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Western
Dairyland Business Center
February 2009
Newsletter
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For the month of February, we have a
lot of events packed into a short amount of time! And, a lot
of changes!
On February 12, the Women's Business
Network will hold its first meeting at its new day and time -- 2nd
Thursday of the month, noon-1pm.
Also on February 12, the Jackson
County I&E Club will hold its first meeting at its new location
-- the Black River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, 6:30pm.
On February 19, the
Buffalo/Trempealeau County I&E Club will hold its first meeting
at its new location -- the Western Dairyland Annex Building in
Independence, 6:30pm.
On February 25, in honor of National
Entrepreneurship Week, consider attending our "7 Steps to Starting a
Business" class, 2-5pm.
And, of course, I would be remiss if
I did not mention our biggest event of the year -- Online registration
is now open for the 6th annual Women's Business Conference!
For more information on any of these
events and more, continue reading below or feel free to contact me
directly at kbriggs@westerndairyland.org.
Sincerely,
Karman Briggs
Business Center Manager
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 Online
Registration for the 2009 Conference is
now open!
Don't miss out on the
fun! Attend the 6th Annual Women's Business
Conference and register online today.
*Early
Bird registration until April 1st.*
https://womensbusinessconference.u2-web.com/registration.html
Early bird rate = $39.
The event targets women entrepreneurs who are
starting, expanding, and/or working to improve their businesses.
There is still room for sponsors and/or
exhibitors!!!
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 Free
Women's Business Networking Meeting
Meetings Now
Held on the
2nd
Thursday of the month!
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 are free and open to the
public. Bring your own lunch and plenty of business cards
to share!
March 12, 2009:
"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? The 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
Wednesday, February 25, from 2 to 5 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 and class materials are included.
Scholarships are available for eligible individuals
For more information or to register, go to
www.SuccessfulBusiness.org or call 715/836-7511, ext.
174.
SPACE IS LIMITED, registration and payment must be received by Monday,
February 23. Arrangements for persons with special needs will
be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
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The next Jackson
County I&E Club meeting is Thursday, February 12 at our
new location at
the Black River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce at 120 N. Water St.,
Black River Falls. Meetings will continue to be held on the second
Thursday of each month at 6:30pm. This month's topic is
Internet Marketing strategies and trends. Attendees are
encouraged to bring both questions and suggestions for what
has worked or not worked for your
particular business and industry.
The next Buffalo/Trempealeau
County I&E Club meeting is Thursday, February 19th at
our new location at
the Western Dairyland Annex Building located at 23122
Whitehall Road, Independence. Meetings will continue to be
held at 6:30pm on the third Thursday of each month.
This month's topic is Website Basics. Attendees will
learn how to establish a presence on the Internet, from reserving a
domain name to finding a Web host. An online presence is
important for every business, however, for many start-up's, hiring a
professional is not an option. If you have more time than
money, you can easily establish the building blocks yourself
to build a basic Website for your business.
These two clubs are FREE
to attend and open to anyone in Western Wisconsin who would
like to learn from experienced professionals and discuss their ideas
with other local inventors and entrepreneurs.
 Network with other I&E Club
members outside of the monthly I&E meetings through our NEW
online LinkedIn Discussion Group! To join, click here and you will then be
directly connected with other I&E Club members and
supporters. Looking for a prototype manufacturer?
Need help with some marketing? Feel free to initiate
discussions or simply post to ongoing discussions.
For
more information on either I & E Club call: Karman
Briggs at 800-782-1063 or 715-836-7511, ext. 174 You can also email
IandE@WesternDairyland.org
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News and Events
WSPE's
38th Annual Event "2009 Governor's New Product Award" applications are
due February 16, 2009.
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.
Click below to access application:
http://www.wspe.org/docs/2009GNPACallForEntries.pdf
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SPEECHCRAFT-Presented
by Chippewa Valley Toastmasters
Did you know that the most
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Regardless of what your job is,
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speaking abilities by joining SPEECHCRAFT.
What is SPEECHCRAFT?
- A program to help you develop your
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- Experienced Toastmasters present
the fundamentals of public speaking
- You will learn through practice to
speak in enjoyable and non-threatening atmosphere
Increases Performances in:
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- Interviewing for jobs
- Selling ideas or products
- Solving problems
This is a SIX WEEK session held every
Thursday for only $25.
For more information visit:
www.toastmasters.org
The Six Week
Session starts February 19th.
You can also
contact Robert Wall at 715-855-0189
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Wisconsin
Restaurant Expo 2009
-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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