Here a few ideas:

Marketing
Internet
Finance
Shopping

Ditto; sounds like a really good idea.

How about a place that is an "Educational Resource" for aspiring entrepreneurs?

This educational resource would have to be on several different levels, dependant on the level of understanding and/or education of the visitor.
Some examples of levels, and or topics: "HOW TO START A BUSINESS", "BUSINESS 101," "MARKETING TECHNIQUES" "TIME MANAGEMENT"

 

It would be best to support three different levels of users. The first being focused on an under-educated and/or new to business visitor.

The second being, someone that has a good understanding of all business basics, but needs some fine tuning of certain business practices and/or principles.

The last being someone that owns a business, that is successful, and needs more advanced resources. Other visitors could visit this as well, but they would have a more difficult time understanding any of the information if they do not have a strong base on the first two.

 

Some topics of interest:

Business Plan
Legal Form of Ownership & Definition of that form.
Taxes/ Accounting
Registering in your State.
"Start a Business Cookbook" - A place that considers your state, your industry, and then takes you step by step to start your business.

IF you thing about it, you can go to 10,000 blogs on the internet to post your opinion and views.

Where can you go that has an "educationa resource center" to support opinions and views?

The SBOC website is focused on "POSTING AND RESPONDING".

A very good idea for small business.

What about making this "POSTING AND RESPONDING", stay the focus, but with "EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES" being the initial focus of the website.

There are many other resources that could be the forefront to the "POSTING AND RESPONDING" portion of the website. all that lead to the "FORUM" part of the website.

When a visitor first comes to the website, he could be overwhelmed by an user like "inTechSpecial" posting 300 comments in the last 17 minutes, and why does the visitor even care about what the heck this "inTechSpecial" has to say?

They Close The Web Broswer Never To Return.

 

IF..........................................they come to the SBOC website, and see a ton of resources for small businesses, not resources that "inTechSpecial" has posted, and these are valid resources at that, they would be more interested in this. "Mr_Big_Business_Advisor" claims to be a business administration advisor, but I see no proof of this outside of his 10 zillion posts in the last 2.5 seconds.

SBOC controls this part of the website, because users like "inTechSpecial" state they are Microsoft Partners. These may be true, but are they a Microsoft Employee?

So SBOC asks someone in sales from Microsoft to post some information, and asks someone from the Small Business Administration for some information.

In turn both are known to occassionally post comments on the "FORUM" portion of the site.

Visitors suddenly are overwhelmed by the amount of resources and professionlism of the SBOC website, and inTechSpecial is demoted to what he really is, just a small business owner with an opinion, not a "COMMUNITY BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL ADVISOR WITH ALL OF THE ANSWERS".

inTechSpecial still has his say and opinion, but in the "POSTING AND RESPONDING" portion of the website.

For inTechSpecial to be included the "EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE" part of the website, he must either 1. Have Proof of his ability, or 2. pay an advertising fee.

Only leaders that are reconized in their paticular industry should even have the option of posting.

Bill Gates is an example of someone that is reconized, the President of SCORE is an example, CEO of Bank of America. Need i go on?

 

 

inTechSpecial would still have his validation on the "FORUM" posting of the website. THe biggest difference is that if the user "inTEchSpecial" gets into a heated discussion with the user "Johnny AppleSeed" in regards to which is the better choice, ZUNE OR IPOD, it is seen as just a couple of oddballs spewing pointless babble, and not the forefront of the website.

Please continue the "FORUM" portion as is, but let us please raise the bar a mile or two to assist this to be the community it was originally intended to be, by integrating some professional level resources compliments of the SBOC team.

Thank you for allowing this post, and letting me babble for a second or two.

 

Now I am off to surf the web, as I have some market research I must do.

I would like to see some sort of a 'good vendor exchange'. Members could reccommend each other as well as other businesses that can assist small business with their needs.

**BTW: IntechSpecials idea I believe would help the board grow a lot,****

Since you gave us a "giant whiteboard" . . .

I think it would be cool if the SBOC could act as a member organization to obtain special deals on some of the "premium" functional resources that many small businesses probably can't afford. Three examples: 1) CDs or downloadable libraries of business correspondence templates, forms, and legal documents; 2) access to a web conferencing tool like Adobe Connect or GoToMeeting Corporate; 3) use of subscription research services like D&B and/or Hoovers.

I'm envisioning that a member could download the product/offer from a "Resources" section on the SBOC and get a much better purchase/license price than he/she could as an individual -- because we'd be getting the buying power of a 12,000 member professional association, in effect. This concept could also include substantial discounts on business products or services from "partner" companies (they often have "advantage" buyer programs for large businesses and professional groups -- but many small business owners don't have access to these and pay more as a result). Of course, SBOC members could offer discounts on products or services to other SBOC members via the same function.

I recognize that this may not be what you had in mind, but I appreciate the opportunity to provide input. Thanks for asking, and for supporting this site.

Please help me as to why I can not post in your business classified section. I see a need for my service yet I can not post.

I am reading all this. I see some thing missing .The stress of business can get the best of any one . slow productivity and lose of work. Poor jugment. and just down right get to you. stress managment should be part of the . As a business person we all work to much rest to little . What do we get for that?

I think INTECSPECIAL is on to a good idea. I have only been a member for a week, I came with hope and enthusiasm but already am becoming turned off by some of the mind numbing, useless, repetitive, banal comments made with seemingly the only aim of getting another 5 points and maintaining a top rating.

 

As I mentioned in another post, running a small biz can be a lonley thing and sometimes the advice, experience or wisdom of someone who has been there done that is priceless.

 

There are a lot of people asking for such help, only to be bombarded by suggestions to SEO their web site or "do you have a business plan, tell me more, what did you have for breakfast' questions that are not just unhelpful, they are inappropriate and, IMHO, lower the tone of this board.

 

So yes please, lets have an "experts" corner or something, one that can be "monitored" so only those with creds can speak, and, whilst I am pushing my luck, get rid of this silly points system, it breeds ignorance and arrogance and, as a new member, I really can't see any point in it other than to inflate already over hyped egos.

 

Lastly, as it is close http://well.... to Christmas and you are in a generous mood, or were, can you maybe cut us some slack with the "About Us" page and offer a few creative tools for formatting the "Few words about me and my Business"? Mine looks like a dogs dinner at the moment!

 

Uhhm, I am not as negative as this sounds, I do appreciate the free service and the time that goes into running it, but well, you asked and so................

I totally agree with wordperfect to the fullest. However, in addittion how about providing a irect channel to funding sources. REAL FUNDING SOURCES!
There are many members here on this forum that are in need of real support. For example, setting up an expert section that can be accessed by individuals or businesses that are ready. They could access this private area via a questionaire that clarifies their stage of development. These would be individuals who are currently in business, have business plans, seek real funding and are ready, etc. Sort of like raising the bar.

Perhaps B of A should also invite investors to this area as well since they themselves are not financing business opportunities.

Partnership
www.esperient.com

A portion of this site could be devoted to encouraging Diversity!

Resources and results for businesses that may be considered at a disadvantage.

Diversity Rocks!