Your MyBusiness editors are taking a much-deserved holiday break—starting now. And we hope you're planning the same. We'll be back in the New Year with the latest on small business. Hope everyone reading this has a wonderful holiday!

Posted by Lena Anthony on December 24, 2009 11:16 AM

This holiday season, there's rising concern about "chargebacks". For those of you (like me) who don't know what that means, here's a breakdown: Now and again, customers will purchase items from your retail store, but when their credit card bill comes, they will dispute the charge. Not only does your business lose out on the cost of the merchandise, most credit card companies charge a $100 fine to the merchant for "wrongfully" billing someone for the item. It might sound like something that can't happen at your small business, but recent research might surprise you, says this Wall Street Journal article.

According to the article, "a 2009 study from LexisNexis found chargebacks are of particular concern for e-commerce retailers, accounting for 35% of all fraud-related losses for online merchants in 2008, topping all other categories including identity fraud (19%) and fraudulent returns (18%)."

This is just another form of theft to keep your eye on this holiday season. If you do suffer a chargeback? Be sure to report it on BadCustomer.com, so your fellow small business owners can receive fair warning.

Posted by Megan Pacella on December 1, 2009 10:08 AM

Every once in a while, Rasmussen Reports asks adults their views of nine major professions. And almost every time, small business owners come out on top. In this year's survey, 94 percent of respondents said they view small business owners favorably, ahead of religious leaders, bankers, journalists, lawyers, stockbrokers, CEOs and members of Congress.

This might come as a surprise to you, but not to me. I go to family-owned grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants because I know I'll always get good service. It looks like I'm not alone on this one.

Posted by Megan Pacella on September 22, 2009 04:29 PM

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've probably heard the news about the reemergence of swine flu, or the H1N1 Influenza. So far the epidemic has mostly been contained to colleges and schools, but businesses could be the next place for an outbreak. What are you doing to protect your employees and prevent the disease hitting your office? If you haven't started thinking about it, you probably should before you find yourself with an infected workplace and fewer staffers.

This AP article suggests several preventative measures you can take, including keeping sanitizers and tissues on hand, repeatedly cleaning surfaces that employees come into contact with, and making it easy for workers to get flu shots (even footing the bill if your health insurance doesn't cover them).

These actions can help keep the flu away from your office, but you should also plan for what to do should an outbreak occur. First of all, urge employees to stay home if they are sick—you may even want be a little more flexible with paid sick time temporarily to encourage them to do so. Secondly, consider allowing employees to telecommute a day or two each week or stagger schedules to limit contact until the threat passes. Also, prepare for mass employee absenteeism by making sure your staff is cross-trained.

For more information on how to safeguard your business from a swine flu outbreak, check out this guide issued by the federal government, or this tip sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 17, 2009 11:35 AM

I think people will either be really surprised or not fazed at all by the findings of the survey featured in this Wall Street Journal article I read on smSmallBiz.com.

According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which studied how one's occupation affects their happiness, business owners outrank 10 other occupational groups in overall well-being.

I fall into the not-surprised-at-all category when I read this. Sure, business ownership is tough, and it's probably never been tougher than right now, but I know from talking to all of the small business owners I've interviewed the past six years, there's nothing better.

Posted by Lena Anthony on September 16, 2009 05:01 PM

Layoffs are the worst nightmare for most employees; for software developer Stephen Chen, getting laid off turned out to be a blessing in disguise. For months, he had toyed with the idea of starting a shoe company that fashioned sandals from recycled tires after seeing it done during visit to the Philippines. But his business, GreenSoul Shoes, may have never come to fruition if the hedge fund company he worked for hadn't let him go. "The time was right," Chen said. That is a feeling shared by many unemployed workers who, rather than scour the market for another job, are creating their own jobs by starting businesses.

According to this report from ABC News, these new entrepreneurs are inspired to find solutions, not just to their own unemployment, but also to problems that plague the economy that undermined them. That's exactly what motivated Craig Cadarette of Alcoa, Tenn. After getting his pink slip from the ALCOA aluminum plant, he used his severance to start his business, All American Real-Estate Clean-Out & Services Inc., which cleans out foreclosed homes so they can be put back on the market. He hopes to grow the business enough to hire a few of his former coworkers who also got laid off from the plant. Now that's inspiring! Check out the article to read more about the ingenuity and optimism of these unlikely entrepreneurs.

Posted by Emily McMackin on May 28, 2009 03:24 PM

This article in today's Wall Street Journal sums up one of the largest problems facing small business owners—the rising cost of health insurance and their inability to pay for it for themselves and their employees.

In some cases, small business owners are being forced to drop coverage altogether, which is a huge blow to morale for their employees.

While small business advocates like NFIB fight for healthcare reform that is both affordable and accessible for small business owners and their employees, there are a few alternatives the Wall Street Journal recommends before dropping coverage, including cost-sharing with employees and shopping around for better rates. Researching and implement alternatives will be a time-intensive process, but the outcome could mean healthier, happier, more secure employees—which is well worth the effort.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 26, 2009 01:46 PM

Since the swine flu started spreading last week, I've bought stock in Purell and Lysol. And I've started using their products even more religiously. I think last Wednesday (when my fear of getting swine flu kicked in) I wiped down by desk with a Lysol wipe three times. I think I washed my hands 14 times that same day.

Maybe none of us should be THAT defensive against swine flu or another health crisis, but this Wall Street Journal article does make a good case for setting up an emergency preparation plan in the event that one of your employees comes down with it (or has to care for a family member with it).

Take a few minutes today to think about how your business would keep going if one of your employees got sick? Allowing telecommuting and buying a box of masks (outfitted with your company logo, perhaps?) probably top the list of ideas.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 4, 2009 03:19 PM

Will the $787 billion federal stimulus package really create more opportunities for your business? Small business owners hope so, but many remain skeptical, according to a Fortune Small Business/Zogby poll conducted in March and published on CNN.com. Of the small business owners surveyed, 33 percent said the stimulus package wouldn't impact their business at all, and 31 percent said it would impact their business negatively. While 22 percent weren't sure how the stimulus would affect their business, 14 percent predicted a positive affect.

Though the billion-dollar package doesn't require government agencies to spend a penny with small business, one small business owner, Geoff Chapin, who runs the green remodeling company Next Step Living, is confident that he'll get his piece of government pie. "We plan to hire up to 120 people in the next 18 months," he was quoted as saying. The key, he says, is not only having the capacity to handle many different types of projects, but also capitalizing on your relationship with government agencies and documenting ways that you can save them money and time.

Posted by Emily McMackin on April 23, 2009 03:34 PM

No matter how well you train your customer service staff, from time to time a client will walk out of your business unhappy. Whether they're frustrated about your prices, your return policy or something else, you just can't make everyone happy all the time. That's why small business owners have had a love-hate relationship with Yelp.com, the Web site whose users post reviews of restaurants, dry cleaners and other local businesses, for years. Until recently, if an unhappy customer gave your business a bad review on Yelp, there was no outlet for you to respond publicly to their experience--much less defend your enterprise.

But that's about to change, says this article from The Gainsville Sun. “Business owners for years now have been asking for more and more voice on the site,” said Geoff Donaker, Yelp’s chief operating officer. “As long as it’s done in a respectable way, it’s good for the consumer and good for the business owner.”

Even if you're still skeptical about the review site, which has a reputation for being biased against small businesses, you'll be doing yourself a service by tracking reviews on Yelp and responding accordingly. Need more advice about listening to customers? Check out this feature story from the April/May issue of MyBusiness.

Posted by Megan Pacella on April 14, 2009 10:00 AM

If you're like most people, you rarely pick up a newspaper anymore. You get most of your news online. And why wouldn't you? It's much cheaper than paying for a weekly or daily subscription—and you don't have to spend time flipping through dozens of pages to find what you really need to know. But with more and more newspapers folding every day, have you thought about how their decline will affect your small business? This small business blogger for the online version of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (which recently went out of print) has. Her concerns include:

•Advertising and marketing. Newspapers used to be the No. 1 medium for advertising products and services. Do you rely on newspaper ads to reach customers? If so, you might need to be branching out into other mediums. Chances are your customers read the paper about as much as you do!

•Staffing. Employers have traditionally listed job openings in newspapers, but with the explosion of online job listing sites (i.e., Craigslist, among others), hiring has moved to the Web. But does this hurt the possible spectrum of candidates for a position? You might be missing out by only finding your candidates online.

•Community association. Anything you can do to support your community through donations, outreach, ect., gives your business a good name—and newspapers are often the channel through which you can find these opportunities and receive positive publicity for them. Without newspapers to publicize your good deeds, will customers know about your reputation? If not, how will you tell them?

Posted by Emily McMackin on March 26, 2009 04:36 PM

A few minutes ago, an e-mail popped up in my inbox with this subject line: Top knotch paychecks practically effortless. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it probably is, so I deleted it right away and went about my day. I go through this same process a few times a day, and usually I can't be fooled--but every once in a while, the spammers come up with a genius subject line that reels me in (although I've never wired my bank account information to someone in Nigeria, so I guess I'm still winning).

Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that the spike in government spending has given con artists a leg up in scamming small business owners. How do they do it? By promising to help small business owners cash in on a government check--for a substantial fee, of course. Check out the article for ways to avoid getting scammed. And in the mean time, any ad offering to help you get a $10,000 check from the government is definitely too good to be true.

Posted by Megan Pacella on March 24, 2009 11:08 AM

On a recent Thursday morning, at about 6:30 a.m., I was sitting in an airplane on the ground at the Nashville International Airport, about to take off (or so I thought). About five minutes before we were scheduled to leave, the pilot announced that due to heavy traffic flying above Nashville, we'd be sitting on the ground for 40 minutes. Really, at 6:30 a.m.?

This announcement threw everyone in a panic, but it particularly affected a woman in first class who audibly shrieked for the whole plane to hear (or at least all the way back to Row 37). I can only imagine she was a business traveler who had become all too familiar with air travel delays.

If you're the audible shrieking type, you'll be happy to read this USA Today article explaining a new initiative to streamline the country's air traffic flow and reduce delays for travelers in all parts of the country.

Delay problems start the second you spot the long security line? Consider the Clear Card, which will be featured in the next issue of MyBusiness. Thanks to a pre-screening process (and a $200 annual fee), it helps you sail through security lines at participating airports.

Posted by Lena Anthony on March 4, 2009 04:07 PM

Struggle to find employees who are as passionate about your business as you are? Well, you're not alone. According to a study conducted by the online payroll service PayCycle and published in the Charlotte Business Journal, finding good employees is the top concern of nearly 500 small business owners surveyed. Other concerns included (No. 2) dealing with legal and accounting issues, (No. 3) finding customers and (No. 4) finding funding.

But here's the silver lining: A majority of the business owners surveyed said they started their business because they craved the freedom to work for themselves. A quarter of them cited reasons such as needing to spend more time with family or supplementing income with a side business. A few even chose entrepreneurship because they had been laid off or were trying to keep a family business alive. Whatever their reasons for starting a business, though, 87 percent said they didn't regret their decision and—despite the economic downturn—most agreed they would still do it all over again.

Posted by Emily McMackin on February 27, 2009 11:43 AM

Small business owners are the backbone of the nation's economy—and that becomes even more evident during times of recession, says an AP article published this week on MSN.com. The article details the impact that economic hardship in the small business sector has had on the marketplace as a whole, as storefronts go empty, spending freezes and charitable donations and tax revenues dry up, especially in small communities. To cope with the economic fallout, owners are paying employees before themselves, renegotiating leases and publicly pleading for customers on blogs and Web sites.

As interesting as the article is, you might get depressed if you don't follow the story up with this USA Today column. Check out what expert Steve Strauss has to say when a reader asks, "Do you think the next four years will be better for small business than the past four?" (Hint: The answer is sure to bring a smile back to your face!)

Posted by Emily McMackin on January 22, 2009 03:17 PM

Times may be tough, but the gloomy economy can't dampen the hopes of America's small business owners. According to an American Express Open survey released last week and reported by the Reuters Shop Talk blog, business owners are pushing ahead with plans to grow, despite losing a large portion of sales this year to soaring energy costs—among other financial obstacles. Though small business owners are natural optimists—the survey reports that 9 out of 10 say they "see the glass as half-full"—many expressed concerns about the future of their businesses.

Despite their reservations though, more than 70 percent of the survey's respondents said they plan to grow their companies in the next six months, with half saying they are willing to take a financial risk to make that happen. Even if their businesses don't weather the economic storm, few expressed regrets about owning their own businesses. In fact, 75 percent said they would still recommend entrepreneurship to a family or friend.

Posted by Emily McMackin on January 15, 2009 04:30 PM

Are you so busy that you eat breakfast, lunch and—and dare we suggest—dinner at your computer? If so, then you're in danger of becoming a "mouse potato," according to a recent study released by office supply retailer Staples. A survey of 300-plus small business managers revealed that, since the economic slowdown, managers have been not only spending more time at their computers, but also eating most of their meals there. Sixty-two percent of the respondents agreed they are becoming "mouse potatoes" from eating and working on their computers at the same time, and 20 percent admitted to "deskfasting"—eating breakfast while using their computers—to maximize their time.

The survey also revealed that small-business owners and managers are not only cutting into their mealtimes to adapt to economic stress, but also reducing their own compensation as well as business travel costs. The good news? Most of the respondents expressed confidence that they would weather the crisis, with 84 percent predicting to be in business next year. Hopefully, this will also mean a return to lunch breaks and dinner at home!

Posted by Emily McMackin on January 9, 2009 02:16 PM

Small business owners rarely steal the spotlight. Most of the time, they're the kind of people who stay behind the scenes, toiling away in a darkened warehouse or office after hours, on weekends and through holidays to keep their companies going while everyone else is enjoying time off. They are the first to arrive, the last to leave and the least likely to expect attention—much less national attention—for their sacrifices. But during last night's final presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, one aspiring entrepreneur, Joe Wurzelbacher, a Toledo, Ohio, man planning on buying the small plumbing business he currently works for, thrust the concerns of small business owners into the forefront of the race.

The candidates referred to Wurzelbacher, who recently met Obama at a campaign stop and questioned him about how his tax plan would affect his future business, a total of 23 times as they squared off over the economy, health-care and other domestic issues. So who is "Joe the plumber," and why does his story matter? Check out this analysis in U.S. News & World Report. You can also find out more about where the candidates stand on the issues that matter to your business in our latest issue of MyBusiness.

Posted by Emily McMackin on October 16, 2008 04:09 PM

We moved to a new city last year, and a few months ago, I voted in the presidential primary--my first election in my new hometown. Arriving at the local library to cast my vote, I was amazed at the openness of it all. After I got my ballot, I sat down at a long table full of other voters to mark my choices. Short of hunching over my paper, everyone around me could easily see who I was voting for. I'm used to private booths, or at least partitions, when I cast my votes.

Long explanation to say, it's exactly the way NFIB/TN State Director Jim Brown explains the "Employee Free Choice Act," a bill that passed the U.S. House last year and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. In his opinion piece in yesterday's Tennessean newspaper, Brown describes the bill as an "attempt by organized labor to alter the workplace radically by seeking union recognition outside the long-protected secret-ballot election.

"Rather than hold an election, union representatives would need only to coerce a majority of employees to sign authorization cards. Once a union collects enough signed cards, the organizing drive would be over and the business would become unionized. All of this would occur either without the knowledge or involvement of the business owner," Brown writes.

He goes on to explain that while unions won 54 percent of the elections held in 2007, they won 90 percent of the time when card checks were used.

NFIB has been a fierce opponent of this so-called card-check legislation. As the Democratic and Republican conventions get underway and campaign season gets into full swing, card checks are just one issue small business owners should consider when deciding who to vote for.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 25, 2008 08:45 AM

If watching Law and Order is as close as you get to caring about our country's legal system, you might want to think again. Some 40 percent of the Supreme Court's cases affect business owners. So how did entrepreneurs fare this session? Elizabeth Milito, senior executive counsel for the NFIB Small Business Legal Center, breaks it down for MSNBC readers in this article.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 18, 2008 08:45 AM

Think it's tough running a small business in a bad economy? Imagine how much harder it would be with deadly street violence going on right outside your door. For the past few years, that has been the reality for small-business owners in Iraq. In 2006 and 2007, many Iraqi businesses closed during fierce fighting between the Sunnis and Shi'ites. But now times are a-changing. Improved security has encouraged some small business owners to reopen their businesses—even though they still must deal with obstacles such as street sewage, vandalism and lack of electricity. Check out this Voice of America article to read more of the inspirational story.

Posted by Emily McMackin on August 15, 2008 10:46 AM

This week is National Small Business week, and that means it's time to celebrate America's job creators. To highlight the importance of the small business sector in America, the NFIB Research Foundation compiled a list of facts and figures that indicate exactly how much small businesses have done for their communities, employees and local economies. Here are a few highlights:

• 91 percent of small business owners contributed to their community in the last year through volunteering, in-kind contributions, and/or direct cash donations. About 41 percent contributed all three ways.
• Small firms provide the first job for most entrants to the labor force. Many of the skills learned in these first jobs, such as showing up on time, learning respect for owners and customers, and learning how to get along with co-workers, last a lifetime.
• Small businesses have developed a significant number of this nation's most important inventions and innovations, such as heart valves and the airplane. Small firms are twice as innovative per employee as larger firms.

To view the complete report, check out this article in the "Issues in the News" section on NFIB.com--and don't forget to thank a small business owner this week.

Posted by Megan Pacella on April 22, 2008 02:54 PM

If you're in real estate, you felt the pinch of a slowing economy months ago. But for many other small business owners, the only indication of a slowdown is in the news. Yet owners like Carol Yenne, who is profiled in this San Francisco Chronicle article, are thinking ahead and taking small steps to protect themselves from any potential setbacks.

For Yenne, it meant waiting to fill shifts left vacant by employees who cut back their hours. Not a drastic move--just one that makes Yenne feel more cautious. Check out these other commonsense tips on how to be smart in times of economic uncertainty.

Posted by Shannon McRae on March 24, 2008 09:17 AM

This news will come as no shock to you, but small businesses, despite a resillient economy, continued to lead growth in the U.S. economy in 2006, according to a report issued this week by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The report, The Small Business Economy, which is issued annually, covers everything from financing to federal procurement. It also includes statistics on minority- and veteran-owned business.

Posted by Lena Anthony on December 20, 2007 03:44 PM

I am your typical first-born child--responsible, punctual, an overachiever and a few people have told me I can be bossy. My younger brother is just the opposite. He's laid-back, kind-hearted and spends large parts of his days looking for stuff he misplaced. On the surface, I'd think would have a much better chance at business success than my brother. But this study says entrepreneurial success has nothing to do with birth order. Instead researchers found that your parents' career paths are more likely to influence your decision to start a business.

"Entrepreneurs are made, they are not born," says Michael Alter, president of SurePayroll which conducted the survey. "There's no DNA sequence that determines whether you will succeed or fail. But the earlier you start to think entrepreneurially, the bigger advantage you have. That's a gift that you receive naturally when you are fortunate enough to be raised by entrepreneurs."

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 18, 2007 07:33 AM

Even in the good times, running a business is risky. But when a disaster strikes a small business, the effects can be devastating. In one day, Norm Osborne lost hundreds of thousands of dollars when his San Diego pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm burned to the ground as wildfires swept through southern California. Farms and other small business were hit hard by the randomness of the fires, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Some were spared; others lost everything.

But even the fires haven't been able to put out out the indomitable spirit of many small-business owners. After being forced to shut down for a week as fires blazed through his community, Leon Herzog, owner of Barrett Junction Cafe in Dulzura, fired up his grill to serve free meals to residents and emergency workers. Despite four canceled events last week, Beverly Ireland, owner of Jasmine Creek Florist in El Cajon, expressed optimism that a "better than ever" holiday season would help her get back on track. And Steve Bovee, owner of Reed's Hobby Shop in La Mesa, made plans to increase his advertising to recover lost revenue.

"You have to be totally optimistic and come out swinging in these situations," Bovee told the Union-Tribune. "Otherwise you'll go crazy."

Posted by Emily McMackin on November 2, 2007 07:39 AM

Doesn't it feel good to be appreciated? For years global companies have touted their strategies to lure small-business customers like you. Last week when IBM announced stronger-than-expected third quarter earnings, the company said its sales to small business are making a big difference, according to USA Today's Small Business blog. "I think that took some people by surprise, since IBM is not really known as a small-business vendor," said analyst Charles King, a researcher at Pund-IT. "But they could really get a toe into this market."

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 22, 2007 08:17 AM

What does small business have to do with global warming? More than you think, according to an article on this week's CNNMoney Web site. Small businesses constitute half of the economy—and consume approximately half of all energy used for commercial and industrial purposes, the article points out. If every small business came up with ways to be more energy-efficient, the impact would be tremendous.

Nearly 500 auto dealers have already pledged to reduce their energy consumption by 10 percent, an action that will save energy costs and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. What can you do to help save the environment—and reduce your energy costs? Check out www.energystar.com/smallbiz to find out how to conserve energy in small but significant ways and learn about how NFIB members are going green in our August/September "In the Green" feature.

Posted by Emily McMackin on October 5, 2007 11:02 AM

Men and women are different--and driving across the country with my husband only reinforced that idea. While I wanted to turn around as soon as we thought we were headed in the wrong direction, make hotel reservations before we arrived in a town, and stop to use the restroom more than once a day--he didn't. Both of our methods for cross-country travel would take one from point A to point B--just in different ways.

So I wasn't surprised at all to see a study released last week from the SBA Office of Advocacy that found while gender doesn't affect new venture performance in a small business, several factors vary between men and women business owners, including expectations, motivations and reasons for starting a business.

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 17, 2007 08:06 AM

The news is old, but its implication is as pressing as ever: Small-business owners are finding it harder and harder to provide health insurance—and the health of their businesses and employees are suffering as a result. A recent survey released by the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index confirms what employers already know: The current health-care system is broken and in need of a partial, if not complete, overhaul.

The survey found that 55 percent of small-business owners do not offer any health insurance to their employees—and they cite cost as the No. 1 reason. Employers said that they would be more likely to offer such benefits if the federal government provided some financial incentives for coverage. What's more, a third of the small-business owners said they were cutting back on non-capital investments so they could provide health care for employees.

Small-business owners want to take care of their employees. And, according to the survey, they also know that adequate coverage attracts the most qualified workers and boosts employee loyalty. Now if someone could just tell that to lawmakers! Fortunately, someone is. Go here to learn how NFIB is fighting to make health-care more accessible and affordable for small-business owners. Want to know what you can do? Be on the lookout for a new regular health-care column in our upcoming Oct./Nov. issue to learn more.

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 14, 2007 01:15 PM

Survey results recently released by the American Red Cross and FedEx found that while 94 percent of small-business owners can see their business being seriously disrupted by a disaster within the next two years, not nearly as many feel prepared. According to the Red Cross and FedEx, only 43 percent of small-business owners feel prepared to handle a one-week disruption to their business, and only 22 percent feel they could deal with a disruption lasting one month.

Noting that one in four businesses doesn't reopen after a major disaster, the Red Cross and Fed Ex have announced plans to develop tools to help small-business owners ready themselves.

For tips on how to prepare your business and employees for an emergency, check out NFIB.com's disaster planning section.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 13, 2007 03:00 PM

Here's news you could probably see coming: The number of people without health-care insurance increased from 45 million to 47 million. That's despite a decrease in the U.S. poverty rate for the first time this decade.

Read more here about the latest U.S. Census Bureau data and then find out what small business' premier advocacy group, NFIB, is doing to help reverse this staggering trend—and how you can help.

Posted by Lena Anthony on August 29, 2007 04:14 PM

Every month, the Discover Small Business Watch compiles information gathered from telephone interviews and surveys with small-business owners and consumers of small-business products and services. This data helps gauge the levels of economic confidence and the status of business growth and spending according to small-business owners. Such information can help you make informed decisions that will help your business grow and withstand adverse economic conditions. Here are some highlights of August's results:

• 35 percent said recent changes in the housing market have had a significant impact on their business.
• 69 percent of small-business owners said they prefer to have their business remain small.
• 41 percent said they have experienced cash-flow issues in the last 90 days, an increase over last month’s 35 percent.
• 36 percent of small-business owners feel that economic conditions for their businesses are getting better, a significant decrease from 41 percent in July.

Visit Discover's business Web site to learn more about the August survey.

Posted by Megan Pacella on August 28, 2007 10:28 AM

Two thousand fewer people applied for unemployment insurance for the week ending Aug. 18, according to this BusinessWeek article. According to the Department of Labor, this marks the first drop in new unemployment claims in about a month.

The NFIB Research Foundation recently released results of a poll measuring unemployment compensation, also finding fewer workers leaving their place of employment. The poll found that during the last year, nearly half of all small businesses experienced no employee turnover. Seventy-three percent of the small businesses did not fire any workers, and 87 percent did not have to lay anyone off for economic reasons.

Read more about the results, or access the complete poll at NFIB.com/research.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on August 23, 2007 02:54 PM

I hate airports. Maybe it's the long security lines, the bad food or the (sometimes) frustrating customer service. I often find myself waiting at baggage claim and wondering if it would have been easier to drive.

But maybe there's hope. This article from Fast Company promises new technology will soon change the airline industry. These new systems will allow airlines to remember my preferences, bring in bigger aircraft when capacity surges, and even notify me if an earlier flight has an empty seat. Now if every airport would offer a lounge like this one in Amsterdam (for when when you take the tikes along), the actual trip would almost be as enjoyable as the destination.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 13, 2007 07:42 AM

"The Call of the Entrepreneur," a documentary from the Acton Institute that "explores how entrepreneurs shape our world," has been scheduled to premiere around the country. The film focuses on the stories of three men from completely different backgrounds—a failing dairy farmer from Michigan, a merchant banker from New York and a refugee from Communist China. A Sept. 10 showing in Nashville, Tenn., was recently added, and other premieres scheduled for September include Chicago, Houston, New York and Washington, D.C.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on August 9, 2007 09:17 AM

The release of the Michael Moore movie "Sicko" has Americans everywhere talking about the inadequacies of our nation's health-care system and the bureaucracy of the health-insurance industry. One scene in the movie shows Moore taking a boatload of former 9/11 rescue workers to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a futile attempt to get them the same care given to suspected Al Qaeda prisoners. Eve Tahmincioglu, author of the MSNBC.com Your Biz column, suggests that Moore should have taken entrepreneurs with him instead.

"We all think of lack of health-care coverage as a problem for the poor and unemployed, but small-business owners are also drowning in this nation's medical black hole," says Tahmincioglu, citing NFIB statistics as evidence of the burgeoning problem.

Coverage is so expensive that it sends some would-be small-business owners back to the corporate world; others simply go without, hoping against hope that their health will hold. One thing is certain, Tahmincioglu writes: With the majority of the country's jobs created by small business, it's in our best interest to find a fix.

Visit www.NFIB.com to find out what NFIB is doing to secure better health care for entrepreneurs or to learn more about Small-Business Health Plans, legislation that would allow small-business owners to join together through membership in trade associations to purchase health insurance at bulk rates.

Posted by Emily McMackin on July 31, 2007 08:56 AM

Cordia Harrington probably went to sleep last night exhausted. The Nashville, Tenn.-based small-business owner, who runs the Nashville Bun Company, hosted President Bush yesterday at her business—and she only found out about it last Friday.

"We spent hours walking through the bakery and plotting how the visit would flow," Harrington told BusinessWeek. "We usually think we're pretty good at drop-in company, but this is definitely short notice."

Still, for business owners like Harrington who get the chance to play host to the president, the ensuing fame and surge of interest in their businesses probably makes it all worthwhile.

Harrington has been famous to us for a while now, ever since she appeared on the cover of our December/January 2004 issue talking about how she defines success.

Posted by Lena Anthony on July 20, 2007 08:18 AM

If I had a baby tomorrow, I would name her Apple. But not because I love the fruit that much or think Gwenyth Paltrow is clever—I am a hard-core Apple Computer enthusiast, and tomorrow brings the birth of the iPhone.

Sure, it sounds a little (OK, a lot) crazy to name a child after a company, but according to this article at StartupJournal.com, baby-naming is becoming much more about branding and marketing than family tradition. "We live in a marketing-oriented society," says Bruce Lansky, a former advertising executive and author of several baby name books. "People who understand branding know that when you pick the right name, you're giving your child a head start."

And as "family names and old religious standbys continue to lose favor," the article says, name-consulting businesses are popping up in numbers. Stressed-out parents are seeking the help of services such as software programs, numerologists and "nameologists" to ensure they make the right choice when "branding" their new bundle of joy. And with "baby names" remaining a top Internet search—and celebrities fueling the unique name fire—it doesn't look like the demand for these services will cease any time soon.

Which makes me wonder: How many years of unusual baby names will it take for my pretty conventional name to reach obscurity?

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 28, 2007 02:13 PM

Apparently, Harry Potter is too busy casting off evil forces and protecting humanity to fret over the little guys. Well, perhaps Mr. Potter himself is not to blame for the marginal profits small booksellers will receive with the July 21 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but some wicked wizardry must be behind the bookstores’ woes.

According to a Business Week article, many independent bookstores will gain nothing from the highly anticipated release thanks to price slashing by mega-retailers such as Amazon.com and Wal-Mart. In fact, Amazon and Wal-Mart will not make any profit from the book release either, as they will be cutting prices of the book up to 50 percent. But that’s fine by them as long as reduced prices bring in new customers who will buy other books and goods.

While some independent booksellers will retaliate price cuts with midnight book releases complete with costumes and decorations, there is no magic spell that would let them compete with the mammoth companies who have commandeered the final Potter release.

Posted by Grant Thomas on June 27, 2007 12:49 PM

"Why did you decide to start your business?" I've asked that question to almost every small-business owner I've ever interviewed for MyBusiness. Sometimes the question isn't even relevant to what we're talking about, but I think that there's no better way to get someone talking about their business experiences than to get them talking about what made them take the plunge.

For the June Discover Small Business Watch, released this week, small-business owners got the chance to answer that same question, and the results are right in line with what I always hear:

• 46% of owners started a small business to have more flexibility with their time or to be more independent. Only 19% cite making more money as the primary reason.
• 61% would still choose independence over working for someone else—even if offered more money than they currently make.
• Slightly more than half of small business owners (51%) believe that most people can still achieve the American dream, making them more optimistic than the 41% of adults who feel the same.

Posted by Lena Anthony on June 26, 2007 07:59 AM

According to a study by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, referenced in a recent article in The New York Times, the United States "was unusual among developed countries in having a higher business start-up rate among its 18- to 24-year-olds than its 35- to 44-year-olds." But how do so many young people get their start here vs. in other countries? What is so special about the United States? The Times looks to a book by young entrepreneur Ben Casnocha to shed some light on the subject, and concludes that "American youths are so successful at entrepreneurship in part because so many older and wealthier people are willing to help them."

Among other societal reasons, the article discusses how the philanthropic spirit of Americans fosters the entrepreneurial spirit, something NFIB is very actively involved with. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation works to educate young people about the role of small business, and helps students interested in pursuing their dreams as an entrepreneur further their education. The foundation recently announced 422 scholarship winners for the Young Entrepreneur Awards, including four $5,000 winners and one top $10,000 winner.

Learn more about how NFIB is helping tomorrow's small-business owners at the Young Entrepreneur Foundation Web site.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 14, 2007 02:10 PM

Today Visa introduced an inaugural report on small businesses based on a poll of more than 600 small-business owners and the most current Visa spending data on small business cards. According to the report, while small-business owners are optimistic about revenue growth and profits, they do have concerns in some areas:

• Most small businesses experienced rising energy costs in the year and they expect increased spending to continue in the next six months
• Larger small businesses express concern that cost of health care will continue to increase
• Tax spending for preparation services and payments on VISA small-business cards increased by 80 percent for the 12 months ending in February 2007, and the average spending on tax preparation and payment is three times the size of the average purchase for all VISA business card transactions
• Attracting new customers is also a concern for small businesses as average marketing costs have increased by 56 percent for the year ending in February 2007

Nevertheless, small businesses appear to be remaining optimistic as almost half of the small-business owners expect an increase in revenue as compared to the 10 percent who expect a revenue decrease.

Posted by Lena Anthony on June 6, 2007 01:04 PM

The weekend is over--do you feel rested? If you're already wondering how you'll muster the energy to make it through the week, join the club. We're a nation of walking zombies, according to an article on CareerJournal.com. Only 26 percent of adults get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night; compared with 38 percent in 2001. Most plan on making up for lost shut-eye on the weekends. But when Saturday rolls around, there's so much else to do--and for many busy Americans, extra sleep falls to the bottom of their to-do lists. But before you stifle a yawn or reach for another cup of coffee, consider how a lack of sleep might affect the way you run your business. Chronic fatigue dulls your senses and prevents you from concentrating. So do yourself a favor tonight and don't stay up for the late-night show.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 3, 2007 06:31 PM

On May 25, President George W. Bush signed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 into law, raising the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour by July 2009. The increase will occur in three phases:

1. Beginning July 23, 2007, the minimum wage will be $5.85 per hour


2. Beginning July 23, 2008, the minimum wage will be $6.55 per hour


3. Beginning July 23, 2009, the minimum wage will be $7.25 per hour

Many states have minimum-wage laws that differ from the federal law, but employees must be paid the higher of the differing wages. Read today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com for more information on the new federal minimum-wage law, including exceptions.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 31, 2007 09:25 AM

When I was in middle school, my biggest concern alternated between finding a ride to the mall and beating the latest Super Mario Bros. game before my friends could. I thought I was pretty ambitious, but boy was I wrong. Venture Beat has the story of 13-year-old Anshul Samar, founder and CEO of Elementeo, a startup that is focusing on a new role-playing board game designed to help students study chemistry by incorporating elements (no pun intended) of fun. And according to Venture Beat, he'd already booked 450 pre-orders as of last week.

To learn how NFIB helps support and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in students, visit NFIB's Young Entrepreneur Foundation.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 24, 2007 03:27 PM

According to an annual study on entrepreneurial activity released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, nearly 465,000 people create new businesses each month, which is consistent with last year's growth rate.

What did change this year was the make-up of America's entrepreneurial class, which is becoming increasingly ethnic and foreign-born. The study found that Asians, Latinos and immigrants far outpaced native-born Americans in entrepreneurial activity last year.

Some other highlights:

• Construction boasted the highest rate of increase (1.06 percent); the second highest was the services industry (0.40 percent).


• Entrepreneurial activity decreased in the Midwest from 0.26 percent in 2005 to 0.22 percent
  in 2006. As a result, the Midwest replaced the Northeast as the region with the lowest level of entrepreneurial activity.


• States with the highest levels of entrepreneurial activity in 2006 were Montana, Mississippi, Georgia, Oklahoma and Maine; states with the lowest levels were Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois and Delaware.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 23, 2007 11:12 AM

My name is Shannon, and I'm addicted to e-mail. I admit it. I check it before I go to bed at night and before I get my first cup of coffee in the morning. Within my circle of family, friends and coworkers, my e-mail habits aren't that extreme. But according to a Pew Internet and American Life Survey, I'm in the minority. The recent survey on Americans' use of information and communication tools (ICT) found that 49 percent of Americans report that they rarely or never use computers, cell phones or other ICT tools. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 8 percent of Americans consider themselves "deep users" of participatory Web and mobile applications, and 23 percent rate themselves heavy, pragmatic adopters, using the technology to keep up with work and social networks.

For small-business owners, it's smart to consider in which category of users most of your customers fall. Exploring text-based advertising might be pointless if the majority of your customers say they rarely use cell phones. Before creating your next marketing campaign, find out how much technology touches the lives of your customers.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 21, 2007 10:38 AM

When I worked in New York City for a few years after college, one of my colleagues (who was born and raised in Brooklyn) was fascinated by my Southern roots. She'd never been south of Washington, D.C., and often asked me questions like, "Do you have stores in your town?" I'm sure she was imagining a land of cows pastures and dirt roads. While both of those exist in my hometown, so does a lot of booming industry--which is why for the second year in a row, the Southeast dominated the top 10 list of Forbes magazine's best places for business. Raleigh, N.C., snagged the No. 1 spot, while four other Southern cities ranking in the top 10 as well (including Nashville, Tenn., home of MyBusiness headquarters). Lower business costs, a highly educated workforce and affordable housing are just some of the criteria researchers used to rank the cities. Y'all are welcome to visit any time to see what all the fuss is about.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 30, 2007 11:17 AM

The Small Business Administration recently relaunched its Web site. I have to say--it needed an update. The old site was jumbled and hard to navigate. At least the new one looks more organized. There you can find tools, tips and resources to manage and expand your business as well as links to all the programs offered by SBA. Still can't find what you're looking for? Check out USA.gov, the one-stop site for all things government. Formerly FirstGov.gov, this site got a face-lift too.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 25, 2007 12:47 PM

Small business continues to generate 50 percent of the private, non-farm gross domestic product, according to a study released today by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The study examined the small-business share of the GDP from 1998-2004, and confirmed earlier findings that it has hovered around 50 percent. NFIB knows just how important small business is to our economy, which is why it continues to promote and protect the right of its members to own, operate and grow their businesses. For more information, visit the Office of Advocacy.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 16, 2007 02:58 PM

According to a study on e-mail usage by IDC, nearly 97 billion e-mails will be sent each day worldwide this year, and more than half of those will be spam messages. This is the first year that spam e-mail volumes are expected to exceed person-to-person e-mail volumes sent worldwide, IDC says.

The reason? The study says those pesky image-based spam messages (I know I got about 14 this morning) are really good at getting past spam filters, as are sender-identity spoofers.

The solution? "Deploy multiple layers of commercial antispam software, appliances, and services that are regularly updated to increase effectiveness over time."

Get tips on reducing spam's effect on your inboxes in the "Internet" section of NFIB.com's Business Toolbox.

Posted by Lena Anthony on April 11, 2007 12:54 PM

The month of April is in full swing, and one dreadful word is on everyone’s mind—taxes. With the deadline looming, many small-business owners find themselves adding extra stress to their load.

According to the March Discover Small Business Watch survey, 77 percent of small-business owners find keeping up with taxes a stressful and time-consuming ordeal. In order to avoid the distractions, 73 percent hire a tax professional to take care of the hassle instead.

The survey also mentions how small business owners prefer to find a trustworthy accounting firm to file their taxes. For an overview on the survey, check out Andrea Coombes’ article on StartupJournal.com.

Posted by Megan Pacella on April 3, 2007 01:27 PM

The forecast sounds bleak: With a large percentage of baby boomers retiring and a smaller percentage of younger workers left to take their place, businesses can expect a shortage of qualified employees in the coming years, a management-issues.com article reports. A Development Dimensions Interenational and Monster survey confirms this. Nearly three quarters of staffing directors worldwide say competition for talent has worsened since 2005, and many fear it will only intensify. In fact, more than half of hiring managers surveyed said they must "sell" jobs to candidates rather than the other way around—even though many of these applicants are less qualified than in the past.

Before you panic and hike up your compensation rates, check out our April/May feature, "Silver Linings: Finding Gold in a Graying America." With the percentage of employees age 55 and older rising, we explore how small-business owners can fill worker shortages by tapping into the gold mine of skills and experience offered by older applicants. Learn why Brian Hughes of Montvale, N.J.-based Hughes Environmental Engineering, staffs one-third of his business with employees over 50 years old.

Here's the good news: Not only are these workers more qualified, they're looking for the flexibility that small businesses offer. Plus, unlike their younger counterparts, they aren't as preoccupied with compensation packages—or as anxious to move around to different companies. What about technology? Health insurance? Are older workers less savvy and more costly in those areas? You might be surprised by what we found.

Posted by Emily McMackin on March 28, 2007 07:35 AM

Who do most Americans trust the most? According to a recent Harris Poll survey, it's you. The survey found that more people have confidence in leaders of small business than any other type of leaders they were questioned about, including Wall Street titans, military commanders, federal judges, doctors, church leaders, politicians and CEOs of multimillion-dollar corporations.

According to the survey, 54 percent have a great deal of confidence in small-business leaders, while only 16 percent said the same about leaders of major companies. On her Web site, Small-Business Trends editor Anita Campbell notes the wide variance between the two.

"It doesn't take much for the highly-publicized excesses of a few in large public corporations (Enron-like collapses and take-your-breath-away CEO pay packages) to undermine confidence in the entire group," Campbell writes.

Posted by Emily McMackin on March 23, 2007 10:05 AM

Immigrants are not only carving out new lives in the United States, they're creating new jobs, according to Intuit Inc.'s Future of Small Business report. By 2017, the study predicts that more immigrants will be starting new businesses than native-born Americans—and many of these new entrepreneurs will be women.

Immigrant women start businesses because it gives them the flexibility to raise children and allows them to avoid barriers that come with traditional jobs, according to an RXPG News article on the study. Some have skills that don't translate well into corporate America, the article states.

These women have advantages in a global marketplace, the Intuit study says; language skills and relationships from home countries help them find suppliers and customers. The study also identifies other small-business trends on the horizon, including the rise of consulting businesses and entrepreneurial education.

Posted by Emily McMackin on March 9, 2007 08:27 AM

Just in time for tax-filing season, the IRS has released its dirty dozen list of the most blatant scams affecting American taxpayers. Most of the false information comes from scam artists who peddle the schemes by phone, but the IRS also warns taxpayers to be weary of tax preparers who promise inflated returns.

Topping this year's list is abuse of the telephone excise tax, a one-time refund of previously paid long-distance telephone taxes. Early returns show that some filers are requesting refunds on their entire phone bills rather than the 3 percent tax. Find more information on how to determine your telephone excise tax refund on NFIB.com.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 28, 2007 09:13 AM

You've probably seen the statistics about the growing number of immigrant entrepreneurs in the country, but a recent story in the New York Times (registration required) by Nina Bernstein puts faces to the numbers. The article chronicles the rewards and struggles of entrepreneurship for this rising demographic of business owners.

Bernstein tells the story of several Manhattan-based immigrant owners, including Columbian Manuel Miranda, who hopes to take his corn flatbread product nationwide; Sachin Mody, CEO of a burgeoning Indian sweets shop that his father helped found; and Jay Chung, a South Korean who operates one of the most successful souvenir shops in Manhattan. The article, and its accompanying video, capture the pride these owners feel for their businesses as well as the difficulties they face in growing them. The article also details what Manhattan's city leaders are doing to try to give them a boost.

Check out this inspiring story to learn how immigrants are shaping the economy and the future of entrepreneurship in America.

Posted by Emily McMackin on February 9, 2007 09:54 AM

Small-business owners beware: The IRS is watching you. An article in American Business Daily explains that members of the Senate Finance Committee recently asked the IRS to come up with a plan for closing the estimated $290 million tax gap (the difference between what federal taxpayers owe and what they actually pay). Upon hearing its assignment, the agency pointed to business owners as the biggest source of the problem, claiming that underreported business income makes up one-third of the tax gap.

This issue has NFIB written all over it--the small-business advocacy group refuses to stand by and let the government balance its books on the backs of independent-business owners. A story in the current issue of MyBusiness magazine explains why the IRS is barking up the wrong tree.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 7, 2007 09:01 AM

I thought I had heard it all when I read some time last year that Wal-Mart was "going green." The mammoth retailer announced it would begin selling organic products as well as working to find ways to reduce waste and cut its greenhouse gas emissions. "Whatever," I thought to myself. "Just another desperate attempt at some good PR." (Those of us around the halls of MyBusiness delight in being anti-Wal-Mart.)

But then I noticed that Wal-Mart wasn't the only one in corporate America clamoring to be known as environmentally friendly. Over the past few years, "green" has taken on a new meaning in some businesses. NPR's Marketplace interviewed Yale professor Daniel Etsy earlier this week about how some smart companies (including Wal-Mart) have realized that tree-hugging can be good for the environment and their bottom lines.

So how are small businesses fitting into this trend? Has your business--or one you know--adopted new practices that will sustain Mother Earth? If so, we want to hear from you. E-mail us at feedback@mybusinessmag.com.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 31, 2007 09:00 AM

"What did you do this weekend?" "Oh, raised $4.1 million in venture funding for my new Web site." I don't know about you, but I didn't have too many conversations like this in high school. Yet last week, investors announced they were sinking cash--and lots of it--into myYearbook.com, a site created by 17-year-old Catherine Cook that lets teens create their own digital yearbooks.

Teenagers today are proving that age isn't a barrier to the business world if you have a good idea and know how to execute it. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation hears stories of amazing young businesspeople all the time. Joe Pascaretta, a former winner of the Foundation's annual scholarship award, didn't waste his first semester of college skipping class and eating pizza. Instead, the University of Michigan freshman's landscaping firm grew more than 239 percent to gross more than $1 million in 2006. Kind of puts to shame that "B" in biology that I was so proud to earn my freshman semester.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 29, 2007 10:48 AM

Ever wish that you could peer into a crystal ball and foresee the spending habits of your customers? While that may be impossible, your experience, along with good market research, can help you make an educated guess. U.S. News & World Report recently published an article based on the latest Pew survey on Americans' spending and saving habits. A few highlights include:
•Americans confess to splurging on food and dining out more than any other expense.
•The most common surprise expenses fall into the medical, automotive and home or housing catagories.
•When Americans need to cut back costs, they often tighten their belts on entertainment first, then eating out and shopping.

Posted by Emily McMackin on January 26, 2007 10:54 AM

One of the most pressing concerns of small-business owners is finding--or maintaining--access to affordable health care in the face of skyrocketing costs. NFIB has been urging Congress to deliver a solution for years, and NFIB members have been fighting right alongside by calling, faxing, e-mailing and meeting with their lawmakers to share their stories and demand the same health-care opportunities as big business enjoys.

Today, NFIB member and small-business owner Jim Henderson, along with NFIB member Software to Go employee Dan Jones, took their efforts one step further by participating in a roundtable discussion with President George W. Bush, where they provided a unique perspective on health-care initiatives.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on January 25, 2007 08:38 PM

Last night was one of those rare occasions in my house where we ate dinner in front of the television. I usually make my husband turn off whatever ball game is on so that we can have a civilized discussion about our days. But we broke the rule last night so that we could watch the president's State of the Union address (we live on the West Coast, so it was on during our dinner time).

In addition to hearing what Bush had to say, it was also fun to watch the sideshows: Obama was seated directly in front of Clinton. Did you notice how that basketball player towered over Laura Bush?! And how cool that the president pointed to a successful small-business owner--the founder of Baby Einstein. Even more impressive: NFIB member Joe Balsarotti and his employee Dan Jones were among the guests included in the first lady's viewing box.

Bush outlined a lot of important initiatives, but none hit as close to home for small businesses as his health-insurance plans. Independent-business owners don't have to be told there's a crisis in this country. Maybe this Congress will finally solve it instead of fighting about it. In case you missed it, here's his speech in its entirety. And check out NFIB's response to the president's health-care plans.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 24, 2007 09:00 AM

Small-business owners ended 2006 on a serious note, according to the latest NFIB Research Foundation Small-Business Economic Trends Report. Declines in job-creation plans as well as a drop in the number of business owners who expected the economy to improve sent the Small-Business Optimism level down 3.2 points to 96.5 (1986=100).

October readings showed near record-high rates of business owners planning to create new jobs. But by December, that number dropped sharply to just 10 percent. Ten percent of the owners reported that the availability of qualified labor was their top business problem, down two points from November and five points from October, indicating that labor market conditions may be easing.

Read more about what the survey predicts about the first quarter of this year here.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 11, 2007 08:31 AM

The U.S. military thinks your business may hold some secrets about how to win the war on terror. A recent USA Today article suggests that it's not off base to think the solutions for winning the war on terrorism may be found within our country's capitalist society--ironically, the very values terrorists purport to hate.

Why is the military looking to businesses, especially small businesses? Because, as the article explains, "the world of geopolitics has discovered itself to be on the same road that business has been on for some time. That road is flatter, more networked and more decentralized than ever."

By looking at how small companies like YouTube, Skype and Wikipedia are giving old giants in their industries a run for their money, the military hopes to gain some ideas it can use to fight al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 8, 2007 01:46 PM

Did you make New Year's resolutions for your business in 2007? Have you broken one already? "Resolutions are made to be broken," or so the old saying goes. But, this year, some business owners are going to great lengths to keep theirs.

An informal survey by the Associated Press revealed that many business owners resolve to pay closer attention to their business this year. For some, that means putting together a formal business plan or improving project management procedures. For others, it means living within their budget and doing a better job of mointoring cash flow. Learn how a few of these business owners are holding themselves accountable and making efforts to ensure that their resolutions become reality in this Associated Press article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

For advice on helping you and your employees set goals for your business in the new year, check out the Business Toolbox article, "Out with the Old, In With the New," under "Problems and Priorities" in the Tools and Tips section of NFIB.com.

Posted by Emily McMackin on January 5, 2007 09:36 AM

Before the 109th Congress headed home, it passed legislation to greatly improve the benefits of health savings accounts for both employers and employees. The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 makes several business- and employee-friendly changes to HSAs that increase the affordability and accessibility of health care for independent businesses.

Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com gives an overview of the legislation, including the following highlights:

• Money from flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement accounts can be rolled over one time, penalty-free, into health savings accounts.


• There is no longer an annual plan deductible limitation on HSAs, meaning that in 2007, individuals will be able to contribute $2,850 to an HSA and families will be able to contribute up to $5,650, regardless of the size of their health insurance deductible.


• Allows people to fully fund their HSA account, regardless of when during the year they became covered under the plan.


• Employers may contribute more for lesser-compensated employees.


• Allows a one-time rollover from an IRA to a HSA.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on January 5, 2007 09:27 AM

No matter how great of a boss you think you are, chances are, lots of your employees would take a better offer if it came along. Two-thirds of all employed U.S. working adults are open to changing jobs in 2007, according to a new Yahoo/Hot Jobs survey. Low unemployment rates and rising wages were the main reasons why 70 percent of those surveyed think 2007 is an ideal time to find a new opportunity.

For small businesses, replacing employees is extremely time consuming. Every position counts--small employers don't have a lot of fluff in their staffs. If replacing a few employees sounds like the last thing you want to do this year, find ways to keep them satisfied before they actually pursue new jobs. We've all read the surveys on how salary isn't necessarily the No. 1 reason people are happy with their jobs, but check out this article from the latest issue of MyBusiness to make sure that money isn't the reason your employees start checking out the want ads.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 3, 2007 10:59 AM

I was surprised to read the statistic that one-third of online shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 plan to buy gifts for themselves this Christmas. Only 14 percent said they enjoyed buying for their parents, while 25 percent planned to spend on gifts for their pets.

I'll admit--I'm a member of Generation Y (though, for the record, I love shopping for my parents. My mom is the easiest person on my list.). But this article made me wonder about the future of business. What are companies doing to prepare this self-focused generation for future leadership roles?

This article in Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge newsletter helps answer that question. According to advice from Harvard Business School Professor W. Earl Sasser, talented young people thirst for challenging assignments and just want to be listend to. Smart business owners looking for possible exit-strategy scenarios, or just looking to scale back over the next few years, ought to check out these helpful tips on how to teach leadership to a younger--and much different--generation.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 20, 2006 12:41 PM

Would you be able to keep your business going and growing if you were stationed in a war zone a million miles away? Bud Pierce, owner of Billings, Mo.-based Pierce Electric, found a way to make it happen.

Despite being deployed to the Middle East with the Army Reserves for more than a year, this business owner managed to stay connected with clients by writing them letters and providing them with updates on his situation. Pierce was able to hang onto all of his clients—thanks to a little help from another independent electrical contractor in town who agreed to take care of them until Pierce's return. Check out this article in the Springfield Business Journal for the rest of the inspirational story.

Posted by Emily McMackin on December 8, 2006 10:11 AM

Of all the things to accomplish on your to-do list before the end of the year (which, scary enough, is only about three weeks away!) don't forget to see if there are any financial moves you should make before Jan. 1 to help save on your 2006 returns. This article from the latest issue of MyBusiness outlines key steps small-business owners should take for maximum savings.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 6, 2006 11:17 AM

Small-business owners are full of holiday cheer as we enter the last month of 2006. Two recently released surveys show small-business owners' confidence in the U.S. economy continues to rise.

The Discover Small Business Watch survey saw an increase for the fourth straight month, with almost half of respondents rating the U.S. economy as "excellent" or "good." November's spike came from a substantial spike in the number of owners who think economic conditions for their businesses will improve during the next six months.

The latest Small-Business Economic Trends report from NFIB's Research Foundation also measured an uptick in confidence last month, rising 1.3 points to 100.7 (which is close the 30-year average of 100.2). "The domestic economy is hardly on the ropes, even with a weak housing market," the Foundation says.

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 27, 2006 09:57 AM

On Christmas Day a few years ago, my mom realized she was out of candles for the dining room table. With guests coming for a Christmas feast, she started calling local stores to see who was open (after all, ambience is everything). We found one Walgreen’s in our city that was open, and luckily they had the candles. My mom was happy, but I felt guilty for supporting a store that opened on Christmas Day.

Good thing my parents don't live in Massachusetts. An article in today's Boston Globe talks about how many of the state's retailers are angry over the government's enforcement of blue laws, which prohibit businesses from opening on holidays, including Thanksgiving. Held over from the 17th century, the strictly enforced laws are a throwback to the state's Puritanical roots. Pharmacies and small grocers with three or less employees are exempt.

For most businesses, work will wind down for the week this afternoon as you and your employees head out to family feasts. But to not even have the choice of whether to open tomorrow has some Massachusetts business owners feeling less than thankful.

"The blue laws are antiquated and silly," said David Lannon, North Atlantic regional president for Whole Foods Market Inc., which has decided not to break the law by opening stores in Massachusetts tomorrow. "Customers want us to be open and people lead such busy lives that they'll shop when it's convenient."

Last year, Super 88, a local Asian grocery store, decided to defy the laws--and promptly drew attention from the police who shut down the store. Undeterred, Super 88 and electronics retailer CompUSA say they'll open their doors for a few hours again tomorrow.

Better grab your ice, dinner rolls (and candles) tonight if you live in Massachusetts. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at MyBusiness!

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 22, 2006 10:57 AM

I'm already tired of Christmas music, and that makes me sad. For the past few weeks, I've heard Bing Crosby crooning in most of my local retail shops. Can't we eat the leftover turkey before we pull out the Christmas lights? Guess not.

The music, the decorations and the crowds mean one thing: Holiday shoppers are coming. Each year, retailers set their sights (and sites) on topping their previous year's sales records, and the 2006 holiday shopping season is no exception.

The good news for small business is that online shoppers aren't only drawn to national retailers. In fact, 75 percent of holiday shoppers said they are likely to purchase gifts online this year from small businesses, according to a Yahoo Small Business survey conducted by Harris Interactive (press release link). Topping shoppers' wish lists: secure payment systems, easy customer checkout and free shipping.

If you want to find tips on increasing your ecommerce, visit this section of the NFIB.com's Business Toolbox. Better get started soon before Valentine candy boxes fill stores.

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 20, 2006 02:22 PM

A recent study by Bank of America and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University found a strong connection between entrepreneurship and charitable giving. Specifically, high net-worth households with 50 percent or more of their net-worth coming from entrepreneurship contributed to charity, on average, $232,206. In contrast, households with 50 percent of their net-worth coming from appreciated real estate contributed on average $11,015.

Many of you don't need a study to tell you that small businesses are committed to their communities. You're already out there—donating money and sponsoring local little league teams—making a difference in your community. But if you're new to charitable giving—or looking to diversify this year—here are some ways to make a difference in your community:

• Pick a local charity and donate money. A smaller donation to a local charity will go farther than a bigger donation to a national charity. Or if a cash donation is not in your budget, consider getting a group of employees together for an afternoon of volunteering.
• Sponsor an NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award or help with other programs sponsored by the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation.
• For giving on a smaller but still powerful scale, consider purchasing holiday cards from a number of nonprofit organizations like UNICEF or the Special Olympics. Proceeds of the sale of the cards go toward funding their programs.
  Posted by Lena Anthony on November 14, 2006 12:15 PM

In case you haven't turned on a television or read a newspaper in the past few weeks, Tuesday is it--the big day. And an end to all the political commercials and cable news countdowns.

If you're like 90 percent of all other business owners, you will cast a vote in this year's midterm elections. A recent Wells Fargo survey found that 90 percent of small-business owners will vote this year and almost 70 percent think the outcome will directly affect their businesses.

A poll by the NFIB Research Foundation earlier this year revealed similar findings. Of the 95 percent of small-business owners who are registered to vote, 84 percent usually do.

After you cast your vote, track tomorrow's developments using NFIB.com's Election Monitor.

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 6, 2006 03:20 PM

With elections just a few days away, one issue that doesn't seem to be bothering small-business owners is the economy. A Discover Small Business Watch survey released today found that during the past month business owners reported big jumps in cash flow and a greater willingness to invest in business development. Forty-four percent rated the economy as "excellent" or "good." Sixty-one percent reported they had no cash-flow issues.

This survey is a little more upbeat than the most recent numbers available from NFIB's Small-Business Optimism Index. In September, NFIB reported that while the labor market was very strong, small-business owners were less confident about the overall economy. The Optimism Index rose from the August reading, but NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg remained cautious.

Now with the stock market experiencing robust growth in recent weeks and the Fed keeping inflation in check, business owners seem to be responding with greater certainty about their economic futures.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 30, 2006 03:07 PM

Belt-tightening at the pump takes on a whole new meaning thanks to a study released by the University of Illinois. Researchers found that Americans are using nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline each year than they did in 1960 because of expanding waistlines, according to this AP article. More weight makes for lower gas mileage, so your arteries aren't the only thing you'll save if you pass on that super-sized burger combo.

"The bottom line is that our hunger for food and our hunger for oil are not independent," says study co-author Sheldon Jacobson. "There is a relationship between the two."

Recent trends in consumer-driven health plans have some small businesses looking at the value of promoting wellness habits among employees. As gas prices continue to rise, healthy eating habits might not only affect your insurance premiums--they could affect your fleet's fuel bills as well.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 26, 2006 01:04 PM

What a great way to start our week! Last night, MyBusiness was honored at the Folio Show in New York with a prestigious Ozzie design award for best feature design in a business-to-business magazine with a circulation above 100,000. This award is a big one within our industry. We liken it to an Emmy, though as Associate Publisher John Lavey points out, it's really more like a Golden Globe. Either way, we're thrilled to have won.

The winning entry was a feature in our Feb./March 2006 issue about a business owner who single-handedly rescued the small town he loved as it teetered on the edge of extinction, like so many other small towns across our country. Congrats to our fabulous design department for their smart work and excellent photo direction.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 23, 2006 01:27 PM

What time did you leave home this morning? Most of us in the MyBusiness office are lucky. We live just a few minutes from work. But a new study released this week by the Transportation Research Board shows we're in the minority. The number of workers whose commute lasts more than a hour grew by 50 percent between 1990 and 2000. Men are more likely to be on the road before 7:30 a.m., while women commuters most likely leave home after 7:30.

The new commuter data shows once again that life in a small business is better than corporate America. NFIB's Research Foundation surveyed business owners and found that 60 percent take fewer than 15 minutes to reach work and 80 percent less than one-half hour.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 17, 2006 10:06 AM

Are you more worried about the cost of a tank of gas or a visit to the doctor's office? According to a new study by PNC Financial Services, energy has overtaken health-insurance costs as the No. 1 problem small- and mid-sized business owners want to see addressed in the miderm elections.

USA Today's blog points out that the survey was conducted before energy prices fell (before they started to rise again). But as cold weather sets in (and as prices likely continue to rise) energy-cost concerns won't be going away any time soon.

NFIB monitors what small-business owners are thinking in its Problems and Priorities surveys. In the most recent edition, health-care costs still topped the list (while energy came in at No. 4). But the top spots on this survey are a lot like the college football top 25--any number of teams deserve the No. 1 spot (except, unfortunately, my Auburn Tigers).

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 11, 2006 12:41 PM

Finally, something from the federal government that is useful for small-business owners. Business.gov, dubbed as "the official business link to the U.S. government," relaunches today, providing one-stop shopping for business owners looking for information on how to comply with government regulations.

Managed by the Small Business Administration, Business.gov compiles information from 21 federal agencies in an effort to improve the way the federal government serves citizens and businesses.

First launched in 2004, Business.gov originally focused on resources for starting, growing and managing a business. But focus groups revealed that what business owners really wanted was help dealing with the all the paperwork and rules about running a business. The easy-to-navigate site is divided into topics and industries.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 2, 2006 10:09 AM

As the weather cools off, so does the optimism of America's small-business owners. In August, NFIB's Small-Business Optimism Index fell more than two points to 95.9, the lowest reading recorded since March 2003.

Borrowing difficulites seem to be the main trigger of the downward turn. Regular borrowing activity was reported by 46 percent of owners, up eight points from July, and the highest level recorded in the survey's 20-year history.

"Credit has become more expensive. It's significant that more owners want it and a higher percentage of owners are having a tougher time getting it," said Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB's chief economist. "Owners expect the coming months to bring increased borrowing difficulties."

Two positive signs in the monthly survey: the percent of firms with unfilled job openings and the percent of owners planning to create new jobs.

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 13, 2006 04:11 PM

Five years and one day ago, Chuck Call, CEO of Albuquerque-based ICx MesoSystems, could have never guessed how his business would change. In the five years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the company has sold about 600 of its air-sampling devices, which are capable of sniffing out bioterrosim agents, to federal, state and local agencies, driving up ICx’s sales this year to $7 million.

According to a story in USA Today, the events of 9/11 caused the homeland security business to boom. The industry now accounts for more annual revenue than the movei-making or music industries.

Though corporations have been the big winners of government contracts, small businesses have gained their share of new business as well. In the last fiscal year (which ended in June) small businesses accountd for 33 percent of all contract dollars spent by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That exceeds the U.S. Small Business Administration's goal of having 25 percent of all contracts go to small companies.

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 11, 2006 04:25 PM

For busy business travelers on the go, the extra hours spent waiting at airports because of delays or extended layovers can be maddening, especially if you're already pressed for time. Even before this month's terrorist threat made airline travel even slower, U.S. flight delays had reached an all-time high. Believe it or not, this is actually good news for business travelers because airports are discovering that they can make money and win favor by catering to the technology (and relaxation) needs of frazzled frequent fliers, according to a CNNMoney article.

Highlights of the amenities business-friendly airports offer include:

•"Hypercharge" stations that can restore laptop, cell phone and PDA power faster than standard outlets at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International
•Free Wi-Fi service, a business center and a day spa at Charlotte Douglas International
•A five-minute security checkpoint wait, a business center and meditation room at San Francisco International
•Lower fares and a consistent record of planes arriving on time at Denver International
•Easy parking and airport navigation and crowd-free lounges with comfy chairs at Dallas-Ft. Worth International

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 1, 2006 07:16 AM

A new survey about the small-business take on the U.S. economy reveals similar findings to what we've been hearing recently: Things are OK, not bad, not great. According to a survey by Discover Business Card, small-business owners are more optimistic about the overall economy than the general population: 39 percent of business owners rate the economy as "excellent" or "good," compared to 34 percent for the general population. But in looking into their crystal balls, almost 60 percent of small-business owners surveyed feel economic conditions are getting worse.

This recent news is in-line with results from the monthly NFIB Small-Business Economic Trends. While small-business optimism took a dip in May and June, it crept back up again in July signaling that business owners aren't quite sure what to make of the current market. Luckily the Fed is responding by raising interest rates in hopes of slowing demand enough to keep firms from raising prices, thus staving any worries of rising inflation.

In the meantime, small-business owners will keep plugging away--and serving as the most reliable indicators to where the economy is headed.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 30, 2006 11:33 AM

Last week, we pointed to a story about business owners who were struggling to survive in New Orleans a year after Hurricane Katrina's devestating blow. Today, a story in the Salt Lake Tribune highlights a different kind of survival: In the weeks following the disaster, these owners packed up their businesses and got out of New Orleans. Though some had plans to return, all of them ended up finding permanent homes for their businesses in new cities.

The panic of the early days is still fresh on their minds. "You think, this can't be happening, when you slip and fall in the grime and you're covered with who knows what, and there's no running water to wash it off with," says Christine MCAtte, owner of Adventures in Adveritising/Insignia Marketing, which is now based in The Woodlands, Texas.

Greg Mangiaracina moved his business, A-Pro Home Inspection Services, to San Antonio, Texas, and hasn't looked back. "I can't put my family through this again," he says.

Relocating wasn't easy, but facing the choice of a city without basic services and sky-high real estate costs, these business owners say they made the only choice they had.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 28, 2006 03:25 PM

Nearly a year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the city's small businesses and independent shops and stores are still fighting to survive, despite losing many of their employees and customers. In a New York Times article (registration required) detailing their plight, New Orleans' small-business owners share their struggle to carry on and talk about starting over again.

While some commercial areas like the French Quarter have bounced back, about 60 percent of businesses within the city limits have not reopened, according to the article. This isn't surprising considering the odds against many business owners who've tried to stay. They've dealt with everything from flooded buildings, ruined merchandise and skyrocketing insurance to constant break-ins, missing employees and disappearing customers and clients. But in the midst of despair, hope remains, as some small-business owners are banding together and helping each other move forward.

"I know I'm here for good," the article quotes toy store owner Elm Wood, Jr., as saying. "It's dispiriting what we've seen in New Orleans, but I'm here to help any way I can."

Posted by Emily McMackin on August 25, 2006 07:40 AM

Seeing the latest Gallup poll survey made me think of a hit country song by the legendary Alan Jackson (I can't help it, MyBusiness is published in Nashville). In the ballad, "I'd Love You All Over Again," Jackson promises his wife that if he had it to all over, he would still choose to spend his life with her. The Gallup poll finds small-business owners are crooning the same tune. A whopping 83 percent would still choose to become a small-business owner, despite the high stress and long hours. That's because business owners know all that hard work eventually pays off--nine in 10 say they feel successful, and 47 percent feel "extremeley successful" or "very successful."

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 14, 2006 10:31 AM

Megan Duckett, owner of custom theatrical drape making company Sew What? and winner of this year's Dell/NFIB Small-Business Excellence in Customer Service Experience Award, recently was interviewed by Carson McComas of WorkHappy.net.

Duckett talks about how she got started (14 years ago she didn't even know how to sew) and how she made a name for herself in such a niche market. Also serving as Sew What?'s marketing manager, she shares some marketing efforts that didn't quite work out for her.

Duckett is also featured in the August/September issue of MyBusiness Magazine, where she discusses the special technology she helped create to tackle large-scale projects, such as 60 feet wide by 30 feet high curtains for a Grecian theater house or backdrops for the stages of prominent musical or theater acts. This innovative use of technology, along with her dedication to customer service, ultimately led to Sew What? winning the Dell/NFIB award, from which she will receive $30,000 in Dell technology and services, a lifetime NFIB membership, and the opportunity to spend a day at Dell's headquarters to learn best practices from Michael Dell and other senior executives.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on July 28, 2006 02:58 PM

According to a poll released yesterday by the NFIB Research Foundation, banks are increasing their competition for small-business accounts. This is the second banking-related poll released by NFIB this summer.

The poll shows that while slightly more than 40 percent of the small-business owners surveyed have seen an increase in banks courting their business, only one in 10 has switched principal banks in the last three years.

Banks are going to have to continue to step up the competition, as 70 percent of small-business owners said they were sticking with their current institution because they were satisfied with it. Jeff Cornwall at the Entrepreneurial Mind cautions "hungry young commercial loan officers" that small-business owners don't like to change banks as "it is disruptive and a hassle, and can be expensive if there are loans involved."

Posted by Megan Goodchild on July 27, 2006 10:11 AM

A seven-person Chicago company, 37signals, is making news today because Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos made a personal investment in it. We usually don't cover the comings and going of tech-company startups, but the owner of the seven-person firm, Jason Fried, happens to be the subject of a cover story in the next issue of MyBusiness. While the rest of the issue won't be posted until August 1, we wanted to share this article with you while the company is in the news.

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 21, 2006 12:03 PM

Last Friday's monthly jobs report from the Labor Department was hardly good news. Analysts expected the new jobs number to be higher. So why are the government numbers so weak when other economic indicators appear positive?

The problem lies in the way we measure it, according to a post today on USA Today's small-business blog. Pointing to comments from TV commentator and blogger Lawrence Kudlow, USA Today asks: "Which of Labor's two employment measures -- the household survey or the payrolls survey -- more accurately measures changes in jobs?"

It's a long-standing debate among those who try to monitor this stuff. Kudlow argues that the smaller household survey captures small-business job creation that the larger payrolls survey misses. But critics take issue with the household survey's methods: Its figures are based off what indviduals report, while the payroll numbers draw from hard data.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 17, 2006 10:38 AM

This morning, the White House released new figures projecting a much lower deficit than it had predicted just a few months ago. Doesn't that sound like good news? However, when it comes to deficit statistics, no good news is left unanswered. Indeed, spinning statistics for political purposes is an art: For example, in the AP article, the "positive" spin on today's announcement is this: "When measured against the size of the economy — at 2.3 percent of gross domestic product — the 2006 deficit would be lower than the deficits of 17 of the past 25 years." The negative spin: "The 2006 deficit may be lower, but it represents a $600 billion swing from the surplus projected in 2001. And a deficit of $296 billion is still a large deficit. In nominal terms, it's one of the four largest in history." Half full? Half empty? Apparently, it depends on who's looking. Perhaps we can all agree the deficit is heading in the right direction.

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 11, 2006 10:39 AM

According to June's NFIB Small-Business Optimism Index, "pessimism is on the rise among the nation's small-business owners." In the most recent monthly survey, respondents confirmed their views that a slowdown is coming in the second half of the year. Sales-growth expectations declined dramatically. In addition, weaker job-creation plans, declining inventory purchases and fading expansion hopes peeled 1.8 points off the index, which settled at 96.7 (1986=100) for the month. "Although June's sales, profit gains capital spending were solid as May's, that month wasn't very strong," said NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. "Taking a realistic view of the easing economy, owners are scaling back plans to spend and hire."

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 11, 2006 07:24 AM

Here's one of those topics that gets debated in policy-wonk circles that's fairly obvious to the rest of us: Most new jobs are created by small businesses. Via USA Today's Jim Hopkins comes a link to a .PDF newsletter from the SBA's Office of Advocacy that highlights the job-creation numbers from the most recent year with data, 2003. Writes Jim: "Employer firms with fewer than 500 employees created 1,990,326 net new jobs, whereas large firms with 500 or more employees shed 994,667 net jobs. In other words, small businesses created nearly two million jobs after you subtract those they eliminated. On the other hand, big companies -- defined as those with 500 or more workers -- cut far more jobs than they created."

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 10, 2006 01:26 PM

When is a big business a small business? Apparently, when there are federal government contracts at stake. The New York Times has an article today (subscription required) asserting that last year, at least $4.9 billion worth of contracts, earmarked for small businesses, went to 13 of the largest government contractors. According to the Times, "For years, government studies show, large corporations like GTSI, Boeing, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman have been counted as small businesses either through legal loopholes, via acquisitions or simply by mistake. And despite some efforts by the federal government to correct the mistakes, problems persist."

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 6, 2006 07:39 AM

What will the economy look like for the rest of the year, and what will that mean for small business? It's not going to be as bad as many small-business owners expect, according to NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg and Wayne Best, senior vice president of business and economic analysis for Visa, who offered their economic forecast at the recent NFIB National Small-Business Summit. Still, small businesses should brace for a slowdown in the coming months.

Posted by Rex Hammock on July 3, 2006 12:08 PM

Women may be starting businesses at a higher rate than ever, but many are reluctant to grow their enterprises beyond a certain point, according to a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle. To tackle this issue, women business advocates have joined with companies, such as American Express, in a national campaign to encourage more women to expand their businesses to the million-dollar sales mark.

"If we get a million women-owned businesses at the million-dollar level, that will mean 4 million new jobs, and $700 billion added to the economy," said Nell Merlino, CEO of Count Me In, a group that created "Take Our Daughters to Work Day."

According to the U.S. Census, 46 percent of female-owned businesses are tiny enterprises with revenue of less than $10,000, compared with 30 percent of male-owned businesses. The article cited several obstacles holding women back from growing their businesses, including lingering discrimation from "old boy" networks of potential customers and clients, focusing too much on products and services and not enough on finances, fearing taking on debt and choosing a part-time business as a means to accommodate family commitments.

Posted by Emily McMackin on June 30, 2006 10:11 AM

eBay's CEO Meg Whitman is joining several hundred small-business owners "taking it to the Hill" today, visiting their lawmakers as part of the NFIB Small-Business Summit. What? eBay is a multi-billion dollar international corporation so what's the company's CEO doing hanging out with a bunch of small-business owners? In an early-morning address to the group, Whitman explained that more than 700,000 eBayers are operating either their primary or part-time businesses through eBay. While she admitted that eBay founders and executives were slow to realize it, eBay has become one of the primary e-commerce platforms for small businesses--"It has leveled the playing field of the Internet," she said. Issues like access to affordable health-insurance coverage and tax simplification are concerns that eBay sellers and NFIB members alike are working on in Congress, so Whitman is here representing eBay's small-business sellers, she explained. (See full coverage of Whitman's address at NFIB.com.)

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 20, 2006 07:22 AM

Superstar election handicappers Stuart Rothenberg and Charlie Cook gazed into the crystal ball (and their extensive survey data) regarding this November's congressional elections and peered way into the political future with 2008 presidential nomination predictions during a late-afternoon session at the NFIB Small-Business Summit. Looking at the general mood of the electorate and examining "macro" data indicates Democrats will have a good November, Charlie Cook said. However, when one takes a "seat-by-seat" micro look at each individual House race, the picture is not as clear. With a lot of interesting and entertaining punditry along the way, the two agreed on this prediction: the Republicans will retain control of the Senate with a thin margin. And the House? A toss-up at this point. As for nomination prospects in the 2008 election, the two agreed that the current front runners are Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain.

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 19, 2006 04:00 PM

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour traveled to the NFIB Small-Business Summit to make an emotional appeal to the hundreds of business owners attending from around the country. Rebuilding the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina offers great opportunities for entrepreneurs, he explained to the spellbound, standing-room-only luncheon. "I love our state's large employers but where the rubber meets the road, smalll business and entreprentuers, family businesses and risk-takers, are going to be the folks who rebuild the coast." He urged the small-business owners to view opportunities in the Katrina-affected area as "a win-win deal. It's good for you and it's good for my state," he said. Expanding business into the area is a chance to "do well and do good" at the same time. "I'm very proud of my state and our people and how the people have shown their strength. I know full well that 10 years from now, we'll look back and say, 'those guys after Katrina understood it right--look what small business has done on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.'" Full coverage of Gov. Barbour's remarks can be found at NFIB.com.

(Online resources related to small businesses and post-Katrina efforts.)

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 19, 2006 12:16 PM

Tom Sullivan's role at the SBA is somewhat like that of an ombudsman. He's an "insider" at a government agency--appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate--but his job is to keep the spotlight on regulatory and administrative actions of the government. "Many times, a new regulation sounds reasonable, but when the regulations are carried out, they can result in an unnecessary burden on small business. We sometimes spend months explaining to an agency why some regulation is not necessary and can have unintended negative impact on small business." In a breakout session this morning at the NFIB Small-Business Summit, Tom is taking those of us in the room through a litany of examples where individual small-business owners, often through NFIB, have brought to light a burdensome regulation. Now, states are enacting regulatory flexibility legislation that, like a similar federal law, requires regulators to review the impact of new rules on small business. There's a lot of work to do to educate small-business owners and state agencies, says Sullivan. "But, agencies have to want to do the analysis," says Sullivan. "If they don't, it will be an adversarial situation and the agencies won't cooperate. In some states, like Wisconsin, they have administrators who truly believe that regulatory flexibility makes their jobs better and encourages small-business growth in that state. They now believe regulatory flexibility makes their state more attractive to entrepreneurs."

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 19, 2006 09:12 AM

New NFIB president Todd Stottlemyer used his keynote address this morning at the Small-Business Summit to underscore his commitment to growing NFIB and his commitment to its mission: "Small-business owners will not stop pushing for access to affordable health-care insurance and the repeal of the death tax." The small-business agenda is America's agenda--job creation, providing an opportunity for future. (A full report is available at NFIB.com.)

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 19, 2006 06:45 AM

For the next couple of days, we're posting "live" from the NFIB National Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C. In addition to pointing to the in-depth coverage of the event found on NFIB.com, we'll be highlighting some of the sights (and insights) at the event. There's lots on tap this morning, including a keynote from new NFIB CEO Todd Stottlemyer and a speech from NBC News chief White House correspondent David Gregory. Late today, political analysts Charles Cook and Stuart Rothenberg will be breaking-down this fall's congressional races. And there's lots in between.

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 19, 2006 05:22 AM

After being down in March and back up in April, NFIB's Small-Business Optimism Index slipped again in May, down 1.6 points. This suggests the March decline may not have been a fluke, but the beginning of an oscillation in the outlook that is signaling a peak for economic growth. "It's hard to beat the first-quarter performance, so a 'slowdown' is definitely going to happen," said NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. "The only question is how far and how fast." Triggering the slide were a reduction in job openings, capital spending plans and an increase in the percent of small-business owners who believe business conditions will be worse in six months than they are now. Current economic activity was strong in May, Dunkelberg said, adding that reports of higher sales volumes rose and the share of owners expecting higher volumes was unchanged. Additionally, few signs of problems arranging financing have been found and inflation news, while not improving, was somewhat muted. Stay tuned.

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 13, 2006 05:55 AM

Professor Jeff Cornwall (and Entrepreneurial Mind blogger) notes that jitters regarding inflation are spooking the stock market -- and small business owners. "Many entrepreneurs have never had to do business in an age of inflation. In fact, the last bad inflationary period we had was almost thirty years ago. Since then, careful control of the economy with interest rate policy has helped to keep things in check," he notes. Here is some of his advice for coping with inflation:

Keep overhead low.

Build cash reserves to buffer short term price increases that precede higher prices on your part.

Watch your margins carefully. Worry about growing profits, not sales.

Don't lock into long-term contracts that have narrow margins with large customers.

When inflation heats up even a little, be aggressive with frequent small price increases rather than waiting and trying to catch up at some point with one big jump.

Pay down variable interest loans ASAP. As long as there is inflation, interest rates will keep going up.

Posted by Rex Hammock on June 12, 2006 09:27 PM

Susette Kelo may be evicted from her pink home soon, following a vote last week by New London, Conn.'s City Council. Kelo and her neighbors sparked a national debate last summer when their lawsuit against their hometown reached the Supreme Court. The homeowners claimed the city could not evoke eminent domain to seize their property and transfer ownership from one private owner to another. The City of New London is condemning Kelo's house (and others like it) to make room for a private health club, office space and other unspecified development projects. The Supreme Court outraged property owners by siding with the city. Now home and business owners must worry about being sent packing if local government decides an owner's property is better suited for bigger businesses.

The June/July issue of MyBusiness follows two small-business owners caught in eminent-domain battles keep their property. Though 47 states have introduced, considered or passed legislation reining in private-to-private eminent-domain abuse, it may be too late for Kelo. The Council's evication vote signaled Kelo's fight may soon be over--and she may be forced to move.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 11, 2006 07:46 PM

In a key procedural vote in the U.S. Senate today, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 received a 57 vote majority but not the 60 votes needed to proceed under Senate rules.

"Today, the Senate had a real opportunity to do what a bipartisan majority of senators have repeatedly said they wanted to do--end the unfair, family-business destroying, double taxation of the death tax," said NFIB Executive Vice President Dan Danner in a statement issued after the vote.

"Family-owned businesses want to use their hard-earned resources to invest in their business, hire more people and buy more equipment-- not pay a death tribute to Uncle Sam. These entrepreneurs and businesses are taxed every day of every year, and then the government swoops in after years of risk, struggle and sacrifice to tax them again. This is just wrong."

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 8, 2006 01:03 PM

The Land of Opportunity provides a pathway to business ownership for many immigrants, according to a Kauffman Foundation study highlighted in this American City Business Journals article. The study found that immigrants are more likely to be entrepreneurs than native-born Americans, an interesting stat to consider regardless of which side of the fence you fall on in the immigration debate.

An article in the current issue of MyBusiness profiles a business owner born in Vietnam who followed her dream of entrepreneurship when she came to the United States at the age of 17. Today, Luna Howard runs a successful salon on Capitol Hill and was even tapped by the First Family to style hair during Bush's most recent inauguration.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 5, 2006 08:55 AM

Small businesses are primary targets for lawsuits, executive director of the NFIB Legal Foundation Karen Harned told The New York Times in a story published today. "People filing the lawsuits assume the businesses are not going to have an in-house counsel or be able to hire anybody," she says.

The Times tells the story of a California liquor store that was sued for allegedly violating a state code by not providing its customers with written notice of a $1 fee on debit card purchases, though the owner says they always told their customers about the fee. When the owner discovered the prosecuting attorney was targeting numerous other local liquor store owners for the same violation, he gathered them all together to see what could be done. With the help of an attorney working only at cost, the small-business owners fought back--and won.

For information on how NFIB is fighting to curb frivolous lawsuits, visit the Legal Foundation's home page.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 1, 2006 11:23 AM

Harry Truman is credited with saying he wished for a "one-handed economist" because his economic advisors were always prefacing advice with, "on the one hand...but on the other hand." Apparently, having two hands still comes in "handy" for economists. Today, USA Today includes an article indicating that several statistics point to a sluggish economy in the coming months. However, the story also notes that slow growth may be good as it will discourage the Federal Reserve from continuing its interest-raising pattern. Small business optimism is up, according to NFIB's most recent survey. But on the other hand, a month earlier it was down. Fuel prices are up, but on the other hand, they're moving lower. I guess having two hands is always good for economists: one to hold the glass that is half-full, the other to hold the one that is half-empty. Posted by Rex Hammock on June 1, 2006 10:50 AM

The National Federation of Independent Business' Young Entrepreneur Foundation, in partnership with Visa USA, has announced a new online curriculum to teach budding entrepreneurs the basics of how to start a business. According to a new Visa USA/NFIB survey, many teachers and guidance counselors say that while the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, students don't know where to start.

Results of the study show that while 90 percent of teachers and guidance counselors say their high-school students have expressed an interest in becoming their own bosses, 75 percent think kids don't know where to turn for assistance. Also, 74 percent of respondents whose schools do not offer this instruction think that it should be provided.

Teachers can download the free curriculum from both Visa's "Practical Money Skills for Life" financial education program and the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation's "Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom" programs.

To learn more about the program, read the full story here.

Posted by Jamie Roberts on May 31, 2006 01:53 PM

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its predictions for the 2006 hurricane season this week—and the news is not good. The agency is predicting 13 to 16 named storms. Eight to 10 of those are predicted to develop into hurricanes, and as many as six of those will be major storms.

If businesses learned anything from the 2005 hurricane season, in which Hurricanes Katrina and Rita delivered a devastating blow to the nation's gulf coast, it's that preparation is a good idea. No matter where your business is located, you should be prepared for a disaster. Flooding, fires, even power outages can all wreak havoc on a business.

In preparation for the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, the U.S. Small Business Administration is urging business owners from coast to coast to take steps now to protect their businesses, their employees and themselves in the event of a disaster.

The SBA will host a live Web chat on Thursday, May 25, discussing disaster preparedness for business owners.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 23, 2006 03:47 PM

A record $2 billion in disaster loan applications have been approved by the Small Business Administration for the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast region. Another $685 million in conventional business loans have been delivered to small businesses in affected areas.

"Putting money into the hands of businesses in the Gulf Coast communities remains our top priority," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "These businesses are the economic foundation of the region's renewal and spirit, and we are going to stay on the job until it’s done."

For more information on the SBA’s disaster assistance programs, click here.

Posted by Jamie Roberts on May 17, 2006 02:23 PM

Just five votes. That’s how close small-business owners were to real health-insurance reform last week. Unfortunately, the Senate acted as roadblock yet again to Small-Business Health Plans, crucial legislation that would help make health insurance more accessible and affordable to small-business owners and their employees.

In a sometime-confusing procedural vote, SBHP supporters fell just five votes short of the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture, which basically would have cut off debate and allowed the bill to move forward to a vote. Because of the Senate schedule, it is unlikely, although not impossible, that this legislation will come back to the Senate floor again this year, according to NFIB’s President Todd Stottlemyer. Read more of his comments on last week’s vote on NFIB.com.

Despite defeat this time, small-business owners won’t go away quietly. November’s midterm elections are the perfect chance to send packing those senators who didn’t support the much-needed reform. NFIB is mobilizing members of its Political Action Team. Go here to learn how you can get involved.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 15, 2006 10:00 AM

After an unexpected slump in March's NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, the long-running survey bounced back up more than two points in May. With a return to a range considered historically optimistic, NFIB researchers indicate they believe the March figures were a "fluke." Among the highlights found in the April numbers: Profit trends and sales gains moved to historically high levels, capital spending was strong, inventories appeared lean and labor-market indicators, especially job creation plans, surged to wipe out March declines. One troubling sign: Inflation, "forecasted by a 9-point spike (seasonally adjusted) in the net percent of firms raising average selling prices."

Posted by Rex Hammock on May 9, 2006 08:09 AM

FedEx and UPS have done it. So have at least two major U.S. airlines. Now it's time for the nation's small-business owners, who are facing the same steep gas prices as consumers, to decide if they, too, will pass on rising gas prices to their customers.

According to the Wall Street Journal Online, with fuel prices pushing $3 a gallon, many businesses have no other choice but to reluctantly pass on increased costs in the form of fuel fees or surcharges. Businesses that rely heavily on transportation to either deliver or receive goods—landscapers, florists, pizzerias and caterers, to name a few—are being hit the hardest.

A-1 Limousine Inc. in Princeton, N.J., attaches a 12 percent fuel surcharge to every sale to cut its losses on a 36 percent increase in retail gas prices since December. It's not something the business wants to do, Frank Foy, A-1's financial chief told the Wall Street Journal, but "I'm not making any money here."

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 9, 2006 07:38 AM

Years of work by NFIB at creating affordable health-insurance options for small business may come down to a critical U.S. Senate vote this week. The full Senate is expected to take up S. 1955 for a vote on Thursday. The bill would create Small-Business Health Plans, a way for small businesses to join together across state lines to negotiate for more affordable and accessible health insurance. NFIB.com has a web-based service that will allow you to contact your senators, letting them know of your support.

Posted by Rex Hammock on May 8, 2006 10:55 AM

The Christian Science Monitor today reports on an emerging trend in Afghanistan: entrepreneurship among women. Good news out of the Middle East is rare these days, and this article offers hope that conditions are improving for everyone in a country ruled by the oppressive Taliban until just a few years ago. The article points to a report from Microfinance Times that found 75 percent of all active microcredit borrowers in Afghanistan are now women, many of whom use their loans to start businesses.

Like their American counterparts, Afghan small-business owners—and women in particular—are leading the way in rebuilding their country’s shaky economy. Reports indicate some 10,000 women have started businesses in that country during the past few years. “Businesspeople are the ambassadors of peace in the world. If we've got women entrepreneurs, other women will feel that business can help them make a better life. This creates an atmosphere to create a factory or an industry, and brings in investors,” says Suraya Parlika, founder of All Afghan Women’s Union.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 8, 2006 08:22 AM

Health-care initiatives were the focus of President Bush’s speech to members of the American Hospital Association Wednesday. President Bush has long advocated for Small-Business Health Plans, which allow small firms to join together across state line to buy insurance at the same discounts as larger companies.

The Senate is expected to vote on Small-Business Health Plans in early May. Find the current status on the legislation and ways you can help pass SBHPs on the SBHPs Now! Web site.

Posted by Jamie Roberts on May 3, 2006 01:51 PM

John Mann’s fuel costs have almost doubled in recent months, and the owner of Buffalo, N.Y.-based 1-2-3 Delivery may have to his raise prices to keep up. With 52 delivery vans and three large trucks, Mann, like so many other small-business owners, has been hit hard at the pump.

If you’re worried about absorbing higher fuel costs in your business this summer, it might be time to think about trading in some of your vehicles for cars that get better gas mileage. CNNMoney.com picks the most fuel-efficient cars in five categories. The article also includes easy ways to pinch a few pennies when you’re picking out a new car, like opting for a smaller V-6 engine over a V-8 and passing up the four-wheel or all-wheel drive option.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 1, 2006 07:16 AM

At a press conference in Washington, D.C., yesterday, NFIB President Todd Stottlemyer was joined by Sens. Michael B. Enzi (Wyo.), Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Conrad Burns (Mont.) in urging the U.S. Senate to pass Small-Business Health Plans legislation slated for a floor vote next week.

"The nation’s No. 1 job creators have waited long enough to be treated fairly," Stottlemyer said. "Small-business owners compete with large corporations for employees, yet they are still unable to offer competitive benefit packages. It’s time for the Senate to put its trust in small business, rather than in the mercy of insurance companies, and allow them to negotiate good benefits for their employees and family members."

Small-Business Health Plans would level the playing field for small businesses by allowing them to join together across state lines through trade and professional associations to purchase affordable health benefits.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 27, 2006 04:20 PM

When Hector Barreto announced his resignation from the U.S. Small Business Administration this week, President Bush acted quickly to tap his replacement. Yesterday Bush nominated Steve Preston, executive vice president of ServiceMaster, as the next SBA administrator, a post Barreto held since 2001.

NFIB, among other groups, applauded the president's nomination.

"He is a man who clearly understands the value of setting goals and achieving results in a large, complex organization, skills and knowledge that will serve him well at the SBA," said Todd Stottlemyer, NFIB president and CEO, in a statement released today. "At the same time, he has had invaluable experience in the credit and financing arenas, especially as he worked to meet the needs of his small-business customers. His reputation for customer service excellence will be welcomed by SBA’s constituents."

Barreto has agreed to stay on during the interim as Preston awaits Senate confirmation.

Posted by Lena Anthony on April 26, 2006 02:48 PM

According to a study released this month by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, there's a sizeable connection between entrepreneurial survival and health-insurance deductibility. The survey shows that the health-insurance deduction given to self-employed individuals has decreased the likelihood of entrepreneurial failure by almost 11 percent for single filers and a staggering 65 percent for married filers.

The Office of Advocacy hopes Congress will use this information as they consider tax legislation affecting small-business owners.

Posted by Lena Anthony on April 18, 2006 03:06 PM

One-hundred years ago tomorrow, the Great San Francisco Earthquake struck, touching off fires that burned for three days and destroyed more than 500 blocks of the city. Damage was estimated at $8.2 billion by today’s standards.

Small-business owners in this century certainly have witnessed their share of disasters in recent years. Yet a recent study by MasterCard found that the majority of small-business owners don’t believe a natural disaster will affect their business in the next 12 months. You know the old Boy Scout adage: Be prepared. Take a few minutes to check out the Small Business Administration’s disaster preparedness site to make sure you're covered.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 17, 2006 07:21 AM

Move over guys.

Women are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs, according to a recent study by the Women's Business Center of California. And they aren't just opening beauty shops and boutiques. The highest growth rate for female entrepreneurs can be found in traditionally male-dominated industries, such as construction, agriculture and transportation, the study shows.

Today the New York Times (registration required) explores why more women are finding entrepreneurship satisfying.

Posted by Emily McMackin on April 13, 2006 08:01 AM

Optimism among small-business owners took an unexpected tumble in March. The NFIB Small-Business Optimism Index lost 3.5 points, falling to 98.0 (1986=100), two points below the 30-year average. While profit trends improved, inventory investment and reported sales trends remained strong (virtually unchanged from February), labor market indicators sagged and capital spending plans faded along with weaker expectations for gains in real sales. Declines in job creation plans and job openings accounted for 30 percent of the drop in the index, weaker real sales expectations 40 percent, and the decline in the outlook for overall business conditions contributed 20 percent of the drop. “Although the first quarter will be very strong, something spooked small-business owners in March about the future course of the economy,” said NFIB Chief Economist and MyBusiness columnist William Dunkelberg. “The decline could indicate that owners think the economy is strong, but they don't expect it to get any better, or the economy is weak and they expect growth will slow substantially. The April survey could provide the answer.”

Posted by Rex Hammock on April 11, 2006 07:24 PM

It's Spring and we've done a little cleaning up around MyBusinessmag.com. We still have all of the same links to the archives of stories appearing in MyBusiness magazine. In addition to our cleaner, efficient look and design, we've also added this front-page daily update feature to keep you posted on some of the news, tips and tools we run across daily. Look around. If you have any suggestions, please send them our way. We even have a neat new form to make that easy for you to do.

Posted by Rex Hammock on April 11, 2006 04:33 PM

How do you plan to spend your tax refund this year? If you're like some business owners, you won't be keeping it for long. The Memphis Business Journal reports that most business owners plan to use their refund to pay down debt, according to a recent survey. Other highlights of the study, which surveyed 436 small-business owners, include:

53 percent will use a refund to pay down debt, while 30 percent will save the money.

54 percent will buy only what they must in the next 12 months.

44 percent believe they've become more practical about purchases this year.

28 percent intend to pay with cash more often, rather than credit.

Posted by Emily McMackin on April 7, 2006 09:09 AM

This morning, the U.S. Labor Department released the latest snapshot of the U.S. labor market and the picture looks good. Employers boosted payrolls by a sizable 211,000 in March in a springtime hiring burst that pushed the unemployment rate down to 4.7 percent. "The American economy has now added jobs for 31 months in a row," President Bush said. As usual, the report is in line with earlier predictions of NFIB chief economist and MyBusiness columnist Bill Dunkelberg. Here's his take on recent economic news from the current issue of the magazine.

Posted by Rex Hammock on April 7, 2006 07:46 AM