Over at Small Business Survival, Glen Muske has a post called "Using Big Data in your Small Business" that should more accurately be called "What makes up Big Data?"  What it's actually good for is demystifying the concept of big data for newcomers to the conversation.  Muske correctly identifies some really important realities about the process of collecting data for a business, especially this first step:

The first reality is they probably already have the data in the form of sales receipts, inventory, purchasing information and the overall financial records of the business. All of this probably already is stored electronically. Second, they already are “mining” the data when they do their profit and loss statement, cash flow reports, balance sheets, and year-end taxes and reports.

If you've found yourself in the position of not really knowing your position on collecting big data, head over to the full post to get Muske's helpful primer.

This infographic spotted at Black Enterprise asks us to consider whether "The American Dream" is still alive in this age (and this economy).  Food for thought.

The SBA put out a great list of tips for veteran-owned small businesses that are worth reading.  The fourth point talks specifically about SBA incentives for veteran owned businesses:

The law mandates that government agencies establish contracting goals that require them to reach out and consider small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses for procurement opportunities. Currently, 23 percent of contracts must be awarded to small businesses and three percent to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. These opportunities will help open doors, but you must still be able to sell your business on performance, price and ability. Contact your Veterans Business Outreach Center to learn more about these and other incentive opportunities.

Head over to their blog to read the other 9.

Carolyn Brown at Black Enterprise has drawn our attention to a recent study that looks at the benefits of having a proactive workforce.  Here are the three questions she recommends you apply to you team:

1. Are they rarely caught by surprise? Proactive people learn to anticipate problems and to control or participate in events happening around them. They are not idle observers.

2. Do they make a decision only when they have to? Proactive people don’t procrastinate or wait until they are backed into a corner to take action. They make conscious decisions as part of a larger, long-term plan.

3. Do they feel powerless? Proactive people prevent problems that others would look back on in hindsight and claim unavoidable. Proactive people don’t get swept up in a feeling of powerlessness.

Survey results on "small business friendliness" via Thumbtack.