If you run a business and still think of Google only for search and AdWords, you may be missing something that could help your business work smarter and cheaper. The search giant is really a softy when it comes to small business, and has been working to woo biz owners and startups into its Google Apps for Business bundle. more

Amgen pioneered the development of novel products based on advances in recombinant DNA and molecular biology, and launched the biotechnology industry’s first blockbuster medicines. more

The digital world is changing rapidly with profound implications for how small businesses are found online, in search, on mobile devices and in social media. Here’s my list of some of today’s key digital trends with the greatest potential impact: more

It’s a local credit union with the distinction of being Rhode Island’s first. In 1915, Navigant Credit Union opened its doors in the basement of Notre Dame Parish in Central Falls. Since then, it has upheld its core values of staying committed to the financial well-being of the families, businesses and communities it serves. more

Lots of growth and separate buildings posed worker-relations challenges for account-opening and funding-solutions company Andera. The Providence company, which automates the customer-acquisition process through bank branches, call centers and websites, got big fairly quickly. more

The recent scandals at Barclays PLC, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and other banks might give the impression that the financial sector has some serious morality problems. Unfortunately, it’s worse than that: We are dealing with a drop in ethical standards throughout the business world, and our graduate schools are partly to blame. more

It’s no surprise the late Steve Jobs’ favorite music was written and performed by Bob Dylan and The Beatles. I just finished his biography and it was as compelling a book as “Atlas Shrugged.” more

The Small Business Web, a trade association that connects small businesses with cloud services, is now incorporated as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization and has named its inaugural board of directors. more

Customer-service expert Ron Kaufman has a radical notion that great service shouldn’t be as hard as it seems to be for so many businesses to deliver. “Service is everywhere,” said Kaufman. “But there’s a disconnect between the volume of service we need and the quality of service we are giving and receiving. Businesses have turned a simple concept into a catastrophic cliché. They remain blind to the fact that true service comes not from demands and dashboards, but from a basic desire to take care of other people.” more

Small-business owners and startup entrepreneurs need a wide range of skills and traits in order to succeed. Some are industry-specific or technical in nature and are subject to frequent changes and updates. Others are more timeless – the kinds of skills that foster success no matter what type of business or industry you are in, or your stage of development. more