Copy
Startup Digest

Small Business

May 27, 2016

Welcome to this week’s Startup Digest. This week, we start with a topic that will affect many small business in the retail industry, overtime reform. Next, we’re highlighting a post on scams affecting small businesses and how to protect your money.

Here’s a question for you: Do you feel online forms are standard and boring? You may want to check out this post from IBM’s Commerce Blog and how their Forms Experience Builder is changing how people view online forms.

Is your business run by multiple owners? If so, applying for a loan might be a bit difficult. Don’t miss this post on Gusto with insights on how to make applying easier for your business. Finally, we end with a roundup of the 50 Best and Worst Franchises on Fit Small Business. You’ll find some incredible sites to bookmark on this list. Happy reading (and bookmarking). See you next week!

Small Business Startup Digest is curated by:
Marc Prosser

Marc Prosser

Contact Marc Prosser at marc.prosser@startupdigestmail.com

Michael Heiligenstein

Michael Heiligenstein

Contact Michael Heiligenstein at michael.heiligenstein@startupdigestmail.com

Applications Open for Techstars IoT Accelerator in NYC

The Techstars IoT Accelerator is for startups who are focused on the infrastructure of the future with specific emphasis on software and artificial intelligence, connected enterprise, smart cities and energy, advanced manufacturing, health and wearables, logistics and automotive, VR, AR, drones and robotics, agriculture, and the connected home. Applications close July 10 and the program takes place in NYC. Learn more.

Rethinking Overtime

NRF Original - National Retail Federation

The Department of Labor has proposed a major change in federal regulations governing overtime pay that could have a significant impact on the retail industry.  To better understand the effects of the proposal, NRF commissioned the research firm Oxford Economics to conduct a study. While raising the threshold would mandate overtime pay for many workers, the analysis found that most employees would not actually see a change in net pay.

Scams Affecting Small Businesses: How to Protect Your Money

Brian Masson - Wave

A very common scam is to pay you by stolen credit card, but then to convince you to move some of that payment to a third-party via some other means. When the fraud is discovered, the credit card companies refund the payment to the original card holder, but you’re out of pocket for the funds you delivered to the thief.

Online Forms are Standard and Boring

Samantha Whitford - IBM Commerce Blog

There’s a common myth that marketers have that online forms are standard and boring. But those are not words I would use to describe them. There’s a certain mix of emotions I get when filling out an online form. Whether it’s a registration page or an enrollment form, I usually feel a combination of excitement, anticipation and guilt, but mostly excitement.

Multiple Business Owners? Here’s How to Apply for a Loan

Meredith Wood - Gusto Framework

Applying for a business loan involves a lot of moving parts. You’ve got your credit score, annual revenue, and bank statements — plus, depending on the type and source of the loan you’re looking for, you’ll also need your tax returns, balance sheet, profit and loss statement, business plan, proof of ownership… The list goes on and on. Fortunately, all you need is a quick lesson on what shared ownership means in the lending space. In this piece, we’ll explain exactly what you and your co-owners can do to land the loan you need.

50 Best Franchises & 50 Worst Franchises by SBA Default Rates

Priyanka Prakash - Fit Small Business

Over 100,000 franchises are started in the United States every year. However, not all franchises are created equal. In this article, using loan default data that we obtained directly from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for the period from 2000 to 2016, we tell you which are the 50 best franchises to start and which 50 franchises have the highest risk of failure.

You are receiving this email because you believe that the best startup articles and videos are made by active members of the startup community.

Startup Digest, © 2009-2016 by Techstars Central LLC. All rights reserved. Startup Digest is a registered trademark of Techstars Central, LLC. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use.