US Chamber's #BizUnited Movement Highlights Relationships Between Large and Small Companies

No company, no matter how big or how small, operates in a vacuum. Small businesses like yours, midsize companies, and large corporations count on one another every day. And it’s the interwoven and interdependent relationships between them that move our economy forward. 

We believe in the power of this united American business community.

That’s why we’re sharing with you a new campaign called #BizUnited — and we invite you to join us.

Under the #BizUnited banner, we’re publishing written stories on the U.S. Chamber’s signature platforms, producing videos, and spearheading a social media campaign that highlights the special relationship between America’s small and large businesses. We know that companies of all sizes depend on suppliers, service providers, customers, business partners, and financiers, and we’re excited to showcase these stories of partnership and collaboration.

Here’s a look at our first #BizUnited videos, featuring Darn Good Yarn and John Deere, that capture the spirit of the #BizUnited campaign.

No company, no matter how big or how small, operates in a vacuum. Small businesses like yours, midsize companies, and large corporations count on one another every day. And it’s the interwoven and interdependent relationships between them that move our economy forward. We’d like you to be a part of this campaign. Here are 3 easy ways to participate:

  1. Check out the new #BizUnited home page.
  2. Share your #BizUnited story on Facebook or Twitter and tag companies that help your small business do what it does best every day. Use the hashtag #BizUnited, and we’ll promote your post on the U.S. Chamber’s website and social media platforms.
  3. Reply to this email and tell us how you work with businesses of various sizes. We’ll work with you to develop a written story, social media content, and/or a #BizUnited video.

We’re honored to work with America’s united business community and we look forward to hearing your stories.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

NSBA Launches Podcast: The Road Ahead

We are pleased to share with you a new podcast series from the National Small Business Association (NSBA), The Road Ahead: Small Business in the 21st Century. NSBA has partnered with Jared Nichols, a business futurist, executive advisor and renowned author to host these podcasts which will offer a candid conversation with small-business owners and experts.
 
The Road Ahead podcasts will give you insight and advice on how to be forward thinking when it comes to your small business. We have an outstanding line-up and hope you’ll share just ½ hour with us every other week as we delve into the key issues facing small businesses across the country.
 

In our first episode, we’re featuring Cynthia Kay, owner of Cynthia Kay and Company, a media production firm with expertise in working with large, Global Fortune 100 and Fortune-500 firms. We will discuss how small business can and must use media to create a powerful story about the future.
                                                                            
Please click below to download our first podcast in this exciting new series, and don’t forget to subscribe to our iTunes channel to ensure you get the latest podcasts as they are posted, every other Monday morning.
 
Cynthia Kay  & The Road Ahead: Why Your Business Story Matters
 
Sincerely,
Todd McCracken                                                            
NSBA President and CEO    

Jared Nichols
The Jared Nichols Group  

Free Upcoming Events From Small Business Majority

Small Business Majority offers educational events and webinars on access to capital, retirement security and the healthcare law. Please go to our website to find an event near you, or browse the topics and dates below for our online webinars.

Browse all upcoming events

Access to Capital 101 Webinar: Funding Options to Start and Grow Your Business

Are you having trouble obtaining funding for your business? Through these free national webinars we will help you navigate the funding landscape and connect you with resources to help you obtain the capital you need to start and grow your business.

Upcoming Dates and Times:
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT
A representative from Kiva will be joining us on this webinar.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT

Register Today!

Wealth and Financial Security Webinar: Money Now, Money Later: The ABCs of Financing Your Small Business and Building Your Retirement

Join us for a free webinar to help you navigate the funding landscape and finance the growth of your small business. We will focus on microloans, crowdfunding, online lenders and guarding against predatory lending. Growing your business also means securing your finances, so we will provide an overview of common retirement paths for small business owners and employees.

Upcoming Dates and Times:

Tuesday, September 13, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT

Register Today!

Healthcare Webinar: What the Healthcare Law Means for your Small Business

These webinars will focus on what the healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, means for small businesses. They will cover small business tax credits, cost containment and other provisions to help you understand the federal law.

Upcoming Dates and Times:
Thursday, September 15, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT
Thursday, September 29, 2016 - 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT

Spanish version: Lo Que Significa la Ley de Salud para su Pequena Empresa

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - 1:00 PM PDT / 4:00 PM EDT
Register Today!

Copyright © 2016 Small Business Majority, All rights reserved.

Mid-Year Economic Report Shows Mixed Results for Small Biz

National Small Business Association (NSBA) released on September 7 its 2016 Mid-Year Economic Report which shows mixed results, specifically: the majority of small-business owners are projecting a flat economy in the coming 12 months, however slightly more today are anticipating economic expansion than did just six months ago.

Here are links to the survey below along with several social media posts you are welcome to use. NSBA and COBRT greatly appreciate any help you can provide in spreading the word about this survey within your networks.

-----------------------------
2016 Mid-Year Economic Report Social Media Posts

  • Majority of #smallbiz project a flat economy in the coming year per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • Slightly more #smallbiz expect economic expansion than just 6 months ago per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • 72% of #smallbiz are confident in the future of their own business per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • 25% of #smallbiz plan to launch a new product line in the coming year per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • Job growth continues to linger at 23% of #smallbiz adding workers in past year per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • Bank lending to #smallbiz decreased over last 6 months per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • Top thing #smallbiz wants policymakers to address: reduce the deficit per @NSBAAdvocate report
  • Majority of #smallbiz say fed taxes have moderate to significant impact on day-to-day operations per @NSBAAdvocate report

Choose:
Full Link (to add to posts): 
http://www.nsba.biz/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Mid-Year-Economic-Report-2016.pdf

Shortened Link (to add to posts): ow.ly/bA08303Ys80

NSBA Urges Business Invitations to Congressional Delegation During Recess

For the next six weeks, Members of Congress will be spending most of their time away from Washington, back in their districts. This period represents an outstanding opportunity—particularly during an election year—to spend time with these officials and give them a meaningful look at small business reality.

We find that members of Congress (and Congressional candidates) often welcome the opportunity to visit local businesses and learn about their operations, challenges, and concerns. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to consider inviting members of your local Congressional delegation to visit your business this summer and talk with you, your employees, your customers, and your neighboring businesses. While these visits usually work best when they are not overtly political, they nevertheless represent an opportunity to talk about key small business issues.

We hope that you will strongly consider participating in this effort. To assist you, we have put together a web-based toolkit, which will walk you step-by-step through the invitation, the meeting itself, and the post-visit follow-up. To access this information, please register by clicking here and you will then be directed to the toolkit.

While we believe that the visit will be most beneficial if it focuses on your business—its history, growth, and challenges, as well as the leadership role that you play within your local community—it would be most helpful to the small business cause if you could present your guest with a copy of NSBA’s priority issues, and ask the candidates to sign our Small Business Pledge, which asks them to support small business concerns as a priority in Congress. Both of these documents are part of the toolkit mentioned above.

While we hope we have delivered to you a turn-key package, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions, suggestions, and feedback.  I hope that this opportunity is as rewarding and productive as I think it will be.

Thank you in advance for helping to carry the small business message.

Sincerely,

Todd McCracken
President and CEO
National Small Business Association
America's Small Business Advocate

Adams County Microloan Fund Receives $1M to Spur Small Business Growth

ADAMS COUNTY, CO (April 20, 2016) - The Adams County Board of Commissioners, Adams County Economic Development (ACED), Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) and the North Metro Small Business Development Center have partnered to create the Adams County Microloan Fund with starting capital of $1 million, the largest in the metro area. This program provides Adams County’s small businesses access to capital for those who have difficulty obtaining financing from traditional sources but are capable of repaying debt.  

“Small businesses in Adams County have been the catalyst for landing the county among national leaders in job growth and new job creation,” said Commissioner Steve O’Dorisio. “We’re excited to support this new program to expand the options for small businesses that might have challenges working through the traditional loan process.”

The Colorado Enterprise Fund matched Adams County’s non-federally funded contribution of $500,000 creating the initial program value of $1 million. Qualifying businesses can apply for loan amounts up to $50,000 maximum for five (5) years. Loan applications will be reviewed by a committee of bank and financial professionals organized by ACED and approved or denied following CEF’s standard procedures and processes.

“This is one of many steps we are taking to grow Adams County’s economy,” said Barry Gore, President/CEO of ACED. “Access creates opportunities.  More financing opportunities for our local business community will promote growth, jobs, and support entrepreneurship!”  

Businesses can apply directly to the Colorado Enterprise Fund or be referred by Adams County Economic Development members, banks, or from the Small Business Development Center.

###

Media Contact: 
Erin Beckstein
Director, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
www.AdamsCountyED.com

 

COBRT Supports and Celebrates Small Biz Week

Colorado Business Roundtable knows that small business has a significant impact on all businesses, including the large companies that comprise the national Business Roundtable. This week, we have celebrated and supported National Small Biz Week and invite our readers to continue to do so -- it's only Thursday, after all!

Join the conversation at @ColoradoBRT #DreamSmallBiz

Our capital city of Denver welcomed U.S. Small Business Administration's Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet on Wednesday, May 4 to kick-off day four of the National Small Business Week celebrations that are happening across the nation May 1-7. SBA Regional Administrator Betsy Markey joined Contreras-Sweet to officially welcome the national event to Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region. While in Denver, Contreras-Sweet participated in a Celebrating Women in Small Business forum with Colorado’s prominent women entrepreneurs and leaders followed by an awards luncheon and a Latina’s in Business discussion at Azucar Bakery in Denver. See original release and check out the livestream events as well as webinars here.

Learn more about Betsy Markey, the Former Colorado Congresswoman who was appointed as the Regional Administrator of the SBA's Region VIII in January 2016. The region is based in Denver and covers the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, serving over 875,000 small businesses. 

Last week, we had Tim Gaudette as a guest on COBRT's Connect and Collaborate Radio. Gaudette is the Colorado Outreach Manager for Small Business Majority, a national small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners to focus on solving the biggest problems facing small businesses today. On the show, Gaudette discussed next week's Small Business Summit in Washington D.C. as well as other topics for small business owners such as access to capital, predatory lending, nondiscrimination and benefits. Click the player below to stream the podcast, or click download to save and listen later.

Also from the Small Business Majority, we report that the organization released on May 4, 2016 a scientific opinion poll showing the vast majority of small business owners in Colorado oppose proposed legislation allowing lenders to increase the interest they can charge on a $3,000 consumer loan. See the report, "Colorado Small Businesses Strongly Oppose Raising Loan Interest Rates."

Tomorrow, May 6, 2016 the Denver Office of Economic Development invites you to "Meet Your Maker!" From 3-6 p.m., InkMonstr Graphic Design & Printing (at 2721 W. Holden Place) has invited local manufacturers of cool gear to showcase Denver’s active lifestyle industry. This is the final in a series of events for National Small Business Week. See all.

Keep the momentum of Small Biz Week going next month with the Colorado Rockies. Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (CSBDC) invites you to its 3rd Annual Small Business Night at Coors Field on June 23. CSBDC is dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Colorado by providing free and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs. CSBDC has locations around the state with a team of business experts ready to help you create and retain jobs, secure loans, increase sales, win government contracts, obtain certifications and more. 

As COBRT has reported in the past two weeks, CSBDC along with several statewide small businesses, community organizations and financial institutions, launched a new website in honor of this year's Small Business Week. The website, www.coloradosmallbizweek.com, serves as the one place where Coloradans can find all the events and celebrations in honor of small businesses in specific communities across the state. 

For more on the national perspectives and policies affecting small business, check out the website and resources for the U.S. House Small Business Committee. Get the latest news and learn more about its key priorities: tax simplification, regulatory reform, increasing trade, access to capital and small business contracting.

COBRT has a unique and continued commitment to small business in that our president, Jeff Wasden, is on the Board of Trustees of the National Small Business Association, the nation’s oldest small-business advocacy organization, and operates on a staunchly nonpartisan basis. As we reported in February 2016, this is Wasden’s second time serving in an executive role for NSBA. He originally served on their national leadership council representing Colorado’s sixth district through the family business he co-owns.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) encourages small-business owners and self-employed individuals to check out several products to help them understand and meet their tax obligations. See the list here. Topics and tools include Payments to Independent Contractors, Simplified Home Office Deduction and The Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center.

Small Biz Week Website Launched

The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) along with several statewide small businesses, community organizations and financial institutions, today launched a new website in honor of this year’s Small Business Week. The website, www.coloradosmallbizweek.com, will serve as the one place where Coloradans can find all the events and celebrations in honor of small businesses in specific communities across the state. 

Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has declared a National Small Business Week to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners across the nation. This year the US Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week is May 1-7, 2016.

“Small Business Week highlights the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout Colorado,” said Fiona Arnold, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “With over 560,000 small businesses in Colorado and half of our workforce employed by small businesses, this week will celebrate their critical contributions with workshops, events and festivities to celebrate Colorado's entrepreneurial spirit.”

The www.coloradosmallbizweek.com website features a calendar of the events, workshops, webinars and celebrations that will take place throughout Colorado during small business week. Additionally, Coloradans can submit their own small business training events to the website.

You can join the conversation with the hashtags #ColoradoCollaborates and #DreamSmallBiz.