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Western
Dairyland Business Center
January 2009
Newsletter
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Dear Karman,
Welcome to a new (and hopefully
prosperous)year! Although our monthly I&E meetings and
WNET meetings have taken a break for the month of January, we have a
lot of exciting speakers and topics coming down the pike, inlcuding
Lorraine Dixon, owner of Cadeaux Gifts as well as Staci Heidtki, UWEC
Internship Coordinator.
We are also currently running in
high gear at the office, in preparation for the 6th Annual
Women's Business Conference on April 23rd. With the addition
of an entirely new track dedicated to current trends in business and a
keynote speaker addressing green and sustainability practices for small
business, this year's conference agenda is the most exciting set of
speakers and topics ever!
Sincerely,
Karman Briggs
Business Center Manager
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 Women's Business Conference
The Western Dairyland Women's
Business Center is glad to be continuing the 6th Annual Women's
Buniness Conference on April 23rd, 2009 at
the Plaza Hotel & Suites in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
This day-long event offers:
- Networking opportunities
- Business-related educational
sessions
- A keynote address by Josie
Pradella
- One-on-one business counseling
- Roundtable discussions
- An exhibitor hall
- A networking lunch
The event targets women entrepreneurs
who are starting, expanding, and/or working to improve their businesses.
This year's conference
is expanding! Last year's conference grew by 50%, with more attendees,
presenters, and sponsors than ever before. Because of this, we have
contracted more rooms to accommodate our rapid growth. Be
a part of this wonderful event by being a sponsor and/or exhibitor!
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Women's
Busines Networking Meeting
Thursday February 12th, noon to 1 p.m.
418
Wisconsin Street, Eau Claire
"Succeeding
in the World of Retail"
by
Lorraine
Dixon of Cadeaux Gifts
The world of retail may not be an
easy place to be in tough economic times. At the February
12th TEAM meeting, learn how Lorraine Dixon of Cadeaux Gifts has
successfully stood out in the crowd. By identifying a niche
market, collaborating with colleagues, and hand selecting unique
products from within the United States as well as importing from her
native Canada, Lorraine has continued to grow her retail store in the
Eau Claire downtown.
*Meetings will
now be held on THURSDAYS*
What's to come:
"Creating a Mutually Beneficial
Experience for UWEC Interns in Your Small Business" by Staci Heidtke,
UWEC Internship Coordinator.
Interns are not just for big
business! Today's UWEC students are emerging with very
specific skill sets and your small business may be the perfect place
for them to gain real world experience while presenting a fresh point
of view for you. At the March 12th meeting, Staci
will detail not only how to hire paid and un-paid interns from UWEC,
but how to create an experience that will be mutually beneficial to the
intern and the employer - starting with identifying an appropriate role
and/or project for the prospective intern.
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 7 Step Business Class
Learn the Basic
Steps in Building a Successful Business Plan
What
to start your own business, but don't know how? T
he Western
Dairyland Business Center is hosting an event to teach participants how to
start a business by assembling the pieces of a business plan on Thursday,
January 22, from 6 to 9 pm
at the Western Dairyland Community Action Agency, 418
Wisconsin Street, Eau Claire.
Topics covered include feasibility,
proving your market, funding your business, writing a business plan,
marketing, business legal structure and more.
*If you attend this event you can
apply for FREE, one-on-one assistance from Western Dairyland's Business
Development Specialists to determine the feasibility of their business
idea and identify sources to prove their market. Business
Development Specialists may also help with the preparation of business
plans and financial forecasts which could be presented to lenders.*
Tuition is $25 for
individuals; class materials are included. Scholarships are
available for eligible individuals
Here are 3 simple ways to
register and pay for class:
- Online at www.SuccessfulBusiness.org,
- By phone at 836-7511 ext. 172,
- In person at the Western Dairyland
office in downtown Eau Claire
SPACE IS LIMITED, registration and payment must be received by Tuesday,
January 20th. Arrangements for persons with
special needs will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
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WCM Welcomes New Members
Wisconsin Common Market is happy
to have 4 new members join their online shopping mall.
Please stop by and visit
their websites for personable and attractive products and services.
A Collar Above :
Offers 100% cotton collars. They have collar designs that
change seasonally. Check out their website at
Scotchwood Candy Company:
The sweet taste of fine chocolate,
the fullness of roasted nuts, the buttery crunch of caramelized toffee
- all blended to delight you with each heavenly bite. Too good
to resist? Visit
Once again, welcome
and we wish you great business success!
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 UWEC Offers FREE Business
Consulting Services
With the new year upon
us, you are likely taking stock of your business and
considering your plan for the upcoming year. At this time,
the Small Business Consulting class at UW-Eau Claire, taught by
Assistant Professor Kristy Lauver, is seeking local businesses
interested in receiving business plan assistance. Whether you
need to hone your marketing efforts, streamline your operations or
simply create a general business plan for your business, you may
qualify to receive free business plan counseling.
Interested businesses must have been
in existence for at least one year, have employees and be willing to
meet four to five times throughout the spring semester with the
students and their professor.
To apply, please contact Karman
Briggs at kbriggs@westerndairyland.org or (715)836-7511 x174.
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Attention
Inventors and Entrepreneurs!
There is a great opportunity for
you as WSPE's 38th Annual Event "2009 Governor's New Product
Award" is coming up.
Don't think you can do
this? Cary and Craig, Jeff and
Josh were our past finishers last year.
Congradulations to them!
As a Governor's New Product Award
entrant:
· Your company competes to be named the 2009 GNPA winner in the mega,
large, medium or small company employment categories.
· Four Best of State winners will compete in the 2010 National Society
of Professional Engineers (NSPE) New Product Awards for national
recognition. Since 1993 Wisconsin has won the top award sixteen times.
· Each entrant receives a GNPA Certificate signed by the Governor
recognizing your economic contributions to Wisconsin.
· Each entry is publicized through WSPE. The Governor's Office via the
Department of Commerce will distribute a press release of the
competition results to all Wisconsin media outlets on the Department of
Commerce's press list.
· All entrants and guests will be invited to attend the Governor's New
Product Awards Banquet, Thursday evening, April 23, 2009 at Lambeau
Field's Legends Club Room, Green Bay, WI. Over 100 people are expected
to attend
the awards banquet.
Applications Due:
February 16, 2009
Award Ceremony and Banquet:
Thursday evening, April 23, 2009
Lambeau Field's, Legends Club Room
Green Bay, WI
Click below to access
application:
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News and Events
SCORE
Marketing Seminar
SCORE, "Counselors to America's
Small Business," is partnering with Chippewa Valley Technical College
to present an important panel discussion to share strategies and ideas
for marketing products/services of area businesses.
Advertising and Marketing
"Musts" for 2009
News, advertising, and marketing specialists from the Chippewa Valley
will share strategies for promoting businesses in 2009 and answer
questions about the pros and cons of various broadcast, print, outdoor,
web, ad specialties and other media during the opening panel discussion
program. SCORE counselors will follow with an hour of tips
and handouts to develop or update your plans for marketing your
product/service.
Date: Saturday,
January 31,
2009
9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Place: Chippewa
Valley Technical College
Main
Building, RCU Room
620
W. Clairemont Ave.
Eau
Claire, WI 54701
Fee: $15.00
Second
person: $10.00
Governor's Business Plan Contest open
for 2009 entries
The Wisconsin Governor's Business
Plan Contest - the nation's first statewide, tech-based business plan
competition - is accepting entries online for the 2009
competition. Entries will be accepted now through 5 p.m. Jan.
31, 2009. The contest's Grand Prize is worth $50,000 in cash
and services.
Managed by the Wisconsin Technology
Council, the contest sprang out of conversations with Gov. Jim Doyle
shortly after he was first elected in 2002. Doyle had talked
about the value of a statewide business plan contest during his
campaign, and it meshed with similar plans underway within the Tech
Council. The mission of the contest is to encourage
entrepreneurs in the creation, start-up and early-growth stages of
high-tech businesses in Wisconsin.
For their initial entries,
contestants will submit 250-word idea abstracts online at
www.govsbizplancontest.com. Contestants who advance to
subsequent contest rounds will have the opportunity to expand their
plan or idea. More than 60 judges drawn from the
finance, sales, marketing, research and specific technology sectors
will score the entries and provide feedback.
As with past contests, the 2009
competition will take place in three stages:
In the "Business Concepts" phase, which is open until Jan. 31, 2009 at
5 p.m., the contest will accept IDEA Abstracts on the web site. IDEA
abstracts are 250-word business concepts that will be graded on a scale
of 1-10 (10 highest) by our judges. The top 50 IDEA Abstract presenters
will be asked to write a Summary Business Plan.
In the "Summary Business Plan" phase, which runs from Feb. 23 to March
12, 2009, the top 50 IDEA Abstract presenters, plus ties, post their
1,000-word summaries online for comments by the judges. Contestants may
be encouraged to revise their plans based on judges' comments. The top
20 plan summaries are selected for the final round.
In the "Final Business Plan" phase, which runs from April 2 to April
27, 2009, the top 20 Summary Plan presenters, plus ties, prepare final
plans for judging. Limited comments and mentoring continues. Judges
will review the plans and pick three place winners in each category.
The four category winners will present at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs'
Conference, June 9-10 in Milwaukee; all prize winners will be announced
there.
Wisconsin Restaurant Expo
2009
-Our Expo is held March 9-11, when
food and beverage professionals are making menu changes.
-Meet members of other well-known
industry associations that will be meeting at the Expo and making
purchasing decisions for their businesses.
-Connect with F&B
executives that don't have time for the traditional sales call.
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