So government stats on job openings may not be telling us much.

The National Association of Independent Business’s small business optimism index has been below its historical average for nearly two years.

Danielle McCarthy and Ellen Kelly run a luxury wedding stationery business in Newport, Rhode Island, where they specialize in letterpress printing.

Maddie Gartmann of Garty Goodies enjoys sweet success with special event orders and cookie decorating classes.

Three women entrepreneurs talk about their experiences starting their own businesses, and whether it helped them get better pay and flexibility.

Only a quarter of small businesses say they’re getting the credit they need, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

In August, for the 20th straight month, business owners scored their outlook below average.

The good news: The lowest proportion of small businesses since March 2021 reported having trouble hiring. The bad news: It’s still 40%.

Foot traffic in downtown Salt Lake City reached 139% of pre-pandemic levels in spring. And other cities can learn from its example.

It could signal that wage and other cost pressures are easing or that sales are weakening and the economy is slowing.