Business Profiles
Case Studies of Successful Small Businesses
Restaurateur Goes All Out for Halloween and More
Halloween is a howl for Barbara Beltaire. Throughout the month of October, patrons of Barbarella, her popular restaurant and bar in La Jolla, Calif., are met by a choir of …
House of Torment’s Jon Love Scares Up Business
Jon Love frightens people for a living. He’s the vice president of House of Torment, an Austin, Texas-based haunted house that’s been thrilling and terrifying visitors for nearly a decade. Recently, …
6 Tips for Making the Perfect YouTube Video
Chris Doctor owns Delphi Construction, a deck builder in Encinitas, Calif., and, like many small-business owners in a competitive industry, he wants attention. How he gets it has evolved in …
Making a Killing with High-Quality Pest Control
Many people get the creeps just thinking about the ants, spiders, termites, or rodents that may come to infest the walls, basements, or attics of their homes. That’s good news …
Bill Owen of MNPCTech on Succeeding in a Niche Business
When Bill Owen opened MNPCTech just over ten years ago, many people had never heard of “case modding.” In fact, many people today are unfamiliar with the practice, in which …
Social Media Rock Star Chris Brogan Shares the Secrets to His Success
Chris Brogan is one of America’s most notable thinkers and consultants when it comes to social media. Widely known for his blog, tweets, and keynote speeches, Brogan focuses on how …
Julia Hartz Undercuts Big Ticket Sellers with Eventbrite
After a career in development at MTV and FX networks, Julia Hartz has become one of the most visible women in technology in Silicon Valley. The co-founder and president of …
Collaboration Beats Competition for These Boutique Owners
At first glance, you might wonder why four competing boutiques in the mid-size city of Rockford, Ill., are joining together for sales events, such as a fall “boutique crawl.” Why …
Cleveland Laundry Coop Offers Workers Job Training and Equity
Midwestern cities like Cleveland, Ohio have been particularly hard hit by the recession. Since opening for business in 2009, Cleveland’s Evergreen Cooperative Laundry has offered much-needed jobs, as well as …
Goorin Brothers’ Brimming Hat Business
When Cassel Goorin founded the family hat business, Goorin Bros., in 1895, covering one’s head was a matter of routine, a practice dictated by fashion sense and good manners. But …
Why Bike-Sharing Programs Are Good Business
Amy Harcourt and Kurt Wallace Martin are life and work partners who’ve turned their passion for cycling into a consulting business. Bikes Make Life Better helps companies provide bicycle sharing …
6 Things Netflix Did Wrong: What You Can Learn
In the space of just a few months, the DVD and video streaming service Netflix has gone abruptly from a pattern of rapid growth to one of losing customers, largely …
SF Station Makes Bold Leap from Commercial to Public Radio
Bill Lueth has been on and around radio stations for 24 years. After starting his career as an announcer in Nebraska in 1987, he moved to California in 1989 to …
Speech to Text the Old-Fashioned Way: Jo Ann Wall’s Transcription Service
Jo Ann Wall was a stay-at-home mom raising two young children and working part-time when she started a business 20 years ago. Since then, her San Mateo, Calif.-based JSTS Transcription …
Green Tours Offer a Glimpse of Sustainable Resources
Many people wish they could do more to protect the planet, but they aren’t aware of the resources available in their area. Marissa LaMagna is making it her business to …
