In developed nations, small enterprises (SE) have become the integral part of the economic system. Today, many studies deal with the Russian SE sector. Despite federal aid programs for SE in place since 1995, recent research has shown that very few of the problems faced by businessmen have been resolved. The main obstacles hindering SE development in Russia can be divided into three groups: obstacles associated with the relationships between businessmen and the State (administrative barriers), financial problems (lack of bank credit, high interest rates), and problems of staff selection (lack of skilled specialists in the labor market). JEL code: P25