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A how-to blog for Chicago business
How to Get Your Startup Started
You may have just started your business and do not know how to scale it or have an idea and are not sure how to launch it or even how to make sure it is a good idea. This is the time to take a step back and get... Read »
How to Open a Surbuban Co-Working Space: The Online Community
As working from home and freelancing becomes an undeniable fact of life, so do co-working spaces -- places where people and companies gather to work next to each other, collaborate and share ideas. Here,... Read »
How to Turn Your Social Media Presence into Profit
There you are with an active Facebook page, a growing Twitter following, a healthy amount of email subscribers, and good reviews on Yelp. While you may have great online visibility, the main reasons for being... Read »
How to Open a Suburban Co-Working Space: Assessing the Costs
As working from home and freelancing becomes an undeniable fact of life, so do co-working spaces -- places where people and companies gather to work next to each other, collaborate and share ideas. Read »
Kickstarter Turns Chicago Grads' Project Into Profit
Derek Tarnow and Zahra Tashakorina, students of Chicago's Illinois Institute of Technology Institute of Design, created an iPhone project for a class, which raised over $200,000 and the attention of a Technology... Read »
How to Revamp Your Brand Without Losing (and Confusing) Customers
Talk to any business owner and they’ll tell you rebranding can be a slippery slope. JCPenney, for example, has received backlash from customers for many branding decisions, including the hiring (and firing)... Read »
Why Social Media is For All Small Businesses
The term “social media” can be intimidating for most small businesses. But for small businesses, social media is a potent promotional tool. Read »
Small Businesses Added 35,000 Jobs in May: Report
The Chicago weather is dreary and confusing and very weird, so here’s some sunny news: According to Intuit Payroll’s May Small Business Indexes, “revenue trends of the nation’s small businesses with fewer... Read »
Why Conversation Trumps Monologues on Social Media
I’m going to level with you: I’m frustrated. Why? I make my living managing social media accounts for OpticsPlanet.com, and I love to both come up with clever new ways to reach people and see what other... Read »
How to Get a Developer Excited About Your Web/Mobile App
During my 5+ years as a freelance web developer, I worked with a variety of clients. Some were really exciting to work with and made me excited to work on their project, while others were boring and failed to... Read »
About
NBC Chicago's "How-To" start up blog aims to help your entrepreneurial idea germinate and grow into a fully functioning business. Lean on our experts, ask questions and find out best practices to take your passion project professional.
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Photos & Videos
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Spotlight: Guaranteed Rate
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CEO Spotlight: Enova's David Fisher
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Rahm Lauds Tech Incubator 1871
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Spring Clean Your Career
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Spotlight: Redbox Instant's Amy Gibby
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Ask an Owner: Work on Business, Not in Business
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Ask an Owner: Keep an Eye on the Money
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Ask an Owner: Have a Clear Branding, Marketing Strategy
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Ask an Owner: Why You Need to Delegate Tasks
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Ask An Owner: The Biggest Lesson Learned
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Ask an Owner: Share Your Idea
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Just One Drink: Chef Stephanie Izard
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Spotlight: Baird Capital Venture Partners
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Spotlight: Discover Card's Mike Boush
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CEO Spotlight: Threadless Founder Jake Nickell
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CEO Spotlight: kCura's Andrew Sieja
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Spotlight: Sertifi's John and Nick Stojka
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Just One Drink: Chef Fabio Viviani
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'Salsa Truck' Gets City's First License for Onboard Cooking
What We Cover
See more What We Cover
Pets
Some officials have estimated the City of Chicago's dog population to be somewhere around 500,000. Add in all the cats, fish and birds and you've got yourself an industry just begging -- and barking -- to be...
Fashion
There are plenty of questions for a fledgling fashionista to answer. Never fear: We've got the goods.
Marketing
Good luck making a dent in the public conscience if you don't have marketing and branding plan to get your message out.
Food Business
Experts say 90 percent of new restaurants fail in their first year of operation. You want to be the 10 percent that makes it. But how?
Authors
David Wolinsky
David Wolinsky is a freelance writer, lifelong Chicagoan, and reasonably handsome business-study scion.
Kim Vatis
Kim Vatis joined NBC5 News in 1997. She currently Anchors the weekend morning newscasts, is general assignment reporter and special projects reporter for the 10 PM newscasts.
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