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December 18, 2006
MNB 12/18/06: Credit Card Use by Micros Was Up in 2005
Since Congress is in recess and pretty much all is quiet on the policy front, this seems like a good week to check out some new research. The SBA Office of Advocacy released two reports covered in this week's Journal: one that confirms the Fed's finding that credit cards are the product of choice offered by banks to low-dollar microbusiness borrowers and one that confirms that governments should pay more attention to small businesses when allocating those scarce economic development dollars.
And the FTC is at it again: they're planning a public hearing on broadband access, the central issue is likely to be 'Net neutrality, and they're looking for speakers. Will anyone volunteer to speak for online micros? We'll see.
Listen to this week's podcast.
For more information:
SBA Office of Advocacy
Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy Hearings (FTC mini-site)
FTC Public Comment Submission Page (for comment on issues related to hearings)
Technorati Tags:
small business financing, economic development, Net neutrality, microbusiness
Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2006
MNB 12/11/06: Small Business Tortoises Beat Hares
About the only thing to say about the research released by Advocacy that is the subject of this week's lead article is, "Wow!" This paper shakes an admonitory finger at previous business growth research that excludes microbusiness employers, supports earlier findings that the smallest of micro-employers show sustained job growth even through recessions, and finds that slow, steady growth that avoids business contractions is the surest way to small business success.
Plus final moves on both the House and Senate sides of the Small Business Committees just before final adjournment of the 109th Congress. R.I.P.
Listen to this week's podcast.
For more information:
SBA Office of Advocacy
House Small Business Committee Democrats
Congressman Steve Chabot's web page
National Journal Composite Conservative Score Ratings (Project Vote Smart)
Senate Committee on Small Busienss and Entrepreneurship
Technorati Tags:
small business research, House Committee assignments, SBA, microbusiness
Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:56 AM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2006
MNB 12/04/06: Micros and Credit Cards, Mixed Blessing
We're back to microbusinesses and access to capital this week, with a story on market research conducted by various folks in the microenterprise development field on the entry of banks into the micro-credit market. The fact that the mainstream financial services industry is making capital available to microbusinesses is a good thing, but their product of choice -- credit cards -- raises some questions about the cost of that capital.
Plus we have the wonderful, heart-warming story of a lucrative online microbusiness born of a family's struggle to save a child's life. Pay a visit to Alex's Coupons if you get a chance.
Listen to this week's podcast.
For more information:
The Aspen Institute
Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effective, Learning and Dissemination (FIELD)
Alex's Coupons
Evening Magazine segment on Alex's Coupons
GAO report on SBIR program
Technorati Tags:
small business lending, microlending, small business innovation research, microbusiness
Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:25 AM | Comments (0)