By Karen Axelton

As another Thanksgiving weekend falls behind us and we all loosen our belts another notch, now is the time to look at a trend that’s been going on for a while, but shows no signs of stopping: comfort food.

Americans traditionally turn to comfort food in times of distress—the last big upsurge in comfort food eating took place after 9/11. So in today’s economic turmoil, it’s not surprising that restaurants, supermarkets and food businesses of all kinds are seeing an upswing in demand for macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken and the like.

Entrepreneurs are taking these comforting foods and putting a gourmet spin on them. QSR Magazine reports on an entrepreneur whose trip to New York inspired him to start a macaroni and cheese “bar” named Macdaddy’s. “Our motto is comfort food for discomforting times,” founder Robert Dunn says. But with ingredients like crimini and shitake mushrooms, porcini emulsion, manchego cheese, truffle oil, caramelized onions and applewood bacon, this isn’t Grandma’s mac and cheese. Dunn already has customers asking him if the concept is a franchise.

Another comfort food entrepreneur, Wendy Bruley, has begun franchising her Chedd’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese concept and hopes to expand to 100 units in 10 years. Like Dunn, Bruley’s menu focuses on comfort—with equally comforting side dishes like milkshakes and tomato soup—but puts a gourmet, custom twist on the concept.

Meanwhile, New York Magazine has published several articles chronicling city’s “fried-chicken frenzy.” Perhaps the most encompassing is this overview, which assesses the different kinds of options—from greasy-spoon shacks to white-tablecloth-type restaurants, each putting their own spin on this old standard.

With winter here, even those Americans who’ve been able to resist comfort food until now are likely to give in. If you own a restaurant, catering business or other food-service establishment, what kind of comfort dish can you add to the menu? Think innovative, value, fresh and (relatively) healthy ingredients, and you’re pretty much guaranteed a sure thing.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

By Rieva Lesonsky

Here’s what I like about Thanksgiving: It’s an all-inclusive holiday. No matter how young or old, whatever race or religion, we can all find a reason to give thanks.

As an entrepreneur in the middle of the biggest recession since the Great Depression, you may not feel that you have a whole lot to be thankful for. Well, think again. First—we’re not in the middle of a Great Depression. (Next time you’re feeling sorry for yourself, go online and search “dorothea lange photos dust bowl.” In about two minutes, you’ll realize how much you have to be thankful for.)

Second, you’re still in business. That’s an accomplishment worth celebrating at any time—but especially now, when the challenges of entrepreneurship have gotten so much tougher.

Third, you’re making a difference. It’s a truism we hear a lot from government (which doesn’t always act on it), but small business truly is the backbone of the U.S. economy. If you’ve got employees, you’re helping support people. If you don’t, that’s OK—you’re still supporting yourself.

What am I thankful for? Last year at this time, my partners and I were thankful that our newly formed company—then just six months old–was up and running. We couldn’t believe how much we had already learned about being in business for ourselves.

Another year later, our company is hitting the 18-month mark—and we’re even more thankful and proud that we’ve come this far. We’ve learned even more (perhaps the biggest thing we’ve learned is that when you’re entrepreneurs, the learning never stops) and accomplished things we didn’t think we were capable of.

My partners and I started a tradition last year. No matter how busy and stressed we are, the four of us take a day to go out to lunch, relax and reconnect with each other. We celebrate our success and brainstorm ideas for our future. It’s a great Thanksgiving tradition, and one we’ll be continuing this year.

What’s your business Thanksgiving tradition? I highly recommend starting one. And for all of you reading this blog, I’m thankful you come to visit SmallBizDaily.com.

Note: SmallBizDaily will be taking Friday, November 27, off. Happy holidays!

Related Posts:

• Americans crave candy, no matter the economy
• Senior business start-ups surge
• New twists on the cupcake business
• Why not get over your fears and start a business?
• Are your employees disengaged?

By Rieva Lesonsky

Our friends over at StartupNation have announced the winners of their Third Annual StartupNation Home-Based 100®.

The contest, sponsored by Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Infusionsoft and FedEx Office, ranks the top performers among the 16.5 million home-based businesses in the U.S. Winners were organized into 10 categories including Most Innovative, Recession Busting and Savviest in Social Media.

“The 2009 ranking shows that home-based business is more relevant than ever. The current recession has spurred a new wave of home based businesses as a response to loss of jobs, the need for supplemental income and the sheer passion of blazing your own trail and running your own show,” said Rich Sloan, co-founder of StartupNation.com.

The submissions Sloan received for the Home-Based 100 showed him that home-based entrepreneurs are surviving in a downturn by using social media, being innovative and filling a need. A common theme among the winners this year? Sloan says they’re “problem-solvers”—businesses that discovered needs and filled them.

Read more about the 2009 Home-Based 100 and learn about the winners on StartupNation’s Web site.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

By Maria Anton

What are your plans for employee and customer gifts this holiday season? According to the American Express OPEN Small Business Holiday Monitor, fewer than half (47 percent) of small businesses will give customers gifts this holiday season. That’s similar to last year’s 52 percent.

However, fewer small-business owners (35 percent) are giving employee gifts (compared to 46 percent in 2008). Just 31 percent plan to give year-end bonuses (compared to 44 percent in 2008) and only16 percent will give raises (vs. 30 percent in 2008).

Why the cutbacks? Sixty-nine percent of business owners say the worst of the economic crisis isn’t over, and 57 percent say the economic downturn has changed their holiday gift giving behavior.

Yes, the economy is cutting into all of our businesses—but think about what your employees have given you over the past year. If it weren’t for them, would your business even exist? If you truly can’t give gifts or bonuses, consider giving a gift that costs nothing: time off. Forty-seven percent of business owners plan to give employees time off over the holidays this year.

There are also ways to give without spending a lot. Twenty-eight percent of those surveyed said they will use rewards points or barter to get gifts, or give their own company’s products or services as a gift.

On the flip side, 10 percent of entrepreneurs say they plan to increase their customer gift giving this year—seeing the downturn as an opportunity to make a big impression and win over more customers.

It’s true this is going to be a tight holiday for many of us, but that’s all the more reason not to be Scrooge—especially when it comes to your staff.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

By Karen Axelton

Are you—or do you know—a woman business owner who deserves recognition? Enterprising Women, a magazine for women business owners, is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards. To apply, you must be a woman business owner who has been in business a minimum of three years and has demonstrated business growth; mentors and gives back to other women in business; and is a leader in your community.
Nominees are judged in one of five revenue categories:  Companies with up to $1 million in annual revenues; more than $1 million and up to $5 million in annual revenues; over $5 million and up to $10 million in annual revenues; over $10 million and up to $25 million in annual revenues; and over $25 million in annual revenues.

The winners and finalists will be recognized during the 8th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration, March 17-19, 2010 at the Marriott Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, including a gala awards dinner March 18. They will also be featured in the spring 2010 issue of Enterprising Women and will appear on the magazine’s front cover.

To enter or to nominate someone else, visit www.enterprisingwomen.com and click on the link to access the nomination form. The deadline is midnight on December 18, 2009.  For more information, call (919) 674-6640 or e-mail info@enterprisingwomen.com.

Related Posts:

• Why not get over your fears and start a business?
• 10 most powerful women entrepreneurs