New York SBDC Research Network

From Facebook Newsroom : Facebook Community Boost is a new program to help US small businesses grow and to equip more people with the digital skills they need to compete in the new economy.  Facebook Community Boost will visit 30 US cities in 2018, including Houston, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Des Moines and Greenville, SC. Facebook will work with local organizations to provide digital skills and training for people in need of work, to advise entrepreneurs how to get started and to help existing local businesses and nonprofits get the most out of the internet.  According to new research by Morning Consult in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce Technology Engagement Center and Facebook, small businesses’ use of digital translates into new jobs and opportunities for communities across the country. Small businesses provide opportunities for millions of people (they create an estimated four out of every five new jobs in the US), offer useful products and services, and often provi

From Bizwomen : Social media, which too often can be an abyss harboring harassment and hate, has become a place for women to connect to fight sexual harassment and assault. The most prominent example is the #MeToo campaign, which encourages women to share their stories on Twitter and Facebook and other social media platforms. Their voices are coming from everywhere. And they’re resonating. A recent survey showed that more than 50 percent of women have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace. High-profile men in media, fashion, food, and politics have been accused of harassment since the [Harvey] Weinstein scandal broke.

From: The Business Journals  When it comes to employee benefits administration, business owners typically think of health insurance but often neglect to consider their 401(k) plans. Since retirement plans don’t have to be renewed every year like some other benefit packages, it’s easy for 401(k)s and other retirement and investment vehicles to get overlooked. That’s about to change, thanks to updates to the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule, which is expected to have a huge impact on the costs associated with managing these plans, particularly for small businesses.    Historically, there’s been a distinct difference between how the two groups of financial advisers who work with investment and retirement plans are regulated. In short, the Fiduciary Rule essentially defines who is classified as a fiduciary and who is not.Registered financial advisors (or RIAs) have completed the necessary testing requirements to register with the SEC and any applicable state agencies.They’ve always

From Bplans : by Patrick J. MacKrell is CEO of New York Business Development Corporation (NYBDC) For many years, veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces were successful at starting and growing small businesses. In fact, almost 50 percent of veterans owned a business after World War II. But today, veteran entrepreneurship is on the decline. The most recent Kauffman Foundation research found that veterans accounted for 12.6 percent of new entrepreneurs in 1996 and that by 2014, this number had fallen to just 5.6 percent. At NYBDC, we want to turn those numbers around by inspiring veterans to take the leap into a life of entrepreneurship, and sharing some information to help you get started. As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, I have seen firsthand the driven young men and women who have served in our military. The honorable completion of an active-duty period of military service or ongoing participation in the National Guard or Reserve generally tends to “imprint” veterans with cer

From: HuffPost November 11th marks Veterans Day 2017, where we salute veterans that have served the United States. Post-service, many veterans move on to become successful entrepreneurs with the United States Census Bureau reporting that veteran-owned firms make up 7.2 percent of the nation’s 5.5 million employer businesses. For veterans that want to explore the entrepreneurial landscape, but aren’t sure where to turn to first for support or assistance, we’ve done the legwork on finding some of the best resources available that cover everything from mentorship to angel investments for making small business dreams a reality.

From: Susan Solovic Regular followers of this space know that I’m firmly committed to the proposition that as a small business owner  you  need to grow  if you are serious about growing your small business. That’s why I recommended attending at least one of the best small business conferences each year. To make this a little easier for you, I’ve compiled a list of the 50 best tech, startup and small business conferences 2017 – 2018 has to offer. Do a little exploring (I’ve provided the links) and you’ll find: Great marketing conferences, Top tech topics, Business networking opportunities, Cutting edge online strategies, Social media marketing conferences, And much more. Further, it’s likely you can find a small business conference that’s not too far away from your home turf and at a time that’s convenient for you to attend. And don’t forget about your team. Sending your employees to one of the best 2017-2018 small business conferences not only brings new skills and knowledge int

From eMarketer : A string of recent data suggests that online retail is going to eat into brick-and-mortar sales faster than ever this holiday season. The latest evidence: An October survey of nearly 7,350 consumers conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics for the National Retail Federation further found that, for the first time in the survey’s history, online topped all brick-and-mortar destinations as the channel where most consumers said they plan to buy holiday items. In percentage terms, nearly 59% of consumers said they plan to do their holiday shopping online this year, up from 56.5% last year. Also from eMarketer : Adobe predicted that online holiday season sales will rise 13.8% this year to top $100 billion for the first time. According to the report, online sales will grow to $107.4 billion from $94.4 billion in 2016. That's a projected growth rate of 13.8%—a bit slower than in 2016, when the gain was 14.4%, and well off 2015's 17.7% pace.