2008 Economic Stimulus Package

What is the stimulus package and how can it benefit your company?

The U.S. Small Business Administration has a new online resource center which connects entrepreneurs with tax management tools and strategies to maximize savings from the 2008 Economic Stimulus Package. Click here to learn how to take advantage of this package.

 

Small Businesses, which thrive around our area, need many resources to compete with the larger sized competitors in our local, national and global marketplace.

You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
 
Someone told me recently that they didn't need to write a business plan because they had their plan in their head. My response to them was that the shortcoming with this approach was two-fold. First, if their plan was in their head and they wanted help with their business, all I could see was the "cover." Without a written plan to evaluate, it would be difficult for someone to be able to fully assess their needs.

The second reason is even more compelling. Most people who keep their plan "in their head" and not on paper usually only have that one plan: Plan A. But what if Plan A doesn't work out? Absent a Plan B and C, aka "contingency plans," you may find yourself having to make hasty decisions if your primary plan fails to materialize. Very often, these plans made under duress do not embody your clearest thinking. The written plan allows you the freedom to make your Plans B and C at a time when you are not facing a potential business crisis. By having a predetermined path to follow you can significantly increase your chances of success.

The Asheville SCORE seminar, "Your Business Plan," will walk you, step-by-step, through the process of building a plan that will help you to clearly see your way through potential problems. The seminar will be held on Saturday, April 12th from 8:30 until noon in Room 128 of the Haynes Conference Center on the AB Tech Enka Campus. Registration and refreshments will start at 8:00. More information can be found on the SCORE web site:  http://www.ashevillescore.org/businessplan.htm

We hope to see you there,
Don Sinclair
Vice Chairman

PS Here's a recent job posting that might be of interest to some of you:

The nonprofit Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN) seeks a part-time,
experienced bookkeeper with the ability to multi-task and work

MARKETING IDEAS and CONCEPTS

THE 2008 BUSINESS GROWTH SERIES

The Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Small Business Center at BRCC, has launched a new complimentary program to support local business growth in 2008. The program is called "The 2008 Business Growth Series".  The series is being held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Chamber through the month of June. The growth series will cover practical proven strategies that a business owner or manager can take back to their business the same day to increase sales, better market their business, improve customer service, and cost effective ways to recruit and keep the right employees.  

The March 26th topics are as follows:

• 8:30 AM   - World Class Sales Strategies for a Small Business
• 9:30 AM   - Six Low Cost Marketing Strategies for 2008
• 10:30 AM - How to Find the Best Employees in Henderson County

11:30 AM - Seven Proven Customer Service Strategies

To learn more about this program or to register, please contact the Chamber of Commerce at (828) 692-1413 or chamber@hendersoncountychamber.org.

New Data Research Portal Offers Up Advocacy

There's a new neat little site you might want to bookmark.
One of the biggest small-business organizations has launched a new research portal that advocates and offers up support for today's SMB shops.

The National Federation of Independent Business, whose mission is to promote and protect the right of businesses to operate and grow, just launched 411smallbusinessfacts.com. The site pulls together all the data from the group’s research foundation.

The NFIB hopes the information will help small business owners understand what others their size are doing to cope with a variety of issues. The site will also provide data to support advocacy issues.

For example, type in 'marketing' in the search box and a poll result shows that SMBs spend the majority of their day focused on operations compared to other issues such as planning strategy and personnel issues.

SBA Loan Information Day at the Chamber

Learn About "Small Business Loans: Fundamental and Options"

Friday, June 20th ♦ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Henderson County Chamber of Commerce 330 N. King Street, Hendersonville    Find out what it takes to produce a bankable loan proposal. Learn about the Five Cs of Credit and how a lender views these elements of a business credit application. Discover the importance of business plans and financials and how they fit into a lender's credit decision-making process. Find out what financial assistance is available through the U.S. Small Business Administration, including the popular SBA Community Express Loan Program, providing loans up to $250,000 with minimal paperwork.    Seminar will be conducted by Michael P. Arriola with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Asheville.    RSVP to the Chamber at 828.692.1413 or chamber@hendersoncountychamber.org.  SBA Day is held the third Friday of each month at the Chamber of Commerce.