Laurie Kulikowski

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 16

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:03 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Where do Obama and Romney stand on small business taxes? While corporate tax reform is one issue at the election table, a majority of small businesses wouldn't benefit since they claim income on their personal returns.

The Associated Press compares President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney's proposals on small business tax issues. ...

Can You Lead in a Hoodie? Mark Zuckerberg Thinks So

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00 GMT

PALO ALTO, Calif. (MainStreet) -- In less than 10 years, Mark Zuckerberg has graduated from Harvard student to chairman and chief executive of one of the most hyped and soon-to-be largest public companies in the U.S. Yet can you lead a $100 billion company with the dress code of a socially awkward teenager?

According to management experts, Zuckerberg -- who just turned 28 on Monday and is already one of the youngest billionaires in history -- can teach the business community plenty when it comes to leadership.

If you haven't seen it already, Zuckerberg's touching and now famous message posted on his Facebook page following the October 2011 death of Apple's Steve Jobs shows just what this young entrepreneur and innovator aspires to be. Facebook co-creator, chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 15

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:51 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Lessons from serial entrepreneurs. Many small business owners often fall into the trap of running their organizations by following the same pattern of plan, optimize, execute. This leave little room for unforeseen situations. Serial entrepreneurs are individuals who have successfully started multiple companies and mastered managing the unknown, says a Washington Post article.

The co-authors offer three tips small-business owners can learn from serial entrepreneurs: Don't be afraid to experiment, even if it's in the wrong direction; listen to your customers; and apply lessons learned. ...

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Why Women-Owned Businesses Don't Grow

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Women-owned businesses represent nearly 50% of privately held companies in the U.S., however, three quarters of these businesses are not able to grow their businesses past $50,000 in annual gross revenue.

This is a challenge that Nell Merlino, the founder and CEO of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence, would like to solve. Count me In is a not-for-profit organization providing resources and support to women-owned businesses in need of funding for growth.

Consider that 17% of women-owned business owners don't have employees -- a major influence on why they can't increase revenue, Merlino says, citing U.S. Census statistics. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 14

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:40 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Groupon's merchant quality is declining. The quality of Groupon merchants is falling, according to a Yale University report.

The report looked at nearly 12,000 deals in four major cities -- New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle - that ran from the beginning of 2010 through March 31, 2012 as a follow-up to a previous study which found that a business's Yelp rating dropped after running a Groupon. ...

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Black & White Cookie Co.'s New Plan to Roll In the Dough

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:30 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What do the future of Brooklyn basketball and black and white cookies have in common?

If The Black & White Cookie Co. CEO Joshua Auerbach gets his way, patrons of Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. will be able to snack on a cookie from the company he founded as they watch the Brooklyn Nets tip off next season. It's a revised playbook for both NBA franchise and cookie entrepreneur that Auerbach hopes will lead to his company rolling in the dough as the Nets roll out their new home. Lady Gaga-designed black and white cookies

Auerbach, 43, who calls himself the CookieMan, is still negotiating with the arena's owners, however it's this agreement that he hopes will -- finally -- solidify the future of his company. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 11

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:43 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Moms making millions. CNNMoney highlights five "mom-preneurs" who have figured out the secret to running a successful company.

The list includes a former General Mills marketing employee who creates personalized baby books; a fashion designer who creates decorative storage products; former eBay employees who created an online subscription service for teaching kids about other countries; an entrepreneur who launched a line of three-wheeled cruisers for kids and adults; and a former teacher who created a product that erases those annoying black marks from using markers. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 10

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:23 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. American Pickers negotiating tips. If you're looking to improve your negotiating skills, watch an episode of the History Channel's American Pickers.

The show's stars, Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe, owners of Antique Archaeology, wander back roads chatting it up with old-timers and peeling through decades-old trash to hopefully find some treasures. But the two are experts in the art of negotiation. ...

It Takes More Than Money to Motivate Your Sales Team

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- You've launched your business, your product or service is gaining attention, but after some initial success your sales staff seems to be wavering a bit. How do you keep the team motivated?

While the obvious answer may be to throw money at them, few small or young companies can afford to put significant amounts of cash towards this kind of incentive. But this may not be a problem. In fact, many experts say money only goes so far in motivating workers. In order to truly set your sales staff on a path for success, you need to first understand their personalities and preferred ways of working so that you can then set attainable goals for them.

"If you're empowering your people to set objectives and goals and reach them -- you're winning as a manager by very definition. It's really about committing to make your team great rather than worrying about being great yourself," says Karen Leland, president of Sterling Marketing Group. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 9

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:21 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Wilbur Ross takes a turn as a management guru. Prominent distressed investor Wilbur Ross offered two tips to new managers at a lunch hosted by Bloomberg Markets on Tuesday: give up sleeping and don't be reactive, according to Business Insider.

"As you probably know, he made his billions making distressed companies work again. That means going into a new business, figuring out its problems, and many times overhauling its management from the ground up," BI says. ...

One Family Business, Many Generations of Women

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:49 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Mother's Day, in the commercial sense, is a holiday to honor all things maternal and remind moms just how great they are by purchasing sappy greeting cards, flowers and expensive jewelry. It also reminds us of our ancestry and how history and tradition are commonly passed down through women.

This is also true in business. As it turns out women have been passing down businesses from mother to daughter, well, forever. But it takes a special family to hang on to that business for more than two generations. Not many can, but those that do proudly acknowledge their deep ties to family and to their history as major contributors to that success.

In celebration of Mother's Day this Sunday, we highlight four successful companies that have several generations of the females in their family working together. ...

How Batteries Plus Recharged During the Recession

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:32 GMT

HARTLAND, Wisc. (TheStreet) -- Batteries Plus seems an unlikely place for business owners to learn lessons about managing through a recession.

Yet the 500-plus franchised chain, specializing in retail-sold and business-to-business battery and light bulb products, was able to ride out the recession better than other franchise systems by choosing to invest in its business. By spending the last four years improving its infrastructure and business model and focusing on "controllable outcomes," Batteries Plus has been able to grow same-store sales, on average, by 12% over the last five years. Batteries Plus deserves a AA grade for its recession strategy.

Last year the company opened 59 stores and signed a record 49 franchise agreements that would put an additional 71 Batteries Plus stores on the map. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 8

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:35 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Chase and LivingSocial launch "Mission: Small Business" grant program. JPMorgan Chase is partnering with LivingSocial to award up to $3 million to small businesses across the U.S. The program, which is also supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will award up to 12 individual grants of $250,000 to provide small businesses with capital and marketing resources needed for their business.

Small business owners have until June 30 to apply for a grant. The business has to have been operating for at least two years and have fewer than 100 employees. Each business will be required to answer questions about why their business is unique, outline a proposed plan for utilizing the grant to grow their business and describe how the business is involved with its community. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 7

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:26 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Small manufacturers' growth challenges stem from a lack of financing. U.S. manufacturing is ramping up but some small manufacturers are having trouble expanding because they can't get financing. According to an April survey by MFG.com, as cited by CNNMoney, 26% of 268 respondents cited "lack of capital to grow" as their biggest challenge. The companies need this money to hire more workers, buy new equipment and aggressively market themselves.

Banks acknowledge they are "proceeding with caution," the article says, "especially with loans to smaller contract manufacturers or 'machine and job shops.'" Some banks are concerned that small manufacturers are too dependent on short-term contract work. ...

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The 10 Biggest U.S. IPOs

twocents@thestreet.com (James Rogers and Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:20 GMT

This story has been updated from its publication on Feb.2, 2012.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Facebook's looming IPO has shone a spotlight on the U.S. IPO market as investors gear up for the largest tech offering ever. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 4

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:41 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1.Census data shows the U.S. business startup rate fell below 8%. The nation's business startup rate fell below 8% for the first time in 2010, the most current year of data available, marking the lowest point on record for business launches.

New firms -- as a percentage of all firms -- continued a steady downward trend in 2010, going from a high of 13% in the 1980s to just under 11% in 2006 before making a steep decline to 8% in 2010, according to U.S. Census Data analyzed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. ...

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Business in Revenue Mode? You May Not Need Bank Loan

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00 GMT

SEATTLE (MainStreet) -- What do bouncy castles, online yoga classes, online medical-solution software, a chocolatier and social media tools have in common? They're all businesses that have been funded through revenue-based financing.

Lighter Capital specializes in revenue-based financing. In just over a year since it launched, the company has done 20 transactions in 14 companies totaling roughly $2 million through its RevenueLoan product. The company mainly invests in software and high-margin, high-growth companies like software firms, but also seasonal businesses. A lighter side of capital: revenue-based loans offer an alternative to bank lending.

Rob Belcher, Lighter Capital's vice president, explains what revenue-based financing is and how to make it work for your company. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 3

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:58 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Yahoo! Small Business launches marketing tool. Called the Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard, the free tool intends to help "entrepreneurs discover new marketing opportunities to grow their businesses," Yahoo!'s small business unit says in a press release.

The tool provides a clear, consolidated picture of a business's marketing results while enabling them to easily analyze website metrics, manage online reputation, and maintain accurate and comprehensive business listings across the Web. ...

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Angie's List: Is It Good for Small Businesses?

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:03 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- The notion that the reputation of a business relies on customer reviews can sometimes end up causing more harm than good. In the case of Angie's List, this marketing catch-22 presents a difficult choice for small service providers wondering if they should profile their company on the online review service.

Angie's List caters primarily to small businesses in the home repair/home renovation, auto and health professional industries. The premise is that businesses can be reviewed and rated on an "A" to "F" scale by customers at the local level.

It's up to business owners to decide whether being on a list that uses customer reviews to rate companies is the right one for them. In fact, while Angie's List is founded on reviews as a source of trust, a quick review of blog posts and tweets from users and commentators about the service is likely to raise as many questions as answers for the small business owner. Online review service Angie's List is getting some mixed reviews itself. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 2

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:52 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. National Small Business Week commences on May 20. The Small Business Administration will commence its annual Small Business Week later this month, in which attendees can participate either in person or via the Web. The conference will feature award presentations including categories like the Home-Based Business Champion of the Year, the Small Business Exporter of the Year and of course, the National Small Business Person of the Year. Attendees can also participate in "dynamic educational events."

Hint to small business owners: link your marketing to the event. National Small Business Week is a good reason to encourage customers to shop local. ...

Behind the Scenes of a Small Biz: In April, the Postman Rings

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00 GMT

Editor's Note: This article is the fourth installment in our "Winning the Card Game" series. Dana Norman and Michele Rothberg acquired discount greeting card store Card$mart in June 2011. They agreed to let TheStreet follow them for one year as they experience the ups and downs of running a business. Based on advice from their accountant, the owners have declined to share revenue and profit numbers.

PLAINVIEW. N.Y. (MainStreet) -- With the approach of the May 15 deadline when the U.S. Postal Service is expected to close several hundred post offices and distribution centers, Card$mart co-owner Dana Norman is giving a fresh look to her idea of remodeling the back room of her greeting card store into a satellite post office.

Frankly, it's not surprising that Norman is looking to expand into postal services. The energetic business owner is constantly looking for -- and experimenting with -- potential revenue generators. Card$mart owners Norman and Rothberg want to add postal services to the store. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: May 1

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:55 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. This startup wants to buy your old cell phone. San Diego startup EcoATM has created a business around purchasing used mobile devices. The company operates a network of kiosks that will allow customers to trade in their used devices for cash, in-store credit or gift cards. EcoATM then resells the devices to the refurbishing market or recycles them, according to Fortune.

EcoATM's business has attracted investors, including the business it has modeled itself after -- Coinstar . Fortune says Coinstar participated in EcoATM's $14.4 million Series A round early last year. It is also participating in a second round that is being announced today, according to the article. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: April 30

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:24 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) - What's happening in small business today?

1. Small businesses are creating more jobs than you think.The recent tallies of job creation within the small-business sector seem to imply that hiring is slowing. But according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek contributor Scott Shane's column in the San Francisco Chronicle, it's stronger than many people think.

The perception that small businesses aren't hiring comes from the fact that small-business employment hasn't caught up to its pre-recession levels. However, since the recovery began, small and midsize companies are creating jobs at a faster pace than the recovery after the 2001 recession, Shane writes. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: April 27

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:29 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) - What's happening in small business today?

1. Entrepreneurial lessons from Dick Clark. The passing of one of television's most famed personalities, Dick Clark, can provide us with many entrepreneurial lessons as he was involved with many business ventures, according to SCORE blogger and CEO of GrowBiz Media Rieva Lesonsky.

One great lesson from Clark is "work hard, but watch for lucky breaks, too," Lesonsky says. While Clark knew even as a teenager that he wanted to be in broadcasting, he saw opportunity while working at a local Philadelphia TV and radio station when the host of the predecessor to American Bandstand was arrested for drunk driving. He stepped in and the rest is history, she writes. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: April 26

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:49 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) - What's happening in small business today?

1. Defining a "small business" needs to be resolved. A major reason why critics say the House-passed Small Business Tax Cut Act, H.R. 9, will die in the Senate is because of the definition the proposal puts on small businesses as any company with 500 employees or less. That means even companies worth billions of dollars, like hedge funds, for instance, have the opportunity to take advantage of the proposed tax benefit designed to help "small businesses."

Huffington Post contributor Lloyd Chapman says defining the size of a small business "is of critical importance to our national economy." ...

3 Companies Franchisees Should Be Cautious Of

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:42 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Choosing to invest in a franchise means figuring out which systems hit on several key areas, including strong management, good unit economics and brand awareness. Of course, not every franchise rates the same. While some franchises are worth two thumbs up, others should indicate a note of caution when investing in them.

The Great Recession has definitely put its mark on more than one franchise chain, leaving many current franchisees to deal with the problems of their parent company. With credit access open prior to the recession, franchisors pushed rapid expansions, but some did less than their share of due diligence on who was investing -- and running -- stores.

There are plenty of warning signs that a parent company may not be ready to take on more franchise stores, such as fewer new stores opened (including ones indefinitely "under construction"), slower supply deliveries and a pullback on national advertising. ...

3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: April 25

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:19 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What's happening in small business today?

1. Large banks are taking on small-business lending again.Bank of America and other banks seem to be putting more strength behind their lending efforts for small businesses these days.

For the Charlotte, N.C.-based behemoth, new loans to businesses with less than $20 million in revenue increased 20% in 2011 to $6.4 billion. BofA's lending to businesses with less than $5 million in revenue rose by two-thirds, according to the Chicago Tribune. The article says BofA has hired about 750 new business bankers to target small companies. ...

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3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: April 24

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:51 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) - What's happening in small business today?

1. How to get a cash mob into your store. A movement is underway to bring so-called cash mobs to local businesses across the country. Cash mobs are modeled like "flash mobs," but instead of a group of people breaking out into synchronized dance in a train station, they visit a struggling small business and boost sales by agreeing to spend at least $20 at that retailer.

So how can you get your store on the cash mob visitation list? ...

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Lessons From the Bard: How Shakespeare Would Run a Business

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:00 GMT

Editor's Note: This is the sixth article in a monthly series focusing on business and leadership lessons from prominent figures in history, sports, politics and more.

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- "Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them."

William Shakespeare's famous quote from Twelfth Night could not be more fitting for a column on entrepreneurism, which makes him the latest personality to be featured in TheStreet's monthly column. William Shakespeare ...

5 Franchises You Want to Invest In

twocents@thestreet.com (Laurie Kulikowski) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00 GMT

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- So you want to own a franchise, but don't know how to start looking? While there are many reputable companies using the franchise model, some companies have not only mastered the art of franchising, but is also benefiting from strong consumer trends that suggest their companies having plenty of room to grow.

But how does a potential franchisee decipher good from great?

Paul Segreto, President and CEO of franchisEssentials, a franchise management, marketing and development consulting firm, says there are five primary areas to weigh when researching franchise investments: ...