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Showing posts from April, 2016

2013 Statistics of U.S. Businesses

From the Census Bureau-  Data for metropolitan statistical areas and counties by enterprise employment size. Statistics include number of firms, establishments, employment and annual payroll.  2013  annual or static data include number of firms, number of establishments, employment, and annual payroll for most U.S. business establishments. The data are tabulated by geographic area, industry, and enterprise size. Industry classification is based on 2012 North American Industry Classification System  (NAICS)  codes. An establishment with 0 employment is an establishment with no paid employees in the mid-March pay period but with paid employees at some time during the year. Internet address: < http://www.census.gov/econ/ susb/ >.

SBA releases FY2015 Small Business Procurement Scorecards

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From SBA: The U.S. Small Business Administration today released its annual Small Business Procurement Scorecards, which provide an assessment of each federal agency’s annual small business contracting achievement against its goal using a grade of A+ through F.  The federal government received an “A” on the government-wide scorecard for 2015, reflecting significant efforts by federal agencies toward meeting their 23 percent statutory goal.  The federal government also reached its small business federal contracting goal for the third consecutive year, awarding  25.75 percent in federal contracts to small businesses totaling $90.7 billion.  The 25.75 percent of contracts awarded to small businesses represent the highest ever percentage of contracts awarded to small businesses by the federal government. “I’m very happy to report that the federal government exceeded our 23 percent small business prime contracting goal for the third year in a row, with the federal governmen

Small Business Success Story - Michael Riotto Design

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Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Queens-Laguardia SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Michael Riotto Michael Riotto Design Queens-LaGuardia SBDC Michael Riotto is the principal of Michael Riotto Design, LLC (MRD), a lighting manufacturer and design firm in Long Island City that was established in 2005. MRD designs are modern, contemporary and vintage, and its staff manages all aspects of project work from consultation through product development, sourcing, specification and installation. The company’s mission is to provide the highest quality of service first combined with the latest technology and expertise to create successful projects for its clients. MRD manufactures lighting for piers, parks, cruise ships and theaters, among other places. Michael consulted the LaGuardia SBDC when seeking a line of credit to stabilize the company’s cash flow. 

"10 Most Common Small Business Questions" Twitter Chat on May 4th at 3pm ET.

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In honor of National Small Business Week, please join America's SBDC (@ASBDC) for "10 Most Common Small Business Questions" Twitter Chat on May 4th at 3pm ET. @ASBDC will serve as the chat "moderator." America's SBDC will post questions every 7-9 minutes for about 45 minutes beginning at 3pm ET using the hashtag, #SBDC. Questions will be noted as Q1, Q2, etc. In your response, please note your answers with A1, A2, etc. For example, @ASBDC will post "Q1: What's your favorite marketing technique? #SBDC" and you might respond: "A1. We recommend writing a blog #SBDC". Feel free to RT the questions so your followers know which question you are answering. The chat will last about 50-60 minutes depending on the pace of responses. If other Twitter users are chiming in, please feel free to RT them or answer their questions. Just remember to add the hashtag #SBDC. Here are the questions that @ASBDC will be posting: • Q1: Do I have what

NY firm Sound Roof Systems is National Subcontractor of the Year

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Two family-owned and operated firms, McLaughlin Research Corporation (MRC), an engineering firm from Connecticut and Sound Roof Systems, Ltd., a roofing contractor from New York, have been named the National Prime Contractor of the Year and National Subcontractor of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). These winners, along with other national winners and finalists for the National Small Business Person of the Year, will participate in a recognition ceremony at the US Institute of Peace to kick off National Small Business Week on May 2. SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet will be presenting all awards. In FY15, the federal government awarded 25.75 percent or $90.7 billion of all federal contracts to small businesses which translates to more than 537,000 jobs supporting revenue for the job creators who produce 2 out of 3 net, new private-sector jobs in the U.S. economy. The two small businesses were selected from among ten regional prime contractors and 10

We’re #AllForSmallBiz

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This National Small Business Week, May 1-7, SBA is partnering with local organizations across the country to host hundreds of free, in-person workshops to help small businesses grow online. Check out a map of workshops, and RSVP to attend one near you . No workshop near you? No problem. Sign up to be notified when virtual lessons are available. P.S. These lessons are free and available to all businesses, so spread the word. #AllForSmallBiz .

2014 County Business Patterns data released

The U.S. Census Bureau has released the 2014 County Business Patterns (CBP) statistics on  Thursday, April 21, 2016 . CBP covers more than 7.5 million U.S. business establishments, and provides employment and payroll data at subnational levels by industry. For the first time ever, congressional district-level data has been released at the same time as CBP data. CBP data are obtained from Census Bureau reports and administrative records from other federal agencies. CBP defines employment as all full- and part-time employees who were on the payroll during the pay period that includes  March 12 .

Small Business Success Story - Walushka Auto House

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Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Corning SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Chris Walushka Walushka Auto House Corning SBDC Chris Walushka is the proud owner of Walushka Auto House in Corning. Ever since Chris was in high school, he knew he wanted to own a business focused on his passion for cars and the ability to develop strong relationships with customers. Chris went to college to study the auto industry. After graduating, he worked diligently at a large auto dealership in town, first as a salesman, and then as the finance and insurance manager, with responsibilities for a team of salesman.  Chris saved a percentage of every paycheck to finance his dreams. Chris came to the Corning SBDC to ensure that he was on the right track to start his business. Advisor Susan Buchanan reviewed his business plan and helped him make some foundational decisions.

Anatomy of a Rebrand: Six Tips for Successfully Launching Your New Brand

From MarketingProfs : In the first article of this series, we talked about how to determine whether a rebranding initiative is in your company's best interests. In the second article , we covered the basics of building your new brand identity. Now it's time to discuss best-practices as you launch and promote your exciting new brand, both internally and externally.

Women-Owned Small Business procurement: important update

From SBA.gov: The WOSB procurement program website is undergoing a facelift. A new website, called SBA ONE, will allow for the electronic submission of SBA forms, as well as a streamlined location to monitor all certifications for your company including the repository. With the change, there are three things you need to know: 1. All WOSBs will need to create a new login for the new system. The new website is actually an entirely new system and as such all WOSBs will need to create a new account and login (but not reload all documents – see next). The SBA is also asking that after creating a new account, all WOSB/EDWOSB companies submit new Form 2413 (WOSB certification) and/or Form 2414 (EDWOSB certification) electronically. Businesses should do this as soon as possible. 2. The repository is being migrated, but is currently closed. This is important for two reasons: 1) your documents previously submitted should move to your new account and not require resubmission (ex

The Tragic History of RC Cola

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From Mental Floss : Who drinks RC Cola, anyway? It’s a question Coke and Pepsi drinkers have been asking for decades. In the prolonged marketing battle that began in the '70s and saw the beloved major brands duke it out via celebrity endorsements, rewards promotions (Pepsi Stuff, anyone?), an onslaught of advertisements, and even a race into space, RC Cola remained on the sidelines, a quiet blue and red can that seemed content to simply be. Fact is, RC has had loyal fans throughout its more than 100-year history. Its roots go deep in the south, where drinking one with a Moon Pie is a blue-collar tradition that’s still popular today. There’s even a song that celebrates the pairing. RC also has a presence internationally, in countries such as Estonia, Thailand, and Iceland. It’s currently one of the top-selling soda brands in the Philippines. But the number of RC drinkers could have been much, much higher. In an alternate—and completely plausible—universe, it would have given

The Health Care Law and Your Taxes: Last Minute Filing Tips from the IRS for Individuals

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If you have not yet filed your federal tax return, here are three last-minute filing tips related to the health care law. Remember that the tax filing deadline this year is  Monday, April 18 . Check the box to report health care coverage If you are concerned that the health care law might require additional time to complete your tax return, remember that most taxpayers will simply check a box related to health care on their return. If everyone listed on your return had qualifying health care coverage for the entire year, you will simply check the box on your return to indicate you had coverage. This is the first year you may receive new forms providing information about your health care coverage. The new forms are  Form 1095-B , Health Coverage  and  Form 1095-C , Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. Even if you do not receive a Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C by the time you are ready to file your 2015 tax return, you do not necessarily need to wait in order to file. W

National Small Business Week is May 1-7

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From the special SBA page: Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. This year’s theme will be “Dream Big, Start Small.” Sign up for several webinars .

Small Business Success Story - Fivesky

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Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Columbia-Harlem SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Reza Pourkhomami Fivesky Columbia-Harlem SBDC Fivesky’s Managing Member Reza Pourkhomami found the Columbia Harlem SBDC by doing a Google search. When Reza first consulted the SBDC, his company was in startup mode, and he sought assistance with access to capital, business planning, and development of financial projections. Advisor Glamis Haro was impressed by the fact that he had already planned his business mentally. Reza put his plan on paper and started using it as a tool for management. During his second year, he obtained a loan in the amount of $250k to expand the staff of the company . Fivesky currently has 20 employees, and has expanded to Canada and Europe. Fivesky designs, deploys, and maintains advanced technologies to help customers achieve operational

Spending patterns of older Americans

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics : The aging of the United States population will influence the economy for many years to come. The Census Bureau projects that in 2050, the population aged 65 and older will be 83.7 million, almost double its estimate of 43.1 million in 2012... Understanding expenditure patterns in later life is crucial to evaluating financial security in retirement. This analysis uses integrated data from the 2014 Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE), which separates the 55-and-older age range into three groups: ages 55–64, 65–74, and 75 and older. Data show that: *Housing is the greatest expense in dollar amount and as a share of total expenditures for households with a reference person 55 and older. *Clothing and transportation spending, and contributions for pensions and Social Security decline with the age of the reference person. *Healthcare spending increases with the age of the reference person.

Survey of Market Absorption 2015 Annual Report

The  2015 Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units annual report  provides absorption details for units constructed in 2014. The Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This survey measures how soon privately financed, nonsubsidized, unfurnished units in buildings with five or more units are rented or sold (absorbed) after completion. In addition, it collects data on characteristics such as number of bedrooms, asking rent and asking price.

Employers: Have fewer than 50 Employees? Here’s how ACA Affects You

From the IRS: Most employers have fewer than 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalent employees and are not subject to the Affordable Care Act’s  employer shared responsibility provision . If an employer has fewer than 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, on average during the prior year, the employer is not an ALE for the current calendar year.  Therefore, the employer is not subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions or the employer information reporting provisions for the current year. Calculating the number of employees is especially important for employers that have close to 50 employees or whose workforce fluctuates throughout the year.

SBA Office of Advocacy Releases Small Business Profiles, 2016

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Today, the Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the Small Business Administration, released the annual Small Business Profiles in a fresh, redesigned format. The user-friendly, data-rich profiles combine catchy visuals and more in-depth data than previous editions. They capture vital data on U.S. and state-level economic growth, industry, and jobs using completely reproducible data from the leading government statistical agencies. The profiles illustrate the state and national economies in terms of small business employment, diversity, and trade. They show the most important small business industries, both in the number of firms and how many jobs they account for. And they show establishment turnover trends and county-level job change. Visit Advocacy’s website to view the US or your state’s profile.

Small Business Success Story - The Garden Cafe

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Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Mid-Hudson SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Lea Fridrich The Garden Cafe Mid-Hudson SBDC Lea Fridrich’s love for vegetarian food is only surpassed by her love for people! Lea had her eye on a well-established, well-loved vegetarian restaurant in Woodstock that she knew was for sale, and in June 2014 she offered to purchase it. A customer who frequented the restaurant Lea managed at the time was so impressed with Lea’s skills and passion that she agreed to finance the purchase of the restaurant and to become a limited partner. Lea was left with the task of determining a reasonable valuation for the business and estimating the total amount of financing required to realize her vision for the restaurant. Mid-Hudson SBDC Advisor Sam Kandel worked closely with Lea to determine a fair valuation, manage the expectations

Never Procrastinate Again

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Nature or nurture? Are procrastinators made, or are they born? Turns out, it’s a little bit of both. On the one hand, some chalk procrastination up to a response from an authoritarian parenting style. So, if your parents were overly strict, you might not have been able to develop good self-regulation skills on your own. Turns out, maybe you really can blame Mom and Dad. Not only that, but procrastination can even be a form of rebellion at a younger age, and it’s unfortunately an easy habit to carry into adulthood. On the flipside, our tendency to procrastinate could be partly genetic. Studies show that procrastination is heritable, and is linked with the frontal systems of our brain that regulate our so-called “executive functioning,” which includes things like self-control, planning, and problem solving. The research shows that procrastinators may have “subtle executive dysfunction,” or a lessened ability to regulate themselves and plan well. However, while there is a

The 15 Best Business Podcasts for Startups

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There are so many podcasts out now that it can be difficult to choose where to start. Best to go to a trusted source and seek their advice. Jonathan Michael at Bplans.com gives you a good place to start:  Whether you are considering starting your own business, or you are already a successful entrepreneur, listening to how others succeeded can help you better achieve the goals you have set for your business.   Podcasts are an informative, fun way to gain knowledge and inspiration, and can be listened to while working, exercising, commuting, and so on. The key is finding worthwhile podcasts to listen to.   ...5. Entrepreneur on Fire  John Lee Dumas, founder and host of Entrepreneur on Fire, interviews successful entrepreneurs every single day. A consistent podcast, the show has a new episode every day of the week, each with a different guest. Entrepreneur on Fire was awarded a Best of iTunes Award in 2013, and its insights can definitely help guide you in your own entrepreneurial e