This week’s articles include why you need to quit talking about how innovative you are and actually innovate, what makes a great entrepreneur, and 17 business ideas for 2012. Enjoy!

Capital

• Pitch for the Meeting, Not the Money – There are ways to ask for money without making it seem like you are asking for money.

Employees

• Want employees to innovate? Bury your ego – You can’t be the only ‘right’ person in your company if you want your employees to innovate.

General

• How to Boost Workplace Creativity – Three ways to encourage innovation from your employees. No, one of them isn’t flogging.
• How to Create a $1 Million Business – No, the answer isn’t to start with $2 million, but that wouldn’t hurt!
• How to Protect Your Business From Lawsuits – Imagine that! They are suggesting general liability insurance coverage for a small biz. Great idea!
• Stop Blabbing About Innovation And Start Actually Doing It – Talk is cheap! Get off your butt and do something already!
• Smallest of businesses can have a huge impact – You don’t have to be a billion dollar company, or have hundreds of employees, to be a real business.
• 9 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs – My favorites? #8 and #9.
• Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice for New Grads Gets Some Respect – It might be a smart move for a recent college graduate to become an entrepreneur rather than try and get a job working for someone.
• Finding the Right Mentor to Help Grow Your Business – Things to look for in a good small biz mentor.
• 7 Ways To Fine-Tune Your Behavior – Ways to improve your business etiquette.
• Marc Andreessen’s Advice for Entrepreneurs – The co-founder of Netscape has some advice for entrepreneurs.

Marketing

• Get attention online in small but effective ways – Like it or not, a small business cannot ignore the online world. These simple(?) steps can help you have an online presence.
• Three Steps to More Word-of-Mouth — and More Business – Good word of mouth can be the holy grail of small biz marketing.

Networking

• How to Network Like a Pro – A surefire plan to make the connections that are vital to your company’s longevity.

Startups

• Starting a company from scratch – A couple of guys over 50 that started over.
• 17 Great Business Ideas for 2012 – In case you are stuck when it comes to what type of business to start this year.
• The Story Behind Stacy’s Pita Chips – A nifty story about a small biz success.
• Startups Are All About the Execution, So Tell Me How – Having a big idea is great, but it is the execution of that idea that counts.