If you're looking for a dose of entrepreneurial inspiration, check out this article from the LA Times. It tells the story of Richard Crasnick, entrepreneur and president of FIKI Sports, which stands for "Flick It and Kick It." What started as a game being played between him and his brother 16 years ago is now Crasnick's business, projected to bring in $1.5 million in revenue this year. And it couldn't be any simpler. Basically, Crasnick created an upscale version of paper football along with the help of his friend, Craig Matthews. Though he admits he had little business know-how prior to FIKI Sports, Crasnick says he knew he didn't want to work for anyone else, so he took that passion and got to work. But it wasn't always easy. "You hear 'no' in so many ways that you develop a thick skin. You learn that 'no' just means 'no today,' not tomorrow."

Sure, the old saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words." But researchers at the University of Minnesota are challenging that phrase in their paper "Managing the Future: CEO Attention and Innovation Outcomes." According to researchers, predicting the future innovation of firms comes down to the words of the company's CEO. "By simply counting the number of future oriented sentences in annual reports we can predict future innovation by the firm," said Rajesh Chandy, professor of marketing at the university's Carlson School of Management and a co-author of the study. The paper, which will be published in the Journal of Marketing, suggests that when CEOs focus on future events and external activities, they can inspire and motivate innovation in the workplace. Chandy advises CEOs to shy away from internal problems that can bog them down, and instead turn their attention toward the big picture.

When you first began your business, you probably thought long and hard about all the possible scenarios you needed to prepare for. But here's something you may not have thought about: disaster preparedness. According to a recent survey by the American Red Cross and FedEx Corp., 94 percent of small-business owners believe a disaster could disrupt their business within the next two years, yet only 43 percent say they're prepared for a one-week disruption. Only 22 percent feel they could withstand a one-month disturbance. Of those surveyed, 25 percent say they want to take the steps to prepare their business for disaster, and now, the American Red Cross and FedEx Corp. are working together to help them do just that. "All businesses should have a disaster plan, but for small businesses, being prepared can make a difference in being able to stay in business after a disaster," said Darlene Sparks Washington, director of preparedness for the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross and FedEx are still working on developing emergency strategies for small businesses, but in the meantime, you can download their disaster preparedness checklist and purchase supplies at the Red Cross online store.