Entrepreneurs: Leash Your Optimism
Even in tough times, entrepreneurs are incurable optimists. But too much optimism can blind you to the obstacles ahead. Read more
Inc. 5000
Recent Inc. 5000 Articles
The Small Joys of Family Business
Entrepreneurship, for all its challenges, can bestow on families unexpected benefits beyond the obvious financial ones. Read more
6 Steps to a More Marketable LinkedIn Profile
Somewhere along the line, you started treating your profile more like a resume. It's time to fix that. Read more
How to Avoid a Bad Case of ‘Deal Fever’
The frenzy to snap up competitors as they come onto the market is ill-advised. You should do the proactive work upfront to avoid bad M&A decisions. Read more
A Necessary Trait for Successful Founders: Maturity
Industry leaders may be intuitive, innovative, and able to handle risks, but real success requires them to be mature. Read more
Toss the Bad Apple Employee
One bad employee can quickly turn a positive working environment into a divisive and negative atmosphere. Read more
How Entrepreneurs Become Visionary Leaders
Picture your business helping millions of people solve a problem. Here's how to make that thought into a reality. Read more
The Flip-Flop Company Culture
I don't like shoes and haircuts. That tells you a lot about my entrepreneurial path--and about my company. Read more
5 Ways to Improve Customer Retention
Building these steps into your operations will help you to significantly improve customer retention and create significant value for your business. Read more
Networking Tips from the Inc. 5000
We asked 6 CEOs of the country’s fastest-growing companies about how they’ve networked for success. Here are their tricks. View slideshow
What’s Driving Your Customers Away?
You are. This case study proves that customer attrition has little to do with the economy or prices. Read more
My Crisis of Conscience
Crisis of conscience: The Trademark Company CEO Matthew Swyers went from being a legal mercenary to a warrior defending the trademarks of small businesses. Read more
The Hidden Costs of Customer Attrition
It may surprise you just how much each lost customer is costing your business. Read more
Should You Ignore a Customer's Tantrum
We all have them. Those customers that swoops in, squawk loudly, and dump all over everything. Know when to listen to them and when to ignore them. Read more
A Bad Meeting is Like a Bad Marriage - You Feel Trapped
A bad meeting is like a bad marriage. Use these four tricks to escape the worst traps. Read more
Best Advice: Shut Up and Listen
You may think you know everything you need to about growing your business successfully. Think again. Read more
Jive Software Moves Ahead With IPO
The social networking software company—a perennial on the Inc. 5000—is seeking to raise as much as $117 million. Read more
What's Your Exit Strategy?
Four-time entrepreneur Joe Apprendi talks about exiting three companies and how his latest--Collective, a New York online advertising firm--could be his home... Watch video
7 Tips to Beat Firing Anxiety
Whether it's firing someone or any other dreaded conversation, Donna Flagg's cheat sheet will help you through it. Read more
It's Cheaper to Keep 'Em
Your customers that is. If you're spending tons of money on attracting new customers, you're making a mistake. Read more
Mallika Chopra on Harnessing the Power of Intent
The daughter of Deepak Chopra talks about getting what you really want in life. Read more
9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money
Don't show 'em the money (even if you have it). Here are nine better ways to motivate employees. Read more
The Elf That Stole Christmas
Christa Pitts left her job at QVC to help her mother and sister create a book and toy that have become a holiday tradition. Read more
How Tofurky Carves up Profits
Turtle Island Foods was in the red for years, until its CEO invented Tofurkey, a tofu-based, turkey-flavored roast. Read more
A Heartwarming Tale of Shameless Promotion
How Elf on the Shelf created—and convinced CBS to air—a "special" commercial for its product. Read more
Businesses Only a Woman Could Start
These ingenious companies are—and only could be—the brainchildren of women. View slideshow
Profits First, Growth Second, Always
Why the logic of focusing on growth first and worrying about profitability later is often a bad idea. Read more
Where to Start a Business in 2012
Sageworks CEO Brian Hamilton discusses which industries are hot and which are not in 2012. Watch video
Build a Killer Website: 19 Dos and Don'ts
If you do it right, your website can be the best marketing tool you have. Ciplex's Ilya Pozin explains how not to screw it up. Read more
How to Pitch a Risky Investment
By the time you're finished, you'll have them pitching you your own idea. Read more
How to Hook a Life-time Customer
Put yourself in the mind of the customer: give them what they want and don't make them pay for it...right away. Read more
The Anomolous IPO: Angie's List
The first Inc. 500 company to go public since August exceeded expectations. Plus, an interview with founder Angie Hicks. Read more
How to Maximize Email Sign-ups on Your Website
Do everything you can to encourage users to supply their email to your website. Plus, how does Thrillist co-founder and CEO Ben Lerer do it? Watch video
OkCupid Navigates a New Owner
OkCupid sold to Match.com for $50 million in early 2011. How does co-founder Sam Yagan maintain "his baby"? Watch video
When Your Financial Target is Way Off
This plan will help you refocus on high-potential opportunities that will bring your target back in view. Read more
4 Steps to Super-size Your Growth
You need not look further than your core business to unlock your company's growth potential. Here's how to do it. Read more
How I Launched in Mexico—In Just Three Weeks
Cliff Schertz chose Mexico over India for his start-up—and launched in record time. Read more
LinkedIn Wins Entrepreneur of the Year
Execs Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner won Ernst & Young's 25th annual Entrepreneur-of-the-Year award. Read more
Create a Profitable User Conference
You want people to pay to see you demo your product? The trick is knowing who to pitch the conference to. Read more
How to Launch a New Product: Lessons From Google+
Google+ has everything you'd expect from a fully featured social network—except the right kind of users. And that's a big problem. Read more
