New York SBDC Research Network

From eMarketing : Over the past few years, the use of mobile devices for financial activities has expanded from simply checking an account balance to include other types of transactions, such as proximity payments and peer-to-peer (P2P) fund transfers. Millennials have pioneered the adoption of both mobile banking and payments, but adoption is also rising among older adults, according to eMarketer’s latest report, “US Mobile Banking and Payments: eMarketer’s Estimates for 2016-2021.” eMarketer estimates the value of US proximity mobile payment transactions will total $49.29 billion in 2017, up 78.1% from last year. Though the growth rate will remain in double digits through the forecast period, it will slow down to 23.9% in 2021. That year, US consumers will use their mobile phones to pay for $189.97 billion worth of goods and services at a physical point of sale (POS). The average annual spend per proximity mobile payment user in the US will reach $1,026 in 2017, surpassing $

From MarketingProfs : You did it. You built a solid hub of corporate content. You turned to the abundance of advice available out there—on how map out the content strategy, create newsroom-worthy content, build a following, and engage with users—and you did it. But now what? You've got a well-planned behemoth of a content machine, but is it sustainable? Will it thrive? Will it survive a year, two years, five years later? Or a few months, even? Unless all the sweat equity you put into building it continues at the same intensity and pace after it's built, likely not. Fact is, your blog is destined for a sad end if it's not carefully nurtured and fed engaging content that changes with its readership. It takes more time, attention, and resources than it took to build it. It demands a long-term strategy and an invested team. And without those things, you'll destroy the very thing you worked so long and hard to create. Here's what happens when a good blog goes

From PR Newswire : Over 90% of large US companies with 500+ employees have a cybersecurity policy in place to protect them from both real and anticipated threats, according to a new survey from Clutch, a leading B2B ratings and reviews firm. Clutch surveyed over 300 corporate IT decision-makers about what to include in a cybersecurity policy and found that security software, data backup and storage, and scam detection are the most common areas cybersecurity policies cover. Phishing attacks are the cybersecurity attack large companies most commonly experience: 57% of IT decision-makers said their company experienced a phishing attack in the past year. Over 80% of IT decision-makers surveyed say they proactively communicate their company's cybersecurity policy, policy compliance, and training to employees. However, only two-thirds (66%) of these decision-makers enforce their company's cybersecurity policy.

From Entrepreneur : When brand messages are shared by employees on social media, they get 561 percent more reach than the same messages shared by the brand’s social media channels. Brand messages are re-shared 24 times more frequently when posted by an employee versus the brand’s social media channels. On average, employees have 10 times more followers than their company's social media accounts. Content shared by employees receives 8 times more engagement than content shared by brand channels. The bottom line is that we trust people more than we trust brands, and we engage with people more than we engage with brands. If you don’t get your employees involved on social, you’re absolutely losing out to companies that do.

From Bizjournals.com : You’ve probably heard about the fast rise of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies this year. We’ve seen a rise in bitcoin from $954.71 on December 28, 2016 to a new high of $4,455.97 on August 15 of this year, according to coin market cap. Some have been calling it a bubble. While that is possible, today we’re seeing major countries and corporations around the world devoting resources to blockchain and cryptocurrencies. You don’t want to take the attitude of those who dismissed major trends like the internet or social media. So how do you get started with bitcoin and cryptocurrencies? A great place with a simple, easy-to-understand starting approach is bitcoin.com. That website shows you step-by-step what to do... A digital wallet is an app. This app holds your digital coins. Usually these wallets are free, and there are many available.

From the Small Business Administration : By Linda McMahon, SBA Administrator When I was a Girl Scout, selling cookies meant dragging a wagon full of boxes door to door in my North Carolina neighborhood. I didn’t have online tools or a marketing plan or even a real strategy. But Julia Vieira Reis, a 12-year-old Girl Scout from Manchester, Connecticut, certainly did. She sold more than two thousand boxes. Her entrepreneurial success earned her recognition as one of the nation’s top cookie sellers of 2017. I got to meet Julia when she interviewed me about how my Girl Scout experience prepared me for my career in business. She wondered what she and other Girl Scouts could learn from my advice. Turns out, she also had a lot of her own wisdom to share with me – and other entrepreneurs – about what it takes to succeed!

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Notice 17-12 The State’s new Paid Family Leave program has tax implications for New York employees, employers, and insurance carriers, including self-insured employers, employer plans, approved third-party insurers, and the State Insurance Fund. The Department of Taxation and Finance has reviewed the New York statute, implementing regulations, and applicable laws, case law and federal guidance and has consulted with the Internal Revenue Service regarding the appropriate tax treatment of family leave contributions and benefits under the New York program. Based upon this review and consultation, the following guidance: • Benefits paid to employees will be taxable non-wage income that must be included in federal gross income • Taxes will not automatically be withheld from benefits; employees can request voluntary tax withholding • Premiums will be deducted from employees’ after-tax wages • Employers should report employee con

From USA.gov If you're working in unsafe conditions, don't just put up with the danger to yourself and others— file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A new online tool is available to help you file a whistleblower complaint and put a stop to working in dangerous conditions. OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than twenty whistleblower statutes protecting employees who report violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, and securities laws. Rights afforded by these whistleblower protection laws include, but are not limited to, worker participation in safety and health activities, reporting a work-related injury, illness or fatality, or reporting a violation of the

By  Linda McMahon , SBA Administrator Published:  September 1, 2017 Over the past week, as the people of the Gulf Coast deal with the unprecedented effects of Hurricane Harvey, we have seen heartbreaking moments of tragedy, of lives lost, homes destroyed and neighborhoods left in ruin, as well as remarkable acts of heroism and compassion as the first responders and people of Texas and Louisiana help each other survive. I have visited Texas twice in the past week and want to extend to the Gulf community my thoughts and prayers, as well as my commitment to help them get their lives back in order through the resources available through the U.S. Small Business Administration. While FEMA addresses immediate needs like food, water and shelter in the aftermath of a declared disaster, the SBA is your partner for long-term recovery. Experts say Hurricane Harvey will pose one of the longest and costliest post-disaster rebuilding efforts in U.S. history. If you’re a homeowner, renter or

From the Wall Street Journal : The man who wrote the book on password management has a confession to make: He blew it. Back in 2003, as a midlevel manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Bill Burr was the author of NIST Special Publication 800-63. Appendix A . The 8-page primer advised people to protect their accounts by inventing awkward new words rife with obscure characters, capital letters, and numbers—and to change them regularly.

From the Census Bureau: Observed on the first  Friday  in October. Key Stats: Source: Annual Survey of Manufactures. This infographic contains statistics indicating that manufacturing establishments show gains in receipts, but lower employment  over time.    Infographic: Manufacturing in America: 2015 Source: 2014 Annual Survey of Manufactures.  More Stats: Source:  Census  Library.    Visualization:  Measuring America: Manufacturing in America: 2016 Source: Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, & Orders . The Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, & Orders (M3) survey provides broad-based, monthly statistical data on economic conditions in the domestic manufacturing sector. The survey measures current industrial activity and provides an indication of future business trends.    Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, & Orders  home page    Monthly Full Report on Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders  June

From the Department of Homeland Security : USCIS administers the EB-5 Program. Under this program, entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they: Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and Plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers. This program is known as EB-5 for the name of the employment-based fifth preference visa that participants receive. Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. This sets aside EB-5 visas for participants who invest in commercial enterprises associated with regional centers approved by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth.

From MarketingProfs : Consumers say they are most likely to trust online influencers who come across as credible and who appear to have actually used the products/services incorporated into their posts, according to research from IZEA. The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2016 of 1,000 consumers age 18-70 in the United States who use social media. Some 67% of respondents say the credibility/believability of an influencer is highly important in making sponsored posts effective; and 64% say it is very important that the influencer seems to have actually tried the product/services incorporated into posts. Less than half of consumers say an influencer's popularity/follower count makes sponsored posts more effective.

From Zendesk : Two-dimensional customer service is a thing of that past. Customers are pushing brands harder than ever to earn their loyalty. They want the personal attention that comes from dealing with a human, but the speed and accuracy associated with automated systems. This newly released report details the findings of a consumer survey, with 89% of respondents agreeing that brands need to offer a consistent customer service experience across all channels to retain their loyalty. See the numbers for yourself and as we examine the emerging trends of 2017. Zendesk recently commissioned research firm, Loudhouse, to explore this important and perplexing challenge. The research conducted illuminates four key trends of which important conclusions can be drawn: This report explores these key areas further, providing deep insight for businesses keen to stay ahead of their competition through improvements in their customer service strategies.

From The Independent : Millennials' preferences are killing dozens of industries. There are many complex reasons millennials' preferences differ from prior generations', including less financial stability and memories of growing up during the recession. “I think we have got a very significant psychological scar from this great recession,” Morgan Stanley analyst Kimberly Greenberger told Business Insider... “Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants,” Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith wrote in a letter to shareholders earlier this year... Beer penetration fell 1% from 2016 to 2017 in the US market, while both wine and spirits were unmoved, according to Nielsen ratings.