New York SBDC Research Network

In Mangawhai, located in the New Zealand countryside, lies a beautiful olive grove. This grove is the site of a family-run business that plants, grows, and harvests these olives and then uses them to manufacture premium quality extra virgin olive oil. This is the home of Divinity Olives, a company run by married couple Michael and Leanne Chinnery. The business, which also makes their own balsamic vinegar and strawberry compote, is streamlined and focused; with a small number of products and an even smaller team, the quality of the product takes top priority. Divinity currently sells their products in over 50 stores and online, and business is growing. I spoke with Michael about their experience, of raising their three kids while being entrepreneurs; and for Michael, of holding down a full-time day job as well. He also recounts which decisions were instrumental in his success, and what inspires him about not just the olive oil business, but New Zealand entrepreneurship in general.

Young aspiring business owners are invited to learn the basics on how to turn good ideas into profitable ventures at the live Twitter chat on Feb. 19 hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (@SBAgov). Tameka Montgomery from SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development and Bridget Weston Pollack from SBA’s resource partner SCORE will share tips on developing a business plan, ways to get startup financing, and how to overcome those initial hurdles entrepreneurs face when starting out. The event will be held during National Entrepreneurship Week, Feb. 15-22 (#sbaEweek).

How can you recognize that your project is headed for disaster? Look for these warning signs. Not every project we work on is our crowning achievement. Only a few projects make us rush to our LinkedIn profiles to record how much wonderfulness we accomplished in how little time, with a budget this tiny. Into every project manager’s life a few clunkers must fall. Some failures are preventable; others are out of our hands. But all of us like to imagine we can avoid the worst of the catastrophes… or at least escape with our reputations intact. How can you tell that your project is aimed directly at #headdesk territory? Take heed of these warning signs. If you identify the uh-oh moments soon enough, perhaps you can take remedial action and save the situation. Maybe you can walk away, take a deep breath, reanalyze the requirements, and reset the team. We’d like to think so! See more at Quickbase .

When he was in the Air Force, while traveling extensively throughout Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the United States, Peter DelCotto developed a wealth of knowledge about food and exotic cultures. He came to believe that food tells a certain story about the people and their environment. He decided to become a chef to share his experiences in other cuisines by highlighting the most popular dishes of each respective culture. In 2011, Peter expressed his passion for cooking in an essay submitted to a ChefUniforms.com contest and won a trip to the National Restaurant Association conference. After earning a degree in Hospitality Management from the Russell J. Salvatore School of Hospitality and Business at Trocaire College in Buffalo, Peter consulted the SBDC for assistance in refining his business plan and financing. With the help of Business Advisor John McKeone, he got funding and founded The Woodshed , a family owned and operated restaurant that serves up traditional Southern style

Albany – The State University of New York and The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF) today announced the creation of the SUNY Entrepreneur-In-Residence Program (EIR), which will support campuses and SUNY Innovation Hubs in securing the time and skills of proven, private-sector entrepreneurs who bring startup experience and expertise that drive discoveries in SUNY’s research portfolio. “This year, we will pilot an Entrepreneur-in-Residence program to help identify the milestones necessary to move a discovery-based idea to market,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “This program supports New York’s innovation capabilities and competitive future, and will ensure that startup companies are well-positioned to attract the outside capital and managerial talent that allows them to thrive locally.” “Educating faculty and student inventors, making sound licensing determinations, and increasing the opportunities for success for SUNY spin-off ventures are the outcomes we see

What, exactly, is the Rule of Three? It’s a rule that basically states that more than three “whatever” is confusing and overwhelming – either visually or mentally, or both. That makes it especially helpful if you’re the kind of entrepreneur who likes to give too much…As in: too many options, too much rambling content, too many bullet points, too much info crammed into a speech, etc. The Rule of Three is a fascinating thing. Why? Because it seems to apply in so many different situations. And many of these situations are related to effectively marketing a business. So if you’re an entrepreneur, it makes sense to understand how, when and why to apply it. Read more HERE .

"Coffee Break with Game-Changers" with Bonnie D. Graham. Don't miss this episode with ASBDC President Tee Rowe and others for some high-energy, interesting and, most important of all, informative content.

From Small Business Newz : There’s a long-standing debate in business circles about the difference between the use of the term entrepreneur vs. small business owner. The issue centers on the notion that if you’re an entrepreneur you care about high growth and if you’re a small business owner you’re somehow destined to struggle to make ends meet while working your fingers to the bone.

HillLibrary.org notes: 5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From the Midterm Election No, this isn’t another “what the elections mean for your business” – though those opinion pieces are also worth looking at! Rather, it suggests some lessons entrepreneurs can learn from the winners and losers of the election. Does money guarantee success? Is experience necessarily a good thing? Check out these thoughts from Mark Hall, founder of Input Ladder LLC and blogger at startup blog My Two And A Half Cents.

Chances are, after reading the title of my blog, you think I am insane. That's okay. The numbers that we see printed everyday in the business section show that not only are we in a recession, but very few economic indicators have started to turn around and become positive. I would like to argue that the same numbers that make most people cringe are the reason why you should start your business right now. Unemployment is at 9.4% for the country and there are 5.4 individuals for every job posted. So why don't you change from being someone who is unemployed and applying for the same job as 4 and a half other people, and start your own business. Starting Over — as an Entrepreneur (Wall Street Journal) Laid Off in 2008 - Start a Business in 2009 (Entrepreneur) - Stories from three entrepreneurs who have started their own businesses during a recession. How to Start a Business During the Recession (eHow.com) Best Small Businesses to Start in a Recession (About.com)

An article in the Wired Blog Network recently discussed YouNoodle , a social networking site for startup entrepreneurs. The website has "introduced a dynamic scoring system purports to indicate the viability of early-stage ventures." "A YouNoodle Score is a quantitative measurement, on a scale of 0 to 100, of a startup's impact and importance based on its traction, activity, and buzz. The score is based on information pulled in from thousands of online sources: traffic, mainstream media, the blogosphere, conversations on Twitter, and other key factors." Currently in it's Beta phase, click here to go directly to the You Noodle website.

In late 2005, I was part of an SBDC meeting where we heard from a director of The Entrepreneur's Source . This company provides coaching/counseling services to people interested in owning a business, with a specialization in franchises. Theoretically, they help the budding business owner in finding the franchise opportunity that best suits his/her personality, lifestyle, etc. They are not brokers, nor do they represent any particular franchisor. We often get questions from advisors with clients who want to own a business, but aren't sure what type is best for them. If, during discussions with them, you & your client can't seem to find that industry perfectly suited to them (and the client is interested in running a franchise), then keep this site in mind.