WISE Blog
Our team is always working to keep you informed. Below, you'll find our blog posts on topics like loan programs and success tips for entrepreneurs. If there's something else you'd like to see here, email us to let us know.
WISE Women’s Business Center in Syracuse, New York, Awarded Grant from Empire State Development to Expand Entrepreneurial Support
WISE Women’s Business Center in Syracuse, New York, Awarded Grant from Empire State Development to Expand Entrepreneurial Support The WISE Women’s Business Center, in collaboration…
Deep Dive: SEO for Beginners
Deep Dive: Getting Started with SEO for Small Business Owners Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial digital marketing strategy that helps small businesses increase…
The What, Why, and How of Limited Liability
As an entrepreneur, choosing the right organizational structure for your business could save you a ton of headaches in the future. Although the ease of starting and operating your business as a sole proprietor might seem inviting, trust us, a little extra work up-front is worth your time. We get it, with the millions of things you already have on your plate trying to get your awesome idea off the ground, taking a longer and harder route can just seem like another obstacle on your path.
WISE Pitch Competition Blog
WISE Retail Pitch Competition and Finalist Profiles Syracuse, NY: On Thursday, May 19th, 2022, The WISE Women’s Business Center hosted a Retail Pitch Competition for…
2022 National Small Business Week Summit Highlights
2022 National Small Business Week Summit Highlights A Sampling of Sessions from the US Small Business Administration’s Virtual Summit Did you miss the National Small…
Marketing…where do you start?
Marketing…where do you start? Have you recently started a business, and you’re not sure where to start with marketing? While always evolving, social media is…
In midst of heightened threats to cyber security, here is what you can do to protect yourself and your small business
In midst of heightened threats to cyber security, here is what you can do to protect yourself and your small business Situation at a Glance …
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Marisol Hernandez
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Marisol Hernandez Introduction written by Carolyn Tucker In celebration of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting these inspiring local women entrepreneurs.…
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Emily Lee
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Emily Lee Introduction written by Carolyn Tucker In celebration of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting these inspiring local women entrepreneurs.…
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Melody Johnson
Women’s History Month Spotlight: Melody Johnson Introduction written by Carolyn Tucker In celebration of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting these inspiring local women entrepreneurs.…
Finding Community, Creating Community
Finding Community, Creating Community Where There is None Written by Claire Howard of Wo-manly We’ve all felt it strike us – the awkward, paralyzing realization…
New funding opportunity from SEDCO
New funding opportunity: SEDCO ARPA Small Business Lending Programs Summary: The Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) has launched three funding programs to support businesses and…
Deep Dive: Building Your Business’ Website
Deep Dive: Building Your Business’ Website A website is a powerful tool for a small business. It’s your digital storefront and proof that you’re a…
Southeast Gateway Mini Grant Program
Southeast Gateway Initiative Mini Grant Program Summary: CenterState CEO recently opened applications for the Southeast Gateway Initiative Mini Grant Program. The program provides grants of…
Cash Flow: What It Is and Why It Rules Small Business Lending
Partner post: Written by our friends at Pursuit Cash Flow: What It Is and Why It Rules Small Business Lending Summary: A good business plan…
3 Ways to Use a Business Loan for Profitable Growth
Partner post: Written by our friends at Pursuit 3 Ways to Use a Business Loan for Profitable Growth Summary: As a business owner, you might…
6 Business Issues to Overcome Before Submitting a Loan Application
Partner post: Written by our friends at Pursuit 6 Business Issues to Overcome Before Submitting a Loan Application Summary: If you have read the business…
Your Small Business Loan Application Checklist: What You Need to Apply
Partner post: Written by our friends at Pursuit Your Small Business Loan Application Checklist: What You Need to Apply Summary: Just as a business plan…
Using EIDL funds to improve cash flow
Improve cash flow with COVID-EIDL funds Summary: Many small businesses who are eligible for a COVID-EIDL loan from the SBA have avoided the program because…
Deep Dive: E-Commerce Essentials
Deep Dive: E-Commerce Essentials Hello, WISE women! This edition of Deep Dive is all about e-commerce – selling products or services online. E-commerce has grown…
New grant: Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program (USDA)
New Grant: Pandemic Response & Safety Grant Program (from USDA) Summary: The USDA recently opened the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program which provides…
Deep Dive: Branding 101
Deep Dive: Branding 101 Hello, WISE people! This is the September issue of Deep Dive from WISE Women’s Business Center, where we go into the…
Deep Dive: Business Structures & How to Form Them in NYS
Deep Dive: Business Structures and How to Form Them in NYS Hello there! Welcome to the latest installment of WISE WBC’s Deep Dive, a monthly…
Deep Dive: Managing your Small Business’ Finances
Deep Dive: Managing your Small Business’ Finances Hello, WISE friends. Welcome to the August edition of WISE WBC’s Deep Dive, where we go into the…
Spotlight: Kawther al-Edwan, Bulbul
WISE Client Spotlight: Kawther al-Edwan, Bulbul Kathy, owner of BulBul restaurant in Liverpool, first learned about WISE when she attended a networking dinner. “It was…
Spotlight: Diana Jaramillo, Kin Architecture
WISE Client Spotlight: Diana Jaramillo, Kin Architecture When Diana Jaramillo looked around at the many entrepreneurs she met at a WISE symposium, she thought, “These…
Deep Dive: Labor Laws
Deep Dive: Labor Laws Hello, WISE friends. Welcome to the second installment of WISE WBC’s Deep Dive, where we go into the nitty gritty of…
Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program (NYS)
Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program (NYS) Summary: This new grant program from NYS provides financial relief to small businesses impacted by the pandemic. The…
Write your business plan with our Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive course
Write your business plan with our Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive course WISE Women’s Business Center is excited to announce our newest program, Accelerate: Business Plan…
Deep Dive: Access to Capital
Deep Dive: Access to Capital for Small Businesses Hello, WISE friends. We are excited to present to you our first edition of Deep Dive, a…
Microloans for Your Small Business
Microloans for Your Small Business Microloans are small loans that are usually made by Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), which are non-profit lenders. Their main…
The Latest on the Paycheck Protection Program
After more than a year of operation and serving more than eight million small businesses, funding for the bi-partisan Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been exhausted. The…
Types of Crowdfunding
Types of Crowdfunding for Your Business Crowdfunding means the idea of collecting small amounts of capital from a large number of people. It is typically…
Restaurant Revitalization Fund – what you need to know
SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund – here’s what you need to know Summary: The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) is a program administered by the SBA to…
The latest on the SVOG
The latest on the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant progam The portal is currently closed due to technical issues and is expected to reopen towards…
PPP Update: New formula for self-employed biz owners
New formula for self-employed business owners applying to PPP Summary: The SBA released a set of updated formulas for self-employed PPP applicants to calculate the…
PPP update: Second Draw details
Paycheck Protection Program: Taking a Second Draw Timeline: The PPP programs closes May 31st, 2021. Funds are not guaranteed to last until that point, so…
Paycheck Protection Program renewed – here’s what you need to know.
Paycheck Protection Program renewed; here’s what you need to know. Note: We’re sharing info as we receive it and will update this post regularly. When…
PPP Loan Forgiveness Update: SBA and Treasury Announce Simpler PPP Forgiveness Process for Loans of $50,000 or Less
On Friday, October 9th the U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program…
The Ultimate Work From Home Guide
We want to help you get the most out of your work from home setup and systems. If working remotely has become your new norm,…
Self-Employed Guide to the PPP Forgiveness Application (Form 3508EZ)
Are you self-employed? Did you apply for a PPP loan? Form 3508EZ is likely the form you’ll use to apply for PPP forgiveness. Here’s a…
Game Changing Qualities
It is impossible to pick just one word when describing our community of women small business owners in the midst of a pandemic. When I…
5 Tips for Thriving Beyond the Crisis
Recently the WISE Women’s Business Center asked me to facilitate several focus groups to assist them in developing training courses to help women business owners…
Back to Normal – A Small Business Owners Perspective
Governor Cuomo recently announced the phased reopening of New York State and business owners are responding swiftly. You all have heard the news and it…
5 Tips for Female Entrepreneurs
Aliza Seeber, Managing Partner at Spark.Orange, has helped multiple startups get off the ground–including her own business in 2013. Here are five tips from her…
Courageous Conversations
Courageous Conversations: The Challenges for Women We need courage in many different kinds of conversations. Typical examples include handling conflict, confronting a co-worker, expressing…
5 Vital Signs You’re Financially Fit – Recommended Read from Northwestern Mutual
Everyone knows it’s important to see a doctor once a year to check vital signs like your blood pressure and heart rate. But what about…
One WISE Woman’s Practical Networking Tips:
Networking. A single word powerful enough to send many running for the corner of a room! It can evoke feelings of awkwardness and distress. It…
Seeds of Resilience: The Strength and Leadership of Sheryl Sandberg
Though Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In, faced unexpected tragedy when her husband passed away unexpectedly, she worked through the pain…
Mindfulness, Books and Caffeine: Create a New Recipe for Success!
Want to become smarter? Geoffrey James of Inc. magazine has been researching neuroscience and discovering easy techniques that can improve brain performance. These techniques are…
And the Gold Medal Goes to… (Traits of High-performing Teams)
What makes a truly successful team? The individuals or the collective excellence? The mix of personalities? Does it all depend on the team leader? Hubspot…
Unlikely Places to Find Inspiration
Have a project coming up that requires you to be at your creative best? Find yourself lacking focus or maybe even experiencing “writer’s block”? Never…
STOP… In the Name of Stress
Big event coming up? Did you just get a lead on that client you know will grow the business? Feeling excited, but a little bit…
Baby, Come Back: How to (Successfully) Get Return Customers
Business success is driven by your ability to gain and retain repeat customers. These repeat customers spend more, spend often and love your brand. They…
10 Ways to Motivate Yourself
Motivation is an ebb and flow. We all have days of high energy which make us feel like we can take on the whole world—then…
Fewer Decisions, Happier Life!
It is a proven fact that the more decisions you make, the more stressed and tired your brain becomes. You may not even think you’re…
Finding a Great Mentor
A successful professional life can be demanding; especially when you’re a woman juggling a career, children and a family. Most often, successful women feel a…
Movin’ On Up: Using Creative Principles to Guide Your Business Strategy
Out-of-the-box thinking can differentiate your business from your competition. This doesn’t mean that your brand has to produce the craziest and wildest ideas and content…
Thanks for the Memories: Introducing Yourself in an Unforgettable Way
As professionals, we meet so many people out and about in the business community. Some of us meet a new person each and every day.…
If You Could Turn Back Time… How to Maximize Your Workday
Have you noticed how time just flies by when you have a lot of work to do? When you really need more time, the entire…
Accomplish Your Big Goals
January is almost over and it is almost that time of the new year when most of us have probably already faltered on our resolutions—or…
A New Year, A New You: How to be Innovative… Even After 100+ Years in Business
Innovation: it’s all about strategy—not spitballing, according to Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields. In an article on Fortune.com, contributing editor Kirsten Korosec outlines the…
A New Year, A New You: Simple Ways to Give Your Website a Stronger Presence
It’s time to start the new year on the right foot for your business. Have you been putting off your website updates or guilty of…
A New Year, A New You: Elevate Your Confidence
It’s a new year—a time where people (and businesses) make resolutions and set goals. Rather than investigating the nature of resolutions (been there, done that),…
A One-word New Year’s Resolution
It’s that time of the year: we’re all looking at 2015 in retrospect celebrating successes and learning from mistakes. As we complete this process of…
Leadership Lessons from Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is a timeless leader. In thinking about the future, it’s important to remember the past. Compiled by Bubba Page, founder of QuotaDeck and…
Being Productive… Even When it Gets Dark at 4 p.m.
How do you stay awake, active, and productive when it looks and feels like 9 p.m. when it’s only 4 in the afternoon and all…
Make Smart Decisions All Day Long
Every single day, individuals make at least 70 decisions, according to a study from Columbia University. From the simple decisions such as what to eat…
Simple Ways to Boost Your Confidence
Successful people exude confidence and often cite their confidence as the first step towards their success. It seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? When you believe…
Communication Secrets to Be a Better Leader
Great leaders are usually exceptional communicators. They are adept at connecting with every person in the audience, inspiring them to achieve more than they thought…
Types of Lists You Need to Make Every Day Productive!
Keeping lists is a surprisingly simple way of keeping on target, getting things done and squeezing more out of every moment. Lists are also tricky…
Are You Emotionally Intelligent?
What differentiates a good leader from a great one? What makes some people such a pleasure to work with? What makes some teams so successful…
How You Spend Your Time Outside of Work Can Boost Success on the Job
The person you are outside of your job can potentially have a huge impact on the trajectory of your career. How you unwind can help…
Network Smarter (Not Harder)
Have you ever felt awkward at networking? Found yourself internally rehearsing conversations? Do you shy away from meet and greet events? Put those negative thoughts…
Lessons You Learn at Stanford Business School
While business school is not for everyone, there are always lessons to be learned. A formal business education gives people an advantage in the global…
Incredible Success Goes Beyond Money & Power
Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, defines incredible success as “To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives…
The Road to Success: Why Attitude Matters
A recent Stanford University research suggests that a person’s attitude is a better predictor of their success than their IQ. Psychologist Carol Dweck categorized people’s…
Boost Your Confidence at Work
Having confidence at work is a great way to boost your energy, inspire others and motivate yourself to reach maximum potential. Personal achievement and satisfaction…
Public Speaking: You, Too, Can Rock It!
Public speaking: it can energize and engage and motivate you… and it can also be daunting and stressful if you have a fear of it.…
Things to Know About Yourself Before Starting a Business
There is both good and bad news about becoming an entrepreneur—the good news is that you won’t have a manager to answer to (you’re the…
The Five Personality Types at Work
At work, we encounter many individuals from all different walks of life—which brings many different personality types together. Some individuals you may find easy to…
Following Your Dreams – Don’t Let Fear (or anything else) Stop You!
As a kid, we heard about ‘following your dreams’ and no profession was too far out of reach when asked ‘what do you want to…
The Best Skills in Life Are Free (but sometimes take time to acquire)
When it comes to work (and life) some skills are harder to learn—they take time, effort and dedication—but pay off in the long run. Rachel…
Get Focused at Work… and Get More Done!
Everyone works differently—some of us make lists on sticky notes. Some of us use calendar management systems to track meetings and personal appointments. Others use…
Improve Your Management Style and Adapt to Change
In an ever-changing and evolving work landscape, it’s important to be flexible whether you’ve been in a management role for a decade or a month.…
Bad Business Habits to Kick… Now!
Many people read articles about how to become successful, whether it’s about marketing your business, organizing your life, or how to network effectively. However, there…
Life Hacks from a (Millennial) Entrepreneur
All of us are looking for ways to save time and find new ways to do tasks in life in a shorter amount of time,…
Let Failure Lift You Up, Rather Than Tear You Down
When you fail at something, do you become jaded and stuck or do you evaluate what went wrong and use it as a learning experience?…
Entrepreneurs and Innovators Dream > Believe > Pursue at the WISE Symposium
Over 900 attendees and exhibitors and approximately 6.2 million reached through Twitter, the 2015 WISE Symposium was a huge success in its 13th year. On the…
Thought-Provoking Life “Lessons” (as identified in some of the most popular TED Talks)
As entrepreneurs, we look for constant motivation and inspiration. Sometimes it’s internally driven and sometimes externally. With questions about happiness, leadership, and challenges looming over…
The Intrinsic Impact of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship has never been an easy undertaking. It’s an ongoing process of efforts, risk and the trial (and, oftentimes, error) of methodologies. This process requires…
Four Important Aspects of Being a Successful Entrepreneur
Reading about successful entrepreneurs be it Steve Jobs or Walt Disney, there are a few concepts that stand out and are recurring in these entrepreneurs’…
How to Grow Your Business (Without Compromising on Values)
In addition to making revenues and increasing sales, many companies are creating value in the world—through social, economic or other means. You don’t have to…
Mobile Marketing: Quick Steps to Success
The “M” word. It sometimes seems that everywhere you go, people are talking about “going mobile.” Whether it’s for small, big or mid-sized businesses, the…
Don’t Stop Believing (in yourself)
It can be challenging to keep yourself motivated in tough times. With entrepreneurs, such times often prevail due to the nature of how start-ups and…