score business advice 2014

Table of Contents

ScoreBusinessAdvice.com SCORE Business Advice 1

Before Starting Your Business, Ask Yourself: Pg 2

Why Should I Plan? Pg 3

Do You Have the Right Insurance Coverage? Pg 4

SCORE Client Testimonials Pg 6

3 Steps to Finding a Free Business Mentor to Help Start or Grow Your Business

Pg 8

Meet Your Orange County SCORE Volunteers Pg 9

Crowd Funding for Your Business Pg 10

Align These 3 Areas of Your Life for Business Success

Pg 11

Promoting Your Business On the Internet Pg 12

Local Chambers of Commerce Pg 14

County Clerk Offices Pg 15

Local SCORE Chapters Pg 15

Orange County Libraries Pg 15

Business Resources Pg 16

SCORE Business Advice www.ScoreBusinessAdvice.com

Published 1 time per year.

Advertising inquires: A&E Advertising and Web Design Edison Guzman: (845) 940-5369

Subscription inquires: www.ScoreBusinessAdvice.com

Publisher: A&E Advertising and Web Design

Editor: Edison R. Guzman

Advertising: Edison R. Guzman

Published: September 2014

Copyright© 2014 A&E Advertising and Web Design

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated or converted into machine-readable form or language without

the written consent of the publisher. Articles express the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the

publisher.

Please note: The information contained within this magazine is for

educational purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable complete information. No warranties of any kind are

expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in rendering legal, financial or professional advice. By reading this magazine, the reader agrees that under no circumstances we are responsible for any losses,

direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of use of the information contained within this publication, including - but not limited to errors,

omissions, or inaccuracies.

2 SCORE Business Advice ScoreBusinessAdvice.com

Hello. My name is Edison Guzman, and

I am the current Chapter Chair of

Orange County SCORE Chapter #465.

This publication was created to help

you either start your own business, or

help grow your existing business.

This year, we are proud to be

celebrating SCORE’s 50th birthday

along with the other 320 chapters

nationwide. We are all here to help you

realize your dream of starting and

growing your business.

You are welcomed to call and schedule

a one-on-one confidential, no-cost

counseling session, so that we can

answer any of your business questions

and guide you on your road to business

success.

You can reach us at (845) 457-9700

between the hours of 9am to 5pm

Monday through Friday.

We also host workshops throughout the

year, so ensure to visit our web site,

www.OrangeNYScore.com for the

most up-to-date schedule.

Take Care,

Edison R. Guzman

Chapter Chair SCORE #465

Before Starting Your Business, Ask Yourself: 1) What are you best at?

What is your past experience? Do you have natural talents? What do

you like to do? Are you a fast learner?

2) Is your idea a good idea?

Check the trends. Google.com/trends, ThinkWithGoogle.com

3) Is there a big enough market?

Infousa.com, google.com/publicdata, City-Data.com

4) Is there a need?

Does your idea get rid of pain, gives pleasure or none?

5) Who else is doing it?

Google.com, Bing.com, YP.com

6) What is the profit potential?

How many products must you sell or service hours must you deliver in

order to meet expenses and thrive? Is it scalable?

7) How do I fund it?

Savings, friends, family, banks, investors, credit cards, etc.

8) Do I need to protect my idea?

USPTO.gov

9) Build or buy?

Do I build a business from scratch, buy an existing business, or invest in

a franchise?

10) Partnership or alone?

Do you thrive with others, need their expertise, or their money?

Answering these questions is just the start. In order to really see if your business

is truly a good idea, you will need to create a business plan. You can do it

yourself, with the help of SCORE counselors, or hire someone to create the plan

for you.

Once you’ve gone through the business plan process, there are 7 steps to

starting your own business:

1) Choose your company name.

2) Research and register the domain name for your company . aeDomain.com, GoDaddy.com, NameCheap.com

3) Choose company legal entity (Sole Proprietor, Partnership, C Corp, S Corp, LLC, LLP, PLLP) and file. dos.state.ny.us/corps/bus_entity_search.html

4) Apply for EIN (TIN) number. IRS.gov

5) Open company bank account.

6) Acquire required permits, licenses, and file retail tax collection forms if necessary. nys-opal.com

7) Implement marketing plan.


Why Should I Plan? Charlene Maurer Finerty

Proper planning and monetary

controls are a must in our personal and

business lives or enthusiasm and

excitement too often morph into

unfortunate stories. Stories compare to

jumping off a very long pier into

smashing waves without a life vest not

knowing how to swim.

Small businesses frequently fail due

to unexpectedly finding “no-money-in-

the-checkbook.” Planning never

guarantees success nor access to loans,

but many failures can be averted by

forecasting current or planned business

cash flows.

Detailed planning flushes out ideas

envisioned only in your heart and head.

It organizes fragmented thoughts,

forces you to compile costs, develop

fair pricing, obtain insurance quotes and

spill forth estimated results. Planning

goals, sequencing timelines, etc. are not

as hard as they are time consuming. A

common mistake is not finishing a first

draft.

Writing and teaching custom

business plans elicits frequent

comments, such as: “I never thought of

that. Gee, there is a lot to writing a

plan. I didn’t know that. Why is that

important? I can’t do that.” Rewarding

and repeated comments are, “I feel so

relieved. It’s starting to look like a real

business.” Why? Because it is a

practice session, solving problems,

making decisions and running a

phantom business in advance.

Planning may suggest or force you

to look for a better source of goods, buy

differently, keep your day job and start

the business on the side, then leap to

full-time a year or two later. Maybe the

location has to be smaller or larger,

maybe rent instead of buy or vice versa,

sell more or less. These are the “what

ifs” of planning. On rare occasions, a

plan says, no. Better to find it out

before spending tens or hundreds of

thousands of dollars. It doesn’t mean

don’t have a business, it just means do

it differently or find another idea.

Recently, I had a string of speaking

requests. One was personal finance.

Another, how to start a business. The

revelation? These topics strongly link

together. You must manage your

personal financial life responsibly

before stepping into entrepreneurship.

PLEASE do a personal Cash Flow.

This involves recording what you know

and anticipate for the next 12 months of

your household’s life. I will provide a

free Personal Cash Flow format to

anyone who emails me with that in the

subject line.

If you have a business or want to

have a business, PLEASE complete a

business Cash Flow for the next 12

months and repeat for 2 or 3 future

years. This is a budget showing money

you expect to deposit monthly and

expenses you will pay each month. The

bottom line is the anticipated balance in

the checkbook. It may indicate deposits

need to increase or expenses need to

decrease. I say Cash Flows are magic.

I know you won’t believe me unless

you have done them or until you do

one.

The remaining task is constant

vigilance - compare actual to forecast as

months tick by.

Charlene writes, teaches, critiques

business plans and sells a write-it-

yourself class on DVD.

Contact at 845.343.1515,

[email protected],

www.PlansAndProfits.com,

www.BusinessPlanWritingClass.com


Do You Have the Right Insurance Coverage? Gregory M. Hogan, CIC, CLU, RHU

During client interviews, my goal is to understand clients’ risks and needs so I can best help them.

By asking questions and listening, areas that cry out for coverage are discovered. Many times the business owner never knew coverage was available for a need she didn’t know she had. “I’ve never heard about that before”, they’ll say. “Do I really need that coverage?” The answer is usually, ‘it depends’.

It depends on the business type, the business owner’s landlord or lender, even the business owner’s willingness (and ability) to take risks. Some coverages are mandated by law, such as Workers Comp and NY Disability. Some are required by lenders and landlords (property/liability), and all are designed to provide payment should you suffer a covered loss. The paragraphs below highlight some of these coverage types and identifies why they may be necessary.

Workers Compensation (WC) - Do you have employees, on payroll or not, and do you want to cover yourself? Even if you pay your workers on a 1099 basis, you may have to cover them for WC, but too often employers learn this when it’s too late...after someone is injured or the state sends a

noncompliance letter with a fine attached. If you need WC, you most likely also need NY Disability. Did you remember to get it?

Property - Do you have a building or business contents that you’d lose, say, in a fire? Does your lender require it to cover their interest in a loan to you? Think about it, you may have thousands of dollars in equipment and inventory that could be gone in a flash. A few premium dollars today, could prevent thousands lost tomorrow.

Liability - Do you have customers come see you? Do you go see customers? Does your landlord require it? As a business owner, you have a target on your back and people will sue you. Are you prepared? If you are an LLC or corporation you may think you are protected from personal lawsuits. Think again. There are plenty of cases where a business owner was held personally responsible, despite being a corporation or LLC.

Auto - Do you have a vehicle(s) for use in your business? Do your employees use their cars for your business? Just because the car is insured through a personal policy does not mean you are covered. Some of the largest writers of personal auto insurance will deny claims that occur

during business use of a vehicle. Depending on the vehicle, a business auto policy may provide more coverage at a lower premium.

Errors & Omissions - Do you give advice to clients for a fee? Could someone sue you for breach of contract? Lawsuits for bad advice or improper dealings are not covered in standard liability policies.

Business Income - Will your revenue stop if your business is shut down due to a covered loss? Will your employees suffer with no income while the business is not operating? Sure, you may have property coverage to rebuild your building and buy new stock, but will the business survive this downtime? Business income coverage can provide the capital needed to keep a business afloat.

Employment Practices Liability - Do you have employees or customers? If so, then this coverage is almost mandatory in today’s climate. It will cover employee or customer lawsuits for discrimination, among other things.

Gregory M. Hogan, CIC, CLU, RHU is

a broker at Hutchings Insurance

Agency in Middletown NY. Visit his web

site at HutchingsInsurance.com or call

him at (845) 343-2148.


SCORE Client Testimonials

I’ve been working with the SCORE program for about a year. In that

time, I’ve been able to achieve numerous things, the first being creating

the website WhatsYourWheelchair.com.

I have a spinal cord injury and am paralyzed from the shoulders

down. The idea behind the website is regardless if they are visible or not,

everyone in life has their wheelchairs.

I’m a writer, and every week I post two new articles on the site, sharing

my life experiences with my readers. My mission and my hope is through

sharing my experiences, an individual can learn the importance of self

esteem and self worth, which leads to self confidence. Without

confidence, nothing is possible. With it, anything is, and you can make

your dreams come true.

The website morphed into a book of the same name, which I self

published. The book contained all of the articles I had posted at that

point, along with twenty five new articles that were exclusively for the

book.

The website and book were a foundation built to give my name and my

writing some credibility. I've incorporated What's Your Wheelchair, and

am currently in the process of building my own self improvement course.

At the course's completion, it will be available for retail online. I'm also

interested in becoming affiliates with multiple companies and programs,

but only those whose products and services I feel can truly inspire and

motivate people. I am a marrow deep believer that if someone can see the

personal power and self worth within themselves, they will be able to

manifest all of their dreams.

I walked into SCORE one year ago, introduced myself and said I wanted

to open a small business because I needed to bring an income into my

home. At the time, I had a business idea. After meeting with different

SCORE mentors, however, all with their own expertise to bring to the

table, we decided the cons of my idea heavily outweighed the pros

logistically. And I had overlooked my biggest asset that made me

different from a large percent of society… My physical disability,

particularly the severity of it.

My website, my book, the course I am in the process of creating and the

ceiling less possibilities of What's Your Wheelchair, Inc. would not be in

existence without SCORE. None of it.

I didn't even realize what my personal assets where until I met with the

folks at SCORE. I didn't have a bank account full of funds to spend on

starting a small business, and once we agreed on what kind of business I

should build, I knew absolutely nothing about how to build it.

I was a good writer, that's it. I've learned how to create, maintain and

update a website, self publish a book and am now learning how to

conduct a webinar, which is to be part of my self improvement course.

And after my self improvement course is completed, with the help of

SCORE, I will learn how to create another slice of the endless pie What's

Your Wheelchair, Inc.

To simply say I'd recommend SCORE to an individual looking to start

their own business is incorrect because it gives inadequate credit to the

SCORE program.

Being disabled, numerous free programs exist to help you get into the

workforce. I've contacted and visited every single one I can find, and

SCORE is the first program of its kind that has truly helped me work

towards creating a business that will generate income.

One of the best things about SCORE is if you are willing to work hard

and do your part, the folks at SCORE do theirs and then some. You never

leave the SCORE office with that horrible feeling of, "Where do I go from

here?" If you're smart, you'll make another appointment with SCORE.

To every individual I've come in contact with at SCORE, thank you so

much for your continued kindness and unwavering support. You are all

fantastic cheerleaders!

Amy Alexander

WhatsYourWheelchair, Inc.

WhatsYourWheelchair.com


Have a great business idea? Meet with SCORE! After multiple meetings with

SCORE, I opened MedWise Billing in 2006. Once Affordable Health Act began,

medical providers were retiring or merging with large practices. I realized it was time

to expand my business.

During 2007 my SCORE coach came to me with a personal medical bill issue. I

decreased his bill from $106,000 to $22,000. Realizing the services I could offer, I

returned to SCORE January 2012 and launched MedWise Insurance Advocacy. Since

commencing the new division, my sales exceeded 100%. Thank you Edison Guzman

at SCORE for coaching my marketing and advertising! Without you I could never

sustain the amazing company growth.

Adria Goldman Gross

MedWise Insurance Advocacy, Division of MedWise Billing, Inc.

B-845-238-2532 | F-845-783-1376

MedicalInsuanceAdvocacy.com

Hach Technology Solutions, LLC has been getting advice since January, when I first

started my business. How have my monthly meetings helped? SCORE:

Has provided me guidance toward people who specialize in small business

insurance and book keeping.

Has helped with web page styles, business Facebooking, ideas for email

marketing and the best type of advertising for my dollar.

Encourages me to try new ideas to get my name out there such as:

writing articles and newsletters about my services

teaching classes for my market niche so that I will be seen as an expert

joining the Orange County Chamber of Commerce

Gives constructive criticism to keep me realistic in my expectations. They

remind me that a successful business doesn’t happen overnight.

Leland J. Hach, Sr. - Hach Technology Solutions, LLC

(845) 744-5908 - www.HachTechnologySolutions.com


Answer These Questions and Create the Perfect Marketing Plan What Why When How How Much Who

Products/

Services

What products do

you need?

What need does it

fill?

When do you

need it?

How will the

product fill the

need?

Product cost,

volume to be

sold, etc.

Who is your

target market?

Price What price will

you sell it for?

Why is that the

right price?

How long will that

price be valid?

How will the price

develop over

time?

How much sales

and margin will be

created?

Different prices

for different

segments?

Place How will products

be distributed?

Why choose

these channels?

When do

customers

choose different

channels?

How will we

create or enter

these channels?

What are the

cost/benefits of

these channels?

How do different

segments use

different

channels?

Promotion What types of

promotion to be

used?

Why choose

these activities?

Timing: Launch,

lifecycle, etc.?

How will the

promotions be

executed?

Costs/benefits of

the promotions.

Target groups

for various

promotions?

Other What is the

market size of

your market?

Why should

someone buy

from you?

When do you test

different

strategies?

S.W.O.T.

analysis?

How much can

you scale/grow

your business?

Who is your

competition?

3 Steps to Finding a Free Business Mentor to Help Start or Grow Your Business In just 3 steps, we’ll show you how to find, develop

and nurture a business mentor that will help you

through the booms and busts of small business

ownership.

Whether you’re just getting started, or are a business

veteran and looking for answers, the following will

help you find the right help for you.

Step 1 - Figure Out What You Need Help With —

and Yes, Everyone Needs Help from Time to Time

Pick out the top three challenges you or your business

faces—and prioritize them in order of having the

biggest impact on your business success.

Step 2 - Carve Out Time in Your Busy Schedule to

Devote to Meeting with a Business Mentor

It’s not easy for entrepreneurs to find time to meet with

a mentor when so much is happening with the business

that appears to be and maybe is, more pressing. But, in

order to get help, you have to commit some of your

time and energy to meeting with your mentor. It’s just

like exercise—you’ll be glad that you did it and will

feel energized when you finished.

Step 3 - Find a Mentor you Click With

There are several local SCORE chapters nationwide.

Choose the most convenient for you for a face-to-face

confidential meeting. If you can’t get to a local chapter,

visit www.Score.org for an online, or “virtual,” mentor.


Meet Your Orange County SCORE Volunteers

Volunteer: Peter Artusa Company: All County Window Cleaning Expertise: Business Operations, Business Strategy & Planning, Sales, Marketing & Public Relations

Volunteer: Paul Campanella Company: Action Plus Project Management Expertise: Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, Food and Cosmetic Manufacturing and FDA Compliance. Project Management, ISO9000, HACCP, Global Food Safety

Volunteer: Eric Egeland, CPCU, AU Company: Capacity Business Consulting, Inc. Expertise: Feasibility Studies, Funding, Analysis, Business Improvement

Volunteer: Charlene Finerty, Chapter Co-Chair Company: Plans and Profits, LLC Expertise: Business Plan Service, Business Operations, Business Strategy & Planning

Volunteer: Valerie Gross Company: Orange County Chamber of Commerce Expertise: Chapter Support, Workshop Registrations, Appointment Schedule

Volunteer: Edison Guzman, Chapter Chair Company: A&E Advertising and Web Design Expertise: Advertising, Marketing, Web Design, Internet Marketing, Graphic Arts, Workshops

Volunteer: William Herring Company: Retired Expertise: Sales and Marketing, Manufacturer Representative, Mergers & Acquisitions, Wholesale Operations, Business Services Consulting

Volunteer: Gregory M. Hogan, CIC, CLU, RHU Company: Hutchings Insurance, Inc. Expertise: Property, Casualty, Life, Health and Disability Insurance Broker

Volunteer: Harvey Horn (Former Chapter Chair) Company: Retired Expertise: Management, Product Development, Plastic Manufacturing and production

Volunteer: Lewis Kornish Company: Retired Expertise: Business Operations, Sales, Marketing & Public Relations, Supply Chain Management, Business Strategy & Planning

Volunteer: Bruce Lott Company: Lott Business Solutions Expertise: Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, Construction, Industrials, Utilities, Real Estate Volunteer: Cynthia Marsh-Croll Company: Orange County Chamber of Commerce Expertise: Business Operations, Public and Professional Organizations, MWBE Certifications Volunteer: Michael Mazzuca Company: Riverside Bank Expertise: Business Banking, Commercial Lending and General Banking

Volunteer: Rolland Peacock III Company: TD Bank, N.A. Expertise: Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, Business Finance & Accounting, Business Strategy & Planning

Volunteer: John Rosenberger Company: Goldstein Karlewicz & Goldstein LLC Expertise: CPA, Tax Manager

Volunteer: Arlean Veve Company: Orange County Chamber of Commerce Expertise: Chapter Support, Workshop Registrations, Appointment Schedule

The volunteers of Orange County SCORE, Chapter #465, have rich and varied business backgrounds. Counselors share their business expertise and knowledge in all aspects of small business. In addition, all counselors have specific areas of expertise, which are listed below. To learn more about each counselor, please visit our local web site, www.OrangeNYScore.com.

Call (845) 457-9700 to schedule a free, confidential face-to-face counseling session. We will evaluate your needs and match you with the perfect counselor that will help you start or grow your business.

http://gkgcpa.com

http://actionplusprojectmanagement.com

http://capacityconsultinginc.com

http://plansandprofits.com

http://orangeny.com

http://aeadvertising.com

http://hutchingsinsurance.com

http://capacityconsultinginc.com

http://orangeny.com

http://gkgcpa.com

http://orangeny.com


Crowd Funding for Your Business

You have a business idea and need

financing? What if you could connect

with a group of like-minded people

with funds to spare? You will have a

good chance of getting investors, right?

That’s exactly what crowd funding is.

In simple terms, crowd funding means

raising capital for any business venture

through a ‘crowd’ of small investors.

Is it Legal?

Yes, crowdfunding is legal, Congress

passed H.R.3606 on 3/23/2012.

How does it work?

Crowdfunding uses the reach of the

social media and the Internet to make it

easy for entrepreneurs to connect with

potential investors. Add to that, the

power of microfinance, and you have a

capital raising technique with a huge

potential.

In simple words, you post a pitch

online, use tools like social media,

blogs, and word of mouth of publicity

to spread the word and catch the

attention of potential investors.

Crowdfunding sites offer a powerful

platform where entrepreneurs can pitch

their business ideas, spread the word

about their pitch, and connect with

interested investors registered on the

site.

The Crowd Funding Advantage:

The hardest part of starting a business is

raising capital. Crowd Funding can

make the road smoother. Here are the

top advantages:

It’s the most cost effective

technique to raise funds for your

project.

You get feedback on your idea,

even before you launch your

business and get a feel of what the

market response is likely to be.

Crowd Funding can also double-

up as a marketing tool! You can

create a buzz about your business

even before it’s launched.

Crowdfunding websites can help

you find a community of small

investors to fund your business,

without the risks of traditional

financing.

Some sites focus on funding

creative projects. Other sites

focus on meeting specific needs

in the marketplace or

community.

Crowdfunding Websites

(SCORE does not recommend or

endorse any crowdfunding sites)

33needs. 33needs enables everyone to

invest, make a social impact, and earn

financial rewards.

AppBackr. Appbackr is a wholesale

marketplace for mobile phone apps.

Cofundos. Cofundos crowdfunds open-

source software projects.

FansNextdoor. FansNextdoor is a

platform for all creative professionals to

promote and fund their projects

together with their fans.

IndieGoGo. IndieGoGo offers anyone

with an idea — creative, cause-related,

entrepreneurial — the tools to build a

campaign and raise money.

Kickstarter. Kickstarter claims to be

the largest funding platform for creative

projects in the world.

Kiva Microfunds. Kiva allows people

to lend money via the Internet to people

in developing countries. Kiva itself

does not collect any interest on the

loans it facilitates. It is purely supported

by grants, loans, and donations from its

users, corporations, and national

institutions.

MicroVentures. MicroVentures targets

companies that are creating

technologies, products and services in

core areas, such as business products,

consumer products, electronics, online

technology, and more.

PeerBackers. Peerbackers is for

business owners to raise capital from

their peers — in small increments — in

exchange for tangible rewards.

ProFounder. ProFounder is a

crowdfunding platform for

entrepreneurs to raise investment

capital from their communities.

Quirky. Quirky offers product

designers and inventors the chance to

bring their products to market.

RocketHub. RocketHub is a

community for “Creative and Fuelers”

— those with projects and those who

contribute. Submit your project to the

“Launchpad” for fueling.

Do your research and due diligence to

see which, if any of these services is

right for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developing_country


Whether you’ve started a business, or are in the process of

starting your business, your chances of business success will

increase when you align three areas of your life.

Too often, we overlook the obvious when starting a business.

If you’d ask yourself what you’re passionate about, what

drives you and what are your greatest talents, you would

probably be in a totally different business right now.

That’s why it’s very important to take your time and ask

yourself these questions.

Once you’ve dug deep within you and truly answered these

questions, you will be able to start a business that will be a

natural success for your personality type.

If you feel that you’re not in the right business, or want to

start one with the best chance at success, take a few minutes

and answer the questions within the spheres in the diagram

below. It will deliver the lifestyle you seek and deserve.

Align These Three Areas of Your Life for Business Success...

Edison R. Guzman

When you run a fun business that you can

automate and is scalable, you will be

able to grow it to any size you

wish. Your imagination is

your limitation.

You must always ensure that your mission is

aligned with your vision in life. How

do you see yourself or your

business 5, 10, 15, 20

years from now?


Promoting Your Business On the Internet Edison R. Guzman

The internet is no longer just about

having a web site, it’s about being

found online when someone needs what

you have to offer.

Your prospective customers may

need you today, in a week, a month, or

even a year. This is why when you

create your online presence, you must

keep this in mind and plan for it.

When creating a web site, you can

do it yourself, or hire an experienced

company to do it for you.

There are many free web site do-it-

yourself services available on line, and

if that’s where you have to start, it’s

better than not having a web site.

Just keep in mind that your web site

represents you, your product and/or

services and your overall business. If

you design it poorly, it will reflect

badly on you.

These are the basic tools you need

when creating your web site:

Domain name

(aeDomain.com)

Hosting account

(GVOToolKit.com)

Web site (HTML or CMS such

as Wordpress)

Email marketing system

(GVOToolKit.com)

Merchant account

(Local bank, PayPal.com,

AcceptCreditCardsNow.biz)

Advanced users:

- FTP software (filezilla-project.org)

- HTML editor or web design

software (Kompozer, CoffeeCup

or Dreamweaver)

Photo editing software

(Photoshop, GIMP)

Audio recording and editing

software (Audacity –

audacity.sourceforge.net)

Video Camera or Web Cam

Video ripping, editing and

converting software

(AVSMedia.com)

Screen Capturing Software

(Camtasia by Techsmith.com)

These tools will allow you to create

an online presence, accept credit card

payments, keep your web site up-to-

date, add audio, add video and make

your company look as professional as

possible.

You can learn to use all of these

tools by watching online tutorials,

educational videos or becoming a

member of educational web sites such

as www.BusinessU.co.

Once you’ve created your web site,

you need to get people to see it. You do

this by driving traffic with specific

internet marketing strategies.

Here are 20 ways to do this:

1. Pay-Per-Click advertising

2. Search engine optimization

3. Search engine marketing

4. Blogging

5. Online Press releases

6. Social Media Marketing

7. Email marketing

8. Joint ventures

9. Affiliate marketing

10. Video marketing

11. Banner advertising

12. Article marketing

13. Solo ads

14. Co-op ads

15. Blog posting

16. Webinars

17. Teleseminars

18. Forum marketing

19. Product reviews

20. Testimonials

There are dozens of ways to get

traffic to your web site. You simply

need to start a campaign and test your

way to success.

If you don’t have the time, but you

have the budget, then I suggest you hire

someone that can do this for you, so

that you don’t waste too much time and

money.

In business, you’re either investing

time in growing your business, or

investing money. You choose which

gives you the best ROI.

Edison Guzman is owner of A&E

Advertising and Web Design, and

founder of hvBiz.com. He can be found

at (845) 940-5369. His web site address

is www.aeAdvertising.com.


Local Chambers of Commerce Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce One Civic Center Plaza Poughkeepsie NY 12601 dcrcoc.org

(845) 454-1700

Goshen Chamber of Commerce 223 Main St. P.O. Box 506 Goshen NY 10924 GoshenNYChamber.com

(845) 294-7741

Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce 787 Route 17M # 0330 Monroe NY 10949-0330 gmcoc.com

(845)475-8686

New Paltz Chamber of Commerce 257 Main Street New Paltz NY 12561 NewpaltzChamber.org

(845) 255-0243

Orange County Chamber of Commerce 30 Scott's Corners Drive Montgomery NY 12549 OrangeNY.com

(845) 457-9700

Putnam County Chamber of Commerce 953 South Lake Blvd. Mahopac, NY 10541 PutnamChamberNY.org

(845) 228-8595

Rockland Business Association One Blue Hill Plaza, P.O. Box 1567 Pearl River NY 10965 RocklandBusiness.org

(845) 735-2100

Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 405 Mongaup Valley NY 12762 Catskills.com

(845) 791-4200

The Business Council of Westchester 108 Corporate Park Drive, Suite 101 White Plains NY 10604 WestchesterNY.org

(914) 948-2110

Tri-State Chamber of Commerce 5 S. Broome St. P.O. Box 121 Port Jervis NY 12771 TriStateChamber.org

(845) 856-6694

Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce 214 Fair Street Kingston NY 12401 UlsterChamber.org

(845) 338-5100

Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce

South Street Caboose, P.O. Box 202

Warwick NY 10990 WarwickCC.org

(845) 986-2720


County Clerk Offices If you’d like to start your own business as a sole proprietor or partnership, you

must file with your local county clerk’s office. Below are seven local county

clerk’s offices within the Hudson Valley. You must file a Business Certificate

for each county you wish to do business within. Visit each county’s web site in

order to download a copy of the blank Business Certificate.

Dutchess County Dutchess County Clerk 22 Market Street

Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Phone: (845) 486-2120 Fax: (845) 486-2138

Web: www.co.dutchess.ny.us

Sullivan County Sullivan County Clerk 100 North Street Monticello, NY 12701 Phone: (845) 807-0411 Web: www.co.sullivan.ny.us

Orange County Orange County Clerk

Parry Building

4 Glenmere Cove Road

Goshen, NY 10924

Phone: (845) 291-4000 Web: www.co.orange.ny.us

Ulster County Ulster County Clerk's office.

244 Fair Street

Kingston, NY 12402

Phone: (845) 340-3288 Fax: (845) 340-3299 Web: ulstercountyny.gov/countyclerk

Putnam County

Putnam County Office Building

40 Gleneida Avenue, Room 100

Carmel, NY 10512 Phone: (845) 808-1142 Web: www.putnamcountyny.com

Westchester County

110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,

Room 330 White Plains, NY 10601 Phone: (914) 995-3070 Web: www.westchesterclerk.com

Rockland County

Rockland County Courthouse

1 South Main Street, Suite 100

New City, NY 10956 Telephone (845) 638-5070

Fax (845) 638-5647 Web: www.rocklandcountyclerk.com

Dutchess - Chapter: 59 1 Civic Center Plaza Rm. 400 Poughkeepsie, NY 10261 Phone: (845) 454-1700 x1021 Fax: (845) 454-1702 Web: dutchess.score.org Orange - Chapter: 465 30 Scott's Corner Drive Montgomery, NY 12549 Phone: (845) 457-9700 Fax: (845) 457-8799 Web: www.OrangeNYScore.com Putnam - Chapter: 678 110 Old Route 6 Room 8, Building 3 Carmel, NY 10512 Phone: (845) 225-6030 Fax: (845) 225-0311 Web: www.PutnamScore.org Rockland - Chapter: 677 Rockland Community College Rm 6102G Brucker Hall 145 College Road Suffern, NY 10901 Phone: (845) 426-1206 Web: www.RocklandScore.org Sullivan - Chapter: 697 c/o Sullivan County Partnership 198 Bridgeville Road Monticello, NY 12701 Phone: 845.343.1515 www.SullivanCounty.Score.org Ulster - Chapter: 533 1 Development Court, Rm. 101 Kingston, NY 12401 Phone: (845) 339-0468 Fax: (845) 339-0780 Web: ulster.score.org

Westchester - Chapter: 306 120 Bloomingdale Road White Plains, NY 10605 Phone: (914) 948-3907 Fax: (914) 948-4645 Web: www.ScoreWestchester.com

Local SCORE Chapters

Orange County Libraries Central Valley: woodburylibraryocny.org

Chester: rcls.org/chs

Cornwall: cornwallpubliclibrary.org

Florida: floridapubliclibrary.org

Goshen: goshenpubliclibrary.org

Greenwood Lake: gwllibrary.org

Highland Falls: rcls.org/hfl

Highland Mills: woodburylibraryocny.org

Middletown: thrall.org

Monroe: monroelibrary.org

Montgomery: rcls.org/mng

Newburgh: newburghlibrary.org

Pine Bush: pinebushlibrary.com

Port Jervis: portjervislibrary.org

Tuxedo Park: tuxedoparklibrary.org

Walden: waldenlibrary.org

Warwick: albertwisnerlibrary.org

Washingtonville: moffatlibrary.org

Business Resources BBB (Better Business Bureau) www.bbb.org BBB is the resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses. Their network of BBBs allows them to monitor and take action on thousands of business issues affecting consumers at any given time.

Business Resources in NYS business.usa.gov

Just about anything you want to know

about running a business, including a

searchable database of available

grants and financial resources for

your business.

Corporation and Business Entity

Database Search

www.dos.state.ny.us/corps/

bus_entity_search.html

See if your company’s name is

available before you incorporate.

Corporation filing information,

fees, and publications www.dos.state.ny.us/corps/

dom_busfile.html

NYS filing fees when incorporating

your business.

Federal Business Opportunities www.fbo.gov

Federal agencies are mandated to

advertise on this site. You can

download the solicitations that you

are interested in, and receive emails

on types of work that you are

interested in.

Government Loan Programs www.GovLoans.gov

A comprehensive list of all

Government loan programs, and how

they can financially help you start or

grow your business.

Grant Programs www.Grants.gov

Free listing of all available

government grant programs.

Internet Tools and Resources www.GVOToolkit.com

Tools needed to get your business on

the Internet. Hosting, company email

accounts, video conferencing, email

marketing, video hosting, domain

name and more. Build your own

website with these tools.

IRS Web Site www.IRS.gov

Find all related issues with US

Federal taxes.

Minority and Women Owned

Business Development www.esd.ny.gov/MWBE.html

You will find information related to

the certification process, resources

for technical assistance, access to

capital, contract opportunities,

MWBE Events, and a vendor registry

search tool to help you find New

York State certified MWBEs.

NYS Department of Labor www.labor.ny.gov

Have employee questions? This is the

place to answer anything and

everything which has to do with labor

laws within NYS.

NY State Web Site www.dos.ny.gov

Everything you need to know about

doing business in NYS can be found

within this web site including

taxation and finance.

NYS Online Permit Assistance and

Licensing www.nys-opal.com

If you want to start a new business or

expand your current business, this

site will help you find the New York

State business permits you may need.

Official U.S. Internet Gateway www.usa.gov

This is the official home page to all

of government.

SCORE “Counselors to America’s

Small Business” www.Score.org

Main web site which contains many

business resources, business

templates, examples, and online

counseling.

Small Business Administration –

www.sba.gov

The official SBA web site offering

programs and services that will help

you start, grow and succeed in

business.

U.S. Disability Programs and Services

www.disability.gov The federal government website for comprehensive information about disability-related programs, services, policies, laws and regulations.

US Patent and Trademark

www.uspto.gov

An agency of the department of

commerce. Just about everything you

need to know about protecting your

invention and more, can be found on

this site.

Veterans www.sba.gov/vets

The Office of Veterans Business

Development's mission is to

maximize the availability,

applicability and usability of all

administration small business

programs for Veterans, Service-

Disabled Veterans, Reserve

Component Members, and their

Dependents or Survivors.

Women Business Owners www.WomenBiz.gov

Federal contracting opportunities for

women-owned small businesses

(WOSBs) .


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