New York SBDC Research Network

As an SMB owner, you want to maximize the investments you’ve made in your business. You want to get more done in less time. And you want to ensure you’re communicating effectively with customers and employees. The right technology can help you do both. Here are three ways you can ensure you’re making the right technology decisions for your business. 1. Know that “free” often comes at a cost. More from the America's SBDC .

Branding your business is tricky. You have to make sure it comes across as appealing, a ‘must have’ brand that’s not too pretentious. Over time, your company will change leading to a need to refine your brand image, but even the smallest of changes can affect your target market and their perception of your brand. Clive Rohald has written an interesting article in The Drum about how to give your brand identity a makeover without alienating your customers. Here are some of his thoughts. Every company, at one time or another, will feel the need for a brand refresh. The question is, how can that be achieved without it turning into a disaster. 1. Why is there a need for change? More from SmallBusinessNewz .

Why do people buy from you? It boils down to two things: they found you, and they picked you. Let's talk about "they found you." To get people to find you, you've got to tell them about yourself or someone else has to tell other people about you. If you're the only grocery store in your town, you don't have a problem with people finding you. You stick a sign outside and reach 100% of your target market. Most of us, however, spend a lot of brain cycles trying to figure out how to tell the world about our thing. We use ads, content, social media, and so on to try to spread the word. Moreover, getting someone's attention is becoming increasingly difficult. The amount of stuff being created today—such as photos, tweets, blog posts, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, and emails—is making it hard for our message to squeeze its way into people's limited attention span. Read more from MarketingProfs

In theory, entrepreneurship sounds awesome. You’re your own boss so you can set your own hours, work from home in your PJs and do work that really matters to you. But as any entrepreneur will tell you, starting your own business is not nearly as glamorous. In fact, it can often be pretty scary and lonely. Entrepreneurs take a great financial risk to get their ventures off the ground, often using their own savings and quitting steady jobs to pursue their dreams. Yes, entrepreneurs make their own hours, but they put in many more of them than the average employee (often 12 a day or more) and, still, they face a high failure rate. Entrepreneur values those who choose to create their own path, and we’re not alone. Empact, a Princeton, N.J.-based company that provides education and networking opportunities to young entrepreneurs, today released its annual list of 100 startups led by entrepreneurs under 35 that should be on everyone’s radar. Those chosen for the Empact100 stood out amon

#1 The fake freight forwarder company scam. The fraudulent forwarders pose as legitimate companies with spare cargo capacity. Their truck arrives on-time to collect the freight and then disappears, never again to be seen. The Scoop: Here is how it works: Once a signed and sealed agency agreement is in place between both parties and business starts, all appears to be normal. This is until the cargo arrives at the port and no-one has received the original bill of lading from the forwarder in China. When contacted, the forwarder demands a large ransom for the release of the original bill of lading. Companies which refuse to pay find themselves on an expensive rollercoaster ride of meetings with customers, lawyers, insurers and shipping lines in order to obtain the original bill of lading so the cargo can be released. By spreading shipments around a number of shipping lines, fraudulent forwarders can make this recovery process even more onerous. These forwarders may be real companies w

Nearly one-third (31%) of online retailers in the United States with annual marketing budgets exceeding $1 million do not personalize their websites in any way, according to a recent report from Retention Science. Moreover, of the 69% of companies that do personalize their sites, just 21% offer personalized offers to visitors. A similar percentage (33%) of online retailers with annual marketing budgets under $1 million also do not personalize their websites; of the 67% that do, only 16% present personalized offers. The most popular form of website personalization for large and small companies is product recommendations. Other common site personalization tactics include shopping cart reminders, displaying a customer's name, and social integrations. Read more from MarketingPros

The Office of Advocacy has released its Small Business Quarterly Bulletin for Second Quarter 2014.  This two-page publication includes figures and tables of economic indicators to show the status of small business.  This latest quarterly bulletin shows promising signs for small businesses.  The bulletin includes data about proprietors' income, establishment births and deaths and various small business employment variables. The Small Business Quarterly Bulletin for Second Quarter 2014 is available online at http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/advocacy/sb_qi_2014q2_FIN_0.pdf.

When it comes to New York, bagels are serious business. And they may also be taxable business -- if a knife comes out. New York, like many other states, exempts groceries from its sales tax. Walk into a bagel place, order a dozen, buy some name brand cream cheese, and go on your way -- that feels like you're grabbing some groceries, and should be left untaxed. New York agrees. You pay the posted price and the state goes empty handed. But what about one of those bagels, cut in a half, toasted, with some store-made scallion cream cheese, some lox, lettuce, and tomato, with some iced coffee to go with it? More from Now I Know .

Brands have been focused on engaging female consumers for some time now, and with good reason. Women have truly impressive purchasing prowess—$5 trillion to $15 trillion annually, according to consumer research by Nielsen. What many brand leaders are missing, however, is that even though women have been controlling the purse strings, men are shopping more. That means branding and design of packaging, seasonal retail themes, product attributes, etc. don't merely have to engage women: They need to do it without losing the men. Branding for women can be people-inclusive. Here are the five characteristics that can make it so. Read more from MarketingProfs .

Small Business Administration : Way too often, you can add up the percent of ownership in the heads of the partners and discover between them they think they own 200% of the company. That’s because one thinks the idea was worth 50% or more of the ownership, the other thinks the day-to-day work was worth 50% or more of the ownership, and another thinks having written checks and invested was worth 50% or more of the ownership. What I particularly hate in this context is when people spend the time and do the work and develop the business without spelling these things out, and then, when it’s way too late, discover that they had radically different ideas about who owns what. This is a great use of the business plan. If there’s awkwardness about who owns what when friends and family are involved, you solve that with the need to spell it all out for the plan. Don’t wait. Don’t wonder. Talk it out. The business plan is a built-in natural format that all of you can understand. The key

Kevin Jones just did what he felt was right, but you might think of him as a hero once you hear his story. When Jones was hassled by debt collectors to pay a bill he didn’t owe, he did more than tell them to get lost. He sued — and got $1,000 and a whole lot of satisfaction. Here’s how. Jones, 53, provided to Credit.com an amazingly detailed record of events related to his lawsuit, which was filed in a Cook County, Illinois federal court. The first troublesome phone call came in 2007, but the formula he used to exact sweet revenge on the debt collection firm would work equally well today. The call came on a Thursday night in November, said Jones, who lives in Evanston, Ill. It was an automated call; he didn’t answer, but he did call back. More from Credit.com .

Warm weather facilitates family vacations, outdoor activities and cold refreshment sales, providing several industries with an opportunity to generate enough revenue to sail through the rest of the year. These seasonal industries struggle to remain lucrative throughout the winter months, as frigid temperatures and annual changes in consumer behavior challenge profitability. While many seasonal industry operators anticipate May’s arrival, when demand increases as the sun also rises, these six industries are determined to make a splash year-round, come rain or shine. Amusement Parks More from IBISworld .

From the Small Business Administration : Summer is nearly over, signaling the start of school for students and teachers and the end of the fiscal year for the federal government and businesses throughout the country. This change of seasons is also a good opportunity to take a break from the frantic day-to-day grind and find new ways to reboot your small business. Let’s call it a bit of spring-cleaning for fall. Here are just a few ways you can tidy up your business and improve operations: *Glance back at your new year’s goals.

All telemarketers calling consumers in the United States are required to download the numbers on the Do Not Call Registry to ensure they do not call those who have registered their phone numbers. The first five area codes are free, and organizations that are exempt from the Do Not Call rules, such as some charitable organizations, may obtain the entire list for free. Telemarketers must subscribe each year for access to the Registry numbers. The access fees for the Registry are being increased as required by the Do‑Not‑Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007. Under the Act’s provisions, in fiscal year 2015 (from  October 1, 2014  to September 30, 2015 ), telemarketers will pay $60, an increase of $1, for access to Registry phone numbers in a single area code, up to a maximum charge of $16,482 for all area codes nationwide, an increase from the previous maximum of $16,228. Telemarketers will pay the same as last year for numbers they subscribe to receive during the second half of th

From the Small Business Administration . New taxpayers, such as recent graduates who’ve just entered the job market, probably have a clean tax slate. But seasoned taxpayers have a history that can impact their taxes going forward. Due to limitations and restrictions, some tax breaks cannot be fully used in the year in which they are generated but can be carried over and used in other years. Failing to know what these are and keep track of them wastes valuable tax breaks that can cost you money. Tax breaks subject to carryovers Dollar limits and other restrictions curtail write-offs for your current and past outlays. Here are some to note:

The IRS broadcasts webinars on a variety of subjects aimed at educating tax professionals on issues affecting them and their clients. The webinars are free. NATIONAL WEBINARS Business Use of Your Home  - September 10, 2014 2014 Affordable Care Act Provisions for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses   - September 17, 2014

SNAP ( Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , formerly Food Stamps) offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities. SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net. The Food and Nutrition Service works with State agencies, nutrition educators, and neighborhood and faith-based organizations to ensure that those eligible for nutrition assistance can make informed decisions about applying for the program and can access benefits. FNS also works with State partners and the retail community to improve program administration and ensure program integrity. Apply online to accept SNAP benefits at your store or Farmers’ Market. It’s fast and secure. You can complete the online application in as little as 15 minutes. It’s so easy. By applying online, you can also check the real-time status of your application online using your USDA account. Applying to accept SNAP benefits at your store or

Can you spot a government imposter? Even if your phone’s caller ID says “FTC” or “IRS,” or shows Washington, DC’s “202” area code, it could still be a scam. Scammers know how to show fake information on caller ID. The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about scammers who pretend they’re with the government to scare you into sending money. They say you  owe taxes  or some other debt, and tell you to put money on a prepaid debit card and tell them the number — something no government agency would ask you to do.

Want to work for a company that cares about its culture and values? Check out Glassdoor's report of the Top 25 Companies for Culture and Values (2014) . In addition to salary, location/commute, and career opportunities, company culture is one of the top factors that job seekers consider when researching a new job. Based entirely on employee feedback shared over the past year, the results of Glassdoor's inaugural report may surprise you. Find out which companies made the list (and which didn't)!

One of every nine women in the United States (11.8 percent in 2013) is represented by a union at her place of work. The annual number of hours of paid work performed by women has increased dramatically over the last four decades. In 1979, the typical woman was on the job 925 hours per year; by 2012, the typical woman did 1,664 hours of paid work per year. Meanwhile, women's share of unpaid care work and housework has remained high. Various time-use studies conclude that women continue to do about two-thirds of unpaid child-care (and elder-care) work and at least 60 percent of routine housework. The research reviewed here suggests that unions can provide substantial support to women trying to balance their paid work and their unpaid care responsibilities. Unionized women earn, on average, 13 percent (about $2.50 dollars per hour) more than similar non-union women. The large union wage advantage holds for women across all education levels and even in typically low-wage occupa

The New York SBDC is participating in: "Made in Rural America: Regional Export and International Investment Forum" September 5, 2014 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Corey Union Function Room SUNY–Cortland 103 Prospect Terrace Cortland, New York 13045 As part of the White House Rural Council's Made in Rural America export and investment initiative , ARC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Commerce will co-host a regional forum in Cortland, New York, on September 5 on expanding international market opportunities for rural businesses and value-added agricultural producers. One of a series of events taking place across the country to help boost exports and rural economies, the Cortland forum will help upstate New York firms learn ways to grow their business by finding new customers abroad and expanding sales to their existing international customers. It will also help rural commun

It is a violation of New York State law to make payday loans in-person, by telephone, or over the Internet. It is also illegal for a debt collector to collect, or attempt to collect, on a payday loan in New York State. To File a Complaint *File a complaint with the Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736 if you believe payday loans are being made in New York or to New York residents, or if a debt collector is seeking to collect on a payday loan in New York. What is a Payday Loan? A payday loan is a relatively small, high-cost loan, typically due in two weeks and made with a borrower’s post-dated check or access to the borrower’s bank account as collateral. Payday lending is illegal in New York for a number of reasons:

From ASBDC : It’s not easy being green, or so we’re told, but take a look around your office and consider: How “green” are you? It’s no surprise that an increasing number of companies are working toward becoming more environmentally conscious: constantly introducing programs to reduce both costs and their carbon footprint. Typical areas of opportunity are employee telecommuting, lighting, recycling and paper usage. Here are some suggestions that you might use in your green movement at work.

In a business, administrative chores can stack up. It might only take 20 minutes to send an email, or five minutes to answer your business cell, but all of these little tasks can take up a significant amount of time. Before you know it, your day is nearly over and you haven’t done half of the things that you wanted to do. To get some of that time back, we asked entrepreneurs to help us compile a list of apps that can save time on administrative tasks. Here’s a look at the top 10 time-saving apps for your business: Read more from BPLANS.com .

From Forbes : A pitcher of cold ice water. A social media account. And a smart phone. Those are the elements of philanthropy’s feel good hit of the summer – the Ice Bucket Challenge, starring a millennial near you and almost every celebrity you can name. This August, it’s been as inevitable as a sun burn. Yet as with every great instant movement these days, the backlash is here like a late day summer thunderstorm. You’ve probably heard the criticism. It’s a stunt, mere “slactivism.” It’s a substitute for real long-term involvement and engagement. It’s all about showing off for social media. It won’t change a thing, or cure ALS or ease the suffering of those with the disease. Which is true, I guess, to some degree... But [have you] ever been to a big ticket charity gala?

Don’t trust Kevin Costner for marketing advice” is probably a good rule of thumb. "If you build it, they will come." That’s what I believed, when I was first starting out. I assumed that if I opened a business, customers would just show up—no major marketing effort required. Other entrepreneurs take the complete opposite approach, and treat marketing as if it’s the 1916 Battle of the Somme: they throw all of their resources in the general direction of their intended audience and hope something hits its mark. Fortunately, in-between these two approaches is a strategy that actually works: target marketing. MORE from BPLANS.com .

Hispanic Heritage Month Business Forum 2014 Tuesday, September 30th, 8:30am-12:00 noon How SBA Can Help You Start and Grow Your Business Government Contracts: Certification and Marketing Federal Plaza Conference Center (26 Federal Plaza, 6th Fl,  New York, NY 10278) RSVP:  Ana Hernandez at 212-264-1473 or man-li.lin@sba.gov  Meet the Lenders Tuesday, October 21, 2014, 8:30-1:00pm (Must register by 10/10/14) Federal Plaza Conference Center (26 Federal Plaza, 6th Fl,  New York, NY 10278) Learn about SBA Financing Programs Speed Meeting the Lenders Meet the SBDC, SCORE and WBC Business Advisors Register:  Ana Hernandez at 212-264-1473 or man-li.lin@sba.gov 

Intellectual property (IP) is one of the most important components of any business, and yet it is often one of the most neglected. Amidst the furor of innovation and the pressure of day-to-day operations, IP can get lost in the shuffle. But neglecting your IP won’t resolve the issue; in fact, it puts your business at increasing risk every day. So why should entrepreneurs care about IP? IP - Copyright, Patent, and Trademark - is your most valuable asset. More from ASBDC .

From the ASBDC : It’s no secret that U.S. military veterans are a force to be reckoned with in the nation’s small business economy. But according to the latest research, both older and younger veterans are emerging as major players in the buying of small companies. To better understand today's business-for-sale market, BizBuySell.com recently commissioned a demographic study of individuals engaged in buying or selling a small business. The study, which surveyed more than 2,000 buyers and sellers, highlighted several trends that are shaping today’s market. One of the trends the survey revealed is that a surprisingly large number of veterans are shopping for small businesses. According to BizBuySell’s study, 13 percent of prospective small business buyers listed themselves as veterans. But who are these veterans? And how do they compare to other buyers in the market?

When you are developing a marketing plan, it’s important to focus on the aspect of your product that you mean to be the selling point. You have to have that thing that makes you stand out from the pack, and that’s what you focus on. You’re the cheapest. You’re local. You’ve got the highest quality product. Your staffers know more about the field than your competitors. It’s that edge that sets you apart from the rest of the market, and thus draws the crowd of buyers searching for your specialty. But what if you don’t have that thing that makes you stand out from the crowd? It’s an important concern. Maybe you can’t afford to be the cheapest option in the field. Your product might not actually be the best there is. If you don’t have that thing, how can you compete? It’s simple: You have to be cooler than the competition. Read more at BPLANS.com .

Job interviews are a nerve-wracking experience. And while we’re all prepared to answer, “What’s your biggest weakness?” or “Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work,” most of us aren’t expecting to hear, “Are you planning to become pregnant?” or “Where do you go to church?” or, “What country were your parents born in?” Such incredibly personal questions are often jarring and possible deal-breakers for some applicants. Many people think it’s illegal to be asked these kinds of questions, but in most cases it’s not against the law to ask — it’s just illegal to use that information as the deciding factor in whether or not to hire someone. So the next time you’re hunting for a job, here’s what you need to know about what your next boss can and can’t ask you — and what you can do about it if things get weird. More from Consumeerist .

People are always asking for a list of fundamentals, a checklist they can use to start their own businesses. From your business type to your business model to your physical location, there are so many variables it’s not easy to come up with a list that will work for everybody. The key, regardless of what type of business you’re starting, is to be flexible! Read more at BPlans.com

Large and small businesses alike have spent the better part of the past half-decade trying to best leverage the marketing potential of Facebook – and rightly so. Facebook reports 1.23 billion active users worldwide, and an increase of 92 percent when it comes to shared content since 2012. People like Facebook – a lot – but it seems that just as marketers think they have the social network all figured out, the rules change. Some of the most recent modifications to Facebook have made it more difficult for marketers to get their messages across, at least in the ways they are accustomed to reaching their audiences on the social network... Critics say it is just a money-making move to get desperate marketers to spend more on promoting and boosting Facebook content, instead of relying on free organic visibility. At any rate, the reach of page posts appears to be narrowing on Facebook, and marketers will need to adjust. At the same time, Twitter is unveiling some pretty stellar new option

Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT) gained dominance by offering everything from groceries to children's toys, often putting smaller, local stores out of business in the process. Now, it's the revenge of the smaller retailers. Walmart is being forced to focus on "defensive investments" as it seeks to counter the popularity of online retailers such as Amazon (AMZN), as well as smaller chains such as dollar stores and drugstores. That's according to a new report from Goldman Sachs (GS), which downgraded its investment rating on the retail giant. More from CBS News .

For the first time in 8 years, the federal government has met its annual 23% goal for small business contracting... This has resulted in more than $83 billion dollars of revenue for small businesses, the engine and innovators of our resilient economy. This is a groundbreaking and proud achievement for the federal government and especially for our small businesses. When small businesses win federal contracts, it strengthens the American job market and boosts our nation’s economy. When small businesses are able to play an integral role in the federal supply chain, it’s a win-win for America. More from SBA .

So you want to export frozen meat to Zimbabwe, but first you need to find a freight forwarder that can handle frozen meet products and goes to Zimbabwe.  Luckily, the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service provides a Directory of Freight Forwarders Serving Agricultural Exporters here , with over 600 freight forwarders listed.  Searches can be limited by Products Shipped, Destination, and Services Offered and results can be exported into an Excel Spreadsheet.

The Union Street Guest House in Hudson, New York, joins the small group of businesses who have attempted to levy fees against customers who leave negative reviews. It's an exclusive group that no business should want to be a part of. Page Six was the first to report on this customer-unfriendly clause residing in the rental terms and conditions: If you stay here to attend a wedding and leave us a negative review on any internet site you agree to a $500. fine for each negative review. If you have booked the Inn for a wedding or other type of event anywhere in the region and given us a deposit of any kind for guests to stay at USGH there will be a $500 fine that will be deducted from your deposit for every negative review of USGH placed on any internet site by anyone in your party and/or attending your wedding or event (this is due to the fact that your guests may not understand what we offer and we expect you to explain that to them). More from

Sales Tax 101 for Small Business Owners and Online Retailers How to Start a Retail Business; A Step-by-Step Guide Ultimate Guide to the Retail Industry 4 Tips for Getting Large Retailers to Stock Your Products  for inventors and entrepreneurs Monthly and Annual Retail Trade statistics  from the U.S. Census Bureau

At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted and frozen the assets of an operation that bilked nonprofits, businesses, and municipalities out of millions of dollars by deceptively sending them overpriced light bulbs and cleaning supplies that they never ordered. The FTC seeks to permanently stop the illegal practices and make the defendants return victims’ money... According to a  complaint filed by the FTC, the defendants called organizations throughout the country  and falsely indicated that they had previously done business with them; that the call was to confirm a shipping or mailing address or follow up on a supposed previous order; that they were offering a free sample, catalog or gift; or that they needed an employee’s name and contact information for some purpose other than a sale. The defendants often did not identify themselves accurately or clearly disclose that it was a sales call, and sent consumers merchandise after misleading the

Fundraising is key to success as a nonprofit.  But fundraising is a complicated process.  The Free Management Library provides a wealth of information that can teach you All About Nonprofit Funding . This website will help nonprofit leaders and staff learn and understand the various/varied elements of fundraising, to recognize the importance of the relationship between an organization and its potential donors, and to construct and implement a strong fundraising plan/program for their nonprofits. In addition, much of the subject matter will help nonprofit leaders and staff recognize what it is that they don't know about fundraising, and how to remedy that situation.

As July ends, so does  Independent Retailer Month , - celebrate the successful family-owned, mom-and-pop, independent stores out there by using some resources on BusinessUSA to help you  Grow your Business , including: Forecasting for Growth Check out the competition in your area with our  SizeUp Tool Developing a Marketing Plan Using Technology to Stay Competitive Financing Growth Building your own Franchise

They say the eyes tell all. Now thanks to eye-tracking technology we can tell what they're saying. Tracking eye movements can reveal a few things about human tendencies. Read more from Business Insider .

The first set of detailed statistics from the Industry Series for the following sectors has been released on the Census Bureau's American FactFinder web site: Sector 22: Utilities Data for these sectors will be released on a flow basis. Click here to view a release schedule, see what has been released, or take a sneak peak at what’s projected to be released in the next 30 days. For more information about the Industry Series, click here .

The SBA Administrator recently announced a transformative new plan to automate SBA lending and streamline and simplify the agency’s underwriting process to attract more lending partners and open up new markets for small business owners who need capital to expand and grow. Days after this announcement, which will ease the burdens on lenders approving small-dollar loans to entrepreneurs, she appeared at a Clinton Global Initiative conference in Denver to help announce an exciting commitment called the Century Club. Eight Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) each pledged to make at least 100 small business loans a year for the next 10 years, which will inject $1 billion of additional capital into America’s small business ecosystem. More HERE .

From Real Business : A new study has revealed that 59 per cent of Britons would not use a company that had obvious grammatical or spelling mistakes on its website or marketing material, and 82 per cent would not use a company that had not correctly translated its material into English. The research, conducted by Global Lingo, polled 1,029 UK adults on their online purchasing and browsing habits. *** Wonder how Americans would react?

If you’re about to start a business, you’ve probably read several how-to books looking for advice on how to be successful. While researching is a great first step, there are some lessons that you won’t find in a book. You need to hear from business owners who have been in your position, who started a business with a great idea, a lot of enthusiasm, and a shoestring budget. To give you a few business tips, we asked several entrepreneurs, including Kelly Costello, who was featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” to tell us what they wish they’d known before they started their businesses. Read more in Bplans.com >

Carmen Sognonvi writes : I know too many business owners who are going broke paying for expensive mastermind programs, business coaches, and info products. They think they're "investing" in themselves. They want their businesses to succeed, and they keep searching for the magic pill that will help make it happen. Unfortunately in the process, they're being financially irresponsible and spending far more than they can afford. I know, because I used to be one of them. Watch my latest video, because in it I come clean about the mistakes I've personally made when it comes to professional development.

From bplans.com : Whether you’re a startup or an up-and-running business, you should know what your total potential market opportunity is for your products or services. Caroline Cummings has coached many companies over the years, as well as judged several business plan competitions, and she's always surprised by how most business owners can’t confidently tell you their total market potential. They tell her things like, “My market is everyone who eats dessert,” or, “Everyone in my community who drives a car,” or, “Anyone in the world who uses social networks.” You may think these are your markets, but you need to drill-down and get more realistic and specific about the true size of your market, or lenders and investors will question your credibility.

From the Wall Street Journal : By   ERIC R. DANTON ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic premieres ‘Mission Statement’ video on WSJ   Robert Trachtenberg “Weird Al” Yankovic  wraps up his eight-day string of video releases with  “Mission Statement,”  which premieres today on Speakeasy. The song, from Yankovic’s new album “ Mandatory Fun ,”  is in the style of “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”  by  Crosby, Stills & Nash . The song features Yankovic harmonizing with himself on lyrics constructed of corporate jargon, like “operationalize our strategies” and “leverage our core competencies,” while the animated whiteboard video depicts a live-action hand that is drawing illustrations to go with the words.

Did you know that 95% of consumers live outside the United States? And a whopping two thirds of the world’s purchasing power is in foreign countries! Exporting can mean big things for your small business, and SBA is here with resources and information to help you succeed!