Business in Trouble? Tell Your Customers
When this café ran into financial trouble, the owners did the only thing they could: They asked customers for help--and help they did. Read more
Innovation
Recent Innovation Articles
Does Facebook Work for B2B Marketing?
Some firms have had success, while others say the social network does little for them. Inc.com talks to Facebook's small business director to learn more. Read more
10 Best Reasons to Be an Entrepreneur
When the work is hard and the hours are long, these are the reasons founders keep doing what they do. Read more
Creativity Tips From 5 Very Funny People
Great comedians make their living by seeing the world in a fresh way and creating high-value "product" to match. Could your team learn from that? Read more
13 Habits of Extraordinary Bosses
Extraordinary bosses use these habits to bring out the extraordinary in those around them. Read more
24 Rejuvenating Ways to Spend Your Lunch Break
Eating a cold sandwich at your desk while you surf Facebook doesn't count. Shake things up with one of these energy boosters. Read more
11 Life-Changing Questions You Must Ask Yourself
Ask yourself these questions every day. Without fail. And then, based on your answers, take action. Read more
Make Your Writing Pop: 8 Tips
With email and social media, everyone writes all the time now. Are you any good at it? Here are eight ways to improve. Read more
Office Gear to Last a Lifetime
Tired of low-end office gear that can't make it through the year? Make a better investment in these innovative products designed for maximum durability. View slideshow
Want Higher Productivity? Stop Treating Employees Like Children
Monitoring every minute of your employees' day may make you feel better, but it keeps them from doing their best work. Read more
Who Should (and Shouldn't) Use Social Media 
The wine and social-media entrepreneur on the how to fit the social medium to your message. Watch video
Youngstown, Ohio: Shrugging Off Its Rust Belt Reputation
Paul Cusson, chairman and founder of Inc. 5000 company Northern States Metals, says Youngstown, Ohio is poised to change manufacturing forever. Read more
6 Reasons to Use Crowdsourcing
Having difficulty coming up with a new idea or content? Here are six reasons to try crowdsourcing. Read more
An Acquisition Without the Acrimony?
Lots of acquisitions lead to redundancies, lay-offs, and ultimately unhappy marriages. But they don't have to be that way. Read more
Maker's Mark and the Price of Being Too Popular
Unable to keep up with demand, the hot bourbon distillery plans to stretch supply by watering down its product. Risky move. Read more
The Best Content Marketing Is Free
You could outsource this marketing, or you could tap a rich--but free--source of content right in front of you. Read more
Need an Idea? Try Reinventing the Obvious
There's a better way to pay for dinner--at least according to this start-up. The founders explain the origins of the idea. Read more
My Favorite Way to Dump a Bad Customer
There's one simple and foolproof way to get rid of a bad customer without taking on emotional baggage. Read more
Innovation on the Runway: Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week
Beyond the glamor of the front row, entrepreneurs hustle to produce the fashion world's signature event: New York Fashion Week. At designer Jill Stuart's Fal... Read more
The Way I Work: Will Dean, Tough Mudder
The CEO of Tough Mudder is obsessed with company culture and strategy. And with finding new ways to make his customers uncomfortable. (Electric shocks, anyone?) Read more
One Sure-Fire (and Fast) Way to Get Rid of Office Politics
Politics are the bane of company life. But eliminating them is a lot less complicated than you think. Here's how. Read more
Dear China: Stop Stealing My Intellectual Property, Or Else
Competitors in emerging markets can't be allowed the advantage of pirated technology. Read more
Jerry Maguire Was Right
Two business owners decided to stop seeking wealth for its own sake and start putting their clients first. Here's what happened. Read more
Got Funding? 7 Things to Do Now
It's too easy to lose focus after reaching this all-important milestone. Stay the course postfunding with these tips. Read more
Too Big to Ignore: The Data Revolution
Data is changing business as you know it. Check out this excerpt from the forthcoming book, Too Big to Ignore: The Business Case for Big Data. Read more
How LinkedIn Is Beating Facebook
By every meaningful metric, LinkedIn is kicking Facebook's butt. Read more
3 Simple (and Free) SEO Tips
Here's how you can get your website found--even if you're not an expert in SEO. Read more
3 Rules of Success in Online Marketing
How Gilt Groupe uses every and all social media platforms to build the Gilt brand. Watch video
Think Like a 5-Year Old (the Best Leaders Do)
Want to grow your business? Reclaim your child-like sense of wonder, that endless curiosity about the world around you. Read more
3 Reasons to Hold a Start-Up Contest
Think of it as part marketing, part market research. Here's why a launching a contest for other start-ups is a smart business move. Read more
7 Qualities of Uber-Productive People
They work hard, and they work smart. But highly productive people also tend to think about their work differently from everyone else. Read more
E-commerce Tops $1 Trillion in 2012
This is probably the most important stat you'll see this year. The question is, what's your game plan now? Read more
Top 5 Start-up Acquirers of 2012
Large companies spent a collective $84 billion to buy tech start-ups last year. Check out who made the most deals and what motivated them. Read more
Selling Face to Face Is Almost Obsolete
The new salesperson is "plugged into" an industry rather than plodding from customer to customer. Read more
4 Characteristics of the Ultimate Start-up Hire
When you launch a company, each additional employee makes an enormous difference. Here's exactly what you need to look for. Read more