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February 15, 2012

Why small businesses love Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day can be an important time for any small business. Look at your market to see whether there are any ways that you should be positioning your products or services to meet the needs …

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February 14, 2012

Workers’ Compensation: Four Mistakes Employers Can Make

Originally published by SBAM partner AdvanceHR.Many employers look at Workers' Compensation as just another unavoidable cost of doing business. It's usually one of those out-of-sight, out-of-mind issues when rates are low. It's not until employers …

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February 14, 2012

Get training to help your small business comply with environmental requirements

Registration is now open for the 2012 Michigan Environmental Compliance Conferences, conducted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The conferences will be held April 26 at the Treetops Resort, Gaylord; May 1 at the …

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February 13, 2012

Startup aims to help small businesses save money on organic waste disposal — on today’s Business Next free audio seminar

Michael Rogers interviews Justin Swan of Organicycle, a west Michigan company doing innovative work in organic waste disposal for small businesses. Listen at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. today on the Michigan Business …

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February 10, 2012

New survey shows rising optimism by nation’s small business owners — details on today’s Business Next free audio seminar

Michael Rogers talks with Todd McCrackin, president of the National Small Business Association (SBAM's national affiliate) about the Year-End Economic Report. Listen at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. today on the Michigan Business …

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February 9, 2012

The 3 R’s of Handling Customer Complaints

Guest article by business consultant Tom BorgEvery organization receives complaints. The key is turning a complaint into win-win situation. Too often employees and managers take the customer’s complaint personally and get defensive. It would be …

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February 9, 2012

Competition for good workers means you need to pay attention to your benefits program

(From SBAM’s member-only Focus on Small Business magazine)Gary Kushner, a nationally-known small business benefits expert and owner of Kushner & Company, was a guest on a recent SBAM “Business Next” audio seminar program. In this …

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February 8, 2012

An innovative small manufacturer bets on Michigan talent and creativity — on today’s Business Next free audio seminar

Profile of an innovative Upper Peninsula small business owner who is proving he can make money manufacturing in Michigan rather than China. SBAM's Vice President Communications Michael Rogers talks with David Ollila of Marquette Backcountry …

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February 8, 2012

EEOC Bars Certain Job Requirements by Employers

From SBAM's national affiliate, NSBA:On Nov. 17, 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Office of Legal Counsel issued an “informal discussion letter” stating that an employer requiring high school diplomas would be unlawful under …

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February 7, 2012

Get your new employees off to an energetic start!

Do you have enthusiastic employees? People who are excited to do their jobs and contribute whatever they can to further your business? If you are like most entrepreneurs, you don’t.But you can reverse this situation …

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February 7, 2012

Get your new employees off to an energetic start!

Do you have enthusiastic employees? People who are excited to do their jobs and contribute whatever they can to further your business? If you are like most entrepreneurs, you don’t.But you can reverse this situation …

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February 6, 2012

How entrepreneurship can be an instrument for positive social change — on today’s Business Next free audio seminar.

Listen at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. today on the Michigan Business Network. Listen to archived programs anytime at your convenience on your PC or mobile device by going to the Business Next …

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February 4, 2012

Pure Michigan Venture Match Fund public hearing on Feb. 8 in Lansing

The Michigan Strategic Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced a public hearing to accept questions and comments regarding the new Pure Michigan Venture Match (MVM) Fund. The hearing is scheduled to take …

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February 3, 2012

Strauss Column: Innovation

Question:  We were wondering if you had any suggestions regarding how we could promote more innovation in our business. We own a small manufacturing plant and have down time that could be put to use  …

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February 2, 2012

Three tips to help you fight back against the big dogs of online retail

In January, Amazon.com ran a promotion encouraging consumers to use its mobile app. If customers purchased an item via its app while in a retailers' store, Amazon provided a monetary incentive to choose the online …

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February 1, 2012

New survey report: small business confidence hits highest level in three years

SBAM’s national affiliate, the National Small Business Association (NSBA), today released its 2011 Year-End Economic Report, which shows a decidedly more positive outlook for America’s small businesses, with important gains in several key indicators. Most …

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February 1, 2012

Hear about the top ten trends impacting your profitability in 2012. USA Today business columnist Steven Strauss on today’s Business Next free audio seminar

Listen at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the Michigan Business Network. Listen to archived programs anytime at your convenience on your PC or mobile device by going to the Business Next show …

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January 31, 2012

Entrepreneurship: Instrument for Positive Social Change

By Mark H. Clevey, MPA, Entre/Intrapreneurship Consultant and co-author of the Michigan Entrepreneurship Scord CardIn 2011 the Michigan Municipal League published a new book titled, “The Economics of Place: The Value of Building Communities Around …

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