Small Business News

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Ethiopia this week trumpeting a message of entrepreneurial liberation.

On Wednesday, Pompeo spoke at the African Union, addressing government and business leaders from across the continent. He also visited blueSpace, the country’s first co-working space for entrepreneurs and gig workers and home to Small Business Trends’ new Ethiopian office.

While he stressed what it will take in Africa, and Ethiopia specifically, for more American companies to invest there, he said the true economic liberation comes from within – the county’s own entrepreneurs.

“You are the forces that will insure that those with power who promise liberation understand what that truly means. Hold on to that,” Pompeo urged in remarks on Wednesday. “True economic liberation delivers the greatest economic growth in human history in the United States of America. It can do the same for you.”

In hi

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Can’t stop confusing your Zoomers and millennials? When it comes to hiring, the differences matter. According to Pew Research, millennials were born between 1981 and 1996 which makes them 24 to 39 years old in 2020; Zoomers (or Zers or Generation Z) were born starting in 1997, so the oldest turn 23 this year. This all means your potential hiring pool will change as Gen Z  is 24 percent of the global workforce this year, according to research by Manpower.

Although, you may think these successive generations aren’t all that different, their experiences, needs and actions are diverse enough to pay attention before you hire them. Here’s what you should know.

For several years millennials had a bad rap, which may have influenced how you hired and managed your workforce. Labels such as “entitled,” “lazy,” and “narcissists,” made managers think they had to create excitement and motivational carrots to keep millennials engaged. That was not true according to various millennial surveys and reports. Studies show millennials want what other generations have always wanted: satisfying careers with opportunities to advance. Portrayed as n

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Some communities have traditionally been underserved when it comes to business conferences and support. Women and minorities in particular haven’t had access to as many resources as others. But Behind the Leaf wants to change all that by providing resources and support for women owned business.

The company runs a business conference for women entrepreneurs in South Florida. Additionally, they a book fair for female authors along with other types of support to help women and minority entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more about the company and the team behind this mission in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

Provides resources and support for women business owners in South Florida.

Marketing Consultant Vivian Olodun told Small Business Trends, “Behind The Leaf serves its community b

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Are you struggling to secure a loan from a small bank? If yes, then it is time to reach out to a big bank.

According to the latest Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index™, small business loan approval rates at big banks ($10 billion+assests) reached a new record high in January 2020. The loan approval percentage for small businesses at big banks touched 28.3% last month, setting a new record high.

Be it purchasing equipment or expanding business operations or just increasing working capital, small businesses need to take out business loans for multiple reasons. And increasing loan approval percentage at big banks is certainly positive news for small business owners who are looking forward to applying for business loans.

Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index™ denotes loan approval rates for small businesses at different lenders.

According to the latest Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index, the loan approval share for small businesses at big banks reached 28.3% in January 2020, while it was 27.0% in the same month last year.

Talking about the monthly growth, the loan approval share was 28.2%

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