BizWorks of Greater Rochester

Retraining Rochester's Workforce

2011-05-31T13:38:00.003-04:00

Read an Interview with Peter Pecor, Executive Director of RochesterWorks, in the Minority Reporter entitled "Retraining Rochester's Workforce" by Rodney Brown: Read the full story

Making Your Organization a Great Place to Work

2010-11-22T15:44:00.003-05:00

We recently participated in a conference where we held a panel discussion about what it takes to make your organization a great place to work. I thought I would share a series with you some of the things we do here at RochesterWorks to create such a culture. I hope you enjoy it.

To begin with making your organization a great place to work, you will want to first check in with your employees. You can't fix something that you are not aware of. We began two years ago with a survey that was completely anonymous. It was interpreted by someone who did not work for the company.

If you do decide to do this, be prepared for the feedback. Ask your staff to provide you with honest, non judgemental observations about the company. You will want to know strengths as well as areas for improvement. Focus on the top three topics that have been identified to improve.

Examples for focus might be: professional development, recognition, trust, communication, balance, preventing burn out, stress management, health benefits, management, the culture, conflict with co-workers, etc

If you can not do an official survey, do an informal one using an online service that won't reveal participants. Depending on how large your organization is, you can have a focus group to discuss this with staff.

In our next part of this series, I will share what we focused on within our organization.

How to use FaceBook for Your Business

2010-10-13T08:45:00.001-04:00

Read the article now

5 Sales Tips to Push You to the Top by Derek Heck

2010-09-02T16:06:00.001-04:00

5 Sales Tips to Push You to the Top by Derek Heck

5 Stellar Sales Tips To Push You To the Top of Your Field by Derek Heck

1. Speak with Confidence

2. Use the Customer’s Words

3. Diversify Your Communications Portfolio

4. Set Yourself Up as an Authority

5. Stay Current

To read entire article: http://www.bootstrappingblog.com/category/marketing-tips/

Any questions or to contact Derek: Scapes at http://www.scapes.ca

Stay Positive: 10 Ways to Deny the Recession

2010-07-16T11:23:00.001-04:00

I read this article on Entrepreneur.com

10 Ways to Deny the Recession
By Paul Spiegelman

10 Ways for an entrepreneur succeed in a recession:

1. Become Indispensable

2. Invest in the Future

3. Seek Out Referrals

4. Buy Weaker Companies

5. Strengthen Your ROI Pricing Offers

6. Be Loyal and Focus on Retention

7. Maintain a Fun Environment

8. Celebrate Being Small

9. Don't Leave Room for Doubt

10. Fight the Urge to Give Things Away

Recessions aren't fun, but they don't have to cripple your business. Smart business owners leverage recessions rather than lament them.

Read Full Article: 10 Ways to Deny Recession

Paul Spiegelman is a speaker and author on customer service, culture and workforce engagement. As CEO of The Beryl Companies, he oversees the nation's leading company in healthcare customer interactions and relationship management. Paul has been named CEO of the Small Giants Community, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting companies that choose to be great instead of big. This role is a natural extension of his first book, Why is Everyone Smiling? The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity and Profit, published in 2007.

Top Trends for Business in 2010

2010-06-15T10:27:00.000-04:00

Paradigms are shifting in unpredictable ways. Trends are forming that we can use to help increase our business. Take a look at your business objectives and see if you can integrate any of the following trends to serve an in demand need and increase profits. Here is a list from Entrepruer.com:

Local Business - Demand is exploding for locally grown and made products--for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 comes back to the community.

Economic Turmoil - 8.7 percent of job seekers gained employment by starting their own businesses in second quarter 2009

Green Power - The stimulus plan poured billions into renewable energy.

The Senior Market - The elderly, make up three of the top 10 industries with the fastest employment growth.

Discount Retail – Consumer spending is down 30 percent while discount stores like Wal-Mart are up 5 percent. The Family Dollar is up 25 percent.

Education – Displaced workers are retooling their skills and going back to school.

Parental Outsourcing – Taking care of the family, cleaning the house and homework are all being outsourced.

Health and Wellness - Healthcare and social assistance revenue spent is $452.5 billion, up 3 percent from the previous quarter.

Texas – a youth magnet state and relocation destination.

Affordable Alcohol – an industry that has consistently grown over the last three years.

Pets – Pet owners are expected to spend 45 billion in 2009.

Read the entire article at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/trends/index.html

Hiring Incentives Workshop on June 17

2010-06-04T12:13:00.002-04:00

RochesterWorks! (www.rochesterworks.org) is offering a special workshop for businesses on Thursday, June 17 from 2-4 p.m. on incentives and resources available to help decrease the cost of hiring new employees. The workshop will be held at the United Way Building at 75 College Avenue in Rochester . There is no charge to attend and parking is free.

The workshop will feature experts from New York State discussing unique programs and incentives that may be available to assist your business.

Topics for discussion will include the On-the-Job Training (OJT) grant program. Funding is currently available to help businesses hire and train new employees with an identified skill gap who do not meet the minimum qualifications for a posted job. Businesses are eligible to receive up to 50% of the employee’s wage rate to help offset costs during the period the employee is being trained.

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act recently passed by Congress will also be discussed. Through this program, businesses hiring for new positions may be eligible to receive a 6.2 percent payroll tax cut (or their share of Social Security taxes) if they hire people who have been unemployed for at least 60 days, and an additional tax credit if the new hire is employed for one year.

To register to attend this free workshop contact Diane Lewis at (585)258-3545 or dlewis@rochesterworks.org.

Technology can help you with branding your business

2010-05-10T15:45:00.002-04:00

My family gave me the BEST mother’s day gift….an ipod touch. Yes, I am one of those people who loves their Palm Pilot and day timer. If my house were on fire, (and the kids were safe) the thing I would grab is my lap top and now my ipod.

I especially love the use of technology for the entrepreneur. We can literally run our business from a remote setting if needed. If you set it up correctly, technology can help you keep your brand in the public eye, even when you are not. As you can tell, the ipod touch was a perfect choice! The first thing I did was tweet and update my Facebook page & Linkedin status announcing my new “toy”.

Then I started shopping for apps. There are so many, I didn’t know where to begin….which is what inspired this article. I asked myself, "What are good apps for business and the entrepreneur?" I began my research and found the majority of my data on AppCraver.com

If your company is not using social media for a form of communication, you are missing out on an opportunity to reinforce your brand. You would be surprised what people will recall when it pops up as an update when they log onto Facebook or Linkedin.

Here are a few apps for SOCIAL MEDIA:

Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter to easily update your status to keep your branding message fresh and up to date.

WordPress to update your blog and post links to related articles.

Bump is interesting, like beaming but instead you bump your fists while you are holding your ipods and your information is exchanged and added to your social contacts. I haven't tried it, but it looks like a good conversation builder at networking events.

Here are some apps to help you stay productive and organized in BUSINESS:

VIP Access by VeriSign adds an extra layer of security to your accounts like paypal.

MapQuest 4 and Mileage Trackers to help you more efficiently track your business travels.

ABC Contacts to manage your contacts and send out emails.

reQall gives you the ability to record a note or reminder which can be transcribed to text.

SmartTime organizes items on your schedule, prioritizes them, accommodates unexpected changes and also links meeting locations to Google maps.

These are only a few that I found in my casual search, I will keep you posted as I discover more.

Why international outsourcing is not always a smart financial move

2010-05-03T14:18:00.002-04:00

In todays business world, many are considering outsourcing some or parts of the company. To those who have already outsource did they see a lower cost for their customers? Is it worth it? You be the judge, find out more at "Why international outsourcing is not always a smart financial move"

Website 101

2010-04-30T11:23:00.003-04:00

Updating and maintaining a web presence for your business is critical in today's marketplace. Your website is a valuable tool to serve customers and promote your company's brand and services. Websites can also help streamline business processes to reduce costs.

When designing or expanding your website remember to consider the 11 steps to creating a successful website, such as establishing a domain and creating a customized email account to communicate with customers. If you can't afford a website developer consider creating the site yourself by purchasing a domain through godaddy.com or using many of the free online website templates available through WordPress or other sites.

Once your site is established, there are many ways to drive traffic to your website and ensure that users keep coming back. For instance, you will want to make sure that users are directed to your site when they perform a Google search or view the online yellow pages.

What business leaders know about networking

2010-04-12T15:25:00.002-04:00

The best form of marketing is word of mouth. Networking is a proven method of effective marketing, by getting the word out about who you are and what you do! I recently gave a talk on what leaders know about networking. Here are the highlights:

Seasoned networkers have established long term relationships with a wide range of people.

The role of networking is to enlarge your circle of influence ranging from friends who are like minded to potential business alliances.

The benefit of creating a strong network is to have a pool of people who can:
Assist to solve problems.
Mentor / advice to prevent setbacks.
Follow up on opportunities.
Exchange information.
Create strategic alliances

What is Networking?

Networking is…
Establishing long term relationships.
Remaining neutral with mutual friends and acquaintances.
Clusters of people you know from various areas of life.
Two way communication as well as benefit.
Balances over the long run, both parties have given and received.
Helping others to achieve goals.
Supportive with advice, resources, kindness, introductions.

Networking is NOT….
· Asking for a favor or one sided.
· Contacting only when in need.
· Engaging in gossip.
· Opportunistic, insincere, having an ulterior motive.

How to Network

First construct an Elevator Speech:
· Fine tune your introduction to 45 seconds.
· Include your name, title, business and a memory hook.
· Answers the question “Tell me about yourself” and “What do you do?”

Elements to your elevator speech....
o My name is…
o I am the …
o My company is…
o We (memory hook)…
o Our customers are typically…

Effective networking tips for introverts and “quiet” types:
Play to your strengths, be yourself.
Network with a colleague or spouse.
Meet someone, get a card and ask to refer them.
Have someone within your organization that “networks”.
Use social media to connect with people.

Make networking more effective by:
· Finding something of mutual interest to discuss.
· Remembering people’s names and business.
· Take an interest in the person your speaking to.
· Give 100% attention to who you are meeting with.
· Ask for what you need.
· Offer support and resources, refer their business.
· Keep in touch – Never stop networking!

Keeping Postive Cash Flow

2010-04-06T10:29:00.001-04:00

Keeping your cash flow positive is one of the most important things you can focus on if you want to keep your business strong in the current economy. Part of the current difficulty right now for many businesses is that there isn’t much money flowing in and out of businesses. Cash flow is an essential part of having a healthy business
and you should spend some serious time making sure you have positive cash flow.
Continue reading "Keeping positive cash flow"

Health Care Reform 101

2010-03-29T09:34:00.002-04:00

One week after President Obama signed the new health care reform bill into law, many of us still have questions about what these changes will mean for businesses, our families, and ourselves in the years and months to come. Check out these links to see how you will be impacted:

The Wall Street Journal broadly describes what the bill will mean for small businesses.

The Business Council of New York State provides specifics on the new requirements for large, small and medium-sized employer plans.

NPR answers some Frequently Asked Questions about the effect of reform on individuals and small and medium sized businesses.

Leadership Tips

2010-03-19T08:49:00.014-04:00

You don't have to be a manager or have a position of authority to be considered a leader. I'm a strong believer that if we feel inspired to lead, we should strive to be leaders.

It doesn’t matter what position we hold. To me, a leader is someone who: listens to understand, is trustworthy, is positive and passionate about the work they do.

Passion is the quality that influences me the most and makes me want to do the best job possible. When I work with someone who is passionate about what they do, it's contagious! I find myself becoming just as excited about the project as they are. This excitement drives me, inspires me to exceed expectations, roll up my sleeves and get to work! I think others feel the same way.

So, I say, let your passion show! Here is an interesting article that I found about the role “passion” plays in leadership that I wanted to share. Enjoy!

Great Leadership

One Region, One Goal: Your Success

2010-03-18T15:37:00.014-04:00

The Greater Rochester Regional Career Conference
One Region, One Goal: Your Success!
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Businesses, Community Agencies and Educational Institutions:

You are cordially invited to participate in the Greater Rochester Regional Career Conference: One Region, One Goal: Your Success! This exciting event will take place on May 27th, 2010 simultaneously and in coordination at three partnering locations: Genesee, Finger Lakes, and Monroe Community Colleges. You choose the one most convenient for your organization.

This is not a traditional job fair but a regional career conference designed to bring together job seekers, businesses with hiring needs, educational organizations and community agencies in the entire 9-county area (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates).

Career workshops will be conducted for job seekers throughout the day. These workshops will be on a variety of pertinent topics. When not attending a workshop, attendees will be able to visit the various tables and learn about job openings, how to advance their education or which community agencies can assist them during their period of unemployment.

By participating in the most expansive event of its kind, you get the opportunity to showcase your organization, fill your job openings and work together with the community to help transition individuals back to work. The job seeker turnout is expected to be huge. Since space is limited you are encouraged to register quickly.

The cost of the Career Conference is $55. This includes morning refreshments (for up to 2 representatives), one table, 2 chairs, and parking. Deadline for registering is April 15th, 2010.

Registration is online and the direct link is located at: Regional Career Conference.

Hope to see you there!

No Cost Ways to Fill Job Openings

2010-03-09T15:21:00.002-05:00

Budget cuts have impacted the amount spent on marketing for most area businesses. Even organizations that are hiring have the financial challenge of creating an advertising campaign that is both effective and affordable. Here at RochesterWorks! we provide no cost solutions to help you assess, recruit and when funds are available train your employees. In the Business Services Team, we consider ourselves an extension of your HR department. If you have worked with us, you have seen how responsive we are to assisting you with your recruitment needs.

Here are some no cost services that we can assist you with when it comes to hiring staff:

We will submit your job opening to Rochester’s Job Bank, posting your position with the Department of Labor’s database. All you need to do is email the Job Title, Description and your organization Tax I D number to HotJobs@rochesterworks.org and we will do the rest.

Once your job posting has been submitted to the Job Ban, we will then post it on our website, within the section entitled “Hot Jobs”. This list is updated every week. Our Career Center is visited by 200-300 job seekers per day. They inform customers of these posting as well as have them displayed within the Resource center.

Your job posting will be assigned a number to be used to identify the job as well as match to potential candidates that have an electronic resume within the Department of Labor database. This pilot program is known as SMART 2010, we are using it at RochesterWorks with a high success rating. The Career Services Advisors are inputting information from the 200-300 job seekers per day into the database and if there is a match an email is generated.

You might want your position to be confidential, in which case you will request it to be suppressed. This means that the job seeker only sees the identification number not organization. They will have to come into the Career Center to request contact information, which will only be given based on the appropriateness of the referral.

Lastly, if you would like to meet a large number of candidates to fill a number of openings, contact us to participate in our signature mini career fair entitled “Recruiting Round Rochester”. It is held every Monday from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM within the Career Center. Only 4 to 5 employers are invited at a time. The Career Center staff promotes the companies and job postings to our customers and we place an announcement on our website under “Hot Jobs”. This combination generates a large number of job seekers to come in to meet with potential employers. If you would like to be considered to be scheduled for this no cost event, contact Laura Seelman at lseelman@rochesterworks.org

RochesterWorks is one of the best kept secrets in town, hopefully you too will become one of our raving fans!

Interested in taking your business international?

2010-03-05T09:53:00.000-05:00

Taking Your Business International Workshop

Presented by Laurie DeRoller, Executive Director
International Business Council of Greater Rochester NY (IBC)

Thursday, March 18, 2010
1:00 PM-3:00 PM
No Cost to Attend

The world is flat, which means more opportunities for your company to make money 24/7. If you have a product or service that you have considered offering abroad, this workshop will help you to identify what to consider as well as action steps to take. Join Laurie DeRoller, Executive Director of IBC to discuss:

· What to consider when taking your business international.
· Where to begin the process, should you target certain countries.
· Local success stories that have benefited from going international.
· Which industries are thriving abroad.

Hosted By: RochesterWorks!
Location: United Way Building, 75 College Ave, Conference Room
Contact: RSVP to Diane Lewis, dlewis@rochesterworks.org, 585-258-3545
Registration is required, and seating is limited

Develop a Technology Strategy and Go for Gold

2010-02-26T10:40:00.002-05:00

Technology is constantly evolving, and can often provide small businesses with the competitive edge needed to stay ahead of the competition and become more profitable.

Consider how technology is being used at this year’s Olympic Games in Vancouver. Skiers and snowboarders are using newly engineered skis and boards to reach new speeds and heights. Aerodynamic suits allow speed skaters to move even faster across the ice. And the Olympics are now streamed online, with up-to-the-minute results available through Twitter, Facebook and other websites.

What are some small ways your business can “go for the gold” and use technology and innovation to enhance the products and services you deliver to customers?

Start by reviewing the key needs of your business, whether it be reducing inefficiencies, improving your response time to customers, or increasing sales, and consider developing a technology strategy or plan to address the issue.

For tips on developing a strategy and hooking into the technology trends of 2010, check out this article from Baseline Magazine.

On Networking…

2010-02-19T09:21:00.011-05:00

There’s no doubt that expanding your business contacts and networking go hand-in-hand. Even in this day and age of social media and less face-to-face interaction, networking is an essential part of business growth. It’s worth the time it takes to attend networking events, which are a great way to meet new people and catch up with those you haven’t seen in a while.

They also provide opportunities to interact with people that share a common interest with you. It’s not often that you can be in a room with total strangers and know that you share some common bond. Whether it be geographic location (like local chambers of commerce) or a shared industry (industry associations), you know that you will have something to talk about with others in the room. This commonality is an easy way to start a conversation and begin to get to know someone. For an introvert like me, I really appreciate anything that makes networking easier and less intimidating. I’ve even used this tactic in social settings such as birthday parties, where I’ll ask about how someone knows the birthday boy or girl to get a conversation started.

In the article 10 Tips for Successful Business Networking Stephanie Speisman shares helpful hints on networking. Stephanie says that effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.

We are very fortunate in the Greater Rochester Region to have many opportunities to attend networking events and to be a part of networking organizations. For more information on local associations and chambers in our region, please visit the resources section of the Finger Lakes Business Information Clearinghouse (BIC).

For information on Small Business events in our region, visit the events section of the Finger Lakes BIC.

Business Incentives Workshop

2010-02-04T14:46:00.002-05:00

BUSINESS INCENTIVES WORKSHOP
Hosted by RochesterWorks!
Thursday, February 18, 2010 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Held at United Way Building, 75 College Ave, Rochester NY 14607

Does your Monroe County business need assistance in order to grow?

Please join us for an interactive discussion to learn about local incentives for small and mid-sized businesses. Local experts will discuss their unique programs that may help your business. There is no fee to attend this workshop.

To RSVP please contact Diane Lewis at dlewis@rochesterworks.org or (585)258-3545.

Guide to Tax Services News and Trends

2010-02-02T15:48:00.001-05:00

Guide to Tax Services News and Trends
Keep up with tax services news and trends to remain competitive

Posted on http://www.business.com/directory/accounting/tax/

By Linda C. Ray

Business tax services go through constant changes that are driven by governmental regulations, financial markets and emerging technology. You should keep up with tax preparation companies' issues to remain competitive and make sure you’re getting the most up-to-date information on changing tax codes for your clients.Follow the trends that are affecting tax services for small business by reading accounting and tax service publications that keep you updated with news as it affects the industries your serve. Subscribe to small business tax prep newsletters to learn about the latest developments in accounting codes, government incentives for business and tax exemptions. Look for tax services news and trends from a variety of sources to keep up with the rules.1. Get email alerts and tax preparation newsletters for immediate news advisories.2. Subscribe to publications for tax services that go beyond the headlines.3. Participate in associations for accounting and tax services to build a strong resource network.
Action Steps The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Accept emails from tax services for small business that closely follow the daily news
Get accounting and tax service email alerts, RSS feeds and industry newsletters that will send you news as it happens. Businesses can save a lot of money when they have the current information about how to frame their investments and purchases as well as what kinds of services and products are receiving tax breaks. Keep your clients informed of changes as they happen so they can make the proper adjustments and decisions.
I recommend: Keep up with the latest regulatory information around the world as well as breaking news that affects the industry through Deloitte tax alerts. And you must bookmark and check daily the headlines put out by the IRS.
Read articles that cover business tax services news and trends in detail
Subscribe to tax planning reports that cover the industry further than the headlines. Look for analysis and reports that give you a glimpse into tax-saving strategies and industry-specific guides for the companies that you serve. Read the latest small business tax consulting trend pieces so that you can advise your clients about upcoming changes and how they can take advantage of incentives and tax write-offs for small businesses.
I recommend: Federal, state and international tax news is available through Tax Analysts. Keep up with important events and news that drives the industry at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
Join tax preparation groups that provide members with current information
Associate with other tax preparation professionals who can provide you with an inside track to news, often before it hits the press. Get involved with your trade association and take advantage of the networking opportunities to develop relationships with other tax preparers that can lead to new accounts and new ways of making your own business more efficient. Read the group's newsletters to get the latest updates on members, regulatory affairs and new tax processing software applications.
I recommend: Members of the National Association of Tax Professionals can get trend reports, updates and news through participation in the trade group that serves its members with research and networking opportunities. Join the National Association of Tax Consultants for updates on current events, marketing options and meetings with other tax professionals to keep up with the industry trends. Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
• Find relevant news about tax services for small businesses through mainstream sources such as the Wall Street Journal and Forbes to put the industry news in perspective with other financial trends that will ultimately affect your business.

Twitter for Small Business

2010-01-29T13:35:00.003-05:00

As our team expands our use of social media, we are always interested in articles on this topic. Having recently started "tweeting" this article is very relevant and helpful. Hopefully you will be able to glean some nuggets of information from it like we did.

Twitter Applications for Your Small Business: http://myventurepad.com/MVP/92839

Announcements for January 2010

2010-01-15T11:50:00.002-05:00

Business Incentives Workshop
Reserve your space! Seating is limited.

Thursday, Feb 18th, 2010
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Does your Monroe County business need assistance in order to grow? Please join us for an interactive discussion to learn about local incentives for small and mid-sized businesses. Experts from the City of Rochester, Monroe County, RochesterWorks, and PathStone will discuss their unique programs that may help your business. There is no fee to attend this workshop. More information http://cts.vresp.com/c/?RochesterWorks/1e35a7d472/2b1caeb074/e2c68e8201

Recruiting Round Rochester for Youth
Is looking for Businesses that would like to hire youth ages 16-21 years old. We will be hosting a recruitment event on Friday, February 19th from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm at our Goodman Street Career Center. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in a young person’s life. If your organization would like to participate in this no cost event, please contact me to discuss the details.

Share Your Events with US!
The Finger Lakes BIC’s calendar of events is now on Google.com, we would like to share your events with our readers. Please share your google calendar with ours. http://fingerlakes.natbic.org/events.php

Internships
I will be placing interns this summer with employers. I welcome the opportunity to speak to your chamber and organization about this program as well as other services and programs that RochesterWorks offers. All of our services are at no cost to the employer and would be enlightening. Please email me to schedule a time and date.

Make time for networking

2009-11-17T14:10:00.003-05:00

I attended the Mega Mixer last night at Marriott that was hosted by 13 of the areas chambers. Not only did I make some good connections, but I was able to chat with people I have not seen in years. One consultant I saw was a client of mine 5 years ago after she left the corporate world to pursue a balanced life that included time for her family.

It has been a tough economy, but resilience pays off. Today's entrepreneur needs to be flexible, creative, resourceful and bounce back quickly. It was pleased to see so many familiar faces last night. Rochester really is a good place to do business.

If you haven't been out lately, take a look at our events calender on http://www.fingerlakes.natbic.org/ and find a networking event to attend. It is good to be seen!

Pathways to Entrepreneurial Success 2009

2009-10-28T17:57:00.002-04:00

MCC is hosting a community resource forum for aspiring enterpreneurs and business owners. It will be held on Thursday, November 12th from 7:30 am-4:00 pm.

For more information, visit: www.entrepreneurshipforum.org or call 585.292.2008

2009-10-09T13:31:00.005-04:00

There are many government resources available for small businesses in NY State. It can sometimes be difficult to wade through all the information that’s out there and determine which of these resources can be of value to your company. Last month, Governor Patterson released the New York State Directory of Small Business Programs. This directory is an interactive guide that will assist entrepreneurs in starting new businesses as well as provide valuable information for current small business owners. This directory is the first of its kind. To view this guide, click here.

Health Insurance Information for Small Business

2009-09-04T10:30:00.043-04:00

As the national health care debate continues in Congress and health care costs continue to rise, now is the time for small and medium sized businesses to begin exploring options for their employees.

For information on this issue check out this great post from Daniel Kehrer on Health Insurance Basics for Small Business. In his article Daniel provides a simple overview of health care plan choices for small businesses, and also offers tips for controlling health care costs.

As the article points out, small group health insurance is regulated by the states. For information specific to our region, visit the Finger Lakes BIC.

Many local Chambers of Commerce also provide group health insurance as a benefit to their members. Find the chamber representing your town and contact them today for specific information.

Webinar about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

2009-08-18T08:36:00.005-04:00

Free Webinar
U.S. Department of the Interior Small Business/Recovery Act Webinar Invitation

Source of information provided by Rochester Procurement Technical Assistance Center

The U.S. Department of the Interior will be hosting ten American Recovery and Reinvestment Act webinars across the country during August for small and disadvantaged businesses interested in seeking contracts with the Department under the Recovery Act funding.

You are invited to attend a webinar which may be of interest to you as a potential business partner. Webinars are specific to each region of the Nation and you need to register to receive additional information.

A conference call number will also be available for the first 40 registrants of each location to allow a question and answer prior during the sessions. (Depending on the number of responses to this first round of webinars, the Department will determine if additional sessions are needed.)

Participants will receive an overview of the contracting process as it pertains to the funding
made available to the Department under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Background: The Department of the Interior has an important role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and has received $3 billion in Recovery Act funding for its bureaus and programs. Over $490 million has been appropriated to the Department of Transportation for Interior roads.

The Recovery Act funding will be used for projects in parks, refuges, and public lands throughout the Nation; to improve conditions in Indian Country; to strengthen the Department’s scientific infrastructure; and for water projects throughout the western states.

The Department’s geographically dispersed and field-based service delivery network will afford unprecedented opportunities to employ individuals in communities in all fifty states and the territories. Interior will be investing in nearly 3,400 projects.

Approximately one-third of Interior’s Recovery Act funding will be invested in water infrastructure construction projects. Another 30% will be invested in nearly 240 construction projects at Interior sites. 15% will be invested in over 1,500 deferred maintenance and energy retrofit projects. Another 9% will be invested in over 600 road and bridge maintenance projects.

Approximately 63 percent, or $1.89 billion, of Interior’s Recovery Act funding will be obligated via contracts. Nearly $420 million, or 14 percent, of Interior’s funding will be awarded via tribal agreements. Another $395 million, or 13 percent, will be obligated via cooperative agreements primarily in the areas of habitat and trail restoration. About $70 million dollars will be awarded via competitive grants to water and irrigation districts and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Webinars are scheduled as follows:
To attend a webinar:
1. Select webinar best suited for the region or state where your company does business from the list below.
2. Register to attend the webinar.
3.Once you’ve registered you’ll receive an email with further instructions on attending the webinar and calling in to the conference number.

Northeast August 26, 2009 4:30-5:30 PM EDTMaine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New YorkRegister Now! at https://usgs.webex.com/

Choose August 26 select Webinar: 4:30 pm DOI Small Business Webinar NorthEast
choose Register

For more information about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act opportunities with the Department, please contact the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at 1-877-375-9927 (Toll Free) or via email at DOI_OSDBU@ios.doi.gov.

Social Media 101: Part 5 Why

2009-07-01T08:32:00.017-04:00

Why: The last in a five part series

Why do you want to use SM? What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve? If you see it as strictly free advertising and you plan to have only “commercials” people will eventually lose interest, so this is not a wise approach to take. They will be less interested in joining your network or following you if you are posting only sales pitches. However, if you provide useful, accurate information, relevant to the business community, they’ll keep coming back. You will begin to establish yourself as a subject matter expert. This will help you to gain credibility and trust, increasing the chances that a person will want to do business with you.

Additional Tips:
To save time posting a blog:

Post an article that was written by someone else, just be sure to provide a link to the original article and give credit to the person wrote it. You can then give your commentary on the topic of the article or find a way to relate the information to local trends or challenges.
Ask colleagues to be “guest bloggers” by writing articles for you to post, again giving them credit and adding their byline and link to their website. Using links is a good way to drive additional traffic to their site so it’s a good trade-off.
Nick Francesco of http://www.asknick.com/ said, “A blog gets people’s attention and Twitter keeps it.” I think that’s a great analogy, consider using these two outlets together.

Other tidbits:

Many SM outlets have useful technical features, functions, and gadgets. Don’t let these scare you. Start slowly with the basic functions and gradually build up to incorporating the more high-tech components.
Be sure to incorporate SM in your overall marketing plan. Don’t make it just an after-thought. As part of your marketing plan, you will be more likely to actually using it and keep it in the forefront of your activities.
If you plan to maintain your SM outlets yourself, put it on your schedule and be sure that you stick to that schedule. This will help you be more regular and disciplined about keeping things updated.

Social Media 101: Part 4 - When

2009-06-24T08:41:00.004-04:00

When - This is the forth in a five part series.

First, determine how much time can be allocated to your SM presence. It is important that content is current and relevant. You should have a regular presence, meaning update your information on a regular basis. Nick Francesco of www.asknick.com says that by doing this, people will come to understand that you will be there, ready to share your knowledge, on a regular basis. People will begin to get more comfortable and familiar with you. The amount of time you can commit will help you determine which SM outlet you can begin with as some take more time to manage than others. A blog, for example, requires new content on a regular basis and the content is longer than what you would post to Twitter and other outlets. Tips on saving time will be shared with you as we compile them.

Will conclude this series with discussing why you want to use social media.

Social Media 101: Part 3 - Where

2009-06-22T10:17:00.002-04:00

Where to post. This is the third in a five part series

Where: decide which outlets you would like to target. There are so many different SM outlets out there it would be difficult to have an immediate presence on all of them. Start with only one or two. Look at some of the different outlets, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook, etc. and decide which would best meet your needs. This can be based on audience: who subscribes or participants in this outlet. What are the demographics? Do some key word searches on the site and see what you get. It can also be determined by the overall focus and intent of the site. For example, in my opinion, FaceBook is focused more on personal networking, such as sharing pictures of your family, what’s on your mind, and other fun, personal activities. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is more business focused. However, your presence on a site is what you make of it and many people choose to use FaceBook for business. Take some time to explore each site to see where you would like to have a presence.

Stay tuned for part four, where we will discuss: When

Social Media 101 Part 2 - What

2009-06-18T11:15:00.007-04:00

What - This is the second in a five part series:

What will your on-line presence look like? What is the main message you want a person to understand when visiting your online profiles? Do you want to give them information about a topic, show them your mission statement, tell them what you do, or all of the above? Your online presence should mirror that or your “bricks and mortar” brand. Think about what your online presence can say to get people to connect to you. If you’re using LinkedIn, what will make a networker want to connect to you? If you’re using Twitter, what can you say to make someone follow you? Take time in this step to be sure to send the right message, it’s important!

The next topic will address Where

Social Media 101 Part 1 Who

2009-06-16T10:33:00.003-04:00

The use of Social Media in business seems to be growing everyday! There is so much information out there; it can be a little overwhelming for those new to it or those who are just getting started.

This is the begining of a series written by Christina Bakewicz after attending WhizBang's event on Social Media at Artian Works:

As a newbie to SM myself, I recently attended a very informative seminar on the topic, in hopes of getting educated on the topic. The Social Media Means Business seminar was hosted by WhizBang! Web Solutions LLC and Sales Sense Solutions, Inc. A very knowledgeable group of individuals with various areas of expertise presented information on this topic. From that seminar, and some independent reading and research, here is what I've gleaned regarding how to get started.

Develop a social media marketing plan. When getting into social media, it is important that you maintain brand consistency. Build on the reputation that you have already established. Your on-line presence should mirror that of your “brick and mortar” presence. Use the same logo and tagline so that people will understand that you are the same company. Having a SM presence is a way to build on what you have already accomplished.

Decide: who, what, where, when, and why.
Who: who will be responsible for building your SM presence? Will you do it yourself, assign someone in your company, or will you hire an outside company to do it? When deciding on who will take on this responsibility, keep in mind that this is a dynamic environment and updates should be posted regularly. Be sure to choose a person who can commit the time to keeping information updated.

Stay tuned as Christina addresses what, where, when and why in regards to Social Media

So Much Talent, So Little Time, part 4

2009-05-19T14:16:00.006-04:00

Move resumes onto the next step in the application process quickly. We all know that today it is common to receive hundreds of resumes for each opening you have posted. Quickly scan the resume, looking for key words, accomplishments and skills, to see if there is a good match. If it's not an appropriate fit, file it appropriately and immediately. Make it a rule to handle the resume once and only once. Get it off of your desk so that you don’t spend time looking at it multiple times. If you know you will not contact that person for an interview then there is no point in keeping it where you will have to review it again. File it or send it to someone else who might be interested in talking to that person.

Talent is abundant in our region! This is a great thing, but it can also make the hiring process more difficult. When you can speed up that process, everyone benefits. The result is you spend your precious time finding a terrific candidate who joins your company that much sooner.

So Much Talent, So Little Time: part three

2009-05-14T12:55:00.007-04:00

Use a Placement Agency. There are many benefits to using a placement firm for recruitment. Many firms will screen candidates before referring them to you. This can greatly reduce the administrative tasks associated with recruitment. By having a placement firm as the first point of contact for an applicant, you will review fewer resumes. Of those submitted, the resumes will be an appropriate match to your company’s needs. In many cases, the new hire is on the placement firm’s payroll for a period of time, meaning a fee is paid to the firm during that time. For a list of some of the placement firms in the Greater Rochester Area, please click here. There is also the option of paying a fee to have your job advertised and applicants pre-screened by a professional in the staffing industry. In this case, you will receive advice with recommendations on which candidates seem like the best fit for your needs. This saves you valuable time avoiding looking at resumes that are not qualified for the position. One local company that offers this service is Smart Start Hiring System.

If you plan to use a placement agency to find candidates, clear communication and solid relationships are very important. In order to get the best fit possible, be clear on exactly what you are looking for in a candidate. Talk to them about the skill set you need as well as what the culture of your company is like. This will help them make accurate recommendations that are more in-line with your needs. This process will get easier as you build a relationship with the agencies.

So Much Talent, So Little Time: part two

2009-05-13T11:19:00.013-04:00

Use your local One-Stop. Located within your local One-Stop are representatives from different service providing agencies. These agencies work together with One-Stop staff to provide seamless workforce services to both job seekers and businesses. RochesterWorks is the One-Stop center for Monroe County.

The Business Services department of a One-Stop center can act as an extension of your Human Resource department. They can save you time and money. While services vary by center, some of these include: posting job opportunities, screening resumes, pre-employment assessments, making job-match referrals, scheduling interviews, hosting recruitment events and even help with training.

Most of the services provided by One-Stops are at no cost. These centers see job candiates of all backgrounds and skills levels. They have resources to help you recruit and train the workforce you need and are a wonderful source of information for both businesses and job seekers. To find a local One-Stop near you, visit: The Career One-Stop.

So Much Talent, So Little Time!

2009-05-11T15:39:00.000-04:00

Increased levels of unemployment, an experiencedand educated workforce, and quick access to job postings are creating a surge in the number of highly qualified individuals who are applying for job opportunities. The task of sorting through resumes, interviewing candidates, and making the right hiring decision may seem an unmanageable task. There are tools you can use to speed up the process.

Here is the first in a series of tips aimed at helping save time in your recruitment and hiring process:

Use assessments. By implementing assessments in your recruitment process, you can quickly and effectively ensure that a potential candidate has the skills and aptitude your company needs. This will also help you to weed-out those who would not be successful. Assessments help you do this in a fair and objective manner.
Save time, because you will know immediately if an individual has the skills you need. If they don’t, you can stop the process and focus on the next candidate. There are hundreds, if not thousands of pre-employment assessments available. Ideally you will want to use one that measures aptitude, competency and personality.
The WorkKeys System, measures a person’s trainability or aptitude. This assessment provides insight into whether or not an applicant has the aptitude to learn the job to be successful.
ProveIt is an online assessment that will determine the level of competency a candidate possesses within a job function. It should support the skills represented on their resume.
There are many pre-hire personality assessments available. These give you insight into a candidate’s job fit, attitude toward work, behavior, and more. The key to successfully utilizing assessments is choosing the appropriate one for both the position and corporate culture. There are companies that specialize in pre-employment assessments and they can guide you in finding those that address your company’s needs. You can do a simple Google search for more information on which assessments and tests are available.

Upcoming Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!

2009-05-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

We will be posting a series this week with tips to simplify navigating through the hiring process. Follow our Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!

Maintaining a Positive Attitude When Business is Slow

2009-05-01T10:49:00.000-04:00

How do you keep your chin up in a sluggish economy? The most successful entrepreneurs are resilient. They bounce back from a number of set backs that were unexpected and at times unavoidable. Being resilient means not letting what is happening distract you from your plan. Business has its ups and downs, but you must stay up if you are going to ride out the down times. Here are some tips to help you maintain a positive mindset in challenging times.

Get inspired!
Don’t let the world’s view depress you, find a mentor or role model that has a success story. Reaching out to someone who has picked themselves up and succeeded in spite of a challenge is the best way to be inspired. Read books like John C. Maxwell’s, Failing Forward ( http://www.johnmaxwell.com/) or Turning Points, by Randy Schuster (http://www.randychuster.com/). You can also listen to audio books by successful business leaders who motivate you.

Focus on the big picture.
Never underestimate the power of focus; it will help you rise above obstacles. When you lose sight of the big picture, the day to day distractions can sidetrack you. In your mind, create a vivid and exciting image of your successful business and focus on it daily for five minutes.

Surround yourself with uplifting people.
The topic of most conversations is how bad things are going and predicting how much worse it could get. Limit the amount of time you spend talking to people who are focused on doom and gloom. If you spend too much time around depressing people, you are going to be drained before you start the day. Spend your precious time with people who share your vision. http://www.linkedin.com/ is a good place to stay in touch with people.

Know your target market and what they need.
Be clear on your niche and what the trends are within your target market. You may need to redefine success, this is a historical event. Your target markets needs may be changing, take notice of these changes and be willing to respond quickly. You can find information about market research at: http://fingerlakes.natbic.org/index.php?id=15166&lang=en.

Create multiple sources of revenue.
The market is changing. Today’s successful business offers a number of products and services. Collectively all of the revenue streams create a profit. Look at your business structure, ask mentors for advice and notice what people are spending their money on. Is there an unmet need that you can fill serving your target market without any additional investment? For example, if you have a tax preparation business, perhaps some of your customers use QuickBooks. You could teach a class on using QuickBooks, charge a consulting fee to set it up for a small business or become a reseller of the product.

Have a back up plan.
In a perfect world, life happens exactly as we planned. We all know that isn’t the way things really are. If your current business offering is not going to generate the amount of money needed for expenses, have a plan B. Be proactive. Smart people have a plan A, plan B and a plan C.

Expect good things, get inspired, spend your time with optimistic people and have a back up plan. You are resilient! Remember that and let your entrepreneurial spirit guide you through even the toughest of times.

Finger Lakes BIC Team: Building a Nation of Entrepreneurs