Free Stuff

Unless they are burning through investor funds in the heady technology startup world, most small business owners are penny-pinchers. Give them a free resource and they'll take full advantage of it!

So, from CEO.com, here's a list of freebies you might not have heard of:

Box.net – Free data storage
Mail Chimp – Free direct marketing
NYCEDC – Available incubator spaces in New York (similar sites exist in other cities)
FaceTime – Video conferencing from your Mac or iPhone
FreeAdvice – Free legal advice on LLCs, partnerships, etc.
AccountingCoach – Free training on accounting for non-accountants
FreeCycle – Free equipment sharing
FreshBooks – Free invoicing, time tracking, and billing software

America Means Business

Isolated as so many of us are behind our computer screens or in our social media bubbles these days, it's interesting to see how in-person networking events are multiplying and changing.

I've noticed, and this is purely anecdotal so take it with a large helping of salt, that when people do get together in person, it has become more special. It's not necessarily a common thing anymore, so what would be routine gatherings are ramped up to become "landmark events" and mega-conferences.

Here's one on entrepreneurship that you may want to make plans to attend, particularly if you're on the East Coast. To take place in New York City on June 13 - 15, 2012, America Means Business will be packed with educational, networking and social events that will "show you how to bring your dream to life."

Here's how the organization describes the event, where registration is free through May 25 and $10 thereafter:

America Means Business will feature dozens of inspirational keynotes, informative panel discussions, “How I Did It” case studies, basic startup education by SCORE, networking opportunities, an exposition, and many other events about how to start and grow a business and everything in between. 

Web Chat

A record number of Americans - and people around the world - started their own businesses in 2011. The number was up so much in the U.S. that the researchers initially thought their data was faulty!

If you're considering a new venture, it's important to get prepared. A very successful entrepreneur I interviewed recently took two full years between dreaming up a dynamite business idea and launching it. As she told me, "You don't plant a seed and harvest it the same day. It takes time to cultivate that seed, and you can't rush it."

Here's a way to get off on the right foot and get some expert advice on what you should be thinking about with business startup. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Janice Washington, an experienced business consultant and former business owner, will be featured Feb. 16 in a web chat on “New Year, New Business: How to Start it Right."

It doesn't cost anything and the hour you spend learning could improve your business skills and help you get training to boost your business ideas. Participants can join the live web chat, and also post questions before the chat takes place, by going online to SBA.gov and clicking on the web chat event under "What’s New." To check out the archives and read written transcripts of past web chats, go here.

Little Orphan Brandie

Remember Speidel watches and Pine Bros. sore throat drops?

If you grew up in Southern California, did you ever eat Swiss Orange Chip (or my fav Mocha Chip) at a Swensen's ice cream parlour?

My column today is about how entrepreneurs resurrect orphan brands. One tip: Nostalgia is not enough if a product or company went away for good reason!

How-To Social Media

Two heavy-hitters, American Express and Facebook, are partnering to educate small business owners about how to use social media.

Business Knowledge Share groups on LinkedIn and Facebook will act as forums for small business owners to get advice from representatives at the two companies. The main topics: How to take advantage of various social media platforms.

You can start with some YouTube videos, Why Use Facebook For Business?,  How Do I Get My Business Started on Facebook? and How Can I Get the Most Out of Facebook For My Business?

As long as I'm talking Facebook and business, I should also plug the book I edited last year, Facebook Marketing (third edition) by Brian Carter and Justin Levy.

Entrepreneurship for the 1%?

Are the super-rich suited for entrepreneurship?

Maybe - and maybe not - according to the experts I interviewed for today's Smart Answers column.

Keeper Employees

Since it was posted last fall, this Bloomberg Businessweek article has consistently been one of the most discussed, most emailed articles on our website. That's saying a lot, given how many articles are posted each week and how many are discussed and emailed by our readers.

The topic is provocative, and I suspect the headline makes it irresistible to business owners, "Three Types of People To Fire Immediately."

But what if we backed up a bit, and instead of focusing on firing, we thought about hiring? A happier topic, and one that management consultant Jeff Wissink, of Navint, tackled recently in an article about hiring "keeper" employees. Find a few of his thoughts (abridged by me) after the break: