Small Business Round-up – Week of August 5th

This week’s small business news review found a recycled sneaker startup, a business software review site for small biz, a contest to get your business on the Super Bowl broadcast, a US contest to stimulate Latin American trade, and some tips for getting the most out of social media sites.

• TrustRadius to Offer Business Software Reviews
  Now that Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Angie’s List have become popular for checking reviews on restaurants, travel, and home improvement, a new review site focused on helping small biz owners make business software decision has popped up.  The former leader of Convio is hoping to generate authentic, unbiased opinions of over 1,000 software products.
• US Offering Prize for Latino Business Owners
  “La Idea” sprouted in 2011, with the intention of spurring U.S. Latino business owners to create jobs and promote trade and investment in Latin America. Within the initiative is a contest where one entrepreneur can win $50K. Business owners from over a dozen Latin American countries and the US are encouraged to apply before the September 20 deadline.                      
• “Green” Sneakers (video)
   Startup ReKixx is reworking used materials into new sneakers. Founder Gary Gagnon says, “It’s not just about design and fashion; it’s also about sustainability.” The company sold 40,000 units through KickStarter and is releasing a fall line in the coming months. Once a pair has been worn out, the sneakers can be recycled once again.
• Wanna Be on the Super Bowl?
  Financial software giant Intuit is giving one lucky small biz owner a shot at a 30-second ad during the 2014 Super Bowl. The company expects to invest nearly $25 million into the nationwide campaign to highlight a small business story that social media users and Intuit employees will be voting on.
• Social Media Small Biz Tips
  A Quickstarter survey showed 51% of people who ‘like’ brands are more likely to buy after becoming a fan. So how can small biz owners leverage the strength of Facebook, Twitter, etc.? Here are some tips on making the most of your social presence.