Clouds May Be Clearing for Small Businesses

Spring is upon us once again and as the white winter has begun to melt away, so has the seemingly intractable small business climate that kept entrepreneurs in hibernation for the past year. National unemployment is down 3 points since December and, after reaching record lows, U.S. productivity is back to pre-recession levels. Small business lending has begun again both on the state and national level and it looks like the spring thaw has begun for business owners.

But like any recovery process, continued growth is a must. Luckily, there are agencies and consultants out there to help. Whether you are an established business recovering from a big hit or a brand new business looking to get started, information is available as you navigate the calm after the storm.

The first step is determining the scope of your business. Is it the type of project that will require federal funding? If so, you may want to visit the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA offers training courses and online forums for small business owners. Back in November, the White House asked the SBA to convene a forum to determine how to get financing to struggling small business owners. In February, the SBA released their Recovery Act report card, which contains valuable information about what grants are available and where they are going.

If you are a smaller business just looking to stay afloat, there are local agencies in every city in the country to help small businesses. From chambers of commerce to small business agencies, every city has local versions of the SBA to assist you in tough times.

For some businesses, overhead and funding are not the most pressing issue. After the fall of U.S. banks and lending industries in 2008, consumer confidence hit an all-time-low. Many sales forces struggled to meet quotas and while consumer confidence began to increase in January, it sharply declined again in February. Concerns and perceptions about the economy will continue to affect both your customers and your sales staff as the recovery effort continues.

In response, many businesses large and small have turned to motivational speakers and sales training programs to help improve confidence. The restrictive price tags of industry networking events and sales conferences have made it difficult to revitalize your sales force. So, more and more businesses are turning to former sports stars, business experts and business commentators.

While many consultants focus on time management and talking shop with sales forces, the new breed of motivation focuses on emotional wellness, interpersonal communication skills, presentation skills and eliminating common phobias.

As the small business climate thaws out, entrepreneurs will continue to find the best ways to adjust and secure a profitable future. While the recovery is still in its infancy, entrepreneurs will continue with trepidation but will continue nonetheless.