Government, Politics and the Economy
Recession May be Stimulating Increase in Non-Employer Businesses
According to the latest Census figures, 2007 saw a million new non-employer businesses in 2007, for a total of 21.7 million, that together had sales of nearly $1 trillion, about 7% of the 2007 US GDP. BusinessWeek.com
Senate Plan to Overhaul Healthcare may Advance on $1 Trillion Pricetag
According to Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus, the cost of the healthcare reform options before his panel can be cut to $1 trillion, which could remove a major barrier to the bill’s passage. Bloomberg.com...
By Charles M Cooper · June 26 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from June 25, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be discussing the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Employers generally ask a credit reporting company for credit, employment history, motor vehicle records, criminal background, and references which must comply with the FCRA requirements.
Under the FCRA, a credit reporting company will not provide an employee’s credit report to an employer without proper written consent.
As an employer, if you decide to not hire or promote an employee based on their credit report, you must provide a copy of the report and let the employee know the right to challenge the report.
FCRA also requires businesses to report accurate information regarding debts owed to a credit reporting company by a debtor to avoid costly fines.
Daily Overview: The FCRA protects credit reports of employees. For more information, go to the
By Cheryl Sowa · June 25 2009
small business tips, credit, debt, fcra
Government, Politics and the Economy
Build America Bonds Signal Lower Appeal of Municipal Debt
Barack Obama may be the worst thing that ever happened to tax-exempt bonds, but states and municipalities are loving his Build America Bonds, at least so far. Bloomberg.com
Experts: Economy is Going to Improve
Sure, the US economy may have contracted sharply in the first quarter, but according to some economists, there are sunnier skies are on the horizon. FoxNews.com
Management and Operations
By Charles M Cooper · June 25 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
There are brands that have been around since, it seems, the beginning of time. These are the big names in the ads that fill those convenient sandwich-making-refill-the-soda-trip-to-the-bathroom moments during our favorite TV shows; the ads blaring at twice the volume of the show itself to tell us these products are new, improved, bigger, better, faster, more! They tell us these things yet these are the same brands that our parents hauled into the house when we were kids and told us to buy when we left home for college. Our folks were loyal to these brands and for a long time so were we.
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By Charles M Cooper · June 25 2009
small business, customer service, brands, brand loyalty
Tips from June 24, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be discussing the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.
Under the ADA, employers cannot ask during the interview or background check about a person’s disabilities. Employers may inquire only about an applicant’s ability to perform specific job.
An employer cannot make a job decision (hiring or promoting) based on an employee’s disability.
The ADA covers businesses with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. Some states have laws protecting the confidentiality of medical records.
Daily Overview: Learn about the ADA to ensure you do not infringe on the rig...
By Cheryl Sowa · June 24 2009
small business tips, ada, eeoc, american
The US Small Business Administration has recognized two of its Emerging 200 (e200) initiative participants as being among the winners of the 2009 Inner City 100 competition, which is held by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 by HarvardBusinessSchool Professor Michael E. Porter. The award spotlights and supports growing companies in urban areas and highlights the importance of a healthy economy in developing healthy urban communities. Chosen from a pool of nearly 6,500 applicants, the two small businesses recognized from the SBA’s Emerging 200 initiative program are Sacred Power corporation of Albuquerque, New Mexico and FutureNet Group of Detroit Michigan, both of them Native-American owned and operated.
Sacred Power Corporation (www.sacredpowercorp.com) is a 2008 graduate of the SBA’s Emerging 200 initiative with a charter...
By Charles M Cooper · June 24 2009
small business, sba, native american, inner city 100
Government, Politics and the Economy
Sentate Mystery: Who Killed Small Business Credit-Card Protection?
When the amendment offered by Senator Mary Landrieu (D – LA) to get new consumer credit-card protections extended to small businesses was killed last month, the perpetrators left no fingerprints. In fact, no one knows precisely what happened, or why. NYTimes.com
The Small Business Owners' Wish List for Obama
Small business owners don't ask for much, but an end to the credit crunch, less talk of tax increases, and healthcare reform without coverage mandates do top t...
By Charles M Cooper · June 24 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government, Politics and the Economy
Obama: No Second Stimulus Effort Needed, Yet
President Obama expects the US unemployment rate to exceed 10% this year, though he says that a second stimulus package isn’t needed...yet. Bloomberg.com
Management and Operations
Success as an Introverted Leader
Introverts can feel ignored, overlooked, and misunderstood in today's extroverted business climate, but it doesn't have to dead-end your career. Here's advice on how...
By Charles M Cooper · June 23 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
