The need to maximize speed and convenience while minimizing risk impacts operational decisions across all departments.
Posted: May 21st, 2012
Deloitte recently released the results of a survey on compliance programs, determining that 57.7 percent of companies expect to spend more time and money increasing their regulatory compliance this year.
Posted: Apr 19th, 2012
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas and equip their workforce with mobile devices may want to take some time to weigh the risks involved.
Posted: Apr 16th, 2012
The world is suffering from a dearth of effective leaders.
Posted: Mar 20th, 2012
Despite reeling from a slew of fiscal difficulties in recent months, the government is an ideal business customer to many small firms. For one, federal agencies actively seek out relationships with certified small businesses - a policy that is not often ...
Posted: Aug 30th, 2011
Small businesses added few jobs to their payrolls in August, according to the latest Small Business Employment Index from Intuit. The slowdown was attributed to market uncertainty, which discouraged U.S. employers from hiring or making significant expans...
Posted: Aug 29th, 2011
Technology is both a curse and a blessing. While innovations such as smartphones, tablet computers, social media and email have allowed for instant communication, they have also raised our expectations for such interactions. In other words, if you're...
Posted: Aug 26th, 2011
In something of a contrast to the slew of recent dismal economic reports, a quarterly survey from Capital One offers a slightly more optimistic depiction of the U.S. economy.The second quarter Small Business Barometer shows gradual improvement in financi...
Posted: Aug 25th, 2011
The state of the job market might be summed up in this headline from the satirical news site The Onion: "Dept. Of Labor reports it could be nothing, but they may have spotted job in Iowa strip mall."While we all hope the U.S. economy never reac...
Posted: Aug 25th, 2011
A few weeks after the vexing debt ceiling negotiations, the Obama administration has turned its sights toward job creation and, more recently, red tape. This week, the White House unveiled a plan to reduce burdensome regulations for businesses and promot...
Posted: Aug 24th, 2011
A remote workforce is a subject of controversy in certain business circles. Some managers dislike the idea of a decentralized staff, while others argue it helps reduce costs, alleviate employee stress, and even benefit the environment through the lack of...
Posted: Aug 24th, 2011
There's no doubt about it: The job market has been tough in recent years. Even former top-level managers are facing enormous challenges in finding positions in line with their career trajectories.The competition has incited many job-seekers to levera...
Posted: Aug 23rd, 2011
Are business conditions getting you down? Are you unsatisfied with what your company has accomplished? Even worse, are you unhappy? If so, it may help to set the bar a bit higher.According to a recent study to be published in the December edition of the ...
Posted: Aug 23rd, 2011
What makes workers tick? What makes them pour their soul into a project? What makes them give up? College courses have been taught exploring these questions and their elusive answers. While business owners can read up all they want, the issue ultimately ...
Posted: Aug 22nd, 2011
In a slow economy with weak consumer sentiment, businesses can't afford to make bad hires. For that reason, employers and HR teams need to develop a hiring strategy that accurately and effectively evaluates a candidate's various strengths and wea...
Posted: Aug 18th, 2011
The knee-jerk reaction goes something like this: Sleeping on the job is grounds for being fired. If this is your initial response to the idea of napping employees, take a step back and review the cause for such a situation. It may be that your employees ...
Posted: Aug 17th, 2011
News of the economy has been rife with pessimism in recent weeks, with analysts struggling to find any source of optimism amid market volatility, decaying business confidence, and weak hiring trends.American Express OPEN recently amalgamated data from 18...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
What does it mean to be a leader? Invariably, the answer to this depends on the organization in question, but there are some basic traits that most leaders share. In developing a company or launching a new project, it may help to work on some of these po...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
There's no way around it: Hiring is slow and it will likely remain so for some time to come. Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported the addition of only 114,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate dipped to 9.1 percent.Although figur...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2011
Artists often say creativity is essentially a series of decisions. The same is true when it comes to running a business. Whether handling a project or overseeing an entire company, you need to be quick and decisive while also not sacrificing deliberation...
Posted: Aug 12th, 2011
In the chaotic reactions to the employment figures coming out of Washington each month, the conversation often seems to be centered around how to get Americans back to work. However, a few analysts have turned national attention toward a more narrow, yet...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
One of the most daunting tasks of bringing new talent into your business is the process of effectively training new hires. While HR executives are often relied on to handle this task, it's a good idea for business owners to step in and become directl...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
Trust can be an elusive concept in a business environment. While everyone has their own idea of trust that they apply to friends and family, it's less defined, yet still critical, in the workplace. So how can a business build a culture of trust among...
Posted: Aug 10th, 2011
Whether you're planning to incorporate in California or New York, you'll need to maintain optimal productivity levels among your employees. This, most managers agree, is the key to sustaining a growing enterprise.Of course, the tactics for optimi...
Posted: Aug 9th, 2011
Women account for more than a quarter of service sector businesses in the U.S., according to the National Women's Business Council, generating roughly $1.2 trillion in receipts each year.While the sector is expanding, many analysts are paying close a...
Posted: Aug 8th, 2011
Regardless of your background or industry, it's likely your company could use some creative input. Whether for marketing, product development, design, or expansion strategies, ideas are the lifeblood of a business and the quality of them determines h...
Posted: Aug 5th, 2011
Right in time for the heated culmination of the months-long debt ceiling debate, the National Small Business Association released its 2011 Mid-Year Economic Report, finding confidence among small businesses in the U.S. is on the decline.According to the ...
Posted: Aug 4th, 2011
Private businesses continued to add to their payrolls last month, as the most recent National Employment Report from ADP shows employment in the sector grew by 114,000 in July. The 121,000 positions added in the services sector marks the 19th consecutive...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
The summer can be a challenging time to maintain effective engagement levels among employees. It's usually the time of year businesses scale back their operations, take some time off and generally recharge.Of course, relaxing too much can be disastro...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
Regardless of how a business owner feels about government regulations, they're the law and need to be followed. But as a business grows and responsibilities become more compartmentalized, it's easy for compliance to be placed on the back bu...
Posted: Aug 3rd, 2011
Businesses may be noting improvements in the credit markets - they may even be experiencing sales growth, but the fact remains that the labor market is expected to heavily favor employers for some time.However, this does not mean businesses can afford to...
Posted: Aug 2nd, 2011
Running a business on one's own is a daunting task for a number of reasons. Even as a startup begins to expand and bring in new talent, challenges can begin to emerge from every corner, underscoring the need for managers to implement strategies to st...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
Today's globalized economy shows few signs of letting up any time soon. As manufacturing, construction, and even new markets such as IT and business process outsourcing continue to create millions of jobs in developing economies, the pressure is on s...
Posted: Aug 1st, 2011
It's true that in today's economy most business professionals find few reasons to be optimistic. Not only are sales weak and hiring low, but prospects of substantial improvements are slim and far off.For this reason, many small business owners an...
Posted: Jul 22nd, 2011
In today's gloomy job market, layoffs seem to be everywhere, with businesses large and small forced to cut staff to maintain profit margins. The sad thing about such layoffs is that they're usually not the fault of the workers being fired - often...
Posted: Jul 22nd, 2011
Forrester Research recently projected the cloud computing industry to reach a market value of $241 billion by 2020. Over the same period, business leaders expect cloud services to inundate markets and contribute increasingly toward an office-less busines...
Posted: Jul 20th, 2011
Entrepreneurs may be more common in a weak job market, but that doesn't mean there's an abundance of good ideas. Even so, successful businesspeople argue that entrepreneurship is about trying out a number of different ideas, learning from mistake...
Posted: Jul 19th, 2011
Corporate executives have likely been turning to their chief financial officers more often, as economic conditions continue to hamper company budgets and dominate the decision-making process.However, it's important for leaders to maintain a balance b...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
At one point or another, a business will likely be forced into a corner by an overly rude of domineering client. Whether it's his or her sheer volume of demands, a rude attitude or a history of slow payment, it may be time to considering firing the c...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
In a state like California - with an unemployment rate of 11.7 percent, as of May - the issue of employee satisfaction is likely more pressing than in states with stronger job markets. With so few job opportunities, employees are prone to grow discourage...
Posted: Jul 18th, 2011
A divide has emerged between small and large businesses, with growth prospects and sales figures parting the way.According to the Business Roundtable, corporate CEOs are expressing greater confidence than they were before the recession. However, small bu...
Posted: Jul 14th, 2011
Every business has dirty work - the job responsibilities that nobody wants and are left to new hires or positions created entirely for those purposes. Fortunately, for employers, there's no shortage of people willing to fill those positions. With une...
Posted: Jul 12th, 2011
Despite a recent study from Manta that found a majority of small business owners plan to hire this year, more recent reports seem to have put a damper on those prospects.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported Monday that nearly two-thirds of surveyed smal...
Posted: Jul 11th, 2011
While the private sector has been slow to recover from the recession, it has nonetheless been growing over the past several months. The public sector, on the other hand, has been laying off workers en masse, contributing to a high unemployment rate and w...
Posted: Jul 8th, 2011
The U.S. service sector, which essentially refers to all non-farm and non-manufacturing industries, expanded in June for the 19th consecutive month, according to a report released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management.The ISM Non-Manufacturing...
Posted: Jul 6th, 2011
Can entrepreneurship be taught - or is it a quality people are born with? That's the question investigated in a recent study by professors at Babson College in Massachusetts.Business leaders and professionals have long pondered how to teach something...
Posted: Jul 6th, 2011
Especially over the past year, Texas has been championed by a number of economists and political figures as being the ideal environment for business and entrepreneurship.While the lack of statewide income or property tax - not to mention an intensely ant...
Posted: Jul 1st, 2011
Technology and business intelligence are increasingly becoming budget priorities among businesses and entrepreneurial ventures. Driving the trend is a general decrease in cost for efficient data storage and cloud computing programs.However, new research ...
Posted: Jul 1st, 2011
Entrepreneurs deciding on a location to launch their ventures may want to consider forming an LLC in Texas, Virgina or North Carolina, as those states took the top spots on CNBC's most recent rankings of the best states for business.While the Lone St...
Posted: Jun 29th, 2011
Entrepreneurship tends to flourish in communities that promote, encourage or value such endeavors. However, startup activity is also more common in areas ravaged plagued by high unemployment, as fewer work opportunities often inspire professionals to cre...
Posted: Jun 29th, 2011
After a number of recent cyberattacks on corporate and government websites, including a breach last week that brought the CIA's site down for several hours, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday it will roll out a program to protect sm...
Posted: Jun 28th, 2011
A new report on federal contracting among small businesses undermines the Obama administration's claim that nearly 23 percent of all government contracts allocated in 2010 were granted to small companies.According to a report released Tuesday by the ...
Posted: Jun 28th, 2011
Small businesses in the U.S. may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, as a recent survey from TD Bank shows expectations for revenue growth and hiring plans are much more optimistic than current market conditions may suggest.According to the rep...
Posted: Jun 27th, 2011
When small businesses first start to expand, they naturally begin to delegate responsibilities to certain individuals and create job titles to match those duties. Chief financial officers, for example, typically oversee all matters related to accounting,...
Posted: Jun 24th, 2011
Most entrepreneurs are driven by a desire to create a useful and profitable service for the market, but to achieve that end, passion is almost always a necessity. Whether one is incorporating in California or Texas, if he or she lacks a strong and passio...
Posted: Jun 24th, 2011
One doesn't have to look far to note examples of the dismal state of the U.S. job market. Why exactly hiring is so low and employment opportunities so sparse are some of the topic subjects of economic discourse, but the general assessment is that bus...
Posted: Jun 24th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in New York may be discouraged from hiring or expanding their operations due to a troubled credit market, but banking executives appear to be growing more confident in the financial sector, suggesting a resurgence of ...
Posted: Jun 23rd, 2011
May was somewhat of a dismal month for the recovering economy, indications show. While job gains slowed tremendously, so did consumer activity, factory output and a number of small business confidence reports.This week, the Small Business Authority Index...
Posted: Jun 22nd, 2011
National Venture Capital Association president Mark Heesen recently told Entrepreneur magazine that he expects to see noted gains in the U.S. VC market either later this year or early next.However, the NVCA, along with international consulting firm Deloi...
Posted: Jun 22nd, 2011
It has long been asserted that entrepreneurship flourishes in areas with fewer employment opportunities. A recent CNN poll supported this theory by finding some of the states with the highest unemployment rates - California, Nevada and Georgia - are amon...
Posted: Jun 21st, 2011
With unemployment at stubbornly high rates - hitting 9.1 percent nationwide last month - many professionals find themselves in the middle of a nearly desolate job market, while those fortunate enough to have employment find few opportunities for career a...
Posted: Jun 15th, 2011
Owners of small companies in the U.S. were less confident regarding the state of their businesses and the overall economy last month, as the most recent Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business dropped slightly i...
Posted: Jun 14th, 2011
New data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau finds more minority entrepreneurs incorporate in California. Specifically, the study found the Golden State boasted the highest number of minority-owned businesses in the country between 2002 and 2007...
Posted: Jun 13th, 2011
While the economy is unquestionably better than it was a year ago, many small business owners remain frustrated by the nauseatingly slow pace of recovery. Unemployment remains high, job growth is fumbling, GDP is dreary and the credit market is in questi...
Posted: Jun 10th, 2011
A survey released this week by business network Manta finds a majority - 57 percent - of small businesses plan to hire this year, providing something of a contrast to recent not-so-cheery employment figures.However, the survey also noted that the top hir...
Posted: Jun 7th, 2011
Most small business owners and entrepreneurs understand the importance of having a website, but many fail to recognize the importance of site design - not only in attracting consumers but in retaining them as well.Understandably, entrepreneurs can be sid...
Posted: Jun 3rd, 2011
During the fragile and stubborn economic recovery, it has been consistently difficult for small businesses to get their finances in order such that spending on hiring, marketing or equipment would be warranted.However, many entrepreneurs have turned to r...
Posted: Jun 2nd, 2011
With so many varying reports on the state of the economy, consumer sentiment and business outlooks, it can be difficult for entrepreneurs to accurately gauge conditions, especially considering how market trends vary greatly from sector to sector.For exam...
Posted: Jun 2nd, 2011
While ideally the web can be an endless stream of free information and instant communication, these liberties can allow for less principled individuals to pirate content, infringe copyrights and even plagiarize written material.For professionals who look...
Posted: Jun 1st, 2011
A number of recent studies have declared that California is a bad place for business, innovation and entrepreneurship, but few of them address exactly why that is. While a complete diagnosis would likely require a roundtable discussion between historians...
Posted: May 27th, 2011
Craft beer entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may want to reconsider their choice of location, as a bill aimed at helping small breweries died in the state Senate this week.The bill would have allowed breweries to sell beer directly to guests ...
Posted: May 27th, 2011
While California has struggled to pull itself out of the recession - balancing a fiscal crisis, high unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates - one of its underlying problems may actually be education - or lack thereof.A recent survey by advocacy g...
Posted: May 25th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California will likely experience an environment with heavy startup activity, as a recent survey by CNN Money found states with high unemployment, including the Golden State, to be highly entrepreneurial - likely a...
Posted: May 24th, 2011
For entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California, New York or elsewhere, it is important to establish a marketing plan. But as consumers become more and more conscious of environmental practices - both by the brands they trust and in their own live...
Posted: May 23rd, 2011
Entrepreneurs incorporating in California last month seemed to have hired in slightly larger numbers, as the state's unemployment dipped moderately to 11.9 percent with the addition of a meager 8,900 jobs, according to figures from the Labor Departme...
Posted: May 20th, 2011
The U.S. job market is gradually beginning to improve. Although unemployment grew to 9 percent in April, the economy noted the addition of some 268,000 private sector jobs.As conditions improve, employers will observe an increasingly competitive market f...
Posted: May 19th, 2011
With the economy as it is, it's certainly understandable that small business owners are a bit hesitant to make huge investments in technology, hiring or other operational tasks.The fact remains that sales have been slow, and although consumer confide...
Posted: May 19th, 2011
While the Golden State remains one of the most unemployed regions in the country, entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California and elsewhere seem to have greater plans for hiring, according to a survey released this week by General Electric.Bloombe...
Posted: May 17th, 2011
President Barack Obama spoke in honor of the nation's small businesses Friday, praising the sector's contributions to entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation in spite of less than desirable circumstances throughout the country.The occasion ...
Posted: May 13th, 2011
The state of Texas is known for its pro-business economic landscape, but when it comes to the liquor industry, it is anything but. Aside from retaining a number of laws that inhibit the distribution of beer by microbreweries, the state prohibits the sale...
Posted: May 11th, 2011
A recent survey by CNN Money found Nevada and California to be among the most active states for startup activity, reasoning that their massive unemployment rates - 13.2 and 12.3 percent, respectively - have encouraged many laid-off workers to form their ...
Posted: May 11th, 2011
Providing stark contrast to a number of recent surveys on the state of the U.S. small business sector, the National Federation of Independent Business reported Tuesday that confidence in the sector fell to a seven-month low in April.According to the NFIB...
Posted: May 10th, 2011
In yet another survey illustrating the vastly different economic policies of California and Texas, Chief Executive magazine released its annual "Best & Worst States" survey Thursday, noting Texas to be the No. 1 state in which to do busines...
Posted: May 6th, 2011
Texas has maintained one of the strongest job markets of any major state economy, boasting a well below-average state unemployment rate of 8.1 percent, as of March. And according to recent data, entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may continue ...
Posted: May 6th, 2011
In the towering field of skyscrapers that rise above New York City, one is apt to find enormously successful enterprises that range from social media consulting to investment banking to technology.However, one of the more recent trends spurring New York ...
Posted: May 2nd, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California - a state with a blistering 12.3 percent unemployment rate - may take comfort in recent news from Intuit that finds job creation among small businesses nationwide grew by 0.3 percent in April.The increas...
Posted: May 2nd, 2011
It's difficult to overestimate the value of a solid workforce. Whether incorporating in California or New York, the talent that business owners are able to recruit for their ventures is instrumental to their overall success.However, as the job market...
Posted: Apr 27th, 2011
A company's website serves as the portal through which consumers engage with the business, learning about its products and services and finding additional methods of contact. In many ways, a website is like putting power in the hands of consumers, of...
Posted: Apr 25th, 2011
Factory activity in Texas continued its months-long expansion trend in April, albeit at a slower pace, according to Monday's Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.The index fell to 8 in April - down from 24 in Mar...
Posted: Apr 25th, 2011
It is true that global investment in clean energy technologies, startups and installations grew by an astounding 30 percent last year, but that sector reflects only one aspect of the green initiatives being implemented by businesses, consumers and govern...
Posted: Apr 22nd, 2011
While California may be the hub of the nation's technology sector, the state has been facing a number of troubles on the economic front, with the highest small business bankruptcy rate in the country, widespread foreclosures and unemployment rates an...
Posted: Apr 15th, 2011
Although facing a massive fiscal crisis and an increasingly discontented business community, California has maintained a substantial lead in one sector: clean energy. Investment in renewable technologies surpasses all other states, and legislative initia...
Posted: Apr 14th, 2011
As the economy continues its long crawl out of the recession, companies can expect to experience higher sales. In fact, a March survey by PNC Financial Services Group found 48 percent of small business owners expect sales to increase over the next six mo...
Posted: Apr 13th, 2011
New York City has traditionally been considered the Mecca of the marketing and advertising industries. Aside from boasting a major media market as well, the Big Apple is home to some of the most forward-thinking minds in the world of product and brand pr...
Posted: Apr 11th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in Texas may want to look to the city of Austin, as it took the No. 1 spot on a recent ranking of the best cities to launch a small business.The Business Journals' On Numbers list cited Austin's rapid populati...
Posted: Apr 11th, 2011
Lots of people have business ideas, and many of them are content with the idea alone. However, even fewer individuals actually capitalize on their ideas.There is a misconception that entrepreneurship is an inherently risky endeavor, and that the reason m...
Posted: Apr 8th, 2011
California's AB 32 - which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 1990 levels by 2020 - is the first of its kind in the U.S. Perhaps for this very reason, it has been attacked by right wing free market advocates who argue the measure...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California are entering a highly entrepreneurial region of the country. Silicon Valley hosts some of the biggest tech firms - and most famous startups - in the world, many of which were founded by luminaries such a...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
As the U.S. space industry gradually begins to privatize - with new space travel companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin emerging - it seems to many industry advocates that the father of American space travel, NASA, may be passing the torch.As the gover...
Posted: Mar 25th, 2011
Last fall, then-Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill requiring state businesses to provide information regarding their efforts to end slavery and worker exploitation within their own supply chains.That measure is an isolated example...
Posted: Mar 24th, 2011
A report in February by CheckPoint HR found found 39 percent of small- to mid-sized businesses in the New York tri-state area plan to hire this year - a trend that may encourage New York LLC filing.While the Big Apple has emerged from the economic recess...
Posted: Mar 24th, 2011
In the fast-paced business universe of New York City, mobile phones - or, increasingly, smartphones - are everything. They are the means through which executives, entrepreneurs and investors hasten the financial activity that runs the city - and the coun...
Posted: Mar 23rd, 2011
One year after President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, new data suggest the majority of California small businesses remain unclear over the bill's stipulations.A survey released Monday by Pacific Communi...
Posted: Mar 21st, 2011
Small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California may be facing a resurgence of activity, despite continued struggles with unemployment and the state budget.According to a report released this week by the California Small Business D...
Posted: Mar 14th, 2011
California's bureaucratic and regulatory framework has been the point of criticism among many business leaders and free market advocates, even prompting Texas Governor Rick Perry to send letters to various Golden State businesses imploring them to re...
Posted: Mar 8th, 2011
BizBen.com recently reported the California business sales market grew steadily in February, following an overall decline in 2010. As the market continues to improve this year, many seasoned professionals are wondering if their next venture should be to ...
Posted: Mar 3rd, 2011
Amid heated debate over how to best tackle mounting deficits on the state and local level, the U.S. job market may be making a substantial recovery, according to the ADP National Employment Report.Released Wednesday, the study finds the economy added 217...
Posted: Mar 2nd, 2011
Hiring among California small businesses grew in February, according to data released this week by Intuit, providing a degree of encouragement for job-seekers and entrepreneurs.Small business employment grew by 0.4 percent for the month, according to Int...
Posted: Mar 2nd, 2011
Small business confidence fell slightly this month, as business owners noted continued trouble in accessing credit or generating sales, despite recent improvements in consumers spending and private lending, according to the most recent Discover Small Bus...
Posted: Feb 28th, 2011
The state of Texas contributes more than 9.5 percent of all manufactured goods in the United States - a figure that tends to earn the attention of economists when news of the sector's viability is released.Accordingly, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dal...
Posted: Feb 28th, 2011
California small business owners are increasingly optimistic about the economy and their personal growth prospects, suggests a survey released Thursday by Citibank.According to the report, 54 percent of respondents believe this year will see better econo...
Posted: Feb 24th, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in California may be encouraged by a Citibank study released this week, which found 54 percent of the state's small business owners believe 2011 will be better than last year, while 36 percent believe the economy ...
Posted: Feb 17th, 2011
Anyone looking for help with, for example, business taxes or instructions for how to form an LLC in New York may have less chance of acquiring assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration if President Barack Obama's proposed budget passes.A...
Posted: Feb 15th, 2011
Confidence among the nation's small businesses continues to climb, amid reports of improving credit opportunities, private sector employment and manufacturing activity.Local business network MerchantCircle reported this week that its optimism baromet...
Posted: Feb 15th, 2011
The notion of employee engagement and satisfaction has long been something of a mystery. What drives, discourages or engages workers? While every employee is different - as is every business - new research may shed some light on at least one aspect of em...
Posted: Feb 9th, 2011
A survey released this week by CheckPoint HR showed 39 percent of small to mid-sized businesses in the New York tri-state area plan on hiring in 2011 - a figure that bodes well for entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC in New York.But a new CareerBuilder ...
Posted: Feb 3rd, 2011
With only days to go before Super Bowl XLV, the NFL is honoring a number of local small businesses and entrepreneurs this week as part of its push to boost business in Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding area.The North Texas Small Business Alliance has te...
Posted: Feb 2nd, 2011
The White House announced a number of plans Monday to help boost private sector investment, entrepreneurship and small business growth. The announcement comes less than a week after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, which touted th...
Posted: Jan 31st, 2011
Americans' trust in businesses fell last year, according to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer released this week. A day after President Barack Obama outlined his steps to "winning the future" in Tuesday's State of the Union address, th...
Posted: Jan 26th, 2011
The Export-Import Bank of the United States rolled out a plan this week to help boost exports over the next four years - a measure that will focus on helping some 5,000 small businesses become exporters.Global Access for Small Business, which is part of ...
Posted: Jan 14th, 2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting grant proposals from organizations interested in providing small businesses with training, counseling and mentoring programs as part of the new Small Business Teaming Pilot program.Establi...
Posted: Jan 12th, 2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting grant proposals from organizations interested in providing small businesses with training, counseling and mentoring programs as part of the new Small Business Teaming Pilot program.Established as pa...
Posted: Jan 12th, 2011
While New York City has fared relatively well emerging from the recession, the City That Never Sleeps does face a number of challenges in getting its massive small business sector back to work. The city's unemployment rate has been falling slowly, bu...
Posted: Jan 4th, 2011
The New York City Department of Small Business Services announced Monday it has expanded or improved a number of services on its NYC Business Express online small business resource site.The redesigned site will make it easier for entrepreneurs and small ...
Posted: Jan 3rd, 2011
Entrepreneurs looking to incorporate in New York may want to consider a few small business predictions for 2011, as a number of economic indicators suggest there will be a more extensive recovery next year.Writing in The Street, Jonathan Blum projects th...
Posted: Dec 30th, 2010
While much of the country struggles with stubbornly high unemployment rates and projections of continued job woes over the next few years, many entrepreneurs and small businesses are free to choose from an extensive pool of job candidates.But one segment...
Posted: Dec 29th, 2010
Entrepreneurs planning to incorporate in Texas should launch now, as this February's Super Bowl XLV in Dallas is expected to bring some relief to the region's small businesses.Already many owners have noticed a slight boost in the sector, and act...
Posted: Dec 28th, 2010
The recently-released Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index shows a significant improvement in confidence among small business owners, reflecting the highest level since April of 2009.Surging 24 points to reach -4, the index marks an improvement over J...
Posted: Dec 21st, 2010
When one thinks of the Apple iPad and how such devices are used, Sonoma County wineries are likely not the first type of business to come to mind. However, at Jordan Winery in Healdsburg, California, executives recently purchased 97 of the tablet compute...
Posted: Dec 16th, 2010
Low-cost retail giant Wal-Mart is refusing to turn away from New York City, despite several failed attempts to open branches in the country's largest urban district.Touting a different message and a willingness to erect smaller franchises than the co...
Posted: Dec 13th, 2010
The fact that small businesses account for nearly 50 percent of the private sector workforce is a statistic often stated to illustrate the tremendous value of the sector in motivating the economy. However, a different take on that statistic will show how...
Posted: Dec 10th, 2010
As part of a larger initiative aimed at spurring job growth and small business development in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlined six keys steps toward improving the economy in the Big Apple and abroad.As an Independent, Bloomberg lambasted i...
Posted: Dec 9th, 2010
Small business owners planning to incorporate in New York City, San Francisco, Austin or any other hub of entrepreneurial activity should look to the blossoming cloud computing industry as a source of inspiration.Cloud-based services are sold to customer...
Posted: Dec 7th, 2010
With the days counting down to the end of the year, lawmakers are also marking the days until the expiration of the Bush tax cuts - an event that will impose new tax liabilities on top-tier earners.President Barack Obama, along with most Democrats, have ...
Posted: Dec 6th, 2010
As California continues to grapple with the third-highest unemployment rate in the country - at 12.4 percent - the state's small businesses, a main source of employment and job creation, are seeking any help or reason they can find to begin hiring an...
Posted: Dec 3rd, 2010
More small businesses are beginning to believe the outcome of the mid-term elections will not have a positive impact on their business, according to the Office Depot Small Business Index released Thursday.The survey reports that 22 percent of small busin...
Posted: Dec 2nd, 2010
The most recent report from the Intuit Small Business Employment Index continues a trend showing gradual improvement in small business employment nationwide.According to the report, employment among U.S. small businesses grew by 0.24 percent in November,...
Posted: Nov 30th, 2010
Confidence among U.S. small business owners is improving, according to the most recent report from the Discover Small Business Watch. The index, released Monday, grew to 87.2 in November - up three points from October and nearly 11 points from a year ago...
Posted: Nov 29th, 2010
The U.S. economic recovery is expected to continue at a slow pace, according to a new report from the National Association for Business Economics. Expansion is expected to reach a growth of 2.7 percent over 2010 - up slightly from the original projection...
Posted: Nov 22nd, 2010
As an investment in infrastructure not seen since the construction of the U.S. interstate highway system, proposed nationwide high-speed rail services are being proposed as a means to further connect the country.The initiative is expected to create new j...
Posted: Nov 12th, 2010
In recognition of Veterans Day, the Small Business Administration along with Syracuse University announced Wednesday they are extending their partnership to provide entrepreneurial veterans with greater opportunities to launch an LLC, corporation or smal...
Posted: Nov 11th, 2010
Humboldt State University, home to one of several Small Business Development Centers in California, will join other California State University SMDCs in a new partnership to help spur entrepreneurship and small business growth in the Golden State.CSU and...
Posted: Nov 11th, 2010
Further extending its influence in the Grand Canyon State, Wells Fargo announced this week that it is Arizona's No.1 Small Business Administration lender in terms of dollars invested for the fourth year in a row. This is in addition to the financial ...
Posted: Nov 11th, 2010
Oil prices reached the highest levels in two years Tuesday, sparking concerns that prices will continue to grow over the next few years, damaging economies worldwide.Meanwhile, New York's Goldman Sachs released a report claiming that oil prices will ...
Posted: Nov 10th, 2010
Entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to file for an LLC, corporation or other business entity in Texas may find help from the Business Bank of Texas.The online banking and financial services provider announced Tuesday that it will launch its B...
Posted: Nov 9th, 2010
Business owners and entrepreneurs looking to launch an LLC in New York City can look forward to November 27th as a day of heightened consumer activity and small business advocacy. American Express OPEN has announced plans to make the Saturday after Thank...
Posted: Nov 8th, 2010
Just days after California rejected Proposition 23, effectively stomping out opposition to the state's cap-and-trade and renewable energy regulations, a Sonoma County winery has installed the first commercial-sale solar cogeneration product of its ki...
Posted: Nov 5th, 2010
More California-based small to mid-sized businesses were sold last month than any other month in the year, reflecting what many hope to be an indication of heightened economic activity in the Golden State and nationwide.According to the report from BizBe...
Posted: Nov 4th, 2010
Following Tuesday's election of Andrew Cuomo as governor of the state of New York, the Business Council of New York State released a statement congratulating the former state attorney general, while also urging a budget policy that favors private sec...
Posted: Nov 3rd, 2010
California has long been the home for entrepreneurs seeking to launch a startup or LLC, but recent findings suggest the Golden state may be losing its entrepreneurial edge to its lead economic rival Texas.The most recent unemployment figures found signif...
Posted: Nov 2nd, 2010
The Scholastic Building in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan will hold New York Entrepreneur Week November 8-12. The initiative will seek to promote early-stage business development and entrepreneurial activity throughout the state of New York through a...
Posted: Oct 29th, 2010
The Obama Administration announced Thursday it is shelling out $2.4 billion in funding for a national high-speed rail network that will involve 54 projects through 23 states. Within 25 years, the $8 billion rail system is expected to allow customers to t...
Posted: Oct 28th, 2010
Nine Tuscon, Arizona-area businesses have been honored with the Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Award, which recognizes local small business achievement, employee happiness and community service."Small businesses have historically played a key role in kee...
Posted: Oct 27th, 2010
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday the state's high-speed rail system, currently the nation's largest infrastructure project, will receive an additional $902 million from the Federal Railroad Administration.The funding is...
Posted: Oct 26th, 2010
Stalling hopes for economic recovery, the Golden State lost 63,500 jobs in September, holding the third highest unemployment rate in the nation at 12.6 percent. The rate is up from 12.2 percent a year ago, further complicating plans for entrepreneurs loo...
Posted: Oct 22nd, 2010
Intel, the world's largest producer of computer chips, announced Tuesday its plan to spend $8 billion to upgrade and expand the company's massive manufacturing facilities in Arizona and Oregon.The investments will primarily focus on renovating pl...
Posted: Oct 19th, 2010
Newly formed LLCs and corporations face a litany of challenges, but businesses will be amazed by how many issues can be resolved or even averted with a happy and loyal employee base. The key to high retention rates and worker productivity is freedom. Emp...
Posted: Oct 14th, 2010
Despite the profusion of tech startups and computer giants that placed the San Francisco bay area at the forefront of technological innovation, Forbes magazine, in its most recent list of the best states for business, paid no favoritism to the Golden Sta...
Posted: Oct 14th, 2010
Los Angeles is well-known for its bustling community of startups and entrepreneurs, but it is also a city of red tape. Yet Californians looking to launch an LLC in the City of Angels may find hope in current mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plans to he...
Posted: Oct 6th, 2010
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that groups which collaborate with a more even distribution of participation tend to do better in solving problems and completing tasks - a measure one research leader calls “collective intelligence.&...
Posted: Oct 4th, 2010
Every entrepreneur who forms an LLC in Texas tries to pick a business they enjoy, but there are a few simple qualities of small businesses that will increase the likelihood of success.Avoiding overhead and operating expenses is key, so a business that ca...
Posted: Sep 23rd, 2010
Anyone forming an LLC in Arizona knows that risk is part of the game, but a U.S. Small Business Administration director says that bootstrapping - funding a startup without outside financing - is an advantage when it comes to limiting debt.Including a thi...
Posted: Sep 22nd, 2010
In an age of technology, mobile phones and social media marketing campaigns, entrepreneur Bettina Hein says that business owners creating a California LLC would do well to remember the business advice of their grandparents.Whether it's mining coal in...
Posted: Sep 16th, 2010
Success in business means being a leader of a team, and leadership skills are critical for entrepreneurs who are going to form an LLC in Arizona, according to experienced business owner Marty Zwilling.Writing at the Huffington Post, Zwilling notes that t...
Posted: Sep 13th, 2010
Among the many items on an entrepreneur''s "to-do" list before creating a corporation in California, obtaining workers'' compensation insurance is not only important, but legally required.While many states differ in their workers'' compensation laws, all...
Posted: Sep 10th, 2010
There are many business aspects to remember for entrepreneurs forming an LLC in New York State, but avoiding some of the most common mistakes made by greenhorn businesses owners will provide a good start.Forgetting to register a business with state and l...
Posted: Sep 9th, 2010
Coming up with a good business plan can help any entrepreneur who is creating a California LLC, and a business consultant at Entrepreneur magazine says the process might actually be enjoyable.It all begins with a SWOT brainstorming session: Strengths, We...
Posted: Sep 1st, 2010
Purchasing comprehensive business insurance will help an entrepreneur incorporating in Texas by protecting the company from injury lawsuits, accidents and natural disasters.No one wants to pay more than they have to for insurance, but Jacqueline Taylor, ...
Posted: Aug 31st, 2010
Entrepreneurs should exude an aura of confidence when creating a California LLC so that new employees share the passion that can make a small businesses successful.New employees look to a boss for the lead, and a calm, confident executive instills the sa...
Posted: Aug 27th, 2010
Business owners looking to form an LLC in New York State, Arizona, California or Texas often wish to do business under a different name than the one registered with the state. But what are the legal requirements for a corporation or LLC?According to Busi...
Posted: Aug 16th, 2010