New York SBDC Research Network

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics : The aging of the United States population will influence the economy for many years to come. The Census Bureau projects that in 2050, the population aged 65 and older will be 83.7 million, almost double its estimate of 43.1 million in 2012... Understanding expenditure patterns in later life is crucial to evaluating financial security in retirement. This analysis uses integrated data from the 2014 Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE), which separates the 55-and-older age range into three groups: ages 55–64, 65–74, and 75 and older. Data show that: *Housing is the greatest expense in dollar amount and as a share of total expenditures for households with a reference person 55 and older. *Clothing and transportation spending, and contributions for pensions and Social Security decline with the age of the reference person. *Healthcare spending increases with the age of the reference person.

The  2015 Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units annual report  provides absorption details for units constructed in 2014. The Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This survey measures how soon privately financed, nonsubsidized, unfurnished units in buildings with five or more units are rented or sold (absorbed) after completion. In addition, it collects data on characteristics such as number of bedrooms, asking rent and asking price.

From the IRS: Most employers have fewer than 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalent employees and are not subject to the Affordable Care Act’s  employer shared responsibility provision . If an employer has fewer than 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, on average during the prior year, the employer is not an ALE for the current calendar year.  Therefore, the employer is not subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions or the employer information reporting provisions for the current year. Calculating the number of employees is especially important for employers that have close to 50 employees or whose workforce fluctuates throughout the year.

Today, the Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the Small Business Administration, released the annual Small Business Profiles in a fresh, redesigned format. The user-friendly, data-rich profiles combine catchy visuals and more in-depth data than previous editions. They capture vital data on U.S. and state-level economic growth, industry, and jobs using completely reproducible data from the leading government statistical agencies. The profiles illustrate the state and national economies in terms of small business employment, diversity, and trade. They show the most important small business industries, both in the number of firms and how many jobs they account for. And they show establishment turnover trends and county-level job change. Visit Advocacy’s website to view the US or your state’s profile.

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Mid-Hudson SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Lea Fridrich The Garden Cafe Mid-Hudson SBDC Lea Fridrich’s love for vegetarian food is only surpassed by her love for people! Lea had her eye on a well-established, well-loved vegetarian restaurant in Woodstock that she knew was for sale, and in June 2014 she offered to purchase it. A customer who frequented the restaurant Lea managed at the time was so impressed with Lea’s skills and passion that she agreed to finance the purchase of the restaurant and to become a limited partner. Lea was left with the task of determining a reasonable valuation for the business and estimating the total amount of financing required to realize her vision for the restaurant. Mid-Hudson SBDC Advisor Sam Kandel worked closely with Lea to determine a fair valuation, manage the expectations

Nature or nurture? Are procrastinators made, or are they born? Turns out, it’s a little bit of both. On the one hand, some chalk procrastination up to a response from an authoritarian parenting style. So, if your parents were overly strict, you might not have been able to develop good self-regulation skills on your own. Turns out, maybe you really can blame Mom and Dad. Not only that, but procrastination can even be a form of rebellion at a younger age, and it’s unfortunately an easy habit to carry into adulthood. On the flipside, our tendency to procrastinate could be partly genetic. Studies show that procrastination is heritable, and is linked with the frontal systems of our brain that regulate our so-called “executive functioning,” which includes things like self-control, planning, and problem solving. The research shows that procrastinators may have “subtle executive dysfunction,” or a lessened ability to regulate themselves and plan well. However, while there is a

There are so many podcasts out now that it can be difficult to choose where to start. Best to go to a trusted source and seek their advice. Jonathan Michael at Bplans.com gives you a good place to start:  Whether you are considering starting your own business, or you are already a successful entrepreneur, listening to how others succeeded can help you better achieve the goals you have set for your business.   Podcasts are an informative, fun way to gain knowledge and inspiration, and can be listened to while working, exercising, commuting, and so on. The key is finding worthwhile podcasts to listen to.   ...5. Entrepreneur on Fire  John Lee Dumas, founder and host of Entrepreneur on Fire, interviews successful entrepreneurs every single day. A consistent podcast, the show has a new episode every day of the week, each with a different guest. Entrepreneur on Fire was awarded a Best of iTunes Award in 2013, and its insights can definitely help guide you in your own entrepreneurial e