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The State of the Union for Small Business; Pointers for Renewing the Entrepreneurial Imperative

by Caron_Beesley, Community Moderator

  • Created: August 18, 2010, 12:05 pm
  • Updated: February 16, 2011, 10:43 am
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Note: The ARRA (Recovery Act) initiatives and/or programs referenced in this article will expire on September 30, 2010. Any statements about qualifying time periods, or extensions of these dates, as they pertain to the availability of ARRA programs are over-ridden by the expiration of the Act on September 30, 2010.

Watched by approximately 48 million people on TV and another 1.3 million via the White House's online feed, President Obama's first State of the Union address stressed the importance of collective responsibility.
In the President's words:

"I campaigned on the promise of change, change we can believe in, the slogan went. And right now, I know there are many Americans who aren't sure if they still believe we can change, or that I can deliver it. But remember this: I never suggested that change would be easy or that I could do it alone. Democracy in a nation of 300 million people can be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy. That's just how it is."

This message of collective action and responsibility was not lost on the small business community.
In this article, published by Allbusiness.com - "*Attack, Don't Wait for Uncle Sam's Helping Hand" - small business expert and fellow Business.gov blogger, Rieva Lesonsky outlined the President's proposals for small business", she also called for a renewed entrepreneurial imperative:

"...we entrepreneurs cannot sit around hoping the government will make good on its promises...General George Patton once advised,;Opportunities do not come to those who wait. They are captured by those who attack'....and, if you are the owner of the business...that proverbial buck stops with you."

Planning for Growth: Equip and Arm Yourself Now

So what can small business owners do to plan for recovery and growth?

Touching on the key points of President Obama's address, I've compiled a snapshot of some of the existing government programs, resources and tools that you can put to work for your business today!

1) Small Business Finance and Lending

Recognizing that small business is key to economic recovery, the President pledged to"... take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat."

Keep an eye on this one in the coming weeks as more details about this and other pledges, such as the proposed $5,000 tax credit for small business who hire new employees are unveiled.

In the meantime, take the time to assess the state of your business and take a look at these business planning guides from Business.gov to determine what you can do to give your business a boost in the short-term.

From a financial perspective, many of the Recovery Act loan programs introduced last year are still available for small business owners struggling with debt, read "Managing Small Business Debt - Government Loans and Refinancing Lifelines" for more information.

Planning for the future? Take a look at these small business loans and grants resources, including this loans and grants search tool which can help match your business needs to available government loan programs as well as prepare your loan application.

2) We Need to Export More

Pre-empting an upcoming announcement about a "National Export Initiative" that will help farmers and small businesses increase exports and expand into new markets, the President has pledged to "...double our exports over the next five years."

If you see exporting in your future, take a look at this "Get Started in Exporting Guide" from Business.gov - it includes videos from experienced "exporting entrepreneurs" as well as information on export basics, finding opportunities and navigating trade regulations.

3) A Clean Energy Economy

"...to create more...clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives."  How does small business fit into the President's vision of a clean energy economy?

The imperative isn't just on oil companies and energy giants, small business can participate in a number of ways.

 

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg, read more from the government on how your business can adopt green business practices.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

President Obama's State of the Union Address - Read key points from the President's address in this abbreviated version from The White House blog.

Recession-Beating Strategies:

 

 

Financing:

 

 

Exporting:

 

 

Green Business:

 

*Note: Hyperlink directs reader to non-government Web site.

Message Edited by CaronBeesley on 02-02-2010 09:30 AM

About the Author

Caron_Beesley's Profile Picture
Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesley
Tags: Community Blogs, Small Business Matters

Comments

rtrinca@yahoo.com | Window Shopper | 4/29/2013 - 1:24 am

I thought you may be interested in this:

Business is picking up now that the warmer weather is here. Every country,
company, individual and family would benefit from utilizing renewable energy
like solar and wind. Even our national security is improved by utilizing a
free form of energy that cannot be depleted and reduces transmission loses
while conserving natural resources and reducing our dependency on centralized
power generation.
Local power generation improves efficiency and security for the entire
nation. By generating power throughout the grid, we are less vulnerable to
power outages, which can be caused by natural disaster, power plant
malfunction, and catastrophe, acts of terror, war or cyber-attack.

This technology reduces every businesses overall operating costs in the long
term and reduces the amount of money government needs to collect to protect
our infrastructure, thereby lowering taxes in the future which will help
businesses grow. By investing wisely in long-term free energy, businesses can
generate more profits and improve ROI and attract new customers who like the
fact that these companies are acting responsibly. The cumulative benefits are
often much greater than initially meets the eye.

We just need to properly educate the public of the benefits and the choice to
implement solar and wind technology will make perfect sense. By pursuing a
long-term strategy, companies will achieve and maintain a competitive
financial edge, which will benefit the company’s bottom line and ability to
survive economic downtrends. The same strategy works for nations, families
and individuals.

You can start doing your part today and reap the advantages and income
potential of your wise investments from now on. Become part of the solution
and start doing what the most progressive companies have already begun to do.
Invest in your company’s energy security by adding solar and wind energy on
site.

Richard Trinca, Jr.
President
UNI-T ENERGY
rtrinca@uni-tenergy.com
www.uni-tenergy.com
Professional Web Site: UNI-T ENERGY

gianez | Window Shopper | 12/6/2011 - 11:37 pm

This post has been removed from public view (Spam). Please review the Community Rules of Conduct for more information.

atul4 | Window Shopper | 8/12/2010 - 5:03 am

The society is facing problems with such laws. This has to go legaland it's needed to be sorted at the earlier.--------- >Small business plan ---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.

atul4 | Window Shopper | 8/12/2010 - 5:03 am

The society is facing problems with such laws. This has to go legaland it's needed to be sorted at the earlier.--------- >Small business plan ---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.