America’s small business owners pulled back slightly on their optimism in February, according to the latest data from the National Federation of Independent Business, with the group’s Small Business Optimism Index dipping to 98.8 — a modest retreat that nonetheless offered some encouraging signs beneath the headline number. The reading, which fell below the index’s Read More…
Dakota Foundry, a vertically integrated grey and ductile iron foundry, has been named one of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “CO—100 Top 100 Small Businesses in America”, a national recognition that highlights the company’s innovation, craftsmanship, and impact on American manufacturing. The CO—100 designation honors small businesses demonstrating exceptional innovation and influence across the country. Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced Monday that a new loan participation program aimed at expanding access to capital for rural businesses will open for applications on Oct. 1, 2025. The Opportunities in Rural Economies (ORE) Loan Participation Program will partner with local lenders to provide low-interest loans for projects that support job creation, strengthen Read More…
Small business owners across the nation are showing renewed confidence in the economy, according to CNBC’s latest Small Business Survey, coinciding with the implementation of President Donald J. Trump’s landmark One Big Beautiful Bill and his broader pro-growth policies. The survey reveals a significant upswing in optimism: Nearly half of small business owners now rate Read More…
DUTTON — Farm-to-fashion is the passion of Kate Stephens, who at 16 years old launched the future of her family business as a fourth-generation farmer. After running combines with her dad at 15, Kate was inspired by the history of her family’s farm that dates back to 1912 to bridge the gap between farmers and Read More…
President Joe Biden is asking for $80 billion to help the IRS crack down on tax avoidance from wealthy Americans and big corporations. The proposal seeks a boost in enforcement staffing, technology and additional bank reporting, measures that may generate an estimated $700 billion in tax revenue over the next decade. However, some financial experts say the Read More…
Small businesses and nonprofit groups hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic now are eligible for additional support under a $5 billion Small Business Administration program The new round of Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance, known as Supplemental Targeted Advances, is available for up to 1 million small businesses and nonprofits with no more than 10 employees. Here’s Read More…
After a dreadful year for our local economy, this year’s “Small Business Saturday,” carried a little more weight than usual. “Last year, Small Business Saturday was our single largest retail sales day since we opened our doors in 2008,” said Amy Dolan, co-owner of Noteworthy Paper & Press. But that was last year — and 2020, Read More…
Jill Justin had to think fast when the coronavirus pandemic hit. As the owner of Jill Justin Dance Alliance in Middlesex County, New Jersey, she went from having close to 500 students taking classes seven days a week to shutting her studio doors. After taking some time to regroup and change her business model, Justin started offering Read More…
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Mont. — Whether working on her family’s farm as a kid in Connecticut or leading trail crews in the backcountry after college, Sarah Calhoun always struggled to find comfortable work clothes. The work pants she found were designed for men, not women. So she decided to design her own line of pants. Today, Read More…
F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber, builder Pat Clark and other investors last week announced a joint venture to create a new mass timber production facility to build large format, cross-laminated timber panels in Columbia Falls. New new company, called Stoltze Timber, eventually will be located across the road from the Stoltze plant west of Columbia Read More…
As the stock market and some companies thrive, many small business owners continue to struggle six months into the coronavirus pandemic. CNN’s Vanessa Yurkevich reports. WATCH FULL STORY
The Census Bureau released new phase two data from its Small Business Pulse survey last week, showing some of the sectors most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. What they found: Hiring and rehiring have slowed and businesses now broadly say they expect recovery from the pandemic to take much longer than previously thought. 44% of respondents expect recovery will take Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. — Restaurants and bars around the Treasure State are gearing up to reopen, but they can only do so under certain restrictions outlined by Governor Steve Bullock and the Yellowstone County Unified Health Command. One restaurant in Billings is making sure all employees follow these new protocols, by putting staff through a web-based Read More…
BOZEMAN — On Wednesday Montanans heard from Governor Bullock about his plans to reopen the Treasure State. Now, it’s up to individual business owners on what they plan to do. Aaron Parker owns several restaurants in Bozeman, but before he makes a hasty decision to open them back up, he first wants to hear from Read More…
As more people work from home to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, they’re using their home internet networks for activities usually reserved for the workplace. But your home network may not be equipped to handle all the video conferencing and file-uploading you may be doing at the moment. What can you do if your Read More…
Ten entrepreneurs from southeast Wyoming have had their respective lives changed over the past six months. It’s been a hectic, frantic, chaotic and incredible time, one where all 10 men and women, ranging from a college student to a husband-and-wife team, have been working to change the world. Or at least Wyoming to start out. Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – Nine Montana communities will share $118,000 through the Montana Main Street Program to support historic preservation, wayfinding, and revitalization plans for their downtowns. “Montana’s vibrant and charming towns are what attracts visitors, keeps residents and encourages downtown business growth,” Montana Department of Commerce Director Tara Rice said. “These Montana Main Street Program grant dollars Read More…
They can leap tall buildings in a single bound, defend the Earth from myriad alien threats and save the world on a daily basis. These days, they rule the box office and small screen as well. Comic-book superheroes are the gods of modern mythology and they have been a large part of Randy Sheppard’s life Read More…
Online advertising is saving entrepreneurs and small business owners significant time and money, creating more efficiencies and effective uses for the limited capital they have on hand, and playing a positive role in driving new sales growth and revenues. These are the findings of a new survey conducted by TechnoMetrica for SBE Council in “The Read More…
Alec Manfre co-founded the tech start-up Bractlet as a student in Atlanta where he went to college, then ran it from an incubator in Santiago, Chile. But it was Texas where he and his two co-founders ultimately put down roots. They got hooked on doing business in the state after moving the start-up to Houston Read More…
GTUIT, LLC, Billings, MT was awarded the EcoStar Pollution Prevention Award for 2019. The award was presented at a reception hosted by Governor Bullock at the State Capitol Rotunda in Helena. The award recognizes GTUIT for taking environmentally responsible steps to reduce air emissions in oil producing regions, maximize upstream oil and gas operation efficiencies, conserve Read More…
One clothing company in Butte is taking apparel design a mile high and a mile deep. Underground Clothing Co. opened December 2017, and co-founder Shelby Carver says it’s a brand that draws on Montana’s sense of hometown pride. Carver and her husband Robert operate the company from a small retail space at 1120 E. Front Read More…
Local microgreens growers have come up with innovative ways to use their product. EarthStar Farms owner Susan Waite of Whitefish mixes microgreens into her homemade macaroni and cheese and sticks them into a grilled cheese sandwich or a hamburger. Ashley Kwasney of Gecko Mountain Farm in Somers throws them in soup, omelets and pasta dishes, Read More…
NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Juliana v. United States—urging dismissal of a controversial lawsuit, which seeks to compel the federal government to more aggressively address climate change. The brief was filed in conjunction with the Texas Public Policy Foundation and other concerned businesses and business groups. The case Read More…
PHILIPSBURG – Blue skies made it much easier for people to travel on Saturday which came in handy for a large group of Montana brewers. The Old Fire Hall in Philipsburg was home to the 7th annual Ice Association Brewfest which featured live music and stations to sample beer from 19 different breweries from around Read More…
Small-business owners filing their 2018 taxes may be able to take advantage of a brand-new 20 percent tax break. One of the new features of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the introduction of the qualified business income deduction, which went into effect last year. This tax break allows owners of “pass-through” entities, including Read More…
Majority of US business owners want more tariffs: Report UBS Wealth Management CIO Mike Ryan on a new study on U.S. business owners’ views about the economy and tariffs. Business owners are cheering President Trump’s tough talk on trade. A recent study from UBS showed 71% of business owners approve additional tariffs on China. In Read More…
The number of small business that aren’t able to find enough workers has matched the highest level ever recorded. The percentage of small companies not able to fill open positions hit 36 percent in June, according to the NFIB Research Center, matching the survey’s record high set in November 2000. (The data goes back to Read More…
After reading a recent op-ed piece written by four seemingly confused former land board staffers regarding the Habitat Montana program I believe a response is definitely in order. The four, Ed Tinsley, Kathy Bramer, Rusty Harper and Jenny Eck, show the ineptness associated with past operations of the land board when it comes to writing Read More…
Small-business hiring in March fell to the lowest point in over seven years, while hourly earnings grew steadily, a report from human resources firm Paychex said Tuesday. The Small Business Jobs Index decreased 0.12 percent from last month and 1.07 percent from a year earlier. Small-business wages continued to rise, reaching a 2.66 percent (69 Read More…
BILLINGS – A Billings business with deep downtown roots will be celebrating its 80th anniversary Friday night, during the Holiday ArtWalk and the annual Christmas Stroll. The celebration will run from 5 to 9 p.m. at Montague’s Jewelers, 2810 Second Ave. N., presided over by Chris Montague, who returned the third-generation store to downtown Billings after Read More…
When you’re running a small business, you fight for every customer, client and sale. That’s why it’s frustrating whenever something unexpected throws a wrench in the works. One of those unexpected wrenches for many small businesses is online reviews. Positive reviews can springboard your business toward success, while negative reviews can seriously poison the well. Read More…
CASCADE – Tucked in an old poker room in the back of the Driftwood Bar in Cascade, Amy Eisenzimer (formerly Parker) mixes just five ingredients to make a drink with a kick: Parker’s Hangover Tonic. “I do recommend this to customers that are hungover…a little hair of the dog always helps,” said Eisenzimer. Parker’s Hangover Tonic is Read More…
Adam MacDonald founded Western Spindle in his garage in Townsend more than a decade ago, and it has now grown into a nationwide supplier of fixtures for historic homes. He says some people were skeptical of his business model from the start. From KXLH
A Cheyenne businessman is reaching out to the local millennial generation to improve downtown. Steve Borin is a Cheyenne land developer and owns property downtown. He is not a millennial himself, but he wants to get younger people involved. From Wyoming Business Report
Final decisions on four Business Ready Community (BRC) grant and loan requests will be made by the Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board at its 8 a.m. meeting on Jan. 19 in Room 1699 in the Herschler Building. The Wyoming Business Council administers the Business Ready Community grant and loan program, which provides financing for Read More…
Joyce Kemph and Sue Miller have welcomed people into their Wyoming Home for many years. Now, the co-owners are ready to retire. They want to spend more time with their families and pursue other interests. The owners hope someone will buy the business. “Our dream is that a person or persons with an entrepreneurial spirit Read More…
Eight North Dakota lenders have earned the 2016 Director’s Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration North Dakota District Office, honoring their participation with SBA in supporting the growth and expansion of small businesses in their communities. The winners are: Dakota Certified Development Corp., U.S. Bank, Capital Credit Union, Choice Financial, VISIONBank, Starion Financial, Town Read More…
A pair of local businesses were honored as part of the 23rd Annual Family Business Day hosted by Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship. Bozeman baked goods company Elliotts of Montana and retailer Wild West Shirt Company were among the six businesses awarded at Friday’s event. Busted Knuckle Brewery in Glasgow, Read More…
Burger Dive’s “I’m Your Huckleberry” is the People’s Choice at the the Zoofari burger competition at ZooMontana on Friday night. The very first Zoofari brought burgers, brews and bands for a big party and fund raiser. The Montana Beef Council sponsored the competition. Callaghan Enterprises, Grille 406 out of Bozeman, Stacked, a Montana Grill and Read More…
Six businesses will receive Montana Family Business Program awards at the 2016 Montana State University Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship State Farm Insurance Family Business Day, set for Friday, Oct. 7, at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in Bozeman. The 2016 Family Business Day award winners are: Elliotts of Montana of Bozeman Read More…
If there’s one thing many Montanans can agree on it’s a love for beer. And if Anaconda resident Luke Carlson gets his way, Anaconda could get its own brewery as early as late December. “If everything goes smoothly, we’re kind of pushing for Christmas time,” said Carlson, who recently applied for funding from the city’s Read More…
BONNER — When Steve Nelson and Mike Boehme bought the former Stimson lumber mill site in Bonner in 2011, they saw potential in the blighted, polluted industrial area. Recently, the duo gave a tour to showcase the business activity going on there. Today, 10 separate businesses employing roughly 250 people occupy the 170-acre site, including Read More…