On July 4th, 1776, Benjamin Franklin was one of the group of politicians and business men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Franklin is America's original entrepreneur and inventor. He created many worthwhile products, including: bifocals, an odometer, the lightning rod, and the wood stove.

Beneath Franklin's successes lies the principle of peer advisory groups. Franklin understood the power of a small group of people dedicated to providing each other support and ideas for advancement. His regular meetings with a group of 12 members played a role in his great achievements.

Today, groups of small business owners from diverse industries meet monthly to solve problems, share best practices and offer each other peer support. Centuries later, the success principles of America's first entrepreneur still stands ever present.

A catchy slogan or tagline can help a business create instant brand recognition. One of the most unforgettable catchphrases is none other than "d'oh". The Homer Simpson phrase was voted as a T.V. all-time favorite by a recent poll from thebabywebsite.com.

More than a simple form of entertainment, The Simpsons offers us valuable business lessons including D’Oh! Yourself. Who can forget the funny, catch-phrase of Homer when things go wrong? So powerful is the expression that 20th Century Fox applied for trademark protection.

Every small business vying for attention in today’s information glut society can use a memorable phrase to stand out. Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money uses the term, “Boo-Yah” referring to “are you ready to make some money?” Taco Bell’s “Think Outside the Bun” promotes Mexican Food. A good catch-phrase can make you unforgettable. - from Woo-Hoo! 5 Business Lessons from The Simpsons

Pets are big business in America. A pet is family to the average pet owner which means this is one of the last expenses to cut in a slow down. According to The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), annual industry expenditures continue to grow and last year were over $43.2 billion and estimated to be $45.4 billion in 2009. Expenditures break out as follows:

• Food - $16.8 billion
• Supplies/OTC Medicine - $10.0 billion
• Vet Care - $11.1 billion
• Live animal purchases - $2.1 billion
• Pet Services: grooming & boarding - $3.2 billion

This growing market offers plenty of business opportunities including pet insurance, pet sitting and gourmet pet foods.

Access to capital and small business loans are out of reach for many businesses who represent greater risk to bankers and angel investors. Often the amount of a loan needed is too small for any leading organization. Where can a business or start up go with small lending needs?

Enter the micro lender. This form of peer lending provides small amounts of capital to businesses in developing countries. This format of lending is now available by Kiva in the U.S. A range of businesses from catering, construction to auto repair have received funding up to $10,000 by micro loans of $25 or more.

Kiva's Microlending Highlights include:

• Total value of all loans made through Kiva: $76,543,335
• Number of Kiva Lenders: 510,043
• Number of countries represented by Kiva Lenders: 185
• Number of entrepreneurs that have received a loan through Kiva: 186,154
• Number of micro loans that have been funded: 109,934
• Current repayment rate: 98.35%