500: the maximum number of employees a business can have and still be defined as “small” by the U.S. Small Business Administration

16.5 million: the number of new small businesses with no employees (single-person shop) in 2000

21.1 million: new small businesses with no employees in 2005

637,100: new small businesses with employees that started in 2007

560,300: small businesses with employees that closed in 2007

Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Small Business Association