Bringing you the latest news on small business and more—this week we’ve got low oil prices, startups in the shipping and freight industries, and a possible $15 an hour minimum wage.
Think inside the box
Subscription services are one of the hottest trends in eCommerce right now. Customers love it, and a new set of businesses are riding the wave.
Is shipping in need of a revolution? A new wave of startups is trying to streamline the freight industry.
Alphabet soup
Google announced it would reorganize itself under the new Alphabet umbrella. Business Insider has an overview of what exactly that means.
From worker to owner
Would you sell your business to an employee—or buy a business from your boss? Fox Business reports more and more aging bosses are selling to their best employees.
U.S. trends
Productivity growth has been slow since the 2009 recession, but the Labor Department is reporting a rebound so far this year.
Could raising the minimum wage grow the middle class? Proposed boosts to $15 an hour would have far-reaching implications.
Around the world
Oil prices hit a six-year low this week. That’s good news for any consumer or business that uses gasoline—that’s everyone—but bad news for the oil industry.
China devalued its currency this week, which should have an impact around the world. It might delay the Fed raising interest rates, for example, and should decrease the price of oil.
Open lending?
Funding Circle wants to change up small business lending with their new lenders’ bill of rights. They hope to make the small business lending space a little more fair and open. Their founder, Sam Hodges, spoke with Fit Small Business recently about the benefits of working with underwriters.
Advice from the headlines:
- Your credit score is often the decisive factor in obtaining business financing. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has some advice on how to improve your credit score.
- For more info on business credit scores, Creditera has a great infographic that shows how these scores work and how the SBA uses them.
Michael X. Heiligenstein manages communications and marketing at Fit Small Business, a product and service review site for small businesses. Previously he has written and edited for the Saturday Evening Post and run his own small business as a marketing consultant and copywriter. In his spare time, he enjoys writing, playing guitar and learning new things.
