According to the New York Times, 65% of all new business comes from referrals. Referral marketing is spreading the word about a company or product through a business’ existing consumers, rather than traditional marketing via print or social media. Generally, there is a reward for the customers referring the company or product.

Growth and Innovation

In recent years, 3D printing has opened doors to many possibilities, primarily in healthcare. Within the last two years, patients have received 3D printed products, some resulting in lives being saved. “3D printing has advanced the production of personalized medical products, including implants, prostheses, devices, surgical guides and models. Those products are created using patient specific data to create truly personalized devices that are helping to advance medicine in a number of fields,” Dr. Alasdair Stewart stated. The 3D printing industry for healthcare is projected to reach $2.879 billion in 2019.

As the new world develops and becomes more reliant on the evolution of technology, the function of companies has forever changed. However, due to the fact that many companies rely on technology and the internet for support in being able to be successful in today’s day and age it also allows for a new kind of thief to arise. This thief being what is called a Cyber Hacker. This has been an ongoing issue that has been occurring therefore The Obama Administration has been dealing with cleaning up the huge data breach of federal employees’ personal data. While they are still trying to repair the damage the hackers imposed on them, companies need to understand that attacks, such as cyber hacks, are very common.

D&O Basics

Each business and or company has a back bone and most often that backbone is the directors and officers. Directors and Officers are liable for the company, making sure each department is being run smoothly. However, it is essential for them to be “taken care of” in case of any mistakes. Within the non-profit world, it is important to hold proper Directors & Officers Liability Insurance (D&O) to not only protect the directors, officers and administrators but to also protect company assets. D&O insurance is protection against a breach of duty such as failure to provide services, mismanagement of assets or employment-related issues such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. Since business leaders are responsible for major decisions that impact employees and the general public, they often are blamed if things go wrong. Administration positions have a responsibility to also properly manage risks around the organization. A D&O insurance policy prevents the organization from going bankrupt after an unfortunate mistake. Many organizations overlook this coverage, commonly mistaking it for Professional Liability Insurance.

While encouraging a healthy exercise regimen is important to your health, mixing in a balanced diet will give you a complete active lifestyle. Everyone has their own ideas about what works best for their body but for those who need a starting point, take a look at USDA’s My Plate. Over the course of the last century, the USDA has been developing guidelines to specify American’s daily food intake for an ideal healthy life. The food pyramid was designed to show Americans a hearty balanced diet with suggested food groups and serving sizes. The diagrams have changed drastically over time, changing food groups and serving sizes. Today, we reference My Plate, developed by the USDA and Michelle Obama.

In today’s environmentally conscious world, every company takes it upon themselves to have a social responsibility to not only their customers but to the community around them. Companies may sponsor the local youth soccer team or donate a portion of their profits to charity as part of their social responsibility. Striving for social responsibility helps companies create a positive influence on the locals and environment around them.

When it comes to owning a business, there are different types of insurance built specifically for you, your company and your employees, including commercial auto insurance. This covers any vehicle used for work, including “regular vehicles” such as cars, pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles, to name a few. Commercial vehicles require high Liability insurance limits. If your business operate an unusual vehicle, haul special equipment, transport goods or people, or have other special needs, then you'll need commercial auto insurance in order to operate.

Did you know the #1 natural disaster are hurricanes? Due to the fact that natural disasters are unavoidable, choosing the right coverage for your business is essential. When choosing the right coverage for your specific business reading and understating your policy is imperative to your company’s success.

The strike of Hurricane Sandy sadly devastated many businesses in 2012. Hurricane Sandy’s damages were tremendous enough to close businesses for days, shut down businesses permanently, along with having massive amounts of damage to the property, only to find out they didn’t have the proper coverage according to CNN. Hurricane Katrina still lingers in the neighborhoods of New Orleans, ten years after, leaving houses vacant and falling apart. Hurricanes of that size can put small businesses out of business for good with lack of proper insurance. In 2014, the U.S. had 6 hurricanes, not including tropical storms.

At Cornell, we are inspired by the hard work non-profits do to help communities that we want to give back to those organizations. Every month, we choose a new charity of choice and donate $10 for each policy written.