Is you business suffering during these difficult economic times? If I had not moved my silk-screening business to Cafe Press a year ago, I know with certainty that I would not have been able to stay afloat in 2009. This is not only because of the state of the economy, but also because of the new CPSIA laws. More than half of my sales are comprised of children's items. I shudder to think of what this is doing to the many mom-owned children's boutiques I have grown to know and love.

So if you are planning on toughing it out through these hard times and to work within the CPSIA laws, what can you do to strengthen your business? There are two things I can think of that may help you make it. The first thing is that you may want to start a merchant account that allows you to accept credit cards. Some people refuse to use Paypal, so if you do not have other options, then you will lose that chunk of business. At times like this, I would say that every sale counts. You cannot have return customers if you do not get their business in the first place.

The second way a small business can survive, especially one that cannot afford to do what the CPSIA is asking of them, a Merchant Cash Advance or a similar loan might be another option. I only recommend this for a business that was on the right track to establishing itself or one that was already well-established and has just hit these couple of bumps in the road. Some of these loans are quick, less stringent, and have no closing costs. This is just another option to keep in mind when you are making the ever important decision about the future of your business.

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