The August issue of the MissouriBusiness.net newsletter is now online.

Twelve survival tips to help businesses remain competitive during challenging economic times.

Financial statements are more than a measure of financial performance; they allow the business to make informed decisions about the future direction of operations.

Knowing your customers will make you more effective in sales and marketing. Effective marketing will position your organization to be there when the sale is made.

Know the types of bonds and when they're required for federal contracts

Regardless of how long they've been in business, successful entrepreneurs know when to seek advice from the experts. John Hipple Jr. is a case in point. As a businessman with more than 17 years of experience, John found himself and his business at a crossroads last year. "Growth was our target, but how to get there puzzled me."

The July issue of the MissouriBusiness.net newsletter is now online.

SBA is implementing new initiatives to demonstrate SBA's efforts to respond to small business owners' needs. Includes an update on how provisions in the Economic Stimulus Package will greatly reduce the taxes many small businesses will owe for 2008.

In 1998, Melissa Wurst started her own localization industry business. She brought substantial experience in teaching and management, and an unfettered love for helping people overcome cultural and language barriers. While such passion went a long way to help get her business rolling, Melissa learned it takes some solid business sense to keep it rolling. She found help when she contacted the St. Louis office of the SBDC.

The IRS has increased the optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes for the second half of 2008 to 58.5 cents per mile.

Dr. Rusty Sutterlin, co-founder and CEO of Renewable Alternatives, a Columbia, Mo.-based business, calls the University of Missouri's Small Business & Technology Development Center a "full-circle service provider."

Times are tough. More than 90 percent of respondents to a recent national survey of independently owned service firms indicated that their businesses will suffer significantly due to increased fuel costs in 2008. What's a small business owner to do?

Three strategies to help small business start-up money go further.

Ten minutes isn't a lot of time. But with excellent preparation it's all the time necessary to convince prospective stakeholders to support a business venture.

The Internal Revenue Service is kicking off a new campaign to help educate new self-employed small business owners about tax responsibilities.

The Missouri Technology Incentive Program is a new funding source for innovative and high-technology companies interested in pursuing federal SBIR and STTR R&D awards.