FastUpFront Small Business Blog

In a previous post, I listed my picks for the top small business blogs. But as the economy continues to sputter along and the credit markets remain tight (especially for small businesses), I wanted to highlight those blogs that are specifically targeted to those small and home-based business owners committed to bootstrapping- those who seek [...]

For numerous small business owners who are being heavily affected by the current economic turmoil, the road ahead remains tough. Though the Fed (with a lot of help from the media) has been all too happy to call an end to the U.S. recession, the statistics paint a grimmer picture: the rates of unemployment, home [...]

As the year begins to wind down, it’s time to turn our attention to the 2010 tax season. For many small business owners emerging from such a difficult economic year, the mere thought of taxes may conjure up a hearty serving of distress and anxiety.   (Image Credit) But the truth is that the IRS [...]

The cost of business travel can really add up, especially when travel is a frequent part of doing business, and it can put a great deal of strain on tight budgets. Here are a few simple ways your small business can save money on business travel expenses without cutting back on trips: Renting Cars (Image [...]

Even as the economy shows subtle signs of a future recovery, many economic experts agree that it is far from over and that spells bad news for small businesses in search of financing. Lenders continue to be tight-fisted when it comes to extending credit, and this dearth of financing has dealt a tremendous blow to [...]

It is common among cash-strapped small businesses for the owners and their employees take on many responsibilities simultaneously. The job of financial accounting and general bookkeeping thus often goes to someone within the business who has not been formally trained for the task. Though this may be an effective way to reduce expenses, it could [...]

Even as the economy shows signs of revival, several economic indicators, such as consumer confidence, consumer spending, and the nation’s unemployment rate, suggest that it will still be a tough road ahead for many small businesses over the next few months. (Image Credit) Those small business owners looking for ways to get through this difficult [...]

In order to be successful these days, many small business owners are recognizing the importance of not only establishing a web presence, but actively using the Internet as a marketing tool and business platform. This can be a bit challenging, however, for those business owners who are not so tech-savvy and cannot afford to hire [...]

According to recent research, retail sales have fallen over the last month even as the back-to-school shopping season gets into high gear, and industry forecasters claim that this does not bode well for the upcoming holiday season either.   (Image Credit) So the looming question for retailers big and small continues to be how to [...]

If you are thinking about going to small claims court to recover an outstanding debt owed to your small business, you may want to think again. The point of small claims court is that it gives the involved parties a chance to settle disputes while avoiding any more expensive and complicated court procedures later on. [...]