Make time for networking

I attended the Mega Mixer last night at Marriott that was hosted by 13 of the areas chambers. Not only did I make some good connections, but I was able to chat with people I have not seen in years. One consultant I saw was a client of mine 5 years ago after she left the corporate world to pursue a balanced life that included time for her family.

It has been a tough economy, but resilience pays off. Today's entrepreneur needs to be flexible, creative, resourceful and bounce back quickly. It was pleased to see so many familiar faces last night. Rochester really is a good place to do business.

If you haven't been out lately, take a look at our events calender on http://www.fingerlakes.natbic.org/ and find a networking event to attend. It is good to be seen!

Pathways to Entrepreneurial Success 2009

MCC is hosting a community resource forum for aspiring enterpreneurs and business owners. It will be held on Thursday, November 12th from 7:30 am-4:00 pm.

For more information, visit: www.entrepreneurshipforum.org or call 585.292.2008

There are many government resources available for small businesses in NY State. It can sometimes be difficult to wade through all the information that’s out there and determine which of these resources can be of value to your company. Last month, Governor Patterson released the New York State Directory of Small Business Programs. This directory is an interactive guide that will assist entrepreneurs in starting new businesses as well as provide valuable information for current small business owners. This directory is the first of its kind. To view this guide, click here.

Health Insurance Information for Small Business

As the national health care debate continues in Congress and health care costs continue to rise, now is the time for small and medium sized businesses to begin exploring options for their employees.

For information on this issue check out this great post from Daniel Kehrer on Health Insurance Basics for Small Business. In his article Daniel provides a simple overview of health care plan choices for small businesses, and also offers tips for controlling health care costs.

As the article points out, small group health insurance is regulated by the states. For information specific to our region, visit the Finger Lakes BIC.

Many local Chambers of Commerce also provide group health insurance as a benefit to their members. Find the chamber representing your town and contact them today for specific information.

Webinar about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Free Webinar
U.S. Department of the Interior Small Business/Recovery Act Webinar Invitation

Source of information provided by Rochester Procurement Technical Assistance Center

The U.S. Department of the Interior will be hosting ten American Recovery and Reinvestment Act webinars across the country during August for small and disadvantaged businesses interested in seeking contracts with the Department under the Recovery Act funding.

You are invited to attend a webinar which may be of interest to you as a potential business partner. Webinars are specific to each region of the Nation and you need to register to receive additional information.

A conference call number will also be available for the first 40 registrants of each location to allow a question and answer prior during the sessions. (Depending on the number of responses to this first round of webinars, the Department will determine if additional sessions are needed.)

Participants will receive an overview of the contracting process as it pertains to the funding
made available to the Department under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Background: The Department of the Interior has an important role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and has received $3 billion in Recovery Act funding for its bureaus and programs. Over $490 million has been appropriated to the Department of Transportation for Interior roads.

The Recovery Act funding will be used for projects in parks, refuges, and public lands throughout the Nation; to improve conditions in Indian Country; to strengthen the Department’s scientific infrastructure; and for water projects throughout the western states.

The Department’s geographically dispersed and field-based service delivery network will afford unprecedented opportunities to employ individuals in communities in all fifty states and the territories. Interior will be investing in nearly 3,400 projects.

Approximately one-third of Interior’s Recovery Act funding will be invested in water infrastructure construction projects. Another 30% will be invested in nearly 240 construction projects at Interior sites. 15% will be invested in over 1,500 deferred maintenance and energy retrofit projects. Another 9% will be invested in over 600 road and bridge maintenance projects.

Approximately 63 percent, or $1.89 billion, of Interior’s Recovery Act funding will be obligated via contracts. Nearly $420 million, or 14 percent, of Interior’s funding will be awarded via tribal agreements. Another $395 million, or 13 percent, will be obligated via cooperative agreements primarily in the areas of habitat and trail restoration. About $70 million dollars will be awarded via competitive grants to water and irrigation districts and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Webinars are scheduled as follows:
To attend a webinar:
1. Select webinar best suited for the region or state where your company does business from the list below.
2. Register to attend the webinar.
3.Once you’ve registered you’ll receive an email with further instructions on attending the webinar and calling in to the conference number.

Northeast August 26, 2009 4:30-5:30 PM EDTMaine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New YorkRegister Now! at https://usgs.webex.com/

Choose August 26 select Webinar: 4:30 pm DOI Small Business Webinar NorthEast
choose Register

For more information about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act opportunities with the Department, please contact the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at 1-877-375-9927 (Toll Free) or via email at DOI_OSDBU@ios.doi.gov.

Social Media 101: Part 5 Why

Why: The last in a five part series


Why do you want to use SM? What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve? If you see it as strictly free advertising and you plan to have only “commercials” people will eventually lose interest, so this is not a wise approach to take. They will be less interested in joining your network or following you if you are posting only sales pitches. However, if you provide useful, accurate information, relevant to the business community, they’ll keep coming back. You will begin to establish yourself as a subject matter expert. This will help you to gain credibility and trust, increasing the chances that a person will want to do business with you.

Additional Tips:
To save time posting a blog:

• Post an article that was written by someone else, just be sure to provide a link to the original article and give credit to the person wrote it. You can then give your commentary on the topic of the article or find a way to relate the information to local trends or challenges.
• Ask colleagues to be “guest bloggers” by writing articles for you to post, again giving them credit and adding their byline and link to their website. Using links is a good way to drive additional traffic to their site so it’s a good trade-off.
• Nick Francesco of http://www.asknick.com/ said, “A blog gets people’s attention and Twitter keeps it.” I think that’s a great analogy, consider using these two outlets together.

Other tidbits:

• Many SM outlets have useful technical features, functions, and gadgets. Don’t let these scare you. Start slowly with the basic functions and gradually build up to incorporating the more high-tech components.
• Be sure to incorporate SM in your overall marketing plan. Don’t make it just an after-thought. As part of your marketing plan, you will be more likely to actually using it and keep it in the forefront of your activities.
• If you plan to maintain your SM outlets yourself, put it on your schedule and be sure that you stick to that schedule. This will help you be more regular and disciplined about keeping things updated.

Social Media 101: Part 4 - When

When - This is the forth in a five part series.

First, determine how much time can be allocated to your SM presence. It is important that content is current and relevant. You should have a regular presence, meaning update your information on a regular basis. Nick Francesco of www.asknick.com says that by doing this, people will come to understand that you will be there, ready to share your knowledge, on a regular basis. People will begin to get more comfortable and familiar with you. The amount of time you can commit will help you determine which SM outlet you can begin with as some take more time to manage than others. A blog, for example, requires new content on a regular basis and the content is longer than what you would post to Twitter and other outlets. Tips on saving time will be shared with you as we compile them.

Will conclude this series with discussing why you want to use social media.

Social Media 101: Part 3 - Where

Where to post. This is the third in a five part series

Where: decide which outlets you would like to target. There are so many different SM outlets out there it would be difficult to have an immediate presence on all of them. Start with only one or two. Look at some of the different outlets, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook, etc. and decide which would best meet your needs. This can be based on audience: who subscribes or participants in this outlet. What are the demographics? Do some key word searches on the site and see what you get. It can also be determined by the overall focus and intent of the site. For example, in my opinion, FaceBook is focused more on personal networking, such as sharing pictures of your family, what’s on your mind, and other fun, personal activities. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is more business focused. However, your presence on a site is what you make of it and many people choose to use FaceBook for business. Take some time to explore each site to see where you would like to have a presence.

Stay tuned for part four, where we will discuss: When

Social Media 101 Part 2 - What

What - This is the second in a five part series:

What will your on-line presence look like? What is the main message you want a person to understand when visiting your online profiles? Do you want to give them information about a topic, show them your mission statement, tell them what you do, or all of the above? Your online presence should mirror that or your “bricks and mortar” brand. Think about what your online presence can say to get people to connect to you. If you’re using LinkedIn, what will make a networker want to connect to you? If you’re using Twitter, what can you say to make someone follow you? Take time in this step to be sure to send the right message, it’s important!

The next topic will address Where

Social Media 101 Part 1 Who

The use of Social Media in business seems to be growing everyday! There is so much information out there; it can be a little overwhelming for those new to it or those who are just getting started.

This is the begining of a series written by Christina Bakewicz after attending WhizBang's event on Social Media at Artian Works:

As a newbie to SM myself, I recently attended a very informative seminar on the topic, in hopes of getting educated on the topic. The Social Media Means Business seminar was hosted by WhizBang! Web Solutions LLC and Sales Sense Solutions, Inc. A very knowledgeable group of individuals with various areas of expertise presented information on this topic. From that seminar, and some independent reading and research, here is what I've gleaned regarding how to get started.

Develop a social media marketing plan. When getting into social media, it is important that you maintain brand consistency. Build on the reputation that you have already established. Your on-line presence should mirror that of your “brick and mortar” presence. Use the same logo and tagline so that people will understand that you are the same company. Having a SM presence is a way to build on what you have already accomplished.

Decide: who, what, where, when, and why.
Who: who will be responsible for building your SM presence? Will you do it yourself, assign someone in your company, or will you hire an outside company to do it? When deciding on who will take on this responsibility, keep in mind that this is a dynamic environment and updates should be posted regularly. Be sure to choose a person who can commit the time to keeping information updated.

Stay tuned as Christina addresses what, where, when and why in regards to Social Media

So Much Talent, So Little Time, part 4

Move resumes onto the next step in the application process quickly. We all know that today it is common to receive hundreds of resumes for each opening you have posted. Quickly scan the resume, looking for key words, accomplishments and skills, to see if there is a good match. If it's not an appropriate fit, file it appropriately and immediately. Make it a rule to handle the resume once and only once. Get it off of your desk so that you don’t spend time looking at it multiple times. If you know you will not contact that person for an interview then there is no point in keeping it where you will have to review it again. File it or send it to someone else who might be interested in talking to that person.

Talent is abundant in our region! This is a great thing, but it can also make the hiring process more difficult. When you can speed up that process, everyone benefits. The result is you spend your precious time finding a terrific candidate who joins your company that much sooner.

So Much Talent, So Little Time: part three

Use a Placement Agency. There are many benefits to using a placement firm for recruitment. Many firms will screen candidates before referring them to you. This can greatly reduce the administrative tasks associated with recruitment. By having a placement firm as the first point of contact for an applicant, you will review fewer resumes. Of those submitted, the resumes will be an appropriate match to your company’s needs. In many cases, the new hire is on the placement firm’s payroll for a period of time, meaning a fee is paid to the firm during that time. For a list of some of the placement firms in the Greater Rochester Area, please click here. There is also the option of paying a fee to have your job advertised and applicants pre-screened by a professional in the staffing industry. In this case, you will receive advice with recommendations on which candidates seem like the best fit for your needs. This saves you valuable time avoiding looking at resumes that are not qualified for the position. One local company that offers this service is Smart Start Hiring System.

If you plan to use a placement agency to find candidates, clear communication and solid relationships are very important. In order to get the best fit possible, be clear on exactly what you are looking for in a candidate. Talk to them about the skill set you need as well as what the culture of your company is like. This will help them make accurate recommendations that are more in-line with your needs. This process will get easier as you build a relationship with the agencies.

So Much Talent, So Little Time: part two

Use your local One-Stop. Located within your local One-Stop are representatives from different service providing agencies. These agencies work together with One-Stop staff to provide seamless workforce services to both job seekers and businesses. RochesterWorks is the One-Stop center for Monroe County.

The Business Services department of a One-Stop center can act as an extension of your Human Resource department. They can save you time and money. While services vary by center, some of these include: posting job opportunities, screening resumes, pre-employment assessments, making job-match referrals, scheduling interviews, hosting recruitment events and even help with training.

Most of the services provided by One-Stops are at no cost. These centers see job candiates of all backgrounds and skills levels. They have resources to help you recruit and train the workforce you need and are a wonderful source of information for both businesses and job seekers. To find a local One-Stop near you, visit: The Career One-Stop.

So Much Talent, So Little Time!

Increased levels of unemployment, an experiencedand educated workforce, and quick access to job postings are creating a surge in the number of highly qualified individuals who are applying for job opportunities. The task of sorting through resumes, interviewing candidates, and making the right hiring decision may seem an unmanageable task. There are tools you can use to speed up the process.

Here is the first in a series of tips aimed at helping save time in your recruitment and hiring process:

Use assessments. By implementing assessments in your recruitment process, you can quickly and effectively ensure that a potential candidate has the skills and aptitude your company needs. This will also help you to weed-out those who would not be successful. Assessments help you do this in a fair and objective manner.
Save time, because you will know immediately if an individual has the skills you need. If they don’t, you can stop the process and focus on the next candidate. There are hundreds, if not thousands of pre-employment assessments available. Ideally you will want to use one that measures aptitude, competency and personality.
The WorkKeys System, measures a person’s trainability or aptitude. This assessment provides insight into whether or not an applicant has the aptitude to learn the job to be successful.
ProveIt is an online assessment that will determine the level of competency a candidate possesses within a job function. It should support the skills represented on their resume.
There are many pre-hire personality assessments available. These give you insight into a candidate’s job fit, attitude toward work, behavior, and more. The key to successfully utilizing assessments is choosing the appropriate one for both the position and corporate culture. There are companies that specialize in pre-employment assessments and they can guide you in finding those that address your company’s needs. You can do a simple Google search for more information on which assessments and tests are available.

Upcoming Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!

We will be posting a series this week with tips to simplify navigating through the hiring process. Follow our Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!

Maintaining a Positive Attitude When Business is Slow

How do you keep your chin up in a sluggish economy? The most successful entrepreneurs are resilient. They bounce back from a number of set backs that were unexpected and at times unavoidable. Being resilient means not letting what is happening distract you from your plan. Business has its ups and downs, but you must stay up if you are going to ride out the down times. Here are some tips to help you maintain a positive mindset in challenging times.

Get inspired!
Don’t let the world’s view depress you, find a mentor or role model that has a success story. Reaching out to someone who has picked themselves up and succeeded in spite of a challenge is the best way to be inspired. Read books like John C. Maxwell’s, Failing Forward ( http://www.johnmaxwell.com/) or Turning Points, by Randy Schuster (http://www.randychuster.com/). You can also listen to audio books by successful business leaders who motivate you.

Focus on the big picture.
Never underestimate the power of focus; it will help you rise above obstacles. When you lose sight of the big picture, the day to day distractions can sidetrack you. In your mind, create a vivid and exciting image of your successful business and focus on it daily for five minutes.

Surround yourself with uplifting people.
The topic of most conversations is how bad things are going and predicting how much worse it could get. Limit the amount of time you spend talking to people who are focused on doom and gloom. If you spend too much time around depressing people, you are going to be drained before you start the day. Spend your precious time with people who share your vision. http://www.linkedin.com/ is a good place to stay in touch with people.

Know your target market and what they need.
Be clear on your niche and what the trends are within your target market. You may need to redefine success, this is a historical event. Your target markets needs may be changing, take notice of these changes and be willing to respond quickly. You can find information about market research at: http://fingerlakes.natbic.org/index.php?id=15166&lang=en.

Create multiple sources of revenue.
The market is changing. Today’s successful business offers a number of products and services. Collectively all of the revenue streams create a profit. Look at your business structure, ask mentors for advice and notice what people are spending their money on. Is there an unmet need that you can fill serving your target market without any additional investment? For example, if you have a tax preparation business, perhaps some of your customers use QuickBooks. You could teach a class on using QuickBooks, charge a consulting fee to set it up for a small business or become a reseller of the product.

Have a back up plan.
In a perfect world, life happens exactly as we planned. We all know that isn’t the way things really are. If your current business offering is not going to generate the amount of money needed for expenses, have a plan B. Be proactive. Smart people have a plan A, plan B and a plan C.

Expect good things, get inspired, spend your time with optimistic people and have a back up plan. You are resilient! Remember that and let your entrepreneurial spirit guide you through even the toughest of times.

Finger Lakes BIC Team: Building a Nation of Entrepreneurs