Tuesday, October 18, 2016

16 Small Business Magazines Every Entrepreneur Should Read

Ever needed some advice or a little inspiration to keep driving your business forward? You’re not alone. At some point down the line, all small business owners find themselves in a quandary or rut that they need to get out of.

Luckily, there are a lot of small business resources available to small business owners who need a little help along the way. That nugget of advice or inspiration you need could be found in books, online forums, podcasts, or small business magazines—just to name a few.

What’s one of the best resources available to entrepreneurs?

Small business magazines. (We’re talking both the print and online versions.) Subscribing to a number of small business magazines is a great way to stay up-to-date with what’s going on in your industry and the economy, get valuable advice on how to be a better business owner, or just read engaging stories about small businesses like yours.

So which small business magazines should you keep on your radar? Here’s the complete list of must-read small business magazines.

Small Business Magazines: The Greatest Hits

We’re willing to bet that, as an entrepreneur and small business owner, you’ve heard of a few of these magazines. But a list of small business magazines without the following publications just wouldn’t be complete.

So, if you’re looking for some of the best small business magazines, keep these on the top of your list.

1. Entrepreneur

If you consider yourself an entrepreneur, then reading Entrepreneur is a no-brainer.

If you’re looking to start a small business or grow your already-successful business, Entrepreneur is a great magazine to crack open. In it you’ll find advice on every small business issue imaginable—weathering economic downturns, financing a business, hiring employees, expanding your business, balancing your time, and much, much more.

Plus, Entrepreneur has no shortage of inspiring stories that will rev your engines a little. The magazines covers anything from how famous entrepreneurs grew their companies to how unsuspecting entrepreneurs stumbled across their now-successful small business ideas.

If you’re looking for a mix of actionable advice and entertaining stories that relate to your small business or industry, Entrepreneur is one of the best small business magazines to subscribe to.

2. Inc.

Inc. Magazine should be one of the small business magazines on the top of any small business owner’s coffee table.

Whether you’re running a company that’s growing fast or you’re just opening the doors of your small business, you’ll benefit from the small business insight that every issue of Inc. Magazine has to offer.

Lots of interesting and inspiring stories are enjoyable to read, but don’t offer much for your small business. With Inc. articles, that’s not the case. Inc. Magazine is great at issuing readable, interesting stories that actually contain pieces of advice you can apply in your small business.

With articles like “You Have $10,000 to Spend on Marketing. How Do You Use It?” and “Why the Easy Sale Isn’t Always the Best Sale,” you’re bound to find articles that will help you be a better manager and run a better business.

3. Forbes

Forbes Magazine is another “greatest hit” on the list of small business magazines.

Just as you’ll get with Entrepreneur and Inc., Forbes offers both advice and interesting stories to spark your entrepreneurial spirit. But where it really excels is its ability to channel business knowledge from the top entrepreneurs and experts in a way that’s valuable for any small business owner.

Forbes’ articles bring together the drive and creativity of well-known business leaders to share real-world knowledge for anyone who considers themselves an entrepreneur or small business owner. If you’re looking for new ideas and techniques or ways to elevate your small business above your competitors, Forbes is one of the best small business magazines to subscribe to.

Small Business Magazines: The Must-Reads For All Entrepreneurs

4. Fast Company

If you’re looking to stay on the cutting edge of your industry or learn about some of the most innovative business out there, Fast Company is a great source of inspiration.

With Fast Company, the name says it all—their stories are flashy and exciting looks into some of the fastest growing startups. Whereas you’ll find articles like “3 Strategies for Hiring a Business Coach” in Inc. Magazine, you’ll get articles like “Debating the Rules of Brainstorming” in Fast Company. Fast Company will give you those thought-provoking, big-picture business stories that will inspire the creative thinker in you.

One of the highlights that sets Fast Company apart from other small business magazines is their monthly “featured” article. In each issue, Fast Company includes one featured story that’s a longer read. These articles are a great opportunity for small business owners who want to sit down and really engage with another entrepreneur’s story.

Fast Company might seem too big picture for small business owners wrapped up in the nitty gritty of running a business. But you very well could find the inspiration that brings your business to the next level in one of their articles. And if you don’t, you’ll at least enjoy reading about all the interesting things entrepreneurs like yourself are doing in their industries.

5. TechCrunch

While you can’t sit down with an issue of TechCrunch and read it over your morning coffee, you should still keep this online publication on your list of small business magazines.

TechCrunch is one of the best informational sources for any entrepreneur running a technology oriented business. Following TechCrunch is a great way to stay on top of industry updates, new companies emerging in your market, company acquisitions, and the most promising new entrepreneurs.

TechCrunch’s stories are compelling and quick reads, so you might enjoy following this small business resource even if you don’t own a small business in the tech industry.

6. Wired

Another resource that any entrepreneur in the technology industry should keep close by is Wired.

Wired is one of the most interesting small business magazines for anyone who wants to stay on the cutting edge of science and technology in business. While you might dismiss this magazine as too tech-heavy, Wired’s articles are sure to provide valuable insight into how the most innovative businesses operate—giving you inspiration to bring your small business to the next level.

7. The Wall Street Journal’s The Accelerators

You might already get The Wall Street Journal to keep up with the news and general trends in the economy. And if you’ve read an issue of The Wall Street Journal before, you probably wouldn’t think to put in on a list of small business magazines that you should be reading. But here’s one of the Journal’s publications that you should absolutely follow as a small business owner and entrepreneur: The Accelerators.

The Accelerators isn’t a traditional small business magazine—it’s actually a blog. But all the same, it’s an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs who are just starting a business. The Accelerators features a community of other entrepreneurs in the middle of growing their startups. Following The Accelerators is a great way to learn from experts who’ve been through or are currently struggling with the issues that you probably face in your day-to-day as a startup owner who’s creating a business.

And once you’ve grown into the experienced entrepreneur that you’re destined to be, start following The Wall Street Journal’s Venture Capital Dispatch. The Venture Capital Dispatch is a great resource for business owners—or even small business investors—who have been around awhile.

8. The Entrepreneurship Section of the The New York Times

We admit it, this publication isn’t a traditional “magazine.” But The New York Times is another traditional publication that you shouldn’t rule out for your list of small business magazines.

As a small business owner, the section of The New York Times that you should really be paying attention to is the Entrepreneurship section. Even if you don’t live in New York, you’ll benefit from reading the stories of other businesses and entrepreneurs.

One of the articles might inspire you to change your small business, spark a new product idea, or introduce you to similar businesses in your area. Plus, if you receive The New York Times, you’ll get access to top-notch news reporting.

9. Mashable

Add Mashable to your list of online small business publications to follow. Mashable is a publication that doesn’t take itself too seriously, so you’ll find enjoyable and engaging reads for all of your interests.

In the early days of the publication, Mashable focused exclusively on social media. But the editors quickly realized that social media has a huge influence on business and professional life. So, they started putting out content that was geared to business owners and entrepreneurs. Now, Mashable is a great resource for any small business owner in a variety of different industries.

As small business owner, you might find the Business section of Mashable to be particularly interesting. Use the business section to keep up with industry news, stay on top of the most innovative companies, and get advice on how to be a better manager for your small business. Unlike other small business magazines, Mashable’s content isn’t too heavy or dense. So if you’re looking for light but interesting reads, this should be your go-to business publication.

10. Business 2 Community

Business 2 Community is one of the best “how-to” small business magazines around.

This magazine is great for staying up-to-date with news in your industry and the tech space, but it’s also a great resource for entrepreneurs who need actionable advice for small business issues. Their articles get as specific as “5 Top Time Saving Social Media Management Tools” and as general as “Making Your Mark: The Science of Digital Marketing.” So no matter what kind of small business advice you need, Business 2 Community should always have some content that can help.

11. Venture Beat

While not technically a small business magazines, VentureBeat is another great small business publication to follow—especially if you’re interested in technology and entrepreneurship.

VentureBeat follows a wide range of topics in the tech industry, but their Small Biz section is particularly useful for staying on top of news relevant to your small business. Small Biz covers news on the most interesting and promising startups and gives updates on the best products that small business owners can use to make their lives easier.

12. Money

As the name suggests, Money is one of those small business magazines that’s pretty finance-heavy. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be reading if you’re not involved in the world of finance… Because when it comes down to it, every small business owner has to deal with their business financials—and Money can provide some actionable advice for how to manage both your personal and business financials.

Published by TIME, Money covers everything from managing your savings account to investing in your small business. Plus, Money has really valuable columns on how to prepare for retirement—a reality that all small business owners will need to face at some point.

13. Small Business Trends

Small Business Trends has valuable online and print resources that cover all things small business—making it one of the best small business magazines if you want to stay ahead of your industry’s curve.

If you subscribe to their print magazine service, you’ll get a monthly issue that focuses on one thing on a small business owner’s mind. One month you might have an issue with articles related to making sales for your business, and another you might have articles specific to how to travel for your business. All in all, you’ll have access to resources that cover a wide range of small business topics you deal with everyday as a small business owner.

14. Small Business Today

Both a print and online publication, Small Business Today is a great catch-all resource for small business owners who are starting a growing a business.

Inside its covers you’ll find tips for organizing your small business and setting it up for success. Small Business Today is also known to deal with issues related to finding a small business loan. So if you’re looking for finance your business, you might find some particularly useful advice in this small business magazine.

Small Business Today also has a valuable section that connects small business owners to events in their area. If you’d like to network for your business or interact with other small business owners in your industry, Small Business Today has a long list of events where you can do so.

15. Franchise Times

If you’re involved in a franchise business, you should absolutely be reading Franchise Times as one of your small business magazines.

As you can probably guess, Franchise Times has articles that are specifically meant for franchisors and franchisees—so you might find more relevant information for your business than you’d find in other small business magazines.

Use Franchise Times to follow the news on franchising in the United States, learn about other successful franchisees, and take advantage of valuable advice on how to better manage your franchise.

16. Success

Success magazine isn’t specifically tailored to business advice. Instead, it’s more about achieving personal success in life—whatever you define that to be.

Success magazine should still be on your list of small business magazines to read, though. After all, as a small business owner, your personal success is directly related to your business’s success.

Success magazine can give you tips for becoming a better manager, balancing your time, setting achievable goals, or encouraging productivity. When it comes down to it, the advice in Success magazine can easily be applied to your life as a small business owner.

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If you haven’t already signed up for these 16 small business magazines, it’s time to get yourself a subscription.

We know that you’re a busy entrepreneur, but take a few minutes out of your day to read an article about your industry or a small business like yours! You never know what valuable piece of business wisdom could be in between the covers of one of these small business magazines.

Did we miss any small business magazines you love to read? Tell us in the comments!

 

The post 16 Small Business Magazines Every Entrepreneur Should Read appeared first on Fundera Ledger.



from Fundera Ledger https://www.fundera.com/blog/2016/10/18/small-business-magazines

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