Small businesses that wish to grow are facing challenges when they seek financing. It is difficult to secure loans and things have become more expensive than it used to be before the recession. It is true that lending is picking up in Charlotte and around. But then it has not been enough to lead to job growth. In-fact, business owners and advocates are of the opinion that it is a slide in the economic recovery.

Lenders are saying that they want to make deals but small businesses are reluctant to take on more debts. They have acknowledged implementing strict standards as a result of devastating financial crisis and tougher regulations. A study has come to the conclusion that 30 percent of small businesses looking for credit can qualify for Small business administration backed loans or traditional loans. The interest rate for such loans would remain below 8 percent.

The economy gets powered by small businesses and firms having less than 500 employees. Half of the country’s private sector workforce gets hired by small businesses. But then it is also true that enterprises are found to experience greater job losses as economy keeps on shedding jobs. The reason for it is dependence on larger firms.

A seemingly contradictory line up of recent economic indicators has been drawing a lot of attention as of late, leaving in its wake a population of economists and economic analysts who have suddenly been struck dumbfounded. They are, after all, dealing with an economy that just refuses to stick to their models and predictions.

Here is a run-down of some of the more “perplexing” measures of the past month:

• The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its April Employment Situation Report in which it indicated that non-farm payroll employment rose by 244,000 in April . According to the BLS these job gains occurred in several service sector industries, as well as manufacturing, and mining. But this good news was tempered by the announcement within the same report that the unemployment rate has also increased to 9.0 percent, up from 8.8 percent in March.

• The National Federation of independent Business reported that its small business optimism index fell for the second straight month in April to 91.2 from 91.9 in March.

• The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary consumer sentiment index rose more than foretasted in May to 72.4, a three-month high, from a final reading of 69.8 in April. The ind

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There has been a lot of talk about bringing Silicon Valley to other parts of the country–or world. About what makes Silicon Valley unique, and how to replicate it.

As someone who lived in the Valley for 10 years and created a successful technology company there, and who now lives in a decidedly less-tech-heavy area (San Diego), I have a unique perspective: I don’t want Silicon Valley to come to San Diego. In fact, if it did, I’d leave here just like I left the Valley.

A conversation I had recently with an entrepreneur who moved from San Diego to the Valley reminded me of everything that is broken with Silicon Valley. I began by asking him why he’d moved his company to the Valley–I’m always curious about why companies choose to move.

He said the access to connections–other people who could potentially invest in his company–was unprecedented in the Valley. (Later on in the conversation, he admitted that he hadn’t gotten anyone to actually write him a check yet. “But they will,” he promised.)

He proceeded to name-drop several angel investors he’d had meetings with–the same names you hear consistently on TechCrunch, Venture Beat, and other sites commonly read by tech entrepreneurs.

Delving deeper, I

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As the summer beckons, focusing on the daily grind may become a challenge. To offer a bit of inspiration, I created a list individuals that I believe to be “super entrepreneurs.” That is, these are not just people who have amassed wealth or who ran a successful business, they left an indelible imprint on the world that has altered the way we live, work, think and play. These people are some of the biggest business movers and shakers of the century.

All of these people lived and worked in the 20^th century and beyond. Though a few of them may have reached their prime a before the start of the 1900′s, I still consider them “contemporaries.” So without further a due, here’s my list. You may be surprised how many of the brand names you recognize even if you don’t know the people behind them.

1. Andrew Carnegie

From his simple beginnings as the son of a poor Scottish weaver, Carnegie went on to build a formidable steel empire. His mills literally built up much of the infrastructure of post-Civil War America. His success was largely due to his focus on increased efficiency, cost reduction, and notably his quick adoption of the Bessemer process for refining steel.

2. John Pierpont

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