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. 
____________________

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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SBA Licenses Its First Public-Private Impact Investment Initiative Fund in Michigan

Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that InvestMichigan! Mezzanine Fund will be the first licensed Impact Investment Fund in the SBA’s new Impact Investment Initiative. The fund will focus exclusively on providing capital to businesses that are headquartered in Michigan, have a significant presence in Michigan, or are in the process of expanding their operations in Michigan so they can grow and create jobs.

SBA will partner with Michigan Growth Capital Partners, L.P., an investment partnership whose anchor investor is the State of Michigan Retirement Systems, and The Dow Chemical Company to provide up to $130 million of investment capital over the next five years to high-growth businesses throughout Michigan.

Credit Suisse’s Customized Fund Investment Group structured the InvestMichigan! Mezzanine Fund and will manage the fund in partnership with Beringea, a Michigan-based investment manager. Of the total funding, Dow will provide $15 million; Michigan Growth Capital Partners will provide $35 million; and SBA will provide $80 million, which must be repaid.

“InvestMichigan! is an important new ally in SBA’s commitment to foster small-business growth and job creation in underserved communities,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “They’re an experienced team that is well-positioned to drive more investment in small businesses in hard-hit Michigan.

“We will continue to grow this and other public-private partnerships by licensing more funds -- giving taxpayers a strong bang for their buck, and putting more capital in the hands of small-business owners to scale up and create good jobs.”

The Impact Investment Initiative is part of Startup America, a White House initiative to bring together public and private organizations to accelerate the growth of America’s entrepreneurs. It will use the infrastructure of the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company Program [SBIC], an established and successful program that operates at no cost to taxpayers.

The SBIC program began in 1958 with the mission to improve and stimulate the national economy and small businesses by supplementing the flow of private-equity capital and long-term loan funds for the sound financing, growth and expansion of small businesses. In FY 2010, the SBIC program provided $1.59 billion of financing to nearly 900 U.S. small businesses.

The Impact Investment Initiative will drive up to $1.5 billion into the hands of small businesses over the next five years. It will combine public and private funding for high-growth companies that will generate not only a financial, but also a “social” return, by focusing on businesses located in underserved communities or communities facing barriers to capital.

Through the Impact Investment Initiative, SBA will commit $1 billion to investment funds focused on investing in underserved markets, or in sectors that have been defined as national priorities.

Impact investments can be:
* Place-based -- Targeting small businesses located in, or employing residents of, low- or moderate-income areas or economically distressed areas; or
* Sector-based -- Targeting industry sectors that the Obama Administration has identified as national priorities. Currently only clean-energy and education have been identified as priority sectors.

To serve these markets, SBA will collaborate with private, institutional investors to identify impact investments and provide expedited licensing and capital to fund managers who qualify to organize and operate an Impact Investment SBIC.

High-growth firms are a small part of the small-business community, but they create a large number of net new jobs each year. The Impact Investment Initiative will help high-growth companies receive the funding they need to continue to expand and create jobs in America’s underserved communities and priority sectors.

For more information on SBA's Impact Investment Initiative, visit http://1.usa.gov/ImpactSBA.

GoodBiz113's Take

InvestMichigan! marks a significant development in the potential power of public-private synergies to boost out nation's economy -- state by state, community by community.

Kudos to SBA and its partners for making it happen. We'll be watching...

SOURCES: U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
____________________

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Small Businesses Win a Record $97.95 Billion in Federal Prime Contracts

After reviewing the Small Business Administration’s fifth annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard, United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured] and Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe [R-Maine] today commented on the federal government’s effort to increase federal contracting opportunities among small businesses.

According to the most recent scorecard, in fiscal year 2010, small businesses won nearly $100 billion in federal prime contracts -- an increase of more than $1 billion from 2009. Small businesses were awarded 22.66 percent of all federal spending in FY2010 -- less than half a percentage point shy of the statutory 23 percent goal.

"Over the course of one year, we saw nearly $100 billion go into the hands of America’s small businesses, and I am pleased to see the ever-increasing role of small businesses in the federal government contracting process," said Sen. Landrieu. "With the passage of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 last fall, we put in place ways to significantly improve these numbers, and I hope this report will be the last steppingstone to reaching our small-business contracting goals.

"The report confirmed an overall increase in small-business contracting for the second consecutive year, but the federal government still fell short of meeting their goal in many categories -- including prime contracting awards for women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and Historically Underutilized Business Zones [HUBZones]. We continue to see room for improvement, and I am confident they are on the right track to reaching and surpassing these goals."

"Small businesses are the primary job creators in this country, responsible for more than two-thirds of all new jobs created," noted Sen. Snowe. "At a time when a staggering and seemingly intractable unemployment rate of over nine percent has become the norm -- with 22 million Americans unemployed or underemployed, and when we are experiencing the longest period of long-term unemployment in American history since data collection started in 1948 -- I remain dismayed that, yet again, the federal government has failed to meet its statutory government-wide goal -- not just for small business, but for women, HUBZones, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

"Reports show that small businesses lost an estimated $2 trillion in profits and asset valuation since the recession started in December 2007, while larger companies have been less affected and are recovering more quickly. Given these statistics, it is all the more paramount that small businesses have the opportunity to contract with federal agencies, and anything other than meeting these goals is simply unacceptable.

"For small firms that are struggling to stay afloat and maintain their workforce, federal contracting can be an instrumental part of a larger strategy for broadening their customer base and creating jobs and, although the numbers have improved, this Administration can, and must, do better."

About SBA's Small Business Procurement Scorecard

The FY2010 Scorecard calculated the amount of federal spending for prime contracting and subcontracting to small businesses for fiscal year 2010 [Oct. 1, 2009-Sept. 30, 2010], and evaluated agencies to ensure these firms remain an integral part of the federal contracting process.

SBA graded 24 agencies on each of the individual prime contracting goals established by Congress, and used an "A+" through "F" letter-grade system.

The federal government scored an overall average of 99.2 percent -- with 99.73 percent prime contracting achievement, and 94.50 percent subcontracting achievement.

Ten agencies’ grades increased from FY 2009, 10 agencies’ grades stayed the same, and four agencies’ grades decreased. The agency breakdown is as follows:
* 13 agencies received an "A"
* Five agencies received a "B"
* Four agencies received a "C"
* Two agencies received a "D"

Overall, SBA Administrator Karen Mills was optimistic about the Scorecard results. "When the federal government gets contracts into the hands of small businesses, it is a 'win-win' situation," she noted. "Small businesses have the opportunity to grow and create jobs, and the federal government gets access to some of the most innovative and nimble entrepreneurs.

"We are proud of the achievement the government has made [in small-business procurement], but are determined that the government will meet and exceed the goal. SBA is focused on a number of key initiatives to help increase small-business contracting opportunities, as well as combat fraud, waste or abuse. These efforts will ensure the benefits of our programs continue to go to the intended recipients."

The SBA's full Small Business Procurement Scorecard can be viewed here: http://1.usa.gov/ScorecardsSBA.

SOURCES: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Ex-Im Bank's Global Access for Small-Business Initiative Hits Benchmark; Phoenix Manufacturer Marks 1,000th Company

The Export-Import Bank of the United States [Ex-Im Bank] reached a new milestone this month, when the 1,000th small-business customer joined the list of first-time users of the Bank's export finance products as part of its Global Access for Small Business [Global Access] program. Serverlift, located in Phoenix, Ariz., helped bring Ex-Im Bank one step closer to achieving its goal of adding 5,000 new small-business customers by 2015 -- a central feature of Global Access, which launched in January.

Serverlift is a high-tech company that specializes in the manufacturing of lifts for transporting and sustaining data center servers. They received a $250,000 Express Insurance policy from Ex-Im Bank in June, 2011, with approved foreign buyers in Ireland and Turkey.

This financing product was developed specifically for qualified small businesses. It features a streamlined application, plus both a policy quotation and two foreign-buyer credit indications up to $300,000 within five business days.

Serverlift originally manufactured in China and recently moved operations back to the U.S., resulting in doubling the number of its U.S. employees.

"The Bank's support gives us the credibility that we need to pursue foreign buyers," said Ray Zuckerman, CEO of Serverlift. "Extending credit makes us more attractive to our customers and allows us to sell to larger companies."

The Global Access initiative is a key component of Ex-Im Bank's work supporting President Obama's National Export Initiative [NEI] and its goal of doubling U.S. exports by 2015. In addition to bringing 5,000 more small businesses into the Ex-Im Bank portfolio, the initiative aims to approve at least $30 billion in small-business transactions during the five-year period of the NEI. To reach these benchmarks, Ex-Im Bank is offering new financing and insurance products -- such as Express Insurance being used by Serverlift -- that complement existing Bank programs.

"Growing small-business exports is a top priority at the Bank," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg [pictured]. "The U.S. economy will not grow without exports, and we will not reach our export potential without the participation of small business. Through Global Access, we can make sure that more small businesses are selling more products, to more customers in more countries -- and, in the process, growing their business and adding new workers to their payrolls."

The Global Access initiative also includes extensive outreach. Since the beginning of 2011, when Global Access began, there have been 16 public forums across the country that have attracted over 2,000 small-business owners who have learned about the export resources available from a range of government agencies and private organizations. In addition, Ex-Im Bank has sponsored monthly webinars for hundreds of exporters that feature various financing products.

"Ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside of the U.S., and the best way to reach them is through exports," said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Working with the Ex-Im Bank, America's small businesses have a golden opportunity to increase their sales, expand into the global marketplace, and create jobs at home at a time when we really need it.

"Global Access forums provide a platform for small businesses to receive guidance on how to enter new markets and increase sales by exporting."

The other leading private-sector partner for Global Access is the National Association of Manufacturers [NAM], the nation's largest manufacturing association. NAM has increasingly played a role in the nation's economic progress as President Obama recently noted that the development of the manufacturing sector is essential in creating more U.S. jobs. Significantly, the association's support of Ex-Im Bank's effort to reach small businesses has paralleled this progress.

"Expanding U.S. manufactured goods exports is vital to creating new manufacturing jobs and growing the economy," stated Jay Timmons, president and CEO of NAM. "Improved access for trade financing is essential for manufacturers to grow exports. Through our partnership with the Global Access initiative, we have been able to help small and medium-sized manufacturers expand into new markets, getting us closer to the goal of doubling exports by 2014."

Ex-Im Bank -- an independent, self-sustaining federal agency -- helps create and maintain American jobs by filling gaps in export financing and strengthening U.S. export competitiveness. The Bank has generated $3.4 billion for U.S. taxpayers over the past 5 years.

In the first eight months of fiscal year 2011, Ex-Im Bank approved $20.3 billion in total financing authorizations -- a 25% increase since fiscal year 2010 -- supporting $26 billion in U.S. export sales plus more than 175,000 American jobs in communities across the country. During the same period in fiscal year 2010, Ex-Im Bank approved $16.3 billion, supporting $19.9 billion in U.S. export sales and 137,000 American jobs.

For more information, visit Ex-Im Bank's Web site at http://www.exim.gov/.

Global Access forums have been held in the following locations: Manchester, N.H.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Lafayette, La.; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles, Cal.; Denver, Colo.; Long Island, N.Y.; West Long Branch, N.J.; Miami, Fla.; Wilmington, Del.; San Leandro, Cal.; Wichita, Kan.; Charlotte, N.C.; Providence, R.I.; and Clinton, Md.

Global Access partners include: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Commerce [U.S. Commercial Service], the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative [USTR], U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA], National Association of Manufacturers [NAM], FedEx, Wall Street Journal, PNC Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Bank, and HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

SOURCE: Ex-Im Bank
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SBA Urges Disaster Survivors to Beware of Recovery Scams

The U.S. Small Business Administration is urging disaster victims seeking federal aid to be alert to scam artists posing as federal officials, and to be cautious about any solicitations for fees to perform services that are available from federal agency staff for free.

In the wake of widespread flooding, wildfires and tornadoes in many areas across the country over the past few months, the SBA is particularly concerned about flyers that have appeared in tornado-damaged areas asking for non-refundable fees of up to $450 to help disaster victims fill out their loan applications, and as much as $1,000 to verify losses and file loan applications.

Federal agencies involved in disaster recovery will never ask for a fee or payment to file an application for financial assistance, or to inspect damaged property.

"Historically, natural disasters bring out the very best in people, and there are countless stories of the selfless acts of helpful neighbors and volunteers," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured]. "Unfortunately, in the past, we have also seen individuals who attempt to take advantage of people who need assistance. Disaster survivors should be vigilant in protecting their personal assets, particularly in the stressful environment of a disaster recovery.

"The SBA will not tolerate the defrauding of those who have already lost so much in the aftermath of these devastating disasters. Those who are found taking advantage of disaster victims will be prosecuted to the fullest extent provided by law."

If you suspect a person is posing as a local or federal agent, or encounter what you believe are fraudulent activities connected with disaster relief operations, contact your local law enforcement officials; phone the toll-free National Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721; or, send an e-mail to disaster@leo.gov. The phone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To register for federal help after a disaster declaration, visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov; or, call FEMA at 800-621-3362 [800-426-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired].

Disaster survivors may also visit one of the local recovery centers to get help with filing for assistance. To get help with the disaster loan application, contact the SBA by e-mail at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov; or, by calling 800-659-2955 [800-877-8339 for those with speech or hearing disabilities].

Those affected by recent disasters may also file a loan application online by visiting SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The SBA makes low-interest, taxpayer-backed disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes. More information about SBA's disaster assistance program is available at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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Tickets Now on Sale for 2011 Life is good® Festival; Fundraiser Helps Kids Face Life-Threatening Challenges

GoodBiz113 profilee Life is good® ["Life is good® Festivals Unite Communities, Help Kids Face Unfair Challenges"] is excited to announce the lineup for its 2011 Life is good Festival.

Set to take place Sept. 24-25 in Canton, Mass., a suburb of Boston, the multi-faceted fundraiser combines world-class headliners and nationally known musical talent on three stages, including several of today's most popular children's performers. This one-of-a-kind festival aims to raise $1 million to benefit the Life is good Playmakers, the action arm of the Life is good Kids Foundation.

The two-day music and fundraising festival is hosted by Life is good®, a Boston-based company that spreads the power of optimism through its colorful collection of apparel and accessories and through its social mission to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges.

The annual event will make its return to historic and picturesque Prowse Farm at the foot of the Blue Hills, just minutes from Boston. Once again, Life is good has partnered with Superfly Presents, nationally-recognized producers of the iconic Bonnaroo and Outside Lands festivals to assure a first-class festival experience for all ages.

The 2011 Life is good Festival will feature national headlining artists Ray LaMontagne, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Levon Helm Band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Brandi Carlile, Martin Sexton, Raphael Saadiq, Ingrid Michaelson and The Hold Steady, as well as The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Maceo Parker, Tristan Prettyman, The Ryan Montbleau Band, Zee Avi, Dwight and Nicole, and Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents.

Kindie rock superstars Imagination Movers and The Laurie Berkner Band will headline the Good Kids Stage, alongside special kids' performances from Keller Williams and local favorite Ben Rudnick and Friends. The full talent line-up is listed below, and complete festival information can be found at www.lifeisgood.com.

While the festival features great music, an array of games and activities, diverse local food, and hands-on art projects, the goal of the weekend is to create a community of fundraisers. Each ticket buyer will be directed to a personal fundraising page that supports the Life is good Playmakers.

Festival-goers who raise funds will be rewarded with exclusive backstage hospitality, preferred concert viewing, artist meet-and-greets, plus other prizes. These fundraisers will be called VGPs -- i.e., Very Good People -- and will have a truly amazing concert experience.

Tickets for the 2011 Life is good Festival went on sale on June 16, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Visit http://www.lifeisgood.com to purchase tickets and register to fundraise for the event. Adult single-day tickets are $65; $120 two-day tickets are also available. Tickets for children ages 2-12 are available for $20 for a single-day tickets and $35 for a two-day ticket. Children under 2 are admitted free of charge.

"The 2010 Life is good Festival set a new standard for all-ages entertainment, while raising significant funds for the Life is good Kids Foundation," said Bert Jacobs, chief executive optimist for Life is good. "In 2011, we are looking to build on this success by raising even more funds to help kids in need. We are so excited about the line-up, and look forward to everyone engaging in the fundraising effort to make this the most successful Life is good festival to date."

Life is good has raised over $6.5 million for kids in need since 2003. The Life is good Kids Foundation is a registered 501[c][3] nonprofit committed to helping children overcome life-threatening challenges, such as violence, illness, extreme poverty and natural disasters.

Its Playmakers initiative provides innovative training and support to the frontline child-care professionals dedicated to helping these children, so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives. To date, the Life is good Playmakers have trained more than 2,500 Playmakers across the country who have provided joyful, healing play to over 130,000 kids.

The site for the festival -- Prowse Farm in Canton -- is a historic 44-acre property managed by the Friends of Prowse Farm, a nonprofit volunteer organization. The property is located at the gateway of the Blue Hills Reservation, public parkland that has been set aside for recreational use.

Prowse Farm is fully accessible via public transportation, with all-day shuttles to and from the nearby Rte. 128/University Avenue train station. A large number of free parking spots are also available.

For more information on the Life is good Company, the Life is good Kids Foundation and the Life is good Festival, please visit www.lifeisgood.com/festivals.

About the Life is good Company
The Life is good Company, based in Boston, Mass., spreads a fresh outlook on life with its colorful collection of apparel and accessories, and through its social mission to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges. For more information on Life is good, please visit www.lifeisgood.com.

About the Life is good Kids Foundation
The Life is good Kids Foundation is an accredited 501[c][3] public charity whose mission is to help children overcome life-threatening challenges -- including violence, illness, extreme poverty and natural disasters. Through its action arm, Life is good Playmakers, it provides training and support to the adults dedicated to caring for these children, so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives.

More than $6.5 million has been raised to date for children in need, principally through Life is good Festivals and the 100% of profits that the Life is good Company donates to the Foundation from nationwide sales of select products. For more information, visit www.lifeisgood.com/playmakers/.

About Superfly Presents
Superfly Presents was founded in New Orleans in 1996 by Kerry Black, Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone and Jonathan Mayers. Originally set up to become the leading independent local concert promoter, they created the Superfly During JazzFest series, which is now in its 14th year.

In 2002, they co-founded and continue to produce the iconic Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Since its inception in 2002, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country's premier music and arts event, and Rolling Stone called the festival "one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll."

In 2008, Superfly co-founded the acclaimed San Francisco-based Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival.

The company has also created the Superfly Marketing Group, a boutique entertainment-marketing agency designed to complement Superfly's diverse divisions. Superfly Marketing Group leverages the company's experience, expertise and industry relationships to develop brand partnerships geared towards the passionate entertainment and lifestyle consumer.

SOURCE: Life is good®
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Artist George Rodrigue Creates LSU-Clad Blue Dog Print to Raise Funds for New Arts4Education, to Benefit Arts and Education in Louisiana

This just in: GoodBiz113 profilee George Rodrigue ["Louisiana Artist Brings Post-Katrina [Blue Dog] Relief to New Orleans"] has created a special print -- "A Number One Tiger Fan" [pictured] -- to raise funds for his new Arts4Education campaign, to promote the arts and education in Louisiana.

Measuring 31" x 22", the open-edition silkscreen print is signed by Rodrigue, and retails for $500 plus tax and S/H. Proceeds from sales of the "A Number One Tiger Fan" print will benefit the LSU Museum of Art, George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation and LSU.

For a behind-the-scenes account of this fundraising campaign, read the latest post on "Musings of an Artist's Wife," Wendy Rodrigue's blog: http://bit.ly/TigerFan1.

SOURCES: Musings of an Artist's Wife, Rodrigue Studio
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DOE Offers Support for Innovative Manufacturing Plant That Will Produce High-Quality Solar Silicon at Low Cost, Generate Over 2,000 Jobs in Ohio

Today, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the offer of a conditional commitment for a $275 million loan guarantee to Calisolar Inc. to commercialize the company's innovative solar silicon manufacturing process.

Calisolar's process should produce silicon for use in solar cells at less than half the cost of traditional polysilicon purification processes, which will reduce the overall cost of solar modules and panels. At full production, the manufacturing plant is expected to produce 16,000 metric tons [MT] of solar silicon annually, equivalent to more than two gigawatts of solar power generation per year.

The project will be built in three phases of 5,333 MT capacity each, and is expected to be located in a former General Motors stamping plant in Ontario, Richland County, Ohio. Calisolar estimates that the facility will generate, at its peak, nearly 1,100 permanent jobs, and up to 1,000 construction jobs.

"This innovative manufacturing process offers significant competitive advantages that will help the U.S. to out-innovate and out-compete our global competitors," said Secretary Chu [pictured]. "This project is part of our commitment to supporting important innovations that create jobs, strengthen our manufacturing base and position the nation as a global solar leader."

The project will manufacture solar silicon from lower-cost metallurgical-grade silicon feedstock that is then upgraded using Calisolar's proprietary silicon purification process. The company's unique process uses significantly less energy to produce solar silicon that performs as well as polysilicon products made from more expensive and energy-intensive traditional processes, with capital equipment and construction costs approximately one-sixth that of traditional polysilicon plants.

Calisolar is helping achieve the goals of the SunShot Initiative by lowering the cost of their solar cells through the use of less pure silicon, the raw material for solar cells. Their vertically integrated process -- from raw materials processing, all the way through solar cell production --uses lower-cost [50% less expensive], lower-quality materials while maintaining high-efficiency devices.

This work was supported by DOE through funding for the University of California at Berkeley, and through $3 million from the PV Incubator Program -- which leveraged $6.6 million in private-industry cost share and was run through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

DOE's Loan Programs Office administers three separate programs: the Title XVII Section 1703 and Section 1705 loan guarantee programs, and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing [ATVM] loan program. The loan guarantee programs support the deployment of commercial technologies, along with innovative technologies that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions. ATVM supports the development of advanced vehicle technologies.

Under all three programs, DOE has issued loans, loan guarantees or offered conditional commitments for loan guarantees totaling over $33 billion to support 34 clean energy projects across the United States.

DOE has also issued conditional commitments or loan guarantees to support numerous other projects -- including four of the world's largest solar generation facilities, two geothermal projects, the world's largest wind farm, and the nation's first new nuclear power plant in three decades.

For more information, please visit the Loan Programs Office website: http://lpo.energy.gov/.

GoodBiz113's Take
DOE's just-announced investment in Calisolar Inc. has great potential to boost America's competitiveness in solar energy. Further, it will help generate much-needed manufacturing and construction jobs in Ohio.

Chalk it up as yet another win-win endeavor by the Obama Administration to simultaneously spur economic development and fuel advances in developing solar-energy technologies.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy [EERE]
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Department of Energy Announces Up to $36 Million to Support Development of Drop-In Biofuels and Bioproducts

As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to cut foreign oil imports, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced up to $36 million to fund six small-scale projects -- in California, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin -- to advance the technology improvements and process integration needed to produce drop-in advanced biofuels and other valuable bio-based chemicals.

The projects aim to improve the economics and efficiency of biological and chemical processes that convert non-food biomass feedstocks into replacements for petroleum-based feedstocks, products, and fuels. These selections further the Obama Administration's strategy for accelerating research and development that will lead the way toward affordable, clean alternatives to fossil fuels and diversify our nation's energy portfolio.

"Projects such as these are helping us to diversify our energy portfolio and decrease our dependence on foreign oil," said Secretary Chu [pictured]. "Together with our partners, the Department is working hard to expand the clean-energy economy, creating jobs in America and providing sustainable replacements for the fuels and products now provided primarily by petroleum."

The funding announced today will help diversify DOE's Biomass Program portfolio to include a breadth of fuels and chemicals beyond cellulosic ethanol and ensure that the Department's research and development on biofuels remains integrated and strategic.

The following projects were selected:

* General Atomics Fusion Energy Research [up to $2.0 million -- San Diego, Cal.]: The proposed project aims to reduce energy, capital, and operational cost for algal fermentation processes. This will increase production of algal oils, which can be further refined into advanced biofuels.

* Genomatica Inc. [up to $5.0 million -- San Diego, Cal.]: This project will deliver an engineered organism and optimized fermentation process to enable the conversion of cellulosic sugars to the valuable industrial chemical, 1,4-butanediol [BDO]. Such technology will enhance the commercial profitability of integrated biorefineries by enabling co-production of high-volume fuels and the higher-margin commodity chemical, BDO.

* Michigan Biotechnology Institute -- AKA MBI International [up to $4.3 million -- Lansing, Mich.]: The project will focus on improvements to a pretreatment process, which provides a stable, conversion-ready intermediate of consistent quality at a cost and in a format compatible with long-term storage and ease of transfer between multiple modes of transportation.

* HCL CleanTech Inc. [up to $9.0 million -- Oxford, N.C.]: This project will develop and demonstrate process improvements for pretreatment, conversion to sugars, and subsequent conversion of those sugars to fuels. The complete integrated process will use concentrated hydrochloric acid hydrolysis to convert pre-extracted biomass feedstocks, including wood waste, into fermentable sugars, and then further convert the sugars into diesel products.

* Texas Engineering Experiment Station [up to $2.3 million -- College Station, Tex.]: The focus of this project will be on developing a novel pretreatment for cellulosic biomass feedstocks using a combination of chemical and mechanical processing. Once the cellulosic feedstock has been pretreated it can be converted into biofuels, including hydrocarbons.

* Virent Energy Systems Inc. [up to $13.4 million -- Madison, Wis.]: The overarching objective of this project is to develop a fully integrated process that can efficiently and cost effectively convert a cellulosic biomass feedstock, such as corn stover, to a mix of hydrocarbons ideally suited for blending into jet fuel.

Final funding amounts are subject to negotiation.

About DOE's Biomass Program
DOE's Biomass Program works with industry, academia, and national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies.

For more information on DOE's Biomass Program, visit the Biomass Program website: http://1.usa.gov/BiomassEERE.

GoodBiz113's Take
DOE's just-announced Biomass Program investments will boost American competitiveness in the biofuels industry and lower the cost of clean, renewable energy. Further, they'll generate much-needed jobs.

Chalk it up as yet another win-win endeavor by the Obama Administration -- one that holds far-reaching potential for decades to come.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy [EERE]
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Landrieu Votes Against Snowe Regulatory Amendment, Citing Lack of Congressional Review

Today, United States Sen. Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, voted against a regulatory reform amendment by Sen. Olympia J. Snowe [R-Maine], ranking member of the Small Business Committee.

The Freedom from Restrictive Excessive Executive Demands and Onerous Mandates Act of 2011, S. AMDT 390, reforms the regulatory process to ensure that small businesses are free to compete and to create jobs, and for other purposes. It was opposed by numerous Senate committees because of the lack of congressional input in the ongoing efforts to provide regulatory relief for small businesses.

"Every day, small-business owners come to my office asking for regulatory relief, and I am committed to removing unnecessary burdens that get in the way of the day-to-day operations of businesses," said Landrieu. "This amendment, however, has yet to have a single Congressional hearing. Because Sen. Snowe’s amendment reaches so far outside of the realm of small business, it seems irresponsible for us to move forward unless it goes through the entire process.

"There have been at least four other regulatory reform bills filed this Congress, and I know the chair of the committee of jurisdiction is doing everything he can to schedule a full hearing in the near future.

"I recognize that some federal regulations are a burden on small businesses. I agree it is important to streamline them -- but there is a time and a place to deal with that issue.

"I have tried to be helpful to my colleague. Last summer, when the Small Business Jobs Act was pending here in the Senate, I personally worked with my ranking member to include several of her provisions on regulatory relief into that bill, now law."

Snowe filed a similar amendment to S. 493, the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011. During negotiations of S. 493, Landrieu offered to hold a hearing on Sen. Snowe’s regulatory reform amendment through the Small Business Committee, but Snowe declined. After five weeks of debate and 150 filed amendments, efforts to end debate and pass the long-term reauthorization of this important small-business program failed.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, Library of Congress, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Artist George Rodrigue Creates Latest Painting in Front of Audience at Alexandria Museum of Art

As temperatures climb toward 100 degrees [yes, even here on the "Minnesota tundra"], we've just learned that GoodBiz113 profilee George Rodrigue ["Louisiana Artist Brings Post-Katrina [Blue Dog] Relief to New Orleans"] has created a most timely painting, "100 Degrees Hot This Summer" [pictured].

Measuring 48x36, the acrylic on canvas work was created last weekend in front of an audience at Louisiana's historic Alexandria Museum of Art, where the featured George Rodrigue: Saga of the Acadians exhibition runs through July 1.

For a compelling account of this uncharacteristic painting demonstration, read the latest post on "Musings of an Artist's Wife," Wendy Rodrigue's blog: http://bit.ly/100DegreesHot.

Oh, and to catch up on the latest developments about the dynamic George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts: Youth Development Through Art in Education, go to: http://bit.ly/RodrigueFoundation.

SOURCES: Musings of an Artist's Wife, Rodrigue Studio
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SBA's Free Online Tool Helps Small Businesses Develop an Export Business Plan

Small businesses interested in starting or expanding sales of their goods and services overseas now have access to a new, free online tool that will gauge their readiness to export and help them develop an export business plan.

The Export Business Planner, developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, offers a ready-made, customizable and easily accessible document that can be updated and referenced continuously as the business grows.

The Planner, located at www.sba.gov/exportbusinessplanner, allows users to:
* Determine their export readiness;
* Learn about training and counseling opportunities;
* Complete worksheets for global market research;
* Obtain financing information and options;
* Customize export marketing plans, and;
* Access resources for exporters

"Creating jobs through exporting is one of the nation’s top economic priorities, as the President indicated when he launched the National Export Initiative," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills [pictured]. "Giving exporters the tools to do their part in this effort is essential. The new Export Business Planner is one such tool and will serve businesses in the critical process of planning for their success."

The Planner is a PDF file that can be easily downloaded, accessed, customized and updated every time you use it. It features an extensive compilation of export research and information -- including quick links to websites, video profiles, training podcasts, trade statistics, contact information to counseling resources such as SCORE and SBDCs, a list of current SBA lenders, plus much more.

The tool is organized in comprehensive chapters that are cross-linked and indexed for efficiency and easy access to related topics.

The chapters include:
* Introduction to Exporting
* Training and Counseling
* Getting Started: Creating an Export Business Plan
* Developing your Marketing plan
* Financing your Export Venture
* Accounting Worksheets: Costing, Financial Forecasting and Product Pricing
* Utilizing Technology for Successful Exporting
* Your New Marketing Plan: Summary, Timeline
* Updates, Transportation and Documentation

A distinct and very useful feature of the Planner is the customizable worksheets. These documents provide templates for developing your export business plan; conducting business assessments and foreign market research; creating your marketing plan; costing and sale projections; goal-setting; and much more.

Additional SBA Programs Available
For more information about all of the SBA’s programs for small businesses, call the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800 U ASK SBA; or, TDD 704-344-6640. Or, visit the SBA’s website at http://www.sba.gov.

SOURCES: U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
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Business Community Launches Support for Missouri Disaster

Though survivors of the deadly May 22 tornadoes in Joplin have lost much, one company seeks to ease their burden by providing self-service storage services. A community partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], U-Haul Co. of Missouri offers 30 days of free storage to tornado survivors in Joplin.

U-Box Portable Storage units can be delivered to the customer’s location or may be picked up at the U-Haul store located at 2521 E. 7th St., Joplin, Mo., according to Kevin Neighbors, president of U-Haul Co. of Missouri.

Once filled, the company will store the 280-square-foot containers in its secure warehouse or deliver containers to a site of the customer’s choice, Neighbors explained. For the cost of delivery from Springfield, the company will provide the storage services for 30 days, free of charge.

Additionally, the company offers its Take-a-Box, Leave-a-Box program to survivors. Customers may return reusable boxes and take others as needed at no cost. Neighbors encourages those with any type of reusable box to drop it off at the nearest U-Haul location for re-use by others.

"U-Haul’s survivor program is a fine example of FEMA working with its community partners,” explained Libby Turner, FEMA federal coordinating officer for the Missouri disaster. "FEMA intergovernmental specialists are working right alongside Joplin business partners as part of a team effort toward Joplin’s recovery."

"The intense tornadoes have caused a tremendous amount of damage to the communities we serve," Neighbors said. "I hope this effort will help provide assistance to families that need support. We will do our best to help our friends and neighbors in this time of need."

For more information, call U-Haul Co. of Missouri at 1-800-255-5953.

SOURCES: Federal Emergency Management Agency, U-Haul International Inc. [graphic]
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