A few days ago, I received an interesting letter in the mail. It came in a crisp, watermarked envelope. There was a bold seal embossed on the front. And the letter inside was signed by President Barack Obama.

Why would the President of the United Stated of America send me a personal letter? Simple – I asked him to.

A few weeks ago, in the midst of what proved to be a very heated presidential election campaign, I wrote letters to both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, asking them what they planned on doing to help small business owners in the coming four years. This week, I received a detailed response from President Obama. It arrived in the form of a lengthy three page letter, directly addressing my concerns and clearly detailing what his plans are to help America’s small businesses grow bigger. Read more

In life, there are always lessons to be learned. And that remains especially true in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Stories abound about how people came together in this time of crisis, where humanity overshadowed hostility and perseverance vanquished politics.

But there are a few folks who rightfully deserve a special moment in the spotlight- the brave first responders who put their own safety and comfort on the line to rescue those in need, both during and after the hurricane.

You know who I’m referring to. Read more

So you wake up one fine morning, open the newspaper and it suddenly hits you right between the eyes: there’s a full-page ad announcing the grand opening of a new competitor. This does not sound like good news. An emergency meeting hastily takes place at the office and the gloomy faces of your fellow workers speak volumes. “Help – there’s a new competitor! Who’s this new kid on the block and how will he affect our business?!”

According to many economists, if you play your cards right, that new kid on the block will actually affect your business in a positive way. Because believe it or not, competition is not scary for business… it’s healthy. Read more

Okay, by now you’ve probably heard all the hype about the new iPhone 5. Apple fans are praising it; comedians are lampooning it; and the stockbrokers on Wall Street are enjoying every minute of it.

According to USA Today, iPhone 5 retail sales appeared to be exceeding expectations as Apple stores were inundated with customers snapping up the company’s latest model. Outside the Upper West Side Apple store in New York City, hundreds were lined up around the block as blue-shirted Apple employees walked around the line, answering questions and handing out free coffee.

But Apple fever isn’t only taking place in America. Hundreds of cold and tired customers were lined up outside the Apple store on London’s Regent Street the night before the iPhone 5 release. Many had been waiting outside the store all night without food or anything to sit on, but the general consensus seemed to be that the hassle was worth it. Read more

Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten tremendous feedback from my readers about suggestions for future LTB topics. While most of them were obviously business-related, there was one particular topic that didn’t quite fit the traditional “business” genre – but is still so very important.

And I would like to introduce that topic – and the significance it holds – with the following true story.

It was a busy Mother’s Day at the florist shop when a wealthy businessman driving a shiny Cadillac pulled into the parking lot. His elderly mother lived eighty miles away and he was hoping the florist would agree to make a special flower delivery to her distant location. As he got out of the car, he noticed a little girl sitting on the curb sobbing softly. Read more