 In 2015, Cortland New York became home to the technology development company CNY Point of Sale (Catch Clients LLC).
Jonathan Milton, CEO and chief technical officer, is no stranger to the small business lifestyle. So, it should come as no surprise that he would be familiar with the many needs of small business owners. In fact, he has spent years developing a knowledge base and a passion for small businesses that he now uses to serve his customer base.
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 Brian Bartholomew is the owner and operator of 'A Cozy Hearth Fireplace & Stove, LLC' located at 1086 State Fair Boulevard in Syracuse, NY.
With a background of over 15 years in the hearth industry, Brian knew he had the experience and knowledge necessary to help customers make the right choices for their homes.  I recently sat down with my client Dr. Sarah Taber, author and content creator of the podcast “Farm to Taber.” Her Twitter handle is @SarahTaber_bww. Taber is a food safety auditor, ag-tech nerd, and subject-matter expert on America’s agricultural system.
Taber provides an insider perspective on the industry that isn’t seen often in regular news reporting. Taber is part of a new style of business.  photo credit: www.sarahheppell.com THE WOMAN BEHIND THE CAKES - Stacey Lorraine is the owner, cake artist, office manager, and dishwasher (yup she does it all!) at The Cake Shop located in Skaneateles, NY!
Born and raised near Washington DC, Stacey got her start working at a local bakery when she was 16. From that point on she fell in love with everything baking, going on to become a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. While she spent a short stint in restaurants Stacey found her true passion in custom cakes.  As advisors and community economic-development specialists, we are often approached by individuals who are looking to start a business or expand an existing one with one common question: “Are there any grants available for my business”?
There is a simple and a complex answer to this question. The simple answer is yes there are some grants available, and the complex answer is that the grants offered may not apply to your business.  photo credit: www.scrappapersocial.com For as long as they can remember, Tucker and Colin Ray have wanted to start their own business.
The brothers grew up working for their Grandfather in his furniture and floor covering business located in Hamilton, NY. There they saw the great impact a small business can have on the community it belongs to, and how that community can rise up and support the small business in return.  As a business advisor for the Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC), I frequently encounter entrepreneurs with great ideas for new businesses.
Most often, they are convinced that they have a business model that will be successful in the marketplace. Whether it is high-tech or low, product, service, or a combination of both, they are convinced that it is a winner.  The owner of Natural Solutions, Erica Spencer, M.S. L.Ac., is a very motivated, hard working, and uniquely qualified entrepreneur.
A graduate of Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture at NYCC, Erica received a Master’s Degree in Science and Acupuncture (MSA). She is a Licensed Acupuncturist certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), and Erica is also a United States Marine Corps (USMC) Veteran with over four years of experience working in the Mental Health and Chemical Dependency fields.  The holidays are over, and as we reflect on the weight gain, credit card debt, and family get togethers, one thing may be sticking out in your head. At least everyone loved my recipe for “fill in the blank.”
Maybe you are thinking that you should take your recipe that your family and friends adored so much and do something with it, like turn it into a business or a side hustle right? Well, let’s take a closer look at all that is involved to take your idea for a food business and make it a reality.  Terry Powers lives with her best friend - a Golden Chow mix named Shadow - that she rescued from the shelter. Dogs have always been an important part of her family. That is why she decided to open 'Stay and Play Doggie Daycare' in 2014.
Terry opened her business not only to help pet owners while they were away from their dogs during the day, but also because she wanted to surround herself with these loving animals.  Combining “the rich heritage of cooperatives with the promise of 21st century technologies, free from monopoly, exploitation, and surveillance,” is the definition of platform cooperatives as presented in the 2017 edited compilation, “Ours to Hack and to Own: The Rise of Platform Cooperativism, A New Vision for the Future of Work and a Fairer Internet.”
You may not be readily clear on what a platform-technology business is, but you have almost certainly been a consumer of one or more of these businesses, and maybe even a provider.  Martin Butts was burned out after seven years working long hours in the cramped and bustling aisles of the Syracuse Cooperative Market.
He was passionate about working with small scale and local food producers, but unsure about how to continue that work when he left. A chance encounter with a vendor from his time at the co-op in 2009 flipped a light switch and in a matter of days, Small Potatoes went live.  Sometimes start-ups take some time to pull together both technically and mentally, as was the case with Sarah Curtis who is now operating Syracuse Mom’s Blog, LLC as a home-based business.
In Sarah’s own words from the website at https://syracuse.citymomsblog.com/ – “Syracuse Moms Blog is a collaborative blog, parenting resource and community that strives to inform, empower and connect families in Central New York.”  So much these days is written about entrepreneurship, but perhaps too little is written about the entrepreneur. What is an entrepreneur exactly?
In fact the word itself has seen dramatically increasing popularity in recent years, probably due, in large part, to colleges adopting entrepreneurship programs of study. But how do we define entrepreneur in dictionary terms?  The 2018 Cayuga County Competition took place on October 25, November 1, November 8 (for 2 hours each night) with the final Competition held on November 15, where the following winners were announced.
Left to right: E.J. Onori, Brian Chappell, and Melody Johnson.  The 2018 Cortland County Competition took place on October 23, October 30, November 6 (for 2 hours each night) with the final Competition held on November 13 where the following winners were announced.
Left to right: Michael Sampson, Tina Minervini, Tammie Whitson, Jonathan Milton, Paul Brooks (judge), and Michael Rosanio (instructor).  Have you ever been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, dreamed of being your own boss, have a business you'd like to buy or start --- but don't know where to begin? The Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is the place to go.
The Onondaga SBDC is a group of seasoned business professionals based in Central New York that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with high - quality business consultants and workshops. Their services include offering help with choosing the correct legal structure (entity), preforming market research, developing a business plan, creating a financial plan, seeking financing, crafting a marketing plan, hiring employees, setting prices, and conducting business operations. The SBDC provides these services to both start-up and existing businesses at NO COST in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego, and Seneca counties.  Eva Zaczynski had absolutely no experience running a restaurant when she first opened Eva’s European Sweets in in 1997. She picked a red brick building on Milton Avenue, just west of Syracuse, because she could afford the rent. As word got out in those pre-internet days, the staff kept written directions by the phone to help lost diners when they called.
 Marketing is ideally suited for cooperative implementation among small businesses. Cost and time required are the two most obvious reasons that might make it harder for business owners to perform, hire, or contract for these tasks individually.
In fact, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports, according to a study by Marketo, that only 56 percent of small businesses (with fewer than 50 employees) have a marketing plan.  Stephanie McCall began her journey filling homes and businesses with custom, high-quality, quilts and art pieces, in 2006. An award-winning Master Quilter, Stephanie brought her creativity and skills to each residential or commercial installation.
She has her own dedicated studio, and she also teaches private lessons and project classes at her home studio in Auburn, NY and at Cayuga Community College.  Raise your hand if you can’t stop looking at your email when you are supposed to be on vacation.
As we all become addicted to our electronic devices and constant need for instant information, are we making things better or worse? There is no doubt that being a small-business owner you probably put in more hours than the average 9-to-5 worker, but that is exactly why it is more important to be aware of the benefits of striking a work-life balance.  Brooks Mullahy started beekeeping in 1984 as a backyard beekeeper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with only 2 hives.
Life took many turns from there, including a 13-year stint in East Africa working in International Aid and Development. Upon returning to the United States in 2012, she embarked on an apprenticeship with a master beekeeper in Moravia, New York. After 4 years as an apprentice, Mary set out on her own to turn beekeeping into her livelihood and Sunswick Farm began to take form.  Entrepreneurs are innovative, self-starters and motivated beyond belief. We, in economic development, marvel at your tenacity and sheer will-power.
When starting a business, you have created a step-by-step plan on how to begin, when and where to start, detailed your business plan with extensive projections, and forecast the possible highs and lows of your new venture. You have detailed every phase of your project, and what needs to be done to make the next phase a success. This commitment to success is awe-inspiring. Often, you spend so much time and energy planning and cultivating your “baby,” but most times very little effort at planning for your exit.  Bill Smith, owner of Universal Step, Inc., has been in business for over 50 years.
As a self-proclaimed "grunt," he says he is more of a builder/inventor than a business man. It is the inventor in him, as well as a need to transition his business to be less labor-intensive, that inspired Bill to create a new modular step product.  The best days that Central New York has to offer us weather-wise are upon us. Now is the time to get out, soak up the sun, and step away from the daily grind.
No matter what stage of entrepreneurship you are in, it is far too easy to get sucked into wearing many different hats, working too many hours each day, and never allowing yourself time to recharge. After all, isn’t this the reason you chose to become an entrepreneur? —to make your own schedule, allow inspiration and creativity, and spend more time with your families and friends. |
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Cayuga l Cortland l Madison l Onondaga l Oswego l Seneca
Mulroy Hall l Fourth Floor l 4926 Onondaga Rd l Syracuse, NY 13215
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Onondaga Small Business Development Center. Partnership Program with the SBA, administered by the State University of New York. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
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