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Small Business

People of color who own small businesses in college towns say it's hard to sell to schools

by Kirk Carapezza
Aug 15, 2022
Smaller operations report barriers to entering the educational procurement market, a study shows, despite commitments to diversity.
Terryl Calloway runs a small graphics and printing firm in Boston, a short distance from many campuses, but he says it’s been challenging to attract them as customers.
Meredith Nierman / GBH News
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How some small businesses are bracing themselves for a downturn

by Justin Ho
Aug 2, 2022
They aren’t waiting to find out whether the economy is contracting — they’re proactively preparing for it.
Whether closing down a physical storefront or holding off on new hires, some small businesses are prepping for a potential recession.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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New technology helped restaurants through the pandemic. But when it crashes, they're "shafted."

by Justin Ho
Jul 28, 2022
Demand for modern point of sale systems exploded as businesses embraced contactless payment. But some have found reliability problems.
The dollar volume that point-of-sale systems handle for small businesses has been growing 30% annually, according to analyst Lisa Ellis.
David Becker/Getty Images
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Economic Pulse

Sales are up for this artisanal biscuit maker, but inflation is taking a huge bite

by David Brancaccio , Jarrett Dang and Meredith Garretson
Jul 25, 2022
Ingredients are up 30%, says Carrie Morey of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit in South Carolina. But passing along costs poses other problems.
"At the end of the day, sales being up are great, but if you're not making money, it creates a whole new set of problems," says Carrie Morey, founder and owner of Callie's Hot Little Biscuit in Charleston, South Carolina.
Courtesy Libba Osborne
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Adventures in Housing

The story of an old-fashioned bed and breakfast in the age of Airbnb

by Maria Hollenhorst
Jul 21, 2022
Lori and Bruce Howard recently cashed in on tourist lodging they built together near Yosemite National Park.
Lori and Bruce Howard in Yosemite National Park in 2018. Until recently, the couple operated a full-service B&B in Oakhurst, California.
Courtesy Lori and Bruce Howard
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For this Maine chocolatier, labor is the "No. 1 cost to stay competitive"

by Sean McHenry
Jul 13, 2022
"To keep our great team, we have raised our wages significantly," said Kristin Thalheimer Bingham, co-owner of Dean's Sweets in Portland, Maine.
Chocolate "bombs" being prepared at Dean's Sweets in Portland, Maine.
Kaitlin Toto Photography
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Sweet serendipity leads bakery owner to business school and a full scholarship

by Andie Corban
Jul 12, 2022
In August, Rita Magalde of Utah is starting a nine-month master's program to help grow her baklava business.
"While working at a Greek-owned restaurant in high school and college, my love for baking baklava blossomed," Rita Magalde says on the Sweet Ambrosia website. Above, baklava arranged on trays at a bakery.
Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images
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As inflation rises, this Michigan business owner is taking a chance on a second store

by Sean McHenry
Jul 6, 2022
"I'm taking a very, very big risk opening another retail location," says Annie Lang Hartman, owner of the Michigan retail brand Wild Lettie.
Annie Lang Hartman has opened a second retail store, above, in Suttons Bay, Michigan.
Courtesy Annie Lang Hartman
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Even a London honey stall is caught up in Britain's historically high inflation

by Kai Ryssdal and Sean McHenry
Jul 5, 2022
"It's a bit like pushing a boulder up a hill," says London store owner Samantha Wallace.
Bees at an apiary in Italy. "We've actually just had to, for the first time, raise our Italian honey prices," said Samantha Wallace.
Macro Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images
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My Economy

A love of furry felines turns into a business opportunity

by Anais Amin
Jul 4, 2022
"There were days when I didn't even make enough money to cover my labor costs, but we made it," says Angeli Rodriguez, owner of The Witty Whisker.
Rodriguez hopes to franchise her business and use it as supplement to animal shelters.
Angeli Rodriguez
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