Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas and equip their workforce with mobile devices may want to take some time to weigh the risks involved.
Posted: Apr 16th, 2012
It's been a challenge to find a single source of encouraging economic news in recent weeks. While stocks rebounded somewhat this week, volatility seems to be the norm. Meanwhile, confidence among consumers and businesses continues to wane alongside h...
Posted: Aug 23rd, 2011
With competition for sales more intense than they've been in decades as a result of low consumer activity, businesses need to do what they can to build brand loyalty and customer retention.Of course, it's easier said than done, so it's import...
Posted: Aug 22nd, 2011
What makes workers tick? What makes them pour their soul into a project? What makes them give up? College courses have been taught exploring these questions and their elusive answers. While business owners can read up all they want, the issue ultimately ...
Posted: Aug 22nd, 2011
Even as governments continue to scale back their budgets and companies struggle to hold their sales figures, public agencies and contracts are still viable sources of business. However, the market is competitive, so firms should make a few considerations...
Posted: Aug 19th, 2011
As a small business begins to expand, the need to incorporate some sort of customer service strategy may become urgent. While in some cases businesses, especially small ones, handle their customer service themselves, others rely on outsourcing services t...
Posted: Aug 19th, 2011
Building PR is essentially about brand exposure. The more customers and prospects come into contact with your company - even if only through the sight of a logo - the greater their chances of remembering it.Of course, with the advent of new media and mar...
Posted: Aug 18th, 2011
In a slow economy with weak consumer sentiment, businesses can't afford to make bad hires. For that reason, employers and HR teams need to develop a hiring strategy that accurately and effectively evaluates a candidate's various strengths and wea...
Posted: Aug 18th, 2011
President Barack Obama met with a number of small businesses in rural Iowa Tuesday to discuss issues facing owners and entrepreneurs while also promoting new initiatives aimed at stimulating growth in the sector.Among the Obama administration's new a...
Posted: Aug 17th, 2011
The knee-jerk reaction goes something like this: Sleeping on the job is grounds for being fired. If this is your initial response to the idea of napping employees, take a step back and review the cause for such a situation. It may be that your employees ...
Posted: Aug 17th, 2011
As clean energy and green policies continue to become more economically feasible for businesses and homeowners alike, the construction industry is beginning to note a much-needed surge in demand in so-called "green building."According to the En...
Posted: Aug 17th, 2011
A few weeks after Congress reached a deal to cut the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next several years, the White House announced plans for a major speech in September that will outline the administration's goals for job creation and furth...
Posted: Aug 17th, 2011
News of the economy has been rife with pessimism in recent weeks, with analysts struggling to find any source of optimism amid market volatility, decaying business confidence, and weak hiring trends.American Express OPEN recently amalgamated data from 18...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
With small business lending at a standstill and consumer spending also beginning to wane, the capital needed to maintain a business' marketing budget is hard to find. Accordingly, many owners are panicking that they'll have to cut one of the most...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
What does it mean to be a leader? Invariably, the answer to this depends on the organization in question, but there are some basic traits that most leaders share. In developing a company or launching a new project, it may help to work on some of these po...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
There's no way around it: Hiring is slow and it will likely remain so for some time to come. Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported the addition of only 114,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate dipped to 9.1 percent.Although figur...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
Small businesses in the tri-state area seem to reflect national trends when it comes to credit demand. A report released Thursday by the New York Federal Reserve found one-third of small firms applied for credit in the first quarter and two-thirds were a...
Posted: Aug 12th, 2011
Artists often say creativity is essentially a series of decisions. The same is true when it comes to running a business. Whether handling a project or overseeing an entire company, you need to be quick and decisive while also not sacrificing deliberation...
Posted: Aug 12th, 2011
Economic downturns are an inevitable aspect of running a business. While there are plenty of strategies owners can embrace to mitigate the effects of a recession, it's nearly impossible to avoid them entirely.In many cases, businesses will move to do...
Posted: Aug 11th, 2011
The National Federation of Independent Business reported earlier this week that confidence among small businesses dipped for the third consecutive month. Similarly, a new survey by Financial Executives International and Baruch College found optimism slip...
Posted: Aug 11th, 2011
Small business owners, particularly first-time entrepreneurs, can make mistakes when it comes to finances. Capital is fickle, especially in a high-growth company where payables and receivables seem to fly about, so it's important for owners to adhere...
Posted: Aug 11th, 2011
In the chaotic reactions to the employment figures coming out of Washington each month, the conversation often seems to be centered around how to get Americans back to work. However, a few analysts have turned national attention toward a more narrow, yet...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
One of the most daunting tasks of bringing new talent into your business is the process of effectively training new hires. While HR executives are often relied on to handle this task, it's a good idea for business owners to step in and become directl...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
Entrepreneurs are natural risk-takers. The process of developing a business idea, investing mountains of capital into it, and building it into a viable business service is anything but a safe bet.But while entrepreneurs and founders may feel comfortable ...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
Trust can be an elusive concept in a business environment. While everyone has their own idea of trust that they apply to friends and family, it's less defined, yet still critical, in the workplace. So how can a business build a culture of trust among...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
After Monday's dismal showing on Wall Street, investors were looking for any sign of hope in the economy. While the true effects of the debt settlement and Friday's credit downgrade remain to be seen, it appears as though hope may not come from t...
Posted: Aug 9th, 2011
Social media doesn't appear to be as revolutionary among small businesses in the U.S., as a recent survey by insurance firm Hiscox found as many as 64 percent of small business owners and decision-makers claimed they were ambivalent about social medi...
Posted: Aug 9th, 2011
Whether you're planning to incorporate in California or New York, you'll need to maintain optimal productivity levels among your employees. This, most managers agree, is the key to sustaining a growing enterprise.Of course, the tactics for optimi...
Posted: Aug 9th, 2011
While the U.S. Labor Department reported a slight decrease in the national unemployment rate last Friday, recovery remains slow and many of the most pressing challenges facing the economy are also the most difficult ones.However, in a recent column for U...
Posted: Aug 8th, 2011
In this day and age, there's no excuse to not have a fully functional website for your business. A website is more than just a marketing tool - it's a payment platform, customer service channel, lead generator and organizational device.Of course,...
Posted: Aug 8th, 2011
Women account for more than a quarter of service sector businesses in the U.S., according to the National Women's Business Council, generating roughly $1.2 trillion in receipts each year.While the sector is expanding, many analysts are paying close a...
Posted: Aug 8th, 2011
Most entrepreneurs are creative or right-brained individuals - that is, they rely on conceptualization, vision, and ingenuity to advance their ideas, as opposed to logical, left-brained professionals whose strengths tend to be reason, mathematics, and fa...
Posted: Aug 8th, 2011
The labor market experienced a significant upturn last month, as the economy added 117,000 jobs and saw the unemployment rate decrease to 9.1 percent. The news has been received as a source of relief to many investors and business leaders who have been r...
Posted: Aug 5th, 2011
Regardless of your background or industry, it's likely your company could use some creative input. Whether for marketing, product development, design, or expansion strategies, ideas are the lifeblood of a business and the quality of them determines h...
Posted: Aug 5th, 2011
With the Commerce Department's report earlier this week showing June marked the first monthly decline in consumer spending since 2009, many analysts have grown wary of news regarding consumer activity.However, the Federal Reserve released a report Fr...
Posted: Aug 5th, 2011
In developing a social media marketing plan, it's important to have a plan. This may seem obvious, but many companies spring into a Twitter or Facebook campaign without giving thought to an overall message or theme.By adhering to a central concept, b...
Posted: Aug 4th, 2011
The debt-reduction deal reached by Congress this week has not been without its share of controversy or criticism.While leading parties in Washington have trumpeted the deal, which raises the debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion and calls for an equal amount of ...
Posted: Aug 4th, 2011
Right in time for the heated culmination of the months-long debt ceiling debate, the National Small Business Association released its 2011 Mid-Year Economic Report, finding confidence among small businesses in the U.S. is on the decline.According to the ...
Posted: Aug 4th, 2011
Private businesses continued to add to their payrolls last month, as the most recent National Employment Report from ADP shows employment in the sector grew by 114,000 in July. The 121,000 positions added in the services sector marks the 19th consecutive...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
The summer can be a challenging time to maintain effective engagement levels among employees. It's usually the time of year businesses scale back their operations, take some time off and generally recharge.Of course, relaxing too much can be disastro...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
Regardless of how a business owner feels about government regulations, they're the law and need to be followed. But as a business grows and responsibilities become more compartmentalized, it's easy for compliance to be placed on the back bu...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
The world's top search engine and leading technology innovator has entered the world of vendor financing. Google announced last month that it has released a credit card for small business owners to be used entirely for purchasing search advertising.T...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
Entrepreneurs and small business owners may be finding it easier to access a line of credit, suggesting the time may be good to invest in expansion or hiring initiatives. While conditions are still tough, with consumer activity meager and federal policie...
Posted: Aug 2nd, 2011
Businesses may be noting improvements in the credit markets - they may even be experiencing sales growth, but the fact remains that the labor market is expected to heavily favor employers for some time.However, this does not mean businesses can afford to...
Posted: Aug 2nd, 2011
Running a business on one's own is a daunting task for a number of reasons. Even as a startup begins to expand and bring in new talent, challenges can begin to emerge from every corner, underscoring the need for managers to implement strategies to st...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
Small employers throughout the country continue to be mired by weak sales, a strapped credit market, and a general hesitancy when it comes to launching substantial growth or spending initiatives. The slowdown has been frustrating and seems stuck in a vic...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
Today's globalized economy shows few signs of letting up any time soon. As manufacturing, construction, and even new markets such as IT and business process outsourcing continue to create millions of jobs in developing economies, the pressure is on s...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
When it comes to marketing on the web, viral content may be the Holy Grail. It's rare and difficult to achieve among business marketing strategies, but the brand exposure such a campaign offers is unrivalled.More often than not, viral content is humo...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
It's true that in today's economy most business professionals find few reasons to be optimistic. Not only are sales weak and hiring low, but prospects of substantial improvements are slim and far off.For this reason, many small business owners an...
Posted: Jul 22nd, 2011
The ongoing debt crisis in Washington - namely the inability of parties to come to an agreement - has been frustrating to investors, bond holders, and businesses throughout the nation.While some organizations have been ardently pushing for legislators to...
Posted: Jul 22nd, 2011
In today's gloomy job market, layoffs seem to be everywhere, with businesses large and small forced to cut staff to maintain profit margins. The sad thing about such layoffs is that they're usually not the fault of the workers being fired - often...
Posted: Jul 22nd, 2011
The ability to secure a line of credit may be a challenge in today's market, depending on the type of business in demand, but there are a number of strategies borrowers can employ to maximize their chances of approval.To begin, find the right bank an...
Posted: Jul 21st, 2011
When it comes to marketing, the millennial generation is notoriously difficult to reach. Because they've grown up surrounded by technology and advertising, they're extremely adept at recognizing promotional attempts and spurning them where they s...
Posted: Jul 21st, 2011
Small retailers such as coffee shops and bookstores are often expected to provide free wi-fi service for customers. In fact, not providing such an amenity can even place businesses at a loss next to competitors.However, the National Federation of Indepen...
Posted: Jul 20th, 2011
With the credit disparity between consumers and small businesses growing, companies need to do what they can to ensure their debts don't further damage their individual scores and hamper their ability to borrow.While surveys find demand for credit to...
Posted: Jul 20th, 2011
Forrester Research recently projected the cloud computing industry to reach a market value of $241 billion by 2020. Over the same period, business leaders expect cloud services to inundate markets and contribute increasingly toward an office-less busines...
Posted: Jul 20th, 2011
Entrepreneurs may be more common in a weak job market, but that doesn't mean there's an abundance of good ideas. Even so, successful businesspeople argue that entrepreneurship is about trying out a number of different ideas, learning from mistake...
Posted: Jul 19th, 2011
When the decision has been made to fire a customer, the easy part is over. Now, owners and account managers must determine a strategy to let the troublesome client go.First of all, timing is crucial. The moment managers decide to fire a customer isn'...
Posted: Jul 19th, 2011
Corporate executives have likely been turning to their chief financial officers more often, as economic conditions continue to hamper company budgets and dominate the decision-making process.However, it's important for leaders to maintain a balance b...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
At one point or another, a business will likely be forced into a corner by an overly rude of domineering client. Whether it's his or her sheer volume of demands, a rude attitude or a history of slow payment, it may be time to considering firing the c...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
In a state like California - with an unemployment rate of 11.7 percent, as of May - the issue of employee satisfaction is likely more pressing than in states with stronger job markets. With so few job opportunities, employees are prone to grow discourage...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
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
Marketing is such a complex and ever-changing field that even the most experienced professionals can be rendered ineffective when it comes to new promotional channels. However, by recalling a few basic truths, businesses can apply their understanding to ...
Posted: Jul 14th, 2011
A divide has emerged between small and large businesses, with growth prospects and sales figures parting the way.According to the Business Roundtable, corporate CEOs are expressing greater confidence than they were before the recession. However, small bu...
Posted: Jul 14th, 2011
Even as major banks such as Bank of America and Chase promise to increase their lending to small businesses in coming months, most bankers in the U.S. expect conditions to worsen, as credit-worthiness remains elusive and smaller institutions struggle wit...
Posted: Jul 13th, 2011
Every business has dirty work - the job responsibilities that nobody wants and are left to new hires or positions created entirely for those purposes. Fortunately, for employers, there's no shortage of people willing to fill those positions. With une...
Posted: Jul 12th, 2011
While many entrepreneurs have been seeking alternative financing options to meet their credit needs, many hold that the real problem facing small businesses is not a dearth of lending but a lack of sales.In fact, the most recent Small Business Optimism I...
Posted: Jul 12th, 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 a recent study from Manta that found a majority of small business owners plan to hire this year, more recent reports seem to have put a damper on those prospects.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported Monday that nearly two-thirds of surveyed smal...
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
While the private sector has been slow to recover from the recession, it has nonetheless been growing over the past several months. The public sector, on the other hand, has been laying off workers en masse, contributing to a high unemployment rate and w...
Posted: Jul 8th, 2011
While the economic recovery seemed to have hit a speed bump this spring, the market may beginning to take a turn for the better, with the most recent employment report from ADP providing convincing evidence.According to the June ADP Employment Report, th...
Posted: Jul 7th, 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
Can entrepreneurship be taught - or is it a quality people are born with? That's the question investigated in a recent study by professors at Babson College in Massachusetts.Business leaders and professionals have long pondered how to teach something...
Posted: Jul 6th, 2011
Most small business owners do not have the time to sift through mountains of financial statements and paperwork. This is a problem that has been compounded in recent months by growing debit card "swipe fees."The problem is that small companies ...
Posted: Jul 5th, 2011
While a couple years ago small businesses seemed to be on the fence regarding the use of social media in their marketing strategies, it now appears that networks such as Facebook and Twitter are deemed necessary.According to a report released this week b...
Posted: Jul 1st, 2011
Especially over the past year, Texas has been championed by a number of economists and political figures as being the ideal environment for business and entrepreneurship.While the lack of statewide income or property tax - not to mention an intensely ant...
Posted: Jul 1st, 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
Despite some less encouraging signs of job growth in May, Paynet reported Thursday that borrowing among small businesses grew at a record pace last month.The Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index grew 26 percent year-over-year in May, reach...
Posted: Jun 30th, 2011
While the PayNet and Thomson Reuters reported this week that lending to small businesses grew to the highest level since July 2008 last month, suggesting a strengthening of the credit market, the economy is by no means mended.Accordingly, small businesse...
Posted: Jun 30th, 2011
Entrepreneurs deciding on a location to launch their ventures may want to consider forming an LLC in Texas, Virgina or North Carolina, as those states took the top spots on CNBC's most recent rankings of the best states for business.While the Lone St...
Posted: Jun 29th, 2011
Entrepreneurship tends to flourish in communities that promote, encourage or value such endeavors. However, startup activity is also more common in areas ravaged plagued by high unemployment, as fewer work opportunities often inspire professionals to cre...
Posted: Jun 29th, 2011
After a number of recent cyberattacks on corporate and government websites, including a breach last week that brought the CIA's site down for several hours, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday it will roll out a program to protect sm...
Posted: Jun 28th, 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
Small businesses in the U.S. may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, as a recent survey from TD Bank shows expectations for revenue growth and hiring plans are much more optimistic than current market conditions may suggest.According to the rep...
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
Most entrepreneurs are driven by a desire to create a useful and profitable service for the market, but to achieve that end, passion is almost always a necessity. Whether one is incorporating in California or Texas, if he or she lacks a strong and passio...
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
While the outlook of small businesses has seemed to fluctuate in recent months, conditions are undoubtedly showing improvement compared to last year, despite a frustrating slowdown in the economic recovery.This year's U.S. Bank Small Business Annual ...
Posted: Jun 23rd, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in New York may be discouraged from hiring or expanding their operations due to a troubled credit market, but banking executives appear to be growing more confident in the financial sector, suggesting a resurgence of ...
Posted: Jun 23rd, 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
May was somewhat of a dismal month for the recovering economy, indications show. While job gains slowed tremendously, so did consumer activity, factory output and a number of small business confidence reports.This week, the Small Business Authority Index...
Posted: Jun 22nd, 2011
National Venture Capital Association president Mark Heesen recently told Entrepreneur magazine that he expects to see noted gains in the U.S. VC market either later this year or early next.However, the NVCA, along with international consulting firm Deloi...
Posted: Jun 22nd, 2011
It has long been asserted that entrepreneurship flourishes in areas with fewer employment opportunities. A recent CNN poll supported this theory by finding some of the states with the highest unemployment rates - California, Nevada and Georgia - are amon...
Posted: Jun 21st, 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
For those looking to form an LLC in New York, it may be a good idea to Tweet about it, as a recent report from the Business Insider claims the Big Apple boasts the highest per capita use of the micro-blogging network Twitter than any other city in the U....
Posted: Jun 13th, 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
New data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau finds more minority entrepreneurs incorporate in California. Specifically, the study found the Golden State boasted the highest number of minority-owned businesses in the country between 2002 and 2007...
Posted: Jun 13th, 2011
While the economy is unquestionably better than it was a year ago, many small business owners remain frustrated by the nauseatingly slow pace of recovery. Unemployment remains high, job growth is fumbling, GDP is dreary and the credit market is in questi...
Posted: Jun 10th, 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
Local merchants looking to form an LLC in New York City, California and other regions around the country seem to be embracing novel marketing channels with greater enthusiasm, albeit with tighter budgets.According to a report released this week by Mercha...
Posted: Jun 9th, 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
Texas' business climate has consistently proven to be one of the strongest in the nation. Although retailers looking to form an LLC in Texas benefit from one of the least adverse climates for entrepreneurship, it is important to understand some funda...
Posted: Jun 7th, 2011
A survey released this week by business network Manta finds a majority - 57 percent - of small businesses plan to hire this year, providing something of a contrast to recent not-so-cheery employment figures.However, the survey also noted that the top hir...
Posted: Jun 7th, 2011
With so many diverse groups in New York City, it can be difficult to develop a marketing strategy that has the potential to reach a wide swath of prospects. Accordingly, entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in New York should narrow down their targets bu...
Posted: Jun 6th, 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
Most small business owners and entrepreneurs understand the importance of having a website, but many fail to recognize the importance of site design - not only in attracting consumers but in retaining them as well.Understandably, entrepreneurs can be sid...
Posted: Jun 3rd, 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
During the fragile and stubborn economic recovery, it has been consistently difficult for small businesses to get their finances in order such that spending on hiring, marketing or equipment would be warranted.However, many entrepreneurs have turned to r...
Posted: Jun 2nd, 2011
With so many varying reports on the state of the economy, consumer sentiment and business outlooks, it can be difficult for entrepreneurs to accurately gauge conditions, especially considering how market trends vary greatly from sector to sector.For exam...
Posted: Jun 2nd, 2011
Small businesses looking to form an LLC in New York City may be finding greater access to credit and commercial loans, as the most recent Small Business Lending Index from PayNet shows borrowing in the sector expanded significantly in April.According to ...
Posted: Jun 1st, 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
Whether entrepreneurs are looking to incorporate in California or New York, they have likely put major spending and expansion plans on hold during the recession.While many government officials and economists have argued that the need to stimulate lending...
Posted: May 31st, 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
Craft beer entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may want to reconsider their choice of location, as a bill aimed at helping small breweries died in the state Senate this week.The bill would have allowed breweries to sell beer directly to guests ...
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
While California has struggled to pull itself out of the recession - balancing a fiscal crisis, high unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates - one of its underlying problems may actually be education - or lack thereof.A recent survey by advocacy g...
Posted: May 25th, 2011
New York City is considered to be one of the most important financial hubs in the world. While the city has emerged relatively strongly from the recession - thanks in large part to a strong small business and startup community - obtaining credit remains ...
Posted: May 25th, 2011
Word-of-mouth is often considered to be the holy grail of marketing, as consumers tend to trust the opinions of their friends and family much more than advertising or promotional pleas. But recent data have shown that consumers are speaking and sharing o...
Posted: May 24th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California will likely experience an environment with heavy startup activity, as a recent survey by CNN Money found states with high unemployment, including the Golden State, to be highly entrepreneurial - likely a...
Posted: May 24th, 2011
For entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California, New York or elsewhere, it is important to establish a marketing plan. But as consumers become more and more conscious of environmental practices - both by the brands they trust and in their own live...
Posted: May 23rd, 2011
Forming an LLC in New York has become a difficult task in recent years, what with financing difficulties and tighter credit incentives among banks and alternative lenders. While debate continues to unfold as to the state of the credit market and its impa...
Posted: May 23rd, 2011
With small businesses nationwide boosting their marketing initiatives in order to take advantage of improving consumer sentiment and sales conditions, it may be important to consider which marketing channels are most effective.A survey released this week...
Posted: May 20th, 2011
Entrepreneurs incorporating in California last month seemed to have hired in slightly larger numbers, as the state's unemployment dipped moderately to 11.9 percent with the addition of a meager 8,900 jobs, according to figures from the Labor Departme...
Posted: May 20th, 2011
The U.S. job market is gradually beginning to improve. Although unemployment grew to 9 percent in April, the economy noted the addition of some 268,000 private sector jobs.As conditions improve, employers will observe an increasingly competitive market f...
Posted: May 19th, 2011
With the economy as it is, it's certainly understandable that small business owners are a bit hesitant to make huge investments in technology, hiring or other operational tasks.The fact remains that sales have been slow, and although consumer confide...
Posted: May 19th, 2011
Content is increasingly becoming the Holy Grail of marketing. Especially as social media, email and mobile technology come to dominate the media landscape, those respective marketing channels are becoming the primary means through which businesses reach ...
Posted: May 18th, 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
Entrepreneurs forming an LLC in New York City are hopefully familiar with the constant barrage of advertising and marketing. It is an intensely competitive city where standing out among rivals requires promotional innovation, quality products and innovat...
Posted: May 17th, 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
Usually out of sheer cost-saving concerns, many small businesses opt to develop their own marketing and promotional campaigns."If you lack the big corporate budget, you just need to tap into your creativity," writes Christine Davis for Seacoast...
Posted: May 16th, 2011
When it comes down to it, marketing is both creative and scientific. Professionals must ultimately rely on ideas for campaigns, but they are still tied to the need to know what works, what doesn't and why.For these reasons, marketing firms are prone ...
Posted: May 13th, 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
Business marketing is something of an enigma, in that it is profoundly complex - with different channels, demographics, strategies and industries that all need to be considered. However, aside from relying heavily on data, it is, at the end of the day, a...
Posted: May 12th, 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
A recent survey by CNN Money found Nevada and California to be among the most active states for startup activity, reasoning that their massive unemployment rates - 13.2 and 12.3 percent, respectively - have encouraged many laid-off workers to form their ...
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
In yet another survey illustrating the vastly different economic policies of California and Texas, Chief Executive magazine released its annual "Best & Worst States" survey Thursday, noting Texas to be the No. 1 state in which to do busines...
Posted: May 6th, 2011
Despite suffering from high unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy figures, the state of California appears to be noting improvements in one segment of the economy: small business marketing.According to a recent Citibank survey, 67 percent of small com...
Posted: May 6th, 2011
Texas has maintained one of the strongest job markets of any major state economy, boasting a well below-average state unemployment rate of 8.1 percent, as of March. And according to recent data, entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may continue ...
Posted: May 6th, 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 recent study by social marketing firm BzzAgent found brand advocates are 83 percent more likely to share information about a product or service than typical web users, suggesting small businesses should focus a substantial portion of their marketing ef...
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
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
Recent business has painted the image of a hesitant economy, with declines in gross domestic product, jumps in small business hiring, slips in confidence and hikes in private lending.But whether one plans to form an LLC in Arizona or a partnership in Flo...
Posted: May 3rd, 2011
In the towering field of skyscrapers that rise above New York City, one is apt to find enormously successful enterprises that range from social media consulting to investment banking to technology.However, one of the more recent trends spurring New York ...
Posted: May 2nd, 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
Following news on clean energy and the blossoming "green" sector, one would expect employment opportunities to be pervasive, with new renewable energy technologies and startups popping up here and there.However, reality seems to be less sensati...
Posted: Apr 29th, 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
The technology industry, particularly that in Silicon Valley, is an extremely lucrative business, as it has driven innovations within the past few decades that have fundamentally altered the way the world turns.Understandably, there is a plethora of inve...
Posted: Apr 28th, 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
It's difficult to overestimate the value of a solid workforce. Whether incorporating in California or New York, the talent that business owners are able to recruit for their ventures is instrumental to their overall success.However, as the job market...
Posted: Apr 27th, 2011
New York City-based financial services giant JPMorgan Chase announced Tuesday it plans to devote $12 billion in lending to small businesses this year, marking a 20 percent jump over last year.The nation's second largest bank also announced that it be...
Posted: Apr 26th, 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
New York City is known for a few major industries - advertising, media and tech to name a few - but its the city's finance sector that tends to dominate headlines and drive market forces.Now, that industry appears to be noting a rising demand for gre...
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
It is true that global investment in clean energy technologies, startups and installations grew by an astounding 30 percent last year, but that sector reflects only one aspect of the green initiatives being implemented by businesses, consumers and govern...
Posted: Apr 22nd, 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
A small business advice and information program from New York radio station WABC will air for the first time on May 7, but entrepreneurs anywhere in the country can tune into the webcast to hear it as well, according to the Jacksonville Times-Union.Liste...
Posted: Apr 20th, 2011
While the Golden State maintains one of the highest unemployment rates in the country - hovering above 12 percent throughout the recession - that figure is expected to come down as the national economy continues its long-haul recovery, encouraging entrep...
Posted: Apr 20th, 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
After some tight years, credit requirements for small business borrowing have begun to relax again, according to research released last week by Greenwich Associates.The recent recession exacted a serious toll on the credit availability for medium and sma...
Posted: Apr 19th, 2011
New York City has developed a reputation as a hub of the media and advertising industries. With ad agencies lining Madison Avenue and the overwhelming awe of Times Square, one would assume the city could market its way out of a box.However, advertising e...
Posted: Apr 15th, 2011
While California may be the hub of the nation's technology sector, the state has been facing a number of troubles on the economic front, with the highest small business bankruptcy rate in the country, widespread foreclosures and unemployment rates an...
Posted: Apr 15th, 2011
Although facing a massive fiscal crisis and an increasingly discontented business community, California has maintained a substantial lead in one sector: clean energy. Investment in renewable technologies surpasses all other states, and legislative initia...
Posted: Apr 14th, 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
As the economy continues its long crawl out of the recession, companies can expect to experience higher sales. In fact, a March survey by PNC Financial Services Group found 48 percent of small business owners expect sales to increase over the next six mo...
Posted: Apr 13th, 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
In a city of 8 million people, it can be difficult to develop a marketing strategy that stands out among the myriad other businesses and organizations.New York City's fragile but marked emergence from the recession is also a factor to consider, as st...
Posted: Apr 12th, 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
New York City has traditionally been considered the Mecca of the marketing and advertising industries. Aside from boasting a major media market as well, the Big Apple is home to some of the most forward-thinking minds in the world of product and brand pr...
Posted: Apr 11th, 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
Lots of people have business ideas, and many of them are content with the idea alone. However, even fewer individuals actually capitalize on their ideas.There is a misconception that entrepreneurship is an inherently risky endeavor, and that the reason m...
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
Small businesses looking to incorporate in New York City may receive assistance from a new philanthropic initiative from the Boston Beer Company, brewers of Samuel Adams.Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream will be introduced to the Big Apple, with a ...
Posted: Apr 5th, 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
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
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California are entering a highly entrepreneurial region of the country. Silicon Valley hosts some of the biggest tech firms - and most famous startups - in the world, many of which were founded by luminaries such a...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
As the U.S. space industry gradually begins to privatize - with new space travel companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin emerging - it seems to many industry advocates that the father of American space travel, NASA, may be passing the torch.As the gover...
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
A report in February by CheckPoint HR found found 39 percent of small- to mid-sized businesses in the New York tri-state area plan to hire this year - a trend that may encourage New York LLC filing.While the Big Apple has emerged from the economic recess...
Posted: Mar 24th, 2011
Owners of businesses both large and small often claim that one of their biggest challenges in doing business is excessive government regulation. And in a down economy, that obstacle is challenged by a lack of available credit or capital.A bill recently p...
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
California is something of a mixed bag when it comes to economic conditions. On the one hand, the state boasts the largest state economy in the country - and the eighth largest in the world - but it also has one of the three worst unemployment rates in t...
Posted: Mar 23rd, 2011
In the fast-paced business universe of New York City, mobile phones - or, increasingly, smartphones - are everything. They are the means through which executives, entrepreneurs and investors hasten the financial activity that runs the city - and the coun...
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
The vast majority of companies rent the properties on which they do business - a condition that would do business owners well to understand.Regardless of a lease structure, there are certain obligations and responsibilities on behalf of both the tenant a...
Posted: Mar 18th, 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
Small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California may be facing a resurgence of activity, despite continued struggles with unemployment and the state budget.According to a report released this week by the California Small Business D...
Posted: Mar 14th, 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
California's bureaucratic and regulatory framework has been the point of criticism among many business leaders and free market advocates, even prompting Texas Governor Rick Perry to send letters to various Golden State businesses imploring them to re...
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
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a key piece of legislation, repealing a much-debated stipulation in last year's healthcare reform bill.The so-called "1099 provision" was included in the bill as a means of paying for its ...
Posted: Mar 7th, 2011
BizBen.com recently reported the California business sales market grew steadily in February, following an overall decline in 2010. As the market continues to improve this year, many seasoned professionals are wondering if their next venture should be to ...
Posted: Mar 3rd, 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
Hiring among California small businesses grew in February, according to data released this week by Intuit, providing a degree of encouragement for job-seekers and entrepreneurs.Small business employment grew by 0.4 percent for the month, according to Int...
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
Retailers in California can no longer request zip codes from customers, according to the recent state Supreme Court case Jessica Pineda v. Williams-Sonoma, which reversed two lower-court decisions on the issue.Many businesses and chain retailers request ...
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