| November 4, 2009 |
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- Saying farewell to the man behind Sonic's boom
Troy Smith had a long list of restaurant failures before he opened his fist Sonic drive-in in 1959. With its angled parking spaces and servers on roller skates, Sonic was an instant hit. Smith franchised the brand for $500 a pop, plus 1.5 cents for each burger sold. By the time Smith died last week, Sonic was the 12th-largest restaurant chain in the U.S., with 2008 sales of $3.8 billion. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(10/29)      
- NYC gets the technology bug
New York City is becoming a hotbed of technology startups, experts suggest. A dozen promising newcomers are profiled here, including UpSkil, where unemployed workers can learn new job skills online, and EkoVenture, an aggregated tool for Earth-friendly travel operators around the world. Wired.com/Epicenter blog
(10/29)
- Checking business credit is no simple task
Consumers can check their credit reports at no cost using a single site, but for business owners it's a little more complex, financial adviser Gerri Detweiler writes. There are five sources that entrepreneurs should check, she writes, although fees and procedures can vary considerably from one reporting group to the next. AllBusiness.com/The Business Credit Blog
(10/30)
- Time to say goodbye to labels
The business world no longer operates in fixed categories and discrete departments, Seth Godin writes. Labels and job titles have become meaningless as everyone does a little bit of everything. The new order may not be tidy, but "it means change and that means opportunity," he writes. Seth Godin's Blog
(11/3)
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What do you like least about being an entrepreneur?
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Stress |
40.08%
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Risk |
25.10%
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Hours |
19.43%
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Pay |
15.38%
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Reality check: It's great to do what you love and be your own boss, but following your passion does have its downsides. Stress is entrepreneurs' No. 1 complaint, and risk is not far behind. Long hours and low pay also get a fair number of mentions. The fact that every response got a fair number of votes suggests there's no overriding cause of discontent among entrepreneurs. It's not a perfect life, but that doesn't mean we're all rushing back to the cubicle. --Robert Jones, SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs contributing editor
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Which facet of your business causes the most stress?
 | Complying with government regulations |
| Dealing with customer issues |
| Making payroll |
| Managing employees/contractors |
| Staying ahead of the competition |
 | If the only reason you're only wearing one hat is because you've always only worn one hat, that's not a good reason."
--Seth Godin, marketing expert, writing in his blog
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Recent SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs Issues:
- Tuesday, November 03, 2009
- Monday, November 02, 2009
- Friday, October 30, 2009
- Thursday, October 29, 2009
- Wednesday, October 28, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Jesse Stanchak
Contributing Editor: Robert Jones
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