In response to my post about running your own email server, a reader mentioned the BlackBerry mobile email service. According to his computer consultant, running Exchange (Microsoft's messaging and collaboration software) as an in-house email server is necessary for the BlackBerry. Coincidentally, this subject came up with three other clients over the past year so there's obviously another common misunderstanding here—they were going to install a company server for the same reason.

The consultant was partly correct, but it really depends on your needs. BlackBerry has two types of solutions:

A common misconception amongst small-business owners is that you need your own email server. For most companies I've encountered, this is just not necessary.

Before continuing, it may help if I explain some basics. There are essentially two ways to have email:

This blog will be about helping small companies use the internet more effectively.

As a small-business owner or entrepreneur, you know that reaching a wide audience is vital. You've heard that the internet can play a big part in a successful business but perhaps don't know where to start. You have enough on your plate just keeping things running smoothly. There's no time to become an expert and there's no budget to hire an expensive consultant. Besides, who can you trust? There are charlatans out there who'd happily run away with your hard-earned savings.

Sound familiar? If so, this blog is for you. It will help you apply technology to your business, spot new ideas that might otherwise go unnoticed, and find ways to make your life easier. As a result, you'll be able to use the internet to improve your business.