For Small Businesses

If you run a tiny startup -- where you are CEO, COO and chief cook and bottle washer -- consult these sites for help, advice and tips on finding temporary staff. http://www.guru.com An on-line meeting place for freelancers and the companies who want to hire them. Offers entrepreneurs access to résumés in any sector--from chartered accountants to web designers--spanning North America to India. The site also features chat groups that offer contract workers and small businesses answers to pesky questions about pay rates, insurance and taxes.

http://www.entreworld.com Billed as the "entrepreneur's search engine," the site, launched in 1996, offers a comprehensive database consisting of more than 1,000 web resources. Cross-references and organizes hundreds of articles, advice columns and reports covering anything a small-business owner might want to know about staffing and running an operation. You can also read about what other entrepreneurs have learned along the way.

http://www.ergoweb.com "The place for ergonomics"--and they're not kidding. If you're concerned about keeping your employees' spinal columns aligned, here's where to find the daily news source "Ergonomics Today"; browse through products ranging from a headset telephone to the articulating arms for your computer keyboard to a motorized cart for small or heavy loads; or read about the EU's awards program for model ergonomic practices in business.

http://www.ideacafe.com Don't let the gaudy graphics scare you away. This fun site has plenty of offerings from Cyber Schmooze--an on-line network for small-business heads--including helpful hints on how to complete a budget worksheet. Also some coffee-break ideas: how to do yoga at your desk or learn how to fold a paper airplane.

http://www.searchenginewatch.com Lets entreprenuers track what's happening in the world of search engines, with tips such as where to register your business for maximum exposure. The site is free, but paid subscribers have access to extra goodies, including instructions on how to build a site and promote it.