You hear a lot about PPP loans and the potential next round of relief for small business owners across the country, but you rarely hear about what’s happening at the local level.
This week, a new report examined how much money’s been doled out to small business owners in the U.S. from state and local governments. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance found that about $9.27 billion in small business relief, through grants and loans, has been dispersed in addition to the PPP and other loans.
To read more about this often overlooked work, check out our report on the data: Local and State Governments Have Distributed $9.27 Billion in Small Business COVID Relief
For the rest of the week in headlines that matter most to small business owners, check out our weekly roundup below.
Small Business News Roundup – Oct. 30, 2020
These are the big stories for small business owners that crossed our wire this week.
SBE Council Applauds FCC Actions to Expand High-Speed Internet Access
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) has applauded the orders by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to support broadband investment and connectivity; and faster 5G Deployment. FCC Moves to Expand 5G for Rural US Among the decisions made by the FCC include the creation of a 5G Fund for Rural America.
Looka Brand Kit Helps Businesses Get Started with Logo Maker and More
Looka the AI-powered logo maker has announced the launch of its all-in-one Brand Kit to help businesses manage all their marketing collateral. The launch of Looka’s latest offering was in great part driven by a 21% year-over-year increase in logo purchases. And this was happening as the COVID-19-related lockdowns worldwide were taking place.
Vimeo Record is a Video Messaging App for Remote Teams
Even though Zooming is all the rage, 5-minute meetings can end up becoming 45-minute conversations. Vimeo Record aims to deliver messages quickly and efficiently in the most consumable format, video. The goal of Vimeo Record is to improve workplace collaboration, productivity and knowledge sharing with a free video messaging tool.
New Services Being Added to Paychex Flex
Paychex Flex is a comprehensive all-in-one cloud-based HR technology solution with a scalable platform capable of addressing the needs of businesses small and large. The company just announced improvements to the platform with new products designed to support businesses so they can cope with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tele-health Benefit 98point6 Now Available to Small Business
98point6, an on-demand telemedicine provider announced the launch of its new Client Portal allowing businesses access to 24/7 access to board-certified physicians. With the Client Portal app employees can get diagnosis and treatment including consultations with physicians.
New SHRM PaySolution is a Digital Payroll Service for Businesses
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) has launched a new digital payroll service designed to help businesses streamline payrolls. The SHRM PaySolution Enabled by Money Network promises to provide organizations with greater financial freedom. The company says its electronic payroll delivery solution empowers employees by providing them with faster access to their income.
Biz2Credit Rebrands Biz2X Platform for Small Business Lenders
Biz2Credit, a provider of online finance to small businesses, has launched a new branding for its Biz2X platform. The new branding is designed to reflect Biz2Credit’s fresh and innovative vision for the business lending industry.
More than Half of Small Businesses Say They’re the Same or Better Than Before COVID
More than half (57%) of small business owners say their financial position is the same as or better than the pre-pandemic period, according to a new survey by Capital One. The survey findings highlight the optimism among small businesses in the wake of an unprecedented economic instability brought about by COVID-19.
14% of Americans Using COVID in Online Passwords, New Survey Reveals
A significant fraction of Americans are using COVID-related passwords online. This was the finding of a study by Security.org, a team of security experts, advisors, and researchers. The researchers asked 750 Americans to share their password strategies and security habits.
Nextiva Becomes Official Communications Partner of the Pac-12 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference was having a communications issue only made worse by the pandemic. And Nextiva had the solution. The problem the Pac-12 had was one shared by small businesses, especially over the last year. Today, Nextiva a partnership with the Pac-12 Conference to be its Official Communications Partner.
War Horses for Veterans Gets Returning Soldiers Acclimated to Civilian Life
War Horses for Veterans provides combat veterans and first responders the tools to reintegrate into their communities and recover from trauma. The program is based in Stilwell, Kansas. It’s an all-expenses-paid equine bonding/ networking experience. It’s been designed for combat veterans from across the country and first responders in the Kansas City Area.
These 5 Policies are Key to Small Business No Matter Who Wins the Presidency
Small business needs to keep an eye on the election to gauge economic policies going forward. And how the economic impact of COVID-19 will be handled by the president. Small Business Trends contacted Shawn Dill, a small business consultant. He supplied his views on the 5 policies that were key to small businesses no matter who wins the presidency.
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