It’s getting close to a year now since Google’s troubles with Street View started. After it revealed  that it had, inadvertently it says, collected private WiFi data from open networks, may of the countries involved started investigations.

Last year, Google revealed that its Street View cars, which were equipped with WiFi scanning equipment, mistakenly collected payload data from the networks along with identification data which they were supposed to capture. Among the data, analysis later revealed, there was sensitive material such as entire emails and passwords. Several investigations are still ongoing.

What does this mean for you? The big lesson here for small businesses and female entrepreneurs is to make sure your WiFi network is secure. Don’t make it easy for your competition or today’s version of Big Brother to easily swipe your private information. Just use these easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions to Secure Your Wireless Network, and you won’t have to worry about what private information you make available for the taking through your WiFi network.

Almost all of us have jumped onto someone else’s unsecured Wi-Fi network. There’s little harm in that if you’re just an honest soul looking for an Internet connection. But if you’re the owner of an unsecured network, you should be aware that the world’s not made up entirely of honest souls–and it’s not hard for the dishonest ones to see exactly what you’re doing on your network.

Don’t make it easy for those who are looking to gather information from your network. Secure your WiFi network, and protect your privacy in this “Brave New World.”

Small businesses sell billions of dollars worth of goods and services to the US federal government every year. Furthermore, many government agencies require that some percentage of their contracts for goods and services be awarded to small businesses. And the federal government now makes it easy for small businesses like yours to know about the business opportunities that the government has.

Fed Biz Ops – Gov Gives Biz

The Fed Biz Ops website is an official United States government website which advertises business opportunities created by the 2009 stimulus package. On the same day that President Barack Obama signed the package, the first jobs appeared on the site. >>Read more

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses. SBA’s grant programs generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments in an effort to expand and enhance small business technical and financial assistance.

Although no business loans or business grants for women are available at the federal level, what the government does offer is lots of free help in planning how to start or grow your business and how to secure low-interest SBA-backed small business loans.

So is that it? No money from Uncle Sam to help you start that dream business you’ve been planning for? Unfortunately, that’s true…Good ‘ol Uncle Sam’s pockets have been picked cleaned when it comes to grants for starting up small businesses. However, the good news is that the story doesn’t end there because…

States Come to the Rescue with Business Grants for Women!

Small business grants for women do exist. In fact, that small business grant you need to start or expand your woman-owned business could be available right in your own home state. Many state development agencies offer these types of small business grants as well as other types of financial assistance designed to encourage and assist entrepreneurs, including women, in starting or expanding their small business.

Small business financing incentives are a very important part of the economic growth for every state so some states actually offer small business grants and other small business incentives which might include subsidized rates on SBA loans, tax breaks and even participation in business “incubator” programs.

So how do you find whether your state offers such programs?

Just go to your  favorite search engine and search for the economic development agency in your state (e.g., “your state economic development”). Alternatively, if you don’t want to do that or for some reason the home page for your state economic development agency doesn’t pop up, I’ve pulled together found  a comprehensive list for you, which includes the links to all state economic development agencies as well as direct links to the state small business grant programs, links to other small business funding sources in the state, plus a link to tax information for small businesses in the state.

If you’d like that list of state funding resources, just enter your name and email address in the following form and it will be delivered to your email instantly. Enjoy!

Do you have an eye for design, maybe the knack for transforming entire rooms. If so, a career in homestaging may be the one for you. No special certifications needed. And in today’s real estate market, sellers need any advantage they can get to differential their home from the others sitting on the market. Just watch this short video to find out how you can get started right away.

Do you want to find out more about what it takes to get started in your own home staging career? Then you’ll want to check out the FabGuide “Become a Home Stager – Get Paid to Stage Homes for Sale“ written by Kimberly Stone, owner of her own interior decorating firm as well as a staff writer for two interior design websites. Kimberly really knows her stuff!

Roxanne Storie of Shawnee, KS, had this to say about the FabJob Guide to Home Staging -

“I wanted to let you know how FABULOUS and helpful the FabJob Guide to “Become a Home Stager” has been for me! After searching all avenues on how to even begin this business, I bought several books, listened in on tele-conferences, talked with realtors, and nationwide home stagers…only to find out very little about how to get started! Seems everyone had a closed mouth with information! Then I found YOUR guide! Wow! I am now up and running in the Kansas City market, all as a result of your valuable information! I cannot thank you enough for saving me thousands of dollars and months of frustration trying to break into this industry. I would recommend this guide to anyone wanting direct, inexpensive, in-depth, detailed information on how to become a home stager. Thanks again for helping me to become something I was born to be!!” -

Want to see more information and testimonials on this resource for starting a home staging business? Go ahead over to FabJobs.com and have a look!

“Huh?” you say. “What?” you ask.

Well, if you read my blog post Google Goes Loco, Oops, I Mean Local on All Searches you’ll know that since April of 2009 Google has been serving local results  with its search results. You see from its own research Google has discovered that 70% of its searches is done with local intent. That means 70% of the time people are searching Google, they are looking for products or services from “local” businesses. Since Google wants to stay on top as the #1 Search Engine, the people at Google decided that they better make provisions for local business search results…so voila, Local Search was born. By the way, Bing and Yahoo followed suit with their own local search results, as well… >> read more

That’s because the Leopards have a dynamite one-two punch in the Lustig brothers.

Tyber Lustig is a senior left-hander and Bo is a junior right-hander. Although there is no sibling rivalry, they have common goals.

Both want to lead Belle Vernon to an undefeated regular season and to a WPIAL team title. Individually, they want to qualify for the PIAA tournament.