New York SBDC Research Network

Google introduced a new program in partnership with American Express called My Business Story. This lets small businesses tell their stories through videos, and leads up to the second annual Small Business Saturday, which is aimed at encouraging communities to spend and support local businesses. Deadline is November 15. More HERE .

While preparing for a presentation, a colleague stumbled upon this website created by a librarian that lists a series of lists . The specific link is to the business section, but there is a lot more info available. Some of the data are a bit dated, but at worst, it may give one a direction to find more information.

From USA.gov Saturday, October 29, you can dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications at a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day collection site. Find a drug collection site near you . If you can’t participate in Prescription Drug Take Back Day, learn how to safely and properly dispose of unused medicines .

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration Business incubation programs are designed to accelerate the successful development of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services, developed or orchestrated by the incubation program manager, and offered both in the incubator and through its network of contacts. A new report funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy; the State University of New York at Albany , the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), and Cybergroup Inc. identifies best practices and key characteristics of successful incubators that policymakers and practitioners should know as they work to implement strategies to foster economic development.

The 2010 Guide to State and Local Census Geography is now available. This Product is an update of the book by the same name that the Census Bureau produced in collaboration with the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) following the 1990 Census. (There was no similar product for 2000.) The 2010 web version offers similar content as the 1990 print version, but also provides links to lists of geographic entities within each state. This guide provides a nice summary of each state’s geographic structure and some highlights about the state’s geographic history and current geography. Here's New York’s information .

Every year, SBA honors America’s small business owners by presenting National Small Business Week in Washington, DC and across the country. During National Small Business Week, SBA recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners and the contributions they’re making to create jobs, inspire innovation and strengthen our economy. Earlier this year, SBA hosted one of its most successful National Small Business Weeks . Now, SBA is gearing up for next year’s National Small Business Week: May 20-26, 2012 in Washington, DC. Open Call for Nominations SBA is currently seeking nominations from the public for exceptional entrepreneurs in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to help in awarding a national winner and a winner for each state and territory . In addition, SBA is also seeking nominations for the following categories: Champion Awards for individuals or organizations dedicated to supporting small businesses

Some of my SBDC colleagues were interested to know if there is research regarding where consumers cut back first, second, etc., when times are hard. This is different than what one OUGHT to cut back in hard times, for which I find oodles of examples; I was looking for what people ACTUALLY do. Where Would You Cut Your Household Budget First? (2007) is interesting but flawed, in that it reflects what people saw they would do if there were hard times. But at the time, things seemed rosy. More useful were Psychology of Bad Times Fueling Consumer Cutbacks (2008) and Consumer Cutbacks: Temporary or Permanent? (2009), which reported on actual hard-times responses. Also very helpful: Americans Cutting Back on Everyday Expenses to Save Money (Harris poll, 2011). Addressing the issue from a different angle: 12 Things We Buy in a Bad Economy (TIME - 2011) But THE treasure trove, if one takes the time to study it, is the Consumer Expenditure Survey from the US Department of Labor

Our fine SBDC contracting expert, Roxanne Multcher, provided the following tips and links on where to find current NYS contractors. The best route might be for the business to look at what contractors have purchased bid documents for construction projects and market to those contractors; click on a specific project # to see who purchased bid documents. NYS consultant opportunities ( this is for architects ) OGS Contract Listings: Commodities Services One could look at any appropriate contracts and see who the contract holder(s) is. New York State calls becoming a subcontractor a “Value Added Reseller” -- To become a reseller, check the contract. VAR participation will be included in the language of the contract. Open PDF attachments: “Contractor Information.” Call the contract holder. If added as a Value Added Reseller, you have NYS contractor status, but you still need to market to agencies Another way to search OGS contracts – by keyword Alphabetical list of contracts

The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on the busiest shopping weekend of the year. On November 26, pledge to shop small at your favorite local stores and fuel your local economy. When millions of Americans shop small, it could be huge. Shop Small on Small Business Saturday Check out Small Business Saturday on Facebook .

From the executive summary : Innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial for long-term economic development. Over the years, America’s well-being has been furthered by science and technology. Fears set off by the Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of its Sputnik satellite initiated a wave of U.S. investment in science, engineering, aerospace, and technology. Both public and private sector investment created jobs, built industries, fueled innovation, and propelled the U.S. to leadership in a number of different fields. Link to full report (PDF) .

The Quarterly Lending Bulletin for the second quarter, 2011 [PDF] , presents a brief analysis of the current small business lending situation and shows a drop in loans outstanding to small businesses.

One of our advisors has a client who is obtaining funding and the lending bank is seeking a USDA guarantee which requires that an independent feasibility study be done. Here is a link to the manual for the USDA’s Business Program Loan Guarantees Lender Guide [PDF] that describes the feasibility study on pages 11-13. Also, here is a 3-page overview of the feasibility study [PDF] . See Considerations When Selecting a Consultant .

The years from 1997 to 2007 were a dynamic period in the U.S. economy. The strong growth early in this period was arrested by the recession of 2000-2001; strong economic growth resumed in 2002-2007. The data reflect an economy moving out of a recession and ending on a high note in 2007. How did women and other small business owners fare during this 10-year period between 1997 and 2007? The primary goal of this report [PDF] is to place gender in a broader perspective. Business ownership no longer can be analyzed simply on the basis of the owner’s gender; businesses owned by women and men more and more share the same general development patterns. Moreover, the strong growth of publicly held firms, which cannot be identified by the demographic characteristics of their many owners, has led to the need to focus on both privately owned and publicly held firms. The research summary can be found HERE . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Joe Johnson at (202)

This document [PDF] sketches the ecosystem or life-cycle of small business financing. The FAQ format allows users to browse through topics and learn about specific issues. The financial needs of small businesses, which include start-ups, in sectors such as information technology, service, retail, and manufacturing differ. The answers provided represent averages or totals that can be used as figures and trends for differing types of firms. Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Victoria Williams at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced that a record number of businesses have moved to the Web for all aspects of filing state taxes .

Record $12 billion 1st Quarter Followed By Return to Pre-Recession Levels WASHINGTON – Spurred in part by unprecedented loan volume in the year’s first quarter, small business loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration in FY2011 reached the highest mark in the agency’s history, supporting over $30 billion, continuing the rebound begun in 2009 and returning to healthy pre-recession levels in the final three quarters of the year. “SBA-backed lending continued the upward trend we saw last year,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “Due to the Small Business Jobs Act and a return to pre-recession lending levels, over 61,000 small businesses had access to capital. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy and SBA has been there to help them rebound through difficult times over the past few years. First through the Recovery Act and then through the Small Business Jobs Act and new SBA lending programs, SBA has provided small businesses with the tools they need so th

The Small Business Advocate – October 2011 ; Vol: 30 , No: 8 The October 2011 issue of The Small Business Advocate directs attention to one of the top issues facing small businesses: access to capital. Advocacy’s September symposium, The Small Business Capital Crunch: Debt and Equity, receives feature coverage, along with three new finance publications. The issue also contains updates to proposed regulations from the Departments of Labor and Treasury, and coverage of the Advocacy’s participation in the Congressional Black Caucus. In this Issue Advocacy Symposium Probes the Capital Crunch, 1 Symposium Coverage, 4–7 Chief Counsel Participates in Congressional Black Caucus, 8 Social Media Update, 12 Message from the Chief Counsel Access to Capital Dominates Advocacy’s September Agenda, 3 Research Notes Three New Advocacy Finance Publications, 2 Developments in Women-Owned Businesses, 1997–2007, 11 Regulatory News Advocacy Recommends OSHA Burden Reduction,

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." Read more about Steve Jobs HERE .

Links to each website. ALSO: Download (for a fee) a that list includes company name, street address, telephone/fax & URL where available. One paragraph organization description (source: the company's web site or press materials). From the BoogarLists .

This page contains credit card statistics -- including statistics on credit card debt, credit card delinquencies, credit scores, credit card interest rates, bankruptcies, average credit card debt and more -- compiled by the CreditCards.com staff.

There is a popular programmers Q&A site, Stack Overflow . It is part of a larger network of Q&A sites on a range of topics, Stack Exchange . While it is tech-heavy, there are several decidedly non-technical ones – cooking, photography, bicycles among others. Notably, there is answers.onstartups.com , described as "Q&A for entrepreneurs looking to start or run a new business." ( Thanks, Al! )

Consumer Expenditures 2010 [PDF] Multifactor Productivity Trends for Detailed Industries, 2009

Of all small business growth strategies in the U.S., franchises are probably one of the most successful distribution systems ever devised. If you are on the cusp of growth, franchising your small business may well be worth a look. But how do you know if franchising your current business is the right option for you? More HERE .

The use of independent contractors are a flexible option for employing workers and a legitimate way to avoid some payroll tax obligations. But government authorities are on the lookout for employers who misclassify their workers, when they are really employees. Read about the the most recent government efforts to correct this type of activity, whether it was done accidentally or on purpose. However, a new government (IRS) program allows employers to reclassify their employees on a voluntary basis, drastically reducing any back taxes or penalties owed on the status change. But only if you go to them first. For more details on what steps you can take to manage this issue, see the story on correcting worker misclassification . IRS Makes Voluntary Reclassification of Workers Less Taxing

In a twist to notions of race identity, new 2010 census figures show an unexpected reason behind a renewed growth in the U.S. white population: more Hispanics listing themselves as white in the once-a-decade government count. The shift is due to recent census changes that emphasize "Hispanic" as an ethnicity, not a race. While the U.S. government first made this distinction in 1980, many Latinos continued to use the "some other race" box to establish a Hispanic identity. In a switch, the 2010 census forms specifically instructed Latinos that Hispanic origins are not races and to select a recognized category such as white or black. More HERE .

You can quickly find the federal form you need by searching or browsing by name, type, or agency. Find tax forms, postal service forms, and more. Find government forms now.

The Statistical Abstract of the United States , published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web. Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations.

Flooding is the number one natural hazard in the U.S. It doesn’t matter where your business is located, it can still be at risk from hurricanes, flash floods, blocked storm sewers, snow melt, and so on, and unfortunately the devastation can be costly. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, almost 40 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster because just a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage and close your doors long enough to lose your customers. More HERE .

Statistics from 12 economic indicators are now easy to access and easier to use with the new economic indicator database search. With the release of the Quarterly Financial Report for retail trade, all 12 of the Census Bureau's economic indicators are accessible in this user-friendly Internet tool. It provides an easy way to create statistical tables in ASCII text or time series charts in spreadsheet format. Users can select an indicator and choose statistics by item, time period and other dimensions using drop-down menus at http://www.census.gov/econ/currentdata/ .

The report , authored by James Wilcox: State and national data for banks and credit unions for 1986-2010 show credit unions may have provided extra business lending in response to reductions in bank lending. The research summary can be found HERE . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Victoria Williams at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

WASHINGTON – When it comes to putting together a business continuity plan, most CEOs put their employees at the top of the list of valuable assets to protect. Ironically, while the company may be ready to reopen soon after the disaster, the employees may not be able to return. They’re busy trying to get recovery assistance, or working to clean up at their own homes. Nationwide, homeowners and renters are currently dealing with the post-disaster challenges of dealing with insurance companies, finding reliable building contractors, or trying to normalize their family routines. Recent hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires are a reminder to individuals that planning for a crisis can save money, time and lives. During National Preparedness Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery Solutions are hosting free weekly disaster preparedness webinars. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Tom Heneghan, manager of preparedness for the American Red Cross, will talk about best

The report [PDF] , authored by Joe Peek, finds that liquidity of bank assets became a factor in the financial crisis, as healthier banks tended to shy away from small C&I and small CRE loans. The research summary can be found here [PDF] . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Victoria Williams at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

Starting a new business from the ground up can be exciting – developing new ideas and selling these concepts to anyone who will listen is something many people thrive on. But it’s certainly not for everyone. What about those folks whose previous job experience or personality types might not transfer as successfully to starting a business by scratch? Another avenue to consider is franchising. Opening a franchise is no easy (or necessarily cheap) option but it definitely has some advantages: lower failure rates, instant name recognition, buying power, and so on. There are thousands of options out there – from donut shops to car repair to haircuts. How to decide where to start? There are many rankings of franchises available. One place to start is a list of the “best franchises for the buck” that writers from Forbes have put together . The authors of this report looked at four variables: minimum initial investment, total locations, survival rates, and training hours offered. So are th

This notification [PDF] explains the relief available to New York State taxpayers affected by Tropical Storm Lee.

WASHINGTON – SBA Administrator Mills statement on the President’s “QuickPay” announcement today to cut in half – from 30 days to 15 days – the amount of time it takes federal agencies to pay small businesses for the products and services they deliver to the federal government: “The thousands of small businesses that provide great products and services to the federal government have a big reason to cheer the President’s ‘QuickPay’ announcement today. When small contractors get their money in 15 days instead of 30, it results in a permanent infusion of cash flow into their businesses. They can put that money towards working capital, expanding their businesses, marketing their products, and creating jobs. Their financial footing gets stronger – permanently. With nearly $100 billion each year in federal contracts going to small businesses, cutting in half the time they get paid is a powerful way to help put America back to work now. QuickPay is a smart and powerful boost that effect

NACS State of the Industry Annual Report 2010 The Association for Convenience & Petroleum Retailing 2010 HOST 2011 U.S. Hotel Operating Statistics Study Report for the Year 2010 STR AHA Guide to the Health Care Field, 2011 ed. (AHA Guide to the Health Care Field (Book) National Coffee Drinking Trends Study 2011 National Coffee Association of the USA Congressional Yellow Book: Who's Who in Congress, including committees and key staff Spring 2011 Volume 37, Number 2 1 Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines Graphic Artists Guild (Author) 2010 Best Customers: Demographics of Consumer Demand Editors of New Strategist Publications 2010 New Strategist Pubns The Indispensable University: Higher Education, Economic Development, and the Knowledge Economy (American Council on Education Series on Higher Education) Eugene P. Trani 2010 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (2010), The Inventor's Bible 3rd Edition How to Market and License

Over the last several decades technology has advanced in ways that our forefathers could never have imagined. However, in recent years, antiquated policies have caused the entrepreneurial ecosystem to become stagnant, thereby threatening the economic growth and innovative spirit that made the United States into an industrial powerhouse. The U.S. economy doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and public policy at the federal, state, and local levels must acknowledge the realities of the interconnected and complex global economic system. Source: Center for Public Policy Innovation [PDF]

A new study by the Office of Advocacy investigates health care coverage provided by small firms and the effects of state and federal tax incentives on health insurance availability. States have tried a variety of approaches to improve health plan coverage, particularly health insurance offered by small businesses. The study finds that most existing state tax incentive programs apply to a narrow class of employers. The increase in the federal self-employed health insurance tax deduction in 2003 did create an incentive for some self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance. In 2007, it was estimated that small employers deducted approximately $53.8 billion for health insurance benefits. The research summary can be found HERE [PDF] . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Joe Sobota at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

"You can find – or create – local opportunities to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 at www.serve.gov . At that site, you’ll find everything from food drives and neighborhood cleanups, to activities that help honor our military, our veterans, and our first responders."

Disability.gov’s Emergency Preparedness section has quite a few tools and resources that can help people with disabilities and others prepare for, and recover from, emergency situations and disasters. You'll also find information about the importance of including people with disabilities in emergency preparedness efforts - including planning for, responding to and recovering from a disaster or emergency.

Three Tips to Start a Consulting Business Jennifer Merritt BY Jennifer Merritt | September 2, 2011 Entrepreneur.com has an article offering sound advice for professionals about to set out on their own as consultants. Building a name for yourself before your departure, joining forces to strengthen your business offering and focusing on what sets you apart.

President Barack H. Obama has declared certain counties in New York State to be disaster areas as a result of Hurricane Irene. As a result of this declaration, Commissioner Thomas H. Mattox has postponed certain tax filing and payment deadlines for taxpayers in these counties who were directly affected by the storm. The relief provided for in this notice applies to taxpayers directly affected by the storm in the counties of Albany, Clinton, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Montgomery, Nassau, Orange, Otsego, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Suffolk, Ulster, Warren, and Westchester. This includes taxpayers residing in or having their principal place of business in these counties. In addition, the relief will also apply to taxpayers directly affected by the storm located in any additional counties in New York State that are declared disaster areas and eligible for federal tax relief after this notice is issued. The relief will also apply to taxpayers d

As of now (but I'm told these schedules can and often do change last minute), ABC World News plans to air a piece on Robert and Danielle Rosenberg , owners of Moolala yogurt bar and successful NYS SBDC client. If they stay on schedule, the piece should air around 6:45 pm ET tonight on ABC.

From Step by Step Marketing : Amazon.com, 1800flowers, Zappos, Lands End, and other online retailers all send emails to confirm that orders have been shipped. If you analyze their emails, you will notice that they contain a lot of “extras” that include a word of thanks, a clickable link to package-tracking information, and incentives to click through to visit the company’s webpage and shop again. There’s a reason why these top retailers add these extras to what would otherwise be utilitarian order confirmations. They understand that confirmation emails offer an opportunity to improve the overall customer experience and build loyalty.

From SBA: Hurricane Irene disrupted the lives of communities and businesses from North Carolina to Vermont last weekend. Business owners were hit particularly hard, as power outages forced many to close for several days. The first 72 hours following business interruption is crucial. Preparation can make a difference, and protect you from having to shut down for good. To kick off National Preparedness Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery Solutions will host the first in a series of free disaster preparedness webinars during the month of September. R. David Paulison, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will present tips on how to be self-sufficient in the days following a natural disaster or other emergency during the webinar on Wednesday, September 7, at 2 p.m. ET. SBA has partnered with Agility to offer business continuity strategies for entrepreneurs via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website. Visit www.preparemybusiness

Here's a link to a <a href="http://www.coordinatedlegal.com/SecretaryOfState.html directory of all 50 states' Secretary of State sites.<br /> <br /> "Coordinated Legal Technologies has compiled the links on this page for legal professionals and others who are looking for quick access to the corporate information available in online searchable databases maintained by the Secretary of State for any given state. The extent of information available and the way in which it is present varies from state to state. Some states provide only a business name lookup, while others offer search by officer and director names, and UCC filing information. Please be sure to check the hosting state entity for more information about the type of content offered and the time periods covered."

From one of those nifty tax digests I receive regularly: Individuals seeking a fresh start from overwhelming tax debts may now be eligible for relief under a new hardship provision in the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance's Offer in Compromise Program. The new provision enables them to accept offers where collection in full would cause undue economic hardship. Previously, the program was only available in cases of insolvency or bankruptcy. For more information, see the Offer in Compromise Reform web page and this PDF document .

If you find you don’t have enough hours in the day to take care of your business operations, your clients and your employees, outsourcing key business functions such as payroll can be a cost-effective business strategy. In fact, payroll is the first function many small business owners look to outsourcing. Read more .

In an effort to create a more level contracting playing field for women-owned small businesses, in late 2010, the SBA announced a rule that would implement the long-awaited Woman-Owned Small Business contracting program. So what is the WOSB Program and how can you take advantage of it? Here’s what you need to know and the steps you need to take to get your business certified to participate. Read More .

From OPAL , the New York State's Online Permit Assistance and Licensing website: If you want to start a new business or expand your current business, this site will help you find the New York State business permits you may need. However IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to a scheduled upgrade, the online forms will NOT be available from September 6 through September 13, 2011. This website will NOT be available from September 9 through September 13, 2011. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.