Crash Survival Zone

Louis Licata has shelved plans to hire three more employees for his Cleveland law firm. Jeannie Macone, of Florida, is cutting back on inventory for her trinket and home décor business. In Ohio, Patrick Allen has slashed employee travel and begun paying cash for work dinners with clients of the marketing firm that he started [...]

While the stock market enjoys an extended rally, many small businesses across the country struggle to survive. Simultaneously, some businesses manage to flourish in the face of these negative conditions.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has been collecting small business economic trends data for 35 years. They published their quarterly report in April and [...]

Economic fears are driving a resurgence for repairmen. When it comes to autos, computers and all kinds of appliances, consumers are more likely to repair what they have, rather than buying a new replacement.

…more…

WSJ

The New Economy

It’s time to stop whining. The economy might be melting down like a pat of butter on a hot Hummer roof, but for some people — you, maybe? — this could be a very good thing.

Here’s why. At no other time in recent history has it been easier or cheaper to start a [...]

Q: I’m hearing a lot about energy-related tax incentives for homeowners in the stimulus package. Can you tell me what’s available for small businesses?

A: Most of what the economic-stimulus plan offers small businesses in terms of energy incentives will eventually trickle down from state and local governments.

The package allots $3.1 billion to state governments and [...]

With slow sales and tight credit, many small businesses are caught in a death spiral that contributes to the hemorrhaging job market.

Employment at small businesses with 500 or fewer employees decreased by 614,000 positions in March, marking one of the sharpest drops yet in 14 consecutive months of declines, according to an employment report released [...]

I have been working with freelancers throughout my career and recently, thanks to services like oDesk, I find myself doing it more often.  So you might think that I am happy with what I get, at least in general.  Well, one of the reasons I continue to stay engaged is my high tolerance for pain [...]

Is now the time to become your own boss? Many aspiring entrepreneurs say yes.

When metal worker Ken Kash was laid off in July from his job at a theatre set company, he decided not to look for another full-time position. Instead, he’s pursing a longtime dream: launching his own company.

“I’m 48, and I feel that [...]

Plenty of employees have visions of launching their own ventures. Layoffs are spurring some of them to make the plunge

They’re casualties of the recession: the millions of workers laid off as employers slash payrolls. With few companies hiring, a number—no data exists on what percentage—of the newly downsized have decided to start their own ventures [...]

President Obama lays out the government’s effort to encourage small business loans, but the SBA is still working out the details.

President Obama vowed Monday to ease the financial plight of the nation’s small businesses, which have been hit hard by the recession.

“Small businesses are the heart of the American economy,” Obama said in a speech [...]