MCbiz : Press Releases
Press Releases
NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Expanding and Protecting Arizona Small Businesses – A Dinner Smorgasbord
Dinner is served, but now for the main course!
During a 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM dinner seminar on Thursday May 15, representatives from three organizations will share the stage to offer some ideas about protecting small business assets, ensuring business owners’ futures, and finding new markets for products and services.
The dinner will be co-hosted at the Dobson Ranch Inn, 1644 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, by MCbiz—Maricopa County Small Business Enterprise Program, Davis Miles, PLLC, a local law firm, and Cook Financial Advisors. There is a $5 per person registration fee with dinner provided at no additional charge. Davis Miles and Cook Financial are the dinner sponsors. Salmon, chicken and roast prime rib will be served.
Monica Edwards and Kevin Wick, Davis Miles attorneys, will offer ways for businesses to minimize risks to rogue creditors. They will recommend the creation of an asset protection plan to protect business assets and minimize exposure to liabilities. Edwards and Wick will identify tools to structure businesses that potentially thwart unsavory suitors.
Tyson Cook is a financial planner and functional manager for Cook Financial Group, a third generation family business. Cook’s presentation will center on building wealth and creating financial independence. His expertise helps small business owners focus on planning for and beyond retirement through thousands of investments and 100 insurance companies.
MCbiz, a year-old County agency, is charged with educating small businesses about its materials management procurement process. “Many small businesses are looking for a solid base of reliable customers and the County is constantly looking for vendors who can offer the lowest-cost goods and services.” said Nelson Mitchell, MCbiz coordinator. Mitchell’s presentation will take the guess-work out of how small businesses can qualify to participate in County procurement activities.
To register for the dinner seminar, call (480) 344-4072. For more information about the County’s small business program, visit www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz or call (602) 506-2249.
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NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
“Bigger Businesses Helping Smaller Businesses Help Each Other”
MCbiz’s Consulting Initiative – HELPbiz – Sponsorship Inauguration
Harvesting
Entrepreneurial
Leadership &
Profitability
b Small
i for Business
z Enterprises
HELPbiz is MCbiz’s Consulting Program, which has a mission of promoting the growth of the small business community. The program is regenerative in nature – a cycle of help beginning with bigger businesses providing funding to MCbiz – administrator – and smaller businesses receiving no-cost consulting services, allowing small businesses to reach their respective next levels. Consulting hours are awarded via an application and a fee. Awardees are held accountable via the initial investment, which may be returned after respective assigned consultants verify that Customized Business Performance Plans are implemented successfully.
Selected consultants will be considered SBEs under MCbiz criteria (under 100 employees or less than $4million in gross annual receipts), and each consulting firm is responsible for providing a final report with the individual businesses annually reporting results for three subsequent years. Success is measured via the consultant reports and subsequent business reports.
Our ultimate objective is promoting the growth of the small business community and positively affecting the core of the local economy. We can be a catalyst for change, economic growth, providing a boost in the economic vitality of the region. In turn, we can harvest sustainable businesses (subcontractors for our Design and Construction primes and additional responsible businesses providing goods and services to the County and the larger community).
Since the consulting services are provided by Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), the cycle of help comes full circle. Each segment (Bigger Businesses, Smaller Businesses, & SBEs) of the HELPbiz initiative function interdependently, which strengthens the sustainability of the economy and the larger community. It is a win-win-win, and coincides with the MCbiz motto: Won by One – Initiating Opportunities, Promoting Growth.
MCbiz invites Bigger Businesses to HELPbiz in its inauguration year. Sponsorship will provide amplification of firms’ participation via MCbiz’s existing marketing stream.
Any interested party should contact MCbiz Manager, Andres Chagolla, for further details at 602-506-8707 or achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov.
MCbiz Workshops:
May 15 (Davis Miles Law – Dinner Event & Cook Financial Group); May 29 (Matchmaking Event – ULBC);
June 10 (“The Power of Small Business in Local Economies” – FREE Workshop and SBE Awards -National Minority Enterprise Development Week Celebration-ASU SkySong);
August 29 (Matchmaking Event –ULBC)
Please visit our website at www.maricopa/mcbiz for more details or call Nelson Mitchell at (602) 506-2249 to RSVP/participate in a workshop.
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Entrepreneurial Activity Remained Strong in 2007 With Major Shifts Among Men, Women and Immigrants, Says Kauffman Foundation Study
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Contacts:
Barbara Pruitt, 816-932-1288;
bpruitt@kauffman.org
, Kauffman Foundation
Tom Phillips, 212-935-4655,
comptwp@aol.com
, Communication Partners
Nearly 500,000 New Businesses Launched Monthly
Report includes state-by-state breakdown of entrepreneurial activity with Midwest and West having highest rates
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.), April 24, 2008 – The rate of entrepreneurial activity among women dropped sharply in 2007 while the activity rate among men and immigrants surged, according to a national assessment of entrepreneurial activity by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
According to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, the only annual study to measure business startup activity for the entire United States adult population at the individual owner level, 495,000 new businesses per month were started in 2007 with 0.30 percent of the adult population (or 300 out of 100,000 adults) involved in the startup process. This entrepreneurial activity rate is a slight increase over the 2006 rate of 0.29 percent.
"At a time when the nation is concerned about the economy, it is heartening to see that entrepreneurial activity continues to rise," said Carl Schramm, president and chief executive officer of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "The entrepreneurial sector is a critical factor in our nation's economic growth. Even during times of recession, new firms have been responsible for the bulk of new jobs and innovations in America. That is why it is vital to track startup trends like we track other economic indicators."
Several surprising findings from the Kauffman Index are:
Immigrants far outpaced native-born Americans in entrepreneurial activity, increasing from 0.37 percent in 2006 to 0.46 percent in 2007. Immigrants are now substantially more likely to start businesses than are native-born Americans, which remained constant at 0.27 percent.
Men are now twice as likely as women to start a business each month, a larger differential than in any previous year of the KIEA study. For men, the entrepreneurial activity rate increased from 0.35 percent in 2006 to 0.41 percent in 2007. The rate decreased from 0.23 percent to 0.20 percent for women.
The entrepreneurial activity rate among Latinos increased from 0.33 percent in 2006 to 0.40 percent in 2007, the largest increase for any major ethnic or racial group.
"The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity remains the only study of its kind that provides states with some measurement for how their rate of business startups compare to the nation. Covering the past 12 years, this report has become an important tool for state and national economic leaders to gauge progress," said Robert W. Fairlie, professor of economics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who developed the Kauffman Index.
Regional Patterns
Entrepreneurial activity reflects strong regional patterns with increased startup activity in the Midwest and the West, but decreased in the Northeast. The entrepreneurial activity rate increased slightly in the South.
Entrepreneurial activity varied significantly by state in 2007. The 10 states with the highest entrepreneurial activity rates were Idaho, the District of Columbia, Arizona, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wyoming, Vermont, Montana, Georgia and California.
The 10 states with the lowest entrepreneurial activity rates were West Virginia, Alabama, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Washington and Virginia.
Among the 15 largest metropolitan areas in the United States, the highest entrepreneurial activity rates were in Phoenix, Riverside-San Bernardino, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Miami. Philadelphia posted the lowest rate of entrepreneurial activity.
While the entrepreneurial activity rate has remained roughly consistent over the past decade, the Kauffman Index reveals important shifts in the demographic and industry composition of new entrepreneurs across the country. Other key findings for 2007 include:
Non-Latino white and African-American business creation rates increased slightly from 2006 to 2007 while Asian entrepreneurship rates slightly declined.
Entrepreneurial activity rates are highest among the least-educated and most- educated groups. College graduates showed the highest rates of entrepreneurial activity recorded since the study began.
Although entrepreneurial activity rates increased for the youngest group, ages 20-34, rates remained lower for this age group* than for any other age group. Those in age groups 35-44 and 45-54 experienced increases in entrepreneurial activity. Rates decreased for the oldest age group, ages 55-64.
The construction industry had the highest entrepreneurial activity rate of all major industry groups in 2007. The second-highest entrepreneurial activity rate was in the services industry. Manufacturing had substantially lower entrepreneurial activity than all other industries.
Data for the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity are derived from the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS), a national population survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The detailed demographic information available allows researchers to estimate rates of entrepreneurial activity by race, education, region, age and immigrant status and is the most up-to-date estimate of new business activity and the only estimate of business creation by detailed demographic group. Unlike other studies that primarily capture the creation of new employer firms, the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity captures all adults 20-64 who initially start a business, including those who own incorporated or unincorporated businesses and those who are employers and non-employers. Capturing new business owners in their first month of significant business activity serves as a leading indicator of new business creation in the United States.
© 2008 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. All rights reserved.
(816) 932-1000 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110
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NEWS RELEASE
4/14/2008
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Arizona Small Businesses “enSYNCH” with the Art of Growing Internationally
MCbiz – Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program hosted the Arizona International Growth Group (AZIGG)’s monthly early morning meeting on Monday, April 7, 2008 with Roger Philips of Concordia University, David Ziton of enSYNCH, and Dr. Gary Waissi, PH.D., Dean of ASU School of Global Management & Leadership speaking.(Refreshment Sponsor – Business Partners 360).
The keynote speaker was Roger Philips, Concordia University, and his presentation “Growing Your Business Internationally: Where Do I Start?” outlined topics from his book: Guide to Software Export: A Handbook for International Sales. Approximately half of the small business owners attending were existing firms doing business internationally, while the other half indicated they were interested in venturing internationally. 90% of the information presented, noted Philips, was universal in respect to business-to-business transactions. Philips further strategized with the attendees, suggesting:
• Indirect vs. Direct sales in many markets, improving margins
• Global- and Country-level Marketing
• Forecasting and Sales Marketing/Management
• Know and thoroughly Research the Culture
Roger, winner of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Excellence in Export Award, recommended reading Chapter 11 (“How Companies Cope”) of Thomas Friedman’s book, The World is Flat, which provides insight into worldly business coping strategies. A few of the “Rules” were:
“Whatever can be done will be done – the question is whether it will be done to you or by you;”
“Most important competition now is between you & your imagination;” and
“The small shall act big.”
enSYNCH’s Director of Sales, Managed Services, David Ziton, also provided the audience with key information regarding the identification of advantages and one’s threshold in operating/expanding internationally, understanding the foreign/local market, and defining success. With respect to success, Ziton noted that one should ask/answer “What are the key metrics?” and “What is your exit strategy and its timeframe?”
Douglas K. Newton (Desert Sage Consulting, LLC and Member of the Valley Advisory Group, A Non Profit Organization providing advisory resources for Arizona Companies, and Frank C. Beltran from First Financial Security, Inc. indicated that the information garnered was valuable.
Roger Philips can be reached via email at enrapt@gmail.com or 602-300-7079 and David Ziton at dziton@ensynch.com or 602-714-0180.
MCbiz Workshops:
April 16, Chandler Public Library 3-5pm (Tenant Services, Organizational Work Optimization, Doing Business with Maricopa County)
May 15 (Davis Miles Law plus);
May 29 (Matchmaking Event – ULBC);
June 10 ( “The Power of Small Business in Local Economies” - National Minority Enterprise Development Week Celebration-ASU SkySong);
August 29 (Matchmaking Event –ULBC)
MCbiz is charged with facilitating procurement activity and helping the small business community progress in Maricopa County through workshops, outreach, and partnering with organizations such as AZIGG (www.azigg.com).
Please visit our website at www.maricopa/mcbiz for more details or call Nelson Mitchell at (602) 506-2249 to RSVP/participate in a workshop.
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NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
TENANT PROBLEMS, ORGANIZATION ISSUES SOLVED FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Small businesses owners who are searching for better office facilities or who may need help getting and staying focused on their day-to-day operations should attend the April 16 MCbiz workshop at the Chandler Public Library, 3 PM to 5 PM. The workshop is free.
MCbiz—Maricopa County Small Business Enterprise Program—is hosting another in its series of workshops to aid small business owners in growing and sustaining their ventures. Nelson Mitchell, MCbiz coordinator, will demystify the process for small businesses to provide their goods and services to County departments through informal and formal bids. Mitchell’s presentation will describe how small businesses can register and certify to participate in the County’s procurement process.
Dann Sandvig, a designated broker with Arizona Tenant Services, will discuss the 13 costly mistakes organizations make in negotiating a building or facility occupancy lease and will offer some do’s and don’ts. Sandvig will encourage walking away from a “bad deal” and doing one’s homework.
Organizing work activities and a small business’s work environment can improve productivity, according to Sandra Kindred, co-owner of Back on Track! Solutions. During the workshop, she will highlight a step-by-step process for eliminating distracting clutter, prioritizing work activities, making better use of time, and staying focused.
Seats are limited. Register by April 14 by calling (602) 506-2249. For additional information, please visit the MCbiz website at www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz.
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NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
SMALL BUSINESSES PREP FOR ECONOMIC REALITIES
In these economically challenging times, what must small businesses do to ensure their success? There are no easy answers and the correct response may depend on a variety of specific circumstances that perplex small business owners.
Some of the answers were recently presented to a group of small business owners at a MCbiz Small Business Workshop at the Avondale City Library. MCbiz is a County organization that connects small businesses with County agencies ready to purchase a variety of goods and services.
“One way for small businesses to survive is to find more customers. Maricopa County routinely provides procurement opportunities to small businesses through a competitive, low-bid process. But first, those businesses must register and self-certify to be contacted to provide a bid for the goods or services that County departments need,” said Andres Chagolla, MCbiz program manager.
Another workshop presenter, Samantha Thornton, Wells Fargo Bank, pointed out that in these tough economic times, some businesses find it difficult to obtain loans that might sustain them. She suggested 10 ways for small businesses to imbue themselves to lenders. “Banks will not give loans unless businesses can prove they are worthy. A stellar credit history and a well-formulated business plan may tip a bank that a business loan applicant is worth the risk, for example.”
Connie Nelson and Cecilia Guerrero of American Family Insurance focused their discussion on how small businesses can protect themselves from unplanned incidents. Whether the business has suffered a theft of property, a loss due to equipment malfunction, or a catastrophic event such as an owner’s untimely death, businesses should be prepared to effectively reduce the negative impact of such events. “What is key is that all significant bases are covered, which means that we sometimes need to be creative with the insurance protection offered,” said Guerrero.
According to workshop participant Jessica Harden, environmental manager, Epsilon Engineering Consultants, Inc., “The MCbiz SBE program is a great avenue to reach out to small businesses such as ours. I found the workshop both enjoyable and informative and we look forward to involvement in opportunities provided by this program.”
For more information about the Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program--MCbiz and its small business workshops, please visit
www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz
.
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NEWS RELEASE
March 6, 2008
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Business Community A-MAZE-D at the “Mastering the Purchasing Maze” Event
The small business community is less puzzled by the idiosyncrasies of doing business with governmental entities. Hundreds of business representatives met with purchasing officials from sixty-four federal, state, county, school districts and municipal entities on March 6, 2008 at the largest purchasing fair in the State: “Mastering the Purchasing Maze VI.”
Diverse business interests traversed the maze of booths in La Sala Ballroom on the ASU at the West Campus from 7:45am until 12 noon. Attendees also participated in breakout sessions with panel experts representing the General Services Administration, State of Arizona, Maricopa County, City of Peoria, U.S. Small Business Administration, Arizona Department of Commerce, and the Maricopa Community College Small Business Development Center Network.
Panelist Wes Baysinger, Director for Maricopa County’s Materials Management Division, noted that vendors interested in doing business with Maricopa County should register and consider participating in the County’s new Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program - MCbiz. The program attempts to ease the procurement process for the small business community with an informal bidding opportunity for qualified businesses (those with under 100 employees or less than $4 million in annual gross revenues).
Small business owners that visited the MCbiz booth, Cindy A. Quiroz of C. Quiroz Construction, John Skjerven of Ceiling Lifts & Medical Supply, Inc., Rainow Byrd-Baldwin a Construction Industry Consulting Practitioner, and Linda Martin of Diamondback Promotions commented on the valuable information garnered from the event.
The purchasing fair was a success due to the collaborative spirit of various organizations – most with similar objectives. Each is interested in boosting the economic vitality of the region. Sponsors included the Arizona Department of Commerce, Arizona Public Service, ASU at the West Campus, BidSource, City of Glendale, City of Peoria, City of Phoenix, Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Glendale Public Library, Goodmans Interior Structures, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Luke Air Force Base, Maricopa Community Colleges SBDC, Maricopa County Department of Transportation, Maricopa County Materials Management, MCbiz-Maricopa County Small Business Enterprise Program, U S Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank.
MCbiz - Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program is charged with promoting the growth of the small business community and facilitating procurement activity. For more information visit its website:
www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz
or by calling 602-50MCbiz (602-506-2249).
February 19, 2008
Contact: Erin Bruno: 602-506-6751/desk * 602-201-6092/pager
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Make the Clean Air Commitment!
On February 13, 2008, Maricopa County kicked off its new clean air initiative called Running Out of Air. The driving force behind this clean air program is the website
www.RunningOutofAir.com
where you will find information on the particulate pollution problem this region faces. In addition to educating you about dust pollution, the website asks all Valley residents to Make the Clean Air Commitment.
What is the Clean Air Commitment? It is an individual’s promise to make a difference to help clean the air we all breathe.
“Maricopa County faces a crisis with air pollution and without the support of our residents, we take the risk of running out of clean air,” said Andrew Kunasek, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Cleaning the air is this region’s main focus. Maricopa County is committing to 38 dust pollution prevention measures in the MAG 5% Plan submitted to the EPA.
In addition to ramping up staff and increasing enforcement, Maricopa County is asking all residents to do their part. The Phoenix Suns are on board with the county to spread this clean air message. As an incentive, the Suns are offering a Toyota Prius as a give-away for those that log onto the website and sign up to Make the Clean Air Commitment. This fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle will be given away during halftime at the Phoenix Suns vs. Houston Rockets game on Saturday, March 22, 2008.
How can you help? Visit
www.RunningOutofAir.com
and vow to do these simple steps to reduce dust pollution:
Use a rake or a broom rather than a leaf blower
Consolidate errands to cut down on multiple trips in your car
Do not use wood-burning fireplaces, especially on High Pollution Advisory days
NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Dr. MCbiz Offers Relief for Small Biz Headaches
Many small business owners develop migraines when trying to adequately protect their assets or finding dependable customers to purchase their goods or services. MCbiz, Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program, can provide some relief through a small business workshop on Tuesday, February 19, 6PM to 8PM, at the law offices of Davis Miles, LLC, 560 W. Brown Road, Mesa.
MCbiz and Davis Miles, PLLC will team up for the headache-reducing workshop. Nelson Mitchell, MCbiz coordinator, will outline the county’s small business procurement process and how small businesses can register and self-certify to participate in county government bid opportunities. By becoming a registered county vendor, businesses can be more easily contacted for competitive bids to provide the commodities county agencies need.
Monica Edwards, Davis Miles, PLLC attorney, will recommend methods to help businesses protect their wealth and reduce sources of internal and external risks. Her area of expertise includes business transactions, estate planning, and business and succession planning. Davis Miles PLLC is a full service law firm with over 60 attorneys and offices in Arizona and New Mexico.
In today’s challenging business environment, many businesses are looking for an antidote to failure. Whether it means locating additional customers to purchase a business’s products or identifying creative ways to protect a business’s investments and resources, the workshop will provide numerous remedies to help entrepreneurs find success.
To reserve your seat at the no-cost workshop, please call (602) 506-2249. The deadline to sign up is Friday, February 15. For more information, visit the county’s small business website at
www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz
.
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A big fight over small business
Contributed by Jim Snyder
02/07/08 06:37 PM [ET]
The administration and Congress are locked in a big fight over how to direct billions of dollars in federal contracts to smallbusinesses owned by women. Seven Democratic senators wrote a letter last week that criticizes the Small Business Administration's (SBA) plan to boost female-owned small businesses, which currently account for only 3.4 percent of the federal contracts awarded annually.
The longtime goal has been to increase that figure to 5 percent of the total, a difference that could potentially bring an additional $6 billion each year to companies owned by women. Women own around 30 percent of the country's businesses. "We cannot emphasize enough the depth of our disappointment with this rule," the senators wrote. One chief complaint is that the draft rule characterizes only four out of 313 business categories eligible for federal contracts as under-represented by female-owned businesses. "We find it hard to believe that cabinetmaking, engraving, other motor vehicles dealers and national security and international affairs are the only industries in which the SBA has determined that women-owned small businesses are
under-represented or substantially under-represented in government-wide federal procurement," the Democrats wrote last week.
Democrats also contend that the SBA's proposal to require federal agencies to show discrimination in procurement practices before establishing a set-aside program "would substantially limit" the money targeted at female-owned businesses.
The SBA expects to release the final rule later this month. At a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing last week, SBA Administrator Steven Preston defended the rule but also indicated a willingness to continue to work with Congress to address complaints about it.
The battle has been brewing for years, largely behind the scenes, ever since Congress passed a bill in December 2000 to establish a set-aside program for federal contracts for women.
Since then, members of Congress have accused the administration of slow-walking implementation language. Part of the time was spent waiting for a RAND study that examined where female-owned businesses seemed at an unfair disadvantage to their male-run counterparts.
Critics of the rule say SBA officials accepted RAND's narrowest interpretation of under-represented businesses. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), the chairman and ranking member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, respectively, urged a broad definition in a May letter. SBA officials have said they took pains to grow the number of contracts to female-owned businesses in a way that is fair to everyone.
Writing in The Hill two weeks ago, Preston called the relationship between the number of such businesses in the country and the percentage of federal contracts they actually receive an "apples to oranges comparison."
TheHill.com
http://thehill.com
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NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Governor’s Small Business Advocate’s AZ Service Provider Network hosted by MCbiz
On January 16, Kathy Rodriguez, Assistant Director, Small Business Services for the Arizona Department of Commerce spearheaded the meeting of the Arizona Service Provider Network at Maricopa County’s Board of Supervisors Conference Room.
“MCbiz and its sister agencies (Maricopa Workforce Connections and the Maricopa County Library District) provided useful information to the network,” said Kathy Rodriguez.
The network’s members include public, community, private, and governmental entities, which serve the business community. Members have agreed to continue supporting each other’s organizations, serving businesses and niche markets, increasing opportunities for SBE, M/WBE & DBE firms, and maximizing the visibility of their organizations and services.
“Maricopa Workforce Connections (MWC) provides many services to the business community through its two major One-Stop Centers,” said Ron Bajda, Business Account Representative/MWC. In addition, Ron said that employers may conduct on-site recruitments at the MWC West Valley Career Center , 1840 N. 95th Ave., Ste. 160, Phoenix, AZ 85037 (at I-10 and Loop 101) or MWC East Valley Career Center, 735 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert (at Guadalupe and Gilbert Road ). Each Center is equipped with a Business Services Center that offers employers meeting space, office equipment, interview rooms, and other resources to enhance recruiting and hiring experiences. Check out their website at:
http://maricopaworkforceconnection.com/business/businessservices.asp
“The Library District subscribes to premium databases and provides them free to its customers,” noted Marshall Shore, Adult Services Coordinator, Maricopa County Library District. He described how small businesses can easily access the following databases plus more:
Business & Company Resource Center
A fully integrated resource bringing together company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies and periodicals.
InfoTrac OneFile
A one-stop source for news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics including: business, computers, economics, law, technology, and many general interest topics. Millions of full-text articles, many with images. Updated daily.
Morningstar
Provides data on nearly 1-million securities worldwide
America's Newspapers: The Ultimate Newspaper Archive
Provides full-text articles from the electronic editions for more than 600 U.S. newspapers - all in one easy-to-search database.
Business & Investment Web Sites - Click on Selected Web Sites on Library’s home page, and then click on “Business & Investment” to see the list of Web sites selected, reviewed and approved by librarians. Check out their website: www.
WWW.MCLDAZ.ORG
MCbiz - Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program is charged with promoting the growth of the small business community and facilitating procurement activity. For more information visit its website:
www.maricopa.gov/mcbiz
or by calling 602-50MCbiz (602-506-2249).
For Release: January 10, 2008 Contact: John McDowell (202) 205-6941 john.mcdowell@sba.gov
SBA Number: 08-03 ADVO
Small Businesses Nominate Over Eighty Regulations For Review And Reform Nominations Made In Response To Advocacy’s r3 Initiative
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Small business owners and their representatives have nominated over eighty existing regulations for review and reform in response to the Office of Advocacy’s Regulatory Review and Reform
(r3) initiative. The "Top 10" nominated rules will be transmitted to appropriate federal agencies for review and reform.
"The fact that our office received over eighty strong nominations shows that small businesses are concerned about the cumulative weight of regulations," said Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Thomas M. Sullivan. "Not only will the strongest and most compelling cases make our Top 10 list, the rest of the nominations are giving us insight into regulatory areas of most concern to small business."
Advocacy will transmit the Top 10 list to agencies in the spring and will work to ensure that the listed rules will be reviewed and reformed. In order to track agency progress, the recommended reforms will be posted on Advocacy’s website and an update on the status of reforms will be published twice a year. Advocacy encourages small businesses and their representatives to follow the progress of the reforms and comment to the agencies on that progress.
Advocacy created the r3 initiative because complying with federal regulations now costs our economy $1.1 trillion per year, which costs more per household than healthcare. The smallest of businesses bear the brunt of regulations. They annually pay 45 percent more per employee to comply with federal regulations than big businesses do.
Find our more about the r3 initiative and agency progress in reviewing and reforming the Top 10 rules by visiting
www.sba.gov/advo/r3
.
The Office of Advocacy, the "small business watchdog" of the federal government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and it funds research into small business issues.
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The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. For more information, visit
www.sba.gov/advo
, or call (202) 205-6533.
NEWS RELEASE
January 8, 2008
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Ecommerce CEO shares advice with Arizona Internationalists and Small Business Community
MCbiz – Maricopa County’s Small Business Enterprise Program, hosted the Arizona International Growth Group (AZIGG)’s monthly early morning meeting on Monday, January 7. MCbiz is charged with facilitating procurement activity and helping the small business community progress in Maricopa County through workshops, outreach, and partnering with organizations such as AZIGG. AZIGG meets monthly to discuss international business. It shares knowledge, experience and ideas for the benefit of people and companies in Arizona.
The keynote speaker was Omar Sayed/founder & CEO of Succeed® Corporation , an Arizona-based e-commerce company that helps small businesses succeed online. Succeed had landed the number 50 spot on the Inc. 500 list in September 2007. The list is an annual ranking of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. Succeed is also recognized as the #1 fastest growing software technology company on the list in Arizona.
Omar moved here from India in the 90’s, and “ felt right at home.” An entrepreneur at heart , Omar practices what he preaches, stating that “failure is not an option, attitude is significantly important to growth, and recognizing opportunities, peoples, and those things not visible in the obvious sense are each key” in moving forward with one’s business. His entrepreneurial spirit motivated him to start an import/export business in Texas, then he came to Arizona, “looking for a more future-oriented state and the State of Arizona has delivered in the area of technology,” stated Omar. He suggested that Arizona is still positioned for growth in terms of the technology industry for the next ten years and beyond.
Providing advice to the large crowd of diverse small and big business representatives attending the meeting Sayed indicated that there are challenges in diversifying to the international markets; “However, the world is shrinking,” Omar further stated. He mentioned the instance in which he was contacted by students from the Ukraine, offering their expertise in software platform issues. Omar decided to present them a real-world problem his firm was challenged with, and the students solved the problem within four hours and only charged $8 dollars.
Omar noted that the international and local talent base and the “favorable economics” have allowed his firm to stay privately funded, although he is keeping his options open. He said, “The Global Market, from a sourcing perspective, right now, presents a great opportunity to selling products outside of the United States.” However, Omar’s firm remains focused in the United States.
Succeed Corporation also powers partners with a private-labeled version of the iBuilder platform offered under the partner's brand. "Continuing to build long term strategic licensing partnerships is a key part of our business model," said Sayed. Succeed Corporation provides small businesses with a suite of Internet-based tools necessary for businesses to succeed in the Internet age. Until recently, that manifested itself in the form of web hosting, e-commerce, email, and basic online marketing. Now, it also includes online banking, financial services, collaboration, intricate integration with suppliers and customers, advanced customer service, advanced marketing, and much more.
Omar Sayed contact information: 1201 S. Alma School Road, Suite 15500 - Mesa, AZ 85210;
info@succeed.com
; 480-899-8200; Partnerships: 480-899-8200 x 100
MCbiz workshops in January:
Tuesday, January 15, 4 PM – 6 PM
Wickenburg Community Center, 120 North Valentine Street, Wickenburg, 85390
• Andres Chagolla, MCbiz – How Can Small Businesses Do Business With the County?
• Sasha Frugone, Information Facilitators – Data Management, Introducing QuickBooks
• Harvey King, Vistage International – Business Leadership
Thursday, January 24
3PM – 5 PM
Ed Robson Library, 9330 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, 85248
• Nelson Mitchell, MCbiz – How Can Small Businesses Do Business With the County?
• Janet Sullivan, Business Development Financial Corporation – Financial Literacy, 10
Tips to Impress a Lender
• Major Williams, JR2 Solutions – Business Efficiency, Selecting the Best Solutions
Please visit our website at
www.maricopa/mcbiz
for more details or call Nelson Mitchell at (602) 506-2249 to RSVP/participate in a workshop.
NEWS RELEASE
Andres Chagolla/Nelson Mitchell–MCbiz Team
602-506-2249 / 602-50MCbiz
achagolla@mail.maricopa.gov
mitchelln001@mail.maricopa.gov
Small Business Owners Score Touchdowns at MCbiz’s Successful NFL Playbook Small Business Workshop on Multicultural Marketing
The Playbook series is a professional development opportunity for small, minority, and women business owners, designed to empower participants with a comprehensive playbook that delivers value at each stage of a company’s development. Each workshop offers solid business advice from local and national industry experts and networking opportunities that translate into results for small businesses.
Maricopa County’s MCbiz conducted a “Huddle-Up” Networking session with entertainment, breakfast and prizes to begin the second of four planed workshops via the NFL’s Super Bowl Playbook Small Business Workshop Series on December 13, 2007, which preceded informative presentations given by the following small business owners/enterprises:
Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox/Maricopa County, Kymber Umaña – Sprint Communications/Multicultural Marketing Manager, Liz Topete-Stonefield – Topete-Stonefield, Inc/President/CEO, Brenda M. Thomson – LearnLaw LLC/Director, Manny Molina – Molina Media Group/CEO, Matt Molina – Latino Future Magazine/Publisher, and Lisa Urias-Urias Communications/President/CEO.
In addition to the outstanding information provided, several workshop attendees scored touchdowns with major prizes: Four Levano Computers, Sprint Blackberry with a one-year service agreement included, Sprint Broadband Card, and additional prizes were donated by Marysela Bonillas’ Marketing Consulting Solutions Firm, Liz Topete-Stonefield/Topete-Stonefield, Inc. (International Multicultural Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations Agency), National Association of Women Business Owners Phoenix Metro Chapter, BidSource-Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and the Grand Canyon Minority Supplier Development Council.
MCbiz was selected as one of the local business development partners to produce the event, and was assisted by an alliance: Arizona Department of Commerce, BidSource – Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Elite Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Network – Arizona Chapter, Grand Canyon Minority Supplier Development Council, Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Women Business Owners – Phoenix Metro Chapter, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Arizona, Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce, and United Latino Business Coalition.
There are two more workshops to be held on January 9th (Creating, Promoting, and Protecting Your Online Brand) and January 24th (Communication, Technology, and Innovation).
One can RSVP at
www.superbowlbiz.com
. Other small business owners have a chance to win more prizes, including tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl game on February 3, 2007 at Glendale’s University of Phoenix Football Stadium.
###
For Release: December 19, 2007
Contact: Kathryn Tobias, (202) 205-6938
kathryn.tobias@sba.gov
SBA Number: 07-37 ADVO
Small Businesses Lead U.S. Growth
Report Documents Small Firms’ Significant Economic Impacts in 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Small businesses continued to lead growth in the U.S.
economy in 2006, according to a report issued today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“Today’s report shows that overall, small firms continue to drive a resilient U.S.
economy,” said Advocacy Chief Economist Chad Moutray. “In releasing this annual small business research report, we are pleased also to showcase new research by economists in the field of small business and entrepreneurship.”
Moutray released the report at a December 19 meeting of the Rotary Club of Washington, DC. The study, The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President for 2007, (
http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/sb_econ2007.pdf
) is the Office of Advocacy’s annual report on the state of small business in America.
The report reviews the economic environment for small businesses in the year 2006, including the financial and federal procurement marketplaces. New research focuses on minority- and veteran-owned businesses, social entrepreneurship, and pre-venture planning. Other chapters and appendices provide data on small business and an update on Office of Advocacy initiatives.
The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the federal government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats, and it funds research into small business issues.
For more information and a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy website at
www.sba.gov/advo
. Print copies are also available upon request to the Office of Advocacy (202) 205-6533.
###
The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. For more information, visit
www.sba.gov/advo
, or call (202) 205-6533.
** To sign up for Advocacy updates via RSS feed, visit
http://feeds.feedburner.com/sba/rAIO
**
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http://web.sba.gov/list
. **