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The Elevator Speech

The idea behind the elevator speech is that–by accident–you meet a target prospect in an elevator, on the 25th floor. She asks what you do.

Community Development Financial Institutions Out Perform Commercial Banks

“Community Development Financial Institutions: Providing Capital, Building Community, Creating Impact," a new report from the Corporation for Enterprise Development, is the largest study of the CDFI industry to-date. Southern Compass CDFIs are financial institutions whose…

Investments in start-ups on the rise- Venture Capital Deals Showing Signs of Life

A growing number of Silicon Valley companies are announcing new venture capital investments, signaling what could be the first significant increase in start-up activity in three years. By Matt Marshall Mercury News Investments range from…

Leadership ideas from the "Pope of Customer Service" Feargal Quinn

I learned that if you look after getting repeat business, profit will largely take care of itself. When faced with any business decision, any call on your time or resources, you need to ask, What will this do to help bring the customer back?"

Exit strategy-planning for it now

After many years of building and maintaining a successful small business, Julie Cavanaugh, age 58, wanted to sell her business and retire to a leisurely life. By Joanne B. Sheridan, Senior Consultant, ZurMuehlen & Co….

Feeling a little lost at the helm of your business? Don’t worry: A peer group can help you find your way out of the darkness.

But what you really want is somebody in the trenches with you, right? There are plenty of peers who are willing to share their wisdom and introduce you to important players in your industry.

$130 million seeds venture-capital fund by Jon Staenberg and Rustic Canyon Group

Staenberg and Rustic Canyon Group http://www.rusticcanyon.com/ have raised about $130 million for a new investment pool to fund storage, wireless and e-commerce companies, Staenberg said yesterday. Each year, the fund will invest in five to seven companies, about a third in the Seattle area.

New Center Issue Brief on Employment of People with Mental Illness

According to a new NGA Center brief, people with persistent and severe mental illnesses have a harder time securing and keeping a job, although studies have found that most would prefer to work if afforded…

Essentials of Employee Handbooks

Does your company need an employee handbook? If you have more than five or six employees, the answer is probably yes. As your business grows, an employee handbook can become increasingly useful, serving as a…

SBA credit scores to speed loans- System will help businesses gauge chances

When hopeful entrepreneurs approach Accion Chicago for business loans, they are worried about one thing: will they get the money? By: Joanne Cleaver Chicago Tribune Anything that eases their anxiety and helps them understand why…