Open the Doors

When the recession hit in 2008, small businesses all over were forced to let employees go or close doors. The majority of businesses in Utah have less than one hundred employees so this was really hard for many people to go through. That being said, even though so many got let go, once the economy started back on track, small businesses started to hire those people back. This helped the economy grow even more to get back on track. Hiring in small businesses has created a commitment to keeping those businesses alive.

This applied to the historical aspect of my research as I looked at the recession and what it did for small businesses. In this, I learned that the more people who are hired into small businesses tend to stay and work better than those in a large company. Small businesses are a risk, so having loyal employees is a must.

Coon, John. "Opening The Doors: Utah Small Businesses Enjoying Growth Again." Utah Business 26.9 (2012): 44. Regional Business News. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

Coon, J. (2012). Opening the Doors: Utah Small Businesses Enjoying Growth Again. Utah Business, 26(9), 44.

Going Local

By spotlighting small businesses here in Utah, we can get an idea of how vital they are to Utah economy. We learn that the owners are just like you and me and need support to stay in business. In return, these owners are being innovative in what they are setting their businesses up to be. They are keeping up with changes in technology and styles of retail. We get to know these people in the way they portray the business they worked so hard to create.

This article works well with my research because it mentions the two businesses that got me interested on the topic in the first place, Jane and Groopdealz (now Eleventh Avenue). When I noticed that more and more the clothing I was purchasing came from small local stores, I wondered how much have they impacted the economy around me or if there was even a difference without them. This is how I got the topic of small business  sustainability with and emphasis on the fashion aspect.

Beers, Heather. "Going Local." Utah Business 29.6 (2015): 56. Regional Business News. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

Beers, H. (2015). Going Local. Utah Business, 29(6), 56.

Utah: A Friendly Place

As a person who has lived in Utah their entire life, I can attest to the statement that "Utah is a friendly place for small businesses". By excelling in may categories, all pertaining to small-business friendliness.  The results of this ranking came about after  looking and surveying 12,000 plus small businesses for qualities like employee hiring and taxes. Utah just came out on top with everything.

I related this to my research because I am looking at how small businesses effect Utah. Since this turned out to be the best places for small businesses, it proves my point that there are many  "Mom and Pop" places that are vital to the community they reside it. There were also new tid bits of information that I tend to research more as time goes on.

"Utah Deemed 'Friendliest' for Small Business." The Enterprise 43.41 (2014): 1. ProQuest. Web. 16 Feb. 2016.

Utah deemed 'friendliest' for small business. (2014). The Enterprise, 43(41), 1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.dist.lib.usu.edu/newsstand/docview/1551677595/7C91C5E31EB45EDPQ/1?accountid=14761

Five Years Later

This article is an overall summary of how states in our great country are recovering after the financial crash of 2008. By giving information about single states in relation the whole United States, we are able to see improvements and recovery easily. One example is that of the job market recovery. The Untied States is creating around 190,000 new jobs every month, giving people a chance to earn money again. Still in comparison, 11.5 million people do not have a job. This means that we are still on an uphill climb to being back where we should be. That being said, the key to recovery lies within the market that started it all. The housing market must recover before anything else can.

I related this to the history section of my research because I am looking at how vital small businesses are to the Utah economy. This article showed how the crash effected all types of markets including what I am researching. There are some really good statistics in relation to financial strain as well that I used in my most recent essay.

Reilly, Mollie. "Five Years After Financial Crisis, States Still Picking Up Pieces." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/financial-crisis-states_n_3865630.html>.

Reilly, M. (2013, September 24). Five Years After Financial Crisis, States Still Picking Up Pieces. Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/financial-crisis-states_n_3865630.html

A History Lesson of ZCMI

Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution is considered the first department store in the United States, but was the first in Utah. Founded in 1868 by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it became a center for passing trains and citizens of Utah for all types of merchandise. Total income for the first year was 1.25 million, which was a huge amount for the time. To this day, ZCMI is still up and running though it has moved around. Stocks are still available to purchase as well. One can still see the original building in beautiful downtown Salt Lake City.

Since ZCMI was the first "small" business in Utah, it is perfect to focus on for the history aspect of my research essay. Today it is considered a "big box" store as well. I plan on using this as an example for both concepts through the paper.

Bradley, Martha Sonntag. "Pioneers and Cowboys." Pioneers and Cowboys. Utah History Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Feb. 2016. <http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/pioneers_and_cowboys/zcmi.html>.

Bradley, M. S. (n.d.). Pioneers and Cowboys. Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/pioneers_and_cowboys/zcmi.html

Index and Impacts

The Recession of 2008 was brutal on everyone in the United States. Economies were thrown out of whack all over the place. There is a way to measure how much the economy is struggling or thriving based on household income. This is called the "Economic Security Index" which also works in conjunction with the "Economic Security Across the American States". In 2009, Utah was at an all time high of 19.5 on the Insecurity list. The national high was 20.5. All in all, the Recession was brutal to all.

I am relating this article to my research in that the Recession is one of the points in history I will be focusing on. It provides background information, with some very important statistics, that will be beneficial to the overall feeling of my research paper.

Lee, Jasen. "New Index Shows Recession's Impact on Utah | KSL.com." New Index Shows Recession's Impact on Utah | KSL.com. 22 June 2012. Web. 08 Feb. 2016. <http://www.ksl.com/?sid=20953690>.

Lee, J. (2012, June 22). New index shows recession's impact on Utah | KSL.com. Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://www.ksl.com/?sid=20953690