3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: Nov. 14

Love Our Local Business is part of Intuit's larger, ongoing commitment to support the financial success of consumers and small businesses. In fiscal 2012, Intuit's product, in-kind and cash donations to charitable organizations and small-business development programs totaled nearly $54 million, the company says.

The new Love Our Local Business effort grows out of Intuit's Love a Local Business program, which awarded $1.2 million in grants and prizes to more than 100 U.S. small businesses since July 2009.

3. Hardware store owner apologizes for urging employees to vote for Romney. Huffington Post picked up a story from a local Patch publication about an Ace Hardware store owner in Davis, Calif., who has apologized for offending customers or employees to vote for Mitt Romney. Owner Jennifer Anderson apparently sent a letter to her workers trying to sway their votes.

In the meantime, Anderson's store is taking a hit as customers threaten to boycott shopping there, the article says.

Anderson says she doesn't regret her actions and implies that employees will now suffer the consequences with Obama winning a second term. "I'll be making financial decisions and it could affect how many employees ACE has and our health care. I took the time to tell my employees and now I'm getting shot," Anderson told Patch.

-- Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York.

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