Vistas: Geri Stengel’s Blog: Small business owner

Yes and no: That’s how I feel about the findings of an article in Business Week about the job satisfaction of the self-employed and small business owner. The gist of the article was that despite lower wages, greater stress, and longer hours, self-employed people are happier with their jobs.

It bears repeating: New York state, city, and county really want businesses to "go green." And they're putting their money where their mouth is. All levels of government, and some utilities, are offering big incentives if businesses implement energy-saving technology.

Officially, small business owners can expect good things in 2010:

• The Small Business Administration has gotten more money for both staff and for loan guarantees with reduced fees.
• America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) loan program will offer deferred-payment loans of up to $35,000, backed 100 percent by the SBA, to viable small businesses that need help making payments on an existing non-SBA loan.
• The stimulus includes money for such thing as electronic medical records and the focus is on delivery of medical services. Consultants, IT experts, and hardware/software providers should benefit.
• The Obama administration has been pressuring banks both large and small to loosen the purse strings.
• There's some indication, according to Federal Reserve Board stats, that access to credit is just beginning to improve.