National

America is facing a crisis so serious that it has the potential to cripple an entire generation of would-be entrepreneurs. Thanks to student loans, a whopping $1.3 trillion in debt is burdening 44 million American adults of all ages—even senior citizens. In fact, U.S.

Three years ago, Howard Paul started Howard Paul Photography for Communication and Commerce in Denver, Colo. But before opening his business, Howard was an EMS first responder, and eventually held an Executive Director position for the EMS Association of Colorado. Needless to say, thanks to his 31-year long career in emergency services, Howard is not easily rattled. However, mountain rescue missions pale in comparison to the terror he feels knowing that he could lose his health insurance in a matter of months.

Walking into Trolley Car Diner in Philadelphia is like traveling back in time to a period when poodle skirts were all the rage and Elvis was king. Despite the diner’s 1950s décor, its owner, Ken Weinstein, is dealing with a very present-day issue: access to healthcare for his employees.

American business is small business; of the 28 million firms in the United States, just 17,500 are large corporations. Small businesses contribute close to half of our $18 trillion national GDP and contribute nearly 10 percent of the world’s GDP. Yet for all that small businesses do, some lawmakers have made it a mission to destroy one of the biggest victories in decades for American small businesses: the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Karin McKie’s extensive resume reads writer, actor, publicist, educator and arts administrator—a true renaissance woman. But one of her proudest titles is small business owner. Karin’s business, Tree Falls Productions, based in Chicago, has been open since the early 1990s and provides a variety of services related to Karin’s creative expertise, primarily for non-profit art organizations and theatres.

Fifteen years ago, Andrea Deutsch decided to leave her position at a Philadelphia law practice to pursue her dreams of become a small business owner. She opened up a shop in the small town of Narberth, PA called Spot’s—The Place for Paws, where she sells healthy food, treats, toys, and accessories for dogs and cats. Despite starting a new life, this former attorney could not completely sever her ties from the Philadelphia Bar Association. That’s because before the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), they provided her only health insurance option because of her Type 1 diabetes.

As the owner of Pioneer Overhead Door in Las Vegas, Nevada I wear many hats: I’m the president, the general manager and most of the time I answer the phones. I have a lot of parts to play each day on the job and a lot of responsibility. That’s why I’m grateful for the fact that I haven’t had to worry about purchasing my group health insurance in years.

Women-led small businesses have a tremendously positive impact not only within their own communities, but across the small business landscape nationwide.

Even so, many obstacles remain, particularly in the area of financing. Because adequate capitalization is vital in operating and growing a company, this is a challenge which must be faced head-on for the business to succeed.

Fortunately, there are a number of steps women entrepreneurs can take to address this issue and help ensure that it doesn't become a stumbling block.

The president-elect recently vowed to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, which is encouraging news for health consumers — including small business owners who say the high price of medications is affecting their bottom lines.

Something significant happened on Election Day that had nothing to do with the presidential race: Four states quietly voted to raise their minimum wage.

In what is fast becoming a national trend, a majority of citizens in Colorado, Maine, Arizona and Washington voted in favor of a gradual minimum wage increase until 2020; after that, the wage will be modified in accordance with the cost of living.

And it seems good things come in fours. In 2014, a quartet of states (Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota) also voted to increase their minimum wage.