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small business briefing

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

Entrepreneurs find their balance

A poll commissioned by Intuit Canada found that 88 per cent of small-business owners across the country said they were satisfied with their work-life balance. And 84 per cent were of the opinion that the balance is better than it would have been if they worked for someone else.

"Small business owners have told us before, work-life balance is as important to them as finding and keeping customers," said Barb Anderson, product marketing leader for Intuit's accounting software QuickBooks.

Forty-six per cent of respondents to the survery, released Wednesday, said they work more than 40 hours a week, but for them, Ms. Anderson pointed out, "it's the sense of ownership over the work they do, the ability to set their own schedule and do what they want when they want that contributes to their sense of balance."

And that's the rub: How do you define balance? Does it need to be, say, a 50/50 split? For most entrepreneurs, their working lives and personal lives are so intertwined, it's hard to separate them. And they may have no desire to.

Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted the online poll of 459 Canadian small-business owners. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.6 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Drink up and always use your headphones

Mashable interviewed three coffee shop veterans and four coffee-toting, WiFi-using professionals about their best practices for entrepreneurs hoping to mind their Ps and Qs while working from their local café. How much should you buy? How long can you stay? Can you take business calls? The answers to these questions and more can be found here.

Lots of energy, inability to focus

ADHD is surprisingly common among high-achieving business owners, and well-known entrepreneurs including Kinko's founder Paul Orfalea and JetBlue founder David Neeleman have spoken openly about the issue. A SmartMoney story says that people with ADHD often have an immense amount of energy, and they think outside the box because their ideas could never fit inside one. On the minus side, it adds, they have an inability to focus on what bores them, they can make sloppy errors when they're in a hurry, and they have a stronger-than-average tendency to put a foot in their mouth.

EVENTS AND KEY DATES

Montreal conference focuses on startups

The International Startup Festival kicks off Wednesday night in Montreal with a cocktail and fireworks party. The two-day conference brings together industry veterans and fresh faces, along with thought leaders and tech giants for a series of events, iincluding startup launches, keynotes, and discussions around mobility, gaming, and conducting business online. Registration is now closed and the event is sold out, but you can follow the goings-on on Twitter @startupfest.

Young minds need apply

Google is searching for 12 inspirational young people who are making an impact on their world to attend Zeitgeist Americas 2011, its annual gathering of about 400 businesses and thought leaders from across the continent, held each year in Paradise Valley, Ariz. The Young Minds competition is open to people aged 18 to 24 from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Visit the website before Aug. 25 and upload a video that shows the company how you're making a positive impact.

EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS

'They would blow your socks off'

After 15 years in human resources management, Hannah McKinnon of Pooling People Inc. is convinced that work sharing is a great idea. "I believe there are a lot of people out there who would jump at the chance of doing it, and would be so motivated they would blow your socks off."

FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES

Quebec moved to forefront of work-life balance

In April we reported that Quebec was touting a new business certification as an innovative way to put the province at the forefront of the work-life balance movement. Whatever its merits - and not everyone was convinced of the benefits - the Work-Family Balance accreditation was being touted as the first government-initiated program of its kind in the world.

Got a tip on news, events or other timely information related to the small-business community? E-mail us at yourbusiness@globeandmail.com

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