Small- and medium-sized business owners have been lacking confidence in recent months because outside forces have negatively affected their companies, but a new report shows that optimism is trending upward. The National Federation of Independent Business' Index of Small Business Optimism increased by 2.3 points in May to reach 94.4 for the month's total. This is the second-highest rating since December 2007 when the recession began. Bill Dunkelberg pointed out that this might not be indicative of sweeping confidence. 

"It's nice to see confidence not shrinking, but there isn't much to hang your hat on in this report. We are back to where we were in May 2012. Two good months don't make a trend, but we can't have a trend without them, so it's a start," said Dunkelberg. 

Moreover, there were some concerning statistics in the NFIB's latest index. The Huntsville Times reports that job creation remained "flat after five months of increases," showing that some SMB owners are struggling to expand. 

Overall, the index shows that entrepreneurs believe conditions are improving for independent companies. If the upward trend remains stable for the next few months, it might indicate that SMB owners are confident that the economy has recovered. 

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A few small- and medium-sized business owners in New York recently filed a lawsuit to fight against a law that prevents them from charging customers more for using credit cards. Bloomberg reports that five establishments, including a hair salon and an ice cream parlor, entered the complaint to have the regulation declared unconstitutional.

The heart of the matter is that SMBs are charged for accepting credit payments and lose money from the transactions. Some merchants try to avoid this problem by passing the charges onto customers who don't want to use cash or checks. The plaintiffs also believe that the law prevents "consumers from understanding the costs of swipe fees."

New York's mandate does allow SMB owners to develop unique incentives to compel customers to use other currency instead of credit cards. For instance, discounts can be offered to patrons who pay in cash, while card users have to pay the full price. However, this strategy isn't necessarily the best solution because the merchant is still responsible for the fees and is taking in less paper money than usual. 

There isn't an easy answer when it comes to the use of credit cards in your establishment. If you accept the cards, you're subject to fees. On the other hand, if you only take cash or checks, you'll likely alienate customers who prefer plastic. 

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The recent ADP National Employment Report discovered that small businesses added around 58,000 jobs in May 2013, and this is great news for the recovering economy in the United States. Many experts believe that the surge will continue in the second half of 2013 as consumer and business confidence grows.

This trend is especially prevalent in major cities like Los Angeles, where a Bank of America report surveyed small business owners about their expectations for the future. Nearly half responded that they intended to hire additional employees in the immediate future.

"Small businesses in Los Angeles were more optimistic than they were in the fall of 2012," said Emily Shanks, a regional executive, according to the source. "We're finding that the economy is starting to turn around and small businesses are feeling it."

As more workers are brought on board, small companies will need to communicate their brand identity more efficiently and enable new employees to do the same. This includes everything from business cards to email signatures. Organization is the key to growth, and without a steady approach, hiring could spark more problems than assistance.

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Government officials in San Francisco, California, are trying to help small- and medium-sized businesses flourish within the city. To start, Mayor Edwin Lee recently announced the creation of a new lending program that will help owners access necessary capital. According to the California Economic Summit, the initiative was unveiled during San Francisco Small Business Week, which took place in May. 

"The Emerging Business Loan Fund will allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to secure the capital they need to innovate, grow their business and succeed," said Lee. 

The source explains that qualifying SMBs can take loans for amounts between $50,000 and $1 million. The funding is supposed to go toward necessary procedures like hiring, purchasing new hardware and covering overhead expenses. 

The new lending program should ease some financial concerns for SMB owners. What's more, the funds will also help San Francisco improve its reputation among entrepreneurs. In its 2013 Small Business Survey, Thumbtack found that respondents gave the city a C grade. Regulations, tax codes and licensing procedures all contributed to the overall ranking. 

The Emerging Business Loan Fund is a great resource that will be beneficial to San Francisco's SMB owners moving forward. Entrepreneurs will be able to access necessary capital to improve their companies thanks to the program. 

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Government officials in Texas have taken steps to help small- and medium-sized business owners improve their fiscal situations. First, local Fox affiliate KFDX-3 recently reported that Governor Rick Perry recently signed a bill that will keep healthcare costs at the same levels for the next two years.

The initiative is designed to prevent companies from being negatively impacted by impending insurance regulations. Kelly Fristoe, president of the Texas Association of Health Underwriters, believes that cutting prices now will allow SMBs to adapt to the new healthcare regulations without cutting overhead expenses.

Additionally, Texas state legislators are considering tax cuts for both SMBs and private citizens. According to Reuters, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst stated that a new proposal will slash the tax rate for over 800,000 companies in the Lone Star State. As a result, entrepreneurs would benefit from reduced overhead and improved financial stability.

Overall, these government initiatives show that Texas is committed to the welfare of its SMBs. Owners in the state already enjoy some of the friendliest conditions in the United States, and the new regulations would further the Lone Star State's reputation as a premier location for independent companies.

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Small- and medium-sized business owners are still hesitant to hire new employees. In the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey, the net hiring index was -12 for April 2013, meaning that entrepreneurs are cutting jobs and not creating positions. The rating was -9 during the same month last year. The report states that the hiring index has been hovering near these levels since January 2011. 

However, SMB owners also indicated that they expect to start hiring again in the near future. According to the survey, 20 percent of entrepreneurs plan to add new jobs over the next 12 months, which is a 3 percent increase over the findings from January 2012's poll. Only 14 percent of entrepreneurs stated that they'll cut jobs within the same time period. 

Gallup concludes that external factors like the economy and the impending healthcare laws might be contributing factors to the limited hiring. SMB owners are concerned with their overall financial health, so adding new employees might not be a priority at the moment. 

However, entrepreneurs should be prepared to hire new workers when necessary. An expanding company requires a growing staff in order to thrive in the long run. 

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