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Economy
- Fed says moderate growth has returned, will stay course on stimulus | latimes.com
- Federal Reserve officials Wednesday acknowledged the recent pick-up in economic growth, noting in particular ?labor market conditions have shown signs of improvement,? but the central bank made no change in its ongoing aggressive stimulus programs.
- Small business confidence, capital spending plans rise | Reuters
- Confidence among small businesses rose in February as owners shrugged off a tightening in fiscal policy and raised plans to increase capital spending and restock their warehouses.
- Unemployment at 4-Year-Low as U.S. Hiring Gains Steam | NYTimes.com
- Bolstered by a healthier private sector, the United States economy gained 236,000 jobs in February, well above what had been expected, while the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
- Jobless claims drop, signaling labor market gains | Reuters
- The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a pick-up in the labor market recovery and the pace of economic growth.
- GDP Grew at 3.1% Rate | WSJ.com
- The U.S. economy expanded at an even faster pace than previously estimated in the third quarter
Policy
- Who would win or lose on online sales tax
- Major retailers and local stores will be the big winners if the House follows the Senate and requires Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on online purchases.
- California Small-Business Owners Get Retroactive Bill After Court Voids Incentive Permalink Close Facebook Twitter Expand/Collapse Small startup companies in California are fighting the state's decision to tax them retroactively after a 20-year-old tax i
- Small startup companies in California are fighting the state's decision to tax them retroactively after a 20-year-old tax incentive was found unconstitutional.
- NASA Invests in Small Business Innovative Research and Technology Proposals
- NASA has selected 295 research and technology proposals from 216 American small businesses for negotiations that may lead to contract awards worth a combined $38.7 million.
- Fed says moderate growth has returned, will stay course on stimulus | latimes.com
- Federal Reserve officials Wednesday acknowledged the recent pick-up in economic growth, noting in particular ?labor market conditions have shown signs of improvement,? but the central bank made no change in its ongoing aggressive stimulus programs.
- Small Firms React to President's Proposals | WSJ
- President Barack Obama spent little time in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night directly addressing small businesses. But he touched on many policies that could impact how small-business owners run their firms in the future.
HR
- Some small businesses choose to self-insure | USA Today
- The key to self-insurance for small companies is stop-loss coverage, which often kicks in when medical costs per worker are as low as $10,000 or $20,000, limiting the employer's risk almost as well as a regular plan.
- Unemployment at 4-Year-Low as U.S. Hiring Gains Steam | NYTimes.com
- Bolstered by a healthier private sector, the United States economy gained 236,000 jobs in February, well above what had been expected, while the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.
- Fidelity: 401(k) Balances Grew 12% to Record High in 2012 | CNBC
- Employee 401(k) accounts are growing fast, thanks to the surging stock market and increased contributions from workers and their employers.
- The debate over unpaid internships | The Atlantic
- Atlantic senior editor Derek Thompson argues that unpaid internships are bad for students, workers and society. What's your opinion?
- US applications for unemployment aid drop sharply | AP
- The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by the most in nearly a year. The figure was a hopeful sign that hiring could pick up in coming months.
Technology
- Cyberattacks a Huge Threat to Start-Ups, and Their Investors | NYTimes.com
- Prominent attacks of major banks, news organizations and technology giants garner headlines, but it?s the tech-driven start-ups and growth companies that are often far more vulnerable to an attack.
- Google Places For Business Gets Its Own iPhone App For Managing Listings | Search Engine Land
- Local business owners have a new tool for managing their Google Places For Business listing: a dedicated app that works on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
- Loren Brichter, a High Priest of App Design | WSJ.com
- More than 2,500 miles from Silicon Valley, in a small home office with a dog bed under the desk, sits a man on the cutting edge of the apps boom.
- Google Maps updates iPhone app with faster local search
- Designed to help users find local business, places faster, easier.
- On Facebook, Sharing Can Come at a Cost | NYTimes.com
- Those who use Facebook for business needs, like restaurants, news outlets and local mom-and-pop shops that rely on the site to update customers, Facebook's "pay to play" approach could be damaging.
Startup
- Cyberattacks a Huge Threat to Start-Ups, and Their Investors | NYTimes.com
- Prominent attacks of major banks, news organizations and technology giants garner headlines, but it?s the tech-driven start-ups and growth companies that are often far more vulnerable to an attack.
- Kauffman, LegalZoom survey of startups debunks some startup stereotypes
- Entrepreneurs 30 to 49 years old started businesses at a higher rate than other age groups.
- Startup Act 3.0 would allow 75,000 immigrant founders to come to the U.S. for 3 years | Venture Beat
- Getting technical and entrepreneurial talent into the U.S. may be a lot easier very soon if a bipartisan group of senators manage to get the Startup Act 3.0 passed.
- Cities make it incredibly hard to get a business license. | Slate Magazine
- Red tape, long lines, inconvenient office hours, and other logistical hassles probably won?t stop tomorrow?s super-genius from launching the next great billion-dollar company. But it?s a large and needless deterrent to the formation of the humble workaday firms that for many people are a path to autonomy and prosperity.
- S.B.A. Signs Its First Venture Capital Fund to New Investment Program - NYTimes.com
- Last week, the Small Business Administration announced that it had granted a venture capital fund from North Carolina the first license to participate in a new program to encourage investment.
Marketing
- Small business reality TV shows at a glance | Yahoo!
- A starring role on a reality TV show can dramatically boost a small company's sales. The shows get big national exposure, turning a tiny restaurant or hair salon into a household name.
- Google Places For Business Gets Its Own iPhone App For Managing Listings | Search Engine Land
- Local business owners have a new tool for managing their Google Places For Business listing: a dedicated app that works on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
- Loren Brichter, a High Priest of App Design | WSJ.com
- More than 2,500 miles from Silicon Valley, in a small home office with a dog bed under the desk, sits a man on the cutting edge of the apps boom.
- 6 Reasons a Startup Shouse Consider Marketing Their Products to Small Businesses, Not Big Enterprises | Venture Beat
- Small business deals are very streamlined ? you can simply find a need and meet it. This simplicity can be a huge help when the tasks involved in getting a startup off the ground demand a lot of attention and are distracting you from attending to your main mission.
- Google Maps updates iPhone app with faster local search
- Designed to help users find local business, places faster, easier.
Management
- 6 Reasons a Startup Shouse Consider Marketing Their Products to Small Businesses, Not Big Enterprises | Venture Beat
- Small business deals are very streamlined ? you can simply find a need and meet it. This simplicity can be a huge help when the tasks involved in getting a startup off the ground demand a lot of attention and are distracting you from attending to your main mission.
- Cities make it incredibly hard to get a business license. | Slate Magazine
- Red tape, long lines, inconvenient office hours, and other logistical hassles probably won?t stop tomorrow?s super-genius from launching the next great billion-dollar company. But it?s a large and needless deterrent to the formation of the humble workaday firms that for many people are a path to autonomy and prosperity.
- What If You Could Truly Be Yourself at Work? | Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review
- Each of us is far less likely to succeed by forever pushing to stand out from the pack than by building communities of care and trust committed to raising the bar for everyone.
- After Sandy, How Small Businesses Can Pick Up the Pieces | WSJ.com
- All along the East Coast, small businesses are trying to get back up and running after superstorm Sandy. But for those faced with physical damage and lost profit, the road back to normal may be long and bumpy.
- Why Business Meetings Are Often a Waste of Time and Productivity | WSJ
- Before you call a meeting, think about whether you can accomplish your goals through email or a quick phone call. You rarely need to call a meeting if you?re just planning on sharing information or issuing action instructions. By contrast, meetings may be needed to debate issues or to develop new approaches.
Finance and Accounting
- Some small businesses choose to self-insure | USA Today
- The key to self-insurance for small companies is stop-loss coverage, which often kicks in when medical costs per worker are as low as $10,000 or $20,000, limiting the employer's risk almost as well as a regular plan.
- Small business confidence, capital spending plans rise | Reuters
- Confidence among small businesses rose in February as owners shrugged off a tightening in fiscal policy and raised plans to increase capital spending and restock their warehouses.
- Fidelity: 401(k) Balances Grew 12% to Record High in 2012 | CNBC
- Employee 401(k) accounts are growing fast, thanks to the surging stock market and increased contributions from workers and their employers.
- S.B.A. Signs Its First Venture Capital Fund to New Investment Program - NYTimes.com
- Last week, the Small Business Administration announced that it had granted a venture capital fund from North Carolina the first license to participate in a new program to encourage investment.
- Crowdfunding for Small Business Is Still an Unclear Path | NYTimes.com
- As the S.E.C. struggles to balance protection for investors with increased access to capital for small businesses, some advocates of crowdfunding worry that the idea?s promise will be stifled.
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