Business and Industry News

11/11
Once-Homeless Man Cleans Up with Soap Business
CNN Money
In a story that is so familiar these days, Dennis Anderson found himself a college graduate with only meager-paying retail jobs available.  Rather than commit to a job he was overqualified for, he took his savings and drove to the West Coast where he eventually launched Oregon-based Anderson Soap Company...Read more.

11/09
Survey Finds Half of Middle Market Executives Actively Engaged in M&A
Business Wire
Due to historically low asset prices and strong balance sheets, half of all middle market executives describe themselves as "active" in M&A activity.  However, when asked about their firms' top priorities, 60% reported "organic growth" and  53% said cost-cutting were the top focuses at their organizations...Read more.

What's the Secret to Economic Growth? We Just Don't Know
Bloomberg Businessweek
November 2 saw Chairman Bernanke predicting that the U.S. economy will grow 2.5-2.9% in 2012.  Only a few months ago he was predicting a growth rate of 3.3-3.7% next year.  Just a few months prior to that, Bernanke predicted 2012 growth of 3.5-4.2%.  All of these contradictory predictions leave Americans believing that not only does the country continue to experience slow growth, but that economists have little success in predicting it...Read more.

1.7 billion
The number of cups of coffee consumed
every day worldwide.  In addition to nearly
2 billion cups of coffee, 1.6 billion cans of
the leading cola are consumed daily.
Source: PR Daily

919 gallons
  The amount of water consumed by a
typical pair of blue jeans during its
lifecycle – enough to fill 15 spa-size
bathtubs.  That water usage adds up
from all stages of production and
wear: irrigating the cotton crop,
stitching the jeans and
home washes.
Source: The New York Times

Martin Van Buren
The only U.S. president for whom English
was not his first language.  Van
Buren grew up speaking Dutch in
Kinderhook, NY.
Source: Foreign Policy

1 per second
The rate of new users signing up
for LinkedIn worldwide.  The social site,
started in 2003, now has a presence
in more than 200 countries.
Source: PR Daily

$0.86
The amount women earn for every
dollar earned by a man in today's
workforce.  Even though women
comprise 49% of the workforce, they
represent 59% of low wage workers.
Source: HR Communication News

Slovenia
The nation with the least income
inequality in the world.  Other top
"equal" countries are the Slovak
Republic, Czech Republic, Sweden and
Ukraine.  The U.S. has an equality score
of 43.2 out of 100 (0 being totally equal
and 100 being totally unequal).
Slovenia's score is 23.1.
Source: BGR.com

Software Developer
The best job for fast growth, with a
ten-year growth rate of 32%. 
Other jobs with exceptionally high
growth rates are physical
therapist, financial adviser,
civil engineer and marketing specialist.
Source: CNN Money

$2.45
The average price of an espresso-based
drink (in 2011).  The average
price for brewed
coffee is $1.38.
Source: EImportz.com

Clinical Psychology
The college major with the highest
unemployment rate (19.5%).  Also
likely to join the ranks of the
unemployed are those who
majored in fine arts (16.2%),
U.S. history (15.1%), library
science (15%) and educational
psychology (10.9%).
Source: MarketWatch

$230,000
The amount more money an attractive
person may earn over a lifetime due to
his or her looks.  On average, attractive
people earn 10-15% more than their
unattractive coworkers.
Source: PR Daily

$50,000
The bonus amount offered by a
Charleston, SC consulting firm to any
employee who remains with the
organization for 5 years.  The
$50,000 bonus grows as employees'
tenure does.  If one stays with the
company 25 years, he will receive a
$250,000 bonus.
Source: CNN Money

Washington, D.C.
The most "shopaholic" city in the U.S.
Washington residents spend an average
of $265 per month on shoes, clothes
and "other wear." The second and
third most shopaholic cities are Arlington,
Va. and Nashville, Tenn.
Source: The Street

$8.06
The cost of a Big Mac (in U.S. dollars)
in Norway, making it the most expensive
Big Mac in the world.  The least expensive
is sold in the Ukraine and costs only $1.80
(USD).  Another fun McDonald's fact: the
fast food giant offers a delivery service in
18 countries; three of those countries'
McDonald's even offer 24-hour deliveries!
Source: Huffington Post

$43.1 Billion
The amount of the narrowed trade
deficit of the U.S.,  shrinking unexpectedly
by 4% in September.  The country saw
a record high of exports, resulting
in this smaller deficit.
Source: Bloomberg

Donna Hinrichs Regional Market Manager

The holidays are here! Whatever you may celebrate, I hope the season is a joyful one!   If you need more reasons for celebration, here's one: the Commerce Department has just reported that a record number of U.S. exports has shrunk the trade deficit by 4% in September.  We're still at a $43.1 billion deficit, but hopefully the country's moving in the right direction.

Another cause for celebration: the kickoff of the BCS bowl games is quickly approaching!  For those who haven't participated before, Amerisource holds an annual College Football Challenge and top prize is $1,000.  Regardless of what degree you follow college football, the competition is a good time for all who participate.  We encourage you to register for the challenge here. 

And who is not in the mood to make merry when hearing the big priority for the Small Business Administration is increasing the number of jobs?  With half of the country's workforce already employed by small businesses, the SBA could finally see a decrease in the unemployment numbers with this initiative.

At Amerisource, one of our goals is to give you another reason to live it up: our referral partner program.    We couldn't do what we do without your referrals, and we do what we can to make sure you know how much you're appreciated!  Thank you for thinking of Amerisource, and please don't hesitate to give us a call when you come across a business that we can help.