Charlotte Business Resources Blog

STRATEGIC PLANNING – It’s Best to Know Where You are Going!

posted on 03/21/13 4:18 PM

Alice in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll Alice is conversing with the Cheshire Cat… Alice – “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” Cat – “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to” Alice – “I don’t much care where —” Cat – “Then it doesn’t [...]

5 Ways to receive local recognition for your business

posted on 03/21/13 3:54 PM

May is just around the corner which means Charlotte’s Small Business Week planning is in full swing. With it comes the opportunity for businesses to be recognized for their contributions to our local economy. Now’s the time to nominate your business for special recognition during Small Business Week. Here’s a run down on a few [...]

6 Charlotte Business Competition Opportunities

posted on 03/13/13 10:00 AM

Do you have a business idea unlike anyone else’s? Is the business you own truly unique – filling a niche in a way no one else imagined? Does your business use technology, in particular to provide services or solutions to customers in innovative ways? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you might [...]

What’s your take on Charlotte’s Business Climate?

posted on 03/4/13 9:05 AM

Understanding how businesses feel about the local business climate is critical to creating solutions that lead to economic growth. Every day BusinessFirst Charlotte Ambassadors meet face-to-face with executives, owners and key decision makers in a wide array of business and industry to help make Charlotte a world-class business community. Why? To solve business problems, To [...]

Health Care Reform – Small Business Update

posted on 02/26/13 4:13 PM

Is your small business ready for health care reform? If you offer group health insurance now, or if you plan to in the next few years, you need to understand the changes that are happening. Below are several important questions: Are you capturing the information that is required to be reported on W-2’s this year? [...]

New Online Tool can Help You Get Started Building a Business Plan

posted on 02/25/13 9:05 AM

Having a business plan is a must for small business owners, but finding the time to put pen to paper often means putting them on hold until the very last minute, such as right before that big meeting with a loan officer or bank manager. But business planning does not have to be that way. [...]

Online Tools to Help You Find and Price Small Business Health Care Insurance Options

posted on 02/22/13 10:05 AM

We all have questions about the Affordable Care Act, whether it’s deciphering facts from myths or trying to understand what your options for health care coverage are now and in the future. As small business owners, getting the right information from a credible resource is critical. One new tool is the U.S. Small Business Administration’s [...]

Training Grants for Incumbent Workers – 2013 Deadline Fast Approaching!

posted on 02/17/13 6:00 AM

Employers that have been waiting for the first round of 2013 Incumbent Worker Training Grants don’t have much longer to wait. The first deadline of 2013 is February 20th. This competitive grant program is aimed at employers who want to upgrade the skills of their current workforce. Funded by the N.C. Department of Commerce, the [...]

Participate in the Premier Start-Up Competition in the Southeast and you could win $25,000

posted on 02/11/13 9:00 AM

The Charlotte Venture Challenge has become the premier start-up competition in the Southeast. Want proof? Last year the competition attracted over 117 entries and this year’s competition will be open to companies in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia and Washington DC competing for over $75,000 in prize money including a $25,000 grand prize! Are you [...]

NC IDEA Grant Officials come to Charlotte to kickoff Spring 2013 Grant Cycle

posted on 02/11/13 9:00 AM

Packard Place will host NC IDEA officials next week as they travel to Charlotte to kick-off their Spring 2013 Grant Cycle. The goal? To provide potential Charlotte-area applicants engaged in software, information technology and medical devices an overview of the business grant process and eligibility criteria. More than $200,000 awarded last fall brings NC IDEA [...]

Economic impact of the Democratic National Convention

posted on 02/8/13 9:00 AM

The results of a study commissioned to assess the economic impact of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) were released on January 28. According to the study findings, the DNC was the single largest event in Charlotte’s history and produced a total net economic impact of $163.6 million. Want to read the study findings for yourself? Here [...]

FREE Government Contracting & Bonding Resources right here in Charlotte!

posted on 02/4/13 9:00 AM

At one time or another many businesses will explore increasing their revenue through selling goods and services to the government. Regardless of whether it’s local, state or federal agencies, selling to the government can seem complicated even to the most experienced business. What many businesses may not be aware of is that FREE government procurement [...]

SBA Launches Affordable Care Act Web Page & Blog

posted on 01/28/13 11:52 AM

Without a doubt one of the main topics of conversation going on throughout every industry, regardless of business size, has to do with the Affordable Care Act and the impacts it will have on our community’s small businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today launched a new web page and blog dedicated to educating [...]

Charlotte area businesses now have access to New Small Loan Advantage Program

posted on 01/23/13 12:14 PM

Good news for Charlotte’s small business community comes to our market this month. Last year the SBA re-launched their Small Loan Advantage Program. They listened to the small businesses that make our economic engine run and who often need money fast. As a result, the SBA has streamlined the program making it much easier for [...]

Could your business use a $25,000 cash prize?

posted on 01/15/13 1:48 PM

The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce is really kicking it up a notch in 2013! If you’ve ever wondered what Chamber membership can do for you, this could be the year to dive in and check it out. Their $25,000 Power Up Challenge promises to be bigger and better than the inaugural Challenge kick-off last year. [...]

Affordable Care Act: What Small Businesses Need to Know to Be Prepared

posted on 01/14/13 4:46 PM

If you’re wondering what the new Affordable Care Act will mean for you and your business you’re not alone. According to a survey conducted in October 2012 by eHealth, Inc., although many small businesses are knowledgeable about the law, of the 400 businesses that responded to the survey many were fuzzy on several important details. [...]