Lately, the holiday frenzy has made me a consumeraholic.

It's been all about shopping and piling onto my workload so I can make more money to shop more.  Got to jam pack the bottom of that Christmas tree. No?

But last week I got to thinking about all the people out there who are struggling after I heard a piece on the radio about how homeless shelters and pantries were thin this year on donations.

I called a local homeless mission before Thanksgiving to find out if they needed anything and was shocked to hear they still needed turkeys to give to families. If anything I figured they had enough turkeys by now.

I decided to send an email out to all my friends and ask them if they were lucky enough to get a free turkey from their local supermarket and if so, would they be willing to give it to me so I could take it to the mission.

I got two volunteers, and my husband and I added a turkey for the cause. We drove to the mission with the kids in tow, and we all felt good to be doing something to help someone other than ourselves.

This haphazard, last-minute charitable gesture worked out ok, but I wondered whether I needed a plan in place for giving during the holidays, just so the crazy weeks didn't get a way from me next time.

I asked a few small business owners if they had a plan in place, and it turns out quite a few do. It's not just the large corporations that structure how they spread cheer among the less fortunate, small firms are also getting savvy about the process.

About 90 percent of small businesses contributed to their communities in some way last year, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

Take Brightidea.com, a San Francisco-based software company.

Every year, the company chooses a non-profit to contribute to either with time or money.
 
"Anyone in the company can suggest an initiative, or vote on the initiatives suggested by others," says CEO Matt Greeley. "During the holidays we award the suggestion with the most votes with a budget and people to Make it a reality.  Currently there are several proposals related to 'green' initiatives for this year's contest."
 
Last year, he adds, "we worked with Cancer Research UK, to help raise money, when one of our employees had a close family that had been diagnosed with the disease."

The firm also invests 1 percent of its profits in nonprofits.

I don't know about you guys, but that renews my faith in human beings.

When we think of entrepreneurs and business leaders we typically think about people who are savvy and smart. They have everything going for them and probably have never faced any type of adversity, especially not brain disorders.

Well, think again.

I've interviewed many CEOs over the years for big and small firms and there were quite a few that had stories to tell about learning disabilities that plagued them since youth.

So, I wasn't surprised when a study came across my desk about how 35 percent of U.S. entrepreneurs have dyslexia.

Julie Logan, professor of entrepreneurship at London's Cass Business School, conducted the study and she looked at entrepreneurs in both the U.S. and the UK.
 
UK entrepreneurs, the research found, "are five times more likely to suffer from dyslexia than the average UK citizen – 4% of the average population are dyslexic. In the U.S., dyslexia is grouped with 'learning disabled,' and 15% of the population suffer from this."
 
She also found that key traits that dyslexics are more likely to possess than their non-dyslexic counterparts.

1. Own more than one business
2. Run their businesses for a shorter time (although grow them more quickly)
3. Start their businesses right after school
4. Excel in oral communications, problem solving, delegation, and spatial awareness
5. Be influenced by a mentor (versus non-dyslexics, who are more influenced by educational experiences)
6. Manage more staff (25 as mean, versus 17 for non-dyslexics) because of increased ability to delegate, an example of a coping strategy employed to overcome difficulties

 
I definitely see something to her findings. When I was in college I tutored students that were dyslexics and more often than not they were highly intelligent and highly motivated. But many also wanted things done on their own terms. That's probably one of the key definitions of an entrepreneur.

As for other learning disabilities, two CEOs I interviewed for my book, "From the Sandbox to the Corner Office," revealed their struggles.

The CEO of TD Ameritrade Joe Moglia has been stuttering since he was a young boy and still struggles with the impediment until this day. "Even now I get butterflies in my stomach before I have to give a speech," he told me.

He believes his battle with stuttering made him a better leader: "I've become much more empathetic to other people's limitations and fears."

Another leader I interviewed who has attention deficit disorder was Pete Kight, CEO of Checkfree. He realized early on that he had to start his own business. He just couldn't imagine having a regular 9-to-5 jobs because of his patience issues.

"I would have had a great deal of difficulty if I had gotten into a staff job. I knew that. That's why I started a company. I was fearful to the point of being paranoid that I would end up working in a big company," he told me.

"People talk about the spirit of entrepreneurship. It doesn't make sense to me," he explained. For him, the decision to go out on his own was based on survival.

The key for many of these CEOs was they rose above their disabilities. But I have come to realize that while you rise above it, this type of challenge can't help but define you.

"At the end of the day," Kight added, "I think I was driven to achieve because of it."

Who's thinking about work this week?

Come on, admit it. You're thinking about that fat turkey and stuffing; not whether you'll be able to make deadlines or secure that big deal.

It's just a reality of the workplace, especially during this time of year. Getting motivated to do work is close to impossible. Indeed, lots of small business owners cut their losses and send people home early when they realize they have bodies in their midst but no real worker bees.

Kevin Sanchez / Getty Images file

Of course, retail shop owners have few options other than to keep their heads down and keep grinding away. "If you were a retailer and shut down, that would be akin to slitting your own throat," says Michael E. Diegel, spokesman for the National Federation of Independent Business.

But for many other businesses, there's more flexibility during the holiday frenzy.

Wendy Coulter, president of Hummingbird Creative Group, a brand-identity firm in Raleigh, N.C., plans to shut down on Thursday and Friday.

But she has a strategy for keeping her staff on their toes the rest of the week. "I like to keep them busy! Honestly, we all have too much on our plates right now to get distracted; it's such a busy time of year. I think we're all just focused on getting our work done and then enjoying the holiday with family and friends."

She's also acknowledging the holiday spirit by having a "goody" day today. "We're all bringing in delicious holiday foods and having our own office Thanksgiving party," she says.

The founder of Cerebellas, a B2B strategic business consultancy, Beth Zimmerman has no employees but it turns out she's a tough boss on herself.

Even though she'll probably have a belly full of turkey this Friday, she plans to be on the clock if her customers need her.

One of her technology start up clients is officially launching today, "and the excitement around that will keep me fired up throughout the week."

The week between Christmas and New Years is another story for Zimmerman because the motivation quotient can be low.

"The past few years I unofficially close shop during that week, but, as a small business, always take calls and emails from clients who might be working or have a need. If I do have to work through the holidays I make sure to carve out time for some stolen moments -- lunch with a friend, an afternoon manicure, maybe even a matinee -- to take the sting out of working when almost everyone else isn't."

Stefan Pinto, owner of Parallax I.D., a graphic and Web site design firm, is shutting down on Wednesday for the holiday.

"The holiday season can be especially slow. During these times, we try to make sure everyone is productive and occupied by working on organizing the files on their computers, researching software, working on promotional materials or entering design competitions," he says.

And he uses a tried and true employee motivator. Pinto gives every worker a Starbucks gift card worth $25.

Latte anyone?

There's been a rash of high profile departures by top dogs at the nation's largest corporations.

No one is immune. Take the once celebrated Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O'Neal. He was pushed out of his job because he made a host or risky moves that led to big losses at the firm.

It got me thinking about small business owners and how they decide when it's time to hand over the reins. It happens folks. A company gets too big, or the owner just can't handle day to day operations because of personal issues.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Former Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O'Neal

I've interviewed quite a few entrepreneurs over the years and there have been some, well a very small few, who admit they probably ran their companies into the ground.

Let's face it, there are typically no board of directors or Wall Street analysts to kick them out the door.

The failure rate among small business owners is pretty high. After two years, about 34 percent of new businesses with at least one employee fail, and after four years that number jumps to 56 percent, according to the Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration.

Big egos probably keep many owners from knowing when it's time to quit running the show, or time to get some help.

How do you come to terms with reality?

It's not every day someone admits to being a failure.

But Micah Baldwin is pretty candid about his failings as a small business CEO.

He left a staff job and started an internet consulting company called Current Wisdom in 1999, but he ended up realizing he wasn't CEO material.

The wheeling and dealing part -- he loved that.

"While initially, I thought I was a great leader and could be the CEO of a small biz, doing a couple of million in revenue, it turns out that everything I thought a CEO was, was not what a CEO was. And those things, understanding structure and organization, were not my strong suits."

Earlier this year, Baldwin sold the company. "I decided that I didn't want to be CEO."
 
So, how do you know when to relinquish your crown and scepter?

Steve Maxwell with Kodiak Venture Partners offers some warning signs:

* If the founder finds themselves unable to allow others to drive decisions.
* Are constantly questioning the choices of their team.
* Or feel they must be involved in every decision being made in the business.

"If any of these flags are raised then it's time to re-evaluate whether or not they should continue running the business," he says. "A good leader will empower others, delegate responsibilities, and accept the choices made by their team. There is a delicate line between a 'hands-on, involved CEO' and a 'founder who won't let go.'"

I know, your business is like your baby. But at some point we've all got to push junior off our laps or risk being crushed.

It's getting less worth it for me to drive to business meetings in New York from my home in Wilmington, Delaware. Amtrak has been seeing a lot of me lately.

And it's been freezing in my home office because I refuse to turn up the heat. I don't care if the dog is shivering.

I don't know about you guys but I've been trying to change my habits to deal with rising energy prices. Not that it's making much of a difference.

No matter how hard small business owners try, it's typically not enough to offset being gouged at the pump or by utilities, or the rise in vendor prices, caused by higher fuel costs. The increases inevitably lead to a big bite out of the bottom line.

Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that about 75 percent of small businesses deal with rising energy costs by lowering earnings or profits.

It's not that entrepreneurs aren't trying to be green. About 57 percent of those polled said reducing energy consumption and conservation efforts are also on the list.

But more often than not, business will take the hit. Nearly 30 percent of small businesses will raise their prices to deal with the hikes; 27 percent will cut or delay business investments; 13 percent will take the axe out and cut employees or not fill openings; and the same amount say they'll freeze or cut employee wages and benefits to deal with the problem.

I decided to put a call out to small businesses around the country to find out some of the innovative ways they're handling this latest fuel crisis.

Here are some of their answers:

* Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation has started using nitrogen rather than oxygen to inflate the tires of its fleet. Nitrogen has a longer life, so to speak, than oxygen does. As it breaks down less frequently it keeps the tires inflated at the proper pressure longer, which leads to better fuel mileage. Commonwealth is using nitrogen in its fleet of cars at the Boston offices, and will be implementing it at its New York offices when nitrogen becomes available for use there. Commonwealth has also gone out and purchased a small fleet of Toyota Prius and some flex-fuel vehicles to combat the rising price in gasoline.

*With no options for environmentally-friendly moving trucks, President Ram Katalan of NorthStar Moving Corporation has to seek out other ways to deal with rising energy prices.  He purchases his gas exclusively from Alliance Fleet, a company that has one of the most comprehensive inventories, representing Exxon Mobil and Petro Canada brand bulk lubricants and oil products and as a result, sells gasoline at a low price—they also offer biodiesel.
 
Ram also ensures that his team of movers refrains from idling between projects and makes truck maintenance a high priority for efficiency.

*  To combat higher gas prices and to reduce pollution Advance Commercial Movers/Molloy Bros Moving and Storage has purchased trucks that have powerful batteries that allow the trucks to operate lift gates when the trucks are off.  This saves many gallons of gas, especially during large moves and there is also an environmental benefit. When the engines are not needed to power the lifts the can be turned off and this limits air pollution.  Particularly beneficial in urban areas like New York City.

What are you all doing to mitigate the fuel hell?

Cookie dough in a plastic bucket anyone?

There's nothing that gets under my skin more than those school fundraisers my kids bring home selling a host of processed foods you wouldn't want your dog to eat. Not to mention all the poorly made little trinkets hawked in these catalogs you'll use once and then they'll end up on the growing trash heap we're going to have to jettison to the moon some day.

That's why I was happy to read about a company that just made a new list of top 100 home-based businesses that's helping schools and nonprofits raise funds by selling environmentally friendly products.

Green Raising, a small firm owned by Lisa Olson and located in Agoura Hills, California, is one of ten small businesses named as the greenest home-based firms in the country by small business website StartupNation.

The StartupNation Home-Based 100, sponsored by Microsoft Office Live Small Business, was released this week and includes ten categories including everything from the greenest to the wackiest. (MSNBC.com is a Microsoft-NBC Universal joint venture.)

Green Raising was ranked No. 3 among the greenest because of its "innovative" approach. "All products are eco-friendly and fairly traded. Some 25% of all Greenraising online sales and 40% of all catalog sales go directly to participating nonprofits. The general public can shop online at the Greenraising site and choose where their money will be donated," according to the ranking.

Among the "wackiest" home-based firms is one of my favorites, Nashville Lappy Hour. Entrepreneur Jenny Clough came up with an idea to find places where dog owners could take their pooches out with them for drinks.

I really think it's insane how people have become drinking buddies with their pets, but hey, it's entrepreneurial genius given how big an industry man and woman's best friend has become.

While interesting ideas are fun to read about, the list also gets down to the business brass tacks…money.

The best financial performer on the list is Medical Solutions International, a nursing placement firm.

Talk about great ideas. With the nation's nursing shortage, which is expected to rise considerably as the population ages, this Tempe, Arizona company is cashing in.

Medical Solutions, owned by Robert Woltz, has seen revenues in 2006 jump to 11.2 million, from $3.4 million the previous year.

"Although large companies often grab the headlines, home-based businesses today are thriving," says Rich Sloan, co-founder of StartupNation. "Millions of people are following their passions through entrepreneurship by pursuing innovative, sound business ideas."

Do you have an interesting green or wacky business idea?

Warning to all small business owners: Get ready for an avalance of credit card offers.

There's a movement afoot to get small business owners to buy more stuff on credit.

Since credit card companies have all but tapped out the consumer market by getting many of them to sit back in a thick recliner of debt, they are now turning their attentions to you guys.

Run! Run the other way.

Consumers are swimming in debt. Let's not push small business owners into the pool any further.

Getty Images file

Right now, the men and women that run small firms combine a mix of financial sources to fund their businesses, with less than 50 percent of small companies saying the plastic menaces are their primary source, according to the National Small Business Association.

The last thing an entrepreneur needs to do is max out their credits cards.

I know. I know. A lot of business owners funded their companies initially on credit but that doesn't mean you should continue the debt feast.

While credit cards top the list of funding sources, small business earnings are close behind, at 43 percent; followed by bank loans at 29 percent and private loans at 22 percent, the NSBA reports.

I'm sure credit card companies wouldn't mind seeing credit card debt push out all those other sources; and easy access to credit and credit card rewards will be hard to resist.

A story in the News Journal, a local newspaper in Delaware, where many of the nation's credit card operations are based, talks about how credit card issuers now have their eyes on you.

The reporter quotes a credit card consultants and industry sources: "For the top credit card issuers, the only way to get new customers in a saturated consume card market is to steal them from a competitor, or win over young consumers who are getting their first card. In comparison, small business is a relatively untapped market that card companies can easily move into."

This past year, the article goes on to say, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has "renewed its push into the business card segment, partnering with companies such as Office Depot, UPS, Marriott, Michelin, SYSCO and GM to market business cards with rewards geared toward the small business owner."

So just be conscious that you guys are indeed the next target.

Already, many small firms are carrying big balances, the NSBA numbers show. Overall, about 71 percent of companies who use credit cards carry a balance; and within that group 36 percent carry a balance of $10,000 or more. Only about 29 percent pay off their bills at the end of the month.

"When you carry high credit card balances, it destroys your business credit just as it destroys personal credit," says Lynette De Nike, the credit advisor for AllBusiness.com.

Here are some of her tips:
1. Charge only what you can pay off every month.
2. If you need to carry an ongoing balance, don't use credit cards.
3. Establish a line of credit with your bank. The interest rate will probably be lower than your credit cards and the line of credit will reflect positively on your credit ratings.
4. Avoid the tempting reward lures from credit card companies.
5. Most businesses need a handful of basic vendor accounts to operate smoothly, but you should not require more than two major business credit cards.

"And prevent a credit card sucker punch so you can qualify for the financing your business needs in the future," she adds.

Amen sista!

There's just no place for people who enjoy a good smoke.

Corporations are trying everything they can to get people to kick the habit already.

They're offering workers cessation programs, drugs to help fight the urge, and even refusing to hire people if they admit to having a ciggy butt now and then.

But, there may be one last safe haven for die-hard smokers everywhere: Small businesses.

Angela Rowlings / AP file

While large companies have done everything they can to alienate smokers, small business owners have been slow to adopt similar policies.

Okay, most businesses don't let their workers light up in the office or on the plant floor, but big firms are trying to regulate what employees do on their own time or during breaks.

The reasoning: unhealthy smokers are costing them big time when it comes to health care bills.

This is also the case for entrepreneurs, but they typically don't have the funds or the time to implement the programs and policies the mega firms have. (Check out last week's story on employer-sponsored smoking cessation programs in the New York Times.)

Small business owners are more concerned with getting through the day than what their workers are doing during off hours. But for those hearty and kind businesses that are actually offering workers health care benefits, the increase in costs is hard to ignore.

Soaring healthcare premiums are beginning to spur even the little guys to take a look at who's puffing away.

"What happening with larger corporations is starting to filter down," says Jack Bastable, the National Practice Leader Health and Productivity Management at CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services.

"Smaller firms are now getting more aggressive," he says, and part of what's driving it are non-smoking employees who realize the drain smokers are having on their health benefits.

One big trend Bastable's seeing is small companies paying for pharmaceutical options to help workers quit, including products such as the nicotine patch, for example.

And small business owners are starting to ask if they can refuse to hire or even fire smokers, he adds. While many entrepreneurs aren't ready to take that step yet, Bastable believes it will increasingly become an option.

Well, so much for the last safe haven.

Do you think entrepreneurs -- known for saying no to convention and brisling at the idea of people telling them what to do -- should be telling their employees what to do during their free time?