New York SBDC Research Network

Kick off 2012 with new online strategies to drive more business to your site. Join this webinar to learn how you can take full advantage of all the online marketing solutions Bing has to offer. During this one-hour session, you'll learn how Bing tools can help you: Quickly improve your website's rank on Bing and Yahoo! Search results pages. Make sure your site "gets found" by the customers you want. Drive immediate traffic to your site through flexible pay-per-click search advertising on Bing and Yahoo! Search. More HERE .

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s February web chat will offer business start-up advice for entrepreneurs. If you are considering starting a business in 2012, SBA can be valuable resource to help you find a mentor, improve your business skills and get training to help boost your ideas. WHO: Janice Washington, state director of the Arizona Small Business Development Center Network, will host the February web chat on "New Year, New Business: How to Start it Right." An experienced business consultant and former business owner, Washington will answer questions about the early steps to take when starting a business, and the tools and resources that can help to get a small business idea off the ground. WHAT: SBA’s web chat series provides small business owners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Chat participants have direct, real-time access to the web chats via questions they su

Presented by the Internal Revenue Service February 15, 2012, 2 p.m. EASTERN, 1 p.m. CENTRAL, Noon MOUNTAIN, 11 a.m. PACIFIC This FREE webinar is for: • Tax practitioners • Small business owners & industry organizations • Payroll professionals • Tax exempt and Government entities Learn about: Employee and Independent Contractor issues and the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program including: • Defining workers as employees and independent contractors • What to consider in determining a worker’s status • Looking at important Forms SS-8 and 8919 • How to treat corporate officers • Determining if you qualify for federal employment tax relief under Section 530 • Details about the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program Note: CPE credit is not being offered for this webinar Register & Attend: Click on the link to register for the session Information: • Visit www.IRS.gov and search Webinars for information about other events. • This event will be ar

Disaster Planning Tips Discussed During Free Webinar Hosted by SBA and Agility Recovery Solutions WASHINGTON – Natural disasters exacted a significant financial toll on the United States in 2011. The Insurance Information Institute reports that insured losses from a series of disasters – which included devastating spring tornadoes in the Midwest, floods in the southeast, wildfires in the southwest, and Hurricane Irene – totaled $35.9 billion. Small businesses were hit particularly hard as many were forced to close during these disasters, causing economic injury to many that were already struggling. The factors that cause financial losses after a disaster, however, can be offset by having a recovery plan in place. On Tuesday, January 17, Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration will host a free webinar that looks at how natural disasters in 2011 caused business interruptions, with a focus on business continuity lessons learned. Agility President and

Businesses: you may wish to inform your tax preparer about this free webinar The Tax Department is offering two webinars on December 19 and December 20, 2011, that will explain how tax professionals can use the Tax Department's Online Services to manage their clients' accounts. There is no charge to participate. The webinar will explain how to create an Online Services account for clients and preparers' own business to: -file returns on behalf of clients -sign up for email notifications from the Tax Department -access other available online services offered by the Tax Department Expanded e-file mandate This year, the e-file mandate has been expanded. Now, all tax professionals must e-file their clients' returns. View the e-file mandate information . The first webinar will be conducted on December 19 from 10:30 am until 12:00 pm. The webinar will be repeated on December 20 from 10:00 am until 11:30 am. Participation is limited to 150 individuals on a

WASHINGTON – Find out what business owners learned after nearly losing their companies to small scale disasters like a sprinkler system malfunction or catastrophic events like widespread flooding during a free webinar on July 19 hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Agility Recovery CEO Bob Boyd will share real stories of entrepreneurs whose business continuity strategies emerged while recovering from major disasters. He’ll also outline some practical applications of disaster preparedness tips, focusing on the concept of not only putting a plan together, but testing it periodically. SBA has partnered with Agility to offer business continuity strategies for entrepreneurs via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website. Visit www.preparemybusiness.org to access previous webinars and for more preparedness tips. Since 1953, the SBA has provided more than $48 billion in disaster recovery funds to 1.9 million homeowners, renters and businesses of all s

WASHINGTON – The devastating effects of a hurricane extends beyond the coastal areas where the storms land. In recent years, we’ve seen how the impact of storm surge—which is the indirect damage from water and flying debris—inflicts collateral damage on small businesses in a surprisingly widespread area. The 2011 Mid-Atlantic Hurricane season begins June 1. Is your business prepared for a possible shutdown on the heels of the infrastructure collapse that usually follows a major storm? Get tips on protecting your customers, employees and your investment during a free webinar on May 17 at 2 p.m. EDT. Hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration, the webinar will feature Weather Services International Senior Meteorologist Ben Papandrea, who will present the 2011 Hurricane Season forecast. Paul Sullivan, a vice president for Agility Recovery Solutions, will share best practices towards preparing your company for disasters. SBA has partnered with Agili

WASHINGTON – In the chaos following a disaster, impaired judgment can lead to poor decisions. Those lapses of confidence can impact the ability of business owners to successfully manage the recovery process. How does a business owner take positive steps ensure that his or her business remains resilient through a disaster situation that could destroy the company? Join Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration on Tuesday, April 19, for a discussion on developing the capacity to become a more resilient leader during a free, online webinar led by former FEMA Administrator David Paulison. During the hour-long webinar, Paulison – a nationally recognized leader in emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery, will talk about obstacles to clear-headed leadership, and will share tips based on his own experience on avoiding errors that lead to failure in the midst of trying to rebuild after a disaster. SBA has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions

“The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax” --- Albert Einstein With the holidays behind us, people are now turning their attention to the annual challenge of preparing their tax returns. Although the SBDC isn’t in the business of giving tax advice, it is important for all of us to be knowledgeable about the current tax issues, regulations and schedules that affect small business. The New York State Small Business Development Center has collaborated with the National Association for the Self-Employed to develop and present a series of three webinars addressing tax topics of interest for small business owners. Although there are no prerequisites to attend any of the programs, you are encouraged to register for all three webinars. “Top 5 Tax Questions for the Self-Employed” Presented by: Keith Hall, National Tax Advisor for the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) What’s a person new to self-employment to do? This tax webinar covers these key topics: • W

“Getting Started in New York State Contracting – NYS Contract Reporter” (Webinar #7 in the Procurement Webinar Series) Presented by: Roxanne Mutchler, Government Contracting Coordinator, NYSSBDC Procurement Assistance Center at MVSBDC Topics to be covered: The Contract Reporter is one of the main resources for contract opportunities in New York State. Train your clients to take full advantage of the information available at this website. Date: January 26, 2011 Time: 9:30—10:30 AM How to register: Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/305250977