New York SBDC Research Network

From LinkedIn : According to three basic truths, praising people motivates them, praising people encourages them, and praising people inspires them to even greater heights. Impossible to argue with those statements? Maybe not. Depending on the approach you take, praising an employee -- or praising anyone -- can actually have the opposite effect. The difference lies in whether we assume skill is based on innate ability or on hard work and effort. Put another way, are people born with certain talents, or can talent be developed?

From ChuckTheWriter.blog : I've started following a new podcast, and have recently binge-watched a new Netflix documentary series. Oh yeah, and I’m waiting for new episodes of an old CNBC favorite... Business Wars is a brand new podcast from Wondery, and it comes from the same people who made the podcast American History Tellers. The podcast, in episodic format, follows the major battles between corporations for market supremacy – their successes, their failures, their wise decisions and their head-shaking gaffes... Netflix [is] currently airing an amazing six-part documentary series, Dirty Money, about the graft and sleaziness of corporations... There’s always cable television for shows like this … and one of my favorites is a late night CNBC docu-series called American Greed. This show features people and corporations who built their reputations on swindling and scamming and stealing...

From Medium : When it comes to restaurants, every US city has a unique identity. Austin, TX is renowned for its BBQ. New York City is densely packed with pizza-by-the-slice. San Francisco and LA compete on taqueria prestige. Using Google data, visualized by Google News Lab with design studio Polygraph, we can begin to quantify how these food trends vary across the country. Based on aggregated, anonymized, and differentially private data from users who have opted in to Google Location History, we ranked cities and counties by their most popular cuisine. We can also make comparisons: where are pizza parlors more popular than Mexican restaurants? And by comparing all cuisines, we have a better picture of regional preferences across the US.

From Marketing Profs : We all know mobile is gaining momentum, and it's not going to slow down anytime soon. So what can marketers do to make sure their websites stay up-to-date with the latest mobile trends? This infographic by film editing simplifiers Filmora has the following tips: • Make sure videos are mobile-friendly. • More broadly, make sure your website is mobile-friendly. (If your audiences use mobile devices—and they probably do—this should be your first priority.) • Explore augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) options to enhance customer experiences. • If you're running video ads, use mobile native video advertising. • Ensure making payments on mobile is easy to do. • Consider QR codes to streamline user experience.

Each year the  New York Small Business Development Center  recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the   Niagara SBDC  appears in our  2016 Annual Report . Roger Urban   Platter's Chocolates Niagara SBDC Platter’s Chocolates is a family business owned and operated by the Urban family since 1972. Owner Roger Urban purchased Platter’s from Carl Platter who started the business in 1938, and several members of Urban family currently work in the business. Several years ago Roger purchased Betty Dixon Candies, the Jamestown candy shop that Lucille Ball worked at as a teenager, and which inspired the famous episode on her show. This purchase broadened Platter’s manufacturing lines and chocolate mold inventory.  In 2014, Platter’s acquired Ko-Ed Candies, a South Buffalo tradition since 1947, again expanding production. This lead to Platter’s outgrowing its facility. In 2015, Platter’s embarked on a major expansion project to allow f

From eMarketer : Many consumers turn to online reviews to help inform their decision when researching a big-ticket product, according to new data from YA. In fact, when researching an expensive item—$250 or more—online ratings and reviews were the most common source respondents consulted, more so than word-of-mouth, in-store sales associates or social networks. But interestingly, while favorable reviews certainly affected their decision to buy one item over another, quality and price were more important. Roughly a third (32.4%) of respondents said quality is the primary factor in choosing to purchase a durable item, like a new computer or washing machine, and another 26.6% said price comes first.

From PC Magazine : Have you started thinking about doing your taxes? Neither have I. But PCMag's Kathy Yakal has been testing tax preparation software for weeks. Tax law changes every year and tax prep software has to change with it. This year, Intuit TurboTax once again earns the Editors' Choice award for the best overall package. That said, TaxAct and FreeTax USA (which actually costs $6.99, despite its name) also had strong showings. Just don't expect to collect on the Trump tax cuts. Those won't show up until you file next year.