inVenture: Advancing Innovative Businesses July '07 
News in a Flash

Proton Therapy Center in Bloomington Growing
Fifteen to 17 patients a day are being treated at the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute on Bloomington’s north side, and officials there expect that number to increase nearly fivefold over the next 18 months or so.

Installation and FDA clearance for a second line of proton therapy, and the anticipated readiness of a third, fuels the expectations of an increased number of patients.

Proton therapy is used to treat difficult cancerous tumors because the proton beam is more precise than conventional radiation therapy. Proton beams can be stopped at the back edge of the tumor instead of traveling through it and damaging healthy tissues and organs. For more information please see the complete article in The Herald-Times.

Indiana SBIR/STTR Commercialization Enhancement Program - ISCEP
The IEDC’s SBIR/STTR Program Office announces its request for proposals (RFP) of the "new" Phase II Enhancement Award program. This program builds upon the current Phase I Matching Program. It assists Indiana Phase II awardees who are seeking to commercialize their SBIR/STTR-developed technology. Awards up to $350,000 are available through the Indiana SBIR/STTR Commercialization Enhancement Program (ISCEP). The deadline for applying is July 20, 2007.

Eligible applicants for the ISCEP awards must have a principal place of business in Indiana and the benefits from commercialization must accrue to an Indiana small business. Applicants must be a small business that has received a federal Phase II SBIR or STTR and at least 50 percent of the federal program dollars must be expended prior to submission of a proposal in response to this RFP. An essential component used in judging suitability for an award will involve assessing current progress toward achievement of Phase II objectives.

For more information about the RFP and downloadable application, visit the IEDC RFP website.

Bloomfield Bottled Water Company to Go National
A Bloomfield bottled-water company is ready to go national. Walnut Grove Spring Water began test marketing two months ago in Bloomington, Indianapolis and Bedford. The company is now targeting restaurant clients in Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Minneapolis.

Executive Vice-President Ryan Bass says the company has room to produce one to five million bottles a year, but he says they won't install the machinery until it's clear the demand is there.

The company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the bottling plant on Thursday. Greene County officials say they hope the launch will call attention to the area's resources.

Walnut Grove employs five workers along with owners Duane and Leslie Smith. Bass says if the national expansion goes well, the company could add 10 to 15 workers.

Lender's Business Toolbox Seminar
Learn about state and local incentives, resources, and financing programs for Indiana businesses at the Lender's Business Toolbox Seminar. Representatives from various agencies and organizations will discuss the services, programs, resources, financing tools, and incentives that can be of benefit to your Indiana-based customers.

This session will be held on Thursday, July 19th from 8:00 am-10:00 am at 501 N. Morton Street, Suite 106-A. To register, please call 812-339-8937 today to reserve your seat.

 
Small Business Spotlight

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!

Harris Carpet Cleaning
Harris Carpet Cleaning is a locally owned Bloomington business started by Glenn and Beth Harris in January of 2004. They employ 3 full-time and several part-time employees.

Harris Carpet Cleaning provides carpet, upholstery, tile/grout, and duct cleaning services. In addition, they provide specialized water damaged restoration services that handle both commercial and residential water damage. They work closely with insurance companies and property owners to restore water-damaged property to its pre-loss condition.
Glenn Harris has over 19 years of experience in the industry and has a strong passion to continue to provide quality service. One of Glenn's passions is restoring water-damaged hardwood flooring. With their specialized drying equipment they have the ability to restore damaged hardwood to like-new condition.

All technicians at Harris Carpet Cleaning have successfully completed the 4-day Applied Structural Drying course in Nashville, TN. This intensive training presents the science of drying through interactive instruction and hands-on application. The schedule includes extensive work in an on-site flood house with state-of-the-art drying. The technicians are trained as well in carpet and upholstery cleaning and certified by The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

Harris Carpet Cleaning will take a personal interest in the needs of each residential and commercial client. A trained technician will come to your home or business to listen to your concerns, inspect your property, and recommend specific solutions for your unique situation.

Harris Carpet Cleaning believes great service begins with great technicians. Their technicians are trained and certified to treat your home or business with care and respect. To learn more, visit the Harris Carpet Cleaning website.

 
Tech News

Bloomington's downtown Certified Technology Park (CTP) is made up of many unique technology development businesses. Each month learn news about these innovative businesses and other initiatives impacting the Park tenants!

Option Six Teams with Microsoft on New Training Standards
Microsoft has announced the completion of new learning solution design and development standards for their Sales, Marketing, and Services Readiness (SMSGR) programs. Developed in partnership with CTP business Option Six, the development kit and user interface will be used for all internal and vendor-developed courses, including online and instructor-led training. The goal of the project was to develop a uniform, consistent appearance across all courses, resulting in a more efficient and effective learning experience. The Option Six development team worked to create clearer and more user friendly navigation for online learning, integrating the Microsoft brand. “It was a collaborative effort—our best practices combined with SMSGR branding standards—preparing vendors to produce a new generation of training programs,” said Option Six President Bill West.

Toyota Selects Option Six to Develop Critical Dealer Training for New Service
Toyota Material Handling USA has selected Option Six to provide its nationwide network of dealers with the training necessary to create fleet management solutions for their customers. Toyota, the number one selling lift truck supplier in the U.S., introduced its new Toyota Fleet Solution management services program at its annual dealer conference in April. Fleet management services are rapidly becoming a critical offering in the material handling marketplace and Toyota’s new service promises to be the most comprehensive fleet management program in the industry. The Option Six Performance-Driven Learning™ approach provides Toyota’s dealers with real-world skills to get the program up and running quickly and effectively. This approach to e-learning uses a video-based mentor and scenario-based instruction to create a dynamic and engaging way to acquire the skills needed for this program. “Toyota is a great partner,” said Bill West, president and founder of Option Six. “Together we were able to produce a highly effective training solution that is critical to the success of this new service. In fact, Toyota was so pleased with the final result that we have submitted the course to the Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Award competition.” Brandon Hall will announce the award winners in September, 2007.

 
Upcoming Events

July 6: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

July 10: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

July 17: Tech Tuesday
What: 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

July 17: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

July 17: 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

July 18: 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 St., Suite 106A
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

July 19: Lender's Business Toolbox
What: Seminar to refresh your knowledge of State and Local incentives, resources, and financing programs for Indiana businesses.
Where: 501 N. Morton St., Ste. 106-A
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 am

July 24: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

July 24: Artists After Hours Workshop
What: Bloomington Area Arts Council monthly Artists After Hours
Where: John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut
Time: 5:15 pm

July 31: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

August 1: 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 St., Suite 106A
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

August 3: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

 

USeful Links
Web sites to help your business succeed.

 
Tips of the Month

How's Your Customer Service?
The quality of your customer service is a critical point of differentiation and strategic advantage between you and your larger competitors.

Some important things to think about when striving to provide superior customer service are: the depth and breadth of your product knowledge, whether you provide different information to attract different types of clients, and whether you have a website.

To see a more in-depth checklist as well as easy ways to improve your customer service, visit Inc.com.

 

SBDC Business Solutions

The Navigator Business Plan Edition provides the latest in business plan resources and personalized professional business assistance. Business plans are a critical tool for entrepreneurs to receive financing, communicate effectively with employees and advisors, and increase your odds for success and much more.

Contact the SBDC office at 812-339-8937 for more information or to get started on your business plan today!

View More Small Business Solutions

Thank you to the financial supporters and partners of inVenture and the South Central IN SBDC: Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association, Cairril.com Design & Marketing, City of Bloomington, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana University, Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, Monroe County Government and the US Small Business Administration.

Sponsor:

Kiva

This newsletter is produced by the inVenture and is intended to keep our clients and partners informed of current programs and small business issues. Out of respect for your time, we will only send one announcement a month. If you would prefer not to receive this newsletter, please to be removed from our mailing list.

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inVenture: Advancing Innovative Businesses