"Let's Paint the Town, Twin Cities!" Premieres
PRINCETON, KY-Dec. 1, 2011-Award-winning film production company Marvo Entertainment Group LLC is bringing another extraordinary story to life with the premiere of its latest national television project, Let's Paint the Town, Twin Cities!
The Twin Cities of Fulton, Kentucky, and South Fulton, Tennessee, were like many other small, rural towns. With years of manufacturing layoffs, factory closures, and the downsizing of a historically large railroad presence, the community suffered a slow and painful decline. Once-prosperous buildings became dilapidated, crumbling ghosts of a vibrant past.
"Let's Paint the Town, Twin Cities! is the first in a series of 30-minute documentaries chronicling the astounding success of "Let's Paint the Town!," a grassroots community revitalization campaign originating in Princeton, Kentucky, that is spreading across America. Communities who join the "Let's Paint the Town!" program use local donations of volunteer hours, paint, supplies, and funds to transform their decaying downtowns into attractive, viable business districts.
In May 2010, one man who believed he could make a difference, and one woman who believed she could make sure he was successful, teamed up to orchestrate a community-wide town hall meeting. Much to their surprise, nearly 200 people came to hear about the "Let's Paint the Town!" program. That night almost $4,000 was raised in community donations. As the program became successful, thousands more in donations followed.
"With our economy in shambles, politicians deadlocked over budget cuts and grant monies dried up, much of small-town America is literally fighting for its economic survival," said Jeff Campbell, Project Manager for the "Let's Paint the Town!" program in the Twin Cities. "So our community decided to not wait around and just hope. We have restored and renovated 46 buildings in our community without a single dollar of government money. It all happened with a grassroots effort of our building owners buying the paint, supplies paid for with community-wide donations and labor provided by volunteers. Our mantra has been, our town, our pride, and our responsibility." Campbell added, "This project is more than about painting a few buildings. It's also about economic development. We've seen six new businesses open their doors since we began our "Let's Paint the Town!" program 18 months ago."
"The Let's Paint the Town program has been a source of inspiration for the citizens of Fulton, Kentucky, and South Fulton, Tennessee," said Thea Vowell, Executive Director of the Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce. "I hope the phenomenal success we have had here transforming our central business district will be a source of inspiration to small towns across America to take on this program," said Vowell.
Nationally-known economic development expert John Talmage has said, "Our local communities should be the laboratory for our national solutions." The Twin Cities are certainly proving this to be the case as they take on economic development through revitalization. "Let's Paint the Town!" is the story of communities that believed in themselves and their ability to make a difference. Their inspirational efforts and continuing success are a tribute to what is best about America.
The documentary is scheduled to air on KET Public Television in February. A video sneak preview is available.
Marvo Executive Producer Samuel Koltinsky's work is inspired by a passion for stories, history, preservation, and the environment. Over the past 19 years, he has produced numerous documentaries in Europe and the United States and has worked with PBS, the History Channel and the Documentary Channel. Koltinsky was also the originator of the "Let's Paint the Town!" initiative. He may be contacted by phone at (270) 625-6815.
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$500,000 Available to Upgrade Skills for Tennessee Workers
NASHVILLE - Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Commissioner Karla Davis today announced $500,000 in Incumbent Worker Grants is still available to Tennessee employers to avoid layoffs. The grants are designed to assist employers with the expenses associated with skills upgrade training for the company's employees or process improvement training of the company, thereby keeping the business competitive.
From October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012, $1.1 million is allotted for Incumbent Worker Training. As of January 10, 2012, more than $600,000 has been awarded to 36 companies training 1,703 incumbent workers.
"The Incumbent Worker Training Grants support the governor's priorities by assisting with training needs of Tennessee companies and their existing workforce," said Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Karla Davis. "Companies use these training grants to upgrade skills or improve company processes that support a layoff aversion strategy. It is vital that we support our existing businesses to stay competitive and maintain a viable workforce."
Monogram Refrigeration LLC in Selmer employs 171 workers and has been in business in Tennessee for 24 years. Monogram is a fabrication and assembly plant that manufactures high-end refrigerators for General Electric. The company was awarded an Incumbent Worker Training Grant last year in order to hit performance goals, increase productivity, and stabilize its workforce.
"Through the State of Tennessee Incumbent Worker Training program, Monogram Refrigeration LLC was able to train 35 of its current employees in Lean Manufacturing Principles and apply these principles during a week-long workout to eliminate waste in our manufacturing processes," said Ray Denning, plant manager for Monogram Refrigeration. "This training will help us be more competitive in this very difficult economy."
Incumbent Worker Training Grant funds are limited and are therefore awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum award is $25,000 per grant.
Eligible applicants include any Tennessee employer that is a for-profit business in operation for one year or more, has a minimum of five full-time employees, and is financially viable and current on all state and local tax obligations. The grant can cover a variety of training opportunities that are employer or industry specific, including upgrading of technical/computer skills and production practices.
The Incumbent Worker Training Grants are jointly administered by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development and Tennessee's Local Workforce Investment Areas (LWIAs). Interested companies can contact their LWIA for available funds here . For further information and the Incumbent Worker Training Grant application form go here.
Source: http://news.tn.gov/node/8286
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The 20 Most Important Questions In Business
Christopher Steiner and Brett Nelson
Entrepreneurs can't completely inoculate their businesses from the vagaries of the market. What they can do is wrestle with the fundamental questions that govern the fate of any enterprise. We've done our best to compile the 20 most important ones.
Digging for those answers is a grueling exercise--one that takes serious intellectual and emotional honesty. With any hope, the process begins long before money's been spent, products are built and customers are lost.
The real challenge, though, is to keep digging. As businesses grow, new opportunities and threats emerge, and yesterday's answers probably won't suffice. Relentlessly asking the tough questions is how
With that essential struggle in mind, we present the 20 most important questions entrepreneurs need to answer--and keep answering--to build thriving businesses. Some highlights:
1. What is your value proposition?
2. Does your product address a viable market?
3. What differentiates your product from the competition?
4. Does the business scale?
5. How committed are you to making this happen?
6. What are your strengths?
7. What are your weaknesses?
8. What price will your customers pay?
9. How much power do your buyers have?
10. How much power do your suppliers have?
11. How should you sell your product?
12. How should you market your product?
13. How big is the threat of new entrants:
14. How do you protect your intellectual property?
15. How much start-up capital do you need?
16. How will you finance the business?
17. How much cash do you need to survive the early years?
18. What are your financial projections?
19. How do you keep the help happy?
20. What is your end game?
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Visit Reelfoot Lake
Reelfoot Lake State Park is once again providing programs at the VISITOR CENTER on SATURDAY NIGHTS at 7:00 PM. This is one of our most popular winter activities, along with the Eagle Tours. Guest speakers are invited to talk about a variety of topics that relate to this unique area. We have a variety of programs scheduled for 2012. Join us for these interesting and informative programs about Reelfoot Lake.
FEBRUARY 4th
Save Our American Raptors: John & Dale Stokes will give the audience an extraordinary opportunity to experience birds of prey at close range. Their program will contain a variety of hawks, owls, eagles and other majestic birds, some of which will be allowed to free fly which provides the audience an unforgettable experience. Bird of Prey Programs held at 2:00pm and 7:00 PM** Variety of programs throughout the day. *Nineteen panel New Orleans Steamboat Exhibit will be on display.
FEBRUARY 11th
Earthquake History and Hazards: Join representatives from CUSEC to learn about the New Madrid Fault past, present and future. *Nineteen panel New Orleans Steamboat Exhibit will be on display.
FEBRUARY 18th
Steamboat New Orleans: Thomas D. Schiffer will present a program on the steamboat that survived the earthquakes of 1812. *Nineteen panel New Orleans Steamboat Exhibit will be on display.
FEBRUARY 25th
Native American History: Join State Park Archeologist Bill Lawrence for better understanding of the Native American History of the Reelfoot region. Bring your artifacts and discover their age and uses. *Nineteen panel New Orleans Steamboat Exhibit will be on display.
Call (731) 253-9652 for eagle tour reservations or information.
http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/ReelfootLake/
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Insight provided by Constant Contact KnowHow
Strategies for Social Media Marketing Success
In the evolving world of social media marketing, it can be hard for a time-starved small business or organization to keep pace and know what to do when it comes to connecting with customers and members on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and Yelp. While there's no "one-size fits all" approach, we've assembled 10 best practices for social media marketing success that will help your business or organization, whether you're just getting started or trying to take your efforts to the next level.
Know Who You Are and Portray Yourself Consistently Before diving into social media for your business or organization, you should decide what kind of image you want to portray through your various social media outlets. Some argue that social media should be free and easy going, and marketers should take a casual approach. Others disagree and think users should maintain a more serious, buttoneddowned approach. The path you follow is up to you and your business or organization's culture. Either way, be sure to stay consistent with the brand identity you've established. No matter which way you fall on the casual versus serious choice, make sure your posts sound human. After all, you're connecting with other human beings. Social media marketing gives you a unique opportunity to humanize your brand and to show your customers, members, or prospects that there are real people behind the product or service - people just like them. Use a conversational tone and forget the marketing talk.This helps people relate to your business or organization, and that goes a long way toward getting people to know, like, and trust you. When people know, like, and trust you, they are much more likely to share your message with their friends. And it's word-of-mouth (i.e.: the network effect) that makes social media marketing such a powerful marketing strategy. Additionally, you'll want to portray yourself accurately in your social media profiles. If you're using the company logo as your avatar, make sure it's the most up-to-date version. If you're using a photo of yourself, try using one that is no more than 18 months old. Chances are good you'll meet some of your social media followers and fans in real life, so you'll want them to be able to recognize you.
Source: www.constantcontact.com/learning-center
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Memphis Community Leaders Announce the Second Annual
Farm to Table Conference for Mid-South Producers
MEMPHIS, Tennessee, January 3, 2012 - The second annual Farm to Table Conference for Mid-South Producers will take place on February 6, 2012 from 8 AM to 5 PM at the Memphis Bioworks Foundation Conference Center. The conference is designed to provide a forum for farmers, consumers, entrepreneurs and other interested groups to discuss ideas for developing the local food system of Memphis and the Mid-South.
The Farm to Table Conference for Mid-South Producers was established with the vision that a thriving local food system will strengthen farmer livelihoods by connecting more farmers to local consumers; will improve access to fresh produce and increase healthy food consumption; and will stimulate economic development and job creation in the region.
The 2012 conference will feature sessions on a variety of important topics for the local food system - from marketing produce to grocery stores, schools and restaurants, to vegetable production, community supported agriculture, new farm start-ups, and food policy. A networking lunch will provide attendees the chance to further develop relationships and collaborative opportunities. Presenters and panelists include farmers from the local farmers market, like Arkansas DeltaMade, Newman Farms, Olive Hill Community Growers, representatives from Urban Farms and Whole Foods Market, and Tony Geraci, Executive Director of Child Nutrition for Memphis City Schools.
The conference is sponsored by Slow Food Memphis, Healthy Memphis Common Table, Whole Foods Market, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, and the AgBioworks Regional Initiative of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation. Event organizers include representatives of GrowMemphis, Urban Farms, Farm Girl Food Gardens, Green Leaf Learning Farm at Knowledge Quest, Delta Sol Farm, and BioDimensions.
For more information on the 2012 Farm to Table Conference for Mid-South Producers, including registration, please visit www.growmemphis.org or Facebook at 'Farm to Table Conference for Mid-South Producers'. For questions, contact Josephine Alexander, at josephine@tubbycreekfarm.com.
For more information on sponsors and organizers, here are links to their websites:
* AgBioworks Regional Initiative - www.agbioworks.org
* BioDimensions - www.biodimensions.net
* Community Foundation of Greater Memphis - www.cfgm.org
* Delta Sol Farm - www.deltasolfarm.com
* Farm Girl Food Gardens - www.facebook.com/farmgirlfoodgardens
* Green Leaf Learning Farm at Knowledge Quest - www.kqmemphis.org
* GrowMemphis - www.growmemphis.org
* Healthy Memphis Common Table - www.healthymemphis.org
* Slow Food Memphis - www.slowfoodmemphis.com
* Urban Farms - www.bdcmemphis.org/urban_farms.html
* Whole Foods Market - www.wholefoodsmarket.com
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Obion County
Chamber of Commerce
Upcoming
Business Matters
Guest Speaker:
Jim Thompson
Thompson and McConnell
Sponsored by:
Buckets
7:45am-9:00am
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at the Obion County Public Library |
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Add Your Event to the Obion County Chamber Website
Got an event you would like to include on the chamber's website? Simply click here to see if your event can be published on our website! |
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List Your Available Commercial Property With Us
Let us help you spread the word about your available commercial property by listing it at www.obioncounty.org. If you have commercial property you would like to list, please contact Lindsay Frilling, Economic Development Director.
lfrilling@obioncounty.org
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Tennessee Rehabilitation Centers
1419 N. Morgan Ext.
Union City, TN 38261
731-884-2600
A statewide resource and employment service assisting businesses in recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees with disabilities.
JOB SEEKER SERVICES
A community TRC provides services that lead to employment and are designed to meet individual needs:
- Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services
- Employee Development Services
- Job Development and Employment Assistance
EMPLOYER SERVICES
TRC offers variety of services to area businesses such as:
- Industry Outsourcing
- Assistance and information on topics such as tax, Americans with Disabilities Act, Disability Awareness, Job Accommodation and Accessibility
- Services to Injured Employees
- Temporary Labor Need
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SERVICES
- Qualified job candidates to meet your employment needs
- On site job training and wage reimbursement
- Student internships
- Employee retention strategies and services
- Business tax incentives
"The right people for the right jobs"
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Inspiring Leadership Quotes
By Thomas Ferraioli, Demand Media
Keeping your team motivated is no easy task. To keep yourself focused and your employees ready to work toward a common goal, place some inspirational quotes from famous leaders around the office, in the warehouse and in company vehicles. Give your employees a mental and spiritual boost with some good words to live and lead by.
Leadership
Whether your manager is giving an employee advice or an employee is helping a customer, your workers are constantly in positions of leadership. Remind them of that with these quotes collected by Greatest-Inspirational-Quotes.com: "A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way." -John C. Maxwell "Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitudes and actions." -Harold S. Geneen "The great leaders are like the best conductors--they reach beyond the notes to reach the magic in the player." -Blaine Lee
Running the Business
To inspire your employees, you need to be inspired yourself. Here are some gems from famous business leaders. "Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers." -Stephen R. Covey "Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune." -Sam Walton "In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product and profits. Unless you've got a good team, you can't do much with the other two." -Lee Iacocca
Teamwork
Leading your employees to work as a team will make everyone's effort count more. Here Values.com collected these work quotes from great leaders. "Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." -Vince Lombardi "Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off." -Franklin D. Roosevelt "It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed." -Harvey Firestone
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My Business Story
Take a look at what Google and American Express have partnered together to provide for you now. Make a video for your business... FREE!! If your local Chamber happens to provide a free website to their members, you could link your FREE business video to your FREE Chamber website. If you are using FREE social media outlets (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc), you can link your FREE video to those pages.
Now, you do the math. What have you got to lose? Check it out! The link below gives a brief intro video from Google and AmEx, followed by several short videos of small business owners who have taken advantage of the service.
My Business Story
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Reelfoot Lake State Park
Eagle Fest Schedule
Friday February 3, 2012
Saturday February 4, 2012
Sunday February 5, 2012
Tours by Bus or Van
Reservations Required
More info: (731) 253-9652
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