The financial panorama has been bleak lately, with a rising national debt, rising costs, and tighter loan policies. Perhaps in an effort to prove its usefulness, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has published a list of successful companies that started off with an SBA loan. These companies encompass vastly different industries, from courier services to IT to biotechnology, and there are more than a few names that you might recognize. In the computer software field, [...]

Today is the beginning of  “Small Business Week.” Many companies, banks, and agencies are offering special deals for small businesses such as discounts and prizes. The Small Business Administration (SBA) says, “every year since 1963, the President of the United States has proclaimed National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being of America.” Did you know that over half of Americans work in a small business? Indeed, as [...]

The old saying “location, location, location” was never truer than in the case of small business. There are different factors that can influence the location of a business, including: Rent & utilities Size & distribution of building Type of business Number of employees Choose a bustling location in a metropolis and pay hefty rental fees for a small space; or rent a space in a suburban or rural area, and score a larger space but [...]

It seems like every time you open a newspaper or news website, all you see is bad news. U.S. stocks are falling, the price of gas is rising steadily, and while the government managed to avert a shutdown, officials are nowhere near reaching an agreement for next year’s budget. Small businesses that have loans with the Small Business Administration are facing a looming shutdown. If it were to happen, all but the vital services would [...]

The latest news from Washington D.C. talks about a possible government shutdown due to the inability between Democrats and Republicans in Congress to agree on a budget for the fiscal year. A “government shutdown” means that the government will stop providing non-essential services. These may include parks, museums, the IRS information hotline, and passport offices. The shutdown would be only partial, so essential Federal offices such as the FBI and Coastguard will still be operating. [...]