Small business news - CNNMoney.com

Fighting the Madoff taint

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:05:15 EST

Bernard Madoff's investors aren't the only ones suffering through the aftershocks of his epic fraud. A cloud of suspicion hangs over the financial planning industry, forcing even longtime veterans adjust their business practices and reassure skittish clients.

Why Main Street isn't hiring

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:17:53 EST

With unemployment at its highest rate in a generation, Washington's policymakers are zooming in this week on a thorny part of the problem: Starved for credit and sales, small companies aren't hiring.

Where's my flying car?

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:04:54 EST

For almost 60 historic seconds in March, the Transition -- half car, half airplane -- soared over New York's Plattsburgh International Airport. The airborne minute was the first successful test flight for the two-seat, road-ready aircraft.

Next Little Thing 2010

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:33:56 EST

Wireless electricity. Invisible speakers. A mind-reading headset. See what's coming from America's entrepreneurs this year.

Cutting out the middleman

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:25:31 EST

A dozen inner-city teens face off during a business plan competition in Ten9Eight: Shoot for the Moon, the latest documentary from filmmaker Mary Mazzio.

Quiet Black Friday on Main Street

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:25:15 EST

Black Friday was slow and steady for Main Street retailers, a sharp contrast from the door-busting stampede of bargain hunters that rush Wal-Marts and Best Buys across the nation.

Fending off empty holiday shelves

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:25:08 EST

With sales slow and credit tight, small merchants are scrambling to stock their shelves for the year's biggest shopping season.

Funding water, root canals and WiFi

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:50:55 EST

After spending nearly 20 years as a Silicon Valley executive and entrepreneur, when Tom Hogan decided to start a charity, he knew one thing for sure: he wanted to run it like a business.

Stimulus cash runs out for loans

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:23:24 EST

The stimulus cash that helped boost small business lending this year just ran out.

A PayPal for politics

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:10:49 EST

When Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina made his infamous "You lie!" outburst during the president's healthcare address to Congress in September, he wasn't the only one stepping into the spotlight. The next day, an Austin startup called Piryx set up a Web site to facilitate donations to Wilson.

Better digs, less money

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:22:54 EST

These 6 businesses took advantage of crashed real estate prices to trade up for new stores and office space.

Behind the Zhu Zhu mania

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:12:32 EST

Zhu Zhu Pets, the inexplicably cute robotic hamsters that have become this year's overnight holiday toy sensation, are selling out across the country.

All-you-can-learn for $29 a month

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:41:36 EST

The Internet is making the world of learning smarter -- and more profitable.

The CEO and the owner broke up

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:13:21 EST

The news that Los Angeles Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt are divorcing came with a bitter kick: Team chairman Frank's first move against his soon-to-be-ex was to fire her from her job as the Dodgers' chief executive.

Pen 2.0: Your scribblings go digital

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:53:40 EST

As founder and creative director of Art Street Design, a graphic-design studio, I'm pretty familiar with pens and computers. (We make all sorts of marketing materials for companies, from invitations to Web sites.) But in my 13 years of running the company, I hadn't seen anything like a smartpen until recently.

Control the cloud

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:58:18 EST

For years the online-software company HotSchedules had its head in the clouds.

Save $: Sign on the virtual line

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:22:02 EST

Looking for a business challenge? Try getting seven people in as many locations to sign a 45-page contract.

Rebooting your business model

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:13:50 EDT

When I moved to New York City from Calcutta, I wasn't planning a catering career. I had come to earn a master's degree in lighting design from Parsons the New School for Design. But as a foodie, I was dismayed by the city's Indian eateries: The good ones were pricey, while the more affordable restaurants served two-day-old curries.

The nightmare employee

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:23:38 EDT

A while ago I needed to hire an accounts payable person for my picture-framing business. We put an ad in the paper and received a good number of applications. One candidate jumped out from the pile: He had exactly the right background, and it didn't hurt that he asked for a slightly lower salary than we were planning on paying.

Even bad reviews boost sales

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:02:17 EDT

Like many retailers, Jim Hobart knows the value of a good testimonial.