Office Depot Launches 'Self-Bailout' Plan for Entrepreneurs

By Jennifer Wang

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Office Depot launched its "Small Business Self-Bailout Plan" today. As part of the program, the office supplies and services provider created the Survival of the Smartest website for business owners who need support during "The Great Recession."

Some reasons to check it out:

  • Articles and columns from Steve Strauss, a renowned small-business expert and author.
  • Weekly videos featuring products and services designed for small business.
  • A free resource center with news and information.
  • Smart tips and strategies for everything from greening your office to computer networking.

Last week, Strauss spoke with Entrepreneur.comabout the new site, which he thinks will be helpful to entrepreneurs who need to do a lot on their own, including, it seems, a self-bailout. "Survival of the Smartest is very interactive, very web2.0," he said. "It's not just another dry, read-an-article kind ofwebsite. It's designed and intended for small-business owners, so Ithink they're going to find it very useful."

There's $1 million worth of prize money involved, too.

The Office Depot Adopt a Small Business contest will recognize 500 of the "best and smartest small businesses in the country" and award the winners a total of $1 million. To enter, send in a two-minute video of what you are doing to be smart in this economy. Entries are accepted through July 31.

And even if you aren't selected, the winning videos will be posted online, so you pick up some additional strategies that may work for you. Now that's some stimulus.

Jennifer Wang

Writer and Content Strategist

Jennifer Wang is a Los Angeles-based journalist and content strategist who works at a startup and writes about people in startups. Find her at lostconvos.com.

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