Latest news with #NationalSmallBusinessWeek
Business Journals
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Small businesses need tech, mentorship and community to scale for success, say local business leaders
Old dog. New tricks. That was the story Sam's Grill owner Peter Quartaroli shared at a May 8 panel and networking event co-hosted by Comcast Business and the SF Chamber of Commerce at Yes SF Headquarters, a coworking and event space for sustainable innovators in Downtown San Francisco, in recognition of National Small Business Week. Sam's Grill was indisputably the old dog in the room. The beloved Downtown institution has been in operation for 158 years, making it the third-oldest restaurant in San Francisco and the fifth oldest in the country. 'I think we're here to speak to that old-school level,' Quartaroli, a film and television actor and producer who splits his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles, told an audience of small business leaders and champions gathered for the event, entitled 'Scaling for Success: How to Take Your Small Business to the Next Level.' 'Technology is relatively new to us,' he remarked. Quartaroli began working at Sam's in the 1990s and purchased the restaurant in 2014. He reported that Sam's came from 'a spot of utter chaos.' 'We've managed to go for over 100 years relying on chaos,' he acknowledged. 'But now we have a point-of-sale system. We have televisions and a sports bar that provide a source of entertainment. We have phones we actually answer sometimes.' Quartaroli reported that robust business internet, phone and TV, powered by Comcast Business, became indispensable during the period of rapid growth that began when Quartaroli took the reins. In 2014, the restaurant opened a patio in the adjacent alley. And last fall, Sam's Tavern opened next door as a sports bar counterpart to the original seafood grill known as a power lunch destination for San Franciscans. 'It was nice to simplify,' Quartaroli said. "That's one of the things that Comcast did. It provided the simpler path — because we're old dogs in the game, and sometimes it's hard to teach us new tricks.' Comcast Business' Benny Teran affirmed the importance of technology for small businesses to succeed in San Francisco. 'San Francisco is one of the most competitive markets in the food industry,' said Teran, who oversees small and medium-sized business sales for Comcast in California. 'The restaurants that I've seen stick around are the ones that actually leverage technology and try to automate things to help them grow and be sustainable.' Teran also spoke to trends he sees in small business technology needs. 'When I go out to restaurants, the first thing my kids want is the Wi-Fi password,' he said. 'The strategy in SF is to be accepting of new technology so that you can make your customers happy and more welcome.' Teran emphasized the importance of scalability in choosing a connectivity vendor. 'I've been in this segment for 10 years, and some companies start with one to 10 employees and grow into thousands of employees,' he said. 'The good thing is Comcast business has grown to a point where we can give you a solution as you grow. We can be there with you along on your journey to help you get to where you want to get.' He pointed to Comcast's global secure networking solutions, which combine connectivity, cybersecurity and networking to help make digital interactions around the world fast, easy and secure, as an example. 'We're doing our best to make sure we're here to provide what you need to help you grow,' he said. Joining Teran and Quartaroli for the panel conversation was Sharon Miller, CEO of Renaissance Entrepreneur Center, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that supports diverse entrepreneurs in the Bay Area through professional training, expert consulting, access to capital and a vibrant support network. Renaissance partners with corporate sponsors like Comcast to offer skill-building workshops on technology, marketing, finance and other in-demand business skillsets, as well as networking events like the small business week event. The majority of Renaissances programs are free; the remainder available at very low costs. 'If it's a cost that you can't handle, we will work with you,' Miller said. 'We're not going to make that a barrier to entry for anyone.' In her comments, Miller stressed the importance of peer advice for small business success. 'There's so many different products out there that it's really important to get some sound advice regarding which products are going to be the best for you,' Miller said. Quartaroli concurred. 'We have to listen to our partners that we are dealing not only for growth, but also for our everyday affairs, and continue to listen,' he said. 'That's something that has served us well and it's something that serves the community well. We may be different than the place down the street, but I love that place down the street. That's part of the fabric of what makes Downtown and how we all serve a community.' 'There's nothing wrong in asking for help,' Teran agreed. Comcast is proud to celebrate Small Business Month through networking and learning events like 'Scaling for Success.' We support small businesses year-round with robust internet, networking, cybersecurity, TV, voice and other technology solutions that scale with your business. To learn about our solutions and special offers exclusively for Small Business Month, visit our website. Aaron Welch is a freelance writer.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
April Small Business Sales Improved from March, Though Consumers Continue to Trim Discretionary Spending
Fiserv Small Business Index rises 1 point to 151 Small business sales grew +3.2% year-over-year and +0.4% month-over-month MILWAUKEE, May 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, has published the Fiserv Small Business Index for April 2025, with the seasonally-adjusted Index at 151, a one point increase from March. As National Small Business Week begins in the U.S., consumers are making notable shifts in purchasing behavior – spending more on the essentials, trimming back discretionary purchases, and spending less when they choose to dine out. "Even as consumer spending shows resiliency, market uncertainties appear to be driving budget-conscious consumers to reprioritize where they spend their money," said Prasanna Dhore, Chief Data Officer, Fiserv. "Small businesses providing the essentials, including healthcare and grocery, saw strong gains in the month; conversely, discretionary spending, including parts of travel and retail saw growth slow." On a year-over-year basis, small business sales (+3.2%) and total transactions (+6.9%) continued to show growth. Annual sales growth was challenged by very strong results in April 2024, while transactions growth maintained healthy levels relative to the past 12 months. Month-over-month sales (+0.4%) and transactions (+0.3%) also rose. Inflation contributed 2.4% to April 2025 sales growth compared to 3.4% in April 2024, and 2.4% in March 2025. Services Outperform Goods Compared to April 2024, sales of Services (+3.6%) continued to outperform Goods (+2.2%), which has been the case for each month of 2025. Top-performing service categories included Professional Services (+5.0%) and Ambulatory Health Care (+4.2%). Sales declined most in Accommodation (-5.0%), and Transit and Transportation (-1.9%). Compared to March 2025, Ground Transportation (+4.1%), Insurance (+2.7%), and Rental and Leasing (7.1%) services were the fastest-growing categories. Sales in Accommodation (-0.6%) declined after seeing significant growth a month prior (+3.7%), pointing to consumers pulling back in discretionary categories. Consumers Cut Back When Eating Out Small business restaurant sales grew modestly year-over-year (+1.8%). On a monthly basis, sales (-0.1%) declined and foot traffic (+0.6%) grew compared to March. An increasingly budget-conscious consumer continues to show up most when dining out. Compared to 2024, average ticket sizes are down significantly (-7.8%) despite total transactions being up (+9.6%). Retail Growth Cools Compared to 2024, small business retail sales (+2.2%) and transactions (+0.1%) grew, slowly, led by Grocery (+7.0%), Clothing (+5.3%), and Building Materials/Garden Supply (+4.6%). Gasoline Stations (-4.1%) and Health and Personal Care Retailers (-1.9%) declined. On a monthly basis, Retail sales (+0.2%), transactions (+0.1%) and ticket sizes (+0.1%) were nearly flat. The most sales growth came from Gasoline Stations (+1.5%) and Building Materials/Garden Supply (+1.0%); sales slowed most in General Merchandise (-2.6%) and Sporting Goods (-1.5%). About the Fiserv Small Business Index® The Fiserv Small Business Index is published during the first week of every month and differentiated by its direct aggregation of consumer spending activity within the U.S. small business ecosystem. Rather than relying on survey or sentiment data, the Fiserv Small Business Index is derived from point-of-sale transaction data, including card, cash, and check transactions in-store and online across approximately 2 million U.S. small businesses, including hundreds of thousands leveraging the Clover point-of-sale and business management platform. Benchmarked to 2019, the Fiserv Small Business Index provides a numeric value measuring consumer spending, with an accompanying transaction index measuring customer traffic. Through a simple interface, users can access data by region, state, and/or across business types categorized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Computing a monthly index for 16 sectors and 34 sub-sectors, the Fiserv Small Business Index provides a timely, reliable and consistent measure of small business performance even in industries where large businesses dominate. To access the full Fiserv Small Business Index, visit About Fiserv Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a Fortune 500 company, moves more than money. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and Clover®, the world's smartest point-of-sale system and business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and one of Fortune® World's Most Admired Companies™. FI-G View source version on Contacts Media Relations: Chase WallaceDirector, CommunicationsFiserv, Inc.+1 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The tariff strategy is backfiring and small businesses are the collateral damage
The White House just wrapped up a victory lap for National Small Business Week, complete with talk of 'unleashing opportunity' and 'pro-growth' tariffs. But here's the thing: If you've actually run a business in the last five years, not just written a speech about one, you know that's not how any of this works. Let's skip the spin. Tariffs don't protect small businesses. They punish them. Quietly, consistently, and with compounding effect. Tariffs aren't some clever tool for leveling the playing field. They're a quiet tax that makes everything harder, especially for small businesses already navigating a minefield of rising costs, broken supply chains, and labor pressure. While political leaders paint a picture of Main Street revival, the view from the storefront is very different. Prices are up. Supply chains are unpredictable. Margins are shrinking. And now, the federal government wants a round of applause for slapping another tax on the people least equipped to absorb it. A National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study found that the added cost from tariffs is passed entirely onto U.S. importers. That means the burden doesn't fall on foreign competitors, it falls on American businesses, especially smaller ones with thinner margins and less leverage. Most small firms don't have backup suppliers, global negotiating power, or the financial runway to absorb these shocks. The logic behind tariffs is always the same: Punish unfair foreign trade practices, protect domestic industry, and stimulate local growth. The administration's argument is that tariffs will 'bring jobs home' and reduce foreign dependence. In theory, maybe. In practice, what they really do is sow chaos in supply chains, delay production and force business owners to make impossible choices. Raise prices and risk losing customers? Or eat the costs and hope to survive another quarter? That's not an opportunity. That's a trap. And ironically, it helps the very corporations these policies claim to check. Amazon can swallow cost increases. Walmart can reroute freight. But the family-owned coffee roastery that needs imported equipment to stay competitive? They're left holding the bag. Tariffs aren't about establishing fairness. They create barriers, especially for small businesses trying to get off the ground. In any situation where VCs feel there is systemic risk to the economy, it is harder to get them to open up their checkbooks. Startups need many rounds of capital, and if there is a perception that future rounds will be hard to come by, they will need more conviction to make investment. But with tariffs you also have to factor in the unknown about modeling profitability. How do you comfortably fund any consumer product that requires raw materials when the long-term costs for any of those businesses are unknowns? Or evaluate demand potential if part of the upside of the business is international? If policymakers actually want to strengthen small businesses, they should focus on what owners are really asking for: Lower input costs. That means fewer hidden taxes, not more. Reliable supply chains. We need infrastructure investment, not disruption disguised as patriotism. Access to affordable credit. Rates are high, and capital is tight. Entrepreneurs can't grow. Policy stability. You can't plan a product launch or sign a lease when the rules keep changing every other week. And maybe above all: Include small-business owners in policymaking. Don't just parade them out during themed weeks. I'm all for protecting American enterprise. But you don't do that by quietly making it more expensive to run a business in America. You don't do it by forcing entrepreneurs to pay more for less. And you certainly don't do it by pretending that cost inflation is a win. Tariffs may score political points. But they're a policy failure wrapped in patriotic packaging. They weaken the very people we claim to champion. Small Business week may be over but our attention should not diverge from the importance of these growing enterprises. If we want to support the backbone of the economy, we have to stop weighing it down. The opinions expressed in commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. Read more: USA Brands CEO: Small businesses want to thrive, not just survive. That's where the tariffs uncertainty hurts the most My solution to Trump's tariffs: I'm starting a U.S. factory to save my small business The pursuit of 'lean' operations has left companies mercilessly exposed to the tariffs chaos This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Parents, teachers react to Montgomery County Public Schools updated cell phone policy
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is trying to have better oversight of the amount of time students spend on their phones. On Friday, the school district said it updated its guidelines for mobile devices for the next school year. The revised policy allows high schoolers to use their phones in between classes and during lunch, but not during class. Middle and elementary school students aren't allowed to use them during the school day at all. 'So thankful, appreciative': Playset built for 7-year-old with leukemia in Montgomery County Parents and teachers who talked with DC News Now said they have mixed feelings about these updated regulations. Nicole Porcaro has been a substitute teacher for MCPS for more than a decade. She said cell phones are a major distraction. 'Getting the kids to even take their earbuds out, it's texting, it's watching videos, it's on social media,' Porcaro said. Jeremy Joseph is the father of two MCPS students, and he agrees that phones disrupt learning. That is why he has advocated for years for them to be taken out of the classroom. 'Because that gives kids the opportunity to focus on their studies,' Joseph said. 'The days and the teacher's time isn't taken up with policing the phones.' Montgomery County police honors fallen officers with memorial service Joseph said the policy update is a step forward when it comes to elementary and middle schools, but not so much for high schools. 'If this is the right policy for elementary and middle school,' he said. 'Why is it not right for high school?' MCPS parent Lisa Cline shares similar views. 'The high school part of the policy seems to be even a little bit more relaxed than it was,' Cline said. 'Elementary and middle, most of the schools were doing that anyway.' Some parents, including Tara McKinney, don't agree with the updated regulations at all. 'I definitely want to make sure my kid can contact me at any point in time,' McKinney said. 'I think it's essential at this point in time.' Montgomery County officials visit businesses for 'National Small Business Week' McKinney isn't convinced MCPS will be able to enforce the policies, nor is parent Dawn Iannaco-Hahn. 'I would say high school is really going to be the most difficult,' Iannaco-Hahn said. 'My son comes home and tells me that there are teachers who will say, 'Please put your phones away,' and kids will cuss at the teacher.' MCPS' full Updated Personal Mobile Device Regulation for the 2025-26 school year can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska small businesses need investment, not abandoned contracts
Traffic in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) This week is National Small Business Week, a time to celebrate the entrepreneurs who keep our communities vibrant and full of opportunity. In Anchorage, we're lucky we don't have to look far to see that spirit in action. Just last week, a room full of small business owners, proud families, and community members gathered in Spenard to celebrate the newest graduates of Anchorage Community Land Trust's Set Up Shop and Indigenous Peoples Set Up Shop programs. These programs help entrepreneurs in underserved communities launch and grow their businesses, creating a ripple effect of community revitalization and generational wealth. But just as we mark this week meant to honor small businesses, the future of this work is in jeopardy. Recently, the federal government terminated congressionally approved grants that fund these very programs. That means Set Up Shop — a proven path to self-sufficiency for underserved entrepreneurs — may not continue in its current form. And let's be clear. This isn't about government waste or bloated bureaucracy. It's about breaking a contract. Imagine hiring a contractor to paint your home. They buy the paint, prep the walls, schedule a crew, and then you cancel the job halfway through and refuse to pay. Most people would agree that's unethical, and certainly indefensible. Yet that's exactly what's happening to nonprofits like ACLT, who were asked to do a job, only to see the funding pulled midstream. The work still needs to be done, but the government has walked away. We're not just talking about line items in a budget. We're talking about hard- working Alaskans who have done everything right. They've taken business classes, written plans, earned certifications, and opened storefronts, and are now left with fewer tools and less support than they were promised. When we don't invest in our own people, we pay the price in other ways, with lost jobs, empty buildings, and neighborhoods full of untapped potential. When an entrepreneur opens a new business in Anchorage they hire locally. They spend locally. They transform vacant lots into thriving storefronts. The economic return goes far beyond the individual business owner and it makes our city a better place to live. Set Up Shop has helped more than 500 entrepreneurs turn ideas into realities, and side hustles into fully fledged businesses. These businesses hire locally, pay taxes, and invest in their neighborhoods. That's not charity. That's economic infrastructure built from the ground up. We will continue to do this work, with or without the original funding. That's what it means to serve your community. But we could benefit from you being with us. If you believe in the promise of local business and the power of neighborhood-led change, we invite you to consider supporting ACLT and, most importantly, supporting these entrepreneurs. You could visit their businesses, share their stories and help us keep the momentum alive. Because when we invest in our neighbors, we all win — and that's just good business. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
