America’s SBDC Blog

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How Can You Expand Your Business Through Financing?

May 19, 2014 1 Comment

There are about 8 million small businesses in the US that have employees; meaning they are not independent contractors. Some of these businesses don’t seek financing because they don’t believe they need it. However, a large majority of these firms may very well need debt financing at some point in their lifecycle to expand their businesses.

Not accessing expansion-oriented capital could mean a missed opportunity to gain on their competition. More nimble business owners seize on that opportunity like Utica, New York based auto-collision and repair shop, Whitesboro Frame & Body. I had a chance to speak with Bill Chromczak, the President of the company, to learn how financing has expanded his business.

Can you provide some background on your business?
Our company, Whitesboro Frame & Body, is based out of Utica, New York and we service the local community here. We are an auto-collision and repair shop.  (more…)

Intellectual Property Issues with 3D Printing

May 16, 2014

Intellectual Property and 3D printing don’t get talked about often, mainly because 3D printing is still growing into a mainstream activity. But with 3D printing starting to become more accessible to businesses and homes, what kind of Intellectual Property issues might develop that your business will need to protect or analyze?

Protecting Original 3D Creations

Any blueprint of a 3D design can be protected through copyright. And if your business is a creative one where people are creating original 3D files, this is going to be a necessary step as an interesting direction in creating new media works. However, many existing blueprints already exist for specific 3D objects. If your business happens to print one of those designs that you didn’t create yourself, you could face copyright infringement if you plan to profit off the objects.

Just as you would with any other creative work of art, you have to check if it’s available in the public domain before you can make money off of it. When using an existing blueprint for a 3D object, check online to see if it’s copyrighted and who the creator was. You can contact them for permission once you confirm their existence.  (more…)

Write an Epic Site: Tell Your Story to Make Sales

May 15, 2014

Writing website content is something everyone can do, but a story is something your visitors and customers can connect with—and nobody can tell it better than you. Your customers are on your website for a reason, they want to know more about you.

Take your visitors on a journey by sharing values that were shaped through personal experiences—a struggle, breakthrough, or success story. Dig deep and show them the passion, dedication, and experience that make your business stand out from the rest.

Be a Storyteller
Everyone has a story, and every story has a beginning, middle and end – a journey from where you started and what you’ve been through, to where you are now. Think about how your business got started or why you do what you do. By adding a personal touch to your website and by giving it a friendly vibe, your customers will feel welcome.  (more…)

SBDC Client Grows 1,400% in Two Years

May 14, 2014

Ryan Rickert, founder and president of Clean Slate Group, was vacationing in Canada when he noticed an opportunity. While waiting at a crosswalk, he saw that unwanted graffiti and adolescent “tagging” blighted the street corner. At the same time, Rickert noticed a crosswalk box wrapped with a vinyl map of the city. The clever use of a utility box made him wonder, “Why not use wraps to stop unwanted tagging?”
When Rickert returned to Bozeman, he called a friend at 3M™ to pitch his idea. Coincidentally, 3M™ had just finished developing a graffiti-resistant vinyl and the company was looking for someone to put it to use. As one of the only people with access to the exclusive product, Rickert founded Clean Slate Group. Ryan’s company now employs the only team of vinyl installers in the region who are fully endorsed and certified by 3M™.

Mr. Rickert founded his company three years ago and due to the quality of his management and innovative products it has experienced phenomenal growth. The company designs and manufactures vinyl wraps used to prevent graffiti and beautify commonly overlooked community assets such as garbage cans and power boxes. Ryan is a passionate and principled business owner who measures the success of his company with the double bottom line approach. In other words, Ryan is equally concerned with the profitability of the business and the impact it has on others. (more…)

What Small Businesses Need to Know about Twitter’s New Profile Design

May 13, 2014

Twitter recently announced a major redesign for profile pages. This includes a new look and feel, and a number of new features for users to sort and find content. While the new profile is only available to a select audience of Twitter users right now, the redesign will be rolling out to all users soon, so it is time for small businesses to take a few moments to understand the changes, and make sure that they are making the most with their profile pages moving forward.

Here is a list of the changes:

· New Header Image: One of the most noticeable changes is the introduction of a header image. It spreads across the top of your profile page similar to the cover photo on Facebook or Google+.

· Bigger Profile Picture: Twitter is also increasing the size of the Twitter profile picture. Twitter will resize your current photo automatically, but users may want to consider uploading a higher quality photo after the change.

· More visible profile information: Twitter names, handles, descriptions, and links are all bigger and more prominent with the profile change. It would be a good idea to review this information to make sure they’re updated and accurate. Unlike other social networks, Twitter users are likely to view other users profile often to learn more about them. Having an informative and accurate bio is essential. (more…)