Fotini Zounis, owner of Nine Muses (based in Crete, Indiana), opened her women’s and children’s clothing store 15 years ago as an upscale clothing and accessories boutique, but when the recession hit, and consumer spending changed dramatically, she knew wholesale changes were needed to stay afloat. After doing some research, Zounis noticed that more people
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Chris Crider comes from a lineage of coal miners, but his chance to carry on the family tradition was curtailed when he lost his job due to the economic downturn and declining coal market. Crider could have easily left his hometown of Prestonsburg, Kentucky, for greener pastures, but decided to stay and pursue another
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Halloween is only two days away and small business candy and supply shops across the country are prepping for a potential busy sales week. John Weston, owner of Katy’s Kandy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is ratcheting up his efforts for the holiday with the opening of another store to serve his growing client base. After enjoying
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As the fall sports season rages on, fans of their favorite teams are patronizing sporting goods shops nationwide to purchase the latest apparel to show their team spirit. One small business owner in Brush, Colorado, is planning to capitalize on her community’s fandom by expanding her product lines with the sale of apparel from one
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Finding ways to engage with customers is one of the core principles most small businesses believe is vital to company growth and success. And with the advent of online review sites, small business owners now have a conduit to better engage with customers beyond in-store personal interfacing. One small business owner in Santa Clarita, California
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The food truck became a staple in American culture during the economic downturn bringing affordability and convenience to locales nationwide. One Florida-based food truck (900 Degreez) is taking the mobile cuisine paradigm to the next level, carving a niche in the marketplace with the creation of wood-fired artisan pizzas using a brick oven installed in
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A recent survey took the pulse of small business proprietors to get their feedback on the existing state of affairs within the small business industry. More than half of the proprietors say they’re encouraged by the industry’s growth, despite some misgivings about its long-term sustainability, which they believe may impact overall company expansion. Moreover, the
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In the digital marketing age, small businesses are challenged with finding ways to engage with a younger customer base. But one growing technological trend some small companies are espousing to reach these younger demographics is gamification, the application of game elements applied to non-game contexts. While this phenomenon is fairly new, gamification has the
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The winter months are approaching and it’s safe to assume those of us not fans of the bitter cold and snow will seek refuge indoors somewhere. Small business owners are mindful of this fact, and have an objective in mind to capitalize on customers experiencing cabin fever eager to leave the house. Small business industries
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Devising creative ways to remain relevant in the business world can pose a variety of challenges for small businesses. With the business marketplace extremely competitive, small business proprietors tend to look for whatever competitive advantage or endeavor possible to achieve financial prosperity. One North Carolina small business owner was confronted with a similar conundrum, and
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