Government & PoliticsSmall Business Incentives Face a Hard Road in CongressPresident Obama’s incentives for small business to create jobs appear to be foundering at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Those proposals — tax credits for hiring and investment and initiatives to spur lending to small firms — all face strong resistance, and not all of it comes from the Senate. Each chamber has embraced separate elements of the administration’s agenda, and, for the moment, none of those elements overlap.Government & PoliticsU.S. Salary-Increase Budgets Hit 25-Year LowChanges to salary structures...
By Cheryl Sowa · February 16 2010
small business brief, small business, sales, taxes
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), "Small firms with fewer than 500 employees represent 99.9 percent of the 29.6 million businesses" in the United States. Conversely, large businesses numbered only 18,000 as of 2006. Small businesses and the self-employed truly are the backbone of America.
With tax season fast approaching, make sure your small business is well prepared for April 15th by downloading the 2010 IRS tax calendar for small businesses and the self-employed. (Click the below picture to download this handy small business resource in convenient PDF form).
By Al Lifchultz · February 04 2010
taxes, irs, calendar
Government and PoliticsWhat Obama Said About Small BusinessA short but prominent section of President Obama’s State of the Union focused on helping small businesses to create jobs. Here’s a look at what he said and what it means. BusinessWeek.comGovernment and PoliticsGlobal Workforce Report on Emerging Markets: The Backshoring MythDespite media hype about the recession driving jobs back to the U.S., the business case for outsourcing to the emerging markets remains overwhelming. Workforce.comGovernment and Politics
By Cheryl Sowa · February 02 2010
small business brief, small business, taxes, test
Management and Operations Marketing Lowdown: Five Steps To Better Retail Displays A recent poll asked average Americans which of their five senses they would least be willing to lose. The result? Overwhelmingly, the eyes have it. But before we can learn anything with our eyes, we must be interested enough to look. Our attention must be captured. ManageSmarter.com Management and OperationsManaging the Direct Marketing Supply ChainA direct marketing offer can reach its potential customers through print mailings, e-mail blasts, Website offerings, television advertising, Internet...
By Cheryl Sowa · January 13 2010
small business brief, marketing, marketing, small business
On Christmas Eve, the Senate passed their version of the health care bill, bringing America one step closer to a new universal health care system. The House version of the health care bill was passed in November, each with their own set of rules and regulations. Now, we play a waiting game. President Obama and his team will now reconcile the differences between the two bills into one bill. The final bill will be voted on by each chamber before being signed into legislation by President Obama. The House and Senate Health Care Bills are VERY different on very important issues that all Americans, especially small business owners, need to be aware of. Below are various topics included in both the House and Senate health care bills broken down, as well as some FAQ about what this means for small business owners.Abortion
The House bill would ban abortion from being covered in the new public plan EXCEPT in the cases of rape, incest,...
By Cheryl Sowa · January 07 2010
small business, taxes, senate, obama
Government, Politics and the Economy
Democatic Senators: Climate-Change Legislation Should Be Dropped This Year
Four Democratic senators as calling for the Senate to abandon efforts to pass legislation curbing greenhouse-gas emissions this year and concentrate on a narrower bill to require use of renewable energy. Bloomberg.com
Management and Operations
10 Things Not to Say to Customers
There are great things to say to a customer, and then there are things that will drive that same customer into the arms of the competition. Here are the top 10 things not to say to a customer and what you and your people should say instead....
By Charles M Cooper · August 14 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Time is running out for many small businesses wishing to take advantage of the expanded business loss carryback option included in this year’s recovery law. Eligible individuals have until Oct. 15 to choose this expanded carryback option. Eligible calendar-year corporations have until Sept. 15.
This carryback provision offers small businesses that lost money in 2008 an excellent way to quickly get some much needed cash if they were profitable in previous years. This option is only available for a limited time, so small businesses should consider it carefully and act before it’s too late.
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), many small businesses that had expenses exceeding their income for 2008 can choose to carry the resulting loss back for up to five years, instead of the usual two. This means that a business that had a net operat...
By Charles M Cooper · August 13 2009
small business, taxes, irs, expanded loss carryback option
Government, Politics and the Economy
Jobless Claims Rise
There was an unexpected jump in first-time unemployment claims even as continuing claims drop. FoxBusiness.com
Management and Operations
The Most Annoying People to Work With: The Top 13 Irritations
Wherever you work, even in your own business, you find people who have turned the merely annoying into high art. Now that art has been classified and here are the top 13 offenders. ManageSmarter.com
By Charles M Cooper · August 13 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
