Data That We Track, August 2017
New Data and New Information The August numbers showed the reaches of seasonal employment into Northern Michigan. Five of the 51 counties in our service area had rising…
Celebrating 1,000 Loans Strong, and Growing!
Northern Initiatives itself once a startup, made its 1,000th loan, demonstrating a strong entrepreneurial culture in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan. Northern Initiatives closed its 1,000th loan…
Data That We Track, July 2017
New Data and New Information July offered a curious report on jobless data, to say the least. Michigan’s jobless rate fell to 3.7% -- well below the national…
Data That We Track, June 2017
New Data and New Information Michigan once had the fiftieth highest jobless rate. The march from its "lost decade" to today's jobless rate of 3.8% was a long…
Small Business Loan Application Checklist
Many of us find it easier to complete tasks at work or home when we develop a list and post it in a visible location. There’s a sense of fulfillment…
Data That We Track, April 2017
New Data and New Information In March we saw jobless rates fall in 84% of our counties, and in April the rates fell in all 51 counties. Over one…
Data That We Track, March 2017
New Data and New Information It is a little surprising to see the jobless rates in so many counties decrease in March, but in 43 of the 51…
Need Some Magic to Conjure New Customers? Use a Conversion Funnel.
Despite the claim of this picture, there’s nothing magical about small (and large) businesses using a funnel strategy to move prospects into repeat buyers. It’s a proven tactic that…
Three Reasons to Care About Your (Financial) Ratios
Financial ratios aren’t usually the first topic at cocktail parties. But for small business owners, maybe they should be. A solid understanding of the role of ratios can be an…
TripAdvisor: A Road Trip to Success Tip for your Small Business (But Don’t Tell Anyone)
Shhhh. We have a secret to share with you. Did you know on average 390 million people visited TripAdvisor last month alone? And 60 million people on average actively…
