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The article discusses the emergence of coaches of teams comprised of video game competitors during the early 21st century. According to the article, the field of e-sports has grown significantly and teams such as the Santa Monica, California, group Team Liquid are guided by coaches like Team Liquid assistant coach Mark Zimmerman in practice sessions and tournaments such as the "League of Legends" series of tournaments. The article presents comments from video gamer Alex Chu.

The article discusses data from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) about defaults on SBA loans by franchises. Franchises for suntanning-studio operator Planet Beach Franchising, educational firm Huntington Learning Centers, and sandwich shop Quiznos had the highest rates of default on SBA loans among all franchisers. Stephen Smith of Planet Beach said his company was harmed by a new 10% federal tax on suntanning studios.

The article discusses state licensing, focusing on an antitrust case in the U.S. Supreme Court over whether state licensing boards can operate without government oversight. Topics include the dispute between the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners that started the case; a discussion whether the Board's cease and desist letters constitutes unfair competition; and a discussion of consumer safety.

The article reports that many small businesses in the U.S. have unfilled job openings and these are affecting their growth as of July 2014. Topics include statistics on the unemployment rate in the U.S., details on the economic conditions in the U.S., and the effect of the lack of skilled employees on job openings.

The article discusses the U.S. Labor Department's concerns over the valuation of company shares acquired by employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Labor has filed several ESOP-related suits that allege inaccurate valuation estimates. Details are presented about a settlement Labor reached with GreatBanc Trust Co., which Labor accused of letting the ESOP of Sierra Aluminum Co. buy shares of Sierra at a price higher than their actual worth.

The article reports that on December 10, 2013 food distributor Sysco Corp. announced it would buy rival US Foods for $3.5 billion, thus creating an entity with 27% of the food-distribution market in the U.S. John Graf of hotel operator Priory Hotel expressed concern that the merger would leave Sysco as the sole U.S. distributor able to supply the range of goods his business requires.

The article reports that the U.S. Government Accountability Office has stated that U.S. officials have not met deadlines relating to the establishment of health-insurance exchanges for consumers small businesses in preparation for the implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act by October 1, 2013. Insurance costs and the Enroll America nonprofit organization are mentioned.

The article discusses the expected impact on insurance premiums of health-care-reform legislation in the U.S. set to take effect in 2014. Insurers will no longer be able to base premiums on the health of those being insured. Consequently, premiums at small firms with relatively older employees could decline, while companies with significant proportions of younger workers could see premiums rise.

The article looks at employer-provided health insurance in the U.S. in the context of the implementation of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act health care reform law, as of 2013. It discusses the law's mandate for employers above a certain size to either provide health care coverage to full-time and near full-time employees or else pay a penalty, reporting that some employers say they will choose to pay the penalty to avoid incurring insurance costs.

The article examines how U.S. laws regarding healthcare costs could impact part-assembly factory Automation Systems LLC. According to owner Carl Schanstra, the company's expansion subjects it to provisions in healthcare laws that could decrease profits and force Schanstra to hire less employees. He discusses the possible strategy of dividing the manufacturing firm into two separate businesses to avoid fees that would be implemented if the company exceeds 50 workers.

The article discusses the impact of an economic downturn in the U.S. on the retirement plans of small-business owners in their 60s and 70s. In many instances firm revenues have declined and they are unable to sell their businesses at prices they consider acceptable, thus forcing them to postpone retirement. Details are presented about the circumstances of catering-firm owner Danny Sullivan and staffing-company owner Judy Lawton.

The article discusses job vacancies at small businesses in the U.S. due to a lack of qualified job applicants. In one survey, 31% of firms queried said they had job openings for this reason. In many instances applicants don't have the necessary skills. Security firm Group One Safety & Security in Stuart, Florida has had a pair of openings for technicians for almost 18 months.

An interview with Greek-yogurt company Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya is presented. He discusses his purchase of a yogurt-making plant in Columbus, New York, in 2005, the recipe for Chobani, and how he initially marketed the product. He also discusses his first television advertisement campaign, undertaken in 2011.

The article discusses start-up company business accelerators in the U.S. as of May 23, 2012. According to the article, many top-ranked programs including Y Combinator and TechStars were drawing thousands of applications from entrepreneurs as of 2012. The article discusses the economic impact that accelerator programs can have on start-up companies and presents comments from start-up company YouGift Inc. founder Efrem Weiss.

The article profiles Palo Alto, California web site start-up company Pintertest. It examines the company's web site and explores its marketing strategy, particularly the alleged lack of a business model. The article states that traffic to the company's web site increased dramatically during the latter part of 2011 and the early part of 2012. Comments from Pintertest board member Jeremy Levine are offered, as are Pintertest co-founder Ben Silbermann.

The article looks at entrepreneurs engaging in crowd funding (CF), or selling business shares to investors through social networking. October 2011 U.S. House of Representatives legislation is discussed that would lift restrictions on the profit contributors to small businesses can make. The article notes critics' views that such investing could be dangerous due to investors' lack of the knowledge needed to make wise investments and the potential for businesses to evade government regulation.

The article looks at small business enterprises in the U.S., focusing on how they are struggling to recover from recession. The influence of inflation and economic uncertainty on the hiring and capital expenditure decisions of small business owners is discussed. Small business enterprises discussed include Tribute Inc., Bleachsafe Towel Co., and Phoenix Products Inc.

The article discusses reluctance among small businesses in the U.S. to hire new employees. Although small firms added jobs during November, 2012, job growth remains weak compared to previous economic recoveries. Contributing factors include a difficult credit environment and uncertainty about tax legislation.

The article discusses a difficult business environment for U.S. small-business owners seeking to sell their operations. Reluctant buyers and limited credit availability have served to limit the numbers of viable purchasers, and the prices they are willing to pay. In some instances sellers' asking prices are unreasonably high.

The article examines an increase in the number of U.S. residents who keep chickens, both to produce eggs and as pets. The growth of small businesses which sell chicken-related supplies to pet owners is discussed, focusing on companies which produce diapers for chickens allowing them to be inside the owners' homes. Several chicken owners explain why they take pleasure in their pets.

The article reports that the U.S. Department of Labor announced that employment declined by 85,000 jobs in December, 2009, indicating that recovery from the recession has yet to improve labor market conditions. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 10 percent, primarily because an increased number of unemployed had stopped looking for jobs.

The article presents advice on creating an effective resume by means of analyzing the resume of Dawn Jordan, a laid-off marketing professional from California. Jordan did a good job with organizing her resume and including key words. However she has to provide more essential detail, eliminate ambiguity, and correct grammatical errors.

The article discusses the rising incidence in the U.S. of thefts and burglaries at business offices. Armed robbers made off with $500 from Don Francisco Insurance & Services in Houston, Texas. At 3Fold Communications in Sacramento, California, perpetrators stole $6000 worth of office supplies while employees were meeting in a conference room.

The article discusses laid-off employees who accept unpaid internships. Such arrangements can help people sharpen existing skills or learn new ones, as well as broaden their network of business contacts. In the U.S. interns may receive unemployment benefits provided that they are actively looking for a job. INSET: Success Tips For Older Interns.

The article discusses freelance employment in the U.S. Between January and March of 2009, the number of freelance job offers posted at the Web site Elance.com increased by 35%. Freelance work that can be performed remotely via the Internet has become increasingly popular amid a recession in the U.S.

The article discusses the efforts of Americans to make money during the financial crisis, reporting that some people have begun selling hot dogs from pushcarts. Some hot dog vendors are working professionals with day jobs. Other topics include the increased number of pushcart sales in the U.S. during 2008-09.

The article discusses sectors of the U.S. economy where employment prospects are relatively bright. Brendan Courtney of the Mergis Group observes that health care and education have been hiring at a steady pace. Art Lucas of The Lucas Group says environmental and biomedical engineers are among those that continue to be in demand.

The article discusses an unwillingness among middle managers in the U.S. to switch employers. A survey by Accenture Ltd. found that 43% of respondents considered job-switching a risky undertaking given current economic conditions. Job recruiters say workers should carefully assess the financial health of any potential employer, and if possible obtain written assurance of a severance package.

The article reports on an entrepreneurship survey that found Americans had greater optimism for starting new businesses in 2013 than for any year since 2001 and mentions that there was an increase of new business creation since the recession of 2008-2009.

The article focuses on how small businesses in the United States are adapting to the U.S. Affordable Care Act (ACA). It states that some businesses have reduced employee hours and reduced the number of full-time employees to under 50 and mentions that 45 percent of polled small business owners said they had had to curb hiring plans because of the ACA. It examines how T. Cain Grocery Inc. and bakery Ovenly LLC are coping with the ACA and the health-care expenses of employee health insurance.

The article reports that the number of new U.S. businesses started up each month in 2013 is down seven percent from 2012 and 12 percent from 2011 and mentions that researchers at the advocacy group Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation suggest the decline is driven likely by improving labor conditions.

The article considers a division of opinion among executives over U.S. state and municipal laws mandating paid sick leave for employees.

The article discusses negative feedback the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has received from the U.S. public in response to its proposal that passengers on commercial flights be allowed to use cellphones while airborne.

The article presents forecasting on U.S. small business for 2014, discussing what are said to be major challenges for small business including access to capital, the impact of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act and the impact of politics on business confidence.

The article looks at small businesses with U.S. government contracts as of October 2013, discussing the effect of the U.S. government shutdown and noting trends in the overall volume of the government's small business contracts, citing businesses including consulting firm Management Edge Inc.

The article focuses on a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office that found President Barack Obama's interagency committee overseeing the federal initiative to double U.S. exports isn't properly managed and hasn't compiled or reported information on resource allocation for the initiative.

The article looks at small businesses in the U.S. as of August 2013, looking at their response to the delayed implementation of an employer mandate to offer employee health insurance under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and citing small business owners including David Moyal.