In recent years, optimism is one sentiment – whether among small businesses or consumers – that has been hard to come by. After several reports have shown that consumer confidence, as well as spending, has been on the rise through the first half of 2012, one new study shows that optimism among small business...

There is always a lot of media chatter about main street and helping small business, however, the reality of the situation is anyone seeking loans to small business is going to have an extremely challenging environment to deal with. While the government has moved a tremendous amount of support into the small business lending arena, the reality of...

LISBON – Columbiana County commissioners have signed off on a plan to continue a program begun 10 years ago that provides low-interest loans to people starting a small business. Begun in 2002 with state funding, the microenterprise program provides loans of $2,000 to $15,000 to income-eligible applicants seeking to start a business that will employ no more than...

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Small businesses will no doubt play a key role in our economy’s recovery. But one of the biggest challenges for them is getting small loans to make improvements and expand. One local non-profit is stepping-up to fill that gap. The only stain the economy left on Artur Ryabtsev’s cabinet-making business is wood stain — lots...

Tweet Email Tweet Email A Loan Guarantee Program based on the State Small Business Credit Initiative, allows small businesses, typically fewer than 500 employees, and usually a lot less than that, to get a Small Business Loan or Line of Credit. These funds can be used for start-up costs, inventory, Working Capital and business procurement to name a few areas for use of...

Posted: April 25, 2012 The market didn’t look so hot earlier this year for small businesses. Despite murmurs of economic healing, small business loans were still tight, and didn’t look like they’d be opening up anytime soon. but now, loans are up for entrepreneurs, and it looks like the situation is only going to get better with Bank...

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –Bank of the West today announced that three nonprofits have received a total of $150,000 in charitable investments from the Bank of the West Charitable Foundation to support micro-entrepreneurial efforts in underserved communities. the three nonprofit organizations are: Mission Asset Fund of San Francisco. MAF’s Lending Circle and Micro Business Loan Programs provide...

There is an age-old debate about what constitutes a small business. Most likely, we think about the question differently depending upon our vantage point in life. I’ve met corporate folks before who think a business with 500 employees or less is small. and I’ve met self-employed massage therapists who think they’re too “small” to be considered a small business. I’m hot...

While the world clearly was expecting the Basel III Accords on bank capital to be adopted in the United States, the timing has certainly surprised many business leaders across industries.  Equally surprising is the “one size fits all component” of the rules, which will apparently apply to all institutions ranging in size from $500 million to over $2 trillion. you heard...

Small business loans are typically bank loans. People who are just starting out on a small business like to approach banks for financing because they give a certain amount of security. Generally, these loans are what are known as term loans. The concept of a this type of credit...