Fluctuating Freelancers

Income variation makes it difficult for the self-employed to sign up for Obamacare.

Early Adopters

Lessons learned from the New Mexico SHOP small biz Obamacare exchange.

Jealousy List

Best journalism of 2013 - that we didn't write. Great reading for the longest night of the year.

Truth in Advertising

TINA, a nonprofit that targets deceptive marketing, has posted its Worst 10 Offenders of 2013 list. 

Business Research

Large corporations claim the federal R&D tax credit far more than small businesses, including startups. Guidance on how it's used.

Death as a Side Dish

Two organizations are encouraging dinner conversations about end-of-life care. Macabre, but important. 

All About ... Me!

The Reynolds Center for Business Journalism reveals the secrets of my freelance success in today's Q&A column.

More Coverage, Sooner

The 90-day waiting period many employers impose on new hires may be too long under Obamacare.

Internet Land Rush

New top-level domain names will be released in 2014. Will you reserve one?

Hotel Boom

My article on Pasadena hotel expansion continues to reverberate around greater Los Angeles.

Keeping the Doors Open

Tips for how to keep your short-staffed biz running over the holidays.

Marketplace Fairness Act

The fight to level the playing field for brick-and-mortar small retailers continues to play out with no end in sight.

$1.5 Billion Problem

Troubles with SBA franchise loan programs that often include high default rates.

The Amazon of Africa?

Great story about a Nigerian start up capitalizing on Africa's growing oil economy.

Shanghai to San Gabriel

Immigrant entrepreneurs are cashing in on the boom in Chinese tourism. I talk to a few in my column today.

A Quarter Century Later

Have women truly achieved equality in the business world? My column on 25-year anniversary of HR 5050.

Mapping the Pay Gap

How much less do women in tech make than their male counterparts? Depends on where they live.

Local Peeps

Check out my money column about new hotel construction in Pasadena Magazine this month.

How Small is Small?

Definitions are one of the problems with small-business set-asides that routinely fail to reach goals.

Try, Try Again

Opponents of the multi-level marketing industry have submitted a petition calling for FTC investigation and regulations.

Pee Into the Cup

Advice for small employers looking into pre-employment drug-testing programs.

Going, Going, Gone

Fees on the smallest of small business loans are going down or going away, part of the SBA's efforts to boost its lending programs.

The Tax Prep List

Some items to bring up with your accountant before year's end.

Checklist

Dreaming of an IPO? Here's a list of practical things you can to to prep now.

It Takes A Rocket Scientist

Okay, this is brilliant! Gotta love the creativity of that Curiosity team.

Obamacare

What are the implications for small businesses that already provide insurance?

Private Enterprise

This furloughed worker used the shut down to get a business going

How The Mighty Fall

Think that marketers, MBAs and the denizens of Wall Street are smarter than the rest of us? Think again.

Vagabonds

Can you run your company from overseas? These entrepreneurs said, Why not?

Taxing Reality

If you're a freelancer hoping to qualify for Obamacare subsidy, here are tax facts you should know.

Consultants

Big financial corps have been doing Obamacare advising for months. Now small biz are getting into the act.

Worth the Read

Wonderful travelogue/essay from my author pal, Désirée Zamorano. Check it out.

Forget Smoking

Right now, it's all about vaping. Small retailers are opening shops catering to e-cigarette customers.

Christmas in Whoville?

Even with a government shutdown, the insurance exchanges have opened.

It's Fall

Start planning your holiday strategy now. My 10 tips to get retailers and entrepreneurs ready.

Fluctuating Income

Subsidies defray health insurance expenses for lower-income people, but how will self-employed estimate income?

We Love To Complain

But new research shows U.S. small business owners have it lots better than they want to admit.

Crowdfunding With A Kick

A new platform aims to help would-be manufacturers actually turn out a product.

Fool Me Once

A disaster survivor asks how to prep for the next big one.

Marketing Advice

How to make your small brand look big.

Take A Break, Already!

Some disturbing facts to digest as I get ready to go on vacation:

- American workers waste approximately $34.3 Billion in paid vacation time each year.
- 82% of Americans work on Vacation
- On Average, 2 out of 14 vacation days go unused.
- 42% of workers have cancelled or postponed a vacation because of work.
- 65% of workers have taken part in a virtual meeting on vacation

Don't Retire, Consult

Join the crowd of Boomers - and others - who decide to become consultants after retiring. Here's how!

Health Care Reform

Here's what you don't know about it.

I Get Questions

Here are some answers: In my Smart Answers column at Bloomberg Businessweek.com. 

Cash (Flow) Is King

Mis-managing cash flow can kill your business quickly. Some tips on getting customers to pay on time. 

Bankers' Nirvana

Banks aren't lending to small biz, right? True, unless you own a "holy grail" company.

Inside Small Biz

Small business owners are sharing advice and lessons learned. Watch their videos here.

Bank Shopping

Banks are raising fees and lowering minimum balances. What's a small biz owner to do?

People Power

Not near a farmer's market? How about starting one in your living room!

Freelancer or Employee?

Get it wrong and it can cost you a bundle.

Minimum Wage

Is it a labor violation if the workers don't care about getting paid? Rhea Lana Riner said "No."

Happy Birthday, Curiosity

The mission to Mars just passed its first anniversary. Celebrate here.

The Oracle of Albuquerque?

Yes, Warren Buffett's (and my) favorite show is back for its final season this Sunday.

Yes, Really

Management lessons from "Breaking Bad's" Walter White? Read about them here.

Give Me 5

Women business owners interested in securing more federal contracts can attend this free webinar on Wednesday for practical advice.

Weighing Opportunity Cost

When a small caterer gets a big opportunity, should she leap - or look first?

Weighing Obamacare

Do provisions of the health care reform law provide cost-saving options for small employers? They just might.

Franchise Advice

Thinking about investing in a franchise? It's a big commitment, so you need due diligence and a reality check, too.

Do's and Don'ts For Family Biz

Family business succession is fraught with difficulty, and it can be even tougher when generational disconnects are involved. Expert advice here.

Get Creative

Babysitting? Renting out your bed? When they needed money to fund their startups, these entrepreneurs would do just about anything.

Take That Deduction

If you're not taking advantage of the home office deduction, perhaps you should be! Here's how.

The Summer Help

Hiring summer interns or temp workers? Here's how you should classify them for tax purposes.

M&A The Right Way

Here's some advice on how to keep your acquisition from crashing.

Avoiding Obamacare

Employers are reportedly cutting workers' hours to avoid paying for insurance under Obamacare. Can they give two part-time jobs instead?

Family Businesses Now

A gay-owned business is now officially a family business, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's DOMA ruling. Does that mean more government contracting work, too?

DOMA Explained

Here's how the DOMA ruling changes benefits law for employers large and small.

Up Your Website

Some techniques and tricks for boosting performance from your small business website.

Zoc Doc

This tech company thinks it has a solution to Obamacare's doctor shortage problem.

Financially inKleined

I'm one of the 14% who answered all five personal finance questions correctly. Whew. Now I don't have to change my blog.

Taking The Pulse

What did small business owners think about and do during this Small Business Week?

Rule Changes

Innovation SBIR grants will soon have game-changing new guidelines affecting commercialization and small business.

Don't Fear Obamacare

What state officials, tax experts and insurance companies are telling small employers about ACA implementation.

Asked and Answered

Some oldie-but-goodie advice from my Smart Answers column.

Brand USA

How to market your company in a patriotic, but not pushy, way.

Re-Up Now

Small biz can renew their insurance coverage now, ahead of Obamacare implementation. Here's how.

Crude But Funny

Dollar Shave Club follows up its razor ad campaign with something for your "other cheeks."

Doing the Calculation

Self-employed individuals may qualify for subsidies to buy health insurance on Obamacare exchanges in 2014. See if you add up.

I Never Had Time

Turns out EBay functions a lot more like Amazon these days, as the online auction model is fading.

Education, Mentors, Money

How to boost the number of black tech entrepreneurs? Some ideas from those on the front lines.

Discounts

Alternative financing is faster, and easier to get, than conventional credit. It's also more expensive. Now there's another alternative.

Startup Entrepreneurs

Special help is available for Native Indian, Alaskan and Hawaiian entrepreneurs through the SBA and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Best In Class

How can small businesses appeal to this year's top grads? Some practical advice.

It's (Not) People

Reinventing the way we think of and eat food? I'm not feeling particularly "soylent," sorry!

What Can You Buy?

Some advice on integrating Pandora radio ads into a small biz marketing mix.

Our Grand Addiction

Americans are back to their favorite hobby, shopping. In this case, it's a good thing.

You May Qualify

Worried about having to purchase health insurance under Obamacare in 2014? A lot of freelancers will get subsidies to help.

Pot, Meet Kettle?

When one business group calls foul on another, it's time to look behind the curtain, as my editor did recently with hilarious results.

Pregnant With Possibilities

My column today is on women who pitched their tech startups to investors while secretly pregnant. The verdict: It's not easy but it can be done.

Tax Burdens

What options do small biz owners have when property taxes are cutting into profits? Here are some Smart Answers.

Selling The Salon

How do you price a small business for sale? And what if you have to liquidate instead? Smart Answers!

Obamacare Questions 2

I'm answering questions from panicked readers about compliance with Obamacare in 2014. Here's a new set.

Imagine That

A new study shows that VCs who back women-led firms do better than their counterparts that do not. Interesting.

Go The *!*%^ To Sleep

Advice for authors, from the man who earned at least $11 million (and got a movie deal) for an hour's worth of writing.

Angel Investors

What are angels investing in, and where? Check out this new report.

Don't Throw It Out!

Instead of throwing away leftover food, a new company allows food service companies to track and reduce food waste. Fascinating concept.

Health Care Costs

With Americans increasingly postponing retirement, small business owners get employees with experience and maturity. They may also have increasing insurance costs.

Employee or Partner?

Should you turn an employee into a business partner? Smart Answers on when, why and how.

Loans For WOBs

Women are less likely to get business loans, partly due to the nature of the companies they start. Rejection can trigger a vicious cycle.

Confused About Obamacare?

Answers to some common questions from small business owners on health insurance exchanges, mandates, requirements.

Small Biz, Big Data

Small business interest in big data grew after Obama's 2012 campaign. Find out what they're doing with it.

Back to the Table

Can you renegotiate your lease if a big competitor moves in down the street? Check out Smart Answers.

Win for Journalism

A federal court judge sides with the AP over a company that strips original content for its own profit without paying up.

Here's the crucial argument of the ruling:

Paraphrasing James Madison, the world is indebted to the press for triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression [...] Permitting Meltwater to take the fruit of AP’s labor for its own profit, without compensating AP, injures AP’s ability to perform this essential function of democracy.

Silver Linings?

Are the skies the limit for journalism? Check out this column on drone-pilots at J School.

Smart Answers

I get questions from small business owners. Lots of questions. Here's a rundown of some popular topics I've addressed.

Get A Loan

Banks are lending more to small business. My column checks in on how SBA lending is doing now.

Working From Home

If you work from home, you may qualify for a home-office tax deduction. But taking it can be tricky.

Sending an Email Blast?

This site gives you pricing, ease of use and available options for the top eight email marketers in a handy one-stop chart.

You Just Have To Write

Fascinating interview on the writing life from an author who tried it all and wound up self-publishing. Long but worth it.

My freelance group will enjoy this particularly:

I spent a lot of years trying to turn myself into a brand because they told us self-branding is a way to success. And I kind of believed the hype. It’s just not true. To this day, I see writers publishing their first book or their second book and I can just see them going overboard with the marketing and getting all hyped up about it. You just have to write. If something good happens for you, post it on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest or wherever you make your social-media home, but don’t overdo it. Enough with the marketing! Enough with the goddamn marketing already! I’m sick of it. 

No More Shoe Boxes

Is your tax appointment coming up? Follow these guidelines and it should go smoothly.

Top Ten

ComScore, an Internet analytics company, says Americans spend most of their online time on 10 popular websites. How many do you visit daily?

Billion Dollar Exits

What would you do if you sold your company for a cool billion - with a "b"?

Top Blogs

How many of these popular blogs do you follow? Interesting demographic analysis.

Small Exporters

My column today: What the Ex-Im Bank is doing to boost exporting among small biz; only 1% sell overseas.

For Richer or Poorer

Could you continue running a business with your ex? It's not all that uncommon and can be done if you trust.

American Ingenuity

Entrepreneurs are finding ways to sell U.S. goods overseas, using coupons and sales to keep costs down, and meeting foreign demand.

Women 2.0

New research on female tech entrepreneurs: They're younger, better educated and more successful than ever. Inspiring!

Pound Foolish

Watch my friend and former colleague Helaine Olen on The Daily Show's extended interview. She did a fantastic job last night!

Steve Jobs Did It

Should founders take breaks from their companies and then return to the helm? It's tricky to arrange but provides new perspective.

Interesting

Did you know Islamic law forbids interest on debt? I didn't either, until I wrote about how observant Muslim entrepreneurs use "halal finance."

State of Small Business

Did you watch last night's speech? My colleague, John Tozzi, looks at the big promises Obama has made for small businesses.

How'd She Do?

SBA Chief Karen Mills is stepping down. My editor, Nick Leiber, takes a look at her tenure.

The Popular Clique

LinkedIn reports that mine is one of the top 5 percent most-viewed profiles for 2012. They have 200 million profiles: Guess that I and 10 million others are in the cool kids' club.

Why India's Growth Has Stalled

"India has been celebrated for its steep growth and rapidly expanding middle class ... Yet it has achieved these gains with astonishingly low economic participation by women"

A fascinating look at the downside of being a professional woman in India.

Where I Work

A while back, blogger Karin Bugge did a series about work desks, grouping them into messy, neat and fanatic (guess which category I was in!?)

Here's another take on that topic, from LinkedIn, that surveys the workspaces of people from Richard Branson to David Cameron and Arianna Huffington.

Clearly, Branson's got us all beat!

Hurricane Report Card

Check back in with Sandy-devastated entrepreneurs and see how they're finding funds to rebuild.

No Longer a Curiosity

As banks tightened standards on small business loans, peer-to-peer lending has stepped in to fill the demand.

Go Ahead, Take the Deduction!

Do you take the home office deduction? New rules are making it easier for home-based businesses to do so.

In Limbo

What happens to small government contractors awaiting decisions on defense spending cuts?

Useless Business Help

Thousands of Americans are scammed out of millions annually in work-at-home scams. A look inside one investigation.

Pricey Penalties

Do you owe your employees or contractors a tax form for 2012? Get with it or face a tough penalty.

Main St Meets Hollywood

Does your business have the chops to star on reality TV?

Protect Yourself

Some proactive ways to prevent identity theft, from CatalogChoice:

Restrict access to your social media profiles. Pay close attention to your privacy settings and the information you post.

Don't give out your zip code at the register. Your zip code allows retailers to easily find your entire address so they can send you mail.

Make it difficult to unlock your smartphones and tablets. If your mobile device goes wandering, someone else might be a simple finger swipe away from information meant for your eyes only. Be it a PIN, a clever password or zigzag swipe pattern, use it!

Stop the flood of junk mail. After the holiday season, enormous amounts of unsolicited mail fill our mailboxes. Reduce the amount of junk mail you receive with our free opt-out service.

Update Pa$$_w0rDz! There is no better time to update passwords than the beginning of a new year. Create strong, complex passwords that are difficult to hack, even for a professional.

A Banana Slicer Better Than Penicillin

What to do if your company becomes the butt of a joke? Play along, experts say.

Lost in the Hedge Fund Scuffle

What the battle over Herbalife forgets - the little guys who get burned.

The Dark Side

I'm proud to say that my friend, Helaine Olen, has a hit on her hands. 

The former Los Angeles Times personal finance columnist (we both worked for the business section there in the 1990s) has a new book, Pound Foolish, that is racking up some terrific reviews (as I knew it would!) from some very prestigious sources.

I haven't read it yet, but I'm looking forward to downloading my Kindle copy!

Retail vs Etail

Should online sellers collect sales tax from all their customers - even those living out-of-state? The issue pits bricks-and-mortar vs Internet outfits.

Ker-Flu-ey

Flu season is looking serious this year. (I got my shot!) Here are some quick tips from the CDC aimed at protecting your general health.

One minute or less:
Wash your hands
Protect your skin
Buckle up
Check cruise ship inspection scores before you travel
Place infants back-to-sleep

Five minutes or less:
Test smoke alarms
Do a skin and body check
Make an appointment (for medical exams, screenings, and immunizations)
Know the signs and symptoms for heart attack and stroke
Take care of your teeth and gums

I heard Jared Diamond lecture last weekend; he's amazing. His No. 1 health worry is not cancer, diabetes or an exotic disease he might pick up on his travels. It's slipping in the shower.

Sounds silly, but it's not. Statistically, a fall in the shower leads more elderly people to decline and death than anything else. Happened to my mother and she was never able to live independently afterwards; she died within a year.  

Note to self: Buy shower mats!

Resolutions

Making some resolutions for 2013? Here is a list of five things you can do to reduce your risk of identity theft, provided by Experian's Protect My ID website.

1. Lock up your social security card! Get it out of your wallet! Put this valuable card, along with all other important personal documents, in a safe, locked box or safety deposit box.

2. Don't share your Social Security Number (SSN) unnecessarily. Ask questions: Why do you need it? What happens if I don't give it to you? Who gets to see it? What are you going to do with it? Legitimate reasons to provide your SSN are limited and include: verifying identity for employment; establishing new lines of credit; participating in government benefit programs; and for tax purposes.

3. Invest in a good cross-cut shredder and USE IT! Destroy all documents that include personal identifying information (account numbers, birth dates, SSN, etc.). This includes those pre-approved credit card offers that fill your mailbox. When in doubt, shred it!

4. Consider investing in a locked mailbox. Additionally, make it a habit to take out-going mail to the post office and stop using your "come steal me" red flag.

5. Take the time to place passwords on all your accounts and change the old ones. This includes bank accounts, investment accounts, credit card accounts, etc. Be creative and use something that cannot be easily guessed by someone who may know you. A good verbal password is NOT the last four digits of your SSN, your mother's maiden name, your pet's name or anniversaries or birthdays. A random word, not associated with you or your life, is highly recommended.

What's the Deal?

Here's a roundup on how the fiscal cliff deal will affect SMBs and the self-employed.

Immigrant Entrepreneurs

As large banks have backed off small business loans, immigrant-focused community bankers have picked up the slack.