Small Business

The year 2013 should be another strong one for agricultural equipment sales, thanks to a Jan. 1 change in the federal tax law, as well as overall strength in commodity markets and accumulated farm financial strength.

As 2013 begins, small business owners are excited about the year's prospects according to a new survey of more than 600 small business owners released today by ONTRAPORT, provider of the comprehensive business and marketing automation platform OfficeAutopilot.

California's new 1 percent lumber tax has cost lumberyards and hardware stores thousands of dollars and turned business as usual on its head, raising the ire of retailers and contractors struggling to bounce back from the housing slump.

A state plan to encourage investment in Wisconsin companies has so far provided tax breaks for investors in an eclectic group of businesses, including some in old-line, slow-growth industries, but has failed to catch on among smaller start-up firms with the most potential to create jobs, the Journal Sentinel has found.

Accountants and business leaders say small businesses can take steps to protect themselves from employee theft. Good accounting practices are a must.

People who own and operate small businesses in small towns may want to hear what Marc Willson has to say about remaining relevant to consumers in an era when online orders are replacing storefronts.

The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Community First Fund recently received $5 million from investment giant Goldman Sachs, to be used for small business laons. The organization's president, Dan Betancourt, said his institution's ability to receive that funding has broken the mold.

Ohio is backing away from a program that has allowed companies to obtain tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks by threatening to leave the state, then agreeing to stay and retain existing workers without adding jobs.