sba 504 lender: Redundancy in SBA Programs Stalls the Recovery… - 08/09/11 10:14 AM
I wrote an article that was published on American Banker’s BANKTHINK blog last Friday. It’s about the redundancy that continues to plague the SBA’s flagship loan programs and why it’s hurting our economy.
In my opinion (which you’re probably aware of if you’ve read this blog for any length of time), the SBA needs to do more to increase efficiency and make it possible for small business owners to get the capital they need to grow their businesses.
I’d like to find out if you agree with me, so read the full text of the article below and let me know … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Expert to interview nationally-acclaimed marketing expert Sally Hogshead - 08/18/10 07:37 AM
As you may already know, I host a monthly Small Business Success Strategies® TeleSeminar where I give forward-thinking business people like you access to today's best-selling and leading business authors, consultants, marketing gurus and other successful Entrepreneurs.
I'm very excited that Sally Hogshead will be my August guest author for our LIVE call next Wednesday August 25th at noon ET. In her new book, Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation, she poses a strange but important question: “Is your (or your prospective client's) attention span the same as a goldfish's?” Sally points out that a world oversaturated with about … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: The SBA 504 Experts Explain more about HR 5297… - 08/03/10 04:57 AM
As you know, I've been sending emails and making phone calls over the last several days to drum up support for HR 5297, the small business bill the Senate has been debating for a week now. A friend sent me a message asking some questions that you may also have, so I thought I'd respond to them here. Here are his comments and questions:
It appears that [HR 5297] was voted down with Republicans leading the way. I heard Mitch McConnell discuss it briefly yesterday [Sunday, August 1st] saying the reason they were against was that it was loaded up with … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Expert Calls Proposed Direct Lending by the SBA a Disaster . . . - 03/04/10 05:56 AM
In today's edition of The Wall Street Journal, there is an article titled “A Plea for Direct Lending to Small Businesses” which you can read in full by going here. The article focuses on the two sides of the debate on proposed legislation that calls for the SBA to help business owners find willing lenders and, as last resort, issue the loans directly. Yes that would mean the same people who bring you (sometimes — and maybe no more on Saturdays) your mail, the constant money-losing Amtrak, the DMV (at least on the state level) and so forth, would now do … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Experts Welcome Congressional Candidates at Open House . . . - 03/02/10 03:00 AM
I know that elections aren't until November, but I think right now is the perfect time to start learning about the candidates we'll be voting for later this year. That's why I decided to host an Open House last week and invite the Congressional candidates from Florida's 24th District - - the one MCC resides in. (There's actually a much longer, more detailed explanation for hosting this event, which you can read here.)
The upcoming elections will be the most important ones we've seen in a long time, and I was heartened by the turnout last Tuesday night. We probably had … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Expert Weighs in on Obama's Latest Small Business Proposals… - 02/10/10 02:21 AM
I flew into New York City early yesterday afternoon and met with Marshall Eckblad, the national banking reporter for Dow Jones (owners of the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, SmartMoney, and others). And after getting his personal tour of the Dow Jones offices (including seeing the wall of Pulitzer Prizes and “The Hub,” where reporters from all over the world work on stories side-by-side . . . couldn't quite get him to show me Rupert's [Murdoch] offices), we spent nearly two hours discussing all things small business and small business finance-related. While speaking with him, I got to thinking about the recent … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Expert Comments on President Obama's first State of the Union Address - 02/08/10 02:06 AM
 
This probably comes as no surprise to you, but I'd like to share my thoughts on President Obama's first State of Union Address that was delivered just a little over a week ago. For the sake of time (both yours and mine), I'm going to restrict the majority of my comments to the President's remarks regarding small businesses and job growth.
First of all, he was right to focus on the economy first and foremost. As important as health care reform and national security are, the economic future of our country is what weighs heaviest on our minds right now. … (2 comments)

sba 504 lender: SBA 504 Expert Tells the Truth About Tax Incentives on FOX Business News . . . - 02/01/10 06:38 AM
In case you missed it (and there's a good chance you did), I was on FOX Business News late Friday afternoon. I found out that I would be on FOX's Happy Hour show earlier that same day, while I was out of the office at a day-long meeting, so I didn't have much time to prepare.
Anyway, without any further ado, here's the clip (just be sure to keep reading - - I have a couple things to share after you watch):
 
 
 

Even though this is my fourth appearance on FOX Business News in only 10 months … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: How We Stimulate Job Growth In 2010 - 12/04/09 06:17 AM
I was on FOX Business News yesterday morning (December 3rd) for the third time this year . . . this time, along with Dave Ramsey (nationally-known author, radio host and TV personality). The White House's “jobs summit” was the topic of our conversation yesterday, and I came prepared with a list of things our elected representatives need to do to boost job growth immediately. The only problem is that when you share the stage with Dave, he gets a little more camera time because he's just a bit more well-known than I am . . . and it doesn't hurt that … (0 comments)

sba 504 lender: Just one more day until my favorite American Holiday… - 11/25/09 02:57 AM
Thanksgiving is undoubtedly one of my favorite Holidays, and I am very much looking forward to spending time with family and good friends . . . and, of course, eating more than I probably should. Before I leave the office today, I thought I'd take a minute to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.
You know, the economic crisis we're facing is a terrible mess. I truly wish it would just go away and let us get back to business as usual, but it's not that easy. I do think there's a small silver lining, though. Make a point tomorrow to … (2 comments)

sba 504 lender: Snowe's Public Policy Starts to Melt . . . - 11/23/09 06:16 AM
For the past several months, I've been following U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe's attempt to help struggling small businesses through the implementation of the ARC Loan Program - - a stimulus-package incentive she helped to create, no less. You'll recall that this “America's Recovery Capital” loan program provides a maximum of $35,000 to a small business that must demonstrate viability, yet also be in need of the funds (an oxymoronic qualification if there ever was one). And for these past several months, you have continually heard me oppose the program (in blog posts here, here, here, here and here - - five … (1 comments)

sba 504 lender: The SBA Throws a Party, but Some Innovative Thinkers Don't Show Up . . . - 11/19/09 06:06 AM
As a regular reader of all-things-Mercantile, you've probably noticed I've been busy putting forth countless ideas to help America's small businesses grow better, smarter, and faster. I've been advocating for the most important employer in our economy for several years (the small business owner), but things have really heated up over the last few months. The Small Business Administration (SBA), for instance, has probably been mentioned more times in the media in the past year than it has cumulatively in my lifetime. And while some of my real-world suggestions have finally been adopted by our elected officials (long after I proposed … (0 comments)