We find the week's best small business articles so you don't have to. Here are the 
top stories posted this week:
1. The Top 9 Small Business Trends in 2013 for Frugal Entrepreneurs | For frugal entrepreneurs and small business owners, 2013 has both its opportunities and its difficulties, it’s clarity and its stubbornly persistent uncertainty- none of which can really be ignored. Even though you may want to focus on the positive for a change, this mixed bag of trends really needs to be taken as a whole. You’ll have a much better chance of being successful in your business this year if you don’t give in to the urge to just look away and instead embrace the challenges- even if it’s with a grimace. That said, below is a rundown of the biggest issues affecting money-conscious small business owners heading in to 2013: | Read more here (from FrugalEntrepreneur.com)
2. Got Funding? 7 Things to Do Now | Sometimes growth is impossible without a significant chunk of funding to fuel that growth. But say you do manage to beat the odds and attract capital--then what? Check out the following advice from Ashish Rangnekar, the co-founder of BenchPrep, creators of test-prep and subject-based interactive courses for computers, mobile phones, and tablets. BenchPrep raised more than $2 million in 2010 and an additional $6 million last year. Here are Rangnekar's tips, in his own words, for what to do right away--and just as important, what not to do: | Read more here (from Inc.com)
3. Data Security Breaches Happen. Are You Prepared? | Your organization may be sitting on a gold mine—or a land mine. The personal data you collect in the course of doing business is a treasure trove for identity thieves, and that makes you a rich target for criminal attacks. Your mission is to do whatever you can to stop them. | Read more here (from NYReport.com)
4. 5 TED talks all brand storytellers must watch | TED talks are a gold mine of knowledge. Because the TED website's topics include not only technology, education, and design (TED) but also business, science, activism, health, storytelling, and everything in between, one can get lost on the site for days. A number of these short talks (most are around 20 minutes) revolve around storytelling. Though they don't necessarily address brand storytelling, they do offer insights that a brand could apply to its efforts to engage audiences through its brand story. I've gathered five talks I found particularly useful, and I've included a brand takeaway for each. | Read more here (from Ragan.com)
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