Ben Mancuso, owner of Puglia By The Sea restaurant, stands amid the remains of the building that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy on the south shore of the Staten Island section of New York City, Nov. 1, 2012.MIKE SEGAR/Reuters
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The toll taken, restoration, and innovation out of the eye of the superstorm
As some power still waits to be restored and the cleanup continues in the aftermath of the devastation wrought by superstorm Sandy, stories, such as this one , abound about the toll taken on businesses, and of firms, such as this one , that "defied" the storm, or both.
Other stories, such as this one, and this one, report on how small businesses are trying to cope, and issues they are facing, such as insurance worries, loan concerns or even how small businesses are lending a helping hand.
And looking to the future, this Reuters piece reports on" floating robots to gather storm data, fuel cells for power outages, and tools to choose evacuation routes" that are among new innovations startups are working on to help cope with disasters still ahead.
Canadians make it to 500 Startups program
Canadian-founded iDreambooks, billing itself as " like "Rotten Tomatoes.com for books," was among the 33 companies chosen by Silicon Valley incubator 500 Startups for its latest accelerator program for early-stage tech startups.
The site, founded earler this year by a couple of Canadians, aggregates book reviews by critics. More than half of the companies chosen for 500 Startup's latest program are from outside the United States, according to this Inc. post.
EVENTS AND KEY DATES
Global Entrepreneurship Week
Global Entrepreneurship Week is coming up, Nov. 12 to Nov. 18. The Canadian Youth Business Foundation is official host of GEW Canada 2012. For events occurring in Canada, click here.
Small Business Summit Toronto
Registered yet for The Globe and Mail's Small Business Summit? It will take place in Toronto on Nov. 22. For more information on the day-long event for entrepreneurs, click here.
EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS
Giving swag to celebs: worth the promotional payoff?
Many small business owners might drool at the publicity of a big celebrity snapped with their wares. But while supplying swag to marquee events ranging from film festivals to award ceremonies to big sporting events might seem like a dream investment for promotion and exposure, such high-profile events are not all that easy to get into, and can come at a cost that might be too steep to afford or pay off for many businesses.
FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES
Staff tough to find in shrinking community
Business is booming at specialty jam seller Galloping Cows Fine Foods, whose products were featured in swag bags at the Oscars – the result of a fortuitous connection with an organizer at the Toronto International Film Festival. Yet, as this Challenge reported, the Port Hood, N.S.-based firm has faced hiring challenges to help its growing business in a shrinking community. Read what the experts advised.
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