2010 Winner, Better Business Bureau of North Alabama Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics
2010 Alabama Women's Business Center of Excellence
2007 Non-Profit of the Year
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| Women's Business Center of North Alabama
September 2011 Newsletter
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Newsletter Sponsored by
www.services-sps.com |
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Society of 75 Member Profile
Fees & Burgess, PC
213 Green Street
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
256-536-0095
www.feesburgess.com
In Business Since: March 1999
Executive Officer: Michael L. Fees, Shareholder
Number of Employees: 18
Describe what your company does:
We are an experienced law firm with a practice emphasis in the representation of government and business in litigation and litigation avoidance and in handling our clients' sophisticated corporate needs. Type of customers: Government contractors; commercial construction companies and contractors; railroads; municipalities; law enforcement; electronics manufacturing companies; insurance companies; and employers in general.
Your advice to budding entrepreneurs: Managing business risks effectively, both inside and outside the company, through legal safeguards, as well as compliance with federal, state and local laws, are key to long-term success and profitability. Your hopes for the Women's Business Center of North Alabama: To serve as a legal resource for member companies, offering advice, solutions, or referrals to assist in the cost-effective resolution of legal issues in the private or public sectors of business. Favorite Quote: "I believe that ignorance of the law is no excuse." - Ron White |
September Lunch and Learn
"Big Vision, Small Business"
Sponsored by:
Friday, September 16, 2011
11:15 a.m. Registration
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Luncheon & Program
(last half hour reserved for networking)
Speaker: Jonathan Hall, Hall Albright Garrison and Associates
[Huntsville, AL] - The WBCNA has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville-Madison County to present a Lunch & Learn session in September. The Lunch & Learn event will take place on Friday, September 16, 2011, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Registration begins at 11:15 a.m. The topic for September's Lunch & Learn is "Big Vision, Small Business" and our speaker is Jonathan Hall, Hall Albright Garrison and Associates. The event is sponsored by Bethel University.
Setting a strategic purpose for your business and following that vision in the day to day operations can be challenging. Everything that our business does from the presentation of our office setting, to pricing of our products should mirror our strategic vision. Join us as we take an in depth look at the process of developing a strategic plan, executing it and keeping the path as you go forward.
The Lunch & Learn will be held at the Chamber of Commerce Auditorium at 225 Church Street in downtown Huntsville. A map with directions can be found on the website.
Reservations are required. The cost is $20 for WBCNA clients and Chamber members. Please call 256-535-2038 for the discount code prior to registering online. Cost for all others is $25. Credit card payment is required at the time of online registration. Reservations can be made online via our calendar at www.wbcna.org.
Registration/Cancellation Policy: Lunch registrations and/or cancellations must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday before the Lunch & Learn. If you are unable to attend and do not cancel by the deadline, you will be responsible for payment.
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- More than 15.2 million people participate in Direct Selling producing over $29 billion in sales.
- Direct Selling offers flexible work schedules.
- Direct Selling is a great way to earn extra income or replace a current income.
Take this opportunity to learn from a variety of Direct Sales consultants and then make an educated decision on which company is the best fit for you and your family. The options are endless!
The Home-Based Business Expo (HBBE), held in collaboration with the DSEF, the Association of Women's Business Centers, and WBCNA, highlights the direct selling industry's business opportunity for many women and men who welcome a low-risk, low-cost entry into entrepreneurship.
Date: Saturday, September 10, 2011
Location: Parkway Place Mall
Contact: WBCNA, 256-535-2039
Email: tina.bennett@wbcna.org
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
Location: Madison Square Mall
Contact: WBCNA, 256-535-2039
Email: tina.bennett@wbcna.org
Media Sponsor: WHNT News 19
Gold Sponsors:
Lad's Mobile Ads
Silver Sponsors:
Communications Sponsors:
 
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| SBA News Corner
Here's the latest news, headlines and resources from the SBA to help you propel your business forward!
Open for Business Blog
Keep up with SBA's top leaders and hear the latest news, including new tools and tips to grow your business. Here's a few highlights we found:
What's New?
- Empowering small businesses to secure and enforce their intellectual property rights. Click here to read the article.
- The SBA, Inc. and AT&T launched a new series of interviews to help you learn from small business owners who successfully export their products and have grown their businesses. Click here to learn more.
- The SBA is a primary resource for disaster recovery loans. Click here to learn more about the resources available to you.
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Alabama Wholesale Market September 29-30th
Develop new customers through the 2nd Annual Alabama Wholesale Market on September 29th and 30th in Florence, Alabama.
Alabama companies have an excellent opportunity to expand into new geographic markets during the 2nd Annual Alabama Wholesale Market (AWM) to be held September 29th and 30th at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence, Alabama. AWM is the only wholesale market offering Alabama companies an arena to showcase products and services to credentialed buyers.
"The timing of this year's market will facilitate purchasing for the Christmas season. September is still early enough for companies to purchase for Christmas and this market is an excellent way for buyers and exhibitors to promote products made in our state," said Giles McDaniel, director of the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center in Florence, AL. "Last year's show included buyers from several states and we anticipate even more buyers this year," he added.
Examples of Alabama products that have and may be exhibited include: gifts, jewelry, specialty apparel, pottery, decorative accessories, gourmet foods, garden accessories, art and framed art, linens, bath care products, aromatherapy products, candles, gourmet coffees and teas, children's accessories, specialty furniture, store supplies such as gift wrap, spiritual products, services used by retailers and exhibitors and much more.
Buyers and exhibitors can register for the AWM online at www.AlabamaWholesaleMarket.com.
AWM is coordinated by The Shoals Entrepreneurial Center with support from the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, University of North Alabama, Northwest Shoals Community College, the Small Business Development Center, the Alabama Development Office, Southeast Alabama Council for Economic Development and local and state tourism offices.
The show is open only to official company buyers and is not open to the general public. The market is an order only market-no cash and carry sales.
For more information, contact Giles McDaniel at the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center at 256-764-0044 or 256-760-9014 or email alabamawholesalemarket@gmail.com.
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WBCNA's Talk Radio Show for Entrepreneurs
Every Tuesday on Your Morning Drive 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
WTKI (1450 AM) Huntsville and WEKI (1490 AM) Decatur have returned to the air with a business-slanted format they call "Talk Radio for Real Life."
"Talk Radio for Entrepreneurs," hosted by Marianne and Darin Windham, is a weekly hour-long program focusing on entrepreneurs who share their best practices and lessons learned with listeners. If you would like to come on the air to talk about your business, the cost is ONLY $100.
Please contact the WBCNA at 256-535-2038.
 
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WBCNA Needs You to Get Involved!
The WBCNA is currently overwhelmed with demand for our services (which is a good thing). We welcome your time and support as a WBCNA volunteer. Here's just a few ways to get involved:
- Administrative Support
- Business Plan Review Committee
- FastTrac Business Coach
For every two hours of volunteer time, we will provide a $25 gift certificate to use toward WBCNA workshops (one per workshop; excludes Lunch and Learn & FastTrac).
Call Stephanie at (256) 535-2038 if you are interested and want to know more about how YOU can make a difference!
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FREE Business Plan Review from WBCNA!
The WBCNA Business Plan Review Committee is comprised of bankers, entrepreneurs, lenders, accountants, and others who can review your business plan and offer suggestions on how to make it stronger.
The need for business planning and a business plan for a new venture cannot be overemphasized. It forces entrepreneurs to consider every facet of the business and places decisions on paper; where they can be evaluated and considered before getting started.
Writing a Business Plan can be a time-consuming task. Software programs or instruction manuals can assist you with preparing your plan, but it is still important to polish and perfect the document before submitting it to investors or lenders. The best way to refine a Business Plan is to have it reviewed by other business professionals who are accustomed to seeing and reviewing Business Plans.
WBCNA's Business Plan Review Committee will help you answer these important questions:
- Is your business plan complete or are there missing components?
- Have you thought through everything?
- Is marketing sufficiently addressed?
- Is the format readable and free of typographical and grammatical errors?
To learn how WBCNA can assist you with Business Plan review, please call 256-535-2038 or email info@wbcna.org.
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QUICK LINKS
WBCNA Services
More About Us
About our Training
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UPCOMING WBCNA EVENTS
AND WORKSHOPS
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HUNTSVILLE
Small Business Step-by Step- September 1
DECATUR
FastTrac NewVenture Morgan County- Begins September 1
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NETWORKING
OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKSHOPS ACROSS
NORTH ALABAMA
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MADISON COUNTY
Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours- September 13
Women's Business Council Quarterly Forum Luncheon- September 20
Breakfast & Biz- September 22
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WHO IS A WBCNA CLIENT?
Our clients are women and men in North Alabama who want to start or grow a business.
Our clients are our most important stakeholders.
Our clients are not dependent on us; we are dependent on them.
Our clients are not an interruption of our work; they are the reason for it.
We are not doing our clients a favor by serving them; they are doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to serve them.
Adapted from the words of Mahatma Gandhi
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Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact Stephanie Sellers at WBCNA, 225 Church Street, Huntsville, Alabama 35801, or by phone at 256-535-2038 or email info@wbcna.org
 The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organizations high standards of ethical business behavior.The BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability Reports, charity BBB"Wise Giving" Reports, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust,the BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints.
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GPAC offers services to the growing number of small businesses that want to do business with the government.
Services offered include:
-One-on-one individualized coaching
- CCR registration assistance
- NAICS Codes identification
- Online training
- Certifications (8a, HUBZone, MBE, WBE, DBE)
- Networking opportunities and business matchmaking
- Assistance with Capabilities Statement development and review
- Identification of Small Business Specialists (government and prime)
- Website resources for small businesses
- Identification of business opportunities and bid match assistance
Training is a major component of the GPAC.
The GPAC is presented by:
 www.bid-designs.com
If you would like more information on the GPAC and doing business with the government, call (256) 535-2038.
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VBAC offers critical training and resources to the Veterans in our region who are starting or growing small businesses that contribute to our community's economic growth and job creation.
Services are available for:
-All U.S. Military Veterans
-Service-Disabled Veterans -Reservists
-National Guard Members
-Active Duty business owners and start-up entrepreneurs in North Alabama.
The VBAC is presented by:
 www.redfcu.org
If you would like more information on the VBAC and our specialized Veteran's resources, call (256) 535-2038.------------------------------------------------
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New SBIR/STTR Portal Launched
Announcing the launch of SBIR 2.0! The new SBIR.gov is here! With a comprehensive database, robust search engine, user-friendly designer, and useful new content, the new SBIR.gov will help small businesses that are part of or may become part of the SBIR or STTR programs. Click here to access SBIR.gov. Here's a quick overview:
Who should use SBIR.gov?
SBIR.gov is designed to help small businesses connect with agencies as part of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR). It is a "one-stop-shop" if you are a small business interested in responding to an agencies solicitation for innovative research and development. Agencies and prime contractors looking for eligible small businesses may also find the site useful.
All Solicitations and Awards in One Place
The new SBIR.gov features a single database of all awards and solicitations. You can now search solicitations and awards across all 11 participating agencies. In addition to locating everything in one place, the new database allows you to filter awards and solicitations by multiple criteria, including agency, year, phase, program, state, and company.
Detailed Company Profiles
The new SBIR.gov allows you to view detailed information for companies who have won awards. This includes the number and amount of awards they have received as well as in-depth descriptions of each award.
Robust FAQs
Our Frequently Asked Questions help newcomers to the SBIR/STTR programs answer basic questions about whether they are eligible for the program and how it works.
Calendar of Events
Agencies host events all year long to promote SBIR programs and assist potential awardees. Find events in your area and for the agencies you care about on the new SBIR.gov.
Celebrate Success
Some of the great America success stories start with the SBIR program. Read the success stories of small businesses that leveraged SBIR awards to develop successful commercial products, create good jobs, and sustain our entrepreneurial spirit.
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NEW! Proposal Series for Government Contractors
Successful Proposal Strategies for Small Business
Presented by:
A new series presented by BID Designs that helps small and mid-sized businesses as well as non-profit organizations and public-sector agencies to achieve effective, efficient, and disciplined business development, proposal development, and capture management processes. The ultimate goal: increased contract awards and enhanced levels of revenue. Session 3: Pursuing Opportunities and Developing Win Themes, Strategies, and Solution Sets September 14, 2011 Session 4: Planning, Managing, and Developing the Proposal October 26, 2011 Session 5: Proposal Reviews and Production to Ensure Compliance and Responsiveness December 7, 2012 For more information about each individual session and to register, please visit the Calendar via www.wbcna.org. |
WIPP Online Training
Training 215: 120: Driving Profitability: Make the Next 3 Months Count
Thursday, September 8th, 2011 at 2pm CT When growing your business, every day counts. This course will show you how to:- End your year on a high note by indentifying key areas to increase profitability with three months left on the calendar year.
- Goal: Enable you to close your books this year with a smile.
Course Instructor: Mary Ellen Hickman, Brand Management and Marketing Strategy, Hickman Consulting Partners, LLC
Click here to register for this course.
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Meet our GPAC Coaches
WBCNA recommends that every entrepreneur who wants to do business with the government get familiar with the process. Below is a list of GPAC business coaches that support WBCNA and its clients.
- Dr. Jay Billings, Defense Management Systems Corporation
- Defense Systems Acquisition, Project Management, Contract Management, Organizational Development, ISO 9000, ISO 14000
- Aerospace, Defense and Education
- Jeff Irons, ironSclad Solutions
- Communication, Strategic Planning, Marketing/Sales
- Aerospace, Defense
- Steve Reed, Go To Market Solutions
- Contracting, General Management, Marketing/Sales, Public Relations, Business Plans, Communication, Consulting, 8(a) issues, Government Contracting, IPOs, Marketing Research, Negotiation, Partnering, Recruiting, Software
- Advertising, Aerospace, Biotechnology, Computer H/W & S/W, Defense, Electronics, Healthcare, Mfg, Medical, Publishing, Telecommunication, Transportation
- Gerry Johnson, SAIC
- General Management, Consulting, Government Contracting, Recruiting, Team-Building
- Aerospace
- Janet Phillips, CohesionForce, Inc.
- Contracting, General Management, Human Resources, 8(a) Issues, Retail, Software Development, Team Building
- Computer Software, Defense
- Garfield Boon, Advoco Technology Solutions, Inc.
- Contracting, General Management, Federal Acquisition Process, Consulting, Government Contracting, Negotiation
- Defense
- Sharon Steelman, Bama Jammer Mini-Storage
- General Management, Marketing/Sales, Compensation/Incentives, 8(a) Issues, Retail
- Advertising
- Chad Rogers, Paradigm Technologies/MDA
- Marketing/Sales, Government Contracting
- Defense
- Dr. Roger Schwerman, SPS
- Engineering/Science, General Management, Public Relations, Business Plans, Government Contracting, International Business, Team Building
- Aerospace, Agriculture, Architecture, Defense, Environmental
If you would like to meet with one of these business coaches, please contact WBCNA at 256-535-2038 or email us at info@wbcna.org. |
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You've Served the American People...Now Let WBCNA Serve You! 
WBCNA has established a business coaching program that matches Veterans who want to start their own business or grow an existing one with seasoned professionals. Our VBAC Business Coaches are Veterans who are successful business owners and dedicated to helping Veterans to develop valuable relationships and action plans needed to be successful in business.
Participation is free.
Call WBCNA at 256-535-2038 to schedule an appointment.
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High Correlation between Military Service & Self Employment
Source: Business News Daily If you spent some time in uniform serving Uncle Sam, all those days you sweated in boot camp may pay off when you put on your civies, a new study shows. You're nearly 50 percent more likely to become an entrepreneur than your civilian counterparts, and the odds are even higher if you wore the rank of an officer. Military service is highly correlated with self-employment, according to a new study from the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy The study found that veterans are at least 45 percent more likely than those with no active-duty military service to become entrepreneurs.
And rank does have its privileges, as least when it comes to exercising your entrepreneurial genes. Officers are 55.6 percent more likely to be entrepreneurs than enlisted personnel. The study suggests that this is related to differences in education; officers are more likely to have college educations. The differentials in education and entrepreneurship are similarly related in the civilian population. The study, though, found no evidence that unique training or acculturation makes veterans more likely to be entrepreneurs. But the amount of time you spent in uniform did make a difference. Compared with the whole population of veterans, those with three or four or fewer years of service are more likely to be self-employed, the study found. At the other end of the spectrum, lifers who spent 20 or more years in uniform before retiring also had higher rates of self-employment than veterans as a whole. "Entrepreneurship is a choice made by many of our men and women in uniform when they move into civilian life," said Winslow Sargeant, the SBA's chief counsel for advocacy. "Knowing more about the factors behind veterans' self-employment offers opportunities to lay the groundwork for successful ventures." Click here to access the original article. |
Meet our VBAC Business Coaches
WBCNA recommends that every Veteran entrepreneur who wants to do business with the government get familiar with the process. Below is a list of VBAC business coaches who are Veterans themselves, and who work to support WBCNA and its clients.
- Ron Klein, Belzon
- Contracting/Agreements, General Management, Business Plans, Consulting, Government Contracting, Strategic Planning
- Aerospace, Defense
- Robert J. Kuehn, Jr., Silver Eagle Consulting, Inc.
- General Management, Marketing/Sales, Strategic Planning, Process and Organizational Enhancement (IDIQ Contract Management), Business Writing (Pipeline Development, Oportunity Capture, Proposal Support, Color Review Team Support), Training (Leadership, Business Winning Functions), Business Plans, Consulting, Due Diligence, Marketing & Research, Strategic Planning, Team Building
- Aerospace, Defense
- Larry Anderson, Alatec, Inc.
- Contracting/Agreements, Finance, General Management, DoD Program Management
- Aerospace, Computer Software, Defense
- Kris McGuire, Victory Solutions, Inc.
- Public Relations, R&D, Business Plans, Consulting, Team-Building
- Aerospace, Defense
- Thad Mauldin, Qualis Corporation
- Bill Whipple, Logistics Plus Associates
- Joe Fitzgerald, Decision Sciences
If you would like to meet with one of these business coaches, please contact WBCNA at 256-535-2038 or email us at info@wbcna.org.
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