Reading and learning is crucial to building a successful company. While not everything you read may be ground breaking or directly related to your industry it is important to stay on top of trends and learn about what others are doing. There are a ton of blogs out there talking about small businesses, startups and entrepreneurship but a bunch really standout from the crowd. These bloggers are all also active on twitter which is a great way to engage them and see what else they are reading, thinking and talking about.
Below is a list of some of the top blogs and their twitter accounts to follow when it comes to entrepreneurship and small business. These sites are sure to make you think, teach you some things and overall help you build and grow your business.
QuickSprout – Twitter: @NeilPatel
Neil Patel has founded 2 companies and was named one of the top influencers on the web by the Wall Street Journal. QuickSprout is his way to communicate what he has learned with a very straight forward approach. He has built a strong following on the site and is active in engaging with readers.
Mixergy – Twitter: @Mixergy
If you’re looking for in-depth interviews with some of the biggest names out there then this is the blog for you. Andrew Warner was the co-founder of a company that reached $30+ million in annual sales and created Mixergy as the site he wished he had when he was starting out.
I Will Teach You to be Rich – Twitter: @Ramit
Ramit has become one of the leaders of personal finance through his blog. However as you read it you will see that it goes way beyond personal finance and into entrepreneurship and life. His content is specifically catered to young people and he should know how since he only graduated Stanford in 2005.
Escape From Cubicle Nation – Twitter: @PamSlim
Looking to drop the career and break into a business of your own? Pamela Slim offers advice on how to do just that. As a former corporate employee herself she understands the process of moving from that world to starting your own business. Her blog has become one of the leading blogs on career and personal development.
Personal Branding Blog – Twitter: @DanSchawbel
If you’re looking for information on personal branding this is the blog for you. Dan Schawbel has built himself into a personal branding expert and features in-depth articles and interviews daily covering the topic. He has brought in some great guest writers and built a strong following in the personal branding community.
Seth Godin – Twitter: @ThisIsSethsBlog
Seth Godin is simply a legend. He has founded multiple companies and authored 12 best selling books and counting. He is one of the most respected figures in the world on marketing and leadership. His blog is followed by 100’s of thousands of people and his style of short, concise posts is truly unique. You won’t find comments or him personally active on twitter but you will see that just his blog updates are plenty to get you thinking.
Chris Brogan – Twitter: @ChrisBrogan
Chris Brogan is a leader on communication, social media and new media. His blog is straight forward, witty and was around before most people knew what a blog was. Chris is also a best selling author and has spoken all over the world on community building.
Problogger – Twitter: @Problogger
If you can’t tell this blog is all about blogging. It is one of the best resources out there focused on how to make your blog or your companies blog better. Since every small business out there is starting a blog this site will offer insight into how to write and develop that blog into something others actually want to read.
The Rise to the Top – Twitter: @therisetothetop
David Siteman Garland calls it the #1 non-boring resource for building your business which is pretty much true. The blog is generally in video format with guests and interviews talking about marketing and small business. If your looking for some entertainment and maybe something besides text this is a great start.
Copyblogger – Twitter: @Copyblogger
Another blog focused on helping you create compelling content on your site others want to read. Copyblogger has created a massive following and is out to help you sell more stuff through the free content you create on your site. With content being so important in today’s online world you can never have enough ideas for what to write about or how to write it so you can stand-out from the crowd.
Young Entrepreneur – Twitter: @thebizguy
Young entrepreneur is one of the longest running sites for entrepreneurs out there. In recent years the founders have taken a focus on the blog and have turned it into a great source of content on all business topics for people just starting out.
Small Biz Trends – Twitter: @smallbiztrends
This site offers up news, advice and tips for small businesses. On a daily basis you will find new content with tools to help you build a foundation for your business. The founder Anita Campbell is a leading small business expert but she has also brought in a team of experts to help deliver diverse and useful content on the site.
Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist – Twitter: @Penelopetrunk
Penelope is the founder of Brazen Careerist, a leading community on career management and development. While Penelope does not focus on entrepreneurship her writing speaks to many things that go into making yourself successful. Anyone looking to better understand them-self, become a better leader and be more productive should follow her site.
Gary Vaynerchuk – Twitter: @Garyvee
Looking for a little energy? Then Gary Vaynerchuk is the guy to follow. Gary is known for his over the top style and passion for what he does. While he does not post as frequently as many of blogs on this list when he does it is usually energetic and thought provoking. Even if he doesn’t have new content check out his past keynotes if you need a spark for the day.
How to Change the World – Twitter: @GuyKawasaki
Guy Kawasaki is known around the world for his work in the startup world and his advice for entrepreneurs. He has started several companies, is a venture capitalist and has authored numerous books on small business. Get ready for a ton of updates on twitter because its all the top stories from his company Alltop.com but even the non business stuff is usually pretty interesting.
Duct Tape Marketing – Twitter: @Ducttape
This site has developed a huge following over the years with founder John Jantsch leading the way. The site offers small business marketing advice and tips in a practical way. John has developed numerous marketing products for small business owners and regularly speaks on the topic.
Zen Habits – Twitter: @Zen_Habits
With all of the clutter and craziness that starting a business brings about its good to have someone talking about simplifying everything. That is what Leo Babauta does with Zen habits where he helps people focus on what’s important and finding happiness. It is also one of the top 25 blogs in the world.
LifeHacker – Twitter: @LifeHacker
It’s simple: Lifehacker is tips, tricks and downloads for getting things done. Being productive is a challenging task today with so many tools out there trying to help you but Lifehacker cuts through it all and showcases some of the best ones.
OnStartups – Twitter: @Dharmesh
Dharmesh Shah is the founder of the popular and successful internet marketing software company, Hubspot. At OnStartups he talks about entrepreneurship and startups in a fun but very informative way. He is looked at as a leader in internet marketing and startups especially in the software space.
Social Media Examiner – Twitter: @SMExaminer
Every small business owner is trying to figure out how to best use social media for their business. So what list would be complete without a blog focused on social media news, how tos and tools. The site is made up of a handful of social media experts and updates almost daily with insightful articles into the social media world.
