8 Ways Your Business Can Get Ready for the 2013 Tourist Season

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While the U.S. economy continues to see positive signs of growth, consumer spending in one sector is booming – tourism.

Consider the facts – spending by international travelers to and within the U.S. increased 10.5 percent in 2012 (source: U.S Travel Association). Travel also continues to lead export growth, accounting for a 23 percent rise in U.S. exports. Home grown tourism is also experiencing a surge, with more and more Americans opting to take “staycations” – enjoying recreational and entertainment options closer to home – as opposed to hitting the roads and skies.

The forecast is good too. The Department of Commerce predicts that the U.S. can expect a 3.6 to 4.3 percent average annual growth in travel and tourism over the next four years.

To further spur tourism in the U.S., the federal government has set a goal of increasing American jobs by attracting and welcoming 100 million international visitors annually by the end of 2021, bringing an estimated $250 billion per year into the U.S. (read the National Tourism and Travel Strategy for more information).  

This all represents a unique opportunity for the U.S. tourist industry and the businesses that underpin it. So what can your small business do to take advantage of this uptick in tourism? Here are eight marketing and management tips to help you get ready for the 2013 tourist season!

1. Make it Easy for Tourists to Come Back to Their Favorite Spots

Start with a plan to reach your low hanging fruit – repeat visitors. The best way to do this is to stay in touch with them all year round with special offers, email marketing and social media updates. Let them know what plans you have for the tourist season this year, any upgrades you’ve made to your business and so on. If the summer is your peak season, then fall, winter and even early spring should be your busiest marketing seasons.  

These articles offer some useful tips for staying in touch with customers:

2. Staycationers –  How to Attract These Lucrative Tourists

Just as you want to reach out to travelers and tourists from out of town, don’t forget to focus some of your marketing and advertising efforts closer to home. Be persuasive in your benefit statements. For example:

Explain what differentiates you – Are you family/pet friendly? Do you stock/grow local products? How easy is it to get to you?  Do repeat visitors receive any special discounts?Source local – Even if you don’t grow or produce your own products, look for ways to integrate local produce into your business so that customers get a real flavor of what your community offers and the dollars stay local. Ask fellow businesses to reciprocate too.Team up with complementary businesses to cross-promote and market your businesses – with something for everyone, tourists might be more likely to make the trip to your community and stay for a while! Get some tips for doing this in this blog from Rieva Lesonsky:  Forget Competition it’s Time for Co-Opetition.Cash in on what your region has to offer – Is your region known for its wine or green credentials? Are there certain certifications that you can seek out to help promote your business?Develop messages and advertising that targets larger groups – Can you handle bus tours or school field trips? Any incentives or package deals for larger groups or families?Remind visitors that they will save money on gas, lodging, airfare and even time by vacationing near home.Get Involved in Local Events/Festivals – Community fairs, farmers markets, sponsored sports events and concerts offer great opportunities to reach locals and tourists alike. Read guest blogger Rieva Lesonsky’s: Marketing Your Business with Events and Sponsoring or Hosting an Event – 6 Ways to Maximize your Return.

3. Use Location-Based Services to Attract Passersby

Don’t forget to take advantage of mobile technology. Promoting your small business to tourists who might be passing by using mobile apps isn’t that difficult. Groupon, Living Social, FourSquare and ThinkNear, among others, let you post information about your latest offers and limited-time deals to consumers within a certain distance of your business. You can also schedule deals so they get delivered during key hours. Keep your Google, Yelp, Yellow Pages and other online listings up to date too.

4. Take Your Business on the Road

If the best way to reach tourists is to take your business on the road, a concession stand or a booth at a craft or community fair is a great opportunity to bring in extra dollars and spread the word. These articles offer some advice:

5. Become a National Park Concession Business

Did you know there are opportunities for small businesses in national parks? Food, lodging, tours, whitewater rafting, boating, and many other recreational activities and amenities in more than 100 national parks are managed by private businesses under contract to the National Park Service. The services, provided by more than 600 concessioners, gross more than $1 billion every year and provide jobs for more than 25,000 people peak season. Every year, the Park Service issues prospectuses that detail these business opportunities; it also publishes notices at www.fedbizopps.gov. Many of these opportunities are smaller operations featuring unique recreation activities.

6. Need Short-Term Capital?

Seasonal businesses often have to pour capital into business improvements, marketing, inventory and staff long before they can expect to make a profit. If you don’t have sufficient cash flow or funds to prepare your business for the 2013 tourist season, you may want to consider a short-term loan or line of credit. SBA’s CAPLines Program, for example, provides advances against inventory needs and accounts receivable to help you weather seasonal sales. Read more and talk to your regional SBA Office for more information.

7. Plan Your Seasonal Work Force

If your business counts on the summer season or tourist trade, then start planning your seasonal workforce now. If you’re new to this process or have questions about hiring and compensating seasonal workers (for example, do you need to pay unemployment taxes for seasonal workers?), check out this blog – 5 Things to Know Now about Hiring Temporary or Seasonal Workers – for tips on hiring and working with seasonal workers within the law.

8. Partner with Local Business Groups

Reach out to your local Chamber of Commerce and local tourism associations or sector organizations that promote clusters of businesses in the same business sector such as hotels, restaurants, tour operators, B&B’s, camp grounds and so on. Many of these offer small businesses an opportunity to participate in their targeted and collective approach to seasonal marketing.

What are you going to do to boost your revenues this tourist season? Leave a comment below!

Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesleyTags: Community Blogs, Small Business Matters, Managing, Marketing

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7 Inspiring Home Business Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms (or Dads)

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Are you a stay-at-home mom (or dad)? Hoping to kick start an entrepreneurial dream or simply looking to bring in some extra income?

Starting a home-based business is a great way to do this. In fact, 52 percent of U.S. companies operate as home businesses (source) and many of today’s biggest brand names were established by stay-at-home moms – (Dorothy) Gerber, Mrs. (Debbi) Fields, and Julie Aigner-Clark (Baby Einstein), to name but a few. But what types of businesses can grow and thrive in the home environment?

Here are some business ideas and considerations for stay-at-home moms!

Freelancing

Perhaps the easiest form of business to delve into and operate is freelancing. Whatever your skill – writing, web design, marketing, tax advisor, or photography– freelancing affords an enormous amount of flexibility and freedom, and can be started with little cost or paperwork. Many freelancers get their start by approaching a former employer or customer who could benefit from their services, then branch out as their body of work and reputation grows.

Freelancing does have its challenges and requires discipline—you are running a business after all. Common mistakes freelancers make include not setting the business up properly and legally (getting the right permits, or licenses), forgetting to put money aside to pay estimated taxes, and not planning for peaks and valleys in cash flow.  

Check out these blogs for tips and guidance to help you through the process of starting and operating your freelance business:

Become a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) provide a wide variety of “virtual” services to other businesses including administrative, marketing and technical support from a home office. My local window cleaner, for example, uses a VA to answer his calls and manage his calendar while he’s busy on-site. VAs are growing in popularity, too, as firms look to cut costs and outsource administrative functions. If you are organized and have an administrative background, this might be for you. Start with your own connections or take advantage of the services of a VA organization or association who can help you get started and connect you with clients.

Make Money from Blogging

Yes, you can make money by blogging. I follow several stay-at-home moms who happen to be fashion and style bloggers – and it’s their business. If you can write and have a passion for a specific topic or hobby that you know will garner some attention, then this might be for you. Income generation opportunities can come in the form of affiliate marketing and advertising on your website or from companies who ask you to review and blog about their products. Look for ways to get traffic to your website through social media, search engine optimization and by getting involved in the wider blogosphere (networking with and commenting on the blogs of others in your niche).

Start a Creative Business

Whether it’s making gift baskets or offering interior design consultation services, if you have a creative streak and the room to store and create, then why not consider making money out of your talents? Get to know the market and do some planning to identify an untapped niche. SBA has several tools that can help including the Build your Business Plan tool and SizeUp a market and business analysis tool that lets you benchmark your business against competitors, map your customers, competitors and suppliers, and locate the best places to advertise.

Start a Home-Based Bakery or Food Business

Food production from a home is heavily regulated but it’s not impossible. Take Martha Stewart, for example—she famously entered the food service business with a basement-based catering company in 1976. Before you start a home-based food business you will need to understand the rules and regulations that govern the production of food for public consumption in an at-home environment. For example do you need a separate kitchen? What about product labeling? And so on. For tips and insight, read: Starting a Home-Based Food Production Business: Making Your Culinary Hobby Your Job.

Child Day Care

Home childcare businesses offer a potentially lucrative and long-lasting business opportunity. A home environment is often appealing to parents and once their kids are settled (and assuming you are doing a great job), then it’s likely you’ll have that business until they are old enough not to need care.

Of course, this is another regulated business and you’ll need to ensure you comply with state and local regulations that govern issues such as the provision of meals, minimum space requirements per child, and the number of licensed care workers per child. For information on starting a child care business including financing options, licensing requirements, and other regulatory matters read: Starting a Child Care Business? Government Tools and Resources that Can Help.

Start an Online Marketplace Store

If you have clutter that you want to get rid of and like the idea of selling products to an established worldwide network of consumers, consider starting a business on eBay, Etsy or Amazon. You can source products to sell from junk/yard sales or charity shops. If you want to get a bit more sophisticated, then consider buying wholesale or adopting a drop-shipping model. The goal is to find products that are in high-demand and not readily available from other sources. Read more about getting started here: More Than Just a Seller – How to Start a Business on an Online Marketplace.

More Ideas

Other business ideas including a dog walking/pet care business, a travel agent, start a home-based franchise business, event planning, architectural design, or tutoring students!

Whatever your idea make sure you start, structure and operate your business according to legal and regulatory requirements. Check out SBA’s 10 Steps to Starting your Business for the facts.

Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesleyTags: Community Blogs, Small Business Matters, Starting

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Strengthening America’s Small Business Supply Chain

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SBA Announces Request for Proposals to Conduct Supply Chain Mapping Analysis and Matchmaking

How do we build ecosystems of entrepreneurship that can make regional economies more competitive and attract more manufacturing back to the United States?

Today, many cities and communities are looking past the old practice of simply “chasing smokestacks” (using tax and other incentives to lure companies to their cities). Instead, they are focused on building the types of long-term, local entrepreneurial ecosystems and supply chains of small businesses that serve as a natural magnet for these companies.

The reality is that large manufacturers need a diverse and nimble network of small suppliers. These suppliers make large companies more efficient, more productive and more globally competitive. A strong supply chain of small businesses can be a determining factor for locating production in a particular area. And it really is a win-win. Tapping into a large commercial supply chain can also be a game-changer for a small supplier. A recent report showed that suppliers reported revenue growth of more than 250 percent just a few years after selling their products to a large corporation and employment increased by more than 150 percent on average.

Across the country, we are seeing manufacturing and production coming back to the United States. And this trend is likely to continue as companies recognize higher U.S. worker productivity, lower energy costs, increasing labor costs abroad and other logistical advantages of U.S.-based production.

Today, companies around the world are seeing America’s competitive landscape and they are increasing investment and expanding in the United States. This is creating good American jobs and economic opportunity. In fact, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted an annual survey of executives showing that the United States was viewed as the top destination for future foreign direct investment. This was the first time the United States topped this survey since 2001.

So how do we build on this momentum?

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently launched the American Supplier Initiative (ASI). The goal of the ASI is to increase market access for small suppliers, to offer counseling and mentoring services, and to provide ready sources of working capital to support increasing sales. And as part of these efforts, the SBA is helping to lead the Administration-wide Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), an effort designed to support communities that demonstrate best practices in developing a sustainable manufacturing ecosystem.

To build on the partnership, the SBA is seeking proposals to conduct supply chain analysis of disrupted or at-risk regional manufacturing communities. Additionally, these proposals call for the creation of matchmaking events designed to better integrate small businesses into commercial supply chains. A link to the RFP can be found here.

Going forward, we will continue to build the type of public private partnerships that support the onshoring of more American manufacturing and the expansion of America’s entrepreneurial infrastructure to ensure that more small businesses have the tools they need to grow, to create jobs and to fuel America’s economic growth.  

Karen Gordon Mills is the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA helps both Main Street and high-growth small businesses get access to capital, counseling, federal contracts, disaster assistance and more.Tags: Official SBA News and Views, Open For Business, SBA News and Views

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10 Ways to make your small business Social Media activities Rock

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by Caron_Beesley, Community Moderator

Created: July 15, 2013, 8:03 amUpdated: July 15, 2013, 8:06 am

Social media may have the lowest cost of entry of any marketing tool, but is not actually that easy to do well. In fact, a report by eMarketer found that small businesses are struggling to adopt social media, with only 24 percent of small firms having integrated social media in a structured way into their operations.

Knowing where to start is perhaps the number one obstacle holding many small business owners back. Knowing what to do when you get there is next.

So, whether you are new to social media or looking to go beyond using it in an ad hoc or informal way, here are 10 ways to make your small business social media activities rock.

Pick the Site(s) that Works for You

Social media sites are emerging on an almost weekly basis, and it’s easy to become distracted or lost in the speed of change. So where should you focus your efforts?

Speaking at last year’s National Small Business Week social media panel, Erica Ayotte, social media manager with Constant Contact, recommends businesses start with one channel to test and nurture it. Then try to diversify: “Spend a little time each week exploring new platforms and figure out if they might be for you.” Speaking at the same event, GrowBizMedia’s Rieva Lesonsky recommends that you “find out where your customers can be found, go there first, and then spread out from there… if you run a restaurant, yes, you probably should be on Twitter, but you should really be on Yelp first.”

Share Interesting and Visual Content

This is one area that really does take time. What’s interesting anyway?

Well, let’s start with the basics. If you have any news to share, and by news I mean “newsworthy” (i.e. something that impacts your customers directly) then go ahead and share it – things like holiday opening times, new offices, menu updates, charity events, etc.

Then add another tier – share quality content. Something you do well that will help you stand out in a crowd – blogs, white papers, tips, or quick “how to” videos (host them on YouTube or Hulu).  Then use social media to amplify it. Feel free to share content from others (without breaking copyright) if it is relevant to your fans. Don’t be afraid to ask people what content they want you to share!

Another tier of content should focus on telling the big picture story of your business – showcase employees, community activities, or how customers are using your product or service. This is a great opportunity to be visual and stand-out in busy newsfeeds.

Remember, give it time. It takes time to figure out what works. For example, you might think about using polls and surveys to engage with followers, but if you are still growing your network, you might not get the right results – yet. So, keep trying new things until you find a sweet spot. And don’t forget, just because people may not be interacting with you yet, that doesn’t mean they aren’t listening, so keep the faith!

For more tips read:

Listen

Great content drives engagement and grows social communities, but equally important is the art of listening. Think of social media as a form of conversation – it’s a two-way dialog. If you’re not prepared to listen to what is being said to you, about you, or with you, then you simply aren’t “being social.” In addition to listening to your consumers, carve out time to listen to influencers in your business, to your competitors, and to those who can help you perfect your social media strategy (Hubspot, Mari Smith, and Social Media Today, to name just a few).

Have an Authentic Voice

Again, “be social!” Drop the corporate marketing speak; people like dealing with people. So don’t be afraid to loosen up a little and when responding to problems or complaints; sign off with your first name.

Foster Fan-to-Fan Engagement

Some of the strongest social networking communities are based on supportive relationships and information sharing between fans. If you are posting interesting content, this will follow naturally as fans start to engage with others based on common interests. There are a few things you can do to encourage these relationships, many of them mentioned in this blog - listen to fans, chime in when you think you can add something, respond to comments, open the doors to shared experiences/needs, encourage fans to share photos and experiences and always communicate authentically (drop the corporate hat).

Don’t Overly Automate

While there are some great free tools that can help you automate your posts, don’t overly rely on these to get you through the day – it will show. Instead, set aside some time, 2-3 slots a day to post (note that the evening is a high volume time to post and get noticed), monitor and respond to fans.

Commit to Social Media

If you are truly going to succeed at social media, then you need to take it seriously and commit to it. For many small businesses, this means adopting a new paradigm. Don’t treat social media as an aside to be taken advantage of when you want to get the word out about your latest offer. Commit to a content strategy. Ensure all levels of the organization are on-board and are involved in your social media strategy. Don’t just assign daily responsibility for it to an office junior – this is the face of your business, after all, and it involves dialog with your customers (is a junior up to that?).

Treat Social Media as an Arm of Your Customer Service Operations

Social media is also an essential part of your customer service strategy. If you are on Facebook or Twitter, then you need to be prepared to monitor and respond to questions and complaints. These blogs offer more advice on this topic:

Don’t Forget Your Other Marketing Channels

Social media may be free, but it only works as part of a wider, integrated marketing strategy. It should never replace your website (which is the hub of all your marketing activity and the home of your online content). Email is also still important. You have a captive audience there; your message is delivered to their inboxes and allows for a deeper conversation.

Measure

Don’t forget to measure the impact of your social media efforts. Use third party apps or Facebook’s Insights tool to monitor click-through rates. Compare these across posts to see if there’s a trend as to the type of content that’s popular. Measure engagement by tracking how many likes and shares your posts get (measured by Facebook as “reach”). Use this data to inform and adjust your content strategy.

Additional Articles

Here’s a selection of SBA blogs that can also help with key areas of your social media strategy:

Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer, and marketing communications consultant. Caron works with the SBA.gov team to promote essential government resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners start-up, grow and succeed. Follow Caron on Twitter: @caronbeesleyTags: Community Blogs, Small Business Matters, Managing, Marketing, Starting

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Hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy came to severe flooding, extensive structural damage and significant loss of life what.  Thousands of people were were on the run, millions lost, and business disrupted ecosystems throughout the region.  In fact continue to small businesses a number of challenges when it comes to your company to create.
In December 2012, addressed an executive order, signed by President Obama the hurricane Sandy reconstruction task force, federal, coordinate State and local resources, success, economic dynamics, among other objectives, to support possibilities for a reconstruction.  U.S. small business administration (SBA) is a key member of the task force and our programs an important role that need long-term economic recovery of the region consulting, financing and other resources through support for companies.  SBA approved more than 2.3 billion $ of disaster loans to 35.900 residents and businesses in States affected by Hurricane Sandy - so the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States for the Agency.  SBA resource partner support Hurricane Sandy small business recovery, a foundation for economic recovery and stability, thanks to the services, and financed by $19 million in grants expanded.  In addition, we know that opportunities are access to commercial and federal contracting in this reconstruction efforts essential.
This is why the SBA and the hurricane Sandy reconstruction task force teaming up to host the hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking Summit on Wednesday, 7 August - educate the first event of its kind in the region since the disaster - and connect small businesses to trade buyers from the private sector and federal, State, and local governments.  The goal is simple: small businesses in the region help get back on their feet to come and compete for opportunities in the region.  Here are the details.  We hope to see you there.
What: Hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking
Where: New Jersey Institute of technology
University Heights Newark, New Jersey 07102
When: Wednesday, August 7:
Registration & resource Expo start at noon, program begins at 13
For more information and to RSVP: https://nj.mybusinessmatches.com/

John Shoraka is the Associate Administrator for government contracting and business development for the U.S. small business administration.
Tags: official SBA news and views, open to trade, emergency planning
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Five easy ways to protect your small business before disaster strikes

by Carol Chastang, community moderator

Created: July 24, 2013, 16:30updated: July 24, 2013, 16:30

East Coast company put to rebuild their struggle after Hurricane Sandy.  Measured 29 October 2012-storm as one commemorates the economic damage of the biggest natural disasters in the history of the United States.

Many residents and businesses, especially in the worst hit coastal areas from New Jersey and New York, have been through the storm at the end of the season caught.  In addition to the property destruction makes created major headaches and large financial losses for many small business owners atrocities by strong winds and flooding.

Weather experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are an "active" 2013 Atlantic hurricane season.  The six-month season, which started June 1, peaks between August and October. Now is a good time, to a disaster preparedness plan protect your company and your employees use.

The SBA and agility recovery recently a free webinar give preparation tips for the hurricane season.  But it doesn't matter, if you are in the Gulf Coast or in the upper Midwest - all kinds of risks, and small businesses are particularly vulnerable.

Go to this link to download of the slides from the recent "protect your company this hurricane season" Webinar.  You can view also the recorded Webinar at any time. You will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher.

Meanwhile, there are a few things that you can do without cost, to promote your business continuity plan:

Determine your greatest risk potential.  It could have been wind damage or hinterland, the floods, which usually follows the tropical storm heavy rainfall.  In the meantime, financial losses could suffer through roads and bridges your company closures in the wake of a hurricane.  Power outages are a major threat, especially for companies in the food and hospitality. What would happen if you had to use your company for several days?  See the building where you do business - inside and outside - and risk assessment. If you do enough early, you have time to do structural upgrades - like impact-resistant doors and Windows - that can prevent that possible future storm damage.Calculate the cost of downtime for one week, one month and six months.  Once you have done that, be able to examine insurance options or build a cash reserve that allows your company during the period of the restoration function. It is also a good idea, with alternative providers to develop professional relationships, in the event that your primary contractor service not possible.  Provide occasional jobs with them so that they regard you as an active customer. Check your insurance coverage. Contact your agent to find out whether your policy is sufficient for your needs. Consult an insurance expert, advise on the right coverage for your situation. With the purchase of insurance questions you "how much I can afford to lose?"  It is a good idea to know the value of your property.  You should also consider flood insurance.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey flood losses are the leading cause of the disaster. The most property insurance policies do not cover basement flooding. Create a communication plan crisis , so you will able be to make sure that your employees, clients, suppliers, and business owners know what's going on here.  Set an email alert system.  You verify to the primary and secondary E-mail addresses for your employees have, and trades from any of you with.  Create a Facebook page and Twitter use around the community,'re still in business and in the process of recovery after the disaster.Test, a telework policy.  Prepare the way, can the employee not to work through development of an emergency tele-working to come. Read "how to make telecommuting work for small businesses" for more information.

Every month SBA and agility recovery hosts a free webinar offers business continuity strategies. August 13th Webinar disaster is focused on useful tips for building your own preparedness plan.   Space is limited so sign up now.

Related resources

Tags: official SBA news and views, open to trade, emergency planning, Management, SBA news and views

View the original article here

Hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy came to severe flooding, extensive structural damage and significant loss of life what.  Thousands of people were were on the run, millions lost, and business disrupted ecosystems throughout the region.  In fact continue to small businesses a number of challenges when it comes to your company to create.

In December 2012, addressed an executive order, signed by President Obama the hurricane Sandy reconstruction task force, federal, coordinate State and local resources, success, economic dynamics, among other objectives, to support possibilities for a reconstruction.  U.S. small business administration (SBA) is a key member of the task force and our programs an important role that need long-term economic recovery of the region consulting, financing and other resources through support for companies.  SBA approved more than 2.3 billion $ of disaster loans to 35.900 residents and businesses in States affected by Hurricane Sandy - so the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States for the Agency.  SBA resource partner support Hurricane Sandy small business recovery, a foundation for economic recovery and stability, thanks to the services, and financed by $19 million in grants expanded.  In addition, we know that opportunities are access to commercial and federal contracting in this reconstruction efforts essential.

This is why the SBA and the hurricane Sandy reconstruction task force teaming up to host the hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking Summit on Wednesday, 7 August - educate the first event of its kind in the region since the disaster - and connect small businesses to trade buyers from the private sector and federal, State, and local governments.  The goal is simple: small businesses in the region help get back on their feet to come and compete for opportunities in the region.  Here are the details.  We hope to see you there.

What: Hurricane Sandy small business recovery and matchmaking

Where: New Jersey Institute of technology

University Heights Newark, New Jersey 07102

When: Wednesday, August 7:

Registration & resource Expo start at noon, program begins at 13

For more information and to RSVP: https://nj.mybusinessmatches.com/

John Shoraka is the Associate Administrator for government contracting and business development for the U.S. small business administration.

Tags: official SBA news and views, open to trade, emergency planning

View the original article here