Now Is the Perfect Time to Start a Small Business

"The world searched for how to start a small business more than how to get a job in 2021." -- Google Year in Search 2021

Since, well, most everything shut down nearly 22 months ago -- thanks to COVID-19 -- people have begun to re-evaluate their lives and the manner in which they work. While phrases like "remote work" and "hybrid work" and "return to work" get bandied about, many have simply turned their backs on the supposedly physically and financially safe realm of 9-to-5 work and said, "No, thanks," to join those participating in the Great Resignation.

Simply put, a lot of these folks are fed up with "working for the man" -- and aim to do their own thing on their own terms. Some have turned their newfound, pandemic-era knack for baking the perfect loaf of sourdough bread and/or crafting the perfect espresso beverage into establishing brick-and-mortar storefront bakeries and/or coffee shops. Others have begun to explore other alternatives.

Small-Business Opportunities Abound

The good news is that there are plenty of possibilities to start one's own business. The bad news is that there are so many possibilities, it's easy to get overwhelmed, overthink all of your possible ventures and, ultimately, stay stuck right where you are. 

Relax. You're in safe hands with me. I've been self-employed since 1985, and have written for, and about, countless small businesses and entrepreneurs -- mostly, as a contractor for Ernst & Young [now EY], which has held regional and national Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards competitions for 35 years. Suffice to say, I've developed a discerning sense of which ventures will likely succeed, or not -- as well as which ones are ethical/legit, or not.

Wanted: Low Barrier of Entry

When you're just beginning to explore the notion of being your own boss, you want as few hurdles as possible -- including, of course, relatively low learning curve, financial hurdles, etc. For instance, if you were to buy into a franchise, you could easily invest $100,000-plus in the franchise fee alone. On top of that, you'd also have to pay for employee wages, advertising, marketing, inventory, supplies, rent, maintenance, etc.

Following, in no particular order, is a select list of beginner-friendly programs that are worthy of your time, energy and capital:

Ted's Woodworking

At first glance, this appears to be something you'd buy for your retirement years. But what if you invested in it to peruse the system's 16,000-plus woodworking plans -- and then specialized in, say, greenhouses, that you custom-built for other people as a side hustle or, perhaps, as a full-time business?

Click here to get started.

Perpetual Income 365

Love media? Guess what? So do lots of other people. What if you could earn commissions when people subscribed to Netflix and/or Amazon Prime? It's possible -- and lucrative.

For the deets, click here.

EZ Battery Reconditioning

What if you could help the environment and make money doing it? EZ Battery Reconditioning lays out everything for starting your very own, physically distanced green business that fits your schedule; e.g., teleworking, studying, facilitating your kids' distance learning, doing elder care, etc.

Click here to learn more.

Sqribble

E-books. Businesses need them. Authors need them. Online marketers need them as "lead magnets" to grow their e-mail lists. What if you mastered Sqribble -- "The World's #1 Ebook Creator Studio" -- and then launched your own agency to produce e-books for myriad organizations and professionals?

It's all possible when you click here to optimize Sqribble's powerful, all-in-one cloud-based software, agency rights and training center.

7-Day Ebook

Speaking of e-books... Ever wanted to write a book? What if you could do it in just seven [7] days? It's doable with Version 3.0 of Jim Edwards' best-selling course.

Click here for more information.

Blog Profit Network

"Blogs are dead." Tell that to Marcus Campbell, who has earned tens of millions of dollars blogging since 2000 -- to this very day. 

Check out Marcus' system here.

P.S.: Don't want to invest in his training system? Marcus has 900-plus free training videos on his YouTube channel.

Commission Hero

TICKER-SHOCK ALERT: This is an expensive affiliate marketing course. Why? Because Robby Blanchard's best-selling Commission Hero system generates high-ticket results for his global community of students and, of course, the vendors they represent. Simply put, it's a win-win-win venture that's well worth your investment of time, energy and money to master.

Click here for more information.

Email Startup Incubator

TICKER-SHOCK ALERT #2: This, too, is an expensive course. After you've effectively studied and applied it, though, your entire life could change. And, no, that's not hyperbole...

You've likely heard the axiom, "The money is in the list." Well, it's true. Here's your opportunity to start an online e-mail marketing business from your couch -- or anywhere in the world -- even if you have nothing to sell.

Click here to sign up for a free 90-minute workshop and a free 50-page book that'll introduce you to this simple 5-step system to leverage 100,000-plus other product owners in order to generate passive online income.

Go for it -- NOW -- and make 2022 your most abundant year yet!

SOURCES: CDC, Fast Company, Google

Hillary Clinton Is Our True Small-Business Champion

“When my dad ran his small printing business -- he printed drapery fabrics in Chicago -- it put food on the table; it gave us a good, solid, middle-class home and lifestyle. And I don’t think it’s old-fashioned to say that’s what I want for every family that wants to work for that here in our country today.” -- Hillary Clinton [May 22, 2015]

As our 45th U.S. President, Hillary
Clinton will make America work for
everyone -- including SMBs.

Today is Super Tuesday, a critical day in the 2016 presidential campaign. More than a dozen states are voting today -- some in primaries, some in caucuses -- and the results may not be known for quite a while. A total of 1,460 delegates are up for grabs -- 865 for Democrats, 595 for Republicans.

After nearly five years, I'm jump-starting GoodBiz113 to declare my unequivocal support for Hillary Clinton. She's clearly the most qualified candidate -- from either side of the political aisle -- to fight for current and would-be small-business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, inventors, artists, writers and, well, everyone else, too. She truly cares about leveling the playing field for America's short- and long-term economic future.

In brief, here's what Hillary Clinton will do for small businesses:

* Give small businesses more access to the financing and new markets they need to grow and hire.

* Launch a national effort to cut the red tape holding small businesses and entrepreneurs back.

* Provide targeted tax relief for small businesses, and simplify tax filing.

Here are more in-depth details of how Hillary Clinton will make it easier to start and grow a small business in America:

* Unlocking access to capital. Hillary Clinton is committed to giving small businesses -- and, in particular, women- and minority-owned small businesses -- access to the financing they need to build, grow and hire. She will ease unnecessary regulatory burdens on community banks, which provide credit to small-business owners and families looking to invest in their futures. She will support innovative new financing modes, like impact investing. And she will double support for community development financial institutions and the successful State Small Business Credit Initiative [SSBCI], which offer crucial sources of support for small businesses across the country -- particularly, in underserved communities.

* Cutting red tape. It shouldn’t take longer to start a small business in the United States than it does in Canada, France or South Korea. Hillary Clinton will launch a nationwide effort to cut red tape for small businesses at every level of government. Plus, she will build a regulatory road map to help small businesses navigate the regulatory landscape and reduce compliance costs associated with federal, state and local regulation.

* Providing tax relief. America’s smallest businesses -- i.e., those with one to five employees -- spend 150 hours and $1,100 per employee to comply with federal taxes. That’s more than 20 times higher than the average for larger firms. Hillary Clinton will simplify tax filing and provide targeted tax relief for small businesses -- not the big corporations that can well afford lawyers and lobbyists.

* Tapping new markets. Every small business across America should be able to enter new markets -- whether they’re across town or across the world. Hillary Clinton will invest in the roads, bridges, ports and airports that make it easier for small businesses to reach new customers. She will defend the Export-Import Bank, a crucial financing partner for small businesses across America, and help the bank expand its small-business programs. And she will encourage innovations -- e.g., Etsy and eBay -- that are unlocking new markets through innovative, new platforms that let small businesses sell anywhere in America and the world.

* Supporting small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Hillary Clinton will work to provide incubators, mentoring and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in underserved communities across the country. Plus, she will support the development of entrepreneurial skills among young people -- even kids in high school -- so they can increase both their financial and entrepreneurial literacy. These programs will help those with good ideas today become the entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow.

The upshot: While other candidates speak in vague, pie-in-the-sky generalities of what they'd do in the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton has the clear vision, proven pragmatism, leadership acumen, exceptional experience and qualified leadership to hit the ground running on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, when the 45th U.S. President is inaugurated. Together, let's make sure that happens. 
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SOURCES: Hillary for America, Wikimedia Commons [image]

Join Entrepreneurs Supporting Hillary Clinton for President!

President Obama Announces New Jobs Initiatives for Rural America; Investments Boost Small-Biz Access to Capital, Job Training and Health-Care Services

Today, at the White House Rural Economic Forum, President Obama [pictured above, during yesterday's town hall meeting in front of the Seed Savers Exchange, in Decorah, Iowa] will announce new jobs initiatives recommended by the White House Rural Council for growing the economy and creating jobs in rural America.

The Council’s recommendations focus on key areas of need in rural communities -- including helping rural small businesses access capital; expanding rural job-search and training services; and increasing rural access to health-care workers and technology.

“These are tough times for a lot of Americans -- including those who live in our rural communities,” said President Obama. “That’s why my Administration has put a special focus on helping rural families find jobs, grow their businesses, and regain a sense of economic security.”

“Creating jobs and economic opportunity in rural America is a priority for the Obama Administration, and the White House Rural Council has used an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to leverage resources across the federal government to achieve that goal,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By bringing new capital, job training and additional investments to our rural communities, we are working to ensure the people who live in these towns have a better, brighter future.”

“SBA is pleased to announce that we will be doubling the capital going to rural businesses through the Small Business Investment Company program, with no cost to taxpayers,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said yesterday. “Small businesses of all kinds are thriving in rural areas, where they are creating jobs of the future and helping ensure the economic stability of the middle class.

“Half the people who work in America either own or work for a small business, and two out of three new private-sector jobs are created by small businesses. The Obama Administration and SBA have been committed to supporting rural businesses, which drive economic growth across the country and will continue to do so through the programs announced today.”

The Council’s recommendations, which leverage existing programs and funding, include committing $350 million in SBA funding to rural small businesses over the next five years; launching a series of conferences to connect private equity and venture-capital investors with rural start-ups; creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors interested in making rural investments; making job-search information available at 2,800 local USDA offices nationwide; making HHS loans available to help more than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals recruit additional staff; and helping rural hospitals purchase software and hardware to implement health IT.

NEW INITIATIVES

Helping Rural Small Businesses Access Capital
* Doubling SBA Investment Funds for Rural Small Businesses Over the Next Five Years: As part of the Startup America Initiative, SBA recently announced the creation of a $1 billion Impact Investment Fund through its Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] Program. The Impact Fund will invest in distressed areas as well as in emerging sectors such as clean energy. SBA provides up to a 2:1 match to private capital raised by this fund, partnering with private investors to target “impact” investments. SBA and USDA will partner together to drive $350 million of investment capital through the Impact Fund and existing SBICs into rural small businesses over the next five years -- effectively doubling the current rate of investment.

* Connecting Rural Small Businesses with Private Investment Capital: To further achieve this goal, SBA and USDA will launch a series of Rural Private Equity and Venture Capital conferences nationwide to provide a platform for connecting private equity and venture capital investors with rural start-ups. USDA, SBA, Treasury, Interior and other relevant agencies will also create rural capital “marketing teams” that pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors. These “marketing teams” will leverage existing personnel with expertise about rural funding sources across all federal departments and agencies.

Expanding Rural Job Search and Training Services
* Expanding DOL Job Search and Training Services to 2,800 USDA Sites Nationwide: USDA and DOL will partner to increase access to existing job-search and training information for rural job-seekers by providing DOL employment information at 2,800 USDA field offices nationwide. This will significantly reduce the distance that rural Americans need to travel in order to access DOL job-search employment information.

Increasing Rural Access to Health Care Workers and Technology
* Increasing Physician Recruitment at Critical Access Hospitals: HHS will issue guidance to expand eligibility for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program so that Critical Access Hospitals [those with 25 beds or fewer] can use these loans to recruit new physicians. This program will help more than 1,300 CAHs across the country recruit needed staff. The addition of one primary care physician in a rural community generates approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue and creates 23 jobs annually. The average CAH creates 107 jobs and generates $4.8 million in payroll annually.

* Expanding Health Information Technology [IT] in Rural America: USDA and HHS will sign an agreement linking rural hospitals and clinicians to existing capital loan programs that enable them to purchase software and hardware needed to implement health information technology [HIT]. Under current conditions, rural health care providers face challenges in harnessing the benefits of HIT due to limited access to capital and workforce challenges. Rural hospitals tend to have lower financial operating margins and limited capital to make the investments needed to purchase hardware, software and other equipment.

BACKSTORY: THE WHITE HOUSE RURAL COUNCIL

On June 9, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the first White House Rural Council to accelerate the ongoing work of promoting economic growth in rural America. The Council is focused on increasing rural access to capital; spurring agricultural innovation; expanding digital and physical infrastructure in rural areas; and creating economic opportunities through conservation and outdoor recreation.

On Aug. 12, the White House Rural Council released a new report, entitled Jobs and Economic Security for Rural America, which lays out the economic landscape rural Americans face today and highlights the Administration’s key accomplishments in rural communities. The Jobs and Economic Security for Rural America report focuses on five critical areas: creating jobs and promoting economic growth; improving access to quality health care and education; fostering innovation; expanding outdoor opportunities; and supporting veterans and military families. Link to full report here.

Today, President Obama and members of the White House Rural Council will host the White House Rural Economic Forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, Iowa, as part of the President’s three-day Economic Bus Tour in the Midwest. The forum will bring together farmers, small-business owners, private-sector leaders, rural organizations and government officials to discuss ideas and initiatives to promote economic growth, accelerate hiring, and spur innovation in rural communities nationwide. The President will engage directly with a variety of rural leaders from across the nation to discuss the importance of growing small businesses and strengthening the middle class in rural America.

GoodBiz113's Take

These rural jobs initiatives are exactly what America's small businesses and communities need in order to boost our economy for the short- and long term. The Obama Administration and his Cabinet members are to be applauded for their innovative and cooperative approach to easing our country's economic woes.

Congress, take note: Collaboration is a productive and positive thing. Our nation would greatly benefit if you took the high road and followed the Obama Administration's synergistic example to prosper the greater good, rather than myopically focus on preserving and growing the fortunes of America's wealthy elite.

SOURCE: The White House [official photo by Pete Souza]
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