LoudounPreneur entrepreneurial newsletter

Information for the Innovative, Enterprising and Brave 

May 2013
Will Online Sales Be Taxed?

Will it or won't it? Congress has debated Internet sales taxation for years. In 1992, the Supreme Court even granted Congress the ability to pass legislation enforcing this specific type of tax collection. With Congress and lobbyists arguing various proposals, no law has ever passed. That could be headed for change next week.

People You Should Know

This Month: Karen Turner, ECHOworks
 
This month we chatted with Karen Turner, a 15-year employee of ECHOworks. For more than 35 years, ECHO has provided individualized employment, training and social opportunities to Loudoun residents with disabilities. Find out how Karen and her team of hardworking program participants can help convert your old paper documents, send out mailings - and who knows -- maybe even clean out that dusty storage closet.

Five Virginia Tax Changes

Loudoun businesses should be aware of new tax policies that go into effect July 1, 2013. House Bill 2313, passed by the Virginia Assembly and signed into law by Governor McDonnell April 3, changed several policies statewide, and creates a Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Fund. Learn about some of the biggest changes.

Read It and Reap

So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport.


In this controversial read, Cal Newport debunks the popular idea that following your passion is the road to career happiness. He argues that career passions are rare, and that workplace satisfaction comes from developing true mastery and skill in whatever field you choose. Few people have an immediate passion or calling for their work, he says, and most develop happiness over time as their skill level and accomplishments increase. He cites studies that show that the highest percentage of people who saw their work as a "calling" were actually those who had been employed for the most number of years and had taken the time to develop valuable skills, set goals, pursue professional development and stretch beyond their comfort zone. Rather than coming from a passion mindset and asking "What value does my job produce for me?" he urges people to come from a craftsman's mindset, asking "What value do I produce for my job?" Another great line of advice to inspire workers everywhere is "Be good at your job before you can expect a good job." Check it out from the Loudoun County Public Library.

Up-Skill

Small Business Week

Loudoun Small Business Week is June 3-7. There will be a wide variety of business seminars and networking events that will be fun and informative. Check Loudoun SourceLink in the coming weeks for a full list of Small Business Week programs.

 

A Million Cups of Coffee

They say it takes a million cups of coffee to get a business going. That's a lot of time invested, to say nothing of the caffeine! The Department of Economic Development and Mason Enterprise Center are taking cues from this expanding Kaufman Foundation initiative by kicking off a new monthly "1MC" event, aimed at engaging Loudoun entrepreneurs. Two businesses each month will be put in the spotlight for vetting, Q&A, and a chance for attendees to offer them assistance.Entrepreneurs will gain insight into ways they can improve their businesses, gather feedback, and connect with a community that cares about their progress. For dates and locations, check the Loudoun SourceLink events calendar.

Be a Winner

In each month's LoudounPreneur, we ask you to forward the newsletter to colleagues and business associates who might appreciate it. This month, each person who forwards the May edition to someone else (just copy [email protected] on your forwarded email) will be automatically entered to win a delicious pint of Grade-A Langdon Wood maple syrup aged in whiskey barrels from Loudoun's Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Good luck!

 

Congratulations to David Palanzi, advisor to Stone Bridge High School's Future Business Leaders of America chapter, who won last month's contest by forwarding LoudounPreneur to more than 35 associates. Thanks, David!

Gut-Check From a Guru

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady

Pay It Forward

This monthly email newsletter is published by the Loudoun, Virginia Department of Economic Development to inform and connect Loudoun's thriving entrepreneurial community. As a leader with influence, please help our community by forwarding this newsletter to your business colleagues. Thanks!

 
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Debi Roder   
Loudoun Virginia
Economic Development Entrepreneurship
Manager Debi Roder


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