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Western Dairyland Business Center Newsletter
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| Business News Near You | November 2010 |
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Greetings!
With the Holidays coming up, we know budgets can get a little tight. We have some great FREE events coming up, such as the webinar we're hosting with Carol Dunn on Wisconsin's Women's Business Certification and a full day of email marketing workshops. Of course, we also have along with our monthly business plan classes, Women's Business Network meeting and the Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club meeting.
Please attend the following or inform others about these educational and helpful events:
-Quickbooks Workshops (11/01, 11/08 & 11/18)
-Constant Contact: Power of Email Marketing and Social Media Made Simple (11/03/10)
-Women's Business Certificate Webinar (11/17/10)
-Women's Business Network Meeting (11/11/10)
-Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club (11/11/10)
Sincerely,
Karman Briggs
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Women's Business Conference - 04/21/11
Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2011 Women's Business Conference? Applications from new exhibitors will be accepted starting on November 15, 2010. Download a sponsor/exhibitor packet here or contact Karman at kbriggs@westerndairyland.org for more information.
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QuickBooks: 3 Sessions
 The Western Dairyland Business Center and Evlyn Carlile of Simple Office Solutions are presenting a 3-session workshop on QuickBooks November 1, 8 & 15 from 6-9pm. The price for the Workshop is $99 for the first two sessions, $59 for the third session alone or $149 for all three sessions. QuickBooks is the most widely used accounting software among small business owners. At the end of the series, attendees will have set up an individualized company file for their company which they will be able to import to their own business computer system. Here's what will be covered: Session 1- Getting Started (November 1 from 6-9 pm) -Records: What to Keep & Getting organized -Setting Up a Company -Creating Chart of Accounts -Accounts Payable & Transactions -Vendors -Processing & Paying Bills -FORM 1099 Session 2-Accounts Receivable & Transactions (November 8 from 6-9 pm) -Customer Reporting -Invoicing -Journal Entries -Bank Accounts -Reconciliations -Using the Schedule C -Sales/Use Tax -FORM ST-12
Session 3 - Payroll (November 15 from 6-9 pm) -Setting Up Employees -Processing/Printing Payroll -Payroll Reporting -Payroll Tax Forms -Additional Form: I-9, W-11, W-9 For more information or to register, call (715) 836-7511 ext. 171, visit www.SuccessfulBusiness.org/eventschedule/, or stop by the Western Dairyland office at 418 Wisconsin Street in downtown Eau Claire.
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 Constant Contact
Jeff Ferrazzo, of Constant Contact, will be presenting on the "Power of Email Marketing" and "Social Media Marketing Made Simple" on November 3 at The Plaza Hotel & Suites in Eau Claire. Both sessions are FREE to attend! Jeff Ferrazzo is a business expert with experience helping businesses initiate and build meaningful professional relationships with both organizations and individuals. As the Regional Development Director for Constant Contact, Jeff uses his deep consulting and training experience to help small businesses, groups and associations maximize the power of relationship marketing
The Power of Email Marketing 9:30 am to 11:30 am Email marketing is about getting your message heard in a world of increasing email communications. In this seminar, attendees will learn how email marketing works, obtain useful email marketing tips, and discover the nuts and bolts including email marketing strategy and techniques.
Social Media Marketing made Simple (SMMMS) 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
This session will cover some of the strategies and best practices to get the most out of your social media activities including time management and measuring the return of your activities.
We will talk about what social media marketing really is, how to incorporate it into your business life without losing productivity and look at how other businesses are using these low-cost tools to gain visibility, develop relationships and drive sales and response.
We will discuss the various social media outlets that are available, how they interact together and ways to leverage their inherent strengths and to evaluate them for best use for your business or organization.
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| Women's Business Network Meetings
Coping with Isolation, Frustration and the Lies of Time Management
Karen Olson, owner of Caspara Publishing LLC, and will be the guest speaker at the November 11th meeting of the Women's Business Network. The meeting is hosted by the Western Dairyland Women's Business Center and will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Western Dairyland Community Action Agency, 418 Wisconsin Street, Eau Claire.
The meeting is free and open to all women entrepreneurs and business professionals. Individuals interested in participating remotely via phone may contact jbdassist@westerndairyland.org or call 836-7511 ext. 171 for instructions.
Writer, columnist, and publisher, Karen J. Olson, discusses some lies of time management that actually increase our frustration and stress. Olson, who has won awards for her passion in writing, gives practical and easy-to-accomplish tips on achieving a better balance between our businesses and our home life.
Women's Business Network meetings are open to the public and take place over the lunch hour on the second Thursday of each month. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bag lunch and plenty of business cards. The goal of the meetings is to facilitate networking relationships among women business owners, allowing them to expand their small business knowledge. The structure of the meetings will allow participants to learn from an expert in the field and from each other's shared experiences. For more information call (715) 836-7511 ext. 171 or visit www.SuccesssfulBusiness.org.
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Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club
MERCHANT ACCOUNTS TO BE FEATURED AT NOVEMBER 11 INVENTORS & ENTREPRENEURS CLUB
Rick Montgomery, Director of Business Development for First Data Independent Sales Wisconsin, will speak at the November 11th meeting of the Jackson County Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club. The club meets on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 N. Water St., Black River Falls. The meetings are free and open to the public. Montgomery will discuss cracking the electronic payment code. He will discuss how small business can make use of credit in their businesses to help with cash flow, and to attract customers. He will also discuss current changes regarding credit, and how it may impact your business. The Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club is open to anyone in Western Wisconsin who would like to learn from experienced professionals and discuss their ideas with other local inventors and entrepreneurs. Each meeting will feature a guest speaker and plenty of time for networking. The Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club is a project of the Western Dairyland Community Action Agency. The goal of the club is to create a positive learning environment that will enable participants to successfully move their products to market or to receive assistance in the development of a business plan. No registration is required to attend the monthly meetings and there are no fees to join. For more information call Scott Deml at 800-782-1063 x242 or e-mail IandE@WesternDairyland.org. |
Women's Business Certification Webinar
Join us at Western Dairyland or from the comfort of your home on November 17, 2010 from 6:00-7:30 pm and gain a better understanding of the process of becoming certified as a "Woman-Owned Business Enterprise" by the State of Wisconsin. Please plan on joining us along with Carol Dunn, the Women's Business Ombudsman with the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, as she discusses the requirements, benefits, and process of becoming WBE certified.
During this 1 ½ hour webinar, Ms. Dunn will assist the participants in understanding the eligibility requirements, guide the participants through the preparation of a WBE application, and demystify the supporting documentation requirements. There will be an opportunity for a question and answer period. WBE application will be available at the workshop.
Participants may log in individually to the webinar from anywhere or participate with a group of female business owners from the Western Dairyland Conference Room at 418 Wisconsin St., Eau Claire WI. Registration can be done online at www.SuccessfulBusiness.org/eventschedule/
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 7 Steps to Starting a Business Business do not plan to fail; they fail to plan.
In the 7 Steps to Starting a Business class, you will learn the basic steps in building a successful business. Topics covered are: feasibility, proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan, marketing, business legal structure, and more. Don't miss this essential overview of what is necessary to properly plan and start your business.
After the class, attendees may apply for free, one-on-one assistance from Western Dairyland's Business Development Specialists to determine the feasibility of their business idea and identify sources to prove their market. Business Development Specialists may also help with the preparation of business plans and financial forecasts which could be presented to lenders.
This class is offered monthly. Upcoming dates include:
Thursday, November 11, 6-9 pm
at Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St, Eau Claire
and
Thursday, December 16, 1-4 pm
at Western Dairyland, 418 Wisconsin St, Eau Claire
Tuition is $25 per person, which includes class materials. Scholarships are available for eligible individuals. Scholarship information/application, class registration, and payment can be done online at www.SuccessfulBusiness.org/eventschedule/, or in person at the Western Dairyland office at 418 Wisconsin Street in downtown Eau Claire.
Registration and payment must be received three days before the class. Arrangements for persons with special needs will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact us at jbdassist@westerndairyland.com or 715.836.7511 ext 171. |
Business Success!
Evolve Wellness, LLC
Cheri Dostal, owner of Evolve Wellness, LLC will be opening a studio space at 412 1/2 Water Street, right next door to The Yoga Center of Eau Claire, and above Starr's Sister Salon. Mobile and in-home services will still be offered as a supplement to the new primary studio space. An Open House is planned for December 4 from 11am to 5pm. More chances to win, refreshments provided, and children welcome! Please join us and help Cheri celebrate this exciting new step for the business and her teaching career.
If you would like to share news of your business start-up, open house or expansion - let us know at kbriggs@westerndairyland.org.
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In the News
SBA Announces Full Implementation of the Women's Procurement Program
Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2010 - Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) applauds the release of the final rule which will implement the Wo men's Procurement Program, enacted into law in the year 2000. When enacted, contracting officers will have the ability to restrict competition to women-owned small businesses if the procurement falls within one of the eighty-three (83) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.
Since 2008, our Give Me 5 Program (www.GiveMe5.com) has helped increase the number of women-owned businesses registered on the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) by over 30%. The CCR is the government database that was used to determine the number of eligible industries in the new program. Along with advocacy for passage and implementation of the Program, WIPP's educational initiatives have worked to build the pool of women-owned businesses ready to bid on federal contracts.
Important to the program's success is a change made in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 which restored "parity" among all of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) small business contracting programs. The program will be considered equal to any other small business contracting program. This issue is highlighted in WIPP's Economic Blueprint: The Women Business Owners' Platform for Growth, unveiled during the WIPP 2010 Annual Leadership Conference. The Blueprint serves as WIPP's voice regarding challenges unique to small businesses that require action by our elected officials.
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is a national nonpartisan group with over half-a-million members. WIPP is the collective voice in Washington, D.C., for 51 national women and small business organizations. WIPP advocates for and on behalf of women in business in the legislative process of our nation, creating economic opportunities for members and building alliances with other small business organizations.
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WBE Certification: Getting to know the staff
With a new year quickly approaching I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my role at the Wisconsin Department of Commerce as the Women's Business Ombudsman. I'm available to assist women-owned businesses in learning about Commerce resources and funding opportunities created to help you grow or expand your current business. Most importantly, I'm pleased to be a Commerce resource partner to the Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation.
On behalf of the Department of Commerce I administered the Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) certification. The WBE certification provides a governmental validation that the business is 51% owned, managed and control by a woman. Certification as a women-owned business essentially lets others know that a third party, the Department of Commerce, has provided a stamp of approval that the business has met the state requirements in calling itself a "woman-owned business". While it is not necessary to have this validation of ownership, there are opportunities for some businesses to expand their current markets by having a WBE certification. Given these challenging economic times, it's important for you to know and take advantage of all roads that may lead to increased revenue.
So is certification right for you? Clothing stores, for example, sell directly to the public and would have little need to promote their woman-owned business status. Some of their customers may patronize them because they like to support a woman, but chances are, not one of these shoppers would require the WBE certification in order to complete a business transaction. But if you sell a product or service needed by the government or a corporation then WBE certification may be a worthwhile consideration to explore. In meeting their supplier diversity program goals, government and corporations need the assurance that the claims of the woman's ownership are legitimate. A Department of Commerce WBE certification provides them with this legitimacy.
I offer a number of WBE certification resources through the Department of Commerce web site at http://commerce.wi.gov/BD/BD-WBECertification.html. Please feel free to contact me at 608-267-0297 or e-mail carol.dunn@wi.gov to discuss your business specific questions as it relates to the WBE certification. I'm available to assist you in determining your eligibility prior to WBE application submission or to answer general questions about other governmental or non-governmental WBE certifications.
Sincerely,
Carol Dunn
Women's Business Ombudsman
Bureau of Entrepreneurship
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The Wisconsin Group
The Wisconsin Group promoter's have an opportunity to own and manage a gift shop at the 3 bears lodge. Final details will be coming soon. The show room will be 1000 square feet and they are looking for vendors. If you wish to get more information about this shop which plans to be running January 1st 2011 e-mail Galen@theWisconsingroup.com or call 715-447-8779.
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