Off the Ground Blog
A List of Small Business Books for Libraries / Learning Centres
Recently updated - Suggested Titles for Small Business Collections. This list, jointly created by Vancouver Public Library and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC), has been put together to help librarians and other business literature collectors across B.C. develop their small-business collections.
Business 'Innovation' - More than an MBA buzzword
Ever found yourself scrambling for pen and paper after being struck by a clever new business idea? It's fair to say that entrepreneurs benefit from a creative mind - and that the greatest success comes to those who are most willing to take risks and go beyond the status quo - but just how innovative does one have to be in order to build a successful business?
Replacing You - Business Succession Planning
At some point we'd all like to retire - and when we do, it's good to know that someone will be there to keep the flame burning brightly for your business. A few weeks ago, Warren Buffet made news by announcing that he had picked his successor, to lead the Berkshire Hathaway empire he worked to build over his lifetime.
Will it Last?
We've all heard the bad news: not every small business will succeed. If you listen to various news sources you've probably heard a number of discouraging statistics regarding the long term viability of small business operations. Ever wonder why?
Small Business Marketing Outlook for 2011 Is Looking Up
Check out the results of the Small Business Marketing Practices Survey to learn more. Small businesses are feeling optimistic about the economy— so much so that they’re increasing their 2011 marketing budgets. That’s the result of a new survey company, GrowBiz Media, conducted with the help of Zoomerang, a leading provider of online survey and polling tools.
SEO: Search Engine Optimization for SME
Google much? For many customers, the first stop when looking for retail business, restaurants, professional services or for nearly anything - is a search engine. The second stop? One of the top listed webpages that came back as a result of their search.
3rd & Vine or Megatropolis mall? The question of business location
Finding the ideal location for your new business can make the difference between a successful start-up with strong traffic, or an agonizing first year of hunting for customers. No - there is no secret to finding the right location to open up shop (though GIS-based location scientists might disagree), but there are a few important questions to consider before making that decision.
Copyright, trademark or patent?
Most people, if asked to explain the difference between copyright, trademarks and patents, would have a hard time coming up with a clear answer.As a business owner, however, the importance of these three areas of intellectual property makes it well worth understanding the differences between these three terms, and how each can potentially apply to your business operations.
The making of a 'Green Business'
More and more people are taking strides to reduce their ‘carbon footprint’ by switching to cleaner energy sources, recycling, lowering CO2 emissions and by reducing personal energy usage. How then, can your business go green?
Beyond 'just an idea' - what stops Canadians?
An interesting article came out a few days ago, taking a look at the main reasons why many Canadians who might have a great idea for starting their own business, may never take it to the next level by transforming that idea into a business of their own. The reasons are, in short: money, numbers and confidence.