New York SBDC Research Network

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/05/ftc-sba-warn-operator-sbacom-lead-generator-lendio-stop?utm_source=govdeliveryThere is a great deal of information floating around at the moment about relief programs for small business owners and it can be difficult to know what information to trust. In this case, the SBA and the FTC sent warning letters to ITMedia Solutions and Lendio because their sites could confuse small business owners seeking funding under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other SBA programs.  You can read the full press release here: FTC and SBA Warn Operator of SBA.com and Lead Generator Lendio to Stop Potentially Misleading Coronavirus Relief Loan Marketing The letters warn the recipients to take immediate action to ensure all deceptive claims are removed and to remediate any harm to small business consumers as a result of the claims. The letters also instruct the recipients to notify the FTC within 48 hours about the specific acti...

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to the threat of any sort of disaster and certainly, we are now getting a glimpse of just how much businesses will be affected by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. As the spread of the disease moves quickly from continent to continent and across the country, we can see healthcare organizations and cities roll out their plan for emergencies such as this. But if there is a task that falls by the wayside for the small business owner, planning for business continuity is probably the one that falls through the cracks. Perhaps lessons learned from myriad climate disasters have prepared business owners for this new threat but if not, there is no time like the present. I've come across a few articles that offer some practical things that business owners can do to mitigate the damage.  ECONOMICS & SOCIETY How Chinese Companies Have Responded to Coronavirus by Martin Reeves , Lars Fæste , Cinthia Chen , Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak and Ke...

Did you know that the Small Business Administration website is translated into dozens of languages? Go to www.SBA.gov . Click on “Translate” and then click on the language of your choice. Sections for Business Guide, Funding Programs, Loans, Investment capital, Disaster assistance, Surety bonds, Federal Contracting, Learning Center, and Local Assistance - which includes the Small Business Development Centers , exists in these languages. LATIN? Satus negotium et crescere te. An entrepreneur vis esse? Disce quam incipias a gradibus X in rem tuam. Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani Basque, Belarusian, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian Catalan, Cebuano, Chichewa, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Corsican, Croatian, Czech Danish, Dutch Esperanto, Estonian Filipino, Finnish, French, Frisian Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Italian Ja...

By Samuel S. Finnerty From Piliero Mazza On December 4, 2018, the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) issued a proposed rule (“Rule”) to implement several provisions of the National Defense Authorization Acts (“NDAA”) of 2016 and 2017 and the Recovery Improvements for Small Entities After Disaster Act of 2015 (“RISE Act”), as well as other clarifying amendments. The Rule will likely garner a lot of attention in the coming weeks, as it proposes a number of sweeping amendments that could have a significant impact on small business government contracting. Indeed, the proposed revisions address key small business issues such as subcontracting plans, the non-manufacturer rule (“NMR”), Information Technology Value Added Reseller (“ITVAR”) procurements, limitations on subcontracting (“LOS”), recertification, size determinations, and the ostensible subcontractor rule. Below, we summarize some of the more notable amendments that will impact small business procurement. Consistent...

From the Huffington Post A group of investors led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, who ran the Small Business Administration under President Barack Obama, reached a deal to buy The Weinstein Company, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman confirmed. “Our office will support a deal that ensures victims will be adequately compensated, employees will be protected moving forward, and those who were responsible for misconduct at TWC will not be unjustly rewarded,” Schneidermann said in a statement. Contreras-Sweet and her backers, including billionaire investor Ronald Burkle, bid $500 million on the film production company, which included assuming $225 million worth of debt, according to Variety. The deal, which Schneiderman said was reached Thursday, also features an $80-million compensation fund for victims of Weinstein’s harassment and abuse... Contreras-Sweet, a Hollywood outsider and Mexican-American immigrant, reportedly plans to keep the studio’s employees, projects and assets...

Obtained from: SBA U.S Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon announced the appointment of Steve Bulger as the SBA Regional Administrator for Region II, the area that encompasses New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.   According to McMahon, Bulger will be responsible for managing and overseeing the agency’s lending, economic development and procurement programs over five district and six branch offices. Combined, these offices total 64 employees and assist nearly 3 million small businesses employing over 6 million workers in Region II. SBA has 10 regions covering the United States and U.S. territories. These offices, which are managed by politically appointed administrators, play a part in supervising the 68 district offices and promoting the President’s and SBA Administrator’s policies, messages and priorities throughout the region. “I am very pleased that Steve is in place to help support me and the President in ser...

From Coleman Report The White House’s FY 2019 proposed budget released [recently] supports $30 billion in SBA 7(a) funding. That is a 10% increase over anticipated $27 billion in loans for FY 2018. Given the Administrator’s newly granted ability to increase 7(a) by 10% if needed at the end of a fiscal year, there should be sufficient 7(a) loan supply to meet 7(a) loan demand. The White House is weighing in on the credit elsewhere rule saying: SBA fills a critical void in the market when economic shocks reduce traditional lending to small businesses and when the private market is unwilling to provide capital to credit-worthy borrowers. However, during prosperous economic times such as these, the Budget proposes that SBA introduce counter-cyclical policies to its business loan guarantee programs that enables it to maintain its operations while ensuring that it is not displacing direct private lending. Through an adjustment of fees across its business loan guarantee programs, SB...

From Lexology : The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking which, in effect, (1) would shift the duties of certifying Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) as relates to Ownership and Control (O&C) from the VA to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) ; and (2) revises the regulations dealing with set-asides and sole source awards under the Veterans First Contracting Program . While subject to comment periods and final rulemakings, the big picture storyline is that this revised regulatory scheme, if passed, will shift much of the oversight on VOSBs from the VA to the SBA. While the SBA oversees almost all small business concerns related to federal procurements, including the SDVOSB program, the VA has had its own veteran-owned business certification program, called the Vets First Verification Program. Arising out of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care and Information Technology Act of 2006 (PL 109-461), this program granted th...

From BizWomen : Small businesses and startups can survive the so-called Amazon effect by being creative and innovative, said U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon. McMahon was in Denver Sept. 28 for the sixth annual Denver Startup Week, a week of free panel discussions, workshops and networking events for entrepreneurs in all stages. Metro Denver has recently attracted the eye of Amazon.com The e-commerce giant opened a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in suburb Aurora this month and has broken ground on a 2.4 million-square-foot fulfillment center in nearby Thornton, expected to open in August 2018. Now, the Seattle-based company is on the hunt for a city in which to build its second headquarters, expected to be a $5 billion project and employ as many as 50,000 people. Colorado and metro Denver leaders plan to bid on the facility. But it’s in no way doomsday for small businesses, McMahon said. “There is no way for a small business to compete against an Amaz...

The Office of Advocacy has released a report on veteran-owned businesses. The report gives a detailed profile of this robust business population based on the latest available data, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 Survey of Small Business Owners. • In 2012, the United States had 21.2 million veterans, and 2.52 million businesses were majority-owned by veterans. • Almost all of veteran-owned businesses (99.9 percent) were small businesses. • Veteran-owned firms had receipts of $1.14 trillion, employed 5.03 million people, and had an annual payroll of $195 billion. • These firms represented 9.1 percent of all U.S. firms. • The three states with the most veteran-owned businesses were California, Texas, and Florida. • The three states with the highest percent of veteran-owned businesses in their populations were South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Virginia. The report is called Veteran-Owned Businesses and Their Owners: Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners. It ...

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. Below are just some of the SBDC events occuring across New York State in recognition of Small Business Week: Pace University SBDC: Government Procurement Strategies Fri, May 5, 2017 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT Pace University 1 Pace Plaza Rm W512 New York, NY 10038 The Pace University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is partnering with the US Small Business Administration (SBA) to help entrepreneurs identify and respond to government contract opportunities, as well as deliver on those contracts for which they are selected. The workshop will highlight contracting resources available for small busin...

Don't Miss U.S. House Committee on Small Business Hearing, "Taking Care of Small Business: Working Together for a Better SBA" Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 11 am EDT Linda McMahon, SBA Administrator will appear in front of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business. The hearing titled, "Taking Care of Small Business: Working Together for a Better SBA" is scheduled to begin at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 in Room 2360 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The Honorable Linda McMahon was sworn in on February 14, 2017 as the 25th Administrator of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). From 1980 to 2009, Administrator McMahon was active in her family's company, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., eventually becoming President and Chief Executive Officer. WWE began as a small regional company and grew into a large, global business. The Committee will hear from Administrator McMahon about her priorities for entrepreneurs and the SBA. ...

From the Small Business Administration : Between 1994 and 2015, self-employment rose substantially among those born abroad, and, by 2015, self-employment was much higher among those born abroad than among those born in the United States. This report explains the rise in self-employment among those born abroad and the difference in self-employment in 2015 by birthplace. The prevalence of self-employment varies with age. Between 1994 and 2015, the population born abroad shifted toward ages with higher self-employment. If the age distribution of those born abroad had not changed, self-employment would not have risen among those born abroad, and self-employment in 2015 would not have differed significantly by birthplace.

The SBA Office of Advocacy released its annual report, Report on the Regulatory Flexibility Act, FY 2016 . The report analyzes federal agency compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as well as with provisions of the Small Business JOBS Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13272, “Proper Consideration of Small Entities in Federal Rulemaking.” The RFA is Advocacy’s most effective tool for bringing small business concerns into the regulatory process. In FY 2016, Advocacy’s intervention on behalf of small business in federal rulemaking resulted in foregone regulatory cost savings of almost $1.4 billion. These cost savings came from Advocacy’s work on seven rules that were made final in FY 2016. These and other regulatory successes stem from small business involvement in rulemaking made possible by the RFA. Advocacy facilitated this during FY 2016 through 27 small business roundtables, 20 public comment letters, working closely with agencies on small business concerns, and ongo...

The Small Business Administration increased its guarantee percentage for bonds issued in the Preferred Surety Bond Program from no more than 70 percent to no more than 90 percent, per Public Law 114-92 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016. SBA guarantees will be 90 percent if the original contract is $100,000 or less, or if the bond is issued on behalf of a small business owned and controlled by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals, veterans, service disabled veterans, or qualified HUBZone and 8(a) businesses. In all other cases, the guarantee will be 80 percent. The increase will be effective Nov. 25, 2016. The new guarantee limits will expand bonding opportunities for many small businesses. For more information about the Surety Bonds Guarantees Program, please visit https://www.sba.gov/surety-bonds .

The leaders of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) and microlender Justine PETERSEN  announced this week the formation of the Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative, a groundbreaking new $2.1 million partnership to expand access to entrepreneurial education and microloans for formerly incarcerated individuals, with a specific focus on those who are parents. Initial rollout for the initiative is planned for Detroit, MI, Chicago, IL, Louisville, KY and St. Louis, MO.    “Entrepreneurship and small business ownership are proven paths toward wealth creation and financial independence especially for people who might otherwise feel trapped by their circumstances”

From SBA 1.) Protect against viruses, spyware, and other malicious code, Make sure each of your business’s computers are equipped with antivirus software and antispyware and update regularly. Such software is readily available online from a variety of vendors. All software vendors regularly provide patches and updates to their products to correct security problems and improve functionality. Configure all software to install updates automatically. 2.) Secure your networks,  Safeguard your Internet connection by using a firewall and encrypting information. If you have a Wi-Fi network, make sure it is secure and hidden. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Password protect access to the router.

From SBA The internet has drastically affected all types of traditional small business marketing—except for one. Out-of-home advertising is the only type of advertising that hasn’t declined due to digital advertising, according to a report from Borrell. In fact, spending on out-of-home advertising has grown consistently since 2008–except for a small decline in 2014–and is expected to keep rising for the next five years. As the name implies, out-of-home (OOH) advertising refers to advertising in places outside the home (as opposed to TV and radio advertising or ads in print media, which come into the home). OOH can include billboards, bus shelter or bench signage, posters and signage in malls, arenas and stadiums; bus, taxi or other vehicle wraps; pre-roll movie ads in theaters; posters and signage in commuter stations and inside buses, trains or railway cars; and “place-based” advertising such as signs in restaurants, bars and health clubs. If your business targets a lo...

From SBA Facing the task of building a social media following for your small business can feel like an uphill battle. What’s the use of wracking your brain to create engaging content when you have just a few dozen followers? If you create a social media post, and there’s no one to read it, does it even matter? Have faith, new business owner. It is worth your time to build and nurture your social media presence even when your business — and your online audience — are small. Take some of the drudgery out of creating social media content by remembering what sort of content you enjoy seeing online. What makes you smile or teaches you something you want to share with a friend?

The U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP are renewing their “Summer of Encore Mentoring” educational events targeting entrepreneurs over the age of 50 who want to start or grow their small business.  Building on the success of last year’s “Summer of Encore Mentoring,” the SBA and AARP will match encore entrepreneurs with successful business owners, community leaders and advisers for advice, counseling and training assistance during the months of June, July and August 2016.   “The face of entrepreneurship is changing in America and more of those faces today belong to entrepreneurs over the age of 50.  Here at SBA, we are focused on building ladders of opportunity that are open, accessible and available to all entrepreneurs,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet.  “We are fortunate to have a great partner in AARP, which has been dedicated to helping those over 50 take control of their future.” The “Summer of Encore Mentoring” will consist of nationwid...