Percentage of small business owners who say it was a challenge to access funding for their ventures, according to a survey by Reliant Funding: 28

Percentage who said they had been denied a loan from their bank: 30

Percentage of respondents who stated that the biggest challenge facing their small business is finding skilled workers: 35

Source: Reliant Funding.

Projected amount that Americans will spend on costumes, candy and pumpkins for Halloween this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation: $9.1 billion

Estimated number of Americans who plan to partake in Halloween festivities, up from 171 million in 2016: 179 million

Projected amount that the average consumer will spend: $86.13

Source: NRF.

Percentage of workers who say they've seen a colleague leave the restroom without washing his or her hands, according to a survey by Bradley Corp.: 61

Percentage of Americans who ramp up their hand-washing practices during flu season: 70

Source: Bradley Corp.

Percentage of Americans who don't realize credit scores affect cellphone bills, according to a survey by WalletHub: 70

Percentage who say credit reports are easier to understand than cellphone agreements: 76

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of Americans who plan to start holiday shopping before Nov. 1, according to a survey by RetailMeNot Inc.: 45

Percentage of retailers will capitalize on this earlier start by beginning their holiday marketing efforts earlier this year: 80

Source: RetailMeNot.com.

Percentage of workers who say they "hate" or "tolerate" their job, according to a CareerBuilder survey: 28

Of those who tolerate or hate their job, ranks of "need to pay the bills," "its proximity to home," "needing the insurance" and "it pays well" on the list of the top reasons for staying in a current position: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Ranks of the fashion, technology, sports and entertainment industries on the list of those industries where Americans believe older customers are not as well served as other customers: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: AARP.

Percentage of American adults who would vacation alone (with 28 percent having already done so, and 19 percent being open to it someday): 47

Percentage of respondents who said they would not leave the U.S. even if all expenses were paid: 7

Source: Cashlorette.com.

Average number of resumes that advertising and marketing executives say they receive from professionals in the creative field for an open position, according to research by The Creative Group: 32

Average number of candidates they interview before filling a role: 7

Average number of weeks it takes to fill an open staff-level position: 5

Source: The Creative Group.

Percentage of companies that have a college internship program, according to a survey by Korn Ferry: 63

Percentage of these organizations who say the program helps identify the best students to hire upon graduation: 88

Source: Korn/Ferry International.

Idle Thought

"Read. Read anything. Read the things they say are good for you, and the things they claim are junk. You'll find what you need to find. Just read." -- Neil Gaiman, author

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of parents with only boys who have money saved for their kids' college, compared to 39 percent of parents with only girls who have money saved, according to T. Rowe Price survey of parents of children of one gender: 50

Percentage of parents of all boys who say they will be able to cover the entire cost of college, compared with only 8 percent of parents of all girls: 17

Percentage of parents of all boys who say that saving for their kids' education is a greater priority than saving for retirement, compared to 50 percent of parents of all girls who said that college savings is a greater priority: 68

Source: T. Rowe Price.

Percentage of Americans who admit to carrying a balance on their credit card from month to month, according to a study by CreditCards.com: 28

Of those who carry credit card debt, percentage who have been carrying a balance for at least two years (29 million people), including 15 million who have been in credit card debt for at least five years: 43

Ranks of "just keeping up with day-to-day expenses," retail purchases, paying medical bills, home repairs, vacation expenses and car repairs on the list of reasons for credit card debt: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Source: CreditCards.com.

Percentage of professionals who said they would be comfortable reporting to a manager who's younger than they are, according to a survey by OfficeTeam: 82

Percentage who said they wouldn't mind supervising employees older than themselves: 91

Rank of "dissimilar work ethics or values" and "leadership or learning styles" on the list of the biggest challenges with having a younger boss: 1, 2

Rank of "using technology in different ways" on the list of the top struggles when managing someone who's older: 1

Source: OfficeTeam.

Number of tailgating parties per season that the typical tailgater attends or hosts, according to research by FieldAgent: 6 to 10

Number of hours before kickoff the party begins: 3 to 4

Source: Field Agent.

Percentage of males who said they lost their virginity before the age of 13, according to a survey by Adam & Eve: 5

Percentage of females who said the same: 2

Percentage of females (49 percent of the males) who admitted they first had sex between ages 13 and 18: 52

Percentage of females (34 percent of the males) who said they first had intercourse between ages 18 and 23: 38

Percentage of women (12 percent of the men) who were over age 23: 8

Source: Adam & Eve.

When it comes to milestones associated with becoming a financially mature adult, percentage of millennials (defined as being ages 22 to 37) who are most likely to rate "having a steady job/income" as the most significant, according to a study conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Amino and Earnest: 54

Ranks of buying a home, moving out of your parents' home, buying or leasing your own car, and being able to afford having a child on the list of the most significant milestones associated with being a financially mature adult: 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs

Percentage of Americans who believe that having trees in their community makes them happier, according to a 2017 survey conducted by Wakefield Research: 94

Percentage of people who believe having trees in their community inspires them to be active outdoors: 60

Percentage who say that trees in their communities help them relieve stress: 46

Source: Arbor Day Foundation.

Percentage of big-city dwellers (and 80 percent of baby boomers) who want to live in their existing big city when they are 80-plus years old, according to the results of a survey commissioned by Welltower: 70

Rank of access to high-quality health care on the list of factors when considering where they want to live at 80-plus, though most believe big cities need more options for senior care: 1

Source: Welltower Inc.

Percentage of parents who feel they know more about celebrity gossip, daily news stories, and what their Facebook friends are up to than they know about their child's day at school, according to findings from ClassDojo: 48

Percentage of parents who fear they're missing out on the key moments in their child's school day: 58

Percentage of parents who find it nearly impossible to maintain strong relationships with everyone involved in their child's education: 53

Source: Wyzant.

Percentage of people who snack while in bed, according to a survey by Punchbowl: 50

Percentage who say they've eaten a snack to prevent themselves from having a meltdown in public: 25

Percentage who snack while walking the aisles of the grocery store: 27

Source: Punchbowl.

Idle Thought

"The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there." -- Robert M. Pirsig, author and philosopher

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Ranks of internet connection, mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc.), driving, pets and cable on the list of things respondents said they'd absolutely not give up, regardless of financial concerns, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Last year, length of time that the typical American worker stayed at their job, according to research by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute: 5.1 years

In 2016, the median tenure for public-sector workers, compared to 4.1 years for private-sector workers: 8.5 years

Source: EBRI.

Percentage of professionals who said it's appropriate to connect with colleagues on Facebook, according to a survey by OfficeTeam: 71

Percentage of senior managers who said it's OK to engage with colleagues on Facebook: 49

Ranks of Twitter (34 percent), Instagram (30 percent) and Snapchat (26 percent) on the list of social media that senior managers approve: 2, 3, 4

Source: OfficeTeam.

Average number of pangs of guilt American parents feel every single week over parenting decisions they feel weren't quite up to standard, according to research by Farm Rich: 23

Percentage of parents who feel pressured to be "perfect" from friends, family and social media: 75

Percentage of millennial parents who regularly compete with other parents on social media: 31

Source: Farm Rich.

Percentage of HR managers who encourage candidates to follow up within two weeks after submitting a resume, according to research from Accountemps: 65

Percentage of hiring managers who would prefer that the candidate follow up by email: 64

Percentage who would rather a phone call: 21

Source: Accountemps.

Percentage of Americans who are likely to snack while watching TV, according to a survey by Eagle Foods: 96

Time per week the average American spends watching TV: 11 hours, 23 minutes

Percentage of respondents who said that watching television is the most common time they snack and share with friends: 65

Ranks of popcorn, chips and ice cream on the list of the most shareable snacks: 1, 2, 3

Source: G.H. Cretors Popped Corn.

Percentage of all U.S. adults who are single, according to U.S. Census Bureau data: 45

In a survey of 1,000 unmarried and 1,000 married adults (ages 37 and older) by TD Ameritrade, average amount less that singles make in personal income than their married peers ($52,900 vs. $61,700): $8,800

Percentage of singles who own a home, compared to 90 percent of marrieds: 58

Percentage of singles who cite "having complete control over the household finances" as the biggest benefit to not being married: 29

Source: Ameritrade.

Amount of money that a U.S. employer with 1,000 workers stands to lose each year in absenteeism, diminished productivity and health care costs because of exhausted employees, many of whom have undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders, according to research by the National Safety Council and the Brigham Health Sleep Matters Initiative: $1.4 million

Possible annual costs of fatigue in an average-sized Fortune 500 company: $80 million

Source: National Safety Council.

Percentage of parents who say that they read to their children from a paper book at night, according to a study conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Paper and Packaging Board: 66

Percentage of parents who believe paper is an essential part of children being able to achieve their educational goals: 96

Percentage of parents who admit that they have seen their children have trouble staying focused when doing homework on a computer or tablet: 61

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of Americans who have attended a holiday party or gathering that ran out of entertaining essentials, such as food, cups, plates, utensils, napkins or alcohol, according to a survey by Wakefield Research for BJ's Wholesale Club: 65

Percentage of parties that have failed because they provided nothing for children to do, such as making crafts or watching a holiday movie: 33

Source: Wakefield Research.

Idle Thought

"It seems like the less a statesman amounts to, the more he adores the flag." -- Kin Hubbard (1868-1930), humorist

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)