Small to Medium Size Businesses to Embrace Digital in 2014

According to this Ad-ology article based on a j2global survey, small to medium businesses (SMBs) are finally ready to upgrade their technology in 2014. 

If you own a small to medium business it behooves you to make this the year to step up not only your hardware but your software, tactics and social media platforms. It's imperative to have a Facebook and a Google+ page to help your SEO capabilities. Its also time to start capturing emails as best you can at POS terminals for your own mailing lists for email blasts and of course if you haven't already optimize your website for mobile users, we are all finding out about your business via our phones and tablets, its true its happening and its not as scary as you think.

Check out the entire article here: 

SMBs Embrace Digital in 2014

5 Commitments Sales Leaders Can Make to Social Selling

Are you a sales manager, owner or team leader? Then you can use these tips to keep your team in tip top shape and ahead of the game in 2014 and beyond:

5 Commitments Sales Leaders Can Make to Social Selling

Celebrate the Year of the Horse at Flushing Town Hall

FTH’s Lunar New Year line up encourages audience members of all ages to come out and celebrate the annual tradition of what is often referred to as “Chinese New Year” or “Lunisolar New Year”. The rich history of Chinese New Year dates back many centuries to when people would gather to honor their ancestors while sharing myth and traditions. Lunar New Year is commonly celebrated in the Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Malaysian communities, amongst others.

“We are delighted that we are able to celebrate such a joyous time of the year. Since the inception of this festival at Flushing Town Hall, the Lunar New Year events have been able to bridge generational divides and unify cultures throughout Queens and abroad. It’s a wonderful way to kick off the dawn of a new year”, says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic director at Flushing Town Hall.

This years Lunar New Year 2014 Line Up includes:

Young Joo Song Quartet

Friday, January 31, 8:00 PM

$15/$10 Members & Students

Young Joo Song is one of Korea’s leading Jazz pianists. Her swift rise in the Jazz world enabled her to record 8 albums with distinguished labels such as EMI, Warner and Sony. She also earned “Best Jazz Album” and “Best Jazz Performance” at the Korea Music Awards. 

Korean Mask Making Workshop
Sunday, February 2, 2014, 1:00 PM
$10/$8 Members & Students (Materials included)

Traditional Korean masks are a vital part of Korean dance dramas. Following an introduction to Korean traditional crafts, participants will color and decorate the Bong San T’al Ch’um mask and create their own colorful character.

Gamin- Wind & Stone

Friday, February 7, 2014, 8:00 PM
$15/$10 Members & Students
gamin is one of the most celebrated piri, taepyeongso (Korean traditional oboe family) and saengwhang (ancient wind-blow instrument) players today. Wind & Stone is a World Music project by gamin and Satoshi Takeishi (drummer, percussionist, and arranger) presenting both traditional and contemporary sounds of Korean music including World Premiere of NY-based Korean composer Yoon-Ji Lee's composition.

The New Vision - KOREAN FOLK PAINTING EXHIBITION

Saturday, February 8, 2014 - Sunday, March 30, 2014
Suggested Admission: $5/Members and Students

OPENING RECEPTION: SAT, FEB 8, 6 PM
Korean folk painting, also called Minhwa, truthfully expresses the life and thoughts of Koreans with great wit. It is also used as a symbol of good fortune for the New Year. This exhibition will showcase 60 artworks from Baraem Art Research Institute in Korea and will give you a chance to experience the beauty of Korean folk paintings.

Workshop: Make Your Wish on Hanji

Sunday, February 9, 2014, 1:00 PM
$10/$8 Members & Students (Materials included)

Korean folk paintings are drawn on hanji (Korean traditional mulberry paper) and this incredibly versatile paper is also used to make a vast array of arts and crafts. Write your wishes for the new year on hanji and create a one-of-a-kind art piece to take home.

Lunar New Year Dance Sampler

Sunday, February 16, 2014, 1:00 PM
FREE (Ticket required)

Curated by Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou, this year’s sampler will present demonstrations of dance from China, Korea, Taiwan, India and beyond

Workshop: Calligraphy on Silk

Sunday, February 16, 2014, 3:00 PM
$10/$8 Members & Students (Materials included)

Welcome in the Year of the Horse with a calligraphy workshop lead by Asian arts specialist Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou. Learn basic calligraphy to write your new year’s wishes on Chinese silk fans. 

Live from the POEMobile

Sunday, February 23, 2014, 6:30 PM
FREE

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with performances by Korean poets and traditional musicians and dancers. Poetry performances will be accompanied by projections from the POEMobile of original Korean poems with English translations, onto Flushing Town Hall’s garden wall.

For a complete list of all Spring 2014 events, including our Family Programs, our Lunar New Year events, and many others, visit www.flushingtownhall.org, or for more information, photos or to interview facilitators and/or performers, please contact Malika Granville (718) 463-7700 x244; mgranville@flushingtownhall.org

Flushing Town Hall is conveniently located on 137-35 Northern Boulevard Flushing, NY, 11354; a block and half east of Main Street, FTH is easily accessible by subway and bus; we offer limited, free parking for our patrons. For tickets and more information, visit: flushingtownhall.org, or call the Box Office: (718) 463-7700, ext. 222.

Its In Queens- January 9th - 15th

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor ridiculously cold temperatures can stop Queens from being a hot bed of enrichment, entertainment and fun. This week the borough smiles warmly at Mother Nature with plenty of live music, movies galore, an MLK recognition event, polar bears, Japanese art and a fiesta based on recycling electronic waste. Here’s the rundown.

Jan. 9, D.B. Rielly, 9 pm. Award-winning singer/songwriter D.B. Rielly performs a wide range of Americana music, spanning several genres, including Roots, Blues and Country. He promises an “instantaneous cure for all afflictions.” Free. Winegasm, 31-86 37th St., Astoria, www.winegasmeatery.com.

Jan. 10, David Hazeltine Trio, 8 pm. Hazeltine has his own distinctive piano style and musical voice. His trio features drum legend Louis Hayes and bassist Peter Washington. $15. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org.

Jan. 10, Little Feet and Old Moon, 7 pm. The Museum of the Moving Image’s First Look series shows inventive new cinema. In Little Feet, director Alexandre Rockwell’s children star as siblings who are barely cared for by their widowed father who dresses in an animal suit for a living and collapses drunk at night. When a pet goldfish dies, they set off to find a new mate for the fish. Rockwell and his children will be at screening. The short Old Moon, directed by a student of Rockwell and filmed in Puerto Rico, shows first, and a reception follows. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

Jan. 11, Irish Music Concert, 7:30 pm. Siusan O’Rourke and Zig Zeitler, who were nominated as Top Duo by the Irish Music Association, perform with Donie Carroll, a singer/songwriter, and John Nolan, a button accordion maestro (1982 All Ireland Champion). $22/$11, seniors, students and unemployed. New York Irish Center, 10-40 Jackson Ave., LIC, www.newyorkirishcenter.org

Jan. 11, Songs of Freedom, 3 pm. Robbi K and Friends commemorate the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech with a performance of protest and freedom songs, a slide presentation and stories. Free. Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, www.queenslibrary.org

Jan. 11, Storybook Discovery Day, 11 am. In a cozy parlor, Karyn Mooney welcomes the Year of the Horse by reading about Chinese New Year celebrations and making horse puppets. Suggested donation $5 per family. Voelker Orth Museum, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing, www.vomuseum.org

Jan. 11, Rohmer in Paris, 2 pm; The Inner Jungle, 4:15 pm; and Vic + Flo Saw a Bear, 7 pm. The Museum of the Moving Image’s First Look series shows inventive new cinema. Director Richard Misek’s Rohmer in Paris is an ode to the Nouvelle Vague master Eric Rohmer and his beloved Paris. In director Juan Barrero’s autobiographical film The Inner Jungle, he returns from the Galapagos Islands to find his girlfriend is pregnant. The film expresses the combination of terror and amazement surrounding romance and pregnancy. Vic + Flo Saw a Bear is set in director Denis Côté’s native northern Québéc. It follows a pair of lesbian lovers and ex-cellmates after their release from prison. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us

Jan. 12, Electronic Waste Recycling, 10 am to 4 pm. Drop off unwanted or broken electronics, and the Queens Botanical Garden will dispose of them. From 1 pm to 3 pm, QBG hosts children’s crafts workshops using recycled and repurposed items. Free. QBG, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org

Jan. 12, Twilight Concert by Con Brio Ensemble, 4:30 pm. Critically acclaimed violinist Alexander Meshibovsky and pianist Diana Mittler perform Respighi-Violin Sonata, Bloch-Baal Shem Suite and Sarasate-Introduction and Tarantella. Alan Hollander presents works for oboe and piano by Telemann, Ravel and Saint-Saens. Baritone Darian Worrell performs the Four Serious Songs by Brahms. $10 and $12. The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills, www.thecitg.org

Jan. 12, Isamu Noguchi and Qi Baishi: Beijing 1930, 3 pm. Noguchi Museum’s Amy Hau and former Assistant Director Alexandra Snyder May discuss the new exhibit, which includes works given by Sotokichi Katsuizumi, a Japanese businessman and Chinese painting collector who introduced Isamu Noguchi to the Chinese ink painter Qi Baishi. Free with admission. NM, 9-01 33rd Rd., LIC, www.noguchi.org

Jan. 12, Classical Music: Trio Cavatina, 3 pm. Five Boroughs Music Festival presents Trio Cavatina, winners of the 2009 Naumburg International Chamber Music Competition, in a program featuring works by Beethoven and Brahms, as well as an NYC premiere by Douglas Boyce. $25/$20 Queens residents/$15 students. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org

Jan. 12, Open Mic Sunday, 2 pm. The event features poet, essayist and translator Claire Van Winkle, who teaches undergraduate writing and literature at Queens College. Free. Error! Hyperlink reference not valid., 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, www.queenslibrary.org

Jan. 12, Adventure Hour: Polar Bears, 1:30 pm. This class offers toddlers an opportunity to socialize and learn about nature in a relaxed environment. Activities include live animals, art project, outdoor play, trail walks and music. Pre-registration required at 718.229.4000. $16. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston, www.alleypond.com

Jan. 12, Visitors, 2 pm; The Quispe Girls, 5 pm; The Summer of Flying Fish, 8 pm. The Museum of the Moving Image’s First Look series shows inventive new cinema. Visitors consists of 74 black-and-white shots, taking viewers to the moon and back, while examining the human species and a gorilla from the Bronx Zoo. In the remote Chilean mountains in 1974, three goat-herding sisters survive after the death of a fourth sister in The Quispe Girls. Chilean documentarian Marcela Said’s debut feature The Summer of Flying Fish is coming-of-age story in the expansive terrains of southern Chile near Patagonia, as bright-eyed teenager Manena vacations with her family in their summer lake house, meets new friends, and finds her first love. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us

Jan. 13, Oratorio Society of Queens Auditions, 7:45 pm. Experience the joy of choral singing. Reservations are required, call 718.279.3006. Temple Beth Sholom, 171-39 Northern Blvd., Flushing, www.queensoratorio.org

The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s wonderful attractions. More info at www.itsinqueens.com

The Biggest Changes to Google Search in 2013

Google constantly changes their algorithms to keep people guessing, here is an infographic that explains some of the changes in their strategy, courtesy of Search Engine Land


Changes to Google Search

Winter Olympics 2014

This Winter Olympics are fast approaching and we're ready for them! We will have exclusive content that is sure to put everyone in a competitive mood. That having been said, we offer advertising opportunities to those who strive to be at the top.

On February 7th, we'll be kicking things off with a pull out preview section. It will be written by the award-winning sports writers of the Daily News-- New York's #1 sports newspaper with 1.8 million daily readers. This will set the tone for our:

Daily updates, results, medal counts

Event schedule
Where to watch and how to watch
Olympic blog, dedicated section within sports
Content from one of our three NY Rangers who will be in the Olympics

Exclusive: Access and Innovation

Nate Vinton of the Daily News, who is also a top-rated skier, will have great access to

competitors and the course. He will ski the downhill course wearing google glass so
NYDailyNews.com visitors can experience the run through this amazing video.

Contact us if you'd like to be a part of this!
Veronica Gonzalez; vgonzalez@nydailynews.com; 646.599.4157

Networking is Important for Business

Richard Branson explains why you should network. 

http://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/richard-branson-why-you-should-network

Here is an networking opportunity in Queens:

Event: Sunnyside Chamber Networking & Business Luncheon
Date: Tuesday, January 14th, 12:30 PM sharp
Cost: $20.00                            

Where: Dazies,   39-41 Queens Blvd., 39^th Pl. & 40th Sts        

Guest: Captain Brian Hennessy, Commanding Officer of the 108^th Precinct

Captain Hennessy, formally executive officer at the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights. Hennessy, 36, he’s worked in Queens for the entirety of his career, having served in precincts in Bayside, the Rockaways and Astoria before his most recent post in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst.

Queens has been  his home for the last 15 years, he also grew up in the 104th Precinct in northwestern Queens and still lives there with his wife and children.

Let us begin the New Year wih good start and  let us
welcome you to the first meeting of the New Year! This is
a great opportunity to network and get to know your 
Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City neighbors!