Strategy Plus

Each of the 31.7 million small businesses in the U.S. has its own unique flavor, challenges and path to success. Some never expand beyond a single founder; others could scale to become the next unicorn. Along the way, many founders will face common sets of challenges as they reach new levels of success.

For that reason, we've decided to bring you some real-life examples that illustrate the five stages of small business growth: existence, survival, success, take-off and resource maturity.

Insights On The Five Stages Of Small Business Growth www.forbes.com

IN her monthly column, Brit Morin explains what a successful pitch looks like -- and how to give one in less than 30 seconds.

Dear Brit: 'What's an Elevator Pitch, and Why Do I Need One?' www.entrepreneur.com