Some well-illustrated research from a late 2011 NFIB survey on small business owner sentiment and plans.

Key findings include:

• 3 out of 5 owners said uncertainty – both economic and political – impedes growth.
• Three-quarters of owners want to add employees in the next five years. Sixty percent want to add between on and 9 people.
• More than half of respondents – 53% – said lack of demand from consumers is a key factor impeding growth.
• Oddly, 52% of owners said they expect “little to no change” in their marketing plans.

Check out our January cover story on the new consumer, and what you can do to better understand – and sell to – them in the next year.

Here’s a collection of some of the best stuff we found this week. Enjoy!

• Ron Edmonds at the Principium Group has a good collection of major acquisitions from 2011.
• Cynthia Barnett has a new book on how we can fix America’s water crisis. (Via UTNE)
• Today is Epiphany, so you’re allowed to take down your Christmas tree. Here are a few ideas on what to do with it.
• 2012 looks bleak for consumer spending.
• ArtisTree supervisor exceeds customer expectations, refuses customer kisses.
• Jeff Korhan’s predictions for business and social media in 2012. (Better content, more videos.)
• Why marketing for small companies follows the “fake-it-til-you-make-it” model.
• Above: A good illustration of turf’s benefits from BASF TurfTalk.