Description: Epidavros Day Spa, in Mt. Kisco, N.Y., bears the name of the ancient Greek coastal town known as a healing sanctuary. But by the end of 2009, owner Sandra Rovira says the spa’s atmosphere was anything but restorative. Source: NYTimes.com  Date: 05/20/2010 Link: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/a-treatment-for-declining-sales/ Questions for discussion: What did you learn from this… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business
Adobe New Ads Take Aim at Apple
Description: Adobe launched an advertising campaign Thursday that takes an unexpected tack in its ongoing feud with Apple: proclaiming, in huge letters, Adobe’s love for the computer giant. Alan Murray and Walt Mossberg discuss this latest development. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 05/13/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/digits-adobe-new-ads-take-aim-at-apple/F79B3650-3A47-46EF-91EE-5779C256CEE6 Questions for discussion: Summarize the competitive conflict going… Read more »
Small businesses don’t see recovery panning out: NFIB
Description: U.S. small-business owners were more pessimistic in March than in February, according to a survey of companies released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Businesses Source: Marketwatch.com Date: 04/13/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/small-businesses-dont-see-recovery-nfib-survey-2010-04-13?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons given for the small business owners’ pessimism about economic recovery. Do you think this sentiment matters?… Read more »
Web Coupons Know Lots About You, and They Tell
Description: For decades, shoppers have taken advantage of coupons. Now, the coupons are taking advantage of the shoppers. A new breed of coupon, printed from the Internet or sent to mobile phones, is packed with information about the customer who uses it. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 04/16/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/business/media/17coupon.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the improved value… Read more »
Converting Algae to Ethanol and into Money
Description: Algae producers like Algenol — backed by Bill Gates, Exxon Mobil, Dow Chemical and the U.S. government, among others — work with the green plant to convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into biofuel. Steve Gelsi reports. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 03/15/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/converting-algae-to-ethanol-and-into-money/78B02C2E-F227-4F8F-A952-3B5225E440E5 Questions for discussion: Do you think this sort… Read more »
Why a $14/hour employee costs $20
Description: You probably cost your boss a lot more than you think you do. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 03/26/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/26/smallbusiness/employee_costs/index.htm Questions for discussion: In general, do you think these taxes (costs) are fair to employers and employees? Why would any exemptions for employment taxes be considered an unfair competitive subsidy by other businesses who must… Read more »
Digits: Who Stands to Win if Google Exits China?
Description: Hopes are fading that Google will be able to reach an agreement with China to remain in business there. With an exit by Google, a big chunk of the search market would be up for grabs, Ben Worthen reports on Digits with Stacey Delo, Eric Savitz and Marcelo Prince. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report… Read more »
A fresh (and cheap!) sound for TV soundtracks
Description: Like many aspiring rock stars, Jared Gutstadt, 32, used to split his life in half. He held down a day job editing television shows for clients like Disney, MTV and VH1. He kept his nights free for what he really wanted to do: make music. Source: CNNMoney.com  Date: 03/02/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/02/smallbusiness/jingle_punks/index.htm Questions for… Read more »
Getting Older Without Getting Old
Description: FACEBOOK now has more than 400 million active users, up from only 50 million as recently as 2007. If social networking still resembled a young, hip downtown nightclub scene  one day a site is hot, the next it’s not  we might expect the crowds to decamp soon. Facebook would become another Friendster,… Read more »
The Places They Go When Banks Say No
Description: IN the glory days of the digital photo frame business, when his products were still a novelty and shoppers were flush with cash, getting a bank loan to manufacture them was a cinch, Michael Levy says. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 01/30/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/business/smallbusiness/31order.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the problems facing small businesses since the financial… Read more »
