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The question of whether immigrants are more likely than people born in the United States to start high technology companies has been receiving a great deal of attention since Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar introduced the Start-up Visa act bill in Congress.

To justify the need for this program, several authors have argued that immigrants are more likely to become high tech entrepreneurs than people born in the United States. For example, in his BusinessWeek column, Vivek Wadhwa wrote “I published a research report back in 2006 showing that over 50 percent of Silicon Valley engineering and technology startups were founded by immigrants (as were 25 percent of such startups nationwide), I concluded that immigrants were more likely to be entrepreneurs.” Read full story:

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In today’s age, technology is growing faster than anyone can possibly follow.  With new, more efficient ways to do things and faster connections to the world around us, technology is the industry to follow.  Recently, executives representing technology firms in Nevada met at the law offices of Holland & Hart in Las Vegas to discuss some of the issues they face.

Connie Brennan, publisher of Nevada Business Magazine, served as moderator for the event.  These monthly meetings are designed to bring leaders together to discuss issues pertinent to their industries.  Following is a condensed version of the roundtable discussion. CLICK HERE to read more:

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Green leases for commercial buildings are becoming more common as real estate operators begin to realize the benefit of making sustainability part of an overall commercial building investment strategy. Many developers are building new LEED-certified buildings as well as seeking LEED-EB certification for existing buildings. Many tenants, too, are now seeking to reduce their carbon footprints and meet corporate sustainability reporting requirements. Thus, green leases are becoming more common in the commercial leasing environment.

Requiring the landlord and tenant to act responsibly in terms of the most efficient use of materials and resources often results in lower operating costs to both parties. It has been estimated that a dual-incentive lease, a lease in which both parties have incentives to strive for lower energy and operating costs, may result in a 20 percent to 40 percent reduction in energy demand for a commercial green building. Green leases are also appealing to landlords because buildings with LEED certifications can translate to improved marketability and higher rents. In addition, the pressure on building owners to provide sustainable buildings will increase in coming years. Regulatory requirements are going to increasingly mandate green buildings. Moreover, tenants are increasingly going to demand green buildings. Read full story:

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Though new technologies may have emerged, email newsletters are still one of the strongest marketing channels small business owners have in their arsenal. There’s something about the intimacy of an email newsletter that fosters personal relationships and communication better than even blogs can. If you’ve abandoned your newsletter for social media or were never quite sure of the value, here are five ways that creating an email newsletter can build your small business.

Though we’ve come a long way, not everyone understands how to subscribe to an RSS feed. They don’t know how to follow you on Twitter, how to friend you on Facebook or how to connect via LinkedIn. However, they do understand email. They’re used to sharing things via email and checking it daily. By offering an email newsletter, you open your doors to people who may not be as technically savvy as the folks who prefer to subscribe to your blog. Providing another forum for people to stay-up-to-date on your on-goings helps you to grow your brand and increase awareness to people who would have otherwise missed out. Read more:

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Under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, enacted March 18, 2010, two new tax benefits are available to employers who hire certain previously unemployed workers (“qualified employees”).

The first, referred to as the payroll tax exemption, provides employers with an exemption from the employer’s 6.2 percent share of social security tax on wages paid to qualifying employees, effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses will also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week period, up to a maximum credit of $1,000.

Small Businesses can learn more about the HIRE Act at a July 8, 2010 IRS HIRE Webinar. The webinar begins at 11 a.m PST. They can learn about:

• * The HIRE Act payroll tax exemption and retention income tax credit for employers who hire previously unemployed workers
• * Who qualifies as an eligible individual for each benefit
• * What businesses may claim each benefit
• * How business can claim those HIRE benefits

To register for this event, visit the Internal Revenue Service Webinar Registration Web site at: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/IRS/69705/reg.asp?id=69705.

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