America’s SBDC Blog

A “Forbes 100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs”

America’s SBDCs Host 3rd Annual SBDC Day

March 20, 2019
SBDC Day logoThe nation’s largest, proven, cost effective small business assistance program invites you to the celebration!

For almost 40 years the America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network has helped aspiring and emerging small business owners achieve the American dream of entrepreneurship. Today, March 20, SBDCs from around the country are coming together for one special day to celebrate their work, their impact, and most importantly, their clients — America’s small businesses.

With nearly 1,000 locations across the country, SBDCs provide local businesses and entrepreneurs with the resources to succeed. In 2017, America’s SBDC clients experienced annual sales growth of 18.1%, almost 4.5 times greater than the national average. SBDC assistance resulted in 93,471 jobs created; $7 billion in sales growth; $5.9 billion in capital investments; and 14,716 new businesses started. (more…)

The Julian Family Farm

March 18, 2019
Success Story: Wisconsin –

Jason and Katrina JulianKatrina and Jason Julian want to feed your family affordable, delicious, healthy dairy and beef products. Three generations, from Jason’s mom to the Julians’ three sons, work in the family business.

The Julians raise certified organic, grass-fed and grass-finished Fleckvieh cattle, a breed remarkable for its suitability for both meat and milk production. The Julians’ horses are just as remarkable: their team of American Brabants (a relative of the Belgian draft horse) takes the place of tractors for much of the farmwork.

Katrina and Jason, who both grew up on farms and met in the agricultural program at UW-River Falls, began farming conventionally when they bought a dairy farm in 1996. But a desire for a lifestyle more in line with their family values led to a switch in 2007. (more…)

Are Remote Workers Actually Working?

March 11, 2019
From TSheets, by Quickbooks –

TSheets logoSurvey asks employers and employees to weigh in on remote workers’ performance and productivity.

When it comes to answering the question “Are remote workers actually working?” it’s easy to hear some skepticism behind the text. “Working from home” often comes with its own set of air quotes, like it’s code for “hanging out” or “watching Netflix.” But is that skepticism deserved? Or are remote workers getting a bad rap?

To get a clearer picture of remote workers and their habits, TSheets conducted two surveys: One for remote employees and one for employers who have remote workers on their team.* In addition to asking how remote employees spend their time on the clock, we asked about productivity, performance, and perceptions. (more…)

Book Value and Business Valuation

March 6, 2019
By Shawn Hyde, International Society of Business Appraisers (ISBA) –

Book Value and Business ValuationEvery so often I come across a valuation report where the value of a shareholder’s interest in the company has been based on the Book Value of the business. Book Value is likely used because it is easy. It is updated every time the financial statements are updated, so it is always current. But in this article, I want to explore Book Value in more detail.

Book Value is tracked on a balance sheet by an enterprise’s accountants. The current asset section is fairly easy. Cash is equal to the amount of cash owned by the business, and the Book Value of cash is always equal to its Fair Market Value.

Accounts receivable are listed at the amount of cash the company is owed for services or products rendered, usually less an estimated amount for uncollectible accounts. Most of the time this asset’s Book Value is at least close to Fair Market Value. (more…)

America’s #SBDC Showcases Clients in the Nation’s Capital

February 14, 2019

America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), SBDC leaders, advisors, clients, partners, and stakeholders gathered on Capitol Hill for the fifth annual Client Showcase and Reception on Tuesday, February 12. Representative Steve Chabot of Ohio, Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business, addressed the reception guests. Several of his colleagues also visited the reception, in which America’s SBDC Network showcased 11 SBDC clients from across the country.

The SBDC clients were Butter Cloth (California), Atlantic Models, Inc. (Florida), Nymbl Systems (Kentucky), Jordan Research and Development, LLC (Maryland), Inductive Intelligence LLC (Michigan), DogSpot (New York), Whites Energy Services, LLC (Oklahoma), Extremiti3D (South Carolina), Port City Brewing Company (Virginia), FLEXHIBIT (Washington), and JesterLine (West Virginia).

“America’s SBDCs are proud to play a critical role in the health of small businesses. The success of our clients is a sign of the shared hard work of our advisers and our clients. For almost 40 years, small businesses have been going to their local SBDCs, building relationships, and getting the training, financing and expertise they need to thrive,” said Charles “Tee” Rowe, President & CEO of America’s SBDC. (more…)