Network Solutions Delivers Small Business Success Index

This month, I was asked to provide my responses to some questions about the new Small Business Success Index study developed by Network Solutions and the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business.

I’m happy to share the link to the interview here on KeySplash Creative Conversations. Following is a snippet from the interview:

Network Solutions: What did the study reveal to you about the success of small businesses in 2008?

Susan Gunelius: I was pleasantly surprised to learn that small businesses are doing better than one might think based on what we hear from the media.

Network Solutions: The study captured six dimensions for measuring success: Capital Access, Marketing and Innovation, Workforce, Customer Service, Computer Technology and Compliance. What do you think are the top priorities for making small businesses more competitive?

Susan Gunelius: Certainly, Capital Access is critical.  You know the old saying, “it takes money to make money.”  There’s a reason why those old sayings stick around for so long.  Also, Customer Service remains a top priority.  It generates positive word-of-mouth marketing, which is essential to small businesses and helps to position them against the competition, particularly larger companies with deeper pockets.  Together, Marketing and Computer/Technology are also important.  We’re in the age of social media, and leveraging technology and marketing via the tools of the social web is a significant differentiator.