Friday, April 5, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013

Small Business

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Councilman William Greenlee, left, confers with council president Darrell Clarke. (File photo: Ed Hille / Staff Photographer)
Nutter plans to veto bill mandating paid sick leave
Can City Council override another Mayor Nutter veto of mandatory paid leave?
In this Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, photo, Mike Rainville poses with his family members at the Maple Landmark Woodcraft factory in Middlebury, Vt. Rainville works with multiple generations of his family at the factory. Experts say family businesses are more resilient when times are tough because of relative’s commitment, passion and knowledge of the business. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)
Want a business that lasts? Start one with family
If you want to go into business during tough economic times, you might want to do it with family.
Shana Heidorn´s Society Hill Dance Academy has two locations. (David Maialetti / Staff Photographer)
Academy owner helps people dance to own beat
Talking Small Biz: Shana Heidorn, 42, of Pennsport, owns Society Hill Dance Academy, which she started in 2002 on South 2nd near Pine.
Small business loans up in 4Q, 1st gain since 2010
Small business lending is showing small signs of growth, according to data compiled by the government.
Joe Groh (left), owner of the steak shop known as Chink´s Steaks since 1949, unveils the new name of his restaurant on Torresdale Ave. April 1, 2013. Members of the Asian-American community urged Groh to remove the ethnic slug. With Groh in the bucket is Scott Longacre from Pro Signs in Downingtown. ( CLEM MURRAY / Staff Photographer )
No offense, but they prefer Chink's
As the hydraulic lift rose one story to eye level with the Chink's Steaks sign, a few yards away Robert Quinn stood on the curb, venting - loudly - to his girlfriend.
John Martorano founded Magnum Computer Recycling in Camden County in 2006. (David M Warren / Staff Photographer)
Old electronics led to bright idea
Diane Mastrull: John Martorano Jr. spends each day amid pallets heaped with junked computer towers and monitors, burned-out TVs, vacuums past their sucking prime, and old police scanners that have squawked for the last time.
DAVID MAIALETTI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Keven Parker credits his mom as a major influence in his business.
Ms. Tootsie's founder on a roll
Talking Small Biz: Keven Parker has been expanding his brand to home-furnishings, a boutique hotel and soul-food cafe at Reading Terminal Market.
Small Business Administration (SBA) logo.
Montco SBA event will try 'speed dating'
PhillyInc: Tired of giving elevator pitches? The U.S. Small Business Administration seems to favor the "Andy Warhol pitch."
In this Friday, Jan. 18 2013 photo, activists hold signs during a rally at New York´s City Hall to call for immediate action on paid sick days legislation in light of the continued spread of the flu. An unusually early and vigorous fluseason is drawing attention to the cause that has both scored victories and hit roadblocks in recent years: mandatory paid sick leave. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Wide divide over sick time for employees
Two months after a severe flu season forced millions of workers to stay home, paid sick time is becoming an issue for many small-business owners.
With the Revel bankrupt, and with Trump Plaza close to a sale deal for just $20 million (it´s still assessed at around $250 million), casinos are suddenly asking for huge property tax refunds that the city can ill afford. (Eric Mencher / Staff Photographer)
Report: Atlantic City finances weaken
PhillyDeals: Atlantic City's debt, already rated Baa1, could be cut further as its casinos continue to lose customers and value, writes Vito Galluccio, analyst at Moody's Investors Service, in a report to clients today.
This image provided by KFC shows the company´s new boneless chicken. KFC will offer new boneless pieces of chicken as an alternative to its traditional breast, thigh and drumstick pieces. The chain says the offering reflects the growing popularity of easier-to-eat chicken strips and nuggets. (AP Photo/KFC)
KFC to offer boneless chicken
KFC is stripping out the bones to make it easier for people to eat its chicken.
Merck´s West Point Complex in West Point, Montgomery County. (File photo: Bob Williams / Staff)
Merck CEO: West Point, Montco facility safe for now
PhillyPharma: Merck & Co., chief executive officer Ken Frazier told The Inquirer that the drugmaker's facility in the Philadelphia suburb of West Point, Montgomery County, is in no danger of being closed now.
Here we go again: Changing COLA to cut Social Security?
Inquiring Consumer: Reports say Obama will again propose a supposed "technical fix" to Social Security: Using a "chained consumer price index" that reflects consumers' ability to choose substitutes as prices rise.
"The 27 largest U.S. companies reporting cyber attacks say they sustained no major financial losses, exposing a disconnect with federal officials who say billions of dollars in corporate secrets are being stolen," reports Bloomberg.
Corporate cyber crime: Real or bogus?
SEC asks Comcast, Verizon, Amazon to tell more about online attacks
Comcast is eyeing an investment in Fullscreen Inc., which ranked as the top independent YouTube network in unique viewers in January, according to comScore’s report.
Comcast eyes YouTube producer
PhillyDeals: The cable and broadcast giant's capital venture arm joins Peter Chernin in weighing a $30 million investment in Fullscreen Inc.
This Friday, March 29, 2013, file photo, shows a help wanted sign in front of a restaurant in Richmond, Va. The U.S. economy has enjoyed a four-month stretch of robust job gains, but that appears to be ebbing. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Friday's jobs report: Mediocre
Jobbing: This is the first month since June 2012 when the number of jobs added didn't top the break-even threshold of 100,000 jobs. That's the amount economists say is needed each month to keep pace with population growth.
Cedar Park with its shops, restaurants and galleries stretching from 4700 to 5000 block of Baltimore Avenue. <br />Gold Standard Café on 4800 Baltimore Ave.<br />April 02, 2013. ( AKIRA SUWA / Staff Photographer )
Creating a buzz for 14 Phila. neighborhoods
To some, they are former diamonds in the rough, locales that a decade or so of change has polished into something now truly unique.
The photo shows the leadership team of RightCare Solutions Inc. in New York last year (left to right): Mrinal Bhasker, chief technology officer; Kathryn H. Bowles, co-founder and Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania; Eric M. Heil, co-founder and CEO; and Matt Tanzer, chief commercial officer.
Penn alum's new firm aims to cut hospital readmissions
The effort grew out of work by a student and a Penn professor.
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Keller Williams: Success in spite of recession
 
Where changing lives is their company's goal
 
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Small Business Weekly
Top Workplaces 2013

Top Workplaces 2013 is an effort to discover the best employers in the Philadelphia region - as decided by each company's employees. More than 26,000 were surveyed by WorkplaceDynamics of Exton. Here are their findings for best large, midsize and small companies, including firms based elsewhere that have a major area presence.