CALENDAR NOTES

Calendar Notes provides beenetworknews.com viewers / readers with a schedule of events, workshops, seminars and expo’s that educate, entertain and inform.

SOURCE:  SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Are you a small business owner with an amazing success story to tell?  If so, submit your nomination today for the 2016 National Small Business Week Awards.  Nominations are currently being accepted online at http://awards.sba.gov.

All nominations must be submitted online, postmarked or hand delivered to the nearestSBA District Office no later than 3:00 p.m. ET on January 11, 2016.  Winners will be announced during National Small Business Week, May 1-7, 2016.

National Small Business Week award categories include:

• Small Business Person of the Year Award
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery
• Federal Procurement Award- Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award
• Federal Procurement Award- Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Award
• Federal Procurement Award- Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence
• 8(a) Graduate of the Year Award
• Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award
• Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award
• Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award
• Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year

Apply online today: http://awards.sba.gov.

SBA’s My Brother’s Keeper Video Series on Millennial Starts-ups 

SOURCE:  U.S. Small Business Administration

My Brother’s Keeper is President Obama’s initiative to empower young people, particularly young men of color, to improve their life outcomes and overcome barriers to success. Check out Ehinomen Ehikhamenor, known as “Hollywood Hino” entrepreneurial story.

Calling all Women-Owned Small Businesses

The SBA is seeking input and comments on certification of Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB) in connection with the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program (WOSB Program). 

SBA is planning to amend its regulations to implement section 825 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (2015 NDAA). Section 825 of the 2015 NDAA removed the statutory authority allowing WOSBs and EDWOSBs to self-certify. 

SBA intends to draft regulations to implement the statutory changes.

Review The WOSB and EDWOSB Announcement of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) online.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Brenda J. Fernandez, Procurement Analyst, Office of Policy, Planning and Liaison at brenda.fernandez@sba.gov

Blog | The Dos and Don’ts of Conducting Background Checks

There are many negative consequences of making the wrong hire. And you want to make sure that you have all the right information before you make the decision.

Blog | The Rise of Online Business Lending and What to Look Out For

Although online business lending offers speed, convenience, and the opportunity to get funding fast, there are important factors small business owners need to look out for.

Blog | The Franchise Purchasing Process is Not a Race

Once you’ve made the decision to seriously look into finding a franchise opportunity to buy, your wheels will really start to turn.

Understanding Your Customer

Knowing your customer is a vital part of effectively selling your product or service. This course will introduce you to tools and resources that will help you understand your customer and increase sales.

Small Business Exporters: Register Now for the 2016 Hannover Messe Trade Show in Germany

Hannover Messe 2016 is the premier international trade shows for industrial technology, and for the first time the U.S. is a partner country.

• 5,000+ exhibitors from 100 countries
• 200,000+ attendees
• Includes a worldwide audience of buyers, distributors, resellers, and investors
• Certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce

The SBA is providing export finance counseling to U.S. small business exporters, to engage commercial lenders and financial institutions, as well as to educate private-sector partners on U.S. government export financing and insurance programs.

Register now

The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently announced the official launch of myRA, a new retirement savings account for the millions of workers in America who don’t have access to a retirement savings plan through work or have not found an easy way to start saving. Employees can:

• Start funding their myRA account directly from their paycheck
• Fund their myRA directly from their checking or savings accounts
• Direct all or part of their federal tax refund to their myRA account, at tax time

Learn more about this new way you can help your employees save at myRA.gov