Steve Jobs, thanks.
That's at least what some small business owners have to say to the brainy Apple co-founder who stepped down from his position as CEO last week.
The risk-taker and college dropout, who resigned from Apple in 1985 only to return in 1997 and sell his colleagues on a then-crazy idea called the iPod, has put fire into the bellies of budding entrepreneurs.
From an apparel company to an audio-book creator, some small businesses would not be around if not for their tight connections to the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac products.
To sync up with Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple, small businesses have learned to roll out products quickly, to keep up with the rapid speed that new versions of Apple products are released. "No other company, in our modern age, has moved things, as far as technology goes, so quickly," said Damon Brown, author of "Damon Brown's Simple Guide to the iPad" and "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the iPod" (Alpha Books, 2005),
"It's a game changer. Small businesses have to move much faster than they used to. They have to listen. That could totally destroy, or totally create, a new market," said Brown.
Be polite and professional when giving an employee the boot. And if the person getting fired starts to lose it, duck.
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