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Breaking News

GM and Ford shares rallied after the UAW's Gettelfinger said "key senators" had reached a preliminary deal on aid for auto makers. The Senate has yet to signal broad support for any agreement.

Mall Restaurants Expect Fewer Customers
Restaurant chains with locations in malls are boosting marketing, bracing for a holiday-shopping season with fewer customers.

Businesses For Sale

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Restaurants Look for Ways to Cut Costs
Franchise restaurants are aggressively searching for alternative ways to slash costs, unable to pass on the higher costs to customers without losing business.
Retailers Keep $1 Billion in Sales Taxes
States are forgoing a total $1 billion annually in tax revenues due to laws allowing retailers to keep a slice of sales taxes that they collect.
Working as a Financial Adviser
Financial advisers help people determine and meet their financial goals. They can enjoy flexible schedules and autonomy. But it's emotionally difficult when investments go sour.
Stores Count Seconds to Cut Costs
With nearly all retailers under the gun to cut costs and improve profit margins, "labor-waste elimination" systems are sweeping the industry.
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Extinction Threatens Yellow-Pages Industry
The yellow-pages industry is running out of lifelines, with the economic downturn sending it into a tailspin that threatens its survival.
Small Firms Shiver as Health Premiums Rise
Sellers Offer Financial Hand to Buyers
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Japan's Small Businesses Get Help
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Web Start-Up Targets Music Wannabes
Some Firms Suspend 401(k) Match
Small Firms Get Local Loans
Advantages of Leasing Equipment
Hypnotic Answer to Financial Angst
Investors Bet $250 Million on HomeAway
SBA-Backed Loans Dry Up
Shoppers Turn to Consignment Stores
Late Payers Hurt Small Businesses
Small Firms' Take On Insurance Reform
Rescue Plan Chafes Small Banks
Cash-Poor Biotech Firms Seek Aid
Obama Home, Tourist Attraction?
Business Solutions
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Gas-Station Owners
Welcome Cheaper Prices
Rocket Man Ran a Proper Business
Financial Advice for Joe the Plumber
States Set New Data Privacy Laws
Looking for Cost Cuts in New Places
Firms Struggle With Commodities Costs
A Perfect Match?
Naming Rights
Chain Reaction

Nominate a Top Small Workplace
Do you work at a company or know a company with a great workplace? Nominate them for the 2009 list.
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Tough Call: Selling Your Business
Entrepreneur Fred Goldstein faced a tough decision: Should he sell his healthcare firm?
- Discuss: What's the best way to make difficult business decisions?
Boutiques Get Squeezed
The once flourishing independent fashion boutiques are among the retail industry's hardest hit by economic woes.
No Simple Answers for Small Business
Small-business owners want to know which presidential candidate would give them the best deal on taxes. It's a simple question with no simple answers.
Silicon Valley Defers Startup Dreams
Venture capitalists are cutting back their investments, forcing startups to scale back expansion projects, take voluntary pay cuts, delay hiring and slash expenses.

Small Business Toolkit

MiniPlan

Create a mini business plan free online. The Miniplan guides you through creating the basics of a business plan.

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Local Business Help

Connect to local news, programs, and people to help build your business.

Trade Show Finder

Locate and compare trade shows, exhibitions, public events and conferences.

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“Since I can write off my gadgets, I tend to buy more than I might if they were not a business expense. ”
—Laura Ricci

Running a Business

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Companies Trim as Business Slows
Companies are looking for cuts in every budgetary nook and cranny in an economy dragged down by slowing consumption, an imploding stock market and tight credit.
Looking to Executive M.B.A.s to Help Grow a Business
What Business Owners Should Know About Patenting

Small Business Financing

Small Firms Dig for Funding
As many big banks pull back on commercial lending, small companies are turning to a new, and often pricier, set of alternatives.
Try Tapping Into These Financing Options
Businesses Find Cheap Capital in SBA Mortgages

Using Technology

Time to Leave the Laptop Behind
For years, mobile workers have been ditching their desktop computers for laptops that they can take wherever they go. Now road warriors are starting to realize that they can get even more portability -- and lots of computing punch -- from smart phones.
Creating a Successful Site For Almost Nothing
A Small Company's Web Video Contest Gets People Talking

Building Awareness

Help for the Holidays
Millions of people are about to descend on the Internet, and competition for their dollars will be tough this year, with money tighter amid a weak economy. You need an online-marketing plan to help you make the most of the season.
Tracking Consumers Across All Media

Franchising

Owners Say Franchisers Pass on More Costs
Some franchisees say they are being forced to pay for a variety of expenses for the first time -- making difficult economic times tougher.
Restaurants' Gloom Spreads
Is a Franchise the Right Business for You?

Small Business Link

Top Small Workplaces
It's never been harder to create a great workplace. But a rewarding work environment has also never been more important.
Wholesalers Set Up Shop Online
New York Eatery Looks for a Sweet Spot Overseas

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THIS WEEK: How small businesses are planning to get holiday sales; how the demand for developing eco-friendly buildings is a Catch-22; and why these are not the boom time you'd think they'd be for collection agencies.

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UAW Faces Prospect Of More Concessions239 comments

GM Blitzes Washington in Attempt to Win Aid86 comments

Showdown Looms Over Auto Bailout63 comments

Goldman Chiefs Give Up Bonuses49 comments

Just Say No to Detroit48 comments

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