| Compiled by Andrew Shafer
From the June 2011 issue of Inc. magazine

Inc. Data Bank

Twenty-nine percent of small businesses intend to increase their online advertising budgets this year, among other intriguing statistics.

 

demographics
Portion of new entrepreneurs in the U.S. who are immigrants

Kauffman Foundation

the economy

Change in the number of small-business bankruptcy filings from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the fourth quarter of 2010: -18%

Change from fourth-quarter 2008 to fourth-quarter 2009: 20%

Equifax

marketing
Segment of small and medium-size businesses that intend to increase their online advertising budgets in 2011: 29%

Borrell Associates

real estate
Change in the total dollar amount of commercialreal estate loans of $100,000 or less:

2008: $28.5 billion

2009: $26.4 billion (-7%)

2010: $22.1 billion (-16%)

Small Business Administration

innovation

Annual change in number of patent applications

In 2009: -.5%

In 2010: 7.8% (the largest increase since 2006)

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

social media
Portion of small businesses (50 employees or fewer) with company Facebook pages

In 2009: 27% | In 2010: 41%

AT&T Small Business Technology Poll

business confidence
Share of small-business owners who say they will probably need to use personal assets in the next 12 months to stay in business (up from 61% in 2009)

Discover Small Business Watch

The Global workplace
Segment of employees who say they are dissatisfied with their job: 58%

Segment of employees who plan to stay at their job: 70%

Accenture (based on a survey of more than 3,400 employees from 29 countries, including the U.S.)

going green
Businesses with aggressive sustainable business practices:
Small Businesses: 9% | Big Businesses 34%

Share of businesses that increased investment in basic sustainable business practices, such as reducing water and energy usage, in 2010: 59%

MIT Sloan Management Review