More Patents Granted to Women in Recent Years

New Study Examines Patent Applications by Gender, Link to Women Entrepreneurs IP release

FREE Webinar: Management Obligations During Disaster Recovery

Tuesday, December 20 11:00 a.m. - Noon PST Presented by:    Bob Boyd, President and CEO, Agility Recovery Solutions WASHINGTON – Being a small business owner also makes you the person in charge of making sure everything flows without a hitch, from product development to the safety of your   employees.   Yet in the midst of a crisis or in the aftermath of a disaster the plans you made to keep your business open could become lost in the shuffle of stress and chaos.  On Tuesday, December 20, Agility Recovery Solutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration will host a webinar focusing on best practices to help those in leadership positions navigate the road to recovery.  Agility president and CEO Bob Boyd will share real-world disaster recovery scenarios and engage participants in a discussion on practical strategies to develop the wisdom and skill needed to become a more resilient leader. SBA has partnered with Agility to offer business continuity strategies via its “PrepareMyBusiness” website.  Visit www.preparemybusiness.org to access past webinars and get additional preparedness tips. The SBA provides disaster recovery assistance in the form of low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, private nonprofits and businesses ...

SBA’s Web Chat to Focus on Tax Essentials

Thursday, December 15 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PST WASHINGTON – With the end of the 2011 tax year right around the corner, small business owners can help prepare themselves for the upcoming filing season by clicking in to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s free December web chat for tips on potential year-end tax savings. Chat participants can get valuable information on how to prepare now with useful tax savings tips and a set of red flags on mistakes to avoid.  WHO: Edward S. Karl, vice president of Taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, will host SBA’s free December web chat on “Tax Essentials for Small Business Owners.”  Karl will answer questions about tax deductions and credits business owners can use to reduce their tax payments, as well as other tax-saving tips. WHAT: SBA’s web chat series provides small business owners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Chat participants have direct, real-time access to the web chats via questions they can submit online in advance and during the live session. HOW: Participants can join the live web chat on Dec. 15, and ...

2011 Year End Tax Planning for Small Businesses and Their Owners

By Oscar I. Axume, CPA Axume & Associates Accounting, Tax, Bookkeeping and Payroll Services December 1, 2011 2012 is just around the corner so it is that time of the year to review and consider some of the 2011 year-end tax saving opportunities or strategies for small businesses and their owners. Before going into more specific and detailed planning tips, here are some basic principles that can help guide your overall thinking: If you anticipate your tax rate will be higher in 2012, you may want to accelerate income into 2011 and defer deductions into 2012 If you think your tax rate might be lower next year, consider shifting income to 2012 and accelerating deductions into 2011.  This second strategy is generally preferred when your tax rate in both years is expected to remain the same If you think your deductions might be restricted in 2012 because of current or future changes in the tax law, accelerate some deductible expenses into this year If you could qualify for the standard deduction in either 2011 or 2012, consider shifting qualified expenditures into the year you expect to itemize your deductions – generally taking the standard deduction in one year and doubling up on itemized deductions in the other year results ...

MCSC Soledad Business Class Graduation

Fifteen Graduate from MCSC’s Business Class in Soledad Hold your horses – yet another group of hardworking students juggled their busy lives of parenthood, employment and business ownership by spending the last ten weeks enrolled in Mission Community Service Corporation’s “Empezando -How to Write A Business Plan” a  training class provide by MCSC’s Women’s Business Center Program. The Women’s Business Center is a program sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Consultant Ross Griego has taught the class in various counties….this was the second in Monterey County. So high is the respect shown to Griego, several of the King City graduates traveled to the Windmill Restaurant Thursday night to congratulate the newest graduates. Business interests are varied, from Norma Plasencia and David Zuniga who will open their Greenfield Dollar Store next week to the youngest graduate, 13-year-old Alexandra Jimenez who is learning the electrical business from her father. Plasencia and Zuniga, who have four children, were both King City High School graduates and said that they decided to take the plunge after guidance from their parents and Griego. In opening remarks, Griego’s ...

Chevron To Sponsor King City Training Class

Mission Community Services Corporation (MCSC) is honored to announce the receiving of a $5,000 grant donation from Chevron North America Exploration & Production Company recently. The funds are dedicated to the development of entrepreneurship services in King City and southern Monterey County. Adam Advidrez, Community Engagement Coordinator made the presention of the grant to MCSC Director Nora Dominquez at an awards ceremony head in Bakersfield recently. “We are happy to support the efforts of Mission Community Services Corporation to build economic development through entrepreneurship training and consulting”, Advidrez stated. “We are especially thrilled to support their efforts in the King City area, which is an underserved community”. David Ryal, Contract Executive Director of MCSC indicated that they are in the planning stages of getting the ten-week Spanish Entrepreneurial Class ramped up. “The class will be held at the King City campus of Hartnell College. Cindi Mora, King City Chamber of Commerce Executive, will be the facilitator of the class”, he said. “We are targeting the beginning of March to launch the class,” he added. Keep an eye on the MCSC newsletter ...