Analysis and discussion of issues that impact business

Some interesting thoughts from some folks who monitor small businesses as chronicled by BusinessWeek online.

At the start of the year, BusinessWeek Online assembled a group of entrepreneurs and small-business watchers to discuss the economic issues that they believed would most impact entrepreneurs during the year ahead. Although mostly optimistic, they cited worries over consumer spending slowing down and the increasing cost of energy and health care.

Half way through the year, they got together again to see how their predictions fared.

From Susan Sobbott, president of OPEN, American Express' small-business network.

Among [our members], 68% said that they are seeing growth opportunities over the next six months. That is down slightly from the fall when it was 71%, but the net [result] is that growth remains high with strong opportunities for hiring, investing, and strong cash flows.

From William Dunkelberg, chief economist with the Washington-based trade group National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)

Looking forward, I'd say the same [as my predictions for the first half of 2006]. We are stunned at consumer spending in the first quarter. Spending is much stronger than expected, [and] we keep thinking consumers will start saving. [At the same time] government spending is up and planned equipment and capital spending is strong. Most [business] owners don't think it can continue.

My 2 cents worth is that I'm concerned that government spending is up!

From Michele Evanger, owner of the franchiser, Designs of the Interior in Barrington, Ill., on health care costs.

It is a constant struggle for a small business [with few employees] to be able to provide competitive benefits. Yet small businesses employ a huge percentage of the [workforce]. Why it is so challenging to [allow us] to band together is beyond me. This will change as more people become employed by small businesses [because] our voice will be [louder] and politicians [will have to] listen.

These are just a sample, but there's a lot of meat in this article.