Balancing security with convenience
The need to maximize speed and convenience while minimizing risk impacts operational decisions across all departments.
When incorporating, get these things right
As you begin the process of forming a New York City corporation, there are a dizzying number factors to consider, from compliance to finances to daily operations.
Entrepreneurs should tread carefully with mobile devices
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.
Ohio enjoys 20 percent uptick in monthly business filings
The state of Ohio may be bouncing back from the depths of the recession, as new business filings in the state climbed by 20 percent in February, according to a report by Secretary of State John Husted.Last month, 7,656 business entities filed to do busin...
Super Tuesday: The small business vote
With 10 states holding primaries and caucuses for the Republican presidential nomination this Super Tuesday, some Americans will vote for the candidate they believe can lead the country toward prosperity.
Small businesses continue to gather larger web presence
The world of online marketing is shifting dramatically.
2012: The year of the African entrepreneur?
A revolution may be surfacing on the African continent, and it's all about entrepreneurship.
Remote workforces create challenges for managers and employees
There's no telling how the new year will shape up for the business community, but one thing is clear: Technology will continue to offer new ways of accomplishing old tasks.From an organizational perspective, companies have begun leveraging online learnin...
Small business lending highest in nearly four years
Borrowing by small businesses reached its highest level in nearly four years in November, offering further indication that small companies are investing in growth as the economy continues to rebound.The Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index...
AP poll: U.S. economic growth will pick up in 2012
The pace of the U.S. economic recovery will pick up next year, although growth will remain tepid for some time to come.
Small businesses just want sales for Christmas
While the holiday season usually heralds increased consumer activity, this year may not be enough to satisfy small business owners. Recent economic woes have prompted most small business owners - 61 percent - to cite improved customer sales as the item o...
More female entrepreneurs in developing economies than developed ones
Women in developing nations are more likely to start or maintain a business, according to the most recent Women's Report by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.
Four management tips for first-time leaders
While successful entrepreneurs tend to share some basic characteristics - such as being self-motivated, confident, or determined - not all are natural-born leaders. For many, the idea of managing a company and placating board members is rather daunting, ...
Small bank loans continue post-recession plummet
The volume of small bank loans to businesses in the U.S. has been waning since the recession began, according to data recently released by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.While overall commercial and industrial lending by banks has risen for fi...
Small business: A public or private matter?
Small businesses are often cited as engines of economic growth, with their history of job creation and entrepreneurial innovation. Of course, the narrative in recent months has shifted toward how policy can stir activity in the sector and progress the ec...
Lawmakers reach agreement to extend two small business research funding programs
Congress may actually have flouted its partisan gamesmanship for a few brief moments to provide support for small businesses, particularly those in research and development fields.
Who's on top in the competitive mobile payment space?
Mobile payments and related technologies promise to revolutionize the way in which consumers and business alike make monetary transactions. Consider this scenario: You owe a friend money, but you don't have cash. No problem - just whip out your smartphon...
Small business optimism climbs to highest level since February
An uptick in sales and hiring projections drove up confidence among U.S. small businesses in November, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business.The NFIB's Small Business Optimism Index climbed 1.8 poin...
A few small business predictions for 2012
With more and more Americans completing the brunt of their holiday shopping during Thanksgiving weekend, a sort of sales lull has emerged in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Payroll tax debate rooted in Congress' polar ideologies
Partisan impasse in Washington continues to block any sort of meaningful economic legislation.
Free shipping can get you recognized
Shipping is a hassle for consumers, there's no getting around it. Despite the rise in online shopping and the convenience it brings, it's a bit of a sour surprise to find the item you originally thought you were getting a good deal on is the same...
Are there alternatives to email in the workplace?
As far as internet history goes, email is about as ancient as it gets. While its value as a communications channel is clear and its age a testament to its success, there are some major disadvantages to email, especially within a professional work environ...
Nearly two-thirds of marketers plan to increase content marketing budgets next year
The evolution of digital media has provoked a variety of new trends in the world of marketing. One of the most sensational of these trends is content marketing, which a new study projects accounts for 26 percent of total business-to-business marketing sp...
Defying expectations, joblessness plummets to 8.6 percent
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to the lowest rate in more than two years last month, effectively putting fears of a double-dip recession to bed. The Department of Labor reported Friday that the jobless rate now stands at 8.6 percent, well below October&...
Seasonal sales point out importance of sales and marketing alignment
Small retailers may need to ramp up their deals and services not only during the holiday shopping season, but for the foreseeable future as well. While consumers spent an estimated $52.4 billion over Black Friday weekend, preliminary data from a number o...
Private sector added 206,000 new jobs in November
Private sector payrolls added an estimated 206,000 jobs in November, according to the ADP Employment Report, surpassing many analysts' projections and offering hope for a recovery in the much-ailed U.S. job market.As usual, small businesses accounted...
U.S. small firms add 55,000 jobs in November
The employment situation appears little improved for small business owners and entrepreneurs, as hiring in the sector remains tempered by general economic uncertainty. According to the most recent Small Business Employment Index from Intuit, small firms ...
NRF: Record 226 million Americans shopped over Black Friday weekend
Defying many analysts' projections, retail sales over Black Friday weekend broke records and offered a wave of hope for the state of the economic recovery, much of which has been mired in recent months by weak consumer sentiment.According to the data...
A few bright spots remain for small businesses
The current economy has been anything but a playground for entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC. While high unemployment has racked worker sentiment and driven up turnover rates, a weak credit market has made financing a challenge.With market conditions ...
Occupy Wall Street movement bares evictions, predictable narratives
Municipal officials have launched a nationwide crackdown on Occupy Wall Street camps in their respective cities, citing growing public safety and sanitation concerns as the reason for a slew of recent evictions.
Encampments in Portland, San Francisco, an...
TD Bank: More small firms expect to meet or exceed revenues
While recent studies have shown a marked slowdown in confidence among small businesses, the sector appears to anticipate otherwise stable revenue and employment levels in coming months.According to a recent survey by TD Bank, two-thirds of small firms ex...
Bernanke stresses feds' need to support small business
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, often a punching bag for frustrated business advocates, asserted this week that policy makers need to think carefully about how to support small businesses.Since the economy tanked in 2008, the Fed has been leveragi...
Small business confidence picked up in October but remains weak
Optimism among U.S. small businesses nudged upward in October, although conditions remain too bleak to offer an otherwise hopeful forecast for the economy. The National Federation of Independent Business' Small Business Optimism Index increased 1.3 p...
Gallup: Americans trust local figures for job creation
While Congress continues to struggle reaching an agreement over how to address the nation's looming employment crisis, Americans appear to hold the most faith in small or local enterprises.According to a new Gallup poll, approximately eight in 10 sur...
Bank Transfer Day: A blessing in disguise for big banks?
How successful last Saturday's Bank Transfer Day was in driving consumers to community banks and credit unions may not be known until large institutions release their quarterly financial reports.However, according to the Credit Union National Associa...
Economy adds 80,000 jobs in October as unemployment dips to 9 percent
The employment situation improved slightly, albeit unenthusiastically, in October, as payrolls added 80,000 jobs on the month, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. Only the private sector showed net job gains with 104,000 new positi...
Business group's open letter to President Obama: regulatory reform now
A number of business advocacy groups released an open letter to President Barack Obama this week, outlining five key steps to improving conditions for small businesses through comprehensive regulatory reform.The National Federation of Independent Busines...
Now is the time to develop a strategy for the holidays
Last year's holiday shopping season broke a number of records, with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and the days leading up to Christmas all showing record figures, including nearly $30 billion in online spending alone.
While figu...
NSBA: Rising costs drive small firms to alternative energy
As if weak consumer spending, price inflation and a struggling credit market weren’t enough, small businesses have been forced to grapple with rising energy costs as well. According to new research from the National Small Business Association, such...
Tech firms team up for AmEx's Small Business Saturday event
Facebook, Twitter and Google are joining American Express in promoting this year's Small Business Saturday. The date, the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 26), is mashed between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and follows a similar consumerist et...
Some Texas taxpayers to face late filing fee beginning this month
Taxpayers and business owners in the state of Texas may face a new penalty fee for late tax filings, as the state comptroller's office seeks to add new revenue streams in light of considerable budget challenges.A report from the office of Texas compt...
SBA allocates $30 billion for small business exports
The Obama administration continues to stress the importance of boosting exports as a means of generating new revenue for businesses. Specifically, efforts such as the National Export Initiative, which aims to double business exports by 2015, have been me...
Survey: Small businesses support Obama, acknowledge damaging policies
With all 2012 presidential candidates attempting to assert themselves as the voice of small business, it's interesting to note how the sector really views its political leaders.A survey released this week by online business community Manta found the ...
Texas top state for business, survey determines
Once again, Texas has been ranked among the top business climates in the country. This time, Development Counsellors International placed the Lone Star State at the top spot, beating out North Carolina and South Carolina, which took the No. 2 and No. 3 s...
A few notes on outsourcing a supply team
When a business begins to expand, the pressure to outsource certain processes or services becomes immense. While some small firms may be able to manage handling everything in-house, a large enterprise demands a diverse and decentralized series of operati...
The American Jobs Act: A brief rundown
Undoubtedly, most small business owners in the U.S. were huddled around their computers or television sets Thursday evening to watch President Barack Obama's speech on how the nation's economy can get back on the right track.The purpose of the sp...
Small businesses: What to do in a difficult economy
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...
Tips for driving customer loyalty
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...
A few thoughts on workplace productivity and how to manage it
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 ...
Advice for securing government contracts
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...
Tips for building a strong customer service record
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...
Startup tips for building effective PR
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...
How emotional intelligence may be more important than IQ
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...
Obama visits rural Iowa small businesses
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...
Tips for implementing a workplace sleeping policy
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 ...
Green construction to see surge in coming years
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...
White House plans to stimulate economy through job creation and debt reduction
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...
AmEx report shows absence of small business recovery
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...
Is bootstrap marketing in the cards?
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...
Tips for becoming a better leader
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...
How to attract hires when the job market improves
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...
NY Fed: Credit not a problem for tri-state small businesseses
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...
Tips for making good decisions
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...
Don't take downsizing lightly in a weak economy
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...
Varying economic reports perpetuate market uncertainty
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...
Finance tip: Only borrow when necessary
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...
The job market and its effect on young professionals
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...
Involve yourself in the training of new hires
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...
Embrace risk and calm doubters through debate
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 ...
Building trust in the workplace
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...
Small business optimism dips in July
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...
Small businesses less enthusiastic about social realm
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...
Encourage happiness through work flexibility
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...
Why small businesses may lead the recovery
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...
Tips for developing a business website
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,...
Women business owners confident in growth prospects
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...
Business owners should keep their hands out of the books
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...
Economists breathe sigh of relief on jobs report
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...
How can an employer find creative minds?
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...
Fed: Borrowing among consumers skyrocketed in June
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...
Basic considerations for launching a social media campaign
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...
How does the debt agreement affect small businesses?
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 ...
NSBA: Small business optimism down from December
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 ...
Private firms added 114,000 jobs last month
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...
How to maintain productivity during the lazy summer months
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...
Ethics, regulatory compliance and company culture
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...
Google releases AdWords credit card to select clients
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...
Borrowing rates on the rise in the U.S.
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...
Human capital becoming a top strategic concern
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...
A few tips on streamlining business operations
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...
Job market poses challenges to small businesses
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...
Tips for managing a global supply chain
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...
What makes marketing content go viral?
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...
Optimism is a good thing, but too much can be damaging
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...
Unemployment, debt crisis reflected in businesses expansion trends
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...
Conducting layoffs in a rough economy
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...
Tips for acquiring a bank loan
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...
Tips for reaching millennials on the social web
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...
Open wi-fi can be costly for small retailers
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...
Small businesses should expect CARD Act provisions
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...
Remote workforce management tips
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...
Accept entrepreneurship as a natural risk
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...
How to fire a customer
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'...
Take CFO input with a grain of salt
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...
Is it time to fire that annoying client?
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...
Build motivation through teamwork
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...
Treasury releases first round of Small Business Lending Fund
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...
Private sector pay on the rise, BNA report suggests
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 ...
Be direct and forthright in marketing strategies
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 ...
The growing divide between small and large businesses
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...
Credit expected to worsen for small businesses
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...
Managing employees with 'dirty work'
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...
Keep a strong marketing budget in light of weak customer sales
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...
Take advantage of the credit market
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...
Chamber of Commerce: Small businesses not planning to hire
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...
U.S. still strong entrepreneurial power, study finds
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 ...
In poor job sector, marketing may be your only weapon
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...
More economic mixed signals: Small business employment up
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...
ADP: Private sector added 157,000 jobs in June
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...
Small business hiring grew in June
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...
Women business owners reflect similar economic concerns
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...
Service sector expands for 19th straight month
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...
Can entrepreneurship be taught?
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...
Financial statements create hassles
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 ...
Local businesses flock to social media for cost-savings
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...
A brief overview of business in the Lone Star State
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...
Small companies less enthusiastic about cloud computing
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 ...
Small business lending reaches highest level since before recession
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...
Financing tip: Rework vendor relations
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...
Virginia the best state for business
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...
Find the courage to launch your business idea
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...
DOHS to release program to help protect small businesses' websites
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...
Report addresses lack of federal small business contracts
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 ...
Weak consumer spending seems to be slowing employment
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....
Survey shows improvements in small business projections
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...
Involve all business departments in strategy decisions
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,...
Entrepreneurs are driven by passion
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...
How the weak job market is affecting employee engagement
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...
Small business outlook stronger than last year
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 ...
Bankers more optimistic, but businesses should focus on their bottom line
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 ...
Small Business Lending Fund barely tapped by banks
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...
SB Authority: Small firms refusing to invest
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...
Slow IPO activity may be stalling global VC investment
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...
Many startups launch as a result of layoffs
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...
International small business sales to reach $2 trillion
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...
Credit-hungry small business should consider venture capital
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...
Don't get discouraged or confused by conflicting market reports
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...
Texans: Education is No.1 problem
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...
Large banks scale back lending while small ones increase
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,...
In struggling economic recovery, executives may want to consider location
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...
Optimize employee engagement amidst economic challenges
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...
SMB confidence tumbles in May
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...
Twitter most popular in New York
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....
Rising energy prices point to need for investment in new technologies and business services
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 ...
California hosts 20 percent of minority-owned businesses in the U.S.
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...
Avoid expansion for the sake of expansion
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...
Economists: U.S. economy will expand more rapidly in second half of 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...
Survey points to value of less-expensive marketing options
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...
Marketing departments set to add staff, survey suggests
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...
Trust produces nearly half of all customer loyalty
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...
Small businesses want to hire, but capital is slim
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...
Keep All Groups in Mind When Developing a Marketing Strategy
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...
New York pledges $191 million to renewable energy projects
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...
Strong website design indicates professionalism
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...
For many, slow job market renews entrepreneurial aspirations
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...
Weigh the benefits of mobile technology
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...
Weigh national studies with a grain of salt
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...
Hike in small business lending points to need to keep financing options open
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 ...
Tips for protecting digital content from piracy and plagiarism
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...
The role of credit in a growing business
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...
California and its business woes
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...
Texas craft breweries lose crucial pro-business bill
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 ...
Businesses should weigh industry prospects against marketing plans
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...
Education may be California's hidden problem
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...
New York business owners should invest in expansion
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 ...
Tips for generating word-of-mouth marketing
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...
Sticking it out in California
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...
Demand for sustainable printing on the rise
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...
SMBs need not rely on banks for working capital
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...
Small businesses should weigh their marketing prospects
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...
California job statistics fairly grim for the state
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...
Hiring strategy: Where to look
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...
Technology may be a necessary investment
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...
What is content in the social web?
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 ...
Businesses need to consider credit card trends and policies
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...
Content marketing and consumer control
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...
Hiring prospects underscore importance of recruiting strategy
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...
Entrepreneurs may want to seek alternative credit options
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...
The ins and outs of developing your own marketing strategy
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...
Leveraging both creativity and science in marketing
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 ...
President highlights role of small businesses
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 ...
Marketing is a subjective process
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...
Gains in U.S. retail sales imply need to boost marketing and research strategies
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 ...
Green business tips: Printing
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...
Texas sales tax gains offer confidence for state budget crisis
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...
Craft beer debate continues with new opposition from Anheuser-Busch
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...
Recovery 101: Optimize your operations
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 ...
Small business optimism dips, NFIB reports
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...
California vs. Texas: a rundown
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 ...
Stalled pace of consumer spending a backdrop to California's entrepreneurs
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...
How much are credit card issuers extending CARD Act protections?
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 ...
American CEOs say California worst state for business
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...
California firms to ramp up investment in marketing
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...
Unemployment grows for April, points to slow recovery
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 ...
SBA: Only one in 10 businesses alter business filing within first four years
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...
Three tips for acquiring brand advocates
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...
Leverage brand advocates and word-of-mouth
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...
Walmart in New York debate continues
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...
California, bankruptcy and small business lending
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...
Know how your business stands out
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...
New York City and Social Entrepreneurship
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 ...
California and nation experience small business job gains in April
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...
Green sector may lack financial chutzpah
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...
Texas budget debate continues unresolved
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...
Maintain expectations in the tech sector
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...
Texas House passes bill to close online sales tax loophole
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 ...
Loyalty, Millennials and the rapidly evolving business environment
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...
JPMorgan Chase to up SMB lending in 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...
Texas moves to extend small business tax break
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 ...
ComScore: 'Green' websites see highest growth in March
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...
Finance, green marketing and the Big Apple
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...
Texas manufacturing: slower but steady in April
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...
Some tips for 'greening' the work environment
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...
U.S. startup scene taking off, study suggests
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...
Texas House passes pro-craft brewery bill
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 ...
U.S. Postal Service to launch direct mail refund incentive for marketers
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...
Marketing 101: Content is king
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...
New York radio station to air small business program - but others can listen too
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...
Finding the right candidates for a California startup
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...
AmEx: California firms more optimistic than rest of nation
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 ...
New York City and entrepreneurial job creation
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 ...
Reflecting trends, South Dakota best and D.C. worst for small businesses and taxes
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...
Report: U.S. small businesses seeing normalization of credit
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...
Preserving creativity in a struggling economy
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...
Cloud-based enterprises in the Golden State
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...
Demand and the green economy
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...
AP: Economic stress continues to pound west coast
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...
Majority of companies ill-prepared for website traffic spikes
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...
Arizona debating tax incentive for businesses
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...
Marketing to New Yorkers in a recovering economy
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...
Reports point out bloated and burdensome tax structure in California and across the nation
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...
NFIB index drops in March, despite significant gains in employment and GDP
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...
Marketing copy in today's New York business environment
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...
Kauffman report points out challenges in small business sector
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...
Austin, Texas, best city for small businesses, study finds
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...
Ahead of shutdown, parties continue to bicker over spending cuts and 'ideology'
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...