April 24-30 is Small Business Week in America and a good time to recognize that the small business community is responsible for providing a lot of the fuel that is powering the current surge in the domain industry. Findings were just released from a new nationwide study that revealed 47% of U.S. adults have taken initial steps toward starting their own business or supplementing their income.  

The new survey conducted by Harris Interactive was commissioned by Register.com, Inc. (Nasdaq:RCOM), a leading provider of global domain registration and Internet services, in tandem with Small Business Week and the Small Business Administration's SBA Expo '05 (April 26-28, 2005). Survey results show the strength of the entrepreneurial spirit in the United States.

The survey revealed several interesting results, including:

•  31% of U.S. adults have crafted a business idea

•  24% have researched his or her idea online; 26% plan to do so

•  21% have already formulated a business plan, and 27% anticipate doing so in the future

•  9% have already built a Web site; 17% plan to in the future

•  7% have sold product directly through online channels, while 13% plan to do so

�With almost half the nation�s population wanting to start their own business or supplement their income, this study speaks volumes about the health of the entrepreneurial spirit in America,� said Monica Hodges, general manager of Retail for Register.com. �It also underscores what a powerful force the Internet is for today�s aspiring entrepreneurs. Whereas the Web was once the turf of large enterprises, today it can help to level the playing field for small business owners.� 

Volunteer small business consultancy Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) CEO Ken Yancey said, "For many Americans, owning a small business is a part of the American dream. It's no surprise that this survey revealed 47 percent of U.S. adults are moving in the direction of small business ownership. The survey results indicate that small business hopefuls are proactive and taking steps to form, start, and launch their business in the marketplace--including online." 

�Still, despite the thousands of new Web sites coming online each day, the survey suggests that a significant portion of future small business owners have yet to launch the online component of their business. Many small business owners may be intimidated by the prospect of building a Web site, fearing that it is too complicated, expensive or too time consuming. We�re committed to exposing those myths and demonstrating how simple it really is for any business to establish an online presence by partnering with a company like Register.com,� added Hodges. 

Many registration companies now offer a complete suite of services including website hosting and design help. Register.com has a a package for small business customers, that includes domain registration, DIY web design tools, professional web design services, branded email, and data back up. Register.com says they can help small business owners get a Web site up and running in as little as 24 hours at a total cost of less than $100 per year. With many other companies eager to help small businessmen set up shop online competition is keeping prices low throughout the industry. With an online address just as essential as a business card these days, there there is no longer any excuse to be left offline. 

Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive� conducted the survey for Register.com by telephone between April 7 and 10, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 1,015 U.S. adults ages 18 and over. Figures for age, sex, race, and region were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.