New small business: Recession or not, entrepreneurship is booming

The recession has taken a toll on Main Street U.S.A. But some entrepreneurs in Boston are still finding ways to become successful in small business. Owner Steve Martin began his business six months ago and has been going strong ever since.

By Marissa Pendergrass

Small business continues to drive the American economy despite recession, according to federal statistics.  The Small Business Administration states nearly 60 percent of all jobs created come from small business. 

Business owner Steve Martin recently went through some life changes and decided to quit his job as a construction worker.  He realized working for anyone else could not bring the level of happiness and satisfaction he had always dreamed of having.  S0 six months ago Martin started the b Positive Project which aims to be "the craigslist of positive information."

Having an entrepreneurial spirit is something Martin believes he was born with. The odds of gambling his success by working with a large corporation is a risk he doesn't want to take any longer.  Martin would rather take matters into his own hands. 

"If I can bet on myself, where I have total control over everything...I'm like a wild, wild cowboy," said Martin.  "I'll do anything." 

The first money-making project for b Positive started with a bad sweater party in Boston with proceeds benefitting the Starlight Children's Foundation. "The goal of the event is to take the proceeds and buy sporting event tickets for the kids," said Martin. 

Martin is hoping the concept behind the b Positive Project will eventually have an effect that reaches beyond his wildest expectation.  "As people become involved with the b Positive Project, the more it's going to evolve into something that's kind of beyond my imagination," said Martin.  "It can definitely continue to grow and pick up momentum and hopefully spread like wildfire throughout not only the Boston area but nationwide and eventually globally."

Confidence and an unprecedented level of determination are Martin's best recommendations for any young adult who is looking to start their own business. 

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a "not-for-profit academic research consortium" that aims to "make high quality international research data on entrepreneurial activity readily available to as wide an audience as possible", found that Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 are most likely to start a business than any other age group. 

As a 30-year-old business owner himself, Martin falls directly into this demographic and believes starting young is the best time to take the risk."I think if you are 21 and you have no responsibilities, I don't think you should be scared about entering the world," said Martin.  "I wouldn't tell someone not to pay their student loans though." 

Martin plans to continue building his business and hopes he will have the support he needs from family, friends and the city of Boston.