New York SBDC Research Network

Women build and leverage the ecosystem While venture capital’s track record with women makes you want scream with frustration, the new angel numbers will make you want to jump for joy. For nearly all metrics, the numbers hit record heights in 2014, according to the Center for Venture Research, which researches angel investments. In 2014: 26% of all angels were women, increasing by an impressive 43% from the previous year. 36% of all companies seeking funding were women, increasing by a whopping 83% from the previous year. 28% of all companies receiving funding were women-run, a substantial 44% increase. 15% of all women-run companies succeeded in raising capital vs 22% for their male counterparts. “Typically, when there is a surge in the number of entrepreneurs seeking angel funding, the overall yield [success rate] goes down,” said Jeffrey E. Sohl, director of Center for Venture Research. The 15% success rate is within the historic norms for entrepreneurs raising capital from a

As part of its commitment to help people protect what matters most in their online-enabled world, Kaspersky Lab wanted to better understand how digital devices and the internet affect the way consumers recall and use information today – and what, if anything, they are doing to protect it. We commissioned research firm Opinion Matters to survey 6,000 consumers, aged between 16 and 55+, split equally between male and female, with 1,000 from each of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Benelux. The results suggest a direct link between data available at the click of a button and a failure to commit that data to memory. Kaspersky Lab has termed this phenomenon Digital Amnesia: the experience of forgetting information that you trust a digital device to store and remember for you. More from The Rise and Impact of Digital Amnesia .

When it comes to decision making, colleagues and peers can help provide objective opinions as well as present new ideas you hadn't considered. Programs like CEO Xchange support entrepreneurs by providing them with a confidential setting to discuss vital business issues, opportunities and trends with other colleagues. CEO XChange presents top executives with the opportunity to broaden their business perspective and gain new knowledge by engaging in collaborative thinking and problem-solving - giving them the ability to more effectively lead their companies. And research has shown that personal and peer coaching, like that found in CEO XChange, can contribute significantly to entrepreneurial skill development and decision making. Learn More: ucf Read more at: Businessusa

Your company is running smoothly enough, but you know things could be better. Sometimes, a project gets hung up a few days too long, or meetings that once felt productive and useful now seem to drag on for hours. It can feel like wheels spinning in the mud, and it’s hard to get that traction back. How can you fix these kinds of issues? By focusing on improving the efficiency of your business. I asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council for their tips on how they keep their businesses running efficiently, which in turn helps them be more productive. Read more at Bplans

Justin Barker, a producer at Creative Live, recently completed an instructional product video for a startup company in San Francisco. When this company refused to pay him and the contractors that he had hired, it was taken as highly offensive. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for creatives to get stuck with unpaid invoices and lame excuses from some clients; Justin is not alone. This is happening to creative entrepreneurs more frequently than other entrepreneurs. Read more at Bplans

Upcoming Matchmaker Events Rochester NY - 2015 Business Expo & Matchmaker October 28, 2015, 8 am - 3:30 pm Holiday Inn Downtown, 70 State Street, Rochester NY Small business registration $65 (includes lunch) For more information, visit  http://www.monroecountyfingerlakesptac.org/node/26 Long Island NY - 3rd Annual Small Business & Government Matchmaker November 6, 2015, 8 am - 3 pm Con Edison Learning Center, 43-82 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY Small business registration $54  For more information, visit  http://www.gbmatchmaker.org/ St Lawrence County Matchmaker October 26, 2015, 8 am - 12 pm Miller Campus Center, SUNY Canton Small business registration $10 For more information, visit  http://www.nyssbdc.org/training/training.aspx?tid=63161 Upcoming Training Series  Albany 2015 MWBE Contractor Training Series Wednesday Mornings, October 21, 28, November 4, 18, 25, December 2 Capital South Campus Center 20 Warren Street Albany,

This isn't a story about nudity; it's a story about disruption and innovation. Times, tastes and technology have changed everything. Even at 89, Hugh Hefner understands a simple fact: In today's rapidly evolving world you innovate or you become irrelevant. It's the biggest challenge facing businesses around the world... It may seem ironic to think that the very nudity that Playboy pioneered has been "overtaken" by the Internet where you are "one click away from every sex act imaginable for free." However, that's always how it happens. The thing that made you famous won't keep you relevant in a progressive world. Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, but it was so focused on its film and printing domination, it missed every opportunity in digital. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Blockbuster created a desire to rent and stay in to enjoy movies from the comfort of our homes, and passed on the opportunity to buy Netflix, not