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They’re also more likely than men to engage in networking StatePoint Women and men who own small and mid-sized businesses are typically more aligned than they are different in their viewpoints about the economy. This is especially true when it comes to their optimism about running their businesses, according to PNC Financial Services Group’s latest Economic Outlook Survey. Survey results show that 69% of women and 73% of men are highly optimistic about their business prospects. But women appear to have the edge when it comes to confidence — 69% say they are confident about running their businesses compared to 57% of men. This trend is consistent with 2022’s survey responses, when 8 in 10 women business owners reported feeling very confident in their business success and nearly half credited their confidence to their own hard work and drive. “It stands to reason that those sentiments, together with a few key resources — professional networks, improved access to credit and the agility
to navigate the economic landscape — all contribute to a level of confidence that is driving continued optimism this year,” says Beth Marcello, director of PNC Women’s Business Development.
Engaging in networks According to the survey, women-owned businesses are more likely to be engaged with the Small Business Administration, chambers of commerce and other professional groups. In fact, 83% of women business owners participate in business development organizations compared to 64% of men. “Women often credit the benefits of a strong network to winning new business and finding new and better ways of doing business, and we’re supporting that network-building through our relationships with organizations such as global nonprofit Coralus and the Women Presidents Organization,” says Marcello.
Decisions for the economic landscape The optimism of women business owners comes through in the survey in specific areas of their enterprises, as 64% expect to see an increase in demand, 65% anticipate an increase in sales, and
56% predict an increase in profits in the next six months. While 57% also have plans to moderately increase prices. “These are just a few indicators of how women are thinking as they make business decisions heading into 2024,” Marcello says. “While some of their optimism may be tested by continued high inflation and a potential recession, there is strong evidence that they are prepared.”
Seeking credit When PNC began surveying women business owners in 2014, men were more likely to seek credit in the near term. The 2022 survey showed for the first time, women overtaking men when considering a new loan or line of credit to support business growth. This trend continued in 2023, with 26% of women saying they are likely to seek a near-term business loan or line of credit compared to 23% of men. “While this data could simply reflect changes in the way women are conducting business, it’s evidence that fewer women are intimidated by the traditional process of gaining access to credit for their businesses,” Marcello says. “This is really encouraging.”
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and ship the same products all over the world. Customers seeking personalized items and services for their particular regions are better off utilizing local small businesses that can bring in regional vendors more readily.
Metro News Service Small businesses and big box chains have been competing for consumers’ attention for decades. Historians say that big box stores were born in the early 1960s when WalMart, Target and Kmart entered the retail landscape. It’s been more than 60 years since these chains arrived and they certainly have garnered their share of devotees. Big box businesses have size, inventory and often price on their side. However, when consumers look beyond those factors, it’s easy to see all of the benefits small businesses offer that behemoths cannot.
Passionate owners and operators: Walk into a big box store or other business and you may find a handful of dedicated employees, but not quite at the level of small businesses. Small business owners prioritize the customer experience because they know they need to work hard to retain customers. This translates into knowing the products well, and sharing as much knowledge as possible with customers. Big box businesses vulnerable to heavy staff turnover often do not have a vested interest in the brand. Work the local niche: What makes big box retailers so familiar to shoppers is one can stop in a store in the middle of Nebraska and likely find the same items as a store in Hawaii, with only a few subtle differences between the locations. Big box companies work with the same suppliers
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Advanced technology: Big box companies have invested millions of dollars into their point-of-service systems and other technologies, which means it can be a very slow transition to new options as times change. Small businesses generally can shift to newer, better technology more readily because they do not have to do so on the same scale as their larger competitors. General agility: Changing technology on a dime is not the only ways small businesses excel. They can experiment in other ways, such as a home contractor offering a special price deal for a certain period of time, or a clothing store experimenting with new in-store decor. Big chains cannot pivot that quickly, and any changes must be approved by corporate and implemented across all centers.
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SHAW MEDIA Sauk Valley Media/ shawlocal.com/sauk-valley • Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Need a reason to shop local? Here are a few
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Tips to help keep your business in business LOCAL BUSINESS RESOURCES
StatePoint Millions of new businesses are formed nationwide each year and women of color are leading the charge. The Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Report found that Black women are one of the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the United States, representing 14.8% of all women-owned businesses, and Hispanic/Latina women represent 14.3% of all women-owned businesses. Steve Hall, vice president of Economic Development and Small Business Lending for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a non-profit that connects under-invested people and places with hard-to-tap resources, shares these tips for ensuring your business will succeed in the new year and beyond:
Increase financial literacy: It’s important to have a solid working knowledge of credit, bookkeeping, projections, financial statements, reporting and financing to help you make sound business decisions. Free educational resources like Hands on Banking can get you started. Be passionate: Running a successful small business requires round-the-
clock dedication, so be sure it’s something you enjoy and are passionate about.
“Run the idea”: Speak with a business banker about your business plan, ways to fund your operations and how to establish credit. A strong relationship with a business banker can help set you up for success. They can guide you toward the right financial products for every stage of the business, identify potential barriers you may face, help you find capital and help you avoid predatory debt collectors. Likewise, a certified public accountant can advise you on what paperwork you need to file to start your business, how to structure your business and how to manage monthly financials and taxes. They can also help connect you with the right vendors. Seek out capital: Capital is the fuel to start and grow your business. More credit options can be the difference between survival and closure. In addition to traditional lending, working with community development financial institutions and minority depository institutions can create an ecosystem of support that provides additional avenues to accessing capital. These institutions specifically work with underserved entrepreneurs, including those in low-to-moderate income areas and minority populations. Solicit trusted advice: Check out LISC’s webinars, local networking events and online resource center. No matter what industry you’re in, SBA. gov and your local chamber of commerce can also be helpful. For guidance in accessing capital, lean on Business Development Organizations, which serve as trusted ambassadors to underinvested communities, guiding business owners in accessing loans and resources. “It takes passion and grit to start and grow a business. It also takes planning, important financial decisions and a series of legal steps,” says Hall. “Fortunately, a range of resources exist to guide an entrepreneur through the logistics of turning their dream into a reality.”
The Sauk Valley is home to several resources for business owners and those considering opening a business.
Dixon
Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street The Chamber advocates for “businesses, community, and visitors by promoting economic development, cultural programs, civic engagement, and historic preservation. With the support of our members, our non-profit-organization supports our local businesses, provides community events, and promotes tourism to our area.” 87 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon Online: discoverdixon.com Contact: 815-284-3361, info@dixonnow.com
Rock Falls
Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce The Chamber helps “foster growth, connections, and community involvement. We are a non-profit organization made up of members who want to support the community, learn new skills, and meet new people.” 601 W. 10th St, Rock Falls Online: rockfallschamber.com Contact: 815-625-4500
Contact: 815-625-2400 or knoble@saukvalleyareachamber.com Sterling Main Street “Main Street unites individuals, organizations, businesses, and local government to support a revitalized, historic downtown to develop, maintain and promote an attractive and vital downtown district. The goal is to create a sense of place, vitality, ownership activity in the core of the community ... through a number of events and promotions.” 15 E. Third St., Sterling Online: sterlingmainstreet.org Contact: 815-626-8610, info@sterlingmainstreet.org
Whiteside County
Whiteside County Economic Development Dept. “The Whiteside County Economic Development Department promotes the wider area and ... coordinates the administration of the area’s Enterprise Zone, offering tax incentives for development or redevelopment within the zone.” 200 E. Knox St., Morrison Online: nwillinoisadvantage.com/ Contact: 815-772-5247, gcamarano@whiteside.org
Sauk Valley Community College
Small Business Development Center “The Small Business Development Center ... offers Sterling free advising to individuals and businesses seeking Greater Sterling Development Corp. professional assistance for feasibility studies, “The GSDC acts as the economic development team business plans for start-ups or growth, and exit/ [working closely] with the City of Sterling, the Sauk succession planning. ... The SBDC [also] offers Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, and other local professional training and workshops with topics organizations to provide businesses ... resources ranging from those relevant to startups to those and information needed to develop the area.” needed by experienced business professionals. 1741 Industrial Drive, Sterling 173 Illinois Route 2, Dixon Online: sterlingdevelopment.org Online: sauksbdc.com/ Contact: 625-5255, hsotelo@sterlingdevelopment.org Contact: sbdc@svcc.edu Sauk Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Training Dept. “The Chamber’s mission is to enhance the “The Business Training Department assists economic climate and the quality of life in the Sauk businesses by providing customized training Valley. Nearly 400 members from all sectors of the options for their employees and assists SVCC community work through the Chamber to help the students with preparing job search materials and Sauk Valley ... grow and thrive. The Chamber works finding a career.” to provide opportunities and events for members Online: svcc.edu/ to connect and build relationships.” Contact: Brenda Helms, Director of Business 211 Locust St., Sterling Training and Community Education, at 815-835Online: saukvalleyareachamber.com 6212 or brenda.helms@svcc.edu Sources: discoverdixon.com, rockfallschamber.com, sterling-il.gov/374/Economic-Development
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Communities’ economics engines can sometimes struggle to pick up speed Metro News Service Small businesses are the economic engine that help run countries around the world, comprising a larger share of the economic landscape than big firms. But even though there’s strength in numbers, sometimes it’s not enough to hold off blows dealt by fluctuating economic conditions, particularly in the aftermath of the global pandemic. According to ValuePenguin, powered by Lending Tree, 86 percent of small businesses were facing economic challenges as of 2022. The latest MetLife and U.S Chamber of Small Business Index has identified issues that many small businesses are confronting in the current economic climate.
wInflation: The Index indicated inflation is the
number one concern for small businesses today, with 53 percent of firms reporting this is the biggest challenge they are facing. When the survey was conducted, inflation was up 30 percentage points year-over-year. Also, according to Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Voices survey, more than 76 percent of respondents said the financial health
of their business had been hurt by inflation in recent months.
Supply chain issues: Larger corporations may be able to source their products from many different vendors to keep shelves stocked, but smaller businesses often experience difficulties when items become unavailable. An Oracle survey reported that 80 percent of consumers would stop buying from a brand entirely if they experienced delays or shortages in their orders. This has been troubling to small businesses who have found it harder to compete with larger firms amid supply chain disruption. Revenue generation: As the costs of supplies and labor has risen due to inflation, small businesses have struggled to generate revenue. The U.S. Chamber of Small Business reported that, in the fourth quarter of 2022, nearly seven in 10 small business owners said they raised prices to cope with rising inflation as a measure to help mitigate revenue lags. Even after raising prices, certain small businesses have been having trouble breaking even.
Rising interest rates: Small business owners who rely on loans and credit to finance their business operations have been hit hard by the rising interest rates the Federal Reserve has been implementing to stem inflation. These rising rates, coupled with revenue struggles, are added costs to doing business. Recruitment and retention: Finding and keeping quality employees has been challenging for some time. This has been exacerbated by the fact that everyone is feeling the pinch of rising costs, and people want jobs that will offer salaries and benefits that can help them make ends meet. This means that employees may be lured away by the prospect of better pay at big box businesses that may have more available capital to pay employees. In addition, large firms can provide access to less expensive health care plans because they are servicing a greater number of employees. Small businesses can face considerable obstacles in today’s economy. Consulting with a business advisor may help entrepreneurs solve these issues.
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SHAW MEDIA Sauk Valley Media/ shawlocal.com/sauk-valley • Wednesday, February 14, 2024
An uphill climb from the bottom line
Metro News Service The restaurant business was dealt a significant blow during the COVID-19 pandemic, when forced closures of nonessential businesses reduced many eateries to takeout-only establishments. Even when those restrictions were relaxed, social distancing guidelines meant many establishments could not seat guests at full capacity, further cutting into restaurants’ profits. Now that life has largely returned to pre-pandemic normalcy, the restaurants that made it through the restrictions are back, and many are as busy as ever. But there’s still a lot diners can do to help local restaurants. The benefits of a thriving local business sector include more tax revenue, more jobs, a stronger sense of community, and, in communities with ample nightlife opportunities, a town that residents view as a fun place to live. A local business sector benefits when customers do their part, and the following are some ways residents can help their local bars and restaurants continue their recovery from pandemic-related restrictions.
Write an online review: A recent report from Review Tracker found that 81 percent of consum-
ers are inclined to visit Google Reviews before patronizing a business. A positive review on Google Reviews or other popular review aggregators like Yelp is sure to benefit a local restaurant. Share details about the food and drinks, but don’t forget to mention exceptional service as well.
Spread the word to neighbors and friends:
Online reviews are a great way to spread the word far and wide, but word-of-mouth also can be effective. The marketing solution experts at Hibü contend that word-of-mouth marketing is the most popular way to recommend a business. Share details of a fun night out at a local bar or restaurant when speaking with friends and neighbors around town.
Do it all over again in the future: Repeat customers are the backbone of many small businesses, and bars and restaurants are no exception. A report in Harvard Business Review noted that onboarding a new customer can be as much as 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing customer. The next time a night of socializing is in order, go back to the bar or restaurant where such a fun night was had on the first go-round. Doing so ensures another night’s worth of fun memories and helps bars and restaurants thrive.
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