small business

Lori Webster has been feeling the love recently. Small business love, that is. She's been telling the customers of her family-owned stationery store about the 3/50 Project, one of many campaigns to support local small businesses.

Then last week, Tom Hanks walked into Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena, Calif.—about 20 miles from Hollywood. Celebrities aren't unheard-of in the store: The actor John C. Reilly lives in the neighborhood and drops by occasionally.

But Hanks, who was filming on location across the street, went out of his way to talk up small business. "He told us how nice it is to shop at a family-owned business and how he particularly liked family-owned stationery stores," Webster says. Along with extolling the virtues of small business, and disparaging their big-box competitors, Hanks asked about Webster's history, posed for pictures, lamented the closing of the family's card store nearby, and bought $120 worth of pens, notebooks, and puzzle books.

Branching off of National Small Business Week, a tradition since 1963, our very own city is celebrating locally with Denver Small Business Week. (May 24th - 28th) Small business is big business in the City and County of Denver, making up approximately 83% of the total number of businesses in the Mile High City!

May 16, 2010
by Jolie O'Dell

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

It goes without saying that small business owners are always looking for ways to save money. And technology is a great way to do just that.

By its very nature, technology is intended to make complicated things simple and expensive things affordable. Think about sending a bill to a customer; back in the day, it took paper, correction fluid, a stamp and a trip to the mailbox to accomplish this task. These days, it can be as quick and cheap as sending an e-mail.

Here are five easy ways small businesses can save money using technology.

Today, I came across a press release inviting businesses to become involved with the EAGLE P3 Project. From informational sessions on specific projects (see press release invite) to an entire office dedicated to assisting potential contractors, RTD has a plethora of resources available to help your business become involved in their projects.

 

Did you know that RTD has a Small Business Opportunity Office?

Originally posted by Becky McCray on smallbizsurvival.com, a website dedicated to bringing promising technologies to the regular everyday small business people of the rural world.

One of our new members is leading a free workshop for small businesses about using Twitter. The info from her is below! (and if you are on twitter, follow us at @milehighbiz)

What: Survival of the Twittest: Twitter Essentials Workshop for Small Businesses
Cost: Free
Where: YMCA Boulder Valley, Arapahoe Branch - 2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, Colorado 80026
When: Thursday, August 27, 2009, from 7:00-9:00PM 

<!-- ***** Enter Section Subtitle Below ***** --><!-- ***** Enter Section Info ***** -->The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs (DOCA), with its program partner the Denver Office of Economic Development, is now accepting applications for the Creative Enterprises Revolving Loan Fund (CERLF). The CERLF offers creative enterprises in the City and County of Denver access to affordable and flexible business capital to increase income and build assets. Creative enterprises are defined as non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses producing or selling fine art, photographic and graphic art, performance art, handcrafts, design and media.