Yahoo Small Business Advisor Partner: Yahoo Contributor Network

Startup Diaries: Being Young and in Business

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:19:24 -0400

Amanda Kaiser and her husband purchased a struggling New Orleans coffee shop in October 2011. After nearly a year in business, Hurricane Isaac hit in August 2012, causing significant property damage that has closed the doors at Avenue Cafe.

Startup Diaries: Content Marketing Strategy

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:07:59 -0400

Carin Kilby Clark is the founder of Clue Consulting, LLC, a business management and administrative services consultancy established in December 2012.

Startup Diaries: Collecting Sales Tax

Wed, 08 May 2013 19:09:23 -0400

On Jan. 1, 2013, Kimberly Moses and her husband, Justin, started Game Day Sportswear, LLC, which specializes in youth and adult sports uniforms and team apparel. The couple came up with the idea for their own team-sports apparel company after dealing with numerous large uniform companies' middlemen and lack of personalized customer service.

Startup Diaries: Lesson One in Marketing

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:49:53 -0400

Brad Pitts, BSHA has been in the medical field for more than 10 years, with experience in nursing as well as health administration. In 2012 he started Spartan Medical Resources, which distributes mobile medical-alert devices.

Startup Diaries: Three Free Ways to Advertise Your Business

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:59:39 -0400

Chris Reiners is the owner and operator of the Fireside Cafe, a casual eatery in Walsenburg, Colorado.

Startup Diaries: Smart Investing Is Better Than Smart Saving When It Comes to Business

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:56:34 -0400

Startup Diaries: Government Intervention

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:12:57 -0400

Business-owner-to-be P. Query is in the process of starting Angels' Rest, a small private-care residence for the elderly who seek an alternative to a nursing home.

Startup Diaries: Rest for the Weary Business Owner

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:20:55 -0400

Art Cardenas owns The Fit Pit, a fully equipped professional boxing gym in Austin, Texas. The gym, which opened in January 2011, is still growing and now has plans for expansion.

Startup Diaries: Balancing Business and Relationships

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:52:24 -0500

Troy and Micha Goudeau have six children who all play sports. After making their own proud-parent T-shirts to wear during sporting events -- for example, "Cheetahs Mom" (track) or "Jackrabbits Dad" (basketball and football) -- and receiving requests from fellow parents, they decided to start a business: Proud Sports Parents LLC.

Startup Diaries: Business Ownership Comes With a Price

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:28:22 -0500

Art Cardenas owns The Fit Pit, a fully equipped professional boxing gym in Austin, Texas. The gym, which opened in January 2011, is still growing and now has plans for expansion.

Startup Diaries: Volunteerism and the Small Business Owner

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:11:30 -0500

Art Cardenas owns The Fit Pit, a fully equipped professional boxing gym in Austin, Texas. The gym, which opened in January 2011, is still growing and now has plans for expansion.

Startup Diaries: From Company to Family Business

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:21:12 -0500

Nicholas Bradvica and his sister, Marie, started Marie's Words Inc. in 2010, when Marie was a junior in high school and studying for the SATs. Today, Marie's Words is a global business.

Startup Diaries: When Disasters Happen to Your Small Business

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:50:47 -0500

Startup Diaries: Looking Back on 2012

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:09:11 -0500

Art Cardenas owns The Fit Pit, a fully equipped professional boxing gym in Austin, Texas. The gym, which opened in January 2011, is still growing and now has plans for expansion.

Startup Diaries: Business Owners, Do it Yourself

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:06:50 -0500

J.P. Sawyer recently left his nine-to-five to go into business with his brother. In summer 2012 they started Tide 38 Clothing Co., a collection of clothing and accessories that combines nautical design with a fresh, new feel.

Startup Diaries: Finding a Name

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:50:20 -0500

Business-owner-to-be P. Query is in the process of starting Angels' Rest, a small private-care residence for the elderly who seek an alternative to a nursing home.

Startup Diaries: The Importance of Scheduling

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:54:21 -0500

Art Cardenas owns The Fit Pit, a fully equipped professional boxing gym in Austin, Texas. The gym, which opened in January 2011, is still growing and now has plans for expansion.

Startup Diaries: The Conception of Marie's Words Inc.

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:54:13 -0500

Nicholas Bradvica and his sister, Marie, started Marie's Words Inc. in 2010, when Marie was a junior in high school and studying for the SATs. Today, Marie's Words is a global business.

Startup Diaries: Maximizing Sales and Profit During the Holiday Season

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:06:37 -0500

J.P. Sawyer recently left his nine-to-five to go into business with his brother. In Summer 2012 they started Tide 38 Clothing Co., a collection of clothing and accessories that combines nautical design with a fresh, new feel.

Startup Diaries: The Unexpected Hard Work of Owning a Business

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:32:31 -0500

Startup Diaries: The Inner Voice

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:12:19 -0500

Business-owner-to-be P. Query is in the process of starting Angels' Rest, a small private-care residence for the elderly who seek an alternative to a nursing home.

Startup Diaries: Our First Unexpected Hurdle

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:53:55 -0500

Micha Goudeau and her husband, Troy, have six children who all play sports. After making their own proud-parent T-shirts to wear during sporting events -- for example, " Cheetahs Mom" (track) or "Jackrabbits Dad" (basketball and football) -- and receiving requests from fellow parents, the couple decided to start a business: Proud Sports Parents LLC.

Startup Diaries: Interns Can Be a Small Business Owner's Best Friend

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:05:16 -0500

Since opening my business full time in 2011, I have had the privilege of sponsoring two student interns. I readily accepted the offer to sponsor yet another intern. Interns have been a blessing for my business.

Startup Diaries: Remodeling

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:53:37 -0500

We are also not afraid to fail the first time, set our minds to it, and try again.

Startup Diaries: Remembering Every Client's Name

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:11:36 -0500

Whether or not I can actually remember the given name of every customer, I should strive to always take time to acknowledge their presence.

Five tactics from great online small businesses to use when getting started

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:49:23 -0400

What do you need to know today about starting -- and growing -- your very own online small business?

Design tips for setting up a small business website

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:40:18 -0400

Here are a few essential tips to keep in mind when designing a website for a small business.

Five great tactics to get sales to your online small business

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:09:13 -0400

Enjoy regular selling sprees by employing these five great tactics for grabbing those important sales.

5 steps to hiring your first employee

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:59:36 -0400

Hiring the first employee is a milestone-one you need to take seriously. Don't make a rush to judgment that could cost you or your company big bucks.

When to assign company credit cards to employees

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:21:01 -0400

As your small business grows, you may want to consider whether to issue employees credit cards. While business credit cards can save time, boost productivity and even earn rewards, they also have downsides, so weigh their advantages and disadvantages carefully before making a final decision.

Utilizing Amazon for business supplies

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:19:41 -0400

As a small business owner, you need to work with reliable suppliers and also ensure your shipments for goods and supplies are always on time. Amazon.com can be a valuable resource for all types of small businesses.

Does Pinterest make sense for your small biz?

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:17:55 -0400

Curious whether Pinterest is a smart move for your small business? In the beginning I was too, but after doing some research on 2011s best new start up, I quickly realized the massive benefits Pinterest brings to small business owners

Creating a successful text message marketing campaign

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:15:17 -0400

Gather new leads and convert them into paying customers. That's the foundation of most successful small businesses. It's also much easier said than done. If you're considering text-message marketing, check out these tips for developing a successful campaign.

Choosing a mileage-based rewards card for your business

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:13:34 -0400

The small business owner has two basic choices when considering a mileage-based rewards credit card: an airline specific card or a generic card.

6 ways a tablet can make you a better business owner

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:11:17 -0400

Tablets can help small business owners improve efficiency, deepen client relationships and support branding efforts. Here's a quick list of six top ways using a tablet can make you a better small business owner.

5 tips for small businesses using foursquare

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:09:35 -0400

Social networking site foursquare allows your customers to "check in" to your establishment upon each visit and this information is shared on their profile, Twitter, and even on Facebook.

Getting your small business organized for tax season

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:23:37 -0500

Here are the steps that I take to ensure that my business meets all tax filing deadlines and gets all necessary tax documents to its accountant on time.

Reinvesting credit card rewards into your business

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:53:08 -0500

Reward credit cards often offer incentives such as frequent flier miles or points toward gift cards. Wise management decisions can make the most of these "freebies."

Tax deductions for small business owners

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:51:29 -0500

Help is available! If you have been in business for fewer than five years, you will be interested to know that there is a wealth of information and deductions available.

Would a local deal of the day program work for your business?

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:39:51 -0500

Local daily deal programs such as Groupon and LivingSocial have helped many small business owners connect with new customers and drum up sales. But would marketing your business on sites like these really help your business?