The oddsmakers and forecasters are already at work calculating how much we'll spend on Black Friday--the day after Thanksgiving--and Cyber Monday, the Monday following the holiday weekend. In our internet age, these two days form the official opening the Christmas shopping season and usually are a strong predictor of how much shoppers will buy for the holidays generally. This season there's a few new wrinkles--aside from the economy--so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out.  read more...

Yesterday, President Barack Obama held a small-business financing forum to discuss what more should be done to help break the lending logjam small business owners have experienced the past two years. Before it even began, Obama was being criticized for keeping the guest list under wraps. Interested parties such as the American Small Business League issued a press release about their displeasure with not getting an invite. Others, including the International Franchise Association president/CEO Matthew Shay and Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation executive Jean Wojtowicz, got a ticket to the ball.

But while many squabbled about the timing, the format, and the lineup of speakers, the bigger question is: With Goldman Sachs, Warren Buffett, and JP Morgan Chase stepping up lending to small businesses, does small business still need this help? read more...

Small businesses have been crying for help getting loans for two years now. And finally, help arrives from an unexpected quarter: global investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs is teaming with savvy American investor-icon Warren Buffett to offer $300 million in financial aid to small businesses, coupled with $200 million more for college-level training for entrepreneurs. read more...

A sort of We Are The World moment for young entrepreneurs happens this week--the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week. Founded by busy U.S. business-stimulators the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and U.K.-based Make Your Mark, the week aims to bring together young would-be business owners from around the globe to learn and get inspired to make their business dreams a reality.

In 90 countries around the world, events will be held to mentor, teach and stimulate the next generation of entrepreneurs. More than 3 million people are expected to participate in over 5,000 events. read more...

The whole healthcare-reform debate hit home for me this week. I've been ignoring a large envelope that came from my health insurance agent about a month ago. They left me a sort of ominous-sounding phone message about it, too, but I hadn't had a chance to call back. You know how sometimes when you can smell something bad's up, you just want to avoid it? I was in that mode.

Then I started reading news stories about how small-business healthcare plans were all having their rates jacked up to the sky...and I finally got up the nerve to open the envelope. Then I about fell over. read more...

There isn't much glory to running a small business. Day after day, you market, sell, hire, fire, economize, mentor, purchase, envision, order, organize, plan, and pay the bills. And nobody notices. Or you win some totally jokey award that doesn't really mean anything, and nobody notices.

Occasionally, there's an exception to the grind--a chance for a few outstanding small businesses to step into the spotlight and enjoy some national recognition for what they've built. One of those opportunities is coming up. read more...

For those who don't read the fine print on the Small Business Administration's website, the agency has proposed increasing the size definitions for small businesses in 71 business sectors, mostly within retail industries. It's the first proposed rule change on qualifying size since 1984.

Why should you care? It means bigger businesses would still qualify for SBA loans and other federal assistance to small business.

Now, is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm of two minds. read more...

With the filing of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization petition late last week, the parent company of giant small-business lender CIT is hoping for a speedy trip through bankruptcy court. Small businesses that need loans, however, face a more uncertain future. read more...

Last night I was watching the HBO documentary Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags, which chronicles how Jewish and Italian immigrants created the New York garment district soon after the turn of last century, and built it into the largest employer in the city. It goes on to show how, after more than 70 years of being a thriving source of good-paying union jobs, it all disappeared as trade protections ended and NAFTA ushered in a new era of global free trade.

The film repeatedly asks the questions: How will we rebuild the American middle class? Where will tomorrow's living-wage jobs come from? read more...

If you're hoping to connect with venture capital firms to pitch your company story, a new contest may help--but you'll need to be ready to catch a plane to Seattle.

This year at Northwest Entrepreneur Network's signature networking event, Entrepreneur University, six lucky companies will get to make their pitch before a media panel and conference attendees. How do you qualify? A Twitter contest. read more...