Business Consultant's Digest April 6th, 2012 | arc mercury

by Derek Greer

As a business consulting firm we focus on small businesses, startups and the middle class entrepreneur.? Knowing the value of time, here we share news items that we believe have the deepest impact on small business.

Top stories being reported today in the Wall Street Journal:

• Job Slowdown Renews Doubt-?U.S. job creation slowed, as a labor market that recently has showed vigor appeared to lose momentum. The data have political implications and raise questions about Fed policy.
• Stocks mostly edged lower, capping the biggest weekly drop of the year, as the Dow industrials declined 14.61 points to 13060.14.
• The improving economy is providing a slight boost to U.S. malls and shopping centers, which registered their first declines in vacancies in years.
• Microsoft is courting app developers for its Windows Phone to try to dent the dominance of Apple and Google in the smartphone market.
• Venture Firms Offer More Than Cash-?Some of the biggest names in venture capital are starting to provide start-ups with more than just capital, offering marketing, design and other services that companies typically need help with in their early stages.
• Bid to Ease the Squeeze on Business-?San Francisco has for at least two decades been a difficult place to set up and operate a small business, but the city is trying to simplify the process, especially for restaurants.

The question of the day: is the U.S. economy recovering? ?Well according to the recent jobs report, no. ?New jobs created (nonfarm) for March were 120,000, coming in under 200,000 for the first time since November of last year according to the labor department. ?However, on a more positive note, US malls and shopping centers are registering their first decline in vacancies in years. ?A good indicator that the economy is returning it?s buying power. ?As for the entrepreneurs and start-ups out there, venture capital firms are beginning to come to the party with more than just cash. ?They are attempting to offer more hands on services that will help companies take off.

Wishing everyone a productive day from arc mercury business consulting!

by Derek Greer

As a business consulting firm we focus on small businesses, startups and the middle class entrepreneur.? Knowing the value of time, here we share news items that we believe have the deepest impact on small business.

Top stories being reported today in the Wall Street Journal:

• Fears that central banks may soon end efforts to support financial markets and fresh concerns about Europe drove down stock markets around the world.
• Private employers hired 209,000 workers last month, an ADP report said, stirring hopes for the government?s jobs report due on Friday.
• The New York Fed said it will explore sales of some of its remaining securities from the bailout of insurer AIG during the financial crisis.
• Regions Financial repaid the U.S. Treasury $3.5 billion, allowing it to emerge from the federal government?s bailout program.
• U.S. trade restrictions could hamper the ability of American businesses to reap the fruits of Russia?s entry into the WTO this summer.
• Last month, the SBA redefined small architectural firms as those with less than $7 million in revenue, from $4.5 million. The SBA has made similar upward revisions over the last year in 130 industries, adding at least 27,400 new companies to its definition of a small business.

Outside of the usual?rhythm,?stocks up then down, Fed in then out, something of interest for the ?small business? sector: the recent revision of what a small architectural firm is. ?As noted above from the WSJ, the SBA (US Small Business Administration) redefined small architectural firms to mean ?firms as those with less than $7 million in revenue, from $4.5 million.? ?What does this mean from a business consultant?s frame of mind? ?Well for starters this increases the number of companies within the architectural industry that are considered small business, therefore increasing competition. ?For architects, government contracts can be very lucrative, more importantly, very consistent. ?23% of government contracts must go to ?small businesses.? ?This now gives lager companies access to this allocation of business. ?This does not only apply to?architectural?firms, this increase of what is considered a small business is a trend that has been affecting many industries. ?Ultimately, this may also affect how small businesses within various industries are treated in regards to future legislation and tax.

Wishing everyone a productive day from arc mercury business consulting!

by Derek Greer

As a business consulting firm we focus on small businesses, startups and the middle class entrepreneur.? Knowing the value of time, here we share news items that we believe have the deepest impact on small business.

Top stories being reported today in the Wall Street Journal:

• Romney Wins Wisconsin, D.C., Maryland- Romney cruised to victories in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia, adding to his widening delegate lead over the rest of the Republican presidential field.
• The sharp rise in gasoline prices has fueled consumers? thirst for small and fuel-efficient vehicles, a prime factor in driving light car and truck sales in the U.S. nearly 13% higher in March from a year earlier.
• The Federal Reserve is in no hurry to launch new measures to boost economic growth, minutes from its latest policy meeting showed.
• Stocks fell as investors eager for more stimulus were disappointed, with the Dow industrials dropping 0.5%. Treasurys were hit hard.
• Climbing rents for apartments are combining with the drop in home prices to push once-reluctant home buyers into taking the plunge.
• A year after banking regulators began cracking down on alleged foreclosure abuses, borrowers still haven?t received any compensation.
• Crowd Control-What does a crowd-funding company look like? Here?s a peek inside the San Francisco offices of Indiegogo.com, a fast-growing Web-based fund-raising platform. Under a bill that?s expected to be signed into law this week, it will be able to extend its platform to start-ups looking to sell equity stakes in their businesses online.

Gas prices are still shooting through the roof, causing more Americans to buy new fuel efficient vehicles, an effect that is helping manufacturers pick up momentum. ?Apartment rents are increasing while home prices are dropping, giving some people the final push to buy instead of rent. ?These two trends are rarely inverse as they are now, therefore, this drastically tips the rent or buy decision towards buy. ?The Federal Reserve is not making any sudden moves to boost the economy, a sign that could be interpreted as positive, given that an economy without the need for training wheels is more stable.

Wishing everyone a productive day from arc mercury business consulting!

by Derek Greer

As a business consulting firm we focus on small businesses, startups and the middle class entrepreneur.? Knowing the value of time, here we share news items that we believe have the deepest impact on small business.

Top stories being reported today in the Wall Street Journal:

• U.S. manufacturing picked up steam in March as a broad cross-section of industries reported rising output and strong orders for coming months. American consumers are helping offset softer demand affecting factories in other parts of the world.
• Dire figures on unemployment and manufacturing activity in the euro zone?s weakest members dimmed hopes for the bloc?s growth prospects.
• Stocks rose to multiyear highs in the first session of the new quarter, with the Dow industrials gaining 52.45 points, or 0.4%, to 13264.49.
• A shakeout in the storefront-loan business may make credit even tighter for millions of borrowers with less-than-stellar credit histories.
• Employees, Measure Yourselves-Encouraging workers to keep track of what they?re doing can make them healthier and more productive. New tools are making it easier for them to do that.

US Manufacturing is making a comeback, bringing the Dow up 52.45 points. ?Lets hope this momentum continues and brings us closer to recovery rather than just create another spike in the charts. ?The euro zone is still struggling which could sneak up again and slow down US momentum, however, with good ole fashion American consumerism making a comeback, the US continues to weather the storm. ?Credit is still tight for some would be borrowers, but Americans saved a few dollars over the last 3-4 years easing the effects of this continued credit crunch.

Wishing everyone a productive day from arc mercury business consulting!

by Derek Greer

As a business consulting firm we focus on small businesses and the middle class entrepreneur.? Knowing the value of time, here we share news items that we believe have the deepest impact on small business.

Top stories being reported today in the Wall Street Journal:

• Even as the European banking crisis shows signs of easing, lenders across the Continent are engaging in a variety of maneuvers to avoid, or at least delay, coming to terms with potential problems lurking on their books.
• Rising interest rates aren?t threatening the economic recovery, but a sudden spike or sustained jump this year could eventually pose a problem.
• Global Payments, the credit-card processor that reported a significant security breach Friday, said that hackers stole account numbers and other key information from up to 1.5 million accounts in North America.
• NEW YORK?U.S. stocks traded higher on the first session of the new quarter, as domestic manufacturing data edged out expectations.
• California Gov. Jerry Brown?s proposed ballot measure this fall to raise taxes and restore funding to an array of state programs faces unlikely opposition from a prominent Los Angeles lawyer who supported Mr. Brown?s election only 17 months ago.

Lenders are in denial, this is nothing new, but what does this mean for small business and the individual?? If 2008 was any lesson, this is a warning sign.? The question remains about interest rates and their future direction, up or down?? Is the Fed sticking around or will they be forced by an improving economy to let rates rise?? These are the types of questions we are all asking ourselves as we look to navigate the future economic terrain as business owners.? Only time will tell, however, regardless we either continue to reap the benefits of lower rates or the economy picks up momentum, not bad either way.

Wishing everyone a productive day from arc mercury business consulting!

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