3 Things You Should Know About Small Business: July 18

2. Mobile devices making small-business owners more productive. Small-business owners are working more than ever thanks to their mobile devices, with many saying they won't be taking a vacation this summer, according to research by Manta, cited by eWeek.com.

The survey, based on more than 1,200 business owners, found that seven out of 10 owners plan to check email and work documents from their mobile devices while on vacation. About 60% said they would enjoy their vacation more with the ability to stay connected to the business, Manta says.

3. Fast-growing states for women entrepreneurs. The rate of women-owned businesses is growing at a faster rate than businesses owned by men, according to research by American Express(AXP) OPEN. Even though attention has been paid to women-owned companies in startup hubs like Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley, it's actually rural areas that are the fastest-growing areas for female businesses, says Huffington Post.

Small business adviser Alice Bredin says it's a result of the recession.

"If you live in a rural area and you lose your job, it's going to be a lot harder to find another one than if you live in a more urban area," Bredin tells HuffPo. "So necessity has become the mother of invention for a lot of these rural female founders."

Included in the list of fastest-growing states for women-owned businesses are Wyoming, Nevada, Florida and Georgia, among others.

-- Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York.

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