Business planning and strategy

The pandemic’s harmful effects have forced many entrepreneurs to reevaluate their business model. More than a year since the global health crisis paralyzed our communities and economies, small businesses are looking for ways to make their business more resilient to crises and connect with their consumers online. With this in mind, we put together a checklist for entrepreneurs to review as they pivot their businesses and build their online presence.

As we begin a new year, small business owners who applied for a Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan should be aware of the processes and requirements to apply for PPP loan forgiveness. Taking the following steps to complete the loan forgiveness process will give you peace of mind and may help you prepare for the upcoming tax season. 

Here are some key facts to consider as you start to navigate the process.

Congress approved a new federal relief package to help struggling small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic, putting an end to months of ongoing negotiations and congressional inaction. Read our summary of the key pieces of the legislation that can support the recovery of small businesses.

This post originally appeared on the blog of Small Business Majority.

In celebration of Black History Month, we hosted a Twitter chat during which we asked partners like Accion, CAMEO, Working Solutions, Illinois SBDC and Main Street Launch to share resources and advice with Black small business owners and entrepreneurs. 

This post originally appeared on the blog of CDC Small Business Finance

When Georgia’s restaurant opened in Anaheim’s historic Packing House in 2016, co-owners Gretchen Shoemaker and Marlon Machado conservatively projected first-year sales to be between $250,000 and $500,000. By the fifth month of serving their version of “soul delicious” food to thousands of patrons, they hit $1 million.

Did you know there are more than 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses in the U.S? Our nation’s veterans are hard-working, resilient and resourceful, making them specially equipped for entrepreneurship. However, they can often face significant obstacles when it comes to accessing capital and business networks. If this sounds familiar to you, you’ve come to the right place. In honor of National Veterans Small Business Week, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories of successful veteran entrepreneurs and resources that can help you start and grow a veteran-owned business. 

This is the final post in our series, “Turn your bright idea into a business.” Check out our other posts on validating your idea, running the financials and testing the waters by