SAN FRANCISCO and REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
StartupNation (http://www.startupnation.com) and Microsoft Office Live Small
Business (http://www.smallbusiness.officelive.com) have launched the second
annual "Home-Based 100" to find the top home-based businesses in the country.
Home-based businesses interested in making the list can submit their business
profile at http://www.startupnation.com/homebased100, with results to be
announced in November.
According to the Small Business Administration, over half of all U.S.
businesses are based out of an owner's home, and home-based businesses
contribute more than $530 billion to the U.S. economy each year. With more
than 19 million entrepreneurs currently running a business from home, most
experts believe this trend is at an all-time high.
"2008 is the year of the home-based business. While home businesses have
long been the backbone of the U.S. economy -- surpassing more than half of all
businesses -- this year's economic pressures have accelerated this trend and
fueled a new crop of home-based entrepreneurs," said Rich Sloan, co-founder of
StartupNation LLC and one of the country's leading small-business experts.
"Our 2008 ranking of home-based businesses will showcase these unsung heroes
of entrepreneurship and demonstrate that home is not only where the heart is,
but also where passion, drive and tomorrow's business success stories live."
The StartupNation Home-Based 100 is composed of 10 top-10 lists making it
not just an ordinary business list. Including the grungiest, the most
innovative and the best financial performers, the unique and diverse list
highlights the home-based businesses that are often unrecognized, but which
still play a vital role in the economy today. The 10 categories for 2008
follow:
-- Best Financial Performers
-- Most Innovative
-- Boomers Back in Business
-- Greenest
-- Yummiest
-- Wackiest
-- Grungiest
-- Recession Busters
-- Most Slacker-Friendly
-- Most Glamorous
"Home-based businesses are a growing and vital force in the U.S. economy,
and the Home-Based 100 has established itself as the leading voice for
recognizing and encouraging home-based business success," said Michael
Schultz, U.S. marketing lead for Microsoft Office Live Small Business. "Many
of today's leading companies, including Microsoft Corp., claim 'home' as their
birthplace, and we are proud to join with StartupNation to recognize the
future of entrepreneurship."
New Category
This year, a new category called Recession Busters recognizes businesses
that are overcoming the economic downturn. While 2008 has brought new business
challenges, including tighter lending standards, higher prices for energy and
weaker consumer spending, a home-based business can tap the advantage of an
agile, cost-efficient framework. This unique category will highlight
businesses that are not only surviving but also thriving in the current
economy.
"Being included on the 2007 Home-Based 100 made my year," said Laura
Faust, owner of Ciao Laura LLC. Winner in the Yummiest category for Home-Based
100 2007 (http://www.startupnation.com/home-based-100/83/8984/winner.htm),
Ciao Laura provides travelers with a unique opportunity to learn to cook
authentic Italian recipes through its culinary vacation packages in Italy.
"The amount of attention and new business that my company received from this
award is overwhelming -- from record-breaking Web traffic to skyrocketing
sales. It is incredible being recognized for the work that I love and an honor
to be featured in this list of outstanding businesses."
Contestants must be home-based and also have a business Web site to enter
the contest. Sponsors of the Home-Based 100 ranking include Microsoft Office
Live Small Business and FedEx Office.
About StartupNation
StartupNation (http://www.startupnation.com) provides over 175,000 pages
of business advice and networking for entrepreneurs and serves millions of
entrepreneurs annually. StartupNation is a free service founded by
entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with the intention of providing a one-stop
shop for entrepreneurial success, including blogs from a host of experts,
podcasts, webcasts, eBooks, award-winning step-by-step advice, and more.
About StartupNation's Founders -- The Sloan Brothers
StartupNation co-founders and "chief startupologists," Rich and Jeff
Sloan, are two of the country's leading small business experts and ran their
business from home for eight years. They speak frequently at entrepreneurial
forums and act as sources for top media venues nationwide. They are authors of
StartupNation: Open for Business, published by Doubleday, and provide their
insight online at http://www.startupnation.com. The Sloans are regularly
quoted and featured in media such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal,
Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX News and
many others.
About Microsoft Office Live Small Business
Microsoft Office Live Small Business is the award-winning service that
offers a complete, affordable set of easy-to-use Internet-based tools that
help small business owners get online, attract customers and manage their
businesses. Office Live Small Business has more than 1 million customers in
five countries: U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Japan. More information is
available at http://www.smallbusiness.officelive.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.
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