As commerical loans become harder to find, small business owners give in to aggressive credit card marketers and get slammed with 30% interest rates

The technology to deposit checks remotely is here. Small banks gain convenience—and a way to compete with their larger counterparts

The online auction giant, hoping to boost inventory and revive growth, will imitate Amazon and court users who sell at fixed prices

Despite the recent softening of oil prices, the U.S. could be looking at double-digit inflation as early as 2009

Your workforce's skills change over time, and so does your business. Getting the right people into the right jobs is key to your company's growth

Traditionalists scoff at them. But these outsiders are revolutionizing one of the world's oldest professions

They're against advertising, corporate America, and globalization. That's good for business

Rather than hire an in-house staff, Rebecca Herwick learned to manage her sales reps better

An entrepreneur explains how his company grew from two to over 50 employees from its inception 15 years ago and doubled revenues every year for the past four—without venture capital

Welcome to our ongoing series profiling startups from across the country. We'll be asking for your suggestions and adding profiles on a regular basis

Backing entrepreneurs with good ideas can be a moneymaker for these daring investors who go where venture capitalists fear to tread

Author Gregg Vanourek on applying entrepreneurial principles to your life, why a recession can be a good time to start a business, and more

The small business guru and best-selling author argues that anyone can become an entrepreneur

In this two-part series, columnist Tom Taulli defines key terms and sketches out common pitfalls for entrepreneurs negotiating a term sheet with venture capitalists

Entrepreneurs are negotiating with tough new creditors as banks look to ditch troubled loans

How to perform a back-of-the-envelope valuation of a business that's still relatively unproven

They may have less to invest, but America's startup backers are pooling their capital to do as many deals as ever

It's hard to get traditional loans these days. But as banks tighten their purse strings, hedge funds are offering asset-based loans to small companies

There are a dozen or so Web sites that review local businesses across the country. Take a look, and read what people say behind your back

Universal Pictures, Carl's Jr., and Southwest Airlines do it: Use the counterprogramming principle to appeal to an audience your competitor missed

Bennigan's franchisees are still operating, but the uncertainties they face are heightened by cost pressures and the drop in diners' disposable income

Graphic design and photography pros are scrambling to stay viable as barriers to entry fall and stock agencies buy from hobbyists

As Starbucks' expansion loses steam, independent coffee shops reveal the subtle ways they compete with the coffee powerhouse

Daniel Lubetzky's "not-only-for-profit" business has created profitable joint ventures with Palestinians and Israelis. His model deserves attention

Jim McGown wanted a career change. So he bought a pub, learned from the locals, and opened a restaurant that does a few simple things well

John Gagliardi is on top of his game—in lacrosse and in business

The local foods movement and concern for the environment are among the reasons for the growing popularity of community-supported farming

Russian-born jewelry designer Lana Fertelmeister's line is popular with Hollywood. Now she wants to expand into accessories and clothes

"Experiential" courses in exotic locales such as the famous Civil War battlefield are the new rage in executive development

IT consulting firm Bluewolf lets employees take as much vacation as they want, whenever they want—as long as they meet their goals

New columnist Dov Seidman says human connections are key in a hyperconnected world—no matter whether you're a doughnut maker or a doctor

The Coyne Partnership disputes claims of an impending deluge of retiring baby boomers, and explains how the truth could affect your business

Jim Koch, founder and chairman of Boston Beer Co., explains why it shared 10 tons of hops at cost with craft brewers

Illusion Labs, creator of the App Store hit Labyrinth, scores by producing a variation of the game as a marketing tool for a beer brand

The two-year-old Internet radio site aims to profit by offering a service for companies to broadcast to employees and the world

Small businesses are flocking to the new services, which provide secure IT infrastructure with little up-front investment and no heavy lifting

What's called SaaS, or on-demand software, needs some debunking. For starters, it isn't cheap, and your data aren't secure

Improved software and services allow the smallest businesses to outsource work around the globe