FuzeHub says startups, manufacturers can pursue money in Build4Scale NY fund

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ALBANY — FuzeHub’s Build4Scale NY initiative has a new grant fund that will help inventors and manufacturers take new products to market and “more rapidly expand” their operations in New York. The Build4Scale NY fund will provide startups and product “innovators” with grants of up to $10,000 to launch or accelerate manufacturing projects. FuzeHub describes […]

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The Build4Scale NY fund will provide startups and product “innovators” with grants of up to $10,000 to launch or accelerate manufacturing projects.

FuzeHub describes the fund as a “critical element” of the overall Build4Scale NY program. The program provides training and one-on-one guidance and “matchmaking” to state resources and contract manufacturers. It also provides companies with “individualized support” to address specific needs, solve challenges, and “spark growth.”

“Access to funding tends to be a significant barrier for a lot of startups and small manufacturers,” Elena Garuc, executive director of FuzeHub, said in a statement. “The Build4Scale NY fund will help alleviate the financial obstacles they encounter when trying to scale a new product. It will award grants to support great ideas and inventions that will generate new manufacturing activity and help create jobs in New York State.”

About the fund

Build4Scale NY is a membership program that is open to startups, early-stage developers of physical products, and small to medium-sized manufacturers across New York, FuzeHub said.

Funding will be awarded to member companies that are pursuing projects aligned with a set of requirements. For example, the company’s hardware product is — or nearly is — “manufacturing-ready.”

In addition, the project will help the product get to market and/or scale more quickly.

FuzeHub also requires that the company has “engaged” partners and resources to support the project. The company has to be based in New York or have plans to manufacture in the state.

To apply, businesses should visit fuzehub.com/build4scale-ny/membership.

FuzeHub will award Build4Scale NY grants of varying values, up to $10,000. A total of $140,000 in grant funding is available.

FuzeHub had scheduled a Build4Scale workshop in Syracuse on April 29, but the event has since been postponed due to the coronavirus restrictions. FuzeHub intends to reschedule the workshop at a later date.

Build4Scale is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which FuzeHub has applied to its program with DOE’s permission.

About FuzeHub

The Albany–based nonprofit FuzeHub is the statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) center, supported by NYSTAR (Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation.)

NY MEP is a network of 11 organizations that provide “growth and innovation” services to small and mid-sized manufacturers across the state to help them “create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money.”

New York milk production rises 5.5 percent in February

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New York dairy farms produced nearly 1.22 billion pounds of milk in February, up 5.5 percent from more than 1.15 billion pounds in the year-ago month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. Production per cow in the state averaged 1,945 pounds in February, up 5.7 percent from 1,840 pounds a year prior.

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Broome County hotel occupancy rate dips in February

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BINGHAMTON — Hotels in Broome County were slightly less full in February than in the year-ago month, according to a recent report. The data was from the last full month before the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the hospitality industry across the state and much of the nation, starting in mid-March. The hotel occupancy rate

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Pandemic grounds 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show

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MAINE, N.Y. — Citing uncertainty about the spread of the coronavirus, Broome County officials have canceled the 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show. The event, which has drawn thousands of spectators in the past, had been scheduled for July 25 at the Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine. The county says the air show

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MAINE, N.Y. — Citing uncertainty about the spread of the coronavirus, Broome County officials have canceled the 2020 Greater Binghamton Air Show.

The event, which has drawn thousands of spectators in the past, had been scheduled for July 25 at the Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine. The county says the air show is scheduled to return in 2021.

“This was not an easy decision, but we feel it was necessary,” Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said in an April 7 statement. “The health and safety of our exhibitors, contractors, staff, and community is ultimately our priority, and we must do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We look forward to bringing the event back to Broome County in 2021.”

The county says many of the event’s partners supported the decision and have committed to participate next year.

“In an effort to protect all who are involved, we feel it is the responsible decision to reschedule the Air Show for 2021. In doing so, our local businesses, vendors, and community members will have time to heal and regain their footing,” Broome County Commissioner of Aviation Mark Heefner said. “We are certain that the 2021 Airshow will still be spectacular, and community partners have already signaled their commitment to next year’s event. We are determined to continue working together and have already shifted the focus of our planning efforts to 2021.”

Future of other big summer events

Following the cancellation of the air show, Garnar was asked at his April 7 COVID-19 daily briefing about the prospect of still holding other big summer events in Broome County, such as the July 31-Aug. 2 SpedieFest and the Aug. 10-16 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

Garnar said the county is taking it one event at a time, but as the coronavirus spreads in the area, it is starting to look at all the events planned for the rest of the year.

“I think we’re very far away from being able to have large-scale events where thousands of people, even hundreds of people, are all gathered together. We’re very far away,” the county executive said. “That may change on a week-to-week basis. But, it’s hard to imagine having an event that has thousands of people in it today, when I’m telling people to stay at home.”

Report: U.S. restaurant customer transactions declined by 42 percent in week ended March 29

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97 percent of U.S. restaurants are impacted by COVID-19-related dine-in shutdowns Restaurant customer transactions fell by 42 percent in the U.S. in the week ending March 29 compared to same week a year ago, according to a new report from NPD Group, Inc., a research and data analytics firm. About 97 percent of U.S. restaurants

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Analysis explores how COVID-19 may lead to permanent growth in working from home

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The rapid and widespread adoption of telecommuting in response to the coronavirus crisis may result in more workers continuing to work from home after the widespread shutdowns of business life are lifted, according to a new analysis from the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The analysis speculates that businesses and workers who previously had reservations about

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The analysis speculates that businesses and workers who previously had reservations about work-from-home arrangements will be more open to them in the long-term after a period of being required to operate remotely.

“As we navigate this crisis, employers and employees are forced to be flexible and creative to keep business operations running smoothly,” Patricia Strach, interim executive director at the Rockefeller Institute, said in a release. “This forced work-from-home experience is showing us that work-from-home arrangements are a viable strategy for many businesses and that is likely to be true even when this crisis is over.”

Working from home was already a growing trend before the pandemic. The analysis cites research published by the Rockefeller Institute earlier this year that found that more than 8 million Americans work from home full-time, a nearly 50-percent increase since 2005.

More than 13 million Americans telecommute at least one day a week, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The analysis highlighted that group as one likely to grow, stating, “…many believe the result of this experience will lead to more people choosing to work remotely one or two days a week.”

The analysis further cites federal and state governments offering grants and loans to businesses to upgrade remote-work technology and the growing acceptance of telehealth and teletherapy by health-care providers as factors that will accelerate the work-from-home trend.

The Rockefeller Institute of Government is the public policy research arm of the State University of New York. The full analysis is available online at https://rockinst.org/blog/coronavirus-likely-to-lead-to-permanent-growth-in-work-from-home-ranks/

How to Take Fear Out of the Workplace During COVID-19

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Fear. Uncertainty. A growing sense of panic every time [government eaders deliver a briefing] about the far-reaching effects of the coronavirus. Chatter around the workplace these days is filled with questions like: Will I get sick? Will I have a job tomorrow? Can I afford to pay my rent? What can you do when you’re facing fear

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Fear. Uncertainty. A growing sense of panic every time [government eaders deliver a briefing] about the far-reaching effects of the coronavirus.

Chatter around the workplace these days is filled with questions like: Will I get sick? Will I have a job tomorrow? Can I afford to pay my rent?

What can you do when you’re facing fear in the workplace? The good news is that you can turn to four key principles: transparency, financial discipline, trust and respect for people, and a forward-focused approach. If you want to take fear out of the workplace, consider the following steps.

Embrace transparency. “Open-book management” is the idea that everyone inside your organization will be taught to understand the numbers that drive its success. Many business owners can be reluctant to share the truth about the financials inside their business. But they don’t realize the kind of risks they take by hiding the truth. They assume the burden of keeping the business alive — solo. In many cases, CEOs and owners are forced to shut the doors of the business to the shock of their employees, who are then left to wonder if they could have done something to contribute to a different outcome.

That’s why it’s amazing what happens when you have the courage to share the news — good and bad — with your people. Treat them like adults. Get their attention directed toward what they can do to help — versus panicking. Plus, the more eyes you have on a problem, the more ideas you’ll have to solve it.

Discuss your cash position. It’s been frustrating over the past few years as we’ve watched startup companies — under the guidance of universities, incubators, and even investors — embrace the idea that the only way they could grow was to take on debt. Some of you may find yourselves in an over-leveraged position, but that can also be an opportunity to engage your workforce and tell them the truth about the situation. If you do find yourself in trouble, ask your staff for ideas about how they can contribute to cutting costs — and increasing cash flow to the point where you can actually cover your debt obligations. You’ll be amazed at what can happen when you teach your people the rules of the game.

Protect jobs. Attracting talent and retaining it can be tough. We don’t have a future without people. In the not-too-distant past, executives sometimes became idols when downsizing jobs became the new mantra, laying off people at a time they needed those jobs the most. Something similar could happen today. Difficult times can convince companies to resort to layoffs to survive. But it is wise to think differently. Whoever has the most talented workforce will dominate their markets as soon as 2021. The time to get your organization ready for the next upturn is today.

Get ready for the upturn. As bad and as uncertain as things look today, here’s a secret: it’s actually harder to get a company ready to take advantage of an upturn than it is to prepare for a downturn. Downturns can actually be opportunities to fix things inside your business that you can’t afford to invest the time and resources in when the economy is booming. While it might seem counter-intuitive, the current down market comes as a kind of short-term relief.

It’s giving us a chance to catch up — to make investments in our people and facilities — and to prepare ourselves to capitalize on the economic uptick that we expect to hit in late-2020 or early-2021. By then, our workforce should be more stable and productive — and ready to take full advantage of the available opportunities. They have every incentive to do so, because, as owners of the business, they have a true stake in the outcome.

We know how painful things are today. But there is no reason you can’t also dare to be successful. And learning how to build a culture based on transparency, financial discipline, trust and respect for people, and a forward-focused outlook, is a great place to start removing the fear in your workplace.

Rich Armstrong (www.greatgame.com) is president of The Great Game of Business Inc., and co-author of “Get In The Game: How To Create Rapid Financial Results And Lasting Cultural Change.” Steve Baker is VP of The Great Game of Business Inc., and co-author of “Get In The Game.”

Farm to Fork 101: Reconnecting the Farmer & the Consumer

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Mark Pawliw lived the food and restaurant lifestyle through his 25-plus years of experience in the industry, but he realized that something was missing. What was lacking was a connection to the producers, growers, and chefs that bring the food to your plates, the drink to your glasses, and the art of cooking that ties

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Having to take some action to remedy this, Mark formed Farm to Fork 101 in 2015. It would become a tool, a resource, and an entrepreneurial adventure. Through his business he would explore bridging the gap through “a sustainable experience that reconnects the farmer with the consumer in a delicious way.”

Pawliw started meeting with me in October 2017. He was looking for a path forward in growing the scale, diversity, and recognition of Farm to Fork 101. Together, we held many strategic-planning discussions to create an overall vision and action options. Some of these were postponed or altered due to some sizeable opportunities that came to Mark that helped grow the awareness of the local sustainable food system as well as his business. These opportunities included being hired to manage the Wegmans Experience stage during the New York State Fair in 2018 and 2019.

Throughout our time working together, I continued strategic coaching with Mark. We worked on expanding into operational analysis regarding cash flow and profit margins, differentiation marketing strategies, ideas for informational subscription services to extend product offerings, and other general problem solving.

Pawliw says, “Frank has helped me articulate my vision, weed out the bad or underdeveloped ideas and understand the importance of being proactive with my financials. All in all, he has been a great coach and I look forward to continuing with his advice as my business expands and grows.”

Now, in 2020, Mark can point to his success story as a long line of sold-out events, contracts for services, and name recognition. One of Mark’s latest undertakings was hosting the experience stage cooking demos at the Northeast Organic Farming Association New York’s Winter Conference at the Oncenter in Syracuse in January.

And, with continued coaching and planning with his advisor, Pawliw plans to take Farm to Fork 101 even further in the new decade. He plans on providing increased access to information about farmers and their produce to consumers, while continuing the educational dinners and cooking classes that have been such a hit.

Pawliw states, “Farm to Fork 101 has always been about building and maintaining relationships within the community. In the future, we plan on continuing those connections through hands-on education and helping with other organizations who share the same values. In the end, we would like to see a strong, well-connected food community here in Syracuse.”

You can run into Mark Pawliw out and about at the CNY Regional Farmer’s Market where he can be invariably found sourcing produce for a dinner event, building the relationships that are the foundation of his business.

Advisor’s Business Tip: All businesses benefit from an understanding of their cash flow. A study by Geneva Business Bank indicates “cash-flow bottlenecks account for 7 out of the top 10 reasons businesses fail.” Let an SBDC advisor provide you a no-cost confidential cash-flow analysis using software tools that they are trained to use.

Frank Cetera is an advanced certified business advisor at the SBDC located at Onondaga Community College. Contact him at ceteraf@sunyocc.edu

Boyce starts as new branch manager for SBA Syracuse district office

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SYRACUSE — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced a third member of the leadership team for the Syracuse district, which covers a 34-county area of upstate New York, The SBA on April 6 said that Jeffrey Boyce is serving as its new branch manager for the SBA Syracuse district office. He joins SBA

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SYRACUSE — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced a third member of the leadership team for the Syracuse district, which covers a 34-county area of upstate New York,

The SBA on April 6 said that Jeffrey Boyce is serving as its new branch manager for the SBA Syracuse district office.

He joins SBA District Director Bernard J. Paprocki and Deputy District Director Dan Rickman on the district’s leadership team.

Boyce is assuming the duties that Rickman previously handled before becoming deputy district director, Matthew Coleman, SBA regional communications director, tells CNYBJ.

Boyce was sworn into his new federal service position on March 16 at the SBA Syracuse district office, located on Harrison Street.

“We are happy to welcome Jeffrey Boyce to the SBA Syracuse district office team during this vital time,” Paprocki said. “Jeff will be one of our agency’s main points of contact for the small-business community. His strong leadership qualities and familiarity with upstate New York and its main streets will assist small businesses in their COVID-19 recovery.”

As branch manager, Boyce will help manage parts of the district’s coverage areas, including the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, North Country, and Southern Tier. He will collaborate with public and private-sector agencies, organizations, and individuals to promote SBA capital-access programs in addition to other SBA federal resources that assist small-business owners and entrepreneurs.

These responsibilities include the SBA’s contracting and small-business counseling services, in addition to providing financial aid through the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security (CARES) Act.”

About Boyce

Boyce is a New York native with “extensive experience” in economic development, the SBA said. Most recently, he served as director of economic development at the SUNY Research Foundation, leading programs including SUNY’s systemwide START-UP NY tax-free zone program.

The initiative launched “hundreds” of small-business partnerships with SUNY’s 64 campuses, “creating new jobs, investment and experiential learning opportunities for students.”

Boyce also previously worked for Empire State Development (ESD) in roles that included director of ESD’s division for small business, assistant deputy commissioner for manufacturing services, and deputy commissioner for small business services. In these roles, he was responsible for overseeing small-business financial and technical assistance delivery to New York firms, manufacturing efficiency grants, early-stage equity investments in Empire State high-tech firms, commercial loan interest-rate subsidies, and workforce-development grants, the SBA said.

Boyce began his career as senior staff assistant to the Monroe County Executive, supporting the management of a county government with more than 5,000 employees and a budget of nearly $1 billion. He then went on to help create and lead the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform, directing a team that implemented regulatory and permitting reforms “that saved New York more than $500 million,” according to the SBA.

Boyce holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY Geneseo and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany.

Boyce and his wife, Deborah, reside in Albany with their two daughters.

State streamlines the MWBE certification process

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ALBANY — Interested New York business owners can now apply for any MWBE (minority and women-owned business enterprise) certification programs in New York using one website and one common application. Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year directed Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development to establish a statewide integrated MWBE application portal.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year directed Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development to establish a statewide integrated MWBE application portal.

The portal will also provide applicants with direct assistance from program staff in order to make the process of completing the application “as accessible as possible.”

Cuomo also announced additional improvements to the MWBE certification process.

They include extending MWBE certifications from three years to five years; expanding the Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development’s internal resources and working with external stakeholders to “streamline and reduce” the time associated with the application review process; and releasing updated information and guidance that explains the certification process and providing increased technical assistance to applicants as they navigate the certification process.

Recent history

In 2011, the governor set a goal of utilizing MWBEs for 20 percent of state contracting. Two years later, that goal was surpassed — and in 2014, Cuomo raised the goal to 30 percent. The MWBE utilization reached 29 percent during fiscal year 2018-2019, “the highest recorded rate” in New York and the “highest MWBE utilization rate in the country,” per Cuomo’s 2020 State of the State report.

That year, contracts worth about $3 billion were awarded to minority or women-owned businesses.

During Cuomo’s tenure, more than $15.9 billion in state contracting dollars have been awarded to MWBEs and more than 7,900 MWBEs have been certified. Additionally, in July 2019, Cuomo signed legislation reauthorizing New York’s MWBE program, extending the program for an additional five years until 2024.

A number of different entities within New York State currently operate MWBE programs. They include New York State, New York City, Erie County, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York State 53 Chapter of Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and the New York/New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council. Each entity has its own individualized application and certification requirements.

In order to be competitive for government contracts, many minority and women owned businesses “find it necessary” to seek multiple certifications, a process that is often “very time consuming” and involves submitting similar information to several different entities, the state contends. This process serves as a “barrier” for too many minority and women-owned businesses that are seeking to contract with government entities in New York state.

“In order to tackle this problem,” Cuomo directed Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development to establish the statewide integrated MWBE application portal.

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