After over ten years of service, Judy Mathews, Program Director will retire from the Women's Business Center (WBC) in June. Judy began her journey with the center just a few months after its inception in July, 2000.  

"Judy has the institutional history of this organization and I am continually amazed at the depth of knowledge she has of the companies that have been clients of the WBC. She has been the stability of this organization throughout its tenure, as the Center has grown and flourished and she will be greatly missed"

says Sherry Turner, Executive Director. 

OPEN HOUSE

Thursday, June 9, 2011

5:00 - 6:30 PM

8527 Bluejacket Street

Lenexa, KS 66214

If you're one of the many people who wanted to attend all or part of our last ItSoKC Digital Marketing series, and your schedule wouldn't let you - it's starting up again on Wednesday, June 15th, 8:30 - 10:30 am (we've made them 30 minutes longer because YOU asked us to!) 

June 15: Internet Marketing in 2011 - A Primer

A fast-paced introduction to today's most popular internet based, digital marketing trends. Some business owners will learn how they too can use these new 'channels' and techniques to connect to prospective customers as well as create increased value to existing customers, resulting in sustained loyalty. This exciting workshop will get people thinking and excited about the possibilities well within their reach. We will cover Websites, Email Blasts, Rich Media, Social Networking, Mobile Marketing and more...

June 22: Building Your Internet Marketing Foundation - Creating Websites that Work!

Focusing on the website development, page flow and call to action, you will see that you too can develop and lead a successful Internet Marketing Strategy. This class is filled with 'best practices' information that you don't want to miss!

June 29: Rich Media Content - Using Video to Engage!

After a quick introduction to emerging rich media trends, we will focus on how video can SUPER charge your communication and content offering. Video is the wave of the future, and one you need to ride! It's easy to learn, fun to do, and VERY VIRAL.

July 6: Social Engagement - Creating a Followship Using Social Media

Explore social media engagement, so important to creating an effective multi-dimensional Internet Marketing Strategy. Imagine that 5 short years ago, Facebook, a budding obscurity, now enjoys 500 million users. Social Media is still an emerging phenomenon; we will show you what works - NOW! In this class, we will take a close look at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Mobile with a special emphasis on combining with your website and email campaigns to create your won 'InfoSphere' and distributed 'Followship.'

July 13: Google Analytics - Using Analytics to Know Your Customer

Let's face it - the majority of marketing efforts are 'best guess' efforts to engage consumers. However, proper analytics will take the guess-work out of your work, your strategy. This workshop will focus on using Google Analytics and social listening systems to know your customer better and guide your Internet Marketing strategy. With Google Analytics, you can watch your strategy work!

Registration is required to attend

Contact: Judy Mathews

jmathews@kansaswbc.com or 913-492-5922

$20 per workshop

$80 for series of 5 workshops

All workshops held at the Women's Business Center

8527 Bluejacket Street, Lenexa, KS 66214

If you want to start a new business, or grow the one you have, FastTrac New Venture can provide your with the support and direction you need to get there.  This 10-session business development course improves the likelihood of success of would-be and new business owners.  This course helps you:

• Prove the feasbility of your business concept, service or product
• Understand cash flow
• Hear from experts on topics such as
• Marketing
• Financing options
• Legal structure
• Make valuable connections with your classmates

Investing your time, energy and dollars now on FastTrac New Venture will pay off in the long-run.
  

(For an overview of the class, click here.)

Thursday September 15 - November 17, 2011

meets 10 consecutive Thursdays

6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Women's Business Center

8527 Bluejacket St.

Lenexa, KS  66215

$450

To sign up, email

jmathews@kansaswbc.com

  or call 913-438-8187.

Who should attend?

Contractors including small disadvantaged businesses, women owned small businesses, HUBZone firms, 8(a) contractors, and veteran-owned small business contractors.

Topics include:

• Surety Bond overview
• Eligibility
• Bond guarantee application and fees
• Participating surety companies and agents by state
• Questions and answers

Online: www.readytalk.com
Access code: 3076702
By phone: 866-740-1260
Access code: 3076702

Free registration with limited capacity
Register by close of business June 22, 2011
Contact: Nancy Scheuerman 316-269-6566 extension 211 or nancy.scheureman@sba.gov

All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.

May 23, 2011 - Posted by Jonathan Ortmans in Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship 

America's fiscal health remains currently at the heart of most economic policy chatter. We are living in tight fiscal times. Congress has been focusing on reaching agreements on reducing spending and budget battles are expected to wage on throughout much of this year. Since balancing the budget is inseparable from tax policy, we take a quick look this week at how taxes shape incentives for entrepreneurs.

Read the full blog post at: www.entrepreneurship.org

Smart phone users interested in starting or growing a small business can now find helpful resources at their fingertips via a new SBA mobile application from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

"Increasingly, smart phones are the vehicle through which Americans access information. This is certainly true of many entrepreneurs and small business owners and this new application ensures they will have access to SBA's resources and programs - literally at their fingertips," said SBA.

The SBA mobile app features a built-in startup cost calculator to help estimate the costs associated with getting a business off the ground, plus an SBA partner locator to help users find SBA offices, Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers and SCORE.

Users will also have mobile access to SBA video content and social media
alerts to provide them with tips on the go.  This will include live updates
from the SBA's YouTube channel and from SBA's Twitter feeds.  The free
mobile app can be downloaded from the SBA's website at
www.sba.gov/content/sba-mobile-app.

In order to help, the employees and partners at Meara Welch Browne and Ingram's Magazine/Show-Me Publishing have made a contribution for the tornado relief effort in Joplin. Many have asked how they too might make a tax deductible contribution to help with relief efforts. For those of you who wish to contribute to the relief of those who were so hard hit, we would like to facilitate your efforts by serving as a channel to get the funds quickly to where they will do the greatest good. This will show others what can be done when individuals and the Missouri and Kansas business community come together to raise contributions to help others in need. We organized and collectively raised and delivered more than $100,000 to the American Red Cross in September, 2005 for the "KC Katrina Relief Effort" and donated $100,000 again in May, 2007 for the "KC Greensburg Relief Effort" and we hope to significantly increase contributions in this tragic disaster that has hit so close to home.

The American Red Cross has responded as they have always done in so many similar situations. To assist them, if you would like to make a contribution to help in this cause, you may send your check-payable to "American Red Cross"-with a memo-"Joplin Regional Relief Effort"-to:

 c/o Meara Welch Browne
800 West 47th Street, Suite 430
Kansas City, MO 64112-1246

We, in turn will pool your checks, along with our contributions, and deliver them personally to the local office of the American Red Cross. We'll then provide individuals, corporations and organizations a receipt of their tax deductible donations. Remember, contributions of $250 or more at one time to one organization require a written receipt from the organization to substantiate your contribution before you file your tax return. Cancelled checks will suffice for contributions of less than $250.

Should you have any questions, please call Meara Welch Browne at 816.561.1400 or E-mail info@meara.com or give your friends at Ingram's Magazine a call at 816.842.9994 or email JSweeney@IngramsOnLine.com.  

Presented by the Enterprise Center of Johnson County & the Social Media Club of Kansas City

Advanced Twitter Workshop

Thursday, June 16th @ 11 am - 1 pm

www.ecjc.com to register

$25 includes lunch

You've learned the Twitter basics - what it is and how it works. Now learn how to make Twitter an effective and efficient business tool for you. Whether your business goal is brand promotion, buzz creation, lead generation, sales, customer service or, more likely, all of the above, Twitter can be used to achieve your objectives. This workshop is designed to show you how to use desktop and web-based management tools, Twitter lists, Twitter searches, URL shorteners, communication scheduling tools and analytics programs to make meaningful business connections in an increasingly crowded online space. Learn about the importance of online listening/monitoring, Twitter etiquette and more.

This workshop will be presented by members of the Social Media Club of Kansas City, Brooke Beason and Kate McKinney. 

The Women's Business Center
The Women's Business Center offers mentoring, resources, and consulting to women in the Kansas City Metropolitan area who wish to become an entrepreneur or who are currently operating their own business.  Through business consulting, classes, workshops, networking, and peer mentoring the WBC is the key to running a successful business for Kansas City's women.

Find out how the Women's Business Center can help you. Click here to learn more!

Join Our Mailing List!

2011 KC Crew Golf Tournament

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

11:00 am shotgun start

Falcon Ridge Golf Course

20200 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, Kansas

Join the fun at 9:30 a.m. for unlimited use of the first-class driving range and registration. The event is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. shotgun start with a four player "scramble" format. After the tournament, join in for Bar-B-CREW, which will include a barbeque buffet, awards ceremony, door prizes and more.  Non-golfers are welcome to attend the post golf event party!

Items are currently being collected for the silent auction which will be held the day of the tournament (with all proceeds benefitting the Women's Employment Network).  The deadline to submit auction items is August 10th (in order to be included in the tournament program).  Click here to download a silent auction form 

For more information visit: www.kcwen.org

Join DealBug & Support Women's Employment Network! 

DealBug is a deal of the day site much like all the others, with a few exceptions:

• DealBug is local.  They're located in Overland Park, KS.
• DealBug makes a donation to local charities with every purchase.
• DealBug provides goods / services from local merchants with deals up to 90% off retail cost.

Each time someone purchases one of the DealBug daily deals, they can select the Women's Employment Network from a list of non-profit organizations and DealBug will make a donation.

To receive daily alerts about the great deals on DealBug, please sign up at www.DealBug.com
 
If you own a business and would like to be featured on DealBug please send an email to admin@dealbug.com or call 913-660-7342.