This story in Canadian Business online is a very interesting read.

These are not small businesses that are featured but the articles do provide some insights into entrepreneurial behavior, decision making, and reading these articles will help you gain knowledge about how small businesses become big.

Rentcash's revenue exploded from $456,121 in 2001 to $154 million in 2006, giving it top spot on the 2007 PROFIT 100 ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies. Via Canadian Business online

You will find five in-depth profiles of the fastest growing companies in Canada.

Having just spent 7 weeks in Hawaii, I can tell you that American goods and services have never been more affordable for Canadians.

Look at what a Miami realtor is saying about Canadians investing there:

...says the amount of business he's doing with Canadian clients is up about 20 per cent over the past six months.

"There's always a number of factors that influence the spurts in business that we see - interest rates, property taxes. Currency has definitely had a substantial impact on Miami real estate," said Mr. Zilbert, the 43-year-old president of Zilbert Realty Group. Via Report on Business

Back in 2000/2001 I remember getting $1.58 CDN per U.S. Dollar. Which is great when you are living in Canada, not so great when buying U.S. goods and services.

I was surprised at being able to get a U.S. dollar for just $1.09 CDN. I kind of did a double take because before I left I converted a bunch of cash at $1.16 CDN for one U.S. dollar.

Despite the low exchange rate, I found the cost of living in Hawaii to be still to high for my tastes.

So if you need to buy inventory, equipment, or supplies from a U.S. vendor, they should be tripping all over themselves for your business plus the exchange rate has not been this good in decades.

The U.S. started charging a new fee for inspecting Canadian trucks and railway cars.

Calling Canada a potential conduit for bioterrorism, Pests and disease, the U.S. government is boosting its northern border inspection muscle - and making Canadian commercial shippers foot the bill. Via Globe and Mail

I can say that in Hawaiian airports they are very diligent in screening agricultural products.

Now Canadian trucks and railway cars will pay $5.25 per commercial truck per entry (or $105 a year), and $7.75 per railway car to have the U.S. government inspect their trucks and loads for bio-terrorism, pests and disease.

I say it is a good thing if it keeps all us safer and protects the environment.

Whether you look at Toyota developing a prototype for a Hybrid car back in 1987 or Suncor in Alberta making a decision to develop the tar sands when the price of a barrel of oil was headed towards $5/bbl each CEO had the vision and guts to make a decision to invest in technology when everyone else doing the opposite.

We made the decision when crude oil was at $12 (U.S.) a barrel. And that was within a month of when the Economist put out a front-page Story saying it was going to $5 a barrel.

Being a leader means going with a set of facts and making sure you do your homework. But at the end of the day you're never going to have a full set of facts to make every decision.

You've got to know enough about your industry - from the ground up, not from the top down - to intuitively know the direction you should go. Via Report on Business

This story in The Report on Business is worth reading for the gems of wisdom from Rick George.

There are three or four hundred oil companies in this town and they tend to move in a herd. Part of that is because if commodity prices drop and our costs get too high, it affects everybody.

But I often say that if you ever see that whole herd move in one direction, you'd better look somewhere else because the money usually is being made in a different direction. Via Report on Business

Neil McIntyre is a Canadian (almost finished his CA) who blogs, pretty unusual for an accounting professional. He wrote a great little article titled 6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada and number five (5) is something that sole proprietorships or partnerships need to know.

Unincorporated businesses - sole proprietorships or partnerships - are not eligible to use the exemption, which is a prime benefit to incorporation. There are ways to roll business assets into a newly formed corporation not resulting in tax. Via 6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada

With the growth in self-employment over the last 10 years, I wonder how many successful unincorporated businesses think they will someday be able to claim the capital gains made using the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption?

If that is you, get in and see an accountant or look up Neil McIntyre.

Neil McIntyre is a Canadian (almost finished his CA) who blogs, pretty unusual for an accounting professional. He wrote a great little article titled 6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada and number five (5) is something that sole proprietorships or partnerships need to know.

Unincorporated businesses - sole proprietorships or partnerships - are not eligible to use the exemption, which is a prime benefit to incorporation. There are ways to roll business assets into a newly formed corporation not resulting in tax. Via 6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada

With the growth in self-employment over the last 10 years, I wonder how many successful unincorporated businesses think they will someday be able to claim the capital gains made using the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption?

If that is you, get in and see an accountant or look up Neil McIntyre.