Nicole Marie Richardson is the executive editor for special projects at Inc.com. She manages the website's largest projects, including the Inc. 5000, an annual list of the fastest-growing, privately-held companies in America. She oversees year-round coverage of the outstanding entrepreneurs on the Inc. 5000 list. Nicole is a regular contributor to Essence magazine. @nicole_marie79


Inc.'s 10 Most Popular Stories of 2012

We culled our data to find the most read, shared, and commented Inc. articles this year. Don't miss even one.  Read story

Best Industries for Starting a Business in 2012

What industries offer the best business opportunities right now? Mobile games, pet care, big data and environmental consulting are all hot on this year's list.  View slideshow

7 Hot Dorm Room Inventions

The 2012 class of our college start-ups list is on the cutting edge of products that will transform the way we live, from wireless headphones to a personaliz...  View slideshow

CEOs' Burning Questions to the President

We asked members of the Inc. community what one question they want the president to address in Tuesday night's State of the Union. Here's what they had to say.  Read story

Surviving Bankruptcy: What to Do Now

Ramez Toubassy, president of Brand Sense Partners and CEO of Shabby Chic, explains the steps he took to bring Shabby Chic out of bankruptcy.  Watch video

Where to Start a Business in 2012

Sageworks CEO Brian Hamilton discusses which industries are hot and which are not in 2012.  Watch video

TrendWatch: What Can You Make of the Economy?

This week's TrendWatch helps you weed through the economic indicators that matter to your small business.  Watch video

Misa Chien and Jennifer Green, Founders of Nom Nom Truck

What do hundreds of dollars worth of parking tickets, people cued up on Southern California streets, and Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches all have in ...  Read story

The Dos and Don’ts of Foreign Business Etiquette

Knowledge of cross-cultural etiquette is a critical element in all international business negotiations. Here are 11 helpful tips to learn before traveling an...  View slideshow

Tips on Maintaining Good Vendor Relationships

Your vendors represent your business and often have direct contact with your customers. Maintaining a good relationship built on mutual trust will encourage ...  View slideshow

7 Ways to Prepare for Growth Spurts

So your company just hooked a big client or won that dream contract. Now what? Get prepared for this major influx of business with these helpful tips.  View slideshow

11 Dos & Don'ts of Video Conferencing Etiquette

The advantage of virtual meetings is the ability to hold them almost anywhere—the disadvantage of virtual meetings is that it’s much easier for your audi...  View slideshow

Holiday Gift Guide 2010: What Entrepreneurs Really Want

Anyone can buy an iPad. Here are some of the more intangible things that our @IncMagazine followers told us they wanted this year for the holidays.  View slideshow

How to Organize Your E-mail Inbox

Let your inbox fill up, and you may face missed deadlines, neglected employees, and unaddressed customer complaints. A productivity expert shares her tips fo...  Read story

10 Ways the CEO Can Reduce Office Stress

The CEO of a company is in the unique position to set the mood for the entire staff. Here are 10 ways to create a Zen office environment.  Read story

Building a Hugely Profitable Blog

Three years ago, Fred Mwangaguhunga launched MediaTakeOut.com, a blog focusing on urban gossip that is beating similar sites run by much larger companies.  Read story

Innovation: A New Rooftop Wind Turbine

The WindTronics turbine can generate energy at low speeds.  Read story

Innovation: A New Method of Irrigation

Absorbent Technologies creates Zeba, an agricultural superabsorbent that absorbs and releases water in soil  Read story

Innovation: CardioMEMS EndoSure Sensor

CardioMEMS creates body sensors that monitor cardiovascular health  Read story

Innovation: A New Kind of Metal

Imagine a metal that's stronger, lighter, and more energy absorbent than steel -- yet is cheaper to make. That's the dream of Christina Lomasney, CEO of S...  Read story

It's Time to Give Back

Serial entrepreneur Shai Reshef launches University of the People, a free online university for students who cannot afford tuition.  Read story

An Entrepreneur Shares Tickets to the Presidential Inauguration

Virginia entrepreneur Earl Stafford explains why he spent nearly $2 million to bring hundreds of people to Barack Obama's inauguration.  Read story

The Business Owner's Social Media Tool Kit

A look at how entrepreneurs can boost their business using blogs, social networking sites, multimedia, and online review sites.  Read story