THANKS VERY MUCH to everyone who wrote in about small businesses. I should have made it clearer that I’m not planning to start one of my own–it was a bleg about something I was thinking of writing, which now looks like it probably won’t happen. HOWEVER, your emails were not in vain! I’ve learned a lot and hope to incorporate some of the things you all said in a differently-conceived article in the future. (Don’t worry, I’ll email you to get your permission if I intend to quote you.) Sorry I haven’t replied personally–I’ll be doing that some time this week.