In the News: Challenges Loom as Small Business Week Begins

Next week is National Small Business Week in America.

And while it’s typically a time for celebration – it still is – it’s hard to ignore the challenges currently facing small businesses across the country.

Recently, the Small Business Administration announced the schedule of events for the Small Business Week Virtual Summit. It’s always a time to celebrate the small business contribution to the American economy. But this year, like last year, small businesses are facing a growing number of challenges.

Find out what many of those challenges are in this week’s small business news roundup.

Small Business News – September 10, 2021

Here are the stories affecting small business owners nationwide this week:

Biden COVID Mandates Will Affect Millions of Businesses

President Joe Biden announced new COVID mandates Thursday that will affection millions of American businesses. The President says these measures are needed to stymie the COVID pandemic but they’ll take time to have a full impact. Biden says these measures are necessary to “keep our economy strong by keeping our businesses open.

Ida Relief Business Grants and Loans Available in Several States

Small businesses in the path of Hurricane Ida who suffered damages may be eligible for grants, loans, and financial aid. The key is to apply as soon as possible so you can get these funds to get your business up and running. Disaster Relief Available for Businesses in Path of Hurricane Ida The path of destruction Hurricane Ida left started on August 29, when it made landfall in Louisiana.

SBA Announces National Small Business Week Virtual Summit Event Schedule

The event schedule for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit hosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) has been announced for  September 13-15. The summit will have the theme of ‘Celebrating Resilience and Renewal’ to honor the more than 30 million small businesses in the United States.

Micro-entrepreneurs Get $5.2 Million in PRIME Business Grants

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded 27 organizations Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME) grant awards. The PRIME business grants equate to a total of $5.2 million. Micro-Entrepreneurs Awarded $5.

New Delta Variant Cases Mean Less Business Travel

The new Delta variant is increasing the number of COVID-19 cases. And according to a new survey conducted on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), 67% of business travelers are planning to take fewer trips because of it.

Chicken Farmers Agree to Settlement with Big Processors Tyson and Perdue

According to the Associated Press (AP), Tyson and Purdue, two of the biggest poultry companies in the country, will pay close to $35 million to settle a lawsuit by chicken farmers. The chicken farmers claimed they only earned $12,000 to $40,000 a year working 12-to-16-hour days year-round.

Gas Prices May Be Coming Down as COVID Cases Go Up

Concerns over demand have caused oil and gasoline futures prices to plummet, with Florida gas prices already down by 3 cents and set to drop even lower. The price decrease will continue unless futures prices recover from the recent sharp declines, with Florida gas prices now averaging $2.98 per gallon.

The Top TikTok Influencers of 2021

Since its launch in 2016, the social media platform TikTok has seen explosive growth. The go-to social media platform for short-form videos spanning from fifteen seconds to three minutes has garnered over a billion users and downloaded over 200 million times in the US alone.

This article, "In the News: Challenges Loom as Small Business Week Begins" was first published on Small Business Trends