The best small business stories of the week

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Check out the best stories from the week of Sept. 6 on Your Business. Read our columnists, view archives of discussions, and connect through social media on the Your Business homepage.

The AutoShare saga: A long, strange trip Kevin McLaughlin claimed a chunk of green frontier, then came a bitter split with his partner and the rapid evolution of the car-sharing sector

The two films that changed Piers Handling’s life CEO of Toronto film festival also attributes much of his inspiration to the great amount of travel he does Former CFLer launches private athletic school Farell Duclair follows in the tradition of many athletes-turned-entrepreneurs who have chased the same desire for success they found in the world of sports One day, our cellphones will be hand-held banks too Ottawa company's software turns mobile phone carriers into financial firms These three items make trips less painful Laptop-friendly bag, credit-card protection case, and special travel garments add value and little weight Strategies to attract the GLBT customer base 'This is sometimes done by the type of offerings, sometimes by location, sometimes by donations and support of gay causes' Consultants challenge company mandate and raise the bar By the time Managerial Design was done at Trimark Sportswear, staff understood company objectives and what was needed to reach them Small-business confidence continues to fall: CFIB 'Business optimism fell in seven of 10 provinces, but it was mainly weaker sentiment among firms in western Canada that drove the national index lower' I, entrepreneur: Ten lessons for survival The first few years are a tough haul, start by thinking big even when you're small Aldo's global footprint Canadian shoppers are familiar with Aldo shoes. But few realize that this Montreal-based retailer has quietly built an empire that spans 1,500 stores in 55 countries.