city living is the secret to happiness. Small Business Administration lending soars in Michigan. The founder of Quicken Loans is betting big on Detroit.

Ideas: Reintroducing The 1965 Mustang

Pandora introduces a music service for small businesses. Western Union announces an e-wallet. McRib sandwiches contain an ingredient found in yoga mats and shoe soles? A small company wants to change the way consumers search. Ford reintroduces the 1965 Mustang (assembly required). Anne Field explains how small businesses are going global. Felix Salmon is excited by vehicle-to-grid technology. People born in the summer are dumber.

Around the World: China’s Rich Want Out

Yes, the world’s population hit seven billion, but a global population bust is on the way. Global Entrepreneurship Week is coming. Pakistan is ready to normalize trade with India. Croatia employs Q.R. codes on its postage stamps. By year’s end, Brazil should become the world’s sixth biggest economy, surpassing Britain, which, by the way, threatens to switch time zones. In Spain, both cash and snakes are disbursed from A.T.M.’s. Some think Canada is a start-up paradise. These facts about the Chinese start-up scene may blow your mind. Frank Holmes explains how China drives the global economy: “We’ve stated many times we don’t believe the Chinese economy is a bubble, but that does not mean a significant slowdown wouldn’t affect the global economy, especially natural resources. This is because China’s economic transformation over the past few decades has cast the country into the forefront of demand.” Nonetheless, China’s manufacturing index falls, and almost half of China’s rich want to emigrate.

The Week’s Bests

Way to Sell to Moms. Kerry Bowbliss and Sherry Lombardi explain how: “We’re looking for activities to enrich and entertain our little ones. We spend about $2,000 per year, per kid, on things like cooking classes, language lessons, puppet shows and fall festivals. And it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon. Fifty-four percent of our moms said they will spend the same over the next 12 months and 35 percent plan to spend more. Consider holding a unique event for our kids, and we’ll likely be there.”

Reason to Favor Grit Over Talent.  Jocelyn Glei says grit is more important: “As the hierarchy of the traditional workplace breaks down, we are all gaining more freedom and flexibility. More and more, we can set our own long-term goals, we can determine our own work schedules, we can work at an office or at a coffee shop, we can make our own decisions about what we focus on today, and what we focus on tomorrow. But this ‘freedom’ also brings responsibility — a responsibility that, I would argue, demands a vastly increased capacity for self-control.”

Advice From a Dad. Bob Cringely has some advice for his son: “Getting, keeping or making that future job starts with understanding the distribution system and your place in that process. And to survive even mid-term the key is to position yourself as the linchpin. Your knowledge has to be critical to the success or failure of the process. That would seem to call for specialization but specialists often don’t see the ball even coming. You need a broader view. So for an education — are you going to a school that helps you to develop serendipitous opportunities for your lifetime?”

This Week’s Question: Do you have more grit than talent?

Gene Marks owns the Marks Group, a Bala Cynwyd, Pa., consulting firm that helps clients with customer relationship management. You can follow him on Twitter.

Article source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=419d35ecccf2ac57e997e99621905fd6