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Small Business Connections October 2013
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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. To stay up to date on events, happenings and general IL SBDC information, we invite you to click below.
Call us today at (630) 906-4143 to learn how we can help you start or grow your business.
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Small Business Spotlight
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Fox Valley Home Brew 
Fred Harrison, owner of Fox Valley Home Brew & Winery Supplies, is the guy you want to see if you are interested in making your own beer and wine. Fox Valley Home Brew not only carries all the supplies you need, but Fred and his expert staff have a wealth of knowledge that they are happy to share with novice home brewers.
Fred started Fox Valley Home Brew started in 2004 with another partner. They shared the same hobby and started the brew shop as a part-time business providing equipment and supplies to home brewers. The part-time business started in a 10' x 10' room and quickly grew into a full time business. They expanded to offer a larger variety of equipment, ingredients, and supplies. In 2007, they relocated to their current location at 14 W. Downer, where they continue to grow with support from the SBDC and a strong base of loyal customers.
Fred knows the value of the IL SBDC at Waubonsee, and takes full advantage of their services - especially since they are conveniently l ocated across the street from his business. Several years ago, Fred first approached the SBDC for assistance in getting a loan for his growing business. In addition to loan assistance, the SBDC has supported Fred with QuickBooks assistance, marketing help, as well as general strategic planning. Most recently, Fred is participating in one of the SBDC Mastermind groups.
"With our continued growth we lacked experience and needed more financial support," says Fred. "The SBDC served as a key resource in establishing our financial structure and means to getting business loans to assist with a marketing strategy. Moreover, the SBDC has served as consultants during our growth, and lag periods when the economy became sluggish. We continue to use the SBDC as a valued resource due to the level of skilled and talented staff within their organization. In my opinion, they are the most valuable small business resource in the area."
If you've always wanted to try home brewing, but not sure where to start, Fox Valley Home Brew offers classes to help get you on your way.
Whether your tastes lean to Pumpkin Spice Porter, California Moscato Wine, India Pale Ale, or our season special, German Oktoberfest, visit Fox Valley Home Brew in downtown Aurora at 14 W. Downer Place for all the supplies and expertise you need to brew your own. You can also shop online at www.foxvalleybrew.com.
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Biz Buzz
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If Business in Booming, It's Time to Plan 
Recently, I spoke with a number of business owners who each mentioned that their business was booming and they were swamped. If you are in the midst of a similar situation - BEWARE! It's time to create or update your strategic plan. Many business owners tend to work on their plan when business is slow, and they are focused on how to grow. But, it's the rare occasion that they carve out time to plan when they are busy.
Controlling and managing the direction of your company's growth is critical. If you are outperforming your plan (or if you don't have a plan), make some time to work some planning time into your schedule.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself if business is booming:
Pricing - Have you kept prices down during the recession to keep customers? Now may be the right time for a price hike. You'll be amazed at the impact even a small price increase can have on your bottom line.
Customer mix - Are you spending too much time with low spending or low profit customers in the name of generating cash? Now may be the time to refine your positioning, and focus on your sales and marketing strategies to bring in more high value customers.
Product/Service mix - Similar to the customer mix question above, make sure you revisit your product and service lines to confirm that they still fit your growth strategy and profitability goals.
Hiring - Are you making the best use of your time, or are you swamped with administrative tasks? An extra resource can free up your valuable time to focus on growing the business.
Capital expenditures - Do you have outdated equipment, furniture or fixtures? Set a replacement schedule so you aren't faced with a huge bill if everything fails at once. Invest in infrastructure (e.g. systems, equipment, technology) so your business operations will support growth.
Strategic planning doesn't have to be a laborious process. Give us a call at (630) 906-4143. We'd love to sit down with you to plot a course for growth.
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Biz Bitz |
2nd Annual Marketing Boot Camp
If you are struggling with how to define and promote yourself in today's economy, or your marketing efforts are feeling a little stale, join us for a day of new and innovative ideas. Award winning marketing and PR firm JJR Marketing will be sharing their expertise on how to develop a winning plan, and what to expect once the plan is developed. You will learn: marketing plan basics, how to develop a marketing plan, how to put the plan into action, and what to expect in the real world.
You can learn more by hitting the register now button below, or viewing the event flier.
When: Thursday, Oct. 3
Where: Waubonsee Community College, Room 160
Time: 9 a.m. - 2p.m.
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FREE DiSC Assessment
Have you ever wondered why people love your pitch, but you can't seem to close a deal? Do you hire great employees, but struggle to get them working as a team? Do you give away services because you are uncomfortable challenging your customer about scope of work?
It's time to learn more about your work and leadership style so you can maximize your effectiveness in your business. DiSC is a leading personal assessment tool used by thousands of companies to help business leaders improve work productivity, teamwork and communication.
The SBDC has partnered with local business consultant, John Ruh, to offer a FREE DiSC Assessment to SBDC clients who have been in business for a year or more. Please contact the SBDC at Waubonsee at (630) 906-4143 to learn more.
Business Making Waves - New Group Starting Oct. 18
There will be a new Business Making Waves Mastermind Group starting this October 18. Business Making Waves is not a leads or networking group. It is a platform for decision makers to share challenges, get honest feedback, establish goals, be accountable to those goals and participate by producing solutions collaboratively. This group meets on a weekly basis for 13 weeks.
Here's how group member described his experience:
"I've encountered plenty of would-be teachers and advisors over the years who can tell me how to "fix" my business, but they don't always take the time to listen to where I've been or what I'm already doing before they hand out prescriptions. This group's approach is much more about personal growth - it's more focused on helping me learn to think and act like a businessperson myself than selling me a one-size-fits-all solution."
Please contact the Waubonsee SBDC at (630) 906-4143 for more information on joining this upcoming group!
Retail Revival: Bring Your Retail Store to Life!
Identified collectively as the "Retail Influencers", Retail Minded's Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, retail experts Kizer & Bender and RetailMAVENS Founder Cathy Wagner have joined together to deliver a memorable evening all about retail! This foursome is excited to share the stage in an effort to support the always evolving and vastly diverse community of independent retailers at the beautiful, historic Arcada Theater in St. Charles, Illinois.
Join the Retail Influencers for an evening of fun, conversations and retail learning!
Click here for more information or to register for the event:
IL SBDC at Elgin to Hold Business Plan Competition
The IL SBDC at Elgin is offering a $10,000 prize to the small business that prepares and presents the business business plan describing how they intent do grow their existing business. Eligible businesses must be "for profit", three years or older and located in Illinois. The application deadline is November, 15, 2013. For more information contact the Elgin SBDC at (847) 214-7488. |
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Get Smart: Small Business Workshops at Waubonsee
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Starting Your Business in Illinois ($30)
Wed., Oct. 16, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora)
Thu., Nov. 7, 6-9 p.m. (Plano)
Tue., Dec. 3, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora)
Marketing for Small Business ($30)
Tue., Nov. 19, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora)
Marketing Boot Camp ($89)
Thu., Oct. 3, 9 a.m. - 2p.m. (Aurora)
Register at Waubonsee Tickets
Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Law ($30)
Tue., Nov. 5, 6-8 p.m. (Aurora)
Business Plan Boot Camp - #1 Markets & Marketing ($30)Tue., Oct. 15, 1-4 p.m. (Aurora) Wed., Nov. 13, 6-9 p.m (Aurora) Tue., Dec. 10, 1-4 p.m. (Aurora) Business Plan Boot Camp - #2 Forecasting & Financing ($30)Tue., Oct. 29, 1-3 p.m. (Aurora) Wed., Nov. 20, 6-8 p.m. (Aurora) Thu., Dec. 12, 1-3 p.m. (Aurora) Secrets to Retail Success ($30)Tue., Oct. 22, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora) Business Foundations ($25)Tue., Nov. 12, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora) Small Business Tax Basics Workshop ($30)Tue., Oct. 8, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora)
Social Media Marketing for Small Business ($30)
Tue., Oct. 1, 6-9 p.m. (Aurora)
Thu., Dec. 3, 6-9 p.m. (Sugar Grove)
Google for Business ($30)
Wed., Oct. 30, 6-9 p.m. (Sugar Grove)
Facebook for Business ($15)
LinkedIn for Business ($15)Wed., Dec. 11, 7-8 p.m. (Online) Register at Waubonsee TicketsPinterest for Business ($15)Thu., Oct. 10, 7-8 p.m. (Online) Register at Waubonsee Tickets
Check seminar details for the full list, class descriptions, locations, ticket numbers, and pricing. To sign up, complete and submit the registration form. For additional information call the Illinois SBDC office at (630) 906-4143.
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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.
WCC does not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law in its programs & activities.
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