microenterprises
Very small companies
Microenterprises are very small businesses, typically with fewer than ten employees and minimal startup capital.
The term appears frequently in discussions of economic development, where microenterprise lending helps people in poverty start small ventures: She received a microloan to launch her microenterprise selling handmade goods.
In developed economies, microenterprises include sole proprietorships and home-based businesses.
Self-starting without external input
- founderOne who begins something
- crowdfundingRaising capital from masses
- launchSet into motion
- home-basedLocated at residence
self-funded · solopreneur · freelancer · registration · permits · licensing
Collective of connected people
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
- self-helpUnassisted personal development
- livelihoodMeans of earning income
- villageSmall rural community
collective · subsistence · self-sufficient · autonomy · decentralization · indigenous · traditional · cooperatives
Small owner-operated enterprise
- family-ownedOperated by relatives
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- vendorsThose who sell goods
- marketplaceVenue for commerce
neighborhood · kiosks · hawkers · bazaar · shopkeepers · storefront · brick-and-mortar · retail
Small loans to entrepreneurs
- microfinanceSmall loans for poor entrepreneurs
- cash-flowMoney in and out
- bookkeepingRecording financial transactions systematically
- break-evenNo net gain
revenue · expenses · savings · collateral · unbanked · repayment
Made manually, not machined
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- bespokeMade to individual specifications
- customHabitual group practice
- tailoredAdjusted to fit exactly
craftspeople · workshop · studio · specialty · small-batch · made-to-order · boutique · weavers
bootstrapping
Self-starting without external input
- founderOne who begins something
- crowdfundingRaising capital from masses
- launchSet into motion
home-based · self-funded · solopreneur · freelancer · registration · permits · licensing
community
Collective of connected people
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
- self-helpUnassisted personal development
- livelihoodMeans of earning income
village · collective · subsistence · self-sufficient · autonomy · decentralization · indigenous · traditional · cooperatives · rural
mom-and-pop
Small owner-operated enterprise
- family-ownedOperated by relatives
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- vendorsThose who sell goods
marketplace · neighborhood · kiosks · hawkers · bazaar · shopkeepers · storefront · brick-and-mortar · retail · tiendas
microcredit
Small loans to entrepreneurs
- microfinanceSmall loans for poor entrepreneurs
- cash-flowMoney in and out
- bookkeepingRecording financial transactions systematically
break-even · revenue · expenses · savings · collateral · unbanked · repayment
handcrafted
Made manually, not machined
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- bespokeMade to individual specifications
- customHabitual group practice
tailored · craftspeople · workshop · studio · specialty · small-batch · made-to-order · boutique · weavers · potters
microenterprisesmultinational corporations
Businesses operating in multiple countries
conglomerates · megacorporations · big business · multinationals · industrial giants