New York SBDC Research Network

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Corning SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Chris Walushka Walushka Auto House Corning SBDC Chris Walushka is the proud owner of Walushka Auto House in Corning. Ever since Chris was in high school, he knew he wanted to own a business focused on his passion for cars and the ability to develop strong relationships with customers. Chris went to college to study the auto industry. After graduating, he worked diligently at a large auto dealership in town, first as a salesman, and then as the finance and insurance manager, with responsibilities for a team of salesman.  Chris saved a percentage of every paycheck to finance his dreams. Chris came to the Corning SBDC to ensure that he was on the right track to start his business. Advisor Susan Buchanan reviewed his business plan and helped him make some foundational decisions.

From MarketingProfs : In the first article of this series, we talked about how to determine whether a rebranding initiative is in your company's best interests. In the second article , we covered the basics of building your new brand identity. Now it's time to discuss best-practices as you launch and promote your exciting new brand, both internally and externally.

From SBA.gov: The WOSB procurement program website is undergoing a facelift. A new website, called SBA ONE, will allow for the electronic submission of SBA forms, as well as a streamlined location to monitor all certifications for your company including the repository. With the change, there are three things you need to know: 1. All WOSBs will need to create a new login for the new system. The new website is actually an entirely new system and as such all WOSBs will need to create a new account and login (but not reload all documents – see next). The SBA is also asking that after creating a new account, all WOSB/EDWOSB companies submit new Form 2413 (WOSB certification) and/or Form 2414 (EDWOSB certification) electronically. Businesses should do this as soon as possible. 2. The repository is being migrated, but is currently closed. This is important for two reasons: 1) your documents previously submitted should move to your new account and not require resubmission (ex

From Mental Floss : Who drinks RC Cola, anyway? It’s a question Coke and Pepsi drinkers have been asking for decades. In the prolonged marketing battle that began in the '70s and saw the beloved major brands duke it out via celebrity endorsements, rewards promotions (Pepsi Stuff, anyone?), an onslaught of advertisements, and even a race into space, RC Cola remained on the sidelines, a quiet blue and red can that seemed content to simply be. Fact is, RC has had loyal fans throughout its more than 100-year history. Its roots go deep in the south, where drinking one with a Moon Pie is a blue-collar tradition that’s still popular today. There’s even a song that celebrates the pairing. RC also has a presence internationally, in countries such as Estonia, Thailand, and Iceland. It’s currently one of the top-selling soda brands in the Philippines. But the number of RC drinkers could have been much, much higher. In an alternate—and completely plausible—universe, it would have given

If you have not yet filed your federal tax return, here are three last-minute filing tips related to the health care law. Remember that the tax filing deadline this year is  Monday, April 18 . Check the box to report health care coverage If you are concerned that the health care law might require additional time to complete your tax return, remember that most taxpayers will simply check a box related to health care on their return. If everyone listed on your return had qualifying health care coverage for the entire year, you will simply check the box on your return to indicate you had coverage. This is the first year you may receive new forms providing information about your health care coverage. The new forms are  Form 1095-B , Health Coverage  and  Form 1095-C , Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. Even if you do not receive a Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C by the time you are ready to file your 2015 tax return, you do not necessarily need to wait in order to file. W

From the special SBA page: Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. This year’s theme will be “Dream Big, Start Small.” Sign up for several webinars .

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Columbia-Harlem SBDC  appears in our  2015 Annual Report .  Reza Pourkhomami Fivesky Columbia-Harlem SBDC Fivesky’s Managing Member Reza Pourkhomami found the Columbia Harlem SBDC by doing a Google search. When Reza first consulted the SBDC, his company was in startup mode, and he sought assistance with access to capital, business planning, and development of financial projections. Advisor Glamis Haro was impressed by the fact that he had already planned his business mentally. Reza put his plan on paper and started using it as a tool for management. During his second year, he obtained a loan in the amount of $250k to expand the staff of the company . Fivesky currently has 20 employees, and has expanded to Canada and Europe. Fivesky designs, deploys, and maintains advanced technologies to help customers achieve operational