Well, it appears as if the mystery of the finger found in the Chili at Wendy's is coming to an end with the arrest of the woman that found the digit in the first place. While the origin of the finger remains unknown, authorities say it definitely didn't originate at Wendy's or one of it's suppliers, and as such the accuser is now facing trial for attempted grand theft. The Wendy's locations in the San Jose area have lost millions in sales over this event, and the employees of the chain in the area have all lost money due to reduced hours they have been able to work because of the loss in sales. All for something for which the company has NO responsibility!

While this type of fraud is rare, think about how you are prepared to deal with a situation like this. As a small business owner, an unscrupulous individual could potentially cost you dearly. What contingencies do you have in place for loss of revenue due to circumstances beyond your control? Read Mark's article on making your business "recession proof". The ideas mentioned also apply to other events beyond your control. When and where the next case of fraud such as this will occur, I don't know. All I do know is that Wendy's is unlikely to give out finger puppets with their kids meals any time soon.

-Matt Walker
SBA Network Sales Technology Specialist

P.S. Be sure to tune in to the Small Business Hour this Sunday morning at 7 AM as we have a very special guest joining us. Tim Sanders, author of "Love is the Killer App" will be on the show with Mark and myself. He's always a very informative and entertaining guest, so be sure to listen to KLSX, 97.1 FM in Los Angeles Sunday at 7.