SBA Offers Free Webinar and Web Chat to Encourage Disaster Preparedness Planning for Business Owners
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WASHINGTON –No matter what time of year it is, or where you run your business, it’s a good idea to have a disaster preparedness plan in place. Recent disasters, such as the record-breaking flooding which occurred in Tennessee in April, serve as reminders to be proactive when it comes to building strategies to survive a disaster and recover quickly.
Toward this end, the U.S. Small Business Administration will offer two online disaster preparedness events next week. On Tuesday, June 22, Agility Recovery Solutions CEO Bob Boyd will discuss 10 Steps to Business Preparedness. Boyd will highlight key aspects of business continuity planning, including risk assessment, data back-up, crisis communications and insurance coverage.
On Thursday, June 24, SBA’s monthly Web Chat will be hosted by Nashville business owner Genma Holmes, CEO of Holmes Pest Control. Holmes will share her experience of how another business owner’s losses after Hurricane Katrina inspired her to develop her own preparedness plan. Because she was ready for the disaster, Holmes was able to resume operations just one day after cleaning up after a recent flood in Nashville.
TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010
WHO: Bob Boyd, CEO, Agility Recovery Solutions
WHAT: During the Tuesday Webinar, Agility CEO Bob Boyd will present 10 Tips to Business Preparedness, which will be followed by a question and answer session.
WHEN: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT
HOW: Register in Advance for 10 Tips to Business Preparedness by visiting Agility’s “Prepare My Business” Web site at www.preparemybusiness.org/education.
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010
WHO: Genma Holmes, CEO, Holmes Pest Control
WHAT: Small business owner Genma Holmes will host the Thursday Web chat on “Disaster Preparedness for Business Owners: An Inside View,” and give her own account of how disaster preparedness planning helped keep her business running after Nashville’s recent record-breaking floods. Holmes will take questions and offer advice on disaster preparedness. Those participating in the Thursday Web chat may submit questions before or during the chat discussion.
WHEN: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
HOW: Join the chat live by visiting www.sba.gov, and clicking “Online Business Chat.” Web chat participants may post questions prior to the chat by visiting: http://web.sba.gov/livemeeting/Jun10 .
To review archives of past Web chats, visit http://www.sba.gov/tools/monthlywebchat/index.html
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Advisory Date: June 17, 2010 Contact: Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059
Advisory Number: MA10-10 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
AG SECRETARY VILSACK AND SMALL BIZ ADMIN MILLS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO STIMULATE RURAL BUSINESS CREATION AND EXPANSION
Partnership Will Increase Access to Capital in Rural Communities; Spur Business Growth, Job Creation
HILLSBORO, Mo., June 3, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Small Business (SBA) Administrator Karen G. Mills today announced that the two agencies have signed an agreement to encourage sustainable growth and development of rural small businesses. The announcement was made during the National Summit of Rural America, which gathered agricultural leaders, farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and residents of rural communities to share their vision and ideas that can help rebuild and revitalize rural America.
The agreement between the SBA and USDA is designed to reach out to people and places in rural areas and small communities with underserved financial needs. Prospective small businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans also are expected to benefit from this joint effort to encourage sustainable growth and development. USDA Rural Development's Rural Business Service will provide loan guarantees, loans and grants; the Small Business Administration will provide loan guarantees.
The MOU will remain in effect for three years. Under the agreement, USDA Rural Development and SBA will use their respective resources to provide small businesses in rural areas with loan guarantees and technical assistance to help build diverse and sustainable economies, reverse population decline, create and sustain jobs, and improve quality of life. The agreement is expected to:
* Improve opportunities for small businesses to start and grow;
* Improve coordination in the delivery and development of programs; and
* Increase the number of small business loans guaranteed by USDA and SBA
Key goals of this partnership include strengthening marketing and outreach by enabling each Agency's field offices to advise potential small business borrowers of the other Agency's credit programs that may support all or a portion of the small business' financing needs. USDA Rural Development and SBA field offices will exchange promotional and reference materials, including brochures and training schedules, and will distribute the other Agency's information to its field network and its potential applicants when appropriate.
USDA and SBA will also encourage their networks of resource partners to refer rural businesses to the other Agency's resources, where appropriate. Rural Development's network includes National and State Rural Partnership Councils, State and sub-State Offices, and Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas. SBA's network includes Small Business Development Centers, SCORE Chapters, U.S. Export Assistance Centers, Veteran Business Outreach Centers and Women's Business Centers. By mutual agreement, USDA and SBA may identify pairings of State and district offices to explore mutual best practices available to serve clients.
The Small Business Administration works to assist and protect the interests of small business. SBA guarantees loans and provides business development assistance to small businesses. It administers its programs through district offices throughout the United States and provides additional services through its network of resource partners: the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), SCORE, U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEAC), Women's Business Centers (WBC), and Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC).
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of 6,100 employees located in the nation's capital and in 500 national, state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $134 billion in loans and loan guarantees.
Release No. 0300.10, Contact: USDA, Weldon Freeman, (202) 690-1384 SBA, Hayley Matz (202) 205-6948
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Partnership Will Increase Access to Capital in Rural Communities; Spur Business Growth, Job Creation
HILLSBORO, Mo., June 3, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Small Business (SBA) Administrator Karen G. Mills today announced that the two agencies have signed an agreement to encourage sustainable growth and development of rural small businesses. The announcement was made during the National Summit of Rural America, which gathered agricultural leaders, farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and residents of rural communities to share their vision and ideas that can help rebuild and revitalize rural America.
The agreement between the SBA and USDA is designed to reach out to people and places in rural areas and small communities with underserved financial needs. Prospective small businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans also are expected to benefit from this joint effort to encourage sustainable growth and development. USDA Rural Development's Rural Business Service will provide loan guarantees, loans and grants; the Small Business Administration will provide loan guarantees.
The MOU will remain in effect for three years. Under the agreement, USDA Rural Development and SBA will use their respective resources to provide small businesses in rural areas with loan guarantees and technical assistance to help build diverse and sustainable economies, reverse population decline, create and sustain jobs, and improve quality of life. The agreement is expected to:
* Improve opportunities for small businesses to start and grow;
* Improve coordination in the delivery and development of programs; and
* Increase the number of small business loans guaranteed by USDA and SBA
Key goals of this partnership include strengthening marketing and outreach by enabling each Agency's field offices to advise potential small business borrowers of the other Agency's credit programs that may support all or a portion of the small business' financing needs. USDA Rural Development and SBA field offices will exchange promotional and reference materials, including brochures and training schedules, and will distribute the other Agency's information to its field network and its potential applicants when appropriate.
USDA and SBA will also encourage their networks of resource partners to refer rural businesses to the other Agency's resources, where appropriate. Rural Development's network includes National and State Rural Partnership Councils, State and sub-State Offices, and Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas. SBA's network includes Small Business Development Centers, SCORE Chapters, U.S. Export Assistance Centers, Veteran Business Outreach Centers and Women's Business Centers. By mutual agreement, USDA and SBA may identify pairings of State and district offices to explore mutual best practices available to serve clients.
The Small Business Administration works to assist and protect the interests of small business. SBA guarantees loans and provides business development assistance to small businesses. It administers its programs through district offices throughout the United States and provides additional services through its network of resource partners: the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), SCORE, U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEAC), Women's Business Centers (WBC), and Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC).
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of 6,100 employees located in the nation's capital and in 500 national, state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $134 billion in loans and loan guarantees.
Release No. 0300.10, Contact: USDA, Weldon Freeman, (202) 690-1384 SBA, Hayley Matz (202) 205-6948
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Monday, May 24, 2010
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
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
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
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