Small Business

Where We Live helps small businesses take the next step in Washington, D.C.

Launching one of the country’s only woman-owned Indian jewelry stores wasn’t easy. But Priya Vasan knew she could do it.

Viewpoints: An early-stage entrepreneur has a unique opportunity to set up her business with fair pay and compensation practices from the start in order to build the strong, fair, equitable, and resilient company of her dreams, writes Nicola Corzine, founding executive director of Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund is helping thousands of small business owners navigate the pandemic and plan for the future.

Dr. TaQuina Warren — a pharmacist known as Dr. Tee — fulfilled her dream of opening a pharmacy where she can not only fill prescriptions, but guide others toward better health.

Wells Fargo’s Hope, USA is a nationwide initiative investing in beautifying business districts in more than a dozen cities across the country this holiday season.

Imperial Caribbean & Seafood restaurant, which opened during the pandemic, is now a community staple, thanks to the community revitalization efforts of the People’s Emergency Center and Wells Fargo.

After more than a full year, the Open for Business Fund enters its third phase: focusing on grants to nonprofits for sustaining small businesses like LA’s Los Taquero Mucho for the long term.

Hope, USA invests in small business revitalization efforts and encourages shoppers to support small and local businesses.

A Phoenix business survives a fire, and the pandemic, with the help of a grant through the Open for Business fund.

New grants supported by Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund offer technical assistance — connecting small businesses to critical resources in some of the communities hardest hit by the pandemic.

Helped by Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund, a small ice cream sandwich business has been able to stay open during the pandemic — and continue to share a sweet family recipe.

Through its Open for Business Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program, Wells Fargo is continuing to support small businesses in Minneapolis with the capital and resources they need to make a way to stay open, day after day.

Through its Open for Business Fund and participation in the Paycheck Protection Program, Wells Fargo is continuing to support small businesses in Washington, D.C., with the capital and resources they need to make a way to stay open, day after day.

Viewpoints: It is essential that we all draw on the lessons of the past year and see them as opportunities for advancement in the future, writes Susan Au Allen, national president and CEO of US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation.

Wells Fargo commissioned artists to design commemorative “Open” signs inspired by small businesses the company has supported.

In troubled times for transportation and travel, banking partners helped the storied James River Transportation company keep rolling.

Small business owners like Zhe Scott have received $1,000 grants, technical assistance, and business coaching from the Long Beach Economic Partnership’s Small Business Resiliency Microgrant Program with support from Wells Fargo.

Through its Open for Business Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program, Wells Fargo is continuing to support small businesses in California with the capital and resources they need to make a way to stay open, day after day.

Through its Open for Business Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program, Wells Fargo is continuing to support small businesses in Pennsylvania with the capital and resources they need to make a way to stay open, day after day.

Small business owners like Roxanne Best have been able to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to low-interest loans from Northwest Native Development Fund and a grant from Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund.

After 30 years of running his company Best Glass, Bob Hittenberger knows that navigating the challenges of business ownership often comes down to who you can count on — and who can count on you.

The nonprofit MoFi is providing working capital to small businesses through its new Thrive loan program, thanks to a $2.1 million grant from Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund.

From business plan to brewery man — Jose Beteta’s Raíces Brewing Co. is crafting a new take on Latino beer.

JC Lofton Tailors is continuing a family legacy that has been around for almost a century, with the help of a $10,000 grant from Wells Fargo through Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

With their upcycled fabric creations, refugee artisans are supporting their families, protecting the environment and public health, and putting a Seattle neighborhood’s revitalization plan into action.

Through the Open for Business Fund, Wells Fargo is supporting nonprofits that provide needed capital, technical support, and long-term resiliency programs for small businesses.

Wells Fargo is encouraging everyone to shop local this holiday season and is deploying more than $50 million from its Open for Business Fund to help small businesses.

From food truck owners to salsa makers, many culinary entrepreneurs are tapping the commercial kitchens of PREP Atlanta, boosting its expansion plan financed by Wells Fargo.

As its advertising revenue cratered from COVID-19, the publisher of the 169-year-old Mountain Democrat turned to Wells Fargo for help securing a PPP loan.

A Wells Fargo banker helps Latino-owned Los 3 Pollos restaurant group grow a family business in greater Los Angeles.

After schools closed and GES International Education’s marquee summer camps shuttered because of COVID-19, owner Jenny Li shifted to an online model to help students “find their genius.”

Wells Fargo is donating approximately $400 million in Paycheck Protection Program processing fees through a new program to support small businesses owned by people who have been hit hardest by COVID-19.

The nonprofit Interise and Wells Fargo are helping small businesses survive during the COVID-19 crisis.

As the world copes with the economic impact of COVID-19, Wells Fargo continues to invest in community organizations that offer U.S. small businesses access to capital and financial education.

Colleen Taylor, head of Wells Fargo Merchant Services, discusses how payment technology can meet the needs of customers in this unprecedented time — and in the future.

Coastal Enterprises, Inc., exemplifies how support from Wells Fargo’s Diverse Community Capital program can bring economic opportunity to underserved populations.

Alison Grooms has turned her lifelong interest in clothing and design into a flourishing retail company using a business roadmap built on the information highway.

A Wells Fargo-sponsored fashion show and pop-up boutique in Los Angeles increases economic opportunities for female small business owners.

It’s not enough for entrepreneurs to have a strong business plan, targeted advertising, and an identified need. Cultivating strategic relationships can be essential for survival. Top experts discuss the importance of connecting with local chambers of commerce, interest groups, and fellow small business owners.

Small businesses employ almost half of the U.S. workforce, and their sustainability is a critical factor in the U.S. economy. Top experts discuss the rigid business plans, aggressive growth goals, struggle for capital, and other obstacles that often threaten small businesses’ survival.

For many of the more than 30 million U.S. small businesses, access to capital is a major concern. Whether it comes from banks, investors, personal credit, or another avenue, there is no one right solution for accessing capital or credit. Top experts discuss the pros and cons of each, as well as other factors entrepreneurs should consider.

It’s easy for startups to grow themselves out of business, experts caution. Small business owners would be wise to develop their growth strategy at the onset, and brace for changes along the way. Top experts discuss the pitfalls of growth for small businesses.

Is technology a small business friend or foe? Small businesses are experiencing rapid growth, thanks to technology, but they are also at greater risk for a rapid decline in business, thanks to hacking. Top experts discuss serving tech-savvy customers while maintaining cybersecurity.

In this special five-part series on small business challenges and insights, Wells Fargo brings together a panel of experts to discuss the common obstacles most small business owners encounter.

Integrated Staffing Solutions is bringing together people in need of work after Hurricane Maria with Midwestern companies seeking employees, thanks to a Wells Fargo program for diverse small businesses.

At 19 years old, Gregoria Miranda left her home in Nicaragua to chase her dreams of employment and a better life in the U.S. At 32 years old, she’s achieved both and become a small business owner along the way.

With five locations across Philadelphia and more than 60,000 Instagram followers, Mike Supermodel’s variety store Jinxed has cornered the nostalgia market in a modern way.

California Capital and other Community Development Financial Institutions in low-income communities across the U.S. serve as an economic lifeline for local residents and small businesses in need of financing.

Kavir Ramos and other Iowa residents from more than 35 countries are using skills they learned at the Wells Fargo-supported Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit conference to grow their small businesses.

After 30 years, Mickey Coffino made the leap from hair salon owner to recycling center CEO, but the loan that made that move possible almost became her undoing until she found Wells Fargo banker Chris Underwood.

Chef GW Chew’s plant-based meat substitutes are going from restaurant to supermarket with support from a Wells  Fargo diverse small business program.

When Celeste Phillips wanted to start her own business, she turned to Bridgeway Capital, which provided her with funding and resources, thanks to support from Wells Fargo.

Jose Jovet has mastered the craft of upholstery over the past four decades, but it took a visit to his local Wells Fargo branch to help turn his passion into a business.

When Sadaf Salout isn’t busy running her Persian restaurant or buying a franchise, you’ll likely find her in the classroom, where she most recently earned her doctorate degree.

Wells Fargo’s new Financial Capability Grant program will help two nonprofits provide financial empowerment programs to the residents in several communities.

In California, potential entrepreneurs start with a passion and look to Mission Community Services Corporation to help them start their businesses.

With the help of Wells Fargo, Prabha Sanjay has taken Odyssey Preschool from a small, in-home day care facility to an inclusive preschool with 130 students, and she continues to grow to meet the needs of her community.

Celebrity chef Roblé Ali joins Wells Fargo in a salute to African American small business owners who are working to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

Ed Pinney started his company KidsFit on the notion that doing something good was as important as being successful — and achieved both by creating kinesthetic learning activities for schools.

As Rebuilding Together marks its 45th year of bringing volunteers together to improve their communities, it is working with Wells Fargo to extend the revitalization effort to small businesses across the country.

Theresa Desautel’s restaurant on the Colville Reservation is demonstrating how support of entrepreneurism can change both palates and futures.

With its two businesses growing, the owners of Idaho-based Asana Climbing financed a custom build-out to accommodate their gym and production facility.

Small-business owners share how support from financial institutions — and Wells Fargo’s Diverse Community Capital program — changed their lives.

After the stress of his previous job left Scott Harris worn down, he turned to raw juice. Today, he’s promoting the benefits of juicing — which he says is a healthy option for consuming more fruits and vegetables — through his company, Viva Raw.

Small business owners remain optimistic about the future, according to a recent Small Business Index survey, but they continue to face challenges when it comes to hiring and retaining qualified employees.

Small business owner Leatora J. Morse says the trust she has in her Wells Fargo banker “means everything.”

A pediatrician in Central Florida has made children’s health her life’s work since immigrating to the U.S. 20 years ago. But if you ask her, she’s just getting started.

Experience is a great teacher, as these two small business owners discovered when faced with questions about credit.

Growing up, Harrison Rogers watched as his family found less-than-ideal education options for his sister with autism. As a small business owner, he’s working to change that for hundreds of families in Arizona.

The way the owners of Equator Coffees & Teas choose to conduct their business is as important to them as how many pounds of coffee they sell.

For one millennial, finding the right business opportunity meant returning home to run a coffee and tea distribution business.

A hat store and two other small businesses get a fresh new look — thanks to collaboration between the National Urban League and Wells Fargo.

For this event planner (and millennial), business debt is not a weight to be avoided but “an investment in the future.”

Wells Fargo’s new FastFlex Small Business Loan provides a quick approval process and rapid funding — aimed at speeding needed cash into the hands of small business owners.

Fifteen financial institutions that support small businesses will receive grants and loans as part of Wells Fargo’s Diverse Community Capital program.

Lisa Stevens of Wells Fargo explains the value of small businesses having formal business plans to ensure they have the foundation for long-term success.

A company called Ideum creates high-tech, interactive “touch tables” that are being used in several exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution and other museums.

Hope Enterprise Corporation, a nonprofit in Jackson, Mississippi, will use a $2 million grant from Wells Fargo to support commercial lending, outreach, and more for minority- and women-owned small businesses.

A New Jersey couple won assistance from Wells Fargo to advance its Little Rockers small business — a band and school focused on music education.

Javier Palomarez, president of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, discusses his organization’s work and the challenges facing Hispanic entrepreneurs.

Grady Phelan redesigned the knob on a baseball bat — an innovation for a product that hasn't changed much in 130 years. He was one of five grand prize winners in a Wells Fargo Works Project contest.

A former high school coach in Arizona founded Authority Football, a small business that helps athletes with football (and life) fundamentals.

From his work with tech startups, Manoj Govindan of Wells Fargo offers dos and don'ts for pitching big companies.

Michelle Huie’s aching legs sparked an idea that became Vim & Vigr — a business that brings fashion flair to compression socks.

Wells Fargo small business segment manager Doug Case explains why a business plan is a must-have for every small business to guide growth.

A husband and wife team in San Francisco turned to the nonprofit Opportunity Fund to help get their small business off the ground.

A twist on the backyard grill brings families together for a pig roast (or beef and chicken) — and is the singular product behind a bustling small business for three generations of a Florida family.

Entrepreneur and trucker Frank Guzman has learned to overcome challenges in navigating the highway and operating a small business. After repeated attempts, he started his own company last year.

Earl Fultz is taking on ketchup and other condiments with cHarissa ― a cumin-based condiment he wants to make famous in honor of his late wife, Gloria.

Emily Mansilla opened Grooming by Em to help keep dogs and cats healthy. But she also specializes in glitz, glam, and anything else to pamper them.

Opened in 1935, Virginia’s Radford Theatre nearly went dark in 2013. But Paul Pallante revived it by making the show much more than the movie.

The highlands community of Marion, Virginia, has a thriving downtown again because of the “Pop Up” Marion Boot camp that’s launched 19 small businesses.

An Idaho entrepreneur turned his innovation into Franklin Sensors, a company that employs 45 people and delivers stud finders across the world.

In Washington, D.C., a local investment fund works with small businesses to provide the capital they need to grow and succeed.

Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs provides loans to Georgia residents like Aysha Cooper to start small businesses.

Apple Tree Dental worked with Wells Fargo to finance much-needed care for elderly and low-income patients in the Minneapolis area.

Business is growing at James and Deundra Hundon’s Universal Martial Arts Academy after their Wells Fargo Works for Small Business experience.

One “microloan” can have a ripple effect, which is the idea behind Grameen America — a nonprofit that helps low-income women build small businesses.

A small business incubator in San Francisco is helping entrepreneurs aim for financial independence.