=Summary=
Small businesses are defined as privately owned and operated companies employing a small number of workers. In the United States, the legal definition of a small business is determined by a set of criterion specified by the [[SBA|Small Business Administration]]. Generally, those criterion mean that a manufacturing business with fewer than 500 employees or a non-manufacturing business with less than $7.5 million in revenue will be considered a small business by the U.S.A. [https://www.sba.gov/contracting/getting-started-contractor/make-sure-you-meet-sba-size-standards/summary-size-standards-industry-sector ] </onlyinclude> Alternatively, the European Union defines a small business as a firm with fewer than 50 employees.[http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/sme-definition/index_en.htm ] </onlyinclude> Small business are pervasive throughout the United States and other countries. Typical examples of small businesses include: freight truckers, residential builders, exterior contractors,and architectural contractors[http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226256]. According to the SBA there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States that comprise 55% of all US jobs. Furthermore, the number of small businesses in the United States has increased by approximately 49% since 1982.
=The Small Business Administration=