Volume 1, Issue 5
Table of Contents

Cover Story:
The World is Flat
When it comes to Global business, the view looks good

RBD Round-Up:
RBD is On the Air!
WRCR teams up with RBD Co-publisher for weekly show
RBD Business Survey
Take part in RBD's 1st On-line Business Survey

DEPARTMENTS:

Economics Round-Up
• The Local Economy
Construction industry confidence rebounds, managers predict greater optimism
• The Smart Investor
Investing From Within: The key to becoming a smart investor
• Economic Viewpoint
It All Adds Up: The Fed takes delight in the economic numbers

Business Round-Up
• The Work-Life Minute™
Small business owners need innovation to battle burnout
• Marketing By Design
There Ought'a Be a Law: Marketing is nothing more than long-distance selling

Ask The Experts
• Business Start-ups
Negotiating a lease - from the tenant's view
• Expensing & Depreciation
Tax incentives for small business

Retail Round-Up
• Who's Hiring?
Summer employment program offers benefits to all
• New In Town

Invest in Your Community
• Provident Bank Charitable Foundation
Works to support help from People to People
• Red Cross Celebrates March
Partners with local business people for the good of all

Odds & Ends
• From The Publishers
• Letters to the Editor
• Rockland Newsmakers

Dedicated Section:
Rockland Business Association:

The President’s Desk
The State of the RBA

RBA/United Way Golf Outing
The Rockland Open: Monday, May 21st

RBA Happenings
• Committee and Council Info
• Calendar of Events
• New Members

Is optimism building in Rockland among owners of construction firms? While construction starts are typically slow in the first few months of the year, there are several large projects on the table, including a large adult community being built in Thiells, a condo project in Suffern, and the continuing revitalization in Spring Valley. McLaren Engineering and Holt Construction report new business going into 2007.

A nationwide poll finds that owners and managers of small to medium sized construction and contracting firms are decidedly more optimistic for their industry’s prospects during the next 12 months, rebounding from their sour mid 2006 projections.

According to the latest IPA Small Business Research Board (IPA SBRB) nationwide poll of the construction and contracting industry, the Small Business Confidence Index (SBCI) for the sector jumped 11.34 points to 42.04 from a low point of 30.7 recorded last August.   The rebound brought the construction and contracting category to within a fraction of the overall SBCI of 42.7 reported during the most recent poll—indicating that their confidence in the future is nearly on par with the average of all small businesses in the US.

The current rebound can be directly attributed to the opinions that owners and managers have about the future for the economy as well as expectations for higher revenues.  There is nearly a direct corollary in the change in opinion on the economy, with 37.5% of the respondents indicating they expect improvement or 11.5% higher than the 26% who had the same opinion as reported in the previous study.

Furthermore, 64% of the current respondents believe their revenues are headed higher, with a full 50% believing their business revenues will be more than 10% greater than current levels over the next 12 months. By contrast, only 40% projected higher revenues in the summer study, with 22% of those forecasting revenue increases of 10% or greater.

The IPA SBRB has been tracking the attitudes of small businesses since July 2004. The key ingredients for determining the confidence index are attitudes about the direction of the economy, revenue predictions and hiring plans.

Of the respondents, 24.6% said they intend to increase their current workforce levels, a slight decline for the 26% who had the same opinion in the previous study.

Of all categories measured, the construction and contracting sector was the only one that ranked reduction of expenses as their leading priority for 2007.  While a critical eye will be kept on swings in the economy, the construction and contracting firms will take aggressive measures to manage the cost of materials and react to fluctuations in interest rates.  The general economy, cost of materials and interest rates are the greatest current concerns.

The International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board ascertains and reports the opinions of small business owners and managers on a wide variety of topics related to their own businesses as well as national and international issues that may impact their operations. RBD