Unique Ways Entrepreneurs Are Raising Money
Source: http://wsj.com
Taking unconventional routes to raise cash has become a necessity for many small-business owners as traditional sources of funding have dried up. Here are five businesses that are doing just that.

Firm Gives Loans When Banks Won't - And, Yes, There's A Catch
Source: http://www.inc.com
Rather than issuing a monthly bill, On Deck automatically deducts small payments every day directly from a borrower's checking account. For instance, one client received a loan from On Deck for $15,000 at a quoted 21 percent interest rate. Five days a week, On Deck debits $71.48 from the company's checking account.

The Life of an Internet Mogul
Source: http://www.inc.com
As a high school student, Matt Mullenweg worked on open-source software projects in his bedroom. Seven years later, he still does most of his work from home. Mullenweg, 25, is the founder of Automattic, the company behind the open-source blogging tool WordPress and a handful of other software projects.

How to Optimize Your Conversion Rates
Source: http://www.grokdotcom.com
There are thousands of potential improvements to choose from. You need to prioritize these based on the level of impact that improvement can have and the resources available to execute them. If you don't have a copywriter available at the moment, you shouldn't focus on copy changes even if it would be the most impactful. That's just common sense, but to many it catches them like a deer in headlights.

Being a Family First Entrepreneur
Source: http://webworkerdaily.com/
"ONO, Options Not Obligations" explores changing your mindset to live with an options-oriented outlook rather than just an overwhelming obligation to become a rich entrepreneur and provider. Living as a "family first entrepreneur" requires a commitment to overarching change while working past the fear of not having enough money to live the kind of life you want.

Working All Day Is for Wimps
Source: http://lateralaction.com/
Imagine I could show you a simple technique that would take just 20 minutes out of your day and was scientifically proven to boost your productivity by 34%. Would you try it? Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Now supposing I told you you that this technique involved lying down to take a nap every day after lunch. How does that sound?

Be Your Own Frugal PR Machine
Source: http://webworkerdaily.com/
I asked Jeff Crilley, a former Emmy-winning TV news reporter turned PR pro and the author of "Free Publicity: A TV Reporter Shares the Secrets for Getting Covered on the News," for some advice on how web workers can orchestrate free publicity, get their names out there and drum up business.

Real-life Twitter Business Success Stories
Source: http://webworkerdaily.com/
Both new and not-so-new Twitter users often ask how businesses can benefit from the service. These stories illustrate how Twitter makes it possible without doing any icky hard selling.

When Negotiating, Always Listen Before You Speak
Source: http://inc.com/
You simply can't know what is in someone else's mind. Ever. That revelation turned into a key rule of negotiating for me: Never anticipate what the other side is thinking. Go into every negotiating situation with an open mind and listen to what the other party is saying.

Classic Business Building Concepts
Source: http://brickyardpartners.com
Businesses have become the source of way too much stress for their owners, employees, stakeholders and clients. What works for the long term are the basics that have always worked. They are classic. And classic is classic for a reason.

8 Ways to Cut Overhead Expenses from Minimal to Practically Non-existent
Source: http://goodplum.com
A smart business owner is constantly researching ways to trim your overhead costs to make sure their business is as profitable as possible. Make sure you're at the top of your game by implementing and taking advantage of all the free and low-cost options there are out there for small business owners.

In Advertising, Consistency Pays Off
Source: http://www.businessweek.com
Your ability to sustain a long-term advertising program shows customers that you're a successful, reliable brand.

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