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Business Expo all about contacts
Local businesses revved up for a chance to make new connections at this year’s Business Expo.
For business owners, the Expo allows them access to 3,000 attendees who may not know what their particular business does. Using a racing theme, the Bloomington Monroe County Convention Center was decked out with checkered flags Thursday, with many businesses using the theme in their booths.
For Irwin Union Bank, the company’s theme for the year was in line with the Expo theme, said Jim Gray, vice president and senior commercial lender for the bank. “This year our theme at the bank was ‘Accelerate 08,’” Gray said.
Because of the similar themes, Gray had had an easy time when it came to decorating the booth. He said they brought along the bank’s “Accelerate 08” tent cards and handed out race day survival packs. The giveaway contained a rain poncho, sunscreen and ear plugs, neatly packaged inside a plastic race car.
But even if the theme didn’t match, people were ready to talk business.
At the YMCA booth, Erika Albert demonstrated a gravity machine, a new and popular addition to the Y’s exercise options. Albert demonstrated how the machine works and allowed people to try it out.
“We have five of them at the Y,” Albert said. “We do classes five days a week.”
For some booths, there were games. At Markey’s, attendees could race cars with the winner receiving a foam can holder. At Old National, fake money was blown around an enclosed booth and the person was to grab as much money as possible. The person with the highest total would get to come back later to grab for real dollars.
For TLS, the Expo gave them an opportunity to spread the word about their technology services company. Phil Luzius, vice president for TLS, offered people a chance to win an iPod while learning more about what services the company offers.
“Our big focus was we just want name recognition in Bloomington,” Luzius said. “We’re really excited about what can happen after this.”
Beth Fisher has just started Basket Monkey, which offers customized gift baskets. At the Expo, Fisher had a number of baskets on display, many using local products.
“This is my first day in this business,” Fisher said.
For more information please visit, Herald Times Online.
Indy Chamber Announces Green Initiative
INDIANAPOLIS –While the surge in "green" concepts has revived national interest in environmentally-responsible practices, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce announced today its plans for a Green Business initiative.
Green Business will promote the interest of businesses that are committed and engaged in environmentally-responsible operations and ractices, also known as “green” business practices, meaning the business operates in such a way as to conserve natural resources and eliminate waste.
The program requires current Indianapolis Chamber members to meet application requirements and pledge to continually strive toward such business practices to ensure the greater Indianapolis region is environmentally healthy and viable. Members will also pledge to meet all existing federal, state and local environment regulations. Four businesses have already qualified for the Chamber’s Green Business recognition, including Bose McKinney Evans LLP, Citizens Gas and Coke Utility, Commonwealth Engineers Inc., Cripe Architecture + Engineers, DCG: Digital Color Graphics and Ice Miller LLP.
"Citizens has consistently recognized the importance of energy efficiencies,” said Carey Lykins, President and CEO, Citizens Gas. “We are pleased to share best practices with other businesses in our region through the Chamber's Green Business Initiative."
Member business applicants must:
-Be current members of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
-At minimum, a bronze member of the Central Indiana Clean Air Partnership (www.indycicap.org ( http://www.indycicap.org/ ))
-Complete an application and submit to the Green Business
review committee for qualification.
In addition, businesses representing 100 or more employees must demonstrate at least one green practice in each of the following six areas (businesses with 99 or less employees must demonstrate at least one in four of the six categories) including:
-Waste prevention and reduction
-Recycling
-Purchasing
-Energy conservation
-Water conservation/water quality
-Transportation
Members must re-apply every two years to maintain qualification as a Green Business member and demonstrate additional improvement in the above areas.
Benefits of joining the Green Business initiative include:
-Recognition as committed to a greener greater Indianapolis
region through their business operations.
-Access to the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce’s Green Business logo (used above) for their print and electronic use in identifying their business as a Green Business.
-Recognition online at www.IndyChamber.com ( http://www.indychamber.com/ ).
-Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Green Business window cling for their business venue.
Businesses may participate in Green Business by submitting the application form and qualification descriptions found at
www.IndyChamber.com/GreenBusiness.asp.
"The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce recognizes its members who are proactively engaging in green business practices and operations," said Sanford Garner, Founding Partner/COO, A2S04
Architecture LLC and Chairman of the Chamber’s Green Business initiative.
Chamber President Roland Dorson agreed, "Many growth opportunities exist related to the emerging green economy. Through the Green Business Initiative, the Indianapolis Chamber will connect members to green-focused businesses and resources to foster sustainable businesses through sustainable business practices."
For more information on the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce’s Green Business initiative, call 317.464.2200 or email GreenBusiness@indylink.com.
Source: Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce |
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| 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!
Communication Disorders Technology
Communication Disorders Technology, Inc. (CDT) was formed by Charles S. Watson and Diane Kewley-Port, Professors of Speech and Hearing Sciences at Indiana University, and Daniel P. Maki, Professor of Mathematics at Indiana University. CDT's goal is to become the market leader in the development of new technologies for speech and hearing professionals (speech pathologists and teachers of the deaf), for teachers of foreign languages and for teachers of people with developmental disabilities.
For the past decade, investigators at CDT have been building speech training aids that combine automatic speech recognition technology with state-of-the-art computer graphics capability. Support for much of this research and development has come from the National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovative Research program. CDT has assembled a team of investigators with expertise in speech and hearing sciences, mathematics, engineering, linguistics, instructional systems technology, graphical arts, and computer programming.
Currently, five products have been developed and clinically tested. The company's first product, ISTRA (Indiana Speech Training Aid), has been marketed in Indiana since 1994. Development of HearSay, an English pronunciation training system, began in June 1995. A hearing screening device, Home Hearing Evaluator, is produced by CDT in collaboration with engineers at Autosound 2000 in Burlington, North Carolina. You-Said-It, a system for teaching English as a first language to people with developmental disabilities, is a work-in-progress at CDT. SPATS (Speech Perception And Training System) for enabling those with impaired hearing to take better advantage of their hearing aids and cochlear implants.
Please vist CDT's website for more information about the company.
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| May 2: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders
geared towards the information technology industry.
Topic: Workforce Development for a New Economy
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
May 7: 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: 10:00 am- 12:00pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)
May 6: 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
May 13: 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
May 20: 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
May 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
May 21: 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 pm- 5:00pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)
May 27: 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
June 3: 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
June 4: 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)
June 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
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| Web sites to help your business succeed. |
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| Succession Planning Best Practices
Reprint and Repost Policy
Owners are proud of their family owned businesses. To be successful, owners must plan thoroughly and work hard to carry out the plan. Successful business owners should be proud of their accomplishments.
Yet planning and hard work are frequently lacking in efforts to establish a viable blueprint for leaving the business behind. Reluctance to pursue proper succession planning is common. Combining family and business concerns is difficult.
If a proper estate plan is not in place, estate taxes must be paid within nine months of death. This does not give heirs a great deal of time to maneuver. Irreparable harm could result. Part or all of the business may have to be sold in order to pay estate taxes.
In a recent article by Diane E. Picard on the Financial Planning Interactive website, Gary Pittsford, a CFP in Indianapolis, recommends having a plan in place five years before the owner plans to exit the business. However, Martin M. Shenkman, an attorney and CPA, recommends creating a succession plan as soon as a business is started. Shenkman’s position considers that a false step into the path of an oncoming bus could rapidly accelerate the need for a succession plan. He has a point.
In fact, the best succession plan is basically an exit plan, and should be an integral part of a business plan. It should cover all possible eventualities of the business if it had to be turned over to someone else. This exit strategy should address retirement, death, disability, sale of the business, and any other possibilities that might impact the situation.
For the complete article please visit, Business Advise Daily.com
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| Business Check-up
Wonder how your business compares to others in your industry? There
are a wide range of factors that go into the valuation process –
from the company’s book value to a host of tangible and intangible
elements. In general, the value of the business will rely on an
analysis of the company’s cash flow. Its ability to generate
consistent profits will ultimately determine its worth in the marketplace.
Contact the SBDC office at 812-339-8937 for more information.
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