Office of Economic Development News March 2012

While plenty of well-read visitors came to town for the Festival of the Book over the weekend of March 23rd through the 25th, 68 aspiring entrepreneurs descended on downtown Charlottesville to participate in Virginia's first ever Startup Weekend.

A Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where software developers, designers, marketers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups. The weekend-long, hands-on experience allows entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to find out if startup ideas are viable. Startup Weekend is a non-profit organization that is affiliated with the Kauffman Foundation, one of the world's leading foundations devoted to entrepreneurship.

The weekend featured special guest appearances by Darden School professor of entrepreneurship, Saras Sarasvathy, and Virginia's Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Jim Cheng. On Sunday evening, participants, mentors, sponsors, and supporters totaling over 100 crowded into CitySpace to hear the final presentations from nine teams. Switch Book, an application that synchronizes your e-book and audio book so you can switch back and forth depending on your activity, was chosen by a three member panel of judges as the winning team.

A number of local entrepreneur support organizations including the City's Office of Economic Development helped to sponsor the event. For a full list of sponsorships and event wrap-up please visit the WEBSITE.

jean theory: OPENS NEW LOCATION ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL

On Saturday, March 17th, jean theory: held a ribbon cutting and Grand Re-Opening at its new location, 111 East Main Street on the Downtown Mall. The storefront, which was under renovation for a little over six months, boosts many of the building's original features including hardwood floors (contractors had to pull up two layers of added on flooring), front double doors, and 13' ceilings with exposed ducts and electrical conduit. In addition to these restorations, sustainable options such as instant hot water, the most efficient HVAC system, and LED lights were also added.

For the past three years, jean theory: has been offering the Charlottesville community a wide selection of new and inherited denim, as well as tops, dresses, and accessories. The concept behind the business is that "every girl has at least one pair of jeans that she doesn't love, and would happily trade them for a pair that she does." And, this concept has clearly been on the mark considering the overwhelming success of the boutique. Congratulations to jean theory: and the store's owner, Laura Van Camp, on this gorgeously renovated new location!

More information about jean theory: is available on the store's WEBSITE.

HOTELICOPTER ACQUIRED BY MAJOR HOTEL COMPANIES

On March 13th, Room Key, a joint-venture between six of the world's leading hotel companies, announced that it had acquired the Charlottesville-based Hotelicopter.

Hotelicopter was founded in 2006 by Adam Healey and Charles Seilheimer, two alumni from UVA's Darden School of Business. Through Hotelicopter, the two hoped to improve the process of booking hotel rooms online, and their brainchild subsequently won UVA's business plan competition. John F. Davis III, CEO of Room Key, was impressed by the site's innovative technology platform. In acquiring the company, he noted that "Hotelicopter was the ideal acquisition for us, both because of their talented team and the innovative and flexible technology platform they have built over the last few years." After building the site from the ground up, founder Adam Healey says that both he and his partner "are excited to be a part of Room Key [... and] we are pleased to see the company continue to grow here."

Based in Dallas, Room Key was established as a joint-venture between Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, the International Hotels Group, Wyndham, and Marriott. The site, www.roomkey.com, provides consumers with direct access to available hotel rooms and simplifies the hotel search process.

CHALLENGE TEACHES LOCAL BUSINESSES HOW TO STOP THROWING THEIR MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN

On Tuesday, March 20th, the Better Business Challenge partnered with the City's Office of Economic Development and other agencies to host a workshop encouraging businesses to "Stop Throwing Your Money Down the Drain!" Held in the Albemarle County Office Building from 11:00am to 1:00pm, this luncheon featured presentations from Rideshare, the Albemarle County Service Authority, and the City that encouraged the integration of sustainability initiatives into everyday business practices.

In her presentation, Lisa Horanyi of RideShare touted the environmental benefits of carpooling or vanpooling in the morning commute. Her presentation touched upon some of the tax advantages for employees, as well as the ways businesses can save by promoting ride-sharing on the way to and from work.

Representatives from the Albemarle County Service Authority emphasized the importance of reducing water consumption as a way to prevent droughts. The City and Albemarle County faced a potential crisis in October 2002, as droughts limited the available supply of water, and the community came within 60 days of running out of water. The ACSA encouraged businesses to consider installing low flow toilets/sinks or other water effective equipment, get an audit of monthly water consumption, and provide information on water consumption to employees and customers.

The event concluded with a presentation by Jenny Patterson, representing the City of Charlottesville, who encouraged businesses to check for water leaks as a part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Fix a Leak Week. Patterson mentioned that "leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in the average home every year, enough water to wash nearly ten months' worth of laundry." For more information abou the event or the Challenge, please CLICK HERE.

LOOKING FOR A JOB OR JOB CANDIDATES FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

It's that time of year again! Join us at the 2012 Charlottesville Community Spring Job Fair, which will be held on Wednesday, April 25th from 10:00am until 3:00pm at John Paul Jones Arena. As the largest job fair of its kind in Central Virginia, last fall's Charlottesville Community Job Fair put nearly 1,500 job seekers in contact with over 70 organizations, and event organizers anticipate an even larger employer turnout this spring.

The job fair is free and open to all job seekers, but pre-registration is strongly suggested. To view a list of participating employers or pre-register for the event, please visit the job fair WEBSITE. If you are an employer looking for qualified candidates to fill your open positions, employer registration information is also available on the website. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Hollie Lee in the City's Office of Economic Development at leeh@charlottesville.org or call 434-970-3117.

LEARN HOW TO SELL YOUR PRODUCTS & SERVICES TO THE CITY

On Thursday, April 5th, the City of Charlottesville's Division of Procurement & Risk Management, Office of Economic Development, and Neighborhood Development Services will co-host a workshop for Charlottesville-area businesses on selling to the City. The workshop is intended to offer valuable pieces of advice for businesspeople interested in selling their products or services to the City. Topics that will be covered include:

Selling to the City - information on how to register as a city vendor and the most effective ways to connect with the right city buyer
Section 3 Eligibility & Certification - determining if your business is eligible for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority's initiative to support local, low income businesses
Vendor Resources - learn information about federal, state, and local agencies that promote local businesses through government procurement contracts
Roundtable discussion featuring buyers from the City's Fire, Information Technology, Neighborhood Development Services, Police, and Public Works departments.

The Selling to the City workshop provides a forum for both informative presentations and networking. It will be held at CitySpace from 8:30am to 12:30pm, with an optional vendor registration from 12:30pm to 1:00pm. The event is free and open to Charlottesville area businesses, but pre-registration is required. To register, please contact the Office of Economic Development at 434-970-3117 or CLICK HERE.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA HONORED FOR INTERGENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY

As a part of the MetLife Foundation and Generations United's initiative to promote intergenerational solidarity in the community, the Greater Charlottesville Area (Virginia's Planning District 10) has been selected to receive one of five inaugural awards as one of America's Best Intergenerational Communities. Planning District 10 encompasses the City of Charlottesville, as well as Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties. Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, congratulated Planning District 10 for this honor, noting that "it takes a great deal of effort and forward thinking to create a community where members of every generation want to live." She went on to say that "Planning District 10 has worked to ensure its residents enjoy a vibrant, meaningful place to live, are treated with respect and caring, and have ample opportunity to work together for the betterment of all."

Other award recipients include the Town of Lamoni, IA; the City of Oberlin, OH; the City of Georgetown, TX; and the County of San Diego, CA. According to Robert Blancato, former executive director of the White House Conference on Aging and a judge in the selection process, these awards commemorate the work of "five remarkable and robust localities who demonstrate every day that a community is strengthened when all generations are an integral part of its fabric." Representatives from the Metlife Foundation and Generations United will present these awards at the MetLife Foundation/Generations United Best Intergenerational Communities Awards ceremony on March 28th in the Dirksen Building on Capitol Hill in Washington DC.

C-VILLE EARNS ACCOLADES FOR OVERALL WELL-BEING, TOP RANK FOR CIVILITY

In Gallup's annual survey on national well-being, the City of Charlottesville was recognized as the #2 City in the United States for overall well-being. Charlottesville earned a well-being score of 72.5, beating out cities such as Honolulu, HI; Santa Barbara, CA; and Ann Arbor, MI. The nation's top mark went to Lancaster, PA, which received a score of 72.9. The City of Charlottesville also earned the poll's top rank for civility and was described as "the nation's top city in terms of residents treating each other with respect."

This Gallup-Healthways well-being index was based on phone interviews with over 350,000 adults conducted during 2011. The survey assessed the merits of 190 qualifying metropolitan areas in six general categories: life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AMONG SOUTHERN LIVING'S "TASTIEST TOWNS IN THE SOUTH"

In a public vote published in the April edition of Southern Living magazine, Charlottesville earned 15,642 votes on the list of "Tastiest Towns in the South," which was good for 5th place. Boasting a vibrant agricultural community just minutes outside the bustling city, the Charlottesville area is rich with natural ingredients and local vineyards. Local area chefs, such as Harrison Keevil of the Brookville Restaurant, note that "it's all about local ingredients" when creating meals worth remembering. Reflective of this, Keevil sources 85% of his menu from suppliers within 100 miles.

The Cajun mecca Lafayette, LA earned the ranking's top spot with nearly 200,000 votes. The remaining top spots went to Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; and Charleston, SC. Charlottesville beat out Houston, TX by just over 1,300 votes for the #5 spot. For a complete listing of winners, CLICK HERE.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 3 - CBA @ PVCC: What's Your Competitive Advantage - 9:00am-12:00pm

Learn the ins and outs of your competitive advantage, such as what is your competitive advantage and how do you use it. How do you determine your competitive strategy and set your strategy objectives, how do you create a strategic agenda, and how do you convert competitive advantage into results? For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

April 14 - SCORE: Start Your Business - 9:30am-12:30pm

Learn the basics of starting your own business. For more information, CLICK HERE or call 434-295-6712.

April 17 - CBA @ PVCC: Round Peg, Round Hole...Novel Idea! Selecting the Right Person for the Right Job - 9:00am-12:00pm

Learn how to prevent your next bad hiring decision by attending this workshop. In this workshop you will understand behavioral job matching, understand the cost of a bad hire, and understand why recruiting and selecting are so vital. For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

April 18 - C-ville Biotech Association: Beer & Biotech - 5:30pm-8:00pm

Come meet and listen to remarks from Aneesh Chopra, the first and former U.S. Chief Technology Officer. Catch up with colleagues in the life science community. The event will be held at the X-Lounge (313 2nd Street, SE). For more information, CLICK HERE.

April 19 - CV SBDC: Keeping the Books - 1:00pm-5:00pm

Learn the fundamentals of basic bookkeeping tasks and how to use your chart of accounts. You'll learn to record and match revenues & expenses, record receipts & disbursements, handle end-of-period closings, and read financial reports. This seminar is not software-specific and will apply to any manual or computerized accounting system. It is an excellent foundation course for QuickBooks training. For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

April 21 - SCORE: Marketing Your Business - 9:30am-12:30pm

This concentrates on the heart of a business plan. At the completion of this workshop, attendees should have learned how to think analytically about these important issues and to use this knowledge to resolve their individual issues in their business plans. For more information, CLICK HERE or call 434-295-6712.

April 26 - Chamber: 2012 Power Lunch - 11:30am-1:30pm

Mark Crowell, Executive Director & Associate VP of University of Virginia Innovation will moderate a lively discussion on the current state of the economy in our region with industry leaders. Be a part of the conversion by attending the local conversation for our business community. For more information, CLICK HERE.

April 28 - SCORE: Financial Management of Your Business - 9:30am-12:30pm

This workshop analyzes the movement of money into and out of a small business and how to effectively manage these funds. At the completion of this workshop, attendees should have learned the basics of financial projections and financial statements and how these are used to manage a small business. For more information, CLICK HERE or call 434-295-6712.

May 5 - SCORE: How to Write an Effective Business Plan - 9:30am-12:30pm

This workshop will present a step-by-step analysis of a business plan for a typical small business. At the completion of this workshop, attendees should have learned how to begin constructing their own business plans. For more information, CLICK HERE or call 434-295-6712.

The Office of Economic Development is the City's primary vehicle for economic development services. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for public and private initiatives that promote the long-term economic vitality of Charlottesville.

The Economic Development staff works to expand the tax base and to provide quality job opportunities for citizens through new business development, retention/expansion initiatives, and workforce training. The Office also coordinates and administers the functions of the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority (CEDA). The Authority issues revenue bonds and assists with front end capital for projects.

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