Story Archives of 'small business'

Modeled on a similar plan in Rhode Island, HealthFirst would offer a basic low-cost health plan to small business owners. Governor Lynch hopes his plan will ease the stress on small business owners and their employees, but critics say HealthFirst could hurt the health care market and drive insurers from the state. We explore the Governor’s HealthFirst plan and see how it may help or hurt health care in New Hampshire.

Guests

• Roger Sevigny, New Hampshire’s Insurance Commissioner
• Dave Juvet, Senior Vice President of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association

We'll also hear from

• Felice Freyer, medical writer for the Providence Journal
• Ed Butler, State Representative for Carroll County's District 1 and owner of the Notchland Inn in Hart's Location

We've all had that dream, to one day start a small coffee shop or a consulting firm or clothes boutique. Many people hope of owning their own small business, yet a large percentage of them fold after just a few years. This week hopeful entrepreneurs will cross their fingers as they take part in two business competitions. The Start-Up NH Business Plan Competition 2005 will search for the best small business plan in the Granite State, while 'Peak Pitch '05', gives participants 6 minutes to pitch their business plan as they ride up a ski lift with an open-eared venture investor. Today on the Exchange, we'll find out what makes a business sink - or swim - and hear about some new efforts to get those entrepreneurs off on the right foot. Laura's guests are Governor Craig Benson, Former New Hampshire Governor and Founder of the New Hampshire Advantage Foundation. Jesse Devitte, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Borealis Ventures, member of the Start-Up NH steering committee and spokesperson for Peak Pitch '05. Roy Pang, CEO of Woomera, a small biotech company in Lebanon, NH that develops new drug to combat lung and breast cancer. Woomera was the winners of the 2004 Start-Up NH Business Plan Competition.

Click here to find out more about the Start-Up NH Business Plan Competition 2005 or 'Peak Pitch 05'

Deborah LeClair of Raymond found a chance to open a new business in Manchester. She says resources from the Women's Business Center helped her start up and realize her dream.

Under the state's new health insurance law, known as Senate Bill 110, small businesses across the state are now required to gather extensive information about the health of their employees and their families. Some small businesses owners and human resources managers find the new family health statement forms burdensome and intrusive. But advocates for these insurance reforms say gathering more information is the only way to create more competition in the state's health insurance market. More competition they say will lower health insurance costs. New Hampshire Public Radio's Raquel Maria Dillon has more.

The state?s smaller firms say they?re getting squeezed when it comes to rising health insurance costs. We?ll find out why and what some state lawmakers want to do about it. Laura's guests are Yvonne Nanasi, Government Relations Director for Anthem BCBS, Sam Mekrut, Consumer Advocate for NH Citizens Alliance and Gary Matteson, a small business owner in Epsom.