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The Next Big Thing

Where The 'Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies' Reside
Not surprisingly, many VC-backed start-ups hail from Silicon Valley. But where's Boston or Seattle on this list?

The Ultimate Start-Up Challenge?
Companies on this week's Next Big Thing list detail strategies for dealing with rapid expanision.
- Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies.
Gloom at Small Firms Clouds Outlook
Small firms are lagging far behind big companies in the early stages of the economic recovery, a dichotomy that is likely to slow the upturn.
Sizing Up Promising Young Firms
Pacific Biosciences, which makes DNA-sequencing instruments, came out No. 1 in a ranking of the 50 venture-backed companies in the U.S. with the greatest potential.
Tough Landscape for Small Ski Shops
After one of California's best ski seasons in years, small retailers face a complicated decision about how to plan for next winter.
Forming a Partnership
Whether you're starting a business from home or opening a large-scale operation, you'll need to decide on the best legal structure for your new company. Part two of a five-week series.
Shake-Up in the Boardroom
Some firms seek inspiration, as well as savings, by conducting meetings at other companies' offices.
TALF, Kickstarter for Small-Business Loans, Departs
An early effort to resuscitate credit markets expires this month. A look back at how TALF impacted small-business loans.
Three Best Ways to Catch an Employee Thief
Is someone on your staff seeking a five-finger discount? Here's how to spot shady behavior before it's too late.
- Small Business Advice: Tips for Discouraging Fraud
- Vote: Has Your Business Suffered Losses?
Business Owners Get Burned by Sticky Fingers
Eager to trust, some entrepreneurs give staff too much freedom – and wind up losing cash.
- Video: Tips for discouraging fraud
- Vote: Have you been hit?
Seven Ways to Make Pay-Per-Click Pay
As the Internet gets increasingly crowded and sales continue to trickle in, make boosting your company's marketing efforts a priority.
Small Businesses Keep Staffs Lean
After laying off staff, some entrepreneurs say they won't need the same headcount as before, even after demand fully rebounds.
Quiznos Carves Out Broader Niche
The sandwich chain plans a broad expansion of its mini restaurants located inside convenience stores.
What The CARD Act Means for Businesses
Business credit cards weren't included in the CARD Act, but the new law may still impact businesses.
- Entrepreneurs Weigh Credit-Card Options
From Wall Street to Mancakes: A Lawyer Turns to Cupcakes
After a lay-off, David Arrick wasn't sure what to do with his life. And then inspiration struck: "Butch it up, Buttercup."
First-Time Owners Find Management Comes With Headaches
From hand-holding to scolding, entrepreneurs navigate the tricky part of running a business: Dealing with staff.

Fast Fixes

How I...Got Red Hot by Rebranding
Entreprenuer Sarah Prevette was starting up RedWire. But then a heavyhitter began using the same name.
This Week's Tip
Forming a Sole Proprietorship
Whether you're starting a business from home or opening a large-scale operation, you'll need to decide on the best legal structure for your new company. Part one of a five-week series.
- Readers React: 'Minimizing risk as best I can'
Enterprise
Services Combine Social Media, Marketing
Some small businesses are experimenting with new Web-marketing services that integrate social media, but the services can carry hefty fees and their long-term value remains unclear.
- Vote: Does social media marketing work?
How I Built It
A Housewife Inventor Builds a Homespun Empire
Entrepreneur Debbie Meyer cleans up with kitchen gadgets – and leaves the $100 million mark in the dust.

Venture Capital Dispatch

Vote and Discuss

Management Headlines

The Secret to Motivating Your Team
Managers must make sure their teams are personally committed to company's goals, that they feel those goals are worth achieving, and that they feel they are playing a significant role in achieving those goals.
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Black & Decker CEO to Get Big Payday
Subscriber Content Read Preview

EMI Music Chief Leaves Abruptly

Small Business How-To Guide

How to Decide if Entrepreneurship is Right for You
Starting a business is a lot like becoming a parent. Not only do you have to prepare for your start-up emotionally and financially, but you have to be committed to its constant needs until it's mature enough to hum along on its own. And even then (much like a child) it will always need you in some capacity, no matter how old it gets.
How to Create a Disaster Plan
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Building Your Business

The Mothers of Invention
When these women saw a need for healthier children's fare, they decided to become entrepreneurs. And they're making their mark on the food business.
How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo
Avoid Cultural Gaffes Abroad

Technology

Social-Media Updates Could Spell Trouble
Some employees are over-sharing on social-media sites, causing embarrassment and possible financial harm to small enterprises.
Tech Start-ups Cope With Data Flood
The Tangled Web Site

Financing

ARC Loans Can Aid Businesses
'America's Recovery Capital' Loans are capped at $35,000 and are interest-free to the borrower, who has a one-year grace period before starting the repayment process.
A Plea for Direct Lending
Vendors Can Help Financing

Franchising

Living With Chains
For entrepreneurs looking to buy a franchise, here's one thing to prepare for: culture shock
McDonald's Battles German Franchisees
Burger King Franchisees in a Pickle

Columns

Small talk
By Colleen DeBaise
Advice on Patenting Ideas, Marketing Jewelry and the Costs of a Family Restaurant
On franchising
By Richard Gibson
Burger King Franchisees in a Pickle

WSJ Startup Calculator

Starting a business is more expensive than you might think. Have you thought through the assets you need? How about monthly expenses?

Use this startup calculator to figure out the true costs of launching a company. How much do you think it will take to open your business?

From Palo Alto Software, the makers of Business Plan Pro

With inspiration from the Better Business Bureau

Small-Business Boss

Social-Media Updates Could Spell Trouble
Some employees are over-sharing on social-media sites, causing embarrassment and possible financial harm to small enterprises.
- Readers React: Employee Fraud, Who's to Blame?
Tech Start-ups Cope With Data Flood
A number of technology companies on the Next Big Thing list aim to help businesses deal with data overload.
Venture-Capital Firms Struggle
The technology bubble popped a decade ago, but the venture-capital industry that helped finance the boom stayed largely intact. Now venture-capital firms are going through their own brutal culling.
How to Develop an Employee Handbook
A useful tool for any growing company is the employee handbook, which can communicate your vision and help shield you in the event of lawsuits.
- Vote: Does your business have a handbook?
Small Businesses Seek More Action to Curb Health-Care Costs
Some small-business advocates criticized Obama's proposed health-care overhaul as imposing stiffer requirements on employers to provide insurance for workers while not doing enough to lower costs.
Stimulus Funding for SBA Loans Runs Out—Again
The popular stimulus provisions reduced fees and offered a 90% guarantee to banks, which catalyzed SBA loan activity.
How to Avoid Hiring a Bad Egg
Small businesses can be vulnerable to employee theft and fraud. Here's how to beef up your hiring practices.
SBA-Backed Loans Are Bright Spot
Small business are still struggling to find loans despite recent government efforts, but SBA-backed lending appears to be a bright spot.
- Vote: Should $30 billion in repaid TARP funds be used to support small-business lending?

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Small Business How-To Guide

Visit our How-To Guide for Small Business to get tips from The Wall Street Journal's reporters and columnists on everything from "How to Pick a Credit Card for Your Business" to "How to Attract Talent to a Small Company."
PODCAST
The Wall Street Journal on Small Business
Insights for starting and running a small business. Tuesdays

THIS WEEK: Hear a discussion on why politicians in Washington are conflicted about a certain small business request; what some small business owners have done to punch back at the recession; and the good-news and bad-news about small firms learning to operate with fewer employees.

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