An economic "hope story" in Buffalo, New York

Over the past few years, pay for low-wage workers in the city has risen more than 40%, according to one analysis.
In Buffalo, there is "the sense that low-wage workers are doing better than inflation," says Nela Richardson of ADP, walking down Elmwood Avenue with "Marketplace" host Kai Ryssdal.
Brandon Watson

In a show of optimism, small businesses have been doing a lot of capital spending

Oct 11, 2022
Sometimes the spending is to stay afloat in a competitive market. And sometimes it's to take advantage of new opportunities.
Recent data show that wages aren't growing at a fast enough rate to keep up with inflation, which impacts low-income workers the hardest.
Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

The pandemic forced small businesses to evolve. PPP loans helped many of them do it.

Aug 30, 2022
More than two years after the program kicked off, Marketplace checked in with a few PPP recipients to see how business has been going.
Though PPP program helped many small businesses stay afloat and pivot during the pandemic, some business owners are still anxious about the future.
Ivan Martynov/Getty Images

These small businesses still feel supply chain pressures, even if data says they're easing

Jul 19, 2022
Shipping costs, wait times and sourcing materials are still a big problem for business owners in South Carolina and Calif.
Some businesses have had to adjust shipping strategies — like opting to ship by rail — to circumvent delays at ports.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Re-branding ... and re-discovering a love of gelato 

May 24, 2022
“Sometimes my husband jokes that I’m running a gelato non-profit, and it certainly does feel that way,” said Uli Nasibova, owner of Uli’s Gelato.
Jean Marie Biele

Small businesses are having a hard time attracting and keeping workers

May 4, 2022
Because bigger businesses can offer more.
Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees lost 120,000 jobs in April.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Banks are pushing more business loans. Some business owners aren’t sure they want them.

Apr 27, 2022
In the words of one business owner: "Why would I want to go into any type of expansion?"
Though commercial lending is starting to pick back up, some small businesses still have cash on hand from government relief programs.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Small businesses push back on plan to redirect COVID relief funds

Apr 19, 2022
The Biden administration, pressured to avoid new spending, may reallocate the money to pandemic health care needs.
Congress could reroute about $5 billion in COVID relief set aside for small business to pandemic-related health care needs.  
Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images

For Black entrepreneurs in Nashville, a pop-up market brings new opportunity

Apr 14, 2022
The pandemic spurred a small-business boom, and that included many Black entrepreneurs looking for new ways to reach consumers.
Karii Jones, the owner of Majik Trap, sets up her booth at Black Market. Majik Trap sells oils, incense and crystals.
Ambriehl Crutchfield/WPLN

Businesses seek different ways to avoid inventory shortages and supply chain problems

Apr 14, 2022
Some businesses are switching products, while others try to build up and promote products that are available.
Fearing empty shelves, some retailers are stocking up what they can when they can.
Scott Olson/Getty Images