SBA Loans Continue to Help Indiana Small Businesses
The number of small businesses receiving loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration Indiana District Office through the first nine months of FY 2004 is up 22 percent compared with the same period last year. As of June 30, 2004, SBA Indiana approved 859 loan quarantees wirth $204,809,696 through the 7(a) General Business Loan Guaranty program and the 504 Certified Development Company loan program. This represents a 21% increase in 7(a) loan volume over the same nine-month period in FY 2003. To learn more contact SBA.

Department of Labor's FairPay Overtime Initiative
On April 20, 2004, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor issued the FairPay Rules, new regulations relating to the "white collar" and outside sales exemptions. The purpose of the new FLSA regulations is to modernize and clarify the criteria for these exemptions.

Under the new FairPay rules which took effect August 23rd, workers earning less than $23,660 per year — or $455 per week — are guaranteed overtime protection. This will strengthen overtime rights for 6.7 million American workers, including 1.3 million low-wage workers who were denied overtime under the old rules. Learn more about how your business is affected by this law.

Dr. Kuratko Chosen to Head IU's Johnson Center For Entrepreneurship
The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University has named Donald F. Kuratko as executive director of its Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Kuratko will come from Ball State University, where he guided the school's nationally respected entrepreneurship program, to direct the IU Kelley School's similarly lauded programs in business development.

Topic: Tracking Your Marketing Return on Investment
Effective marketing programs should always be built on a sound business strategy. Yet a fundamental component of any business strategy has been missing from the historical
marketing mix: understanding the financial return on investment for marketing dollars.

Using marketing ROI metrics, marketers can plan budget allocation, track performance and substantiate the value of marketing investments. Use this general ROI calculator to explore your marketing performance.

Topic: Data Backup
Backup now! What would be the effect on your business if you lost all your computer files? Backing up all of your company's critical information on a nightly basis is extremely important in the days in which most keep a significant portion of their business on the computer. Keeping a backup copy off-site of this information in case of a fire or other disaster is also very important to keep in mind. You do not want to be caught without the information you need to run your business.

QuickBooks Basic Training
The SBDC is now offering a training session designed to make sense out of QuickBooks Accounting software. During this session, you will learn the basics of accounting and walk through setting up the QuickBooks program to fit your needs!

In Quickbooks Basics, you will learn how to:

• Setup your company
• Customize the program to fit your needs
• Create an initial chart of accounts
• Setup items to use in inputting data into to program
• Create standard reports that are part of the system

Learn how to make QuickBooks work for your business. for information or call her directly at 812-339-8937.

September 8: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $20
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

September 14: Computer Briefcase Series
What: This class provides a great overview of the power of a computer! Participants will learn the basics of Windows, the Internet, email applications and software.
Where: Ivy Tech, Bloomington Campus Room C224
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Cost: $215 for 9 sessions total
Contact: Ivy Tech, 812-332-1559 (registration required)

September 15: SWIFT Outreach Tour - SBIR/STTR Where Innovation Focuses Technology
What: Federal SBIR and STTR funds available to small businesses for their innovative research.
Where: Indiana State Museum Auditorium
Time: 7:30 am- 4:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: Register Online (registration required)

September 16: QuickBooks Basics
What: Learn the basics of Accounting and walk through how to setup the Quickbooks program to fit YOUR needs.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
Time: 2:00 - 4:30 pm
Cost: $39
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

September 17: Marketing Your Business
What: Learn hands-on skills to help market your business.
Where: Ivy Tech, Bloomington Campus Room C224
Time: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm
Cost: $125 (lunch included)
Contact: Ivy Tech, 812-332-1559 (registration required)

September 22: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $20
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

September 22: Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting
Where: Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center
Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Contact: 812-336-6381 (reservation required)

September 23: Business After Hours
What: Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce monthly Business After Hours
Where: 1000 E. 17th Street
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Other: Open to all Chamber members. Sponsored by IU Alumni Association

• Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership www.bloomingtonlifesciences.com

• Indiana Mixed Reality Consortium www.imixedreality.org

• Bloomington Online Retailers Bloomington E-tail Club