Stores Opening, Stores Closing - What Does It Mean?

President Obama says that the U.S. economy is recovering and that the "bleeding has stopped", but other critics say that things are still going downhill. Who's right, and who's wrong? Quite frankly, it's really hard to tell.

Just recently, Kohl's, a major clothing and home furnishing retailer, announced that they will be opening 21 more stores. That very same day, Jack in the Box, a major fast food chain, announced that they will be closing 40 stores.

Both have over 1,000 locations nationwide, but yet one is expanding and the other is retracting. Why is this?

The Small Business Owner's Guide to Alternative Funding

At a time when banks are saying "no, no, no" to small business owners loan requests, one funding expert is teaching entrepreneurs how to find lenders who will say "yes, yes, yes".

Her name is Karlene Sinclair-Robinson, and she's the managing member of KPR Funding Solutions, LLC - a company based in Northern Virginia that provides a wide array of business and financing consulting services. She's also the author of a book entitled The Small Business Owner's Guide to Alternative Funding: What The Small Business Owner MUST Know To Get Through These Financial Times.

How To Build Your Tribe

I first heard the phrase "build your tribe" from my colleague and client Elon Bomani, who is a self-made millionaire. Ever since, it has stuck with me.

Building your tribe really just means to increase your following - such as your Facebook fans and friends, your Twitter followers, your blog subscribers, and those who are loyal to your brand in any other way.

These people make up your network, your personal community, your coalition, and your very own federation. If managed correctly, they will support you, they will buy what you're selling, and they will refer you to other people. Therefore, having a tribe is very essential to your company.

What Does FUBU, Shakey's Pizza, and RC Cola Have In Common?

If you are at least 25 years old, then you have heard of all of these brands - whether you remember them or not. All of them had a huge presence in the 70's, 80's and/or 90's in the United States. However, none of them are as huge today in the U.S. as they once were - but that's not what they most notably have in common.

What's notable is that all three of these companies have shifted their focus to overseas markets in Asia and Europe, and have found greater success there.

What To Learn From Wyclef's PR Stunt

I don't know if singer/rapper Wyclef ever was really serious about running for president of Haiti, but it was definitely a very smart thing to do when it comes to public relations.

In my opinion, I believe that Wyclef already knew that Haitian officials would deny him the opportunity to run because he hadn't lived in the country for at least 5 years. Despite this, he filed for eligibility as a presidential candidate anyways because he knew it would make headlines and cause the world to view him differently. And guess what? He was right.

Now Is The Time To Apply For A Business Loan

If you recently applied for a small business loan and were denied, don't be discouraged. According to Carol Tice of Entrepreneur.com, things have changed quite a bit in the past year.

In a recent blog post, she talks about how the Federal Reserve is reporting that big banks have finally began easing their credit standards for small business loan applicants because...well, they need the business.

New Web App Connects Minority Entrepreneurs To Capital

In response to an outcry in recent years from minority business owners for improved access and greater diversity of resources for capital and credit, MBE Capital Connect has responded with an online platform that connects entrepreneurs and capital.

The online application was specifically designed to aide Accredited Investors (angel investors, venture capital firms, banks, credit unions, insurance companies, etc.), Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and SBA Certified Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to source funding requests and investment opportunities with qualified minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses operating within their markets.