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I’m all for freedom of speech. I’m all for being active in politics.

But when it comes to being an entrepreneur, you really need to think twice before wearing your Obama button or McCain bumper sticker or any other emblem announcing your political inclinations.

Because in many circles, business and politics don’t mix, and if you are not sure when and where they do, you may be putting your business reputation and company at risk by taking too strong of a stand.

Here are some things to think about before shouting your political affiliation from the rooftops or on your company blog:

1. You could intimidate an employee. If you are the company owner and have a diverse staff, chances are not everyone on the team shares the same political views. You could create a tense corporate culture or even one of fear if you voice your politics too strongly, particularly at staff meetings. Who wants go against their boss?

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I’ve been thinking lately about how the ways of networking have changed drastically with social media, but have the rules changed, too?

To talk about this issue, I turned to Diane K. Danielson, CEO of www.DowntownWomensClub.com and the co-author of The Savvy Gal’s Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?).

Here’s what she had to say about networking through social media:

We’ve all been hearing that we need to be on social networks to promote our businesses.  But, how do we do this effectively?

First, you need to remember that even though you are doing this to promote your business,  when it comes to social networking, YOU are part of your company’s brand. This is because social networks thrive on authenticity and transparency.

How do you do this?

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I am not trying to rebel. I’m not a slacker. I just can’t get to the dishes every day. Yes, I work from home. But the operative word is WORK. Pretend that I’m not at home all day, maybe that will help you understand why the dishes are still piled up on the countertop, why the countertop is covered with peanut butter and jelly from baby’s sandwich that I rushed to make to get her to daycare on time, why the half-sliced orange and half-sliced avocado is still on the cutting board. And why the clean dishes are still in the dishwasher and not in their proper places in cupboards and drawers.

Believe me, I do see the mess. I see it when I rush back into the house after dropping baby at daycare. I cringe. But if I stop now to wipe and wash, I’ll forget the brilliant idea knocking around in my brain about to leak out of my head into the vortex of forgetfulness. And I swear this is the next big idea that will bring additional income into our household. I see the mess as I glance up from my computer now and then to let my eyes rest for a few moments, to stretch my hands and fingers so I don’t get crippled with carpal tunnel. I consider cleaning for a moment, but email is calling and client projects are due.

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Every so often, I’d like to post an interview with a female entrepreneur who happens to also be a mom. I recently interviewed Teresa Phillips, CEO of Graspr, an “instructional video network.”

Graspr is an online video community offering instructional content on a wide range of topics, from dancing to skateboard tricks, from quilting to PhotoShop tricks . The site’s mission is “to make the world a smarter place by bringing together people who possess different kinds of expertise, and helping them share what they know with others.”

Teresa Phillips, CEO of Graspr

1. Why did you decide to start your company? What was the inspiration?
The decision to create my own start up was triggered by the premature birth of my son. The support I received from therapists, nursing staff and doctors made me realize that I was lucky to live in such proximity to a great hospital, but not everybody is so fortunate. I founded Graspr to empower people to more readily discover the answers they seek from those who are either experts or share a similar experience from which they can learn.  Through the broad reach of the Internet and more specifically, the power of video, people all over the world are able to share their wealth of knowledge more freely.

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I’ve worked in many rural areas including Lander, Wyoming (Pop: 7800) where if the wind blew just a little too hard, my Internet connection went down - and you know how the wind blows in Wyoming! I’ve even worked from an old RV on the road, in state parks and at other campgrounds. And soon, I’ll be working from my new home in Tok, Alaska (Pop: 1800) along the Alaska Highway.

Here are some of my tips for working from remote and rural areas. I also turned to a Twitterfriend, Becky McCray, who provides some additional tips. I’ll introduce her after the jump.

Doing Business in Rural Places

1. Invest in fast Internet access. Sometimes it has to be satellite which can be pricey, but you can write it off your taxes as a valid and essential business expense.

2. Identify wifi hotspots - or Internet-enabled locations - in your area. If my Internet connection went down, I’d drive into town to connect at a cafe or restaurant or even a hotel or campground. Some McDonalds and Wendys even offer wifi so find out which businesses are wired and use them as backup when your access goes down.

3. Stock up on car chargers. Even when house power went out - particularly in my RV - I could rev up the engine and power up my essential tools and gadgets including computer and mobile devices. Invest in a USB car charger to charge your handhelds such as the SynCh from Malleable Devices.*

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Why does it seem like switching banks is as hard - or harder - than switching health practitioners? Sometimes, we seem to have an irrational loyalty to others who are supposed to be in the business of helping us even when they are doing more harm than good. That’s how I’ve felt over the last three years.

Logically, I knew that my business bank was doing nothing for my company. I didn’t have a relationship with any one person, nobody knew my name or anything about my company, and when push came to shove, they weren’t there for me when I really needed them.

Now I’m in the process of switching banks. I’ve decided to go with Key Bank, and they’ve been holding my hand every step of the way, and these days I seem to need a lot more hand-holding than usual.
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Are you trying to get a blogger to blog about your product or even about you? Here are some ways to reach bloggers more effectively in order to get more virtual ink.

1. Be selective.

Don’t use purchased or borrowed lists of bloggers. Do some quick research yourself and compile a highly targeted list of bloggers you genuinely feel would be interested in what you are marketing. Start with a Google search of relevant keywords, then try a Google Blog Search, Technorati search and an IceRocket search to hone in on the right bloggers.

2. Peruse target blogs.

Before emailing a blogger, read some of their blog posts. Make sure they actually review products before pitching a product. Or make sure they blog about people other than themselves or who they know. Just because a blogger has a big following doesn’t mean they’re willing to go “commercial” and blog for free product or for an advertising fee.

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Applying for a line of credit, like any financing, can be a stressful waiting game. After a series of rejections from my existing corporate bank and a few more from my potential new bank, I was feeling incredibly discouraged. I knew I had a booming business. Why couldn’t a bank see that?

Wednesday Update

Cindie Harrington, Relationship Manager Key4Women promptly contacted me on Wednesday, a day after the most recent rejection. I had been approved for a line of credit of $15,000.

I was floored. Speechless. I think I stammered for a few minutes. After all of headaches and heartaches I had gone through trying to provide my corporation with a cash flow cushion, I couldn’t believe a bank was actually going to help me. I knew I wasn’t a bad financial risk, but my financial past had seemed too checkered for me to be given any credit.
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Taking a chance on a new bank, I first met with Cindie Harrington, Relationship Manager Key4Women at the midtown branch in Anchorage on a Friday afternoon. I brought a pile of folders with all of my financials - the same materials I had provided my current bank - including three years of corporation federal income tax returns and three years of personal income tax returns.

First, I briefed Cindie about the details of my financial situation and recent experiences with my corporate bank of three years. Then I explained what I wanted for my business - a line of credit and NOT business credit cards - and what I thought I needed to help me through the occasional cash flow crunch - $15,000.

Cindie proceeded to fill out a loan application form for me. She then mentioned that Key Bank would love to have my business if I’d like to open a business checking account with them. I thought about it for a moment. At that moment, I had a checking and savings account with my existing bank with my husband’s name on it and then another checking and savings account that I was told to open up with only my name on it. I hadn’t started using the new checking or savings account yet. Did I want to open up yet another account?
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