California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

April 20-26 has been designated as National Small Business Week. It celebrates
all entrepreneurs and encourages others who dream of starting their own businesses
to take the first steps. Small businesses are the foundation of America’s economy,
playing vital roles locally and nationally.

Small business is significant to California’s economy:

• The nation’s 25 million small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all firms in America,
  according to the SBA.
• Approximately 3.5 million or 14 % of these businesses are located in California
  California’s small companies created over 230,000 net new jobs between 2002 and 2003
  (latest figures available)
• California’s small businesses provide more than 6.9 million jobs statewide
• The majority of small firms in California are in the professional services, technology,
  construction and health care industries

Visit www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.gov for more information about National Small Business Week.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.

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