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Small-business owners throughout the West Coast are the most optimistic they have been in four years, with a record-breaking 90 percent believing their businesses are headed in the right direction, according to an annual survey of small businesses conducted by Union Bank.
While 2014 was a solid year for small-business bank lending and 2015 is predicted to post even larger totals, what about those early-stage startup companies seeking microloans or that aren’t able to qualify for a bank loan? All hope is not lost.
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- More U.S. small companies in November said they plan to raise wages in coming months after a net 21 percent said they recently boosted compensation.
NEW YORK — Chris Mann learned it's better to hire help for the November and December holidays while people in many parts of the country are still wearing shorts and tank tops.
NEW YORK -- It's not just big businesses such as JPMorgan Chase, Target and Home Depot that get hacked. Small companies suffer from intrusions into their computer systems, too.
NEW YORK (AP) -- When Monty Hagler learned his employee insurance premiums could rise as much as 38 percent, the small business owner decided he couldn't afford coverage that complies with the health care overhaul.
Rep. Scott Peters on Tuesday introduced a bill designed to cut red tape for small businesses by letting them file tax returns just once a year instead of every quarter, as currently required.
After a brief dip in July, the mood among San Diego business leaders rebounded last month, fueled by growing optimism about revenues at small and mid-sized businesses, according to a monthly business forecast released Friday by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
NEW YORK (AP) -- What do small-business owners need to pay attention to this fall? Heath care, Internet Security and new technology make the list.
NEW YORK -- Based on what she's seeing among the bank's more than 3 million small-business customers, Capital One's Keri Gohman is upbeat.
NEW YORK -- Women are a growing force in the business world, but if they own a company, they may still struggle to get a loan from a bank.
NEW YORK -- Barbara Corcoran expects entrepreneurs to listen to what she says, and then do what they want -- even when they're using her money to build their companies.
The “Meet the Buyers Tour” that has become a regular event of the North San Diego Small Business Development Center is scheduled to stop in Carlsbad Aug. 15 at the Carlsbad City Library.
NEW YORK -- The long-awaited surge in hiring at small businesses appears to be underway.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Women who own small business are still far behind their male counterparts when it comes to getting loans and government contracts, a congressional report said Wednesday.
NEW YORK -- For some small-business owners, the Great Recession turned out to be a lesson in how to run their companies better.
San Diego checked in with the second largest volume of commercial Small Business Administration 504 loans at $40 million through May of this year.
Eight local businesses received the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Small Business Award. Presented annually, the awards honor local small and micro businesses for their significant contributions as drivers of economic growth throughout the region.
Small-business workers getting health insurance through Obamacare were supposed to be able to choose their own plans. Instead, in more than half of states using the U.S.-run version of the program, employers will pick.
NEW YORK — It's cheap. It's easy to do. And it can take less than 20 minutes to set up. Yet more than half of all small businesses still don't have a website.
NEW YORK -- Avi Shenkar runs his four hair salons from the palm of his hand.
NEW YORK — If you go to work for a newer business, there's a good chance you'll be working for a woman.
Have you ever read about “mastermind groups” and wanted to join one, but didn’t know where to start? The concept of mastermind groups was formally introduced in Napoleon Hill’s book, “Think and Grow Rich.”
Small business optimism continues to improve, and business owners are feeling more positive about the year ahead, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index.
SCORE San Diego's Business Enhancement Forums provide a venue for entrepreneurs and business owners to both receive and provide peer advice on common issues many small business owners face.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Facebook wants to increase its advertising and get more clicks on all kinds of ads. It believes tapping into the lucrative small business market will help it achieve those goals.
Fitn, a San Diego fitness membership service where individuals can choose from various boutique studios whenever they want and at a fraction of the cost, announced its strategic partnership with AdBoom.
San Diego City Councilmember Sherri Lightner honored SCORE with a proclamation recognizing SCORE’s 50th anniversary as a national advocate of small business.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Wells Fargo has set a goal of at least $100 billion in new loans to small businesses over the next five years.
NEW YORK — When Psyche Terry's lingerie business needed a lift, she got it from a retailing giant.
A flurry of surveys about the attitudes of small business owners have surfaced lately and they paint a pretty rosy picture.
NEW YORK -- Small businesses are in limbo as they wait for Congress to make decisions that could save them a lot of money.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The email from the bank was unexpected. Laura Benson got an increase in her small-business credit line.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small businesses are using social media to promote their businesses and lure shoppers this holiday season -- and they're not just on Facebook. Or Twitter.
Despite sales hours that reached into the heart of Thanksgiving, shopping at the major retail chains during Black Friday was nearly 3 percent lower than in 2012 -- the first year-to-year drop since the depths of the Great Recession in 2009.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- California has opened an online insurance exchange for small business, with questions looming about how many employers will sign up and whether rates could climb.
NEW YORK (AP) _ Here today, gone in weeks -- pop-up shops and temporary stores are back for the holiday season.
Sales of small businesses are finally making big gains.
The Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego, Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego and the Housing Opportunities Collaborative will present a free legal seminar on small business basics Tuesday, Oct. 22 in National City.
Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Confidence among U.S. small businesses fell in September to the lowest level in three months as more companies grew pessimistic about the economic outlook.
Small business owners can network with government agencies and get tips on obtaining contracts at the Meet the Buyers Tour on Oct. 4 at the SDG&E Energy Innovation Center.
NEW YORK (AP) -- LaJuanna Russell has lost a third of her revenue and about half of her staff to federal budget cuts.
Sept. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Confidence among U.S. small businesses stagnated in August as weaker sales damped earnings even as companies projected demand would improve and encourage the addition of more workers.
NEW YORK — Jerome Cleary was on the verge of taking a trip to Hawaii this month when he started getting emails and phone calls from potential clients. He had to choose between new business for his public relations firm and the white sands of Waikiki.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A year ago, Teresa Hartnett was on the verge of expanding her small business. The company had hit $1 million in sales, and requests from clients were flowing in. She planned to transition from nearly 30 freelancers to a full-time staff of 60 by 2014.
NEW YORK -- One casualty of the new health care law may be paid coverage for families of people who work for small businesses.
Aug. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Confidence among U.S. small businesses improved in July to its second-highest level in a year as managers became less pessimistic about sales.
NEW YORK — Uncle Sam isn't as easy a customer to land as he used to be.
NEW YORK — When Lisa Stevens speaks about her role as head of small business banking at Wells Fargo & Co., she focuses more on how she can help her customers rather than how she can grow the bank's loan portfolio.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners are spending more time and money to get federal contracts, but they're also making fewer bids to get those contracts.
SCORE San Diego offers low-cost workshops for people interested in starting a small business and entrepreneurs seeking to improve the performance of an existing company.
NEW YORK — Thousands of stunned small business owners call Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. each week after they're turned down for a loan. Jeff Stibel, CEO of the business credit reporting company has a message for them: Don't blame the bank.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small businesses took out more loans and leases during April, the first increase in borrowing this year, according to an index released Wednesday.
A new method of getting Camp Pendleton veterans hired in the civilian world could be used as a model across the United States.
SCORE San Diego is increasing its already impressive workshop roster by offering new and existing business owners advice on government contracting.
One of the biggest questions facing decision-makers today is whether to continue investing in IT infrastructure or start migrating to cloud services. The following are 10 key factors that, in addition to capital expenditure, should be considered by small business leaders when making a cloud ROI calculation.
Since 1966, SCORE San Diego’s mentors have assisted small-business owners by offering reliable and relevant advice. Continuing that legacy, the organization offers bilingual mentors to support new and existing small business owners in the Hispanic community.
NEW YORK — Baby boomers preparing for retirement are driving a surge in small-business sales, as they find more and more buyers confident enough in the improving economy to expand their own businesses through acquisitions.
Local small business entrepreneurs are invited to attend SCORE San Diego’s workshops to tackle a variety of issues at all stages of a company’s development, and meet with mentors to help grow their business.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners were slightly more optimistic during April but are generally still cautious.
All small business owners, whether they are just starting out or have been in business for many years, face obstacles as they grow their business. SCORE San Diego's free and unlimited team mentoring provides business owners expert advice from volunteers with diverse business backgrounds who have encountered similar obstacles and can provide relevant advice for overcoming challenges.
May 10 (Bloomberg) -- Jim Brown, owner of JWB Properties LLC, says community banks called him almost every day in 2006 trying to lend him money. Now, his homebuilding business in Atlanta can’t get a loan.
SCORE San Diego's new Business Enhancement Forums provide a venue for entrepreneurs and business owners to both receive and provide peer advice on common issues many small business owners face.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners support raising the federal minimum wage because they believe it will help the economy and, in turn, enable small companies to hire more workers.
NEW YORK (AP) -- She could save money, and there's a good chance she wouldn't get caught, but Consuelo Gomez says she won't hire people who aren't authorized to work in the U.S. to work for Marty K, her cleaning and landscaping business.
NEW YORK -- When a witness at a Senate hearing in March on small business accused state and local governments of not doing enough to prepare for disasters, he got a sharp retort from the committee chair.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tax relief for small businesses that hired or gave raises to their workers last year is among the proposals that President Barack Obama revealed in his $3.8 trillion budget plan on Monday.
April 9 (Bloomberg) -- Confidence among U.S. small businesses fell in March for the first time in four months as job creation plans soured.
Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Co. this week began raising its rates for small business customers by an average of 9.6 percent, despite objections from the state Insurance Department that the hikes are “excessive” and “unreasonable.”
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (AP) -- If you want to go into business during tough economic times, you might want to do it with family.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Two months after a severe flu season forced millions of workers to stay home, paid sick time is becoming an issue for many small business owners.
SCORE San Diego hosts workshops to help companies at all stages of business development avoid obstacles and prosper.
Companies that experienced a few bumps in the road over recent years are starting to ride a little bit more smoothly, but need some road side assistance to help them get to where they’re going.
SCORE San Diego is offering 23 workshops in March designed to help new and seasoned small business entrepreneurs navigate through the growth and success of their companies.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration says she doesn't expect operations at the agency to be dramatically affected by automatic federal budget cuts scheduled to begin March 1.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Karen Mills is leaving her post as head of the Small Business Administration, opening yet another Cabinet-rank job for President Barack Obama to fill at the start of his second term. Obama says Mills played a leading role supporting start-up businesses and entrepreneurs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Gretel-Ann Fischer already told customers that she won't accept credit cards for purchases under $5 at her Vermont bakery. The last thing she wants to do is anger them by passing along the transaction fee she has to pay each time they use plastic.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners may be closer to losing an advantage they've enjoyed during the e-commerce boom -- being exempt from collecting sales tax in states where they're not located. And they're worried they will have to spend more money in the process.
Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. government contracts to women- owned small businesses dropped for the second consecutive year, declining at a faster rate than awards to their male counterparts.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The flu season has created a scramble for New Jersey Limo Bus & Limousine.
Small companies will probably remain a missing element of the current U.S. expansion as their role in driving growth continues to wane, according to economists at Citigroup Inc.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners were slightly more optimistic at the end of 2012 even as they awaited the outcome of negotiations in Congress over the “fiscal cliff.”
NEW YORK -- In 2013, small-business owners will contend with many of the same issues that made it hard to run their companies over the last 12 months.
San Diego’s small businesses face a “double whammy” of sales tax burdens as a result of Proposition 30, said John Kabateck, the California executive director at the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB).
NEW YORK (AP) -- More than 1,000 miles from Washington, D.C., Marie DeNicola's small business is already experiencing the consequences of lawmakers' inability to compromise on the budget.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners grew more pessimistic in November after the presidential election and Superstorm Sandy.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners remained cautious in October as they awaited the outcome of the presidential election, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A survey shows that small business owners are losing confidence as they see the economy struggle.
Confidence among small businesses in the U.S. climbed in August for the first time in four months as more companies anticipated a pickup in hiring and sales.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners' concerns about government policies that affect their businesses have intensified after the deep recession and a recovery that doesn't feel much better.
NEW YORK -- Expedia is starting a rewards program for small business travelers who carry Chase credit cards.
Lynn Pittman, marketing consultant for San Diego's Small Business Development Center, admits not many people know what the center does — and she's working to change that.
MIAMI (AP) -- Do an Internet search for microcredit, and images of colorfully dressed women in Africa, South Asia and Central America pop up. But the international trend that began more than three decades ago in Bangladesh is increasingly finding a home in the United States.
Ranked among the "Best Lawyers in America" and honored by the American Board of Trial Advocates, the San Diego law firm of Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire has built much of its reputation on representing the little guy.
Seeking to provide cutting-edge services in the cosmetology industry, Richard and Connie Ouelette moved from Newport Beach in 1987 to open a hair salon in what was known then as North County Fair. While Richard had already created a name for himself as a hair stylist in Orange County, he wasn’t sure how he would be perceived in Escondido. It turns out he didn’t have to worry.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and its partners help millions of existing and prospective small business owners start, grow and succeed. They help with SBA loans, counseling, training and contracts. SBA also helps businesses and families recover from disasters with loans, and is a voice for small business, helping reduce regulatory impact. Each month, this section provides information to start, expand and manage small business.
Benjamin Breskman’s nightmare began in September 1999, in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Hurricane Floyd. His Sentry Paint Technologies manufacturing plant in Darby, Penn., was nearly destroyed by the 17 feet of floodwater that swept through the building. The plant sustained more than $2.7 million in damages.
More than ever before, the academic world relies on technology to help give students easier access to the kinds of information, coursework and instruction that are often out of the reach for ordinary Americans, either because of geography, costs or time constraints. Now, thanks to the Internet, business training is no exception.
Starting and managing a business takes motivation and talent. It also takes research and planning. Although initial mistakes are not always fatal, it takes extra skill, discipline, and hard work to regain the advantage. Take time beforehand to explore and evaluate your business and personal goals, then use this information to build a comprehensive and thoughtful business plan that will help you reach these goals.
A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals and serves as your firm's resume. The basic components include a current and pro-forma balance sheet, an income statement and a cash flow analysis. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications and make good business decisions.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and its partners help millions of existing and prospective small business owners start, grow, and succeed. They help with SBA loans, counseling, training and contracts. SBA also helps businesses and families recover from disasters with loans and is a voice for small business, helping reduce regulatory impact. Each month, this section provides information to start, expand, and manage small business.
The consensus among small-business lenders of varying size, scope and sector was unanimous at a recent executive roundtable at The Daily Transcript: 2014 will be a bounce-back year, and in a big way.
May 15, 2014 -- George Chamberlin speaks with Jim Matteo, CEO of Bird Rock Systems, about how the company offers technology solutions to enterprise businesses and Matteo's efforts to foster entrepreneurship.
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