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Created on August 10, 2015
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On August 4, President Barack Obama hosted the first ever White House Demo Day, and what a day it was. The content of the day is front and center of what our agency does every day.
The White House helped us put a magnifying glass on the wide-ranging...
The U.S. Department of Commerce has established a new partnership between the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) to support minority business development through our nation’s investment in research and development at more than 300 federal laboratories.
The Minority Business Enterprise Technology Transfer Innovation Consortium will support American innovation and global competitiveness by...
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Created on August 5, 2015 |
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the launch of the 2016 InnovateHER: Innovating for Women Business Challenge and Summit, including a nationwide women’s business competition to highlight innovative products and services that help impact and empower the lives of women and their families.
“The SBA is pleased to announce this second round of our InnovateHER Business Challenge, building on the...
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Created on August 4, 2015 |
The Health Information Technology (Health IT) sector has become an important, dynamic sector reshaping the healthcare system in the United States. As other countries increase investments in their healthcare systems, they are interested in investing in digital products and services, driven by computers and mobile phones, rather than through paper-based systems. As a result, U.S. Health IT companies have become prime...
This is a guest blog post by NerdWallet, which provides clarity for all of life's financial decisions and helps connect small business owners with resources to answer their funding, tax and legal questions. NerdWallet featured MBDA on a recent Google Hangout and is engaged in sharing resources with the MBDA network. A series of shared blogs will feature content provided by NerdWallet staff as part of MBDA’s continued support for Small Business Week 2015.
The old adage that “it takes money to make money” often rings...
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Created on July 29, 2015 |
The vibrant global trend seeking a greener built environment will help create some $46 billion in export opportunity for a group of U.S. building product manufacturers by 2017, according to new report Top Markets, Building Products and Sustainable Construction from the International Trade Administration. U.S. manufacturers of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment (HVACR),...
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Created on July 22, 2015 |
Small business owners often tell us that they have many questions about how to enter a new market - and those questions are magnified when it comes to doing business with Cuba. There have been several changes to the bilateral relationship in recent months, and, to address your questions, I hope that you will join SBA Administrator Contreras-Sweet and other senior officials on July 29 at 4:00 p.m. ET to discuss the...
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Created on July 22, 2015 |
Last year, the United States exported $2.34 trillion worth of goods and services—an all-time record. Exports from the United States in 2014 equaled the entire gross domestic product of Brazil and exceeded all commercial output in India, Italy, or Mexico. What is more, exports are an increasingly important aspect of the U.S. economy. As the significance of exporting grows, the Obama administration and the Department of...
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Created on July 21, 2015 |
Innovation. When most people hear or use this term, they are referring to new, cutting edge technology and products. However, innovation means much more than that. Operational innovation involves creating entirely new ways of filling orders, developing products, providing customer service, or doing any other activity that an enterprise performs.
David Brier, a brand identity expert, explains...
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Created on July 14, 2015 |
Following the recently concluded U.S.-East African Community (EAC) Commercial Dialogue, the Eastern Africa Diaspora Business Council in partnership with the Tanzania Embassy in Washington, DC will host a Trade Mission to Tanzania. This Trade Mission scheduled for August 5th -10th 2015, is designed to promote Tanzania’s sleeping giant, the agribusiness...
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Created on July 13, 2015 |
It’s not every day when a credentialed ambassador to the United States leans over, eyes brightening, and says, “If small U.S. companies come to Africa, they will make money. A lot of money.”
He smiles as he savors the words a lot, as if tasting something delicious.
But then it’s back to reality. He’s asked about perceptions among U.S. businesspeople that much of Africa is...
After the recent financial crisis, traditional banks are more reluctant than ever to fund small businesses. Entrepreneurs need not be discouraged though, as a new trend has emerged in the world of finance: “alternative lending.” What exactly is alternative lending and is it right for your business? Here are some resources to help demystify the latest options in small business financing.
You may walk through open doors of your local bank only to hit a brick wall. According to this...
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Created on June 30, 2015 |
The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the U.S. Small Business Administration, released an Issue Brief entitled “Patenting and Innovative Startups: Putting the America Invents Act (AIA) in a Broader Economic Context.” The issue brief summarizes some of the potential small business outcomes of the AIA and...
In the spirit of Immigrant Heritage Month, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) celebrates the diverse dimensions of our nation’s communities and the strength we draw from our varied immigrant identities. From cultural traditions to philosophies, many of us are shaped by our own or our family’s immigrant experiences coming to this country and transitioning into the “American life.”
In this blog series, we will explore the immigration stories of different AAPI...
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Created on June 30, 2015 |
This month, the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) introduced the Smaller Manager Pilot Program. This exciting opportunity opens the door for emerging manager (EM) and other smaller firms to manage up to $250 million in U.S. core fixed Income federal pension funds. EMs are generally defined as ethnic minority fund managers (or fund of fund managers)...
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Created on June 29, 2015 |
This year several U.S. cities have experienced civil unrest in the aftermath of high-profile incidents involving police. Many believe that the unrest stems from a larger, more systemic problem — lack of economic opportunity. When it happened in Baltimore this spring, MBDA was invited to join the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) in meetings between Asian business owners and members of the African...
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Created on June 29, 2015 |
Over the past two years, New Orleans has gained recognition as a great place to live and work. It was voted #1 city for young entrepreneurs in America by Under30CEO.com, #1 metro area in the U.S. in Economic Recovery by the Brookings Institution, and #2 big city for jobs by Forbes. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) via our local New Orleans business center is constantly seeking innovative and effective...
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Created on June 24, 2015 |
This year, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MEP) celebrates its 25th anniversary. In anticipation of this milestone, we reflect on events of the last two and a half decades that significantly impacted the global economy, manufacturing, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
MEP has taken its cues from the lessons of global opportunities and challenges, and the daily changes of our client...
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Created on June 24, 2015 |
Free trade agreements make it easier and cheaper for U.S. companies to export their products and services to trading partner markets. By reducing trade barriers and creating a more stable and transparent trading and investment environment, it is easier and cheaper for U.S. companies to export their products and services to trading partner markets. Currently, the U.S. has free trade agreements with...
This is a guest blog post by Erin El Issa, a Content Writer for NerdWallet. NerdWallet is focused on helping people lead better lives through financial education and empowerment. NerdWallet has featured MBDA on a recent Google Hangout and is engaged in sharing resources with the MBDA network. A series of shared blogs will feature content provided by NerdWallet staff as part of MBDA’s continued support for Small Business Week 2015.
In recent years, crowdfunding has become a popular way to fund small business endeavors for those who...
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Created on June 22, 2015 |
The SBIR Road Tour is coming to a city near you! This is a national outreach effort to convey the non-dilutive technology funding opportunity provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Over the course of this year individual program managers from the 11 participating agencies representing $2.5 billion in early stage funding will embark on a 20...
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Created on June 19, 2015 |
As part of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, ICCC helps small businesses in economically distressed areas access capital, achieve sustainable growth, and provides a forum where companies can connect with capital providers. Executive Education, led by top-tier professors from leading entrepreneurship institutions, covers a range of practical skills—from strategy and entrepreneurial finance to marketing and...
This post originally appeared on the Department of Commerce blog.
Two Central American countries, Nicaragua and Guatemala, continue to open doors for American companies who are seeking out new markets. The U.S. Commercial Service, the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, helps U.S. companies get started in exporting and increase their sales to new markets around the world. Recently,...
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Created on June 17, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on the NIST MEP Blog
Stretching your businesses working capital through various types of short-term debt instruments can be a good solution to finding the cash to fund revenue-generating marketing programs or help your company manage when clients don’t pay bills on time. Some...
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Created on June 10, 2015 |
Making it in America showcases the opportunities manufacturing offers millions of workers and the variety of career pathways available. U.S. manufacturers are the most productive in the world. They come from many different sectors and make the products that enrich our daily lives. Download the infographic...
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Created on June 9, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on the SBA.gov
The 2015 SBIR/STTR National Conference is just around the corner – June 15 to 17 at the Gaylord Conference Center just outside of Washington, DC.
Don’t miss the opportunity to interact with government SBIR/STTR...
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Created on June 9, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on the White House Blog
We are excited to be out in California today to roll up our sleeves and participate in the “Diversity in Tech” workshop, hosted by the White House and the Kapor Center for Social Impact. We are here to brainstorm and strategize with innovators from throughout the technology ecosystem to learn about what's worked for employers to recruit,...
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Created on June 4, 2015 |
Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastest developing regions in the world with an average GDP growth of 5.2 percent. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 31,000 U.S. businesses exported to the African continent in 2013, of which approximately 92 percent were small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Based on growth trends and a history of successful partnerships across the continent, the Sub-...
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Created on June 4, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on the Tradeology, the ITA Blog
Africa is a huge potential market for almost any U.S. exporter, but there are several factors for any business to consider before exporting to the continent:
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Created on June 2, 2015 |
A new data tool--International Trade and Investment Country Facts Application--on the Bureau of Economic Analysis website gives users a snapshot of statistics on trade and investment between the United States and another country by simply clicking on a world map.
These fast facts at your fingertips can include:
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Created on June 1, 2015 |
On May 6th, NerdWallet hosted a Google Hangout with U.S. Department of Commerce representatives from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). On behalf of the agency, Carmen West and Nick Perkins, of MBDA’s Access to Capital team, spoke with Cindy Yang, a small business expert at NerdWallet about how MBDA helps minority-owned businesses to grow in size and capacity.
San Francisco-based NerdWallet hosted...
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Created on May 28, 2015 |
Cash flow is the lifeblood of all small businesses. Across the nation, thousands of small firms are searching for term loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, invoice financing, and real estate loans to help them build their business and create new jobs. Finding a business loan can be time consuming, and often times frustrating and disappointing.
Changes in technology have made the process of finding and...
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Created on May 26, 2015 |
With the Atlantic hurricane season beginning June 1, now is a good time to put a plan in place to protect your business, your employees and your family. May 24-30 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, an initiative supported by FEMA’s Ready.gov campaign and the National Hurricane Center. ...
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Created on May 22, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on the Tradeology, the ITA Blog
For more than 75 years, A Basic Guide to Exporting has helped U.S. companies make their first international sale and grow their businesses through exporting. Now, with an 11th edition, you may ask, what’s different? I’ll give you a few examples.
In this new...
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Created on May 21, 2015 |
Dates: May 31 - June 10, 2015
Locations: Miami, FL; Houston, TX; and Los Angeles, CA
This visit is designed to introduce delegates from Colombia and Peru to U.S. green port technologies and U.S. best practices for environmental management at port operations. The delegates will have the opportunity to learn about green port programs related to energy efficiency, pollution...
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Created on May 19, 2015 |
This post originally appeared on IRS Health Care Tax Tip 2015-30
The Affordable Care Act contains several tax provisions that affect employers. Under the ACA, the size and structure of a workforce – small, or large – helps determine which parts of the law apply to which employers.
The number of employees an...
This post originally appeared on the Tradeology, the ITA Blog
Since May is World Trade Month, it’s only fitting that the U.S. Department of Commerce reiterate its commitment to helping companies—especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) —that are interested in exporting. Earlier today, we released the 11th edition of ‘A Basic Guide to Exporting’ which will help businesses navigate the avenues of trade.
U.S. companies, particularly SMEs that are new to exporting, as well as those looking to expand their...
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Created on May 15, 2015 |
More and more American companies are looking outside the United States to find new customers. Expanding to new markets leads to increased revenue and more growth – great results for any American business.
For many companies I work with in Charlotte, growing markets in Sub-Saharan Africa are some of the most promising markets to explore. In fact, a number of area businesses are already growing because they have...
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Created on May 13, 2015 |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are jointly issuing an interim final rule regarding program changes to the H-2B visa program, which allows employers to hire temporary non-agricultural guest workers.
The rule includes a new employer registration process, increased recruitment and oversight, requirements for guaranteed pay, additional fees, and similar payment for...
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Created on May 11, 2015 |
The Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Maria Contreras-Sweet announced during National Small Business Week 2015 that the SBA is crowdsourcing the official logo for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs, “America’s Seed Fund” and has made major improvements to the www.sbir.gov...
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Created on May 6, 2015 |
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Candace Shiver, MBDA; Paul Zielinski, Director of the Technology Partnerships Office at NIST and Chair of Federal Laboratory Consortium; and Demetria Gallagher, MBDA (from left to right) |
Last week, Candace...
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Created on May 5, 2015 |
Happy World Trade Month!
For years, May has been the time to not only recognize the benefits of international trade, but also for organizations around the country to support more American companies competing overseas. Recently, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker released a new report, Jobs...
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Created on April 29, 2015 |
In honor of National Small Business Week 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency is teaming up with NerdWallet to host a Google Hangout on how minority-owned businesses can start and grow their companies.
The online discussion will feature Carmen West and Nick Perkins, of MBDA’s Access to Capital team, and Cindy Yang, NerdWallet’s small business expert. During the...
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Created on April 24, 2015 |
There are various factors to consider when deciding to use credit for your business. The most crucial and overlooked component is can you afford to use it? Every business’s credit needs are different. Many small business owners have the misconception that if business credit is granted to them, they can afford to use it. Credit applications don’t ask what your business expenses are, whether or not your business...
Did you know that more than 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States? That’s a staggering number – and perhaps even more so is this figure: only one percent of U.S. small businesses are selling to those consumers.
The benefits abound when it comes to selling Made-in-America goods and services internationally. In addition to the cultural exchange inherent when developing global relationships, U.S. businesses – including small, minority- and women-owned businesses – can grow faster, hire more employees and pay higher wages.
There’s a huge...
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Created on April 21, 2015 |
By 2017, the number of smartphone users in the U.S. is expected to surpass 200 million, nearly 65 percent of the population. Negotiating security in the face of an ever-growing implementation of mobile devices presents serious challenges for organizations. Risks include the growth of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) (coupled with a lack of security controls for these devices), loss/theft of devices, and the proliferation...
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Created on April 20, 2015 |
During this past weekend Nate Yohannes, my Senior Advisor, and I did the startup pitching rounds in our nation's capital.
On Friday night Nate was a judge at Mark Cuban's Recess, the college version of ABC's Shark Tank ("from dorm room to board room"). Recess is a music tour/music festival (like SXSW), entrepreneur speaker series and pitch competition with the winning prize of $10k towards your student loan (...
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Created on March 15, 2015 |
Are you planning to expand your business internationally to sell or buy innovative goods and technologies? Are you pondering opening a factory abroad, having your products made overseas, or starting an export or import business? Even if you are not planning on going overseas, knowledge of the international aspects of intellectual property may be critical for your business.
The Minority Business Development...
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Created on April 14, 2015 |
Ashley Zuelke is the Senior Advisor for Export Policy, Promotion and Strategy at the International Trade Administration.
Julia McNerney is the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary at the International Trade Administration.
Last week, the International Trade Administration (ITA) held the first event in the Startup Global Pilot program at 1776, a local business incubator in...