Many analysts have pointed to community banks’ lack of interest in tapping the national Small Business Lending Fund as indicative of the overall state of the credit market, with lending stalled due more so to weak demand than tighter policies.
But as companies emerge from the recession and seek to expand their operations through hiring, marketing and equipment investment, the demand for credit is expected to grow as well.
As Maria Coyne, executive vice president of business banking for the Cleveland-based KeyBank, recently explained to Entrepreneur magazine, small firms are actually borrowing to afford additions to their payroll.
“[Small businesses are] also taking advantage of existing opportunities,” Coyne told Entrepreneur. “Perhaps they’ve explored other ways to sell their products or services or expand into new markets and now they need to borrow to bolster their inventories. Maybe they’re taking advantage of existing tax credits to purchase heavy equipment that can help a company be more efficient.”
But underlying these market trends is consumer activity, which is often seen as the principle driver of sales, hiring and investment. With the most recent Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index showing a three-month high in May, analysts may anticipate credit market growth in coming months.
Entrepreneurs forming a company in California are likely experts on the state’s myriad regulatory hurdles and burdensome tax structures. The web of red tape is such that a recent Small Business California study found 21 percent of small business owners in the state do not expect to be operating in the state three years from now.
Everybody knows that internships are a fantastic opportunity for students to learn, grow and get their foot in the door — especially in today’s competitive job market. But have you ever thought about the benefits a small business enjoys by hiring interns? 
Key economic indicators have been something of a mixed bag in recent weeks, with strong showings of private sector jobs gains marred by higher unemployment, or greater consumer confidence muddled by rising commodity prices.
Even before the step of incorporating a business, entrepreneurs are tasked with developing effective promotional strategies to spread awareness of their brand and generate their first wave of customers.
Last Friday marked the conclusion of National Small Business Week, wherein business leaders and government figures took efforts to champion the role of small companies in promoting job growth, entrepreneurship, innovation and general economic prosperity.
Forming a company in the U.S. manufacturing sector has not been a simple task over the past few years, as factory jobs continue to ship overseas. However, a report released Tuesday by the Institute for Supply Management shows revenues in the industry are indeed improving.
