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Small Business Connections October 2010 |
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Welcome to Small Business Connections!
The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Waubonsee Community College is here to serve your small business needs. We offer free business counseling to entrepreneurs and business owners, as well as a variety of small business workshops.
Call us today at (630) 906-4143 to learn how we can help you start or grow your business. |
| Small Business Spotlight |
Infrared Asphalt Specialists - Goodbye Potholes!
Duane Meszaros took matters into his own hands after being laid off due to the slowdown in the construction industry, leveraging his 15 years of experience and industry connections to start Infrared Asphalt Specialists, Inc.
Infrared asphalt restoration is a technique popular in the east coast, but is just beginning to be used in the Midwest. After working with the IL Small Business Development Center at Waubonsee on his business plan, Duane went in search of financing for his business. Despite a sizable equity investment in the business, he encountered challenges finding bank financing for his start-up business. Ultimately, he was able to get financing for his truck cab and the infrared restoration equipment through his truck salesman, Ron Swanson, at Coffman Trucks in Aurora. With the financing challenge solved, Duane's truck was shipped to New Hampshire where the infrared equipment manufacturer is located. They installed the equipment and Duane drove the truck back home to Oswego to start building the business. Duane recently launched his web site: www.goodbyepotholes.com and has started building his customer base that already includes companies such as General Growth Properties and Orange Crush LLC. Infrared Asphalt Specialists repairs asphalt using infrared heat to soften the existing deteriorated asphalt. Once softened, the asphalt can be reworked to repair a variety of asphalt failures. This process finally gives everyone a cost effective maintenance solution to their asphalt problems. Infrared repairs are fast. Most repairs can be made in less than 30 minutes, resulting in minimal traffic disruption. The process is also very "green" - infrared repairs reuse nearly 100% of the existing asphalt. Infrared Asphalt Specialists handles both residential and commercial repairs. From potholes in your fast food parking lot to driveway settlement at your garage, infrared restoration finally makes asphalt repairs affordable and attainable for all. For more information about how the infrared asphalt repair process works, or to contact Duane for your small business parking lot and other repairs, visit his web site or give him a call at (630) 461-7267. |
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IL SBDC News and Events | | |
Google 101 - Everything your business needs to know about Google
GOOGLE 101 WORKSHOP
HOW GOOGLE CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS
Google, in partnership with Illinois Small Business Development Centers, invite you to an interactive workshop for the local business community. We'll show you how Google tools can help you reach more customers, understand what customers are searching for, and operate more efficiently. Join us!
This 3-hour workshop will cover online marketing best practices, including how to:
- Reach the right audience using Google AdWords & boost your ad performance by choosing the right keywords and writing compelling ads
- Claim your business on Google Maps & create a Google Places Page
- Use Google Analytics to track online traffic & optimize your website
We look forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Seminar Fee: $25.00
Waubonsee Community College
Academic and Professional Center, Rm 120
Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive
Sugar Grove, IL 60554
To register please visit: www.waubonseetickets.com Contact Information for event:
Harriet Parker
630-906-4143
hparker@waubonsee.edu |
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Biz Buzz | |
Entrepreneurs - Avoid the DIY trap |
It's true. Entrepreneurs have to wear many hats. The phrase Chief Cook and Bottlewasher comes to mind. To be successful, small business owners have to keep control of their cash and spend judiciously, so Do It Yourself (DIY) is the mantra of many.
But before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, take a personal inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. It's important to determine the opportunity cost of your time. A common problem for small business owners is that they believe doing the work themselves will increase their profitability. However, they forget to count the cost of that time, and calculate the return on investment (ROI).
 SBDC client Deb Reiter with
For maximum ROI, think carefully before you DIY, or your business just might end up DOA! |
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Biz Bits |
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Digital Inspiration - Tech a la Carte | |
If you have a quick question about technology, but don't know where to turn, try Digital Inspiration. Their Tech a la Carte web site delivers up all sorts of quick answers on just about any tech question you can think to ask.
- A guide to choosing Internet-base fax service
- How to make Windows start up faster
- How to share large files over the Internet
These are just a few of hundreds of questions that Digital Inspiration answers. If you can't find the topic you are looking for, you can ask your own question. Check it out at http://www.labnol.org/tag/guide/.
Look to the past for new inspiration for your business
Just type "retro" or "vintage" into your search engine and you will be bombarded with the popularity of old things made new. If you are searching for new ideas to revive your business, this week's Business Ledger Sales Tip of the Day suggests you try looking back in time.
Business Plan Workshop
The Geneva Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a 2-part Business Plan Workshop featuring guest speaker Harriet Parker of the Illinois Small Business Development Center. This workshop will either get you started on a business plan you can actually use or help you update your current plan. The focus will be on market analysis/strategic marketing and financial forcasting.
Part I - Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 8:00-9:30am
Part II - Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 8:00 am-9:30am
The Geneva History Center
113 S. Third Street
Geneva, IL 60134
Cost: $25 for both sessions
Reservations are recommended. For more information or to reserve a seat, call the Geneva Chamber at 630-232-6060 or email: jcarroll@genevachamber.com |
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| Get Smart: Small Business Workshops at Waubonsee | |
Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
Thursday, Oct. 7, 6 - 8 p.m., $30 (Aurora)
Starting Your Business in Illinois
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 6 - 9 p.m., $30 (Aurora)
Thursday, Nov. 11, 6 - 9 p.m., $30 (Aurora)
Marketing for Small Business
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 6 - 9 p.m., $30 (Aurora)
Google 101 - Google for Small Business
Thursday, Oct. 21, 5 - 8 p.m., $25 (Sugar Grove)
Thursday, Oct. 28, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., $30 (Aurora)
Marketing in the 21st Century
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 6-8 p.m. $30 (Sugar Grove)
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Check seminar details for class descriptions, locations, ticket numbers, prices and registration information, or call the Illinois SBDC office at (630) 906-4143.
QuickBooks and Excel
A variety of QuickBooks and Excel classes are available to meet your small business accounting needs. Click here for complete class descriptions, locations, dates, times and costs. |
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| Illinois SBDC at Waubonsee Community College
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA or DCEO.
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