17 Small Business Owners Share Their Secret Weapons

Running a small business can be exceptionally rewarding, providing the opportunity to be your own boss and create jobs. But it's also incredibly difficult, and success or failure is yours to bear alone.

For a little insight and inspiration, we talked to several successful, highly motivated small business owners to find out how they make it work every day.

Founders and business owners from around the U.S. shared their "secret weapon" that's helped them succeed. For some, it's a must-have technology. For others, it's a key management technique or a personal productivity hack. In all, it's the thing that sets them apart and gives them an edge.