Colorado Springs Business Briefs: February 1, 2008

Miracle Method places among top 500

Miracle Method Surface Restoration was ranked No. 188 on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list.

The company was ranked first in the surface restoration category and No. 41 among the Top 100 Home Based Franchises.

Miracle Method is the nation's largest bathtub, tile and countertop surface restoration franchisor.

Studies confirm SBA loans fill market gap

A package of studies conducted by the Urban Institute has found that Small Business Administration programs are more effective than conventional loans in reaching minorities, women and startups.

SBA loans also were found to be a key financing tool for creditworthy small businesses that do not meet conventional underwriting standards.

During the most recent fiscal year, nearly a third (32.1 percent) of all SBA-backed loans went to start-up businesses, 33.6 percent went to minority borrowers and 22.3 percent went to women. Loans to businesses in underserved areas, including Enterprise Zones, HUBZones and low and moderate income areas, represented more than 36 percent of total loan approvals.

The report is available at www.urban.org/projects/sba.

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