The South Side Entrepreneurial Connect Project

July 28 SSEA meeting, 6 - 8 p.m.

2008-07-08T14:24:00.002-04:00

The South Side Entrepreneurs Association

~and~

Syracuse Chamber of Commerce

Invite you to an exciting seminar!

“Family Businesses in Syracuse:

New Business Models for the 21^st Century”

Introducing the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce‘s new Family Business Center

Networking, Hors d'oeuvres, Panel Discussion

Join us for this special event at

The South Side Innovation Center

2610 South Salina Street

Syracuse New York 13205

Monday, July 28, 2008

5:15 p.m. - 6 p.m. Registration /Reception

6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Program

RSVP by phone: 315.443.8600 / via e-mail: intheeventof@yahoo.com

Free & Open To The Public

Talking Business: A Conversation With...Wendy Cobrda

2008-07-02T13:41:00.004-04:00

On June 25, 2008 Wendy Cobrda, of Earthsense, was interviewed by Jill Hurst-Wahl as part of the Talking Business: A Conversation With...series. Wendy's business moved from a home-based enterprise to a full-fledged business in the Syracuse Tech Garden's incubator office space.

Wendy's entrepreneurial spirit was fueled by her experiences working in the corporate sector. She graduated from SUNY Oswego with a degree in broadcasting, and then did traffic reporting in Manhattan for some years. Radio broadcasting was a more rigid form of employment than she liked, and she eventually got involved in research and presenting statistics for market research. She held a series of jobs with five different companies that involved different kinds of marketing data collection and analysis; over 10 years, she gained experience working with ratings data, panels, and GIS (geographic information systems) data among other types. Her final corporate position was with a company that made software for mailing list cleanup and maintenance; while working with their clients, she realized that most of these companies were not using their available data for marketing as well as they could.

On the last day of her corporate career, she got an unexpected contracting job from a client contact, and saved that client millions of dollars with her services. She spent the $20K of contract funds on start-up expenses, beginning with hiring an accountant and filing business incorporation paperwork. She also made an effort from the very start to appear as professional as possible, acquiring her own web domain and email addresses, a separate phone line for her consulting business, and eventually an answering service that met her needs as her employee base started to grow.

Her best projects as a home-based business were with HP; counter-intuitively, her HP contacts liked meeting at her house, and her excellent services continued to beat out the large consulting firms that competed for the contracts. But at the end of 2006, Wendy had decided that she wanted to grow her business out of her house, and that it was time to separate her work and personal life. She was tired of having people at her home each day, among other things - and her electricity bills were outrageous from powering all the business electronics!

What were the mental and physical hurdles to moving your business to the Tech Garden?

Wendy has two young kids, and family and friends are very important to her. It was mentally difficult to adjust to not being at home and available to her family and friends at all times. However, she no longer works all hours as she did when her office was in her home, which doesn't mean she works less - just smarter, not harder.

Do you still have a home office?

No. Wendy's husband now uses the home office space; they had an interesting sort of role reversal in this respect. She now travels quite frequently and her husband has taken on more of the homemaking roles. She really values his support for her ventures, and they clearly have a very functional team approach to handling a busy household.

So you have employees here in your Tech Garden office?

Yes, there are two or three based here in Syracuse, and she has 8 employees around the country. She has always run a virtual organization and would like to do more collocated work; she is looking to expand the local presence with more Syracuse-based employees in the future.

What is your vision for the new workplace?

There is a sense of purpose and camaraderie in the office, plus the opportunity for serendipitous meetings with contacts and colleagues that she wouldn't experience if she was working out of her home. Even if you're very social (as she is!) the opportunities to make those contacts is limited when you're physically isolated; she has observed a huge shift in her ability to network. In addition, she feels a sense of being "more professional" by being in the office and surrounded by other businesspeople. She has mentors across the hallway and feels there is nothing like face to face meetings for getting business moving.

What do you have in the office here that you couldn't fit in your office at home?

Wendy has always had enough room for what she needed, although her home office space shrank over time. Now that she has more space, she has room for the things that she has wanted in order to make the workplace more comfortable. At home, her electric bills were "insane" from running the business machines, but she no longer has to pay a separate utility cost from her office rent. In her new office, she was able to personalize the space and make it an inviting environment.

You've owned just two businesses, so maybe you're also a "serial entrepreneur", but you also work in marketing...

The business names were the same, but Wendy evolves the products and services as new ideas and demand arise. She feels this is a particularly helpful aspect of being located with other businesses, as others can help you with a sanity check on your latest, greatest ideas, which may or may not be all that great in practice.

What is the difference between marketing and market research?

Wendy sees marketing and selling as the same thing; the difference is the spin you put on it. "I'm a gambler. You have to bet on yourself." She wanted to break through the traditional barriers of what market research has meant in the past, helping her clients with positioning and understanding the market, and trying to go above and beyond. In her 10 years of corporate experience, she learned a lot about what was already being offered, which helped her understand what she could offer that was novel and would add value for clients.

Question (Sean Branagan): One of the most impressive things about Wendy's approach to business is her fearlessness about the size of the companies she pitches. Most small businesses think local and don't try to get big clients. Who have your big clients been?

Wendy said that HP, Turner Broadcasting, and John Hancock were big clients for Catenate. Her current business, Earthsense, has signed Dannon and General Mills, and is pitching companies like Coca-Cola. "You're right; we're fearless." She has met many young people who want to be consultants, and her general advice to them is to work in industry. Her key experience was working at 5 different companies, which gave her knowledge of the norms in the area where she now competes, and ideas about what else might work. Working in broadcasting meant that she met many celebrities, so she is not impressed by big names and takes a direct, straightforward approach with everyone. "Life is a game of poker" and you must have the attitude that you have the best hand; until someone else can show that she doesn't have the best marketing research data, she will feel certain that her data is good and worth a premium. It's all about attitude; entrepreneurs are crazy. Growing a business is really hard, but once you get to a certain point, "you're halfway in and you might as well keep going."

Audience Question: What have some of your business challenges been?
Wendy: It took 10 years to find a business partner; it's really difficult to find someone you can trust, who is just different enough from you to balance your efforts without driving you crazy.

Jill said that we tend to try to do business with our buddies, and that's not always a good decision. To that, Wendy responded that she has been fortunate that she can be honest with her coworkers, though the efforts required for growing and adjusting to changes in staffing are always challenging.

Jill said she works from a home office and has learned to tell telemarketers, "The landlord takes care of that" because they don't know that she's the landlord. Wendy has gone to actually having a landlord - how has that been?

It's nice not to worry about the electricity, and in the future she's hoping to have others take care of the IT infrastructure (computer networking, etc.) She feels lucky to have a good relationship with her landlord, who doesn't allow issues to escalate. The Syracuse Tech Garden has been a good business space for her. She has been told for years that she needed an assistant; she's not good at administration, but rather at inventing. Now that she has the office space, she has hired a person who helps take care of the day-to-day pressures and tasks that she's not so good at.

When you were working in your home office, how did you make infrastructure decisions?

She's a self-admitted techno geek; she adopts technologies that are fresh and new, particularly anything that she feels can save her time. She has learned that there are tricks to making her business look better through use of infrastructure technologies; for example, she used an IP-driven phone number with extensions that can be assigned to employees around the company. Small businesses need to look professional to compete effectively; dedicated phone lines, a web domain for your email addresses, legitimate licensed software, and business insurance (which was required for big contracts) are all investments in professionalism. Her first moves with her first consulting fees involved making her business look professional, including accounting services and banking as well as incorporating. She's now trying to get financing and is meeting with potential investors. She finds it useful to dress the part for the people she's meeting; this gives her credibility when meeting with clients, and having the latest tech gadgets is good for addressing a tech-savvy audience.

How do you stay focused on what's important?

Wendy laughs. She is currently focused on getting clients and delivering services; she's getting better at delegating to her employees and some days she even leaves work without her work laptop. While she still has her phone on and has 3 computers at home to check email, leaving the work computer at the office is a psychologically important break between work and personal life that helps her feel more balanced.

This project was made possible, in part, through an Enitiative award. Enitiative is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship in the arts, technology, and our neighborhoods. To learn more about Enitiative, please visit www.enitiative.syr.edu.

For Email Marketing you can trust

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Business,New York , Marketing

The local businesses on the economy

2008-07-01T08:35:00.002-04:00

According to the 2004 Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, where the "economic impact of ten Andersonville businesses and their chain competitors, it was found that": (From the report's highlights)

Locally-owned businesses generate a substantial Local Premium in enhanced economic impact.
For every $100 in consumer spending with a local firm,$68 remains in the Chicago economy.
For every $100 in consumer spending with a chain firm, $43 remains in the Chicago economy.
For every square foot occupied by a local firm, local economic impact is $179.
For every square foot occupied by a chain firm, local economic impact is $105.
Consumers surveyed on the streets of Andersonville strongly prefer the neighborhood over agglomerations of common chain stores.
Over 70% prefer to patronize locally-owned businesses.
Over 80% prefer traditional urban business districts.
The study points to clear policy implications.
Local merchants generate substantially greater economic impact than chain firms.
Replacement of local businesses with chains will reduce the overall vigor of the local economy.
Changes in consumer spending habits can generate substantial local economic impact.
Great care must be taken to ensure that public policy decisions do not inadvertently disadvantage locally owned businesses. Indeed, it may be in the best interests of communities to institute policies that directly protect them.

We can assume that what is true for Andersonville would be true for other areas also. Therefore, supporting locally owned businesses is good for the local economy.

Talking Business: A Conversation With...J. Sean Branagan

2008-06-09T14:30:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Andrea Wiggins for these notes of the event. Sean was interviewed by Jill Hurst-Wahl.

This Talking Business: A Conversation With... event was sponsored by Enitiative and the WISE Center, whose board members are in attendance and sponsor, Key Bank, has a table in the back. Sean Branagan is the speaker; he currently runs two businesses and is described as a "serial entrepreneur" since he has started 5 businesses. His current businesses include Communigration and C3 Strategic. Communigration is a technology and interactive agency that works with complex business technical services. C3 Strategic is a management consulting firm for early-stage IT firms; Sean points out that management helps you get funding, and they work with other strategic activities like mergers and acquisitions.

Question 1: How did you get started with marketing?

Sean went to Newhouse (at Syracuse University) but in the process of studying journalism, he discovered that he didn't want to write about others doing cool stuff, but would rather do the cool stuff himself. He started a business right out of school doing typesetting, which ended up providing marketing services.

Question 2: Have all of your companies been marketing-related?

The first three companies were marketing companies, but C3 Strategic doesn't seem to be quite as marketing focused, although marketing expertise plays into success. Sean worked for the Syracuse Supply Company at one time, a "mini-conglomerate", as their corporate communication manager, which he characterized as a learning experience that got him further involved in marketing.

Question 3: How have you built emotion into your marketing?

Sean explains his work to children by saying, "I help nerds sell their stuff. Nerds grow up and create really cool and complicated stuff, but people don't buy complicated stuff. They buy stuff they understand." He makes the point that marketing requires writing, through which we make something understandable and add meaning to it. Marketing is a methodical way of adding meaning to a product.

Question 4: How did you add meaning to Communigration?

Well, the name of the company is a "90's name" made up from merging the words communication and integration. In a way, the name itself requires people to add meaning themselves as they realize that the nonsense word is made up from two other words that have meaning to them. It is likely that most of the people in the room hadn't heard of the company because they market to a very specific target audience, "high on the tech stack" as they like to say, and dealing with small-to-large B2B services.

Question 5: When Jill goes to tech conferences, she sees Communigration often listed as a sponsor. How does the company achieve such regular notable presence?

There are three ways that they have a presence at conferences: official (usually paid) sponsorship that gets your name on a banner, a trade (presumably in-kind services or the like), or unofficially, such as attending in a way that gets attention. Sean sees some seminars and conferences presented by out-of-towners as an opportunity rather than a threat, because they provide a gathering of the target audience. By attending these talks and strategically asking questions, he can get new business. His strategy is to compliment the presenter, saying something like "I love that you brought this up because we're web designers too, and here's a resource for that." This puts him closer to the audience than the speaker who will leave at the end of the day. He recommends underselling yourself, making just enough noise to raise interest, and attending these conferences for the opportunity to make contacts more than for the learning experience.

Question 6: Your business involves communication for high-tech companies; why do you have low-tech imagery on your site?

Sean wants to attract clients who see that the company understands the broader context of marketing, not just Internet-based marketing.

Question 7: What nugget of advice would you give, especially for small business owners?

You should never stop working on your elevator speech. Starts with a 50 word, then 25 word, then 10 word description; ideally, reduce it down to the essence in just 3 words. Do this for your business as a whole and for each project, for each market - so if you have 10 products with 5 distinct markets apiece, you need 50 elevator speeches! Start with something like a mission statement, and take out everything extra, everything that is potentially misleading (like claims of being the "best" or other subjective claims), and make it simple and understandable. Keep shrinking your elevator speech in case you're in a very short building; one example is a plumbing truck with the slogan, "We show up." If they stand by what they say, then that plumbing service really meets a target market need, and they communicate it clearly.

A second piece of advice is to stay focused on your core purpose; can you pass the restaurant test? (What kind of restaurant did you eat at?) Declare what kind of business you are; advertise your primary service/product as that's what will bring people in. Define yourself very specifically, but offer more, and err on the side of brevity in your definitions. Jill makes an example of a rug-cleaning business specializing in catastrophe recovery, whose yellow pages ad starts out by instructing potential customers on how to start dealing with their rug catastrophe, and only provides the business name and contact information after having demonstrated that they understand the needs of their target clients.

Audience question: When marketing an online business with many competitors selling identical items, what can you do to bring your storefront to the forefront?

Sean suggests doing search engine work, which his business got into early. People who go to Google to find products or services are active buyers, looking for something specific. Start by making your site friendly to Google; install the Google toolbar and use the PageRank meter to check the relevance rankings on your web pages. PageRank (named after Larry Page, a Google founder) is an algorithm that requires the pages to be machine-readable, so images need to have descriptive tags and so on. There are many resources out there to help you get started on doing site optimization yourself. You can start by checking how often your target keyword phrases - the ones that you would like potential customers to use to find your site - appear on your site pages by highlighting the phrases on the pages. Well-written pages that mention keyword phrases regularly (but not too much!) will get better PageRank. Another good tool is Google AdWords; people who look to buy are more likely to click sponsored links than people who are doing research on products. You can get started with a very small budget and try it out to learn how it works before scaling up. An ad spend of even $100 a month could make a great start.

Audience question: How are Google Toolbar and Google Analytics different?
They are different kinds of tools. Google Toolbar helps you check the PageRank of your site pages - how they are ranked by the search engines. Google Analytics is used to see what people do once they have arrived on the site, and can be used in combination with Google AdWords to track how well AdWords keyword purchases generate sales.

Audience question: I have a cardiac technology business for sale; how do I find a buyer?

Would need more specifics to make a strategic recommendation, but in general you market to both active and passive buyers. Marketing to passive buyers would take the form of one-to-one emails or letters to prospective buyers to try to generate interest.

Audience question: How do you market to people who don't yet know what they need? I.e., how do you educate your market?

Two big business examples are provided: AFLAC is one that everyone has heard about; no one knew what supplemental insurance was until they started their advertising campaign. Their competitor, Colonial, has doubtless benefited from AFLAC's consumer education efforts. Second example is Welch-Allyn; outside of CNY, only healthcare providers are familiar with their products, but this is because Welch-Allyn spends their marketing budget on the target audience, which is healthcare providers. When you have a very large group of possible customers, reduce it down to the best possible candidate customers by applying the MAD concept - those who have the Money, Authority, and Desire to make a purchase.

Thanks to Sean for sharing his knowledge with the group. The next Talking Business event will be June 25 at the Syracuse Technology Garden, 235 Harrison St., from 5 - 6 p.m. Networking and light refreshments will be available before and after the event. A $5.00 donation per person is requested with proceeds used to support the series. (Donations should be in cash or a check payable to Hurst Associates, which in charge of the series.)

This project was made possible, in part, through an Enitiative award. Enitiative is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship in the arts, technology, and our neighborhoods. To learn more about Enitiative, please visit www.enitiative.syr.edu.

For Email Marketing you can trust

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Business,New York , Marketing

Talking Business: A Conversation With...Art Zimmer

2008-05-13T16:41:00.013-04:00

A new series of monthly began last month called Talking Business: A Conversation With... Every month, a local business owner will talk about the lessons her or she has learned while in business; lessons that others can learn from. Tips and other information will also be shared.

The April event featured Art Zimmer, who has owned 12 businesses -- in two different states -- over the course of his life. Those businesses included candy manufacturer, ski resort, newspaper, print shop, hotels and restaurants. At one time, he owned seven at once! He now owns 3 - 4 (depending on how you count them). Art is the consummate serial entrepreneur, who understands business intuitively. He is proud to note that he graduated from high grade #43 out of 43 students and that he never went to college, yet he has accomplished things that others have only dreamed of.

Art's biggest lesson to the group was about marketing. Art believes in marketing all the time and everywhere. While most of us have been taught to carefully give business cards to those with whom we want to make a connection, Art believes in giving business cards to everyone and leaving them everywhere. And his business cards are quite unique with eight different panels. He said that he gives out 500 business cards per month! (That's nearly 17 per day, including weekends.) That is a number that amazed everyone and made us realize how stingy we are with our cards.

Art gave us other examples of how he has marketed his businesses, especially his newspaper, The Syracuse New Times. In one case, the New Times sponsors one of the theaters at the New York State Fairgrounds, which means that every event held there is held in the New Times Theater and is announced as such!

The next event will be May 29 and will feature Michele Bellso and Sean Branagan, two marketers professionals. Every business needs to market itself, including marketing businesses. Whether it is developing a marketing plan, creating an online presence, using print media, or thinking out-of-the-box, Bellso and Branagan have done it for their businesses. During the event, they will discuss how they have approached marketing their own businesses and the lessons we can learn from their efforts.

It is likely people will recognize Michele Bellso's name from her most recent venture; however, her first company was Designworks Advertising and she's still involved in it. Designworks is a local company that works on a national scale. I can't wait to ask about company's logo, which is a pair of denim jeans!

Sean Branagan's company has worked with companies in many different industries, including high-tech companies. Personally, I am impressed at the places I see Communigration mentioned. How does Sean get his company associated with so many area events?

I'll be moderating this event (which is more like an interview than two people doing presentations), which means I'll ask both Michele and Sean questions about marketing and get them to tell us lessons they've learned from developing marketing strategies for their businesses. It should be an exciting event!

Co-sponsored by the WISE Center, the event -- Talking Business: A Conversation With... -- will be held at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. on May 29, from 5 – 6 p.m. Networking and light refreshments will be available before and after the event. A $5.00 donation per person is requested with proceeds used to support the series.

This project was made possible, in part, through an Enitiative award. Enitiative is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship in the arts, technology, and our neighborhoods. To learn more about Enitiative, please visit www.enitiative.syr.edu.

For Email Marketing you can trust

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Business,New York , Marketing

Upcoming South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) meetings

2008-05-13T16:14:00.005-04:00

Our South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) meetings this year have been informative and lively:

In January, the presentation was on the ClearChannel Media Initiative and everyone was all ears. That meeting jump-started a series of focus group meetings and other events that will culminate in advertising for SSEA members.

In February, the SSEA held a belated annual meeting and heard from Bruce Kingma and Stacey Keefe about the Enitiative grants that are available to businesses.

Steve Borek and Jill Hurst-Wahl led an exercise in March to help everyone find the help they needed for their business. It was a very noisy and enthusiastic event.

Craig Watters talked to the group in April about "Growing to Meet Your Customers' Needs: Do You Have the Staff to Handle What You Just Promised?" The group did a networking exercise and more business cards were exchanged.

Here is a list of our meetings for the remainder of 2008:

May 19 – Bud Haylor (SCORE), Business Insurance: What Is It & What Might You Need?
June 23 – Paul Muoio & Jeannette Jones (Benefit Specialists of NY, Inc.) on health/medical insurance for small/micro businesses
July 28 – Charles Anderson (City of Syracuse) on being MWBE certified
August – No meeting
September 22 – Tobe determined
October 27 – Personal finance (tentative)
November17 – Annual Meeting
December 8 – Holiday Breakfast

Event details are the same for each meeting:

Time: 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m., with a continental breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Location: South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St., Syracuse, NY (next to Dunk & Bright Furniture). Parking is free.
Cost: $2.00/member ; $4.00/guest

All SSEA meetings are open to the public. We encourage business owners, as well as those who are thinking about starting a business, to attend. Our members and guests come from throughout the Central New York region and from a wide variety of industries including web development, photography, construction, retail, personal service and consulting.

We look forward to seeing you at an SSEA meeting in the near future!

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Business,New York, South Side, SSEA

Tips for Negotiating

2008-05-09T15:00:00.000-04:00

Are you a good negotiator? Here are 18 tips for doing it better:

Understand the other person's needs.
Negotiation is not an "I-win-you-lose" affair.
Be prepared by having all the information you need.
Write down your goals.
Know what you can give up.
Plan your negotiations.
Know the other party.
Listen carefully and actively.
Ask proactive questions.
Never assume anything.
Be assertive - not aggressive.
Communicate clearly and neutrally.
Take notes.
Be on track with your needs.
Watch body language.
Clear up any misunderstandings promptly.
Know when to take break.
Know when to walk away.

From "When the Negotiations Begin, Listen Carefully, Stay on Point." Information Outlook, March 2007.

Question: If someone was willing to give you acces to free media exposure...

2008-04-16T15:22:00.003-04:00

If someone was willing to give you access to free, high-powered media exposure (worth thousands of dollars), would you take advantage of it?

What if it required you attending three 1.5 hour focus group sessions and answering some survey questions (which might also help you learn more about how you really do business)?

And what if there was no down-side to the deal?

Now that you've answered those questions for yourself...

If you are an South Side Entrepreneurs Association member, what is stopping you from taking advantage of this benefit? And if you are not an SSEA member, why haven't you joined so you can take advantage of this benefit?

Giving referrals

2008-02-17T20:15:00.002-05:00

Last week, I had the chance to refer people, who needed help, to three businesses that I have gotten to know through the South Side Entrepreneur Association (SSEA). While that was wonderful, it only occurred because I had gotten to know the three businesses over the course of many meetings.

When you attend an organization's meetings on a regular basis, you give people there an opportunity to know you, to learn about your business and your skills, and to build a level of trust with you. A powerful referral occurs when a person can say, "I know this person and what they can do, and I trust them." However, knowledge and trust doesn't occur after one meeting...it occurs over the course of weeks and months.

The next time you wonder why you're heading off to a networking event, think of it as investing in your future. Yes, you've been to that event before, but each time you go, you have a chance to educate other attendees about your services and build trust with them. And that will help you gain the referrals that you so desire.

One-page marketing plan

2008-02-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Mattern has written a "One Page Marketing Plan Guide" (2+ pages) that links to a real one-page marketing plan template! If you have never done a marketing plan, you will be surprised that it can be boiled down to one page. Yes, you will need to give it some thought -- for example, what product or service are you marketing, and what marketing activities do you want to undertake -- but this template will guide you though that thought process.

If you are going to embark on a marketing campaign this year, take time to look at this guide and template, then put some thought into your marketing activities.

Community Course VII, The Organizers: Civil Rights and Black Power Beyond Malcolm and Martin

2008-01-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

The following is a message from Adam Banks, who hopes people will help to spread the word about this course that he is offering.

"Revolutionary dreams erupt out of political engagement; collective social movements are incubators of new knowledge…Progressive social movements do not simply produce statistics and narratives of oppression; rather, the best ones do what great poetry always does: transport us to another place, compel us to relive horrors, and more importantly, enable us to imagine a new society”

Robin D.G. Kelley, Freedom Dreams (2002)

It’s almost that time—let’s go beyond the same old Black History…

What: Community Course VII, The Organizers: Civil Rights and Black Power Beyond Malcolm and Martin

When: Tuesday nights, 6-8pm, beginning January 29

Where: Dunbar Community Center, 1453 South State Street

Community Course VII

The Organizers: Civil Rights and Black Power
Beyond Malcolm and Martin

Ella Baker, Robert F. Williams, and John Oliver Killens

Last semester we studied Malcolm’s and Martin’s philosophies, their work, and the historical contexts that helped shape them. This semester we’re going deeper, looking at 3 figures we almost never hear about, but who were every bit as important to African American freedom struggle as Malcolm and Martin. One person organized Black people in North Carolina to defend themselves against Klan (and government) terror and produced a revolutionary radio program from Cuba. One did nearly all of the organizing that helped create the SCLC and make it a success, while brokering the disagreements and generational and personality clashes that often occurred between different elements of the civil rights movement. One helped organize and lead the Harlem Writers’ Guild, a critical literary organization and movement that included Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Rosa Guy, Alice Childress, Ruby Dee, Arthur Flowers, Terry McMillan, Julian Mayfield and many others.

How did these three trailblazers we almost never hear about pursue their work? How did they participate—and shape—conversations about what it means for Black people to be free? How did they work through the philosophical debates of their time and the complexities of those debates? How did they lead people through the difficult work of liberation?

Come learn about these treasures in our tradition and to bring your own ideas about how we can build community, support each other, and work through the hard questions liberation asks of us. Come just to connect with positive people. Come for the food and fellowship.

As always, the course is free, the books are free, and the food is free—and the people are free…

IRS Announces 2008 Standard Mileage Rates; Rate for Business Miles Set at 50.5 Cents per Mile

2008-01-18T19:23:00.001-05:00

With the new year beginning, you may want to know what the IRS has set for standard mileage rates. Full-text is here. An excerpt is below.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:
50.5 cents per mile for business miles driven;
19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

Join the South Side Entrepreneurs Association today!

2007-12-14T14:16:00.000-05:00

Since you've been reading this blog for a while, you are aware of the South Side Entrepreneurs Association. You can find our 2008 meeting schedule here.

Becoming a member of the SSEA is easy (form) and we've got wonderful benefits, including access to advertising. If you have questions about the SSEA, please send a message to SSEAsyracuse@gmail.com or come to our January 28 meeting at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. The meeting will start at 7:45 a.m.

SSEA Holiday Breakfast, Dec. 10, 7:45 a.m.

2007-11-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

SOUTH SIDE ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATION

Cordially Invites You to Our

Annual
Holiday
Breakfast

December 10

7:45 – 8:45 a.m.

at the

South Side Innovation Center

2610 S. Salina St., Syracuse

(next to Dunk & Bright Furniture)

Please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, December 5 to
Jill at
SSEAsyracuse@gmail.com

or call (315) 243-4403

Our breakfast menu will include sausage, beef bacon, quiche, eggs, corn muffins, grits, fruit, coffee, tea and juice.

Cost: $2.00 for SSEA members, $4.00 for guests

Bring a colleague, partner, or co-worker with you to…

Eat & Celebrate!

South Side Entrepreneurs Association meeting dates for 2008

2007-11-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

Below are the scheduled meeting dates for the South Side Entrepreneurs Association in 2008. The SSEA holds morning meetings, beginning at 7:45 a.m. at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. in Syracuse. A continental breakfast is served beginning at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend.

For more information on the SSEA, come to a meeting, visit the SSIC and pick up literature on the SSEA, or send us an email at SSEAsyracuse@gmail.com.

Jan. 28
Feb. 25
Mar. 24
Apr. 28
May 19
June 23
July 28
August – no meeting
Sept. 22
Oct. 27
Nov. 17
Dec. 8

Notes from SSEA meeting on Nov. 14

2007-11-15T07:51:00.000-05:00

The November South Side Entrepreneurs Association meeting was held on Nov. 14. This was a very different meeting for us, since it was on a Wednesday and held in late afternoon. We invited several organizations that lend money to businesses and each was available to talk to people. The lenders in attendance were:

Bank of America
CNY Regional Planning &Development Board
City of Syracuse, Dept. of Economic Development
Cooperative Federal (Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union)
KeyBank
M&T Bank

After everyone had had a chance to talk to representatives from the various organizations, we had a brief meeting where we talked about advice that might be given to a business about banking or finances. The question that had been asked of all of the lenders was:

What one piece of advice about banking or finance would you give a business owner?

Here are the answers that they gave:

Understand your financials. Even if you have someone else keep your books for you, understand everything about your financials.
Don't be under capitalized. Have enough money to operate and grow your business.
Pay attention (100%) to your budget tracking. Know where you are spending money (as well as where it is coming in from).
Have an excellent CPA. When you start your business, you may not need a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), but eventually you will. Along the way, make sure that you have a qualified person to help you with your bookkeeping and accounting.
Write your business plan for yourself. Make sure that you are comfortable with the information in your business plan, including the financials.
Check your credit report. You can obtain a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com
Don't give up. The first few years of being in business can be tough, but try to persevere.
Use your network to find sources of financing.
Make sure your financial projections are reasonable.
Have a business plan and keep it current.

During the discussion, these additional pieces of information surfaced:

Be known by the people in your bank. Actually go into the bank to use its services, so that the staff gets to know your face.
Have an exit strategy for your business. Know how you want your business to end (for example, selling it).
Have advisers who can help you with your banking, accounting, insurance and legal advice. (The acronym is BAIL.)
The big print giveth and the small print taketh away. Read all of the information -- big and small print -- on any agreement that you consider.
Learn the language of finance and banking, so you know what people are talking about.
Perceptions are not reality. The perception might be that your business is doing well, but what is the reality?
Don't be in a rush (always). Remember to be patient.
Don't be afraid to ask for help or information.
Businesses fail because they don't plan.
"Debt" can be a tool. Implied is that you use the right kind of debt.
Use business loans instead of credit cards debt. You will not be able to get a loan to cover your credit card debt, but you could have gotten money via a loan rather than using money from your credit card. (And the rates likely would have been better.)
Know your fall-back plan.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice! The words above contain much wisdom.

The next SSEA meeting will be Monday, Dec. 10 at 7:45 a.m. at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. (next to Dunk & Bright). This will be our Holiday Breakfast where we'll partake of a special selection of food and spend time getting to know each other better (so we can help each other, refer business to each other, and support each other). Since a special breakfast is being planned, RSVPs are greatly appreciated. Please sent your RSVPs jahurst@syr.edu.

SSEA Monthly Meeting, Nov. 14, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

2007-11-05T10:35:00.001-05:00

This will be a very different South Side Entrepreneurs Association meeting. First, it will be held on a Wednesday (Nov. 14) and in the evening (4:30 - 7:30 p.m.). Second,this will be a trade show with tabletop displays from several traditional and non-traditional lenders. Participating lenders include:

CNY Regional Planning &Development Board
City of Syracuse Economic Development Office (EDO)
Key Bank
M&T Bank
Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union

Several others have been invited, so it is likely that 8 - 10 financial institutions and others who help businesses find funding will be at this event.

Why should you come? In order to grow your business, you will need funding. You may be able to be self-funded, but likely you want some external funding. At this event, you will be able to talk to a variety of financial institutions in a comfortable environment.

Besides the trade show, at 5:30 p.m. there will be a speaker and discussion about Using Financing to Grow Your Business. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a short workshop on getting financing for your business.

Reservations are not required and all are welcome to attend. The cost of the event is $2.00 for SSEA members and $4.00 for non-members/guests.

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Financing, Business

Resources: How to Make the Internet Work for Your Business

2007-10-21T20:12:00.000-04:00

Constant Contact - Offers email newsletter services.
Thunderbird - Free, open source email program. Use it with an email account that supports IMAP, and you can access all your messages from anywhere.
Google Apps Premier Edition - Inexpensive email hosting that is easy to set up, with a mycompany.com address.
eBay - The largest online marketplace. Offers auctions, stores, and for certain items half.com.
Yahoo Merchant Solutions - Offers shopping cart, order tracking, and payment processing services.
Craigslist Syracuse - Offers free classifieds and discussion.
Syracuse.com Forums - Affiliated with the Post-Standard. Classifieds and discussion.
Cooperative Federal - Offers low cost business checking with online account access, small business advising, and business loans.
PayPal - Offers easy-to-use processing services for online payments.
PaySimple - Offers credit card and ACH merchant accounts.
eFax, MyFax - Send faxes through your computer and receive faxes by email.
CutePDF - Software for creating PDFs to email documents, including a no-cost version.

October South Side Entrepreneurs Assoc. Meeting

2007-10-11T09:35:00.000-04:00

Topic: How to Make the Internet Work for Your Business
Speakers: Craig Watters & Ron Ehrenreich

We know the importance of the Internet to our lives, but what is the value of the Internet to our businesses? There are businesses among us with web sites and online stores, who find the Internet to be a valuable tool in reaching their customers and selling their products/services. However, how would you determine if the return on investment (ROI) in an Internet presence for your business would be worth the effort? Would "being online" give you the payback that you want? Come, learn about, and discuss these and other important questions about “being online!” Craig and Ron will give us information to consider and help us answer the questions that we have.

Date:

Monday, Oct. 22, 2007

Time:

7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
7:45 - 8:45 a.m. SSEA Meeting

Location:

South Side Innovation Center (next to Dunk & Bright)
2610 S. Salina St.
Syracuse, NY 13205

Cost:

$2.00/SSEA member; $4.00/Guest

Notes from the Sept. SSEA meeting & future meeting dates

2007-09-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

The South Side Entrepreneurs Association held its first meeting of the fall this past Monday (Sept. 24) at the South Side Innovation Center. Nearly 40 people attended and received a business goodie bag that contained items from Key Bank, SCORE, Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Center and the Falcone Center.

During the meeting, Nola Miyasaki presented on "Personal Selling." Selling is part of success. Without spending time selling, we cannot find the opportunities we desire. Miyasaki said that we need to be matchmakers. To be a matchmaker we need to:

Ask questions
Understand needs
Communicate clearly
Process good presentation skills

When we sell, we need to:

Get the person's attention by asking questions (ask & listen)
Understand the person's interest
Match our services to what the person desires
Ask for the close (get the person to take action)

In talking about the art of the close, Miyasaki said:

Be empathetic
Keep the spotlight on the buyer
Understand (and answer) unspoken questions
Communicate clearly the value you provide
Work towards an agreement with the buyer

At the end of her presentation, Nola Miyasaki then took a few minutes to talk about the initiatives that SU has on the South Side. She gave the group an update on what has occurred over the last year and plans for the future.

The front space will be reconfigured and permanent offices built for SSIC and WISE Center (Women's Business Center) staff.
A test kitchen is planned with assistance from Morrisville State College and others.
Talk continues on how to build more office space for tenants.

She also announced that the micro-credit loan program has been able to increase maximum loan amounts from $5,000 to $10,000, thanks to increased funding for the program. This program is a collaborative effort between SU, the City of Syracuse and the Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union.

Finally, the Entrepreneur of the Month was Charles Fielder of Always on Time, a a concierge service for the residential and business community.

Upcoming SSEA meeting will be:

October 22: How to make email work for your business
November 19: Growing your business with other people's money: Leading institution application requirements
December 10: Holiday breakfast

Time: 7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
7:45 - 8:45 a.m. SSEA Meeting

Location: South Side Innovation Center
(next to Dunk & Bright)
2610 S. Salina St.
Syracuse, NY 13205

Cost: $2.00/SSEA member; $4.00/Guest

All are welcome to attend!

Technorati tags: SSEA, Syracuse

Event: Connections, Oct. 25, Oswego

2007-09-06T09:48:00.001-04:00

On Oct. 25, SUNY Oswego’s Office of Business and Community Relations will gather women from Central and Northern New York for the second annual Connections symposium. This event is designed to bring women of all ages and backgrounds together to explore their place and power in their professions.

The day’s agenda will include such speakers as SUNY Oswego alumna Joni Daniels whose book, "Power Tools For Women: Plugging Into the Essential Skills for Work and Life", touches on all levels of professional and personal development. Julia DeVillers, also an alumna, an author of books that empower teen and tween girls. Also featured will be Carrie Lazarus, Co-Anchor on WSYR, Channel 9 whose Family Healthcast was one of the first daily health and fitness reports in the nation.

Throughout the event attendees will have the opportunity to visit the Women’s Market Place to support the sponsors and shop women-owned businesses (cash & check only – no credit cards).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit the Connections web site at http://www.oswego.edu/about/centers/cbcd/connections/. You can also view a one-page flyer at http://www.oswego.edu/about/centers/cbcd/connections/connections102507.pdf.

Please note that EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS end on Oct. 15 ($25).

Blog Day 2007: Four blogs worth checking out

2007-08-31T08:25:00.000-04:00

Today is a holiday! "Blog Day was created with the belief that bloggers should have one day dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest. On that day Bloggers will recommend other blogs to their blog visitors." In keeping with the spirit of Blog Day (August 31), here are four blogs worth checking out!

Cookin' in the 'Cuse -- Jennifer is a real foodie who enjoys cooking, shopping for good foods, and talking about it (with wonderful photos). She believes in supporting local farmers and knowing where your food comes from. She often highlights new restaurants and comments on trends.

Lifehacker -- "Computers make us more productive. Yeah, right. Lifehacker recommends the software downloads and web sites that actually save time. Don't live to geek; geek to live." There is always something of interest in Lifehacker and frequently tips that will be very useful.

Linked Intelligence -- Likely you've heard of the networking site called LinkedIn. Maybe you're using LinkedIn and, if you are, probably you feel like you could be using it better. This blog is dedicated to using LinkedIn well. Scott Allen, who writes this blog, even does Extreme LinkedIn Profile Makeovers.

NYCO's Blog -- NYCO follows regional politics and other stories. If you're tired of the version of news you're hearing from the media and want to read another well-informed source, read NYCO's Blog.

Technorati Tag: BlogDay2007

A carnival of entrepreneurs

2007-08-15T10:33:00.001-04:00

No, not a place for rides and games, but a blog carnival "where someone takes the time to find really good blog posts on a given topic, and then puts all those posts together in a blog post called a 'carnival'." In this case, people are gathering information on worthwhile blogs posts related to entrepreneurship.

The Carnival of Entrepreneurs is published weekly with someone different hosting it each week. To see a list of past blog posts (and to link to each of them), go here. The last Carnival of Entrepreneurs blog post was written by Steven Fisher and includes information on:

How to Write a Headline and Grab Your Prospect by the Eyeballs!
You Can Make More Working Less
How to React to Criticism
How I Became a Millionaire While Working In My Pajamas
How Much is Your Work Worth?

Reading this Carnival each week would be a great way of getting new ideas and learning more about being an entrepreneur.

Office of Minority and Women Business expands in Syracuse

2007-07-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

The article states:

The City of Syracuse Thursday announced the expansion of the M/WBE Compliance Office with the hiring of Charles Anderson as Minority and Women Business Enterprise Specialist.
Anderson will add outreach services to the M/WBE office, which currently serves as a compliance office for municipal projects throughout the City. The outreach services will enable more constituent services to minority and women owned start up companies wishing to be certified among the city’s directory of businesses.

To read the rest of the article, go here.

10 DO’s and DON'Ts For Your New Business (and its Web Site)

2007-07-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

At the April South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) meeting, Kelvin Ringold presented 10 do's and don'ts that a business should follow when promoting itself. His first three tips are:

DO have a web site. Make yourself easy to find. Even if it's only a one-page, "business card" web site(which can be done very cheaply), it's important to have a web presence these days. People who are web savvy LOOK FIRST on the web, and if you're not there, they'll run smack dab into your competitors, who do have a site. Being in the yellow pages is nice, but most avid computer users forget to check the phone book, much like big TV watchers forget how to turn on the TV if they can't find the remote control. "Google search" rules over yellow pages.
DO choose a domain name that’s catchy and easy to remember, and refers to your business. This might seem obvious, but sometimes, in our attempt to be creative, we forget to keep it simple (KISS).
DO include your web address (and email address, if you have one) in every letter, ad, communication, and contact that you have with clients and potential clients.

To read the rest of his tips, go here.

Five Tips for Increasing Networking Success

2007-07-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

These tips are from Joe Groden of JG Consulting.

Five Tips for Increasing Networking Success

Choose the right groups. Not only those groups that share common interests, but branch out to groups where your target customers participate. In addition, there are networking groups solely formed to refer business to each other.

Set goals. Have a realistic goal for the number of new contacts to make at each meeting/event. Most importantly, set goals for the follow-up to any contact made. This could include setting an appointment or lunch date, a follow-up call or email, or sending out some appropriate information.

Create an intriguing introduction. It should be no longer than 30 seconds, tell what you do and how that benefits the listener. You would have to modify that introduction depending on the contact.

Make a good impression. This is not the time for a sales pitch, or a “life of the party” act, but being you and showing interest will have the most value.

Gather good information. Listen carefully for clue’s regarding the life and interests of the person you are talking with. The real goal is developing a relationship that can have future value.

Leading Meetings: Getting Things Done and Having Fun

2007-06-26T19:41:00.001-04:00

While at a conference recently, I attended a session entitled "Leading Meetings: Getting Things Done and Having Fun." It was led by Shelly Edwards. Edwards did not use PowerPoint, which allows us to focus on what we were discussing and not on a screen. (She did have two people take notes on flip charts.) Highlights:

People are either right or left brained. Left brained people are interested in content, analysis and participation. Right brained people are interested in the process, interpersonal dynamics, and organization.
People often think and listen differently depending on where they sit in a room.
There are three modes of analysis -- auditory, visual and kinesthetic (multi-processing). You need to present information in meetings that will appeal to those three modes as well as to whether people are left or right brained.
How do you engage the visual learner in a virtual meeting? Use online software that allows for interaction, use an instant messenger as part of the meeting, send information ahead of time.
What are the frustrations with a virtual meeting? Distractions, length, people being too polite or not being polite enough, not knowing each other.
How do people define a meeting from hell?
- No agenda
- No ground rules
- Interruptions
- People come with their own agendas
- Unresolved issues
- Conflict
- People don't respect the time of the meeting
- A few people dominate
- Not organization
- Presenters read their PowerPoint slides
- The leader doesn't control the meeting

Edwards suggested that everyone find out their learning styles. (and you might want to find out the styles of those that you meet frequently with.)
She noted that the person who called the meeting may not be the meeting facilitator or the note taker.
You might ask people to take different roles during a meeting. For example, if it is a regular meeting, ask different people to run it.
If you decide to use Roberts Rules, explain to people what the rules are.
Consider using planning worksheets to ensure that you don't forget anything when planning a meeting.
- Planning is 80% of the total time that goes into a meeting.
- Consider calling people before a meeting in order to remind them and get them engaged before the meeting begins.
- Have a pre-meeting checklist.
She mentioned these resources:
- typetalk.com
- ASTD Press -- Meetings that Work
- Facilitating with Ease
- FacilitationFirst.com

Shelly Edwards really kept people engage during the session by using several of the techniques she discussed. She proved that a 7 a.m. meeting without food or coffee (which this was) can be fun!

Top 25 Alternatives To Venture Capital

2007-06-15T08:17:00.000-04:00

Need to find additional funding for your business? Not sure of your alternatives to a loan or venture capital? BusinessFund.com has an article that lists 25 alternative funding sources for your business. There is an option on this list for every business, no matter how large or small.

Technorati tags: entrepreneurs, financing

Article: Most Entrepreneurs Forced to Crack Open Their Piggy Banks

2007-06-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

As the article says:

Entrepreneurs are their own best investors, providing more than 60 percent of the start-up capital required to get their businesses off the ground, according to a new international study.
Surprisingly, the rest comes from family, friends, and neighbors, according to the 2006 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Finance report, an annual look at the state of entrepreneurship around the world released Monday by Babson College and London Business School. Less than one in 10,000 start-ups rely on classic venture capital, the study found.

To read more about the funding new businesses receive -- and the average startup costs -- go here.

Recycle at work

2007-05-22T18:26:00.000-04:00

The construction on Midland Ave. is a constant reminder that we can be both good and bad to the Earth, even as business owners. To understand what your business can recycle and get some waste reduction tips, go to the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency web site. Here are four tips from OCRRA:

Institute double-sided (duplex) copying to reduce paper use and mailing costs.
Use alternatives to paper communication, such as voice mail and e-mail.
Post non-urgent communications for general distribution on bulletin boards.
Eliminate unnecessary forms, reports, and publications.

Multicultural & diverse

2007-05-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

A realtor in Skaneateles says that "Cayuga County has 48 of the 50 states represented in the summer on the lake." She goes to say that a family from Uganda vacations on Skaneateles Lake every summer.

People move to Syracuse from all over the world, yet we forget how multicultural this area is, especially if you don't live in Syracuse. Walk along visit the stores and restaurants in different parts of the city, Westcott Street, meander across the SU campus and you will find people from different cultures.

This area's diversity is an asset, so let's not forgot how diverse -- and how multicultural -- this area is.

South Side News Stand and the Five S's

2007-05-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

During this academic year, students in the Whitman School's Learning Community worked with Carol Perry of the South Side News Stand to implement the Five S's. The five S's are:

Sorting
Simplifying
Systematic Cleaning
Standardizing
Sustaining

Perry reported that the five S's have positively impacted her location on South Salina Street and her eBay Store.

For a simple explanation of the five S's go here. The five S's can be used to organize a workspace as well as goods for sale. Carol Perry speaks highly of it. Maybe we all should give it a try?

Article: Winning at the Postage Game

2007-04-30T15:58:00.000-04:00

Postage is going up on May 14 (2007). This article talks about the impact of the postage increase and gives some strategies for keeping your mailing costs in line, including using the Internet to market your business instead of the U.S. Mail.

A rate chart for the new postage rates is available here.

Is your business helping to protect the Earth?

2007-04-22T15:07:00.001-04:00

If you think the answer is "yes," check again. You may have instituted changes that are meant to have a positive impact on the Earth, but is your staff carrying out those changes? For example, many hotels say they will not change linens every day unless they are asked by their guests. However, those who work in housekeeping see it as part of their job to keep the rooms fresh and clean, which means changing the linens every day (which they do). So what the management says it is doing and what the staff really is doing are two different things.

If you have instituted ideas in your business to help save the environment, take time this week to check on how those ideas have been implemented. Make sure that your staff understands what you want and why you want it. Ensure that they are "on board" with the idea. The Earth will thank you!

Technorati tags: earth day, environment, climate change

The SSIC is in an "empowerment zone"

2007-03-29T21:03:00.000-04:00

The South Side Innovation Center is in an "Empowerment Zone" within the City of Syracuse (census tract 54). Businesses located in an Empowerment Zone are eligible for a tax incentive package. Check out the City's web site for more information (which includes contact information for someone to talk with at City about this).

Technorati tag: Syracuse

Our neighbors to the south

2007-03-29T19:47:00.000-04:00

The March 25 Post-Standard contains a photo essay on the Onondaga Nation done by photo journalist John Berry. On the Post-Standard web site are the photos and text from the newspaper, plus a few more. In addition, there is a five-part video essay.

The Onondagas have lived on this land before there was a Syracuse, before there was a New York State, and before Europeans came to the "new" world. The Onondagas continue to care about and for the land that is now our home, too. We know about their land claim; the photo and video essay give us a glimpse of the people themselves. Take a moment and take a look...

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Onondaga Nation, Onondaga

Upcoming SSEA meetings & topics

2007-03-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

The South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) meets once per month at the South Side Innovation Center (2610 S. Salina St., Syracuse, next to Dunk & Bright). The meetings always include a speaker. The speakers and their topics for the next four meetings are:

April 23 – Internet tools for marketing your business – T. T. Mitchell and Kelvin Ringold

Office space, telephone, and electricity are things we need to keep our businesses running. But for some, e-mail, web sites and online stores are just as critical -- and maybe more so -- to their success as having a phone. But why? At our April meeting, we will have a panel discussion on these and other Internet tools, and talk about their benefits in marketing, promoting, and even running our businesses. Our panelists will be T.T. Mitchell and Kelvin Ringold who have used the Internet to market their businesses and help others do the same. T.T. Mitchell is the founder of SEOXcellence, a company that creates business web sites and helps search engines find them in order to enhance the business’ visibility. Kelvin Ringold is the founder of KPRS Marketing & Promotion, a company that helps small businesses effectively market themselves using web sites and related Internet tools.

May 21 – Networking – Paula Behm, Careers by Design

What is networking? The Small Business Administration has defined networking as:
Using contacts made in business for purposes beyond the reason for the initial contact. For example, a sales representative may ask a customer for names of others who may be interested in his product.
Networking is important to our business success. Paula will help us understand the in's and out's of this valuable topic.

June 25 – Bid & Contract Preparedness – Ron Ehrenreich and Craig Watters

With all of the upcoming construction and related activities targeted for the Syracuse region, it is important that we be prepared to bid and land contracts for this work. Craig, a former contract manager, and Ron will provide information and tips to help us be prepared to bid on this upcoming work.

July 23 – Smart Growth – Naqia Edwards, Nappy Logic

As we look to revitalize Syracuse, a concept worth considering is smart growth. Smart growth "invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities." Naqia, who has seen smart growth work in other communities, will talk about how it could work for Syracuse.

The South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) meeting details are:

Time:
7:30 – 7:45 a.m. – Networking & Continental Breakfast
7:45 – 8:45 a.m. – Meeting

Location: South Side Innovation Center, 2610 South Salina St. (next to Dunk & Bright)

Cost: $2.00 for SSEA members, $4.00 for non-members/guests

WISE 2007: Interesting speaker facts

2007-03-28T17:45:00.000-04:00

Interesting facts about several presenters for the 2007 Symposium…

B. Smith, B. Smith Enterprises: B. Smith knows style: The former fashion model turned restaurateur, television host, author, entrepreneur and entertainer extraordinaire is widely regarded as an expert when it comes to casual but elegant living. She owners three successful restaurants, has her own line of jewelry on QVC and home bedding products at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Victoria MacKenzie-Childs, Victoria & Richard Emprise: After the cessation of the genuine, original MacKenzie-Childs founded in 1983, Victoria & Richard rose up to the challenge with a new adventure, Victoria & Richard Emprise. Victoria’s works have been exhibited at industry trade shows, where they rave reviews and explosive sales, doubling at each showing.

Patience Brewster, Patience Brewster, Inc.: Patience has illustrated cards for several card companies and launched her own card company. Today, Patience is spending all her time designing cards and ornaments while working on her annual original art show with her sister on Martha's Vineyard.

Susan Lacz, Ridgewells Catering: A recognized leader and sought-after public speaker in the Catering and Special Events Industry, Susan Lacz is passionate about her work. She works on catering high profile sporting events such as the US Open Men’s Championship and the annual NFL Super Bowl.

Randy Snow, R & R Partners: After years back and forth between agency and client sides of the industry, Randy found a home as the Creative Director of R & R Partner’s Las Vegas office and oversees the agency’s creative staff in Las Vegas, Reno and Salt Lake City and is one of the masterminds behind the “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” campaign.

Seattle Sutton, Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating: Sutton, of Marseilles, Ill., founded the company in 1985 at the age of 53 to help improve people’s eating habits and has continued her original mission to this day. She did so with only $1,000, three employees and a lot of determination to make it a success.

Saundra Parks, The Daily Blossom: When it comes to flowers, Saundra Park’s Daily Blossom is the go-to florist for many of New York City’s financial, corporate and entertainment elite for one-of-a kind centerpieces, arrangements and floral design.

Doreen Marks Garrett, Otis Products: Doreen became an inspired entrepreneur as a 15-year-old girl, while out hunting with her father. Otis Products, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading manufacturer of firearms maintenances systems and regarded by global professional firearms users as the most advanced gun care system provider. She recently opened a new $1 million day care center just steps away from the manufacturing facility.

Fran & Bill Lytle, Brand Champs, LLC: Fran & Bill Lytle are Consumer Behaviorists, Brand Strategists, Published Authors and Radio Show Hosts. They are also the Co-founders of Brand Champs, which works with brands to develop strong relationships with consumers through marketing, communications, promotions and entertainment content. They have particular expertise in marketing to women, the primary decision-makers for most categories.

Mary Cantando, WomenBusinessOwner.com: Mary Cantando is a nationally-recognized author, speaker and columnist who focuses exclusively on helping women grow their businesses. As an entrepreneurial executive, she’s founded, led and expanded businesses for over 20 years. Mary has personally closed contracts of $50MM with Fortune clients, and as a consultant, she helps women develop new revenue streams.

AND there are more speakers than this! This will be an exciting event. For registration information, go here.

Technorati tags: women, business, entrepreneurship, WISE2007

What is diversity?

2007-03-20T13:19:00.000-04:00

Diversity not longer just means "minority". Diversity means fluidity, agility, and style. Diversity is becoming less about skin color and more abut buying power. Diversity is becoming less about inclusion and more about potential.

Urban Illustrated, Feb./Mar. 2007, P. 4

WISE conference agenda, April 12 (Syracuse, NY)

2007-03-05T20:37:00.000-05:00

The WISE conference has an all new agenda this year. You may register online at http://whitman.syr.edu/eee/WISEweb/. Registration is $50/person and include breakfast and lunch.

Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship 2007

Presented by Syracuse University’s Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship and

Key Foundation

April 12, 2007

Agenda for the Day

7:45-8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30-8:40 Welcome by Dr. Nancy Cantor, Chancellor, Syracuse University (introduction by Steve Fournier)

8:40-8:55 Welcome to the Entrepreneurial Revolution, Nola Miyasaki, Executive Director,

Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship, Syracuse University

Introduction of Emcee for the Day, Donna Adamo, WTVH-5, CBS Affiliate

8:55-9:35 Change Your World---but Be Smart about It!, Susan Lacz, Principal, Ridgewells Catering, Washington DC

9:35-10:15 I Wish I’d Known That: Lessons Learned from Women Entrepreneurs, Dr. Susan Duffy, George Washington University

10:15-10:30 BREAK

10:30-11:05 Life Begins at 50: My Entrepreneurial Journey, Seattle Sutton RN, BSN, Founder and President, Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating

11:10-12:00 Concurrent Break-out Sessions I:

Startup Track

1) A Heritage of Success: Loving What You Do and Doing What You Love, Juanita Bass, Founder, Juanita’s Soul Classics

2) She’s Got the Power: Gender-specific Behavior and the Market, Fran and Bill Lytle, Brand Champs, LLC

3) How Entrepreneurs Think: The Psychology of Creating a Successful Venture, Dr. Mike Haynie, Syracuse University

4) It’s Not Rocket Science: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know about Accounting Numbers, Bill Walsh, Syracuse University

5) Can I Get a Bank Loan: Improving the Odds, Renee Polera, KeyBank Ron Ehrenreich, Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union, and Valerie Shoudy, Small Business Administration

Growth Track

6) Open the Sales Floodgates! - Discover How Your Business is Stronger than the

Competition and Get that Message to Prospects & Customers, Mary Cantando, Growth Expert, WomanBusinessOwner.com

7) Growing a Business is Different than Starting a Business, Patricia Henriques, Founder, Management Alternatives, Inc.

8) Business Models for Growth Ventures: Break on Through, Michael Morris, Syracuse University

9) Marketing Turned Upside Down: The Entrepreneurial Solution, Dr. Minet Schindehutte, Syracuse University and Founder, Proxi Business Centres and Julie Briggs, Founder, Syracuse Gift Basket Company, Inc.

12:15- 1:30 Networking Lunch with Guest Entrepreneurs; Greeting by Renee Polera of Key4Women; Presentation of the Ann Michel WISE Distinguished Entrepreneur Awards, with Eric Spina, Vice Chancellor and Provost, Syracuse University and Nola Miyasaki, Executive Director, Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship; Presentation of the Women Entrepreneurs Day Proclamation by Mayor Matthew Driscoll and County Executive Nicholas Pirro

1:35-2:25 Concurrent Break-out Sessions II:

Startup Track

1) How to Write a Brilliant Business Plan, Mr. Larry Bennett, Syracuse University

2) Dream Big but Act Smart: Understanding the Entrepreneurial Path, Dr. Michael Morris, Syracuse University

3) Figuring Out Insurance Needs for Start-ups, Tracy Cifra, Haylor, Freyer & Coon

4) Do I Need a Lawyer: Legal Challenges for Start Ups, Bruce Poushter and colleagues, Sugarman Law Firm

5) You Are Not Alone: Sources of Help for Entrepreneurs from the SBA, WBC, SBDC, and SCORE, Cathy Pokines, U.S. Small Business Administration; Connie Gregory, WISE Women's Business Center; Joan Powers, Small Business Development Center; Helen Fountain, Service Corps of Retired Executives and guest entrepreneurs

Growth Track

6) What Happens Here, Stays Here: Why Your Brand is Built Around Your Customer, Randy Snow, Vice President and Creative Director of R&R Partners

7) Does My Company Need a Board of Directors, a Board of Advisors, or What?, Anne Messenger, Messenger Associates, Inc. and Carol Fletcher, CR Fletcher Associates, Inc.

8) Finding Money: Can I Qualify for an SBA Loan? Tony Saya and Renee Polera, KeyBank

9) Growing a Firm: It’s the Company You Keep, Saundra Parks, Founder, The Daily Blossom

2:35-3:25 Three Keys to Entrepreneurial Success:

-Courage and Will, Doreen Garrett, Founder and CEO, Otis Products

-Passion and Integrity, Patience Brewster, Founder, Patience Brewster, Inc.

-Imagination, Victoria MacKenzie-Childs, Founder of MacKenzie-Childs and of Victoria & Richard Emprise

3:25-4:15 Entrepreneurship with Style, B Smith, founder, B. Smith Enterprises, including the B. Smith with Style Home Collection, the B. Smith Jewelry Collection and the B. Smith Restaurants (into by Ann Marie Stonecypher)

4:15- 5:30 Reception and Wine Tasting, Registry for WISE Forum, Resources for Women Entrepreneurs---Join us for a special book signing with keynote speaker B. Smith! Register of the WISE Forum, how to sign up and participate in this free resource to work with other women owned businesses. Networking, Exhibits, Wine Tasting, Food, Drinks, Spa Displays, and Entertainment

Podcasts from the Small Business Administration

2007-02-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

The SBA has created audio that you can listen to (or read the transcripts) on topics such as:

Check List for Starting a Business
Is Entrepreneurship for You?
Selecting a Business That Fits
Creating a Business Plan

To listen to these and several more -- or read the transcriptions -- go here.

20 Common Mistakes of Eager Leaders

2007-02-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

This is a good list for any supervisor, manager or leader.

T-E-A-M

2007-02-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

I saw this in someone's office....

T -- Train
E -- Endure
A -- Achieve
M -- Matter

The Fourth Ring: Making events accessible to all

2007-02-04T20:56:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, I used to go to New York City in the spring for a conference. While there, I would also go to a performance of the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. Although tickets for the ballet can be quite expensive, I would get tickets for the "fourth ring", which were always very affordable ($15, I believe). The fourth ring was the very top section (balcony) of the theater. Those who sat in the fourth ring enjoyed the ballet very much, but couldn't afford the expensive seats. And the ballet, recognizing that it needed to make its product available to a broad section of people, made seats in the fourth ring affordable to people like me.

I was reminded of the fourth ring when I attended the Famous Entrepreneurs Series here in Syracuse. One of the gentlemen, who spoke at the beginning of the event, said he was disappointed in the turnout for the series. Tickets were $150 each ($75 for students) and out of the reach of many entrepreneurs who would like to attend. It is too bad that the event isn't held in a place where there could be a "fourth ring" -- a section that could be made available at a much lower price. I could imagine that this "fourth ring" of budget seating could become quite popular and would allow more people to be influence by these wonderful speakers.

Would the budget seating take away from the other seating? No, not if done properly. It did not at Lincoln Center and has not in other places where I've seen it implemented.

Syracuse -- why not give it a try?

ShovelReady.com

2007-01-14T22:22:00.000-05:00

National Grid has created a web site to help businesses that want to invest in Upstate NY by opening a location here. The site is ShovelReady.com.

Walking...

2007-01-11T18:52:00.000-05:00

From Ode magazine, June 2006, page 21:

Because walking is such a natural part of being human, people around the world are looking for ways to put the step back into modern life. New Urbanist communities -- designed with sidewalks, corner stores, and town squares like old neighbourhoods -- are booming in popularity, not just in the developed world but also in places like China. And the last few years have seen a surge of interest in renovating and reviving historic neighbourhoods where stores, jobs and recreation opportunities can still be comfortably reached on foot.

Upcoming events at the Syracuse Technology Garden

2007-01-07T15:33:00.000-05:00

Syracuse Technology Garden, 235 Harrison Street:

Open House, Jan. 10, 5 - 7 p.m., RSVP to Annina@GrowSyracuse.com
Turning Concepts into Companies (Video conference), Jan. 24, 5 p.m.
Syracuse Technology Roundtable, Jan. 31, 5 p.m.
Entrepreneurs Workshops (Video conference), Feb. 21, 5 p.m.

More information is available at:

http://www.growsyracuse.com/techgarden/events.asp

Upcoming events from the Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union

2007-01-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

All workshops are free and open to the public, light refreshments will be served, and child care can be provided upon request. Also, for each workshop you attend, you'll be entered in a drawing for a prize! The drawing will take place in June, 2007.

1. Small Business Financing - Jan. 18
2. Legal Issues for Small Businesses - Feb. 6
3. Marketing on a Shoestring - Feb. 13
4. Copyright and Trademark Law - March 6
5. QuickBooks Payroll - March 22 + 29
6. General Bookkeeping - April 5 +12
7. Retail 101 - April 24
8. Credit Repair for Entrepreneurs - May 3

1. Financing Your Small Business
-Thurs. January 18, 6:00-8:00PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn about types of business loans and how to best present a business loan application.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

2. Legal Issues for Small Businesses
-Tuesday, February 6, 1:00-2:30PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn about the legal structures of for-profit business and why they matter for yours.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

3. Marketing on a Shoestring
-Tues., Feb. 13, 6:00-8:00PM
-South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St., Syracuse NY 13205
-Learn about developing your message and getting it out on a small budget.
-Please register in advance: contact Nick at 471-1116 x223 or nickcavanaugh@syrcoopfcu.org.

4. Copyright and Trademark Law
-Tuesday, March 6, 1:00-2:30PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn what you need to know for your business regarding copyright and trademark.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

5. QuickBooks Payroll
-Thursday, March 22 and Thursday, March 29, 6:00-8:00PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn how to use QuickBooks to track your payroll in this 2-session course.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

6. General Bookkeeping
-Thursday, April 5 and Thursday April 12, 6:00-8:00PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn basics about bookkeeping from an experienced bookkeeper at our credit union.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

7. Retail 101
-Tues., April 24, 6:00-8:00PM
-South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St., Syracuse NY 13205
- A retail expert presents tips for starting a new retail business or managing your recently opened retail business. Learn about business plan ideas and what makes a retail store successful.
-Please register in advance: contact Nick at 471-1116 x223 or nickcavanaugh@syrcoopfcu.org.

8. Credit Repair for Entrepreneurs
-Thursday, May 3, 6:00-8:00PM
-Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
-Learn to improve your business's credit worthiness by reviewing credit reports, clearing them up and improving your credit score. Also learn about resources for business lending, planning, accounting and so on.
-Please register ahead of time: contact Lori at the Business Resource Center, 471-2720.

Event: Registration for WISE (April 12) is now open

2007-01-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

Early-bird registration is $35 until Feb. 14. The fee then becomes $50 through April 9. Registration at the door will be $65. If you are a full-time student, the cost is $10.

This is the fifth year of WISE: Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship. The one-day symposium attracts more than 500 people and has been a sold-out event the last two years.

This is a phenomenal event that opens eyes and changes lives. Notes from the 2006 WISE event are here.

Notes & Quotes: Paul Andreoli

2007-01-04T13:06:00.000-05:00

In December, Paul Andreoli (from SU and SCORE) spoke at the South Side Entrepreneurs Association meeting on "Building Your Board of Business Advisors." Here are some quick thoughts from his presentation:

Build a board of advisors that can provide advice and contacts.
Consider adding suppliers and customers to your board of advisors.
Remember that your board of advisors wants you to succeed.
Your board of advisors should be comprised of people that you are comfortable with and this includes people with whom you are comfortable "bearing all" -- the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Should your board of advisors sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with you? That is up to you. Andreoli believes in selecting people with whom a handshake agreement is good enough. He believes a non-disclosure agreement can create a barrier.
Your board of advisors may include people who can mentor you -- formally or informally.
The board of advisors may be people who would be willing to invest in your business in the future.

Top 10 franchises for 2007

2006-12-26T13:28:00.000-05:00

For some, starting a business means buying a business -- or buying a franchise. Entrepreneur magazine has released its 28th annual franchise 500. The magazine believes the top10 franchises for 2007 will be:

Subway
Dunkin' Donuts
Jackson Hewitt Tax Service
7-Eleven
The UPS Store/Mail Boxes Etc.
Domino's Pizza
Jiffy Lube
Sonic Drive In Restaurants
McDonald's
Papa John's

For the full list and more, go here.

Is your web site winning you business?

2006-12-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

This was the title of a presentation done on July 26, 2006 by Brian Bluff of Site-Seekers as part of the Dollar$ and Sense Workshop, held at the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.

Bluff talked about the need to:

Drive traffic to your web site
Convert that traffic into contacts and sales
Measure the results

In his fast paced and information packed presentation, Bluff gave the audience some tips and information. Among them were:

He noted that the Internet is outside of most companies' core competencies. Therefore, companies may need to look to an outside "expert" to help them with their web site.
45% of companies cannot measure the effectiveness of their web sites.
People will judge a web site in milliseconds. Therefore, it is important that people instantly be able to recognize what you do when they visit your site. He actually showed us web sites and counted how many seconds it took for us to recognize what the site did. "What" definitely should be evident in under five seconds.
Have your contact information on every page.
Keep your web site content fresh, which means updating content on a regular (frequent) basis. This will attract the search engine "spiders" that index the Internet.
Include a site map on your web site, since a site map helps spiders find and index all of your pages.
In the title tag on your web pages, place the product information first, not your company name. This helps with the indexing of your site in search engines.
Bold important text. Search engines assume that what is bolded is important.
Have target phrases for each page.
Make sure that there is synergy between the words in your title tags, the phrases that you bold, and the target phrases on each page. This is important so that the search engine spiders clearly understand what the page is about. It also helps with your search engine ranking.
Those sites that you link to should be "natural." In other words, if you are a software company, link to other web sites in your industry or in a related industry. Don't link to a site that is totally unrelated to what you do. (Of course, you should link to client sites.) Why? Because you want everything on your site to be focused on what you do and your subject domain.
Create your web site to be viewed on 1024 x 768 pixel size screen. Evidently, this is now the prevailing screen size.
Hotlink your logo so that it returns the person to your homepage.
Solicit and include customer testimonials.
Write white papers on your topic area and make them available on your web site.
The more pages a person has to go through to get the information they need, the fewer people who will do it. There is a 40% drop off for each page a person must go to in order to find the information he wants.
There is useful search engine optimization tools and information at SEO Book.

Technorati tags: SEO, search engine optimization

The Cooperative Ownership Society

2006-12-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

The York Staters blog published a wonderful piece in September entitled "The Cooperative Ownership Society." Although written about living in the Westcott area of Syracuse, you might read it and envision how the ideas could be applied to where you live.

By the way, the article mentions the Syracuse Real Food Co-op. There is some talk of developing a food co-op on the South Side. If you live on the South Side, would you shop at a food co-op? Would you become a member of the co-op? You can read the Real Food Co-op's member info here, if you'd like an idea of what membership in such an organization might mean.

The article also mentions the Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union. The Credit Union does have an office at the South West Community Center and offers membership to people who live, work or worship on the Southwest side of Syracuse. You can check with the Credit Union to see if you quality to become a member.

Number of business incubators...

2006-12-10T14:53:00.000-05:00

Don Iannone, is his blog, says:

According to the National Business Incubation Association, as of October 2006, there were over 1,400 incubators in North America, up from only 12 in 1980. Of those, 1,115 were in the United States, 191 were in Mexico and 120 were in Canada.

One of those incubators is the South Side Innovation Center, located at 2610 S. Salina St. in Syracuse. Opened in April 2006, the SSIC is home to a growing number of tenants and virtual members. Besides providing space and selected amenities, the SSIC also provides workshops and presentations geared towards member needs. For more information on the SSIC, including information on how to become a tenant, call (315) 443-8600.

SSEA member benefit & membership application

2006-12-08T15:28:00.000-05:00

Beginning in January 2007, the South Side Entrepreneurs Association will become a dues paying group. Information on member benefits and copies of the membership application are available at SSEA meetings and at the South Side Innovation Center. You can also download copies through the links below:

SSEA Members Benefits
SSEA Membership Application Form

Notes from fall SSEA meetings

2006-11-27T15:36:00.000-05:00

You likely have noticed that there have not been notes from the SSEA meetings for quite a while. As my role changed with the SSEA, the time and effort I was spending doing meeting notes has been funneled into other activities, like helping to write the by-laws. Let me, though, give a quick update of what's been happening.

The SSEA as an organization:

Based on feedback received at the June meeting, the Organizing Committee re-worded the SSEA's mission statement so that it is clearer. The mission statement now reads:

The mission of the South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) is:
to unite innovative, emerging and mature growth businesses across industry lines,
to promote positive action that benefits the South Side of Syracuse, the investment and entrepreneurial communities through a dynamic networking, educational, membership-based organization.

The incorporation of the SSEA was completed during the summer, with the help of the SU Law Clinic. The SSEA is organized as a not-for-profit association that can provide member benefits.
The Organizing Committee re-formed in May (2006) and worked over the summer to write the by-laws for the SSEA and put in place a structure that will help to sustain the association in the future.
In October, the by-laws were voted on and adopted by the SSEA’s original Board of Directors. At that time, the Organizing Committee (as outlined in the by-laws) became the current Board of Directors through December 2006.
Nominations for Board members to serve the SSEA in 2007 – 2008 are open, with elections to be held at the SSEA's December 18th meeting. The Board that takes office in January 2007 will be comprised of five SSEA members, one representative from the SU Whitman School of Management, and three outside board members (nine Board members in total). This Board will attend to the day-to-day operations of the SSEA (with the help of many others) and expand the benefits available to members.
Also in October, the SSEA began its membership campaign. Membership applications and information on member benefits are now available at the South Side Innovation Center (2610 S. Salina St.), and will be available at SSEA meetings. In order to encourage people to move from being a member for free to paying dues, members who pay their dues prior to Dec. 15th will receive a 50% discount on their dues.

SSEA meetings:

September -- We had a panel discussion on how business can get media coverage. There are notes here.
October -- The meeting focused on the SSEA and the changes that were occurring in its structure.
November -- The topic was "Preventing Fraud." Randy Elder, from the SU Lubin School of Accounting, spoke on the ways business owners can inhibit and prevent financial fraud. Randy Elder provided the group with a wealth of information and things to think about. His one slide, though, perhaps summarizes what business owners must do:

Open the mail yourself OR assign that task to someone who does not have accounting duties. That person should mark all incoming checks are being for deposit only (with the business' bank account number).
Sign all outgoing checks and control how they are mailed. The accounting person should not mail them. Either the owner should do it or assign someone to the task that does not have accounting responsibilities.
Receive and review all bank statements. Make sure that everything reconciles.
Review payroll for accuracy.
Create a separation of duties so that your accounting person does not have too much power and control.

December 18 -- Besides the election of new Board members, the topic will be "Building Your Board of Business Advisors " with Paul Andreoli from SU and SCORE. Networking and breakfast are at 7:30 a.m. at the SSIC. The meeting itself is from 7:45 - 8:45 a.m.

That's it in a nutshell!

SmallBizU

2006-11-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

Key Bank has a web site for business owners called SmallBizU. SmallBizU includes online classes on Money, Management and Marketing as well as the Entrepreneurial Master Class Curriculum (EMC²). Some of the classes are up to four hours in length. You must register in order to take any of the courses, however, the courses are free. The web site also contains a knowledge base of information on specific business related topic.

Please note that SmallBizU works best with Internet Explorer and may not fully function with another Internet browser (e.g., Firefox or Netscape).

IRS Announces 2007 Standard Mileage Rates

2006-11-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

This is information that we all need to have.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

48.5 cents per mile for business miles driven;

20 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and

14 cents per mile driven in service to a charitable organization.

Full details are available here.

Article: The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups

2006-11-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

Paul Graham, an author and entrepreneur, has written "The 18 Mistakes that Kill Startup ." The first three are:

Single Founder
Bad Location
Marginal Niche

For more information on these, and to see the remaining 15, go here.

Article: All Hail the Entrepreneur

2006-11-14T15:59:00.000-05:00

"Entrepreneurship is transforming America—not just for a few, but for all of us and for the better. Consider: Today roughly 45 million Americans, about 30 percent of the labor force, run their own businesses. Sometime during their careers, well over half of university graduates will start a business. Most Americans today work in firms that have entrepreneurial teams in charge. And most U.S. job growth and new technology comes from entrepreneurial companies. In short, ours is no longer an economy of big, old, stable corporations. Yes, we have many of those. But increasingly, we live in an economy of new, rapidly growing (and sometimes rapidly declining) entrepreneurial companies. America is unique in the world, a nation rebuilding itself on the principles of entrepreneurial capitalism."

Read the rest of the article here.

Event: Supplier Diversity Open House at Cornell

2006-11-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

Cornell University is holding its first Supplier Diversity Open House on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at the Ramada Inn on Triphammer Road in Ithaca. Information about the event is available here. Reservation must be made by Nov. 27.

Events: Onondaga Citizens League -- Looking at the impact of festivals, cultural institutions and other things on Syracuse

2006-10-31T13:48:00.000-05:00

Onondaga Citizens League

2006 Study

“Fixing the Hub: Leveraging Better Outcomes for Downtown”

~ ATTEND THESE UPCOMING STUDY SESSIONS ~

The Impact of Artists & Cultural Institutions

Thursday, November 2, 2006, 3:30- 5 PM

Jazz Central, 441 E. Washington Street

Panel: Mike Barletta; Mark Barone, SU; and Mick Mather, CRC; Helen Dewey, Everson Museum; Denise Fresina, Landmark Theater;

Moderator: Dennis Connors, OHA

The Impact of Festivals Downtown

Wednesday, November 8, 3:30-5 PM

Jazz Central 441 E. Washington Street

Panel: Commissioner Pat Driscoll, City of Syracuse Parks, Recreation & Youth; Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz Arts Foundation; Carol Eaton and David Holder, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau

Moderator: Mick Mather, CRC

For further information on the OCL Study, visit the OCL website http://yesu.syr.edu/ocl

Onondaga Citizens League

700 University Avenue

Syracuse, NY 13244

315.443.4846

A call for public art in Syracuse

2006-10-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

In another blog posting about a presentation given by Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop, I wrote:

I don’t know if Anita mentioned it during her presentation, but she values public art. Public art can lift the spirits of a community. It can become the focal point of the community.

What is public art? It has been defined as:

...artwork in the public realm, regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property, or whether it is acquired through public or private funding. Public art can be a sculpture, mural, manhole cover, paving pattern, lighting, seating, building facade, kiosk, gate, fountain, play equipment, engraving, carving, fresco, mobile, collage, mosaic, bas-relief, tapestry, photograph, drawing, or earthwork.

Some cities have invested in public art. For example:

Asheville, NC has artwork sprinkled throughout its downtown area. S
Seattle, WA has made a tremendous commitment to having artwork throughout its city. The artwork peppers the landscape, capturing your eyes and your imagination.
The public art in Welland, Ontario takes the form of murals painted on the sides of buildings.

Public art can be permanent art, but it can also be temporary. For example, there are chalk drawing done each spring in California outside one of the missions. Although the artwork is done as a fund raiser, the chalk drawings are viewed by many for weeks by many, many people (because of the lack of rain). Eventually, each year the chalk drawings fade, are walked on too many times, finally are rained on, and disappear...only to reappear again the following year.

Some cities -- like Syracuse -- have engaged in painted fiberglass cows, horses, kites and other forms as a way of creating temporary and permanent public art. Yet, to me, these 'events' do not get enough of the public involved. So, as I thought about Anita Roddick's words and the public art I have seen, it occurred to me that we might look to the chalk drawing of California for some inspiration.

How about getting artists, children, business owners, and everyday people involved in create chalk art?! Chalk art isn't permanent, which means it doesn't have to be perfect (or held to some "higher" standard). It would be low-cost. And it would be easy for anyone to do.

Imagine:

Artists creating chalk art on sidewalks in front of empty building
Artists being invited to create chalk art in front of businesses or schools
Children drawing their hopes and dreams on the sidewalks in front of their homes
Businesspeople sketching their visions of Syracuse on the sidewalks outside their stores
Festivals and farmer markets providing space for chalk art on their sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots
People stopping to look a piece of unexpected artwork in their neighborhood on the ground in front of them
Children learning to express themselves through art
Artists and art teachers teaching people how to create art -- not in some studio -- but on the streets of Syracuse
Families being able to talk about art that exists in their neighborhoods
People finding beauty in Syracuse, not because it is filled with chalk art, but because in stopping to see the art they have also stopped to really see Syracuse
Syracuse investing in more public art because it sees the positive reactions people have to the chalk art

Maybe chalk art isn't the best idea for promoting public art, but it is at least "an" idea. It is a place to start and a way of testing the waters. But is it an idea that some of the movers-n-shakers in the community would back? Would Syracuse University get involved? And what about 40 Below or ThINC? And what about schools, businesses and business groups? Maybe...just maybe...by floating this idea here, a conversation will begin about public art in Syracuse and something (even chalk art) will take shape.

Book: On The Air: Free Media Tips

2006-10-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

B.J. Parker has written an e-book entitled On The Air: Free Media Tips. The 67-page book give a "list of 101 tips that anyone can use to become more knowledgeable of the advantages of incorporating public relations into their marketing mix." The book is free (and useful) and available on her web site. You'll need to sign-up for her newsletter in order to receive the e-book, but remember that you can always unsubscribe from the newsletter, if you don't find it useful.

Event: Small Business Training Program adds session on Nov. 29

2006-10-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

The SSIC Enterprise Management Institute (EMI) is conducting a multi-week training program. The programs are held on Wednesdays from 12 noon - 1:15 p.m. at the South Side Innovation Center. (more info)

A session has been added on Nov. 29 entitled "Internet & Business Research." Businesses require good, up-to-date information to fuel their decision-making processes. This session will give business people some of the tools needed in order to conduct their own research on their markets, industries and competitors. The hour will include:

The information life-cycle
Overview of Internet search engines
Tips for locating "hidden" information on the Internet
The benefits of using a fee-based service for locating information (and how to access them)
How to locate and tap into people to gather needed information (e.g., experts, surveys, etc.)
Other resources

The South Side Innovation is located on South Salina St. in Syracuse, next to Dunk & Bright Furniture.

Panel Discussion: How Businesses Can Get Media Coverage

2006-10-19T21:04:00.000-04:00

At the September SSEA meeting (Sept. 25), there was a panel discussion on "How Businesses Can Get Media Coverage." The panelists were:

Ryann Acton -- Staff Writer, The Central New York Business Journal
Scott Gardner -- Marketing Specialist, Agile' Marketing Services

BoNhia Lee -- Staff Writer, The Post-Standard -- was unable to attend, but sent information that is included below.

Here are some of the questions asked and some of their responses. (Hard to capture the lively discussion!)

What business news is newsworthy? Things mentioned included awards, growth in the number of employees, and major contracts. The media tends to look for "big" news, but don't be afraid to send your news if it doesn't seem "big." You will at least build awareness about your business with the reporters. Having reporters aware of your business is good. They might call upon you for a comment (on something related to your business area) or even approach you for news.

Both Scott and Ryann remarked that business owners don't like to toot their own horns, but that you must in order to be noticed.

Scott remarked that he always tries to frame the news so that the reporter understand the bigger context.

Both the CNY Business Journal and the Post-Standard do business profiles. You might want to take a look at the businesses being profiled, get a feel for how the businesses are discussed and recommend that your business be profiled.

Who in the media should be contacted with business news? Contact Ryann (raction@cnybj.com, Tel: 315-472-3104 x115, Fax: 315-472-3644) and BoNhia (blee@Syracuse.com, Tel: 315- 470-2134, Fax: 315-470-3081) directly with news. You might find it easier to send e-mail or a fax in order to ensure that you have given them all of the information needed. Be sure to include your complete contact information, in case they need to contact you with any questions.

Can you fax/e-mail, then follow-up with a phone call? Yes.

Scott mentioned including appropriate photos (e.g., if the news is you receiving an awards, include a photo of you receiving it). Remember that a picture can be worth a thousand words.

How do you ensure that your news gets noticed by the media? Although they may notice it, your news may not get used. Another news story may take precedence. Ryann did note that a lot of business news does it used, but perhaps not quite as quickly as you would like.

If you are promoting a business event, please send it to them 2 - 3 weeks in advance of the event. This will give them an opportunity toincludee the event in the business calendar and perhaps cover the event with an article.

Event: Emerging Business Forum. Nov. 7

2006-10-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

Emerging Business Forum
November 7, 2006 Oncenter, Syracuse NY

The Emerging Business Forum (EBF) is part of the fuse2006 initiative and is meant to engage small to medium sized businesses who are important engines of future growth for Upstate New York
The EBF is primarily about strategies and tactics for growing “your own business” as well as opportunities to interact with larger companies in the region
All companies are trying to create a winning formula for sustainable growth. The EBF will bring together people with expertise and experience to share insights on a number of important enablers for business growth. Attendees will gain perspectives and hopefully clarity around their own unique challenges and opportunities for business growth.

You can view the agenda here.
Registration is online here.

Article: Microloan Pioneer and His Bank Win Nobel Peace Prize

2006-10-13T09:32:00.000-04:00

Within the last year, Syracuse University has worked to create a microcredit loan program in Syracuse. This type of loan was begun and popularized by Muhammad Yunus. Now Mr. Yunus has won the Nobel Peace Prize. The New Yotk Times states:

Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize...for their pioneering use of tiny, seemingly insignificant loans -- microcredit -- to lift millions out of poverty.

In a press release from the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which awards the Nobel Peace Prize, they say:

Micro-credit has proved to be an important liberating force in societies where women in particular have to struggle against repressive social and economic conditions. Economic growth and political democracy can not achieve their full potential unless the female half of humanity participates on an equal footing with the male.

Congratulations to Mr. Yunus and the Grameen Bank! His work and truly been felt around the world.

Online video clips on entrepreneurship, business & leadership

2006-10-12T20:44:00.000-04:00

Do you wonder want entrepreneurs and businesspeople have said on different topics? Would you be interested in learning from a diverse group of entrepreneurs while sitting in front of your computer?

Over the last 10 years, the Cornell University Department of Applied Economics & Management has been interviewing entrepreneurs and businesspeople. Those interviews are available online in the form of "e-clips" -- short video clips on specific topics culled from longer interviews. The collection is searchable and open to anyone to use for their personal education (in other words, non-commercial use). The collection includes women and men from many different industries giving information and advice, sharing stories, and letting us learn from them.

You must register (free) to use the site. Once you've registered, you will be amazed at the world that will open up to you.

Workshops from the Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union

2006-10-02T14:40:00.000-04:00

Retail 101 workshop

Description: Learn basic information, as well as tips and tricks, about starting your own retail business.
Date/Time: October 4, 6:00-8:00pm
Location: Westcott DayHab center, 512 Westcott St., Syracuse NY 13210
Space is limited; to register, contact Nick at 471-1116 ext. 223 by October 2nd.

Credit Repair for Entrepreneurs workshop

Description: Learn information about improving your credit to benefit your current or potential small business.
Date/Time: November 14, 6:00-8:00pm
Location: Southwest Economic Business Resource Center, 506 W. Onondaga St., Syracuse NY 13204
Space is limited; to register, contact Lori at 471-2720.

Sponsored by Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union and the Southwest Economic Business Resource Center

$100000 Emerging Business Competition

2006-09-28T10:42:00.000-04:00

From EssentialConnections.org

$100000 Emerging Business Competition

We're looking for the most innovative and growth-oriented entrepreneur or emerging business in the region!

The competition is a project of the Central Upstate Regional Alliance, a 12-county public/private consortium that works on a variety of regional issues and opportunities.

In keeping with the Regional AllianceÂs goal-oriented approach to business development, the $100,000 Essential Connections.org Emerging Business Competition is designed to:

Stimulate job creation and business developmenby providingng financial and in-kind resources tcompanies inin the Central Upstate New York region.
Increase the entrepreneurial culture and visibilitof entrepreneurialal activity in the region.
Increase investment-grade deal flow in the region.
Identify several high growth potential business opportunities in Central Upstate and connect these opportunities to a wide range of business development and capital resourceboth duringng the competition and beyond.

The competition will run in two categories: Emerging Business and Business Idea. The 1st place winner in the Emerging Business category will win $100,000, making this event one of the largest business plan competitions in the country!

Eligibility Requirements:

Participation in the competition is limited to individualor entryry teams from the Central Upstate New York region (defined as: Cayuga, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, St. Lawrence, and Tompkins counties).

Emerging Business Competition ($100,000 prize)

Company currently in existence - formally incorporated by January 15, 2007
Revenue stream between $0 and $2.5 million
$150 application fee

Business Idea Competition ($2,500 prize)

Open to general public
No application fee
Only one submission per person
Applications are due by Monday, January 15, 2007 at 5:00 pm EST
Finals will be held on April 5, 2007

For more information, please contact:

EssentialConnections.org Emerging Business Competition
c/o Metropolitan Development Foundation
109 South Warren Street
State Tower Building, Suite 1900
Syracuse, NY 13202
100k@essentialconnections.org

View complete competition guidelines and apply at:
www.essentialconnections.org/100k

Event: Small Business Training Program, every Wednesday until Nov. 15

2006-09-25T11:32:00.000-04:00

The SSIC Enterprise Management Institute (EMI) will conduct a nine week, Wednesday, lunch time, brown bag, Small Business Training Program in the Harriett McDowell Memorial Training Room located in the South Side Innovation Center. The sessions began on Sept. 20, but it is not too late to join in. Each session goes from 12 noon - 1:15 p.m.

Topics include:

Heart, Soul, and Mind of the Entrepreneur
The Key To Making Money
Getting The Most Out Of Your Business Plan
Show Me The Money: Financing Your Business
Winning The Game: Competitive Strategies That Work
Customer Drives The Business
Operations & Performance Measurement
Growth & Expansion of Your Business
E-Commerce

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SESSIONS (INCLUDING HOW TO HAVE THE REGISTRATION FEE WAIVED) AND TO SIGN UP CALL 315.443.8600 or E-MAIL: DICKSON@SYR.EDU

Event: RIT Entrepreneurs Conference, Oct. 6

2006-09-21T16:27:00.000-04:00

RIT Entrepreneurs Conference
Fri Oct. 6, 2006, 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
various buildings on RIT campus, Rochester, NY

When combined with a great idea and a great plan, vision can take you to the next level in business success. RIT's Entrepreneurs Conference will help you realize your vision by helping you to formulate your plan for success. Presentations and panel sessions feature topics such as financing your business plan, commercializing technological innovations, and how to balance the demands of building a business with your personal needs.

Join us for an informative day that will provide you with the tools you need to establish and grow a successful entrepreneurial venture. You'll also have an opportunity to network with leading entrepreneurs and venture capitalists who can provide you with invaluable advice and contacts to help you move your business forward.

Registration includes Continental Breakfast at all sessions, Luncheon and Keynote Address. General public full conference fee: $75.

Schedule: http://entconf.cob.rit.edu/schedule.php

Welcome address (morning) : David Koretz, founder/Pres/CEO, BlueTie, Inc.

Keynote address (lunch): Bob Fabbio, chairman/Pres/CEO, Cesura, Inc.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS
"A" Track
Characteristics and Backgrounds of Successful Entrepreneurs
Student Business Plan Contest Winners
Discipline Specific: Service and Hospital

"B" Track
Entrepreneurship at RIT
Entrepreneurial Marketing: Knowing Your Customers
Funding New Businessess

"C" Track
Discipline Specific: Entrepreneurship in Digital Realms.
Discipline Specific: Entrepreneurship in Creative Realm.
Commercialization of Technology

"D" Track
Photography
Media & Design

FUSE 2006: Technology, Talent & Capital

2006-09-20T21:30:00.000-04:00

The following was posted on the WISE blog. There is one additional thought for minority-owned businesses to consider. There were several hundred people at FUSE, but it seemed that People of Color composed only 5% of the audience. Why? What was it about this conference that did not attract a more diverse group of attendees?

Officially the focus of FUSE 2006, held in Syracuse, was "Accelerating Technology-Enabled Business Growth"; however, its seems like the words "technology, talent and capital" were more appropriate. FUSE 2006 brought together business executives, industry experts, and leaders from research, public sector, non-profit and higher education to talk about innovation, business & economic growth, collaboration and new technologies.

There were several technology areas discussed, but perhaps more important than specific technologies were the ideas around innovation.

The rate and pace of commodization has accelerated. Companies must innovate in order to stay relevant.
Innovation is not just invention. It may mean innovating how a company operates, not just what it makes.
Companies benefit from bringing in ideas from outside its "four walls" in order to spark or hasten innovation.
Patents were mentioned as inhibiting collaboration, yet it is collaboration that businesses need in order to work smarter and faster.
One question posed is whether innovation is a value or a means.

Dr. Kenan Sahin, CEO of TIAX LLC, was emphatic about our older workers being valuable talent. He sees older workers as having the knowledge and capacity to move ideas forward.

He noted -- in talking about youth -- that at events like these, there average age is often 52. If we believe that younger workers are important to our future, why are they not at the "table"?

There was also discussion on tools that our talent (workers) need. Our workers are changing how businesses think about and use technology.

Of course, capital -- money -- is important. Investors, though, want to invest in winners. As someone noted, where are the "rainy day" bankers? Where are the investors who will back an idea whose path is not golden?

FUSE began on Tuesday evening at the Whitman School of Management with a reception then an evening session. It continued on Wednesday at the OnCenter with a full day schedule. By mid-afternoon, you could sense that people were becoming overwhelmed with information and -- perhaps -- their own thoughts on the topics at hand. Ending earlier in the day (maybe by 3 p.m.?) with a real facilitated discussion would have allowed those bubbling ideas, questions and concerns to get out on the table. It might have been useful to have been able to engage Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll in a dialogue -- along with Nancy Cantor (SU's chancellor) , Kenan Sahin and David Ahlers (Founding Co-Principal, Cayuga Venture Funds) -- about technology, talent and capital.

Finally, although there were several hundred people at the event, it stood out that the audience might have been 20 - 25% female. Women are involved in technology and in innovation, but this conference did not attract them. Why didn't more women attend? Was it the cost, the topics, or the speakers? Whatever the reason, I hope the FUSE organizers figure it out and ensure that more women are involved in this conversation next year.

Reminder: SSEA meeting on Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m.

2006-09-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

On Monday, September 25, the South Side Entrepreneurs Association will have its monthly meeting in its new meeting location, the South Side Innovation Center (SSIC), 2610 South Salina St. (next to Dunk & Bright). Come, and see how SSEA is evolving to even more effectively meet member needs voiced in the recent survey and insure the long-term viability of the organization. Meeting is 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. including breakfast. The meeting is free. Parking is also free and readily available.

Presentation

Knowing that publicity and media coverage can be important to the growth of our businesses, this meeting’s focus will be “How Businesses Can Get Media Coverage.”

We will hear from:

BoNhia Lee, Staff Writer, The Post-Standard
Ryann Acton, Staff Writer, The Central New York Business Journal
Scott Gardner, Marketing Specialist, Agilé Marketing Services

The speakers will address:

What business news is newsworthy?
Who in the media should be contacted with business news?
What information should be given and in what format?
How do you ensure that your news get noticed by the media?

There will also be an update from the Organizing Committee on the SSEA’s incorporation, plans for the coming year, including the organization’s structure changes and member benefits essential for the continued growth and sustainability of SSEA.

So, please mark your calendar for September 25th at the SSIC. We look forward to seeing you there!

Event: 4th Annual CNY Edge Networking Dinner

2006-09-13T16:50:00.000-04:00

4th Annual CNY Edge Networking Dinner

Date: September 21, 2006
Time: 5:00 p.m. cocktails and dinner at 6p.m. sharp
Location: Pier 57 in Liverpool (7376 Oswego Rd, Rt. 57 across from Glenn Crossing Plaza), Liverpool, NY 13090

Back by popular request! Get ready because once again we are bringing you our 4th Annual Networking Dinner!

This is a great opportunity to learn things about both fellow members of CNY Edge as well as non-members that you just could not possibly find out on your own.

Enjoy a four course meal (soup, salad, main entree, and dessert) while switching tables for each course. You will meet new people for every course.

CNY Edge will provide questions that are conversation starters, some will require laughter. Attendees have said that it is a great way to meet new people without any pressure.

Dinner options:

Fresh broiled haddock with baked potato
Twin grilled chicken breasts over rice
8 oz. Delmonico steak with baked potato
Homemade Lasagna

Fee: members $20; nonmembers $25. Pay by check or pay pal.

Event: Insight CNY, Oct. 26

2006-09-08T11:28:00.000-04:00

Insight CNY

Thursday, October 26th 4-7:30pm
Syracuse University Goldstein Auditorium
Schine Student Center

Presented by Sensis Corporation, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE)

We are at a crossroads.

Can Central New York be transformed into a dynamic entrepreneurial community? INSIGHT CNY examines the future of Central New York from an entrepreneurial perspective. This rich and provocative program is designed to stimulate discussion and action steps that will enable all of us in the region to capitalize on our untapped potential. Hear from successful entrepreneurs who have built world class companies in CNY, and choose to stay despite the challenges of doing business here.

Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, will inspire our vision with her high growth story from one shop opened in Brighton, England in 1976. Today, The Body Shop is an international business with 2000 stores, serving over 77 million customers in 50 different markets in 25 different languages across 12 time zones.

Join us for an evening that will raise the entrepreneurial consciousness in the CNY Business Community:

Listen to Keynote Speaker Dame Anita Roddick share her entrepreneurial journey to global success and how her experiences have implications for the future of our community.
Hear a panel of four amazingly successful entrepreneurs from CNY offer perspectives on being globally competitive and explain why they make CNY their home base.
Be part of a critical dialog that extends past the event, as we seek ways to change mindsets and build a culture of entrepreneurship in CNY.
Meet and network with entrepreneurs and community leaders.
Meet Anita Roddick and get an autographed copy of her latest book.

Agenda

Registration: 3:45–4:00pm
Welcome and Introduction of Panel
Perspectives of High Growth Entrepreneurs: 4:00–5:00pm
Keynote Speaker Dame Anita Roddick: 5:00–6:15pm
Reception: 6:15–7:30pm
Anita Roddick Book Signing: 6:45–7:30pm

Our Destiny Beyond Destiny: An Entrepreneurial Vision for CNY

CNY needs a new attitude and willingness to compete on a national and international scale. We are a region rich in entrepreneurial potential but lack clear direction in leveraging this potential for economic growth.

In this forum, four high growth CNY entrepreneurs will share their insights on how to embrace a culture of entrepreneurship and thinking big:

ignite passion
take educated risks
create opportunity
build wealth
contribute back to our region
reverse brain drain
Entrepreneurship: A Road of Hope for Syracuse.

For more information, and to register, go to http://whitman.syr.edu/eee/Falcone/insightCNY.asp

Event: Connections, Oct. 12

2006-09-08T11:27:00.000-04:00

Please note that you can now register with a credit card through the box office at SUNY Oswego.

CALLING ALL WOMEN! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to overcome the challenges to women within the corporate world, entrepreneurship, and creative paths in the arts & sciences!

F e a t u r i n g

Dr. Lois Frankel

SUNY Oswego graduate, business coach, and speaker

Author of Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office and Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich

Poet Mona Lake Jones

Writer, educator, orator and model of the African American woman on the move

Constance Gomez Gregory, JD (Rochon Gregory Associates)

Tracy Higginbotham (Women’s Ties: http://www.womenties.com)

Christiana Kaiser (Bluetree Studios: http://www.bluetreestudios.com/index.html)

Erin Trowbridge (Center for Forensic Science)

And Many Others!!

Thursday October 12^th

Located in SUNY Oswego Hewitt Union

Sign-in and Continental Breakfast 8:30 - 9:00 am

Program 9:00 - 4:30pm

Lunch will be served! (12:00 - 2:15pm)

Pre-registration required: CONTACT TYLER Box Office @ 315.312.2141

Tickets are $25 Before September 30^th

and $35 After September 30^th

THIS IS AN EVENT YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS!

Article: Got a Minute? (Start a business using a few minutes each day)

2006-09-04T15:30:00.000-04:00

As the article says:

In the time it takes you to drink your morning coffee, you can start a business.

The secret? Set goals and break up tasks into manageable bits. Using just 10 minutes a day, you'll get great things accomplished! Read the article for a process to use in order to ensure success.

Event: Start Up: Syracuse Entrepreneur's Bootcamp

2006-08-29T08:50:00.000-04:00

The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management will be offering the third annual "START-UP: The Syracuse Entrepreneur's Bootcamp" beginning Oct. 14. The six-Saturday bootcamp is focused, intense, and packed with useful material. The course is tailored to aspiring entrepreneurs in the Syracuse area and answers questions such as the following:

What is a good business concept?
How can I determine if my idea is a good one?
Do I really need a business plan and, if so, how can I write a great one?
What do I need to know about my customer and market, and how can I get answers?
Where do I get financing?
How do I make sense of the numbers, and which numbers really matter?
What is a business model, and does my business model make sense?
What is guerrilla marketing?
Are there ways to do more with marketing while spending less?
What does it really take to succeed in business by myself?
Where do I go to get the information I need to organize my new business?

A team of experienced faculty and successful entrepreneurs will work with you, providing a fun and interactive experience. They will introduce ideas and concepts, and show how to apply them to your current or potential business. Each participant will receive a Syracuse University Certificate upon completion of the bootcamp.

For more information -- including information on scholarships -- and to register, go to http://whitman.syr.edu/eee/falcone/bootcamp/

Article: Black women catch start-up fever

2006-08-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

Tracy Clark-Flory writes:

A report published last week by the Small Business Administration suggests that women are driving the growth in black entrepreneurship, according to USA Today. The number of business owned by black women has grown exponentially in the last decade and studies suggest that black women now own more businesses than black men.

Unfortunately, businesses owned by black women earn less revenue than businesses owned by black men.

Clark-Flory's complete article is available here. (You'll likely need to watch an advertisement in order to view the article for free.)

The next SSEA meeting is Sept. 25 (no meeting in August)

2006-08-22T15:08:00.000-04:00

This is a reminder that there is no South Side Entrepreneurs Association meeting in August. The next SSEA meeting will be Monday, Sept. 25, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. (next to Dunk & Bright). Our focus will be on

HOW BUSINESSES CAN GET MEDIA COVERAGE

Our speakers will be:

* BoNhia Lee, Post-Standard report covering news/events on the South Side
* Scott Gardner, Marketing Specialist, Agile' Marketing Services

Each speaker will bring a different perspective and talk about:

* What business news is newsworthy?
* Who in the media should be contacted with business news?
* What information should be given and in what format?
* How do you ensure that you news gets noticed by the media?

We look forward to seeing everyone at this meeting! The meeting is free and open to businesses people and entrepreneurs. Breakfast will be served.

Syracuse Technology Garden: Upcoming Events

2006-08-21T15:39:00.000-04:00

Sept. 7, 8:00-9:00 A.M.
Onondaga County Bar Association Seminar
A Panel of Legal Advisors will touch upon patents, trade secrets, licensing, branding, trademarks, service marks, works for hire and risks, benefits and costs associated with methods and strategies associated with establishing legal barriers to competitions.

Panel: Michael A. Oropallo, Esq. with Hiscock & Barclay; Bernhard P. Molldrem, Jr., Esq. with Law Office of Bernhard P. Molldrem; and, Christopher E. Blank, Esq., with Hiscock and Barclay.

Sept. 19/20
fuse2006: "Accelerating Technology-Enabled Business Growth”
fuse2006 will spotlight technology initiatives creating business opportunities in Central and Upstate New York and energize efforts to accelerate technology enabled business growth in the region. The Whitman School at Syracuse University will host the opening session on September 19, followed by an all day event at the Oncenter on September 20. For the full agenda and for information on participating, sponsorships, or volunteering, visit www.fuse2006.com.

Sept. 21, 5:00-8:00 P.M.
“Citywide Visual Art Night”
This evening event will occur on the 3rd Thursday of September, October, and November 2006. The kick off is scheduled for September 21. The purpose of evening hours is to make Syracuse’s active visual art scene more accessible to those unable to visit during the day. Plus we expect it will be fun and exciting to visit many sites in one evening during the “Citywide Visual Art Night”. These sites include the Community Folk Art Center, Delavan Art Gallery, Everson Museum of Art, Eureka Crafts, and others.

Event: Women Who Can, Aug. 23

2006-08-17T10:59:00.000-04:00

You are cordially invited to attend a very special event

Women Who Can

(formerly Women Who Dine)

The Syracuse Corinthian Club

930 James Street

Wednesday, August 23

5:00 until 7:30 PM

Relax and enjoy the company of women who belonged to the Women Who Dine organization (women who have expressed an interest in this new social gathering include Darlene Kerr, Judy Mower…and so many more) and welcome new businesswomen who have demonstrated that they, too, are “Women Who Can.”

Please feel free to bring a business colleague to this unique and fun social gathering where you can enjoy cocktails and lively conversation .

Cost: $15, includes cash bar and hors d’oeuvres

RSVP: by Monday morning, August 21, to the Corinthian Club at 422-9918

Event: Connections, a day-long symposium for women entrepreneurs, Oct. 12, Oswego

2006-08-08T13:07:00.000-04:00

SUNY Oswego's Center for Business and Community Development will gather women from Central and Northern New York in the spirit of entrepreneurship on October 12, 2006. "Connections" is a day-long symposium designed to bring women of all ages and backgrounds together to explore their entrepreneurial place and power in the Arts, the business world, and the various fields of Science.

The day's agenda will include internationally known business coach, speaker, author and SUNY Oswego graduate, Dr. Lois Frankel. Dr. Frankel's last two books have been translated into over twenty languages and featured on the TODAY Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office and Nice Girls Don't Get Rich have also been featured in USA Today and in both PEOPLE and TIME Magazines.

Also on the agenda is Poet Laureate Mona Lake Jones. Dr. Jones is a writer, orator, educator and model of the African American woman on the move. In addition, "Connections" will have breakout sessions in the morning and afternoon discussing challenges to women in the corporate world as well as in entrepreneurship and the creative paths in the arts or sciences. Attendees will hear from Constance Gomez Gregory, JD (Rochon Gregory Associates), Tracy Higginbotham (Women's TIES), Christiana Kaiser (Bluetree Studios), Erin Trowbridge (Center for Forensic Sciences), and others.

Besides the speakers, there will be women vendors promoting products and services for women.

Event Registration: Advanced registration is $25 for tickets purchased prior to September 30. Beginning October 1, the ticket price will be $35. Ticket price includes registration for the event, a continental breakfast and lunch. To purchase a ticket and register, send a check to:

Connections
Center for Business and Community Development
103 Rich Hall
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY 13126
Tel: (315) 312-3492

With your check, please include your name, complete mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address. This information will be used to confirm your purchase as well as update you on event details.

Event Sponsorship: For additional information on becoming a sponsor or vendor and to be placed on an email contact list, please contact Bernadette at mroz@oswego.edu.

Development Inspiration From Queens, 8/4/2006

2006-08-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

On Aug. 3, State Senator David J. Valesky and others did a tour of Queens (and perhaps Harlem). NewsChannel 9 WSYR has a video report of the trip on its web site (here, the video story is entitled "Development Inspiration From Queens, 8/4/2006"). Let's hope that those who went will talk about AND write about what they saw and learned. Spreading the information around will help the rest of us learn and become inspired from the successes Downstate.

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Harlem

The Candy Man finally receives Award given in March 2006

2006-08-01T13:47:00.000-04:00

At the March 2006 SSEA meeting, Robert Hollis -- the Candy Man -- was given the Entrepreneur of the Month Award. However, the certificate had not been made. After the death of Harriette McDowell, it was decided to rename the award after her and to have new certificates made. Finally today Robert Hollis was given his certificate for being the Harriette McDowell Entrepreneur of the Month for March.

Robert Hollis is indeed ever-present and always concerned about improving the business atmosphere on the South Side. He is an avid networker, who knows that it can be critical to the success of any business. Best of all, he finds time to encourage others.

Congratulations, Robert!

In his own words: Robert Kiyosaki

2006-07-30T19:36:00.000-04:00

As an entrepreneur, my company's growth and success are dependent on being strong as well as flexible. Adapting means keeping an open mind and not becoming too attached to yesterday's successes. It also means hiring strong and flexible people rather than [people] bulked up with degrees and corporate titles. -- Robert Kiyosaki, Entrepreneur magazine, June 2006, p. 172

Free AntiVirus, Spyware, Firewall Software

2006-07-27T13:51:00.000-04:00

Bella Online has gathered together a list of software for keeping your computer free from viruses and spyware, as well as firewall software, that you can use for FREE. As Kim Lynch of Bella Online says:

If you don't have anti-virus and anti-spyware software along with a firewall installed on your computer then your playing Russian Roulette with your system and sooner or later your going to lose.

You might think that you are immune, however, it is very likely that if you are not using a firewall, along with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, that you are infected but just don't know it. The best thing to do is to try out some of the free software, find what works for you, and then consider purchasing the software so you get online updates and support.

Meeting Notes (July 24): South Side Entrepreneurs Association

2006-07-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

On July 24, the SSEA met at the Warehouse on East Fayette Street. The agenda for the meeting can be viewed here. (The agenda includes the meeting dates for the next 12 months.) The SSEA Organizing Committee implemented a new meeting format, based on the survey done at the June meeting. The main goals of the new format are to provide time for members to learn more about each other (e.g., introductions and SSEA Member Profile) and to include an educational component to each meeting. This month, the education component was an opportunity for people to:

Hear some of the survey results from the June meeting
Understand the revised SSEA mission statement
Learn about the South Side Entrepreneurial Connect Project (SSECP) and the programs/initiatives that fall under that umbrella program

All three areas above are important, since the initial founding of the SSEA was done by the SSECP and the SSEA's is heavily influenced by the needs/desires of its members.

After introductions and announcements, the survey was discussed. The survey at the June meeting asked the following questions:

In three years, what criteria will you use to determine if the SSEA is successful?

As an SSEA member are you willing to (please check all that apply):

Volunteer to serve on SSEA committee

Recruit new members

Sponsor an SSEA meeting

Run an SSEA meeting

Represent the SSEA at other events/meetings

Do a presentation at an SSEA meeting (for example, on your business)

Donate your services

Pay dues

Other

As an SSEA member, what benefits or services would you like the SSEA to provide to you?

As an SSEA member, what type of information, presentations or training do you want?

The Organizing Committee has reviewed the survey results, but will not present a formal "report" until the September meeting. At this meeting, some of the results were mentioned in order to frame the rest of the day's agenda.

First, when thinking about how people would judge the success of the SSEA, people mentioned many items including:

Strong membership base

Regularly scheduled networking events

Political connections

Help finding investors

SSEA recognized as professional, entrepreneurial and business group of excellence

Member growth (more members)

Involvement with emerging entrepreneurs

Financial strength of the organization

Independent from SU

Strong board/governance

These are all areas which the SSEA and its members can influence. However, there were some items mentioned that the organization cannot impact, but that could be impacted by the South Side Entrepreneurial Connect Project and other initiatives. Those criteria include:

The amount of business initiatives that come to this area

Economic development

Customers from other areas

Business growth

Reduction in poverty

New business startups

Utilization of vacant properties on the South Side

Job opportunities for South Side residents

Number of business plans assisted

The Organizing Committee has promised to formally compile information from this question and give it to people such as Nola Miyasaki, Dave Michels (City of Syracuse, Dept. of Economic Development) and Bea Gonzalez (City of Syracuse, Common Council) who were all at this meeting (and whose work may be able to impact these areas).

Since those who completed the survey were looking at the mission statement when they wrote the criteria, it was clear that the mission statement was too broad and led people to use criteria for success that were not appropriate for the SSEA's purview. (The mission statement is discussed later in these notes.)

Other items from the survey:

People who attend the SSEA meetings are willing to help to make the organization successful.

As potential SSEA members, people mentioned benefits or services that they would like the Association to offer (e.g., training, newsletter, help finding investors). This information will be useful to the Organizing Committee as it looks at member benefits and plans how it will "attack" that area.

The information on desired presentations, training and information will be used to plan future meetings. Topics mentioned include:

Effective communication skills

Marketing

QuickBooks

Fund-finding

Business planning

Networking

Business skills

If anyone has comments or questions about the survey, please send them to Jill Hurst-Wahl at hurst {at} hurstassociates {dot} com Thank you! (Jill is on the Organizing Committee.)

After reviewing the survey results, the new mission statement was read. It says:

The mission of the South Side Entrepreneurs Association (SSEA) is:
to unite innovative, emerging and mature growth businesses across industry lines,
to promote positive action that benefits the South Side of Syracuse, the investment and entrepreneurial communities through a dynamic networking, educational, membership-based organization.

Photographic "tour" of Harlem

2006-07-25T10:41:00.000-04:00

If you have never seen Harlem -- a place that has revived itself and is now a model for other communities, including Syracuse -- then go here to see photos that people have taken of that part of NYC. There are pictures of buildings, of construction, of people, and of life. And like every community, it is a place that continues to change.

Technorati tag: Harlem

What can Syracuse learn from Harlem?

2006-07-24T14:44:00.000-04:00

Next week, State Senator David J. Valesky will lead a group to Harlem to look at the revival that has occurred there. The question will be, can Syracuse's South Side learn from Harlem and do what Harlem has done?

What are people saying about Harlem? Here are quotes from a few articles.

“Harlem is being gentrified…with all these big businesses,” said Patrice Jackson, chairman of Harlem Fight Back, which advocates for parity in the construction industry. “And, on top of the gentrification, the people who live in Harlem who are being pushed out are not even allowed to benefit from their gentrification.” Fordham Online, April 2003

"Harlem is the new Greenwich Village," says Richard Haase, the play's writer and director. "People are rediscovering it. It is what I remember the Village being in the '70s - a little edgy with an element of danger, but exciting, full of life and soul. I wouldn't have produced this play anywhere else." Christian Science Monitor, May 2003

Sweeping away a stereotype that blacks are not entrepreneurial, the ranks of Gotham’s black sole proprietors increased by 76 percent from 1993 to 1997—compared with just 26 percent nationally. Local Latino entrepreneurs grew by 120 percent, compared with a 50 percent gain nationally. Today, after the record-breaking economic years of 1999 and 2000, the size of the minority business community is no doubt larger still. City Journal, Spring 2002

"Until recently," said The Village Voice in a 2003 article, "no major retailers were willing to risk putting a store in Harlem. Today, with millions in support from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ), the site called Harlem USA has an HMV, a Modell's, an Old Navy, and a Disney Store as well as a New York Sports Club, a Magic Johnson Theatre, and Hue-Man Books, the largest black-owned bookstore in the state. . . ." Post-Standard, March 2006

But these are the very people who already feeling discouraged, says Derwy McCoy of HarlemUSA.com, a Web site that promotes Harlem businesses. “A lot of small businesses feel they’re being left out by this economic boom, this renaissance.” They blame the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone initiative, begun in 1994, which has been credited with bringing about Harlem’s commercial revival by enticing retail chains, banks and grocery stores to Harlem’s abandoned streets and avenues. While its success has been celebrated by the city, many residents grumble that the program quickly devolved from a community empowerment program into a system of corporate tax breaks, which gave locals only minimum wage jobs. Community Gazette for District 9, October 2004

On a quiet street in Harlem, 30 professionals -- doctors, lawyers, academics, fashion designers and real estate brokers -- converged on a Victorian brownstone one blustery Monday evening. In the genteel living room, they sipped Merlot and Chardonnay and ate pistachio nuts in front of a log fire, listening to soft jazz and a talk about the Jewish history of Harlem.

Such gatherings of intellectuals and artists were once a regular fixture in the black capital of America during the so-called Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Black cultural icons, like the writer Langston Hughes and jazz musician Duke Ellington, were fixtures at salons. But following Harlem's crime- and drug-ridden decline after the Second World War, black middle-class families fled the area en masse. Without their patronage, the salon scene shrank.

Now, however, monied homeowners have started to repopulate Harlem, stimulating a cultural rebirth of the famed black area. The parlors of restored 19th century townhouses are resounding with the sounds of saxophones and poetry as a new generation exalts in the local culture.

"These people are trying to revive something of the legend of Harlem," said Michael Henry Adams, an architectural and social historian of Harlem, who is a regular fixture of the scene.

Some salons are dedicated to literature, and one of the luminaries to appear recently was the Haitian author Edwidge Danticat, who read from her new book, "The Dew Breaker." Novelist Brian Keith Jackson did the salon scene when he published "The Queen of Harlem" two years ago. Columbia News Service, March 2004

Technorati tags: Syracuse, Entrepreneurship, Harlem

Article: Minority Entrepreneurship

2006-07-18T20:54:00.000-04:00

"Between 1997 and 2002, the number of U.S. firms owned by minorities grew at three times the rate that of firms in general -- a fact that reflects the reality that ethnic communities in the United States are expanding rapidly. Indeed, more than 85 percent of the estimated population growth between now and 2050 will come from minority groups."

For the rest of the articled including more statistics, go here.

Next SSEA meeting, July 24, new location

2006-07-12T21:55:00.000-04:00

Dear SSEA Member/Supporter,

On Monday, July 24, the South Side Entrepreneurs Association will have its monthly meeting in a unique location, The Warehouse at 350 West Fayette St. in Armory Square (between Franklin and West Streets). The meeting will run from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. and breakfast will be served. Parking will be available in local parking lots ($) or on the street (free before 9 a.m.). The meeting is free and open to those who are interesting in the SSEA.

What is The Warehouse? The Warehouse is the former Dunk & Bright warehouse which is now used by SU’s School of Architecture. Besides classrooms and offices for the School, the building contains space for community use, art education activities, and artist support/development initiatives.

This month, the SSEA Organizing Committee will introduce a new meeting format. This new format was influenced by the results of the survey conducted at the June meeting and the mission of the SSEA. With the new format in mind, the agenda for this month’s meeting is:

Welcome & introductions

Announcements including SSEA meeting dates for 2006 - 2007

Harriette McDowell Entrepreneur of the Month Award

SSEA member profile

Feedback from survey conducted at June meeting

Defining the boundaries of the SSEA in relation to the SSECP and other SU projects

Re-stated SSEA mission statement

Q&A

It was clear from the survey that SSEA members want an educational component to these monthly meetings. At this meeting, we’ll discuss that (under “Feedback”) as well as seek volunteers to help define topics and locate speakers.

So, please mark your calendar and join us on July 24 at The Warehouse. We look forward to seeing you then!

Regards,

The SSEA Organizing Committee

Connie Gregory

Robert Hollis

Leo Howington

Jill Hurst-Wahl

Jeanette McCarthy

In her own words: Beverly Sills

2006-07-10T19:43:00.000-04:00

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." -- Beverly Sills

We often hear of businesses succeeding seemingly overnight, but likely it wasn't "just" overnight. Likely the road to success was long and full of potholes. There were no shortcuts, just hard work.

Article: Timing Your Self-Employment Plunge

2006-07-06T21:54:00.000-04:00

Want to be self employed? This article contains several factors that you should consider when deciding what to do. The article includes professional, financial, and personal considerations -- all things to help you understand if being self employed is for you.