New York SBDC Research Network

So far the SBA has approved more than $150 million in disaster loans to about 2,500 homeowners, renters and businesses recovering from Hurricane Sandy. If you have a disaster loan application, you should complete and send it back to SBA as soon as possible. The filing deadline for physical property damage disaster loan applications is Dec. 31 for New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. The filing deadline is Jan. 15th for residents and businesses in Rhode Island. Read more .

You've gotten your customer on your site, and even to the checkout page, but (as you well know) your efforts don't end at the "Add To Basket" button. If you want to encourage your website visitors to complete their purchases, you need to double-check your checkout process. Any e-commerce site owner knows the frustration resulting from the abandonment of a full shopping basket; all online shops suffer from a certain amount of checkout abandonment. But the most likely causes of a high rate of abandonment are few, and they're relatively simple to rectify. Read more at MarketingProfs.com .

If you're starting a new business, or purchasing an existing one, there's a publication you might want to add to your reading list - the http://www.tax.ny.gov/press/rel/2012/pub20112812.htm Tax Guide for New Businesses (Publication 20) from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Connect with the Department on Twitter and YouTube .

From SBA : The end of the year is fast approaching, but there’s still time to take advantage of a variety of business tax credits and deductions – some of which are new for 2012. Here are just a few to consider, plus some best practices for maximizing your claims. Take Advantage of 2012 “Section 179” Deduction Limits . Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Section 179 of the tax code provides tax benefits for equipment purchases made before the end of the year.

From the Census Bureau blog : The economic census is the U.S. Government’s official five-year measure of American business and the economy. Collected for years ending in “2” and “7,” economic census results serve as the foundation for the gross domestic product (GDP) and other indicators of economic performance. This cornerstone of U.S. business activity provides an essential benchmark for our nation’s economic indicators. Many people rely on economic census data. Chambers of Commerce rely on statistics from the economic census to promote economic development in their industries and local areas. Business associations use economic census statistics for strategic planning. Businesses also use the information to research and identify new markets for their products or services. Government offices, at every level, also rely on economic statistics for making important decisions affecting cities, counties and states.

From MicheleShaeffer.com : There have been nights where I've felt torn. It's not easy to juggle a business and a family. But then I remember the alternative. I could be working a job I probably wouldn't like for 8+ hours a day, with limited hourly income potential, and away from my children completely — probably struggling to break even by the time I figure in childcare and other expenses. Instead I'm home. I'm able to be here for them, work with clients I adore and admire, and create a profitable business. It's worth it. And If I can do this, I know anyone can. We all have challenges. Yours are different than mine. But we can get through them. Just know that it's possible–hold on to that and don't give up.

From the Business Review : John Skrobela, a business adviser with the Small Business Development Center at the University at Albany, is the New York winner of the Association of Small Business Development Centers’ State Star Award.

Electronically verifies the employment eligibility of *Newly hired employees *Existing employees assigned to work on a qualifying federal contract Free web-based service Fast and easy to use Partnership between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) E-Verify is not… …a system that provides immigration status …used for prescreening …a safe harbor from worksite enforcement Who Uses E-Verify? More than 401,00 employers are enrolled to use E-Verify at more than 1.2 million hiring sites More than 2,000 new enrollments per week More than 20 million cases created to date in FY 2012 More than 17 million cases created in FY 2011 Employers in every industry, state and U.S. territory 98.3% Work Authorized instantly or within 24 hours How to enroll: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify under Start Here, click Enroll in E-Verify Required Posters – Must Be Visible to Prospective Employees What is a Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC)? A TN

StartUP! 2013 Business Plan Competition Orientation Thursday, November 29, 2012, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Program Locations: Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL), Conference Room 018 ( Map and directions ) The New York Public Library in conjunction with its sponsor, Citi Foundation, is proud to announce the 4th Annual New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition for New York-based startup entrepreneurs with cash prizes totaling over $30,000. The Orientation will start you off by giving you the basics of the competition.  Attending one orientation session is the first requirement of the competition.  

n his book, The Back Of The Napkin, author Dan Roam asserts that that everyone is born with a talent for visual thinking, but that we — especially in the business world — are never encouraged to develop it. In this video, Roam shows us how anyone with a pen and a scrap of paper can exercise their imagination and work through any business problem by creating pictures.

The November 28, 2012 episode of BlogTalkRadio with Brian Cohen covers the various loans and resources that are being made available, and discusses exactly what you need to do if you have incurred a loss due to Hurricane Sandy. Listen to Edward Gregory Dawson, Public Affairs Specialist Field Operations Center- East for the Small Business Administration and Gloria Glowacki, Associate Regional Director, Stony Brook SBDC, who brings "an expansive background of over thirty years in new business development, small business advocacy, and sales and marketing initiatives to her responsibilities over the past 17 years at the SBDC." I learned a lot! For instance, there is a December 31, 2012 deadline for some loans, but a July 31, 2013 deadline for economic injury loans, because it takes a while ascertain economic injury. The FEMA loans don't require a specific credit score, and can be done online, though SBDC assistance is available, and suggested to ease the process. Ho

From the Ivey Business Journal : It has long been assumed that companies stand to increase profits by cutting wages and benefits for employees at the bottom of the corporate ladder. While companies use diverse incentives such as high wages, performance rewards, and stock options to recruit, retain and motivate highly skilled professionals, they assume that employees at the bottom of the corporate ladder can be replaced easily — and don’t need incentives. We conducted a six-year study of companies around the world that had tried investing in their employees at the bottom of the ladder. We sought to answer: 1) How successful were these companies in improving conditions at the bottom of the ladder and 2) What impact did the improvements have on the firms’ productivity, financial costs, and economic returns.

The New York Times is promoting this colorful tool based on data from the Census Bureau that gives you a visual representation of neighborhoods and their ethnic makeup. I found it very interesting to look up neighborhoods I've lived in to see how they compare numerically to how I perceived them - it's pretty accurate. But our advisors often look for this type of information on behalf of business owners looking to choose a location for their business or areas to direct marketing. That it is so specific, down to census tract areas which are quite small. Mapping America: Every City, Every Block There are also canned maps other than the racial/ethnic distribution map - foreign-born or the individual broad category of race. The topic areas are race and ethnicity, income, housing and families and education.

From CBS News MoneyWatch : The unfolding scandal involving Gen. David Petraeus is not confined to the upper echelons of the U.S. military -- it also has been a recurrent drama in the corporate world, felling top dogs at dozens of companies from Hewlett Packard (HPQ) to Lockheed (LMT). Yet while the sexual proclivities of top executives pose a risk to corporate value, rather than to national security, such scandals have common themes -- and similar lessons, experts say. Aside from ordering chastity belts for corporate chief executives and generals, what can be done to reduce the chance that an indiscretion will damage an organization?

In 1986, in an effort to control illegal immigration, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). IRCA forbids employers from knowingly hiring individuals who do not have work authorization in the United States. The employment eligibility verification provisions of IRCA are found in Section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Individuals who may legally work in the United States are: Citizens of the United States Noncitizen nationals of the United States Lawful Permanent Residents Aliens authorized to work To comply with the employment eligibility verification provisions of the INA an employer must: Verify the identity and employment authorization documents of employees hired after November 6, 1986 Complete and retain a Form I-9 for each employee hired after November 6, 1986 Refrain from discriminating against individuals on the basis of actual or perceived national origin, citizenship or immigration status The anti-discrimination provi