Fifty-four percent of American adults say they won’t take a vacation this summer, according to a Rasmussen poll taken in May. And it can be particularly tough for entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of their businesses. American Express released a survey in May that concluded that, while 67 percent of small business owners took a vacation in 2006, only 46 percent plan to do so this year.

A deep freeze has not destroyed the crop of pina colada ingredients, nor have trade union disputes led to a shortage of tiny parasols to adorn the tops of coco frios. Rather, small business owners tend to push themselves even beyond their limits, says Craig Jennings, a serial entrepreneur and regular vacationer. “Self-employed people are absolutely relentless.”

Source/Read More: Inc.com

Since 2006, small business owners have been taking less and less vacations, largely due to the economic downturn. This year, only 46% of small business owners said they were planning on taking a vacation for at least one week this summer, down from a high of 67% five years ago, according to the recently released American Express OPEN Small Business Vacation Monitor.

But Alice Bredin, a small business adviser for American Express, says she thinks this year is different.

Source/Read More: Moneyland

Business has often been compared to games of all sorts, with poker being one of the primary examples. It’s no surprise — both place you face to face with a number of competitors, with the goal of both being either to bankrupt the other players and get their chips or to have a more successful business and make more money than them (or bankrupt them as well, if they’ve really been a competitive pain in the ass).

The comparison actually runs quite a bit deeper, with many skills that you use on the poker table being comparable to the conference room.

Acting persuasively, reading opponents’ motives, and handling the subtleties of a monetary transaction are skills the poker greats work tirelessly to hone. These same skills are essential for negotiating a business deal.

In essence, each hand you are dealt in poker is like a product whose value you are trying sell to the rest of the table by placing bets, raising them, and calling other players’ bets. Your hand frequently won’t be the most valuable on the table. But by piecing together the limited information you have about your opponents and their hands—one might look nervous, one might be talking a lot, one might have a history of folding—you may be able to win with a well-timed and persuasive bluff.

Improve both games by checking out the entire article at BusinessWeek.com.

According to a survey by accounting software company KashFlow, almost a third of (UK) business owners feel that they “often” put off family time to run their business. And that’s not the only good news they found:

18% of small business owners said that they now have less disposable income, which undoubtedly contributes to the fact that 8% that said they had not a holiday for years. 5% said that they had less of a social life since starting their businesses.  These statistics are both linked to lack of funds and no spare time.

21% also reported that they had increased their personal debt levels  and were using credit cards more.