Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners Tap Free Business Resources

New entrepreneurs and established business owners alike are tapping a wide array of free services to reduce costs, help with cash flow, and keep their business open during the economic downturn.   Many small business support organizations like SCORE- Counselors to America's Small Business- provide free or low cost business counseling and support.

There are a growing number of websites and online services supplying enterprising business owners with free business supplies including office furniture, retail fixtures and tech equipment. For example, the Freecycle Network lets individuals advertise and give away items they no longer want or need for free. Like Craigslist, with its “free” category, Freecycle is one of several no-cost channels entrepreneurs can use for sourcing (and donating) equipment, furniture, materials, supplies and tools. Freecycle is especially good for computer gear.

Habitat ReStores are also providing a number of low cost business supplies across the nation. The brick and mortar locations are part of Habitat for Humanity’s nationwide outlets that accept donated goods for resale. While every ReStore is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods—furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances. These donated goods are sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price to help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat homes within their communities.

California Citrus Farmers Fight Orchard Killing Threat

Many California enterprises depending on citrus crops are engaged in a battle today. The enemy is a tiny fly threatening to devastate businesses and agriculture industries built around the citrus industry.   The fly is the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect a long, leaf-penetrating beak.

The psyllid, which can carry an incurable disease fatal to citrus trees, was spotted in August in Los Angeles, closer than ever before to the ribbon of central California where the state's $1.6 billion citrus-growing industry is concentrated.

The fly sightings have prompted farmers and orchard owners to take protective measures including putting  screens around their young seedlings, vigorously inspect their mature trees and tax themselves to fund research to stop the invasive psyllid.