New York SBDC Research Network

From  Bureau Of Labor Statistics This Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) Annual Report presents integrated data from the 2015 Diary and Interview portions of the CE, including data tables. The tables show average expenditures, income, and characteristics for consumer units 1  classified by the following characteristics: quintiles and deciles of income, before-tax income class, age of the reference person, size of the consumer unit, composition of the consumer unit, number of earners, housing tenure and type of area (urban or rural), region of residence, occupation, highest education level of any consumer-unit member, race, and Hispanic or Latino origin. This report highlights spending patterns for 2015 from the CE, including a brief discussion of expenditure changes for the year, and provides a description of the CE survey. Consumer spending increased 4.6 percent in 2015, according to annual data from the CE. This follows an increase of 4.7 percent in 2014, previously recorded b

 From:  The Balance What skills are most important for companies that are hiring? There are some skills and qualities that employers require of all applicants for employment, regardless of the position they are hiring for. These are called soft skills, and they include the interpersonal skills and attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. In addition, there are the more tangible skills you need in order to do the job effectively. These are called hard skills, and they are the specific knowledge and abilities required to do the job. There's a difference between hard and soft skills.  You’ll need both for most jobs, and it's important to show employers that you have the skills they need when you're applying and interviewing for jobs.

From  99 Business Ideas A  catering business  is a perfect opportunity for the people who love to cook. It is a profitable business and ensures lucrative margin to the owners. Additionally, you can start this business as part-time. As your business grows, you can consider giving your full effort. In this post, we intend to explore  how to start a home-based small catering business . Catering is a financially profitable and self-rewarding business. However, It is a demanding career. It requires stamina, an ability to work under pressure, and excellent interpersonal skills. And the success of this business hugely depends on the personal reputation. You do not need special education or training to become a successful caterer. However, taking some courses at culinary institutes or vocational schools can significantly help improve the quality of your food offerings.  Instead of taking classes, you can also work for an established caterer to know the inside of the business operati

From MarketingProfs ; US teenagers age 13-17 say YouTube and Netflix are the coolest brands, according to recent research from Think With Google. The report was based on data from a survey conducted by YouGov in June 2016 of 1,100 people age 13-17 (Generation Z) in the United States. Respondents were asked to rank 122 popular brands on how known they are and how cool they are. The purpose of this magazine is to provide a glimpse into the world of teens in the US through the lens of what they find cool. Cool is an indication of what people pay attention to, what gets them excited, and can often act as a manifestation of their hope and dreams. Unlike millennials, this group is ambitious, engaged, and feel like they can change the world. For Generation Z, what’s cool is also a representation of their values, their expectations of themselves, their peers, and the brands they hold in the highest regard. What you’re looking at is proprietary research conceived and executed by the Bran

From the FTC : Justin Ramsey permanently banned from robocalling individuals, calling numbers on the Do Not Call Registry The FTC has obtained a settlement order with Justin Ramsey, the ringleader of telemarketing operations that blasted illegal robocalls to consumers and called phone numbers listed on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. The order bans Ramsey and his company, Prime Marketing LLC from placing robocalls to individuals to sell goods or services, initiating sales calls to numbers listed on the DNC Registry, and selling data lists containing phone numbers listed on the Registry. This settlement resolves the Federal Trade Commission’s charges against Ramsey. Ramsey and Prime Marketing also agreed to a $2.2 million civil penalty, which will be suspended upon payment of $65,000. The full judgment will become due if they are later found to have misrepresented their financial condition. According to the  FTC’s January 2017 complaint, in 2012 and 2013 Ramsey and several c

From the IRS : The IRS will begin contacting some taxpayers whose overdue federal tax accounts are being transferred to private collection agencies. But watch out for scammers who might claim to be associated with the program to try to steal your money. Keep in mind, the IRS will always send you a letter first before assigning your account to a private collection agency (PCA). Learn more about this new private debt collection program, including how to avoid tax scams and protect your taxpayer rights. Starting this month, the Internal Revenue Service will begin sending letters to a relatively small group of taxpayers whose overdue federal tax accounts are being assigned to one of four private-sector collection agencies. The new program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress in December 2015, enables these designated contractors to collect, on the government’s behalf, unpaid tax debts. Usually, these are unpaid individual tax obligations that are not currently being wor

From eMarketer Consumers know what they want, and when it comes to visiting a small business’ website, they expect the same experience they would get from a larger chain. If website visitors don’t get that experience—whether because the site doesn’t provide simple information like an address or business hours, or because it has a poor mobile experience—then they are left with a bad impression.