New York SBDC Research Network

By Linsey Knerl From NAV There was a time, not long ago, when businesses in every industry grew with the labor and talent of workers classified as independent contractors. Even before the “gig economy” and “side hustles” were buzzed about (and companies like Lyft and Uber made them newsworthy) small businesses everywhere relied heavily on contract workers provide the bulk of their services. Hairdressers, construction workers, writers, and dog walkers were all classified as independent contractors with little to no challenge to their status, but all of that is changing. A recent California Supreme Court ruling, along with a handful of state and local ordinances have made some strict interpretation of who can—and who can’t—be called a contractor. Washington state has even produced a "step by step guide" for businesses to classify and hire their workers with the appropriate classification. While the exact rules differ slightly from region to region, there is a common thr

From America's SBDC SBDC Day is a national, collective proclamation of the success and impact America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) have across the nation in economic development and the small businesses community. The third America’s SBDC Day will take place on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. SBDC Day will unite the nearly 1,000 SBDC centers across the country and the hundreds of thousands of clients they serve by sharing, in real time, the success stories and notable impacts SBDCs collectively have on the small business community at large. This special day will be celebrated with social media campaigns, public relations initiatives, online and in-person events and more. To learn more about what your local SBDC is doing to celebrate, click on Find your local SBDC . The SBDC Day Ambassador program is designed for organizations and businesses, to get involved in SBDC Day and show their support for the nation’s largest and most effective small business assistance ne

By Angelique O'Rourke From Bplans How much time you have to deliver a pitch to investors will have a big impact on how and what you’ll want to do and say. If you’re giving five-minute presentation followed by a Q&A, you will approach that a little differently than if you’re giving a one-minute presentation! So, how do you know what to include in a really short pitch? What about a 20-minute pitch? We’ve got you covered. In this article, I’ll [also] review tips from entrepreneurs who successfully pitched their businesses for funding.

By Kathleen McShane From the Small Business Administration As a former small business owner and entrepreneur, I know first-hand the support, resources and access to networks and financing that entrepreneurs need. While there are many businesses that experience success, the fact remains that only half of all small businesses survive more than five years; and about 10-12 percent of all employee-based firms close each year. There is growing evidence, however, that connecting a business with a mentor can change this statistic. Having a mentor can change the playing field for a small business. Research has shown us that small businesses that receive mentoring early in the development of the business achieve higher revenues and increased business growth. A survey by the UPS Store found that 70 percent of small businesses that received mentoring survived more than five years – double the survival rate of non-mentored businesses. The same survey found that 88 percent of business owner

By Rimma Kats eMarketer Cashierless stores, like Amazon Go, have great potential to shake up the brick-and-mortar landscape. According to GPShopper, 48% of US internet users believe scan-and-go technology would make shopping easier. And 43% would rather try scan-and-go than wait in a checkout line. Respondents said they'd be most interested in scanning groceries, home goods and fashion items. Similar findings were reported by RIS News, which asked US digital buyers which new shopping options—ranging from drone delivery to augmented reality in-store—they would most like to use. Grab-and-go stores with self-checkout was the leading response, with 59% of respondents saying they’d use it. But a world without cash, credit cards or even a mobile wallet isn’t here yet. Here’s what retailers need to know about how to get there.

From USA.gov IRS Imposter Scams IRS imposter scams occur when someone contacts you pretending to work for the IRS. The imposter may contact you by phone, email, postal mail, or even a text message. There are two common types of scams: Tax collection - You receive a phone call or letter, claiming that you owe taxes. They will demand that you pay the amount immediately often with a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may even threaten to arrest you if you don’t pay. Verification - You receive an email or text message that requires you to verify your personal information. The message often includes a hyperlink phrase "click here" or a button to a fraudulent form or website. Report IRS Imposter Scams Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) if you believe that an IRS imposter has contacted you. Report IRS imposter scams online or by calling TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484. Forward email messages that claim to be from the IRS to phishing@irs.g

From New York State : Every employer in the New York State is required to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy. An employer that does not adopt the model policy must ensure that the policy that they adopt meets or exceeds the following minimum standards. The policy must: *prohibit sexual harassment consistent with guidance issued by the Department of Labor in consultation with the Division of Human Rights *provide examples of prohibited conduct that would constitute unlawful sexual harassment *include information concerning the federal and state statutory provisions concerning sexual harassment, remedies available to victims of sexual harassment, and a statement that there may be applicable local laws *include a complaint form *include a procedure for the timely and confidential investigation of complaints that ensures due process for all parties *inform employees of their rights of redress and all available forums for adjudicating sexual harassment complaints adm

From the Small Business Administration The Small Business Profiles are an annual portrait of each state’s small businesses. They gather the latest federal data into state-by-state snapshots of small business health and economic activity. Limited economic data is also provided for the U.S. territories. This year’s profiles report on state economic growth and employment. They also answer the questions: How many small businesses are in my state? How many jobs do they create? Which industries have the most small businesses and small business jobs? How many establishments opened and closed? How many small businesses export, and how much? Which counties have the most small business employment?

By Peter C. Earle From the American Institute for Economic Research You’re a construction company, an agricultural concern, or a manufacturing firm — all similarly unable to undertake infrastructure projects, fill freight trains with crops, or produce the countless scores of products the market seeks. This is exactly the situation the United States finds itself in now. And it is worsening. Last year, the Associated General Contractors of America reported that 80 percent of its 27,000 member firms are having a difficult time filling openings for hourly craft workers. And the crisis extends far beyond construction: in many subsectors of agriculture, home care, transportation, and manufacturing, the same phenomena are being reported. An estimated 8 million people, representing 5 percent of the entire U.S. workforce, are either fleeing or laying low. Each is reporting lower productivity, longer production times, higher explicit costs, and perhaps worst of all a massive explosion o

From FedEx : Enter Your Small Business by March 25 You’ve built something amazing. Now it’s time to share it with a wider audience. The 2019 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is here — with even bigger prizes. Enter now for a chance to expand your possibilities. Grand Prize $50,000 (1 winner) Plus $7,500 in FedEx Office® print and business services Silver Prize $30,000 (1 winner) Plus $5,000 in FedEx Office print and business services Bronze Prize $15,000 (8 winners) Plus $1,000 in FedEx Office print and business services Enter and Spread the Word First, review an example . Then follow these steps to increase your chances of winning: 1. Write a short profile. Share your unique story and offerings. 2. Upload photos and a logo. Capture the spirit of your business in images. 3. Create a video. Create a one-minute video pitch about your business. Check out some simple tips to get you started. 4. Get out the vote. Remind fans to vote for you. Votes are one

By Sabrina Parsons From Bplans The basic idea of a sample business plan makes perfect sense. If you haven’t done a business plan before, a sample plan gives you an instant idea of what you should include, how to structure it, and even what to write. A sample business plan gives you an idea of how another small business or startup in your industry built their own plan. A good business plan example will have all the elements your bank or angel investor (or venture capitalist) will expect to see when you ask them for funds. The most important thing to remember when looking at sample business plans is that they’re samples (that’s why we call them that). They’re not pre-written plans that you can pick up and use right out of the box for your business. And anyone who tries to tell you that you can is wrong—or is trying to make a buck off of you.

By Max Abelson From Bloomberg Inside the enigmatic system of corporate justice, where proceedings are secretive and the odds of workers winning are long. Millions of American workers sign away legal rights without knowing what they’re in for. A lot of employers are forcing employees into arbitration hell. Here's what that looks like, and why it's a complicated mess (especially if you're the employee).

Did you know that the Small Business Administration website is translated into dozens of languages? Go to www.SBA.gov . Click on “Translate” and then click on the language of your choice. Sections for Business Guide, Funding Programs, Loans, Investment capital, Disaster assistance, Surety bonds, Federal Contracting, Learning Center, and Local Assistance - which includes the Small Business Development Centers , exists in these languages. LATIN? Satus negotium et crescere te. An entrepreneur vis esse? Disce quam incipias a gradibus X in rem tuam. Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani Basque, Belarusian, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian Catalan, Cebuano, Chichewa, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Corsican, Croatian, Czech Danish, Dutch Esperanto, Estonian Filipino, Finnish, French, Frisian Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Italian Ja

Article from New York State On April 12, 2018 Governor Cuomo signed into law the 2019 New York State Budget, updating the State’s sexual harassment laws.  The Human Rights Law now protects contractors, subcontractors, vendors, consultants or others providing services in the workplace from sexual harassment in the workplace.  Beginning in October 2018 Employers must adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy and training or use a similar policy and training that meet or exceeds the law’s minimum standards.  Beginning in January 2019, all state contractors must submit an affirmation that they have a sexual harassment policy and that they provide annual training to all of their employees.

Patrick Foster is an ecommerce consultant at ecommercetips.org Image credit: PxHere While those among us who’ve benefited from traditional systems of work can be intimidated by the march of technology, deeming it often arbitrary and more trouble than it’s worth, those who face more challenges in life are able to see it for what it really is: a remarkable expansion of possibility that is making almost every area of life more accessible to all. And there’s perhaps no area — with the questionable exception of social activity — that has been further improved in recent years by technology (driven by the internet) than the world of business, and entrepreneurship in particular. Tech is giving rise to generations of savvy self-starters with the confidence and competence to forge their own paths. But how specifically is technology achieving this? Let’s look at some of the main ways in which technology is making it easier for people of all kinds to enter the business world. It’s provi