NOVEMBER 2016 • Volume 12 • Issue 11 3 Small Business Week 2017: NY District Office Local Awards - Call for Submissions About National Small Business Week Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. Joining the President in celebrating our nation’s entrepreneurs and small business owners, the U.S. Small Business Administration will celebrate National Small Business Week from April 30 to May 6, 2017. The New York District Office will hold its own award ceremony on May 2, 2017. District winners compete for regional awards, and regional winners have a chance to win national awards. The following awards are for individuals or organizations dedicated to supporting small businesses within their respective category. Nominations should include details of demonstrated accomplishments in terms of advocacy efforts and contributions obtained on a professional and voluntary basis as relevant to the particular award being sought. Individuals may not be nominated for more than one category. New York District Office Young Entrepreneur Award of the Year Guidelines for nominations will follow the same guideline principals as the Small Business Person of the Year award with the addition that all majority owners must not have exceeded the age of 30 years by June 1st, 2017. Please contact Bailey Wolff at 212 264-1489 or email [email protected] for information regarding eligibility requirements. Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year This award honors a family-owned and operated business which has been passed on from one generation to the next. The owner must also serve as a majority owner and operator or bear principal responsibility for operating a Small Business with at least a 15-year track record. New York District Office Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year This award honors a small business for fulfilling a commitment to the advancement of business opportunities for veterans. New York District Office Women Small Business Champion of the Year This award honors an individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership. May or may not be a small business owner. New York District Office Financial Services Champion of the Year An individual who assists small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services for small businesses may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be small business owners. New York District Office Home-Based Business Champion of the Year An individual who has experienced the rewards and difficulties of owning a home-based business and has volunteered to improve the climate for these businesses may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be small business owners. New York District Office Minority Small Business Champion of the Year This award honors an individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities for minority entrepreneurship. Nominee may or may not be a small business owner. Submissions and Questions Nominees’ packages are to be sent directly to the New York District Office by 3:00pm, Tuesday, January 10th, 2017. Incomplete packages cannot be considered and the deadline is strictly observed. Send or deliver packages to: Ms. Ana A. Hernandez U.S. Small Business Administration 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 3100 New York, NY 10278 For further details and required forms, contact Ana A. Hernandez at 212-264-5664. For questions regarding NYDO local awards, please contact Bailey Wolff at 212 264-1489 or email [email protected]. The NYC Business Acceleration Program By Chris Moon Queens Chamber Staff The NYC Business Acceleration (NYCBA) is a service the City of New York provides to food and beverage, industrial, and retail businesses operating within the five boroughs. NYCBA provides a variety of services normally spread across numerous different agencies all under one roof, allowing business owners to “cut the red tape” and navigate the different government agencies with ease. NYCBA’s goal is to create a customer-friendly environment for business owners and licensed professionals by providing three core services: Client Management, Plan Reviews, and Consultations with inspectors from City agencies including Buildings, Fire, Health and Mental Hygiene, Environmental Protection, and Consumer Affairs. Employees of the NYCBA are trained and educated to work in conjunction with various NYC agencies to simplify the rigorous process that business owners must go through while opening or expanding their businesses. One of the three core services NYCBA provides is Client Management. Each business that works with NYCBA is assigned a “client manager” who will work one-on-one with the business owner while in the process of opening a new business or expanding to a new location. Client managers will serve as the business owner’s point-person from lease-signing to opening, providing the necessary information and assistance to ensure compliance with corresponding laws and regulations. The client manager will then schedule and coordinate inspections required by the NYC Fire Department (FDNY) and NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). They also provide support through the Regulatory Enforcement Assistance for Commercial Tenants (REACT) for FDNY and DOB violations in addition to information and assistance on recovering from a disaster or emergency. Businesses undergoing new construction, such as those that are creating new space or are altering an existing space, can also take advantage of another core NYCBA service: Plan Review. Through Business Acceleration, businesses can get their plans or blueprints reviewed by FDNY and DOB plan examiners located at the NYCBA office. The Plan Examiners will review electronically filed plans, schedule meetings with business owners to discuss objections and compliance issues, and work with the DOB and FDNY to address and resolve difficult code requirements. NYCBA’s third service is the coordination of multi-agency consultations with regard to inspections. NYCBA has an inspection team on staff that will speak with business owners for any questions or concerns they may have regarding compliance to laws and regulations. Businesses can even schedule inspections with this team to make sure they are up to code. Businesses receiving this consultation will not get fined for any violations they may have (except for life-safety hazards), and the results of these inspections will be provided immediately. Cut through the red tape and access the City’s services in a streamlined and simplified process through NYC Business Acceleration. Don’t go through the hassle of contacting the multiple agencies to be in compliance with all of NYC’s laws and regulations but instead, get all of this service all under one roof. To learn more about what NYCBA has to offer, contact them at (212) 618- 8810 or visit their website at www.nyc.gov/nbat.
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