Posts

Showing posts from 2010

Where to find a lawyer or law firm

To find a lawyer, law firm, or legal services specific to your needs, I recommend Martindale.com . It is possible to browse or search for lawyers by popular practice areas or geographic areas. Their 140-year-plus history began in 1868, when lawyer and businessman James B. Martindale first published The Martindale Directory. Its stated purpose was "to furnish to lawyers, bankers, wholesale merchants, manufacturers, real estate agents, and all others...the address of one reliable law firm, one reliable bank, and one reliable real estate office in every city in the United States..." By 1896, The Martindale Directory included the basic information that still appears in the lawyer and law firm Profiles, as well as ratings and a section on foreign lawyers and firms. In 1930, the Martindale Company purchased the publishing rights to Hubbell's Legal Directory, which contained a digest of state laws, court calendars and a selective list of lawyers and firms. The following year

Accepting Credit Cards on Your Website

How to accept credit card payments on your site without a merchant account Why Do It? Credit card payments allow you to take advantage of the following types of customers: 1.Impulse buyers. 2.International customers. Methods of Accepting Credit Card Payments There are actually two ways in which you can accept credit cards on your site. 1.Using Your Own Merchant Account. 2.Through a Third Party Merchant. Which Method Should You Use?

SBA Unveils New Website, Launches SBA Direct

WASHINGTON – As part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s mission to ensure that small business owners and entrepreneurs have access to accurate, timely and helpful information, SBA Administrator Karen Mills today unveiled a newly re-designed SBA website. The new site also features the launch of SBA Direct, a dynamic new web tool with a variety of personalization features that will help small businesses start-up, succeed and grow. ...SBA Administrator, Karen Mills said, “While the SBA website has traditionally been an information-rich site, we wanted to make it easier for small business owners to navigate. With the new improved SBA.gov , business owners can access the answers they need, specific to their business profile, in an instant – it truly presents the face of the future of SBA.” While the site features a variety of enhancements including a full re-design, new content, and improved navigation, the centerpiece is a dynamic new web tool called SBA Direct. SBA Direct allows

Business Stages for Entrepreneurs

While it is unfortunate that the James J. Hill Library can no longer provide us with online databases, there are still offering resources for entrepreneurs. Extremely useful are Business Stages for Entrepreneurs . Business Stages for Entrepreneurs is a free online information resource for entrepreneurs and small businesses to help them grow. The five stages and the information provided for each are: Exploring - Resources that will help you test your business concept against the current market place. Beginning - The nine major steps in starting a new business. Growing - Resources to help your business grow and expand. Managing - Tips and tools to help your business stay successful. Maturing - Options for when you've reached your business goals and are ready to move on.

SBA, Microsoft introduce resource to deliver essential tech info to small biz owners

WASHINGTON – A new technology tool for small businesses is now available to help them grow and create jobs. The new education resource, Business Technology Simplified, helps small business owners connect the dots between entrepreneurship and technology to give them a competitive edge. The U.S. Small Business Administration and Microsoft have teamed up to develop this free, comprehensive guide on how technology can improve the small business owner’s chances for success. The Business Technology Simplified guidebook includes fundamentals on the importance of technology, and on how it can be used to achieve a business’s goals. In the guidebook’s foreword, Earvin “Magic” Johnson writes about his journey in developing a multimillion dollar company and the value of technology to remain competitive... Business Technology Simplified offers straightforward tips on how to use technology and innovation to make businesses work more efficiently. The guidebook incorporates relevant and practical

SBA Renews Patriot Express Loan Initiative for 3 More Years

WASHINGTON – A very popular initiative that in just three-and-a-half years has provided more than $560 million in loan guarantees to nearly 7,000 veterans to start or expand their small businesses is being renewed for three more years, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Patriot Express, a streamlined pilot loan product based on the agency’s SBA Express program, offers an enhanced guaranty and interest rate on loans to small businesses owned by veterans, reservists and their spouses. Over the past two years, due in part to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, loan volume increased dramatically. “America’s veterans have the leadership skills and experience to become successful entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “The impact of this program over the last three-and-a-half years has meant thousands of veterans and their families have had the resources to pursue their dreams as entrepreneurs, and at the same time create j

Occupational Wages in New York State

The New York State Department of Labor provides very useful statistics on wages, both by occupation and industry . Annual wages for each occupation are divided into mean, median, entry, and experienced levels. Wages can be examined at both the state level and by region. This is the best way to determine what a business owner should pay their employees.

Free5500.com

A nifty source. Tip of the hat to Hill Libraries: Free5500.com contains PDFs of Forms 5500 from companies of all shapes and sizes. What is a Form 5500, you ask? It's a disclosure form required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Depending on the Plan type and other factors, the accompanying schedules may include information such as ESOP (employee stock ownership program) information, financial information, service providers, financial transaction schedule, retirement plan information, and more. Free5500.com requires free registration to access, but registration lets you search by company name, EIN, state, ZIP, area code, plan type or class, assets, and number of participants, and includes up to 10 years of historical forms. You can also print the PDF formatted documents. Note that the free access may limit you to forms that are at least 2 years old or so (a subscription may net you more current data, as well as other perks such as more robust searching). Free5500.com

NEW American FactFinder available in January 2011

American FactFinder is the primary tool for accessing data on the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, Population Estimates and eventually the Economic Census. This link will help you navigate the new version of the American FactFinder page on the Census website. Please take some time to become familiar with the site before it goes live in January 2011.

Building Purchase Check-off List

Here's a link one of our SBDC advisers found. It's from 1997, and you have to wait for the commercial, but it's useful stuff.

Small Business Advocate

Release Date: December 2010 Volume 29, number 8 The Small Business Advocate is a periodic newsletter that details economic developments and regulatory trends related to small business as well as the latest initiatives of the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. In This Issue Broadband Survey Published Chief Counsel Calls for Repeal of 1099 Requirement Where Will the Jobs Come From? FCC Broadband Comments H-2B Program Changes and more

One Page Form for Health Care Tax Credit for Small Businesses

December 2, 2010 letter from Karen Mills, SBA Administrator Dear Small Business Owner, As I’ve traveled the country this year, I have heard from many of you who are looking forward to the new tax credits, health insurance exchanges, and other tools that will help you provide health insurance coverage to your employees as a result of the Affordable Care Act. The most immediate benefit of the new law is a tax credit that will help America’s smallest employers and nonprofit organizations (less than 25 full-time equivalent employees with average annual wages below $50,000) who have been hit hardest by premium increases in recent years. Today, I’m pleased to announce that the Administration is releasing a one-page form and instructions on how to claim this credit for the 2010 tax year . In addition, new guidance released today answers questions that many of you have asked related to: your current contribution arrangements, eligibility for certain religious institutions, and participation by

World AIDS Day

An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and yet one out of five don’t know it. World AIDS Day (December 1) is an opportunity to take action.

Is chronic compromise the cause of business failure?

The mortality rate for small businesses is still scary. Approximately seven out of 10 new small businesses survive at least two years, half almost five years, a third more than 10 years, according to the most recent United States census... The reasons for the high mortality rate changes little year-to-year, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. High on the list are insufficient funds, poor product or service, unqualified entrepreneurs, and lack of commitment. But the most important, yet seldom discussed, reason most small businesses fail is fear of failure... Read the rest of the Mark Cox article HERE .

OTC meds will need Rx for Health Flex Spending

Image
I believe there are some really good aspects of the new health care bill. This is not one of them: Over-the-counter medications will require a prescription to buy them with flexible spending account funds next year under new health care reform regulations. "The health care reform law sharply restricts FSA reimbursements for OTC purchases such as nonprescription pain relievers, cold medicines, antacids and allergy medications." Insulin is specifically excluded from this ruling. Specifically, "the IRS says OTC reimbursements require a prescription, which it defines as a 'written or electronic order for a medicine or drug that meets the legal requirements of a prescription in the state in which a medical expense is incurred and that is issued by an individual who is legally authorized to issue a prescription in that state,'" whatever THAT means.

Small Business Owners Don't Feel Government Support

The majority (82%) of small business owners feel that their interests are typically overlooked by the government, according to a new survey by Regus. More than half (56%) in the U.S. believe banks should be forced to lend more to entrepreneurial ventures and small businesses. Seventy-five percent of U.S. entrepreneurs also stated that government venture capital funds should be available to support entrepreneurs and their business initiatives, indicating that maintaining cash flow continues to be of concern for businesses. More HERE .

New York State sets aside $25M for small business loans

A recent article in the Albany Business Review brought to my attention that New York State has set aside $25M for small business loans. The board of Empire State Development Corporation approved the funds Nov. 18. The money, in the form of a revolving loan fund, was included in the current state budget as an attempt to combat the problems small companies have had accessing credit during the recession. The lenders are to provide an equal amount of matching funds—generating $50 million for lending to small businesses, particularly minority- and women-owned firms, over the next two years. The low-interest capital will flow through 20 “alternative lenders,” such as credit unions and community development financial institutions. The money will support micro-loans of $25,000 and below, as well as larger loans of up to $250,000. To see a list of the financial organizations receiving the money and to learn more, click here .

Thanksgiving

Image
Thanksgiving: thanks to the Census Bureau . The "event became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday." We are thankful that FDR provided that extra shopping period. Otherwise, Thanksgiving would have been a week later in 2000, 2006 and 2007, and would be a week later in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2028, 2029... Seriously, I am thankful for all sorts of good things.

Pricing Strategies in an Inflationary Market

As supply costs in the food and beverage industry are inflating at alarming rates, now is a good time for effective food service managers to revisit their menus and develop some pricing strategies to position them for continued success in the marketplace. Quite a few operators are rightfully concerned about recent price increases. Still, this actually provides a nice window of opportunity to make some changes to menu prices and actually increase profit. While I would like to provide a tried and proven formula food service managers could use for pricing their menus, the fact is that menu pricing is more of an art than a science. There are just too many different factors that come in to play and probably one of the biggest mistakes managers make is to price their menu offerings based on formula rather than thinking about some of these factors.Any business that is considering their menu prices should not only consider their supplier costs, but also a competitive analysis and some form of

How to Hone Your BS Detecting Skills

Succeeding in business is all about accurately analyzing information and then making smart decisions. Falling for BS is antithetical to both. But with the world awash in half-truths, partial distortions, aggrandizing exaggerations and out-and-out lies you’ll have plenty of opportunities to fall prey to other people’s bull. How can you protect yourself from being led astray by their nonsense? Read HERE .

Why A Business Plan?

Many people come to the SBDC for assistance with creating a business plan. This is always a necessity when applying for financing at a bank or credit union. When someone is going to agree to give you money, they darn well want to know what the plan is for, how it will be spent, and how it will be paid back. But it is also a good idea to create a plan or the rest of the pack - the lone wolves who just want to get the business started, the folks who are self-financing or who have loads of experience in the field in which they are creating their start-up, or the individuals who have small-beans goals. Why is this the case? Your plan can also be used internally by yourself as a living document as a way to understand your thought processes over time. This allows you to make adjustments to your life - err, that's a diary or journal and I mean business - but you see the similarity in the purpose of this type of writing, right? Of course, if you ever wanted to bring in a partner or

How To Lose Customers

Noted pop culture writer Mark Evanier wrote: I went into the first [sandwich shop], which was not a Subway, and scanned the menu, taking note of a meatball sandwich which was described as containing meatballs, marinara sauce, mozzarella and green peppers, all served up on a french roll. I told him I'd like one of them but without the green peppers. I do not like green peppers and what's worse is that they do not like me. Check out the response!

Economic Indicator Search Tool

The Census Bureau has introduced a new, user-friendly Internet tool that takes all the guesswork out of finding, downloading and using data from economic indicators. For the first time, users can access data from multiple indicators in one place and all in the same format. This tool provides an easy way to create data tables in ASCII text or time series charts in your favorite spreadsheet format. Users can select an indicator and choose data by item, time period and other dimensions using drop-down menus. Of the Census Bureau's 12 economic indicators, four are operational in the new tool now — international trade, manufactures' shipments, monthly wholesale trade and quarterly services; the remainder are expected to be available in this database throughout the course of 2011. See also a blog on this tool.

Hiring Incentives for Employers

Recently I received a request that asked if there were any "federal programs for hiring the unemployed". Through the course of my research, I found three programs that might entice employers to hire new employees regardless of the current state of the economy. HIRE Act Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted March 18, 2010, two new tax benefits are available to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers. The first, referred to as the payroll tax exemption, provides employers with an exemption from the employer’s 6.2 percent share of social security tax on wages paid to qualifying employees, effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010. In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses will also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week per

You Can't Cut Your Way to the Bottom Line

by Rick Leibowitz With all the talk about the economic slowdown in the news, businesses are scrambling to find the best strategies to deal with the challenges of increases operating costs (mostly due to inflation in the energy & commodities markets) and anticipated decreases in consumer spending. Business articles talk about how now is a good time for small business owners to tighten their belts and watch their discretionary spending. I’ve personally read a number of articles that suggest cutting advertising budgets and hours of operation as a means to cost savings. However, I caution all small business owners to think carefully about the consequences of cost cutting before you take action. Developing a contingency to deal with the economic slowdown is a very smart strategy for every small business owner, but the key to a good plan is to dedicate time to forecast the expected results of each decision. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is highly unlikely that your business ca

Where To Get the Green: Sources of Funds for Green Entrepreneurs

Many people struggle to figure out how they can obtain the capital required to start and/or scale a business. This guide may not offer all of the answers, but it does provide helpful insights into a wide variety of financing options available to aspiring entrepreneurs as well as existing small business owners. ARTICLE RECOMMENDED by Walter Reid, Farmingdale SBDC

Have Consumers Become More Frugal?

Image
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit for the third quarter of 2010, which shows that consumer debt continues its downward trend of the previous seven quarters, though the pace of decline has slowed recently. Since its peak in the third quarter of 2008, nearly $1 trillion has been shaved from outstanding consumer debts. Additionally, this quarter’s supplemental report addresses for the first time the question of how this decline has been achieved and notes a sharp reversal in household cash flow from debt, indicating a decrease in available funds for consumption. More HERE . Quoting the American Consumers Newsletter: At the household level, the Consumer Expenditure Survey shows the same pattern. Household spending peaked in 2006 at $51,688. In 2008, the average household spent $50,486, or $1,200 less after adjusting for inflation. On many categories of products and services, the average household reversed the direction of its

Grant money for your business

Image
Someone posted this on my personal blog last week. It might be spam - the article itself was a couple years old - but thought I'd post it here: "I am going to formulate my own, personal business since you don't see any positive jobs around the market. "Could any individual provide any ideas or web sites about how to apply for government grant money to begin with my own business? I have already been looking on the web but just about every website asks for money and I've been told by the unemployment office to stay away from the websites that ask for money for grant information because they are scam. I'd personally be sincerely grateful for any help." Well, first off, the unemployment office is correct. Those websites promising you lots of money for your initial outlay should send off a warning buzzer in your head. It's a very good likelihood that those sites make only the website owner wealthy. The rest of the story is that, unless you are opening a no

Ruling On New York State's So-Called "Amazon Law"

A recent State appellate court ruling upheld New York law requiring Internet retailers to collect sales tax on sales to New York customers. To view the entire document please visit HERE .

New York State Climate Action Plan

The New York State Climate Action Plan: Interim Report was released on November 9, 2010. The Challenge and the Opportunity Climate change, resulting primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities, is a significant threat to our environment, economy, and communities. Climate change is already occurring: its adverse effects are well documented across the globe and throughout our region. That realization, combined with the economic and national security vulnerability associated with our current, finite, fossil-based energy system, has created a sense of urgency in advancing a sustainable low-carbon energy future. New York State is committed to reducing Green House Gas emissions. The plan is to reduce these gases 15% by 2015 and 80% by 2050. The state is is aiming for an energy portfolio of 30% renewable by 2015. Businesses: Help New York State take the lead in this effort. Learn about the NYS SBDC Energy Savings Program . ARTICLE RECOMMENDED by Tony Presti, F

Twitter for Business

A recent article in The Albany Business Review quoted a "serial entrepreneur and social media guru" stating that "businesses have 2.6 seconds to get an audience’s attention". In the article, Promoting your biz 140 characters @ a time , Peter Shankman states that "a 140-character tweet translates to 2.6 seconds, the new collective attention span". So how can your business use a mere 140 characters, or 2.6 seconds, to grab and retain a client's attention span? Below are some articles and tips to do just that. Twitter 101 for Business - A Special Guide The Ultimate Video Guide to Twitter for Business An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Using Twitter for Business 50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business 5 Unique Ways to Use Twitter for Business

A Lesson in Control

DealBook: A Lesson in Control By STEVEN M. DAVIDOFF November 10, 2010 New York Times The Deal Professor examines the use of venture capital for a start-up, saying many entrepreneurs receive needed money, but lose control of their business "A venture fund will negotiate a set of agreements with the founders at the time of its investment... Not only will the fund negotiate to ensure that an exit occurs, but the V.C. will insist that it be paid back before the founder. "The key for entrepreneurs in deal negotiations is to make sure that when they do raise V.C. money, they have options. If they can get multiple term sheet offers from more than one venture capital firm, then they can negotiate to sell the smallest part of their company on the most lenient terms. If you only have one term sheet, you are not going to fare well. "When the company is not performing to expectations, these legal rights negotiated at the beginning of the founder-V.C. relationship come into play.&qu

Veterans Day: Facts for Features

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day honors living military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Business Lessons from the Elections

HillLibrary.org notes: 5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From the Midterm Election No, this isn’t another “what the elections mean for your business” – though those opinion pieces are also worth looking at! Rather, it suggests some lessons entrepreneurs can learn from the winners and losers of the election. Does money guarantee success? Is experience necessarily a good thing? Check out these thoughts from Mark Hall, founder of Input Ladder LLC and blogger at startup blog My Two And A Half Cents.

How to Craft a Memorable Elevator Pitch

An MBA student sent me info on Elevator Pitch resources. Specifically, one from the Guide To Online MBA . He writes, "It has a ton of great elevator pitch resources, including competitions and writing resources that you and your users may find useful!" And I wondered: Do Entrepreneurs Need Elevator Pitches? Guess what? The page addressed that very question .

The Consumer Issue

Image
I love Advertising Age magazine. Several of us read our office subscription. The October 11, 2010 edition is The Consumer Issue, and contains several useful articles, including: How U.S. Assimilation Is Changing Marketing Rules Will Ad Industry's Opt-Out Program Entice Consumers? Marketers Still Struggling With Mommy Issues - they fail to recognize mommy is likely older, e.g. Don't Be So Quick to Dismiss Power of Asian Consumers 'Urban' Trope Misses a Large Swath of Black Consumers Tweens Embrace Makeup, Reject Miley Media-Savvy Gen Y Finds Smart and Funny Is 'New Rock 'n' Roll' There is a finite nymber of articles you can access online without a subscription. One suggestion: How U.S. Consumers Are Steering the 'Spend Shift' Five Eye-Opening Takeaways From an in-Depth Analysis on How Americans Are Changing in a Post-Crisis Society 1. The New American Frontier -- the values of optimism, resiliency and opportunity 2. Don't Fence Me In -- the

Qualified Census Tracts and Difficult Development Areas

"The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) supports the Department's efforts to help create cohesive, economically healthy communities. "PD&R is responsible for maintaining current information on housing needs, market conditions, and existing programs, as well as conducting research on priority housing and community development issues. The Office provides reliable and objective data and analysis to help inform policy decisions. PD&R is committed to involving a greater diversity of perspectives, methods, and researchers in HUD research." And that's where I found Qualified Census Tracts and Difficult Development Areas and other low-income data regarding housing, which can be applied to other uses.

The 2010 Statistical Abstract of the United States

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. Although emphasis in the Statistical Abstract is primarily given to national data, many tables present data for regions and individual states and a smaller number for metropolitan areas and cities. 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. The PDF version is available for download here .

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, or DSIRE , is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, DSIRE is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. Users can search for state or federal incentives, as well as benefit from other useful aspects of the website. One such useful aspect of the website is the Library , which includes selected reports, technical papers, articles and presentations authored by the DSIRE staff. Related publications that were co-authored with colleagues in academia, government and the private sector are also included. Another useful aspect of the website are the Links provided to National Organizations, Federal Resources, State Organizations, Regional Organizations, and International Organizations. Overall, this is an i

Data That Surrounds Us

For those visually inclined, here is an infographic of the information we share through the Internet. Some of these are such staggering numbers, it's difficult to get one's head around but neatly summarized at GOOD . Other interesting infographics can be found at their site .

World Statistics Day: Oct. 20

The United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 20, 2010, as the first-ever World Statistics Day to highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of national statistical systems. Statistical organizations throughout the world will celebrate World Statistics Day at the national and regional level. The census, the U.S. Census Bureau and 13 other principal federal statistical agencies together have been collecting statistics about the nation's people, economy and society since 1790. Here are some statistics, including statistics about statistics .

4 tips for launching a successful business blog

Launching a blog for your business is an exciting way to generate continual buzz and to boost your word-of-mouth marketing efforts. Blogs are a more personal, conversational way to communicate with your customers, and they help foster customer loyalty. Through helpful, entertaining posts, you can start and maintain conversations with customers about your business and position yourself as an industry expert. More HERE .

Franchising Webinar

Image
On Wednesday, October 27th from 9:30-10:30 AM, the New York State Small Business Development Center (NYS SBDC) will be co-sponsoring a free webinar on Franchising. The webinar is being presented by Frank Dunne, Principal of the Hudson Valley FranNet, a company that provides no-cost guidance, information and support to individuals who are interested in exploring the purchase of a franchised business. The program is primarily targeted at entrepreneurs who are seeking information on franchising. To register by phone call (914) 260-9082, or by email at fdunne@frannet.com.

Grants by Topic and Geography

While searching for local grant writers the other day, I stumbled upon a website created by a grant writer in New York City. GrantWatch.com describes itself as "the only website that provides a comprehensive listing of the most current funding opportunities: Federal, State, Foundation grants for nonprofits, for-profits, preschools, education, community, faith based organizations, universities, small businesses and government." Users can search the website by grant topic OR by state. I found the state search particularly helpful and unlike the main grant site we search here at the Research Network, this site has a free search option. Finally, one of the topic searches was "For-Profits", a topic we rarely find grants for and another main reason I will use this site when searching for grants.

Business quotes

Every month, Forbes magazine has a page of quotes at the back of the magazine - "Thoughts and Quotes on the Business of Life". Here's the link to the online database .

Small Nonprofits in Danger of Losing Tax-Exempt Status

From Guidestar : "Time is running out for small nonprofits facing loss of tax-exempt status because they have not filed Form 990-N or Form 990-EZ for three consecutive years. The deadline for the IRS's one-time filing relief program is October 15, 2010 . After that, nonprofits that (1) are required to file a 990 and (2) whose filings are at least three years in arrears will automatically lose their exemptions. To regain tax-exempt status, they will have to apply to the IRS all over again, a process that can take several months and requires payment of fees."

CIA World Factbook

The CIA World Factbook is an almanac that provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Updated every two weeks, the Factbook can provide useful information to both importers and exporters. Entries are divided into the following categories: Introduction - Background Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues When dealing with business associates in foreign countries, it is essential to know detailed cultural information, and this is an excellent source for the most basic information.

Senate Resolution celebrates 30th anniversary of SBDCs

From Tee Rowe, ASBDC President: The Senate Resolution on the 30th anniversary of our nation's SBDC network recognizes the role of SBDCs in small business and economic development over the course of 30 years. Special thanks go out to the Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Mary Landrieu, and to the Ranking Member of the Committee, Senator Olympia Snowe, for their leadership on this legislation. For the text of the Senate Resolution [S. Res. 638] on the 30th anniversary of the national SBDC network, click here .

SBA Revisions of Size Standards To Expand SB Opportunities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration published today a package of revised size definitions for three broad commercial sectors affecting businesses in retail trades, accommodations and food services, and other services. The changes were proposed on October 21, 2009, and will broaden small business eligibility and help them gain access to SBA’s financial assistance, contracting and other programs. The agency estimates as many as 17,000 additional firms will become eligible for SBA programs as a result of the revised size standards. “These increases in the size standards mean more of America’s small businesses will be eligible for and can access the resources and services the SBA and other federal agencies have available,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. “This comprehensive review is aimed at making sure the factors that determine eligibility are aligned with current economic and industry indicators and ensure that small businesses across the country have the tool

Governor Paterson announces launch of New York First

My Fellow New Yorker: I am proud to announce the launch of New York First ( http://www.nyfirst.ny.gov/ ), an innovative business website geared toward the needs of companies within New York State and those who are considering relocating here. Until now, anyone looking for information on the State’s economic development programs would have to contact every agency in the State. With New York First, the full scope of what our State offers its entrepreneurs and potential corporate partners can now be found at one centralized, easy-to-navigate website. New York First brings new clarity, efficiency, and transparency to the State’s economic development efforts. This new site also offers an “Experts on Demand” guarantee. Any email or phone call will receive a response from Empire State Development staff within twenty-four business hours. I’m confident this site will act as a catalyst for long-term business growth, jobs, and prosperity in New York, building on my Administration’s larger efforts

SME Medic

Earlier this week while doing research on the Hot Dog Industry, I stumbled across the interesting article directory SME Medic . A business resource blog providing advice for companies looking for help with growing their business, the website provides tips, articles, guides, and solutions designed to "Take Your Business to the Next Level". There are 3659 published articles and 3203 registered authors in the article directory. You can find articles with interesting and useful information on most popular business themes, including: Advertising Business Startup Careers Computers Finance Human Resources Internet Marketing Legal Logistics Marketing Office Equipment Real Estate

Getting Paid

It will be interesting to see how innovators rethink how we do things that are currently in a state of flux. Improvements seem to come in stages, with a departure from how things have always been done (or not done) and the sometimes awkward stages before a new workable solution comes about. How we keep in touch, how we form communities, how we buy and enjoy music - all of these things are changing and perhaps we have not reached a long lasting solution yet. They are still in development. you have the converts, the skeptics, and at some point, we turn the corner and there is a new way of doing things that everyone just has to accept until the next sea change. This article making the rounds is an example of an innovation that looks promising: State of the Art A Simple Swipe on a Phone, and You’re Paid By DAVID POGUE Published: September 29, 2010 Of course, other places, cell phone users have found it commonplace to pay via their cellphones. This service offers another option for getting

Social Media Deal Sites

In an email I received earlier this week from Portfolio.com , I read an article that taught me a lot about online coupon websites. Titled Coupon Clipped , the article discusses business owners and the mixed feelings they have about coupon sites. The article tells an interesting story about the business owner of a spa who posted a 60% off coupon for a hot stone massage to the coupon website Groupon . Within 24 hours, he sold 1,288 of the deals, exceeding his expectations and the expectations of "the trendy national couponing site". While the increase in sales was a good thing, the business was almost overwhelmed by the number of appointments made. The bottom line - advertising on a coupon website might be good for business, maybe even too good.

Karen Mills on House Passage of Small Business Jobs Bill

Includes extension of successful SBA Recovery loan programs, tax credits, other support for small business growth, job creation WASHINGTON – SBA Administrator Karen Mills today issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act by the U.S. House of Representatives: “Today’s vote by the House to send the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act to the President for his signature is a key step forward in making sure small businesses have the resources they need to do what they do best – create jobs and drive economic growth. This bill includes billions in tax cuts specifically targeted to small businesses so they can put more of their own resources into growing their business. At the same time, this bill ensures those very businesses have access to the capital they need by extending SBA’s successful Recovery loan enhancements and putting local, community banks in a position to be a real partner for small businesses and entrepreneurs. This bill is t

Sales Tax - Bad News, Good News

The exemption from New York State sales tax for clothing and footwear under $110 has been eliminated, for the period October 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011 . Beginning October 1, 2010, clothing and footwear costing less than $110 will be subject to the 4% New York State sales and use tax and, if applicable, the ⅜% tax in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) downstate. Local sales tax rates are not affected. This means: For jurisdictions that did not enact an exemption from the local sales tax, all sales of clothing and footwear are subject to the full state and local sales tax. For jurisdictions that provided for this exemption, only the New York State tax (and MCTD tax, if applicable) will be charged. These counties: Broome, Chautauqua, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Hamilton, Madison, Schuyler, Tioga County, Wayne will charge only the 4% state sales tax. New York City businesses will charge 4⅜% (the combined state tax and MCTD rate). *** The Office of th

Business Valuation Resources And More

The key to providing good industry research is knowing where to look. Sometimes I start doing research on an industry and am not sure where to start looking. I have found the website ValuationResources.com to be incredibly helpful when I have difficulty locating information. According to the site, "ValuationResources.com is a free guide to business valuation resources, industry and company information, economic data, and more. Designed as a comprehensive resource guide for business appraisers, the site's audience includes a broad mix of business owners, professionals, students, and other parties interested in business valuation and industry information." Although the information listed in the guide isn't always available free of charge, knowing where to find the information is a step in the right direction. For resource guides specific to a particular industry, see Industry Information Resources , which covers more than 400 individual industries in the following

"Made in NY" is a high-value label

Products made in New York generate comparatively high levels of wages and spinoff economic activity, according to a new report prepared by the Rockefeller Institute for the Manufacturing Research Institute of New York State. Even after recent losses, the state ranks sixth in the nation in total manufacturing jobs, according to the report. Including other jobs that depend on manufacturing, the sector supports one in three payroll dollars in much of upstate New York. Yet New York City is the largest single center of manufacturing in the state, with more than 81,000 jobs and $4.2 billion of payroll in 2009. In economic terms, the wealth created and added to the economy through manufacturing processes represented 52.7 percent of the total value of products shipped from New York in 2008, compared to 41.5 percent nationally. The state’s largest manufacturing sector, computers and electronic products, employs nearly 65,000 New Yorkers, with total payroll of $5.5 billion and average salaries

Marketing for Hippies

Tad Hargrave is a self-described "hippy who developed a knack for marketing," and started Marketing For Hippies . From the site: We work with good businesses. That could mean: “green business”, local business, sustainable business, social entrepreneurs, holistic practitioners, life-affirming and otherwise conscious entrepreneurs. I find that, for the most part, they keep ‘meaning’ to handle their marketing but are a bit ‘allergic’ to notions of sales, marketing and self-promotion. They think it’s kind of gross. They look at what many of the bigger names in ‘conscious wealth’ do and secretly hate it (but sometimes do it because they think it’s the only way to grow their business). A lot of them have sort of given up hope that there’s any way to market what they do that resonates with them and feels in integrity. I found this guy through an e-mail someone sent me a link to Building a Customer Psychographic Profile . "Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of defining their ta

University at Albany's accreditation

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted to reaffirm the University at Albany's accreditation and commended UAlbany "for the quality of the self-study process." The final self-study document, along with the statement of reaccreditation, is available on the wiki HERE .

EventsEye - Trade Shows, Exhibitions, Conferences & Business Events Worldwide

EventsEye bills itself as "the most complete, practical and reliable free web source dedicated to key exhibitions & trade shows worldwide." With a database featuring over 8,000 events for 2010 and an additional 6,000 more through 2012, it isn't hard to see where the description comes from. Featuring a classification of 149 Activity Topics, EventsEye's purpose is to cover major Trade Exhibitions all over the planet. Finding the information you are interested in is very easy thanks to the leftmost pane that allows you to access the information by Trade Show name, activity topic, exhibition date, location, organizer and also by entering keywords. For example you can get access to all Fashion Industry related Trade Shows in Paris by typing "fashion paris" in the Keyword text box.

Before the Internet Was Your Local Library

Harvey Mackay On Business Published: 12:00 a.m., Sunday, September 5, 2010 Albany Times Union Studies show that children who use the library tend to perform better in school. They are also more likely to continue learning and exploring throughout their lives. If you don't use the library for business, now is a good time to start. We can obtain a high percentage of the information we need via search engines using our home or work computers. But there are a lot of hidden business jewels available at your local library, and many of them can be accessed online. The average small business or job seeker is penalized by having limited research capabilities. Big companies with big budgets pay for expensive databases. With a mouse click, they can instantly access company data, sort through research reports, and locate current and archived newspaper and trade journal articles. Small companies and individuals who can't afford premium access are left out. Unless they have a local library c

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) is the primary resource for determining tariff classifications for goods imported into the United States. The U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, like Harmonized System tariff schedules generally, classifies a good (assigns it a ten-digit tariff classification number) based on such things as its name, use, and/or the material used in its construction. The tariff schedule is divided into Chapters 1 through 99 plus numerous additional sections such as various appendices and indexes. There are over 17,000 unique ten-digit HTS classification code numbers. Chapters are divided into a varying number of headings, and headings are divided into a varying number of subheadings. Raw materials or basic substances often appear in the early chapters and in earlier headings within a chapter, where highly processed goods and manufactured articles often appear in later chapters and headings. Agricultural products are generally provided for in ch

Sales Tax Publications

I find this list useful because it addresses the requirements of specific industries, as well as general information such as what new businesses need to know. Some examples: Veterinarians, Hotel and Motel Operators, Drugstores and Pharmacies, Broadcasters, the Film Industry, Snowmobile Dealers, Manufacturers, Exempt Organizations, and Residential Energy Sources and Services, the latter updated as of September 1, 2010.

Demographics of Hispanics

I read an interesting article the other day in Advertising Age. Hispanic Market Hits Tipping Point provides important information on the Hispanic Market and how businesses should market their products and services to Hispanics. "The market is growing: The 2010 Census expected to count a record 50 million Hispanics, or one in every six U.S. residents, meaning the Hispanic population will have increased a stunning 42% from the previous census in 2000. (By comparison, the non-Hispanic population will have edged up just 5% in that decade.) It's also got scale: Hispanics are now the nation's second-largest consumer market after white non-Hispanics, who are still the largest group at about 200 million." "But perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Hispanics in America is how closely they exemplify our idealized concept of 1950s America. They are young (their median age is about where the whole nation was in 1955) and more often live in large, traditional, married-with-

A Longitudinal Analysis of Early Self-employment

From the SBA Office of Advocacy: The purpose of this research is to provide policy-relevant analysis of the characteristics and career paths of those Americans who have chosen self- employment. Specifically, the study uses the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth to provide new empirical findings regarding the dynamics of self- employment and documents generational changes in self-employment patterns in early adult work life between two cohorts born in the second half of the 20th century. The key finding is that early exposure to self-employment increases individuals’ engagement in self-employment during the early- and mid-career years. There is a strong positive link between an indicator of self- employment during ages 20-22 and the self-employment outcome measures in ages 22-41. A copy of the report is located HERE and the research summary can be found HERE . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Ying Lowrey at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

Finding Same-Sex Couple Statistics

It has been written that the Census Bureau has no data on same-sex couples; this is incorrect. Go to Families and Living Arrangements and scroll near the bottom. Not only will one find tables, one will discover a couple working papers that describe the political and statistical challenges about gathering such information. Gay marriage is a particularly complicated statistical issue. Also, on American Factfinder, look for Table B11009. UNMARRIED-PARTNER HOUSEHOLDS BY SEX OF PARTNER in the American Community Survey. There's a UCLA professor named Gary Gates , who has put together some statistics based on 2000 Census data and other sources, including the Gay and Lesbian Atlas.

Business Plans and Profiles Index

The Business Plans and Profiles Index provided by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh lists types of small businesses and a corresponding sample business plan, profile or book about the business with sources provided after each entry. Entries that refer to actual sample plans are in bold print. If the plan or profile is online, a link is provided. This is one source I use quite frequently and I highly recommend it.

Gender and Establishment Dynamics

This report examines the gender characteristics and business dynamics of establishments that were in operation as of 2002 for the 2002-2006 period. This paper is the first to report matching data from the 2002 Survey of Business Owners (SBO) and the 1989-2006 Business Information Tracking Series (BITS) in an Advocacy publication series. The series focuses on business dynamics by gender, race/ethnicity, and business type (publicly held vs. non-publicly held businesses). Business owners’ gender, race or ethnic characteristics can be identified only for non-publicly held enterprises. Employer establishments—establishments with paid employees—owned by women had higher closure rates and lower contraction rates than those owned by men or owned equally by men and women over the 2002-2006 period. The average four-year survival rate for all 2002 employer establishments was 70 percent; for female-owned, 66 percent; for male-owned, 72 percent; and for male and female equally owned, 69 percent. I

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides access to a variety of useful statistics, but there are two publications that I find particularly useful while doing research. Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011 - The Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information for hundreds of different types of jobs, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Revised every two years, the Outlooks include: Nature of the Work Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement Employment Job Outlook Projections Data Earnings Related Occupations Sources of Additional Information Career Guide to Industries 2010-2011 - The Guide is a companion to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, providing information at the industry level, for dozens of different kinds of industries. Categories for each industry include: Nature of the Industry Working Conditions Employment Occupations in the Industry Training and Advancement Outlook Earnings Sou

Procurement 101

Many programs that are less than $25,000 are listed at FedBizOpps ; ones over $25K MUST be, but smaller ones are not prohibited. One should sign up with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the SBA , as it says here . Beyond that, creating a relationship with the particular department is a good idea.

Tax Tips for New Business Owners

The Business Owner's Toolkit - Total Know-How for Small Business is a useful website that provides guides, tips, and pertinent information for small business owners. This week, I received an email about an article on Tax Tips for New Business Owners . Based on the a checklist from the IRS, the article provides information on common tax issues that all new business owners must address, including: Choice of Business Entity Tax Obligations Employer Identification Number Recordkeeping Accounting Period Accounting Method

Holiday

So, you want to know, for business or cultural reasons, what holidays are celebrated in various countries. Here are some suggestions: Time and Date lets you choose a date until 2015 and choose the country. CountryReports is also useful. Though you need to scroll through the months to see the holidays, you can choose a country or region. My favorite may be Earth Calendar , a "daybook of holidays and celebrations around the world. For the purpose of this web site a 'holiday' is any day that recognizes a cultural event, and not necessarily a day when businesses are closed. *** Madonna - Holiday The Bee Gees- Holiday

Stats about all US Cities

City-Data.com is a useful website that has collected and analyzed data from numerous sources to create as complete and interesting profiles of all U.S. cities as possible. The website has over 74,000 city photos not found anywhere else, graphs of latest real estate prices and sales trends, recent home sales, home value estimator, hundreds of thousands of maps, satellite photos, stats about residents (race, income, ancestries, education, employment...), geographical data, state profiles, crime data, registered sex offenders, cost of living, housing, religions, businesses, local news links based on their exclusive technology, birthplaces of famous people, political contributions, city government finances and employment, weather, tornadoes, earthquakes, hospitals, schools, libraries, houses, airports, radio and TV stations, zip codes, area codes, air pollution, latest unemployment data, time zones, water systems and their health and monitoring violations, comparisons to averages, local

The WorkingPoint Blog

I've been checking out the blog put out by WorkingPoint , an "online, small business solution." They have been putting out some interesting articles such as Essential Ingredients for Small Business Success and 19 Ways to Drive a Steady Stream of Traffic to Your Website . It's fun site - periodically, you'll come across the Botpreneur, who is ready for (business) action. WorkingPoint offers free invoicing, bill & expense management and bookkeeping, with additional services for $10 per month. This article explains that the founders of WorkingPoint "worked for Intuit and were behind the creation of QuickBooks and Quicken. They believed Quickbooks had become too complicated and that the small business software segment was ripe for SaaS-based innovation."