by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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    Everything that you need to know to start your own business. From business ideas to researching the competition.

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    Practical and real-world advice on how to run your business — from managing employees to keeping the books

    Run
  • Grow

    Our best expert advice on how to grow your business — from attracting new customers to keeping existing customers happy and having the capital to do it.

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  • Good Company

    Entrepreneurs and industry leaders share their best advice on how to take your company to the next level.

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  • Product Guides

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Joan Verdon

CONTRIBUTOR

About Joan

Joan Verdon has been covering business and retail news for the past 25 years. She has covered trends in tech, manufacturing, real estate and retail, first for The Record of North Jersey and USA Today, and now for CO—. She is a senior contributor, retail, for Forbes.com. Her passion is reporting on how Americans buy and sell. She has covered the birth of billion-dollar companies and the evolution of 100-year-old brands. Previously, she has been an education, general assignment and investigative reporter for The Grand Rapids Press and Buffalo Courier-Express. She spent a year working on Capitol Hill as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow.

Latest—

How Sweet It Is: IT'SUGAR CEO on the Company's 'Sugartainment'-Geared Growth Trajectory
The candy chain has built a sweets empire of 120 stores by using experiential retail to feed America's taste for treats.
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How Ty Inc. Is Taking Its Beanie Babies Brand to New Heights Amid the Appeal of (Low-Tech) Nostalgia
The plush toy manufacturer has put a new spin on a previous hit and is using its signature growth strategies to promote and sell it.
READ

Key Solutions Retailers Are Focusing on to Drive Growth This Year
Brands and merchants are heading into the new year worried about prices and making the right decisions about AI adoption.
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How 1-800-Flowers Is Reinventing and Revitalizing the Things Remembered Brand
General Manager ReShon Anderson talks about her plans to transform the former mall mainstay into a personalized gifting powerhouse.
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GOOD COMPANY » LAUNCH PAD

Holiday Shopping Marketing Trends Predict 2025 Retail Trends
Consumers shifted where and how they shopped this holiday season, sending clear messages about what businesses should focus on going forward.
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What Amazon is Doing To Help Small Business Sellers During the Holiday Season
The online giant’s new AI-powered tools produce marketing content and analyze sales data, enabling SMBs to use its supply chain and e-commerce tools anywhere they sell products.
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Lovesac’s Founder on How Its ‘Designed for Life’ Philosophy Will Fuel Growth
The furniture company that won big with its ‘Sactional’ couches is betting its ‘buy better, buy less’ message will make it a billion-dollar brand.
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Back-To-School: 5 Key Lessons for Businesses Based on Shopping Trends
Consumers are more value- and cost-conscious than ever, but they still have enough spending power to reward businesses that know how to reach them.
READ

LinkedIn Exec on New Tools Designed to Fuel Growth for SMBs and Entrepreneurs
The professional networking platform unveils new ways to both connect with prospective customers and showcase small businesses’ achievements, says Ora Levit, Vice President, Product Management.
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How Google Is Expanding Its AI Tools to Help Small Businesses Connect With More Customers
Brands now can add images, videos, and reviews to their profile pages, and boost customer engagement with AI-generated immersive ads.
READ