GREAT READS

As Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Librarian, I meet with a lot of people interested in starting a craft business. They have the idea, the product, the dream, but they lack the knowledge to take it to the next step. This is a great gui...

"It's unfortunate but true: if entrepreneurship is a battle, most casualties stem from friendly fire or self-inflicted wounds." This opening sentence to Noam Wasserman's, "The Founder's Dilemmas," sets the tone for the entire book. No one claims st...

Are you crafty? Do your friends tell you people would pay big bucks for your hand-knit scarves? Are your baby blankets in high demand for baby showers? Do people ooo and aah over your handmade jewelry? If any of this sounds familiar, then you sho...

As the small business librarian, I frequently meet with entrepreneurs who know the importance of a website, and may even have a website, but struggle to get people to find their website. And no wonder--there is a site for everything these days. So ...

Authors Brunner and Emery in their book, "Do you Matter? How Great Design will make People Love Your Company," posit that great design can take an enterprise to new levels. They use their own professional experience as entrepreneurs, consultants, a...

What do Band-Aids, white out, earmuffs, Frisbees, zippers, the Scrabble board game, steam irons, Lifesavers candies, online bookstores, and bagless vacuum cleaners all have in common? These are all examples of humble ideas that started on something ...

According to the New York Times small business columnist Jay Goltz, one of the top reasons that small businesses fail is poor accounting. As he states it, "You cannot be in control of a business if you don't know what is going on." So what is the n...

"You won't find a better site to buy, sell, or advertise on than craigslist. Think about it: Where else can you sell a $5 kids' toy, a $15,000 car, or a $500,000 house without paying to list or handing over a chunk of change from the selling price? ...

Times are tough, especially for small business owners. World renowned selling expert Tom Hopkins gives advice and methods for selling in a tough economy in his latest book, Selling in Tough Times: Secrets to Selling When No One is Buying. Hopkins p...

Starting your own business is no easy feat, and launching is just the beginning. After launching, a business has to prove its worthiness and success, and most importantly, make money! Often, business owners sacrifice marketing because they don't th...

So you have an elevated heart rate, butterflies in the stomach and sweaty palms. No, you're not at a scary movie; you're at a job interview! Job interviews can be a nerve-wracking, daunting experience, especially if you go in unprepared. Nail the ...

Have you ever dreamed of running a successful business with the luxury of starting it from home? 55 Surefire Homebased Businesses You Can Start for Under $5,000 by Entrepreneur Press and Cheryl Kimball is a great resource to start exploring inexpens...

I recently heard at a local networking event that in the not too distant future, business cards are going to be a thing of the past. The new business card will be your profile on the leading business networking site, LinkedIn. Although it is hard t...

Yes, I admit it, I have a Twitter account and I am proud that I have 25 faithful followers! Just a few months ago, I had no idea what it meant to tweet and thought it was awfully creepy to have people follow you, and now I get excited every time I g...

Have you ever thought about the possibility of earning money by running a side business? Perhaps you have intentions of one day starting your own business, but you are not quite prepared to quit your day job. Or maybe this economy has been particul...