Small Business

Features

How Restaurants Are Using Social Media to Their Advantage

The food industry relies very heavily on word-of-mouth marketing and recommendations--making it important for small business owners in the field to join in and even start the conversation. And many are finding the best way to do this is with social media.

Features

On Twitter and Facebook, Timing Can Be Everything

Businesses that hope to make the most of their social media campaigns may want to start checking their watches before they post. That is because new research reveals the best times to post to Facebook and Twitter. That research, by link shortener bitly, found that links posted in the afternoon between Monday and Thursday are clicked more than links posted at other times.

Features

Can You Make a Fortune With Freebies?

If you’ve got a new product or service that you’re trying to sell, you may want to think about giving it away to begin with. In a new survey, 42 percent of consumers said they pay for new products and services after they’ve experienced them for free. The so-called "freemium" business model is the way a pantheon of marquee brands, from Ancestry.com to Words with Friends, first gained traction in the marketplace.

Features

Growing Your Food--Without a Backyard

Over 2,000 retailers are now carrying Back to the Roots grow-your-own mushrooms kits—and the entrepreneurs behind the three-year-old startup are hoping that mushrooms are only the beginning of their food revolution.

Features

How to Start a Food Truck Business

Food trucks are on the road and driving straight toward success. These curbside canteens are a far-cry from your childhood lemonade stand. Starting a food truck business takes a physical, emotional and financial investment. If you are ready to roll around town in your own restaurant, here is a step-by-step guide to starting a food truck business:

Features

Candy Stores Take On Recession

Opening a candy store in a recession may seem like a tricky proposition, but some California-based entrepreneurs might have found a sweet spot in a sour economy.