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How to Create a Profitable Social Enterprise

What is it about a job that fans the flame inside you? The obvious answer is money—a healthy bank deposit at the end of the month is a primary motive for working. For others it’s about achieving something meaningful; helping society and feeling rewarded in passion, not pounds or dollars or whatever currency you get paid in. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? Social enterprises are an innovative way for entrepreneurs to build their own business and make a change in society, too. Getting a social business off the ground has never been easier. Before you get started, of course, you’re going to need the passion. Are you hungry for social change? Do you have the business head needed to run a company? Read more from BPlans.com .

5 Ways You’re Accidentally Wrecking Your Credit

It’s one thing to knowingly make decisions that hurt your credit score. We’ve all been there, and sometimes tough decisions must be made. But it’s an entirely different situation to accidentally wreck your credit. In some cases, we make decisions without realizing the impact on our credit. In other cases we may know that certain decisions can hurt our score, but we don’t appreciate the severity of the impact. Either way, maintaining good credit requires more than casual attention. MORE from Credit.com .

What is the grain-to-glass trend?

The crops growing on 1,000-acre Myer Farm in upstate New York have been used in products ranging from animal feed to tofu. On a whim, fifth-generation farmers and brothers Joe and John Myer decided to try their hand at distilling their wheat, rye, corn and barley into spirits. “Farming is in our blood,” Joe Myer says. “We put as much love and detail into distilling spirits as we do into growing crops.” In 2012, Myer Farm Distillers released its first bottles of vodka, whiskey and gin handcrafted from grains grown on the farm. The entire process from growing the grains to milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling and bottling is done onsite. The farm has devoted 100 acres to growing grains for its distillery and sells spirits from its tasting room and select retailers and restaurants in New York. Myer Farm Distillers also offers tastings and tours of the farm and distillery. “You can look through the tasting room window and see where the grains are grown,” Myer says. “It open

15 Tips to Become a More Successful Leader

From BPlans.com : Do you have what it takes to become a successful leader? The best way to become one is to disregard it as your goal and focus on your learning journey. One of the most valuable skills I have learned is that if you want to be a leader, you need to be both focused and curious. These 15 tips come from experience, reading, and attending master classes.

Exporting Resources

Learn about  ConnectAmericas , the  first online community of companies in Latin America and the Caribbean dedicated to international trade and investment. Then  visit the ConnectAmericas website  to connect with over 15,000 business opportunities. Check out this map of  what exporting means to business in your home state .

The Psychology Behind Productive Office Spaces

From BPlans.com : A recent analysis from the World Green Building Council concluded that there is “overwhelming evidence” linking office design with productivity and wellness. But that’s nothing new, right? There has long been evidence to suggest that this is the case. We all know that our productivity levels drop when we feel uncomfortable—whether it’s the temperature, the atmosphere, or the noise levels, we need to be relaxed and comfortable to work at our best. With this in mind, it’s important that your office design is set up to be the best possible working environment it can be—to make your employees comfortable, relaxed, and productive...

E-Signatures and Sales: How IT Can Enable the Business to Close Deals Faster

Today, much of the sales process involves waiting far too long for signatures. Sometimes a deal can sit in limbo for weeks while all parties review, sign, and courier documents back and forth. This downtime causes serious risk of losing the deal, not to mention dramatically increases the risk of fraud—so what can be done to prevent that? The white paper explores how cloud-based e-signature technology can drastically reduce the time it takes to complete the deal making process and at the same time improve customer satisfaction, document security, and more. DOWNLOAD from CRM .

GSA Auctions: ideal for starting small businesses, or expanding larger businesses

Did you know that the General Services Administration (GSA)  auctions off surplus government property , from office furniture to automobiles and industrial machinery? They even auction off real estate. It’s ideal for small businesses to get started, or for larger businesses to expand – at far less cost.

10 Steps to Starting a Business

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Many new or potential business owners only have a partial idea of what’s required to succeed when they start out, failing to take into account the full range of necessary planning, financial and legal activities. These  10 easy steps to starting a business  can help you plan, prepare and manage your new enterprise.

2014 Fortune 500 list

Here is the list of Fortune 500 companies and their websites .

5 Reasons to Start a Home-Based Internet Business

From https://www.sba.gov/blogs/5-reasons-start-home-based-internet-business SBA By Marco Carbajo: According to Forbes, more than 52% of all small businesses in the U.S. are home based. If you're like most people who dream about starting their own business, now may be the best time to take the first step. Starting a home based business on the internet has never been easier and the opportunities have never been greater. Kevin Systrom, co-founder of Instagram, says, “If you’ve got an idea, start today. There’s no better time than now to get going.” The internet is a store that never closes. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and gives a business with an online presence a global audience. It has truly leveled the playing field in the world of business; now home-based entrepreneurs have access to the same types of tools and marketing opportunities used by major corporations. Today, you don’t have to have a traditional brick and mortar business to have a profitable bus

How to Choose the Right Business Name

Fans of the 70s TV-show Kung Fu will know that choosing wisely is everything. The same goes for choosing the right business name. Not only should you pick a name that reflects your brand identity, but you also need to ensure it is properly registered and protected for the long term. And be sure to give some thought to whether it's web-ready. Is the domain name even available? Here are some tips to help you pick, register, and protect your business name .

Taxes: Transitional Filing Provisions Affected By Legislation; Reduction of Rates for Qualified New York Manufacturers

TSB-M-15(2)C, Transitional Filing Provisions for Taxpayers Affected By Corporate Tax Reform Legislation This memorandum explains transitional filing provisions for the 2014 and 2015 tax years for Article 32 and Article 9-A taxpayers affected by the corporate tax reform legislation that was signed into law as part of the 2014-2015 New York State budget. To view the entire document click on the link below: http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/memos/corporation/m15_2c.pdf TSB-M-15(3)C, (3)I, Real Property Tax Credit and Reduction of Tax Rates for Qualified New York Manufacturers This memorandum summarizes the corporate income tax benefits for qualified New York manufacturers contained in legislation that was signed into law as part of the 2014-2015 New York State budget (Part R) which created the manufacturer’s real property tax credit and reduced the corporate tax rates for qualified New York manufacturers. To view the entire document click on the link below: http://www.tax.ny.gov/p

5 Surprising Tax Risks Faced by Growing Businesses

Successful business growth is dependent on two main factors. Organizations must scale to meet market demands and differentiate their products to remain competitive. But while these activities are beneficial to growing your revenue, you may be surprised to learn that they could also put you at jeopardy for violating tax compliance rules and regulations. How can businesses learn to support smart growth while avoiding audits and fines? Explore this exclusive white paper to uncover the 5 ways your success could be your downfall when it comes to transactional tax compliance, including: • Moving into new states and jurisdictions • Using contract workers • And 3 more DOWNLOAD at AVALARA .

Free Payroll Tax Calculator

The PayCheckManager site : Paycheck Manager provides a FREE Payroll Calculator with a no hassle policy. Any user can simply access PaycheckManager.com and start using the calculator. No registration required. No private information is saved. It’s a full-featured paycheck calculator that allows for hourly or salaried, bonus, 401k and other earnings and deductions. Users can also download and print paychecks, all for FREE! As our friend Walter said, "Still waiting to see what the catch is but haven't found it yet." Paycheck Manager also provides a complete self-service payroll management tool for any user who wants to prepare, view and print paychecks, payment vouchers and payroll reports. All information will be saved in our secure environment for easy payroll management. This portion is FREE to try for up to 3 months upon registration.