After five terrific years, Chamber Executive Director Cathy Yen is leaving to take a new position in the nonprofit world as Director of Operations for Beat The Streets Chicago.

Businesses close for reasons usually related to profitability.  While tempting to assign blame or to suggest mismanagement or an unfriendly business environment, cost structure is usually the real "villain."

Budgeting is a fact of business life for most organizations.  Surprisingly, a good number of entrepreneurs avoid it entirely as troublesome, inprecise and unhelpful.  This robs them of an annual opportunity to review goals and set direction.

The Chamber's upcoming Small Business Symposium in September will focus on how small businesses can protect themselves against (or at least prepare themselves for) many of the risks inherent in doing business.