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Window of Opportunity
Are you interested in selling your business?
Let us know if you are looking for a buyer. From time to time we are asked about businesses for sale.
Please contact the KOSBE Team at (423) 392.8811 to sell or buy a business.
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HELP WANTED!
Looking for a few good men or women?
Send us your current job openings and we'll post it here for you.
- Business Name
- Position
- Job description (100 words or less OR link to description)
- Contact information
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The Number
A noteworthy business statistic!
2012 KOSBE/TSBDC
Key Indicators:
To date, we have met with 88 clients (cases).
Those 88 cases equate to over 191 counseling hours.
In total, we have trained through our events 264 small business owners or interested entrepreneurs!
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Veterans, Women & Minorities Take Note
VETERANS
ATTENTION!
Have you heard of Operation Boots to Business: From Service to Startup?
The Boots to Business program uses a multi-phased approach to introduce transitioning service members to the fundamentals of small business ownership and to the SBA tools and resources available to them.
Building on lessons learned from the Boots to Business pilot program, launched in the Spring of 2012, the SBA aims to ultimately provide entrepreneurship awareness and opt-in training nationwide to the 250,000 service members from all branches of the military that transition each year.
Click for more information about the program!
WOMEN
MINORITIES
Are you certified as an official Minority-Owned business?
Having a minority-owned business certification can help you tap into a bevy of public and private sector programs.
Corporations, federal government and state agencies all want to do business with minority-owned companies.
Many states and cities also have minority-owned business programs, which are often referred to as Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) programs.
Contact Aundrea Wilcox at (423) 392.8825 to get your certification process underway!
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Small Biz
Trends
Did you know that women are 18% more likely than the baseline American to follow a brand on Facebook or other social media sties?
Women are also 12% more likely to use the Internet to purchase a product featured on TV.
Learn 12 Social Media Strategies For Marketing To Women HERE!
Information provided by: BLUE - Powered by Cox Business.
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The Office Depot Program
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Kingsport Chamber Members receive DEEPER DISCOUNTS THAN EVER BEFORE with the Office Depot National Chamber Program.
No strings attached.
Contact Kim Jones at
(423) 392.8805 for details!
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Take 5 Series!
KOSBE's original
Take 5 Series was such a hit last year, we're doing them again!
Take a look back at our 2011 past KOSBE Award Winner's interviews before we start our new interviews for 2012!
WATCH NOW!
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Get To Know Us!
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Aundrea Wilcox
Executive Director, KOSBE
Senior Business Counselor, TSBDC @ ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office
 Marybeth McLain
Small Business Services Marketing Manager, KOSBE
Administrative Coordinator, TSBDC @ ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office
David SchoolsSmall Business Services Marketing Manager, KOSBE Administrative Coordinator, TSBDC @ ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office
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Issue #0002 - August 2012
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Greetings!
You are receiving this e-mail because of your relationship with either the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, the Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) or the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office.
Each issue will be distributed monthly and will shine a light on a successful small business located within our region.
Thank you for your interest in our local small businesses and small business-related events, issues and information.
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The 411...
New Business Accelerator in Tri-Cities
AccelNow, a new non-profit in Johnson City, TN, exists to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem connecting entrepreneurs in the Northeast TN region with critical resources to accelerate business creation and growth. AccelNow's principle lifeblood is establishing a community where entrepreneurs seeking investment can find investors looking for scalable businesses. The accelerator offers effective training, networking opportunities and provides mentoring for budding entrepreneurs. In addition to helping entrepreneurs, AccelNow is just as interested in helping investors. In fact, AccelNow is helping to ignite an Angel Investment Network in the Northeast TN region called The Angel Roundtable. AccelNow has several events coming up including "14 Weeks to Startup" Entrepreneur Training from September 11 - December 11, 2012, "Power of Angel Investing" Seminar on October 9, 2012 at the Millennium Center, "Startup Weekend" on November 16-18, 2012 at the ETSU Innovation in Johnson City, TN and the "Will This Float" Pitch Contest in November, 2012 at the General Morgan Inn, Greeneville, TN. KOSBE and AccelNow are partners that address different needs. KOSBE helps small business owners with technical assistance, personal counseling, education and connecting. AccelNow helps entrepreneurs with investor-ready businesses connect with investors and mentors to get to the next level. To find out more about AccelNow, contact executive director, Dave Lawrence at 423-439-8135 or e-mail him at dave@accelnow.com. Visit AccelNow's website at www.accelnow.com and find them on Facebook! |
THANK YOU TO OUR 2012 SPONSORS!
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Sophisticated Starlet Undergoes Makeover! Local Kingsport business owner transforms company
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The name of a company is the eyes and smile by which people recognize the business's body. One of the hardest challenges small business owners can face is changing the name of their company. Jodi Strycharz, owner of Sophisticated Starlet is doing just that. A chic female fashion boutique store, Sophisticated Starlet is now doing business under a new set of eyes and smiles - Threads.
The name change is to demonstrate the change in product offerings of the store where it began offering a casual male clothing line in Summer 2011.
Formerly a nurse, Jodi loves her customers and engaging with them about their fashion needs and desires. She said that the name Sophisticated Starlet conjures up the idea of "pink" clothes and girly outfits. Threads puts the modern edgy feel back into her line of fresh fashion.
Not only has Sophisticated Starlet changed names, the business has moved locations. Formerly located at 217 Broad Street #100 in downtown Kingsport, Threads is now located in the Reedy Creek Terrace Shopping Center at 1880 North Eastman Road #300.
With a new name and location, a business can fall through the cracks. However, Threads has taken a slow approach - not creating a new business suddenly, but evolving a brand to new markets.
To find out more about her clothing line, visit her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophisticated-Starlet.
Threads
Jodi Strycharz, Owner
Reedy Creek Shopping Center
1880 North Eastman Rd. Ste. #300
Kingsport, TN 37660
New Website: www.sophisticatedstarlet.com
423.245.1493
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Poll: What is your biggest challenge?
Small business owners voice opinions
1. Marketing 2. Financial 3. Workforce 4. Technology Visit our Facebook page to vote! (Find the posted question on our timeline)
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SAVE THE DATE!
Upcoming Events & Training Classes
Find all upcoming events at kosbe.org
and register for the below events by clicking on each!
Free Small Group Hands-On Training: Facebook for Business
Tuesday, October 23rd, 9 - 11 a.m., Kingsport Chamber
Attendance is full.
Free Small Group Hands-On Training: Facebook for Business
Tuesday, October 30th, 9 - 11 a.m., Kingsport Chamber
Free Small Group Hands-On Training: Search Engine Optimization
Thursday, October 18, 2012, 9 - 11 a.m., Kingsport Chamber
Small Business Counseling in Hamblen County
Thursday, October 25, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., Morristown Chamber
Call (423) 392.8825 to schedule your free appointment.
Fall Night School
Tuesday, November 13th, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m., Kingsport Chamber
Click the link to register.
KOSBE Awards 2012!
Thursday, December 6th, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The Club at Ridgefields, 2320 Pendragon Road, Kingsport, TN.
Call (423) 392.8825 to purchase your tickets.
$45/General, $55/VIP
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Problem Solved!
The Importance of Referrals...
The benefits of referrals are enumerable - new business, additional funding, sales leads, networking, partnerships, and FREE word-of-mouth marketing. Part of KOSBE's mission is to help clients connect with the right people to grow their businesses. PROBLEM: Client, Mr. Kollin Day owner of NugZee, LLC, an innovative company centered around a product that provides young children with exciting and engaging "scavenger hunts" within a grocery store for the mutual benefit of the store and the parents, searched for an initial store to beta test his product.
SOLUTION: Day turned to KOSBE/TSBDC for assistance after learning the ecosystem they have generated for entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Kingsport area.
After working with KOSBE, Day was referred to FunFest, Barefoot Chameleon, Times-News TriCities Kidspo, and Bays Mountain Park to begin building his online presence and testing his product. Also, KOSBE connected Day with Food City marketing reps. Now, Nugzee, LLC is waiting to be implemented into the Food Country grocery store in Kingsport, TN.
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Get More Likes  By: David SchoolsKOSBE Marketing Manager
With close to 1 billion active users, it is a fatal mistake to not have a business fan page on Facebook today.
Business pages are the Facebook development team's gift to companies looking for cutting edge marketing avenues. Ever since its inception in 2009, the like button has allowed users to demonstrate there allegiance to an organization, business, cause, product, etc. with one click. By clicking the "thumbs up" button, you are essentially saying to your social network, "I am a fan of this."
The glory of the like button for businesses is the fact that their target customers are self-identifying. Rather than businesses paying for market research or expensive marketing mediums to reach their target customer, the customer comes to directly them with all the information they could want and more: a name, a location, an age, their gender, their preferences and a time-lined life-story!
The key lies in getting your like button out there for people to find and click. Below, please find the list of 9 golden rules that I have researched online and hand-picked as the most effective for increasing likes.
1) Design a business page and not a personal profile page for your business. There are no like buttons on personal profiles!
2) Post rich, substantial content. Frequent text-only posts are ruled out as spam in viewers' minds. Stick to juicy news such as hilarious, incredible, or limited time-offers.
3) Photos and videos statistically attract greater views, comments and likes. Photos and videos are worth 1000 words in a couple seconds.
4) Engage. Sharing posts, liking other businesses, commenting back, liking comments, and posting on other pages are all examples of building a relationship with customers.
5) Post interactive material. Ask questions, create polls and surveys, install an app, insert a game - these methods show up in all the users news feeds which their friends see.
6) Know the little tips that make a difference - "Pin" a great post to the top of your timeline, "Highlight" a post across both sides of your timeline. These tips increase eyeball catching.
7) There's nothing wrong with direct calls-to-action. Using your personal profile page, message your friends and ask them to like your business page as a way to get your page off the ground.
8) Put the like button EVERYWHERE. Insert the code on your website, put it in your e-mail signature, and on physical print-outs, ads and fliers.
9) Research shows that the timing of posts effect performance. Early morning, right after 5pm, and late at night are the peaks of Facebook activity. Weekends are better than weekdays!
Employ these golden rules and it will be no time before you are coasting on waves of weekly likes!
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New Business Stand-Out
KOSBE/TSBDC Client Profile
Quality, Hand-made and Memorable!
Twin brothers Bruce and Barry Campbell pride themselves on the uniqueness and quality of the toys they provide for kids. For wonderful hand-made and collectible gifts that will last, check out Toyables for this year's holiday season!
Contact Toyables today at (855) 875.2977, email blcampbell2006@yahoo.com or visit www.toyables.com.
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We hope you enjoyed this issue of The Business Beacon and found it informational. We are always looking for new ideas and welcome your feedback.
Feel free to forward this issue to your friends, family, employees and/or colleagues. Sincerely, Your KOSBE and TSBDC at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office Staff |
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