By : BERNARD FEATHERMAN
Source : http://www.journaltribune.com
Category : Small Business Grant
President Barack Obama may finally have it right – about small business, that is, and its importance to our economy. Two weeks ago, he appointed the administrator of the Small Business Administration to his cabinet.
This elevation of the SBA, even though it is not a department of the administration with secretarial-level status, is meant to show how important small business is, and to have a leader at the table with small business knowledge. The SBA oversees small business growth and development, business loans, government contract set-asides for businesses owned by minorities and women, and other small business programs.
Karen Mills, the SBA’s present administrator, will represent small business owners on the White House cabinet, and the small business community welcomed this new voice.
Mills is an excellent choice for such a high-level position. She has been SBA’s head administrator since 2009, and brings a wealth of business-related experience to her position. She has a Harvard MBA degree and has managed and owned several successful businesses. She understands small businesses from all aspects of manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing operations.
Mills has strong ties to Maine as well. She served as chairwoman for former Gov. John Baldacci’s Council on Competitiveness and the Economy. Her husband, Barry Mills, is the president of Bowdoin College.
Last week, Mills spoke at the “Eggs and Issues” breakfast of the Portland Chamber of Commerce.
During her presentation, she said, “Small business is the driver of the economy.”
The federal government defines small businesses as those with sales volume up to $25 million, and a maximum of 500 employees. While these numbers may sound like large companies, most small businesses really are small.
In Maine, according to Mills, “One half of all employees are in small businesses and 97 percent of all businesses in Maine are small.”
She noted that there is a 7 percent unemployment rate in Maine, with only 5 percent in Portland, which is below the national average. She pointed out that the SBA offers counseling and mentoring services to help small businesses improve sales or profits through free services and SBA programs.
Mills asked the audience for a show of hands of small business owners who had used these programs. Sadly, no hands went up.
This should be an important goal for Mills, as these programs could help Maine businesses. The SBA needs to get the word out.
“Things don’t move fast in Washington, D.C.,” Mills said. “There is a gap in small business loans under $250,000. Large banks in our area are now giving more loans to Maine small businesses, and many community banks locally are going to be making more small business loans. Bangor Savings Bank was the number one loan leader to small businesses in Maine last year.”
Mills was particularly enthusiastic about industrial clusters of businesses in Maine, as industrial clusters are opening up around the country, bringing related industries together to share material resources, ideas and staff.
But the question remains, how successful will this be in creating more jobs and revitalizing the economy?
“Community colleges, four-year colleges and universities are needed for training,” Mills said. “If you build a foundation for small businesses from the proper tools, you can create an environment that can create jobs.”
Mills also said that tax credits are needed for health care costs, because small businesses pay up to 80 percent more than big businesses do for health care. State and federal governments must operate in collaboration to export successfully. And to build entrepreneurship, a public-private partnership must be pushed.
While these are good ideas, we need immediate, positive actions to create jobs and improve the economy. Loans are urgently needed by small businesses, and there must be fewer regulations, which are strangling small businesses, to get the economy to grow again.
A Harris Interactive poll conducted for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the first week of January showed that the well-being of small businesses is not improving in the marketplace, which was attributed to the economic outlook, government spending and regulations being out of control, election year concerns and lawmaker accountability on issues facing the economy.
Right now, small business owners want to do their part to help the economy grow in 2012, and a presidential cabinet position for a small business ombudsman is a step in the right direction.
Soruce : http://www.journaltribune.com/articles/2012/01/26/columnist/doc4f216bea62300887094896.txt
Source : http://www.journaltribune.com
Category : Small Business Grant
President Barack Obama may finally have it right – about small business, that is, and its importance to our economy. Two weeks ago, he appointed the administrator of the Small Business Administration to his cabinet.
This elevation of the SBA, even though it is not a department of the administration with secretarial-level status, is meant to show how important small business is, and to have a leader at the table with small business knowledge. The SBA oversees small business growth and development, business loans, government contract set-asides for businesses owned by minorities and women, and other small business programs.
Karen Mills, the SBA’s present administrator, will represent small business owners on the White House cabinet, and the small business community welcomed this new voice.
Mills is an excellent choice for such a high-level position. She has been SBA’s head administrator since 2009, and brings a wealth of business-related experience to her position. She has a Harvard MBA degree and has managed and owned several successful businesses. She understands small businesses from all aspects of manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing operations.
Mills has strong ties to Maine as well. She served as chairwoman for former Gov. John Baldacci’s Council on Competitiveness and the Economy. Her husband, Barry Mills, is the president of Bowdoin College.
Last week, Mills spoke at the “Eggs and Issues” breakfast of the Portland Chamber of Commerce.
During her presentation, she said, “Small business is the driver of the economy.”
The federal government defines small businesses as those with sales volume up to $25 million, and a maximum of 500 employees. While these numbers may sound like large companies, most small businesses really are small.
In Maine, according to Mills, “One half of all employees are in small businesses and 97 percent of all businesses in Maine are small.”
She noted that there is a 7 percent unemployment rate in Maine, with only 5 percent in Portland, which is below the national average. She pointed out that the SBA offers counseling and mentoring services to help small businesses improve sales or profits through free services and SBA programs.
Mills asked the audience for a show of hands of small business owners who had used these programs. Sadly, no hands went up.
This should be an important goal for Mills, as these programs could help Maine businesses. The SBA needs to get the word out.
“Things don’t move fast in Washington, D.C.,” Mills said. “There is a gap in small business loans under $250,000. Large banks in our area are now giving more loans to Maine small businesses, and many community banks locally are going to be making more small business loans. Bangor Savings Bank was the number one loan leader to small businesses in Maine last year.”
Mills was particularly enthusiastic about industrial clusters of businesses in Maine, as industrial clusters are opening up around the country, bringing related industries together to share material resources, ideas and staff.
But the question remains, how successful will this be in creating more jobs and revitalizing the economy?
“Community colleges, four-year colleges and universities are needed for training,” Mills said. “If you build a foundation for small businesses from the proper tools, you can create an environment that can create jobs.”
Mills also said that tax credits are needed for health care costs, because small businesses pay up to 80 percent more than big businesses do for health care. State and federal governments must operate in collaboration to export successfully. And to build entrepreneurship, a public-private partnership must be pushed.
While these are good ideas, we need immediate, positive actions to create jobs and improve the economy. Loans are urgently needed by small businesses, and there must be fewer regulations, which are strangling small businesses, to get the economy to grow again.
A Harris Interactive poll conducted for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the first week of January showed that the well-being of small businesses is not improving in the marketplace, which was attributed to the economic outlook, government spending and regulations being out of control, election year concerns and lawmaker accountability on issues facing the economy.
Right now, small business owners want to do their part to help the economy grow in 2012, and a presidential cabinet position for a small business ombudsman is a step in the right direction.
Soruce : http://www.journaltribune.com/articles/2012/01/26/columnist/doc4f216bea62300887094896.txt
