After months of regulatory procedures that stalled allocation of the Small Business Lending Fund, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it has released the first $123 million of the $30 billion lending pool.The SBLF was passed last fall as part of the S...
Posted: Jul 15th, 2011
Private sector firms may be dishing out pay increases in coming months, according to a recent report from research firm BNA, suggesting businesses are expanding their working capital budgets.The most recent BNA Wage Trend Indicator showed an increase of ...
Posted: Jul 15th, 2011
With the credit market in a rut, many businesses are finding it difficult to access a loan to keep their payrolls flowing and their expansion plans rolling. While conditions have clearly improved since the low points of the recession, small businesses sh...
Posted: Jul 11th, 2011
Despite facing a number of challenges in recent months, the U.S. economy remains one of the strongest in the world for entrepreneurship, small business, and general startup activity, according to a report released Monday by the Organization for Economic ...
Posted: Jul 11th, 2011
Unemployment is one of the leading causes of the recent economic slowdown, as a lack of job opportunities tends to curb consumer spending and rack businesses' revenue streams. This makes it important that companies strive to complete every possible s...
Posted: Jul 8th, 2011
The same week as the ADP released its strong private sector employment report, software giant Intuit released its Small Business Employment Index, showing a slight monthly gain in June but a stronger increase from a year ago.According to the report, smal...
Posted: Jul 7th, 2011
A survey released this week by the National Association of Women Business Owners finds women business owners remain concerned about the state of the U.S. economy and believe it's the most important issue for Congress to focus on.According to the stud...
Posted: Jul 6th, 2011
The U.S. service sector, which essentially refers to all non-farm and non-manufacturing industries, expanded in June for the 19th consecutive month, according to a report released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management.The ISM Non-Manufacturing...
Posted: Jul 6th, 2011
Technology and business intelligence are increasingly becoming budget priorities among businesses and entrepreneurial ventures. Driving the trend is a general decrease in cost for efficient data storage and cloud computing programs.However, new research ...
Posted: Jul 1st, 2011
A new report on federal contracting among small businesses undermines the Obama administration's claim that nearly 23 percent of all government contracts allocated in 2010 were granted to small companies.According to a report released Tuesday by the ...
Posted: Jun 28th, 2011
Consumer activity accounts for roughly 70 percent of the overall U.S. economy - a fact that prompts economists to consider monthly spending figures to be harbingers of business activity, investment and hiring.With May's unemployment rate rising to 9....
Posted: Jun 27th, 2011
When small businesses first start to expand, they naturally begin to delegate responsibilities to certain individuals and create job titles to match those duties. Chief financial officers, for example, typically oversee all matters related to accounting,...
Posted: Jun 24th, 2011
One doesn't have to look far to note examples of the dismal state of the U.S. job market. Why exactly hiring is so low and employment opportunities so sparse are some of the topic subjects of economic discourse, but the general assessment is that bus...
Posted: Jun 24th, 2011
Last fall, Congress passed the Small Business Lending Fund - a $30 billion source of capital for community banks to spur lending to small companies and entrepreneurs forming an LLC in Texas and around the country. However, so far not even half of the fun...
Posted: Jun 22nd, 2011
More small firms are looking towards international markets to increase sales and promote growth, as a recent survey published on Portfolio.com shows the market is only projected to expand in coming months.According to the survey, which was conducted by t...
Posted: Jun 21st, 2011
With the economy in a state of uncertainty, with fluctuating credit conditions, job growth, and consumer activity, many small business owners and entrepreneurs are holding off on expansion and hiring plans.At the core of entrepreneurs' hesitation, th...
Posted: Jun 21st, 2011
A number of recent surveys and reports have depicted an economic recovery that is slowing and facing a number of challenges.Two recent polls of economists from Bloomberg and the Associated Press serve as good examples of the conflicting and disputed stat...
Posted: Jun 20th, 2011
While the Texas state government has managed to pass a biennial budget plan that doesn't raise taxes and instead relies on spending cuts to plug a $27 billion shortfall, the strategy may come back to haunt them.A recent poll by the non-partisan state...
Posted: Jun 20th, 2011
U.S. small businesses received fewer loans in the first quarter of 2011, as the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy reported this week that banks continued to experience an ongoing decline in lending trends.According to CNN Money,...
Posted: Jun 17th, 2011
As entrepreneurs look to get their startups off the ground, it's important that they remember how location - on both a state and local level - can impact a new business' bottom line, and with recent studies suggesting a dramatic slowdown in the e...
Posted: Jun 16th, 2011
With unemployment at stubbornly high rates - hitting 9.1 percent nationwide last month - many professionals find themselves in the middle of a nearly desolate job market, while those fortunate enough to have employment find few opportunities for career a...
Posted: Jun 15th, 2011
Owners of small companies in the U.S. were less confident regarding the state of their businesses and the overall economy last month, as the most recent Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business dropped slightly i...
Posted: Jun 14th, 2011
California and New York are among some of the most active investors in clean energy policies and agendas, with both states working toward ambitious renewable energy portfolios. However, clean energy entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California may ...
Posted: Jun 13th, 2011
A panel of economists polled by Bloomberg have projected that the U.S. economy will show marked improvement in the second half of 2011, despite recent dips in employment, consumer activity, exports, GDP growth and other chief economic factors.Surveyed an...
Posted: Jun 10th, 2011
As businesses emerge from the economic downturn, many are looking to rejuvenate their marketing budgets to attract new customers and sales leads.A number of recent studies from FedEx Office and Capital One have suggested this trend is beginning to unfold...
Posted: Jun 8th, 2011
Clean energy entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in New York may receive a break with the announcement this week of a large investment in renewable energy projects to be built across the state.The state will allocate $191 million in grants to 17 differe...
Posted: Jun 6th, 2011
A recent survey by General Electric found approximately 80 percent of small businesses plan to hire within the coming year, and nearly two-thirds have already begun doing so, according to Bloomberg. It's clear that employers want to add positions, bu...
Posted: Jun 3rd, 2011
While ideally the web can be an endless stream of free information and instant communication, these liberties can allow for less principled individuals to pirate content, infringe copyrights and even plagiarize written material.For professionals who look...
Posted: Jun 1st, 2011
A number of recent studies have declared that California is a bad place for business, innovation and entrepreneurship, but few of them address exactly why that is. While a complete diagnosis would likely require a roundtable discussion between historians...
Posted: May 27th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Arizona, Texas or elsewhere are facing an economy that is fragile and only gradually improving. At its heart is consumer activity, and with recent signs showing gains in that sector - including confidence and retai...
Posted: May 26th, 2011
For entrepreneurs forming an LLC in New York, California or anywhere else, it may tempting to seek out a business credit card to help finance your growth. However, it is important to take in a few considerations regarding recent credit card legislation.T...
Posted: May 18th, 2011
While the Golden State remains one of the most unemployed regions in the country, entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California and elsewhere seem to have greater plans for hiring, according to a survey released this week by General Electric.Bloombe...
Posted: May 17th, 2011
Financing a business in this economy - regardless of its supposed state of recovery - is a difficult endeavor.Entrepreneurs forming an LLC in New York may read about the lending initiatives of major financial institutions like Bank of America or JP Morga...
Posted: May 17th, 2011
President Barack Obama spoke in honor of the nation's small businesses Friday, praising the sector's contributions to entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation in spite of less than desirable circumstances throughout the country.The occasion ...
Posted: May 13th, 2011
Retail business owners looking to incorporate in California are likely paying close attention to recent trends in consumer activity. Earlier this week, for example, Gallup reported that consumer spending remained statistically flat in April.However, the ...
Posted: May 12th, 2011
The world of marketing is a constantly evolving practice, with new trends, platforms and techniques being voiced on a seemingly routine basis.Now, recent calls for greener practices by consumers have added a whole new element to the contemporary marketin...
Posted: May 11th, 2011
A recent proposal by Texas lawmakers to enact a tax break on purchases of yachts that cost more than $250,000 was met with a stir of debate and controversy, especially as the state continues to make draconian budget cuts to education, public safety and h...
Posted: May 11th, 2011
The state of Texas is known for its pro-business economic landscape, but when it comes to the liquor industry, it is anything but. Aside from retaining a number of laws that inhibit the distribution of beer by microbreweries, the state prohibits the sale...
Posted: May 11th, 2011
Providing stark contrast to a number of recent surveys on the state of the U.S. small business sector, the National Federation of Independent Business reported Tuesday that confidence in the sector fell to a seven-month low in April.According to the NFIB...
Posted: May 10th, 2011
As California and Texas both move to balance their respective budget deficits according to the philosophies of their dominant parties, there are a few facts that experts on both sides are hard-pressed to answer.For example, credit rating agency Standard ...
Posted: May 10th, 2011
While it appears as though California small businesses are planning to increase their budgets - with a recent Citibank survey finding 67 percent of small companies in the Golden State planning to increase their marketing spend - consumers nationwide appe...
Posted: May 9th, 2011
Small business credit cards are, essentially, no different than consumer cards, in that proprietors are liable for all incurred debt, as opposed to the organization as whole and whatever DBA filing it has registered.For that reason, the subject of small ...
Posted: May 9th, 2011
While recent economic news may have entrepreneurs yearning to form an LLC in Texas - noting the state's recent ranking as the No. 1 state for business, according to Chief Executive magazine - other data may suggest startups have little interest in al...
Posted: May 6th, 2011
A survey released this week by FedEx Office found 55 percent of U.S. small businesses are considering increasing their marketing budgets this year, compared to a mere 42 percent last year.The report confirms a trend suggesting that as the economy continu...
Posted: May 5th, 2011
As the state of Texas struggles to find revenue to balance its $27 billion budget shortfall, lawmakers have begun looking for all possible revenue sources.In March, officials agreed to pull $3.2 billion from the state Rainy Day Fund in order to plug curr...
Posted: May 4th, 2011
The debate over whether or not to allow retail giant Walmart to open shop in New York City has small business owners arguing that their survival depends on keeping the corporation out pitted against those arguing for jobs and consumer activity.A Quinnipi...
Posted: May 4th, 2011
While CNN Money recently placed California at the No. 2 spot on its list of the states with the highest startup activity, the Golden State has been less animated when it comes to the credit market, as it holds title to the highest small business bankrupt...
Posted: May 3rd, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California - a state with a blistering 12.3 percent unemployment rate - may take comfort in recent news from Intuit that finds job creation among small businesses nationwide grew by 0.3 percent in April.The increas...
Posted: May 2nd, 2011
State budget crises are seemingly being addressed according to the economic philosophies of the parties they are dominated by.In Democrat-led California, for example, lawmakers have largely agreed to a 50-50 split between spending cuts and tax revenue in...
Posted: Apr 29th, 2011
As debates continues to wage in Illinois, Tennessee, Texas, California and New York over whether or not online retailers should be obligated to collect sales tax from customers, one of those states, Texas, moved this week to firmly declare such entities ...
Posted: Apr 28th, 2011
The state of Texas took a step closer to extending a tax cut for small businesses last week at a time when budget cuts to education, healthcare and other programs are widespread in the state, according to the Associated Press.If passed, the measure ...
Posted: Apr 26th, 2011
A company's website serves as the portal through which consumers engage with the business, learning about its products and services and finding additional methods of contact. In many ways, a website is like putting power in the hands of consumers, of...
Posted: Apr 25th, 2011
Factory activity in Texas continued its months-long expansion trend in April, albeit at a slower pace, according to Monday's Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.The index fell to 8 in April - down from 24 in Mar...
Posted: Apr 25th, 2011
The U.S. has long been known for its innovation, which is driven in large part by its entrepreneurial spirit. While the recession certainly left few markets unscathed, it appears as if the country's startup scene is more optimistic than it has been i...
Posted: Apr 22nd, 2011
Craft beer entrepreneurs who have been hesitant to incorporate in Texas may begin to reconsider, following the passage of a bill in the state House of Representatives Thursday.House Bill 602 will allow craft breweries in the Lone Star State to sell beer ...
Posted: Apr 22nd, 2011
The last few years have proven to be something of a test of durability for the print industry, especially on the marketing end, as consumers and businesses alike have opted for digital or web-based alternative methods of communication.However, it seems a...
Posted: Apr 21st, 2011
Whether one is planning to form an LLC in New York or sell a new product, any major sort of transition in the history of a business will require some sort of marketing strategy to promote it or raise brand awareness.Recent surveys by BtoB magazine and Ma...
Posted: Apr 21st, 2011
Despite above-average unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates, small business owners in California are more optimistic than the rest of the country about their prospects for the next six months.According to a report released last week by American ...
Posted: Apr 20th, 2011
In many ways, New York is a city that is driven by its vibrant and extensive small business sector. Although the Big Apple is currently struggling with a relatively high unemployment rate, lending to small firms and entrepreneurs is on the rise, growing ...
Posted: Apr 20th, 2011
While many economists and lawmakers may disagree, recent reports from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council suggest that states' tax systems are intricately linked to their suitability for small businesses.The most recent Business Tax Ind...
Posted: Apr 20th, 2011
The Associated Press' monthly analysis of economic stress was released Thursday, providing a glimpse of economic conditions on a national, state and country level during the month of February.Looking at the AP's map of economic stress, the West C...
Posted: Apr 14th, 2011
Businesses in Arizona may receive substantial tax breaks over the next decade if a bill that passed the state House of Representatives Tuesday is approved by the Senate and signed into law. However, many small companies in the Grand Canyon State may be l...
Posted: Apr 13th, 2011
Small businesses in California continue to flee to more business friendly states like Texas - a trend that has been blamed on the Golden State's massive network of taxes and bureaucratic processes.According to recent data released by the Tax Foundati...
Posted: Apr 12th, 2011
Small companies appear to have lost confidence in the economic recovery last month, as declines in expectations for real sales growth, profits and business conditions contributed to a drop in the National Federation of Independent Business' Small Bus...
Posted: Apr 12th, 2011
In regards to U.S. small businesses, the Obama administration has maintained that access to credit is paramount in lifting the sector, which employs nearly half of all private sector workers, out of the recession's grasp.Both Federal Reserve Chairman...
Posted: Apr 11th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may want to look to the city of Austin, as it took the No. 1 spot on a recent ranking of the best cities to launch a small business.The Business Journals' On Numbers list cited Austin's rapid populati...
Posted: Apr 11th, 2011
President Barack Obama expressed tentative optimism that a Congressional budget agreement will be reached just hours ahead of a midnight Friday deadline - the failure of which to do so would force a shutdown of government activities, cutting pay to milit...
Posted: Apr 8th, 2011
New York City - long a hub of financial, media and creative markets - has recently developed a unique tech and web startup scene. Companies like foursquare, Tumblr, GroupMe and Etsy have all blossomed in the Big Apple, attracting talent scouts from the l...
Posted: Apr 8th, 2011
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlined an economic agenda for the state that will put a focus on startup incubation, access to credit and the introduction of tax-free business savings accounts, according to the New York Daily News.The junior congre...
Posted: Apr 7th, 2011
Ongoing Congressional debate over budget and spending cuts has reflected in many ways what's going on at the state level across the country. But as lawmakers struggle to reach an agreement this week, the federal debate is becoming an increasingly dan...
Posted: Apr 6th, 2011
Texas and California - the country's two largest economies and most substantial economic foes - may be similar in a somewhat unexpected way: tax procrastination.According to TurboTax's annual list of the nation's most tax procrastinating citi...
Posted: Apr 4th, 2011
Last month, the U.S. Small Business Administration moved to broaden its definition of small businesses in order to incorporate thousands more companies under the category of "small business," providing them with access to government contracts a...
Posted: Apr 1st, 2011
A survey released last month by the California Foundation for Commerce and Education found 87.7 percent of business executives in the state of California believe their state is a more difficult place to do business because of burdensome regulations and r...
Posted: Apr 1st, 2011
The ADP National Employment Report was released Wednesday, finding private sector employment grew by 201,000 from February to March.According to the study, as much as 102,000 of these new jobs were in the small business sector, which bodes well for entre...
Posted: Mar 30th, 2011
Tax collection in the state of Texas, as well as the nation as a whole, fell during the 2010 fiscal year, according to a report released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau, providing a glimpse into one of the key reasons for ongoing states' and fede...
Posted: Mar 29th, 2011
Hiring among the country's small businesses grew in March, although at a slower pace than the previous month, business services provider Intuit reported Tuesday.According to the company's Small Business Employment Index, employment in the sector ...
Posted: Mar 29th, 2011
Consumer confidence slipped in March to reach a three-month low of 63.4 - down from February's three-year high of 72, according to a report released this week by the Conference Board.The decline in confidence is likely due to rising commodity prices ...
Posted: Mar 29th, 2011
One of the nation's foremost indicators of small business viability, the Discover Small Business Watch, noted some unsettling declines for the month of March, as the country's small companies were hit by major hikes at the gas pump.According to t...
Posted: Mar 28th, 2011
Amid stressful economic conditions, vexing state budget deficits and continued troubles facing small business owners, the debate over how - and if - online retail companies should pay sales tax is mounting.Texas, New York, California and Illinois are amo...
Posted: Mar 28th, 2011
California's AB 32 - which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 1990 levels by 2020 - is the first of its kind in the U.S. Perhaps for this very reason, it has been attacked by right wing free market advocates who argue the measure...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
Small businesses considering a move to incorporate in Texas have likely been encouraged by the state's relatively strong emergence from the recession, and for those currently located in Washington or California, they may be intrigued by Governor Rick...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
Last fall, then-Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill requiring state businesses to provide information regarding their efforts to end slavery and worker exploitation within their own supply chains.That measure is an isolated example...
Posted: Mar 24th, 2011
After months of hesitation, Texas Governor Rick Perry agreed with state lawmakers last week to tap the Texas' Rainy Day Fund in order to meet the current year's deficit of some $4 billion. While the measure essentially extends the budget until th...
Posted: Mar 23rd, 2011
Both Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Small Business Administration head Karen Mills declared Tuesday that a lack of available credit is the biggest problem facing small businesses and is stymieing job creation and innovation as well.At a conferen...
Posted: Mar 22nd, 2011
According to a report that may vindicate free enterprise advocates who have been critical of the state's high tax and bloated regulatory environment, a large majority of companies in California believe their state is a more difficult place to do busi...
Posted: Mar 22nd, 2011
One year after President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, new data suggest the majority of California small businesses remain unclear over the bill's stipulations.A survey released Monday by Pacific Communi...
Posted: Mar 21st, 2011
Texas is no stranger to free markets, but when it comes to the sale of alcohol, there may be an exception.State lawmakers have proposed opening liquor stores on Sundays, which is currently illegal, as a means of generating further tax revenue from source...
Posted: Mar 21st, 2011
Much debate has arisen in recent months regarding Walmart's plans to open up franchises in New York City, where the company has been banned for years due to fears that it will destroy local small retailers.A recent survey by Gotham Government Relatio...
Posted: Mar 18th, 2011
Entrepreneurs seeking Texas LLC formation may find the business environment of their dreams, complete with low unemployment, low taxes and limited government, but the state is something of a two-face when it comes to its bustling private sector and ailin...
Posted: Mar 17th, 2011
A survey released this week by information service Equifax suggests economic turmoil and high bankruptcy filings in California may be holding back the rest of the country. While the study shows small business bankruptcy filings to be down across the nati...
Posted: Mar 16th, 2011
California is facing a larger fiscal challenge resulting from its budget deficit than perhaps any other state. According to BusinessWeek, the Golden State's deficit now stands at an estimated $26.6 billion.Governor Jerry Brown is calling for a specia...
Posted: Mar 11th, 2011
Last month, President Barack Obama met with business leaders in Silicon Valley to address some of the issues advanced in his State of the Union address that called for renewed investment in innovation and education.However, many analysts saw the move as ...
Posted: Mar 11th, 2011
California boasts the country's largest economy and population, as well as Silicon Valley - a haven of technology, venture capital and entrepreneurship. It also holds a 12.5 percent unemployment rate and a $28 billion budget deficit.Texas, on the oth...
Posted: Mar 9th, 2011
Most environmentalists agree that what the burgeoning green energy sector needs most is an incentive - for businesses and entrepreneurs, that is. Without a financial reason to invest in a new solar installation or multimillion dollar wind farm, there sta...
Posted: Mar 8th, 2011
Minority- and women-owned enterprises in New York City may receive some help from a number of new initiatives launched by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.Once such program involves offering immigrant small business owners the opportunity to take business courses...
Posted: Mar 7th, 2011
Amid heated debate over how to best tackle mounting deficits on the state and local level, the U.S. job market may be making a substantial recovery, according to the ADP National Employment Report.Released Wednesday, the study finds the economy added 217...
Posted: Mar 2nd, 2011
Speaking to a crowd of small business owners Tuesday, Texas Governor Rick Perry called upon his state to extend a tax credit for businesses earning less than $1 million in revenue per year, adding that the rest of the nation needs to join Texas in cuttin...
Posted: Mar 1st, 2011
Small business confidence fell slightly this month, as business owners noted continued trouble in accessing credit or generating sales, despite recent improvements in consumers spending and private lending, according to the most recent Discover Small Bus...
Posted: Feb 28th, 2011
The state of Texas contributes more than 9.5 percent of all manufactured goods in the United States - a figure that tends to earn the attention of economists when news of the sector's viability is released.Accordingly, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dal...
Posted: Feb 28th, 2011
Although the volume of business sales in California fell substantially throughout 2010, experiencing a 6.6 percent drop for a total of 13,329 transactions, February noted a solid gain in the number of business acquisitions.According to BizBen.com, more t...
Posted: Feb 28th, 2011
New York-based investment giant Goldman Sachs has reportedly made a $20 million investment in Houston, Texas, area small businesses as part of its larger $500 million lending program.According to the Houston Business Journal, the program - which will spe...
Posted: Feb 25th, 2011
The Small Business Authority has released its latest survey addressing the current state of the overall small business economy.Released Friday, the SB Authority Index shows a slight improvement for the month of January, rising 0.67 percent on the back of...
Posted: Feb 25th, 2011
Perhaps reflecting the divergent economic philosophies of the country's three largest state economies, residents of Texas were ranked among the least tax-burdened, according to a new study by the nonprofit Tax Foundation, while New York and Californi...
Posted: Feb 24th, 2011
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation announced Wednesday that its insured banks recorded a collective profit of $21.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, a substantial increase from the $1.8 billion losses reported in the fourth quarter of 2009.A...
Posted: Feb 23rd, 2011
Despite varying economic philosophies and cultures, countries throughout the western hemisphere are united in their struggles to control massive budget crises - a situation that threatens social programs and public spending on a scale previously unseen a...
Posted: Feb 23rd, 2011
President Barack Obama assured a gathering of small business owners and entrepreneurs in Cleveland, Ohio, that they are the driving force of the U.S. economy and should be afforded the appropriate economic freedoms and resources to help move the nation i...
Posted: Feb 22nd, 2011
New York City has emerged fairly strong from the global economic recession, boasting a burgeoning tech startup scene, as well as relatively low unemployment and substantial improvements in small business lending.According to Crain's, SBA-backed loans...
Posted: Feb 22nd, 2011
Small business lending fell by 6.2 percent in 2010, according to a recent report by the U.S. Small Business Administration, suggesting that the economic recovery may continue to lag for some time.Contrastingly, the report also found lending to large firm...
Posted: Feb 21st, 2011
Inventor, entrepreneur and co-founder of the wireless company Qualcomm Irwin Jacobs spoke before Congress Thursday to urge lawmakers to continue funding the $2.5 billion Small Business Innovation Research program."SBIR was created in the 1980s in re...
Posted: Feb 18th, 2011
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Thursday it has approved a funding initiative in the state of California that is expected to create new jobs and generate some $1.7 billion in small business lending.The State Small Business Credit Initiative...
Posted: Feb 18th, 2011
A few weeks after the White House reinvigorated plans to double total U.S. exports by 2015, the Commerce Department released figures showing Texas to be the top exporting state in the nation.With an exporting volume of more than $206 billion in 2010, the...
Posted: Feb 17th, 2011
In a move designed to spur private investment and job creation, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced Wednesday his aim to extend a number of small business tax cuts that were introduced in the last legislative session."The real drivers of job creatio...
Posted: Feb 16th, 2011
Confidence among the nation's small businesses continues to climb, amid reports of improving credit opportunities, private sector employment and manufacturing activity.Local business network MerchantCircle reported this week that its optimism baromet...
Posted: Feb 15th, 2011
In a move many analysts have suggested reflects his desire to improve ties with the business community, President Barack Obama will visit leaders in the California high tech industry this week to discuss job creation, innovation and green energy, among o...
Posted: Feb 15th, 2011
The state of Texas generated $1.8 billion in sales tax collection last month, marking a 10.4 percent jump over the same period last year, according to a report released Wednesday by state comptroller Susan Combs."Sales tax revenues have now improved...
Posted: Feb 10th, 2011
The growth in the number of black-owned businesses in the Dallas-Forth Worth region of Texas has proceeded at a faster pace than the rest of the nation, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.Black-owned businesses grew by 60.5 perc...
Posted: Feb 9th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in New York are likely feeling more optimistic these days, as a report released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business found confidence among the nation's small businesses reached the highest l...
Posted: Feb 8th, 2011
A new program launched by the U.S. Small Business Administration last week will seek to provide women-owned small businesses with greater opportunities to receive federal contracts. The Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program will be implemen...
Posted: Feb 7th, 2011
Democrats in the California state legislature are pushing for the renewal of a bill that proponents hope will boost the state's renewable energy market, while rejuvenating the small business sector and further establishing California as the nation...
Posted: Feb 7th, 2011
The U.S. Senate voted 81-17 to repeal a controversial provision in last year's healthcare reform bill after several appeals from small business advocacy groups. It will face a vote in the House next week, where it is expected to pass.The disputed &qu...
Posted: Feb 3rd, 2011
Employment in the California small business sector grew last month, according to data released this week, suggesting the state's economy is on the rebound.The Intuit Small Business Employment Index, released Monday, noted a 0.4 percent jump in hiring...
Posted: Feb 2nd, 2011
Job creation and confidence among small businesses in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut has been steadily improving in recent months, according to a report released Monday by web-based human resources firm CheckPoint HR.Employmen...
Posted: Feb 1st, 2011
In a sign of the divergent economic philosophies that govern the country's two largest economies - California and Texas - each state is embracing different methods to tackle their massive budget shortfalls.California legislators introduced a bill las...
Posted: Feb 1st, 2011
The White House announced a number of plans Monday to help boost private sector investment, entrepreneurship and small business growth. The announcement comes less than a week after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, which touted th...
Posted: Jan 31st, 2011
Optimism among U.S. small business owners has reached its highest level since the before the recession began, according to the most recent report from the Discover Small Business Watch.After a decline in December, Discover's monthly small business co...
Posted: Jan 31st, 2011
JPMorgan Chase has announced it has pledged $25 million in grants to a number of Community Development Financial Institutions across the country.As a part of the financial services giant's ongoing $100 million program aimed at strengthening CDFIs, th...
Posted: Jan 28th, 2011
President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night - a speech that tackled some of the most urgent concerns currently facing the United States. Immigration, foreign policy, energy, the federal deficit and healthcare were all on...
Posted: Jan 26th, 2011
Americans' trust in businesses fell last year, according to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer released this week. A day after President Barack Obama outlined his steps to "winning the future" in Tuesday's State of the Union address, th...
Posted: Jan 26th, 2011
With hours to go before President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, the president is facing a number of critics from the small business community.Tuesday, the American Small Business League released a statement criticizing the president'...
Posted: Jan 25th, 2011
Employers' hiring plans are improving drastically, as economic confidence among businesses reached a 12 year high, according to a new survey.The National Association for Business Economics reported Monday that 38 percent of surveyed firms have larger...
Posted: Jan 24th, 2011
Congressional Republicans and Democrats are targeting a tax stipulation in last year's healthcare reform bill this week, as three Senate Democrats signed a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, requesting the House to repeal the contested 1099 provis...
Posted: Jan 21st, 2011
Venture capital investment increased in 2010 over the previous year both nationally and in the state of Texas, according to a report released this week by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters.The MoneyTree ...
Posted: Jan 21st, 2011
Topping an ongoing debate regarding state sales tax collection on internet-based transactions, the Austin American Statesman is reporting that Amazon.com is suing the state of Texas over a $269 million bill issued to the online retail giant.Texas issued ...
Posted: Jan 20th, 2011
President Barack Obama signed an executive order this week that intends to alleviate the regulatory and compliance burdens faced by the nation's small businesses.Citing the need to improve the economic environment for small businesses, the order, &qu...
Posted: Jan 19th, 2011
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote today whether or not to repeal last year's healthcare reform bill - a law that Congressional Republicans have argued will destroy jobs and burden small businesses with new taxes.While the Republican-led Hou...
Posted: Jan 19th, 2011
A day after Texas Governor Rick Perry was sworn into his third full term in office, state lawmakers have been handed a biennium budget proposal that suggests $31 billion in spending cuts.The cutback is in response to a massive budget shortfall that could...
Posted: Jan 19th, 2011
The Millennial generation, which currently represents those ages 18 to 25, may be a uniquely entrepreneurial-minded age group, according to a survey released Tuesday by Employers Holdings.Nearly half of Gen Y respondents - 46 percent - claimed they plan ...
Posted: Jan 18th, 2011
Amidst continuing debate over Walmart's desire to open franchises in New York City, a Long Island-based consulting firm released a survey this week finding that the vast majority of small businesses do not want the retail giant in their city, providi...
Posted: Jan 18th, 2011
The fourth quarter of 2010 saw a slight but significant improvement in small business sales, according to a report released this month by BizBuySell - an online marketplace of for-sale businesses.Adding to a number of recent positive economic indicators,...
Posted: Jan 17th, 2011
Texas' sales tax collection grew for the ninth consecutive month in December, reaching $1.8 billion and marking a 9.4 percent increase over the previous year.As the state struggles to tackle its $15 billion budget shortfall, the improvement is seen as we...
Posted: Jan 13th, 2011
Texas' sales tax collection grew for the ninth consecutive month in December, reaching $1.8 billion and marking a 9.4 percent increase over the previous year.As the state struggles to tackle its $15 billion budget shortfall, the improvement is seen a...
Posted: Jan 13th, 2011
While the Small Business Administration reported last week that it has supported more than $13 billion in small business loans since last September, lending to small businesses in the New York City region specifically has seen substantial improvements.Th...
Posted: Jan 10th, 2011
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its monthly employment report for December, finding that the national unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent - down from 9.8 percent in November. The study also noted the addition of 103,000 jobs last month, but t...
Posted: Jan 7th, 2011
One of the biggest problems the economy has faced emerging from the recession has been the lack of available credit to small businesses. The New York Federal Reserve reported last year that three-quarters of small businesses did not meet their lending ne...
Posted: Jan 6th, 2011
Despite a record-breaking holiday shopping season by American consumers, confidence among small business owners dropped in December, ending three months of consecutive growth.The Discover Small Business Watch confidence index, released this week, fell to...
Posted: Dec 30th, 2010
As many small businesses have trouble achieving their credit needs, some are beginning to borrow against their homes in order to meet their lending requirements.A recent report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland found that nearly 20 percent of smal...
Posted: Dec 29th, 2010
U.S. small businesses employ nearly fifty percent of the private sector workforce. Given the sector's hesitancy to hire in significant numbers, coupled with low but gradually improving confidence rates, many analysts have singled out small businesses...
Posted: Dec 29th, 2010
Consumer confidence took an unexpected drop in December, according to data released by the Confidence Board, despite marked improvements in consumer spending this holiday season.The index is currently leveled at 52.5, down from 54.3 in November - both in...
Posted: Dec 28th, 2010
Texas state comptroller Susan Combs has been pushing for cuts in various government programs in an effort to tackle the state's estimated $24 billion budget shortfall.The state's business tax credit and incentive programs may be the first to get ...
Posted: Dec 28th, 2010
More small businesses are purchasing health coverage for their employees in recent months, likely stemming from a tax credit stipulated in the healthcare reform bill passed earlier this year.For entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California, the sur...
Posted: Dec 27th, 2010
Anyone who understands the phrase "the future is in the cloud" understands the California startup scene. While venture capital can and still is allotted to every industry imaginable, the tech and information sectors remain the most lucrative fo...
Posted: Dec 27th, 2010
While the economy remains stalled in post-recession blues, some key indications suggest it may begin to see significant improvements in 2011.One of the most important barometers of economic viability, small business confidence, has seen boosts in recent ...
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2010
Berkeley, California-based wind turbine manufacturer Nordic Windpower has announced it is leaving California and relocating to Kansas City, Missouri - the heart of the nation's "wind corridor."Only three years old, the company has delivered...
Posted: Dec 22nd, 2010
A number of recent surveys evaluating American cities' business and intellectual viability show a regional trend in regards to conditions such as the cost of doing business, brainpower and, most recently, MarketWatch's "Best Cities for Busin...
Posted: Dec 20th, 2010
As the country gradually pulls itself out of the worst recession in decades, it's interesting to note that some states have fared better than others.Although a state's unemployment rate is a good indication of its level of job creation and emergi...
Posted: Dec 13th, 2010
The New York City Council approved a new program Tuesday designed to help the city's small businesses acquire credit through increased availability of lending opportunities. Credit Ready NYC will help small businesses unable to acquire credit through...
Posted: Nov 24th, 2010
According to the World Bank, the United States - with its reputation of tech innovation and entrepreneurship - ranks only eighth in the world for ease of registering for a new business. Australia, New Zealand and Singapore all surpassed the U.S. in this ...
Posted: Nov 23rd, 2010
The U.S. economic recovery is expected to continue at a slow pace, according to a new report from the National Association for Business Economics. Expansion is expected to reach a growth of 2.7 percent over 2010 - up slightly from the original projection...
Posted: Nov 22nd, 2010
Angel investors in the Lone Star state are receiving a number of incentives to invest in startups and small businesses before the year's end. The Small Business Jobs and Credit Act, passed in September, included a provision declaring that investments...
Posted: Nov 19th, 2010
Texas legislators and budget experts are receiving a breath of fresh air with Wednesday's announcement from state comptroller Susan Combs claiming sales tax revenue jumped 6.6 percent in October.The $1.6 billion income marks the seventh consecutive m...
Posted: Nov 18th, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a series of guidelines regarding greenhouse gas emissions regulations for states in an attempt to allay business fears of excessive regulatory control by the federal government set to go into affect this ...
Posted: Nov 10th, 2010
Oil prices reached the highest levels in two years Tuesday, sparking concerns that prices will continue to grow over the next few years, damaging economies worldwide.Meanwhile, New York's Goldman Sachs released a report claiming that oil prices will ...
Posted: Nov 10th, 2010
BlackRock announced Tuesday that its stakeholders, Bank of America and PNC Financial Services Group, will sell $8.3 billion worth of the New York City-based investment management group's shares - marking the largest public offering of the year.The 51...
Posted: Nov 9th, 2010
Entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to file for an LLC, corporation or other business entity in Texas may find help from the Business Bank of Texas.The online banking and financial services provider announced Tuesday that it will launch its B...
Posted: Nov 9th, 2010
In a show of support for firmer immigration laws, 13 states have joined together to request that the U.S. Supreme Court uphold an Arizona law which penalizes businesses for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.The law permits a business' license to be...
Posted: Nov 4th, 2010
Site Selection magazine has released its annual ranking of the top state business climates, placing New York down at No. 21 in a tie with Mississippi. North Carolina took the top spot, followed by Tennessee and Texas, respectively.The rankings factored w...
Posted: Nov 2nd, 2010
Although California's Proposition 23 is widely considered to be an affront to the state's blossoming green tech industry, with backers in the oil industry citing its impediment to business operations, not many have considered how the law it is me...
Posted: Oct 29th, 2010
Tax delinquent businesses that have incorporated in Texas may face trouble from auditors and collectors beginning next year. The Texas Comptroller's office announced today that it will cooperate with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to suspend...
Posted: Oct 26th, 2010
Entrepreneurs looking to launch an LLC in New York may find help through a new partnership between Citi Group and the New York City Department of Small Business Services. The partnership, announced Thursday at the NYC Business Solutions Center in Brookly...
Posted: Oct 21st, 2010
Arizona is well known for its history of entrepreneurship, but Grand Canyon State entrepreneurs who have found themselves stalled out in trying to acquire their LLCs may find help at the fifth annual Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference to be held No...
Posted: Oct 20th, 2010
Small Business Majority, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote small business interests and growth released a report this week claiming that California's existing AB 32 law will continue to spur entrepreneurial investment and small business g...
Posted: Oct 20th, 2010
Angel investments are on the rise in New York City, giving more hope to entrepreneurs seeking to launch an LLC in the Big Apple. The New York Angels is one investment group that has grown dramatically in the last several years, from 30 investors in 2004 ...
Posted: Oct 13th, 2010
California remains one of the leading economies for renewable energy ventures, but the state is quickly being outpaced by forerunners such as Germany. Entrepreneurs looking to launch a green energy LLC in California should consider an initiative that is ...
Posted: Oct 12th, 2010
A report by a leading think tank analyzed New York State's job allocations from 1993 to 2007 and found that the state suffered a loss of 148,000 jobs. The data align with the state's net population loss of 1.6 million people since 2000 and sugges...
Posted: Oct 11th, 2010
Entrepreneurs looking to launch a green tech LLC in California are in the right place. The state leads not only the U.S. but the world in alternative energy startups and entrepreneurial ventures. However, a number of initiatives and competitions are begi...
Posted: Oct 8th, 2010
Young New York City women entrepreneurs may receive a boost in confidence following Friday’s Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship conference presented by Guardian Life Insurance and Wealth Advisory Group.More than 100 teenage girls from New Yor...
Posted: Oct 7th, 2010
Columbia Business School announced Tuesday that alumnus Henry R. Kravis, of the global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., has pledged $100 million dollars toward the New York City business school - the largest in the school’s histor...
Posted: Oct 5th, 2010
Entrepreneurs looking to launch an LLC in California might want to consider a new survey by the Rose Institute of State and Local Government that assesses the costs of doing business in more than 400 U.S. cities. According to the report, one-third o...
Posted: Oct 4th, 2010
Many companies and recently launched LLCs in California are fighting the state's proposed Proposition 24 bill, which, if passed, will repeal several laws that have proved beneficial to the state’s businesses.The laws, to be voted on in state el...
Posted: Oct 1st, 2010
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Thursday that will require California LLCs and other business entities to provide information about their efforts to end slavery and worker exploitation within the supply chains of their servic...
Posted: Sep 30th, 2010
Entrepreneurs considering business incorporation in New York State can minimize the chances for mishap by choosing the right corporate entity, addressing trademark issues and avoiding any mixing of business and personal capital.Writing at VentureBeat, At...
Posted: Sep 14th, 2010
Manhattan entrepreneurs trying to reduce their tax burden might consider filing articles of incorporation in New York state as an S corporation, or incorporate in Texas to benefit from lower tax rates.An S corporation allows corporate profit to pass thro...
Posted: Aug 24th, 2010
Entrepreneurs forming an LLC in New York can benefit from the state''s 80 Small Business Development Centers and their free advice, research, training and loan assistance.Many people facing a tough job market have decided to strike out on their own, and ...
Posted: Aug 23rd, 2010
The California attorney general is warning business owners about a possible fictitious business name scam in the state that could affect entrepreneurs creating a California LLC.Rod Andrade, a business owner in Victorville, California, received a written ...
Posted: Aug 18th, 2010