SMALL BUSINESS REVIEW

Small-business owners hit with burnout blues

After more than a decade as a project manager in the tree-care industry, Tim Scherpenisse was suddenly out of work.

Two years later, he is an economic forecaster, strategic planner, marketing director and human-resources supervisor.

He is a small-business owner. And the transition has been challenging.

"It's an obstacle not to let the business run you. If you're not careful, it can consume you," said Scherpenisse, owner of New Life Arboricultural Services in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Scherpenisse is among a growing number of workers forging their own path in a shifting economy that has suffered years of job losses and growing unemployment.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Blog for Small Businesses Launched At www.small-biz.biz

Small business owners / managers now have a place to vent their frustrations, share their ideas, and seek help in running their businesses. A new blog created just for small businesses has been launched at www.small-biz.biz.
"I've been running my own business for 22 years and the only people who are interested in hearing my problems are other small business owners," says Jack Bernstein, creator of the blog, Small Business Ideas. "Friends and family are tired of hearing me talk about the difficulties of running a small business, and quite honestly, if they're in working at large corporations they often look down on my company. That's why I started this blog. I've put up a few articles just to get things going but it's open to everyone to say anything they want."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

WIRED.COM LAUNCHES WIRED BIZ SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

WIRED has partnered with Brother International Corporation to introduce WIRED Biz - a destination site created to benefit a community of entrepreneurs and small business owners. WIRED Biz will immerse users in Web 2.0 solutions to enhance creativity, provide a platform for information sharing, and most notably, encourage collaborative problem solving through a Crowdsourcing experiment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every Small Business Has Two Locations

A reseller I was speaking to about his adoption of a new product said something quite interesting: every small business has at least two locations. One is the office, store, or shop, and the second is the owner's home. I understood that intellectually, but hadn't heard it put so clearly. Kudos to Dave Sobel of Evolve Technologies in the DC area.

What small business owner or manager doesn't take work home? Usually, their family forces them to cut the hours at work and get home at least a few evenings per week. And if you're a sole proprietor in a home office, you have to go out to do business at least once in a while, so you'll have a mobile office at least.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MyBizHomepage Launches New Platform to Help Small Businesses

MyBizHomepage ( www.MyBizHomepage.com)--a web-based small business--today launched a new free online financial tool that will enable entrepreneurs and other small businesses to view their QuickBooks data on an easy-to-read dashboard.

________________________________________________________________

SMALL BUSINESS REVIEW

Small-Business Optimism Up

Fewer owners are reporting cash-flow problems this month, a survey shows.

After falling to record lows, economic confidence among the nation's small-business owners picked up in July, as fewer owners struggled with cash-flow issues, Discover reported this week.

In a survey of 1,000 small-business owners nationwide, only 33 percent said they've faced cash-flow problems over the past three months, down from 42 percent last month. More owners also said the economy was improving, prompting many to boost spending plans for the months ahead, the survey found.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Business structures 101
LLP, LLC, S-corp and C-corp: It's not just alphabet soup! A breakdown of what you need to know, in layman's terms.

What exactly is an LLP? What's the difference between an LLC and a corporation? What about S-corps and C-corps? Sorting through the legal jargon and tax codes defining these business structures can be daunting for entrepreneurs - but picking the right structure for your company brings vital tax benefits and legal flexibility.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a Jungle of Regulations on Small Business Out There

How would you spend $7,647? That's how much the average business in this country with under 20 employees loses a year for each of its employees because of federal regulations. Thomas Sullivan, the chief counsel for advocacy at the Small Business Administration, testified yesterday before the House Committee on Small Business about ways his office is trying to reduce the $1.1 trillion burden that federal regulations place on businesses. Sullivan also noted that this burden falls disproportionately on smaller businesses. In 2004, the cost of regulations for businesses with more than 500 employees was $5,282 per employee.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Six Steps to Help Small Business Prosper During Tough Times

WIth the current economic recession, yes, I'll use the "R" word, too many small businesses are finding themselves moving in the wrong direction.


In many cases, what were once growing, thriving businesses are now heading into a downward spiral of cutbacks, layoffs, and, in too many cases, bankruptcies. Owners are watching as their customers dwindle and revenues drop.


So, what can a small business owner who is trying to prosper in today's climate do to turn things around?


While you may not be able to do much about the nation's economy as a whole, there are, according to "Turnaround Mentor" Jim Donovan, proactive steps you can take, regardless of outside circumstances.

________________________________________________________________

Oregon Business Overview

IHG Announces Crowne Plaza Hotel Opening in Portland

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced that the Crowne Plaza Portland-Downtown (U.S.) has opened. The hotel is in the final stages of a $3 million conversion from a Holiday Inn.

Renovations include a new lobby, new exterior paint, new furniture throughout the hotel, upgraded mattresses in the guestrooms and an upgraded bathroom package.

Conveniently situated in the Lloyd Business District of downtown Portland, the 241-room hotel is within four blocks of the Rose Garden Arena, the Memorial Coliseum and the Oregon Convention Center, the largest convention center in the Pacific Northwest. Nearby businesses include Kaiser Permanente, Adidas, Nationwide Insurance and PacifiCorp.

The Crowne Plaza Portland-Downtown is located in Fareless Square, where all trips on MAX, Portland’s light rail system, are free. The Pearl District, Portland’s most colorful and creative neighborhood is just minutes away. The Portland International Airport is located 10 miles from the hotel, and complimentary shuttle service is provided.

_________________________________________________________

SMALL BUSINESS REVIEW

Small-business owners learn to adapt in economic downturn

Just like the monster in a bad summer movie, inflation has risen from a long slumber. Small businesses are feeling the pinch of climbing prices and shaky consumer confidence.

But unlike the script, the final scene is yet to be written. Many local business owners are hoping for a happy ending but preparing for the worst.

For the first time since the early 1980s, small-business owners in June cited inflation as their No. 1 concern in a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. Not surprisingly, skyrocketing fuel costs are of particular concern.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL BUSINESS LINK: Productive Brainstorms Take the Right Mix of Elements

Most people know what brainstorming means, but few are ever taught how to do it effectively.

Matt Bowen, president and chief executive of Aloft Group Inc., a 28-employee marketing firm in Newburyport, Mass., devotes much time to teaching his employees the ropes of effective brainstorming.

The Wall Street Journal recently spoke with Mr. Bowen about fostering creative thinking in the workplace and how to channel creative energy in a productive way.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is Outsourcing Or Contracting Out Appropriate For My Small Business?

Outsourcing is an emotive topic that is often portrayed in a negative light by the media. It is also something that has traditionally been seen as the preserve of big multi-national corporations, and small business has been slow to take up this business trend.

During the course of the business year, there are often particular activities that need to be carried out, where the necessary skills pool does not exist within your organisation. These are the most obvious projects to be contracted out, because you can retain the services of an expert but only for the time it takes for the project to be completed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inflationary Economy Makes Small Firms Look for New Accounting Methods

Inflation hasn't played a major role in the economy for many years, so many of today's entrepreneurs are not prepared to deal with it. So it's surprising that inflation is now the top problem cited by small businesses, according to a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. It has been 27 years since the survey, the Small Business Optimism Index, found inflation to be such a pressing issue.

Perhaps entrepreneurs should look to the past for guidance. During that last bout of stagflation (stagnant growth coupled with inflation) in the late 1970s, many businesses found an effective way to reduce costs was through accounting. When you calculate your profit margin for your business income taxes, a higher-cost inventory will lower your profit margins on the books—and that means you lower your tax liability. If the cost of your goods is rising, you would want the last items added to your inventory—the ones affected by inflation—to be the ones that show up in your books as the goods you sold. So when a firm facing higher inventory costs uses the "last-in, first-out" accounting method—known as LIFO—it can often reduce its tax burden.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SBA Faces Credibility Gap Over SMB Contracting

Mismanagement of small business contracting programs has been a sore spot at the SBA for more than five years. Over that time, numerous reports have revealed that billions of dollars a year end up in the hands of large, well-known corporations. But the SBA has tended to minimize or deny the problem. Outgoing administrator Steven Preston even called it a myth. The latest reports, however, show a clear credibility gap at the agency.

________________________________________________________________________________

Oregon Business Overview

EngineWorks and Yakima to Present at OMS Portland

EngineWorks, Inc., a professional search engine marketing (SEM) company specializing in Natural Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Paid Search Management, and Social Media Marketing, is pleased to announce that the Company will be presenting along side its newest world-class client, Yakima Products, Inc., at the up-coming Online Marketing Summit (OMS) in Portland, Oregon on August 5, 2008.

The Online Marketing Summit, taking place at the Portland Zoo on S.W. Canyon Road, is an education and networking event that enables marketing professionals to share best practices and gain valuable insight from professional online marketing executives. This industry-wide summit focuses on topics that drive audience action, including search engine marketing, social media business strategies, Web analytics, ROI tracking, and much more.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Timbercon Named 17th in Growth for Technology Companies in Oregon

Timbercon, Inc., a fiber optic product and solution manufacturer headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon was named for the sixth year in a row as one of Oregon’s fastest growing technology and software companies by The Portland Business Journal. Timbercon is ranked 17th on the annual list of 25 Oregon businesses for 2007.

“From 2005 through 2007 we experienced 63% growth and have continued to grow in 2008. We have added another ten people in 2008 and continue to recruit sales, engineering, and production management talents. The continued growth is exciting and our recent and upcoming product innovations will continue to push our company to the next level.” says Eric Meslow, President and CEO. Most recently Timbercon released their new XFP Electric Loopback that is commonly used in the testing of network and data storage equipment.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Portland should get its gateway

Planning geeks like to crow about Portland becoming America's "most European" city. We sure hope that's not Paris they see in our future. We're not that taken with the idea of a high couture core surrounded by slums.

As more and more people -- more and more of whom happen to be wealthy -- crowd toward close-in living, Portland risks driving deepening pools of its poor to the urban fringe. Welfare checks might displace desperate housewives as the signature suburban species.

___________________________________________________________________

SMALL BUSINESS REVIEW

Credit seen drying up for small business

As losses mount at American banks and the pain of the credit crisis spreads from housing and finance to the broader economy, many small companies complain it is increasingly difficult to obtain loans.

Tighter credit could not only help to push the United States into recession, but prolong the downturn as ideas for new businesses get stymied once entrepreneurs sit down with local bank managers, small business representatives warn.

------------------------------------------------------------

Burnout beckons for those starting businesses

After more than a decade as a project manager in the tree care industry, Tim Scherpenisse was suddenly out of work.

Two years later, he is an economic forecaster, strategic planner, marketing director and human resources supervisor.

Specifically, he is a small business owner. And the transition has not come without challenges.

"It's an obstacle not to let the business run you. If you're not careful, it can consume you," said Scherpenisse, owner of New Life Arboricultural Services in Grand Rapids.
Press Photo/Dianne Carroll BurdickTim Scherpenisse, owner of New Life Arboricultural Services, said running the business will consume you if you are not careful.

Scherpenisse is among a growing number of Michigan workers forging their own path in a shifting economy that has suffered eight years of job losses and now has the nation's highest unemployment rate at 8.5 percent.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Business Continuity: Secure small business storage on the Web?

It's mid-hurricane season where I live, and my thoughts have been turning (as they so often do) to disaster recovery for small business. We should all have learned by now that even a comprehensive backup can be inadequate if it's stored in a filing cabinet in the front office. No, for better protection you need to keep a copy of your files someplace safe -- or at least someplace not likely to be hit by the same event that created the need for the backup.

I've been trying a couple of simple solutions for backing up my critical data. The first is SpiderOak, a system the company describes as, "Your complete online backup, storage, access and sharing solution." A free account comes with 2GB of online storage, with more available for license on a monthly basis. The second is Microsoft's Live Mesh, an extension of your desktop onto the Web. There are similarities between the two, but there are also differences that might make one or the other a better choice for your needs.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Starting a Small Business in a Bad Economy
Smart entrepreneurs can be successful even in tough times

Things have been a bit slower than usual over at the Community Business Partnership, a resource for small companies in Springfield, Va. As Barbara Wrigley, an executive at the partnership, guesstimates it, there's been a 10-to-15 percent drop in folks coming in for information about starting new businesses. "I feel like people are being a little more risk averse these days," Wrigley says.

It's a natural reaction given all the scary economic headlines, but slowdowns don't have to be barriers to starting new enterprises, experts say. After all, Bill Gates and Paul Allen didn't wait for the recession to pass before launching Microsoft in 1975. And plenty of would-be entrepreneurs aren't waiting for today's economy to improve either: Of the approximately 3,000 job seekers—mostly managers and executives—surveyed by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 7.2 percent said they were starting their own business in the first quarter of 2008. Last year's annual average was 8.1 percent. "The bottom line is anytime is the right time [to launch a venture] if the opportunity is correct and if you as the entrepreneur have correctly assessed and shaped the opportunity," says Dennis Ceru, who teaches graduate courses in entrepreneurship and business strategy at Boston University and Babson College.

----------------------------------------------------------

Surviving a Seasonal Business
It takes a year-round effort to maximize profits in your peak season. Here are 4 principles to get you there.

Seasonal business owners are often envied as having the ultimate gig: They work hard for the few months that form their peak season, then sail through the rest of the year with their feet up and a wad of cash in hand. Sound like the ultimate dream? Then it's time for a reality check:

Running a seasonal business requires year-round work and tough self-discipline. Behind every successful seasonal business is an entrepreneur who's willing to work twice as hard and twice as smart as the conventional business owner.

"Like any business or project in life, the outer results mirror the inner world of the individual at the helm," says Terry Kyle, author of400 Latest & Greatest Small Business Ideas. Kyle recommends these four tips for running a tight ship and guiding your seasonal business through the inevitable rough waters ahead.

------------------------------------------------------

Lenovo Builds Notebooks for SMBs

Small business owners are constantly on the go and always looking for the chance to squeeze in a few more hours of work. That makes them perfect candidates for a notebook computer.

In a move designed to zero in on the SMB-notebook love connection, Lenovo today introduced the SL ThinkPad line, which the company says was designed specifically for smaller companies. The SL300, SL400 and SL500 are designed to accommodate a mobile work style, add a touch of multimedia sizzle and sport stylish good looks.

According to Charles Sune, worldwide segment manager for ThinkPad SL Series, the new small business line delivers high-quality, affordable prices and reliable service and support. Sune said SMBs are the fastest-growing segment of the notebook market.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Tips For Small Business Owners
Finding A Loan That Works For You

With the recent credit crunch, small business owners are having a tough time getting loans. Colleen DeBaise, Small Business Editor for SmartMoney.com, has some tips for funding your business in tough times.

If you're a small business owner who's been turned down for a loan by a bank, don't panic - you do have other options. First, consider a microlender. "Microlenders are non-profits," says DeBaise. "They're generally funded by charitable institutions, government grants." Microlenders usually give out small loans - anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000. You might receive some financial training as well, but DeBaise considers microlenders a great option.

______________________________________________________________

Oregon Business Overview

Double-digit health insurance hikes
Individuals and small businesses are hit hard in Oregon

Double-digit rate increases are squeezing tens of thousands of Oregonians who buy individual or small-business health insurance, forcing some to join the ranks of the uninsured.

At least 19 health insurers have filed for rate increases since Jan. 1, when the state for the first time publicly posted rate filings under a new law. LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon received the biggest annual rate increase -- 28 percent for individuals and 26 percent for small employers -- which takes effect in the next two months.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simplex Certified for ISO 9001 and AS9100

“Our world has changed over the past few years” commented Simplex Quality Manager William Coleman. “Due to a changing philosophy in the marketplace and our constantly increasing interaction with the helicopter OEM’s, Simplex determined that its future depended on the successful outcome of this certification program and we are very proud of what we have achieved.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingres Explores the Future of Open Source at OSCON 2008

Ingres Corporation, a leading provider of open source database management software and support services, announced today that Bill Maimone, senior vice president of worldwide engineering, will discuss what lies ahead for open source database management systems at this year’s Open Source Conference (OSCON) in Portland, Oregon. OSCON 2008 brings together over 2,500 open source developers, hackers, experts, IT managers, and users to champion the cause of open principles and open source adoption across the computing industry. OSCON will take place July 21 - 25 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow the LEEDer

Portland’s Gerding Edlen Development continues to break new ground in green design.

Ten years ago, Portland developer Mark Edlen and his partner, Bob Gerding, were scarcely known even in their home city. Today, they run the top development company in Portland. Over the past decade, Gerding Edlen Development has been responsible for over ten different LEED-rated condo and office projects, as well as a renovation of a 19th Century armory that became the first building on the National Register of Historic Places to achieve a Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Along the way, the firm helped transform two blighted industrial areas in Portland, the Pearl District and the South Waterfront (which now boasts one of only two aerial trams in a U.S. city.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proxim Enables Stephouse Networks to Provide Wi-Fi and WiMAX Service to the City of Portland, Oregon as an Alternative to MetroFi

Proxim Wireless, a leading provider of end-to-end broadband wireless systems that deliver the quadruple play, today announced that Stephouse Networks, a Portland, OR based ISP, has deployed Proxim equipment to provide the city of Portland with high-speed wireless broadband connectivity. Stephouse has deployed a combination of Proxim's Tsunami(TM) MP.11 WiMAX and Proxim's ORiNOCO(R) AP-4000LR Wi-Fi mesh technology to blanket seven square miles of Portland with wireless broadband coverage.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Portland ad agency strives to maintain edgy yet understated hometown profile overseas

Wieden+Kennedy looks to continue expanding globally while retaining its irreverent Oregon attitude

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- In this hub of art and trade, Wieden+Kennedy creatives are settling into lavish canal-side quarters. A rooftop terrace resembles a broad deck at the ad agency's mother ship in Portland's Pearl District. Dogs snooze beneath desks, their calm masking the tumult of a management shake-up that rocked the Dutch office.

In London, Wieden+Kennedy staffers cram into a former textile factory. Its lobby features a mannequin in a suit, a kitchen blender substituting for his head. The slogan on his briefcase, "Walk in Stupid Every Morning," underplays the office's conversion from the company's black sheep to winner of the global Nokia account, leading the agency's international growth.

Back in the Portland headquarters, Buddhist academic rock star Robert Thurman, father of actress Uma, propounds on his latest book about the Dalai Lama. Outsiders make up most of the rapt audience; ad writers are too busy hanging onto key Nike accounts they lost to a competitor, then regained.

_________________________________________________________________________

Rearranging the furniture

I will be rearranging the furniture at REACH. And I will be taking a couple of weeks off.

Friday's Fishfry and The Weekend Walkabout will be replaced with the Oregon Business Overview and The Small Business Review. OBO of course will have an Oregon flavor, whereas, the SBR will have national tilt that can assist or give insights to Oregon Small Businesses.

I also want to write for Reach, not just report on topics of importance. I will be reaching out to others in our community and to small business bloggers. Or, that is my intent.

I have been doing this for six months, and it is now time to take the training wheels off.

I'll see you around mid-July.

Have a good holiday.

Joel

Oregon Business Overview

Open Source Census Gaining Traction Globally as Enterprises Gain Visibility

Oregon State University Open Source Lab has joined the Open Source Census.

The Open Source Census, a global, collaborative project to collect and share quantitative data on the use of open source software, today announced that after its first two months, more than 220,000 open source package/project installations have been discovered. Additionally several organizations have joined The Open Source Census at various levels, including: ActiveState, EnterpriseDB, Microsoft, Oregon State University's Open Source Lab, and OSAlt.com (Open Source as Alternative).

Open source software can give the small business an alternative to commercially packaged software. If you are unfamiliar with "open source" software, go here: http://www.opensource.org/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Makeover ahead for health care?

As businesses struggle to provide health benefits to employees due to rising insurance costs, the best thing they can do is to stay informed and flexible in regard to the changes that lie ahead. That’s the message Oregon Health & Science University professor Mark O’Hollaren delivered to members of the Portland Business Alliance on Wednesday.

Pressure on the nation’s health care system is mounting, with insurance premiums rising 100 percent between 1999 and 2004. But businesses won’t lead the way toward a new health care economy; instead, individual consumers are driving the changes in the market, he said.

O’Hollaren likened the shift in the health care industry to changes that have occurred in the travel, banking, investment and entertainment industries with the advent of the Internet.

Consumers are moving to online services that give them direct access to their accounts and loads of information, he said.

_______________________________________________________

Oregon Business Overview

A new home for Oregon business news

The Oregonian and OregonLive.com have moved all business content to a new online home: oregonlive.com/business.

The Oregonian's business editors and reporters update this page regularly with business and finance news from across the state and the nation.

If you've linked a bookmark or RSS feed to this page, please consider changing to oregonlive.com/business

--------------------------------------------------------

Need a job? Look to green economy

Portland’s first conference for green professionals links booming energy industry with potential workers

At a time when Oregon’s economic downturn has led to slower hiring, the clean energy industry is madly recruiting graduating students and professionals looking to change careers. And workers are flocking to the state’s emerging green sector.

More than 300 job seekers and employers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries packed The Governor Hotel in downtown Portland for the Green Professional’s Conference held Monday.

-------------------------------------------------------------

New guild raises its glass to Oregon distillers

Oregon is a hotbed of vintners and craft brewers, and the recent formation of the Oregon Distillers Guild -- the first such in the country -- is strong evidence that the state is becoming a leader in artisan spirits, too.

The guild, comprising 16 Oregon craft distillers, was formed with $5,000 in seed money from the Portland Development Commission. The Oregon Distillers Guild Inc. will operate as a nonprofit corporation to promote the common interests of the state's licensed distilling businesses.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Role of 'sustainability' in Oregon food production

Scott Exo is one of those people who wakes up in the morning wondering about the state of sustainability in Oregon and across the country.

Exo is the executive director of Food Alliance, a Portland-based nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage sustainable agricultural practices in the items that ultimately end up on your dinner plate.

The group certifies about 300 farms and ranches in 19 states, including such products as Country Natural Beef, known for being an Oregon leader in sustainable meats.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Local electric auto club charges ahead

At this car show, the stomach-shaking rumble of a powerful gas engine was nowhere to be found. Instead, the whirring glide of Tim Kutscha’s electrically powered Porsche 914 proved infinitely more intriguing to those who attended, rather than the usual discussions of cubic inches, horsepower and dual exhaust.

In the era of $4-plus a gallon gasoline, this display of electric vehicle efficiency drew about 20 people to the first meeting of the Cowlitz County Electric Vehicle Association.

Although not as common as their hybrid counterparts, electric vehicles are gaining popularity as fears of declining supplies of oil and potential environmental impacts creep into consumer consciousness.

Oregon Electric Vehicle Association
http://www.oeva.org/

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Nick Konidaris Joins AISI Board of Directors

Advanced Inquiry Systems, Inc. (AISI) today announced the addition of Nick Konidaris, President and CEO of Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (ESI), to its Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to have Nick join our board,” said Michael Wright, CEO of Advanced Inquiry Systems. “He brings many years of outstanding technical and business experience in the specific fields of interest to AISI. We expect our customers will be very pleased to learn that he is helping us guide the company.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

Where does green business thrive?

Jennifer Allen, former sustainable business liaison for the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, is probably more familiar with the history of Oregon’s efforts to attract sustainable businesses than nearly anyone else in the state.

Allen, now the associate director of Portland State University’s Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices, sits on numerous nonprofit and advisory boards, and participates in several policy and business strategy efforts underway throughout Oregon. On a recent trip to the East Coast, Allen says she was struck by the natural advantages the region has for building an economy based on sustainable business practices.

Go to: Sustainable Industries
http://www.sustainableindustries.com/

A Related Sustainable Story: So long for Nau

To the shock of many in the regional business community, Nau, the Portland-based apparel maker with a well-known focus on sustainability, announced May 2 that it was ceasing operations. The company closed its retail outlets the next day and immediately began selling off its inventory online at a 50 percent discount.

Nau opened its doors in February 2007 to much fanfare. In November 2005, this magazine reported on the secretive plans for a company then known as UTW, a shortened handle for Under The Wire. “If there is a direct correlation between the size of a deal and the secrecy with which it is carried out, then the plans for UTW must be huge,” wrote Nik Blosser, president of Celilo Group Media, former parent company of Sustainable Industries, in an editorial.

That company, which eventually changed its name to Nau, had an estimated 18 employees in October 2005, many of them high-profile apparel professionals with experience at Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) and Patagonia.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Federal Regulators OK Environmental Review for Oregon LNG Terminal

In a decision that could have long-lasting implications for Oregon's energy supply, federal regulators gave their environmental endorsement Friday to a controversial proposal to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on the lower Columbia River.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found that the Bradwood Landing terminal, 20 miles upriver from Astoria, would have "limited adverse environmental impacts." Those impacts, the agency added, would be substantially reduced by environmental measures proposed by the project's backer, Houston-based NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc., as well as 110 additional recommendations from FERC.

FERC's action drew a rebuke from Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who has criticized the agency's laissez-faire regulatory approach and had requested a more thorough analysis of the state's gas needs and the project's effects.

"We will be looking at this report closely and will use all legal options available to us," an e-mailed statement from Kulongoski said. "FERC's decision to move this project forward merely represents more of the same . . . irresponsibly considering this project only from the supply-side of the marketplace."

--------------------------------------------------------

Portland Plan takes off, living solutions sought: 20-minute neighborhoods’ capture attention of participants during event’s collaborative sessions

Creating what urban planners call “20-minute neighborhoods” was a recurring theme among residents and city officials Friday afternoon during the launch of the Portland Plan at the Oregon Convention Center.

The event was billed as a Leadership Summit, as the city begins a three-year process of crafting the new Portland Plan.

During break-out sessions in the afternoon, participants focused on the idea of 20-minute neighborhoods, where residents can reach most of their day-to-day needs within a 20-minute walking distance.

Earlier in the day, Gil Kelley, director of the Portland Bureau of Planning, spoke of the 20-minute neighborhood as an emerging idea among planners.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sweet ideas after sour times for Oregon strawberry growers

If the Oregon strawberry industry has its way, consumers will soon know that a berry by any other name would not taste as sweet.

Oregon's strawberry harvest has suffered for years. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the number of acres harvested has dropped by more than half in a decade. And production value has dropped 50 percent in the same period to $16 million, despite a small uptick in 2007.

The strawberry season is nearly upon us, a few short weeks when Oregon's fresh berries are at their best.

----------------------------------------------------------

Portland Business Alliance Report Emphasizes Land-Use Development and Education

The Portland Business Alliance might have declared transportation its biggest issue of the year. But if its Regional Business Plan is an indication of the organization's agenda for the 2009 legislative session, the group also will be stepping up its efforts to reform land-use and education.

The report looked at issues pertaining to land-use, education and economic prosperity, in addition to transportation concerns. Members of the report's steering committee measured the success of these issues by taking into account their social, environmental and economical benefits.

Scott Andrews, president of Melvin Mark Properties and the chairman of the report's steering committee, said he hoped the report would explain what the state and local governments should focus on in the next year.

___________________________________________________________________

Small Business Summary

Each small business needs the right bank

At some point in the life cycle of your small business, you may need a loan — either to start the company or to help it grow. All banks can give you a buck. The real question is: What else can they give you? You'll find the answer in this process.

Be prepared

To get off on solid footing, it's important to understand the criteria bankers consider when determining who qualifies for a loan, and how to best structure a financing package.

--------------------------------------------------------

The Power of 'And' Helps Small Business Owners - Inside Small Biz Announces Free Teleconference on 'The Power of And' on June 3 and 20, 2008

Entrepreneurs are often asked the question, "What is the single one thing that made you successful?" And they generally feel obliged to boil it down to one concept or characteristic that drove their ride to the top.

"In our McInstant society we're looking for an easy answer and a quick fix to success," notes Kae Wagner, president of Inside Small Biz, a company that specializes in small business growth opportunities. "There isn't one single answer for success - no silver bullet, no Holy Grail."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Small Business Success Secrets

One of the major problems that many business entrepreneurs have is that instead of following their own goals, ambitions and interests to gain success, they choose to chase after success by working to establish themselves in a hot business market that may not be of any interest to them. Although it is possible to achieve success by running a business that holds little interest to you, before long, you will find that this sort of venture will drain your ambition, and ultimately have a negative effect on you both personally and professionally.

Think about it: What would keep you more motivated - Being in a job you enjoy, or in a job that you find boring? Not a difficult question to answer right?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small-Business Books That Break the Mold

A review of four books. It is worth the read.

- A Whack on the Side of the Head
- How to Get Rich
- The One Minute Entrepreneur
- Life Entrepreneurs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Top Ten Small Business Startup Success Secrets

Achieving small business success is yours for the taking. Turn your passions into small business profits. Small business startups around the world continues to grow exponentially, the success rate has remained fairly consistent. Are you ready to achieve small business success ? So what can you do to ensure lasting success for your small business? Take a look at our top ten small business startup secrets.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Women Business Owners — Afraid of Web Marketing?

Women business owners may be missing out on Internet marketing, new findings suggest.

A survey released today from Microsoft Live Small Business, finds that 61% of female respondents who were small-business owners say they do no online marketing, and nearly 40% say they don’t have a Web site. These women attended Microsoft’s Vision to Venture conference held recently in five U.S. cities.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Technology Boot Camp offers small business solutions

Hold On! This "Boot Camp" is not being presented in the PDX area. I thought it might spark some interest to present for our local small businesses. This is somewhat of a nostalgia trip for me. I got my start in Small Business development on California's north coast; in the Eureka area.

Small business owners and managers looking to get a leg up in technology know-how will have a rare training opportunity this Thursday as the North Coast Small Business Development Center hosts the Technology Boot Camp, an all-day, full-immersion training session designed to teach entrepreneurs how to transform their business through information technology.

”In one day, it's a look at all the real current technology solutions for businesses, from soup to nuts,” said Northern California SBDC Director Kristin Johnson. “It's taking a bird's-eye view at technology that will really solve problems for a small business.”

Specifically, the program will focus on Web-based solutions for transformative IT, productivity, financial management, operations, marketing and sales and business management.

_________________________________________________________

Oregon Business Overview

Housing Designed Affordable and Green

A groundbreaking celebration took place May 16 for one of the few apartment buildings in the U.S. that is both green and affordable.

The Shaver Green Building will be built on what once was a blighted piece of commercial property at 4011 N.E. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.

In the place of old, rusting appliances and an unsightly used-appliance store, a modern six-story building will rise from the property to serve 85 individuals and families. Occupants of the new building must earn at or below 60 percent of the county's two-person household median income of $32,580.

The most unique aspect is that the developer of Shaver Green will strive for either gold or platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification while meeting Housing and Urban Development income level requirements.

"Very few if any residential developments in the U.S. offer buildings that are sustainable, innovative and also accessible to those meeting minimum income standards," said developer Amstrong Stafford

--------------------------------------------------------------

Metro: Urban Growth Boundary to change in 2010

The Portland area’s population is likely to grow by 1.3 million to 1.9 million over the next 50 years, according to a new Metro study.

The 50-year projections, required by a 2007 state law, kick off a two-year drive to recast the future shape and density of the urbanized area. Next year, Metro will use the data to help designate future sites for urban development and set aside other rural parcels for preservation.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Economist says state recession ‘debatable’

Oregon’s economy is still outperforming the rest of the country’s, but has worsened enough that it’s now debatable whether it will follow the nation into a recession, the state economist reported Thursday.

That warning represented a departure from State Economist Tom Potiowsky’s forecast in February, when he said Oregon was clearly not receding. Potiowsky wouldn’t say whether Oregon’s economy is in recession, but he acknowledged that the point could be argued, given newer worries about housing, fuel prices and job growth.

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

The National Association for the Self-Employed Helps Small-Business Owners Save Thousands in Taxes

Health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses continue to be a tremendous financial burden for many small-business owners. That's why the NASE has introduced members to a little known tax savings through the Association 105® HRA member benefit.

Administered by Benefit Administration for the Self-EmployedTM (BASE®), a leader in employee benefit solutions, the Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) is available to qualified small businesses based on Internal Revenue Code Section 105. Once implemented, health insurance premiums and non-insured medical
expenses can be moved from the owner's personal return to their business return, resulting in additional federal, state and self-employment tax savings.

For more information: National Association for the Self-Employed
http://www.nase.org/

----------------------------------------------------------

Is the Economy Killing Small Business?

More owners and managers of small food and beverage businesses indicated, during the first quarter of 2008, that they are planning to increase hiring during the next 12 months and expect an increase in employees versus their 2007 statistics, according to the latest Small Business Research Board (SBRB) study released here [Buffalo Grove, Ill.] today. . . . Of the owners and managers responding to the nationwide quarterly SBRB poll cosponsored by International Profit Associates, 44 percent said they plan to increase hiring over the next 12 months. This was an increase of 28 points from the 16 percent who said, during the fourth quarter of 2007, that they were planning to increase hiring. Concerning the total number of employees, 41 percent of the respondents expect their statistics in 2008 to increase from 2007. Only 8 percent thought they would have fewer employees in the coming year.

-----------------------------------------------------------

SBA Advocacy Office Pushes for Greater Autonomy

The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy is applauding (pdf) new legislation that would give it greater autonomy from its agency parent and codify an executive order requiring all federal agencies to consider the impact on small businesses when crafting regulations.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Is your logo helping or hurting your small business?

Does your logo inspire greatness? Is it recognized around the city and community? Do folks understand the services or products you provide, just by looking at your business name, tagline, and/or logo? (If you have to think about it, that's a no.)

__________________________________________________________

THE WEEKEND WALKABOUT

A housing crisis, hold the 'crisis'

Hillary Clinton dropped into a half-finished subdivision in this small town two hours south of Portland on Friday. She came to chat on camera with a few locals and to spotlight the housing crisis undercutting America's economy.

The cameras and the locals showed up exactly as planned, unlike the housing crisis, which has spared Oregon the full destruction it has brought to bear on states across the Sun Belt and Midwest in the form of free-falling home values.

While home prices fell by about 20 percent in those regions over the last year, values in the Portland metro area dipped slightly. Only Charlotte fared better among major cities. A builder at the Junction City event told Clinton he knew of no Oregon projects that were halted by market woes, though construction has slowed appreciably statewide.

Economists and real estate experts say Clinton and other politicians focused on housing could learn from Oregon, where they credit land-use restrictions and a late-blooming economy with keeping housing prices afloat. While other cities confront half-built or half-empty housing developments, Portland's longtime fight against sprawl ensured that the supply never got too far ahead of demand.

________________________________________________

dev

Friday's Fishfry

XsunX Thin Film Solar Module Manufacturing Facility Sublease Approved and Renovations Underway

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XsunX, Inc. (OTC
Bulletin Board: XSNX - News), a solar technology Company engaged in the
build-out of its multi-megawatt thin film photovoltaic (TFPV) solar
manufacturing facilities, announced today that the sublease of its new
manufacturing facilities has been approved by the primary landlord, and
that demolition work to remove unnecessary and obstructive infrastructure
commenced the week of May 5th.

This demolition work is required to prepare the facility for XsunX
improvements specific to its TFPV manufacturing processes. The Company has
scheduled demolition to be completed in July with facility improvements
scheduled to begin immediately thereafter.

The existing 90,000 square foot building, located in the City of Wood
Village just east of Portland, Oregon, provides XsunX with extensive
industrial manufacturing infrastructure including multiple clean air
management systems, emergency power generation system, over 200 tons of
water chilling capabilities, water purification and vacuum systems for
substrate cleaning, and extensive air support systems to manage heat
produced from TFPV manufacturing operations. XsunX has agreed to purchase
these systems for approximately $112,000 along with a host of other
industrial apparatus including support equipment such as office,
networking, and telecommunications infrastructure.

-----------------------------------------------

Tax incentives power Oregon solar project

PORTLAND After nearly two years of planning and negotiations, Portland Habilitation Center Northwest received its first solar panels for an 870-kilowatt solar system at its new industrial facility in Northeast Portland. When completed in fall of 2008, the installation is likely to become Oregon’s largest commercial solar project.

U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corp., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), provided the majority of the financing for the system. U.S. Bancorp will own and maintain the solar system while taking advantage of Oregon Business Energy Tax Credits (BETC), which Portland Habilitation Center would not be eligible to receive as a nonprofit. The solar installation is expected to save the Habilitation Center nearly $75,000 in annual energy costs, hedging against rising energy costs, according to Steven McGrath of Solar Venture Partners, which served as the solar consultant on the project.

-----------------------------------

Oregon OSHA to offer safety workshops

Oregon OSHA will offer a series of workplace safety and health workshops during the month of June.

The free workshops cover topics such as safety committee basic training, personal protective equipment and violence in the workplace. Workshops will be offered June 3 at the Mary Tobias Education Center, in Tigard, and June 26 at the Portland Community College Small Business Development Center in the Lloyd Center Mall.

To register, fax a request on company letterhead to 503-947-7462 or visit www.orosha.org.

--------------------------------------------------

Full spread of flavorful

Aloha from Oregon.

As in Aloha, Ore., the town south of Portland?

No.

Something to do with Hawaii?

Well, yes, indirectly.

Judi Dodson, founder of Aloha from Oregon, a maker of chutneys, pepper jellies, butters and marmalades, said she intentionally chose a business name that would invite questions.

--------------------------------------------------------

Can housing be green — and cheap?

When it comes to housing, Portlanders place a high value on affordability and sustainability.

That was a major finding of the approximately 13,000 public surveys compiled and released last year as part of VisionPDX, the community visioning project championed by Mayor Tom Potter.

Such results help explain why various city agencies and the Metro regional government are trying to create green housing for families with young children.

_______________________________________________________

THE WEEKEND WALKABOUT

Online Education that is Cutting-Edge, Going Green and World-Friendly

Live classes in Gaelic, video credit repair, mortgage EBooks millionaire mentoring, and over 1,000+ courses offered in Spanish and international languages as well as English?...this online educational provider has plans to bring an extensive menu of offerings to people all over the world.

When Dezra Lehr-Guthrie formed World Class Educational Services (a limited liability company registered in Oregon) in 2007, it was her goal to dish up a smorgasboard variety of online offerings, and make them available in every major language world-wide. "The United States has a large and fast-growing, Spanish-speaking population, of which need and want online education. Our country is a melting pot comprised of many strong communities of intelligent people seeking education in their non-English speaking native tongues, while they are also trying to learn English. I wanted to create a site that could serve them all -- and not stop with just the U.S., but to provide access to online education world-wide."

-----------------------------------------------------
See the contribution of Denzil Scheller and other business owners to their community.

Chamber's 2008 Distinguished Citizen: Denzil Scheller

Members and friends of the Greater Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce gathered Thursday to honor those community members whose contributions help keep Hillsboro strong.

----------------------------------------

Startup: Vital signs of a young regional company

How it works: Contour breaks down products being developed into features, requirements and related tasks, and coordinates the relationships between the various parts. The result: Teams can always see the latest product versions and understand the impacts of changes.

Suggested retail price: A tiered pricing system depends on the number of people involved. Companies can either buy the software or subscribe to the service. For a team of 10, for example, the cost is $12,000 to buy the software or $10,000 a year to subscribe.

What stage: The product has been on the market for a year. The company has 30 paying customers. Smart Technologies of Calgary, Alberta, is using Contour to develop the software in its interactive "white boards," while the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii is using it to develop scientific software.

Visit the Jama Software company website: http://www.jamasoftware.com/

________________________________________________________

The NAU Experiment

Nau undone by its own ambitions

While I am going to link this story to the Oregonian, I will also print the complete article of Brent Hunsberger's reporting about the collapse of NAU. Hunsberger did an excellent job of illuminating the internal perceptions and the external factors leading to it's closure. The Oregonian places stories behind a "you pay" firewall after 14 days and I want to keep this story available to those who are interested.

The apparel maker pushed the boundaries of a sustainable business, but it got too big, too fast

As Portland's sustainable community comes to grips with the end of Nau, local business leaders and investors wonder what the collapse of its most visible green business means for the entire movement.

The answer: Not much, save one big lesson.

Green venture capitalists and local retail veterans view the apparel trendsetter's failure not as an indictment of sustainable business. Rather, most believe its May 3 demise shows how a new company trying to topple too many pillars is inherently at risk of collapse when the financial sands shift.

"The important story in Nau isn't that a sustainable company didn't work," said Michael Edwards, the former chief executive of Lucy Activewear Inc. who now heads the Bequia Group, a new Portland-based equity firm. "It's just really a function of the economics of the business model. The key lesson is to stay lean and mean until you get enough proven revenue."

It's a view Nau board chair and investor Stephen Gomez refuses to accept.

"I'm not going to get into second guessing," said Gomez , a former Nike vice president of global apparel. "I think the team did an excellent job . . . I just think we ran into a timing issue in the financial markets."

Nau succeeded in many ways, Gomez and others agree. The 3-year-old company lured top talent and $35 million in capital, a lot for any startup. It created eco-friendly fabrics from scratch, designed them into attractive and functional garments, cultivated a lot of buzz and set up model rules of conduct for other corporations to follow.

But it failed to persuade outside investors that its ambitious charge and high-cost structure could turn a profit in a few years. And just 14 months after it rolled out to consumers, it ran into an economic buzz saw that had private-equity investors ducking for cover.

What can other sustainable businesses learn from Nau? We attempt to tell:

Was Nau a financial failure?

Gomez declined to reveal exact revenues but indicated they were less than $6 million in 2007. Still, Gomez said, Nau generally operated according to its business plan.

One problem was that its Web site -- expected to generate close to 50 percent of revenue in Nau's first years -- failed to operate fluidly, Gomez said. Nau stopped driving consumers to it while working on an overhaul, which dampened revenues but did not cripple the company, Gomez said. Its newly designed Web site was scheduled to debut this week.

Mainly, though, Nau needed to open more stores before it could generate enough revenue to turn a profit or look appealing to a buyer. To do that, it needed more money.

We just ran into a black hole," Gomez said. "It was never easy for us to raise money, but we were always ready to do it. We always had a line of sight.

"Then, it was as if the telephone cords were cut."

Did Nau bite off too much?

Nau executives don't think so, but some venture capitalists and retail veterans say yes.

Nau aimed to shatter several business paradigms. It tried to carry itself and make products in a more conscientious and environmentally friendly way than its competitors. It gave 5 percent of sales to charity when most corporations donate less than 1 percent of profits. It encouraged customers to have their purchase shipped to them rather than carrying it home from the store. It muted its logo on its clothing. It eschewed selling product through existing retailers.

Most of that required a lot of money upfront. Ultimately, the high startup cost and rapid cash use scared investors even as Nau needed an infusion of money to continue.

"It was sort of a swing-for-the-fences play," said David Chen, founder of Equilibrium Capital Group, a new Portland investment firm focusing on sustainable companies. "Go big or go home, on multiple fronts."

Was Nau ahead of its time?

Maybe. Nau talked the sustainability talk and walked the walk before other apparel and footwear firms. "There aren't that many companies out there that would partner with you to break new ground," said Steven Lucier, president of Deer Creek Fabrics Inc. in Stamford, Conn., which supplied corn-based filament for Nau. At a minimum, though, Nau ran out of money because investors got frugal and viewed Nau's ambitions as too risky.

"There's just very little tolerance for risk," Gomez said of the private-equity market now. "They just felt like the stores that we had, we hadn't really proven our model, and that's really just another way of saying it's too risky. We were able to bring in the $35 million prior to that time with essentially no stores open. Things reverse themselves really quickly."

Was Nau top heavy?

Possibly. Among the 60 employees at its Pearl District headquarters, about 10 held the title of vice president or higher, Gomez said. Most hailed from large companies such as Nike.

By comparison, Portland sustainable apparel brand Sameunderneath Inc., with two stores and 100 wholesale accounts, employs seven at its headquarters. West Linn-based sustainable startup ENDoutdoor, whose trail-running and hiking shoes hit store shelves in August, employs five.

Some potential investors questioned whether Nau spent too much on higher-paid generals and not enough on foot soldiers. Gomez said executives operated frugally. "They ran really tight," he said. "Nobody was bringing their Nike goggles to work."

Is a sustainable business unsustainable?

Nau wasn't around long enough to tell. And certainly, organic food companies have profited as demand increases. And renewable energy ventures -- biofuel, solar power -- still attract investors' bets. "There are a lot of sustainable plays that are more capital efficient and less risky," said David Kirkpatrick , founder of SJF Ventures, a Durham, N.C.-based firm that invests in green companies.

What will Nau's legacy be?

More revered than reviled. Nau pushed existing suppliers to make clothing differently, designed new fabrics appealingly and found the clothing a market. Its already seasoned work force gained even more knowledge to take to other companies looking to practice sustainability. They also have startup experience.

"I wouldn't be in the least surprised if we see some Nau 2.0 concepts," said Sue Levin, Lucy's founder, now a venture consultant in Portland. "That DNA is going to do something really interesting here in the coming years."

_______________________________________________

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

Finding a Fantastic Virtual Assistant

Like most entrepreneurs I've met, on a typical day I spend way too much time doing a range of tasks that I shouldn't. While it's important stuff -- following up on networking leads, contacting people I've met at my workshops or cold calling speaking resources -- these critical to-do's were getting out of control, and my office piles were starting to spill out onto my dining room table. So the timing could not have been better when I got this assignment.

With a budget of $100, I set out to find and hire at least two different virtual assistants, to help me gain control of the burgeoning piles. I approached this like any other time-challenged business owner; I wanted to retain someone with an established track record, at a fair rate. I have a decent amount of experience hiring independent contractors, so I started off with high expectations, despite a tight turnaround time.

Here are links to the "virtual assistants" mentioned in the article. --JM
http://virtualassistants.com
Virtual Assistants

http://www.domystuff.com/
Do My Stuff

http://www.taskseveryday.com/
Tasks Every Day

----------------------------------------------------------

Rural Development: Loans help local businesses add jobs

More than $1.2 million in government-backed loans targeting rural communities helped entrepreneurs buy, expand or remodel nine businesses, adding more than 120 jobs in the Baker County area over the past 18 months.

______________________________________________

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

Internet Marketing For Small Business

Brandt Stohr of Social Marketing Explosion has released a series of ten videos recently to help business owners take advantage of the fastest growing trend in the country... Video Marketing. In these ten videos business owners will learn the exact methods to take advantage of social media! He explains to them how to automate their sales process to drive new clients to their business and establish a great connection with their prospective clients. For free access to the videos go to http://www.socialmarketingexplosion.com

--------------------------------------------------------

Taking the Fear Out of Web Analytics for Your Small Business

Do you have analytics installed on your small business Web site? If not, you should. How will you know how your Web site is performing if you aren't measuring the plethora of data available?

Cost is no longer an excuse for not having Web site analytics. The free options are quite robust; Google Analytics, for one, is quite comprehensive. In addition, Microsoft's adCenter Analytics is available in beta, and Yahoo has acquired IndexTools, and will make at least some version of that available for free.

----------------------------------------

Online booking comes to small-business owners

Doctors, attorneys and dentists have largely missed the e-commerce boom. So have other service-based businesses like salons and interior design shops.

Sure, your website can provide information about your business. But it can't make a sale. That's because your clients can't book appointments online.

Your clients still must call or e-mail to schedule an appointment. And you probably can't handle client requests 24/7. This means wasted time calling back clients for scheduling.

New sites are offering solutions to the problem. They make it possible for clients to schedule appointments online.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Tax Gap Plan Vexes Small Business Community

Small business advocates are mobilizing to quash a proposal being considered by a powerful Senate panel that would require credit- and debit-card issuers like MasterCard and Visa to report business owners' electronic payment transactions to the IRS.

The Senate Committee on Finance is considering the plan as part of a greater effort to increase tax compliance and narrow the "tax gap," which the IRS defines as the difference between the amount of tax that taxpayers should pay for a given year and the amount that is paid voluntarily and on time.

______________________________________________________

The Weekend Walkabout

Oil costs hit little guys from all sides

Miles Fiberglass & Composites, a family-owned manufacturing company in northwest Clackamas County, is not just being hurt by soaring petroleum prices. It's getting hammered.

Soaring diesel prices have more than doubled the cost of making twice-weekly deliveries to Eugene, eastern Oregon and Idaho. Raw materials costs -- driven by the soaring price of petroleum-derived resin -- have skyrocketed. And now Miles' owners are watching orders fall as customers grapple with fuel worries of their own: The recreational vehicle industry, Miles' biggest customer base, has dropped about 40 percent of its business.

-------------------------------------------------------

Central Oregon Business Expo - ‘The big picture is pretty rosy’

REDMOND — Central Oregon’s housing market downturn, while painful for many, does not reflect the economy’s overall health, the region’s top economic development official said Thursday.

The region’s diversification, enhanced by several years as the fastest growing region in the state, will help it weather what could be an impending recession, said Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development for Central Oregon, which promotes business growth in the region.

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

Oops! Last week was Small Business Week! That slipped by me! As indicated by our first story, I am not alone. Which begs the question, why is Small Business Week such a low profile celebration? Cab this be an opportunity to highlight small business and use the week to network and communicate the needs of small business? Communicate to our communities; to our local governments; to our state governments, and to our national leaders!

Next year I'll not let it slip by.

It's National Small Business Week. Should you care?

Monday marks start of National Small Business Week (NSBW), a five-day event intended to spotlight the accomplishments of America's entrepreneurs and draw policymakers' attention to the challenges confronting them. But after more than 50 years, the annual Small Business Administration-run event still remains off the radar of many small business owners.

"That's certainly news to me," said Jason Lazar, who was unaware of a week dedicated to honoring businesses such as his $8-million-a-year firm. Lazar is the co-founder of KeyOn Communications, a wireless broadband provider in Omaha that serves small and rural markets.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated Tax Code Sought

House lawmakers are recommending a series of tax code reform provisions aimed at helping smaller businesses deal with the economic downturn.

In a report issued earlier this month, the House Committee on Small Business unveiled seven measures intended to ease the tax burden on small-business owners. These include a simplified home-office deductions system with an optional standardized deduction, shortened deprecation schedules for new equipment, and enhanced tax incentives for outside investments.

The updated code would also allow self-employed business owners to deduct the cost of health insurance premiums. Many entrepreneurs currently pay taxes twice on their premiums.

"When small businesses lose time and money because of outmoded rules, they can't bring new products and services to market," Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), the committee's chairman, said in a statement. She said the current system undercuts innovation and competition.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Women business founders rising, but slowly

Where are the Starbucks, Nikes, Amazons, Home Depots and Genentechs founded by women?

This is a question that puzzles those who track fast-growing companies. Few fledgling businesses founded by men or women ever grow into giant corporations, but with women launching twice as many businesses as men, some meaningful percentage of the new giants might be expected to have a woman as keystone.

That women are conspicuously missing is somewhat counter-intuitive to the glass ceiling argument. Only 43 women have climbed the traditional ladder to become CEOs of Fortune 1000 companies in the last 35 years, and fresh research from executive women's organization Catalyst suggests that the pipeline is not exactly filling up with future candidates. Such a track record might have caused the best, brightest and most ambitious executive women some years ago to tire of limited opportunities and set out to control their destinies and report to no man.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anti-Small Business Bill Backed by Venture Capitalist Lobby Moves Through House in Record Time

A bill that would give some of the nation's wealthiest investors billions of dollars in federal small business contracts is set to move through the House of Representatives in record time. Last week, Nydia M. Velazquez (D - NY) the Chair of the House Committee on Small Business, introduced H.R. 5819, the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act.

The bill went into mark-up and passed through the House Committee on Small Business on Thursday, April 17th. According to the Weekly Leader, H.R. 5819 could be debated on the floor of the House as early as Wednesday of this week.

This is the second time in less than a year that Rep. Velazquez has proposed legislation that could devastate federal programs designed to assist small businesses.

_________________________________________________________

THE WEEKEND WALKABOUT

Some biz lawyers worry over sustainability effort

As Oregon's economic climate grows ever greener, some say certain strategies designed to cater to sustainability-minded businesses could actually repel companies from incorporating here.

Specifically, a new law that took effect Jan. 1 encourages companies to place within their articles of incorporation provisions authorizing the company to conduct business in a "environmentally and socially responsible manner." The measure, which rose from 2007's Oregon House Bill 2826, intends to steer companies toward practicing green principles.

Oregon is the first state to adopt the policy, devising the initiative as lawmakers hope area companies deploy responsible business practices as they pursue sustainability's "triple bottom line." The phrase refers to succeeding economically while not harming the environment and performing good social deeds.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Minority business finds way to survive

Eleza Faison began to notice in November that many of the regulars at her three Portland coffee shops weren't so regular anymore.

"I'd ask, 'Where you been?' " says Faison, owner of A.J. Java in North and Northeast Portland. "And they'd tell me they can't afford this every day anymore."

The economic downturn creeping across the nation had arrived at her front door.

Although many businesses struggle when the economy falters, businesses owned by people of color such as Faison, who is African American, are particularly vulnerable, says Sam Brooks. Brooks is founder and president of the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs.

"We noticed over the last year there's starting to be a little sensitivity in the market," Brooks says. "As the economy gets worse, it's becoming more difficult for them to outlast and compete."

Minority-owned businesses tend to be smaller and have access to less capital to sustain them through tough times. Even in a good economy, minority-owned businesses are more likely to go under than white-owned ones, according to the Small Business Administration. People of color run about 6 percent of small businesses in Oregon.

________________________________________________________

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

University of Oregon's venture contest has two winner

For the first time ever, judges of the New Venture Championship at the University of Oregon's business school named two co-winners.

A University of Oregon team, TakeShape, and Brigham Young University's Klymit team each won a $30,000 prize at the Portland event on Saturday. The judges decided to take the first prize of $50,000 and second-place prize of $10,000 and split the total evenly.

The university's 17th annual competition for student entrepreneurs drew 20 graduate teams from universities around the world, including Hong Kong and Australia.

------------------------------------------------

How to Be a Functional Workaholic

For Brian Kurth, a six- or even seven-day workweek is nothing unusual. In fact it's the norm for the 41-year-old business owner, who also admits he doesn't get much sleep. "I'm usually up until midnight, and back up at 5 a.m.," says Kurth, owner of Portland, Oregon-based VocationVacations -- a company that allows people to test-drive dream jobs. "But it's not work if you love it."

That's the mentality shared by many entrepreneurs eager to grow and build their small businesses. It makes sense when you consider that entrepreneurs, by nature, are hard workers. That's not a bad personality trait to have, but unchecked it can consume entrepreneurs. When that happens, a reliable, hard worker can slowly morph into a burnt-out workaholic.

------------------------------------------------------

Opportunity Knocks for small-business owners

During the past seven years, the Chemeketa Community College Opportunity Knocks program has provided 133 local people with advice for running their businesses more efficiently and handling myriad challenges and decisions that small-business owners face on a daily basis.

"When I got into this group, I started to understand how to run a business better," said Paz Reingans, of PAZ Design Group on North Liberty, who has been in business for 22 years and admitted he either had someone taking care of a lot of logistics or he was "flying by the seat of my pants."

"What helps a lot is that you don't feel like you're doing it alone," he added. "When it seems rather hopeless or you want to throw your hands up and quit — and I've said that more than once — there are some reality checks, good ideas and encouragement. There is a lot of business maturity within the group."

Teams of as many as 12 non-competing business owners, plus two trained facilitators, gather for three hours monthly to share experiences and help each other succeed in and navigate the competitive and volatile world of small business.

__________________________________________________________

THE WEEKEND WALKABOUT

Growing Your Business In A Recession

Can you grow your business during a recession? Small businesses overwhelmingly plan on doing just that, according to a new survey.

Despite the stagnant economy, nine out of 10 small-business owners see opportunities for their own companies, according to a survey conducted for Intuit, maker of Quickbooks. More than three-fourths expect their business to grow in the coming year.

Surprised at this optimistic outlook? In previous recessions, many small businesses actually grow by taking advantage weakened competition and big company cutbacks.

So when the people at Quickbooks asked me what I’d like to know about the current state of small business (I was paid for my involvement), I wanted to see whether entrepreneurs shared my sense that even in a bad economy, there’s reason for hope.

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

The Innovation of "Future Banking"

Future Banking integrates design, technology and creative ideas into the environment of regular banks, turning them into innovation labs.

The Trend Description: CScout already reported about different examples of Future banking. All of them present themselves with a stylish and user-friendly atmosphere, offering customers of any income level a more fun approach to dealing with their finances. Concepts include open spaces for art, state of the art technology to make banking more independent and flexible, free seminars for first-time customers and a fun atmosphere to meet and learn about the money market.

--------------------------------------------------

Running a small business is no easy task -- and neither is finding employees to help keep the business going.

In a recent Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index, 74 percent of small business owners who hire paid employees said it was difficult to find qualified employees -- up from 65 percent in March 2005. The major barrier to finding and hiring qualified employees was the cost of providing benefits and insurance -- cited by 58 percent of those surveyed. Forty-four percent said it was the actual task of finding talented employees that was most challenging.

When small business owners are unable to afford to hire new employees, nearly half (47 percent) said they turn to family members for unpaid help. Of those, 57 percent say they ask for help from their spouses, representing nearly one-third of all business owners surveyed.

------------------------------------------------

You Can't Buy Happiness, but You Can Rent It for Awhile

Vocations Vacations: An Oregon Business - Test Drive Your Dream Job.

Marie Kerwan was a high-ranking sales executive in information technology, successful and well-paid -- but totally dismayed.

The Alexandria, Va., resident was "burnt out," by her job, she said, and took time off while trying to figure out what to do next. She had an itch to move into the television or film field, but didn't know how to do it.

She turned to VocationVacations, an Oregon firm that enables people to test-drive their dream jobs. Some of the Portland-based firm's clients sign on to determine if they want to start a small business in a certain field, while others, like Kerwan, scope out a possible career change.

------------------------------------------------

Native entrepreneurs and tribal leaders gather

American Indian entrepreneurs, business experts, tribal leaders and others interested in Native economic development will gather April 15 and 16 in Portland for the Pacific Northwest's largest American Indian business conference: ONABEN's sixth annual Trading at the River Conference & Tradeshow.

The tradeshow, co-hosted by the Oregon Native American Chamber, runs concurrently with the conference and is free and open to the public. The public is invited and encouraged to meet and support local Native businesses and other enterprises of interest to the community.

This year's conference theme is ''Honoring Native American Women Business Owners and Leaders.'' This theme is explored by the Trading at the River keynote speakers: community leader Helen Wai, a Native Hawaiian consultant who specializes

-----------------------------------------------

Small Business Shouldn't Get Too Big Too Fast

Every small-business owner naturally wants to grow the business. But recent events indicate that growth -- when not planned properly -- can be as fatal as it is intoxicating.

Indeed, wherever you look these days, the dark side of poorly planned business growth is rearing its ugly head.

----------------------------------------------------

Internet scam targeting small business

The Better Business Bureau has issued an alert about a scam where con artists are bilking small business owners out of money when they use the Internet for loans and grants, according to the Better Business Bureau of North Central Texas.

--------------------------------------------------

Small Businesses Outsource Two or More Business Functions

Best practices report examines differences in outsourcing between small businesses and larger enterprises. What functions and to what extent as well as the rationale and benefits differ.

Small businesses use outsourcing to replace the significant amounts of time and money they are wasting to refocus on core competencies. The key drivers for small business outsourcing were ranked as follows:
1. Free up executive time
2. Enable on-demand access to specialist expertise not available internally
3. Reduce costs
4. Gain access to best practices processes and best-of-breed technology and tools
5. Gain the ability to scale up and down more efficiently than through the use of internal operations, by shifting the risk of scale to outsourcers (document procedures, M&A experience, incentive pay for productivity and quality)
6. Improve performance: ensure industry-standard service levels, automate manual processes and activities

_______________________________________________________________