Business EXPO 2006 - Reserve Your Booth Today!
Bloomington's premier business-to-business networking event has been helping businesses reach new destinations for over 20 years. Each year, over 100 businesses from all over South Central Indiana journey to the Bloomington Business EXPO to showcase their wares, their people, and their services. If you want your organization to branch out and to cultivate new B2B connections, the 2006 Business EXPO is the place to get started. Exhibitors find all these advantages and more when they display their business at Business EXPO 2006:

• Networking
• 150+ exhibitors
• 3000+ potential customers

Don't wait! Fewer than 30 EXPO booths remain available! Reserve your booth today by contacting Terri Brown at the Small Business Development Center, 812-339-8937

Small Business Crucial to the Nation's Economy
When people talk about "business," they often mean "big business." Yet small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy.

America's 23 million small businesses:
• Represent 99.7% of all U.S. firms.
• Can be broken down into two groups: those with
employees (about 6 million) and those without employees
(about 17 million).
• Generate 60-80% of new jobs annually.
• Create over half of the Gross Domestic Product (private,
non-agricultural industries).
• Account for 1 of every 13 U.S. workers.

The industries with the highest percentage of small business employment are construction, wholesale trade and leisure/hospitality.
Source: SBA’s Office of Advocacy

Seniorpreneurs: Not the Same “Old” Story
The small business market, once dominated by young and technology-oriented entrepreneurs, is being taken over by those over 50. As the Baby Boomers age, they are attracted to entrepreneurship in growing numbers. These older entrepreneurs have higher household incomes and wealth compared to wage and salary workers in the same age groups.
• The number of self-employed people over 45 is growing
faster than any age segment. Self-employed Americans
over 55 now represent nearly 27% of all self-employed
workers (in non-agricultural industries). In second place are
the 45- to 54-year-olds, who account for more than 27%.
Source: "As Entrepreneurs, Seniors Lead U.S. Start-ups," John A. Challenger, www.hispanicbusiness.com, August 2005
• Currently, 40% of U.S. entrepreneurs are over 50.
Source: AARP
• Almost half of the population will be 50 or older by
2010. 21% will be 65 or older in 2050, compared with
12% in 2004.
Source: Census Bureau projections
• 80% of Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964,
plan to work after retirement.
Source: Self-Employment and the 50+ Population, prepared for the AARP Public Policy Institute, March 2004.

South Central Indiana's area economy is made up of many unique small businesses which often are overlooked. Each month learn about a local small business that you might have not known about!

Tailored Fit
The Tailored Fit, a custom dresswork shop, opened its retail space for business Jan 9, 2006. After years running it as a home-based business, owner Margaret Fette realized something had to give. The business had grown continually over the past 15 years through word of mouth and business cards. When 2005 business doubled, Margaret knew it was time to find a retail space. At the intersection of Vernal Pike and IN 37 a new strip mall had gone up and it was very close to Margaret’s home. The Tailored Fit was born. The holidays this year were spent putting up shelves and moving in equipment.

When you walk into The Tailored Fit, you come into an elegant reception area. There are two dressing rooms; one is large enough to accommodate wedding dress fittings, even if Mom’s along. There is a design area that customers can use to browse the latest fashion magazines and a wall of patterns that date back to the 1920s. The work area is closed off from the reception area. It’s fitted out with industrial and home sewing machines so that everything from silk to leather work is possible.

“This isn’t your typical alteration shop,” says Margaret. “We are like the classic dress shop of yore, where the customer can come with a picture or idea and our dressmakers will create it. We can come up with designs if the customer prefers. We are happy to work on simple alterations but our employees are skilled to work on the very complex also. We also offer wardrobe analysis.”

Couture has really come to Bloomington. The next time you’re headed for a special event, rather than spend days shopping, visit The Tailored Fit to make your clothing dreams come true. The Tailored Fit, 2536 W Industrial Park Dr Ste 13, at the SW corner of Vernal Pike and IN 37, 812-323-2665.

Creating and Modifying Invoices in QuickBooks
When processing invoices in QuickBooks, the order in which things are done is very important.

1. Create the invoice
2. Apply the payment
3. Make the deposit

If you need to modify an invoice that has already had a payment applied to it, you must work your way backwards and delete the action you did in step 3, then 2, then 1, before you can make the changes and perform each step again.

• Indiana Health Industry Forum

• Alternative funding sources

• $100 Rebate on Microsoft Small Business Management Edition 2006

February 7-8: Small Business Planning Course Orientation Sessions
What: Thinking of starting a business? Attend an orientation session to learn about the SEED Corp. Feasibility and Business Planning Course. Upon completion of the course, you may qualify for up to $35,000 in loans. You need only attend one orientation session below to learn about the course.
Where: SEED Corp., 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
When: February 7th:
          12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
          February 8th:
          5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: SEED Corp., 812-323-7827 (registration required)

February 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)

February 15: Icebreakers :: GET CONNECTED
What: Bloomington's after-hours networking event for tech-based businesses.
Guest: Bruce Kidd, Director of Entrepreneurship, Indiana Economic Development Corporation
Where: My U Club, 245 N. Walnut (Walnut & 7th)
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: inVenture, 812-335-7356

February 16: Business After Hours
What: Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce monthly Business After Hours
Where: authorHouse, 1663 Liberty Dr.
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Sponsored by: authorHouse

February 20: eBay - The Basics of Selling
What: Learn how to sell on eBay the right way!
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Cost: $85 (includes lunch and book)
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

February 21: Tech Tuesday
What: Tech Tuesday is a series of video conference presentations with a networking and educational component for Bloomington technology businesses.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 am
Contact: Terri Brown, inVenture, 812-335-7356

February 21: Life Sciences Lunch Series
What: The Indiana Health Industry Forum and Barnes & Thornburg present a monthly seminar series on critical issues in life sciences.
Where: Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington Campus
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Contact: BEDC, 812-335-7346

February 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)

February 28: Artists After Hours
What: Bloomington Area Arts Council Artists After Hours
Where: John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut Street
Topic: Visioning Our Town: Designing the Bloomington Arts Community of the Future
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Contact: Nancy Krueger, 812-334-3100

March 3: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: NENR is a series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

Market Research Reports
Wouldn't you like to know where the best location is for your new retail venture? Or how much untapped business potential there is around your existing business?

The South Central Indiana Small Business Development Center is now offering customized market research reports for small businesses. Over 25 different reports are available, helping you to:

• Analyze trade areas
• Identify prime locations
• Leverage untapped business potential
• Better understand your customer base
• Optimize your marketing investments

Reports are completely customized to suit your business's needs! for information or call her directly at 812-339-8937.

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