On October 21, the President announced new measures that he claims will be part of an ongoing effort to help small businesses access credit and create jobs.   At the heart of the proposal is to have the government make more loans available to our small businesses. 

The three main components include: take further steps to provide small businesses with access to credit by supporting community bank lending through the Financial Stability Plan; seek legislation to increase maximum SBA loan sizes to allow more businesses to access the credit they need; and convening a Treasury-SBA Small Business Lending Conference to work with regulators, lenders and Congress to ensure credit is available to small business.  Do we really need more conversations on the issue?  Let’s get something done.

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There’s good news on the economic front, according to the Women Presidents’ Organization’s annual survey.  The survey reveals that 67% of companies have increased or maintained employee salaries during this recession.   Results from the surveyed membership (membership is women driven) indicate 55% of women presidents and CEOs of multi-million dollar companies have maintained or grown their employee base.  Despite the economic downturn, 82% of these CEOs and presidents are optimistic about their company’s performance for 2010.

This year has produced some compelling numbers in financial performance:

• 31% of companies have grown and 21% are stable and have neutral performance. 
• 54% have made their business environmental friendly.
• 35% are interested in making their business environmental friendly.

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This is National Small Business Week!  Award-winning entrepreneurs from around the country will come together to be recognized for the important role they play in our economy.  Washington, D.C., will play host to these small business owners and advocates of small business.  The entire city will be focused on the importance of small business beginning May 17-23, 2009.

For the past decade, our nation's small businesses have produced 60 percent to 80 percent of the new jobs on an annual basis.  After 9/11 in 2001, small businesses produced 100 percent of all net new jobs to help pull us out of the doldrums.  Small business owners even employ about half of all U.S. workers.  Setting aside one week a year to honor successful entrepreneurs is meaningful.  On Wednesday, May 20, the national small business person of the year will be announced!

The public is invited to attend key forums during this week.  These public forums will feature leading experts discussing issues of critical importance to small businesses and to policy makers. Listed below are Town Hall moderators and speakers and if you can't attend in person, visit SBA's online webcasting at http://www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com/.

Every time you visit a small business this week, congratulate them on their success and thank them for taking the risk.

WHO:    
                Town hall and forum moderators and speakers include:

                JJ Ramberg, Host of MSNBC's "Your Business" and Town Hall Moderator
                Joseph Jordan, SBA Government Contracting and Business Development
                Sara Lipscomb, SBA General Counsel
                Brian Moran, Moran Media Group
                Raghav Lal, Visa Global Business
                Stacey Wueste, HP's Imaging and Printing Group
                Nancy Gioia, Ford Hybrid Vehicle Programs
                Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media
                John Jantsch, Creator of the Duct Tape Marketing for small business

WHAT:   
                TOWN HALL AND KEY BUSINESS FORUMS on critical issues that
                impact small business and the economy to include:

                 Town Hall Meeting: Successful Business Strategies in a Down Economy

                 Financial: Strengthening Small Businesses in a Challenging Economy

                 Innovation: Technology – Our Competitive Edge

                 Social Media: Transforming the Way You Do Business 

WHERE:   
                   National Small Business Week
                   Mandarin Oriental Hotel
                   1330 Maryland Ave., SW
                   Washington, D.C.

WHEN:   
                   May 18-19, 2009

Visit http://www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com/ for registration details and schedule

                                                         *Forums have a nominal $5 fee each to attend.

Is this Stimulus or Spending?  You tell me……

The Congressional Budget Office reports that only 7% of the stimulus spending (approx. $358 billion of the total) will be spent this year. By the end of 2010, only 38% will be spent. And by the end of 2011, only 67% will be spent. Here's a link to a Washington Post story about the CBO Report.

Peter Orszag (Office of Management and Budget) contradicted the CBO report, saying that three-fourths of the OVERALL stimulus package (spending + tax cuts) would hit the ground within 18 months. This is a nuanced, subtle way of saying that the TAX CUTS have a more immediate effect than the SPENDING. Here's a link to a Reuters story about Orszag's comments.

A new website: http://www.readthestimulus.org/ encourages someone to read the bill before passing it. The $825 billion stimulus package will exceed more than $1.1 trillion when adding in the interest ($300 plus billion) between 2009-2019 to pay for it.

The stimulus plan includes funding for contraceptives, family planning, Sexual Transmitted Disease prevention, and so forth. (This is NOT an economic issue nor stimulus. It IS spending.)

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In two days, many of us will gather with friends and family and celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  As we give thanks, I would like to share with you a piece I wrote & I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Small business women and men are thankful to live in a country where dreams shape reality, and where hard work is still appreciated and honored.

Small businesses annually create two-thirds of all new jobs, and contribute an astonishing one-half of the national Gross Domestic Product. America's small enterprises are finding new frontiers every day, and small business women and men still live, in modern ways, the dreams of the Pilgrims and the pioneers of old.

It's interesting how many people are surprised to learn how essential "mom and pop" entrepreneurs remain to broader achievement of the American dream.

In these times of economic uncertainty, it is important to preserve the American small business – a way of life that has endured since our country began.

This year, there may be small business owners who gather around the Thanksgiving table this year with a smaller turkey and fewer trimmings. They may even be working on the holiday.

Times are tough for many. However, it's appropriate to take some time to be thankful, even among the difficulties.

It is a blessing to live and work in America, where "the wealth of nations" has been most dramatically uplifted in ways that empower average people and improve the lives of millions.

But of course, there is still so much to be done. The bounty of the land and the genius of the people must combine so that every American willing to work is able to get a job, at a wage sufficient to support a decent standard of living.

America does it the best, for which we should be truly thankful. But in this land we dare to dream of doing even better. We should be thankful for that, too.

People in small business can certainly be thankful, but are still hopeful for more opportunity and better lives for themselves and the country.

For example, we praise tax cuts that, over the last few years, have allowed us to give raises to good employees, buy more equipment and become more efficient. But small businesses could use additional tax relief to do even more.

Small business people who have been surviving through the financial crises are thankful for community bankers who used sensible and sound policies to stay out of the sub-prime mess. But they would be grateful, as well, for reforms in health care, taxes and workplaces that reduce burdens on small businesses in challenging times. Small business needs access to capital and fewer regulatory burdens.

Some in small business are thankful that success has allowed them to provide good health insurance to employees, yet it would be nice if employers were allowed to purchase individually owned, portable health insurance with pre-tax dollars, and to pass on those benefits to employees.

There is so much that is good about our system and our economy. Yet still there remain corners of injustice and illogic.

Some Americans are grateful to have bosses who allow flexible work hours, but many more could benefit by greater flexibility in labor laws, allowing workers to attend a child's soccer game or take a parent to the doctor one week, and make up those hours the following week.

And shouts of thankfulness and joy would certainly arise if all benefits were taxed in such a way that they didn't raise marginal tax rates for two-income couples and avoided the earnings penalty for seniors who work.

At this time of Thanksgiving, small businesses and workers have much to be thankful for. But there remains work to be done. America needs policies that free small businesses to compete and that provide flexibility, portability and security for employees. The backbone of America is at stake.

Tomorrow is rushing in, bringing a world where the few constants will include fierce competition from abroad. But it will also bring gratitude for the chance to live free, and live well, in America.

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to small business owners for taking the risks to reward others.