As we settle back in at our desks after the holidays have passed, now is the perfect time to take an hour or two to close your door and reassess. Take a few minutes to draft out some personal and business-related New Year’s Resolutions. They can be anything from using less paper at the office to resolving the dust off your business plan and making sure it reflects where your company needs to be in 2012.

My own goals are varied. Personally, I want to make more time for my family. I’m firmly resolved to attend less evening and weekend networking events and if I do have to attend an event, I will try and pick events such as galas and charity dinners where I can bring my spouse. My goal is to attend more baseball games, soccer games and talent shows for my kids...

“First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there's the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Pledge to Shop Small on November 26th. If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge,” states American Express. 

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, I couldn’t agree more and I have officially taken the pledge to shop small this Saturday.   Why shop small?  What’s in it for you?  Well, it’s more than a warm and fuzzy feeling that will fade away when you leave the store.  It’s an affirmative action to make sure that contribute to the stores that dot your local Main St, not your local Wal-Mart.  It’s an action to say to your business neighbor that you want their lights on and their doors open.  Too often you drive through a town to see half the storefronts boarded up.  Well, Small Business Saturday is your way to not only start your Christmas shopping but support your local economy...