When it comes to rural communities, flexibility and community support are essential proponents for any business. Right now, there are a lot of interesting things happening in rural Nevada. At the top of the list is the issue of innovation zones. A company proposing to create self-governing, corporate-owned communities within thousands of acres of land it owns in a rural county … [Read more...] about Unique Challenges
Feature Story
Cybersecurity for Business OwnersMinimize Risk, Maximize Security
All businesses, from corporate giants to mom and pop enterprises, have data that needs to be protected. This is one instance where the size and type of a business is irrelevant. “That’s a real challenge that small businesses haven’t quite learned to cope with,” said Brian Fricke, chief information security officer, City National Bank. “You can outsource a lot of things, of … [Read more...] about Cybersecurity for Business Owners
Investment StrategiesA Guide for Business Owners
One of the top questions for business owners looking for solid investment strategies is: “Why are you in business?” That question, said Brian Loy, president, Sage Financial Advisors, applies both to why business owners get out of bed in the morning, and to one of the reasons for running a business; to make money. The answer to the question becomes one of the three legs of a … [Read more...] about Investment Strategies
Mining for TaxesRaising State Revenues in Nevada
It is well known that any debate in the Nevada Legislature over raising mining taxes has been a controversial topic since prospectors first struck gold in the 19th century. Previous efforts to raise the tax or reduce the ability of companies to deduct net proceeds have come up short. Opponents have argued successfully that any increase in the tax rate would severely … [Read more...] about Mining for Taxes
Help Needed!Employment in Nevada
Something big is going to happen to employment in Nevada in September. No one is entirely certain what’s going to happen, and experts aren’t certain how it’s going to unfold. One thing everyone agrees on is that it’s going to be big. Why? September marks the end of supplemental unemployment benefits funded by the federal government as part of its pandemic-recovery packages, … [Read more...] about Help Needed!
Event Planning and COVIDTransforming Events Today for Tomorrow’s Market
Some of the top trade shows and conventions in the country happen in Nevada. With an economy that relies on and excels at hospitality and tourism, it’s a good mix. In 2019 there were an estimated 43 million visitors to southern Nevada, with 6.6 million there to attend a meeting or convention. The economic impact of the industry was $11.4 billion. “As much as people think of … [Read more...] about Event Planning and COVID
Business Survival VS. Pandemic DestructionBankruptcy in Nevada
For Nevada businesses struggling to survive during the coronavirus pandemic, bankruptcy may end up being the only way out. While overall filings nationally were up 20 percent last year, according to bankruptcy court records, the number of businesses in the state that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which involves reorganizing and remaining in operation, have remained relatively … [Read more...] about Business Survival VS. Pandemic Destruction
Education OutlookBig Issues and Hard Work for K-12
A whiteboard on the wall in the office of Dr. Kristen McNeill reminds visitors — and McNeill — to exercise patience and grace each day. The message is likely to be needed in coming months as schools around Nevada work through a multitude of issues to get on their feet after the COVID-19 pandemic, said McNeill, superintendent of the Washoe County School District (WCSD). “We’re … [Read more...] about Education Outlook
Litigation in a Changing WorldWhat Business Owners Need to Know
“I don’t think there is such a thing as being safe from being sued,” said Samuel Schwartz, principal, Schwartz Law. “In today’s environment, the bar to bring litigation is so low that to try to completely protect yourself from litigation as a business would likely be a waste of resources.” Best Practices Maybe lawsuit-proof doesn’t exist, but business owners can and … [Read more...] about Litigation in a Changing World
Daunting ChallengesMedical Education in Nevada
Learning that their state continues to provide far too few doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to serve its fast-growing population, Nevadans sometimes ask Debera Thomas why she doesn’t simply add more classes at the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno. If only it were so easy. Thomas, dean of the Orvis School, and her peers in medical … [Read more...] about Daunting Challenges
Qualified Borrowers WantedCredit Unions Focus on Lending
Even the owner of the tiniest shop knows this feeling: The shelves are full of brand-new inventory, but buyers are slow to take advantage, even after some aggressive price-cutting. Credit unions across Nevada find themselves in a similar boat these days. Inventory, which for them is money available to loan, has been pouring into credit unions for the past six months as … [Read more...] about Qualified Borrowers Wanted
Legal Opinions 2020Expert Knowledge for Nevada Businesses
Legal Opinions, a Nevada Business Magazine annual feature for nearly a decade, is a compilation of expert knowledge on a variety of topics. Written by attorneys, all of whom are highly educated on their featured topic, this special report is a one-stop resource for executives. Articles in the 2020 edition of Legal Opinions range from marijuana to politics and … [Read more...] about Legal Opinions 2020
Private Education in NevadaOperational Changes
Parents in the U.S. have the right to choose the best form of education for their children. Choices include public and private schools, religious-affiliated and independent schools. According to the Nevada Department of Education (DOE), northern Nevada has 39 private schools with 4,012 students attending. Southern Nevada has 90 with 15,473 students enrolled. The student to … [Read more...] about Private Education in Nevada
Insuring BusinessGuidance Through Catastrophic Times
With a variety of product types depending on a business’ industry and needs, insurance can be confusing for many business owners and executives. “The reason you’re buying insurance is to provide protection from claims,” explained Brad Pearce, chairman, A&H Insurance. “So you want an insurance carrier that provides excellent claim service and excellent coverage.” That … [Read more...] about Insuring Business
Lights Out, Doors LockedNevada’s Tourism Industry Rides Out the Coronavirus Pandemic
Early morning on March 17, Nevada casinos locked their doors. Sandra Morgan, Nevada Gaming Control Board chair, has lived in Nevada since she was a year old. She grew up around the tourism industry. “My mother worked in the hospitality industry,” she explained. “When you think about the closure, and the fact they never had to lock the doors because the doors were … [Read more...] about Lights Out, Doors Locked
Nevada UtilitiesNew Technologies, New Threats, New Solutions
Modern utilities, whether it’s electricity, water or natural gas, are expected to be there when needed. Utilities companies today face new challenges and need to adapt to a changing world, creating procedures to keep staff and customers safe and resources available. The tools have changed. Technology offers new solutions, climate change brings new challenges and a … [Read more...] about Nevada Utilities
Knowing WorthBusiness Valuation in Nevada
Even as the economy was cooling off coming out of the winter and stung by the effects of the spread of coronavirus, businesses are selling at record paces in Nevada. In northern Nevada, The Liberty Group is coming off its best year ever, owner and broker Brad Bottoset said. The great year in 2019 was coming off two prior years that had also set records and Bottoset felt more … [Read more...] about Knowing Worth
Everything Must GoBankruptcies in Nevada
Bankruptcies might not be hitting Nevada as hard as they were during and immediately following the Great Recession, but they’re still impacting the state’s economy. At the height of the recession’s bankruptcy fallout in 2009, 60,837 businesses filed in the U.S., according to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). That number was down to 22,232 in 2018, the last full year … [Read more...] about Everything Must Go
Banking on NevadaA New Decade is Dawning
The economy and the banking industry mirror each other, and both are doing well in Nevada as the new decade begins. “We have one of the best economies in the country as measured by employment growth and in-migration, all those key metrics that we watch so closely, those are really strong right now. That generally means that the banking industry’s going to do … [Read more...] about Banking on Nevada
From Seed to SaleNevada’s Cash Crop Cannabis Industry
Adult recreational use was legalized in 2017 after voters approved the 2016 Ballot Question 2, Initiative to Regulate and Tax Marijuana. On January 1, 2017, adults in Nevada could purchase up to one ounce of marijuana from legal dispensaries. The regulatory authority changed to the Nevada Department of Taxation under Chapter 453D of Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). In August … [Read more...] about From Seed to Sale