Joyce M. Rosenberg

In this Feb. 11 photo, a line item shows an example of how the charge that Brent Frederick, founder of Jester Concepts, a restaurant group in Minneapolis uses as a 3% voluntary surcharge on guest checks to help pay for health insurance and mental health services and says almost all guests agree to pay it.

SMBs Embrace Wellness to Help Retain Staff

Many small business owners are starting wellness programs to help employees be healthier, happier and more likely to stay

In this Jan. 29, 2020 file photo, Tony Bonczewski repairs a heel on a customer's shoe at his cobbler shop in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Small business owners have received some upbeat news on the economy this month. Retail sales figures released Friday showed that consumers were inspired by unseasonably warm weather to spend on their homes in January, but that overall sales growth was modest.

Small Businesses Getting Upbeat Economy News

January's economic reports showed that more consumers are working, which is a good omen for higher retail sales in the coming months.

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Market for Small Businesses Rebounds

Besides tariffs, small business sales have also been affected by rising minimum wages and uncertainty about the November elections.

In this undated image provided by Cameron MacMillan, Jordan Davis, foreground, and Jason Wilson and Chad Wright, background work at the Better Collective Tennessee, RotoGrinders.com office in downtown Nashville. Sports can be a distraction at work the first few months of the year as pro football and college basketball hold their premier events. Business owners have to make a choice, whether, like McMillan at RotoGrinders.com, they'll allow or encourage staffers to enjoy the moment, or demand that everyone focus on work.

Super Bowl, March Madness Can Boost Morale

Many businesses are happy to let staffers have some fun amid major sporting events as long as they get their tasks done.

In this July 18, 2019 file photo, speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi joins fellow Democrats and activists seeking better pay as the House approved legislation to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade — to $15 an hour, at the Capitol in Washington.

2020 Brings Higher Labor Costs for Small Biz

As of Jan. 1, there are higher minimum wages in a quarter of the states, and new federal overtime rules, along with several regional factors.

In this Nov. 4, 2019 file photo, a job posting is displayed near the entrance outside a restaurant in Orlando, FL.

Study: Entrepreneurs Upbeat about Hiring

A 2018 study of about 3,000 people in the US found that nearly 9 in 10 entrepreneurs with young companies expect to employ workers during the next five years.

In this Oct. 28, 2017 file photo, the storefront window of a portrait studio is lit up along a downtown street at dusk in Lumberton, N.C. With a little over one month to go in 2019, small business owners should think about purchases or investments that make good business sense and will give them a break on their taxes.

Small Business Owners Still Have Time to Save on 2019 Taxes

Owners with available cash and a wish list should consider what equipment they need.

In this Nov. 5, 2019 file photo, an electronic card with ballot information is seen inserted in a voting machine in Dallas, GA.

Unknowns about 2020 Election Make Some Businesses Cautious

Presidential election years can be tough on small and mid-sized businesses — they tend to cut their spending when they're uncertain about what lies ahead.

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In Owners' Divorces, Businesses can Become Part of the Fight

Even when ownership isn't at stake, the rancor and uncertainty around a divorce can take a toll on a company.