Affordable 401(k) plans are a smart way for small businesses to survive the downturn while building for the future.

Publishers increasingly can't afford to pay for content, so you might as well supply it. Here's how.

Valuable lessons from preternatural wealth builders.

If you want your business (small or large) to survive, live this list.

Important reminders for all the mothers, corporate soldiers and baby boomers looking to launch.

Are you paying for this stuff? Then stop.

Smart thoughts on brand strategy from the Wharton Marketing Conference.

A few months ago, I started to get overwhelmed by Twitter. My company does Web design, development, and marketing, so I was managing tweets not only for my business but also for my clients.
I use HootSuite to streamline the process. It lets me manage multiple accounts on one dashboard. I can schedule tweets in advance instead of logging on every time I want to send one. When I write a new blog post, HootSuite automatically sends a tweet to my followers.

What with fuzzy resolution and annoying time delays, it's no surprise that Web-based videoconferencing has never really caught on. A new product called VidyoOne delivers online conferences with video resolution of up to 720 pixels using only a desktop or laptop, webcam, and headset. The software isn't cheap: Individual access for 25 people, five of whom can take part in any given meeting, costs $7,000. But VidyoOne, which makes the most sense for companies with far-flung employees, is still more affordable than many in-room systems.

Web-based e-mail has been geared primarily toward personal use. Now, big players such as Microsoft, Cisco, and Google are trying to lure businesses away from on-site e-mail servers and into the cloud. We took the services for a test drive. Here's how they stack up.
GOOGLE GMAIL FOR BUSINESS
We set up an e-mail server in record time, and the interface ran superfast. Gmail for business is designed primarily for the Web, but it has a Microsoft Outlook plug-in.

 
DATAVIZ DOCUMENTS TO GO
DataViz lets you create and edit Word and Excel files and PowerPoint presentations, and view PDF documents. A free version lets you view Word and Excel documents. Cost: $14.99
SCAN2PDF MOBILE
This app, by Burrotech, lets you use your phone's camera to scan contracts, receipts, and other documents as full-color PDFs and e-mail them to your desktop. Cost: $14.99
ZAGAT TO GO
A must-have when entertaining clients, Zagat has ratings for 40,000 restaurants, nightspots, hotels, and shops. Use your phone's GPS to find nearby options or browse Top 10 lists for various cities.

For some, diplomas are (barely) worth the paper they're printed on. These star entrepreneurs jumped right in.

Including ''Avoid Death'' and other nuggets of cautionary wisdom.

Weighing your cap-ex decisions? Here's how America's Most Promising Companies aim to re-invest this year.

Mobile marketing is a quick and convenient way for companies to send ads directly to consumers’ cell phones, and although cell phone owners have been weary of this marketing method in the past, new studies show that the tables may be turning.

Storing files online is increasingly popular, particularly as a secondary backup of data archived on companies' on-site servers. Here are three of the best services for storing data in the ether.
MOZY
Mozy offers 2GB of online backup free, enough to store a few hundred songs or tens of thousands of pages of text. For $4.95 a month, you get unlimited backup of your personal computer files.

I started using free customer relationship management software called Fat Free CRM to organize sales leads a few months ago. I got hooked on Fat Free because it is an open-source application, which means I can download it, install it, and customize it to suit my needs as my start-up Web development business grows. I also like the fact that I can put Fat Free on my internal server instead of depending on a third party for security. Plus, it's free.
Right out of the box, Fat Free does just about everything you'd expect from CRM software.

Call it semiprivate aviation: A website called ShareAJet Exchange helps connect travelers looking to fly in luxury at a discount. After signing up for a free membership, travelers can post flight requests on the site or browse listings to find a match. Each flight accommodates a maximum of two parties, and the price is split evenly regardless of the breakdown of the groups. A recent listing advertised a one-way trip from Washington, D.C., to Rome on a 12-seat Gulfstream with room for 10 extra passengers for $60,000 per party, half the cost of flying privately.

Netbooks are fine for viewing websites and checking e-mail but not so great for editing photos, creating PowerPoint presentations, or watching high-def movies. The Lenovo S12 changes that, thanks to the NVIDIA ION chipset, the same chip used in the Apple MacBook. The S12 has only 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive, but the chip makes it powerful enough to run Windows 7. Other perks include a 12-inch screen, a full-size keyboard, and up to six hours of battery life. Yet it has a decidedly netbook-like weight of 3.4 pounds. cost: $429