New York SBDC Research Network

Entrepreneurs are the lifeline of any economy, and high-growth start-ups in particular are responsible for the great majority of new job creation. It’s worrying, then, that according to several reports the number of new businesses being created in the U.S. has been stalled since the end of the recession. As a mentor to many start-up entrepreneurs, I find this slow-down concerning, and I see one reason that’s rarely spoken about and needs a closer look: what I call spreadsheet asphyxiation. I repeatedly hear from young entrepreneurs that, as fund managers come in, they introduce too many controls for cash flows, income projections, budgeting, risk analysis, financial modeling – the list is endless. Start-ups can’t be assessed using conventional business metrics. Yes, they require diligent oversight. But in my experience, this can be achieved without an excessive emphasis on controls if a start-up entrepreneur has clarity at all times on four simple questions. First, what specific pro...

1. We do everything by ourselves. As an entrepreneur, time management needs to be a huge part of your life. "When scheduling in meetings, you must decide who and what companies are aligned with your business or organization, have your best interest, market your brand and believe in your mission and vision.” — Tayrin Tapia of Dear Tayrin The best part about being an entrepreneur is you don’t have a boss. However, the worst part about being an entrepreneur is you don’t have a boss. This means you have to manage your time by creating your own schedule. You have to accomplish goals by setting them yourself. You have to build a brand by handling customer service, marketing and PR on your own (at least until you build a company big enough to hire employees). 2. We think about solving problems all the time. “Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than trying to solve them.” — Henry Ford Entrepreneurs possess a “figure it out” mentally. We’re strategists...

1) Video stores are about investment The enemy of video stores was convenience. The victim of convenience is conscious choice. Why streaming will never live up to home video We watch Netflix like we used to watch television on a slow Sunday night, everything blending together as we flip aimlessly through the channels. At first the choice is overwhelming: all of these options and nothing but the questionable "You Might Like" cue to guide us — we stare at the screen like idiots, paralyzed. But then when we make a choice, if we make a choice, it feels unimportant. Another option is only a click away. If you're actually in a video store, the stakes are different. You're engaged. You're on a mission to find a movie — the right movie. You had to get out of bed, get dressed, and go to a store. You had to think about what you want, why this movie looks good and not that one, perhaps even seeking guidance or advice. Whether it's from nostalgia, advertising, packagi...

At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a  federal court has banned Robert Ray Law and his company, CPU Service Incorporated (CPU)  from sending unsolicited direct mail to advertise or promote goods or services, imposed a judgment of almost $400,000, and required them to immediately pay $45,000. In July 2014, the FTC charged Law and Your Yellow Book Inc. (YYB)  with using bogus invoices to trick small businesses, doctors’ offices, retirement homes, and religious schools into paying for unordered online business directory listings.  In December 2014, a final order banned them from the directory business  and prohibited them from misrepresenting that consumers owe money for a good or service. According to FTC, Law created CPU to run a virtually identical scam, faxing fake invoices to nearly 150,000 small businesses across the country seeking payment for online computer support and consulting. As a result, in August 2015, the FTC asked the court to hold...

New bill approved by Congress Monday could make it easier for small businesses hurt by Hurricane Sandy to apply for federal assistance. Authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), the bill allows many small firms in New York and throughout the country to seek emergency loans from the Small Business Association. Given the SBA’s slow response following Sandy in 2012, the assistance is long overdue, Velázquez said. “The fact is the SBA was caught flatfooted when Sandy came ashore and small businesses seeking relief suffered because of the agency's slow response," Velázquez said. "This new law will mean entrepreneurs in New York and up and down the East Coast will get another chance to apply and be made whole through the SBA's loan process." According to a study done by Velázquez’s office, Sandy businessowners waited on average 46 days for SBA applications to be processed — three times as long as it took SBA to process applications for prior storms. Velázquez’s ...

Solving problems is a central issue in business ownership. In fact, you might say that business itself is a series of problems waiting to be solved. But, when it comes to finding the ideal approach, or the perfect process for solving any of the dozens of problems faced by the modern business, things get complicated.There are three methods for problem solving that have proven track records in the world of commerce. These are big ideas that have inspired countless companies both large and small. Read more at: Bplans

The Muppets have a series of American Express ads in support of Small Business Saturday, November 28 . If you have to shop this coming weekend, support small businesses!