YFS Magazine’s Headliner’s roundup delivers the best news bytes — reporting on the people, places and small business news that make the entrepreneurship ecosystem thrive. We’ll cut through the clutter and keep you connected with news-worthy people and highlights. If you’ve got news to share, get in touch.
The Latest SMB Research & Studies
Would Personal Illness Impact Your Business?
Cigna recently released a new study on entrepreneurs, sole-proprietors and other self-employed Americans, to examine how 42 million individuals tackle issues of work-life balance and personal health. According to the My Business, My Health study, more than a third of self-employed respondents said that if personal illness prevented them from working for one month, their business would either fail or lose customers. View full report.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Changes Penalize SMBs
Low deductibles and cheap co-pays for routine doctor’s visits are examples of healthcare plan luxuries that employers add to provide greater incentives to employees. However, one of the upcoming Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) changes penalizes employers for offering high-end healthcare plans to employees.
According to Jay Jensen of Insight Benefits Group, a national employee benefits and risk management firm, your employees can say goodbye to the little luxuries they’ve grown accustomed to once the Cadillac tax sets in. To thwart the tax, which goes into effect in 2018, Jensen suggests SMBs take a proactive stance and closely examine their health care plans and plan ahead. Learn more about the Affordable Care Act here.
Millennial SMBs Optimistic About Future Growth
Bank of America Small Business Owner Report, finds that small business owners are optimistic when it comes to revenue and hiring expectations over the coming 12 months, but remain concerned about the health of the overall economy. “Millennials are the most optimistic across all age groups—over the next twelve months, nearly two-thirds (61%) say the national economy will improve and 70 percent expect their revenue to increase,” according to the new survey. Read the full Spring 2013 report here.
2014 Affordable Care Act Implications for SMBs
Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act could impose penalties of up to $3000 per employee on businesses that fail to offer healthcare coverage to workers. Kevin Kuhlman, NFIB Manager of Legislative Affairs, explains that the number of full-time or full-time equivalent employees determines whether a business is subject to the mandate. Businesses with more than 50 full-time or full-time equivalent employees must provide healthcare coverage. Learn how the Affordable Care Act and other healthcare issues impact your small business via the web video series, NFIB Healthcare Minute.
Noteworthy Entrepreneurship Events
NYC Girl Power Workshop
Author and speaker Gina Rudan, author of Practical Genius: The Real Smarts You Need to Get Your Talents and Passions Working for You, will host a half day workshop entitled “Genius Bar for Life and Business” on Tuesday, June 18 at the Renaissance New York in Times Square. The workshop will host professional women, and aims to share practical success tips for women in business. Learn more here.
Inaugural Southland Conference to Host Top Startups and Investors in Nashville, TN
Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) will host their inaugural Southland conference June 12-13 at The Cannery in Nashville, TN. The new tech conference will bring together Southeastern entrepreneurs with thought leaders and innovators from across the nation. The conference will feature a keynote from tech journalist Sarah Lacy, founder and editor-in-chief of PandoDaily, an interview with Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk, the world’s largest online workplace and a keynote from Dan Pelino, general manager of IBM Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry. Learn more here.
Incubation Station to Host CPG Investors for 2nd Annual “Showcase Day” in Austin, TX
Incubation Station, an Austin-based Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) accelerator that brings together an impressive group of experienced entrepreneurs, investors and advisors, will host its second annual “Showcase Day” event from 4:00 – 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11 at The Bullock Texas State History Museum in the Austin room in Austin, Texas.
In Other SMB News
Twitter’s New TV Ad Targeting Platform
Twitter recently launched a new TV ad targeting platform in which advertisers run TV ad campaigns and Twitter promoted tweets simultaneously, and then consumers on Twitter are targeted with promoted tweets. TV ad targeting enables marketers to engage directly with people on Twitter who have been exposed to their ads on TV. Synchronized Twitter and TV ad campaigns aim to make brand messages more engaging, interactive and measurable, while making it easy for marketers to run always-on Twitter campaigns that complement and amplify their TV creative.
Eco-Friendly Technology Accessories & National Distribution Deals
Ben Vanden Wymelenberg, a 23-year-old Architecture major with a minor in Landscape Architecture, develops a new, natural concept for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks: wood cases. Vanden Wymelenberg and his business partner Kevin Groenjes, recently launched WOODCHUCKcase, to sell 100% real wood covers that serve as classy, eco-friendly and durable wooden accessories for iPhones and iPads. After striking a deal with Mall of America, Bestbuy.com soon followed.
Funding Gates Aims to Make Collecting Payments Easier
With nearly 20 percent of all accounts receivable debt in the U.S. past due, maintaining positive cash flow is vital to the success of small businesses. More than half of small businesses find that collecting payments is one of the most frustrating aspects of running their business. To address this challenge, Funding Gates, an accounts receivable (AR) software company for small businesses, recently announced its easy-to-use online AR management software, FG Receivables Manager. This software aims to give SMBs transparent control of their customer accounts throughout all stages of a credit sale and allows them to take appropriate actions in order to get paid faster. The app is currently available on the Intuit App Center.
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