- The House Committee on Small Business urged the new Small Business Administration administrator, Karen Mills, to jump-start SBA lending by using the measures allotted for in the stimulus package. [Washington Post]

- Tips from a search-engine expert on how small businesses can boost exposure in Google search results. Highlights: Â?BreadcrumbingÂ? by leaving mentions in online business directories and forums, add geographic qualifiers, tie keywords to the news. [SearchEngineLand.com]

- How many small-business owners will really be affected by President ObamaÂ?s plans to raise taxes on those with net households of more than $250,000? Business Week columnist Karen Klein dissects the numbers. [BusinessWeek]

- The top mistakes entrepreneurs make when pitching venture capitalists. (Among the no-nos: Dancing around tough questions, insisting thereÂ?s no competition.) [WSJ Venture Capital Dispatch]

- Customer review site Yelp.com — which came under fire in recent weeks for not allowing small-business owners to respond to negative comments — is changing its policy. [NYT]

- Looking for another way to promote your business on Twitter? Try a Â?TweetChat.Â? [SmallBizTrends.com]

- External debt, such as bank loans, credit cards and credit lines, were extremely important to the viability of new firms established in 2004, according to a new study released by the Kauffman Foundation. The researchers note that the findings could spell trouble for new firms struggling to access cash in todayÂ?s tight credit environment. [Kauffman]

- AARP Services Inc., a subsidiary of AARP Â? the organization representing Americans over age 50 Â? is testing out a new small-business program in Tampa and Chicago that will help business owners find health insurance and other benefits. [BizJournals.com]

Any other relevant or interesting small-business news we missed this week?

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and How to Start Your Own Hot-Dog-Cart Business  

In today’s Wall Street Journal, I wrote about how a growing number of small-town Americans are taking up the century-old, big-city trend of hot-dog vending. Sales of hot-dog carts have skyrocketed in the last year, say manufacturers and distributors.

Buyers are opting to sell wieners because they’re sold precooked and tend to undergo less scrutiny from state and city health departments than many other foods. “The vendor is only warming them to temperature,” says Joel Goetz, owner of American Dream Hot Dog Carts Inc., a cart manufacturer in St. Petersburg, Fla.

If you relish the idea of launching a mobile wiener business, you can get started with a basic, two-wheeled stainless steel cart for just under $2,000. Used carts sell for around $600.

To set up shop on main roads, vendors typically need to secure state, county and/or city business licenses for annual or monthly fees that vary significantly. However, bear in mind that municipalities tend to give these out to a limited number of vendors. And in many big cities, there are long waiting lists for open spots.

As an alternative, you may be able to park your cart inside a retail store, on a business’s parking lot or other private property. Another option is to work at festivals, sporting events, convention centers and other public venues. Fees also vary widely.

Be selective. The busier the location you choose, the greater your earnings potential, says Louie Di Raimondo, founder of All American Hot Dog Carts Inc., a manufacturer in Miami. “You’ve got to be in a high-traffic area,” he asserts. “It’s about location, just like real estate.”

Other expenses that can take a bit out of your earnings include insurance coverage, commissary fees, fuel costs and, of course, inventory.

If you’re interested in learning more on how to set up a hot-dog vending business and the art of the sell, check out Hot Dog University, a training program that Mr. Di Raimondo is launching later this month for industry newbies. The three-day program is free and students who purchase a cart from All American Hot Dog Carts receive a 10% discount.

Have you ever thought about starting a street cart business like selling hot dogs? Would you ever try it?

Photo courtesy All American Hot Dog Carts

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