Staples Names Sen. John Kerry Small Business Champion of the Year
Staples Names Sen. John Kerry Small Business Champion of the Year
Article by Kari Larson
This week, Framingham, Mass.-based Staples Inc. honored Sen. John Kerry [D-Mass.] with their Small Business Champion of the Year award for his 23 years of service in the U.S. Senate on behalf of America’s 27 million small-business owners — including Massachusetts’ 650,000 small businesses. Kerry chairs the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award from Staples,” said Kerry. “I’m working everyday in Washington to do just what we ought to do: level the playing field for small businesses, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship — from Brighton to Boston, and from Salem to Springfield.”
Staples, which began as a start-up in Brighton, Mass., in 1986 with 42 employees, used the Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] program, managed by the Small Business Administration [SBA], to fund its initial expansion. That investment helped spur Staples’ growth to become one of the largest office products suppliers in the world.
“Staples is a tremendous small-business success story,” Kerry noted, “demonstrating the power of a public-private partnership that uses a federal small-business financing program to bolster the good idea and hard work of an entrepreneur.”
Sen. Kerry was recognized for his leadership efforts to get several small-business initiatives signed into law last year. Among his achievements: Winning legislation to increase funding for core small-business programs; expand energy efficiency resources; secure permanent funding for successful Women’s Business Centers; e.g., the Center for Women & Enterprise, in Boston, Worcester and Providence, R.I.; increase funding for small firms to develop military projects; and restore transparency to the Transportation Security Administration’s contracting process. Presenting the award on behalf of Staples was Mike Miles, company president and chief operating officer.
This year, Kerry will continue to work on behalf of Massachusetts small businesses and entrepreneurs around the country by fighting to reduce health-care costs, increase access to capital, foster green technologies, and boost energy efficiency. He also aims to expand access to federal contracts – especially for underserved communities, including women, minorities and veterans.
SOURCES: Staples Inc., U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
***
Tags: American Express, Boston, Brighton, business, capital, Center for Women & Enterprise, contract, contracting, efficiency, energy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, federal, financing, Framingham, funding, green, health care, initiative, innovation, innovative, John Kerry, legislation, Massachusetts, Mike Miles, military, minorities, office products, OPEN, partnership, Providence, public-private, Rhode Island, Salem, SBA, SBIC, small business, Small Business Administration, Small Business Investment Company, Springfield, Staples, start-up, startup, supplier, technologies, technology, transparency, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, underserved, U.S. Senate, veterans, women, Women’s Business Centers, Worcester
###
? 2008 Kari Larson. All rights reserved.
Kari Larson, editor and publisher of GoodBiz113, is committed to showcasing small-biz policies and partnerships that serve the greatest possible win-win-win good.
***
Need a line of credit from ,000 to 0,000? Apply now for the American Express® Business Capital Line from OPEN: ==> http://tinyurl.com/3xcb9g
Question by : Can Small Business get ISO 9001 Certified?
The pressure comes from industries like automotive, medical and environmental for their subcontractors to become registered. The customer to such small companies adds to the dilemma by requesting certification as a token of trust and reliability. These days it just seems like a double whammy.
A small business as understood by department of commerce is one that employs less than 500 people. That means a Machine shop to Sheet metal manufacturing all come under the umbrella of Small Business. For a relatively bigger organization it becomes easily justifiable to get certification and seems a viable option since most of the companies recover their investment in 3 years (studies from McGraw Hill and Dun & Bradstreet) but for a machine shop which does the contract and specialty work for one of these bigger companies is hard since their main product/service is that machine which they have invested in. With few resources, fewer incentives and inconsistent contracts pouring in, smaller companies have tough time justifying the cost and effort for registration.
This equipped with the common knowledge that it takes about $ 10,000-$ 25,000 approximately to get certified and retain certification in subsequent years. These figures are all dependent on the size of company, number of employees they have and number of factors but largely the size of company. Since a small company has few employees and few operations, its quality process will be a lot simpler and less expensive. The result of registration is felt more in a small company due to fact that its resources are more streamlined.
As a small company it is difficult to run business with competition coming from a lot of manufacturing gone to developing countries. This along with the financial instability, limited resources & manpower, training requirement, software upgrades makes registration an unattainable dream. Although there are a lot of obstacles in path to get registration for small organizations, there is a plethora of resource to achieve the goal. Since the limited number of resource is the biggest challenge getting external help is viable option but choosing a consultant with knowledge and understanding of your requirement is a critical step.
Just like the first step to shed the extra pounds is the most critical so is this step but once an organization is committed to follow the path all the obstacles become learning curve and all the myths debunked.
Best answer:
Answer by Synchronous
The ISO 9000 standards are a set of standards, technical specifications, technical reports, manuals and web-based quality management. There are about 25 documents in the collection in conjunction with new or revised documents are being developed on an ongoing basis.
What do you think? Answer below!
How Small Entrepreneurs Can Start His Small Business With The Help Of Grants?
How Small Entrepreneurs Can Start His Small Business With The Help Of Grants?
Article by John Goldman
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was founded in 1953 and since its inception; small businesses interest has been aided, counseled, assisted and protected by it.
No doubt SBA provides considerable financial support to small businessmen but it’s role in providing assistance to those affected by natural as well as man made or other disasters declared by the government is notwithstanding very important.
The largest grant-funded service delivery network of SBA is The Small Business Development Center Program, creating opportunity for small businessmen to avail various provisions and schemes being launched by it from time to time.
It operates with the mission to provide as much assistance possible for the business and economic development to bolster growth, expansion and modernization, increase production and improve management. SBDC provides assistance by linking Federal, state, and local government resources with private sector and educational community.
This year Small Business Administration (SBA) planned to issue Program Announcement No.OSBDC-2009-04 for the invitation of applications from Lead Small Business Development Centers to receive funds for providing training, counseling and educational activities to those small businesses, who had been either affected by the natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, or any disaster of serious nature during the year 2008.
These business development centers are serving at least 100-affected small businesses as a declared subject of a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.
This announcement has been made under Public Law 110-329 proclaimed on September 30, 2008. Under this announcement, SBA is expected to issue awards to the amount of $ 10,000,000.
There are around 63 Lead Centers under SBDC program and minimum fixed amount of award has been fixed $ 10000 for one Lead Center whereas maximum has been fixed according to its eligibility.
SBDC has communicated to SBA that this amount of current funding is enough to provide benefits to 100 small businesses affected by natural hazards. For full details on description of the grant, eligibility of the applicants and the applying procedures.
There are many programs available to assist affected small businessman in rural areas too. Though rural development business programs do not have any authoritative body for providing assistance in case of disaster yet there are many programs available that are adequate enough to give financial relief to small businesses.
Among many are Business and Guaranteed Loan Program, Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program, Rural Business Opportunity Grant Program, Rural Economic Development and Loan and Grant Program.
Government has made clear that for small businessmen, there is no need of any fear of losses on account of the disasters as they can always apply to SBA for assistance only with the condition that they have to keep themselves updated about recent announcements.
John Goldman is one of the foremost advisor in matters relating to Government Grants and Financial Aid. To learn more about government grants and how to apply for them visit the Government Grant USA website
Question by hmm: Tips for Small business loan to a start Child Development Center?
It will be an in-home childcare. I am partnering with someone. We will also live in the house. Is 7% considered a low rate? We haven’t even gone to the banks yet but we are looking for something not above $ 5,000 AFTER interest. Im 21 and my partner is 23. TIPS PLEASE =D!
Best answer:
Answer by Robert E. Lee
Go to www.score.org and in the upper left hand corner, enter your zip code. On the next screen, you will find the SCORE chapter nearest you. Call them and arrange for a free meeting with a SCORE counselor.
SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
SCORE was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Herndon, VA and Washington, DC and has 389 chapters throughout the United States and its territories, with 11,500 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors. SCORE is America’s premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Categories: Small Business Development Center Tags: Business, Entrepreneurs, Grants, Help, Small, Start
Small Capitalization Stock Investment Opportunities
Small Capitalization Stock Investment Opportunities
Most folks on Wall Street and in the media don’t focus on small cap stocks. They’re less valuable, more unknown companies, they typically don’t involve significant sums of money, and they aren’t as exciting as the larger available stocks to invest in today.
Many experts have made the claim that the lack of focus on small cap stocks is unwarranted. Some claim that small caps are a better investment opportunity. In addition to increased chance of growth comes increased odds for loss. When choosing if small caps have a home in your portfolio be open minded..
Small cap stocks is the Wall Street slang for companies that typically have a less significant market capital presence (Usually between $ 1.5 million to $ 150 million. Exact definitions vary.) Market capitalization is the price of a stock multiplied by the total number of shares that exist.
It’s just the total worth that is placed on a company.
Large caps are more exciting because some investors because they are more reliable and safe. The over arcing belief is that blue chip stocks are powerful and stable. But like Enron, that isn’t actually true. Risk runs throughout the stock market, and with lessened risk, comes lower growth. It might have taken a small stock like Wal-Mart to double in value, but for them to double again, now as a large stock, would be almost impossible.
This is where a small market appears for small time individual investors. Small cap investments do exist and offer benefits for investment. If you get in on the ground floor, the opportunities for growth are always there while larger investors can later pick the same stock and buy.
Joe Duggins is an investment professional with 15 years experience in financial advising. He currently writes financial advice articles for the web site http://www.investingmoneyinvestment.com where you can learn more about personal finance, investment, and savings.
Categories: Small Business Investment Company Tags: Capitalization, Investment, Opportunities, Small, stock
