Next week marks National Small Business Week, an important annual opportunity to spotlight the inspiring entrepreneurs who establish the backbone of American society. According to the Small Business Administration, there are 27.2 million small businesses in America, and these businesses employ nearly half of all Americans and account for more than 60% of new jobs created in this country*.

Many Americans dream of owning their own businesses and the myriad of benefits that come with it – the job flexibility, the satisfaction of being one’s own boss and controlling one’s own financial destiny, and the potential of turning a passion into a profession.

The impact of these enterprising individuals, brave enough to “go out on their own” and shape their own economic futures, is astounding. Starting a business requires you to be the CEO of everything, from HR to accounting, to product or service fulfillment, to website development and maintenance. It can be a daunting prospect, though with the right idea, a strong business plan, a lot of passion, and carefully chosen partners, it doesn’t have to be quite so daunting.

This National Small Business Week, Yahoo! Small Business is celebrating our nation’s current and future entrepreneurs by offering:

• A fun and interactive quiz on our Facebook page for would-be entrepreneurs to test their small business IQs. See if you’re ready to start a business!

• A special discount for entrepreneurs thinking about starting a business or thinking about bringing their existing businesses online. With Yahoo! Small Business’ easy-to-use services, launching your company website or online store can be greatly simplified. You can build your website yourself or hire one of our experienced partners to do it for you.

During this National Small Business Week, we thank and celebrate the many inspiring entrepreneurs who define the American dream.