Business and Small Business

Everyone agrees on a broad level that small businesses are vital to the American economy. However, most people would be surprised to know just how important. The United States Small Business Administration keeps records and statistics on small business in the United States and some of their findings are surprising.

First, the typical perception of a small business as a mom and pop operation with just a few, if any, employees is not the entire picture. The Small Business Administration defines a small business as an independently business with less than 500 employees. There are an estimated 23 million businesses in the United States that meet that classification. In some smaller towns in the United States, these businesses represent a major source of employment.

In fact, small businesses as defined by the Small Business Administration represent 99.7 percent of all the employers in the country and employ half of all private sector employees. More than 45% of the private sector payroll is generated by small business. Over the last decade small businesses have accounted for 60 to 80% of all new jobs created on an annual basis.

Although a large percentage of small businesses are in the retail and service sectors, small businesses are rapidly making gains in the technology sector. 41% of high tech workers like engineers, scientists and computer programmers are employed by small businesses. Employees at small businesses produce 13 to 14 times more patents than those employed by larger companies.

The Small Business Administration also offers some interesting observations on small business survival. Two-thirds of small businesses survive for at least two years declining to 44% after four years. Most of the factors that support a small business surviving are well known, such as access to capital and owner’s education level. However, a lesser known factor in small business survival is that the business is large enough to have employees.

Similarly, barriers to starting a small business include lack of access to start-up capital and lack of education. However, the number one barrier to small business start up and a primary concern of existing small business owners is access to private health insurance. Individual health insurance for sole proprietors is much more expensive than receiving coverage through an employer. If a small business owner is able to offer health insurance to its employees, the administrative and premium costs are often much higher than those for larger businesses.

According to statistics, more than half of America is employed by small business owners and these owners rely on credit. Not just credit to expand business or purchase a new cash register, but credit in order to make payroll. Now that tough financial times are here, banks are not as giving as they once were. Banks are changing their standards on <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=http://www.zootweb.com/additional_information/small_business_lending.html>small business lending</a> , making it hard and at times impossible for small businesses to get financing.

A Majority of Banks Are Changing Their Small Business Lending Standards

Most small businesses agree that even in the last 6 months they have felt the affects of the credit crisis. The problem is the domino affect of this crisis: since banks don’t have money to lend, small businesses cannot borrow money to expand, pay bills or payroll- which then affects employees of small businesses.

Franchises of larger businesses are also feeling the pinch.

Rescuing Starts at the Top No Immediate Assistance for Small Businesses

Since the government is concerned with helping the big players first, small businesses can’t get the immediate help they need. The government can’t realistically help out every small business in the ways they are assisting big businesses right away. Time is money of course and small businesses lose more than larger businesses every day that they can’t get financial assistance.

Without Small Business Lending , Small Businesses Make Sacrifices

Because there isn’t the normal financial cushion helping businesses have a little wiggle room, all expenses must be taken into consideration. This may include cutting big expenses in a small company. This sadly, may include:

EmployeesHealth Insurance Moving Full Time Employees To Part Time Positions Cutting bonuses or severance pay

If you are like many, who wanted to start their own business and haven’t yet, it may be wise to hold out. Taken into the consideration that 98% of all brand new start up businesses fail, you may just want to hold onto that money a bit longer, until things sort them selves out. Otherwise, if you are ready to take the plunge and nothing is going to hold you back, take your friend’s advice, listen to other small business owners and seek out investors that you trust. Looking for small investors over banks me be intimidating, but the investor may see the potential that other banks who are skittish already may not.