Delaware Business Blog

How low?

The annual study released today by the Kauffman Foundation showed only West Virginia and Alabama ranked below Delaware in the percentage of owners of new businesses.

Read it and weep:

Come be a part of the action…

When: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Where: Slaybaugh Hall, room 206 at Wesley College

The Delaware Humanities Forum (DHF) promotes the humanities by providing an assortment of resources to the people of Delaware. Our programs, which include grants to nonprofit organizations, educational outreach and special projects, are designed to bring the public together with humanities specialists. Our network links cultural, educational and civic institutions statewide, and focuses on issues of public interest and concern. Ultimately, our goal is to help our residents to learn about life and work by connecting them with other people, cultures and ideas.

Time is money. Now, you can save both time and money and help save Delaware resources by filing your gross receipt tax online at the Delaware Division of Revenue website.

“Electronic tax submissions are automatically processed. Energy and staffing costs decrease, as do errors and the
number of days it takes to process a return. Overall, filing taxes online benefits the State as much as it does our
taxpayers. Delaware is pleased to now extend this service to gross receipts,” says Secretary Cordrey.

Delaware’s online Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) System

You will need either your Federal Employer Identification or Social Security Number AND your Business License Number to access this system. You can access the Delaware Business License Search to get your license number.

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) published the “Business Tax Index 2008: Best to Worst State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship and Small Business” today, ranking the states according to the costs of their tax systems for small business start up and growth.

Delaware came in at #22.

How does your state rank?

Are you an architect, landscape architect, roofing professional, green roof researcher, horticulturalist, urban planner, facility manager/developer, policy maker or just plain interested in green roofs and green buildings?

Here’s a worthwhile event in the tri-state area worth a look.

Co-hosted with the City of Baltimore, this Conference is organized by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) a not-for-profit industry association working to promote the green roof industry in North America.

The three-day conference will consist of plenary and specialized sessions focused on four main topic areas:

1. Policies and Programs to Support Green Roofs
2. Green Roof Design and Implementation
3. Research and Technical Papers on Green Roof Performance
4. Networking & Information Forums on Current Green Roof Topics

What: Sixth Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards and Trade Show

Where: Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD
21201

When: 04/29/08 1:00 PM - 05/03/08 5:00 PM

Cost: Varies, depending on the Conference Delegate Pass you desire

For more information, please visit the Green Roofs website.

How would you like some free online publicity for your business?

Kelly Erickson, author of the Maximum Customer Experience Blog, is in the process of writing an interview series with DE/PA/MD small businesses. She’d like to hear from owners of small offices, restaurants, and retail spaces who’d like to be interviewed for upcoming articles in the series.

More information on the series, including contact info can be found at her website here:
2008 Interview Series
Delaware Valley Exclusive!

Kelly is already finishing up the interviews for the first article which she will probably post around the end of the month.

Contact her now to see if you can get in on the next round of interviews!

Recent action by the Delaware Legislature…

Apr 17, 2008 - Passed by Senate. Votes: 18 YES 0 NO 0 NOT VOTING 3 ABSENT
Apr 09, 2008 - Passed in House by Voice Vote

You can view the full text online here:
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 41

SYNOPSIS
The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) is the world’s largest association for administrative support staff, with nearly 700 chapters and 40,000 members and affiliates worldwide. Delaware is home to four (4) IAAP chapters with members employed in all sectors of the business industry.

Administrative Professionals Week, formerly Professional Secretaries Week, is a long-standing tradition of honoring secretaries, office managers, clerical supervisors, and other administrative professionals, during the last full week of April. Over the years, Professional Secretaries Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for observances ranging from community luncheons and educational seminars to individual recognition for specific administrative professionals. This tradition continues as Administrative Professionals Week.

Secretary of State Harriet Smith Windsor, and the Delaware Division of Corporations have published their 2007 annual report:

(downloadable PDF)

The bottom line? Continued, significant growth. Some highlights of the report include:
New Business Formations Are On The Rise
New entity formations totaled 161,782 in 2007. That’s up from 145,320 in 2006.

UCC Transactions Are Up
The Division handled a record 380,000 Uniform Commercial Code
(UCC) transactions (filings and searches) in 2007. That’s a 10 percent
increase from 2006.

Increased Revenue
Total revenue contributed to the Delaware General Fund was 700.8 million. Incorporations revenue accounted for 22 percent
of the State’s general fund in fiscal year 2007.

Looks like business in The State of Delaware is good.

Are you a nonprofit organization looking for some guidance?

The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University may be able to help. They offer an expanse of programs and services to fit your budget, schedule, expectations, and most importantly your goals. These range from stand-alone workshops to intensive educational opportunities for entry level through experienced professional. From one-on-one coaching to customized group consulting.

Explore what The Nonprofit Center can do to make your organization more efficient; to make your board experience more meaningful; to make your staff more knowledgeable; to make your nonprofit more able to withstand financial, administrative and resource challenges. As the vanguard of the nonprofit sector in the Greater Philadelphia region, connecting to The Nonprofit Center can change the way your nonprofit does business.

That’s saying something! You have to consider that the population of Dover is only 36,646 and competes with heavyweights like San Antonio TX (pop. 1,251,086), Charlotte, NC (pop. 596,123) and Denver, CO (pop. 555,932). Among small cities in the nation, Dover recently ranked in the top 20.

This CNN Money report touts Dover as being close to business hubs like Philadelphia, Baltimore , and Washington D.C.

Delaware is known nationally for its aggressively pro-business tax policies: it has no sales tax, no personal property tax, no business use tax and no inventory tax. As a result, many major U.S. companies are incorporated in Dover. The city has significant resources for small-business owners, with a cluster of city, state and federal offices available for technical assistance, advice and loan programs. -Elizabeth Bland

Chamber “U”, a consortium of Delaware’s major universities and colleges, have come together to provide business education to New Castle County’s business and entrepreneur community.

The University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wilmington University, Delaware Technical and Community College, Wesley College and Goldey Beacom College will all be part of the educational offerings taught at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce offices located at 12 Penns Way, Corporate Commons, New Castle.

Chamber “U” classes will be held the 4th Tuesday of every month, beginning April 22nd, and feature monthly classes, workshops and seminars aimed at giving businesses and budding entrepreneurs the practical information they need to succeed in business.

For more information about Chamber “U”, click here.

SMART
Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Regions for Tomorrow

What: 1st Annual Mid-Atlantic Women’s Conference
Topic: FROM INTERNS TO ENTREPENEURS - FROM YOUR ROLODEX TO LINKED-IN
Using Technology and Personal Relationships to Build a Professional Network
Where: Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ
When: April 4, 2008
Cost: $70, $50 for young professionals 30 and under.

The purpose of SMART is to provide a regional networking opportunity for Women in Science &Technology with additional workshops for Health Care, Energy and Science & Technology Legislative Issues.

As with all SMART regional activities, their focus is to provide a platform for the regional tech community to interface with the SMART Congressional Caucus, their Federal Executive Branch contacts and the State leaders. They will also seek other Women’s groups and their other organizational partners as co-sponsors or supporting sponsors.

For more info visit their website.

New look, new feel. Same authors, same content.
We hope that you will like the upgrade to our site!
Let us know what you think, and any suggestions you have for improvement.

A reminder from Technology Forum of Delaware about an upcoming event:

Regional Business Leaders - ING Direct
Date: 26 March 2008, Wednesday
Time: 05:30 PM to 08:00 PM
Location: Arhst Hall - University of Delaware’s Wilmington Campus
Cost: Member $15.00; non-Member $30.00

The head of IT security for ING — Rob Weaver will be discussing the role of technology at ING and important security related issues facing the online banking industry.

More information and online registration: Regional Business Leaders - ING Direct

Professional Network Connections offers networking, business relationship building, and industry specific educational topics. There are new networks launching this month in Delaware, and officer positions are currently available!

Newark Business Network

2nd & 4th Tuesdays of each month, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Officer postitions available:

1. President
2. Vice President of Membership

Wilmington Business Network

2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Officer postitions available:

1. Vice President of Membership
2. Vice President of Education

Officers of new Networks are considered Founding Officers, and do not have to pay the annual membership fee.

When Founding Officers fulfill their one year commitment as an officer, then their membership is free for life to that Network.

Here’s a general description of what each position is expected to do:

President

Sends out the email reminder notice 7-10 days before each meeting and again 1-2 days before the meeting.

Prepares the Agenda (MS Word preformatted document) and brings one to the meeting for each officer and the speaker.

Presides (leads) the meeting with their other officers.

Ensures that all officers are doing their part.

Vice President of Membership

Takes attendance for each meeting and faxes the report in at the end of each month.

Arrives 15 minutes early to greet members and guest; and puts out the sign in sheets. Faxes them in after each meeting.

Or arranges for another officer or member to arrive 15 minutes early. And/or takes turn with other officers.

Makes sure visitors have a Membership Application should they want one. Faxes or mails completed applications to us.

Calls members who have missed to successive meetings. Courtesy call check on them.

Vice President of Education

Schedules the educational topic/speaker for all meetings.

Schedules the members of that Networks Company Showcase Commercials.

Keeps the meeting schedule updated and sends it to all members and officers when it’s been changed.

For more information contact Debbie Griffith-Brown by email or call 864.990.3273 .