US SBA Awards 2 MN Lenders during Small Business Week
The U.S. Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. gave awards to nine lenders and two investment companies on May 24, 2010 for their commitment to delivering vital financial assistance to American small businesses, as part of National Small Business Week.
Two firms from Minnesota were recognized;
A new award was created this year to honor a Community/Rural Lender that has made a positive impact on its community. The winner of the Community/Rural Lender of the Year was American Bank of the North, of Nashwauk, Minnesota.
In keeping with the heightened importance exports are receiving in the nation’s economic recovery, SBA this year again recognized two banks for their role in lending to small business exporters, and one of those banks was Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., of Minneapolis, Minnesota who won the award for making the largest number of domestic loans to exporters.
FROM:
Release Date: May 24, 2010 Contact: David J. Hall (202) 205-6697
Release Number: 10-27 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
Monday, May 24, 2010
2009 MnSBDC Annual Report is an AWARD WINNER!
On May 20, 2010, Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Communications Office was recognized with four awards by the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators (MAGC) during its Northern Lights competition. (DEED hosts the MnSBDC program)
The Northern Lights competition provides awards of merit or excellence in numerous categories related to communications. Submissions are reviewed and scored by peers in the government communications community in Minnesota.
One of the four awards received by the Communications Office was;
Award of Merit – Annual Reports – Lasting Positive Impact (SBDC 2009 Annual Report)
Big Thanks to the DEED Communication's Office for producing a fantastic report that captures the achievements of the MnSBDC Program.
Here's the link to the 2009 MnSBDC Annual Report!
On May 20, 2010, Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Communications Office was recognized with four awards by the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators (MAGC) during its Northern Lights competition. (DEED hosts the MnSBDC program)
The Northern Lights competition provides awards of merit or excellence in numerous categories related to communications. Submissions are reviewed and scored by peers in the government communications community in Minnesota.
One of the four awards received by the Communications Office was;
Award of Merit – Annual Reports – Lasting Positive Impact (SBDC 2009 Annual Report)
Big Thanks to the DEED Communication's Office for producing a fantastic report that captures the achievements of the MnSBDC Program.
Here's the link to the 2009 MnSBDC Annual Report!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Minnesota SBA Honors Financial Services Champion - Jenny Dougherty
INTERNATIONAL FALLS – Jenny M. Dougherty, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Professional Business Consultant for Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA) in International Falls, has been named Minnesota Financial Services Champion of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Financial Services Champion award is presented annually in each state to individuals who assist small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services. Elaine S. Hansen, Director of the University of Minnesota (Duluth) Center for Economic Development and the Northeast Minnesota Small Business Development Center, nominated Dougherty for this award.
Dougherty has served Koochiching County as a Professional Business Consultant for the SBDC since 2007 in a part-time capacity. Her job responsibilities include business planning, financial analysis as well as cash flow and profitability analysis, assistance with access to capital, loan packaging and market research. Dougherty also is a QuickBooks Pro Advisor and teaches QuickBooks and other business workshops in her community. Recently, because of her efforts and the need for her services, Dougherty’s position was changed to a full-time position.
Dougherty is a 1986 graduate of St. Cloud State University, with a Bachelors of Science, majoring in Finance. She earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 2002. Spending her career in the financial industry, Dougherty worked for banks and mortgage companies in the Twin cities area before moving to International Falls, Minnesota. Throughout her twenty-four years in the financial industry, her experiences in mortgage loan origination and processing, underwriting, customer service, bookkeeping and much more, gave Dougherty the expertise she uses now to assist small businesses in Koochiching and Northern St. Louis County.
Dougherty also teaches workshops in starting a business, QuickBooks and other business-related topics at Rainy River Community College. She has developed strong relationships with local banks within the county, joined several local committees and organizations in support for the business community.
She has helped create a Women’s Business network in International Falls, serves on several boards including the International Falls Visitors and Convention Board (2005 – Present), and has been a Girl Scout Leader, President of Scandia Preschool, and serves on the First Lutheran Church Budge Committee (2007 – Present).
Dougherty and her husband, Dan Herman, have six daughters and reside on Rainy Lake in International Falls. Her husband has been a small business owner for over thirty years and her parents and siblings are all owners of small businesses. This experience and family perspective provides a first-hand understanding of the challenges that small business owners face.
For more information:
Jenny M. Dougherty
SBDC Professional Business Consultant
Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA)
PO Box 138
405 3rd Street
International Falls, MN 56649
218-283-8585
jenny.keda@northwinds.net
Release Date: March 29, 2010 Contact: Sherree Stratton (612) 370-2325
Release Number: 2010-04 Internet Address: www.sba.gov/mn
INTERNATIONAL FALLS – Jenny M. Dougherty, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Professional Business Consultant for Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA) in International Falls, has been named Minnesota Financial Services Champion of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Financial Services Champion award is presented annually in each state to individuals who assist small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services. Elaine S. Hansen, Director of the University of Minnesota (Duluth) Center for Economic Development and the Northeast Minnesota Small Business Development Center, nominated Dougherty for this award.
Dougherty has served Koochiching County as a Professional Business Consultant for the SBDC since 2007 in a part-time capacity. Her job responsibilities include business planning, financial analysis as well as cash flow and profitability analysis, assistance with access to capital, loan packaging and market research. Dougherty also is a QuickBooks Pro Advisor and teaches QuickBooks and other business workshops in her community. Recently, because of her efforts and the need for her services, Dougherty’s position was changed to a full-time position.
Dougherty is a 1986 graduate of St. Cloud State University, with a Bachelors of Science, majoring in Finance. She earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 2002. Spending her career in the financial industry, Dougherty worked for banks and mortgage companies in the Twin cities area before moving to International Falls, Minnesota. Throughout her twenty-four years in the financial industry, her experiences in mortgage loan origination and processing, underwriting, customer service, bookkeeping and much more, gave Dougherty the expertise she uses now to assist small businesses in Koochiching and Northern St. Louis County.
Dougherty also teaches workshops in starting a business, QuickBooks and other business-related topics at Rainy River Community College. She has developed strong relationships with local banks within the county, joined several local committees and organizations in support for the business community.
She has helped create a Women’s Business network in International Falls, serves on several boards including the International Falls Visitors and Convention Board (2005 – Present), and has been a Girl Scout Leader, President of Scandia Preschool, and serves on the First Lutheran Church Budge Committee (2007 – Present).
Dougherty and her husband, Dan Herman, have six daughters and reside on Rainy Lake in International Falls. Her husband has been a small business owner for over thirty years and her parents and siblings are all owners of small businesses. This experience and family perspective provides a first-hand understanding of the challenges that small business owners face.
For more information:
Jenny M. Dougherty
SBDC Professional Business Consultant
Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA)
PO Box 138
405 3rd Street
International Falls, MN 56649
218-283-8585
jenny.keda@northwinds.net
Release Date: March 29, 2010 Contact: Sherree Stratton (612) 370-2325
Release Number: 2010-04 Internet Address: www.sba.gov/mn
Google and SBA Launch “Tools for Online Success” Partnership to Boost Small Businesses
On May 5, 2010 the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Google announced a new partnership and unveiled “Tools for Online Success,” an array of online resources and training designed to help small business owners harness technology to grow their businesses. The “Tools for Online Success” site (http://www.google.com/help/sba) features tutorials, video testimonials, and tips from savvy small business people who have leveraged the web to become more efficient, more cost-effective, and more successful.
Visit the “Tools for Online Success” website for a full run-down, but here are a few easy tips all small business owners should be using:
• Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn’t have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.
• Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials and aware of promotions. These services are great "word of mouth" platforms - where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.
• Know your customers. Easy to use web analytics tools can tell you a lot about your customers by analyzing what search term brought them to your website or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.
• Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smartphones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business’s online presence be accurate and up-to-date. You can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons.
Release Date: May 5, 2010 Contact: Hayley Matz (202) 205-6948
Release Number: 10-20 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
On May 5, 2010 the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Google announced a new partnership and unveiled “Tools for Online Success,” an array of online resources and training designed to help small business owners harness technology to grow their businesses. The “Tools for Online Success” site (http://www.google.com/help/sba) features tutorials, video testimonials, and tips from savvy small business people who have leveraged the web to become more efficient, more cost-effective, and more successful.
Visit the “Tools for Online Success” website for a full run-down, but here are a few easy tips all small business owners should be using:
• Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn’t have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.
• Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials and aware of promotions. These services are great "word of mouth" platforms - where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.
• Know your customers. Easy to use web analytics tools can tell you a lot about your customers by analyzing what search term brought them to your website or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.
• Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smartphones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business’s online presence be accurate and up-to-date. You can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons.
Release Date: May 5, 2010 Contact: Hayley Matz (202) 205-6948
Release Number: 10-20 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
SBA Offers Tools to Help Exporters Succeed as Part of World Trade Week
The U. S. Small Business Administration is offering new, free tools for new and established small business exporters to help them grow and succeed in international trade. Small businesses will now have access to six-part podcast series, an introduction to exporting Youtube video and an online training course.
The podcast series is available online at http://www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/Podcasts/INTL_TRADE.html and focuses on Growing Your Business Through Exporting; Developing an Export Strategy; Preparing for Global Markets; Conducting Market Research; SBA Exporting Loan Program; and a Small Business Success Story.
The introduction to exporting video is available at http://www.youtube.com/user/sba#p/u/0/UFQIAszJWn4, and the free, online exporting course, “Take Your Business Global,” is available at http://web.sba.gov/sbtn/registration/index.cfm?CourseId=72.
In addition to the new online tools, SBA Resource Partners – Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Womens Business Centers and SCORE – are available to assist small businesses in every U.S. State and Territory who are interested in exporting. These resource partners can help entrepreneurs identify potential export markets, facilitate export transactions, develop linkages between United States small business and prescreened foreign buyers, advise on participation in international trade shows, assist in obtaining export financing and in facilitating the development or reorientation of marketing and production strategies. In addition to counseling resources in every state and territory there are export specialists available at the 8 SBDC International Trade Export Assistance Centers and SCORE online international trade advisors. To find your local counseling resources please visit www.sba.gov.
Release Date: May 18, 2010 Contact: David J. Hall (202) 205-6697
Release Number: 10-22 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
The U. S. Small Business Administration is offering new, free tools for new and established small business exporters to help them grow and succeed in international trade. Small businesses will now have access to six-part podcast series, an introduction to exporting Youtube video and an online training course.
The podcast series is available online at http://www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/Podcasts/INTL_TRADE.html and focuses on Growing Your Business Through Exporting; Developing an Export Strategy; Preparing for Global Markets; Conducting Market Research; SBA Exporting Loan Program; and a Small Business Success Story.
The introduction to exporting video is available at http://www.youtube.com/user/sba#p/u/0/UFQIAszJWn4, and the free, online exporting course, “Take Your Business Global,” is available at http://web.sba.gov/sbtn/registration/index.cfm?CourseId=72.
In addition to the new online tools, SBA Resource Partners – Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Womens Business Centers and SCORE – are available to assist small businesses in every U.S. State and Territory who are interested in exporting. These resource partners can help entrepreneurs identify potential export markets, facilitate export transactions, develop linkages between United States small business and prescreened foreign buyers, advise on participation in international trade shows, assist in obtaining export financing and in facilitating the development or reorientation of marketing and production strategies. In addition to counseling resources in every state and territory there are export specialists available at the 8 SBDC International Trade Export Assistance Centers and SCORE online international trade advisors. To find your local counseling resources please visit www.sba.gov.
Release Date: May 18, 2010 Contact: David J. Hall (202) 205-6697
Release Number: 10-22 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
Monday, May 17, 2010
CleanTech Open Business Competition
Are You an Ecopreneur with an Early Stage Clean Technology Company?
The Cleantech Open Business Competition can accelerate your business launch and growth. Just by entering you'll immediately start receiving resources and support to grow your company into a successful, sustainable business.
Register your interest in competing in the 2010 competition here. You'll get a head start on developing your network and learning the skills you'll need to win.
Key Dates and Entry Fees:
May 22, 2010 - Final Entry Deadline
$249 professionals
$199 students
**There is a $249 participation fee for each team member of each semifinalist team. Semifinalist teams will be announced June 15 and the payment will be accepted after that date.
Benefits for All Contestants Include:
* Executive Summary Webinar — Watch the recorded webinar from May 4th here.
* One-on-one mentoring by industry leaders — Get expert help with your executive summary
* Judges' feedback on your executive summary
* Cleantech National Conference — Showcase your technologies and meet cleantech enthusiasts on July 22, subject to space availability
For more information, click here for the CleanTech Open Website.
For a PDF File with more information, click here.
The MnSBDC will participate as a Judge for the NorthCentral Region for the contest, and is pleased to support this contest.
Are You an Ecopreneur with an Early Stage Clean Technology Company?
The Cleantech Open Business Competition can accelerate your business launch and growth. Just by entering you'll immediately start receiving resources and support to grow your company into a successful, sustainable business.
Register your interest in competing in the 2010 competition here. You'll get a head start on developing your network and learning the skills you'll need to win.
Key Dates and Entry Fees:
May 22, 2010 - Final Entry Deadline
$249 professionals
$199 students
**There is a $249 participation fee for each team member of each semifinalist team. Semifinalist teams will be announced June 15 and the payment will be accepted after that date.
Benefits for All Contestants Include:
* Executive Summary Webinar — Watch the recorded webinar from May 4th here.
* One-on-one mentoring by industry leaders — Get expert help with your executive summary
* Judges' feedback on your executive summary
* Cleantech National Conference — Showcase your technologies and meet cleantech enthusiasts on July 22, subject to space availability
For more information, click here for the CleanTech Open Website.
For a PDF File with more information, click here.
The MnSBDC will participate as a Judge for the NorthCentral Region for the contest, and is pleased to support this contest.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Renewable Energy Grants? For Rural Minnesota?
HERE'S THE GRANT!
The USDA is implementing the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year 2010. This is for the purchase of renewable energy systems and the making of energy efficiency improvements for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas.
CLICK HERE for the link to FULL details and information on the grant.
DEADLINE: 4:30 local time June 30, 2010.
Application materials may be obtained by contacting the Rural Development’s Energy Coordinators or by downloading through http://www.grants.gov. Submit electronic applications at http://www.grants.gov, following the instructions found on this Web site.
Rural Development Energy Coordinator for MN
Lisa L. Noty, USDA Rural Development, 1400 West Main Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007, (507) 373–7960 Ext. 120, lisa.noty@mn.usda.gov
HERE'S THE GRANT!
The USDA is implementing the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year 2010. This is for the purchase of renewable energy systems and the making of energy efficiency improvements for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas.
CLICK HERE for the link to FULL details and information on the grant.
DEADLINE: 4:30 local time June 30, 2010.
Application materials may be obtained by contacting the Rural Development’s Energy Coordinators or by downloading through http://www.grants.gov. Submit electronic applications at http://www.grants.gov, following the instructions found on this Web site.
Rural Development Energy Coordinator for MN
Lisa L. Noty, USDA Rural Development, 1400 West Main Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007, (507) 373–7960 Ext. 120, lisa.noty@mn.usda.gov
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