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| 312-421-3941 | December 2010 |
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ICNC Holiday Party at Garfield Park Conservatory |
 ICNC's holiday party is one of our companies' favorite events. Meet your neighbors and fellow business owners over drinks and appetizers in the Garfield Park Conservatory. This is a free event, but please RSVP or call ICNC.
Thanks to our Sponsors: 
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| Introduction to Exporting |
Selling your company's products or services abroad can be a great way to become more profitable, even out sales variability, extend product lifecycles, and stay ahead of the competition. The International Trade Center at ICNC has pulled together some of the best resources to help you research, select, and enter foreign markets. Speakers from the US Department of Commerce, the US Small Business Administration, and the Export-Import Bank of the US are among the presenters. This seminar will teach you what questions to ask when you're selecting countries to target and how to evaluate potential partners for distribution or joint ventures. You'll also learn about financing, insuring, and collecting on foreign sales. Bring your questions for the experts, and let ICNC help you get started selling around the world. The seminar is free; please RSVP or call ICNC. Tuesday, December 7 9 am- 12 pm |
| GWTP Announces New Training Center | |
Former ICNC tenant, Greater West Town Community Development Project has earned a reputation as one of the top performing community based education, employment, and training providers in Chicago. GWTP is pleased and honored to invite you to the Community Dedication of their new facility and an Open House.
Thursday, December 9
2:30pm-4:30pm
500 N. Sacramento Blvd., Chicago, IL. |
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Where in the world is your next customer? | |
Foreign Market Selection
If you've got a product or service you think would sell outside the country, let the Illinois International Trade Center at ICNC help you figure out where your next customers are. They might be in Montreal, or they might be in Mumbai, Sydney, or Tokyo, and you've got to decide where to focus your efforts. In this seminar, Kellogg School of Management Adjunct Professor Phil Corse will teach you how to consider demographics, culture, and economic patterns when you're looking for a foreign market. Phil teaches global marketing, and in the last hour of the seminar he'll take you through a guided exercise where you'll construct the beginning of a foreign market selection and entry plan for your own company. This event is free, but please RSVP here.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
9am-12pm |
| Spotlight On: Cybertary |
 A Cybertary is a highly skilled professional working as a virtual assistant (VA) to provide administrative and back office support services to businesses, entrepreneurs, executives and busy people. Most important, Cybertary works the same way a regular administrative employee does, only more efficiently, more cost effectively, and with a broader skill set! You have the direct communication and personalized attention of your own Cybertary account manager without the need to provide office equipment, overhead or benefits. Hiring Cybertary is the perfect way to get the precise help you need when you need it without over-extending your small business budget.
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ICNC offers Small Business Revolving Loan Fund | | Businesses located in the Kinzie Corridor can apply for amounts up to $12,500. The range of interest rates is Prime -1.00% to Prime + 5% with a maximum term of 36 months. For more information please contact ICNC. |
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Tax breaks and incentives |
Make sure your company is getting what it deserves for the investments it makes. Here are two incentives you should remember:
Energy efficiency: The Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program can refund People's Gas customers some of the money they spend for improvements such as furnaces, boilers, and insulation. This program can subsidize improvements at your business or in your home. Details here.
HIRE Act: This is a social security tax exemption, so you don't pay the 6.2% for qualifying new hires for the rest of the year. IRS info here.
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ComEd Incentives Available for Businesses |
ComEd small business customers who are upgrading energy systems like motors, compressed air, refrigeration, or HVAC may be able to get some money back. See ComEd's Smart Ideas For Your Business site for details.
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| City of Chicago Winter Parking Ban |
 As of December 1st, the City of Chicago's Winter Parking Ban is now in effect. Between 3:00am and 7:00am, regardless of snow, your car will be ticketed and towed if you are parked on one of the 107 miles of "critical arterial streets." Parking tickets are $50 and towing charges are at least $150. The City also has 500 miles of Snow Route streets where vehicles are not allowed to park after 2 or more inches of snow has fallen. For complete details, please click here.
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Wanted: ICNC Members |
Thank you to the hundreds of 2010 ICNC members, old and new. Your support helps us improve the business environment of the Kinzie Corridor and to bring more of your tax dollars back to the neighborhood. One of the best parts of ICNC membership is finding local sources for goods and services and selling your products or services to your neighbors. Check out the member to member discount page of ICNC's website to take advantage of deals on food, office supplies, and even fitness.
Email Steve with your company logo and a description of your discount if you'd like to participate in the program. This program is only open to current ICNC members. |
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Cut employee hiring costs with ICNC |
ICNC's business employment services can make your hiring easier. If you need to hire a new employee, ICNC can help you from start to finish. We:
- advertise where job seekers look
- screen resumes
- conduct background and reference checks
- interview promising candidates
And it's all at no cost. You just meet the candidates that are pre-screened and qualified so you can choose from the best. Save time and money with ICNC's hiring service. Call or email Priscilla to get started. |
| FREE Computer Classes at ICNC | |
ICNC has the following classes available at no charge! But space is limited, so sign up today! You can register on the ICNC website.
Computer Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices
Date: Friday, December 10th
Time: 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m.
Excel Level 1
Date: Wednesday, December 15
Time: 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m.
Excel Level 2
Date: Friday, December 17
Time: 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m.
Digital Media Level 1
Date: Wednesday, December 29
Time: 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m. |
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Classifieds | |
Recycle Old Computer and Electronics
Wondering what to do with those old computers and monitors cluttering up the supply room? Contact Anthony Pontillo at AcmeScrap 773-523-4500 . They specialize in taking apart and recycling exactly these types of materials, often at no cost!
Help wanted: Digital Hub
Digital Hub is seeking talented sales professionals. Digital Hub was recently voted the 6th greenest business and the #1 greenest printing company in America by Green America and is currently growing at a rate of 40% per year. Send your resume and CV to Michael Jones. |
| Space available at ICNC's Fulton Carroll Center |
 Check ICNC's website for low-cost incubator space with free business assistance and resources, located at the Fulton Carroll Center. Current spaces available include our current ICNC offices, a 5,642 square-foot space with 10 built out offices and private restrooms for only $2821 per month. Check it out here! We also have a 2,351 square-foot unit with 12' ceilings on the second floor. Monthly rent is $1,439 and includes heat. The unit has lots of sunlight from windows that look out on Damen Avenue, and there are wood floors throughout. These are just a few examples of the spaces we have availabel. Call ICNC for an appointment to see this or other spaces.
Other local space available
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12,500 sf factory building at Sacramento and Carroll. 16-foot ceilings, 1,200 office with central A/C, 1,300 sf explosion proof with central A/C. Sprinkled. Contact Sandy Richman at 773-722-4583. -
9,000 - 108,000 at 1000 W Fulton from $4-6/sf. 360,000 total available. Call Eric Johnstone at 312-676-1874 for information. - 27,000 sf industrial space at 1747 W Carroll with offices, parking: $1,595,000. Call Michael Senner at Colliers for info: 847-698-8234.
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320 N. Damen Ave., 1st Floor, Chicago, IL 60612
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ICNC seminars are supported in part by the City of Chicago's Department of Community Development and by the State of Illinois' Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
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