Whether you're worried about crunching numbers, managing employees or nailing your next big sales pitch, let's face it: All small business owners grapple with anxiety. But the good news is you're not alone. Need proof? Check out this Entrepreneur.com article, which names the top five fears that entrepreneurs deal with--and how to overcome them. Here they are:

1. Failure. Ninety-five percent of small businesses fail within the first five years, but that doesn't mean you'll be one of them. Chances are, your fears of failing are worse in your head than they are in reality. Keep plowing through and you're sure to succeed.

2. Economic uncertainty. The recession is in the forefront of many entrepreneurs' minds, but many small businesses have launched or grown during tumultuous economic times.

3. Being your own boss. It can seem daunting when you launch your business and realize you are responsible for its success or failure--and that's why listing your goals is so important. Whether you identify your daily, weekly or long-term goals, it's important to work toward success rather than focus on the pressure of running the show.

4. Consuming your life. You have to make time for your own life, whether that means hiring an assistant, taking a lunch every day or leaving at 6 p.m.--no matter what is going on in the office.

5. Staying afloat. It takes a lot of money to maintain your business, and when money isn't flowing like you want it to, it can be hard to stay above water. The solution? Never stop putting yourself out there. Even if you get rejected 90 percent of the time, the times when you succeed will pay off.

I know that one of my favorite Mexican restaurant's in town was open on Father's Day. And I know that on Tuesdays they have 2 for 1 margaritas. And I haven't even been lately. So how do i know this? I found out on Twitter, of course.

I follow them on Twitter, which gives me the inside scoop on what's happening over there and when. This Boston Globe article includes the stories of other restaurants and how they're using Twitter to market their menus. It's a great tool to get customers in the door, but it also helps restaurants get feedback from their customers on the customers' terms.

If you haven't tried out Twitter for your business yet, open an account today. It's easy and it's free. In other words, you have nothing to lose.

Business plans and resume cover letters have a lot in common—they often find their way immediately to the trash.

I had never made this connection until I read this Wall Street Journal article. It's writer, John Mullins, sought out to figure out why so many business plans end up in the trash can after -- or halfway through -- the loan officer or potential investor reads them. He found out that it's because the wannabe business owner made one of five common yet critical mistakes.

In this article, Mullins explains what the traps are and how to avoid them. After reading it, cross-reference his checklist with your business plan to decrease your big idea's chances of meeting the garbage can.

Looking for a way to make your business a little greener? You don't have to spend tons of money to be environmentally friendly. It's the little things that add up. PC World suggests trying the following:

•Move from direct mail to e-mail. Keeping in touch with customers and clients is vital to your business, but you don't have to kill a forest to do it. These days, e-mail is more practical and cost-effective. The trick is how to launch a successful campaign without getting labeled as a spammer, but plenty of Web-based applications designed for small businesses make it easy to build and update opt-in mailing lists and use them to target the right people.

•Try an Internet fax service. Cut the amount of paper you waste with every fax you send and receive, as well as the toner, cartridge and energy costs, with an online service that allows you to fax through your e-mail account or a secure online server. You can choose which pages (if any) require printing and forward the document to anyone else in the office who needs to see it.

•Make your meetings virtual. Yes, it's important to meet with your employees and clients face to face, but unless everyone is in the same building, traveling to and from meetings can eat up lots of time and gas. With a small investment in camera equipment for your laptop, you can conduct a meeting from anywhere, and even share presentations, white board ideas and desktop applications.

As many businesses tend to slow down during the summer, The Hartford Business Journal offers nine ways owners can ramp up productivity and turn the summer slump around, including:

• Develop a marketing plan. Use the downtime to work on strategy, marketing materials, lining up trade shows and advertising.


• Start social networking. Learn how Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can help you reach new potential customers—and solidify relationships with current ones.


• Build your customer database. Putting all of your customer (and prospective customer) information into a digital format will help you market to these folks effectively.

Get more tips on how to make this summer a productive one at The Hartford Business Journal.

Luckily, I haven't received many reports from readers of MyBusiness about bankruptcy. But I know it's a reality for plenty of businesses out there. That's the bad news. The good news is that bankruptcy doesn't have to be the end of your business. Think you might be on the brink of bankruptcy? This article from the June issue of Inc., offers a straightforward introduction to the steps you'll need to take to prepare and recover from bankruptcy.

The article also offers some clues as to what you need to do if one of your customers or suppliers files bankruptcy. Look for the next issue of MyBusiness for more on this topic.

As Blackberrys and iPhones become more popular in the pockets of small business owners and their employees, the etiquette rules that apply to texting or Web surfing during meetings are starting to change. While a few years ago it would have been considered a major faux pas for your employees to answer e-mails or text clients during a company brainstorming session, many small business owners are starting to let up on those policies.

According to this New York Times story, technology advocates say the old rules about leaving phones at your desk during meetings no longer apply. Waiting a few hours to respond to an e-mail or text message is no longer acceptable in a constantly connected business world. So where do we draw the line now?

The small business owners in this story agree that phone use during a company meeting is one thing, but texting or checking e-mail during a client meeting is completely unacceptable. Be sure to communicate these rules to your employees--but first make sure they put their phones away. Otherwise they might not hear you.