Companies such as Qualcomm, Symantec, iRobot and Genentech know the power of financial backing from the federal government. They’ve benefited from a 32-year-old Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which has doled out more than 112,500 awards to small businesses, worth more than $26.9 billion, through fiscal year 2009, according to the most recent data.

Sometimes real leadership innovation isn’t about creating something bright and shiny and new. Perhaps it’s about dusting off an old piece of wisdom that others have forgotten in the rush toward novelty. Or maybe it’s about taking lessons long recognized in other disciplines but not applied in our own, whether that means learning something from a different area of business or from an entirely separate field. Here are four fundamentals of good leadership worth mastering.

"Gamification" uses characteristics like challenges, rewards, competitions, and moving to the next level based on performance skills or luck, in non-game contexts.  It’s often accompanied by progress tracking metrics.  The objectives are to engage users and change their behaviors in ways brands and organizations want.  The extremely broad and expanding range of ways gamification has been successfully utilized in recent years provides insights into other ways the tactic can achieve strategic objectives. 

As a small business, you’re strapped for resources and can’t always afford the time and talent it takes to execute blockbuster marketing campaigns. However, you do have valuable tools at your disposal to address common shortcomings and make a greater impact with your marketing efforts. With the right approach, you can help your business to stand out and better connect with prospects and customers.

Fabulous Freddy’s is proud to show appreciation to customers and community by providing a free Basic Exterior Car Wash to all of customers Thursday, September 25, 2014 all while giving back to local schools.

A new car wash project is coming to Washington Township in Dayton, Ohio. The Flying Ace Express Car Wash will replace the former Perfect Touch Car Wash. While the former business was a self-serve wash, the new car wash will feature a 130-foot tunnel for an automatic car wash, said Dan Eisenhauer, one of the partners along with John Roush and Jeff Gilger.