News & Events Affecting Small Businesses
2/21/2012
Located in Florida, the Palmetto Villas Apartments is a low-income complex originally built in 1979, according to the Bradenton Herald. It offers 49 units comprising of 800-square-foot, two-bedroom...
2/21/2012
David Whitney, owner of Whitneyville, Maine-based Whitney Wreath, began selling the popular Christmas decoration out of his pickup truck in 1984, the Bangor Daily News reports.
Since then, his...
2/17/2012
During the 2011 fiscal year, SBA lending in South Carolina surged 72 percent to nearly $200 million, GSA Business reports. In total, 20 loans, valued at more than $2 million during that time frame, ...
2/16/2012
The recently released January Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index found small business financing requests by small banks and non-bank lenders has increased to their highest levels in the past 12...
2/15/2012
The city of Porterdale, Georgia, is hoping to use a USDA loan to update its outdated sewer system, the Rockdale Citizen reports.
According to Marty Boyd, the city's contracted engineer, 60 to 70...
2/14/2012
Mountain BizWorks (MBW), a North Carolina-based small business lending, consulting and training services firm, was recently granted $20,000 from the Create Jobs for USA Fund, the Citizen-Times...
2/14/2012
A tool created by loan financier Multifunding helps small business owners determine which banks are more apt to provide a small business loan, CBS Philly reports.
The tool grades nearly 7,000 banks...
2/13/2012
The rise of peer-to-peer lending for small business loans has taken place because there's a personal aspect that customers can't achieve with big banks.
"With community loans, people know what...
2/13/2012
Crowdfunding is essentially defined as raising small amounts of money from a large number of sources, according to BostInno. It's an alternative startups can turn to if they can't secure a small...
2/9/2012
Following a December 2011 approval by the Westmoreland, County, Virginia board of supervisors, the city has now begun the bidding process for the construction of a new judicial complex, the Journal...
2/8/2012
With 2012 being an election year, both Democrats and Republicans are reaching out for votes by detailing positive changes they will make to the economy, Small Business Trends reports.
President...
2/6/2012
Government-backed loans to new farmers have more than doubled over the past 10 years, according to the Huffington Post. These included various programs created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture...
2/6/2012
Alternative lending options such as cash-advance loans have their pitfalls - high interests rates being one of them - however, many small business owners are still finding they're unable to meet...
2/6/2012
A recent study conducted by Orlando, Florida-based consulting firm Fishkind & Associates determined that the market in Daytona Beach was ripe for a second hotel near its Ocean Center complex, the...
2/3/2012
The Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index recently released its December numbers, revealing an increase of 19 percent, Reuters reports.
This marks the 17th straight month in which the...
2/1/2012
The United States Department of Agriculture, which has an active portfolio of more than $155 billion affordable loans and loan guarantees, recently announced its intentions to provide 10 states with...
1/31/2012
A recent poll from the U.S. Federal Reserve of loan officers at 56 domestic banks revealed that demand for business loans increased in the fourth quarter of 2011, Bloomberg reports.
Conducted...
1/31/2012
It appears Wayne County, Tennessee, will be able to move forward a two-phase water project along Tennessee 13 - a stretch of road that travels along the state's border with Alabama to its border with...
1/31/2012
The Small Business Administration approved nearly $760 million in loans for 3,228 Ohio small businesses last year, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
SBA director Karen Mills made the...
1/30/2012
Loans provided to doctors by the U.S. Small Business Administration have grown nearly 1,000 percent since 2000, according to CNN. Specifically, SBA loans to doctors - mental health specialists...
1/30/2012
Approximately 10 percent of the total number of U.S. Small Business Administration loans handed out to Tennessee companies were for those in the restaurant, the Tennessean reports.
Specifically, SBA...
1/27/2012
A North Carolina-based hospitality group recently secured tentative motel financing for a Residence Inn by Marriott to be built across from the Raleigh Convention Center, the News Observer...
1/24/2012
Connecticut is seeing substantial gains in loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration during the first three months of the 2012 fiscal year, Westfair Online reports.
Specifically, the...
1/23/2012
The city of Stuttgart, Arkansas, will be utilizing an interim loan on top of a USDA loan from the USDA Rural Development program to fund its waterline replacement, the Stuttgart Daily Leader...
1/23/2012
Utilizing the United States Department of Agriculture's Biorefinery Assistance Program, the USDA was able to provide a $25 million loan to a biorefinery plant in Blairstown, Iowa, Biofuels Digest...
1/20/2012
According to estimates, the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development investments created or saved about 440,000 jobs last year.
Agriculture secretary Paul Vilsack recently...
1/18/2012
Last year, more than 557,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners received business advice and technical assistance through the U.S. Small Business Administration's Small Business Development...
1/16/2012
The town of Latta, South Carolina, is running out of options to relocate its water and sewer lines to make way for a new highway, WPDE-TV reports.
Latta needs $810,000 to move the lines, a necessary...
1/14/2012
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to close 260 of its offices nationwide, The Associated Press reports. This may mean some farmers or businesses hoping to apply for a USDA loan at their local...
1/12/2012
Expanded eligibility guidelines developed by Missouri treasurer Clint Zweifel allowed for a 40 percent increase in the amount of loans awarded to farmers and small businesses in the state, ...
1/12/2012
The United States Small Business Administration approved $22 million SBA loans in the state of Rhode Island during the fourth quarter of 2011, the Providence Business News reports.
This is down...
1/12/2012
Compass Components, an engineering, manufacturing and distribution company based out of New Mexico, recently received help from the U.S. Small Business Administration to reduce its electricity costs, ...
1/10/2012
A Save-A-Lot grocery store in the New York village of Holley recently secured an SBA loan to help fund construction in the new location.
The loan is worth $581,250, and will cover 75 percent of the...
1/9/2012
The Lawrence County Economic Growth Council (LCEGC) is the only agency in the state of Indiana to receive funding through the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program for a...
1/9/2012
High Springs, Florida, officials stated their case before a federal hearing officer to retain $1.6 million from the United States Department of Agriculture to help fund its wastewater system, Alachua...
1/6/2012
SurePayroll's December Scorecard revealed that optimism among small businesses is rising.
Specifically, last month's small business optimism score was 63 percent - a 10 percent increase from the...
1/6/2012
An $8.5 million loan from the United States Department of Agriculture will help fund an $11.4 million, six-mile sewer plant discharge pipe in Havelock, North Carolina, the Sun Journal reports.
A...
1/5/2012
The Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index was up again in November, showing an 18 percent increase year-over-year, Reuters reports.
Overall small business lending was up 10.2 points to...
1/4/2012
A United States Department of Agriculture loan to the city of Harrisonburg, Virginia, helped fund its new lending program, which recently closed its first loan deal, the Augusta Free Press...
1/4/2012
A large portion of U.S. farmers - more than 60 percent - are aged 55 years or older, according to the Wausau Daily Herald. To counteract the age disparity and recruit more young people to take up...
1/4/2012
An old high school building in Winterville, Georgia, may soon begin renovations thanks in part to a USDA loan of more than $1 million, the Athens Banner-Herald reports.
Winterville High School was...
1/3/2012
Bank loans in 2012 will likely remain consistent to 2011 trends - large banks will provide less funding while smaller community banks and credit unions will assist entrepreneurs, according to Fox...
12/27/2011
Due to assistance from the Small Business Administration, small companies thrived in Nebraska during the 2011 fiscal year.
For instance, approximately 2,000 new jobs were created in the state as a...
12/26/2011
Approximately 70 percent of all U.S. exporters have 20 or fewer employees, according to the SBA's website. In order to assist small business exporters, the agency has devised certain SBA loan...
12/23/2011
When starting the process of getting a small business loan, how can a company determine which financial institution is most likely to lend to them?
Rhoit Arora, CEO of Biz2Credit, explains to Small...
12/23/2011
The tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, earlier this year resulted in approximately $3 billion in damages, according to Live Insurance News.
However, since census information had the population in...
12/22/2011
The United States Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative recently awarded Pennsylvania with $29.2 million in federal funding to support small businesses.
At least 12 lenders will receive...
12/22/2011
The city of Kiowa, Oklahoma, is in the process of obtaining a USDA loan to help fund a new hospital to replace its current dilapidated building, the Alva Review-Courier reports.
Hospital CEO Aldeen...
12/21/2011
A competition held by the U.S. Small Business Administration recently challenged developers to create useful web and mobile tools for small businesses.
The Apps for Entrepreneurs Challenge offered...
12/21/2011
Two of the top peer-to-peer (P2P) lending companies - Prosper and U.S. Lending Club - are expected to finish 2011 with a combined $330 million in new loans, according to Fox News.
And while small...
12/20/2011
The Jackson, South Carolina, town council is close to approving a tax increment finance (TIF) district that would allow for the construction of a Harvey's - a grocery store - the Aiken Standard...
12/20/2011
Earlier this year, the Small Business Administration altered its lending guidelines to include self-storage businesses as an eligible entity, according to Inside Self Storage.
"The SBA changed its...
12/19/2011
Motel owner Qi Lin Wu has experienced difficulty finding motel financing to help rebuild and renovate his facility, in Craig, Colorado, following a fire that devastated the building two years ago, ...
12/19/2011
Small business lending in New Jersey saw increases in both loan approvals and overall dollar amounts compared to 2010, Suburban Trends reports.
Harry Menta of the state's SBA District Office...
12/19/2011
The USDA's Rural Development Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) finished its funding for renewable energy projects this year by providing nearly $2 million for flexible fuel pump...
12/16/2011
Small businesses in West Virginia recently received a upgrade to the tune of $13.1 in loan funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative, the State Journal...
12/15/2011
According to recent data from the Small Business Administration, the agency issued a record $19,6 billion 7(a) loans during the latest fiscal year, Entrepreneur Magazine reports.
Of that amount, ...
12/15/2011
According to the Department of Labor, there are nearly 900,000 unemployed veterans in the United States, the website for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs reports. In October 2011, the average...
12/14/2011
New York congresswoman Carolyn Maloney recently introduced a bill to Congress that would ease the process of obtaining a microloan for small businesses, NY Daily News reports.
Known as the...
12/14/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture has granted the town of Rainelle, West Virginia, with a USDA loan to assist with upgrades to its water system.
Rainelle was approved for a 2.25 percent...
12/13/2011
According to the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index, October marked the 15th straight month of double-digit growth, jumping 20 percent from September figures, Reuters reports.
This...
12/13/2011
The W Fund, a $25 million investment fund to aid in the growth of biotech startups at the University of Washington and other local research institutions, recently received $5 million from the state's...
12/12/2011
Beginning farmers, women and minorities in Steuben County, New York, will all be eligible for USDA loans from its Farm Service Agency as part of the FSA's goal to promote greater involvement in the...
12/12/2011
Getting an SBA loan remains a difficult venture for many small businesses. Specifically, microloans tend to have the most obstacles, with lenders usually not willing to spend the time or effort...
12/9/2011
For the past week and a half, the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program has been hosting grant writing sessions in Missouri in partnership with state senator Claire...
12/7/2011
According to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, credit unions (CU) continued their loan momentum gained by bank transfer movements into November, the Credit Union Times reports.
On...
12/7/2011
Baltimore County, Maryland's Small Business Loan Partnership has added five new lenders, boosting its overall roster to 20 banks, the Baltimore Business Journal reports.
The additional institutions...
12/6/2011
The Los Angeles City Council's Budget and Finance Committee is close to deciding whether a proposal to hold banks more responsible for their small business lending practices will pass, The Associated...
12/6/2011
The U.S. Treasury Department's State Small Business Credit Initiative recently announced $13.1 million in funding to the state of Arkansas to increase small business lending, The Associated Press...
12/6/2011
Sanilac County, Michigan, is hoping to receive its second USDA loan to help fund renovations to its jail, the Port Huron Times Herald reports.
The county received a $5 million USDA Rural Development...
12/5/2011
A USDA loan provided to Marshall County, Tennessee, has been altered to allow for monthly payments for pipeline construction costs, the Marshall County Tribune reports.
The county previously...
12/5/2011
According to the Credit Union National Association, the national average of consumers with checking accounts in CUs is about 10 percent, the Seattle Times reports.
Conversions have risen of late, as...
12/2/2011
A combination of unique partnerships and investments from private entities has spurred a low-income apartment rehabilitation project in Watertown, New York, the Watertown Daily Times...
12/2/2011
Connecticut businesses and homeowners are receiving SBA loan assistance to aid in the recovery from Tropical Storm Irene and a snowstorm that occurred on October 29th and 30th, the Hartford Business...
12/2/2011
The town of Winstonville, Mississippi, which had been without natural gas for the past six months, will have its service restored this week, The Associated Press reports.
Texas Gas Transmission, the...
12/1/2011
The Small Business Administration is constantly providing homeowners, farms and businesses with disaster loans to help them rebuild from catastrophic events or harsh weather conditions. Recently, it...
12/1/2011
Illinois governor Pat Quinn recently supported entrepreneurs by declaring Saturday, November 26 "Small Business Saturday," an initiative he believes spurred small business spending during a time when...
12/1/2011
Microlending has become an increasing popular form of providing alternative small business loans, helping thousands of company owners who would otherwise be shut out from capital or forced to take...
12/1/2011
Small business lending grew and delinquencies dropped in October according to the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index. However, borrowing has yet to reach pre-recession...
11/30/2011
Two new Connecticut programs will expand the small business lending landscape for the state's Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF), the Hour reports.
As part of the federal jobs bill, the...
11/29/2011
Hawaii financial institutions set state records in Small Business Administration loans during the most recent fiscal year, the Republic reports.
The SBA's Hawaii office lent $73.6 million to 343...
11/29/2011
The Small Business Administration backed nearly 62,000 loans totaling $30.5 billion during the 2011 fiscal year - both record numbers for the agency, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
In Ohio, the...
11/29/2011
City council members in Willits, California, recently voted to accept a USDA loan for nearly $575,000 to aid in the completion of three projects relating its new sewer plant project, Willits News...
11/29/2011
Lenders in South Dakota were recently recognized for their Small Business Administration lending efforts, the Hot Springs Star reports.
According to the SBA's District Office in South Dakota, state...
11/28/2011
San Francisco, California-based Bank of the West recently announced its plans to expand its Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) Banking group after a successful year in small business lending.
The...
11/28/2011
November has seen an influx of big bank customers withdrawing their accounts and transferring to smaller institutions or credit unions (CUs), spurred by multiple movements.
According to the...
11/28/2011
Maryland's Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center recently received funds from the United States Department of Agriculture to aid in the development of the area's small businesses, the Star Democrat...
11/23/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture offers loan programs that compare favorably to Federal Housing Administration loans, and more Michigan families are taking advantage of them, the Muskegon...
11/23/2011
The current economic climate has elicited a range of opinions among politicians and policy makers about how to get the nation back on its monetary feet. However, across the spectrum of partisan...
11/22/2011
Last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding through the USDA's Rural Development Program to establish telemedicine and other healthcare projects Delta region states.
According to...
11/21/2011
Smaller companies are adapting to banks' tightened small business lending policies in order to remain afloat, CreditCards.com reports.
Specifically, multiple studies have shown that businesses are...
11/21/2011
York County, South Carolina, councilman Curwood Chappell recently discussed ideas for improving small business lending in the county during last week's State of the County breakfast, the Herald...
11/18/2011
The Small Business Administration's Alaska district office recently named its 2011 lender awards at the Alaska Lenders' Symposium in Anchorage, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reports.
First National...
11/18/2011
A landslide vote from Fulton County, Arkansas, residents allowed construction to move forward for a new jail to replace the current one that's failing to meet minimum building code standards, Area...
11/18/2011
The federal Small Business Lending Fund was only able to disperse $4 billion of its allocated $30 billion, with a large portion of banks using the funds to repay Trouble Asset Relief Program...
11/17/2011
Wrangell, Alaska, residents recently voted "Yes" for Proposition 1, which will allow the city to move forward with a new hospital facility funded by a USDA loan, KSTK-FM reports.
The ruling passed...
11/17/2011
A recent quarterly survey from Business Monitor revealed some small companies are beginning to place the blame for low small business lending on the bleak economic landscape, Management Today...
11/17/2011
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the USDA would be providing funds to assist rural agricultural producers conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects.
Five...
11/17/2011
The Small Business Administration granted New Jersey veterans 21 percent more loans in 2011 than they did in 2010, the Burlington County Times reports.
"Many veterans have the necessary skill set to...
11/16/2011
A new natural gas project from the Pennsylvania-based Butler Transit Authority would displace around 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel and reduce nearly 370 tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions upon...
11/16/2011
Indiana small business owners may be eligible for a little-known incentive within the Small Business Jobs Act thanks to research from two New Jersey certified public accountants, the News and Tribune...
11/16/2011
A recent analysis of 1,000 loan applications by Business Insider revealed small banks and alternative lenders are increasing small business loan approval rates at a brisker pace than big financial...
11/15/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced its intentions to disperse $410.7 million among 15 states under its Rural Utilities Service program.
There will be at least 22 projects...
11/14/2011
According to a recent study from nonprofit Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), SBA loan programs are found to disproportionally benefit inner-city entrepreneurs.
Despite this fact, the...
11/14/2011
During the 2011 fiscal year, the Small Business Administration's New Hampshire district office approved 762 loans totaling more than $150 million.
The majority of the loans were provided by the...
11/14/2011
According to recent data from Pennsylvania-based consulting firm MultiFunding, small business lending in the state is not far off from pre-recession numbers.
The company studied the state's...
11/11/2011
The Small Business Administration's Emerging 200 Initiative aims to identify 200 inner-city businesses nationwide with high growth potential, according to the SBA's website.
The SBA provides each...
11/11/2011
Banks in St. Louis are distributing fewer loans, regardless of whether it's a small business owner trying to get capital for a startup or a prospective homeowner looking for funding for a house...
11/11/2011
Entrepreneurs are leveraging a variety of means to garner funding, ranging from small business lending to personal property, the Wall Street Pit notes.
There tends to be a difference in funding...
11/10/2011
Entrepreneur Carlos Soto opened his sit-down Mexican restaurant Burrito Grande in Utah 10 years ago, and its success resulted in an expansion to 25 tables and 10 employees, the Standard-Examiner...
11/9/2011
A roundtable discussion was recently held between business leaders from Southwest states and the USDA deputy under secretary for rural development Doug O'Brien at the Grundy, Virginia-based...
11/9/2011
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently spoke during a two-day conference that explored ways the Fed can help small businesses obtain loans, The Associated Press reports.
Bernanke encouraged...
11/9/2011
A total of 10 Indiana counties were recently made eligible for U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans as a result of drought and excessive heat that began on July 2.
"These counties are...
11/9/2011
As loans from conventional banks remain hard to come by for some small business owners, they must look for alternative options to obtain capital and grow their companies.
Crain's New York Business...
11/8/2011
The renderings of a new 27-story hotel in New York between Broadway and Eighth Avenue were recently shown to a Community Board 5 committee, despite complaints from neighbors about looming...
11/8/2011
Approval rates for small business financing requests by small banks and non-bank lenders increased to their highest levels of 2011, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, Small...
11/8/2011
A USDA loan was issued this week by agriculture secretary Tom Vilksack via the agency's Biorefinery Assistance Program.
Sapphire Energy obtained a $54.5 million loan to assist in the construction...
11/7/2011
The Small Business Administration's CAPLines program is an umbrella SBA loan initiative aimed at assisting small businesses with short-term and cyclical working-capital needs, according to the SBA's...
11/7/2011
As of June 30, Plaza Bank in Irvine, California, represented the Orange County bank with the highest loans-to-deposits ratio at 45.6 percent, the Orange County Register reports.
Plaza made $258.4...
11/4/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development program currently holds a portfolio of more than $155 billion in USDA loans and guarantees. The funds aim to improve the economic...
11/4/2011
A recent study from Pennsylvania-based lending advisory firm MultiFunding revealed that New Jersey's smaller community banks are outperforming larger banks and commercial institutions in loan...
11/3/2011
Fueled by a lending program that aims to provide up to $2 billion in small business loans over the next four years, Ohio-based Huntington Bank has been providing Michigan companies with ample funds, ...
11/3/2011
Anaerobic biodigesters - machines that recover methane from animal manure according to Energy Savers - will be built in seven states thanks to multiple USDA loans, Farm and Dairy reports.
The USDA...
11/2/2011
The United States Agricultural Department provided a $267 million USDA loan to now defunct wireless internet provider Open Range in 2008, the Washington Post reported. The federal loan was given to...
11/1/2011
The state of Michigan led the nation in Small Business Administration lending during fiscal year 2011, Business Review West Michigan reports.
SBA 7(a) loans grew by 36.3 percent statewide during the...
11/1/2011
An SBA loan can help a small business grow and expand - but how does one actually go about getting an SBA loan?
According to Inc. Magazine, a company must first be turned down for a traditional...
11/1/2011
A USDA program that exchanges loan repayment for service in underserved areas has granted five Texas veterinarians with funds to help pay for their schooling, North Texas e-News reports.
The USDA...
10/31/2011
The down economy has forced more banks than usual to tighten their lending restrictions, leading to less business loans being handed out. Faced with this reality, some small businesses are developing...
10/28/2011
Wayne, Pennsylvania-based Penn Liberty Bank recently announced its Business Capital Access Program, which aims to provide small business loans to the state's southeastern businesses to support...
10/28/2011
Back in January, Massachusetts-based Worcester Business Development Corporation received 504 SBA loan approvals to acquire undeveloped land in Devens to construct a Hilton Garden Inn.
Working with...
10/28/2011
The Troubled Asset Relief Program, launched by the Bush administration in 2008, was a $700 billion rescue plan intended to strengthen the country's financial sector by purchasing assets and equity...
10/28/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture recently granted the city of Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a USDA loan worth nearly $100 million, courtesy of the USDA's Rural Development program, the...
10/27/2011
Houston, Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee recently announced that she's backing legislation that would open $13 billion for business loans and create around 140,000 new jobs, the Houston...
10/27/2011
The Minnesota State Board of Investment recently agreed to deposit $100 million into community banks across the state to be designated to small businesses, the Star Tribune reports.
Governor Mark...
10/27/2011
Citing losses from the effects of snowstorms, frosts, freezes, flooding, hail and tornadoes, 41 North Dakota counties were recently deemed eligible for USDA natural disaster relief loans from the...
10/26/2011
According to data from the Federal Reserve, the volume of industry and commercial loans has increased by 6.2 percent since the beginning of the fiscal year, but the majority of those funds were...
10/25/2011
A combination of reduced fees and a temporary loan limit increase led to a nearly 20 percent rise in SBA lending in Massachusetts during the 2011 fiscal year, the Worcester Business Journal Online...
10/25/2011
The Delaware Community Development Center Corporation and Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Fulton Bank recently approved an SBA loan program that's similar to a 504 loan, the Cecil Whig...
10/25/2011
The United States' Department of Agriculture's civil rights efforts look to be paying off, according to the Western Farm Press.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has put forth a variety of...
10/24/2011
The Margaret J. Weston Community Healthcare Center plans to begin construction on a 3,700 square-foot expansion at its Aiken, South Carolina, location following a USDA loan of nearly $1 million, the...
10/24/2011
The devastation of recent natural disasters to northeastern Pennsylvania has prompted state Senator Bob Casey to introduce legislation that would lower the interest rates of SBA disaster loans, the...
10/24/2011
Through the Small Business Administration's 504 Certified Development Company Program, South Dakota's Sioux Falls office set lending records in fiscal year 2011, the Argus Leader reports.
Despite...
10/21/2011
According to the Credit Union National Association, commercial loans processed by credit unions are on the rise - exceeding both car loans and home mortgages, The Gazette reports.
Following the...
10/21/2011
According to a recent survey from Philadelphia-based loan adviser MultiFunding, collateral has exceeded credit and cash flow when it comes to receiving a small business loan, CBS Local...
10/20/2011
A partnership between nonprofit micro-lending organization Accion, the Delta Regional Authority and the Small Business Administration has resulted in a project to make small business loans available...
10/20/2011
Las Vegas, Nevada-based Meadows Bank recently announced that it received the honor as the top SBA 7(a) lender in the state for the 2011 fiscal year.
The U.S. Small Business Administration granted...
10/19/2011
The USDA's rural water project, announced earlier this month by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, aims to provide 26 states with funds to upgrade their water systems. It will help build "thousands"...
10/19/2011
Spokane-based Washington Trust Bank, which accepted Trouble Asset Relief Program funds in January 2009 as a defensive mechanism, recently repaid its obligation to the U.S. Treasury Department, the...
10/18/2011
The U.S. Treasury Department has taken some flack lately for its Small Business Lending Fund, which the majority of government officials have deemed a failure after dispersing a mere $4 million of...
10/18/2011
The lack of young farmers has grown troublesome for the farming industry, as the average age of the American farmer is nearly 60, the Herald reports.
Rising crop prices have greatly increased land...
10/18/2011
Starbucks recently showed its support for small businesses and community development financial institutions by donating $5 million in seed money to start the Create Jobs for USA program.
The coffee...
10/18/2011
Four rural development projects in West Virginia will receive a combined $3.15 million from the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Jay Rockafeller announced...
10/17/2011
According to recent data from the U.S. Small Business Administration, lenders in the SBA's Santa Ana, California, district showed some interesting lending patterns, the Orange County Register...
10/17/2011
Small business lending has yet to fully reach pre-recession levels, but recent data from PayNet shows that certain sectors are seeing substantial increases, Reuters reports.
The news source notes...
10/14/2011
Connecticut banks increased Small Business Administration lending by 40 percent to $224 million during the latest fiscal year, the Fairfield County Business Journal reports. This outpaced the...
10/14/2011
Nonprofit Tri-County Electric Cooperative recently received a $25 million USDA loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development, Decorah Newspapers reports.
The cooperative...
10/13/2011
The San Carlos Apache Tribe, located in San Carlos, Arizona, recently received a combination grant and USDA loan to assist in the relocation of one of its flood-prone communities, Arizona Silver Belt...
10/12/2011
Delaware loan volumes have increased each of the past three years, according to the News Journal. While district director of the Small Business Administration's Delaware office Jayne Armstrong...
10/12/2011
According to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index for September, loan approvals at small banks increased by nearly 2 percent, while loans from bigger banks dropped for the ninth straight...
10/12/2011
The United States Department of Agriculture and Habitat for Humanity recently joined forces to provide housing for a mother of three in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, the USDA's blog reports.
Using a...
10/12/2011
The damage done by Tropical Storm Irene to Connecticut farms has resulted in their eligibility for USDA disaster loans, the News Times reports.
A total of seven counties were designated as "disaster...
10/11/2011
A $5.7 million USDA Rural Development Loan was recently granted to the city of New Philadelphia, Ohio, for the construction of a Community Hospice building, according to the Times-Reporter.
The...
10/11/2011
A $5 million USDA loan was recently provided to the town of Fletcher, North Carolina, which will allow it to move forward with an $7.7 million area improvement project, the Times-News...
10/10/2011
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard announced last week the creation of South Dakota Works - an initiative to provide small businesses in the state with additional working capital.
Launched in...
10/7/2011
As the fiscal year comes to pass, the U.S. Small Business Administration is naming bank branches across the country that successfully doled out the most SBA loans.
Buffalo Business First reports...
10/7/2011
The USDA's Water and Environment Program provides loans, grants and guarantees in rural areas and cities or towns with 10,000 or fewer residents, according to the agency's website.
Funds may go...
10/6/2011
During the current fiscal year, Small Business Administration loan approvals supported $30.5 billion in small business lending. This is a significant upgrade from 2010, which saw $22.6 billion...
10/6/2011
The $30 billion federal Small Business Lending Fund was intended to spur small business growth and fuel in the economic recovery. Instead, a mere $4 billion was handed out by the government, and many...
10/6/2011
Phillipsburg, Kansas-based Great Plains Health Alliance was recently awarded a USDA loan as part of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's Community Facilities projects to fund 22 hospitals throughout...
10/5/2011
The USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program - a $46.8 million federal initiative to create jobs and improve the economy - funneled a portion of those funds the city of Akron, Ohio, this...
10/5/2011
Small monetary loans to small businesses - such as those for less than $150,000 - are critical to a growing business for hiring, equipment purchases and other capital to help it expand, The Wall...
10/4/2011
The Small Business Administration's 504 loan program was expected to boost jobs by allowing qualified small businesses to cut their mortgage costs and take advantage of low interest rates.
However, ...
10/4/2011
USDA loans totaling approximately $8.6 million were recently announced by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in an effort to support rural communities, Indiana Prairie Farmer reports.
The funding...
10/3/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has increased its guaranteed loans in South Florida since August to $282 million - up from $234 million year-over-year, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Regional...
10/3/2011
This past August, Anchorage, Alaska-based DQ Grill and Chill was honored with the distinction of being one of the Small Business Administration's 100 companies that have added more than 100 jobs due...
10/3/2011
Thomson Reuters/PayNet, the small business lending index that predicts economic developments, provided some good news in a recent report, Reuters notes.
Typically, the Index can surmise economic...
10/3/2011
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency has reduced its number of complaints to record lows while increasing its USDA loan funding over the past year.
Administrator Bruce Nelson...
10/3/2011
The SBA 100 represents a list of companies across the country that have created at least 100 jobs after receiving support from the Small Business Administration.
This support can come in the form of...
10/3/2011
Launched in 1995, Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewery faced an uphill battle to compete against larger libation sellers such as Budweiser.
However, WMDT-TV reports that 16 years later, the beer...
10/3/2011
Accolade, based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, was recently named to the Small Business Administration's SBA 100 list, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports.
Founded in 2007, Accolade...
10/3/2011
Wilmington, Delaware-based Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant was recently recognized by Jayne Armstrong, director of the Small Business Administration's Delaware District Office as an SBA 100...
10/3/2011
Lockport, New York-based Candlelight Cabinetry used a $1.2 million SBA loan to follow through on a business plan that helped them establish a presence in a niche market, the SBA's website...
10/3/2011
Overnite Express founder Rob Ukropina was disheartened by the "inflexible schedules" of large overnight delivery companies in the early 1990s that charged too much and provided unreliable services...
10/3/2011
Constant Contact is widely known as one of the leaders in email marketing. The company offers a variety of online marketing tools on top of its aforementioned primary service including social media...
10/3/2011
Purchased in 1990 by president Mike Cameron, Christopherson Business Travel has thrived despite the economic recession, reduced travel agency commissions and intense internet competition.
Due to its...
10/3/2011
Nonprofit organizations in a vast array of Virginia cities and counties are now eligible for Small Business Administration Disaster Loans to repair damage caused by Hurricane Irene, Virginia Business...
9/30/2011
Seafood eatery The Boathouse in Rocketts Landing, Virginia, was recently named to the SBA 100, Richmond BizSense reports.
Owner Kevin Healy's restaurant made the SBA 100 - the program by the Small...
9/30/2011
Tom Lee, CEO of venture-backed primary care practice One Medical Group, recently completed doctors' office financing of $20 million to open five practices in the coming year, TechCrunch reports.
One...
9/29/2011
The Small Business Lending Fund - President Barack Obama's $30 million program to stimulate the economy and provide capital to banks with less than $10 billion in assets - came to a close today, ...
9/28/2011
The Small Business Jobs Act, signed into law one year ago, was expected to create an infusion of capital for small businesses. President Barack Obama designated $30 billion to the Small Business...
9/27/2011
The Small Business Administration has provided $30 million worth of state grants in an effort to achieve President Barack Obama's target of doubling the export trade over the next five years, the...
9/27/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently awarded funds to 11 grantees as part of its Small Business Teaming Pilot Program, according to the SBA's website.
Grantees - which include the...
9/27/2011
President Barack Obama's Small Business Lending Fund was initiated last year to create jobs and provide companies with loans.
However, the program will conclude with just over 10 percent of the $30...
9/26/2011
In a letter sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch expressed his concern over the Treasury's ability to scrutinize applications as the Small Business Lending Fund...
9/22/2011
The second annual Meet the Lenders event was held by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Philadelphia office this past week, the Intelligencer reports.
Don Jefferson, business development...
9/22/2011
A recent survey conducted by Ink from Chase revealed that smaller companies are expanding despite a lack of small business lending by banks. The study received responses from 390 members of the Inc. ...
9/21/2011
As small businesses struggle to survive during the down economy, many have been unable to secure bank loans from cautious lenders who fear another recession.
However, online pawn shops like Pawngo...
9/20/2011
Vice President Joe Biden, joined by Small Business Association administration head Karen Mills, announced today the infusion of $20 billion into small business lending over the next three years, ...
9/20/2011
The state of Georgia has far exceeded its previous total amount of SBA loans administered in a fiscal year, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports.
Georgia businesses obtained 1,616 guaranteed loans...
9/19/2011
Banks are lending more freely than they were last year, The Wall Street Journal reports. However, that lending has failed to spur job growth because the majority of businesses are using the funding...
9/19/2011
According to an analysis of more than 11,000 SBA loans provided to businesses that claimed to be 9/11 terror attack victims, approximately 30 percent have yet to send repayment, the Columbus Dispatch...
9/19/2011
The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently approved New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's application for additional small business loan capital.
New York's State Small Business Credit Initiative -...
9/16/2011
The Dixie Group, a Santa Ana, California-based marketer and manufacturer of high-end carpets and rugs, recently had to refinance a business loan to allow for early redemption of convertible...
9/16/2011
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently announced the state will receive $22 million to fund small business loans, the Boston Business Journal reports.
The funds will come from the federal...
9/15/2011
President Barack Obama has announced his administration's QuickPay initiative, which means to increase the speed of delivery of federal payments to small business contractors.
Karen Mills, ...
9/14/2011
A number of Minnesota-based companies have made the U.S. Small Business Administration's list of the top job creators this year, from a salon franchise to a prepared foods direct sales company.
The...
9/13/2011
The U.S. Federal Reserve may make another adjustment to interest rates that could help consumers and businesses with debt and future credit, as well as improve the small business lending market.
In...
9/13/2011
As opinions of President Barack Obama's proposed American Jobs Act pour out of Washington, and politicians create new plans to tackle unemployment and the economy in anticipation of the 2012...
9/9/2011
In a recent speech addressing economic concerns, President Barack Obama laid out the details of his American Jobs Act, which contains provisions that may benefit small businesses.
One of the top...
9/9/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is recording record numbers of loans and lending amounts this year.
As the 2011 fiscal year draws to a close, the SBA is reaching the level of borrowing last...
9/8/2011
Finalists have been announced for this year's Minority Enterprise Development Week conference National Minority Small Business Person of the Year.
The conference will be held in Washington from...
9/8/2011
Entrepreneurs and small business startups that need guidance and training to get off the ground can take advantage of programs being created and bolstered through the Program for Investment in...
9/7/2011
Small gains in many industries were found in the Federal Reserve's latest report on economic activity, which could indicate a bigger impact than figures show due to recent turbulent events.
The...
9/7/2011
Despite stagnant unemployment numbers and the stock market turmoil of August, U.S. small business owners are confident of their ability to stay stable and grow, according to a recent sector...
9/6/2011
Small businesses and employment rates have become a hot topic in politics lately, and a new nomination by the White House could signal a new effort to tackle unemployment and the down economy.
Alan...
9/6/2011
If small business growth is the key to economic recovery, the horizon is brightening. A recent survey found a surprisingly large number of small firms plan to hire soon.
According to research by...
9/2/2011
The U.S. Department of Defense is committed to helping America's small businesses strengthen the economy, and is making strides to foster growth through awarding contracts to such...
9/2/2011
Thanks to SBA lending, another small business is realizing success and adding to the local workforce.
Crystal Finishing Systems, based in Schofield, Wisconsin, offers paint and plastics coating...
9/1/2011
The banking industry appears to be making gains, which could indicate a positive commercial loan environment when coupled with low interest rates.
Despite economic turmoil throughout the summer due...
9/1/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has helped Nebraska small businesses create jobs and realize growth through an increase in lending this summer.
Agency officials report that third quarter...
9/1/2011
The Small Business Lending Fund has sent another large influx of capital into community banks in order to spur business loans and help economic recovery.
President Barack Obama's administration...
8/30/2011
Florida area small businesses interested in expanding their exporting operations can attend the U.S. Small Business Administration's latest conference this fall in Tampa, Florida.
On September 14, ...
8/29/2011
The Maryland Small Business Development Center has created a new tool to help small business owners realize growth through marketing, branding and networking.
MDSBDC has announced its Launchbox...
8/26/2011
Small business finances and credit situations may be improving, according to a recent study by research and information firm Equifax Commercial Information Solutions.
The study shows the rate of...
8/25/2011
A major goal of the U.S. Small Business Administration's operations is to help entrepreneurs and business owners succeed, and new steps laid out to make applications and contracts easier and more...
8/24/2011
The banking industry has remained sound despite recent economic turmoil, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Although the stock market has lost ground throughout late July and...
8/24/2011
The White House announced yesterday that a number of regulatory changes will be taking effect that may aid both small businesses and the government.
By cutting the red tape surrounding certain...
8/23/2011
Commercial property prices are inching upward, a possible sign of real estate market gains.
Moody's Investors Service marked a June increase of 0.9 percent, the second month in a row showing price...
8/23/2011
The Delta Regional Authority, a council focused on businesses and quality of life in the Mississippi delta region, is hosting seminars throughout August with local small businesses and lenders to...
8/22/2011
East Texas entrepreneurs can gain valuable experience and knowledge this fall through the Kilgore College Small Business Development Center.
In a partnership with the U.S. Small Business...
8/22/2011
The Mortgage Bankers Association increased residential mortgage projections for 2011 last week.
Lending activity increases may be due to two factors: First, the U.S. Federal Reserve announced...
8/22/2011
Now may be the best time to refinance business loans. Application numbers from the Mortgage Bankers Association show an increase in refinancing for the first two weeks of August, perhaps due to the...
8/19/2011
Minnesota small businesses can help both themselves and the environment through participation in a new Community Reinvestment Fund USA (CRF) initiative.
CFR, based in Minneapolis, is a nonprofit...
8/19/2011
Small business owners in northern Wisconsin have an ally in their region's congressman. Republican Sean Duffy arranged for a conference at the University of Wisconsin's Superior campus in the...
8/18/2011
The economic downturn of the late 2000s recession has caused many small businesses to turn to local banks for lending, and one franchise was ahead of the trend before the crisis hit.
Kiddie Academy, ...
8/18/2011
Military veterans in the Southwest have an opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship and business growth this August.
Under the U.S. Small Business Administration, two Veteran's Small Business...
8/18/2011
The Small Business Lending Fund announced Wednesday that more community banks have received an influx of funding.
Under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, the SBLF is tasked with generating...
8/17/2011
If your business is making a mark on your industry or your community's economy, you could soon find it featured in Forbes magazine.
The publication releases an annual list of America's Most...
8/17/2011
Despite stock market downturns and turmoil in Washington, the commercial loan and credit industry has been showing signs of stability and possible expansion.
The Federal Reserve released a statement...
8/17/2011
To kick off the second day of his Midwest bus tour, President Barack Obama attended a breakfast with a group of small business owners at Rausch's Cafe in Guttenberg, Iowa.
The five guests at the...
8/17/2011
The U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday that 11 states and the District of Columbia will be receiving approximately $360 million under the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
Through the...
8/16/2011
Small business is big business in the United States. Companies on a smaller scale, from in-home childcare centers to mid-size construction firms, employ almost half of private sector U.S. workers and...
8/15/2011
Three co-founders of a new business idea are seeing fast results for a fast new service: Zaarly.
Bo Fishback, Ian Hunter and Eric Koester launched the company in May of 2011. In the manner of an...
8/15/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is holding this year's SBA America East Region II Conference in Buffalo and Niagara Falls and is expecting hundreds of participants.
Guest speakers will range...
8/12/2011
New Hampshire small businesses are doing well with exports, and a couple of state senators are making strides to keep the trend going.
The Granite State experienced a record increase in export sales...
8/12/2011
Despite the rocky stock market in recent weeks, now may be the best time to refinance business loans.
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, loan applications increased nearly 22 percent in...
8/12/2011
Azimuth, a Fairmont, West Virginia-based manufacturing company, has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years thanks partly to assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The...
8/11/2011
The International Franchise Association, in conjunction with law firm Faegre and Benson, hosted the first "lending bootcamp" in Denver in late July.
"This was an unprecedented event in Denver," said...
8/11/2011
Thanks to the White House's Joining Forces initiative and the small business experts at SCORE, servicemembers and veterans have a new resource in exploring entrepreneurship.
The Joining Forces...
8/11/2011
Despite the large share of deposits and holdings of big banking institutions, small banks have increasingly become the underwriters of U.S. Small Business Administration loans.
As SBA lending has...
8/10/2011
The upcoming election season of 2012 may prove to be a boon for existing and startup small businesses.
Job creation and lowering unemployment has become the early hot topic for the next presidential...
8/10/2011
With the tumultuous state of the stock market spurring pessimism among investors and economists about the state of the recession, small business owners may be wary of expanding or starting a new...
8/10/2011
Small business lending may be on the rise in the Garden State. The New Jersey U.S. Small Business Administration district office recently reported a 41 percent rise in this year's backed loans as of...
8/9/2011
Despite the recent tumult on Wall Street, expanding business owners and entrepreneurs may find now is still a good time to invest in their companies. U.S. interest rates have fallen to their lowest...
8/9/2011
The National Science Foundation is seeking the future entrepreneurs of America. Through its Innovation-Corps initiative, the NSF will foster potentially business-worthy research and technology models...
8/9/2011
Despite the economic turmoil of 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration is still backing commercial loans. Since the beginning of the recession in the late 2000s, the organization has created...
8/5/2011
Commercial lending may be on the rise. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations, second-quarter borrowing originations...
8/5/2011
New Orleans will be the host of the next National Veterans' Small Business Conference and Expo, hosted by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs. The conference will bring business experts, program...
8/5/2011
Tennessee residents are looking forward to their sales tax holiday this weekend, and the members of Women Impacting Public Policy believe the benefits to local consumers and businesses will make...
8/4/2011
Starting a franchise opportunity can be as expensive as building a business from the ground up, and many entrepreneurs seek a business loan to procure a commercial lease, pay for stock and supplies...
8/4/2011
U.S. Small Business Administration loans have helped numerous entrepreneurs realize their dreams of opening a business. The organization backs private commercial loans and offers resources for...
8/4/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration's Mississippi chapter has been busy during the current fiscal year. More than a quarter of a million dollars in SBA lending has passed through the office in the...
8/3/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration backs commercial loans for all types of small businesses, from in-home startups to growing manufacturers. The SBA Emerging 200 initiative selects inner-city...
8/3/2011
Many small business owners started their venture by opening a franchise branch. Franchises offer the security of an established brand and business practices, and can be easier to finance than startup...
8/3/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration unveiled plans in February to develop the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, and contracts are set to be awarded by the upcoming fourth...
8/2/2011
Companies receiving government-backed commercial loans have a high bar to reach to become one of the "SBA 100." The U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes 100 companies that create 100 jobs...
8/2/2011
While the old adage "location is everything" holds true for many types of businesses, sometimes the broader region is also a factor in a company's success.
The 2011 CNBC rankings of the top states...
8/2/2011
This year's annual National Association of Music Merchants show and conference will have an added bonus for music industry businesses in attendance. Nonprofit organization SCORE, a small business...
8/2/2011
Small business owners have a new information and advice resource: reality television. SCORE, a nonprofit organization that works with the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide resources for...
8/2/2011
While problems with the federal budget and the manufacturing sector are still showing signs of a lagging economy, small business lending may be a sign of economic revival. A recent Reuters report...
8/2/2011
Drafting a solid business plan is essential for all small businesses, whether just starting a new venture, expanding an existing company or maintaining organized operations and management.
The U.S. ...
8/1/2011
Small businesses in South Carolina have a new option for government-backed commercial funding. Under the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative, and through the state's Jobs Economic...
8/1/2011
Despite being hit hard by the recession, Michigan is showing signs of improvement thanks to improving small business lending. According to Crain's Detroit Business News, the state has seen the...
8/1/2011
An in-home business can be a lucrative venture, but state laws prevent certain industries from operating out of a private house.
Many U.S. locations regulate where a food-based business may operate...
8/1/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has backed 102 small business loans in Nebraska in the past quarter, leading to more than 300 new jobs in the state.
Nebraska has a relatively low unemployment...
7/29/2011
While federal law restricts penalties and sudden rate changes on consumer credit cards, legislation doesn't enforce similar restrictions on corporate or business credit cards.
According to the Wall...
7/28/2011
In an effort to jump start a sustainable economy in the state, The Michigan Strategic Fund, managed by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, recently allocated $25 million to several Detroit...
7/28/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently partnered with the State of Michigan Retirement Systems, Dow Chemical and InvestAmerica to establish a funding program for Michigan businesses either...
7/26/2011
Prices of corn and soybeans are especially high for this year's harvest, and farmers are cashing in. While the United States Department of Agriculture's lending and advances in agricultural...
7/26/2011
A promotional printing company in Agawam, Massachusetts, Millennium Press, stumbled through the recent recession, but was fortunate enough to avoid layoffs and is now the recipient of a $1.98 million...
7/26/2011
Following a flooding disaster in North Dakota, the Small Business Administration is counseling victims to apply for loans as soon as possible, as an August 23 deadline looms. SBA loans can be used to...
7/22/2011
As the credit market has become stricter in the wake of the housing crisis, many potential home buyers are facing restrictive down payment requirements designed to control home loans.
Certain...
7/22/2011
While many USDA loans are geared toward first time home buyers, applications are currently being accepted for loans designed to fund maintenance and repair projects for low income, rural...
7/15/2011
The manufacturing industry in the Cleveland area is booming thanks to loans from the Small Business Association, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
A total of 136 manufacturers in northern Ohio...
7/14/2011
Peer-to-peer lending offers alternative fund source for small business owners
The U.S. Treasury Department recently awarded six banks a total of $123 million from its long-awaited Small Business...
7/14/2011
The recent $123 million loan issued by the U.S. Treasury Department as part of their Small Business Lending Fund supplied six banks with capital to issue to smaller companies in need to startup...
7/13/2011
A recent study conducted by The Business Journals reveals that mobile integration of business activities breeds success for small-to medium-sized business owners.
The study, conducted from November...
7/12/2011
A recently completed Shell gas station and convenience store in South Berlin, Massachusetts, is the first piece of a multi-million dollar mixed-use village intended to lure empty-nesters and couples...
7/12/2011
Four North Carolina banks recently enrolled in the state's Capital Access Program, a loan plan that could give small business owners more leverage to achieve lending requirements, the Times-News...
7/12/2011
The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently made headlines after issuing $13 million to New Hampshire small businesses.
In order to administer the release of funds, the New Hampshire Executive...
7/12/2011
Through the end of the third quarter of this fiscal year, the Small Business Association loaned more than $15.6 billion through its 7(a) lending program, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. That...
7/11/2011
A $15.3 million small business loan from the U.S, Treasury Department's Small Business Lending Fund recently opened up some options for Virginia Heritage Bank of Chantilly.
With the additional...
7/8/2011
The Thomson Reuters/Paynet Small Business Lending Index noted in early May that small business borrowing had slowed, following news that lending dropped from 17 percent to 12 percent between February...
7/8/2011
The Small Business Lending Fund recently awarded $123 million to six banks, 10 months after Congress passed the fund under the Small Business Jobs Act.
Banks are only eligible to receive capital if...
7/7/2011
South Carolina Republican Representative Mick Mulvaney recently expressed his displeasure with the Obama administration's use of insourcing policies, according to FedSmith.
At the Contracting and...
7/6/2011
According to a recent edition of Office Depot's Small Business Index, a mere 56 percent of small businesses that applied for a loan fully received the desired amount.
The office supply company will...
7/6/2011
Many manufacturing companies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and surrounding areas are thriving due to SBA loans.
"Nationwide, nearly 10 percent of SBA loans support small manufacturers," Yolanda Garcia...
7/5/2011
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez recently issued a message to small business owners affected by the state's recent wildfires in which she instructed entreprenuers to fill out a form to receive...
7/1/2011
According to the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index, small businesses are borrowing at their highest rate since 2008 - up 26 percent in May year-over-year, Inc. Magazine...
6/30/2011
The down economy has left banks hesitant to loan and small businesses without enough capital to apply for one.
Inc. Magazine reports that while many banks are looking for some form of collateral...
6/30/2011
The Small Business Administration's Patriot Express Loan program, which offers veterans the lowest interest rates and the highest guarantees on business loans, has been extended for three more years, ...
6/30/2011
A recent PNC Bank survey revealed that the majority of women business owners are satisfied with their company's performance, and one out of every two expects their sales to increase over the next six...
6/29/2011
As part of his Global Initiative, former President Bill Clinton will convene in Chicago on June 29 and 30 in an attempt to generate new ideas for job growth in America.
Clinton and a variety of...
6/28/2011
According to a recent study by insurance company Guardian Life's Small Business Research Institute, many small business owners lack the traditional view of retirement.
A total of 1,433 small...
6/28/2011
An SBA-backed loan was the catalyst behind mail processing machine manufacturer ID Mail System's expansion into foreign sales, according to the Hartford Courant.
Middleton, Connecticut-based Liberty...
6/28/2011
A developer's plan to open a motel and community center in Rushford, Minnesota, is making progress, according to those with knowledge of the project.
Earlier this month, developer Tom Serie...
6/28/2011
A Dripping Springs, Texas, bank recently exchanged preferred stock for private capital provided by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
According to the Austin Business Journal, Pioneer Bank's Small...
6/27/2011
According to a quarterly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, one in four small business owners report weak sales as their most significant problem.
This has been a recurring...
6/27/2011
The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 provided $30 billion in capital to community banks with less than $10 billion in assets to encourage lending to small companies.
This, combined with the Small...
6/23/2011
As part of an initiative created by the federal Small Business Jobs Act, Kansas will receive $13.2 million to help create jobs in the private sector, according to The Associated Press.
The funds...
6/22/2011
With the American economy still on the rebound, a growing number of small businesses are looking internationally to sell their products. According to a new survey conducted by Portfolio.com, nearly...
6/22/2011
Entrepreneurs in Texas are optimistic about their local economy, despite acknowledging several barriers preventing them from making full-scale recoveries, according to a new report from Texas...
6/21/2011
Depending on a small business' financial situation, hiring new employees could be the best course of action. If business is good and new clients are lining up, entrepreneurs may feel pressured to...
6/21/2011
With the American economy continuing to sputter, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is labeling small businesses as the answer to ongoing economic concerns, Fox News reports.
Romney recently spoke to...
6/20/2011
It is commonly believed that many entrepreneurs opened their businesses because they were laid off from their previous job. However, a recent study conducted by Deluxe indicates that this is not...
6/20/2011
Last year, President Barack Obama passed the Healthcare Reform bill, which offered small business owners tax credits for providing employees with health insurance. However, the healthcare bill helps...
6/20/2011
With small business owners slowly gaining easier access to commercial loans, many companies are contemplating whether they should upgrade their computers and technology. As a recent report from...
6/17/2011
A number of indicators are showing that women entrepreneurs are growing more optimistic despite the rocky American economy, a new report from the Center for Women's Business Research shows.
When it...
6/16/2011
When small business owners need money to sustain their companies, the majority seek commercial loans from banks rather than family or private investors, a new report from Pepperdine Private Capital...
6/16/2011
Many entrepreneurs get caught up designing a valuable logo, with some even paying branding companies thousands to develop something they believe will resonate with an audience. However, as Inc. ...
6/16/2011
According to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business lending has continued to slip, with the value of outstanding loans falling 2.4 percent during the first quarter of...
6/15/2011
The New York Business Development Corporation (NYBDC) has expanded on its small business lending program to encourage more entrepreneurs to consider exporting their products and services abroad.
To...
6/15/2011
Small business lending is slowly improving, but many entrepreneurs are still spending their money cautiously - the overhanging threat of another recession has many thinking twice before spending big...
6/15/2011
Small company owners' confidence levels continued to waver for the third straight month, with the National Federation of Independent Businesses reporting a slight 0.3 drop in May.
While the decrease...
6/15/2011
Now that entrepreneurs are finding it much easier to gain access to commercial loans, many are contemplating starting a new company. Naming these new companies is something that small business owners...
6/14/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has launched a new tool for companies looking to expand their markets internationally. Called The Export Business Planner, the tool is designed to help small...
6/14/2011
Several major capital financing firms are throwing their backs in support of small businesses, Bloomberg reports. The organizations involved are forming business development corporations in an effort...
6/13/2011
For the first time since the onset of the economic recession, small business owners are in a position to begin to grow and expand their companies. Thanks to slight improvements in small business...
6/10/2011
Legislation implemented a cap on debit card swipe fees, enforcing a 12-cent cap on all fees charged to small businesses when customers used a bank card. However, financial institutions thought this...
6/10/2011
With access to commercial loans still tight, many entrepreneurs have been stretching their marketing budgets as tightly as they can, leading some to leverage social media as a promotional tool. ...
6/10/2011
Small businesses are using computers for more things - connecting with consumers through social media, bookkeeping, communicating with staff in multiple locations, managing product inventory, the...
6/9/2011
While recent reports from the Department of Labor indicated that unemployment had increased and hiring was slowing, many small businesses are still optimistic that they will create jobs before the...
6/9/2011
Massachusetts State Treasurer Steven Grossman is optimistic that a new collaborative program, called the Small Business Partnership program, will help entrepreneurs in Massachusetts gain access to...
6/9/2011
For the first time since the start of the economic recession, many small business owners are finding themselves in an opportune position to expand their operations. However, as American Express OPEN...
6/8/2011
Online retail store Zappos has an interesting hiring approach - they have a four-week training program that all employees go through, and the company even pays interviewees money to walk away from...
6/7/2011
With the United States slowly making a recovery from the economic recession, the federal government is looking to expedite the process. This week, the House Small Business Committee held a meeting...
6/7/2011
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has announced a new state initiative conducted by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and several other state agencies. Called Pure Michigan Business Connect, ...
6/7/2011
While small business owners have greater access to commercial loans, they still need to be careful how they are investing their money. Because of that, many entrepreneurs have begun spending more...
6/6/2011
While the upcoming summer months are generally busy for most businesses, that is not always the case for the rest of the year. Many companies have slow seasons when they aren't hitting peak...
6/6/2011
With the addition of thousands of graduating students to the labor market, the unemployment rate in the United States grew marginally in May. Meanwhile, the number of new jobs created also declined, ...
6/3/2011
Now that small business lending is less of a hindrance, many business owners are ramping up production and need to hire more employees as a result. American Express OPEN Forum writer Aimee Groth...
6/3/2011
While many entrepreneurs are eagerly planning for growth as the economy continues to recover, small business lending continues to be an issue that plagues as many as 30 percent of company owners, ...
6/3/2011
The internet has opened up how many small businesses interact with consumers. They no longer have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on Yellow Page ads and local radio spots - they can...
6/2/2011
Last month, devastating tornadoes impacted a number of businesses in Reading, Kansas. On Wednesday, the United States U.S. Small Business Administration decided to offer commercial loans to those who...
6/2/2011
Financing appears to be less of an issue for entrepreneurs, as a recent report conducted by Thomson Reuters and PayNet indicates small business lending rose 17 percent in April. This marks the ninth...
6/1/2011
A new healthcare reform law is sweeping Marshalltown, Iowa, and the local director of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services is actively looking to ensure that local businesses know how the...
6/1/2011
According to Intuit Payroll's Small Business Employment Index, entrepreneurs are continuing to hire more help as the busy summer months approach rapidly. More than 45,000 new jobs were created over...
6/1/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration knows the many perils that entrepreneurs have faced over the past three years. For some companies, the SBA's proactive stand in small business lending helped...
6/1/2011
Small business owners have been more fortunate with small business lending, with loan approval jumping by 50 percent to 1,294 during the first quarter of 2011, according to lending service Biz2Cred. ...
5/30/2011
It takes more money to win over new customers than it does keep existing ones happy, and with small business lending still a concern, keeping current consumers pleased is key to the success of many...
5/30/2011
The federal government has granted the state of Maryland $23 million to support small business lending, state and local officials announced earlier this week.
As the Baltimore Sun reports, the state...
5/30/2011
One of the biggest challenges for small businesses is successfully managing their cash flow. With small business lending showing signs of improvement, that has become less of an issue, but it should...
5/27/2011
While many small business owners have cited new technology as a primary area of investment now that commercial lending practices are easing, few are familiar with cloud computing, a new survey...
5/27/2011
With consumers looking to spend more money, small business owners are investing more of their budgets into marketing and advertising. According to a new survey conducted by Access Markets...
5/27/2011
While financial institutions are still the primary sources of financing for many entrepreneurs, a growing number of small business owners are looking elsewhere to secure funding, a new report from...
5/26/2011
Traditionally, most business owners pay their employees a set amount, either through hourly rates or annual salaries. However, with the economy still on the recovery and small business lending...
5/24/2011
Ask any small business owner what their top concerns are and they will likely mention acquiring commercial loans. According to Ron Walker, co-founder of small business lender Next Street, ...
5/24/2011
With many entrepreneurs applying for commercial loans, new computer systems and software are among the top things that many business owners are considering updating. Now, Microsoft is looking to...
5/24/2011
With some entrepreneurs finding it difficult to secure the commercial loans they need, many have turned to small business credit cards. However, these cards often come with their own rates, fees and...
5/22/2011
Small business lending is commonly perceived to be a major issue for many small business owners, but judging by the number of banks taking advantage of the Small Business Lending Fund, it seems...
5/22/2011
For many entrepreneurs, a franchise is a relatively safe bet - they can ride off the coattails of the brand's image while still managing their own company. However, as the U.S. Small Business...
5/22/2011
Small businesses are preparing for the busy summer months by bringing on new employees, with nearly one-quarter of entrepreneurs (21 percent) planning to hire new workers, according to a new...
5/20/2011
For many small business owners, online marketing can be intimidating at first glance as there are a huge number of different communication channels that can be leveraged - for example, there is...
5/18/2011
Sony's recent PlayStation security breach proved that if even the largest companies are susceptible to internet crimes, small businesses need to be even more careful. Fortunately, small businesses...
5/18/2011
Officials from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation are gathering at a forum on Thursday to discuss different strategies to encourage American small businesses to export their goods and services to...
5/18/2011
Financial management company Intuit has launched an extension of its popular Love a Local Business initiative, investing another $1 million into the program.
The Love a Local Business campaign gives...
5/18/2011
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has proposed a new tax law that would affect business owners who pay their company taxes through individual income tax. With access to commercial loans still tight, ...
5/18/2011
Business owners are busy people - they are often involved in every facet of their company's operations. So when it comes to using social media to engage shoppers and meet prospective clients, that is...
5/18/2011
Keeping existing customers is infinitely easier than gaining new ones. For this reason, small business owners should ensure their customer service representatives are effective at their jobs.
The...
5/17/2011
Two years ago, when access to commercial loans was still extremely limited, Goldman Sachs Group announced a new initiative that would benefit small business owners across the country. The firm...
5/17/2011
Now that small business lending practices are easing up, many entrepreneurs can afford to hire new employees. The American Express Open Forum recently made some suggestions to small business owners...
5/17/2011
With financial institutions easing up on their small business lending requirements, entrepreneurs can now be more proactive with their ventures. More company heads are now leveraging air travel to...
5/17/2011
While social media should not be the end-all marketing platform of small business owners, a greater number of entrepreneurs are leveraging the medium, according to a new Constant Contact...
5/13/2011
The Obama's administration has provided small business owners with a number of new incentives to offer their employees health insurance, such as tax credits. However, as eHealthInsurance suggests, ...
5/13/2011
U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, who acts as the chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurs, has applauded the Internal Revenue Service for delaying the contractor withholding...
5/13/2011
As companies grow, sometimes they begin to outsource certain positions, which makes having in-house staff redundant. While it is an unfortunate predicament, the business owner is left with no choice...
5/12/2011
Thanks to the internet, there are a number of different strategies that business owners can leverage to generate new customers. However, as entrepreneur Norm Brodsky recently suggested, perhaps the...
5/12/2011
With the American economy still on the rebound, many small businesses have begun to explore the possibility of exporting their goods abroad. However, a recent survey conducted by American Express...
5/12/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has been especially active in Nevada, with Vegas Inc reporting that small business lending has reached a three-year high.
More than $90 million worth of loans...
5/11/2011
In Titusville, Florida, there is a fine line between operating a successful business and succumbing to the waning local economy. According to Florida Today, many companies in the area are considering...
5/11/2011
As recent comScore reports have suggested, consumers are increasingly leveraging search engines to find the information they need on the web, with more than 18 billion queries conducted in the month...
5/11/2011
Small business owners have grown slightly less confident for the second month in a row, according to the National Federation of Independent Business's index.
The NFIB's index dropped 0.7 points from...
5/10/2011
Many small businesses are looking to bring on more employees now that their workloads are increasing, but money is still an issue for many. As the American Express OPEN Forum suggests, there are ways...
5/10/2011
While many small businesses are on the fast track to recovery after the economic recession, small business lending is still an issue for some. The U.S. Small Business Administration's Marie Johns...
5/10/2011
SCORE, a nonprofit organization aiming to help launch 1 million small businesses by 2017, has launched a new support website for clients and entrepreneurs, AOL reports. The goal of the website is to...
5/8/2011
With Mother's Day fast approaching, businesses may want to consider offering promotions celebrating the holiday to generate some more sales. According to Experian CheetahMail, emails that had...
5/8/2011
Funding is still a top challenge for many American small business owners, with one-third reporting they have trouble getting approved for commercial loans, according to a the new Wells Fargo/Gallup...
5/8/2011
While small business lending is generally improving, it still may be difficult for some entrepreneurs to get commercial loans. The San Francisco Chronicle recently offered some suggestions for small...
5/8/2011
Most entrepreneurs dream of starting a small business - a company with 100 employees or less. However, in a time where money is still tight, launching a micro-business - a company with fewer than...
5/5/2011
Entrepreneurs looking to apply for a small business credit card should consider going through Bank of America, as a recent study conducted by Card Hub suggests that the financial institution offers...
5/5/2011
For small businesses, the two limiting factors are often money and time. While commercial loans can help with the former, the latter is a much more difficult problem to deal with. There are only 24...
5/5/2011
According to Intuit's Small Business Employment Index, companies are bringing on more staff to help accommodate growing business needs, as evidenced by a 0.3 percent increase on the Index during the...
5/5/2011
From the top of Maine to the tip of Florida, TD Bank is looking to reach small business owners and find out precisely what they need in terms credit. With small business lending practices...
5/4/2011
If companies become successful, eventually third-party investors will be interested in acquiring the majority share of the business. Some may offer to pay off commercial loans while others could...
5/4/2011
With small business lending conditions growing more favorable for entrepreneurs, many company owners have seriously begun contemplating which way to go with their organizations. For some...
5/3/2011
Entrepreneurs are borrowing more money, with a recent report from PayNet indicating that small business lending improved marginally in March.
As Reuters reports, the Lending Index was up 12 percent...
5/3/2011
While a number of studies released this week have shown slight but noteworthy improvements in small business lending, hiring and financial outlooks, Tuesday's quarterly report from Capital One...
4/29/2011
Facebook has more than 500 million members worldwide and over 100 million in the United States alone, easily making the social network a popular marketing tool among small business owners. However, ...
4/29/2011
Some financial institutions based out of Indiana are anticipating a surge in small business lending this year, the Indiana Business Journal reports.
To better prepare for this, many began amping up...
4/29/2011
For many small business owners, one of the biggest operational expenses are credit and debit card fees. The issue has come to the forefront over the past week as a group of senators are actively...
4/29/2011
Many entrepreneurs plan to grow their businesses this year, but if they want this to happen, they will need some help from commercial loans. Fortunately for Missouri small business owners, the...
4/29/2011
In the past, many businesses have taken a passive approach to finding new talent - they simply let potential hires turn in their applications at will. With the economy and small business lending...
4/28/2011
According to Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth Duke, anecdotal evidence is indicating that credit conditions for small business owners are slowly beginning to improve, iMarketNews reports.
Duke...
4/28/2011
With the economy slowly making a recovery, one of the first things entrepreneurs are looking to do is staff up. Employees were often the last thing to be cut during the recession, and now they are...
4/28/2011
While entrepreneurs have traditionally been able to head to the bank and get commercial loans to fund their businesses, only a few have developed the unique skill of cutting costs to make those loans...
4/28/2011
The Small Business Authority index, which is measured by Newtek Business Services, grew 0.6 percent in March over the previous month, the company announced Wednesday.
Of particular interest are...
4/28/2011
Many business owners use social media to connect with their friends and associates, but most still question whether it can be effectively leveraged as a marketing tool. However, as Business Insider...
4/27/2011
Entrepreneurs trying to start a company in the Windy City are looking fortunate, as small business lending practices seem to be relaxing. Chase, Chicago's largest bank, recently told the Chicago...
4/27/2011
Three years ago, during the throes of the recession, nearly two-thirds of small business owners believed that the United States economy would eventually return to its former glory. Now, fewer...
4/27/2011
Both the economy and small business lending trends have been improving as of late, which enables entrepreneurs to gain access to funds more easily. Now that they have these funds, they are growing...
4/27/2011
Small businesses account for the majority of new jobs created each year, which is precisely why South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley wants to help out small businesses in the area. She figures if...
4/26/2011
Small business lending practices are slowly easing, giving entrepreneurs easier access to credit for the first time since the beginning of the recession. Company owners who are looking to ramp up...
4/26/2011
There comes a time in the life of every business where it needs to expand. This is best done by raising the end price of their products and services, thereby increasing the profit generated through...
4/26/2011
Inflation is beginning to affect various aspects of business, ranging from product manufacturing to outsourcing costs. As the Christian Science Monitor recently noted, small companies are more...
4/26/2011
Facebook has quickly become a go-to marketing tool for many small businesses, mainly because it is a very inexpensive platform to leverage. Brands can launch a Fan Page for free, while the...
4/26/2011
Over the recent years, it has become increasingly more feasible to specialize in certain markets - this gives the entrepreneurs a less competitive arena to sell his or her products or services. ...
4/26/2011
With tax season drawing to a close, many entrepreneurs witnessed firsthand how large of an impact taxes can have on their businesses. If companies are looking to expand their footprint across the...
4/26/2011
According to a survey conducted by American Express OPEN, nearly half of small businesses use social networks to interact with prospective customers and existing clients, up significantly from 2009...
4/22/2011
It's one thing to own one successful business, but it’s a completely different challenge when it comes to owning a successful chain of companies. Business models can help entrepreneurs establish a...
4/22/2011
Small business lending conditions are improving slowly but surely for some Cleveland, Ohio-based companies, Crain's Cleveland Business reports.
KeyCorp, one of the biggest lenders in the area, has...
4/21/2011
The state of Massachusetts is looking to further stimulate small business growth by cutting back on the taxes they are required to pay, the Boston Globe reports.
On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen...
4/21/2011
The United States Small Business Administration is offering loans to small companies in both Oklahoma and Arkansas that were affected by the severe snowstorms that ravaged the region between January...
4/21/2011
Small companies are increasingly finding that cloud computing enables them to expand their business and take on more work, NAPSI reports.
Cloud services enable companies to save information online...
4/20/2011
Entrepreneurs across the country spent billions of dollars and man hours ensuring their companies were compliant with the government's tax programs, a new survey from IBM Global Business Services, ...
4/19/2011
The economic recession was a challenging time for most small businesses with many downsizing, cutting back on products and services offered or both, leading to an extended period of stagnation. ...
4/19/2011
With small business owners gaining access to more commercial loans, many are using these funds to purchase new equipment such as cars or more property so they can further expand. Entrepreneurs need...
4/17/2011
President Barack Obama recently announced that he plans to eliminate a Bush-era tax cut that benefits households generating more than $250,000 annually. However, as the Washington Post notes, the...
4/17/2011
Most entrepreneurs view sales in a binary fashion - they're events that either occurred or didn't. However, as Inc. magazine suggests, companies need to evaluate where sales went right or wrong and...
4/17/2011
During the economic recession, many lenders and banks had to cut back on small business lending to stay afloat. While Massachusetts was affected by the recession as well, a new report from the...
4/17/2011
When it comes to marketing, small businesses aren't usually the most proactive - they prefer to use channels they know can get the returns they want. However, a new report from Techaisle suggests...
4/14/2011
Lawmakers in Arizona are looking to provide even more tax incentives for businesses. However, some small business owners feel the bill is geared only for companies that can invest a lot of money into...
4/14/2011
Thanks to new government programs and initiatives, small business owners have better access to commercial loans, which should enable them to grow. However, some entrepreneurs still struggle to do so. ...
4/14/2011
With access to commercial loans improving, many entrepreneurs are considering starting a new company. To give their new business the best chances at survival, entrepreneurs need to pick an opportune...
4/13/2011
Direct Capital, a nationwide lender, is hoping to stimulate the financial growth of small businesses through a new small business lending initiative that will provide more than $60 million worth of...
4/13/2011
Despite the fact the small business lending is showing signs of improvement, entrepreneurs are feeling less confident about the future of the economy, according to a new report from the National...
4/12/2011
While small business lending is slowly easing, company owners still need to be frugal with their resources until the economy makes a full recovery. American Express OPEN Forum recently offered some...
4/12/2011
Small businesses in California will find it easier to gain access to commercial loans thanks to new funding from the federal government that is being made available to banks and lenders, the Los...
4/12/2011
With the economy making a rebound, entrepreneurs are gaining easier access to commercial loans, making this the opportune time to launch a new company. Inc. magazine recently explored the top...
4/11/2011
A new report conducted by the Social Media Examiner gives small business owners looking to adopt social media marketing even more incentive to do so. According to the research, 90 percent of small...
4/11/2011
Banks and lenders looking to apply for the Small Business Lending Fund now have more time to do so, thanks to an extension granted by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The deadline was delayed from...
4/8/2011
Most small businesses nowadays operate a website that details their products and services. However, what many companies don’t know is that written product and service descriptions can have a huge...
4/8/2011
The Democrats and Republicans are currently at odds over the federal budget, and if they don't find some common ground and agree on the financing of government programs, there could be a shut down. ...
4/6/2011
A recent tax law would have forced small business owners across the country to file tax forms for every person or company with whom they did more than $600-worth of business. However, the Los Angeles...
4/6/2011
When entrepreneurs are thinking about starting a new company, location often plays a critical role. However, most small business owners may be surprised to learn that the best place to start a...
4/6/2011
Small business owners are just as intent to hire new help as they were during the last quarter of 2010, a new report from Vistage indicates. This shows that entrepreneurs are largely remaining...
4/6/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is giving small business owners more options when it comes to refinancing their commercial loans through a deadline extension of its 504 loan program, the Bryan...
4/6/2011
Social networks have grown explosively over the past two years, with millions of consumers registering with sites such as Facebook and Twitter. If entrepreneurs want to take advantage of this influx...
4/3/2011
Women are taking the business scene by storm, with a recent report from the American Express OPEN Forum indicating that the number of female-owned companies has jumped from 5.4 million in 1997 to 8.1...
4/3/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering assistance in the form of commercial loans to local businesses affected by the 2010 salmon season disaster, Mercury News reports. The announcement...
3/31/2011
Small business owners have been eagerly following the Obama administration's new small business policies, which include a program that would provide nearly $30 billion dedicated to small business...
3/31/2011
President Barack Obama's administration plans to help small businesses recover by getting them involved with international exporting. To this end, the American Express Open Forum recently offered...
3/31/2011
Starting a new business can be a demanding proposition and entrepreneurs need to be able to react well to adversity to succeed. As Inc. magazine recently observed, flexibility is one of top skills...
3/31/2011
Entrepreneurs are often very intelligent people, capable of achieving great things by themselves. Still, sometimes entrepreneurs need help or guidance from others. Now, they can get this aid through...
3/31/2011
With the economy on the mend, consumers are loosening their purse strings and spending more money. Taking advantage of this trend and boosting sales will be one of small business owners' greatest...
3/31/2011
While small business lending grew year-over-year in January, according to a new survey conducted by PayNet, it declined month-over-month compared to December, Reuters reports.
This was somewhat...
3/31/2011
Traditionally, small businesses have used radio advertising to reach local consumers. For many smaller companies, radio was the perfect medium as it allowed them to connect with their own...
3/31/2011
According to a new survey conducted by PNC, nearly half of small business owners are eagerly anticipating improvements in sales over the next six months. However, they also believe rising production...
3/30/2011
In an effort to better serve its small business clients, Bank of America recently hired more than 100 small business specialists, Zacks Investment Research reports.
This move is a part of the...
3/30/2011
A commonly repeated sales motto is "always be closing," which means that salespeople should always be pushing for the sale. However, as a recent post from American Express OPEN Forum asserts, this...
3/30/2011
While there are many indications pointing to a rebounding economy, many small business owners would say they haven't observed this trend - access to commercial loans is still strict and unemployment...
3/30/2011
Groupon has long been touted as the ultimate marketing solution for small businesses - by taking a small hit on their profitability, they are able to drive an influx of customers into their stores, ...
3/30/2011
While the United States government has been touting new policies that are designed to help small businesses acquire commercial loans, many entrepreneurs are growing increasingly pessimistic of the...
3/30/2011
SCORE Miami-Dade, an organization that provides advice for small companies, and Constant Contact, an email marketing service provider, have joined forces to hold a summit for small business owners in...
3/28/2011
As economic conditions continue to improve, small businesses will be in a better position to expand and grow, bringing several significant changes to how they operate. Unfortunately, not everyone...
3/28/2011
Small business owners have been coming out of the woodwork, each with their own story of success, Sage Peachtree recently noted after several day-long events on a cross country tour to meet with...
3/28/2011
Entrepreneurs in Connecticut who are having issues securing funding may benefit from some newly available loans from the Community Economic Development Fund, which recently announced $4 million in...
3/28/2011
Small business owners in Tennessee may find it is becoming even easier to gain access to commercial loans as local banks are applying for funds from the U.S. Treasury's $30 billion Small Business...
3/25/2011
One of the unfortunate realities of the economic recession was that with less business coming in, many companies no longer had a need to maintain their existing staff, which resulted in mass layoffs. ...
3/25/2011
During the recession, many businesses transitioned from customer acquisition strategies to customer retention approaches in an effort to reduce costs, as many experts believe it is less expensive to...
3/24/2011
With the economy slowly starting to pick up, many businesses are observing significant increases in workloads as consumers and clients resume their purchasing habits. Rather than hiring new...
3/24/2011
Small business owners are getting even more vocal support from the federal government, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner asserting that federal programs need to do a better job to nurture...
3/24/2011
Social networks have changed how people interact with each other. Americans can now see what their friends are up to in a matter of clicks, while also checking out any new pictures and engaging in...
3/23/2011
With the economy on the upswing, many business owners are looking to invest more money in their companies to facilitate growth. However, they will need commercial loans to do this, which many...
3/23/2011
According to the latest Office Depot Small Business Index report, small business owners are remaining optimistic despite believing there will be significant challenges when it comes to financing...
3/21/2011
During the economic recession, many companies switched their customer approach. Realizing that it is often more costly to win over new consumers than it is to keep existing customers, many...
3/17/2011
While small businesses across the country have begun to shift toward growth, fortune seems to be smiling especially brightly on Atlanta, Georgia, entrepreneurs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution...
3/17/2011
The definition of what precisely constitutes a small business can be hazy and sometimes prevents a company from getting the commercial loans it needs to stay in business. The U.S. Small Business...
3/17/2011
With the economy on the mend, many big corporations are looking to either acquire or enter into joint ventures with smaller businesses. For the small company owner, a joint venture provides a number...
3/16/2011
In some sectors, the recession is beginning to subside and many companies are positioning themselves for growth over the next few years. However, according to business expert Norm Brodsky in Inc. ...
3/16/2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration has helped a number of entrepreneurs gain access to the funding they need to either start a company or keep their existing organization in business. However, ...
3/16/2011
The economic climate over the past few years has been less than welcoming for small businesses, with many entrepreneurs struggling to make ends meet. Fortunately, the Federal Reserve is looking to...
3/15/2011
With the economy making a significant rebound and entrepreneurs gaining greater access to commercial loans, many businesspeople are investing in new companies. Entrepreneurs considering making this...
3/15/2011
The way entrepreneurs have connected with each other and their clients has changed tremendously over the past two decades, thanks primarily to the proliferation of the internet. More than 200 million...
3/13/2011
With the economy still on the mend, small business owners are looking to offset costs anyway they can. Fortunately, a number of recently implemented government policies are providing entrepreneurs...
3/13/2011
Although entrepreneurs have greater access to commercial loans, they are still looking to make the most of their budgets. When it comes to marketing, they are doing this by investing more funds into...
3/11/2011
Customers are still incredibly cost-conscious, often looking for the lowest prices or discounts that will help them save money. Still, one of the cornerstones of expansion is raising prices, which...
3/11/2011
When it comes to starting a new company, entrepreneurs need to ensure their products and services can compete with their rivals. This could manifest itself in a number of different ways, whether it's...
3/9/2011
With the economy still on the mend, one of the biggest challenges for small business owners is acquiring the funds necessary to remain operational. Credit unions are now trying to help these...
3/9/2011
At the end of 2010, a number of surveys indicated that small business owners were growing increasingly optimistic about their prospects in 2011. It looks like that optimism is slowly paying off, with...
3/9/2011
Small business owners are remaining resilient in the face of less-than-ideal economic conditions, with a new report from the National Federation of Independent Business indicating that entrepreneur...
3/9/2011
Many business owners rely on Yellow Page advertisements to help them gain awareness among local consumers. Now, the city of San Francisco is trying to implement restrictions that limit the...
3/8/2011
Small business owners need to wear a lot of hats to successfully manage their companies, and even then, some tasks may slip by unattended to. For example, many entrepreneurs take a "wait and see"...
3/8/2011
The economic recession impacted a number of small business habits. Most notably, it caused many entrepreneurs to stockpile cash reserves in case of emergencies, rather than reinvesting that money in...
3/8/2011
Entrepreneurs in the Philadelphia area have had less issue obtaining the funding needed to manage their companies, thanks to an uptick in small business lending from banks in the region, the...
3/8/2011
Gas prices in many areas around the country are on the rise, with fuel in some major cities costing upward of $4 per gallon. As Gather recently noted, this is causing many consumers to tighten their...
3/8/2011
Small business owners have traditionally used print mediums, such as local newspapers and Yellow Page spots, to advertise their products and services. However, according to a recent report from...
3/4/2011
While many organizations are committing more resources to small business lending, finding funding can still be a challenge for some entrepreneurs. As Business Daily News recently observed, ...
3/4/2011
It's a great time to be a small business entrepreneur, with the economy on the mend and the government looking to enact pro-small company policies. However, according to a recent report from...
3/4/2011
While small businesses were the most affected by the economic recession, it seems they are the key to digging the United States out of it. As MarketWatch recently observed, small business hiring...
3/2/2011
Now that they have greater access to commercial loans, small businesses are increasingly hiring new employees. The latest ADP National Employment report highlights this growth, reporting that...
3/2/2011
One of the ultimate goals for most small business is to eventually sell their companies. To accomplish this goal, they try to build teams of skilled employees, develop a list of high-value clients...
3/1/2011
While large companies have traditionally been the focus of the United States government's export policies, President Barack Obama's administration is now looking to incorporate small businesses, the...
2/28/2011
While many in the graphic design industry use Apple products, the majority of small business owners tend to stick with Microsoft offerings. Now, Apple may be trying to cater more toward these...
2/28/2011
For many businesses, February is one of the slowest months of the year, as the busy holiday shopping season has just come to an end. To make the most of these slow months, Inc. magazine recently...
2/28/2011
The Ohio Community Development Finance fund was the beneficiary of more than $35 million in tax credits from the U.S. Department of Treasury. The tax credits will be used to support small businesses...
2/28/2011
With more than 500 million registered members, Facebook has quickly become one of the most popular places for consumers to congregate online. Now, small business opportunities are capitalizing on...
2/28/2011
Small business owners are thriving despite what many of them perceive as a challenging economic climate, a new survey conducted by Intuit indicates.
More than half of small business owners (54...
2/28/2011
With the economy on the mend, entrepreneurs are in a better position to start a new company. USA Today recently offered some advice to businesspeople who are looking to make this jump in 2011.
1. ...
2/28/2011
Entrepreneurs having trouble with small business lending are turning to a new solution - they are selling their companies to larger corporations, Bloomberg reports.
Thanks to the recovering economy, ...
2/27/2011
With small lending practices slowly improving for small business owners, many are expecting to have a better 2011. This is especially the case in Chicago, where as many as 50 percent of small...
2/27/2011
Small business owners have flocked en masse to Facebook because it offers them comprehensive yet also cost-effective marketing tools. The social site is set to become even more integral as more...
2/27/2011
Facebook has more than 500 million registered members, which is a substantial audience of prospective buyers. The social network is also a relatively cost-efficent marketing platform, making it the...
2/27/2011
In an effort to better support American small businesses, the United States Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that it would be holding a conference next month, the Wall Street Journal...
2/27/2011
When it comes to connecting with consumers and generating awareness, many small business owners prefer to use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. However, as Stacie Tamaki, a writer for...
2/24/2011
Starting a new business is an incredibly difficult venture, filled with challenges for entrepreneurs to overcome. According to a recent survey conducted by business insurance agency Hiscox, the No. 1...
2/23/2011
The web has traditionally enabled many small business owners to extend their reach nationally, but it has been less useful for reaching local audiences. However, as of last year, Google updated its...
2/23/2011
Nevada lawmakers have proposed new bills that will help boost employment and support small businesses, the Reno Gazette Journal reports.
One of the pieces of legislation, Assembly Bill 189, will...
2/23/2011
The economic recession left many entrepreneurs thinking twice about spending money, and this frugality has carried over to 2011, although several indicators point to a recovering economy.
As Western...
2/21/2011
While the economy is on the mend, it is still challenging for many small business owners to obtain credit. Even the entrepreneurs who have been granted commercial loans often do so assuming...
2/21/2011
Boding well for small businesses affected by the credit crunch, the Federal Reserve has substantially upgraded its economic growth forecast, the New York Times reports.
The organization predicts...
2/21/2011
For many small business owners, the ultimate goal is to sell their company in order to fund their retirement. However, the majority of entrepreneurs have trouble designing a clear and concise exit...
2/21/2011
While small businesses lending practices are enabling entrepreneurs to gain access to more funds, they don't intend to spend their resources on marketing, a new report from MerchantCircle...
2/17/2011
Only 10 percent of small business owners in the state of California anticipate that 2011 will be a worse year than 2010, according to a recent survey conducted by Citibank. The majority (54 percent)...
2/17/2011
Small business owners in the retail sector should have plenty to look forward to in 2011, with a recent report from the National Retail Federation indicating that industry sales are set to grow 4...
2/17/2011
New statistics from the United States Department of Labor show that the number of initial unemployment claims rose marginally by 25,000 during the second week of February, indicating that some small...
2/16/2011
Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is encouraging small businesses in the state to hire military veterans when applicable through new legislation, the Boston Globe reports.
"Our veterans sacrifice...
2/16/2011
Now that small business lending practices are beginning to ease up and entrepreneurs have greater access to commercial loans, there is one thing on the minds of many company owners: expansion. While...
2/16/2011
President Barack Obama is speaking at Cleveland State University next week to tout entrepreneurship among Ohio business leaders, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
The White House is inviting...
2/15/2011
Under President Barack Obama's new budget guidelines, the U.S. Small Business Administration will face significant budget cuts, Bloomberg reports.
The organization would receive a 2012 fiscal year...
2/15/2011
Most small businesses have limited budgets as it is, and can't always afford to research changes and opportunities from the world's rapidly changing environment. However, this may be detrimental to...
2/14/2011
While many business owners are enjoying the tax credits provided by President Barack Obama's healthcare reform bill, some are complaining that a part of it adds an unnecessary amount of paperwork to...
2/14/2011
During the recession, one of the first things that many entrepreneurs cut in an effort to reduce expenses was employees. Now that the economy is on the rebound, small business owners are looking to...
2/14/2011
Small business lending practices are set to relax even further in the future, according to a recent report from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy.
Financial institutions...
2/11/2011
With small business lending practices beginning to ease, many entrepreneurs will be able to focus on expansion for the first time in years. According to Inc. magazine's business expert Norm Brodsky, ...
2/11/2011
President Barack Obama is expected to meet with small business owners in Marquette, Michigan, on Thursday to discuss the quality of broadband internet and how entrepreneurs can use the technology to...
2/9/2011
African-American entrepreneurs are finding more opportunities to run businesses in Mississippi, with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting that the number of black-owned businesses increased by 60 percent...
2/9/2011
Many entrepreneurs exert a lot of time and energy trying to find out what their competitors are doing. The motivation to do this is sound - if business owners can understand their competitors'...
2/9/2011
More than 200 million Americans are connected to the web, according to comScore, and many of them use the communication channel to research products and companies. According to web design firm...
