BU
Business News Info
BU

Small business confidence is up, but inflation concerns linger

Inflation is a top concern for small business owners, a new CNBC survey finds

While the mood on Main Street has brightened, concerns about the economy, stubborn inflation and the banking system are weighing on small business owners, according to the latest quarterly survey from CNBC and Momentive.

Small business confidence for the second quarter rose slightly to 46 from 45 in the first quarter, although that still remains below the baseline for optimism. Forty percent of owners describe their current business conditions as good, up from 34% in the first quarter and nearly half (46%) say they project revenue to increase in the next year.

But just 21% said they’d describe the economy

…
Read More

Taking a direct mindset to farm marketing

More Canadian farmers are selling more of what they produce directly to consumers than ever before. Customers are keen to shop for locally made products and many are looking for agritourism experiences.

ReadAlso

“The brand is something that threads through everything your company does… it's the core element that threads through the company and leads to the success of the company.” – Elysia Vandenhurk.

Talking up the farm story

A brand isn’t a Nike swoosh. It’s what the Nike swoosh makes you think. On the farm, it isn’t a…

While direct farm marketing has grown in popularity in recent times, it isn’t new to everybody. Some farmers have years of experience in this field, and if you’re considering starting a new direct-to-consumer business, perhaps this is the group to learn from.

…
Read More

Shoppers mourn as popular grocer and rival Whole Foods prepare to close for good

LOCAL shoppers will lose another beloved small business that is set to shut down after years of providing healthy, natural groceries to the community.

Nature Market, a popular Long Island, New York grocery store chain, will close one of their four locations around the week of May 18.

long Island shoppers mourn as popular grocer and rival Whole Foods prepare to close for good

3

long Island shoppers mourn as popular grocer and rival Whole Foods prepare to close for goodcredit: Getty
Nature Market, a popular family-owned grocery store chain, will close one of their four locations around the week of May 18

3

Nature Market, a popular family-owned grocery store chain, will close one of their four locations around the week of May 18Credits: Google Maps

According to their website, the family-owned grocery store

…
Read More

Settlement reached in Fox vs Dominion lawsuit

Justin Nelson, Dominion's lead counsel, appears on CNN.
Justin Nelson, Dominion’s lead counsel, appears on CNN. (CNN)

Dominion Voting Systems had two goals in its defamation case against Fox News — accountability and “trying to make Dominion whole,” said Justin Nelson, the lead counsel election technology company.

Both were accomplished in this settlement, he told CNN on Tuesday.

The payment of more than $787 million by Fox News to Dominion and the network’s statement acknowledging that its coverage of the 2020 election was false was “a strong message of accountability” and an important victory for the employees of his client’s company.

“This is really the first time that
…
Read More

New Elgin chamber committee to help minority businesses; ECC forensic team wins bronze awards at national event; Batavia campaign to educate shoppers on new bags

The Elgin Community College Forensics Team had a strong showing at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in Bethesda, Maryland, where more than 50 schools competed.

Students Aleah Janae of Elgin, Hannah Carpenter of Streamwood and Damian Hacz of Hampshire brought home individual and team awards and coach Tim Anderson received the Collie-Taylor Fellowship Award for outstanding coach of the year, a news release said.

The team received a bronze medal in Individual Event Sweepstakes and Overall Sweepstakes. Carpenter received a bronze medal in Speech to Entertain and Process Interpretation.

Janae received a bronze medal in International Public Debate and

…
Read More

NexGen Energy Receives Strong Support for Rook I Project Financing in Excess of US$1 Billion

VANCOUVER, BC, May 1, 2023 /CNW/ – NexGen Energy Ltd. (“NexGen” or the “Company”) (TSX: NXE) (NYSE: NXE) (ASX: NXG) is pleased to announce that it has received significant initial interest from prospective financial institutions, including commercial lenders and export credit agencies, for providing project financing for the Rook I Project (the “Project” or “Rook I”). To date, NexGen has received non-binding expressions of interest totaling over US$1 Billion in available debt for the Project, subject to acceptable financing terms and conditions as well as satisfactory due diligence (including environmental and social reviews) and the entering into of definitive

…
Read More

Readers are Leaders – PHE America

knowledge_book_library_glasses_textbook_information_education_literature-674236

I am not sure where I first heard the phrase “readers are leaders” but it is something that has stuck with me throughout my entire life. I am now in my second year of retirement from teaching and coaching after 37 years of doing both. As I have thought about what to do in my retirement, one thing that keeps coming back into my mind is the need to read some great books. I have always believed that reading can help you become the best version of yourself for others. When you are busy with coaching and teaching, like I

…
Read More

Briones: Commercial rent free-for-all is hurting our small businesses

Far too many have closed due to unfair practices and disputes in which the power dynamic favors sometimes-uncrupulous landlords.

Published May 04, 2023 • Last updated 1 day ago • 5 minute read

Many Ottawa small businesses can't afford to renew their leases because there is no cap on commercial rent increases — unlike on residential rent hikes.
Many Ottawa small businesses can’t afford to renew their leases because there is no cap on commercial rent increases — unlike on residential rent hikes. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

The pandemic shed light on issues affecting small-business owners that the general public was not aware of before COVID: labor shortages, the high cost of

…
Read More