tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46383066575635055382024-03-21T13:55:29.622-07:00Small BusinessThe free wiki sourcebook of small business knowledge you can editbejohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657944362483652986noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-3239665958854852532011-06-10T04:36:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00Planet Hoagie Delivers!Operating a small business in Norristown is a thing of pride. These days, doing business in downtown Norristown is particularly tough making the pride factor even higher. Especially for those who continually make it happen day after day. "It's not easy, but we love this town and appreciate the traffic that the courthouse provides.", Said Chris Aquila, owner of the shop. "We've come to have Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-65412462781808376302011-06-07T10:37:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00Times Herald Best of Montco Contest! VOTE NOW!Every year the Times Herald hosts the Best of Montco awards. These awards are for local businesses that the community votes for as the best of their kind. Pizza, Pet Groomers, Golf Courses, lawyers, Auto Mechanics, etc...Go to the link and vote for the business you like best! Check out the categories and start voting away!CLICK HERE TO VOTE ONLINE NOW!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-66437717354645502702011-05-17T14:09:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00Conshy Bakery is a labor of loveI first contacted Conshy Bakery about 6 months ago to do this review. I didn't think much of it and thought I could probably write something up real quick without even speaking to anyone. I do like to talk to the owners, the employees and sometimes even customers about places I do write up's on because it gives a much deeper perspective so I decided to wait.I finally got to Conshy last week andUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-80877453074955673672011-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00Joseph Miller, CPA will do your taxes among other thingsAlmost a month ago, there was a collective sigh of relief from all the accountants in the area. That sigh came from knowing that they could now go on vacation. From Jan 1st thru April 15th, most tax accountants spend 15 hours a day inside their little cubbies churning out 1040's and other tax documents to help their customers hit their deadlines.That's the idea most people get when they hear Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-91531359403692052792011-05-09T08:17:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00The Lucky Dog Saloon Surpasses 1,000 members on FacebookI've written a lot about social media and its advantages to help grow your business. It's not an easy task to figure out how to go about taking full advantage of it either. The Lucky Dog found out and have proven results on how it has helped grow their business.For those that maybe tech challenged, or not "hip" to new tactics in Marketing, there is help. I have written a few articles in the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-49936051900656196022011-04-06T11:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00$10 minimum purchase for credit cardsHow often have you seen this at local businesses? Ever wonder why? If you think about it hard enough you can probably figure it out, but I'll save you the effort.See, merchant accounts come with a fee. Those are the accounts that allow merchants to accept credit cards. Every retailer that has one must pay a percentage of the purchase price (called a discount rate) and a hard fee or a per Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-42577841768943854462011-02-28T10:59:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.022-07:00Tele-Aide Provides Peace of MindEvery once in a while, someone comes up with an idea that just blows my socks off. Tele-Aide is one of those ideas. The founder, Greg Firely contacted me via email about doing a quick write up on his business and I glanced over it and the other 10 I received that day without very much attention.After catching up with Greg on the phone and talking about his product, I am really excited about it Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-27234586290362054212011-02-28T09:03:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00The Conshohocken Cafe is a Hit!If you've been through Conshohocken lately you may or may not have noticed the new cafe in town. Opened about 3 months ago, it was born out of a relationship formed by two friends who found each other playing poker, of all things.Mike Orchewski (I know this spelling is murdered, sorry Mike!), owned On a Roll, which was literally located next to the building where the Cafe now resides at 521 Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-79976437760370342622011-01-05T07:08:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Small business and TechnologyI've written about this before, but I had a conversation with a friend this past weekend who is starting a new business and thought revisiting the topic has value. That is, the competitive advantage you can gain by using technology to help your small business. Examples and, well, cliche's are abundant when discussing this topic. "Make a $5,000 a month business out of your house appear to be a Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-65555324870601982032011-01-01T19:34:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Happy New Years Resolution!Aaaah New Years! What promise! What hope! A redo if you will. Everyone gets to celebrate the ending of the previous year, relax from a hectic month of Holidays, and perhaps, set new goals for the upcoming year.It's all about promise! This is why New Years Resolutions are so popular. It's a starting point. A time that is globally defined as a new start. So let's look at some of the ones Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-84365486900623317542010-12-14T20:41:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Local Holiday Guide!Trying to figure out what to get your loved ones for the Holiday is a daunting task in an of itself. Trying to find out WHERE to get it is another story. I've designed this post to help guide you through local businesses that can provide you with all the gifts you could possibly want!Bob and Ron's Worldwide Stereo!For almost three decades, Bob & Ron’s World Wide Stereo has been one of theUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-60045453901638401382010-11-24T16:01:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Happy Thanksgiving!Here's wishing a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving to all of you out there. This is truly one of my favorite holidays.I've been working on a post the last few weeks. I've had discussions with some pretty smart people. Professors, Finance folk, and just some pretty brainy people. The conversations centered around the economy.The question I am asking is what has more impact on the other... The Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-89833500512597598142010-11-13T07:09:00.000-08:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00It's the process man!I've written about this before and probably will again, but it never ceases to amaze me... that is the power of an idea with a dose of passion, a smidgen of ambition and the right approach to defining and achieving their goals.When someone gets an idea in their head, and really focuses on the possibilities, the outcome only becomes dependent on effort. The freedoms we have within this country Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-44117274255598973792010-11-04T06:45:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Conshy Has a New Gig!Conshy has a new venue for all you bar hoppers out there! Actually, that statement is pretty unfair to the new place that opened last Friday. It's more than just a "bar". I think it will redefine Conshy and it's night life.8 East opened up in the same spot that E.Y. Toads use to occupy. Let me tell you... it's no Toad's.Bob Storti and Brad Craig figured at some point in their life they wouldUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-4190789415408042072010-09-28T07:03:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.023-07:00Catalyst Marketers... Innovation at its bestOne of the most granular questions about starting a business is what value does the product or service offering you are selling bring to the market place? What is it about that product or service that will stand out above your competitors?Ryan Taft, founder of Catalyst Marketers in Chalfont, PA asked himself that question before starting his company."I had a really big desire to show local and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-72405588630177675882010-09-14T05:48:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Best of 2010!Every year the Times Herald publishes a "Best of Montco" list that highlights those local businesses and institutions that are voted best by their staff, the community, and polls that are offered in the paper every so often throughout the year.You can see the article here.You can see the complete list here.Everything from the best attorneys to the best electricians to the best bars are on this Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-78451572439750402532010-09-03T21:55:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Poker is FUN!First, let me apologize for being a tad absent. The moral of the story is don't get tonsillitis when your over 21 (or even 40). It incapacitates you and they lied to you by saying you get all the ice cream you want!I'm better now, so let's get on with it :)Unless you have lived under a rock, you know that Poker became very VERY popular around 2003. Back then, you couldn't turn on the TV Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-91370825270284165882010-08-12T07:39:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Fried Chicken!While driving around the Collegeville area recently, I came upon a place that I hadn't thought of in a quite some time. Speck's was a place I frequented growing up. The food is amazing. So I stopped and ordered a cheeseburger, a bucket of chicken, and some other appetizers to take home to the family. I had forgotten how awesome this place is.So, as I started doing some research I came across Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-59546019937185931032010-08-04T06:02:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Let's Bowl!For more than 50 years, Facenda-Whitaker lanes has been serving the Moncto area as the number one stop for Bowling. What started out as a 20 lane bowling alley back in 1959, quickly turned into 50 lanes and a landmark for the Norristown area.Originally, the business was slated to be called Care City Bowlero, but that was changed to Facenda-Whitaker, named after the two premier news and sports Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-35799268921848330452010-07-26T06:01:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Le Bus BakeryWhat started out as a small bus providing breads for the University of Penn, quickly turned into a successful small business.Le Bus, located in King of Prussia has been baking and selling their good since 1978. I remember first hearing of them when they opened their retail store in Manayunk, PA. That location is since gone, as the focus of the company has been more on distribution.First, what Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-72948831411299498862010-07-20T10:41:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Building a business on expertiseOne of the driving forces behind someone wanting to start their own business is what they have in terms of a skill set. That skill set is usually gained through education and experience in something that they have a passion for.In the case of King Shooters Supply, that's exactly how it happened. Roger Burris started shooting in 1985 and by 1986 began better bullets inc. Better Bullets was Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-52115974097293191762010-07-17T08:12:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.024-07:00Realtors are small biz prosI met some friends at a local watering hole recently and people were talking about old acquaintances and what people were up to these days. One had made mention of a guy who was a Realtor and worked for Century 21. The conversation progressed and I listened to some pretty ridiculous notions about Realtors. What struck me most peculiar was that this person actually thought that the title Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-12191652622589628362010-07-08T17:40:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.025-07:00How do you become a millionaire?A nickle at a time! That should always be the answer for anyone aspiring to become wealthy. There are no tricks. It's good old fashioned hard work and a little bit of good timing (some refer to this as luck), but the credo stands true.Ask any financial adviser and he'll say the same thing. Don't look to make a big score. The larger the return the greater the risk taken. But if you get Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-85950711823168396282010-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.025-07:00Happy Birthday America!Here's wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day! Celebrate Hard! But be safe!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4638306657563505538.post-74135132865238202232010-07-01T09:05:00.000-07:002012-06-21T17:12:53.025-07:00Frosty Falls!If you've ever driven through Bridgeport you may have noticed the quaint little building that resides right along side the River, across the street from the big red brick building on Dekalb.That little building is Frosty Falls. A family run business that caters not only those looking for Frosty Treats, but to those looking for a little grub as well.Frosty uses only the best ingredients in their Unknownnoreply@blogger.com