It’s Friday and the weekend is in plain sight.  But before we scatter off to our various post work-week activities let’s dedicate a few more moments to what you’re best at…small business. Below are a few small business fun facts that you may find intriguing, odd or even useful. The domain name business.com, was sold for $7million, one of the highest amounts paid for a single domain name…ever. Forty-eight percent of all small, employing businesses, [...]

“He’s not just frugal.  He’s frickin’-frugal.” – Rose Nylund, Golden Girls The above is one of the many funny quotes from the 1980s sitcom, Golden Girls.  It’s used in a lighthearted manner, to simultaneously poke fun at Rose’s Scandinavian background and her boyfriend Miles’ penny-pinching tendencies, but it also brings up the point that frugality is often viewed in a harsh light. The word frugal can conjure up images of a tight-wad or a cheapskate [...]

March (which is  right around the corner) is National Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the impact that women have had on all aspects of society and a time that Merchant Resources International has set aside to recognize the various accomplishments that women have made in business. The first celebration of women’s history in America occurred in 1978 as “Women’s History Week” in Sonoma County, California and was recognized by very few organizations.  [...]

Every small business owner can use a great product that helps to increase productivity and eliminate unnecessary daily hassles.  The following products do just that. IdeaPaint Brainstorming is a common and integral part of entrepreneurship.  But why limit your thoughts to the confinements of a dry erase board or a sheet of paper? Idea paint alters the art of brainstorming by transforming walls into dry erase boards.  The paint is more eco-friendly than using and [...]

It’s National Entrepreneurship Week, a time to celebrate American Entrepreneurs “and the lifelong learning educational opportunities that prepare the NEW business leaders of the future.” Merchant Resources International works with American entrepreneurs on a daily basis and we understand the great impact that entrepreneurship has on our society and economy. Some National Small Business/Entrepreneurship Statistics In 2008 there were approximately 29.6 million small businesses in the U.S. Small businesses have generated 64 percent of net [...]