The bMighty Blog -- Benjamin Tomkins

Over his fifteen-year career in journalism and media, bMighty.com Editor Benjamin Tomkins has never strayed far from business and technology. He was senior content manager for AllBusiness.com and senior program manager for AOL Small Business/Netscape Netbusiness. Tomkins' previous experience with TechWeb includes a stint as editor of InternetWeek.com and blogging about business and careers for TechSearch. He also edited technology books for an imprint of John Wiley & Sons. A long time contributor to business and consumer publications, he has written for many publications, including Black Diamond Living, Greenlight, LINE, Livable City Journal, NetClearly and Tri-Valley. He' has also worked with a host of companies, including Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems, America Honda Motors, and the Ansel Adams Gallery, as a publication and media consultant. Early in his career, Tomkins covered the commercial building industry first as a reporter and then as bureau chief for Reed Business Information and was founding editor of the architectural monthly California AEC.

Search bMighty for Benjamin Tomkins

Contact Ben

Small Biz Hiring Up, Midsize Biz Down

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 10:50 AM ET | Jul 3, 2008

One study says small business confidence is sagging. Another says smaller businesses are frantically cutting costs. So why are small businesses hiring?

Read all of "Small Biz Hiring Up, Midsize Biz Down"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49 | Economics | Entrepreneurs

Bad Economy Triggers Belt Tightening Or Record Spending

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 09:46 AM ET | Jul 1, 2008

Right now, the economic outlook is bleak -- gas prices are up, the stock market is down, and on it goes. But how are smaller businesses responding in the face of discouraging forecasts and tightening resources? On the one hand, cost cutting is the mantra, telecommuting is up, travel is down, but then again, IT spending is at record levels.

Read all of "Bad Economy Triggers Belt Tightening Or Record Spending"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49 | Economics | IT | Operations | Travel

HP Dedupifies On-Premise Storage

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 12:26 PM ET | Jun 25, 2008

The volume of data that business generate is growing faster and faster and, seeing opportunity, vendors are swarming to fill the need. The latest entry from HP is designed specifically for small and midsize companies, provided they prefer on-premise, physical storage.

Read all of "HP Dedupifies On-Premise Storage"

Comment on this blog entry
Storage

Insourcing Is The New Outsourcing For IT

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 11:20 AM ET | Jun 18, 2008

Faced with scarce resources, IT staff have several options: hire more employees, hire contractors, send the work out-of-house or offshore. But IT managers may be overlooking a useful technical resource right under their collective noses: business users.

Read all of "Insourcing Is The New Outsourcing For IT"

Comments(2)
Hardware & Software | IT | Internet/Web | Operations | Services

Gauging The ROI For Online Video

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 06:43 PM ET | Jun 17, 2008

Just because online video is new or cool or sexy or hot, doesn't mean it's a good use of scarce time and resources to promote your business, expand your client base, sell products and services, or instill customer loyalty. But that doesn't mean it's not either.

Read all of "Gauging The ROI For Online Video"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Internet/Web | Sales/Marketing

Firefox 3: A Day to Remember (And Monitor Your Network Traffic)

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 09:55 AM ET | Jun 17, 2008

Not all days are created equal: they're etched in stone or indelible ink or seared in our collective memory. Today at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, Firefox 3 takes a shot at making today a day we'll remember.

Read all of "Firefox 3: A Day to Remember (And Monitor Your Network Traffic)"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Internet/Web

Online Advertising Outlook: Revenue Up, Revenue Down -- You Choose

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 11:28 AM ET | Jun 12, 2008

The revenue figures for first quarter online advertising are in and depending upon your perspective, the glass is half full, half empty, or has a big crack in it. But that doesn't mean there's not money to be made.

Read all of "Online Advertising Outlook: Revenue Up, Revenue Down -- You Choose"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Entrepreneurs | Internet/Web | Sales/Marketing

Don't Just Sell Your Company With Video, Sells Ads Too

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 01:02 PM ET | Jun 10, 2008

Smart business leaders are always on the hunt for new ways to monetize assets. Now, there's an easy way to capture revenue from company-produced video -- that can be your advertising spots, your training sessions, heck even your elevator pitch.

Read all of "Don't Just Sell Your Company With Video, Sells Ads Too"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Entrepreneurs | Sales/Marketing

How To Get Funders To Watch Your Elevator Pitch

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 11:01 AM ET | Jun 6, 2008

Online video is hardly new -- if you're not posting videos to YouTube by now, odds are you've at least watched one. The evolution from intriguing novelty to valuable business tool is still underway, but startups and entrepreneurs now have more another outlet to connecting with the funding community without hitting the road.

Read all of "How To Get Funders To Watch Your Elevator Pitch"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Entrepreneurs | Internet/Web | Sales/Marketing

Does IBM Think Smaller Businesses Are Lotus Eaters?

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 04:06 PM ET | Jun 3, 2008

It has all the buzzwords that smaller businesses love: plug-and-play, turnkey, 30-minute installation, self-healing, built-in management, downloadable, $149 per user. And then there's that other magic word: free! But is that enough to lure smaller business to Lotus?

Read all of "Does IBM Think Smaller Businesses Are Lotus Eaters?"

Comments(1)
Company Size: 1-49 | Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source

Women In Business Are A Hot Topic

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 04:01 PM ET | May 28, 2008

Yesterday, on bMighty a businesswoman was front and center. Today, on SmallBizResource you'll find the third installment of Wednesday's Woman. A coincidence? Hardly. Women and business are hot and not likely to cool anytime soon.

Read all of "Women In Business Are A Hot Topic"

Comments(1)
Entrepreneurs | Sales/Marketing | Women in Business | bMighty

LIVE TODAY: bMighty bConnected Virtual Expo for Smaller Business

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 10:45 AM ET | May 22, 2008

Being connected is everything for smaller businesses -- without connections to customers, to partners, to suppliers, to employees, and to the market, business grinds to a halt. Today (May 22), bMighty presents bMighty bConnected, an interactive online event all about being connected and communicating. You can join the virtual expo right from your desktop.

Read all of "LIVE TODAY: bMighty bConnected Virtual Expo for Smaller Business"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Mobile | Networking & Communications | bMighty

MOLI's Multitasking Approach to Social Networking for Smaller Business

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 09:00 PM ET | May 20, 2008

With today's launch of a small business center, MOLI has set its sights on some the people least likely have a distinction between work and personal life: those in smaller businesses.

Read all of "MOLI's Multitasking Approach to Social Networking for Smaller Business"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49 | Entrepreneurs | Internet/Web | Professional/Creative Services | Sales/Marketing

That's One Way To Choose A Technology Vendor

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 12:15 AM ET | May 14, 2008

Smaller businesses rely on partners to design, customize, install, support, and service their technology needs from infrastructure to customer-facing applications and everything in between. That makes the choice of vendor every bit as crucial, as the software, hardware, and services they provide. There are myriad reasons to select a particular vendor, but the latest third-party data on their quality could help inform a tough decision.

Read all of "That's One Way To Choose A Technology Vendor"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software

Seething Booth Envy at Interop

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 08:37 PM ET | May 1, 2008

The surreal world of trade show meshes effortlessly with Las Vegas' disposable facades. With more than 500 tech businesses shoehorning their brands into artificially constrained spaces, jealously of all kinds oozes through the partition walls over booth size, location, and entertainment spectacle; size matters, but it all comes to down to the realtor's mantra of location, location, location.

Read all of "Seething Booth Envy at Interop"

Comment on this blog entry
Sales/Marketing

Interop: Jumping to SaaS -- Look Before You Leap

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 09:30 PM ET | Apr 30, 2008

Got SaaS yet? If not, you're either a nattering nincompoop or blazingly brilliant. For every drumbeat touting the power and ease of Saas to remake your IT operations, there's competing tympany warning of the dire hazards of leaping into SaaS headlong.

Read all of "Interop: Jumping to SaaS -- Look Before You Leap"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software | Services

Interop Swag Wars

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 10:13 AM ET | Apr 30, 2008

As at any trade show, there are new products, new services, metric tons of backgrounders, spec sheets, and brochures, buzzwords, and cadres of corporate clans marching along in matching polo shirts. But with all that eye candy to spin your head every stroll across the show floor, it's the take home swag that keeps on giving.

Read all of "Interop Swag Wars"

Comments(1)
Sales/Marketing

Vendor Rankings an Imperfect Science

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 05:24 PM ET | Apr 29, 2008

Transparency's not a new business buzzword, but the drive to peek behind the curtain has more and more industries concerned about the coverage quality of their clothing (emperor's or otherwise). Some IT vendors may be scrambling to duck behind mama's nightshirt.

Read all of "Vendor Rankings an Imperfect Science"

Comments(1)
Services

Latest Winners Live the Small Business Contest Dream

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 10:05 AM ET | Apr 15, 2008

In our latest check on the never-ending small business awards season, two start-ups walk away with cash for their ideas and another business' lofty aspirations net a haul of tools and supplies.

Read all of "Latest Winners Live the Small Business Contest Dream"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Sales/Marketing

April 1 Lifts the Lid on Workplace Humor

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 12:15 PM ET | Apr 1, 2008

Who doesn't like a good joke? Yes, there's are the humorless among us, but for the most part we'd prefer a few more grins and belly laughs in our lives. And today is the day for it. Amid concerns about political correctness, codes of conduct, and professional decorum, April Fool's Day is a welcome and sanctioned opportunity for a bit of fun.

Read all of "April 1 Lifts the Lid on Workplace Humor"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 1-49 | Internet/Web

HP Unveils Products with Muscle for Midsize Businesses

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 06:01 PM ET | Mar 31, 2008

Today, HP announced several products targeted for smaller businesses. Regardless of how these products play with the so called SMB market, the announcement indicates just how serious HP is about competing for midsize business IT dollars.

Read all of "HP Unveils Products with Muscle for Midsize Businesses"

Comment on this blog entry
Company Size: 250-999 | Hardware & Software

John Jantsch Snowballs To Small Business Success

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 09:45 AM ET | Mar 28, 2008

Sometimes when you notice a name or concept that's new to you, it starts popping up everywhere. The last two weeks, the clustering I couldn't avoid was contests for smaller businesses. This week, it's John Jantsch, the Duct Tape Marketing maven himself.

Read all of "John Jantsch Snowballs To Small Business Success"

Comments(1)
Company Size: 1-49 | Sales/Marketing

Small Business Winner Takes Home $100k In IT

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 01:33 PM ET | Mar 25, 2008

With all my rambling about the outbreak of contests for smaller businesses (and I'm not the only one), I can't not mention the winner announced at this week's Small Business Summit. The contest, sponsored by Microsoft and Dell, was decided by an online vote and that's why a Microsoft rep was standing outside the Parkwoods Shopping Center in Stockton, CA holding a gynormous check for $100,000 made out to...

Read all of "Small Business Winner Takes Home $100k In IT"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49

Smaller Business as Spectator Sport

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 12:45 PM ET | Mar 20, 2008

Paraphrasing Warhol, "Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes," but what's the value of fleeting moments in the spotlight for smaller businesses? A bevy of business contests promise prizes, publicity, and cash. Such contests may sap valuable resources from smaller businesses with little to spare yet they may also be the catalyst for some much-needed fine tuning of business plans.

Read all of "Smaller Business as Spectator Sport"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49

Dell's New Servers Join Rush To Smaller Business Offerings

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 10:09 AM ET | Mar 18, 2008

Positioning of new products and services for smaller businesses indicates growing awareness of the unique needs of smaller businesses, but may squeeze channel partners.

Read all of "Dell's New Servers Join Rush To Smaller Business Offerings"

Comment on this blog entry
Hardware & Software

Microsoft's Big Give For Smaller Businesses

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 08:51 AM ET | Mar 6, 2008

Microsoft's entry in the makeover game offers one small business a technology facelift. The contest is down to three finalists -- cast your vote today.

Read all of "Microsoft's Big Give For Smaller Businesses"

Comments(2)

Windows Small Business Server 2008: Cougar Sires Server Family

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 03:07 PM ET | Feb 27, 2008

Microsoft unveils the new version of Windows Small Business Server as linchpin of a new solution family with integrated products for business with up to 50 or 250 users.

Read all of "Windows Small Business Server 2008: Cougar Sires Server Family"

Comments(1)
Hardware & Software

A Happy Return To SMB

Posted by Benjamin Tomkins 03:24 PM ET | Feb 19, 2008

My mug debuts on bMighty today; get used to it. As the new editor, my blog posts will be popping up alongside longtime stalwarts Fredric Paul, Naomi Grossman, Keith Ferrell, Alan Zeichick and Paul Korzeniowski. That I’m the latest new face doesn’t mean I’m the only new face; last week we welcomed open source guru Matt McKenzie to the lineup – check him out if you haven’t already.

Read all of "A Happy Return To SMB"

Comment on this blog entry
Business & E-Business