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Small Business - Information, News, Advice and More - AOL Small Business

Life imitating art? Nearly 6 out of 10 people admit dating a co-worker at some point, like TV sweethearts Jim and Pam from The Office.

Board of Directors: Should Bosses Crack Down on Office Romances?

NBC

Big idea: Rico Elmore came up with the idea for Fatheadz after failing to find a pair of sunglasses that would fit.

Rico Elmore, Fatheadz: When Regular Glasses Just Won't Fit

But wait, there's more: TeleBrands founder A.J. Khubani started his

My First Million:
A.J. Khubani, TeleBrands

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Board of Directors

As part of the relaunch of AOL Small Business, we have recruited a world class group of entrepreneurs and members of the entrepreneurial community, including Sir Richard Branson, the legendary founder of Virgin Group (center), who will regularly sound off on a variety of issues, offer advice, and create a smart, ongoing conversation not found anywhere else on the Web. It's time to meet the Board of Directors. Continue Reading

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Should Bosses Crack Down on Office Romances?

The majority of people admit to dating a co-worker at some point. But are these cubicle courtships a inevitable reality of office life or a recipe for disaster? We asked our Board of Directors to play Cupid. Continue Reading

Are We Headed for a Double-Dip Recession?

Whether they choose to slap an official label on it or not, our usually bullish Board of Directors has some serious concerns about the economy. So is the worst really over? Continue Reading

What We Can Learn from Recession -- and How It Can Help Us Prosper

Jennifer Hill, an attorney, entrepreneurial advocate and member of our Board of Directors, offers lessons from past recessions -- including the recent Great Recession -- that will propel us to growth in the future. Continue Reading

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Hire learning: Hiring your first employee brings a whole new set of challenges.

Getty Images

Hiring Your First Employee:
5 Things You Need to Know

A successful startup eventually needs more people to keep growing. How to hire your first employee. Continue Reading

Camera ready: Knowing who to pitch and how to pitch them can result in a flood of media coverage for your company.

Getty

Getting Media Coverage:
5 Things You Need to Know

A few media mentions can put you on the map and boost sales. How to craft a pitch, contact reporters and get coverage for your company. Continue Reading

Small Business Wire

Customize Your Customer Service

By Tip of the Day

8/08/11 at 6:00 AM

Today’s businesses need to recognize that customer loyalty goes a long way. Re-evaluate your approach to customer service. If you are restaurant, take the time and effort to provide meals based on dietary needs or allergies. If you are a service facility, have a nice waiting room with a working television and coffee or water. Use social media to provide specials to loyal customers to keep them coming back. Make customers feel like a member of the family. This truly benefits all types of businesses. Continue Reading »

Vlog, Vlog, Vlog!

By Tip of the Day

8/05/11 at 6:00 AM

People love seeing who is behind the company and they love hearing what you have to say -- not necessarily selling but giving tips on what works best for you and your business. For example, we are in the diabetes community and we offer 'diabetes tidbits,' short videos that give tips on what has helped us in raising a child with diabetes. Continue Reading »

Get Involved In Your Community

By Tip of the Day

8/04/11 at 6:00 AM

Small businesses leaders should always devote time and effort to involving themselves in their local communities. Whether you’re in a large city or a small rural town, always remember that doing good business is not just about selling your product, it’s interacting with potential customers. Playing a role in your community can really help sell your product. People are naturally hesitant about new businesses settling in their community – some may even feel threatened by the business you offer. By sponsoring local events or participating in local street fairs and parades, you demonstrate your effort to be 'one of them'. From there, you open up a world of opportunities for people to feel comfortable around you and want to do business with you. Continue Reading »

Reward Talent

By Tip of the Day

8/03/11 at 6:00 AM

You need to recognize talent and reward your key executives within your company. One of the key strategies to maintaining top talent is to provide positive recognition and rewards for one’s achievement. Enlist efforts to make employees feel important and appreciated, which can increase employees loyalty to the company. Continue Reading »

NBC

Should Bosses Crack Down on Office Romances?

By Rod Kurtz

8/02/11 at 6:30 PM

Motivate Performance to Match Corporate Benefits

By Tip of the Day

8/02/11 at 6:00 AM

When employees are motivated, they welcome more responsibility and the chance to demonstrate skills. Adding a mix of employee benefits that reward top employees and can be tied to profitability can help maintain key employees. It will also likely inspire them to work harder. Continue Reading »

Focus on Brand Consistency

By Tip of the Day

8/01/11 at 6:00 AM

You need to have a consistent look, feel and name all over the net. Your site should have the same color scheme and theme throughout ALL of the pages so that visitors do not think they have landed on another site while surfing through yours. Studies show that when people feel uncomfortable online they move on – and they feel uncomfortable when the consistency changes. The same goes for social networking sites; make sure your Facebook, Myspace and Twitter themes match your website. If your website is blue, your Facebook, Myspace and Twitter pages should also be blue. Also, use the same handle wherever possible: You.com should match your Facebook.com/you, your Myspace.com/you and your Twitter/you. Continue Reading »

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Tip of the Day

August 8 2011

"Today's businesses need to recognize that customer loyalty goes a long way. Re-evaluate your approach to customer service. If you are ...
Continue Reading

August 5 2011

"People love seeing who is behind the company and they love hearing what you have to say -- not necessarily selling but giving tips on what ...
Continue Reading

August 4 2011

"Small businesses leaders should always devote time and effort to involving themselves in their local communities. Whether you're in a large ...
Continue Reading

August 3 2011

"You need to recognize talent and reward your key executives within your company. One of the key strategies to maintaining top talent is to ...
Continue Reading