
5:39am: Small manufacturing companies are welcoming proposals outlined by the president last week, including tax incentives to stymie outsourcing. But some say it's not enough. More

Michelle Heyward is generous but she needs to balance helping her family out with funding her goals to get out of debt and start her own business.

Small business loans to doctors have jumped more than 10-fold since 2000 as some private physicians struggle to stay afloat and others use loans to change their business model.

Vines of Mendoza managed to overcome the pangs of the global financial crisis and Argentina's inflation woes by keeping a close eye on costs and cutting deals whenever possible.
Bruce Cochrane relaunched his family's furniture making company in North Carolina instead of China, a decision that landed him a coveted spot at the State of the Union.

The president's rejection of the Keystone pipeline extension drew ire from small business owners in Nebraska towns who hoped construction would bring a needed boost.
Sneaker co. Converse's new recording studio offers free, no strings attached sessions to indie bands in the hopes of social media hype.

A Newark, N.J. dental operation is turning a profit by focusing on the patients that most dentists shy away from: Medicaid recipients.

Wal-Mart's ''Get on the shelf"contest lets anyone submit a video of their product or invention. The world's largest retailer will let the public pick the top three winning products, which will then be sold at Wal-Mart.

Actress and mom Jessica Alba launches a new company, which sells eco-friendly babycare, bodycare and household products.
Dwolla, of Des Moines, Iowa, is taking on credit cards by allowing users to transfer money and pay for items on their phones for a small fee.
Don't call it a pigskin. Horween Leather Co. starts with a raw cowhide and produces top grade leather for NFL footballs. Play
Despite Kodak's bankruptcy, the photography company has influenced many small to midsized companies in Rochester, N.Y. Play
After the New England Shirt Company shut down in 2009, Robert Kidder, a former worker, reopened it as a bespoke shirt manufacturer. Play