Marketing en-us Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:48:40 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 5 The authors seemed to get the most attention. Oprah Winfrey, 55, created bestsellers with her book club, and she has certainly helped turn some people into major stars (every day, one suspects, Dr. Phil bows to a shrine of Oprah), but she has also done a lot for small businesses as well. Over the years, Oprah has mentioned favorite products of hers, while beleaguered but grateful CEOs have then done everything they can to keep up with the sudden demand she has created. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:24:14 EST You could learn a lot from Robert Lee, CEO of Cullman Liquidation Center, or perhaps it’s more fair to say that you could learn a lot from the production company he hired to make an ad for him: I Love Local Commercials. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:44:50 EST Finding herself out of work and facing £400 ($655) rent payments, Debbie Davis, 29, from Sutherland, UK decided to turn her situation around and found such success that within five years, she's now making £250,000 ($409,639) a year, drives a Mercedes SLK and a BMW X3, and owns her own house. How, you may ask? By breaking out the makeup, of course. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:38:48 EDT We've all heard of companies that give their employee of the month the best parking space, but what about also throwing in a sports car and a $150 prepaid gas card? Apparently the plan worked. At the time, Infusionsoft had 30 employees. Now their ranks have swelled to 140. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:17:12 EDT Warren Buffett, world-renowned capitalist extraordinaire is adding fashionista to his list of triumphs. This chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. has been getting a lot of attention lately for his personal investments in a previously little-known Chinese clothing line, Trands. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:35:12 EDT A new group of small business entrepreneurs are taking the spotlight at Tampa, Florida's Hillsborough County Jail. Inmates at this minimum security facility are brewing and selling their own line of hot sauces. Even more unique than the sauce itself is the inmates' decision to embrace the unique product's roots by building the brand entirely around a prison theme, naming the condiment "Jail House Fire Hot Sauce" and using gripping slogans that include "So Lethal" and "Murder on the Taste Buds." Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:04:30 EDT Every entrepreneur, before they go into business, dreams of being captain of their own ship. Jake Robinson actually is one. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EDT It seems like a dubious strategy, but it’s one we’re seeing more and more of: working for free and hoping it will pay off in the long-term. Interns, of course, have long done it, and there are reports that it’s becoming more common for college graduates to volunteer to work for free, hoping to gain entry into the marketplace. There are even stories out there of employees being laid off and staying on the job anyway, working for free and with the hope of being rehired if money becomes available. Meanwhile, any independent contractor, be it a freelance writer or business consultant, will probably be able to tell you that they’re periodically asked if they’ll work for free. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:28:51 EDT She is one of the most powerful people on the planet. She is beloved. She is admired. And she's suing at least fifty businesses along with some-times-guest Dr. Oz. Find out what these companies have done to make Oprah mad. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:28:04 EDT Against all fashion odds, apparently it's still cool to wear a T-shirt claiming you're employed as someone with special privileges. For years now, teens sported "Event Staff" shirts to try to get backstage at concerts, "Undercover Cop" shirts to pretend they're packing heat, or "FBI" shirts to claim they're in the Justice Department (or, in most cases, are a "Female Body Inspector" -- seriously). Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:28:42 EDT