Smart Answers

John C. Lauderdale III helped win more than $10 billion in government contracts for big and small companies. Here, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Government Contracts offers advice on selling to the federal government

Setting up a food company is more difficult-and more expensive-than you might think. Rachel Kruse, founder of Organicville Foods, lets us in on how she launched her signature salad dressings nationwide and how she did years of research beforehand.

Startup CEOs are well informed about their markets, but as their businesses grow they may lose touch with larger trends and opportunities, says Seena Sharp, principal of Sharp Market Intelligence. She offers advice to help them stay on top of their games

Growing family businesses must implement organizational culture and invest in employee training and team-building, says Frank Hoy, business professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He discusses developing loyalty by sharing the company's startup story

Automating processes such as collections and follow-up on sales prospects can help small companies cut costs and increase revenues. But automation must be done thoughtfully, so that relationships aren't undermined, says Clate Mask, CEO of Infusionsoft

As online business expands from text to include graphics and video, small business owners must go beyond logos and letterheads, says Juliet Huck, CEO of TheHuckGroup in Los Angeles. She urges them to use visual elements to inform and persuade readers

Clara Villarosa, founder of the Hue-Man Bookstore in Harlem, has written a book emphasizing the finance basics she learned as a banker in the 1980s. She shares entrepreneurial startup tips about developing realistic business ideas, finding funding, and analyzing competitors' marketing plans

More than half of consumers say they turn to the Internet for information about local companies. Randy Almond, vice-president for marketing at Yola, says it is imperative for small companies to establish a Web presence and articulates dos and don'ts

Stephanie Chandler interviewed more than 50 small business owners for her book "Leap! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business." She discusses some of the best practices she discovered, like the importance of outsourcing, building your business as an asset, and more

There are many free resources that entrepreneurs can use to start or expand a business, says Bob Reiss, author of "Bootstrapping 101: Tips to Build Your Business With Limited Cash and Free Outside Help." He talks about lesser-known bootstrapping tactics.

Independent retailers compete with Goliaths by inspiring "customer love," says Dave Ratner, founder of Dave's Soda & Pet City, a small Massachusetts chain. He says better selections, return policies, guarantees, and workers lure Americans to the underdog

Consumer confidence is rising and entrepreneurs are more optimistic. Ron Wince, a business strategy expert and CEO of Guidon, in Mesa, Az., says savvy business owners should continue operating frugally but begin planning to emerge ahead of their competition

Many entrepreneurs start out with freelance jobs to supplement employment income or test the waters of self-employment. Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix, offers advice on pricing, marketing, and navigating job boards for people working gig-to-gig

After selling his interactive design agency, Heavenspot, in 2007, Chevon Hicks bought it back. He talks about the cons of selling a business and the pros of keeping it small in expenses and overhead but big in customer relationships and profitability

Most women business owners offer health insurance to employees even as they cut back, says Linda Denny, president and CEO of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. She talks about the group's recent survey on the impact of proposed reforms.

Maisie Knowles jumped on a trend last year when she and her husband founded FreeShipping.org. The home-based entrepreneur offers advice about being flexible with your business model, keeping costs to a minimum, and juggling work and family time.

Imagine the boost in customer relations if you could spend half an hour daily nurturing top customers. Steve Strauss, author of The Small Business Bible, urges entrepreneurs to reorganize and use software more efficiently to improve the bottom line.

Ed Schmid expanded his small software firm, eCopy, into the global market via a partnership with his largest client, Canon. He explains how persistent entrepreneurs with solid relationship-building skills can do the same with help from corporate partners.

Small companies can establish a competitive advantage by cultivating ownership attitudes among their employees, says consultant Joe Wheeler, author of "The Ownership Quotient." He gives tips on empowering employees to improve products, services, processes, and relationships.

A business failure can be devastating emotionally, as Dean A. Shepherd learned when his father's long-time business shut its doors. The experience led Shepherd, a professor of entrepreneurship, to write "From Lemons to Lemonade" (Wharton School Publishing, 2009), about how entrepreneurs can deal with failure productively and use it to propel future success