New York SBDC Research Network

From CBS News MoneyWatch : If you told people you were going to launch a small, independent snack food company, with essentially no marketing money, most would tell you to get your head checked. Going up against the likes of Nabisco and Keebler for supermarket shelf space is -- and this is a gross understatement -- a very low odds proposition. But that's exactly what two concerned dads did with their niche-market munchies, and their business is taking off, thanks to the unstoppable social power of an audience with a very personal, vested interest in their success. ...[The founders] ...both have children who are among the estimated 6 million people with Tree Nut and Peanut Allergies (TPA). TPA is one of the most prevalent and serious food allergies...and it affects many more than just the people who have it: There are millions more who care for, feed, coach, play with, teach and otherwise interact with them. ( My daughter has a peanut allergy as well. )

Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab From Computing for a Scattered Mind: From desktops, files, folders and garbage cans to flat surfaces, apps and cloud services, consumers are increasingly turning their backs on a computing paradigm for the focused mind. Instead of sitting at a work desk and completing tasks, there has been a shift in favor of a computing paradigm where things are handled on the spur of the moment and with one hand – subject to the flow of events as we stand in a shopping line, talk to someone at a café, or run between buses during the commute. In our study, 18 percent intend to purchase a tablet, compared to 15 percent who plan to buy a desktop PC. The PC at the work desk becomes the tablet on the living room table, used while watching TV – or on the kitchen table, picked up during a breakfast discussion with the family. Tablet interest is particularly high in Australia, China and Russia. Infographic

FROM the World Bank : Poland was the global top improver in the past year. It enhanced the ease of doing business through four institutional or regulatory reforms, making it easier to register property, pay taxes, enforce contracts, and resolve insolvency. Besides Poland, nine other economies are recognized as having the most improved ease of doing business across several areas of regulation as measured by the report: Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Burundi, Costa Rica, Mongolia, Greece, Serbia, and Kazakhstan. Worldwide, 108 economies implemented 201 regulatory reforms in 2011/12 making it easier to do business as measured by Doing Business. Reform efforts globally have focused on making it easier to start a new business, increasing the efficiency of tax administration and facilitating trade across international borders. Of the 201 regulatory reforms recorded in the past year, 44% focused on these 3 policy areas alone. Singapore topped the global ranking on th

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

From CBS News MoneyWatch : Want the secret to never being stressed out, always knowing where your car keys are, meeting every deadline at work and never receiving a message from your child's teacher saying, "Are you aware that it's been three weeks since your precious snowflake turned in her French homework?" Me too. Unfortunately, much like losing weight, there is no magic pill you can take that allows you to achieve a zen state at work and home. When I start to get overwhelmed, I ask myself the following question: Is this important? So much of what we do isn't important, or it seems important in the moment but doesn't have true impact. Because it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the important from the unimportant, here are some clarifying questions...

From SBA : The 2012-2013 flu season arrived earlier than usual. As the nation braces for increased flu activity, now is the time to prepare yourself, your business, and your employees. Not only is prevention important for physical health, it may impact your bottom line if your staff are out sick. Here are some tips to help you avoid illness and maintain business continuity.Flu 1. Identify a Workplace Coordinator [Note: many of the suggestions would also be useful in case of a disaster.]

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor In 2011, women working full time in management, business, and financial operations jobs had the highest median weekly earnings of any major occupational category ($977). Within this occupation group, women who were chief executives and computer and information systems managers had median weekly earnings of $1,464 and $1,543, respectively.