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Health Information Privacy

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The HIPAA Rules apply to covered entities and business associates. Individuals, organizations, and agencies that meet the definition of a covered entity under HIPAA must comply with the Rules' requirements to protect the privacy and security of health information and must provide individuals with certain rights with respect to their health information. If a covered entity engages a business associate to help it carry out its health care activities and functions, the covered entity must have a written business associate contract or other arrangement with the business associate that establishes specifically what the business associate has been engaged to do and requires the business associate to comply with the Rules’ requirements to protect the privacy and security of protected health information. In addition to these contractual obligations, business associates are directly liable for compliance with certain provisions of the HIPAA Rules. If an entity does not meet the def

Why You Should NOT Leave Your Job to Become an Entrepreneur

The truth is that being an entrepreneur is harder than running Merrill Lynch. (And I’m not just saying that; I actually ran Merrill Lynch.) It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Sure, it’s great not to have to attend the Operational Risk Committee meeting and sit through the page-by-page review of the 226-page deck. I can’t tell you how great. But for those of you thinking of leaving your big-company job to be an entrepreneur, here’s why you shouldn’t: Read more at: LinkedIn

The Onion: Boss Wants Friendly, Relaxed Company Culture In Place By Friday

Sometimes, parody narratives are far too real. From The Onion : Warning of severe consequences if he didn’t see results, Pantheon Digital Consulting COO Daniel Abelson, 59, told employees Monday he wants a relaxed, friendly company culture implemented by the end of the week, sources within the organization confirmed. “I don’t care how you make this a laid-back, fun place to work, just get it done, and get it done fast,” Abelson said.

Why today's CFOs are focused less on numbers and more on people

Recent in-depth interviews with chief financial officers from companies in a variety of industries revealed a set of fascinating insights. The CFO of the future is finding success by going “soft” – getting out of spreadsheets and spending more time thinking about strategy, people, and culture. Over just the past few years, CFOs in vanguard organizations have become strategic leaders. Rather than merely supporting the company’s operations, CFOs and their teams are working directly with department heads and business units to make the strategic choices that drive the best returns on investment, enhance shareholder value and long-term growth, and beat the competition. This shift requires the modern CFO to actively collaborate with all parts of the business and untangle questions such as: What is our unique value proposition? What is our market potential in each business in which we participate? How can we increase value to the customer? Do we have the capabilities needed to win? It de

How to Stop People From Stealing Your Business Plan

Nearly all businesses, whether they are small or large, are comprised of intellectual property (IP) and trade secrets, which can serve as the foundation for commercial success. The World Intellectual Property Organization defines IP as, “creations of the mind,” which, depending on the business, can take many forms. One thing is certain: The more valuable the IP and trade secrets, the more vulnerable they are to theft and infringement. When starting a business in today’s digital age, one of the most important actions one can take is protecting the intellectual property and trade secrets of that enterprise, from the very beginning. The intellectual property of a business, which in many instances functions as the lifeblood of a company, is almost always financially valuable and that value increases as the company grows and starts generating revenue. For any business, it is critical to establish evidence for the creation date and authorship for all IP at the earliest point possible,

Which industries need workers? Exploring differences in labor market activity

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Interesting new information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Where should new graduates look for jobs? What about career changers? In what direction should career counselors and job placement programs direct clients? Which statistics can government officials use to help determine how to stimulate job growth? How do employers know if their turnover and worker demands are typical? Industries differ in employee turnover patterns, demand for workers, and ability to hire the workers they need. Understanding the labor turnover characteristics of the different industries may help jobseekers, those assisting them, employers, and government officials better focus their efforts. Each data element in the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS)—job openings, hires, and separations—provides information about the labor market. However, when all three data elements are studied together, an even more informative picture emerges. The job openings data tell us about the unmet demand for wor

Open Source Options for POS

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Here are a few links discussing point-of-sale systems that are open-source: The Top 6 Free and Open-Source POS http://blog.capterra.com/the-top-6-free-and-open-source-pos-solutions/ 3 Open-Source Point-of-Sale Systems for Small Business http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/ProductReviews/Software/3-open-source-point-of-sale-systems-for-small-business.html The Best Point of Sale Software for 2016 TopTenReviews.com   Top Point of Sale Software Products Capterra http://www.capterra.com/point-of-sale-software/  Software Advice Compare Retail Point of Sale Software Other reviews of open-source software: Bossie Awards 2015: The best open source applications By  InfoWorld staff ,  InfoWorld  | Sep 16, 2015

Listen to Bcast:, the Palo Alto Software Bplans.com podcast

The folks at Bplan.com have completed the first full season of their podcast, The Bcast. They're on hiatus now, so this is a great time for you to catch up on all the episodes. Click here to check out The Bcast » Season one covered a wide range of topics to help you start and run a better business, from bank loans and lean business planning, to niche marketing and customer service. Subscribe to The Bcast on iTunes » Here are some of season one's most popular episodes:

Small Business Success Story - N.K. Bhandari Architecture & Engineering, P.C. (NKB)

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Today's small business success story comes from the Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College. Christopher R. Resig Christopher R. Resig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, became President and owner of N.K. Bhandari Architecture & Engineering, P.C. (NKB) in January 2015. Chris has been with the firm a total of 18 years. For over 35 years, NKB has provided architectural and engineering services for Federal, State, Health, Corporate, Industrial, Higher Education, K-12 Education, and Facilities clientele. Representative projects include: Customs and Border Protection Renovations at Robert McEwen Custom House in Ogdensburg, NY; Hanley Federal Building Façade Restoration, Syracuse, NY; Massachusetts National Cemetery Phase III Expansion, Bourne, MA; New Parking Structure, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Juan, PR; Corning Inc. Process Research Center North Addition, Corning, NY; and Grant and Scott Barracks Restoration at USMA, West Point, NY.

How to Dispute an Error in Your Credit Report

Have you found a mistake in one or more of your credit reports?  The Mid-Hudson SBDC has compiled guidance on how to fix an error on your report.   How To Dispute an Error in Your Equifax Credit Report If you find an error in your Equifax Credit Report or in any of the products that contain information from your file, you should initiate an investigation with us free of charge using one of the three methods described below. We will investigate your concerns directly at the source (creditor, collection agency or courthouse), respond to you within 30 days, and send you an updated copy of your Equifax Credit Report via US Mail. If you are in the process of applying for a loan, immediately notify your lender of any incorrect information in your file. Your lender will need to reorder your credit file and score once any changes have been made to your information at Equifax. To initiate an investigation, you will need to have a current copy of your Equifax Credit Report. If you do not h

Social Media Planning - Worksheet #5 - Social Media Platforms

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This week we’re sharing some helpful worksheets you can use to evaluate and plan your social media marketing.  They come from our “ SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ” planning guide.  Come in to your local SBDC for a copy of this book - 65 pages of step-by-step social media instructions.   Social Media Marketing Worksheet #5: Social Media Platforms Choose the platforms that will be best for your business and focus your energy on doing those platforms well. Don’t try to manage social media accounts on every platform out there. Select the ones that will work best with your company culture, brand vision, and available resources. Once you’ve decided which social networks you want to join, use this worksheet as an example for organizing your account information in one location. Keep this information updated and on hand. It will be especially helpful if you have multiple people managing the company’s social media accounts.

What to Know Before You Start Your Business

Bplans.com knows a thing or two about what it takes to start a business. The Managing Editor of Bplans, Candice Landau, distills what entrepreneurs and the leadership at Palo Alto to get to what entrepreneurs need to figure out as they stand on the threshold of being business owners. It includes legal issues, working through business ideas, and resources for helping to figure out your vision. Here is an example of the type of things you need to know before you start a business: 2. Start working through your business idea Do your research and validate your idea: You’re probably going to be doing this at the same time as you write your business plan. This is why we strongly recommend starting with a one page pitch first. It’s the lean format of the business plan—the format that will allow you to adapt fastest as you progress through the startup phase. More importantly, it will allow you to play with ideas before you even start. As you work through this section, the key things t

Social Media Planning - Worksheet #4 - Social Media Goals

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This week we’re sharing some helpful worksheets you can use to evaluate and plan your social media marketing.  They come from our “ SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ” planning guide.  Come in to your local SBDC  for a copy of this book - 65 pages of step-by-step social media instructions.   Social Media Marketing Worksheet #4: Social Media Goals: Your social media marketing goals should be unique to your business and overall company vision. First, determine current challenges facing your social media presence. These might include: no current content or presence, low website traffic, weak audience engagement, minimal brand awareness, or poor brand reputation or customer service. Once you’ve identified current challenges you should produce strong social media goals and clear plans of action to meet these challenges.  This worksheet shows what a completed goals worksheet would look like.

Social Media Planning - Worksheet #3 - Competition Investigation

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This week we’re sharing some helpful worksheets you can use to evaluate and plan your social media marketing.  They come from our “ SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ” planning guide.  Come in to your local SBDC for a copy of this book - 65 pages of step-by-step social media instructions.  Social Media Marketing Worksheet #3: Competition Investigation: Dig deep and analyze the competition. Use this worksheet to examine your competition’s social media platforms, content, and engagement.

Using Supply Chains to Grow Your Business

Until a few years ago Steve Cronce’s Raphael Industries did $1 million dollars a year of specialized industrial painting for customers within driving distance of their plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One of them happened to be GE Healthcare, which sent Raphael “dead” X-Ray tube parts for re-coating and re-commissioning. Challenged by other entrepreneurs in Scale Up Milwaukee’s Scalerator program to come up with a plan for rapidly ramping up his business, Cronce wondered: “What if I redefined Raphael as a strategic link in the global medical imaging supply chain, rather than as a paint shop?” This supply chain epiphany is taking Raphael toward $10 million of work a year by burrowing into GE’s global network as well as serving its competitors. He is poised to become the leader in this segment of a multi-billion dollar market. “By serving as GE’s and other equipment makers’ supply partner, the whole world is now my scope. I am no longer limited by geography.” This story leads us to a ques

Social Media Planning - Worksheet #2 - Current Social Media Presence

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This week we’re sharing some helpful worksheets you can use to evaluate and plan your social media marketing.  They come from our “ SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ” planning guide.  Come in to your local SBDC  for a copy of this book - 65 pages of step-by-step social media instructions.   Social Media Marketing Worksheet #2: Current Social Media Presence: What does your social media marketing look like today? Use this worksheet to make note of the platforms you’re using, how many followers you have and their level of engagement.

Using LinkedIn to the Fullest

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Marketingprofs.com is likely well-known to do you for their articles and great advice on marketing for small business. They also offer video tutorials like their Take10 program. Marketing professionals offer focus on specific topics to get you up to speed.You can even watch them on your mobile device through their app. They are available in real-time but you can also purchase single sessions for $10 on-demand. This tutorial is by Viveka von Rosen of Marketingprofs.com  who is the author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day . Take 10: Use LinkedIn's Newest Features to Boost Your Profile You created your LinkedIn profile five years ago, and it looks fine. So why spend more time on it? ... ... In just 10 minutes, LinkedIn expert Viveka von Rosen will share how you can start using LinkedIn's newest features to boost the effectiveness of your profile. You'll learn how to create a custom hero image to help define your business and how to add media to increase your cred

The 4-Step Code of Conduct for Winning at Online Reviews

Discipline is essential to running a proper business. The most successful business owners have great habits. Whether checking inventory at the end of the day or following up on each and every email before closing up shop, it’s the little things that make big differences. You need the same kind of discipline when managing your online ratings and reviews. While some business owners may think they don’t have to deal with what happens on rating-and-review sites, they’re wrong. They do. Yelp processes 26,000 new reviews per minute, and customers pay more attention to them than ever before. You need samurai-esque discipline when it comes to managing your online reputation. (highlight to tweet) The Manipurated Code of Conduct can help give you that katana-sharp edge. By following these four simple rules, you’ll see steady improvement in your ratings and reviews. Step 1: Do This Everyday The first step of discipline is consistency. This means checking your ratings and reviews sites every s

Social Media Planning - Worksheet #1 - Google Your Business

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Do you have big plans for improving your small business social media efforts in 2016?   We do too.   This week we’ll share some helpful worksheets you can use to evaluate and plan your social media marketing.   They come from our “ SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR SMALL BUSINESS ” planning guide.   Come in to your local SBDC for a copy of this book - 65 pages of step-by-step social media instructions. Social Media Marketing Worksheet #1 : Google Your Business: You should assess your current social media presence before beginning a new social media marketing strategy. Whether you’re starting from scratch or starting over, you might find that your brand, product, or service is already being talked about in key social media networks. Evaluate what comes up from a search for your business with this worksheet. 

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

While the old adage of “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” might conjure images of a John Wayne-esque steely resolve, ignoring sleep flat out is a horrible idea. Headlines nowadays are filled with information about sleep deprivation killing everything from your productivity to your moods, and with that, the notion of sleep being for the weak has fallen out of vogue. The jury is in: Skimp on sleep, and you pay the price. But how much—and how well—do you need to sleep to feel rested, recharged, and ready to tackle all of the challenges an entrepreneur faces in everyday life? Read more at: liveplan