If you are wondering how all that Stimulus money might help you, the small business owner, check out what I learned talking with my friend Eric Ness from the Wisconsin SBA office when I saw him in Washington DC for National Small Business Week:

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the SBA has received $375 million to temporarily eliminate loan fees and raise loan guarantees up to 90%. The SBA’s Microloan program also received additional $50 million in new loans, available today for loans up to $35,000. Overall, the SBA is working to unfreeze small business lending from banks in order to help businesses compete for construction and service contracts, create new jobs and promote investment in small businesses.  Eric said, “We know small businesses have a prove ability to create new jobs and commerce. The next phase of our economic recovery rests in their hands.” If you’d like to find out more, you can read the article Eric wrote for SBA here. M3 Racers are already receiving SBA loans to fuel their growth and writing about their experiences blow-by-blow, which you can see here.  

Eric and I were both were in DC to cheer on a true champion of women entrepreneurs.

Laurie Benson started her career as a nurse. On Monday she was named National Women in Business Champion by US SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Laurie is the CEO and Co-founder of Inacom Information Systems a Madison, WI., a company with revenues of $80million with more than 150 employees. She is tireless a champion of women-owned businesses and Make Mine a Million $ Business. If your dream is to build your business like Laurie built hers, go to SBA.gov or contact the SBA office in your state and learn about new financing opportunities.

If you haven't already, join us in the M3 RACE. We're going far.

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Believe in you.
Nell