Business school can help you when working for or running an already established business, but it can’t provide you with the real world experience needed to run a start-up or pursue entrepreneurship. More and more, MBA curriculums are being distinguished as training and networking grounds for upcoming entrepreneurs. Being sharp enough to face the challenges of running a company can be merciless, particularly in this high tech, fast paced territory. Because getting ahead in business frequently has nothing to do with qualifications or exceeding a set of specific goals, here are some cutting edge blogs that will help you win at the business game and expand the horizons of your education.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Productivity

It takes a disciplined personality to set accountable actions in order to become a successful individual. Acquire some helpful productivity skills that you couldn’t learn in business school from these blogs.

1. David Allen, Getting Things Done (GTD) -The acronym for “Getting Things Done” is a work and life management system by David Allen. His purpose is to improve the quality of life by providing the world’s best information, education, and products for personal productivity.
2. Productivity Cafe – Your source for ideas on getting things done, being effective, and reducing stress. Aim towards efficiency and a better life.
3. Productivity 501 – A site dedicated to bringing you regular tips and tricks to help increase your personal productivity.
4. 43 Folders – Discusses personal productivity, life hacks, and simple ways to make your life a bit better. The posts are engaging and give a different view of personal productivity and the challenges of modern knowledge.
5. Lifehack.org – Find great tips for saving time, organizing your life, and increasing productivity. Lifehack.org invites reader participation on its forums and has a popular “How to” section that’s worth checking out.
6. Laura Stack: The Productivity Pro – Learn how to get things done, be more productive, and enjoy life to the fullest with the suggestions from professional Laura Stack.
7. Black Belt Productivity – Read articles that preach time management as the main method to maximizing your productivity. Little life hacks, easy-to-use tools, and calendars are also reviewed in this blog.
8. Zen Habits – Get a business blog that covers everything from achieving goals, productivity, being organized, GTD, and motivation, to getting a flat stomach and eating healthy.
9. Jeet Blog – Mainly focuses on different Web 2.0 apps and online tools and how they can help you become more productive in your daily life. You will also find articles on blogging, social media, and on different aspects of the blogosphere.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Career Development

If you are just graduating college, there may be some specific needs you have when entering the job market. Check out these sites for a little help making the jump.

1. Career Rocketeer – This is one of the most popular career development blogs on the internet. They welcome ambitious career entrepreneurs of all ages and professions who are driven to reach greater career heights.
2. The Creative Career – Observations on the transition from college into career. It also has insight on how students can adapt to the aspects in public relations, communications, and marketing that are always changing.
3. Brazen Careerist – This blog is anything but your classic career site. Formed by a group of top Gen Y thought leaders, these posts provide forward thinking and encouragement to define your own path.
4. Daily Career Connection – This business blog is for individuals interested in growing as job professionals. Whether you’re just starting out or have been looking for a long time, this business blog has many tips that can help.
5. The Career Key Blog – These bloggers want you to utilize this site as a forum for sharing news and respectable resources about careers. They also explore many self employment and entrepreneurial options.
6. Rise Smart Blog Learn more about rising up in the ranks at work, even if you’re starting at the bottom, from this site.
7. Women’s Leadership Blog – This blog is sponsored by Future Women Leaders . Although not solely for career coaching, it shares resources, tips, and advice to inspire women to become leaders in both their professional and personal lives.
8. CareerDoctor.org – Great advice from Dr. Randall Hansen, Career Coach. He has over 20 years of experience coaching everyone from teenagers to senior executives with a variety of education and job search issues.
9. SI Career Development Blog – Brought to you by the University of Michigan School of Information, this is not just a blog for their students. The articles posted can help anyone obtain valuable information to develop a career.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Social Networking & Media

Business networking is a valuable tool to gain information, so increase your visibility in your field and make connections to help you move forward with the help of these business blogs.

1. Mashable – This is one of the leading tech blogs focused on Web 2.0 and social networking news. With more than 5 million monthly page views, this is the go to site for reviewing new sites and services along with breaking updates on what’s new on the web.
2. Sociable Blog – Get all the latest news and articles, as well as some great video about social networking,  social media, communities, and software from all over the world.
3. Networking Now – This blog is written by the founder of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization. Get marketing secrets and anecdotes about his years of experience in small business marketing.
4. The Social Networking Weblog – Videos, tips, and tricks make it easy to get a grasp on working with social media. There are also some easy step by step tutorials.
5. Social Media Coaching Center – Find what you want to learn about social media on this site. They’ve put together a group of coaches and social media gurus to show you how to use the tools and networks.
6. Online Social Networking – Educate yourself on the new strategies and tactics of social media. You can also get helpful information about building your presence on the web.
7. Market Like a Chick – This blogger’s main emphasis is to present advice and useful guides in social media and blogging. Her commentary is offered from a strong woman’s point of view.
8. The LinkedIn Blog – This is the corporate blog of the world’s biggest professional network, LinkedIn . It gives you the chance to communicate with more than 10 million members.
9. Chrisbrogan.com – Chris investigates the use of social media and social networking tools. He has been helping individuals work more productively for years.
10. Social Media Explorer – Journey into the world of social media to find efficient and formative ways to relate brands with buyers. This blog is authored by Jason Falls.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Self Awareness & Improvement

The business world can be frustrating, but just remember you can choose how you respond to your settings. Increase your self-awareness so you can get a better understanding of what pushes your buttons with the help of the below business blogs.

1. PIckTheBrain – This is a website covering anything related to self improvement and development. The main categories discussed are self education, personal productivity, and motivation.
2. KnowledgeReform.com Blog – Get self improvement advice and tips as well as practical knowledge needed for self empowerment. You will feel inspired to enhance your life upon reading many of these posts along with the need to educate your mind as well.
3. Think Simple Now – An objective composition that pinpoints key issues in our lives that cause us to be unhappy or depressed. Simple answers are brought to you in a way that’s easily comprehendible. Motivate yourself to seek contentment and true well being.
4. Steve Pavlina.com – Steve is known as one of the most respected personal development bloggers on the World Wide Web . He has written over 1,000 articles on a wide variety of self-help topics.
5. The Positivity Blog – Focus on bringing and seeing the positivity in your life with this blog. Expand your opportunities and open up new phases of life with these informative articles
6. Life Optimizer – These posts can help you optimize personal effectiveness and focus on your dreams to gain success. It is a great source for personal motivation and inspiration.
7. iNeedMotivation – This blog is all about self help and motivation for practical individuals. Topics discussed include personal development , spirituality, and the principles for success.
8. Live Your Life with Prosperity and Success – Written by Brian Maxwell, who is a life coach, motivational speaker, and author of self help books. After working with some of the world’s biggest companies, he decided to start speaking motivationally to smaller groups to provide inspiration for living life with happiness and wealth.
9. Self Improvement – The goal of this blog is to stress the value of self help to individuals around the world. Whether she’s discussing dealing with failure or giving tips for problem solving in everyday life, she is bound to provide some inspiration.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Marketing

Although there are marketing classes taught in business school, these blogs offer up innovative views on today’s business marketing.

1. Seth Godin’s Blog – Mr. Godin was founder of Yoyodyne, an interactive marketing company, which Yahoo Inc. acquired in late 1998. His blog often creates direction in business and life, such as financial advice for grads.
2. Duct Tape Marketing – Get marketing tips from this small business expert. John Jantsch hands out three or four small business marketing tips weekly in easily understandable bite-size tidbits.
3. Drew’s Marketing Minute – Tips and strategies on issues such as business plans, picking domain names, and going mobile are included. There is a plethora of information to help you make the right choices for business.
4. The Internet Strategist – Gain knowledge from an internet industry veteran with her own New York marketing firm. This blog specializes in traditional and internet marketing for entrepreneurs and growing businesses.
5. Strategy Stew – A place where business and marketing professionals go for creative ideas on trends. There are links to experts and all things related to getting your ideal customers.
6. How to Change the World – Guy Kawasaki is a managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage capital firm. His articles often provide usable lists that are relevant to marketing for his readers.
7. TylerCruz.com – Chronicles everyday operations of his life as a web entrepreneur. Post topics range from blogging tips, affiliate marketing, inspirational and motivational posts, guest posts, in-depth articles, and reviews.
8. Search Engine Land – A great resource for news and information about search engine marketing, optimization, and how search engines work for searchers.
9. Business Pundit – Learn things you never would have thought of on this unconventional blog. You will receive bold opinions and advice on marketing topics that help businesses grow.
10. Copyblogger – This blog offers some copywriting tips that are essential to online marketing and effective blogging.
11. Online Marketing Blog – Offers digital marketing related articles, resources, and interviews. Subjects discussed range from search marketing to online public relations.
12. PyroMarketing – Greg Stielstra, author of “PyroMarketing: The Four Step Strategy to Ignite Customer Evangelists and Keep Them for Life,” shares his marketing mastery on his blog.
13. Andy Beal’s Marketing Pilgrim – Andy Beal discusses news from the search engine industry. Her posts are on topics like blogging, RSS, and other internet marketing strategies.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Personal Branding

No professor will show you how to differentiate yourself as an expert in your field, articulate your unique value, and establish respect and credibility. These unconventional business blogs on personal branding will.

1. Personal Branding Blog – Position yourself to become known for your perseverance and expertise. See your brand from the very beginning and go beyond the competitive edge taking place in major companies.
2. Altaeeblog.com – Learn all about using personal branding power to enhance your opportunities. Get yourself noticed and gain motivation at the same time.
3. Brand Yourself – Get a better understanding of the basics behind business branding. Learn about what you need to do to get your name out there.
4. Quick Sprout – By the age of 21, Neil Patel was named a top 100 blogger by Technorati. He was also voted as one of top influencers on the web according to the  ”Wall Street Journal.” See why by visiting.
5. Krishna De’s Biz Growth News – Get some inspiration as well as resources and research so that you create an engaging personal brand. Gain knowledge of traditional marketing, communications strategies, and social media.
6. Cube Rules – Cube Rules offers support and personal branding advice. They cater to career-minded individuals working in corporate America.
7. Jibber Jobber Blog – These personal branding experts offer updates on networking and organizational tools. There are also thoughts and reviews on other resources.
8. The Engaging Brand – Read this blogger’s thoughts on the world of business, branding, and creativity. His goal is to enable people to be the best that they can be.
9. Brand-Yourself.com Blog – Tools, education, and hints to help you build your personal brand online are found here.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Effective Communication & Presentation

One of the most important skills anyone can develop is the capability to speak decidedly, persuasively, and aggressively in front of an audience of one or 1,000. Read these blogs for some tips and advice on how to do just that.

1. Communication Nation – This business blog is dedicated to that belief that communication is one of the most important skills anyone can have, in business and life. The blogger thinks we will be happier and more productive if we can improve our ability to communicate.
2. Six Minutes – Public speaking and presentation skills analysis and opinions. Become a more forceful speaker and communicate conclusively.
3. Professionaly Speaking – A community of speakers of all experience levels come together to learn, share, and grow in the understanding of public speaking. They also have great resources such as the rhyming dictionary and movie speeches.
4. Mike Stopforth – Mike is an entrepreneur, communications consultant, and keynote presenter. He is passionate about young individuals profiting in business, e-communication, and how they work together.
5. Robin Good’s Latest News – Everything you need to know from experts in the field about new ideas, tools, and resources to communicate with media technologies.
6. The Accidental Communicator – The blog for improving your presentation and communication skills. There are also some fast tips that can help you in a crunch.
7. Overnight Sensation – Learn how to reach your communication potential faster. Public speaking, personal development, and interpersonal skills are just some of the topics covered.
8. High Stakes Presentations – Sims Wyeth gives people the knowledge and skills they need to become accomplished speakers.
9. Business Communication Headline News – A full range of help and education that you need to achieve all of your communication and presentation needs. Meet your expectations of public speaking through this blog.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Sales, Negotiating, and Critical Thinking

Being able to evaluate information, sort the potentially valuable from the trivial, analyze its relevance and meaning, and make a decision based upon it is a crucial skill that can’t be taught in any business class.

1. Negotiating for Profit Includes information on negotiating tips and strategies on all types of situations both business and personal. There is also video training and tutorials available.
2. The Thinker – A blog all about critical thinking, decision making, problem solving, and creativity.
3. The Sales Blog – Written by S. Anthony Iannarino, a sales coach and entrepreneur for over ten years. His commentary offers a fresh, new look at the art of sales and sales management.
4. The Negotiation Board – Jonathan and Jennifer Martin are both graduates from the University of Washington Business School. They hope to use their experiences not learned in school to help anyone learn how to negotiate.
5. Think About It – A business analyst working with Web 2.0 tools and knowledge management. Her focus is on crucial decision processes and critical thinking material.
6. Sales Management Front Line Blog – Discusses key issues currently relevant to the success of sales leaders. Take action and act with that special edge to deal with any challenge.
7. Sales and Sales Management Blog – Discussion of sales and sales management topics with an emphasis on addressing real world issues with legitimate answers. There are articles by a number of to top guest trainers and consultants included.
8. IQ Matrix Blog – Dedicated to helping you improve your human brain potential through a sharp mixture of mind mapping and critical thinking fundamentals.
9. Sales Management 2.0 – Created to share helpful insights and practical knowledge that will help every sales professional increase their income without compromising their values.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Writing

Learning to write well involves not just mastery of grammar but the ability to organize one’s thoughts into a coherent form and target it to an audience in the most effective way possible.

1. There Are No Rules – Learn about today’s publishing trends and how authors can survive in all the faced paced changes in technology. Get a closer view of the publishing business and find practical tools for success.
2. Grammar Girl – Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing. Simplify your grammar problems with memory tricks to help you remember use those tedious grammar guidelines.
3. Quips and Tips for Successful Writers – Between fast articles and insightful advice from successful writers, all of your writing questions can be answered and compared between the present and the past.
4. The Book Deal – A blog for writers of all ages. Get a look at a veteran’s take on the weird and ever changing way books are published in the business today.
5. Six Sentences – What can you say in six sentences? Take a try to give your creativity a jump start.
6. The Creative Pen – Outstanding blogger, podcaster, and social media guru, Joanna Penn, offers interviews, hints, and answers for writers with a digital media focus.
7. Query Shark – Literary agent Janet Reid gives her authentic and direct standpoint on query letters. She brutally reviews letters from writers who are brave enough to get thrown into her shark tank.
8. A Newbie’s Guide to Getting Published – Author J.A. Konrath has done it all and gives his weathered advice and writer’s perspective on what it takes to get noticed in the arena of book publishing.
9. Writer Beware – You should definitely add this blog to your list of favorites if writing is your interest. The best site for reports and analysis on the scams and downfalls of publishing.
10. Loudpoet – Publisher, poet, and digital media planner, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, shows a wide angled view and offers some paired necessary advice for struggling writers and publishers.

Cutting Edge Business Blogs for Finances

Good financial management can make or break a company. It’s not just a matter of having enough money – it’s about having enough money for the right things at the right time. These blogs will help you stay focused on your business and personal budgets.

1. Get Rich Slowly – This business blog is devoted to personal finance, offering tips and advice on saving money, investing wisely, and getting a grip on your investing.
2. The Financial Guru – Receive a holistic approach to money and wealth from Vanessa Summers. She is the CEO of a company dedicated to empowering people to be successful in any economy through entrepreneurship.
3. PFBlogs.com – This network of personal finance blogs will connect you to all kinds of great advice for organizing your money.
4. Wise Bread – Learn how to live “large on a small budget.” This personal finance and frugal living guide is also chock full of clever life hacks.
5. Young Money.com – Trying to change the way young adults earn, manage, invest, and spend money since 1999. This blog is primarily written by student journalists and focuses on money management, entrepreneurship, careers, investing, and technology.
6. Rich by Thirty – If your major goal in life is to make money, then check out this blog. Its content is full of tips for raking in the big bucks.
7. Getting Finances Done – This blog is “your guide to stress-free financial control.” Learn how to organize your bills, stay out of debt, and get a handle on your bank account with these excellent hacks.
8. The Simple Dollar – Access free calculators, personal finance tips, and articles like “Your Money or Your Life: The Money Trap.”
9. The Only Guide to Investing an Entrepreneur Will Ever Need – A guide with a simple premise of investing their savings cautiously. A personal finance guru, Lewis Schiff gives advice on everything from how to invest your money to how to prepare for recession.
10. The Wisdom Journal – This is a blog about life, money, business, and the pursuit of balance. Read posts about personal finance, marketing, management, and links to other great sites.

Graduating from B School can be the most fulfilling thing you’ll do in your lifetime. Just understand that there’s a lot more to it than business plans and target markets. Most of what you learn won’t be taught in Business 101, but left up to you (with a little help from these top 100 cutting-edge business blogs).

Thanks to Samantha Miller, Online University Reviews.