Opportunities in Central Florida

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

Sunshine of Central Florida region (credit: Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker)

(Please click on red and note magenta)

Windermere Blue Sunset (credit: Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker)

Did you know that Orlando Career Fair is taking place on May 6, 2015, at the Omni Hotel & Resort (1500 Masters Boulevard, ChampionsGate, FL  33896, between 11:00 am-2:00 pm)? So those of you who are looking for work, come and get hired!

This week is our National Small Business Week (May 4-8). By definition, a company that has less than 500 employees or $10 million in annual sales, is a small business. According to SBA (Small Business Administration), small businesses were responsible for creating 2 out of 3 million new jobs in the U.S. last year (2014). Here are some more facts on small businesses:

• 99.7 percent of all employers are small (under 500 employees).

• 90 percent have fewer than 20 employees.

• Small businesses produce 65 percent of the new jobs in the last 17 years.

• Small businesses produce more than half of private GDP (gross domestic product).

• Small businesses make up 97.5 percent of identified exporters.

• Small businesses produce 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.

Source: SBA

Please allow me to share SBA:The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses.  The agency’s activities are summarized as the “3 Cs” of capital, contracts and counseling.

SBA loans are made through banks, credit unions and other lenders who partner with the SBA. The SBA provides a government-backed guarantee on part of the loan. Under the Recovery Act and the Small Business Jobs Act, SBA loans were enhanced to provide up to a 90 percent guarantee in order to strengthen access to capital for small businesses after credit froze in 2008. The agency had record lending volumes in late 2010.

SBA helps lead the federal government’s efforts to deliver 23 percent of prime federal contracts to small businesses. Small business contracting programs include efforts to ensure that certain federal contracts reach woman-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses as well as businesses participating in programs such as 8(a) and HUBZone.

SBA has at least one office in each U.S. state. In addition, the agency provides grants to support counseling partners, including approximately 900 Small Business Development Centers (often located at colleges and universities), 110 Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE, a volunteer mentor corps of retired and experienced business leaders with approximately 350 chapters. These counseling services provide services to over 1 million entrepreneurs and small business owners annually. President Obama announced in January 2012 that he would elevate the SBA into the Cabinet, a position it last held during the Clinton administration, thus making the Administrator of the Small Business Administration a cabinet-level position.

I would also want to share with you another helpful tool for small businesses: Google My Business

~Let’s Help One Another~

www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture

www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture

www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture

www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture

www.cafepress.com/sunisthefuture

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