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Business Owners Share Their 2015 New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again—you’ve no doubt been spending time on vacation and with your loved ones, and now it’s a new year and you’re getting back into the swing of things. Of course, being an entrepreneur, you’re also doing some reflection. How did 2014 go for you? The start of the year is a good time to take stock of what worked well for your business and what mistakes may have been made. It’s also the ideal time to look to the year ahead and decide on some resolutions and goals for what you’d like to accomplish. To give you an idea of what other business owners are planning to do in 2015, we asked entrepreneurs to send us their resolutions. Here’s a compilation of business resolutions for 2015. Read more at BPlans

Cracking Down on Pay Schemes that Cheat Workers out of Millions in Overtime Pay

As more and more companies begin outsourcing key business functions and enlisting the help of staffing agencies to provide workers, a fissure forms in the workplace, disrupting traditional employment relationships. Without a direct employee-employer relationship, these companies oftentimes mistakenly relinquish employer responsibilities which can have an adverse impact on workers who might experience a loss of benefits, inadequate health and safety protections, and sometimes lower pay. The Wage and Hour Division promotes compliance with a number of laws which impact almost every industry in the United States. One way to reach the 7.3 million establishments and 135 million employees covered by WHD laws in the U.S. is through planned initiatives. More from the US Department of Labor .

Big Data Benefits US Businesses

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Big Data Benefits U.S. Businesses The   U.S. Cluster Mapping Project  is a  landmark joint partnership  between the Harvard Business School and the US government, created to give businesses access to new tools to compete in an increasingly competitive global economy.  How does it work?  In short, the project uses over 50 million open data records to identify “clusters” of related industries that can be hubs of innovation, jobs and private investment. How does it benefit businesses and communities? The cluster mapping tool helps "promote America's clusters and provide businesses and organizations with the data and strategies they need to capitalize on their region's assets," says U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Read more  on why regional economies are the “building blocks of U.S. competitiveness” or check out  a list of current industry clusters and their corresponding dashboards.

Real World Veteran-Owned Business Advice

Veteran entrepreneur and journalist Paige Thomas King breaks down the truth about owning a small business in this fascinating   article . She makes it clear that while the   government isn’t standing around waiting to hand out free money, there are several places you can go to get   financial assistance. Local events are great ways for veteran entrepreneurs to network and find out more about starting a business.  Discover  entrepreneur and business events near you .  And of course, don’t forget to check out the Department of Veteran Affairs'  newly revamped Veteran Entrepreneur Portal  and the Small Business Administration’s  Veteran’s Small Business Resource Guide  (a PDF).

Five Rookie Website Mistakes You Can Fix Today

The planning. The design. The writing. The programming and testing. Building a website can take hundreds of hours of work over months of time. And then, finally, it's live. The result of all that effort depends on a lot of little things. And some of those little things can often hurt the result—big time. Some common mistakes have big consequences, but they're also fixable. And some of those fixes are easy. This article is about a list of five mistakes that can cause big problems but have easy fixes. Note: The screenshots in this article are from sites that make big mistakes, but to protect their identities we've obscured their logos. Mistake 1: Homepage Headline Hints Read more from Marketing Profs

10 Hot Consumer Trends 2015

Rapidly evolving urban consumer attitudes are transforming our world. With only 5 years to go until 2020, the future seems closer than ever. Trends include using wearables for non-verbal communication, robots keeping us company, and the convenience of using things without the hassle of owning them. The insights in the report come from Ericsson ConsumerLab’s global research program, with a special focus this year on smartphone owners aged 15 to 69 in Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, New York, Moscow, San Francisco, Sâo Paulo, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo – statistically representing the views of 85 million frequent internet users. Report Infographic Presentation

NYS Tax Department issues guidance on START-UP NY Program Tax Benefits

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The START-UP NY program* provides tax benefits to approved businesses that locate in vacant space or land of approved New York State public and private colleges and universities, approved strategic state assets, and New York State incubators affiliated with private universities or colleges that are designated as tax-free NY areas. This program will promote entrepreneurialism and job creation by creating tax-free communities across the state. START-UP NY is administered by New York State's  Empire State Development (ESD) . START-UP NY business tax benefits: Metropolitan commuter transportation mobility tax (MCTMT) - exemptions  employers self-employed individuals (including partners) Organization tax and license and maintenance fees - exemption   Real estate transfer tax – exemption for leases Sales tax  – credit or refund Tax Elimination Credit – corporation and income tax   Telecommunication Services Excise Tax Credit   START-UP NY personal income tax benefit:

Have you written your business plan yet?

Too many people try to  start a small business  without first developing a clear roadmap for the trip ahead, making success that much harder.  Don’t be one of them! Take advantage of December as National Write a Business Plan Month and nail the  six steps to writing a solid business plan. Looking for more help? Check out this  step-by-step tool   for writing a business plan.

Online Tax Comparisons

As of January 1, 2015  The links below lists the standard state level sales and use tax rates. Many states allow non-standard rates on many items including meals, lodging, telecommunications and specific items and services. These rates are not represented in the chart. The range of local taxes is also included as a quick reference. This can be used to determine the combined state and local tax rate maximums and minimums.  Sales and use tax rates change on a monthly basis. The chart is for informational purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your tax  adviser . Rate information is gathered from various State Department of Revenue materials and various rate providers including Thomson,  Sabrix  and Vertex, Inc. click here If you are seeking information on individual income tax, corporate income tax, sales tax, and/ or property tax collections this link will bring you to a site that will assist you. click here This link will provide you with state

Affordable Care Act 101 Webinars

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SBA and Small Business Majority will host a free Affordable Care Act 101   webinar so small business owners can learn the basics of the Affordable Care Act and how they can enroll in health insurance marketplaces. January 8 at 3:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 15 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 22 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register January 29 at 2:00 PM ET :  Click to Register

Charting a Pathway to a Technology-Accessible Workplace

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From the US Department of Labor blog : Someone recently asked me to name the one thing I couldn’t live without at work. My answer?  Technology.  I couldn’t do my job – or live my life – as effectively as I do now without information and communication technology (ICT). Considering that I’m blind, this answer is sometimes met with surprise. Some people don’t realize that individuals with disabilities also rely on technology – as long as it’s accessible – to perform daily tasks. I certainly do. I use a screen reader to relay the information on my computer screen, a Braille note-taking device and a smartphone with built-in accessibility features. To say that I’d be lost without these innovations is an understatement. Technology is paramount for  all  of us – whether we have disability or not – and this is particularly true in the workplace. 

Which of these 3 types of small business owner are you?

For millions of small business owners worldwide, it's decision time. Pretty much every business owner will want to do better in 2015, however, their decisions regarding how to improve things will differ massively. They will fit into one of the following 3 broad groups. Do any of these seem familiar to you? 1. Fear focused business owners More from SmallBusinessNewz

5 Ways to Build Trust in a Business

The most valuable business commodity is trust. Richard Branson, author and founder of Virgin Group says, “Building trust in your brand isn't easy to achieve and it may take time, but it doesn't have to come at a high cost. With honesty, ambition, hard work and attention to detail you can instill a level of trust that will enable you to move forward.” The fact is that integrity impacts all aspects of business and is among, if not the most important character trait for a company to have. It is the barometer by which your customers, lenders, potential business partners and employees evaluate you and your business. Trust in a business speaks volumes on how a company services and communicates with its customers. A trustworthy business can be defined many different ways depending upon the person, business, or organization reviewing it. More from Small Business Administration .

Fatal occupational injuries by day of week and month, 1992–2011

During the 20-year period from 1992 to 2011, the majority (83 percent) of all fatal occupational injuries occurred during the traditional workweek, Monday through Friday. A total of 80,645 workers were fatally injured during the day (7 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.) from 1992 to 2011. Another 26,631 were fatally injured during the night and evening hours (7 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.). For 7,815 cases, time of incident was unknown. From 1992 to 2011, July had the highest number of fatal occupational injuries (11,168), and the fewest number of injuries occurred in February (8,008). Just over a quarter of workers (28 percent, or 32,795) were fatally injured during the summer months of June, July, and August. In comparison, the winter months of December, January, and February totaled 25,380 fatal injuries (22 percent). Bureau of Labor Statistics

Trashing electronics becomes illegal in New York

If Santa brings you a shiny new laptop, game console or flat-screen TV, don't toss the old one in the trash. Starting Jan. 1, the final phase of New York's 2010 electronics recycling law takes effect, making it illegal for consumers to throw so-called "e-waste" in the garbage. Violators can be fined $100. Read More at WRBG-TV Recycling Your Electronic Waste Disposal Ban: Beginning January 1, 2015,  consumers  may no longer dispose of  certain types of electronic equipment  in landfills, waste-to-energy facilities, in the trash, or at curbside for trash pickup. Use the recycling options described below. Two  Ways  to Recycle Your Electronic Waste Option 1: Use a Manufacturer's Takeback Program Go to DEC's   list of electronic equipment manufacturers registered in NYS , to find manufacturers, their brands electronic equipment covered by the law, and their electronic waste acceptance program websites and toll-free telephone numbers. Follow the specific inst