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All
  • All
  • Aurora Team
  • Awards
  • blog
  • Business Tips
  • City
  • Consultants/Trainers
  • Customers
  • Disaster Mitigation
  • Economic Recovery
  • Events
  • Finances
  • Funding
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  • Resources
  • SBDC Programs
  • Solutions
  • South Metro Team
  • Veterans
  • Webinars
  • Workshops
Aurora Team

Thanks For Watching!

Mention was made recently of the Aurora-South Metro SBDC on Aurora News Weekly: Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center Click below to watch other stories recently featured on Aurora News Weekly: Aurora, Brothers Redevelopment & Partners Host Groundbreaking for Paris Family Apartments   Aurora Hosts Military and Veterans Employment Expo   New VA Hospital Grand Opening   Save the Date for “Colorado Remembers” Event   7/20 Foundation Gets Ready to Send Peace Crane Wreath to Parkland, FL   …

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Events

Is Certification Right For You?

Is Certification Right for Your Business? Friday, March 30, 2018, 1:00 – 3:00 PM, FREE Are the Small/Minority Business Certification Programs Right for Your Business? The government is a huge, diverse market with many buying offices. If you are interested in selling to the government, you should first answer some basic questions and gain a general understanding of how the government buys. Does the government buy your products/services?  If yes, how do they buy? o Does …

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Business Tips

Social Media Today

A great article by Social Media Today on PEW research of Snapchat:  Click here…

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Business Tips

Dirty Dozen 12 – Offshore Tax Cheating

The series of IRS “Dirty Dozen” for 2018 is complete: #12:  IRS Committed to Stopping Offshore Tax Cheating It was on last year’s Dirty Dozen list of tax scams, also.  Follow this link to read up on this scam to avoid. An Abusive Scheme Toolkit for External Stakeholders Each toolkit provides an explanation of the scheme, background, facts and law, and talking points. Follow this link for the Toolkit  

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Business Tips

Dirty Dozen 11 – Abusive Tax Shelters

The Internal Revenue Service warned taxpayers to be wary of abusive tax shelters, which remain on the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams. Tax law generally allows businesses to create “captive” insurance companies to protect against certain risks. Traditional captive insurance typically allows a taxpayer to reduce insurance costs. The insured business claims deductions for premiums paid for insurance policies. Those amounts are paid, either as insurance premiums or reinsurance premiums, to a “captive” insurance company owned by …

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Events

Advance Colorado Procurement Expo

ADVANCE COLORADO PROCUREMENT EXPO — April 3, 2018 The Advance Colorado Procurement Expo, now in its ninth year, is Colorado’s premier buyers and sellers marketplace! Every year, businesses are invited to participate in this day-long event, which focuses on state and local government procurement. Small businesses (sellers) exhibit throughout the day to showcase their goods and services to local and state government agencies (buyers). Exhibitors are able to meet with procurement professionals from those agencies …

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Business Tips

Hootsuite

Saw this article, Thanks hootsuit:   First thing first, what is Google My Business? Essentially, Google My Business is a business listing service. For example, if you search for Hootsuite you’ll see a box appear to the right hand of the results. This contains a short blurb about the company, social links, and other companies that are usually searched for by association. https://blog.hootsuite.com/google-my-business/  

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Finances

Dirty Dozen 10 – Frivolous Tax Arguments

The Truth about Frivolous Tax Arguments In “The Truth about Frivolous Tax Arguments,” the IRS outlines some of the more common frivolous arguments, explains why they’re wrong and cites relevant court decisions. Taxpayers have the right to contest their tax liabilities using IRS administrative appeals procedures or in court, but they are still obligated to follow the law.  Read more…  

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Finances

Dirty Dozen 9 – Fake Forms

Falsified income, fake Forms 1099 part of IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ A common tax scam the IRS sees each year involves falsifying income. The agency warns taxpayers to avoid related schemes to erroneously claim tax credits as well as more elaborate schemes that scam artists peddle.  These schemes include elaborate ruses involving bogus Forms 1099. Much like falsely claiming an expense or deduction is improper, claiming income the taxpayer didn’t earn is also inappropriate.  Scammers provide …

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Business Tips

Tips and Tricks for Patent Searching

IP for Beginners Series – Tips and Tricks for Patent Searching Fri, March 23rd, 10AM – 12PM Rocky Mountain U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 1961 Stout St. | 2nd floor | Denver  80294 This program on Intellectual Property will focus on the benefits of searching, working with the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system, keyword searching vs. CPC searching, the seven-step search process, and building a search strategy using keywords. REGISTER If you have any questions, please …

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Finances

Dirty Dozen 8 – Padding Deductions

Falsely padding deductions highlighted in IRS 2018 ‘Dirty Dozen’ tax scams The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to avoid falsely inflating deductions or expenses on tax returns. Common areas targeted by unscrupulous tax preparers involve overstating deductions such as charitable contributions, padding business expenses or including credits that they are not entitled to receive – like the Earned Income Tax Credit… Some taxpayers also may be tempted to take these steps in hopes of getting …

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Finances

Dirty Dozen 7 – Improper Claims for Business Credits

IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of tax scams for 2018 contains warning to avoid improper claims for business credits Two common credits targeted for abuse by shady return preparers include the research credit and the fuel tax credit. Both credits have legitimate uses, but there are specific criteria that taxpayers need to qualify for these. Congress enacted the research credit in 1981 to provide an incentive for American private industry to invest in research and experimentation. …

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Finances

Dirty Dozen 6 – Falsely Inflated Refunds

Taxpayers alerted against falsely inflated refunds in ‘Dirty Dozen’ list; Seniors, many others at risk. Scam artists pose as tax preparers during tax time, luring victims by promising large federal tax refunds. They use flyers, advertisements, phony storefronts or word of mouth to attract victims. Scammers frequently prey on people who do not have a filing requirement, such as those with low incomes or older Americans. They may also prey on non-English speakers who may …

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Events

Indigenous Innovation, April 9

The Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce presents the 2018 Indian Biz Expo: Indigenous Innovation Monday, April 9th | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM DoubleTree Quebec | 3203 Quebec St. | Denver Join the 15th Annual Indian Biz Expo to make connections to move business. It is a unique opportunity to network with American Indian Businesses, Tribes, and Professionals. Event Highlights (note, there are 15-minute breaks between each element): 8:30 AM – Breakfast Opening 9:45 AM …

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Business Tips

Dirty Dozen 5 – Fake Charities

Taxpayers should be alert to scams involving disasters, worthwhile causes The Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers against scam groups masquerading as charitable organizations, luring people to make donations to groups or causes that don’t actually qualify for a tax deduction.  Another long-standing type of abuse or fraud involves scams that occur in the wake of significant natural disasters. The IRS offers these basic tips to taxpayers making charitable donations…. Publication 526 is a free booklet that describes …

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Business Tips

Dirty Dozen 4 – Tax Return Preparer Fraud

Taxpayers Urged to Choose Reputable Tax Preparers The majority of tax professionals provide honest, high-quality service. But there are some dishonest preparers who operate each filing season to perpetrate refund fraud, identity theft and other scams that hurt honest taxpayers. That’s why unscrupulous preparers who prey on unsuspecting taxpayers with outlandish promises of overly large refunds make the “Dirty Dozen” list.  Read more here… Tax return preparers are a vital part of the U.S. tax …

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Business Tips

IRS Dirty Dozen 3 – Identity Theft

Despite Major Progress, Identity Theft Still on IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams List Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses a stolen Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file a fraudulent tax return claiming a refund. The IRS, the states and the tax industry began working together in 2015 as the Security Summit to fight tax-related identity theft. Security Summit partners enacted a series of safeguards that are making inroads against …

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Events

Englewood Business Resource Expo

A great opportunity to learn more about business resources designed to help YOUR small business succeed! Englewood Business Resource Expo is next Thursday morning! March 15th, 8:00 – 9:30 AM, FREE Englewood Civic Center | 1000 Englewood Pkwy. The City of Englewood is hosting a Business Resource Expo for the second year.  Hear from Brad Power, Englewood’s Director of Community Development, the Small Business Administration Colorado District Office, and the Director of the Colorado Small Business Development …

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Business Tips

IRS Dirty Dozen 2 – Phone Scams

   Reduce the likelihood of ID theft.  The IRS listed phone scams as a top filing season concern and part of the annual listing of the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2018. Con artists make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They convince the victim to send cash, usually through a wire transfer or a prepaid debit card or gift card. They may also …

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Business Tips

IRS Dirty Dozen 1 – Phishing Schemes

Reduce the likelihood of ID theft.  The IRS listed email “phishing” schemes as a top filing season concern and part of the annual listing of the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2018. The IRS continues to see a steady onslaught of new and evolving phishing schemes as scam artists work to victimize taxpayers during filing season. Read about the recent twist to a phishing scam that involves tax payers’ bank accounts.  Read more about the …

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Events

Need a Business Plan in a Hurry?

LEADING EDGE is Colorado’s premier business planning program that addresses the questions every entrepreneur must answer to reach their dreams of growing their business or launching a new business.  “Business Plan in a Day” is being held this Friday at the Innovation Pavilion, 9AM – 4PM, for just $99. The workshop is highly interactive and will include five hours of confidential one-on-one consultation to review the components of your business plan with consultants, from marketing …

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Customers

Customer Discovery

Customer discovery – Getting out of the office and talking to your clients and industry.  You’ll need to do some pre-planning. Watch the 2 linked video to get you started.

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Events

Ice House Entrepreneur Development

Refresh Your Entrepreneurial Spirit with Ice House! Feel stuck in your current business strategies? Have an idea for a business but are procrastinating to launch? Want to bring an entrepreneurial mindset to your current job? Most people have innate entrepreneurial tendencies. We want to be problem solvers. We want to provide value for other people. And, in an ideal world, we want to get paid to do those things! Colorado Lending Source’s Ice House Entrepreneur …

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Business Tips

Using Content As Your Voice of Strategy

Great article worth the time to read: Just a taste… What types of content work best for educating your audience? Podcasts – Podcasts are becomingly increasingly popular and serve as a fantastic way to engage and educate your audience in an easily digestible format. Seminars – People want information packaged in ways that will help them get what they want. Presentations, workshop, and seminars are tremendous ways to provide education with increased engagement. FAQs – There’s no denying …

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Events

Made in Colorado 100 manufacturers

You’re invited

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Business Tips

Small business Blogging

I thought this blurb by Allison M Reilly was useful: Blogging for business involves writing an article every week or every other week, about 400 words, about something related to your company or around a keyword for which you want to rank. It’s enough to get by, but it’s not enough to do business blogging well. It’s a lot more than writing blog posts, even if that’s blogging for business in its simplest form. If you want …

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Business Tips

A fun interview at Stanford

  A fun interview at Stanford about some old things and new ones. Innovators podcast @ Stanford A fun interview at Stanford about some old things and new ones. https://soundcloud.com/innovatorsradio/s1e5-steve-blank-lean-startup Founders 2:15: Founders and dysfunctional families 3:55: Operating in chaos 7:18: Mentorship is a two-way street 11:50: Founders are artists 14:03: Failure=experience 17:27: Rules for raising a family if you’re a founder Startups 19:25: Startups are not smaller versions of large companies 22:03: How I-Corps …

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Finances

Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week

Attend a free webinar — Protecting Sensitive Business and Customer Data: Practical Identity Safety Practices for Your Business Thursday, February 1st, 11AM MST The webinar is part of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week (January 29-February 2, 2018). Presenters from the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission will talk about how businesses can protect themselves, their customers, and employees against ID theft. They will also discuss imposter scams targeting businesses, cybersecurity practices, and how to respond …

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Business Tips

Commercial Real Estate Growth

2017 was a year of commercial real estate growth for metro Denver, says CBRE –By Kelcey McClung – Reporter, Denver Business Journal, Jan. 9, 2018 New commercial construction was a big component of 2017 for metro Denver, with over 5 million square feet of new space delivered in just the industrial sector alone, the highest amount since 2001.  That’s according to a new report from CBRE Group Inc. (NYSE: CBG).  According to the fourth quarter …

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Business Tips

2018 Employee Handbook Updates

6 Critical Employee Policy Updates for 2018   Article by: Reagan Freed, Solvere HR Consulting The employment landscape changes frequently, as such employers are encouraged to review and update their Employee Handbook every year. Below are six critical policies employers should review and update in their Employee Handbook: 1. Sexual Harassment Policies 2. Employment Opportunity Policies 3. Review Reasonable Accommodation Policies 4. Comply with New and Updated Leave Laws 5. Safe Driving Policies 6. Amend Smoke-Free Workplace Policies Don’t have a handbook? …

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Business Tips

Retail Stores — A 2017 Prediction

Why the Wave of U.S. Store Closings Isn’t Over Yet Sales-per-square-foot data tells sobering story Author: Andria Cheng (October 1, 2017) Fung Global Retail & Technology calculated that the major department stores it looked at—Sears, JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom—collectively would need to shut more than 600 stores to return to their respective performance in 2011. Read the eMarketer Retail article here…

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