The oddsmakers and forecasters are already at work calculating how much we'll spend on Black Friday--the day after Thanksgiving--and Cyber Monday, the Monday following the holiday weekend. In our internet age, these two days form the official opening the Christmas shopping season and usually are a strong predictor of how much shoppers will buy for the holidays generally. This season there's a few new wrinkles--aside from the economy--so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.  read more...

Yesterday, President Barack Obama held a small-business financing forum to discuss what more should be done to help break the lending logjam small business owners have experienced the past two years. Before it even began, Obama was being criticized for keeping the guest list under wraps. Interested parties such as the American Small Business League issued a press release about their displeasure with not getting an invite. Others, including the International Franchise Association president/CEO Matthew Shay and Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation executive Jean Wojtowicz, got a ticket to the ball.

But while many squabbled about the timing, the format, and the lineup of speakers, the bigger question is: With Goldman Sachs, Warren Buffett, and JP Morgan Chase stepping up lending to small businesses, does small business still need this help? read more...

Small businesses have been crying for help getting loans for two years now. And finally, help arrives from an unexpected quarter: global investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs is teaming with savvy American investor-icon Warren Buffett to offer $300 million in financial aid to small businesses, coupled with $200 million more for college-level training for entrepreneurs. read more...

Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jill Donenfeld cherished the time spent with her family around the dinner table every night. Those times inspired her to launch The Dish's Dish--a customizable, health-conscious home chef service.

When Donenfeld moved to New York City to attend Barnard College she simultaneously immersed herself in the City's vibrant culinary scene. Just three days after graduation she began writing her business plan.

After garnering quite the following in NYC and the Hamptons, The Dish's Dish went bi-coastal in the fall of 2009--offering its services to Los Angeles residents too. Now only 25, Donenfeld's mission is to cultivate personal satisfaction and healthier living through home cooking.

Entrepreneur recently sat down with Donenfeld to chat about pursuing her passion, creating a brand and her decision to expand in the middle of a down economy. read more...

A sort of We Are The World moment for young entrepreneurs happens this week--the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week. Founded by busy U.S. business-stimulators the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and U.K.-based Make Your Mark, the week aims to bring together young would-be business owners from around the globe to learn and get inspired to make their business dreams a reality.

In 90 countries around the world, events will be held to mentor, teach and stimulate the next generation of entrepreneurs. More than 3 million people are expected to participate in over 5,000 events. read more...

Back in July, I blogged about Maid Brigade's Veterans Franchise Giveaway. This week, to coincide with Veterans Day, the company announced the results of the contest, after narrowing the field down from over 100 entries to six finalists. The winner of Maid Brigade's "Gold Award"--including waived franchise fees, equipment, training, and $27,500 in working capital--is Major Philip Thomas Piaget, a retired Airborne Ranger. read more...

The whole healthcare-reform debate hit home for me this week. I've been ignoring a large envelope that came from my health insurance agent about a month ago. They left me a sort of ominous-sounding phone message about it, too, but I hadn't had a chance to call back. You know how sometimes when you can smell something bad's up, you just want to avoid it? I was in that mode.

Then I started reading news stories about how small-business healthcare plans were all having their rates jacked up to the sky...and I finally got up the nerve to open the envelope. Then I about fell over. read more...

If you had told me a decade ago that I could pay $40 a month for all the phone calls I could make coast to coast, I wouldn't have believed it. I used to routinely have $250 phone bills. But now, as a reporter who frequently needs to call all over the country, I am a prime beneficiary of the new all-you-can-eat calling plans.

What if credit cards could work the same way for small businesses--a flat fee per month for all you can charge? In a thought-provoking article on the retail-tech/e-commerce site Storefront Backtalk, Focus Brands vice president of information technology Todd Michaud opines that there could be. The credit-transaction business, he argues, is ripe for a disruptive new model that would radically lower costs for merchants. read more...

There isn't much glory to running a small business. Day after day, you market, sell, hire, fire, economize, mentor, purchase, envision, order, organize, plan, and pay the bills. And nobody notices. Or you win some totally jokey award that doesn't really mean anything, and nobody notices.

Occasionally, there's an exception to the grind--a chance for a few outstanding small businesses to step into the spotlight and enjoy some national recognition for what they've built. One of those opportunities is coming up. read more...

For those who don't read the fine print on the Small Business Administration's website, the agency has proposed increasing the size definitions for small businesses in 71 business sectors, mostly within retail industries. It's the first proposed rule change on qualifying size since 1984.

Why should you care? It means bigger businesses would still qualify for SBA loans and other federal assistance to small business.

Now, is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm of two minds. read more...