As an Entrepreneur, What Should You Watch on TV?

As USA Today contributor Rhonda Abrams says, "Small business is the second-most admired institution in America, yet it’s rare to see small business owners on television. Cops?  Sure. Dysfunctional families?  Plenty.  Even aliens.  Small business owners?  Not so many."

Below, she highlights the results of asking small business owners to share their favorite TV small business characters -- from The Shark Tank to The Good Wife to The Simpsons.  I know, I know, who has time for TV but you'd be surprised at how many successful entrepreneurs do.  See what you are missing.

Read the entire article:  Strategies:  Who has the best small business on TV?

How Do You Achieve Success?

©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

On achieving success, it can be through hard work, luck, talent or all of those things.  In this feature:

Kay Koplovitz not only shows what can be achieved, she's helping others with their dreams.

Check it out here.

A bit on Kay Koplovitz:

She was the founder of USA Network, the first woman president of a television network, and creator of what's now called Syfy. She went on to become chairwoman of Fifth & Pacific, the parent company of Kate Spade, Juicy Couture and other fashion brands. Koplovitz was a driving force behind Springboard Enterprises ... - USA Today

When You Start A Business, Don't Forget the "Good Heart" Theory

My friend and colleague, Steve Strauss, writes a terrific article for USA Today, "Winning businesses think about more than profit."  He covers the recent 3rd Annual SCORE Awards.  And what a wonderful story he tells.

All the winners seem to share one trait -- a secret I will share in a moment -- but all were a dynamic, visionary, difference-making group who are changing their lives and those in the communities they serve.

Get your day's dose of inspiration here.  You'll discover what I mean by the "good heart" theory. 

Shhhhhhhh ... School House, run by Rachel Weeks (pictured), is the SCORE "Outstanding Woman-Owned Small Business" winner!

From Superdoglover to Superentrepreneur to Supercollar®

Jane Angelich, CEO of supercollar®, has two passions:  her dogs and her business.  She invented a product, supercollar® (pictured above), that satisfies both her passions and at the same time fulfills the needs of her customers who are dog lovers too.  And to accomplish this she just happened to leave corporate America at the age of 39.

Jane got her big idea one day when noticing her fireman husband's utility belt. Firemen need to carry a lot of tools around their waist and do so by having them attach to a retractable belt —the tools can be pulled, used, let go, retracted, and returned to their spot quickly.

Learn how you too can get a new, entrepreneurial leash on life (pardon the pun) -- just like Jane did -- by reading USA Today columnist Steve Strauss's five tips on how to do it here.

Illustration credit here.

LOLASAB: Laugh Off Layoff and Start a Business

Not too many people care why you start a business. What matters most is that you do it and are excited about it! But in this case, a layoff and an innate passion were the tipping points for Kathy Standage (pictured) of Colorado who launched Exclusive Vail Rentals.

Read about her background, start up plan and hopes for the future with her business -- here.

What about you? Are you going to LOLASAB in 2010?

Photo credit: Chris Schneider for USA Today

Boring Is Out. Facebook Is In.

Steve Strauss writes an interesting post at USATODAY.com on why it's important to focus on Facebook to boost your business.

An excerpt from his Q&A:

I recently saw a story about a woman starting a new business who, prior to getting started, joined a few groups pertaining to the industry. A few months later, as she got started, she posted a request for people who would be willing to be on her virtual board of advisors. She revived more than 50 offers from top people in the field.

Learn all of Steve's great tips here.

Mom Knows Best About Entrepreneurship

After all, she is one.

With a mother like his, no wonder Richard Branson became an entrepreneurial dynamo. Virgin CEO Richard Branson says he definitely inherited traits from his spirited mom, Eve.