ReportWire

Tag: Small business

  • Nearly Half of Congress Urges Supreme Court To Strike Trump Tariffs

    [ad_1]

    Lawmakers are rallying against President Donald Trump’s tariffs a week before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments over the legality of the newly imposed duties.

    A bipartisan group of 207 lawmakers last week submitted an amicus brief arguing that Trump does not have the authority to implement such sweeping tariffs under the the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law Trump has used to justify his policies.

    “The Administration’s interpretation of IEEPA would effectively nullify the guardrails set forth in every statute in which Congress expressly granted the President limited tariff authority — a result Congress did not intend,” the lawmakers argue in their brief. 

    They further argue that it is the Constitution that gives Congress the power to implement tariffs, not the president. Thirty-six senators appeared on the brief, along with 171 House Democrats. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) was the only Republican to sign off on the brief. 

    The brief is the latest in a lawsuit initially filed by Rick Woldenberg, the CEO of Learning Resources, a Vernon Hills, Illinois-based educational toy company that expected 2025 would be its best year on record. Then Trump’s tariffs hit. Woldenberg, who expects sales to dip by 25 percent this year after the new, skyrocketing duties took effect, wants to recoup the tariffs he, along with thousands of other companies, have paid so far this year. 

    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has previously acknowledged that collective tariff refunds could be as much as $1 trillion.

    A lower court ruled in August that Trump’s tariffs are illegal, setting off a high-stakes showdown before the Supreme Court, which will settle the matter at the highest judicial level. An early October survey from JPMorgan shows that trade experts believe the odds could be as high as 80 percent that the Supreme Court will rule against Trump’s tariff policies.

    “While the sitting three liberal justices are expected to oppose IEEPA tariffs, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Barrett–both with pro-business leanings — may also side against,” the survey said. 

    The Senate is deliberating three different bills that seek to eliminate Trump’s tariffs in some capacity, though passage is unlikely on any front.

    Meanwhile, Trump continued escalating his tariff rhetoric, most recently slapping Canada with an additional 10 percent tariff after a Canadian-backed television advertisement ran during a World Series game. The ad, paid for by Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, critiqued Trump’s tariff policies, using then-President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 remarks to extoll the benefits of free trade, decrying what happens when protectionist tariffs are imposed: “Then the worst happens: Markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs,” he said.

    [ad_2]

    Melissa Angell

    Source link

  • 7 Powerful Phrases That Turn Good Teams Into Great Ones

    [ad_1]

    You can’t do it alone. Successful leaders know that having a great team makes all the difference. No one person has all the answers all the time. The trick is learning how to build a high-performing team, which requires more than just delegating work. If you want to build a high-performing team, use these phrases to encourage a collaborative culture that will bring out the best in every member of your team.  

    1. Together we can do this. 

    Use this phrase to remind the members of your team that you’re in it together, and that together you are collectively stronger and more effective. 

    2. Can you think of a better way? 

    When you use this phrase, you will get people to think. It’s a way of saying that you are open to new and better ideas. You have a team of smart, capable people around you who will rise to the challenge if you give them permission. 

    3. Success depends on everyone working together. 

    As the old saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Keep your team’s focus on the importance of working together to achieve success. No one person can do it alone, and no one person is the hero. Every individual on your team is critical to its ultimate success. 

    4. I trust you’ll make the right decision. 

    When you trust your people, you encourage them to be high performers. This phrase is a way of telling others that you give them the freedom to make the right decision for the good of the organization, even if it is not what you personally would do. 

    5. What can I do to help? 

    As a high-performing leader, ask what you can do to help instead of waiting for people to ask you for help. This phrase is a great way of signaling that you are not going to get in the way of your team, and in fact, you are going to actively remove any barriers that get in their way. 

    6. I’ve got your back. 

    Organizations are political places where it pays to be savvy. As a leader, you know this, and this phrase is a way of telling others that you will have their back no matter what. This will help create the psychological safety your people need so they won’t be distracted with political posturing or self-preservation, and they can focus on results. 

    7. Thank you. 

    Being thanked for a job well done never gets old. Be consistent with your gratitude and remind others what a difference they make. This will set the right expectations, which in turn will inspire more of the same. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • 7 Powerful Habits That Will Help Leaders Motivate Themselves

    [ad_1]

    If you’re a leader, I’ll bet you spend a lot of time motivating others—employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders. Sometimes it’s important to remember that the person who needs motivation the most is you. You can’t be a self-starter or a doer for long without a healthy dose of motivation along the way. Here are seven habits that will consistently help you motivate yourself. 

    1. Be specific about your goals. 

    Goals that are clear and specific are more effective than a general “do your best” instruction. If you want more energy, clarity, excitement, and efficiency in achieving your goals, they must be CLEAR goals—collaborative, limited, emotional, appreciable, and refinable. 

    2. Work on what you’re passionate about. 

    This might seem obvious, but if you find your motivation tanking a lot, finding your passion could be a good way to reverse it. The simple truth is, you’re going to be more motivated to do work you like. 

    3. Practice being an optimist. 

    You probably tend to think of yourself as a realist, as in you see things as they are. However, in fact, it’s easy to constantly look at the world as a glass half-empty instead of one that is half-full. My suggestion to you is to be a glass-half-full kind of person and always expect the best. This makes it more likely you will act in ways that will lead to the best outcomes. 

    4. Choose your priorities wisely. 

    Trying to do too much at once is a surefire way to do nothing well. In my experience, I’ve found that you should only have one or two priorities at a time. Any more than that and your day will be ruled by the things that are most urgent, not most important. Choose one or two focus areas that you want to give your all to, and you will be more motivated to do well. 

    5. Surround yourself with motivated people. 

    When you are around motivated people, this will in turn make you more motivated. It’s as if their positivity rubs off on you, and in a way it does. So do your best to stay in the company of motivated people and keep unmotivated people out of your life. 

    6. Anticipate having to try repeatedly. 

    While you should hope for the best, you should always plan for the worst. Expect to try again before you succeed at whatever task it is you’re working to accomplish. Don’t get discouraged when you have to try more than once. It’s part of the process. Don’t take it as a sign that you’ve failed. Instead, take it as data on what needs to be improved. 

    7. Reward your motivated behavior. 

    Motivation expert Bob Nelson, years ago discovered this simple axiom of motivation: You get what you reward. So, if you want to build a habit of self-motivation, you need to reward yourself for doing it. Reinforce your motivated behavior by taking your team out for a nice lunch or ordering pizzas and bask in the knowledge that you’re on the right path for achieving even your greatest goals. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • Hoyo Sambusa expands business, mission to empower Somali women

    [ad_1]

    It’s tough to wrap up everything that’s unfolded at Hoyo Sambusa since it started a decade ago.

    Hoyo, which means “mother” in Somali, was founded to help empower women from Somalia.

    Ghita Worcester, a Blue Cross executive, came out of retirement to help start a company she believes in.

    “If we can get more efficient here, we can hopefully do much more regionally and then nationally,” Worcester, CEO of Hoyo, said.

    Mariam Mohamed, co-owner of Hoyo, came to the U.S. as a college student. She and her late husband, a professor, made Minnesota home. 

    She had a successful consulting career, but realized it wasn’t that clear-cut for refugees.

    “You have to have some resilience to really not fall into the traps,” Mohamed said. “And so what we saw, what was happening for the Somali women, they will be on welfare, and you have limitations on welfare.”

    She broke down the barriers by breaking down dough, making sambusas and making financially independent immigrants.

    Hoyo now works out of a $1.6 million facility. It had a stand at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair and its sambusas are served in school lunchrooms around the state.

    “(A superintendent) told me, ‘Mariam, it’s so amazing because it brought the Somali kids and the American kids together.’” Mohamed said. “And they go home and they say, ‘We got this from the Somali community.’ So parents, their children will tell them, ‘I like this, Mom, you have to buy it.’ So, it has been an amazing experience for those who knew the Somali people, but they were bystanders, not knowing the food they make is one of the best food, because everybody loves sambusa.”

    Hoyo is a $1 million company, but Worcester and Mohamed haven’t taken a penny.

    “My dream is to hire, I mean, for me, is hiring more people,” Mohamed said. “And the more we do that, the more potential we will have to hire more people. And the more people we hire is how we are really contributing and changing the lives of these people. That’s my dream.”

    [ad_2]

    Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

    Source link

  • 9 Simple Ways to Drive Business Agility and Accelerate Growth

    [ad_1]

    Small companies have one key advantage big companies often struggle to achieve: agility. In a world of accelerated change, an organization’s ability to pivot quickly can make the difference between success and failure. When it comes to pivoting, small businesses often have a big leg up over their big business competitors. Here are nine simple ways to increase your business’s agility while accelerating growth. 

    1. Obsessed with customers 

    Customers come first. Best-in-class organizations keep a close check on customer feedback and quickly address customer needs. They also anticipate changes in customer demands and preferences. 

    2. Energized by leadership 

    Companies that prioritize agility have leaders who lead by example. These leaders are full of energy and get their work done by encouraging their team members to do great things and then allowing them the freedom to perform. 

    3. Aligned by clarity 

    Agility means fast execution. It’s easier to execute fast when everyone is aligned with common goals. The highest performing organizations have a single direction, and everyone knows how their work relates to the big picture. 

    4. Empowered by simplicity 

    Simple rules and less bureaucracy make for a more agile organization. The fastest organizations are also the simplest organizations. Complexity slows you down. 

    5. Enabled by ownership 

    The most successful organizations have a meritocratic culture, and they are fair to everyone. This inculcates ownership in employees for the success of the organization and themselves. 

    6. Attracted by winning 

    A simple way to attract the best talent in the industry is to show your organization is a great place to work. When good talent comes together, you attract more good talent and create positive momentum for success. 

    7. Disrupted by innovation 

    Successful organizations stay ahead of the curve and are also the most innovative. New ideas and initiatives draw the attention of both customers and employees. 

    8. Ratcheted by challenge 

    Best-in-class organizations push the envelope. They encourage people to stretch themselves by giving and taking constructive criticism and expecting the best from everyone. 

    9. Accelerated by collaboration 

    Collaboration and trust-based partnerships, both within and outside the organization, result in win-win situations and help in building long-term business relationships. When your people communicate better, they get more and better work done. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • 7 Non-Negotiable Rules for Launching a Successful Startup

    [ad_1]

    The startup economy never sleeps: from incubators to accelerators to eager investors to a generation with a pioneering spirit that craves to be its own boss. However, despite lofty aspirations and untold resources, thousands of businesses never get off the ground for every startup that hits the billion-dollar mark. 

    What’s the difference between success and failure? Successful businesses have little or nothing to do with chance or good fortune. If you want to build a company that lasts, you’ve got to have discipline, and there are proven rules, principles, and standards that are not open for negotiation. The following are seven “commandments” of entrepreneurship to guide you along the path of building a durable, successful venture. 

    1. Lock down your “why.” 

    Can every employee in your organization explain your core value proposition in a clear, concise, and compelling way? The specific problem you solve matters a lot. However, so does why you’re better positioned than any competitor to provide the best solution. If your team can’t instantly and persuasively communicate your value proposition, you’re not ready to sell a single product. 

    2. Place your bets on the jockeys. 

    “Investors always bet on the jockeys, not the horses they ride.” It’s a simple but profound truth: your business’ technology, product, platform, solution, whatever it is—those are all important, but they’re not as important as your executive team. Attract the best, brightest, and strongest talent you can. Bring in an executive team that is sufficiently equipped, skilled, and psychologically tough enough to manage the risk and effectively handle a crisis when it occurs. 

    3. Fail forward, but never twice. 

    Failure is not a dirty word. As a matter of fact, if you want to grow, then you’ve got to fail forward. You can’t be so risk averse or afraid to pivot and iterate that you don’t take the necessary chances to improve your business. On the other hand, there are some decisions and mistakes you should never make twice. If there’s one surefire way to fail, it’s to do the same wrong thing over again. 

    4. The stakeholder is your North Star. 

    Your company isn’t an island unto itself, and it doesn’t exist for its own sake. The stakeholders, who are any people that have an investment or interest in your business, are your true north. From customers, employees, investors and partners to the community you’re serving, and the regulators who preside over your industry, meeting their needs is your number one priority and is always the right answer. 

    5. Don’t be the first one in. 

    “First-mover advantage” is frequently a myth. A lot of the early exploratory work is just that, uncharted. Your early venture capital or seed money should never be wasted on pioneering when you can follow in someone else’s footsteps. Learn from those who pave the way and then execute far more strategically and efficiently than your early competition. 

    6. Guard your crown jewels. 

    Your intellectual property (IP) is not expendable, and it’s often the key differentiator in your future valuation and ability to compete in your marketplace. Code, processes, key trademarks, and any unique solution you have on hand—those are the things that must be jealously guarded from even the possibility of disclosure. Put the legal agreements in place today. 

    7. The biggest hurdle is often mindset. 

    This is an easy one to read, but among the most brutal axioms of business to accept. It’s a simple observation: If you believe it can’t be done, you’re absolutely right. The startup world is filled with challenges that seem insurmountable at the time. If you don’t have the absolute unshakable confidence you can make it happen, you won’t ever improve your odds of success. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • Vancouver To Help Small Businesses, Underserved Communities – KXL

    [ad_1]

    The City of Vancouver has launched a small business loan program for underserved communities. Acquired Through MGN Online on 08/14/2025

    VANCOUVER, WA – Starting this week, the City of Vancouver is accepting proposals from nonprofit Community Development Financial Institutions interested in helping to administer a new Revolving Loan Fund meant to promote economic development in underserved communities by increasing access to capital for businesses unable to secure traditional financing.

    “This fund is a critical step toward expanding economic opportunity in communities that have historically faced barriers to growth,” said Small Business and Entrepreneurship Program Manager Victor Saldanha. “By partnering with a nonprofit CDFI, we are increasing access to capital while laying the groundwork for a locally rooted financial institution that can serve Vancouver’s small businesses for years to come.”

    The fund will be initially capitalized using $1.2 million originally received from the American Rescue Plan Act.

    The Revolving Loan Fund is part of the City’s Fourth Plain for All Investment Strategy and the recently adopted Five-Year Economic Development Strategy.  It will initially promote economic development within the Fourth Plain Investment Area, but the plan is to eventually go citywide, according Saldanha.

    The City wants to contract with a nonprofit CDFI to administer the fund, including securing additional capital to grow the lending capacity of the fund and assist the City.

    Anyone interested will find Request for Proposal application instructions and proposal packets at cityofvancouver.bonfirehub.com. Proposals must be submitted through the City’s procurement portal no later than Dec. 10 at 3:00 p.m., PST.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Tim Lantz

    Source link

  • Why Passion for Your Work Is Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage

    [ad_1]

    Do you know which professionals always stand out in the crowd? It’s the fans, fanatics, and enthusiasts about their work. If you’re successful, chances are, you don’t only do what you love but you really enjoy doing it. When you talk about your products, services, or business, you have a light in your eyes that no advertising campaign can buy. 

    Find your professional North Star 

    However, what if you haven’t found the work that excites you? What if you are looking for what makes you enthusiastic and passionate? You may be working in a job for the money. Perhaps, you have not taken the time to discover what really motivates you. The good news is that you can work on it—just ask yourself the following questions: 

    • What do I really like to do at work? 
    • What am I good at doing? 
    • What impact do I want to generate? 
    • What do I understand about professional success? 

    Finding answers to these questions will make all the difference in your life. 

    The transformation process 

    The process usually begins with a crisis, loss, or frustration. It is common for this situation to occur after losing a job or getting passed up for a promotion. It usually leaves you more frustrated and without knowing what to do. However, this situation is also the one that can get you out of your comfort zone and can lead you to find your professional passion. If you’ve been laid off or passed over, you will have to accept and start moving forward again. 

    You must give yourself time to find work that has to do with something that you are not only good at, but you also like. Although there are people who have an innate passion for what they do, many of us must work on it a bit. 

    The most important thing 

    The most important thing at this point is to have the courage to be who you are and try to do what makes you resonate. It is a liberating and also a surprising process to discover and reconnect with what you are really passionate about. The result is a renewed professional image accompanied by something that was not there before: passion. When you put this passion and joy into your work, success is practically guaranteed. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • Families, businesses capitalize on MEA weekend

    [ad_1]

    As Minnesota’s MEA weekend enters its third day, families are making the most of it – as are Twin Cities fall staples. 

    At Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater, owner Chris Aamodt says the 4-day weekend is still impactful for his orchard’s 77th year.

    “MEA has gotten to be one of the biggest weekends that we have, when you combine all four days,” Aamodt said. “We’ve just seen it continue to grow as one of the biggest weekends of the year.”

    Aamodt says on a good MEA weekend, they’ll host anywhere from 25,000-35,000 guests at their family farm. This includes the Colbertson family from Centerville, who came to pick apples on Saturday.

    “It’s gorgeous. This is probably the best week for MEA – it’s the perfect temperature, you throw the hoodie on, it’s good to go,” said Jesse Colbertson. 

    [ad_2]

    Adam Duxter

    Source link

  • 4 Smart Risk-Taking Principles Every Entrepreneur Should Know

    [ad_1]

    Business is about taking risks, but not every risk is smart. The difference between calculated gambles that make you successful and foolish bets that destroy your business is all about sticking to certain principles. Throughout the years, I have seen many entrepreneurs win or lose because of how they approach risk. If you want to change the way you look at and take risks in your own business, here are four tenets to live by inspired by my colleague, Karen Firestone, co-founder and Chair Emerita of Aureus Asset Management. 

    1. Correctly size up your risks. 

    When a new opportunity comes up, you need to ask yourself: Is this risk right-sized for my current situation? Right sizing means calibrating the potential downside of your risk relative to how much you can afford to lose. In other words, a startup should never have all its eggs in one product launch, just like a portfolio manager should not allocate 50 percent of a fund to their “best idea ever.” 

    Perhaps you’re an entrepreneur in real estate looking to buy your first office space for your growing company. You’ve been saving and planning for this moment for years, and the space you fell in love with initially was out of budget. However, now that your company has grown, that place is finally “the right size.” Ignore the warning signs and invest in that property, and you could end up paying too much in lease payments to be sustainable. You made the risk larger than your company could handle. 

    Right sizing risk applies to hiring decisions, marketing budgets, investment in infrastructure, product launches, and more. You want to bet enough to make progress but not so much that one move could be a knockout punch to your business. 

    2. Master your timing. 

    Timing is everything. I don’t care how good an idea is, if the timing is off, you will fail. Opening a beach resort in hurricane season is a terrible decision. Launching a luxury product or service during an economic downturn is another example. Successful entrepreneurs know how to time their decisions by paying close attention to market cycles, seasonal fluctuations in demand, and competitive activity. That doesn’t mean you should wait around until everything lines up perfectly because it never will. Instead, it means knowing when you have momentum or a tailwind behind you and when you don’t. 

    Perfect timing is rare, but good timing is out there all the time. Learning to spot it is one of the most important risk-taking skills you can develop. Sometimes, the right move is simply to make a decision faster than others. 

    3. Leverage knowledge and experience. 

    Don’t take risks in areas where you don’t have fundamental expertise. It sounds simple but believe me that entrepreneurs make this mistake repeatedly. Tempting opportunities come in all shapes and sizes in all different areas, and it’s easy for you to get seduced by the potential. 

    Say you are a small software company looking to expand into hardware. You should absolutely leverage experts and hire smart people who know what they are doing. Go to the established players in hardware and partner with them. Your doctor does not look up surgical procedures during an operation because she has read about it before. Instead, she knows what she is doing because she has done it many times before. Set that bar for yourself. 

    4. Stay skeptical of guarantees. 

    Mistakes that come with taking risks are easy to make when you let go of healthy skepticism. If someone promises you a sure thing, guaranteed returns, or a “can’t-miss” opportunity, be on the alert for a scam. Spreadsheets are a wonderful thing, but in reality, spreadsheets are just highly educated guesses and throughout time, they never turn out perfectly. 

    If someone is selling you a “sure thing” or a “best idea I ever heard,” then do yourself a favor and walk away until you have sufficient time to do your due diligence. No opportunity is guaranteed. Successful entrepreneurs always question assumptions, stress-test projections, and plan for the worst. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues Trump administration over $100,000 H-1B visa fee

    [ad_1]

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday alleging that a $100,000 fee for new visas for highly skilled foreign workers is unlawful.

    The lawsuit aims to block the charge for new H-1B visa applications, which the chamber said would inflict “significant harm” on American businesses by sharply increasing their labor costs or curtailing their ability to hire skilled employees.

    The fee only applies to new petitions for this specific visa, not to existing H-1B visas or renewals.

    “The new $100,000 visa fee will make it cost-prohibitive for U.S. employers, especially startups and small and midsize businesses, to utilize the H-1B program, which was created by Congress expressly to ensure that American businesses of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here in the U.S.,” Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the chamber, said in a statement.

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the country’s largest pro-business organization, representing nearly 3 million companies. News of the group’s lawsuit was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. 

    While the chamber concedes that U.S. presidents have significant authority over the entry of noncitizens into the country, Mr. Trump’s Sept. 19 proclamation regarding H-1B visas exceeds his authority and “blatantly contravenes the fees Congress has set” for the program, the group says. 

    According to the lawsuit, “The Proclamation is not only misguided policy; it is plainly unlawful.” 

    White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the administration’s actions are “lawful and are a necessary, initial, incremental step toward necessary reforms to the H-1B program.”  

    “President Trump promised to put American workers first, and his commonsense action on H1-B visas does just that by discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages, while providing certainty to employers who need to bring the best talent from overseas,” Rogers added.

    The H-1B visa was created by Congress in 1990 to attract foreign workers in technical fields like engineering, and it has been widely used in recent years by big technology companies to hire programmers and other technology specialists from abroad. 

    The lawsuit comes after a coalition of health care groups and labor unions earlier this month sued the Trump administration, alleging the H-1B fee is unlawful.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 2 Programs That Gave $4.7 Billion to Small Businesses Last Year Just Shut Down

    [ad_1]

    The plunge into American entrepreneurship is anything but easy. Just ask Daniel Spokoyny, who took the leap this month after leaving academia to start BeeSafe AI, a San Diego-based startup aimed at combatting cyber criminals that use social engineering methods to scam consumers. If you have a phone and have ever received an SMS message inviting you to apply for a job, or maybe suggesting that you won the lottery, then you’ve likely encountered one of these schemes.

    Spokoyny and his co-founder, Nikolai Vogler, are gathering intel on scammers, building out so-called “honeypot” chatbots, which will mimic real-life victims. This will help map out the networks of these cybercriminals in real-time.

    To pay their salaries, build infrastructure and purchase software services, the co-founders applied for and received $305,000 worth of funding from The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Without that program, Spokoyny says, BeeSafe wouldn’t be in business.

    “The fact that these ventures are high-risk for academics is particularly what drives innovation because we tried to go out and raise money last year, and our technology was too high-risk for investors,” Spokoyny says. “That’s why we applied to the Small Business Innovation Research.”

    SBIR and its peer, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) are decades-old programs that have doled out more than $70 billion in funding to entrepreneurial research projects that show promise for innovation and mass commercialization. More than 30,000 companies owe their success in part to SBIR and STTR.

    The main difference between the two is that SBIR, which started in 1982, has mainly focused on small businesses conducting their own R&D efforts while STTR, which started in 1992, often involves a partnership between a university or research lab and an entrepreneur. The three phases of the program are broken down into research, prototyping, and commercialization, respectively. 

    Notable beneficiaries of SBIR include Qualcomm, which received $1.5 million in funding in the 1980s to build the technology underpinning our modern cellular networks.

    But as of this month, both SBIR and SBTT are on ice.

    Funding for the programs ran out on Oct. 1 and was the subject of heated debate in the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship between the committee’s top lawmakers: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), committee chair, and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), ranking member. 

    “The SBIR & STTR programs fuel America’s innovation engine,” Markey, who has sought to make the program permanent, said last week. “Cutting successful small businesses out would be like cutting your top scorer before a big game.”

    Sen. Ernst introduced her own bill as well, arguing that the programs are vulnerable to abuse from foreign adversaries like China. She pointed to a report she released that found 835 applications were flagged for having foreign risks between 2023 and 2024. (Of those applications, 303 were denied.) 

    “Even one case is too many,” Ernst said. 

    To the benefit of thousands of small companies, the government sought to obligate $4.7 billion across the two programs during fiscal year 2024.

    And for as much funding as SBIR and SBTT have given out, they’ve also helped save the government money as well. A total of $4.5 million in SBIR awards allowed the Scottsdale, Arizona-based W5 Technologies, a mobile communication company, to come in and enhance a global communication network used by the government. In doing so, they helped the Department of Defense save $30 million, according to company CEO Jason Ferguson.

    How did they do it? In essence, by taking a cell tower and extending the antenna out by 20,000 miles with unique satellite technology.

    W5’s system uses what’s known as geosynchronous satellites. No bigger than two shoeboxes glued together, these satellites orbit the moon more closely than they do Earth. What’s special about them is that they rotate around the equator at the same speed as that of the Earth’s rotation. So from our perspective from Earth, the satellite is stationary. Because of this, W5 uses these satellites as cell towers to bounce signals off of. The technology helps American warfighters communicate in real-time (For security reasons, the military doesn’t use commercial networks like Verizon or Comcast for their comms.)

    “The SBIR program allowed us to make the transition from only supporting large primes to us being a prime ourselves and really taking an idea, turning it into a working product, marketing it, and then selling it back into the Department of Defense,” Ferguson says.

    In fostering American innovation, the programs have not just heightened national security, but strengthened economic security in the commercialization efforts of some of these projects. (More successful ventures allow for their expansion, which injects more jobs in a local ecosystem.)

    So what happens to American innovation and to the small entities that might flounder without the benefits derived from SBIR and STTR? Just ask BeeSafe’s Spokoyny. “There’s a very good chance that without [SBIR funding], I wouldn’t have started the company with my co-founder.”

    [ad_2]

    Melissa Angell

    Source link

  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: New WA taxes push small businesses to close

    [ad_1]

    ‘Seattle News Weekly S1E9’: Controversial new taxes take effect in WA

    On the ninth episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchor Hana Kim talks about a suite of controversial new taxes that took effect this month, pushed by the state’s Democratic-majority Legislature. Joining Hana to discuss the effect of these recent taxes is Joshua Dirks, team lead of Seattle-based advertising company Project Bionic.

    SEATTLE – A controversial slew of taxes went into effect on Oct. 1 in Washington state, which aim to generate about $9 billion over four years. The taxes impact about 90,000 businesses. 

    On the ninth episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchor Hana Kim talks about a suite of controversial new taxes that took effect this month, pushed by the state’s Democratic-majority Legislature. Joining Hana to discuss the effect of these recent taxes is Joshua Dirks, team lead of Seattle-based advertising company Project Bionic.

    The controversy centers on the expansion of the retail sales tax to cover various services, including digital advertising. This tax is now applied to services such as information technology, custom website development, investigation/security services, live presentations and custom software.

    Dirks runs a digital agency that he says has become prohibitively expensive to run in the state of Washington. Closing his business is a hard fact to face, according to Dirks. 

    On the podcast, Dirks notes that the bill includes an exemption for traditional advertising, such as print ads in newspapers and billboards, but not for digital advertising, which he says creates an uneven playing field. This has caused clients to look out of state, resulting in Dirks losing a 16-year account to a Los Angeles agency.

    They discussed the size of his business, which was made up of 16 employees. They go into the concept that, even though his business is small, it still uses an extensive list of software and digital automated services. 

    Dirks says the taxes are going to create a big knowledge gap in the marketplace because businesses may no longer be able to pay for educational resources and events that revolve around understanding new topics in the industry, like the emergence of AI and the digital sphere overall. 

    Dirks also discusses the increase in the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax. The B&O tax for businesses grossing $5 million or more is set to increase from 1.75% to 2.1%. Dirks clarifies that $5 million in gross revenue is mostly overhead, not profit, for most businesses. Businesses are being “double impacted” by both the new sales tax and a 20% B&O tax increase on services, according to Dirks.

    They discuss the divide in how people believe tax money should be spent in Washington and Dirks encourages voters to research their government officials and where they stand on tax packages like the one enacted on Oct. 1. 

    Dirks brings up that a large business, Comcast, is suing over the tax, but Dirks is critical of state leaders for pushing the tax through in eight days without consulting the industry or small businesses. He advocates for lawmakers to visit small and medium-sized businesses and learn about their operational pain points.

    The podcast concludes with a discussion about large businesses and that businesses will continue to move away from states that are increasing taxes like these. Dirks says people should come together to find a solution to these problems with businesses rather than increasing tax. 

    The podcast wraps up after Dirks says he anticipates other creative businesses are considering moving out of the state. He states he will eventually move out of the area and no longer incorporate his future businesses in Washington, choosing to be “geoflexible.” He warns that the mass exodus of talent could “meteorically change the face of what Seattle looks like.”

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

    MORE NEWS FROM FOX SEATTLE

    Black Lives Matter mural vandalized in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood

    Nearly 1,000 Starbucks workers in Seattle, Kent to be laid off

    First WA snow of the season to hit this week. Here’s where

    How to watch UW Huskies football vs. Rutgers game live

    Suspected DUI driver crashes into Pierce County deputy, arrested

    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

    Seattle News Weekly PodcastSmall BusinessBusiness

    [ad_2]

    Annabelle.Pepin@fox.com (Annabelle Pepin)

    Source link

  • Thousands of dollars worth of Pokémon cards stolen from three local stores

    [ad_1]

    Three local collectible stores in the Triangle were robbed in the past week. The thief did not take cash or technology, just Pokémon cards. 

    “Somebody came through the front door, looks like with a bag of rocks. Smashed the door and went straight to the showcase,” said Joseph Lisa, co-owner of Crunch Time Sports Cards. 

    Lisa tells WRAL the thief walked away with over $6,000 worth of inventory.

    Two other collectible shops in the area were hit: Hidden Block Games and New World Toys and Collectibles. They were robbed in almost the same way as Crunch Time and reported thousands of dollars of inventory stolen.

    “I would assume that the person who did this has been in the store before, kind of knew what we kept,” said Josh Hanna, co-owner of Hidden Block Games.

    Pokémon cards have been popular for decades, but recent printings have caused the hobby to skyrocket. In the nearly 30 years the hobby has existed, more than 75 billion Pokémon cards have been printed, with more than 50% of the card printings coming since 2021.

    It can also be a lucrative opportunity for those looking to invest. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Pokémon cards, which pay no dividends and aren’t subject to financial regulations that stocks or real estate would be, can have a 3,821% monthly return on an investment, outpacing Meta platforms, baseball cards and the S&P 500.

    Even some more modern sets have cards that routinely sell for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, leading many fans of the franchise and collectors waiting outside of stores hours ahead of a new product release.

    Shop owners tell WRAL robberies like this have occurred around the country, and in light of that store owners are amping up security. Some are investing in more cameras, others are installing reinforced glass windows and doors.

    “The whole staff has an incredible passion for the store, for the product that we sell. So when something like this happens, it’s just shocking, it’s unfortunate, and we just have to kind of rebuild from it,” said Kenny Cunningham, employee at New World Toys and Collectibles. 

    As of Friday, no one has been arrested in connection with any of the robberies. Store owners say many of the Pokémon Cards stolen are valuable and easily identifiable, and they hope that when and if the thief attempts to sell the cards, it will lead to an arrest. 

    Anyone with information related to the robberies at Crunch Time and Hidden Block is asked to contact Raleigh Police. Anyone with information related to the robbery at New World is asked to contact the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. 

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Twin Cities woman takes fall decorating to the next level with unique business

    [ad_1]

    As the fall season settles in, one Twin Cities woman is turning porches into picture-perfect autumn scenes, and business is booming.

    Michelle Rollins is the owner of Pumpkin Lane Delivery, a new business that brings fall decor straight “from patch to porch.”

    “When I say we’re from patch to porch, it truly is from the pumpkin patch to the porch,” she said.

    This is Rollins’ first year in business, and her displays, which range from $50 to $750, sold out in a matter of days.

    “It was fast. It was faster than I thought,” Rollins said.

    She believes the high demand comes down to something simple and heartfelt.

    “The thing that’s universal, that I’ve learned, is that most of the time, Mom just wants to make a memory for her kids,” Rollins said. “There’s nothing more welcoming than creating a front porch scape that’s picture perfect, that she can sit her kids down and feel like, ‘The season’s ready. I’m ready.’”

    Her website features numerous porch designs, including one that raised money for Annunciation Church and School.

    “That sold out in less than 24 hours,” Rollins said. “I almost thought maybe there’s nothing I can do. But then I thought no, no, everyone’s going to be OK. I can do something. Little old me can do something.”

    That small act of kindness, she says, was meant to bring a bit of comfort to a community still healing.

    “The school has a saying. It is to give hope and help heal. And I hope in my small way that I can be a part of that movement,” Rollins said.

    Whether she’s decorating for families, neighbors or local causes, Rollins says her mission remains the same.

    “If I can take my creative skills and apply them to the front porch, that just makes me happy,” she said.

    While Pumpkin Lane Delivery is sold out of displays for the year, there are still options for families looking for some help crafting the perfect porch for the fall season.

    [ad_2]

    Joe Van Ryn

    Source link

  • North Texas content creators: from side hustles to successful influencer careers

    [ad_1]

    Social media content creators and influencers are all over Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

    It’s estimated that thousands of them are living in North Texas. But how much are they earning from it, and could anyone be successful at it?

    Meet the DFW content creators and influencers

    You’ll find Courtney Stensland at the fair, on the field and and anywhere there’s good food.

    You might find Krystyan Lazarin there as well, or promoting a sports line and skin care. 

    Cord Green is a chef cooking up classics and cashing in while doing it from the comfort of his own kitchen. 

    They are DFW social media influencers who took a big risk leaving behind 9-to-5 office jobs to build what have become successful careers in a growing industry. 

    “You know, I worked in corporate America, different jobs, and then, during the pandemic, is when I came back around to trying to do our YouTube,” said Green.

    “I’ve been in that 9-to-5 job,” said Lazarin, a social media creator/influencer. “You know, I had a job where I was traveling an hour to and from work, and it was almost like, ‘wow, I’m making great money, but I’m not happy because I’m not able to use it.’”

    “I actually was really scared to go, you know, more full-time,” said Stensland, a social media creator/influencer. “I quit my corporate job two years ago.”

    Getting started: advice from content creators and influencers

    These content creators say they are now getting by on the income from being online entrepreneurs. We spent time with them to find out how they do it and how you can as well.  

    In Green’s case, he’s now authored a popular line of cookbooks for his YouTube followers because he looks at them as more than just numbers. 

    “Focus on community is not about the number of followers that you have, but the quality of followers that you have,” Green said.

    Stensland says the key to standing above others in her profession, as she has, is to know your audience and only promote what you actually like. 

    “Since I’m from Dallas, I want people to love Dallas as much as I do,” said Stensland. “It’s easy when you’re promoting things you use every day.”

    Lazarin evolved from being a top amateur tennis and pickleball player, and now, with more than 400,000 followers, says he has more branding opportunities to make money than he can handle. 

    But he says you have to be willing to invest in quality equipment.

    “So a lot of people don’t know, you know, like that will come out of my pocket, but I want to make sure I give the best quality content, whether it’s on my page or for a company I’m working with,” said Lazarin. “But I have probably four or five different editing apps that I will use in terms of video or photo.”

    You might have to settle for just getting free products or services at the beginning of a content creator career. 

    But those who do it say, as their base grows, the $200, $500 and $1,000 payments for postings start adding up. 

    There are 50 million global content creators, according to research by the Wall Street Journal, which found that only 13% earn over $100,000 annually. 

    From side hustle to full-time job

    But the money people make from it is expected to double in 2 years to $480 billion.

    It started out as a side hustle for these North Texans who say if you post consistently and follow their paths, it can eventually pay off. 

    “You’re not going to know what you’re doing, but that’s the beauty of it,” said Green.

    J.D. Miles

    J.D. Miles is an award-winning reporter who has been covering North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The AI-Powered Patent Check That Is Reducing Risk for Startups and Their Lawyers

    [ad_1]

    AI is changing patent work in the same way spreadsheets changed accounting. The busy-work shrinks, and expert judgment matters more. That shift is good news for founders, investors, and, most crucially, attorneys who want to deliver earlier, more precise answers about, “Can we ship this without stepping on someone else’s patent?” 

    Why AI patent work matters now 

    In fast cycles, teams commit to features, designs, and markets long before the full extent of legal risk is known. Traditional patent searching is thorough but slow and expensive when used as the first step for every idea. AI, however, flips the order. It makes a quick, inexpensive first pass possible at the start, so attorneys can focus time where it counts. 

    What’s an early FTO check  

    Freedom to operate (FTO) is about risk. “Are there patents out there that our product might infringe?” A pre-FTO or triage pass is a fast screen—minutes, not weeks—that scans the landscape and highlights likely collisions. It’s not a legal opinion. It’s a map that says, “Pay attention here,” so counsel can dive deep efficiently. 

    What’s changed about the patent process 

    Modern AI can read and understand any sort of document fast and reliably, break it into claim-like elements—such as features, methods, and signals—and match those against huge patent corpora to surface the closest neighbors. AI is great at recall and ranking. The lawyer is great at boundaries and remedies—deciding if a claim overlaps, proposing a design-around, or advising to avoid jurisdiction. 

    The attorney angle and advantage 

    AI doesn’t replace legal judgment; it routes work to it sooner. That means attorneys can offer productized, fixed-fee “front-door” services without guessing. Think of it as a standard intake: 

    1. Triage: This is fast and low cost. Run the idea through a pre-FTO screen; get a ranked list of potential conflicts with plain-language notes. 
    2. Counsel review: This can be flat or fixed. An attorney interprets the overlaps, tests claim boundaries, and recommends changes (“Use method B, not A; file here, avoid there”). 
    3. Formal opinion: This is customized. Where warranted, the full FTO or targeted non-infringement analysis in specific jurisdictions. 

    Clients get speed and clarity while attorneys spend time on judgment, not on stitching together PDFs and queries. 

    Ultimately, tools make all the difference. For example, Evalify, a Nobody Studios portfolio company led and co-founded by William Carbone and Nick Sgobba, is one of the next-gen tools making that front door workable. Teams upload a short product brief or even a presentation deck. The system maps it to relevant patents and returns a preliminary FTO score with the closest references and a readable rationale in minutes. Attorneys then take that packet as the starting point for review, strategy, and, when needed, formal opinions. It’s the intake layer, not the last word. 

    Guardrails that make this safe 

    • Privilege and confidentiality: Matter data is isolated, logs are auditable, and default settings avoid cross-matter training, unless a client explicitly opts in. 
    • Explainability: This is every reference link to why it was flagged. No black-box magic is required to justify the next steps. 
    • Right tool, right moment: Pre-FTO is for early decisions. It doesn’t replace patentability searches, litigation strategy, or full clearance opinions. 

    It’s a win-win for the whole startup ecosystem 

    • Founders and product leaders can add deck-to-pre-FTO to their idea checklist before locking the roadmap. This equals cleaner calls, earlier. 
    • Investors can ask portfolio companies for a triage pass at the proposal stage. This reduces avoidable risk and speeds de-risking. 
    • Attorneys and firms can now offer a clear entry product—priced, scoped, and fast. They’ll use AI to widen the top of the funnel and reserve expert time for what they do best. 

    The future of patent work 

    AI won’t practice law, and it definitely won’t replace attorneys. However, it will make the front end of patent risk faster, cheaper, and easier to understand. It will also do this at a more predictable, if not fixed, cost. Firms that produce this intake—and founders who make it a habit—will move faster with fewer surprises. That’s not disruption for disruption’s sake. It’s simply better timing for everyone. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • 7 Problematic Ways of Thinking That Trip Up Even the Best of Leaders

    [ad_1]

    If you’re like most leaders, you face an increasingly complex world where problems are everywhere and decisions must be made faster than ever before. In that pressure cooker, it’s tempting to fall back on distorted ways of thinking that guarantee poor results. The consequence: lost opportunities, unresolved issues, and overwhelmed teams engaged in never-ending damage control. Here are seven problematic thinking habits that can ensnare even the brightest leaders, as well as specific solutions to overcome them.

    1. Overanalyzing

    In an effort to be more thorough, overthinkers create complexity from simplicity. A potential solution turns into an uncertain jumble of what-ifs and maybes.

    Solution: Speed trumps perfection when the world is moving faster than you can. Be prepared to experiment, fail, learn, and try again. You don’t have to create the perfect prototype or the perfect outcome. Instead, you just have to learn.

    2. Rejecting ideas

    Actively ignoring an idea simply because it comes from outside the team or organization is a colossal waste of valuable insights.

    Solution: Stop ignoring what’s going on outside your four walls. Welcome and celebrate innovations developed elsewhere.

    3. Self-censoring

    This is when you instinctively judge and reject your own thoughts before you even share them with others. Self-censorship is one of the worst thinking flaws of all.

    Solution: Self-distance. Ask yourself, “What would someone I respect say about this idea?” This creates psychological space between you and your idea.

    4. Jumping to solutions

    You may find yourself defaulting to jumping directly to solving a problem instead of first identifying its true nature. It’s easy to skip this crucial step because it seems pointless.

    Solution: Focus as much on formulating the right questions as you do on finding solutions. Ask better questions and you will almost certainly discover superior answers.

    5. Staying in old patterns of thinking

    Your brain is hardwired to use the same thinking patterns that served you in the past, even if the game has changed. However, as Marshall Goldsmith explored in his best-selling book of the same title, “What got you here won’t get you there.”

    Solution: Invert your thinking. What does failure look like? How can you make this worse? Negative or “what if” questions sometimes unlock new ways of thinking.

    6. Accepting “good enough”

    When left to your own devices, you may settle for “good enough” answers. However, just think about all the mediocre solutions in the world that exist simply because they seem good enough.

    Solution: Break through mediocrity by synthesizing two opposing but mediocre solutions. Creativity emerges when you combine the best of both options in unexpected ways.

    7. Settling for less

    Do you find yourself scaling down expectations so you can win a quick but modest victory? In reality, when you do that, you’re just increasing the problem.

    Solution: Jump start stuck projects by taking a break to let your subconscious do some heavy lifting. Then, once you’re clear-headed, return and recommit to your initial, more audacious goal instead of the easier one.

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    [ad_2]

    Peter Economy

    Source link

  • As Hennepin construction project nears end, businesses explain impacts

    [ad_1]

    An Uptown construction project in Minneapolis is nearing its end but business owners on Hennepin Avenue worry it doesn’t mean there is light is at the end of the tunnel.

    “We would be buzzing here,” said Nadine Schaefer, the co-owner of Namaste Cafe.

    The stretch of late summer like temperatures would normally draw in the crowds, but businesses on the southern part of Hennepin Avenue say that hasn’t been the reality.

    “The bar would be full. These tables would be full,” said Stephanie Shimp of Blue Plate Restaurant Company, who owns The Lowry.

    In spring of 2024, the City of Minneapolis began phase one of a two-year construction project in Uptown, closing the typically busy corridor for the past two summers. All to improve citygoers’ ability to walk, ride transit, drive and more.

    Newly poured concrete shows that the part of Hennepin is planning to be very bike friendly.

    “We’ve been suffering this month and it’s not even better than winter right now,” said Shaefer. She says June through September is their best period; now it’s not sustainable.

    “Two straight years I’d say we’re 40% down in business,” she added.

    Namaste Cafe has been in business since 2006. Dealing with COVID and 2020’s unrest. Now, they’ve had to innovate to keep the lights on.

    “We are working with our Chai and distributing it to retail stores and coffee shops,” Shaefer added.

    Something that the owner of The Lowry can’t do. They’ve had to cut staff.

    “We’ve had to do increased marketing. We’ve had to do a lot of extra signage like wayfinding,” said Shimp.

    The City of Minneapolis told WCCO in a statement:

    “We’re excited to share that construction on Hennepin Avenue South is entering its final weeks. Over the next several weeks, crews will complete signal work, landscaping, final asphalt paving, and roadway striping. The project is anticipated to be finished in early November, and we look forward to residents and visitors enjoying the improved corridor.

    We recognize the challenges that construction can create for businesses. To help address these impacts, Public Works has taken significant steps to provide information, maintain access, and assist residents and businesses throughout this process.

    -Allen Henry, City of Minneapolis Spokesperson”

    “They put up orange construction signs saying ‘business is open during construction?’ What is that gonna do?” Shimp added.

    Business owners are asking you to shop local, and help if you can.

    “There’s a name and face to every independent restaurant. Likely that person is your neighbor” said Shimp.

    Hennepin County is set to reconstruct Lyndale Avenue in 2027. It’s a project that will run parallel to Hennepin.

    More information on both projects can be found online.

    Frankie McLister

    Frankie McLister, originally from Middletown, Maryland, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.

    [ad_2]

    Frankie McLister

    Source link

  • Government Shutdown: SBA to Furlough 23 Percent of Staff. Here’s What Services Will End

    [ad_1]

    The Small Business Administration plans to furlough roughly 23 percent of its workforce if the government shuts down–and more than a dozen core agency services will halt if funding lapses. 

    Out of its 6,201-person workforce, 4,745 agency workers will be retained in the event of a shutdown, according to the agency’s funding lapse plan. As of Tuesday, the odds of a federal shutdown climbed as negotiations on Capitol Hill among top lawmakers stalled.

    The SBA’s capital access office, field operations, and general counsel are among those that are most impacted in terms of head count.

    Core loan program services including the agency’s flagship 7(a) loan program will halt, meaning that the agency will neither approve new loans nor service existing ones. The same can be said for the agency’s 504 loan program and its microloan program. 

    That said, the agency will continue to disperse direct loans under its disaster aid program. 

    SBA staffers will also be on tap to help with loan forgiveness and repayment options for pandemic-era programs, including the Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster loan program, plus the Paycheck Protection Program.

    And the agency will continue to dole out awards for the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer program, which help fledgling startups with R&D efforts to encourage innovation. 

    Businesses owned by Native Americans will continue to receive aid from the agency as well. 

    Procurement support for women-owned small business contracting and service-disabled veteran-owned small business contracting will get put on ice. No new applications will be processed. 

    But the agency will retain some staffers to assist with small business set-aside programs for federal contractors that will continue to work throughout a shutdown. The agency’s HUBZone program, which helps entrepreneurs in “historically underutilized business zones” with federal procurement, will continue to accept and process new applications. 

    The SBA will also pause all support for the 8(a) Business Development program, the secondary market loan program, and the Small Business Investment Company program.

    [ad_2]

    Melissa Angell

    Source link