BRIAN SNYDER/Reuters
The latest news and information for entrepreneurs from across the web universe, brought to you by the Report on Small Business team. Follow us on Twitter @GlobeSmallBiz
Retailers anxious for holiday spending signals
It's turkey day today in the United States, leading into the start of the holiday shopping season, with 'retailers anxious to see if U.S. consumers are willing to spend despite an endless stream of scary headlines about the fragile economy and their own precarious finances,' as Reuters reports.
After Thanksgiving dinners are complete, many may get a start on 'Black Friday,' the biggest shopping day of the year and the tone-setter for the season.
This year, it will be followed for the second time by Small Business Saturday, which is promoting spending at small businesses, and then CyberMonday, the online shopping frenzy.
The National Retail Federation forecasts November and December sales will be up 2.8 per cent over last year, with comScore forecasting online sales will be up 15 per cent, Reuters reports.
And while we're on the turkey day theme, Small Business Trends offers a roundup of reading connected to Thanksgiving that small businesses might benefit from.
It includes this New York Times' piece, which offers five reasons why selling your business is like Thanksgiving dinner.
Small business superstitions
Athletes are well-known for their superstitions, refusing, for instance, to change socks during a winning streak. And small business owners have their superstitions too, points out this piece on the Amex Open Forum, which serve them well because 'running a company is so tentative and unpredictable. Superstitions enable them to cling to what has worked before with high hopes that it can work again," it says. "It lso provides that additional boost of confidence and comfort."
Among superstitions it found among among entrepreneurs was one who will only start meetings on the half hour, "so the minute hand is moving upward to create good luck and positivity." Another enters his office only with his right foot, as a sign of good luck, and allows no indoor whistling in the office. And another said that 'the highest heels close the biggest deals.'
Whatever works.
50 small biz experts to follow on Twitter
Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael offers a list of his top 50 small business experts to follow on Twitter.
EVENTS AND KEY DATES
Step ahead series continues
Step Ahead, a volunteer business mentoring organization for female entrepreneurs, continues the third in a three-part speaker series, with Kim Lyra of Lyra Communications talking about social networking. The event takes place on Dec. 5 in Toronto. For more details, click here.
Employee engagement
The Canadian Management Centre is running a one-hour interactive webinar to explore employee engagement issues. It will feature Mark Royal, a senior principal with Hay Group Insight, and Tom Agnew, a principal. It takes place on Dec. 8. For more information, click here.
EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Tougher, and more crucial, to protect brand in social media age
There's no one-size-fits-all solution but monitoring, and safeguarding, your company's online reputation is becoming more and more important, columnist Mia Pearson writes
FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES
Generate killer ideas with these 20 suggestions
Generating useful ideas is a skill, and , like any other skill, it can be learned. The more you practice, the easier it will be to come up with ideas whenever you need them. Back in September, 2010, author, speaker, blogger and Web business consultant Jim Kukral offered up 20 suggestions on how to generate killer ideas to jumpstart your venture.
Got a tip on news, events or other timely information related to the small-business community? E-mail us at yourbusiness@globeandmail.com
Join The Globe's Small Business LinkedIn group to network with other entrepreneurs and to discuss topical issues: http://linkd.in/jWWdzT
Our free weekly newsletter is now available. Every Friday a team of editors selects the top picks from our blog posts, features, multimedia and columnists, and delivers them to your inbox. If you have registered for The Globe's website, you can sign up here. Click on the Small Business Briefing checkbox and hit 'save changes.' If you need to register for the site, click here.