• Guest List -- Sunday, August 30

    When Kirsten Vold took over her aging father's business, she had to overcome a number obstacles. Vold's company, Harry Vold Rodeo Company, provides broncos and bulls to professional rodeos, a traditionally male dominated industry. Kisten also had to figure out how to leave her mark on a business her father had run for 60 years. Find out how Vold has asserted herself and won over the skeptics.

    Small Biz Health Care

    The cost of health care is a huge concern for most small business owners, and the Obama administration has made health care reform a top priority. Dave Mason, Legislative and Policy Director for the Main Street Alliance, a national network of small business coalitions working with small business owners to support meaningful health care reform, discusses potential health care legislation and the effects it could have on small businesses. 

    Panelists

    --Susan Steinbrecher, Founder and CEO of Steinbrecher & Associates, a management consulting firm, and author of "Roadmap to Success"

    --Kimberly Weisul, editor of BusinessWeek SmallBiz

    Shine A Light

    NBC Universal and American Express have come together to launch the "Shine A Light" campaign, which will spotlight a particularly inspirational entrepreneur and their small business. In honor of this initiative, we will revisit the story of Sheril Cohen-Kunz, founder of Girl on the Go, an in home wig shopping service. Cohen-Kunz started the business after a bout with cancer left her struggling to find a suitable wig. Girl on the Go has grown steadily, and now provides wig consultation services in six states.

    Elevator Pitch

    Douglas Krentz pitches The Nomad, a cordless portable jet washer that's about the size of a toolbox. The Nomad can hold 3 gallons of water and fit in the trunk of a car. He is seeking capital to expand marketing and brand development.

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  • Web site of the week for the week of August 24

    FlightStats.com provides detailed flight data for popular routes all over the country. Simply type in your departure and arrival cities, and you'll be given a list of carriers and the average delay times for those flights throughout the day.

  • Guest List -- Sunday, August 23

    How can businesses be innovative during the recession and an increasingly fast-paced, digital world? Amidst a precarious retail environment and slumping real estate market, some entrepreneurs are opening pop-up shops, stores founded under shorter leases lasting anywhere from a few days to two years, give retailers a chance to test concepts, often with recession-related hooks. At the same time, they enable landlords to get rent on space that might otherwise sit empty, without agreeing to a long-term lease, at a vastly decreased price. See how pop-up stores are reviving the shopping 'experience' and helping retailers navigate their way through these tough economic tough times.

    Panelists

    --James Barrood, Executive Director of The Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University

    --Harleen Kahlon, General Manger of the personal finance division at TheStreet.com, where she oversees the operations of MainStreet.com and BankingMyWay.com

    --Doug Fleener, President of Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC., a retail and customer experience consulting firm, and author of "The Profitable Retailer: 56 Surprisingly Simple and Effective Lessons to Boost Your Sales and Profits."

    Shine A Light

    NBC Universal and American Express have come together to launch the "Shine A Light" campaign, which will spotlight a particularly inspirational entrepreneur and their small business. In honor of this initiative, we will revisit the story of Ray Petro, owner of Ray's MTB, an indoor mountain biking park in Cleveland. See how Ray's passion for mountain biking has translated into a booming business with a devoted following.

    Business War Chest: Trade Show Giveaways

    Participating in trade shows can be a great way to market your business, but how do you stand out among all the other booths? Richard Fairfield, Publisher with the Advertising Specialty Institute, a marketing and media organization serving the promotional products industry, shows off some cool gadgets and trinkets you can give away to ensure every attendee will remember your company.

  • Guest List -- Sunday, August 16

    When people think drumsticks, they think Vic Firth. The man behind the name is an accidental entrepreneur who has built a business and a reputation on absolute perfection. As the principal timpanist for the Boston Symphony for over 50 years, his day job required the best drumstick available. Since there wasn't a drumstick that met his high standards, he created one. As news spread about his drumsticks, the company grew. Vic's sticks led the way with innovations like guaranteeing sticks be straight and pitch paired.  His now famous slogan "The Perfect Pair" is a claim that has always irked the competition. At 78 years old,  Firth is always on the move. He makes the four hour drive from Boston to his wood turning factory in Newport, Maine once a week to make sure things are running smoothly. He's also extended the brand into a gourmet division that makes rolling pins and peppermills including Chef Mario Batali's signature orange peppermill.   After 45 years of running his company, you'd think he would be ready to rest -- but that's just not in the cards for Vic Firth.

    Panelists

    --Lawrence Gelburd, instructor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

    --Phil Town, investment advisor and author of "Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week!"

    Small Biz Health Care

    As health care premiums continue to increase, small business owners face the difficult decision of how much health care coverage they can provide to employees. Brownie's Hardware, a San Francisco based hardware store that has been around for more than 100 years, provides full benefits to every single staffer. In recent years they have shifted a small percentage of the costs to employees, but owner Steven Cornell has found that providing benefits helps create a loyalty to his best employees, which he believes helps his business compete against big box stores.

    Small Biz Tech

    With so many mobile phones on the market, how do business owners choose one that best fits their needs? Sascha Segan, PC Magazine's managing editor for mobile, shows off some of the best mobile phones on the market.

  • Top 5 for the week of August 10: Travel Gadgets

    1. Lingo XPlorer

    -LingoTranslators.com

    2. Victorinox Presentation Pro

    -SwissArmy.com

    3. Amazon Kindle 2

    -Amazon.com

    4. Sony Vaio P-Series Lifestyle PC

    -Sony.com

    5. Adamo by Dell

    -Dell.com

    Source: TravelandLeisure.com

  • Guest List -- Sunday, August 9

    In today's digital environment, copyright holders are having an increasingly hard time protecting their property from pirates. While many industries are losing profits by trying to fight piracy in court, some entrepreneurs are learning from the pirates and beating them at their own game. See how Rachel Nasik and her marketing team sells some of her high-end purses on street carts next to knock-offs as a publicity stunt. Find out why Jameson Hsu, head of the computer game platform builder Mochi Media, actually encourages pirates to distribute his content.

    Panelists

    --Matt Mason, author of "The Pirate's Dilemma: How Youth Culture Is Reinventing Capitalism"

    --Divya Gugnani, CEO of the culinary company Behind the Burner, and a former venture capitalist with FirstMark Capital

    --Rod Kurtz, senior editor of Inc. Magazine

    Learning from the Pros: Dylan Lauren

    Dylan Lauren, Founder & CEO of Dylan's Candy Bar, knows what it takes to build a business. The daughter of fashion icon Ralph Lauren and author/photographer Ricky Lauren has quickly grown her candy company into a booming brand with a massive flagship store in Manhattan and placement in department stores and hotels all over the country. Find out her recipe for success.

    Elevator Pitch

    Jim Barbour, co-founder of FunniBonz Barbeque Sauce, a line of sweet and tangy sauces that maintain their consistency under high cooking temperatures, is looking for capital expand marketing, advertising, and develop new products.