NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan marketplace, as experienced “overwhelming success” with New York’s Small Business Marketplace (SBM) following implementation of a simplified enrollment process and the addition of thousands of new plan options in April 2018, according to the Department of Health.
Since then, the number of small employers participating in the SBM has grown to 12,219, an increase of 465 percent, officials said. Greater plan choice and easier access to the federal Small Business Health Care Tax Credit have contributed to the rapid growth.
Business Report: Win More Business

If you have ever not made a sale, you wonder why. “What could I have done differently?” Or, “Why did they pick them?” My colleague, Alan Tsang, an international negotiation trainer says “How can you lose what you never had?”
A pollster did a survey asking prospects why they did not buy. They also asked the sales reps why they did not win. Salespeople said they lost because of price and customer stupidity. Buyers, on the contrary, said that they were concerned about the company or, more simply, they did not like the sales representative. They never mentioned price. The most important thing is selling is to establish trust. Sales opportunities start to go south when people forget a simple axiom..: We are all born with two eats and one mouth. Use them proportionally.
Hospital Is Designated ‘Stroke Center’ By State
lens Falls Hospital has been designated as a New York State Stroke Center by the state Department of Health.
As a stroke center, the hospital will improve the standard of quality and access to care for patients with a presumptive diagnosis of stroke, officials said.
The Stroke Center at Glens Falls Hospital, led by physicians and nurses with specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, has established protocols to ensure a rapid response to patients who could potentially be suffering from a stroke or stroke symptoms.
Sham ‘Rock’ The Block Event, With Vendor Fair, To Take Place St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

Courtesy Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce is organizing its second annual St. Patrick’s Day-themed vendor fair at the Holiday Inn Resort in Lake George.
Called the Sham “Rock” the Block Vendor Fair, the event is offered the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day.
The vendor fair will take place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at the Holiday Inn Resort, 2223 Canada St. It is free to attend.
Mexican Restaurant Opens In Warrensburg, An Addition To Owner’s Business Portfolio

Courtesy Jake Van Ness, Graphic Precision
By Jennifer Farnsworth
Ash Anand, CEO and president of the Lotus Group, said the one thing the Warrensburg area was missing was an authentic Mexican restaurant. He has changed that with the opening of Ocho Cinco Cantina, a place he describes as both casual and upscale.
The restaurant is his newest venture joining his diversified business portfolio that includes Lotus Analytics, The Grist Mill restaurant, Small Tales Early Learning Center, Lotus Auto Xperts garage, Lotus Nutraceuticals Warrensburg NAPA Auto Parts and Ashes Pub.
Lake George ‘Waterkeeper’ Gets Recognition For Work To Identify Algae Water Pollutants

Courtesy FUND for Lake George
Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky, PE, was selected as the recipient of a statewide award for his work using the study of algae near the shore of the lake to identify and prioritize potential sources of pollutants.
The Lake George Waterkeeper is a program of The FUND for Lake George.
Navitsky was presented with the Linn H. Enslow Memorial Award from the nonprofit New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA), a statewide organization of leaders in water quality management, at the association’s annual meeting on Feb. 6, in New York City.
The Enslow award recognizes an individual outside of the NYWEA membership for an outstanding technical paper presented at an Association conference and/or published in a professionally recognized trade journal.
Business Report: Celebrate Women’s History Month

PROVIDED COURTESY OF Pamela Green
March is not just the month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. It is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. In recent years, women have been making history with their emergence as a powerful economic force.
In fact, women control nearly 4 percent—or $11.2 trillion—of all investable assets in the U.S. as primary decision makers. They also represent almost half of the entire U.S. professional workforce.
Business Report: Roth IRA And Traditional IRA

By Kevin M. Hedley
2018 was a year that most people who watch the financial markets are likely going to want to forget. There were few positive numbers across the different asset classes and sectors. At the broadest level the U.S. bond market was the only market to see a positive return—all of one basis point.
It was an unusual year with few places to find a positive return. In fact of the eight major asset classes none of them provided a return above 2 percent – the first time since 1972.
For Banks, Customer Service Means Keeping Up With The Latest Advances In Technology

Courtesy NBT Bank
By Jill Nagy
Customer service is important to any business, including banks. So keeping up with the latest in technology is important, as banks compete to retain and draw customers.
Online apps that allow customers to make deposits, move money to other people’s accounts, as well as check their own accounts; ATM’s that accept cash deposits and return a photographic record of a check deposit; and branches smaller and more streamlined that offer a range of financial services, including insurance and investment services, are all services banks now offer.
After Doing It For Years As A Sideline, Woman Creates Her Own Events Organizing Business

Courtesy Stacy Bissell
By Jill Nagy
After more than 20 years of organizing events, often as a sideline to a sales position, Stacy Bissell is in business for herself as Anastacia’s Events LLC out of Queensbury.
She specializes in setting up trade shows and sales conventions, but has done everything from family parties to weddings to corporate team-building events.
“What I do is my passion,” she said, “I am following my passion as my career.” She said that she has “a ton of contacts” from previous work and, although in business for less than six months, “I am very busy.”