small business
Conductor Names Leslie McColgan as New Program Director
McColgan, formerly with Conway Regional Medical Center, brings nearly a decade of health care leadership experience to the role, overseeing events and initiatives for small business development.
Fed officials signaled in December that they planned to be more cautious about rate cuts this year. They now project just two rate reductions in 2025, down from the four they envisioned back in September.
A mobile workforce must follow the same cybersecurity protocols as in-person employees.
This week’s real estate roundup: Notable transactions include QPG W Capitol Apartments’ $12.9M purchase of Governors Park, and D.R. Horton’s buy of residential land on Crystal Hill Road.
Conductor Names Leslie McColgan as New Program Director
McColgan, formerly with Conway Regional Medical Center, brings nearly a decade of health care leadership experience to the role, overseeing events and initiatives for small business development. read more >
![Businesses along Cantrell Road were heavily damaged during the March 2023 tornado. [Karen E. Segrave]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ARBusiness-Tornado-Recovery-0167_opt-300x194.jpg)
Arkansas and Little Rock Awarded Nearly $80M in Storm Recovery Grants
The funds will be used to rebuild homes, repair infrastructure and provide assistance to small businesses. read more >
Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator Launches in Bentonville
Startup Junkie Foundation and UA's Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program have launched a 10-week accelerator program to support 10 international startups developing cycling technology. read more >
Treasury Certification to Help Arvest Opportunity Fund Grow Investments in Struggling Communities
The designation as a Community Development Entity opens the door for individual and corporate investors through the federal New Markets Tax Credits Program. read more >
Arkansas Companies Add Nontraditional Workplace Benefits
Arkansas companies like ECCI and Everon are among those enhancing employee engagement with innovative activities, from go-kart races to pet-friendly offices, boosting retention and workplace culture. read more >
by Chloe McGehee -
Forge Institute Launches Accelerator for Defense Tech Startups
Forge Institute of Little Rock has launched Phoenix Xcelerator, a 12-week program designed to support defense and aerospace startups and strengthen Arkansas' defense innovation sector. read more >
Small Businesses Brace for Potentially Disruptive TikTok Ban
Though TikTok has been around only since 2016, small businesses use the platform in a variety of ways, from growing a customer base to advertising and marketing, as well as selling goods directly from the site. read more >
by Associated Press -
Potential New Traps in Handling Workplace Accommodations (In The Workplace 2025)
Due to some recent legal changes, employers should ensure their process for determining whether an employee can be reasonably accommodated — or if it would be an undue hardship on the company — is up to date. read more >
by Daveante Jones -
Survey: Small Businesses Are Feeling More Optimistic About the Economy After the Election
The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Small Business Optimism Index rose by eight points in November to 101.7, its highest reading since June 2021. read more >
by Associated Press -
Startup Junkie Renews Economic Development Contract with Fayetteville
Startup Junkie has renewed its partnership with Fayetteville through 2026 to provide free entrepreneurial resources and programming, with an added focus on supporting underserved entrepreneurs and the arts community. read more >
Business Owners Should Not Forget Anti-Money Laundering Rule Currently In Legal Limbo
Small business owners should not forget about a rule — currently in legal limbo — that would require them to register with an agency called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1. read more >
by Associated Press -
AEDC Awards $2M to 11 Local Startup Accelerators
Funds are aimed at encouraging the development of technological products and services. Recipients include Startup Junkie, The Venture Center and Forge Institute. read more >
Small Businesses Say Cautious Shoppers are Seeking ‘Cozy’ and ‘Festive’ This Holiday Season
With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say people have been quick to snap up holiday décor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. read more >
by Associated Press -
Small Businesses Plan Events, Start Marketing Earlier to Deal With Shorter Holiday Shopping Season
Only 27 days separate Thanksgiving and Christmas — five fewer than last year. But there are still ways to make the most of a shorter season. read more >
by Associated Press -
Small Business Owners Brace for Trump’s Proposed Tariffs
Trump has proposed importers pay a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. read more >
by Associated Press -
US Job Openings Rose Last Month, Though Hiring Slowed, In Mixed Picture for Labor Market
The pickup in job openings suggests that the job market could be stabilizing at a modest level. The unemployment rate is at a low 4.1%, even though job gains slowed sharply in October. read more >
by Associated Press -
Bentonville Farmers Market Reports Record Sales for Third Straight Season
Sales over the 29-week season reached $2.9 million. read more >
Pettaway Coffee in Little Rock Sold to Local Pastry Shop
Mike Orndorff, the developer behind Little Rock’s Pettaway Square, said talks with Daisy Pastry Shoppe began a few months ago. read more >
by Chloe McGehee -
Veterans Face Challenges Starting Small Businesses But There Are Plenty of Resources to Help
Many veterans who’ve started small businesses tell a similar story: Their military service prepared them mentally for the task, but they were at a disadvantage when it came to the financial part. read more >
by Associated Press -
Strengthen Your Business by Working Less (Sabrina Starling on Small Business)
It’s not counterintuitive; working less can make our businesses stronger by focusing priorities. read more >
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