As many smart and effective strategies that are utilized to successfully promote an online business, there are just as many, if not more, inadequate, even foolish, approaches that could spell doom for the venture. These wrongs can range from the merely uninformed or misinformational to the outright disregard, either of which can lead to the commission of social and pofessional faux pas. Blunders such as these can serve as the seeds for any temporary and therefore correctable problems, or they can bring about the destruction of the business in question.

When a vast network is established for a business, news can do circulate extremely fast throughout the professional community where it eventually filters into the many public forums where damage is especially critical. Following are a few major tips of which new business owners should be wary in their day to day practices with both colleagues and the general public. They might seem like no brainers, but they are also important enough to serve as reminders.

1) Never play favorites. Different from target networking, which serves as a means for isolating those for which ones particular business is designed, Playing favorites is downright discriminatory in nature. This is especially true when it comes to interacting with potential clients or customers. For example, when a male entrepreneur pays more attention to a buxom blonde with big blue eyes and a shapely form over a heaving old man with a wart covered face who, by all rights, was first in line.

Such sourness and complaints are liable to cast the business owner in a negative light and even possibly lead to litigations, the second especially occurring in the case of a woman being ignored over a man in relation to a male owned business. Behavior should be motivated through fairness and objectivity, as well as an overall general friendliness and the appreciation for patronage of a business venture by all who show an interest.

2) Never network according to narrowly devised business objectives. When online marketing plans are put into play within a small demographic, the business can not easily grow. Opennes and flexibility should always be considered so that network circulation of business ideas and preferences are dispersed faster and more broadly throughout the various Internet communities where they will become known among a greater number of people. When it comes to networking, a happy medium is the more beneficial approach, especially for the new business owner who is trying to become established in her or his particular field.

3) Never cut down affiliate or competing businesses when advertising. This looks petty, and it is underhanded. Although some politics are involved in marketing and promoting a business venture, mud slinging is not necessary. Instead, the more appropriate and more effective advertising puts emphasis on the showcased business merchandise and key objectives. The business, if viable enough, can and should stand on its own and speak for itself without having to look good through criticism of others. This will only lead to resentful opposition with an outfit that could eventually serve as yet another networking affiliate.

The business world is a virtual mindfield, especially for the newcomer. This is why entrepreneurs just starting out would be well advised to become informed on law and etiquette when developing business protocols and philosophy. Knowledge is power, and the power could save ones face.

Obinna Heche

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Chuck Berry falls ill during Chicago show; but refuses hospital

About an hour into a rapidly-deteriorating concert at the Congress Theater Saturday night, Chuck Berry slumped over an accompanist's keyboard before being helped offstage.

The 84-year-old rock and roll legend and a backing band of three Chicago musicians attempted to resume the show for a packed house about 15 minutes later, but Berry almost immediately was taken off again to be checked by paramedics who had been called to the scene.

After being examined, Berry returned one last time to thank the fans who had waited in hopes for the show to continue, but he left the stage -- using a bit of his signature "duck walk" -- without playing again. Shortly afterward, he walked out of the theatre's stage door on his own into an awaiting limousine. Berry signed a release saying he was OK, and he was not taken to a hospital, according to Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva.

"All I know is he felt faint, he felt weak, and I was told to call 911," said Michael Petryshyn, the concert's promoter, backstage after Berry's departure.

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Berry had been active in recent days: He had performed two shows in New York City the night before. Although Berry performs regularly in his hometown of St. Louis, he infrequently gives concerts elsewhere.A message left with Berry's management Sunday was not returned.

The show had started promisingly. Taking the stage in a red sequined shirt, black slacks and a white sailor hat, Berry began with "Roll Over Beethoven," one of his many 1950s hits, which formed the foundation for guitar-based rock and roll.

Although Berry played this and following songs - "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "School Days" -- at slower tempos than the original recordings, he filled them with his classic guitar riffs and sang them with weathered authority. Drummer Steve Gillis and bassist Bill Stephens kept the songs swinging steadily, and Vijay Tellis-Nayak added jubilant boogie piano.

Things then quickly began going off the rails. Berry played snippets of blues songs and an unsteady version of " Memphis Tennessee," before taking an extended pause to try to retune his guitar, complaining that it was out of key with the piano. He made several unsuccessful attempts at "Let It Rock," in part seated at the piano, and performed disjointed bits of "Carol" and "Johnny B. Goode."

Berry revived to lead the crowd in a sing-along of "My Ding-a-Ling" and acknowledged things weren't going well, telling the crowd he'd try to do better at entertaining them. It was not to be. After a version of "Reelin' and Rockin'" they found the band gamely following his inconsistent tempo, Berry made his way to the piano, where the show came to an end completely at odds with the joy in his music.

"Obviously, something was off," said Petryshyn, the promoter. "Fifteen minutes into the set it went from fine to something wasn't right. He was starting songs mid-song, playing 15 seconds of a song."

"I'm sorry to see his health be in that shape," Tellis-Nayak said. "He obviously loves performing. The music is still there. It's hard to see his health deteriorating. He may be working harder than he should."

Tribune reporter Heywood Hoffman contributed to this report. Admin