Bakery owner gets creative to save on expenses
Yael Krigman quit her law-firm job to focus on her cake-pop business, and after initial success with corporate events and parties, she wants to open a storefront. Her challenge is a lack of capital. As she searches for the money, Krigman is keeping costs low by postponing hiring, using her synagogue's kitchen and getting free guidance from an MBA program. The Washington Post (3/4)

Caring for Customers

5 ways to get people to answer your e-mails
If you want people to actually read and answer your e-mails, get to the point immediately and proofread them before hitting the "send" button, writes Dave Johnson. "[Y]ou'd be surprised how often what makes sense in your head is borderline gibberish when it lands on the screen," he writes. Also, choose subject lines that accurately reflect the content of your messages, he advises. CBS MoneyWatch (2/28)

How to attract more links to your website
Your website can get a better ranking on search engines if other high-quality websites link to it, writes AJ Kumar, co-founder of Single Grain. Seek more of these links by writing guest posts, making infographics or producing viral content. Entrepreneur online (2/28)

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Keeping Shop

4 tips for running a successful family business
In a family-run business, it's important to make sure roles are clearly defined; treat coworkers as coworkers, not family members; and prevent your business from affecting your family life. "The business has to be run in a different way than the family is run," said business counselor Karen Calcango. Entrepreneur online (3/1)

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Managing the Money

How to get better at inventory management
Improve your inventory management by upgrading to a software system if you're still using paper, designating someone to monitor inventory levels, breaking inventory into three categories and analyzing the demand for your products, writes Dixie Somers. "If one item flies off the shelf while others just sit there endlessly, you need to determine why," Somers writes. B2C Marketing Insider (3/1)

Tips & Tools

Mobile apps that help you sign documents, schedule meetings and more
Whether you need to digitally sign a document, manage your appointments or accept payments, mobile applications can help you tackle business problems while on the go. This article includes five useful apps, including Appointment-plus, GoPayment and SignEasy. Intuit Small Business Blog (3/1)

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News You Can Use

March 27 government shutdown date next deadline for Congress
Congressional leaders said they were optimistic a deal could be reached to avert a government shutdown when its funding authorization expires March 27. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he was "hopeful that the House and Senate will be able to work through this." There were no signs lawmakers will make any efforts to modify or undo across-the-board spending cuts that took effect Friday. The Washington Post (3/3), Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model)/Politics Now blog (3/3), Politico (Washington, D.C.) (3/4)

SmartQuote

The economic uncertainty is most palpable as it relates to raising startup capital." -- Yael Krigman, owner of a bakery business, as quoted by The Washington Post Share: