jewish business news - may 2011

8/7/2019 Jewish Business News - May 2011

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De ning Moments IsMaking Memories With Scrap

In This Issue:

The Eat My CakeToo Generation

Folks, Its Still NotLooking Good

Spring Clean Your Job Search

By Yisroel Kamen

Page 6 By Linda Wolfe

Page 3 By Moshe Klein

Page 8 By Jewish Business News Staff

Page 10

H o w a g o u r m e t b a k e r y s f o c u s o n q u a l i t y c o n q u e r e dt h e k o s h e r w o r l d B y T a m a r F o x P a g e 4


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CONTENT FROM THE PUBLISHER

3 BUSINESS NETWORKINGCALENDAR

3 EMPLOYMENT TIPSSpring Clean Your Job SearchBy Linda Wolfe

4 COVER STORYZelda, the Cookie QueenHow a gourmet bakerys focus on qualityconquered the kosher world

By Tamar Fox

6 FEATURED BUSINESSMaking Memories With ScrapA Wilmette store that creates life out of knickknacks and keepsakes

By Yisroel Kamen

8 IN MY OPINIONThe Eat My Cake Too Generation

By Moshe Klein

9 FEATURED NETWORKERS

9 BUSINESS ETHICSCan I Take Advantage of SomeoneElses Mistake?

10 SMALL BUSINESS FORECASTFolks, Its Still Not Looking Good

By Jewish Business News Staff

14 JOBS BOARD

On the cover:Cover photo by Larry Engelhart

Publisher: Shalom KleinEditor: Gerald BurstynContributing Editors: Moshe Klein,

Khane-Faygl TurtletaubContributing Writers: Blanca Campos, Yisroel

Kamen, Hilary Markow, Mendy Rimler.Creative Director: Michael Borkovec

Advertising/Sales Coordinator: Leah AlpertDistribution Coordinator: James Austin

Check www.thejewishbusiness.com for updates.

2011 Jewish Business News. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in part or whole without permission

is prohibited. Editorial, publishing and advertising

of ces: 3564 W. Dempster St., Skokie, Ill., 60076,Phone: (888) 477-4466.

Dear Reader,

The worlds largest buyer of goods and services is the United Statesfederal government, with purchases totaling more than $425 billionper year. The government especially encourages small businesses tobid on contracts for some of its needs. In fact, federal agencies arerequired to establish contracting goals, with at least 23 percent of all

government buying targeted to small rms.

Do you feel that your small business has a shot at landing one of these highly coveted government contracts? Jewish Business News is trying to learn more about and advocate for entrepreneurs whohave tried competing for the opportunity to do business with theirmunicipality, state or federal governments.

As always, JBN continues to pro le businesses in Chicago that aremaking an impact locally. If you would like to send information

about your business or event, and possibly have it featured in anupcoming issue, please email [email protected] .

To Success,

Shalom Klein

2 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. www.thejewishbusiness.com


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Mind Over Money:

Networking Past Your FearsWhere:Teleseminar - participate from your home or of ceWhen: Tuesday, May 10, 12:00pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

May Networking Meeting - ChicagoWhere: DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center9599 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie888-477-4466When: Wednesday, May 18, 7:30amwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

An Engaging Evening of Speed NetworkingWhere:The Metropolitan Club - Willis Tower233 S. Wacker, ChicagoWhen:Wednesday, June 1, 5:30pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

The Power of LinkedIn: Increasing Pro tabilityand RevenueWhere:Webinar - participate from your home or of ceWhen: Tuesday, June 14, 12:00pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

July Networking Meeting - ChicagoWhere:The Standard Club320 South Plymouth Court, ChicagoWhen: Thursday, July 14, 5:30pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

Breakfast and Networking with West RidgeChamber of CommerceWhere:Devon Fish & Pizza2848 W. Devon Avenue, ChicagoWhen:Wednesday, September 14, 8:30amwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

Small Business Legislative ForumWhere:Skokie Theatre

7924 N. Lincoln Ave., SkokieWhen:Monday, September 26, 6:00pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

Chanukah Networking Eventwith Treasurer Dan Rutherford | Co-Sponsoredby America-Israel Chamber of CommerceWhere:Grossinger City Autoplex1561 Fremont, ChicagoWhen:Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 6:00pmwww.jewishb2bnetworking.com/events

Brought to you by

jewishb2bnetworking.comSpring Clean Your Job Search By Linda Wolfe

Linda Wolfe is the director of career services at JVS Chicago, a125-year-old non-proft, non-sectarian social service agency. To make acomplimentary appointment with a career counselor at JVS, call 847-745-5464 or search for jobs online at www.ParnossahWorksChicago.org.

Spring, a time of renewal, is also a good time to re-energize your job search plan. How familiar are you with current resume trends?The days of having one mass-produced resume are over. Do youknow your unique selling proposition? Do you have an elevatorspeech? Are you networking?

Use the change of seasons to evaluate your job search techniques,skills and personal presentation. To land a job today takes adifferent search technique from even one year ago. And, as thesummer months approach, research suggests its a good time toramp up your search.

Try some of these tips today:

Update your social networking presence: If you dont have apresence on LinkedIn, get one. If you do, update your pro le.Employers check social networking sites regularly to locatepotential candidates. You should include a current and professionalphoto on this site.

Network, network, and network: Increased outdoor activitiesprovide additional opportunities in a fun and non-threateningenvironment. Since over 80 percent of all jobs are found throughnetworking, make a commitment to reconnect with the peoplein your current networkyour family, friends, neighbors, andmentors. You may also want to volunteer to build a new networkand add new skills. While networking, have a quick and simpleprepared elevator speech that de nes what youre looking for andwhat you can offer a company.

Research companies and industries: Stay abreast of news andcurrent affairs in your desired industry. Search companies thatinterest you and focus on whats happening within those companies.You need to go beyond the on-line job board. Send cover letters toyour interested companies asking for an informational interviewand ensure you follow up that letter with a telephone call.

Improve your marketability: What makes you unique or differentthan other candidates? If you believe your skills arent strong andcurrent, you can quickly become obsolete. Take a free course toupdate your skills.

Practice interviewing: One of the most overlooked areas of jobhunting is preparing and practicing for job interviews. Take the time

to do the necessary research on the company, learn the anticipatedquestions and develop strong answers that will tell your story in afriendly, conversational way.

If your job search suffered a bad case of the winter blues, byimplementing these strategies, you are bound to nd a renewedenergy in your search. A career counselor at JVS Chicago can helpyou with all of these tips and strengthen your con dence throughoutyour entire job search process.

Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc.www.thejewishbusiness.com


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How a gourmet bakerys ocus on quality conquered the kosher world

By Tamar Fox

IIn 2002, when Linda Neiman was ready to return to work afterraising four children, she found that the computer science had changedsigni cantly since her departure. Faced with the prospect of retrainingafter 15 years away from the industry, she decided to reinvent herself.

For years Neiman, the daughter of a TV technician and a stay-at-home mom from West Rogers Park, had been known for makingexceptionally good pastries at home, and she noticed that high qualitykosher baked goods were hard to nd in stores. If a kosher consumerwanted to send a gift basket, or bring a cake to a friend, he or she wasstuck with options that were either poor quality, or unattractive. Why,she wondered, wasnt there a high quality and visually appealing option

for the kosher consumer?

During her time at home with her sons (today aged 17 to 27), Neiman hadvolunteered to help edit a community cookbook, and had successfullyconvinced Barnes & Noble stores across the country to carry thecookbook in their stores. This experience gave Neiman the idea thatshe might have a knack for marketing. With both marketing and bakingskills under her belt, and a healthy dose of optimism, Zeldas SweetShoppe opened its doors in 2003. (She called the shop Zeldas insteadof Lindas because she felt it suggested traditional value, old-fashionedquality, and at the same time conveyed a sense of something trendy,exciting and new.)

Today, Neiman says that the main idea behind her business was tocreate products that were equivalent to their unkosher counterparts.And while Zeldas is a business created to make money, Neiman saysthat as much as pro ts, the idea was more community oriented, sothe Jewish community could say we can get kosher goodskosherchocolate, kosher bakery itemswhich are equal or actually evenbetter than their non-kosher counterparts.

When the store opened Neiman had high hopesshe thought thatone day her baked goods and chocolates might be carried in grocery

stores around Chicago, and even around the country. She hoped thatZeldas would be able to do sweet catering, maybe even savory cateringfor kosher events. And she hoped for a positive reception from thecommunity. But, she says, I dont know that we understood the scalethat we were capable of.

Within nine months of opening it become clear that Zeldas had theopportunity to expand into the gourmet markets on the East Coast. Andfrom there the company has continued growing.

Aside from the Skokie, Ill. storefront, Zeldas also operates a 1,200square-foot warehouse for wholesale baking and shipping, along withthe Passover baking, and the sweet catering. Neiman has about 20

employees (some of her work is seasonal, so some workers come onfor a short time), and Zeldas revenues are in the seven gures. Despitethe poor economy, Zeldas has experienced growth every year sinceit opened, including 2008 and 2009, when many otherwise successfulbusinesses oundered.

Zeldas products can be found in grocery stores like Jewel, SunsetFoods, and Treasure Island, and they are carried in Whole Foods storesacross the Midwest, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain region. In fact,Neiman says, you can buy Zeldas products in over 200 locations acrossthe country. And Zeldas has a ful l-service Web site, where you can buycustom cookies, chocolates and other baked goods for special occasions

and holidays. Zeldas also creates sweet tables for catered events likeweddings and fundraisers and has recently begun full-service catering,going beyond desserts.

Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.In the beginning we actually received a little bit of pushback fromnon-kosher buyers who assumed that the kosher products couldnt beas good, Neiman says, but that problem seems to have faded awayalmost immediately. Now, Neiman notes that she gets about one call aday from satis ed customers wanting to thank her for her tasty treatsand excellent service. Its made me feel a little bit bad because as a

Zelda, the Cookie Queen



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customer before we opened the store I dont think I ever did thatItnever even occurred to me to do that, but its a really nice aspect of thebusiness.

One such happy customer is Liz Bennett of Wilmette. We used Zeldasfor the sweets for our son Nathans bar mitzvah. I thought working withthe owners was great and we were very pleased with the product.

Caroline Musin, of Lincoln Park, is using Zeldas to cater her upcoming

wedding. We knew that the sweets would be delicious, but we wereamazed by the variety and avor offered in the rest of the catering book.

A buyer who encounters Zeldas products in a store (as opposed to atan event) will likely notice Zeldas distinctive branding and packaging.The vice-president and marketing director of Zeldas is LindsayMartenko, a former student of graphic design who started at Zeldasin 2005, two years after the store opened. Martenko designs thewholesale packaging for Zeldas products, and has managed to conveya sense of fun and whimsy in all of Zeldas branding. Neiman saysthat having Martenko as an in-house designer has been a real asset,because she truly understands what the company and the products areabout. Martenko is also able to use her creative talents for all of Zeldasmarketing. She works closely with Neiman, who calls their workingrelationship a win/win.

Jodi Wittenberg, owner of The Chosen Knish, a kosher store in Atlanta,Ga., wrote in an email that, My customers and I agree that theirpackaging is exciting and attention grabbing, the price points are good,but the products are outstanding. She adds that, Everyone that wehave introduced to Zeldas usually starts with the Caramel Popcornthen comes right back to try more goodies, such as brownies, mandelbreit and chocolate frogs.

Clearly, the combination of Martenkos packaging and Neimansbaking is at the root of the companys success. Kosher consumers aredeveloping more re ned and particular palettes, and demand sweetsthat are worth paying for. When asked what the secret of her successis, Neiman comes back to recipe development, the thing that got herstarted, and the part of her job she still enjoys most.

In 2008, Zeldas Pecan Pie was chosen as Best in Show and Best

Dessert at Kosherfest, the largest international kosher food trade show.The same year at Kosherfest, Zeldas also took home prizes for BestSnack Food and Best Packaging Design. In 2009 at Kosherfest, ZeldasOrange Chiffon Cake won the prize for Best New Product-PassoverProduct.

And its not just in the kosher world that Zeldas is winning accolades.In 2008, Zeldas won the Hot Chocolate award at the AIDS Foundationof Chicago World of Chocolate event. Neiman is adamant that,Theres no reason kosher [food] cant be as good as not [kosher food].It should be even better. Our ingredients are really quality ingredients.

People should be proud to keep kosher. And her hope is that with herproducts, people wont be thinking, This is kosher, theyll just bethinking, This is delicious.

In some ways, the success of Zeldas seems to prove that within theJewish community the standards for kosher goods have been rising.Over the last decade, the kosher food world has made great strides.Kosher consumers are increasingly looking for delicious alternativesto the old standards, says Leah Koenig, kosher cookbook author and

food columnist for the Forward , the national Jewish weekly.. Zeldasis happy to oblige these customers with their more sophisticated anddemanding palates.

Packaging and publicity are the pieces that Neiman points to as the nextmost important components of her success. She noted that she workedextremely hard to publicize Zeldas, and said that Good localreception from wholesale markets has helped us tremendously as well.

And Zeldas is not done growing. When asked about expansion Neimansays shed like Zeldas products to be in 1,000 stores, and would like tosee the catering arm of Zeldas take on more business. Shes quick topoint out that these goals arent pie in the sky. They certainly seemdoable for a company that has seen such unprecedented success thusfar. And considering that Zeldas has achieved all of the goals Neimanhad for it at the outset, it seems likely that the company will meet thesegoals, and go beyond them.

Despite the poor economy, Zeldashas experienced growth every year

since it opened.

Tamar Fox is an associate editor at MyJewishLearning.com. Her writing hasappeared in the Washington Post , the Jerusalem Post , Nerve.com, and Jewcy.com, where she was the religion editor.



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Making Memories With Scrap By Yisroel Kamen

In an age when digital media reigns supreme, Jocelyn Tobias is sticking,quite literally, with scrapbooking.

Its very therapeutic, she remarks from the creative con nes of herdowntown Wilmette store, which features a blooming expanse of meticulously hand-crafted albums surrounded by walls teeming withdecorative stickers and other colorful accessories.

Tobias, 60, who opened De ning Moments last spring with her artisticallyinclined daughter Samantha, 30, has coupled a personal approach toscrapbooking with her passion for the time-honored craft to quicklyattract a loyal base of customers.

A lot of women walk in apprehensively, she says, describing those whoenter the store for the rst time. It doesnt take long, however, for themto channel their creative juices into designing that perfect keepsake at abirthday party or ladys night with fr iends.

Cindy Krizman discovered Tobias oasis along with her teenage daughterabout a month after it opened. A self-described regular, Krizman creditsthe owners inviting approach to personal creativity with allowing her tounleash an inspired potential that lay dormant for years.

We share our ideas with Jocelyn and she shares her ideas with us, relatesKrizman, a crafty Wilmette resident, who is not an artist, to be sure.While her daughter enjoys making gift albums alongside Samantha inthe store, the mostly self-taught mother prefers to purchase materialsto work on projects at home.

The scrapbooking bug bit Tobias early on and transcends the generationgap. She credits her father with teaching her younger self how to compilekeepsake records of family vacations and other momentous events thatwould later be vividly relived through an earlier attention to detail;seemingly mundane artifacts such as candy wrappers, napkins and thelike accompanied photographs in those rst scrapbooks to magicallyillustrate a time and place in her life that would have otherwise faded

into history.

Shortly before foraying into the world of professional scrapbooking,Tobias presented her octogenarian parents with a new book she createdfrom the leftover shoebox mementos of her childhood years. Shesthankful that her mother was able to enjoy her heartfelt work beforeshe passed away and beams that her 88-year-old father still takes pride inshowing the book to everyone he knows.

With Mothers Day just around the corner, De ning Moments is gearingup to host a throng of mostly 10-15 year-old girls (and a smattering

of boys) who will descend upon the store to decorate picture frames,albums, clocks and other gifts to mark the occasion although.

It may appear otherwise, Tobias is quick to point out that scrapbookingis not strictly a feminine pursuit, noting that two great male Americans

Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain were both huge scrapbookers.

Twain sold his scrapbooks through the Montgomery Ward catalog, shemuses, acknowledging that some young men in their late 20s or early30s arrived at the store before Valentines Day with photos for her toassemble into a unique album for their wives and girlfriends.

Custom work is fabulous, she says, praising the bread and butter of herbusiness model that can keep her busy upwards of 20 hours on a singleproject.

Kari Amundson, who works down the block from the store, believesthat Tobias excels through her desire and willingness to work with each

customer in harnessing their individual creative spirit.

I wouldnt normally go to a scrapbook store, she con des. Nevertheless,she became hooked after purchasing a premade letter holder for her artistsister.

I couldnt believe how perfect it was for her studio, she says, revealingthat the two will mark her sisters 50th birthday this month with a jointalbum-making adventure at De ning Moments.

Its a great place to go and get creative.

Describing a recent bridal shower at the store, Tobias recalls howshe worked alongside each respective guest to fashion a unique pagedisplaying their favorite recipe. At the end of the evening, the groupscollective output was assembled into a custom cookbook and presentedto the bride-to-be, who absolutely loved it.

They all walked out happy about what they just made, she beamed.

For Jocelyn and Samantha Tobias, thats what its all about.

Yisroel Kamen is a freelance writer in Chicago. To respond to this column,write: [email protected].

A Wilmette store that creates li e out o knickknacks and keepsakes

Cindy Tobias and her daughter Samanthaturned a love of scrapbooking into abusiness venture.



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8/16

Good help is so hard to find. As a small business owner, Ihave been employing and contracting with workers for decades.I thought that I had seen it all. I have seen workers come in latebecause they overslept. I have seen workers leave early becausethey have tickets to a concert or plans to go out with friends.I have seen workers on the phone for hours making personaltravel plans, etc., while on company time. These things havebecome so commonplace that you almost cant get around themanymore. However, it was always a given that your employeesworked and worked hard.

But nowadays, even hard work seems to be a quality in somepeople that is hard to find. They are the entitled to it allgeneration for whom hard work is an alien concept.

Todays young workers, it appears, believe they deserve jobswith big salaries, status and plenty of leisure time, withouthaving to put in the hours.

It appears, according to a study in the Journal of Management,that those born in the late 1980sthe so-called GenerationYexpect to have their cake and eat it too. Young workerssee employment simply as a means for paying bills. They seemto value leisure time far more highly than older members of theworkforce and are much more likely to want a job with an easypace and lots of holidays. They are also less likely to want towork overtime.

Generation Y see work as less central to their lives and are morelikely to agree that work is just making a living. But theyplace great importance on salary and status. In other words,said the researchers, the younger generation wants to havetheir cake in big salaries and eat it too by retaining a healthywork-life balance.

For the study, researchers compared the work values of threegenerations and found distinct differences.

The Generation Y tag refers to those growing up in theINTERNET age, the most technologically-savvy generation yet.

Before them came Generation X, born in the late 1960s to early1980s. They grew up in an era of increas ing equality for women,a struggling economy and increasing divorc e rates. Their attitudeis typically described as work hard, play hard.

Baby Boomers were born in the late 1940s and 1950s. Aschildren of the post-war years, they are associated withprosperity and optimism. They were wealthier and healthierthan any generation before but were prepared to work hard toachieve their success. They can be loosely described as the liveto work generation.

Its interesting to me in this day and age of high unemploymenthow so many young people still dont get it.

Ernest Hemingway said: I will have to work hard tomorrow.Work could cure almost anything, I believed it then and I believeit now.

Hard work is many things. We live in a complicated, fast world,surrounded by distr actions. Getting down to work can be a way tofree yourself of all things extraneous. It can be a stress reliever,a form of meditation. Conversely, it can be a punishment forenjoying yourself too much the night before. The quote fromHemingway is from A Moveable Feast, a narrative accountof Hemingways time as a poor, young writer living in Paris.The book is filled with advice on living, on writing and on theimportance of discipline and hard work. The quote stuck withme because in my opinion, its true.

The Eat My Cake Too Generation

Moshe Klein is an accountant and small business consultant. His frm, MosheKlein & Associates, Ltd. is based in Chicago and services clients throughout the United States and Canada. To respond to his column, write to:[email protected].

By Moshe Klein



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Can I Take Advantage o Someone Elses Mistake?

Is it ethical to take advantage of someone elses mistake inbusiness? Jewish law on this question really falls into threecategories:

When the bene t is something that both parties have equal rightsto. In this case there is no problem taking advantage of someoneelses carelessness to obtain something that I have every righttoas long as I dont actually deceive them.

When the bene t is at the expense of the mistaken individual.Jewish law does not allow us to bene t from someones mistakein order to obtain his or her property or private information.

When the bene t is in the framework of negotiations, we havean intermediate situation. All negotiations involve give and takethat, in some sense, are at the expense of one side or the other. In

this case it is forbidden to deceive the other side, but permissibleto negotiate an advantageous deal.

The most interesting case is that of negotiations. The ethics of negotiations is an underdeveloped area of ethics generally,because negotiations are a paradoxical interaction. Negotiationsreceive their validity from consent and agreement, yet the verynature of negotiations is uncertainty as to what the other sidereally is willing to pay or how much they are really willing togive up. A certain amount of hidden information is natural. Atthe same time, if the sides are totally deceitful then no effectivenegotiations can ever take place. So negotiations take place in thegray area where each side is obligated to reveal one handbreadthand hide two.

Mistakes in negotiations are common. One common mistake isaccidentally revealing con dential information, but on the otherhand occasionally you get away with this because the other sideassumes it must be just a ploy. More to the point, sometimesone side fails to notice a very detrimental clause in a contract;sometimes a side may even carelessly submit a contract proposalthat is to its own disadvantage.

The Talmud discusses a similar case and concludes that theappropriate response is to draw the other sides attention to theagreement as a whole. A merchant offered Rav Kahana an unusualbargain, which created the suspicion of a mistake; Rav Kahanastated pointedly, Im relying on your calculation. Likewise, ina bargaining situation a person could assert: Were respondingto your conditions. Your job does include making sure that theother side understands exactly what conditions they are agreeingto, but it is not your responsibility to ensure that these conditionsare to their advantage.

The best course of action when presented with a seeming misstepin a negotiating situation is neither to aggressively seize theopportunity nor to meekly yield on your vital interests. Rather,you should ask the other side to re-examine the offer and con rmthat they understand all the conditions and are willing to go ahead.

Republished in a condensed form with permission from the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem (www.besr.org).

Locate these and other business networkers and create your own profle online at

www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/directory

Jef RossetDirector o Marketing & BusinessDevelopment at MidwestHR, LLC

My motto: Happily doing anything possible toserve my clients and colleagues.

My work: We help organizations dramaticallydecrease their health insurance premium costs.What sets me apart: Specialize in working withprofessional services rms and religious organizations.

Joel LewisonSwim Instructor

My motto: To strive for perfection and settle forexcellence.

My work: Swim instructor for all ages and levels.What sets me apart: My ability to communicateand criticize in a constructive fashion so that thesmiles grow larger and larger.

Todd BermontOnline Instructor, Founder and Dean o The Careers College

My motto: To help jobseekers sell the worlds mostvaluable solution themselves.

My work: Online courses and programs thatradically transform the job search.What sets me apart: I enable jobseekers to develop theskills they need to sell themselves and land a great job.

By Rabbi Asher Meir



10/16

Its very dif cult to measure the true impact of the slowly churningeconomy on small businesses. However, we at Jewish Business News

believe its important to recognize the various indicators in the U.S.economy that will predict future growth. Everyone will form his orher own opinions, but these are our informed estimates.

Balance of Trade (Negative)The United States reported a trade de cit equivalent to $46.3 billionin January 2011. For decades, the U.S. has led the world in importswhile simultaneously remaining as one of the top three exporters inthe world.

In ation Rate (Positive)The in ation rate in the U.S. was last reported at 2.1 percent inFebruary 2011. From 1914 to 2010, the average in ation rate in theU.S. was 3.38 percent, reaching a historic high of 23.7 percent in June1920.

Unemployment Rate (Negative)The unemployment rate in the U.S. was last reported at 8.8 percentin March 2011. From 1948 until 2010, the U.S. unemployment rateaveraged 5.7 percent, reaching a historic high of 10.8 percent inNovember of 1982 and a record low of 2.5 percent in May 1953.We list this as negative since unemployment is still far too high eventhough its trending down.

Business Con dence (Negative)Business con dence, also known as the purchasing managers index(PMI), increased to 61.4 in January 2011 from 60.8 in January of 2010, according to the Institute of Supply Management. The businesscon dence survey measures the level of optimism that people who runcompanies have about the performance of the economy and how theyfeel about their organizations prospects. We list this as negative sincethe con dence level is still far too low.

Consumer Con dence (Negative)In the United States, consumer con dence declined to 63.4 inMarch of 2011 from 72 in February of 2011. The Conference BoardConsumer Con dence Index (CCI) is a barometer of the health of theU.S. economy from the perspective of the consumer.

Crude Oil (Negative)Crude oil futures contracts rallied $23, or 27.18 percent, over the pastfew months. From 1983 to 2011, crude oil futures prices averaged$33.74, reaching a historic high of $145.29 in July 2008 and a recordlow of $10.42 in March 1986. Crude oil is the worlds most activelytraded commodity.

As a small business owner, you know that too much debt overtoo long a period without the ability to pay it off will eventuallysink your venture. So why dont governments understand thisfundamental economic principal? Perhaps our readers can offersome explanations? Feel free to write to us. We would welcome yourthoughts and ideas about our current economy and the state of smallbusiness as you see it.

Folks, Its Still Not Looking Good By Jewish Business News Staff



11/16



12/16

A thick envelope comes in the mail, bearing a proposed federal orstate tax assessment for an omission or error in a prior year return.You may have received it in the last few months and may have letit sit because you werent sure what to do. Now you have received ademand for payment that looks pretty serious. Before you grab forthat checkbook, take a breath and carefully read what is really inthat rst notice. Here are some of the common proposed omissionsand errors that I have seen in recent notices where a quickresponse to the Internal Revenue Service or the state often resultedin no tax due.

W-2 withholding is missing. For some reason, the

withholding information doesnt get matched with the return,so sending in a copy of the W-2 will solve the problem. Withstate returns, this sometimes happens when a large refund isdue.

Income is reported in one part of the return, but is showndifferently on Form 1099. This often happens when mutualfund dividend income is shown as interest on Schedule Bbut should be reported as dividend income. Indicating thatthe income was reported (just not in the right place) will setthings straight.

Proceeds of stock sales. Whoops, you forgot to report thesale of a stock. IRS will report the sales proceeds as income

without any reduction for the cost/basis of the stock and willshow the income as ordinary income rather than capital gainincome. Provide the IRS with the cost/basis and acquisitiondate of the stock so that only the net gain or loss would bereported and the lower capital gain tax rate applied if thestock is held long term. Who knows, with a capital loss youmay even get a refund for the IRSs catching this omission.

Health care professionals receive notices that includeForm 1099 income not shown on their personal returns.This income was reported on a business return but theprofessionals social security number was used on Form 1099instead of the business EIN (employer identi cation number).When you get your Form 1099s each year for the business,make sure that the company EIN is used instead of yoursocial security number. If a 1099 uses the wrong number,ask to have it corrected. If it is not corrected quickly, addan informational schedule to your tax return listing the 1099income reported using your social security number and thename and EIN of the business return where the income wasproperly recorded.

Distribution errors. If you withdraw an IRA from oneaccount and roll it over to an account in another institution,the IRS may not pick up the rollover if the transaction was notshown correctly on the return. Provide IRS with the timely

rollover information and you should not owe any additionaltax.

There are also coding errors on Form 1099-R that gounnoticed by unsuspecting taxpayers. Most common is adeath bene t distribution where the distribution code iswrong. Death bene ts are not subject to the 10 percent earlywithdrawal penalty if you are under 59 . IRS will assess thepenalty unless you can get the 1099-R corrected for the deathbene t coding. I have had clients who need corrected codingand the institutions keep issuing wrong 1099-Rs year afteryear. Be vigilant and ask for corrections so that IRSs records

will match reality and show a death bene t code.

So dont panic when you see a tax notice and dont ignore it. If youhave let it sit, get your information together and respond right away.And if you do owe money for an honest omission, own up now andmake a payment plan if you cant pay in full today.

A Notice or Additional Taxes in Your Mailbox?

By Linda Forman

Linda Forman CPA has a tax and accounting practice in downtown Evanston.She is past vice president and board member of the Illinois CPA Society.

What to do now



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Design Engineer, Skokie, Ill.

Candidate will have 1-3 years of mechanical engineeringexperience in a manufacturing environment and a BachelorsDegree in Mechanical Engineering or a related four-year technicaldegree from an accredited college.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Paralegal Assistant, Chicago, Ill.Requires skill equivalent to completion of four years college withrelated coursework in areas as pre-legal, medical or premedical,English, and statistics; paralegal certi cate preferred; requires travel.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Compliance/Legislative Afairs Manager , Cook Cty, Ill.Organizes, manages, and administers the Health Facilities and

Services Review Boards (State Board) compliance activities asmandated by State statute and State Board rules.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

In ormation Technology Summer Intern , Chicago, Ill.These full-time, paid internships enable you to gain hands-onexperience while contributing to programs, helping us meetcustomer needs, and learning from experienced professionals.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Tax Specialist, Chicago, Ill.

Responsibilities will include preparation of tax return work papersfor certain corporate tax adjustments and preparation of Form 1120pro-forma returns using the Companys tax preparation software.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Manager, Marketing Communications, Hofman Estates, Ill.Responsible for implementing various marketing communicationprojects with creative staff and global marketing managers.See complet e listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Part-time Bookeeper, Bannockburn, Ill.Looking for a Part-Time Bookkeeper with experience in law rmbookkeeper. Experience with PC Law preferred, and desirable.This is a position that probably requires 4 to 5 days per month.

Time and days exible. Can be xed fee, or hourly.See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Youth Director, Skokie, Ill.Seeking an organized, energetic, creative, self starter to be theface of our shuls growing youth department. The Youth Directorwill work with the leaders to provide meaningful and enjoyableShabbat group experiences .See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.

Find out more about these jobs and over 100 more online at

www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs



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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

BUSINESS SERVICES

Need help writing brochures, newsletters, websites, company historiesor ads? Midwest Writers to the rescue.Were a group of communicationsspecialists who can market yourcompany with the right message to theright audience. Call Mira Temkin, President, 847-433-2109,

www.midwestwriters.com. Email:[email protected]

Israel Sport Center For The DisabledJoin us for the 2011 Israel Sport Centerfor the Disabled Texas HoldEm PokerTournament, Grand Prize is a $10,000.00seat in the World Series. May 7, 2011at the Mart Plaza. All proceeds go tobuying Wheelchairs for the children atthe Center.Sign-up at www.iscdpoker.com.773-875-2425

Embassy BankcardEmbassy Bankcard has the best terms,service, and solutions available for creditcard processing all at wholesale pricing.EBSI has a special on gateway processingfor limited time, that may save hundredsin transaction fees.Call Barry Bass at 877-982-0700

FleapayAccepting credit cards? Fleapay is asimple shopping cart system that workswith your existing website and paymentgateway. Get a Fleapay account and star tselling Contact: (773) 276-8066.www. eapay.com/jbn. Email:[email protected]

GuogosLights, Camera, Success: The time forOnline Video Marketing is now. Createa video business card with Guugos.com and jumpstart your marketing /

career search efforts! Guugos is comingto an area near you! Call us directly tobook your video cover letter shoot at 1-877-8GUUGOS.Email: [email protected]

Steven H. Jesser, Attorney at Law, P.C.Steven H. Jesser, Attorney at Law, P.C.experienced legal representation of businesses and professionals in contractnegotiation/transactional, realty, regula-tory, licensing, trial, and appellate prac-tice. North eld of ce. Admitted in IL,AZ, NY, WI, MN, DC, GA, MA, TX, NE.Contact: 847-424-0200, 847-212-5620mobile. Email: [email protected], www.sjesser.com.

SEO-TV CommunicationsSearch Engine Optimization. We TrainYour Staff. Simple. Become Expertsin Months. Video Marketing, EmailMarketing Solutions for Entrepreneurs.Website Backof ce Solutions-ManageYour Own Website. Contact: Mike Fisher, SEO-TVCommunications,Inc., 312-725-0107Email: m [email protected]

Integrity Estate SalesIntegrity Estate Sales We are a fullservice liquidation company. Whetheryou are moving, downsizing, relocating a

loved one to assisted living, handling anestate of a loved one, divorce, or facingforeclosure, we can help you get the mostfor your possessions. We are properlyinsured, compassionate, and totallyhonest (after all it is in OUR NAME).Please call for a free no obligationconsultation to Jackie @ 708-253-9489 .www.integrityestatesales.net We workSTRICKLY on commission!

E-mail: [email protected]

FOR RENT

Creative Apartment RentalBernard Small of Creative ApartmentRental Guarantees Tenants Rent& Direct Deposit. Referrals areinvestors, property owners, individuals,management with dwellings to rent:condo, house, apts., etc. Anywhere inChicago & surrounding suburbs.Contact: 773.354.1066, creativeapartmentrental.com

HELP WANTED

AAA MichiganWe are looking to hire! AAA is looking

for new agents to join our team inChicago. To nd out more informationabout this lucrative employmentopportunity, contact Peter Fenner at313-336-4194.Email: [email protected]

MISCELLANEOUS

DISTINCTIVE HANDMADEJEWELRYCustom orders welcome. MarlaWol nger. ETSY.COM: MiriDesignsHome:847.674.6677, Fax:847.674.5606Email: [email protected]

White Noise

White Noise is coming to town!Whoopi Goldberg and the producers areextending a special offer to the JB2BNcommunity to see it rst. JBN readers arebeing offered $40 tickets to any previewperformance between April 1, 2011and April 8, 2011. Visit Ticketmaster.com, call The Royal George TheatreBox of ce at 312-988-9000 or stopby the Royal George Theatre at 1641N. Halstead Street and mention code

NOISE1 to take advantage of t he offer!Email: [email protected]

DejaViewsAnxious to see the photo album of yourrecent event? Show the pictures AT theevent with DejaViews photography.Send us your event info at 877-DEJA-VIEWS or www.dejaviewsusa.com

Buddys LawncareContact the BEST in lawn maintenanceand landscape! Contact BuddsLandscape & Construction, Inc at 312-504-1455 or www.buddyslc.com for afree estimate!Email: [email protected]

Place your classi ed ad for as little as $25!Contact us at www.thejewishbusiness.com/advertise



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jewish business news - may 2011

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