NY Times says "cybercrime" isn't as bad as people think. And most "cybercriminals" aren't getting rich. Surprise! http://ping.fm/pimde

Fall In Love With Your Business, Not Your Business Plan via OnStartups http://ping.fm/EJQkP

Is #Blackberry toast? #RIM's earnings tank as execs flee. Time to admit defeat, stop making devices, and build biz on BlackBerry Server?

I "met" Israeli President Shimon Peres today. He shared tech insights & revealing jokes with start-ups & entrepreneurs http://ping.fm/1xsZr

What is Jewish contribution to the world? Shimon Peres says: "dissatisfaction. A good Jew can't be satisfied." #LAUNCH

Shimon Peres says it doesn't matter that so many people don't care about science, education, and freedom: "they're old." #LAUNCH

Simon Peres @ #LAUNCH: financial crisis due toi having "more money than ideas". True that.

AllTuition.com is "winner" of first part of #LAUNCH. I liked it, too, and will probably need to use it :-(

Can't leave the LAUNCH Festival building because Peres is in da house. If I get a parking ticket, I'm sending it to the Isreali government!

At LAUNCH Festival waiting for Israeli president Simon Peres to speak. Security is TIGHT and entrance lines are very long.

Small businesses quadruple their iPad use! On Small Is The New Large, I ask what are they using them for? http://ping.fm/6Qa2B #SmallBiz

Boston Consulting Group study says small/medium businesses that actively use the Web grow faster/create more jobs. No Duh! #SmallBiz

Paid sick leave becomes issue for #SmallBiz that fear abuse, says Wall St. Journal http://ping.fm/sHPG2 But why assume the worst?

LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman: Your users may not know what you're doing, but when they discover it they shouldn't say WHAT! http://ping.fm/QB7vn

It's A Wonderful Life... for Small Businesses! Cash Mobs can turn any #SmallBiz into the Bedford Falls Building & Loan http://ping.fm/csji4

We know that start-ups, not "small businesses," create jobs. So how can/should that change policy? http://ping.fm/3gsin #SmallBiz

Startups create jobs. Other small businesses? Not so much. That shouldn't be a big surprise, really http://ping.fm/krm2n

Why I Love Small Businesses http://ping.fm/Hw6qm #SmallBiz #SMALListhenewLARGE

Mountain Lion / Windows 8 bring mobile OS features & interfaces to computers. Is that really a good idea? http://ping.fm/In451 #SmallBiz

Small may be the new large, but small doesn't always win. Especially when it comes to banking http://ping.fm/0lvCu #SmallBiz

Love Rubin's infographic on what people think entrepreneurs do and what they REALLY do http://ping.fm/59rHl #SmallBiz

Today's big decision: Buy 1 share of Apple stock or 1 iPad. Both = $500. 1 is useful, 1 MIGHT increase in value

#Grammys were slick big-biz stuff, 'cept for Bon Iver, the musical equivalent of #SmallBiz. Loved Justin Vernon's speech

The NY Times warns about information thievery when bringing mobile devices to China. Good advice, methinks! http://ping.fm/EWOBt

I hate PDFs. Always have. And now there's a new reason to hate them even more: They create MORE paperwork, not less! http://ping.fm/FlrvK

If the iPad 3 is everything that's being predicted, should I buy one to use as my new laptop? Should small businesses?

Scott Hintz, co-founder of Hotwire and Tripit, offers great tips for #SmallBiz. Find my top 10 @ SMALListhenewLARGE.com http://ping.fm/WTtWb

Love this! Scott Hintz (Hotwire, Tripit) tells small businesses they're BETTER than their large competitors http://ping.fm/e2J6P #SmallBiz

Bob Ingrassia on words journalists use that people don't: altercation, fingered, blaze, probe, motorist & more http://ping.fm/F6zaR

Getting ready for Ramon Ray's Small Biz Big Things conference in SF tomorrow (2/7/12) http://ping.fm/7jOKJ C U There? #SmallBiz

Small Is The New Large for House Republicans, too, says the NY Times http://ping.fm/Iz5aM

6 Facebook-IPO lessons for small businesses, and why I find a $100 billion payday inspiring! http://ping.fm/ZkoJZ #SmallBiz

David Strom on Startup Weekend, or How To Star A New Company In 50 Hours Or Less http://ping.fm/MbXJa Sounds really cool to me. #SmallBiz

Newsflash: Store brands ain't always cheaper, according to the Wall St. Journal. Do your customers know that? http://ping.fm/cVK6M #SmallBiz

via Gene Marks: CNBC's Phil Simon on 6 things #SmallBiz can learn from the big guys http://ping.fm/WCfyd What about vice versa?

Everybody loves the Home Office Tax Deduction, right? Not Mitt Romney. And the Wall St. Journal can't make up its mind! http://ping.fm/hILen

2 Views On The Home Office Deduction – From The Same Source!

Lots of really small businesses – and remote workers – work out of home offices. And many of those folks want to take a tax deduction for that space. It’s one of the most popular tax deductions out there – but it’s also a red flag for the IRS, often triggering dreaded audits. 


So what’s a small business to do? Well, if you asked the Wall Street Journal last week, you’d have gotten two very different answers 


On January 24^th, the Journal published a helpful collection of Tips To Help You Claim A Home Office Deduction. Author Barbara Weltman lays out the basic rules and concludes with suggestions to talk to your tax adviser (uh, thanks, then why am I reading this?) and keep good records, and a link to the relevant IRS Publication: Business Use of Your Home.  


So far so good.


But four days later, on January 28, the Journal warns against taking the deduction in a very different piece on What You Can Learn From Mitt’s Tax Return. In a slick interactive tour of the return, Laura Sanders lauds Mr. Romney for a variety of effective tax-lowering strategies, including Item D:

D. If you have a "Schedule C" business, think twice before claiming a home-office deduction. The Romneys didn't take one on either of two Schedule C forms, which are for business results reported on personal returns. The Romneys used their Schedule C forms for director's fees and speaking fees.

Not only do home-office deductions raise red flags at the IRS, but they can come back to haunt taxpayers when the home is sold: Part of the gain on the home's sale may not be eligible for the $250,000 or $500,000 tax exclusion because taxpayers who took depreciation deductions in prior years have to reduce the exclusion by that amount.

In addition to raising taxes in many cases, this poses a record-keeping problem, Mr. Ochsenschlager says.

To be clear, it seems that the second article is addressing taking a deduction for depreciation on your home office, not other expenses, such as rent (like the Romneys would be renters!) Bottom line: while the home office deduction may be a tempting way to save a few bucks, if the freaking Wall Street Journal can't figure out if it's dangerous, it may not be the best choice for most small businesses. Hell, it’s making me think twice even as I write this sitting in my very own home office.

Does Your Small Business Need An IT Person?

Technology is incredibly important to many small businesses, yet they often struggle with the expense of hiring a dedicated IT person. And even if they do decide to bite the bullet, a one-or-two person IT staff can’t possibly be experts on every technology issue faced by a typical small business?


It seems that big companies see this problem as a market opportunity. At least according to a recent Wall Street Journal article — Small IT Market Attracts Big Companies — that notes moves by Apple and Best Buy to buy companies dedicated to the market. The article cites IDC research saying “U.S. businesses with less than 500 employees spent roughly $23.5 billion on IT services last year, and are projected to spend $27.2 billion on IT services by 2015.”


That’s a lot of money, but the numbers don't really address how much of that is spent by small businesses (500 employees is more mid-size).


To me, the growth opportunity here comes in small businesses NOT having to invest in these kinds of services, or at least reducing their expenses. Ongoing trends like the consumerization of IT (think iPhones and easy networking) and cloud computing (think Gmail and Salesforce.com) are making it easier than ever for small businesses to handle their own technology needs.  


Sure, at some point in a company’s growth cycle, they may need more IT oomph, and then they can look to hire an IT person or hook up with a IT services provider. But in the meantime, I think small businesses should look for every opportunity to leverage technology without having to resort to paying extra for someone to do it for them. 

Does your #SmallBiz need an IT person? The WSJ says it's a market opp for big biz. I say avoid it as long as you can http://ping.fm/VkFg5

Would you buy glasses in a yurt? NY Times on a pop-store that sells 'em in one in Soho http://ping.fm/zhL1e I love yurts, but... #SmallBiz

Notes From MacWorld/iWorld 2012

I had a good first impression walking into MacWorld 2012. Unlike the last couple years, it seemed MUCH less like iPhone Case World. Of course, there were still plenty of accessories on the fringes of the show, and I did see this combo iPhone case / bottle opener. Because it really makes sense to spend $20 to turn your $300 smartphone into a $0.39 church key!

I was also pleased to see that the show had a business component: MacIT. But even though vendors throughout the show commented on how Mac use in companies continues to grow, this area was banished to the third floor and seemed relatively sparse and poorly attended.

Imagine what would happen if Apple actually made an effort to meet the needs of business customers and IT departments? Instead of continuing to struggle to force their way into the business world, Macs might be as common in businesses as they have become among consumers!

But most of the show's energy seemed focused on media creation, like this performance by moe.

AllBusiness had what #SmallBiz can learn from Lady Gaga http://ping.fm/p8lfA Now GigaOm has what you can learn from a crime boss! http://ping.fm/zzgEt

A good time to sell your business? BizBuySell says more small businesses changed hands in 2011, but mostly flat http://ping.fm/i4YXz #SmallBiz

WSJ says big banks are lending again. Yay. http://ping.fm/Grgn2 But will #SmallBiz get any of that cash?

Romney's tax rate is 15%. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/us/politics/facing-pointed-attacks-romney-urges-focus-on-obama.html What's yours? Mine is higher than that...

I love David Strom's Startup Rules of the Road, especially "keep your recurring costs low" http://ping.fm/vXGPW #SmallBiz

Check out Springwise's top 10 biz ideas for 2012. My faves? Pothole-detector app and "thermodynamic stones!" http://ping.fm/2HzMb #SmallBiz

Slate says big businesses innovate better but shouldn't be monopolies http://ping.fm/uWeLw I don't believe they innovate better #SmallBiz

Ooops, lets try that #SBA story link again: http://ping.fm/negXk

Obama elevates Small Business Administration to Cabinet level. Why aren't I more excited? http://ping.fm/pNBR9 #SBA #SmallBiz

What you look at DOES make a difference: 10 inspiring small business office views. http://ping.fm/yTTzI #SmallBiz

@HarryMcCracken: The Consumer Electronics Show means business, too. Thank the Consumerization Of IT http://ping.fm/8DypQ #CES #AllBusiness

AllBusiness Daily News: Consumer borrowing surges. Not necessarily good news for small businesses. http://ping.fm/R9Dop #SmallBiz

AllBusiness Daily News: Ultrabooks to the rescue from Lenovo, Acer, others. Do small businesses care? http://ping.fm/WHBH6 #SmallBiz

Hiring is picking up. These 5 tips can make sure you don't make an offer to the wrong person http://ping.fm/a4Nxj #SmallBiz

Study: Parking at first available spot then walking saves time (+ more) over looking for a “better” spot. I knew it! http://ping.fm/gC8eX

AllBusiness Daily News: Recovery up and unemployment down! Does it look that way to your #SmallBiz? http://ping.fm/rmdis

10 Radical ways REAL entrepreneurs raised cash in a bad economy. Bet there are a couple you never thought of! http://ping.fm/7lji3 #SmallBiz

AllBusiness Daily News: Cordray appointment to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is GOOD news for small businesses http://ping.fm/pqMIq #SmallBiz

AllBusiness Daily News: #BofA to drop/restructure its risky #SmallBiz loans. Thanks sooooo much! http://ping.fm/Jn3rL

The Evil HR Lady says "Hire someone you hate." Good advice, but I say "Hire someone, anyone!" http://ping.fm/rmweV #SmallBiz

AllBusiness Daily News: Consumer confidence keeps rising. So aren't I more confident about the economy? http://ping.fm/GvECQ #SmallBiz