If it is retained, I hope others might find it as well.

Fat Cats, Wall Street Hogs and other groups DU loves to hate. For now, we have this group.

I'm not a small business owner, but started up a non-profit. I think my next career move will be starting a small for profit business. Think this could be a good place to learn.

I hope it improves, too.

your company has t-shirts and bumper stickers. How small can it be?

...did you know that the SBA/IRS defines a "small business" as anyone making LESS than 7 MILLION dollars and has less than 250 employees?

I don't know about you, but those defs define a medium biz to me!

It's just me, me, and me running a business.

I check this group every few days....the lack of knowledge about this group has been it's biggest problem.

I'd say that means there are a heckava lot of small businesses out there/here!

Business owners are usually very busy people. Still, it's nice to bounce ideas off each other.

But I will be soon! The planning is taking a long time, but we want to do it right.

but the cliche is true: you can't plan for everything that's going to come up.

Good that you are taking your time and gathering all your info first.

But then I got too busy last fall. I agree with you. I hope it picks back up again. I'm just starting a small consulting type enterprise and may have a few questions for our DU small biz experts.

not even an internet one.

Really small business. No employees, only some sporadic part time help.

Soooo happy to be out from under having a boss - been about 5 years now.
2 employees so far, consisting of both owners. It's great to love your co-worker.

I'm trying to start a small business in translation, transcripts, captions, and subtitles, but I have no idea how to get the word out and I'm looking for someone that can help me do so (gradually, considering the fact that my budget is very low to start)

My site is www.subscriptorium.com

One a honey business and the other a vacation rental. So far I'm doing okay in this economy. I'm always afraid though to think too far into the future, as everything might just go to shit.

Any updates?

Have to tell you that things are tight but I am throwing as much at the wall as I can.
As most of you know it's not easy.

I'm especially interested in worker-owned cooperative models.

But, yes, I'm currently a small business owner at Wishadoo, with hopefully a few spin-off ventures from that launching fairly soon.

Me, myself and I. Yes, I'm the founder and admin of the site. My dream is for it to evolve into being a member-owned social network.

Thank you, grantcart!

and shall be reading about both this afternoon. Very, VERY interesting. It resonates tremendously.

Many thanks, grantcart.

and advice posted here would be much appreciated.

they started by making them for friends and then attending house parties. Gradually, they were able to open a virtual storefront. They go to local festivals and have been able to place their candles in many small shops. I think they started doing wedding candles, too.

One thing I like is they let you take back your holders and will refill them for you for less than the regular cost.

for an original candle product line.

If you have an interest, please PM me.

I sell handbags (Miche bags) and a line of fashion jewelry. I sell through home parties and I make enough to support myself. Things have been a little quiet lately.

especially around the holidays.

I am an Advanced QuickBooks certified ProAdvisor. I work with local businesses helping them with their accounting systems. I don't do bookkeeping, tax work or payroll but focus on helping business do that for themselves. I concentrate on helping set up the accounting and training. I also do a lot of troubleshooting and repair work along with help in reporting and other managerial accounting services.

I really enjoy the work for many reasons. 1) I can help small business directly. 2) I am exposed to a wide variety of businesses. 3) The "problems" are like a big puzzle and fun/challenging to solve. 4)I am exposed to the problems facing small business.

so I would imagine in other areas as well.

I am marketing to CPA's primarily. They may be great accountants but that does not translate into knowing much about QuickBooks.

I'm concentrating on services not commonly offered by most Proadvisors and have certifications that less than 3% of all ProAdvisors have. I would really like to steer myself to the more technically challenging services and over time I will.

Advertising, Design, etc.

Creativity is a wonderful way to pass the day.

can also be incredibly frustrating when working with clients. But that's small potatoes compared to what happens in an office situation. I agree -- it's a wonderful way to pass the day.

Hi,
Yes, I think if someone post good resources for the small businesses which can help them in the company location. Then, I really think that the activities here can be active enough.

we're too busy now to think about other resources.

What kind of business are you in? Are you looking for financial resources or other?

I just joined this site and I'm a little surprised that there are not more posts here. It seems like small business went out of business about a year ago (looking at the threads). Where is everyone?

business owners are very busy!

Also, from the sound of things around here, we don't pay our employees enough to live on, we don't pay taxes, and we are all rolling in dough.

Welcome!

I'm an independent contractor (technical writing). Currently without any projects, therefore no income.

What do you do?

I work at an auction house part time and sell stuff locally and on ebay. I have been making a lot of great connections in the business. I have a friend that works at the auction house too. We hope to one day work on our own business full time as the owners of the auction house will be retiring in the next few years.

My bosses are more like family to me but I love to work on my own business best. I would imagine that this board doesn't get much traffic due to most of us being far too busy to chat online much. Best of luck to all of the DUers in business and life!

selling prepared specialty foods at weekend Farmers Markets, but I'm new to the small business experience.

Looking for some advise on startup funding through small business loans, grants, etc. Startup costs less than 15K. Does anyone have any creative ideas?