tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53850861126745579132024-03-05T19:24:36.875-06:00Economic Development Partnerships and ProgressEconomic Development efforts in rural areas works in many different capacities. The BCEDC works to not only to help maintain and grow current industrial and commercial business, but also to attract new business to Buchanan County, Iowa. To meet the objective, relationships and efforts must be focused on small business, plus work force and community development. This Blog will feature news, comments and visions for growing the wealth of our county community in the Cedar Valley Region of Iowa.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14229454093862675515noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-87049015942133317702017-10-11T12:37:00.001-05:002017-10-11T12:37:33.861-05:00Manufacturing Tours and Fair!October is Manufacturing month and this week is Manufacturing week in Buchanan County! There are a number of manufacturing tours going on with the Career Fair happening TODAY at 3:30.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSSYzFeeBNGhDkhvS6XLtPZhHEXxnXA_xhxMLWGB-9HMpYOkT0FohyphenhyphenxaK7UESjPyZSB1rhy903LJP_HcBOd7YyWaemvQmjKdGELc7ghSsX_RCXoGyXF4UcAQpGpgVgBHmIDeSpGKmOL8/s1600/poster+capture+for+Facebook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="892" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSSYzFeeBNGhDkhvS6XLtPZhHEXxnXA_xhxMLWGB-9HMpYOkT0FohyphenhyphenxaK7UESjPyZSB1rhy903LJP_HcBOd7YyWaemvQmjKdGELc7ghSsX_RCXoGyXF4UcAQpGpgVgBHmIDeSpGKmOL8/s320/poster+capture+for+Facebook.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14229454093862675515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-56298186948277689872017-09-12T13:22:00.000-05:002017-09-12T13:22:42.452-05:00Housing Needs StudyThe Communities of Buchanan County recently had their last housing needs assessment meeting to help determine what direction the county needs to go in as far as housing is concerned. In October the final results of this hard work will be published. Though we are waiting for confirmation, there is a strong belief in the county that additional housing is needed in most communities. It is believed that this anecdotal belief will be backed up with stats and figures. Keep an eye on this sight, our Facebook page and website for the completed study in October and what steps our communities are looking to take.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14229454093862675515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-4994560644902372312017-09-05T14:52:00.002-05:002017-09-05T14:52:54.294-05:00We're Back!Welcome Back to the Buchanan County Economic Development Blog! I am Lisa Kremer and as the new Communication Manager of Buchanan County Economic Development I plan to bring this blog back to life! I hope to be able to add interesting articles on Economic Development as well as articles and events specific to Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley Region. Since I am working part-time I will be posting as often as I can with the help of George Lake, the BCEDC Director.<br />
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One of the first things I want to let you know about is our Lunch and Learn which will be held on Thursday September 28th at the American Legion Hall in Independence. It will start at 11:45 sharp with a great meal and our featured speaker is Dr. Mel Gonnerman Jr. who is the Director of Industrial and Organization Services at The Peerman Group. You will learn new strategies and get new ideas on Creating a Positive Company Culture and as a bonus we will have you out of there before one so you can get back to your office and maybe even implement some of the things you've learned! There is a registration cost for non-investment members of the BCEDC and you can sign up on our website <a href="http://www.growbuchanan.com/lunch-learn-com/" target="_blank">GrowBuchanan</a> or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/169768440239408/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A3%2C%22source_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22[%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22newsfeed%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22feed_story%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A[]%7D]%22%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D&source=3&source_newsfeed_story_type=regular&action_history=[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22feed_story%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A[]%7D]&has_source=1&hc_ref=ARQZWlDt-LwKTYhMusZx4mueorZ12oB_GnlQbBvCLthqZLw6_7gLScftcy1_3zgtXlU" target="_blank">Facebook </a>Page.<br />
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Watch for more post in the future and be sure to check out our website and Facebook page as well!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14229454093862675515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-88962528189095510982014-02-28T13:55:00.002-06:002014-02-28T13:58:20.667-06:002013 BCEDC Annual Report: Nurturing a #NewEra<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instilling Opportunities from economic developments efforts in 2012 led Buchanan County Economic Development to steward the cultivating efforts for growth opportunities in Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley Region. For 2013 the key efforts in Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley had great opportunity </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zAQI7n8la_qZMRqHGIDdBlSyxM63mzhY-IDRW8MoXTMDlP1Bv56afTYMLHoAowyw-6aLaJla_exjWpbcIWXbkPc5wqOBoCrGIggwMMv2RLP3QBDmmYLTIbyyjwW7WNo7Cvk5PQMPNx0/s1600/2013annlreportimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zAQI7n8la_qZMRqHGIDdBlSyxM63mzhY-IDRW8MoXTMDlP1Bv56afTYMLHoAowyw-6aLaJla_exjWpbcIWXbkPc5wqOBoCrGIggwMMv2RLP3QBDmmYLTIbyyjwW7WNo7Cvk5PQMPNx0/s1600/2013annlreportimage.jpg" height="400" width="387" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for growth with advances relating to educating the current and future workforce. This was seen primarily with the opening of the new Independence Junior/ Senior High School and expansion of school facilities in Jesup. Local school districts explored and implemented efforts to better connect students with local business </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">leaders and the cultivation of 21st Century/ Soft Skills into their curriculum efforts. Skilled Iowa efforts have also taken hold in Buchanan County as one of the leaders in the region when it comes to member businesses supporting the statewide effort. On a political level changes took place on local boards of education, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and most pounced was great change in elected city leadership across the county, especially in Independence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A new era was nurtured in 2013 that should ignite more growth in 2014. A monumental collaborative effort to bring Community Main Street to the county seat created great momentum to reignite the downtown district in Independence. Jesup also moved forward in the construction of an assisted living complex that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">should open up single family homes that will nurture growth in that community. While a family owned company in Winthrop purchased the closed plastics plant and reinvested in the facility to offer much needed warehouse and office space to the county area. The BCEDC also strengthened collaborative partnerships </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the Cedar Valley Region and created new ones with other neighboring communities on US Highway 20. The joint efforts inside OFFICE 112 grew over the last year with combined efforts in business and community promotion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nurturing a #NewEra in Buchanan County had its challenges, however team work and cooperation played important roles to lead the community into a progressive time in Buchanan County </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the Cedar Valley Region.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14678903/BCED-2013-Annual%20Report-web.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read the full annual report</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-31682881803717777492013-10-28T11:40:00.004-05:002013-10-28T11:40:53.237-05:00Clayberg Honored on Courier's 20 Under 40 List for 2013Buchanan County Economic Development Director Nate Clayberg was one of 20 young professionals in the Cedar Valley featured in the November 2013 issue of the Cedar Valley Business Monthly. This month's issue honors the 20 young community leaders in the Cedar Valley for the Courier Newspaper's 20 Under 40 list for 2013.<br />
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<a href="http://www.growbuchanan.com/Public/Page/Files/69_wcf%2020u40%20102813.pdf" target="_blank">Download the Jim Offner article about Clayberg's profile</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-77227514260716952782013-10-14T09:34:00.001-05:002013-10-14T09:34:52.919-05:00A Modern Economic Development Challenge: Bailing Boomers<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>This article was published in the 2013 Independence Bulletin Journal Progress Issue, September 1013</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last few years, as we
have come out of the Great Recession, politicians and the media have said that
the answer to aid economic recovery is Job Creation. Higher unemployment and slow business and
consumer spending fuel this theory. Buchanan County as a whole has come through
this period very well compared to other parts of the state and country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The unemployment rate for
Buchanan County in July 2013 was down to 4.5% (Cedar Valley 4.7%, Iowa 4.8%, US
7.4%) compared to 4.7% in July 2012 (Cedar Valley 5.3%, Iowa 5.1%, US 8.2%). We
have seen “job creation” take effect in our county with local manufacturers,
healthcare organizations, plus service and retail businesses adding to their
staffs. Local and regional companies are
continually looking to hire more employees, and effort has helped drop this
number that is watched closely by politicians and Wall Street. However, we have also seen some layoffs and
business closings in our region from some larger employers as well. These
reductions however have been seen as a positive for Cedar Valley employers
eager to hire skilled workers for their companies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The unemployment statistics show
that there is improvement in employment over the last year, but those numbers
do not tell the entire story. A portion of the drop in unemployment has been
caused by individuals no longer seeking employment. These are people that lose unemployment
benefits and are no longer seeking a job, but this group of people also
includes workers leaving their jobs for retirement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our country is about two years
into the beginning of the era of 78-million of our skilled workers leaving for life
after 40+ years of working. To use a term
from economic development author Mark Lautman, “the Boomers are Bailing.” The Baby Boom generation, workers that were
born between 1946 and 1964, have or are seeing retirement on the horizon and
are making arrangements to sail off in the sunset, and for the next 16+ years
we will see that generation make a steady path towards the point in their life
were they can cash in on their pensions, 401k and Social Security
Benefits. That is if they planned
effectively enough financially.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This problem will be slowed as we
see retirees working well past 65 for various reasons, and the influx of
immigrant labor coming into our labor force.
But the higher skilled positions held by Baby Boomers will be
challenging to fill as the pool of skilled labor is projected to deteriorate in
the future. In many cases it already has.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdhuSiJm3wkdMgYbO8l_aa9VCGVIEe_MAgMY9-4BVELWUS0das0gZ6OHH1S3h0T6bW6FNnv0IIvaXhTSC6n0fhAWrDq82zMFYxojc9N8CNDKl-vmxfcSqgz3UYppmuHyZX1eTzHclbA8/s1600/inverted+labor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdhuSiJm3wkdMgYbO8l_aa9VCGVIEe_MAgMY9-4BVELWUS0das0gZ6OHH1S3h0T6bW6FNnv0IIvaXhTSC6n0fhAWrDq82zMFYxojc9N8CNDKl-vmxfcSqgz3UYppmuHyZX1eTzHclbA8/s400/inverted+labor.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: <i>When the Boomers Bail</i> (Mark Lautman)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do not want to paint the
picture of the sky falling in our economy since the Bulletin Journal’s annual
progress issue is an opportunity to promote the growth of business in the
Independence area, and there are certainly a number of projects that will help
grow our county seat. We have seen expansion
projects completed at Geater Machining and Manufacturing and Wapsie Valley
Creamery, enhancements to a number of local retail buildings and the completion
of the new Independence Junior/ Senior High School. This new building is by far
the greatest economic development retention and attraction asset created by
this community in many years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only are the new school facilities
in Independence state of the art, but the curriculum that is being designed for
that new facility will be a great tool in giving our local community the answer
to “What will the Independence community do when the Boomers Bail?” To help solve the problem of having a declining
labor pool in a steady (or growing) population, local schools and colleges will
play heavy into having a solution to this problem over the next decade. The new school building will attract new
families to live in the district, and the efforts of the school administration
will enhance that attraction with quality education that will create the next
generation of workers. These will need to be workers that will come out their
education in high school and college ready to fill jobs vacated by the Boomers
in our local economy. Another challenge will be to attract those new workers to
stay or come back to Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley to work or start a
business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what can you do to help this
problem?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a little too late, and
inappropriate, to ask everyone to have
more children to help fill the gap since those children that are currently in
pre-school will be the ones looking to replace the “late” boomers that are
right now pushing 50 years of age. This
is how far that gap will be in the next 15-17 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The labor gap was created by
parents of the Boomers, and now it needs to be remedied by those Boomers and
their adult children (Gen Xers) to support enhanced soft skill
development. The skills that are needed
in a quality work ethic. The skills of
motivation, dependability, communication, time management, teamwork,
trustworthiness and leadership are very important in developing workers to fill
the jobs in all industries that are coming open and will grow in the
future. Some of these skills can be
nurtured in our schools, but they originate in the home with families nurturing
the future success of their children as contributing members of society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuivcxAcbD8s9yppqE7Id3GgDcGkXGmExFDxhPFNRZFBHExEeJ9dtAf73UaHs_wI39VZhn_9JCU1YPMj1ADaEe3NtWD7H1b4dYFKkqjp_wV-v26mybocWRaCNCs-oqZI73AdPyJTTxtE/s1600/inverted+dependency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuivcxAcbD8s9yppqE7Id3GgDcGkXGmExFDxhPFNRZFBHExEeJ9dtAf73UaHs_wI39VZhn_9JCU1YPMj1ADaEe3NtWD7H1b4dYFKkqjp_wV-v26mybocWRaCNCs-oqZI73AdPyJTTxtE/s400/inverted+dependency.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: <i>When the Boomers Bail</i> (Mark Lautman)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So bottom line, inspire young
people to educate themselves for quality jobs. Encourage those that are able to
work, but aren’t, to get back in the labor force or seek education that makes
that possible. And if you are a grandparent,
or parent, that would love to see your family members that live far from the
Cedar Valley come back home to live, work and play – tell them about the
companies that are hiring in our region and show them the progress that is
taking place in this community to grow a quality of life in Cedar Valley Region
of Iowa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visit these websites for more
information:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.growbuchanan.com/">www.growbuchanan.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.indycommerce.com/">www.indycommerce.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.cedarvalleylife.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.cedarvalleylife.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Independence, IA 50644, USA42.4685995 -91.88914360000001142.0938425 -92.534590600000016 42.843356500000006 -91.2436966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-19724206871314655072013-04-01T11:53:00.000-05:002013-04-01T11:53:08.311-05:00Clayberg Graduates from Economic Development Institute<br />
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<a href="http://www.pdiowa.com/pdi-blog/posts/2013/april-1,-2013/nate-clayberg-graduates-from-ou-edi/" style="color: #6c6c6c; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Nate Clayberg Graduates from OU EDI">Nate Clayberg Graduates from OU EDI</a></h2>
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Monday April 1, 2013</h3>
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Nate Clayberg, Executive Director for Buchanan County Economic Development, recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute on March 14, 2013 at the OU/EDI spring session held in Norman, Oklahoma. <span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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<img alt="Nate Clayberg 100 Wide" height="140" src="http://www.pdiowa.com/media/19883/nate_clayberg_100_wide.png" style="border: 0px; float: right; vertical-align: middle;" width="100" />OU/EDI is an intensive week long, three-tier program, which provides a broad spectrum of advanced education for the economic development professional.</div>
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OU/EDI Dean LaDene Bowen said, "As the premier organization dedicated to training economic development professionals, I am very pleased with this year's graduates. They represent some of the finest economic development practitioners in the U.S. working to support their local communities. My congratulations to them."<span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">OU/EDI classes focus on three major core areas</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">including: Business Retention and Expansion,<br /><img alt="Grow Buchanan Logo" height="74" src="http://www.pdiowa.com/media/19888/grow_buchanan_logo_165x74.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: right; vertical-align: middle;" width="165" />Real Estate, and Finance, as well as areas of concentration in Marketing, Strategic Planning, Entrepreneurship, and Managing Economic Development Organizations. Students complete 117 hours of instruction with curriculum selected from more than fifty seminars, workshops and discussion groups.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Commencing in 1962, OU EDI is celebrating its 51st year of service to the professional economic development community. Fully accredited by the International Economic Development Council, the program has trained over </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">3,500 graduates and remains the world's leading economic development teacher.</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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Clayberg will next pursue his professional certification in economic development from the International Economic Development Council. To contact Buchanan County Economic Development call 319-334-7497, email <a href="mailto:nate.clayberg@growbuchanan.com" style="color: #7c7c7c;">nate.clayberg@growbuchanan.com</a> or visit <a href="http://www.growbuchanan.com/" style="color: #7c7c7c;">www.growbuchanan.com</a> to see how your local economic development organization can assist your business. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-15086681046601055712013-02-27T15:09:00.000-06:002013-03-04T11:26:10.009-06:00<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">2012 BCEDc Annual Report: Instilling Opportunities</span></u></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xLVl8FDf9tZ7fj0WBCnwHszHRv1IYSHBIeHeD2Iu4r6M4sktiQbySbjKt7_luZvnPb2e7Pg25Zdfu5FCaSmxdxKhPz3ZUFlbKYgarGwGn01xNwgTswORNHcyDwj1gvRR_BQMvuBWgIU/s1600/BCED-2012-annual+report+cover-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xLVl8FDf9tZ7fj0WBCnwHszHRv1IYSHBIeHeD2Iu4r6M4sktiQbySbjKt7_luZvnPb2e7Pg25Zdfu5FCaSmxdxKhPz3ZUFlbKYgarGwGn01xNwgTswORNHcyDwj1gvRR_BQMvuBWgIU/s400/BCED-2012-annual+report+cover-01.jpg" width="308" /></a>The economy of Buchanan County, Iowa continues to grow from the Great Recession of a just a few years ago with higher employment, retail sales and taxable valuations. Buchanan County Economic Development, is proud to see the incremental growth in key data figures, but also has enjoyed working with the local companies like Geater Machining and Manufacturing, Wapsie Valley Creamery, L&M Radiator and Flint Hills Resources, as they continue to grow their operations in Buchanan County in 2012.<br />
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In 2011 the BCEDc took direction to Align for Growth of the Future of Buchanan County in the Cedar Valley Region by building relationships with key stakeholders in order to identify local and regional essentials to help promote economic growth. In 2012, the efforts of this organization took the next step to instill concepts that will look to develop roots for opportunities in 2013. Buchanan County Economic Development spent considerable time this past year examining and nurturing the infrastructure that is necessary for seeding growth in any community. Areas of work included Organizational Strategy, Sustained Local and Regional Collaboration, Workforce Development and Attraction, Small Business Development and Finance, Property Redevelopment and the Formation of Industrial and Commercial Development Concepts.<br />
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The BCEDc will again evaluate its objectives based on the work they can control, the impact their work is intended to achieve and how the innovations and leadership they display in their communities influences change in Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley Region. To Instill Opportunities for the county and region they will continue to strengthen their relationships in the communities as well as the collaborative Partnerships with Office 112 and the Cedar Valley Regional Partnerships.<br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/XTPd7Z" target="_blank">See the full 2012 Annual Report for Buchanan County Economic Development</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-73555651396129770992012-09-10T07:45:00.001-05:002012-09-10T08:06:23.287-05:00Buchanan County Job Fair: Thurs. Sept. 13, 2012<br />
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<a href="http://www.growbuchanan.com/Public/Employment-Opportunities" target="_blank">Buchanan County Economic Development</a>, with partnership from <a href="http://careerpros.com/jobs-3/buchanan-county-multiple-employers-job-fair-thursday-september-13th-2012-independence-ia-2pm-6pm/" target="_blank">Sedona Staffing</a>'s Independence office, will be hosting the <b><span style="color: #38761d;">2012 Fall Buchanan County Job Fair</span></b> on <b>Thursday, September 13 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Henderson Events Center</b> at <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2320+Iowa+Avenue+in+Independence,+Iowa.&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87e52ea8009166bb:0x752c2d8ce05a07aa,2320+Iowa+Ave,+Independence,+IA+50644&gl=us&ei=yOBNUIiiOMPI2gWyyICICg&ved=0CCEQ8gEwAA" target="_blank">2320 Iowa Avenue in Independence, Iowa.</a></div>
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This event is free to all potential employment applicants. Job opportunities include, but are not limited to: </div>
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<li>Full Time, Part Time, To Hire, Temporary, Direct Hires</li>
<li>1st, 2nd, & 3rd shifts available, 8-12 hours shifts</li>
<li>Machinist</li>
<li>CNC Operators</li>
<li>Production</li>
<li>Industrial Painters</li>
<li>Assemblers</li>
<li>Engineers</li>
<li>HR Generalist</li>
<li>Fabricators</li>
<li>Clerical / Administrative</li>
<li>Maintenance</li>
<li>Warehouse</li>
<li>….<strong> and MANY more!</strong></li>
<li>A variety of industries will be represented (Industrial, Manufacturing, Clerical, Professional)</li>
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What to expect: Speak one-on-one with local Buchanan County employers to discuss your potential next career path and opportunity. If possible, please bring a copy of resume & two forms of I.D. (Driver’s licenses ID & Social Security Card are the most commonly ones used.)</div>
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Event sponsored by Sedona Staffing Services <span style="text-align: center;">– Independence (319.332.1070)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Buchanan County Economic Development (319.334-7497)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-91092253404863168212012-03-07T14:42:00.001-06:002012-03-07T14:43:24.461-06:00Start Living Like The Main Character In Your Life Story - Rich Gee<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px; text-align: left;">Success takes initiative. This is a great blog entry about taking responsibility for your future like its the story of your life. In the current economic conditions, you are more likely to succeed in whatever you do if you take responsibility, not wait for someone else to help.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://richgee.com/2012/03/start-living-like-the-main-character-in-your-life-story/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+richgeeroup+%28Rich+Gee+Group%29" target="_blank">Read more</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-56994156047535601152012-03-06T15:31:00.000-06:002012-03-06T15:31:50.225-06:008 Qualities of Remarkable Employees - Jeff Haden<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a great article recently in Inc. magazine about the eight qualities of remarkable employees, this is modern day thinking. There are some of these that managers and leaders that live in the past could see as non compliant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">1. They ignore job descriptions.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">2. They’re eccentric...</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">3. But they know when to dial it back.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">4. They publicly praise...</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">5. And they privately complain.</b> </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. They speak when others won’t.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">7. They like to prove others wrong</b> </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. They’re always fiddling.</span></b><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/the-8-qualities-of-remarkable-employees.html?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=button" target="_blank">Read more></a></span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-48232014132738222032012-01-31T08:12:00.000-06:002012-01-31T08:12:25.263-06:00How Well Do You Know Your Team Members?Lee Cockerell led the cast at WDW for many years, ineptly in his career in hospitality he admittedly didn't treat his staff well. After much self reflection he changed his management style to focus on involment of staff is the decisionmaking process.<br />
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<a href="http://blog.leecockerell.com/?p=1140">See his recent blog post </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-76785450684044064492012-01-27T14:02:00.002-06:002012-01-27T14:04:11.809-06:00BCEDC 2011 Annual Report: Aligning for Growth of our Future<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGGZ5eFmE5ejhkJt2wFvAdZtCDBf0kwD45-yS0BZtMlxFLVOlFEyS4x4QqstHmvhdkbghYk03AyWCSODH8gYimVYIB88bno80hAvdG14CgxHHe_fbkETxintc24xsPw0bO6QIcsp9_xw/s1600/FY11+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGGZ5eFmE5ejhkJt2wFvAdZtCDBf0kwD45-yS0BZtMlxFLVOlFEyS4x4QqstHmvhdkbghYk03AyWCSODH8gYimVYIB88bno80hAvdG14CgxHHe_fbkETxintc24xsPw0bO6QIcsp9_xw/s320/FY11+Cover.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="252" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Buchanan County has come through upside of the Great Recession in pretty good fashion from one year ago. Many key statistics saw positive moves in 2011: lower unemployment, increased demand for workers, increased wages, retail sales are up, record high land values, increased school enrollments in many of our districts and higher deposits in our county financial institutions. However, the 2010 census caused many of our communities concern with drops in population, a trend that is being seen in much of rural Iowa. But the close proximately of several commerce centers like Cedar Rapids and Waterloo/ Cedar Falls has caused our area to not see the dramatic drops that many rural communities are experiencing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In the past year we have spent increased time with businesses and communities on economic development initiatives that are a result of growth in our area as we come out of the economic downturn. Local businesses are seeing increases in demand for their products and services, and most importantly are in need of quality workers to help grow their businesses into 2012. The economic environment has also given aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs ambition to start or grow their ventures as we see the interest in business counseling service increasing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">This next year businesses and citizens have an increased optimism, albeit cautious-optimism, for the building of wealth in our area as a result of successful economic development efforts. It will be the objective of Buchanan County Economic Development to provide important guidance to help make these efforts successful. We will need to align this organization for growth of our future by redeveloping strategic plans for partnership, businesses development and programming support for our investors and their constituents. We will look to evaluate this effort based on the work we can control, the impact our work is intended to achieve and how the innovations and leadership we display in our communities influences change in our area. As we align our organization, we will also collaborate with other organizations to align for future growth for Buchanan County and the Cedar Valley Region of Iowa.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://bit.ly/zm7K4h" target="_blank"><b>View the full 2011 BCEDC Annual Report</b></a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Buchanan, IA, USA42.4566006 -91.909923842.2827541 -92.1526483 42.630447100000005 -91.667199300000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-92170040382535077872012-01-17T15:22:00.000-06:002012-01-17T15:22:30.111-06:00Small Business Development Center to Offer Counseling in Independence<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNB4o_6C7ON1LnX5HwlvM8TvawnPROexcARNL8uaRPmewHmWi4Jp2mwV9QFeD1wLSaZMOooVLn-cUYoTQz7OecRoT_RG_QeVWkndT46krH6KFGvxkNCyRF10si4AFN4wd1D5uDDrrg63w/s1600/sbdcsmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNB4o_6C7ON1LnX5HwlvM8TvawnPROexcARNL8uaRPmewHmWi4Jp2mwV9QFeD1wLSaZMOooVLn-cUYoTQz7OecRoT_RG_QeVWkndT46krH6KFGvxkNCyRF10si4AFN4wd1D5uDDrrg63w/s1600/sbdcsmaller.jpg" /></a>On <strong>Wednesday, January 25</strong>, Office 112: Center for Commerce and Economic Development, will begin hosting a representative from the Small Business Development Center for one-on-one counseling for local entrepreneurs and business leaders. <em> Dan Beenken, Director of the SBDC at the University of Northern Iowa’s Regional Business Center</em>, will offer counseling the fourth Wednesday of the month in the Office 112 conference room at 112 First Street, East in Independence from <strong>9:00 am to 3:00 p</strong>m. The SBDC sessions will offer clients assistance on startup issues, growing their business, as well as buying or selling a business. Beenken assists entrepreneurs with questions related to legal organization, accounting, taxes, marketing strategy, social media, and other small business issues. More information is available about the services at <a href="http://www.uni.edu/rbc">http://www.uni.edu/rbc</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are interested in making an appointment with Mr. Beenken, please contact Office 112 at (319) 334-7178, or (319) 334-7497. Appointments will be 30-45 minutes in length. Appointments are appreciated; walk-ins appointments will be taken based on availability. Confidentiality of information shared in your appointment with the representative is a priority for the SBDC and Office 112. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Office 112 is a collaborative office environment made up of the Independence Area Chamber of Commerce and Buchanan County Economic Development that focuses on the increasing community and business development in Independence and Buchanan County Iowa</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-21287575506385999162012-01-05T16:27:00.001-06:002012-01-05T16:28:42.337-06:0010 New Year Resolutions to Boost your Business<div class="headline_meta"><span class="author"><b>I came across this article on a web page after starting back to work in 2012, there are some great suggestions on how to make 2012 work better for you, and for you to work better in 2012.</b></span><br />
<span class="author"><b> </b></span><br />
<span class="author"><b>- Nate</b></span><br />
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<span class="author"><b>By</b> <a href="http://www.sitepoint.com/author/miles-burke/" rel="author" title="Posts by Miles Burke">Miles Burke</a> </span> | <span class="entry-date">December 21, 2007</span> | <span class="categories"><a href="http://www.sitepoint.com/category/sell-your-services/work-smarter/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Work Smarter">Work Smarter</a></span></div><div class="comments_count"><a href="http://www.sitepoint.com/resolutions-boost-business/#comments">0</a></div><ul id="sharebar" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(232, 232, 232); border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block; margin-left: -135px; position: absolute; width: 115px;"><li><br />
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</ul><b>It’s a common phenomenon for everyone to make New Year resolutions at the last minute on New Year’s Eve, and typically, they’re personal and hard to keep. Think about how many times you’ve done the same in the past. Just how many of those resolutions did you actually stick to?</b><br />
Here are ten simple New Year resolutions for 2008; all are tried and tested techniques to boost your business and, best of all, they’re achievable. Set aside a little time every week for the next year, and see if you can chip away at some of them.<br />
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<h5>1. Start setting goals.</h5>Embracing even these ten resolutions for the coming year illustrates the power of goal setting. Many of us wander through life without really considering where we want to be. A good analogy is planning a trip from Point A to Point B. As important as it is that you sort out transport, supplies, timelines, and other elements, the most important tool for the journey is to know how to get there. Unless you have a plan, you’ll never arrive at your destination.<br />
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<h5>2. Ask a client for a referral.</h5>It seems simple, yet many business owners never consider asking their existing clients for contacts with others who may need your services. It can seem to be a hurdle to ask the first few times, but it doesn’t need to be. Your request could even something as simple as an email sent at the end of a project to ask the client for feedback on the project, followed by a simple "If you know anybody who might appreciate our services, please recommend us."<br />
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<h5>3. Focus on profit, not turnover.</h5>Over the years, I’ve met business owners who are ecstatic about their increasing turnover, but neglect to watch their profits. A business making a profit margin of 20% on a monthly turnover of $10,000 is far ahead of a business with a turnover of $100,000 that makes only a 1% profit margin.<br />
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<h5>4. Learn something new about business.</h5>Ask any entrepreneur about their knowledge, and you’ll normally find the most successful people are those who are willing to admit their own weaknesses. It’s a fact — we can’t be born experts in everything to do with business, but with some dedication, we can get a little smarter. Ask yourself where you feel your business knowledge weaknesses are, then find a course or books that can help you to learn more. There are plenty of short courses that only require an hour or two a week, as well as online courses, blogs and web sites that can help you boost your business knowledge. Find your local library and join up — most libraries have hundreds of books on business topics.<br />
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<h5>5. Take time for yourself.</h5>Ask any business leader his or her number one complaint, and the most common reply will be that there’s not enough time to spend with family or on hobbies. The most disturbing part is that it’s often not the demands of business that absorb all of our time. We’ve become used to working long hours, when in actual fact, being smarter about how you spend your office time can allow you to enjoy more home time.<br />
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<h5>6. Create products that generate income.</h5>Web workers need to stop and take a look at many software developers, and how they build and resell their Intellectual Property. Take stock of your own tools and techniques, and look for methods of creating assets that you can monetize, or better still, will generate recurring income. <br />
<h5>7. Delegate effectively.</h5>We all want to work less and earn more. Here’s one of the greatest secrets of time management: successful delegation. Start by writing down every activity you undertake for an entire week, then review the results.<br />
There are likely a number of activities that don’t help you achieve your goals, or could be done by other team members. Focus on working to get those low-payoff activities either delegated or dumped. If you’re a solo worker, perhaps consider outsourcing these duties to somebody you know who could do the work. <br />
<h5>8. Focus on client service.</h5>It’s easy when you’re absorbed in delivering to tight deadlines, juggling 100 projects, or just having a manic few weeks to forget the reason you have this work. That reason is clients. Clients matter, so unless you’re hoping to lose a few, you’d better remember what it’s like to be a client, and recall your memories of the best service you’ve ever received.<br />
<br />
<h5>9. Take time to wander the Web.</h5>Set aside some regular time to aimlessly wander the Web. I’m not talking researching competitors, or checking sites you already frequently read. Cast the net wider, and follow more links. You’ll no doubt stumble onto blogs or web sites which may hold inspiration, education, or just plain harmless fun. No matter what, there’s a good chance your wanderings will be good for the mind and soul. <br />
<h5>10. Build rock-solid procedures.</h5>The right procedures will make your business run more efficiently. A good system will allow for increased workload and reduce the amount of effort you need to spend on repetitive activities. Just about everyone has heard the story of middle-aged milkshake salesman Ray Kroc, and how he created systems in fast food retailing to build his little hamburger chain (McDonalds) into the mammoth business it is today.<br />
Ask friends who know the story and they will give you the same answer — his success was driven by the fact that he created procedures for every single element of his business. Best-selling business books such as Michael Gerber’s ‘The E-Myth’ reiterate this. Having procedures reduces the chance of errors, and increases your ability to think beyond the routine.<br />
<h5>Make Your Resolutions Now</h5>Now, don’t just read the above list and start making excuses, thinking how nice it would be to have the time or inclination to do this.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-10641834837584216642011-09-02T16:56:00.000-05:002011-09-02T16:56:08.610-05:00The Government does not Create Jobs for Private Business<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></u></b></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This past week during CNBC’s Street Signs program a CEO of an American manufacturing company was being interviewed for a segment that examined hiring being done in that industry.<span> </span>The question report asked the executive how a job is created.<span> </span>He quickly responded by saying that it’s important to remember that the goal of a private business is to be successful (make money).<span> </span>He continued that a bi-product of that success is the creation of jobs.<span> </span>He suggested that what the government needs to do is to try and work with private business to help them achieve success, to improve processes in order to be better.<span> </span>(see the segment: <a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000042483">http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000042483</a>) </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since I began in my position nearly two years ago I have heard the politicians say that the government needs to get busy creating jobs, and this was the best response I have heard to that proclamation.<span> </span>There are businesses that are successful right now, but they are holding off on growing that success (creating jobs) because they are not sure how the government will effect that movement. <span> </span>The latest U.S. Jobs report showed that the net number of new jobs created was zero, but revenues of many companies are up.<span> </span>What does that say?</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-88780220736091569992011-09-02T16:40:00.000-05:002011-09-02T16:40:43.638-05:00Where are the jobs? We have them here!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In June the BCEDC hosted manufacturer leaders from the county to a forum to educate them on training options available through Hawkeye Community College, with a round table discussion that evolved into a great discussion on the employment needs of each company.<span> </span>What came from that discussion was the conclusion that we have a recruitment and retention problem with our workforce.<span> </span>Many of our companies are hiring, but they are having trouble finding the kind of workers they need to be successful.<span> </span>Plus they find that more workers than they would like are not staying employed with their companies because they fail to show up for work consistently.<span> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recently I received a call from the corporate vice president of L&M Radiator, based in Hibbing, MN (<a href="http://mesabi.com/">http://mesabi.com/</a>) and have a location in Independence. She called the BCEDC office with concern about the available workforce in our area.<span> </span>In July I visited their corporate office in northern Minnesota and learned during that stay I discovered that L&M is not only having this issue at their Iowa plant, but also at the other plants in South Dakota, Minnesota and New Mexico. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For over the last 12-18 months L&M has seen high demand for their product (heat-exchangers for large equipment), and have had a great need for more employees.<span> </span>They have been running three shifts, six days a week trying to meet demand. They are in immediate need of 20 employees, with the potential need for 75 in the next year. This is a company that offers a good starting wage with a competitive benefits package and opportunities for advancement.<span> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">L&M Radiator is just one of our manufacturers that needs “workers” to help them become successful. <span> </span>Some of the other contact I have had with local hiring managers are from the Wapsie Valley Creamery, Geater Manufacturing, Iowa Engineered Processes Corp. (IEP) and Bachman Tool and Die and Best Cob.<span> </span>If you know someone looking for work, or a job change, I invite you to contact these local businesses.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Follow our new blog site, “Economic Development and Partnerships and Progress” at <a href="http://growbuchanan.blogspot.com/">growbuchanan.blogspot.com</a>, for new and archived features from the BCEDC.<br />
Also, follow us on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GrowBuchananIowa">www.facebook.com/GrowBuchananIowa</a> and Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/GrowBuchananIA">http://twitter.com/GrowBuchananIA</a>.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-82276293825101377862011-07-14T14:35:00.003-05:002011-07-14T14:36:22.426-05:00Follow our Economic Development and Partnerships and Progress Blog<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Follow our new blog site, “Economic Development and Partnerships and Progress” at <a href="http://growbuchanan.blogspot.com/">growbuchanan.blogspot.com</a>, for new and archived features from the BCEDC.<br />
Also, follow us on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GrowBuchananIowa">www.facebook.com/GrowBuchananIowa</a> and Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/GrowBuchananIA">http://twitter.com/GrowBuchananIA</a>. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-90160308901417871742011-07-14T14:33:00.002-05:002011-07-14T14:33:53.284-05:00Final of Four “fys” – SOLIDIFY<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Version>14.00</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: #339933;">The Process of Four “fys”</span></u> is not complicated to move through, but it does take a commitment to follow through the method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process needs persistence, partnerships and most of all passion to fuel the commitment to take an idea forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To succeed at this point in the concept process of starting or expanding a business look back at the three previous “fys”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A potentially prosperous entrepreneur has <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">IDENTIFIED</span></b> that their idea is viable and theoretically needed in the market place, has <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">QUALIFIED</span></b> themselves as the person that wants to take the responsibility and risk to take it from mind to marketplace and they have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">JUSTIFIED</span></b> their product idea as a profitable idea by formulating a proper business plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the entrepreneur needs to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">SOLIDIFY </span></b>the idea to move forward.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The final “fy”, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">SOLIDIFY</span></b>, is the end of the means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this step you are pursuing that one key resource that every business needs, no matter what stage they are in, CASH!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The saying from a movie, “money makes the world go ‘round,” is unfortunately true when it comes to starting a business, and maintaining one too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless you are using personal wealth for the investment, a bank or other stakeholder, they will all want to see by this point that the idea has been thought through, a market has been identified and a most of all plan has been thoughtfully and genuinely put together. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Once the investment has been made personally or externally, an entrepreneur is on their way to actual start-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a whole different process in itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a process that takes more risk, but can very rewarding to complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The BCEDC is a local resource in Buchanan County that maintains great relationships with individuals and institutions that exist to help people move business forward, resulting in a growing economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have questions about how BCEDC can help your business or your concepts please contact us, I will be glad to visit with you.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Nate Clayberg – Director (<a href="mailto:nate.clayberg@growbuchanan.com">nate.clayberg@growbuchanan.com</a>)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-45952598431208345722011-07-12T16:17:00.000-05:002011-07-12T16:17:22.918-05:00Manufacturers: "We have people, but where are the workers?"<div style="text-align: justify;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><b><span style="color: #1f497d;"></span></b><span style="color: #1f497d;">On Thursday, June 16, 2011 the BCEDC, along with Hawkeye Community College, hosted the Buchanan County Area Manufacturers Forum at Bill’s Pizza in Independence. I want to personally thank the people from Hawkeye Community College, Geater Manufacturing, Wapsie Creamery, IEP, L&M Radiator and Denton Castings for attending the first of what hopes to be an ongoing session with our local manufacturing community.</span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">At the forum representatives of Hawkeye were able to provide information on job training programs available through their organization, while also taking feedback from those in attendance on how Hawkeye can help with one of their biggest challenges. That challenge is finding “workers”.</span></div><div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">With the local unemployment rate at 6.3% (Iowa: 6%, US: 9.1%) it’s hard to think that our manufacturers are having trouble finding people to work since they ARE hiring. They are getting people to apply, but they can’t get “workers” for the jobs they need to fill. We are not talking about highly skilled nor highly paid jobs, many start at $10 to $11 per hour (about $21,500 per year) plus benefits. We are talking about labor positions that don’t necessarily need training beyond a high school degree.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">“Workers” are those people that are willing to work in a job that will give them a decent wage for a decent days work. However, the reality is that many of the people that apply these jobs would rather not “work”. Some of the issues these companies face after hiring is the passing of an initial drug test, employees not showing up for scheduled shifts, workers that show model employment until they qualify for unemployment benefits and the demand from employees to decide work schedules and wage rates. This is frustrating for our employers in all industries, and is honestly very concerning when thinking that we are relying on this type of workforce to help bring the US economy to prosperity. There are some diamonds in the rough that will put the time in to earn a day’s wage, but as a human resource officer said last week, they will hire and fire eight to ten people for the same position before they find that one person that turns out to be a quality worker. That is hard to believe, but it’s true.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">What is the solution? That is probably worth $1 billion. The solution is the same as the cause. The mindset of today’s current workforce is mostly developed from these influences: family, friends, community, government, education and the media. But positive or negative influence can only take place if a person’s attitude accepts it. Recently a local employer told me that when he hires he looks more at responsibility than accountability. To explain, If you are responsible it helps the person make better decisions on the job. Accountability is good, but it is usually set externally and is not a genuine gauge of true personality.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Obviously workforce is an issue in many areas of the country, but now is the chance to be different in our area. The BCEDC cannot, and will not, be the entity that can solve this problem for our employers. But the Buchanan County Economic Development Commission can work with key organizations to begin to identify ways of improving a challenge that businesses have been dealing with in our existing economy.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-30650866965013804782011-07-12T16:12:00.004-05:002012-07-06T08:14:23.784-05:00Third of Four “fys” – JUSTIFY<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In this series we have IDENTIFIED and QUALIFIED you and your business idea. Now let’s JUSTIFY it as we roll through <u><span style="color: #339933;">The Process of the Four “fys”.</span></u><span style="color: #339933;"> </span>The justification process is about planning and money. As any business person will tell you, money gets you started, keeps you going and justifies why you are involved in your own business (AKA making money in business). But before you can even think about approaching a bank, investor or breaking into your savings, you need to develop a business plan to serve as a good tool in figuring out what you want your business become in the short and long term future. Before any respectable lender or investor thinks about writing a check to support an idea, they will want to see the research to show them that this really is a good idea and most notably a profitable one too.<br />
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Entrepreneurs come from all backgrounds, but most of them come from jobs that paid them a salary or set wage. When you own a business, you get paid only if you have a profitable product. This is a hard reality that many potential new business owners have to face when moving an idea from their mind to the marketplace. It is a risk that needs to be thought through carefully, and that is another reason a solid business plan is so important. New and experienced entrepreneur need to justify a start-up or expansion idea as it relates to personal income. Can they pay their current bills and sustain a profitable business if they take the risk of moving forward with the idea? <br />
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Starting a business or growing one, can be very exciting, and it can be very frustrating. Not everyone is cut out to run their own business. But not everyone is cut out to work for someone else. The BCEDC is a local resource for information or entrepreneurs to take advantage of. We are here to network you with expert information for business plan development, financing and investment and general business counseling. Economic Development is about building wealth for our communities, businesses and its residents. Please let me know how I can help your idea. Next post, the final fy: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;">SOLIDIFY</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-79367184061622748752011-07-12T16:12:00.000-05:002011-07-12T16:12:05.187-05:00Second of Four “fys” - Qualify<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Version>14.00</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Last time I touched on identifying a business idea, this week in <u><span style="color: #339933;">The Process of the Four “fys”</span></u> we will <b><span style="color: #002060;">QUALIFY</span></b> that idea. A good product idea does not guarantee that it will be successful. To take a product or service to the marketplace you will need the ability to become an expert in that product, thus making you Qualified to plan, develop, market and nurture that idea through its life span. Many times the entrepreneur who creates the vision for the idea has a hard time being the sole person with the responsibility of cultivating the idea to success. Having the ability to realize that you need help is a great quality for a business owner that wants to succeed. Not one person can be an expert in everything, but everyone can be an expert in at least one particular area. Once you can identify that trait, you will qualify as an entrepreneur on your way to success.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">There are great resources out there to help businesses. These resources cannot be found in books or online. These are human resources, people that have gained expertise in areas that you may need help in. The BCEDC is here as a resource for entrepreneurs, if you have questions in moving your idea or business forward we can assist. The process of developing a business idea can be very daunting, yet it can be rewarding. It does take some aggression to succeed in any business, but there is also a sense of humility that can come into play as well. Next week: <b><span style="color: #002060;">JUSTIFY</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-16993481641961988262011-07-12T16:11:00.002-05:002011-07-12T16:11:33.312-05:00First of Four “fys” - Identify<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Version>14.00</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: #339933;">The Process of the Four “fys”</span></u> is important if you are looking to start a business, or expand one. This progression needs to take place in order to be successful in your plan. Most business ventures start out as an idea for a service or product. But to reach the goal of profitability you need to <b><span style="color: #002060;">IDENTIFY</span></b> if there is a need for your idea. Passion is required to run a small business since it will take a lot of personal resource to make it go, and sometimes that passion can blur your vision for the success of your product. In order to identify whether your product is needed takes product research. Research can be simple or complex, but it is necessary in order to get a more objective opinion on the available market for your product.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">You cannot rely on your personal feelings alone to believe that there is a need for the idea you want to bring to the marketplace. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The BCEDC exists in your community to serve as a resource in helping people with their business ideas. Whether you are a local manufacturer looking to expand or an entrepreneur with a great product idea, we can help you down the road to success. However, success is a relative term in the development of a business. Success can be identified obviously as a profitable venture, or it can be seen as successfully realizing that your plan has issues, needs revision or the idea should be abandoned. If you have a business development idea or plan please use the BCEDC as a resource in helping to make your idea’s real. Next post: <b><span style="color: #002060;">Qualify.</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5385086112674557913.post-70710147150569289532011-07-12T16:10:00.000-05:002011-07-12T16:10:42.273-05:00Small Businesses Need to Exist<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Version>14.00</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Our government leaders have identified that in this post-recession economy that innovations in small business will be key to improving the wealth of our communities. Generally when people think of small business you may think of restaurants, retail shops and lawn mowing businesses. The small businesses that are typically not identified are those in the commercial and industrial sector like manufacturing and software development. Together, especially in our rural area, small businesses need to exist for our communities to be able to flourish. Over the next few weeks I will identify The <b>Process of the Four “fys”</b> that not only a new entrepreneur should follow when looking at starting a business, but these are also factors existing business owners should look at when examining the success of their current operation for the future. Next week: <b>Identify.</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Independence, IA 50644, USA42.4965069 -91.870861342.3601324 -92.0174993 42.6328814 -91.7242233