All entries are in for the New North Photography Contest but now it’s time to vote! Anyone can vote, so hurry now and invite your friends to participate. We want to know which photos YOU think best portray the New North.
Simply go to http://www.thenewnorthphotocontest.com, select the “vote on photos” tab, and click on your favorite photo in each category to vote.
I have returned from my Wisconsin Basic Economic course. I drove to Madison on Monday and returned late (for me) last night. The course was very informative on many different levels. I feel like I am finally able to put all of the pieces of what we do here at New North together. Talk about some light bulb moments. We listened to many speakers; many of which are involved here at New North. Brenda Hicks-Sorensen from Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation provided us with a quote that we bandied about “HCM” – you will have to ask her to explain. Tim Schneider with Investors Community Bank used MM for million on his slides which had us trying to decipher its origin. We also heard from Amy Pietsch with Venture Center who actually had the group enthused and interested even though the lunch hour was fast approaching. My fellow Economic Development friends were quite impressed with New North. So much so that whenever the waitress would come around to ask at lunch who was paying the bill someone always had to say, “I think New North should get this one” . . . Let’s hope Jerry reads this before I turn in my expense report.
My name is Beth Sigmund and I am the Office Manager here at New North. I have been with New North for about 9 months. As it is my job to not only manage the office, I have the enviable task of coordinating Jerry’s schedule. So, the powers that be (Jerry) have asked me to blog about the daily comings and goings of a life here at New North. BTW – Life here at New North is no day at “The Office” but there is still plenty that happens!
Yes, we know. You’ve been bombarded with invites and notices for social media seminars, workshops and tea parties in northeast Wisconsin during the past six months.
You’d never even heard of social media a year ago, and now it seems to be the dominant focus of the professional training opportunities you come across. The first event you saw piqued your interest, the next was worth considering attending, and the fifth local social media event – well, let’s just say it was like sitting through a rerun for the fourth time of that Friends episode where a misunderstanding between the crew lead to some unfettered hi-jinx.
I feel your pain.
That’s why the New North Small Business & Entrepreneurial Council – when developing our Sept. 22 Best Practices panel session focused on social media – aimed to provide a different perspective to which you may not have been exposed nearly as much. We’ll avoid the 101-level “what is social media?” and “what are the popular social media tools and how do they differ?” discussions, and jump right into implementing a social media culture within your organization.
During this panel discussion, we’ll address how you – as a small business owner or manager already familiar with various social media tools – can identify strategies to implement these social media tools into your marketing and human resources operations. Audience members will hear examples of how New North businesses have used social media tools for hiring new employees and for drawing more attention to their business, as well as legal, IT and administrative considerations for introducing social media tools into the culture of your business.
We’re excited about the panelists we’ve assembled for this event, and believe they represent a breadth of local expertise on some of the emerging uses of social media tools in business. Our panelists include:
On behalf of the New North, we’d be delighted to have you join us for this event in our quarterly Best Practices Panel Series. The panel session will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, 101 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Kaukauna. There is no cost to attend, but registration is necessary because the event will be capped at 35 participants. To register, contact Alex Kowalski at alex@altaexchangegroup.com. For more information, visit The New North online at www.thenewnorth.com.
SBO Panel Discussion June 23rd
If the economic downturn has hurt your business, you may qualify for a short-term loan from the new SBA-sponsored program dubbed ARC (which stands for America’s Recovery Capital) Loan Program.
This is just one topic that will be addressed in the NEW North-sponsored panel discussion, “Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business,” on Tuesday, June 23, from 9-11 AM at the NWTC Business Assistance Center. Attendance is limited to 40 people, so register soon.
Full details about ARC should come out in June. In the meantime, here is what we know so far:
1. The loans are interest-free, backed by the SBA.
2. Repayment is deferred for 12 months.
3. You may be eligible if your business is struggling due to lost customer base, an increase in costs, or a reduction in working capital or employees.
4. The maximum amount you may be eligible for is $35,000.
5. Loan payments can be used to make principal and interest payments on existing loans over a six-month period.
6. Loans will be approved on a case-by-case basis.
7. Loans will be available from SBA-participating banks.
8. Loans will be available until allocated fund are depleted or September 10, 2010, whichever comes first.
The purpose of these loans is enable businesses to redirect their normal cash flow from loan repayment to investment in their businesses, such as inventory, expansion, payroll, and more.
Are ARC loans a good idea? We’re not sure yet. It will all depend on the fine-print details.
Find out more about ARC loans at the June 23 panel discussion. Admission is free, but seating is limited to 40 attendees, so register soon. To register, contact Alex Kowalski, President, Alta Exchange Group either by email at alex@altaexchangegroup.com or phone (920-540-1072).
John R. Ingrisano
Writing For The N.E.W. North
Custom Communications
If travelers can only afford one vacation this year,
we want them to make sure that it is to Wisconsin.”
– Kelli A. Trumble, Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism
The economy is in a mess. Unemployment is growing. What does all this mean for summer tourism business in the NEW North?
Will people stay home, save gas, and vacation in the backyard kiddy pool? Or will they cancel their cross-country road trip, opt for day trips and three-day weekends, and come roaring up the Lake Michigan shoreline and Fox Valley to spend their cash in our restaurants and motels, on our golf courses and in our shops?
Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism Kelli A. Trumble is optimistic. “When times are tough,” she told NEW North, “the sound strategy is to invest in marketing.
“We are cautiously optimistic as we go into the summer season,” she said. “We’re banking on Wisconsin’s longstanding reputation as a good value. As a destination, we’re a tried and true tourism experience.”
Our goal, concluded Trumble: “We plan to invest in telling our story and giving visitors compelling reasons to visit Wisconsin. If travelers can only afford one vacation this year, we want them to make sure that it is to Wisconsin.”
What do you think? If you count on summer tourism dollars, we’d like to know…
Add your comment to this post.
– John R. Ingrisano for NEW North,
www.TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com
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Perhaps the number one gripe for most business owners is “employee problems.” Who can you fire? Who can you choose not to hire? How to do you protect yourself and your business when it looks like that new staffer isn’t going to work out or that long-time employee has become “redundant?” Plus, how can you let workers go to keep your business from going under in these tough times … and not get sued in the process?
We’ll be addressing these and other employee-related issues in the coming weeks, concluding with an employment law best-practices panel discussion next month. (For details, contact NEW North B2B Magazine Publisher Sean Fitzgerald at sean@newnorthb2b.com, or call (920) 237-0254.)
In the meantime, what do you think? What’s your top concern, question, or complaint about employee legal issues in your business?
Add your comment below. And thanks for stopping by.
John R. Ingrisano for NEW North