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January 30, 2008

News for association and chamber leaders

Business Leadership

Small businesses reduce costs to cope with economy
Economic fixes can't come soon enough for small businesses feeling pinched by economic hard times, especially in Florida where property taxes and insurance rates have increased. Small businesses are turning to staff reduction and lowered benefits to cope. Florida Today (Melbourne) (1/23)

Peer-to-peer lending expanding quickly
Peer-to-peer lending is gaining steam as an increasing number of borrowers find they can get loans without having to apply to tight-fisted banks reeling from the subprime credit crisis. With so few innovations in lending, when something like peer-to-peer lending catches on, it "has a high probability of being what academics refer to as a 'disruptive innovation,' " says George Hofheimer of the Filene Research Institute in Wisconsin. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/The Miami Herald (1/28)

Business plan can be flexible as successes are tracked
Tim Berry, "Business Plans" coach at Entrepreneur.com, suggests substituting a "plan-as-you-go" tool for the conventional business plan to shift focus to managing, keeping track of progress and accounting for change. This plan is more about navigating than mapping, Berry says, and sets monthly and quarterly review dates to reassess. MSNBC/Entrepreneur.com (1/28)

Internet breaks business-entry barriers
Young people with entrepreneurial spirits are starting a trend that spans the globe. Because the Internet has lowered barriers to business entry, even entrepreneurs from developing nations are finding success with their small-business ideas, including e-commerce sites, blogs with paid ads, business consulting, graphic design and software development. E-Commerce Times/Business Week Online (1/26)

Sometimes the best do the worst
Businesses can keep employees honest by remaining vigilant, according to some experts. They suggest you verify everything, reconcile bank statements, do background checks and watch for employees who never take a vacation. American City Business Journals/Birmingham (1/25)

Quick Poll

Poll: Would you consider using peer-to-peer funding to help your organization?
Look for the results from today's poll in the Editor's Note section of next week's U.S. Chamber SmartBrief.

	Yes, its convenience far outweighs its higher interest rates.
	Perhaps, but I would seek traditional funding first.
	No, I would only use funds from an established financial institution.

CEO Update

CEO Update and U.S. Chamber SmartBrief partner to bring you exclusive association and other nonprofit reports and career listings.

CEO search

CEO searches under way at these organizations: Central Coast Natural History Association, Council of Owners and Construction Associates, van Beuren Charitable Foundation. More information at CEO Update.
Nonprofit Recruiting Fact: Which executive recruiting firms are most active in nonprofit searches based on their use of CEO Update? Find out here.
New at the top: American Sail Training Association, CAEAR Foundation and Drug Information Association. Find out who they are and where they came from at CEO Update.

Chamber Spotlight

Supreme Court to hear Cracker Barrel retaliation case
A case of a Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores employee fired over allegations of racial discrimination will come before the U.S. Supreme Court next month, to determine whether the 1866 Civil Rights Act allows for retaliation claims. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups have lined up in support of Cracker Barrel, asserting that to permit retaliation suits would open the floodgates for more litigation and undermine the reconciliation process allowed for by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Chicago Sun-Times (1/28)

Small businesses say timing off for California health reform
The timing for California's health care initiative is off because it will increase costs of small and medium-sized businesses suffering from a downturn in the economy and is unfair because large corporations are buffered by their size, says Novato Chamber of Commerce spokesman Coy Smith. Novato (Calif.) Advance (1/23)

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Association Watch

AAAA to name Nancy Hill to top spot, pending board vote
The board of the American Association of Advertising Agencies is expected to approve the nomination of Nancy Hill as president and CEO, sources said. Hill, most recently North American chief executive at Lowe Worldwide, would succeed O. Burtch Drake, becoming the 4A's highest-ranking female officer in the trade association's 91-year history. The New York Times (1/25)

Drilling activity strong last year, API reports
U.S. producers drilled a record number of natural gas wells in 2007 and total estimated footage was the highest in two decades, the American Petroleum Institute said in its latest quarterly well completion report. Nearly 53,000 oil wells, gas wells and dry holes were completed last year, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Oil & Gas Journal (1/25)

U.S. Chamber News

Are you an invested leader?
Take the next step in your career with the U.S. Chamber's second annual Invested Leaders Institute held April 8 to 10 at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. This conference is designed specifically for association and Chamber professionals with their IOM, CAE or CCE designations who have invested in their organizations and careers through professional development. The three-day executive-level program is filled with advanced seminars led by business gurus and your favorite Institute faculty. Enroll now to start planning your Institute class reunion and receive the early-registration discount.

Research and Analysis Center releases Employee Benefits Trending Analysis
Learn about trends in benefit offerings and their impact on the U.S. marketplace over the past 10 years. Businesses of all sizes, industries and geographical regions are represented. Take advantage of this valuable tool. Order copies for your office today.

U.S. Chamber Member Benefits

New 65% discount for U.S. Chamber members
Members can now receive a 65% discount with Yellow Transportation on all qualifying less-than-truckload shipments! If you are currently enrolled in the USCC|Yellow partner program, your Yellow account was automatically updated to the new discount effective Jan. 1. If you would like to enroll in the partner program or receive more information, please call 800-293-0414 or click here.

Editor's Note

Poll results: Do you consider yourself a risk-taker?
Last week's poll asked readers whether they considered themselves risk-takers.
- 66% said sure -- you can't succeed without being able to take risks.
- 22% said it depends on how you define risk-taker, but I tend to bet only on sure things.
- 12% said I consider myself lots of things, but a risk-taker isn't one of them.

SmartQuote

Happiness is a how, not a what; a talent, not an object."

--Hermann Hesse,
Nobel Laureate in Literature

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Editorial Team

Contributing Editor: Ashley McMaster


	Recent U.S. Chamber SmartBrief Issues: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Wednesday, January 09, 2008 Wednesday, January 02, 2008 Wednesday, December 26, 2007			Distributed by: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005