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From Small Business Administration Blog
March 14, 2013 - 11:58am

With fast access to cash, convenience and all the perks that come along with it, a business credit card is a standard tool used by business owners.
But did you know that less than 50% of the credit cards obtained by business owners nationwide are actually in the company’s name?
It’s a shocking reality, to say the least, but the good news is there are plenty of business credit cards that cater to savvy business owners like you who understand the importance of establishing business credit.

From Department of Commerce Blog
March 14, 2013 - 10:50am
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank today announced the appointment of 26 members to the 2013 Manufacturing Council (Council). The Council, established in 2004 and directed by the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, helps to ensure that there is regular communication between the U.S.
From Small Business Administration Blog
March 14, 2013 - 7:25am

Hiring employees is probably the most important decision any entrepreneur will ever make. But relinquishing some of the responsibility of your business to others is tough.
The key to getting it right is finding employees with the right value alignment and attitude (often easier said than done). Of course, you need to work at it too. Once you’ve built your team, learning to let go and empower employees is critical if you want focus on growing your business.

From Small Business Administration Blog
March 13, 2013 - 7:28am

More and more small companies are using blogging to promote their business. In fact, in 2012, “small business” was one of the fastest growing categories in Technorati, a global blog search engine, with 20 percent growth that year alone (source: Small Business Blogging Proved Effective for the Year 2012 by Rahul Manekari).
Why? Blogs are a great tool for connecting with your customers and sharing your expertise. They also improve your company’s search engine rankings. Search engines love fresh, relevant and local content—and blogs deliver on this need.

From Small Business Administration Blog
March 11, 2013 - 12:29pm

Today, women-owned businesses are the fastest-growing segment of new businesses in our economy.
In fact, an analysis by American Express suggests that the number of women-owned businesses has risen by 200,000 over the past year alone, which is equivalent to just under 550 new women-owned firms created each day.
Regardless of how you slice the data, we know that this trend is growing and that women are over-indexing in entrepreneurship.

From Small Business Administration Blog
March 11, 2013 - 7:12am

Have you ever considered extending your small business storefront to Facebook?
According to The New York Times, small retailers are having more success than their larger counterparts when it comes to selling socially with Facebook storefronts proving to be a successful outlet for small businesses with less than $100,000 in revenue and fewer than 10 employees.

From Department of Commerce Blog
March 8, 2013 - 4:30pm
151st anniversary of Battle of Hampton RoadsThe remains of two unknown USS Monitor sailors, recovered by NOAA and the U.S. Navy in 2002 from the ship’s gun turret, were buried today, with full military honors, at Arlington National Cemetery.
From Department of Commerce Blog
March 7, 2013 - 7:00pm
Guest blog post by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca BlankYesterday, I met with women who are fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in our economy through their leadership at top venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.We discussed the need for more girls and women to be able to find opportunities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, where women comprise less than one-fourth of the workforce. We also discussed how women are investing in and leading startups and businesses in key areas that support U.S.
From Small Business Administration Blog
March 7, 2013 - 5:52pm

Last year the Small Business Administration held a series of regional roundtables with accelerators and universities, and one of the major takeaways was that universities could use a dedicated forum to discuss best practices and build new connections between academia and startup entrepreneurs.
Based off this feedback, the SBA and Department of Commerce created Startup University as a forum for educators and entrepreneurs like you to vote, comment, add provide feedback, but we need your help!
Visit our new Startup University website and tell us what you are seeing:

From Department of Commerce Blog
March 7, 2013 - 10:45am
Guest blog post by Dr. Rebecca Blank, Deputy Secretary of CommerceYesterday, I was in California to talk with business executives who are part of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. We discussed key issues facing them as they continue to grow, create jobs, and drive both innovation and competitiveness here in the U.S.They just completed an annual survey of their own membership.

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