Stress, it’s a widespread problem. Nearly a quarter of Americans report “extreme stress” during the holidays, according to a poll by the American Psychological Association. Stress and anxiety of the holiday season can impact your bottom line. Consider “presenteeism” – showing up for work with hidden ills. You’re present but are underperforming. The impact of
READ MORENews
Year-End Business Advice…Besides Tax Planning!
Business owners need to remember that growth doesn’t just happen. It happens because you know your strengths and weaknesses, and you capitalize on the strengthes while tackling the weaknesses. The end of the year is a great time to reflect and plan for the year ahead. Below are 10 ways (besides tax planning) that you can use
READ MORE
3 Tips to Prepare Your Business for the Holiday Shopping Season
The 2014 holiday season generated $616.1 billion in revenue, with e-commerce accounting for $101.9 billion of that! It looks like 2015 is on track to be even bigger, with a recent eMarketer report estimating increases of 3.2% and 14.4% for overall and e-commerce purchases respectively, rounding out holiday sales at an anticipated $900 billion. A merchant’s
READ MORE
New program expands services for Middle TN small businesses
In September, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce was awarded a $218,000 contract through the Small Business Administration for the ScaleUp America program. One of only seven cities selected this year, the Nashville MSA has more than 37,000 small businesses. These businesses have passed the startup phase, but frequently lack access to support services and
READ MOREStrategies for a Successful Small Business Saturday
Is your small business ready for the most important day of the year? Small Business Saturday is November 28th. Consumers love this opportunity to “shop small” and it shows – they spend money that day. A lot of it. Consider this. In 2014: 88 million consumers shopped at small businesses; that’s 1 out of every 4 Americans. Consumers spent
READ MORE
Nov 2 – 6 2015 is National Veterans Small Business Week
Did you know it’s National Veterans Small Business Week? If you are, or if you know a Veteran who is considering self-employment, now is the time to take advantage of some remarkable events and resources. SBA and affiliated organizations, like Pathway Lending & Pathway Women’s Business Center, empower veterans, active duty service members, Guard and
READ MORE
Paying For Growth: Is Now The Right Time for a Business Loan?
With the exception of a few, many entrepreneurs rely on their business’ cash flow or borrowed funds to finance new projects and grow. A word of caution to this group: Even the right loan can burden an entrepreneur and become the wrong loan if it’s taken on at the wrong time. Entrepreneurs must evaluate their current situation to determine
READ MORE
SBA Empowers Small Businesses to Be Cyber Safe
Launches Online Resources to Help Entrepreneurs Identify Risk and Guard Against Cyberthreats Monday, October 5, 2015 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration unveiled today a new cybersecurity webpage for small businesses at www.sba.gov/cybersecurity on the 12th Anniversary of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The SBA launched the online tools and resources to highlight Cybersecurity at
READ MOREAbout the Atlanta Fed’s Gazelle Project
The Gazelle Project collected qualitative data in a series of face-to-face interviews with southeastern entrepreneurs who started their businesses within the past 13 years. This series of articles will summarize the results of the project. Articles will examine a decline in business formations to set the context; firm founders’ motivations and experience; the role of
READ MORE
Strategies for Community Banks to Develop Partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions
The FDIC has produced a resource guide, Strategies for Community Banks to Develop Partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions, to help FDIC-supervised institutions meet community credit and development needs and receive consideration under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The purpose of the guide is to provide information that will help community banks identify and evaluate
READ MORE