New York Times

A P.R. pro and a restaurant owner debate the merits of public relations.

People who run businesses alone — they call themselves solopreneurs — use tools that give them the capabilities, or at least the appearance, of larger concerns.

Many small-business owners want to hire quickly so they can get back to "real" work. They may be doing more damage than they realize.

We'd all like to seem so efficient that we must have teams of employees and tons of resources at our disposal. What online tools work for you?

For some reason, people are using the site, houstoninteriorplants.com, more like a brochure than as an online retail store. How can it be fixed?

The budget cutters focus on the S.B.A.'s counseling programs, Score and the Small Business Development Centers.

A toner-cartridge manufacturer shows how destroying printers can build brand awareness.

Plus: What impact would a government shut down have on your business?

If you don't want to manage your investment, is buying a business really a good option?

One big lesson: Depending on the cash value of your coupon and the novelty of your offering, daily-deal sites may be willing to negotiate your fee split.

At my factory, we're now making twice the amount of product per person that we were five years ago.

Your friends will be supportive. But don't confuse being supportive with offering good advice.

The subject of a case study responds to reader comments.

Ami Kassar started MultiFunding to help small businesses find and negotiate loans.

Many business owners are learning that they can cut costs by adopting energy-saving actions for lighting, equipment, heating, air conditioning, transportation and water use.

Two entrepreneurs with software engineering backgrounds are trying to build a company without seeking or taking venture capital financing.

The president has been on a campaign to repair his relationship with business.

Are big businesses using your small business as a bank?

I have been dealing with P.R. people for a very long time. It would be crazy to categorize all public relations people as crazy, so let's just say that P.R. people drive me crazy.

Why keeping your brilliant business idea a secret may doom it to failure.