NYC Business Solutions

UPCOMING SEMINAR: Learn How to Increase Business Profits

Are you an entrepreneur, running a small business, or a large corporation and looking to increase your profits?

We can help!

The NYC Business Solutions Queens Center is hosting a seminar next week to teach you how to access funds & programs to grow your business.

NYC Dept. of Small Business Services Commissioner Robert Walsh and Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Commissioner Katherine Oliver visited Gotham Sound & Communications today to discuss how the City is helping small media and entertainment businesses grow and remain competitive.

Gotham Sound – one of the only businesses in NYC to focus solely on sound – provides rental, sales, and repair services of sound equipment to film and television productions of all sizes in NYC (including “The Bourne Legacy” and “Project Runway”). Currently, the sound equipment industry is undergoing a major shift from analog to digital distribution. To stay competitive and continue to attract productions to NYC, Gotham Sound needs to train its staff on new sound equipment.

The City is helping Gotham Sound through the “Made in NY” Media Employee Training (MET) grant program, which covers 70% of training costs. They will receive a $22,545.01 grant to train 13 employees how to operate, customize, and instruct clients on the new digital sound gear.

Cash Flow is Critical!

Good cash management is extremely important in all businesses but especially crucial for small businesses. As a small business owner, your goal is to make sure more cash enters the business than goes out. Sounds simple but it’s not always easy.

The success of your business depends in large part on your ability to monitor cash flow and ensure there’s always enough cash on hand to meet the business’ obligations like payroll, rent, and other important expenses. Regularly assessing your cash flow and employing some useful strategies can help you make certain your business has a positive net cash position.

Discount to Attend Indie Retailer Conference in NYC on May 20

The 2013 Independent Retailer Conference will take place May 20 in NYC at the Scholastic Auditorium, with a full day of retail rich knowledge, support and opportunities.

This one-day, action-packed event offers retailers and community leaders the chance to engage, learn and connect with retail experts, industry leaders, service providers and like-minded entrepreneurs.

Did you know? A SWOT analysis can help you to mitigate and eliminate threats to your business, and discover opportunities.

SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a valuable technique that you can use for understanding your business strengths and weaknesses, and for detecting both the opportunities open to your business and the threats you may face.

This thoughtful exercise can help you plan a competitive business strategy.

If you or a woman you know is interested in starting or expanding their business, check out Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment’s free 90-minute ‘My Business Action Plan’ workshop. For more information about the program and classes in New York, contact Melissa Wylie at (917) 836-2977.

Want to open your own business but don’t know where to start?

Eligible entrepreneurs can enroll in a free course at CUNY’s College of Staten Island and earn 3 college credits through CUNY CareerPATH.

Participants in the CUNY CareerPATH Entrepreneurship Program learn how to start-up and operate their own small business through an in-depth examination of the requirements, process and possible outcomes of starting a new business.

Create a plan. Elevate your workforce. Win $125,000.

There’s a revenue engine lying dormant in your organization. The NYC Business Innovation Challenge invites you to create a plan that will give your workers a path to improving their skill bases, access to benefits, career prospects or economic opportunities.

Learn How to Market Your Business Online

Do you want to learn how to move your business online, turn web visitors into customers and/or build your presence on major social media channels?

We can help!

The NYC Business Solutions Queens Center is hosting a seminar next week to teach you how to effectively market your business online using social media and search engines.

Perception Counts.

Via NY Daily News: Face-lift on tap for storm-torn Beach 116th St. in Rockaway

The city plans to pump $500,000 into a vital shopping strip in Rockaway in an effort to overhaul blighted and storm-torn storefronts.

NYC Small Business Services Commissioner Robert Walsh said various city agencies are pitching in with planters, benches and better lighting to freshen up the strip.

“Perception counts,” said Walsh, who has worked with local merchants to push for additional sanitation clean-up crews and police presence in the area.

Walsh said his agency is also providing the fledgling local merchants association with a $75,000 grant to keep the momentum going.