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February 05, 2007

MNB 02/05/07: Micros on the International Stage

As I mentioned earlier, I spent most of last week in Spain (or en route to Spain), where I delivered the keynote address to the eighth annual Escala Mikros Congress in Bilbao. The conference is all about microbusinesses - their needs, their successes, and what the regional economic development agencies can do to support their efforts. I have to tell you, being surrounded by officials who were actually excited about microbusinesses was a novel, but welcome, experience.

Plus, a couple of articles that address veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses - a constituency that is at the top of lots of minds, thanks to the war in Iraq.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Escala Mikro Congress web site
Garapen, the Basque Association of Economic Development Agencies
Senate Small Business Committee
SBA Office of Advocacy


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 03:48 PM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2007

MNB 01/29/07: Bush Floats an Almost-Good Health Care Plan

Well, President Bush got to make a bit of history with the first-ever State of the Union speech that began with the words Madam Speaker -- a fact that he graciously pointed out as soon as he took the podium last Tuesday night. Among other things, he also proposed a health care plan which, while not without problems, is certainly worth talking about. If nothing else, it is a plan that would begin weaning Americans away from employer-provided health insurance, and that would be a very good thing for microbusinesses.

Plus, more action on Capitol Hill last week covering the tax gap and the never-ending drama surrounding that minimum wage increase.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

State of the Union 2007 (White House web site)
State of the Union: Democratic Response
IRS information and documents on the tax gap
Bill Summary and Status: H.R. 2 (THOMAS)


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2007

MNB 01/22/07: Lawmakers Spat Over Small Business Tax Cuts

I suppose it's possible that there's just something in the air that makes people serving in Congress slowly lose their minds, but I doubt it. And maybe the fault could lie in House Democrats trying to score rhetorical brownie points on the backs of Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans and President Bush. Maybe those Democrats, smarting under charges from the party base that they've been "spineless" for the last six years, are spoiling for a fight.

I could have wished, though, that they hadn't chosen to pick a fight over a package of tax cuts that includes a few items of use to microbusinesses for a change.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Senate Finance Committee, Summary of Legislation
Hoyer Calls for Clean Minimum Wage Bill (Press Statement)
The Conference Board
National Federation of Independent Business
Senate Small Business Committee


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 02:56 AM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2007

MNB 01/15/07: Velazquez Starts Out With A Steady Hand

A lot of people seemed to think that the Democrats would surge into Washington at the start of the 110th Congress, frothing at the mouth and starting fights with President Bush just because they're Democrats and he's ... well ... not. And certainly there are some storm clouds on the horizon, especially in the little matter of the war in Iraq. But a lot of what seems to be going on during these first few weeks of the new Congress has been pretty mild-mannered and bipartisan.

Is it possible that somebody who said they wanted to "change the tone" in Washington will actually be found to have meant it? What a concept!

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

House Small Business Committee
2006 National Taxpayer Advocate Annual Report to Congress (Executive Summary)
House Ways and Means Committee
The National Association for the Self-Employed
Small Business Trends


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:50 AM | Comments (0)

January 08, 2007

MNB 01/08/07: Net Neutrality Win Rings In New Year

Happy New Year!

The new Democratic congressional majority has gotten itself off to a cheerful, energetic and noisy start, with much promised activity and much promised bipartisanship. As to that, we'll see. There are a few matters coming down the pike that will help to establish whether the Democrats really will treat us to 'a new tone in Washington' (where have I heard that before?) or whether we'll see a certain amount of business as usual.

Plus, a promising development in the Net neutrality wars, a flurry of new bills from the Senate Small Business Committee and a preview of the looming fight over the 2007 Farm Bill.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Federal Communications Commission
SaveTheInternet.org (Net neutrality advocacy coalition)
Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA)
CFRA Working Paper: Rural Development and the 2007 Farm Bill
"Powerful Interests Ally to Restructure Agriculture Subsidies" (Washington Post, 12/22/06)


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:22 AM | Comments (0)

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)


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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


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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


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:25 AM | Comments (0)

November 20, 2006

MNB 11/20/06: Kerry Outlines Senate Panel Agenda

We head into Thanksgiving week with a report of a thankful-sounding Senator John Kerry outlining his agenda as the newly appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in the 110th Congress. Kerry definitely sounds like he's ready to roll; we'll see if he can accomplish as much as he hopes.

Plus new research on small business lending and some tips from Shop.org to help online microbusiness retailers make the most of the already-in-progress year end holiday shopping season.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Senate Small Business Committee Democrats
SBA Office of Advocacy
Shop.org


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 01:01 AM | Comments (0)

November 13, 2006

MNB 11/13/06: New Gizmos, Old Issues in the Next 'Tech-ade'

Election week was last week and an interesting time was had by all. Of course, while the rest of the media's eyes were all fixed on the ballot box, your trusty microbusiness reporter was preoccupied with the duel matters of the intersection between the Interent and e-commerce and the nation's microbusinesses.

And a sub-theme for the week was in defense of microbusinesses themselves -- fun, fun, fun!

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade - FTC hearings
JupiterResearch
SBA Office of Advocacy
White House Press Conference (transcript)


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:12 AM | Comments (0)

November 06, 2006

MNB 11/06/06: FTC Welcomes The Micro Perspective

A couple of months ago, I was complaining in The MicroEnterprise Journal about the FTC's Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade hearings because the voice of microbusinesses was likely to be absent from the proceedings.

Well, blow me down! Event organizer Catherine Harrington-McBride, an FTC staff member, heard what I had to say and decided to invite me to participate. Later this week, I'll get my chance to instruct the agency on some microbusiness consumer protection issues that are likely to arise from upcoming technological developments.

How cool is that?

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade - FTC hearings
Senate Small Business Committee, Democrats
Online Holiday Sales Will Reach $32 Billion This Year According to JupiterResearch (press release)
Forrester Research: 2006 Online Holiday Retail Sales To Hit $27 Billion (press release)

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2006

MNB 10/30/06: Small Business Policy in a Democratic House

What would this midterm season be without a bit of a preview of what will become of the House Small Business Committee under Nydia Velazquez? Especially since current Chairman Don Manzullo brought the subject up by distributing a press release last week that was scarifying enough to be a worthy segue into Halloween week?

Plus Senator Blanche Lincoln on rural development and a new research initiative from the Center for Women's Business Research.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

House Small Business Committee
Senator Blanche Lincoln
Center for Women's Business Research

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 02:15 AM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2006

MNB 10/23/06: Bush Addresses Small Business Groups

I wouldn't want you to think that President Bush has been ignoring small businesses lately, especially since he hasn't. He talked to a group of small business organizations earlier this month to tell them just how well the economy is doing.

He wasn't shy about saying his policies were responsible, either.

Political reality comes home to roost in the White House and the Journal's economic analyst, Anne Wenzel of Econosystems.com, tells us that the economy may not be doing so well for much longer.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

President Bush's remarks to small business groups: transcript
Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District
The Conference Board
Econosystems.com
National Savings Alliance Corporation


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:38 AM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2006

MNB 10/16/06: Microloan Substitute In The Works?

The SBA's Microloan program has been treading water for years and, while it's got a lot going for it -- like the closest thing to gender parity of any of its loan programs -- it still faces the hostility of the Bush Administration.

Now, a new pilot program has been announced that so clearly targets the same clientele as Microloan that it seems obvious where this one is headed. Will it get the job done?

Plus, the FTC weighs in on municipal wireless broadband and the SBA Office of Advocacy awards a slew of new research contracts.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

U.S. Small Business Administration
FTC releases report on municipal wireless broadband (press release)
SBA Office of Advocacy
NY Times article: Peace Prize to Pioneer of Loans to Poor No Bank Would Touch (10/14/06)

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

October 09, 2006

MNB 10/09/06: SBA Lending Sets New Records in FY2005

The SBA broke it's own loan records yet again in fiscal 2005 and that makes them very happy. But, in spite of the numbers, the question remains: is the loan program accomplishing its goal of making financing available to small businesses who need it and can't get it elsewhere? Plus, the ACE Act gets introduced in the Senate and the NWBC offers a policy update for women business owners.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For further information:

SBA's Record-Breaking Year (press release, PDF)
(press release)
National Women's Business Council

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)

October 02, 2006

MNB 10/02/06: Census Finds Fewer Home-Based Firms

Happy October!

The Census Bureau has released its long-awaited 2002 Characteristics of Businesses and Characteristics of Business Owners reports and its finding that only 49% of U.S. firms are home-based has a lot of us scratching our heads. Plus, lawmakers headed home last week with a lot of small business legislation still in the pending tray; and new microbusiness research in Massachusetts has state officials re-thinking their economic development bag of tricks.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For further information:

2002 Survey of Business Owners, Census Bureau
The Enterprise Center at Salem State College: Sole Proprietor Research Information Page

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:39 AM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2006

MNB 9/25/06: On Health Care, Small Firms More Practical Than Partisan

With almost all the small business membership outfits speaking in an almost unified voice about which small business health bill they favor, you might think that everybody is on the same page. But what if those organizations haven't bothered to mention to their members that more than one proposal is on the table? Plus, a new report on the SBA STAR loan controversy and new regs proposed by the FTC.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Act (S. 2510)
Report on the Small Business Administration’s Supplemental Terrorist Activity Relief (PDF)
SBA Inspector General Audit of Supplemental Terrorist Activity Relief (STAR) Loan Program (PDF)
FTC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (press release)
Comments submitted on proposed FTC ID Theft rules

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:29 AM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2006

MNB 9/18/06: Bill Prods Angel Investments in Small Businesses

Fresh back from our nation's capital, I get to bring you stories of cluelessness this week. We've got the familiar tale of great small business policy that doesn't help microbusinesses at all, and a fairly hilarious GAO report on federal agencies doing their best Keystone Cops impersonation. Also a wonderful report about women business owners in rural Maine telling their stories.

Listen to this week's podcast.


For more information:

Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs Act (H.R. 5198)
E-Government Travel: Participation of Small Businesses and Estimated Program Savings (GAO report)
Telling Their Stories: Women Business Owners in Western Maine (Report)
Western Mountains Alliance
Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:14 AM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2006

MNB 9/11/06: The Emerging Microbusiness IT Market

I'm heading off to Washington, where I'll be spending most of the week, so you get this week's podcast a bit early. This week, we'll take a look at a not-quite-new but definitely expanding trend: the IT industry's salavating over microbusiness IT dollars. Also, the NASE has awarded its first set of Business Development Grants and we'll meet Cindy Vincent of Mysteries by Vincent, LLC.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

SmallBizTechnology.com
MicroNet
National Association for the Self-Employed
Mysteries by Vincent

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:43 AM | Comments (0)

September 04, 2006

MNB 9/4/06: Small Businesses as Fall Guys

Whether it's the way lawmakers don't trust us to do what's right or the way we regularly don't get a seat at the table when the issues are important to our businesses, this Labor Day issue is all about the many ways microbusinesses get shafted.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:
The Withholding Tax Relief Act (S. 2921)
Census Bureau
The Conference Board
National Federation of Independent Business
Federal Trade Commission


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)

August 27, 2006

MNB 8/28/06: Disaster Response, A Year Later

While a lot of attention has been paid to the deficits in federal disaster relief now that Katrina is a year old in our memories, some of us who experienced federal disaster relief almost a year later -- say, last June -- could have shed some light a lot sooner. Also, tax reform and this week's Microbusiness Profile.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:
Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform
Senate Finance Committee
The Relief
Virtual Assistant Chamber of Commerce

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

August 21, 2006

MNB 8/21/06: EMI Versus Scott Smith, Round Two

If it were fiction, it could only have been written by the late Rod Serling. But it's real: EMI has been ordered by a court to justify its latest allegations against Scott Smith or face a whopping $10 million in sanctions. This week's podcast covers this latest twist in the eight-year legal fight between this particular David and Goliath. Plus, women-owned businesses in the federal marketplace, and microbusiness profilee Success Connections, Inc.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:
Entrepreneur.com
TargetGov
SBA Office of Advocacy
National Women's Business Council
Success Connections, Inc.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:16 AM | Comments (0)

August 14, 2006

MNB 8/14/06: Where's The Will To Fix Microloan?

All microbusiness owners would benefit from a capital access program like Microloan, if all the players would get together with a commitment to ironing out the kinks. Plus, the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill has the USDA pondering rural development, and our first August Microbusiness Profile.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:
Association for Enterprise Opportunity, the microenterprise development trade outfit
American Bankers Association
USDA Farm Bill Forums
Marchand Ink

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 10:19 AM | Comments (1)

August 06, 2006

MNB 8/7/06: Congress Quietly Proposes Almost-AHPs

Health care, health insurance and small business is the major theme this week; plus new research shows that bundling isn't always bad for small business, and the tale of a highly successful e-mentoring program.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:
Women Impacting Public Policy
American Small Business Coalition
MicroMentor
Small Business Trend Wire show with guest Dawn Rivers Baker

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)

July 31, 2006

MNB 7/31/06: Home Based Micros Skip Tax Break

Okay, so its not sexy or dramatic (unless you're as jazzed about growing numbers of microbusinesses as I am), but the 2004 nonemployer statistics were released by the Census Bureau last week. Plus, a new survey shows that home-based businesses often don't take that tax deduction for business use of the home. And the SBA reauthorization limps toward a floor vote -- sort of.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

July 24, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: July 24, 2006

President Bush has been bragging about how well the economy is doing and complaining that the media fails to report all the good news. Only the news hasn't been so good lately. Plus, a new women-owned business bill and more on the SBA budget.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:03 AM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: July 17, 2006

The flooding that hit upstate NY late last month has been front and center for this publication, since I'm right here on the scene. So, this week, we'll see what happens to a community and its microbusinesses in the wake of natural disaster.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:20 AM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: June 26, 2006

Apologies for the absence of last week's podcast. This week, the fight over Net neutrality heats up in the Senate during markup of the Telecommunications Act re-write. Plus, Senators vet that nominee for SBA Administrator.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: June 12, 2006

A lot of people are talking and squawking about Net neutrality these days and the issue has major implications for online microbusinesses. So, where is the Washington-based small business lobby on this one? They're MIA.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:15 AM | Comments (0)

June 05, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: June 5, 2006

Home-based businesses may make less money than commercially located ones, but their owners get to keep more of what they make. That's the major finding of a new research report released last week by the SBA Office of Advocacy.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 01:31 AM | Comments (0)

May 29, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: May 29, 2006

The top Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee was complaining last week about administrative dancing at the SBA, in a move that might be considered well-timed in terms of the holiday but was, nevertheless, fairly pointless.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 01:12 AM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: May 22, 2006

A new bill would keep states from imposing business activity taxes on firms without a physical presence in the state. But what if your out-of-state telecommuting employee constitutes a "physical presence"?

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:31 AM | Comments (0)

May 15, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: May 15, 2006

The bill establishing Small Business Health Plans that we told you about last week ran into trouble on the Senate floor. Guess this is what happens when you count your votes before they're cast.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 07:48 AM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: May 8, 2006

It's National Cover the Uninsured Week and, as might have been expected, we have quite a bit on microbusinesses and the health insurance crisis in this week's edition. Health insurance has become such a consuming problem for small businesses that it seems you just can't say too much about it.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:36 AM | Comments (0)

May 01, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: May 1, 2006

It was been quite a week in small business Washington last week. Hector Barreto says 'So long' to the SBA, but not before he testifies before a Senate panel on the agency's reauthorization legislation, due this fiscal year. Plus, thoughts from New Mexico on immigration.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:13 AM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: April 24, 2006

Our lead story today is a follow up on last week's article on microbusinesses and identity theft. Figuring out what data to protect, from whom, and how are often key decisions that need attention from time-pressed microbusiness owners, pronto.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:56 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: April 17, 2006

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft effects 10 million Americans and costs businesses $50 billion every year. Journal Washington State Bureau Chief Diane Ensey brings us the cautionary tale of how one microbusiness owner found out, first hand, about the costs of identity theft.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

April 09, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: April 10, 2006

We're coming up on April 15th and this week's Microbusiness News Briefs just happens to be mostly about microbusinesses and their taxes. Is the IRS picking on small businesses these days? Will the new research on how health insurance deductibility improves microbusiness survival rates have any impact on Capitol Hill?

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)

April 03, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: April 3, 2006

The big story this week is the Senate subcommittee hearing that has many small business advocates worried that Congressional conservatives may seize on a few high-profile nay-sayers as an excuse to get rid of the SBA. That hearing is scheduled for later this week and there'll be many a blue face as breath-holding commences.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: March 27, 2006

Time to take another of our periodic looks at the economy and, to tell you the truth, the outlook isn't exactly sunshine and roses. Nervous consumers and slowing growth could spell trouble for micros in the second quarter of 2006.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:19 AM | Comments (0)

March 20, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: March 20, 2006

This week's top stories involve the Bush Administration's fiscal 2007 budget proposal for the SBA, and the fight it inspired between SBA Administrator Hector Barreto and the Senate Small Business Committee. Also, we have an update of last week's story on small business health insurance legislation.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:07 AM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: March 13, 2006

Well, finally! After more than a decade of diddling around, we have movement on small business health insurance legislation. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) seems determined to get this bill to the floor for a vote and the prospects are good.

Listen to this week's podcast.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:03 AM | Comments (0)

March 07, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: March 7, 2006

You may not care much about the Inspector General of the SBA -- almost nobody does -- but a Senate nomination hearing on the office last week demonstrated that there's lots more bipartisan harmony than in recent years, along with lots of concern about how the current Administrator is running the show.

Listen to this week's podcast.


Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:45 AM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: February 27, 2006

As every microbusiness owner knows, politician speak with forked tongue when it comes to putting their money where their mouths are. Proponents of Internet sales taxes are hanging online microbusinesses out to dry in their zeal to press a new legislative proposal.

Listen to this week's podcast.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2006

Mircrobusiness News Briefs: February 21, 2006

This week's lead story covers the private sector procurement program for microbusinesses that the federal government once thought it wanted to try but didn't know how and didn't try all that hard to figure out.

Listen to this week's podcast.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: February 13, 2006

The proposed SBA FY2007 budget is this week's lead story, although it's pretty much 'more of the same' as the Bush Administration continues to squeeze the SBA dry. Also, new data shows micro numbers continue to climb, and tax tips from the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE).

Listen to this week's podcast.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: January 30, 2006

This week's lead story is the fizzle in the sizzle in the U.S. economy. Only 1.1% growth during the fourth quarter, in spite of all the razzle dazzle numbers. What gives?

Listen to this week's podcast.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2006

Money, money, money!

January 23, 2006: The SBA has been bragging about its capital access programs for years but a new study from the National Association for the Self-Employed should let the wind out of their hot-air balloon. Microbusiness owners say their financing options ... well ... stink.

Listen to this week's podcast.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: January 16, 2006

Free agent nation: a steadily growing population with unstable income and no access to benefits — sounds like a catastrophe waiting to happen, huh?

Listen to this week's podcast here.

This week's sponsor is Mind Your BIZness with Danielle Hampson, an Internet radio show for small business owners, web cast every Friday by VoiceAmerica Radio Network. To visit the Mind Your BIZness web site, click here.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: January 9, 2006

Yes, that's right. CAN-SPAM is useless and does little except to make sending out a newsletter into a needlessly complex affair ... but you knew that, right? Plus, more on those repeated proporsals to eliminate Microloan and research on a rural digital divide and its impact on small businesses.

Listen to this week's podcast here.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)

January 02, 2006

Microbusiness News Briefs: January 2, 2006

This week's lead story covers new numbers from the Labor Department that begin to answer the all-important question: "Just what good are microbusinesses, anyway?"

Listen to this week's podcast here.

Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:46 AM | Comments (0)