Small Business

The thaw in relations with Cuba has sparked a huge amount of interest in the possibility of doing business with that nation, after 60 years of isolation. And one Connecticut entrepreneur hopes it's not just U.S. giants that get to play in Cuba.

An effort is underway to bring high-speed internet to residents across Connecticut and create competition for the existing cable and broadband companies. The CT Gig Project includes public officials who say it is needed for economic development, competition, and innovation. Opponents don't think the government should get involved in the internet business. 

It goes by many names: the sharing economy, the collaborative economy, the peer economy, just to name a few. Whatever you want to call it, one thing's for sure: this new way of doing business -- where idle assets equal big profits, and the hard-earned currency of trust comes through user reviews -- is changing the economic landscape of our country.

An effort is underway to bring high-speed internet to residents across Connecticut and create competition for the existing cable and broadband companies. The CT Gig Project includes public officials who say it is needed for economic development, competition, and innovation. Opponents don't think the government should get involved in the internet business. 

Right near the intersection of Park and Broad Streets in Hartford, there’s a building covered in an enormous fluorescent mural. Below it is the giant pink banner for Pelican Tattoo.

It goes by many names: the sharing economy, the collaborative economy, the peer economy, just to name a few. Whatever you want to call it, one thing's for sure: this new way of doing business -- where idle assets equal big profits, and the hard-earned currency of trust comes through user reviews -- is changing the economic landscape of our country.

A group of teenage boys hoist a red Columbia racing bike into the air, and lock it into place on a bike lift. They’re replacing the brake hoods – devices that house the thing you squeeze when you want to stop.

A recent deal to combine two of the largest beer conglomerates in the world could put the squeeze on Connecticut's 32 craft beer makers. 

In June, General Electric confirmed it’s considering a move out of Connecticut. The news came amid a state budget battle over corporate tax hikes. 

Not that long ago, you might not have known what a food truck is, but today it's hard to avoid them. They seem to be everywhere, serving every kind of cuisine, but they still face a gauntlet of legal challenges to operate - and still aren't allowed to operate in some towns in the state.

To say Connecticut is known for its world class craft beers is not accurate-- at least not yet. But a bold band of merry (and quite innovative) beer brewers from cities all around are on a mission to change that, one small batch at a time. With nearly 40 in-state breweries currently in operation-- a ten fold increase from the number we had only six years ago -- the Connecticut craft beer industry is booming.

Five out of six New England governors will meet in Hartford on Thursday for a closed-door energy roundtable. Together, they’ll work on developing a cooperative strategy to address some of the region’s biggest energy challenges.