adrian brockwell
The latest news and information for entrepreneurs from across the web universe, brought to you by the Report on Small Business team. Follow us on Twitter @GlobeSmallBiz. Download our apphere.
One of Britain's youngest entrepreneurs opens up her third candy store
Just how young does entrepreneurial inspiration strike? Try asking what is one of Britain's youngest entrepreneurs – a six-year-old girl who is opening up her third candy store.
Some British press is abuzz about the opening of the third outlet by Mollie Price, whose stores, appropriately called "Mollie's," sell a mixture of British and American candy. They said she has been declared among Britain's youngest entrepreneurs.
The youngster would like to sweeten the pot by opening still more outlets.
"It might sound crazy but, believe me, Mollie is the real brains behind the operation. It was Mollie's idea to set up the shop," mother Becky, her "business partner," is quoted in this story in The Sun and in this one in The Daily Mail.
She says all the stores are put together and stocked by the youngster, who works in one of the outlets every Saturday, then gets up early Sunday to go to the company's wholesale supplier.
The pint-sized entrepreneur, who hails from Welshpool in Wales, just kilometres from the border between England and Wales, has her friends test candy as part of her market research.
She's cluing into smart marketing. For instance, reports say, she came up with an idea to create a wall temperature chart; when temperatures dip, so do the prices of some ice cream products sold at higher prices during hotter temperatures.
"Children have the best ideas. I tell my mum what I think and she always says I have good ideas," Mollie is quoted here. It's just that I know what other children like."
U.S. small business optimism stays flat
U.S. small business optimism stayed flat in May, according to the latest Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business. The index slipped 0.1 point to 94.4 in May from a month earlier.
"In the last year, small-business optimism has limped along, and today the sector is no better off than it was just over a year ago," said NFIB chief economist William Dunkelberg in a press release. The results are based on responses from about 680 randomly selected NFIB members.
Just in time for Father's Day
What's the best gift you could give dad this Father's Day? His own business, according to a new survey.
The Bank of Montreal survey found that 82 per cent of Canadian men would like to start their own business, and 83 per cent said that having access to role models or mentors would be important to success. The survey release also noted that 1.7 million Canadian men are self-employed, representing 65 per cent of the total number of those working for themselves.
And while we're on the subject, PredictableProfits.com chief executive officer Charles Gaudet offers some marketing ideas to small businesses looking to capitalize on the day. Restaurants, clothing retailers and sports stores are among the likeliest to make out on Father's day, he says, but other entrepreneurs can also try to pull in more business. For seven strategies he offers up, click here.
EVENTS AND KEY DATES
The triple bottom line
The Form for Women Entrepreneurs will host a roundtable discussion called "How small business can contribute to the community: the triple bottom line." That is in reference to brands that have integrated sustainable community and environmental support into their products and services. The discussion will look at when and how small businesses can afford to give back, and whether this is a marketing strategy of the future. The event takes place June 14 in Vancouver. For further information, click here
Marketing 101
How to get the biggest bang for your marketing buck is the subject of a workshop being held by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development in Halifax. The workshop will explore various marketing tools, broaden understanding of marketing and help develop marketing plans specifically for your business. It takes place June 19. For more information, click here.
EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Four semi-finalists compete for $100,000
The four semi-finalists for this year's $100,000 Small Business Challenge Contest have been chosen from a record number of more than 1,200 applicants from across the country. Click inside to meet the four companies. The winner will be announced in September.
FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES
How to keep far-flung staff engaged
As Elastic Path Software Inc.'s business has gone increasingly global, its CEO has worried about how to keep employees working outside its Vancouver headquarters connected to the company culture. Read what the experts advised in this June, 2011, Challenge.
Got a tip on news, events or other timely information related to the small-business community? E-mail us at smallbusiness@globeandmail.com
Join The Globe's Small Business LinkedIn group to network with other entrepreneurs and to discuss topical issues: http://linkd.in/jWWdzT
Our free weekly newsletter is now available. Every Friday a team of editors selects the top picks from our blog posts, features, multimedia and columnists, and delivers them to your inbox. If you have registered for The Globe's website, you cansign up here. Click on the Small Business Briefing checkbox and hit 'save changes.' If you need to register for the site,click here.