In the early days of the Internet revolution, many people believed that e-commerce would eclipse traditional brick-and-mortar shops. Although e-commerce has indeed changed the way many companies do business, it is clear that brick-and-mortar stores are still crucial. Yet businesses still face challenges when integrating an e-commerce solution. For example, what if your e-commerce site becomes too successful? How can you avoid the cannibalization of your brick-and-mortar stores, while still maintaining a strong Internet presence? Read more
Monroe built his own Web site and has expanded on his father's love of antique pens to establish a successful small business selling pens and styluses online. Read more
Junior’s, The World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake, is a household name in New York City. For over 50 years, Junior’s has been selling its desserts from its flagship store in downtown Brooklyn, and recently opened a second location in Grand Central Station. Earlier this month, Junior’s re-launched a revised version of its e-commerce site, www.juniorscheesecake.com, so that true connoisseurs (and new fans) can get a piece of the action even if they’re far from the Big Apple. Read more
Gotham Bikes and Toga Bike Shop are familiar names to New York City’s biking community. We met Jon Lancaster, the General Manager for both Gotham and Toga in October at the Crain’s Business Expo. We wanted to know what he thought were the challenges and benefits of taking their shops on line. Read more
As Marketing Manager at the ERA-Richmond Real Estate office in Meadville, Pennsylvania, DeAnna oversees development of a web site selling 19th Century homes using 21st Century technology. Read more
Blair Candy is a wholesaler and distributor of candy, tobacco, and paper products in Altoona, PA. Patrick Dandrea, who eventually enlisted the help of his sons Ron and Terry, established it in 1940. Read more
Family businesses are struggling in the face of a sluggish economy and increased competition from the chains. So how do they succeed? By working smarter. They know their niche, and they know how they can best serve their customers, and how they can get the most out of their brand. This week, we visit Jack Ricks Glass in Atlanta, Georgia, to see how they are growing their family business. Read more
Employee leasing became a business buzzword in the 1990’s, but for Robert Boffa, Jr. of Personnel Coordinators, Inc, employee leasing was business as usual. Rob and his brothers Brian, Jon, and Daniel represent the third generation of PCI, a company that has been at the forefront of employee leasing for over 40 years. Read more
Fred Gaston of Insurenewmedia has positioned his company for success by melding advanced Internet technology with the traditional resources of his family´s 106-year-old company. Read more
When John Jowers went to work at his father´s appliance company, he never thought it would lead to a sideline business restoring antique refrigerators. But at antiqueappliances.com, these "cool" appliances are doing a hot business on the web. Read more
