SOLAR COMPANY CONSIDERS WOOD VILLAGE

Solar company looks at Merix site:

Though not technically a small business, it is under the SBA threshold of 250. This plant would certainly benefit Wood Village, Gresham, and Troutdale.

If component maker chooses Wood Village, it could be in production by 2009

A California solar cell component company is considering Wood Village among possible locations for a new plant that could employ as many as 160.

XsunX Corp., a startup green-technology company based in Orange County, Calif., has been in talks with East County officials, including Dave Fuller of Wood Village, about establishing its first component manufacturing facility in the area.

Fuller said he’s optimistic the company could take over the building recently vacated by Merix Corp. The Forest Grove-based circuit board manufacturer started phasing out 180 jobs in January, and the company vacated the building it leases at 23365 N.E. Halsey St. in early March.

“I’ve had discussions with (XsunX) management over the last few weeks and finding out about their interest in it,” Fuller said of the Merix building. “We’ve been encouraging Merix, as they’ve left, to find a business to occupy their plant – something high-tech like they were.”

XsunX is developing thin-film solar modules made with amorphous silicon to capture usable energy from the sun. Headquartered in California, the company has a research facility in Golden, Colo., and has been scouting for a location for a production facility since last fall. Chief Executive Officer Tom Djokovich said Oregon would be ideal for the company.

THE WEENEND WALKABOUT

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE: SMALL BOX WEB DESIGN

Thinking outside the box Size matters to Web-design firm; owners believe smaller is better

Small Box Web Design originated from a big idea: Someone needed to help homegrown Indiana companies successfully do business online.

“We named our business ‘Small Box’ because our company is small but very powerful,” said CEO Jeb Banner, 36. “Our services are affordable and effective for our target audience: small and medium-size businesses in Indiana.”

Powerful indeed. The company, which specializes in Web site development, logo creation, company branding and Internet marketing, more than tripled its revenue in 2007—to $263,000 from $80,000 in 2006—and Banner expects to nearly double sales again this year.

Last year’s growth allowed the firm to add four employees, for a total of six. Banner hopes to hire as many as four more in 2008.

----------------------------------------------------
The Oregon district of the U.S. Small Business Administration on Friday announced these winners of its annual awards:

Small Business Person of the Year: Susan Webb, president of Glass Alchemy of Portland.

Family Owned Business of the Year: Teeny Foods Corp. of Portland; Rick and Debbie Teeny, president and vice president.

The Small Business Development Center Service Excellence and Innovation Center Award: Tom Lowles, director of the Portland Community College SBDC.

Minority Small Business Champion of the Year: Jonath Colon, business development coordinator for the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Portland, region and state winner.

Women in Business Champion of the Year: Kedma Ough, director of the Women's Business Center of the Oregon Native American Business Enterprise Network of Tigard, state winner.

Small Business Journalist of the Year: Jonathan Brinckman, business reporter for The Oregonian, state winner.

SBA Financial Services Champion of the Year: Patricia E. Balius, vice president and operations manager of West Coast Bank, region and state winner.

Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year: Tino Ornelas, chief executive of Ornelas Enterprises Inc. of Hillsboro, region and state winner.

Awards will be presented at the SBA Small Business Week Awards Gala, May 22 at the Oregon Convention Center.

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

Tax Tips For Your Small Business Return

Small Business Income Tax Guide Links to good tips.

IRS

Practical Small Business Tax Tips

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NEXT WEEK'S BUSINESS CALENDAR

The Week's Business Calendar - Compliments of the Oregonian
Sunday, March 30, 2008

Monday

International Association of Business Communicators: 8:15-9:30 a.m. "Communicating with a Mobil Workforce." IBM Campus, 15400 S.W. Koll Parkway, Heisenberg Room, Beaverton; Members $30, nonmembers $45; www.ociabc.org or 503-972-1770 Job Fair Boot Camp Workshop: 4-5 p.m. Job-searching tactics. North Portland Library, 512 N. Killingsworth St.; www.multcolib.org/events or 503-988-5394

Tuesday

Portland Pearl Rotary Club: 7:30 a.m. Ecotrust Building, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave.; $10; www.portlandpearlrotary.org Software Association of Oregon: 5-7 p.m. "eJob Search and eRecruiting: How the Internet is Changing the Landscape." U.S. Bank Tower, 111 S.W. Fifth Ave.; Members $10, nonmembers $30; www.sao.org

Wednesday

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Business Matters: 7:30-8:30 a.m. Business management essentials: What every business owner and manager must know and use to succeed. Beaverton Round Training Center, Coldwell Banker Building, 12725 S.W. Millikan Way, third floor, Beaverton; 503-644-0123 East Portland Chamber of Commerce Good Morning East Portland: 7:30-9 a.m., through Jan. 1. Cherrywood Village, 1417 S.E. 107th Ave.; ww.eastportlandchamber.com or 503-788-8589 Hollywood Boosters Business Association: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Graffiti removal and prevention. Friendship Masonic Lodge, 5626 N.E. Alameda St.; $10; 503-288-3892 Society of American Military Engineers Portland: 11:30 a.m. "Counterweight Trunnion Replacement on the Burnside Bridge." Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, 112 S.W. Second Ave.; Members $20, nonmembers and walk-ins $30, students $10; www.kellsirish.com or 503-227-4057 Rotary Club of Beaverton: Noon-1:30 p.m. Ernesto's Italian Restaurant, 8544 S.W. Apple Way; $15; www.beavertonrotary.org

CCIM Oregon/SW Washington chapters luncheon: 12:15-1:30 p.m. "Financial Market Outlook." Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 S.W. Salmon St.; Members $25, nonmembers $35; 503-768-4299 Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Alive After Five: 5:30 p.m. Taste of Wine, 7590 S.W. Nyberg St., Tualatin; www.tualatinchamber.com

Thursday

American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon: 7:30-9 a.m. "Transportation Funding Update." Hayden's Lakefront Grill, 8187 Tualatin-Sherwood Road, Tualatin; $35; www.acecoregon.org or 503-292-2348 Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Sales Tuneup: 7:30-8:30 a.m., through Jan. 1. Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce, Suite 140, 12655 S.W. Center St., Beaverton; www.beaverton.org or 503-644-0123 Metropolitan Business Association General Breakfast: 7:30-8:30 a.m. Hotel Monaco, 506 S.W. Washington St.; 503-223-6978

Friday

Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce AM Eye Opener: 7:30 a.m. Lazerquick, 29900 S.W. Kinsman Road, No. 100, Wilsonville; www.wilsonvillechamber.com or 503-682-1067 Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Coffee Connection: 7:45-9 a.m., through Jan. 1. Weekly networking event open to all area businesspeople. West Coast Bank, Raleigh Hills, 4805 S.W. 77th Ave.; 503-644-0123 Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Networking: 8 a.m. OMSI, 1945 S.E. Water Ave.; www.lake-oswego.com or 503-636-3634 Job Finders Support Group: Noon-2 p.m. Capitol Hill Library, 10723 S.W. Capitol Highway; www.jobfinderssupport.com or 503-988-5385

Saturday

Portland Community College Workshop: 9 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Discover key techniques for gaining control over jitters when speaking to groups. Class will investigate scientific knowledge for developing calm performance, staying cool under tension. PCC Sylvania campus, Forum Theater, 12000 S.W. 49th St.; www.pcc.edu/registration/non-credit-registration.html or 503-977-8888
Ne

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

I am not fixated on the negative side of our economy, but the lead article in this week's fishfry is especially detailed in ways to actively insulate your small business from a recession. It's worth the read. In one other generic piece on family businesses I came across a website I was not familiar with. The Family Firm Institute in Boston, Mass., looks like it is worth exploring. I'll look it over this weekend and if it is a good resource I'll add it to the sidebar. Have a good weekend.
JM.

Tips for small businesses to survive recession

When two employees at the Small Frys children's store recently asked to work four days each week instead of five, owner Carol Yenne considered hiring someone to fill those shifts. But with talk of a possible recession in the news every day, she ultimately decided to bridge the gap herself.

"Normally we'd replace those days, but because of the climate, we decided to wait and see," said Yenne, who has owned the Noe Valley store for 17 years. "It just means that the owner - me - and my daughter work a little more."

Yenne is one of a growing number of Bay Area small-business owners who have started planning for a recession.

Some small businesses - especially those connected to the real estate market - are already feeling the pain of dwindling revenue.

Others such as Yenne are doing fine but taking steps to protect themselves in case business starts to sour.

-- Pay attention to cash flow.
-- Get tough with accounts receivable.
-- Trim the fat.
-- Ask employees for help.
-- Retool your products.
-- Pay attention to existing customers.
-- Look for opportunities.
-- Don't stop marketing.
-- Offer deals - if you can make them pencil out.
-- Plan ahead - easier said than done.

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Internet a boon for some small business operators looking for work

Freelancer, sole operator, independent contractor and free agent are all terms for a similar type of small business operator with a key trait in common — each of them is constantly looking for new gigs to fill their time and pay the bills. For these business owners, the Internet has become a boon to finding work. Web sites that play matchmaker between employers and freelancers have taken the art of project hunting to new levels.

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

Rural Development: State targets Deschutes communities for economic development

Sisters, La Pine and Deschutes River Woods were labeled as "distressed communities" by the state's Economic & Community Development Department last week, but the designation could help them qualify for additional state grants and loans.

The designation was based on U.S. Census data from 2000, according to Michael Anderson, economic analyst with the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, based in Portland.

"Being a distressed area enables communities to have an extra advantage when applying for business finance programs," he said. "It's not so much a condemnation on any type of policy. It's a way of pointing out areas that might need more attention than other areas."

The evaluation is a guide that the state agency can use to target aid for economic development, he said.

The agency uses both state and federal data that are available annually to look at counties statewide in four areas: percentage of the population with a bachelor's degree age 25 or higher, unemployment rate, percentage of the population below poverty and per-capita income.

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

Oregon Wine Industry Comes Together to Support Active Wine Tourism

Wineries, wine-related businesses, and tourism associations in Oregon have rallied behind a new
effort to promote active wine tourism in the Oregon wine country. So far, 14 organizations have signed up to sponsor the Oregon Wine Adventure, a new multisport wine tour in the area.

"This is a brand new concept in Oregon and, as far as we can tell, in the wine industry worldwide," explains Jeannine Heidenreich of the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County, one of the original supporters of the concept. "Our goal is to get more people to visit Oregon and Lane County and the Wine Adventure is a perfect pairing between Oregon's recreation wonderland and rich wine culture."

The first-ever Oregon Multi-Sport Wine Adventure will consist of five days of activities, education, and wine tasting from August 10-14, 2008. A maximum of 20 participants will hike, bike, and paddle canoes on, through, and near Oregon's vineyards. The tour costs $1900 per person and includes meals, lodging, local transportation, activities, wine tastings, and professional guides.

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

Top state economic development group prepares to reorganize

Members of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department have recommended the agency separate its business development and community development functions, focus more on developing public works projects and increase its emphasis on environmentally sustainable projects.

The recommendations, which Gov. Ted Kulongoski sought as part of a potential departmental overhaul, could be adopted next month. Kulongoski had asked the commission's board to consider reorganizing as the state faces climate change, population increases, an outdated infrastructure, unpredictable revenue forecasts and competition from other states.

As part of the changes, the commission could dedicate a new department specifically to business development. It would then steer its community development team to public works issues, including managing infrastructure systems related to water supply, to name one area.

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

Small business: When family is business

Running a family business can be challenging, but that doesn't make it unpopular:

At least 80 percent of all businesses in the United States are family owned, according to family business experts.

Still, only about 12 percent of family businesses survive into the third generation, and just 3 percent make it to the fourth generation and beyond, according to The Family Firm Institute in Boston, Mass.

So if you're involved in one of these businesses or contemplating launching one, it's important to know how to resolve conflict and work together as a family to increase your company's chance of survival.

_________________________________________________________________

FUEL - and the cost of doing business

The price of crude oil and the price of gas at the pump are often in the news. Here are a couple of articles that can help the small business owner be proactive in dealing with rising fuel costs. Please note, the second article originates in Canada and does not apply to US 100%.

Small Business Options: Coping with High Gas Prices
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/26453/small_business_options_coping_with.html
For the complete article: x --------> More Info

Large companies and corporations don't have to worry about the rise of gas prices like small businesses do. Most corporations have contacts and discounts and other ways to absorb the rising cost of gas, but small business don't have any such recourse. The important thing is not to let gas prices ruin your revenue - or your expense reports.

If you own a small business, chances are that gas is one of your most necessary commodities. Door-to-door sales, for example, requires gasoline for transportation. Delivery businesses have the same problem. Or maybe you just use a lot of gas driving to visit clients or to run errands. Whatever the reason, gas prices are climbing by the minute, and small business owners need to come up with ways to reduce the monetary hit taken by high gas costs.

1. Evaluate Gas Consumption

Regardless of the outcome, it is extremely important that you evaluate exactly how much gasoline is used on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Even if it fluctuates slightly from week-to-week, you should be able to determine a ballpark figure. Write down the names of ever employee or officer who uses gas as a company expense, then write down how many miles each person travels per day as well as the make and model of their vehicle.

2. Map Routes

Most sales associates have specific territories that they work each day. Delivery drivers have a route that is planned by the company. No matter what business you are in, you should know where and when your employees and officers are driving on a given day, especially since the expense is coming from the company bank account.

3. Inform Employees

Have a "gas meeting" with your employees and let them know the issue of gas prices. If your employees don't pay for their own gas, it's very possible that they don't understand the predicament high gas prices creates. Ask that everyone be aware of the gas that they use, and that they stay conscious of gas usage when out on company money. For example, if an employee is stuck in traffic, ask that they exit the freeway and find a different path rather than sitting in traffic eating up gas.

4. Incorporate Costs

It's a fact of commerce that customers are going to - at least in part - absorb some of the rising fuel costs. Customers know that when the price of materials goes up, that products will be more expensive as well. The same holds true for your small business. Once you know how much you are spending in gas each month, you can adjust your prices for goods or services to account for the higher gas costs.

The only problem with this scenario is that you might lose customers. I don't advise that you raise your prices by 20%, because your customers will find a better deal. Increasing your prices by 2-3% is acceptable, particularly if you have a high sales volume. This way, the price increase is hardly noticeable.

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The following article is from a Canadian source and will not apply 100%. However, there are effective ideas in the article. Mine this for those elements you think will be useful.

10 Ways to Cut Fuel Costs
For the complete article: x-----------> More Info

Part 1: Things You Can Do to Save Money on Gas

Tired of seeing the high cost of gas eat away at your bottom line? For many small businesses, the higher the cost of gas, the fewer the profits. While we can never escape fuel costs entirely, there are things we can do to save money on gas. Cut your fuel costs with one or more of these suggestions:

1. Ensure that all your vehicles are properly maintained.

Underinflated tires, dirty oil, clogged air filters and poorly tuned engines all increase your fuel costs. By keeping your vehicle(s) well maintained, you can cut your fuel consumption by up to 10 percent according to Transport Canada – an easy way to save money on gas.

2. Consolidate your trips.

You need to go the printers and pick up another batch of business cards. You also need to pick up some dry-cleaning and go to the post office.

Instead of making three separate trips, turn it into one trip and get it all done.

3. Train all your drivers not to idle.

When you let your engine idle, all you're doing is unnecessarily increasing your fuel costs. Contrary to popular belief, idling is not an effective way to warm up a vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to warm up your vehicle is to drive it. Nor is idling “better” than frequently turning off and restarting your vehicle’s engine. “If you are going to be parked for more than 10 seconds, turn off the engine. Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it” (Natural Resources Canada).

4. Use a block heater on cold winter days.
We all know that using a block heater when it’s cold out makes it easier to start your vehicle’s engine. But did you know that “at –20°C, block heaters can improve overall fuel economy by as much as 10 percent. For a single short trip on a cold day, fuel savings could be in the order of 20 percent”? (Natural Resources Canada). Plugging your vehicle into a block heater when it gets below 0° is another easy way to save money on gas.

5. Decrease your delivery area.
If your business involves making deliveries, decreasing your delivery area is a quick way to cut down on your fuel costs. Instead of offering free delivery within a fifty mile area, for instance, you might only offer free delivery within a twenty mile area. Another way of handling the problem of the increased cost of making deliveries is to charge a delivery fee that covers the additional cost of fuel.

6. Have your clients come to you rather than going to them.

While not possible for all businesses, changing the routine of who goes where can result in significant fuel cost savings. For example, if you offer instruction and have normally gone to clients’ homes in the past, you could offer instruction in your own home instead. If you have a suitable room and equipment for your clients’ needs, this could be an ideal solution that both cuts fuel costs and simplifies your life.

Part 2: More Things You Can Do to Save Money on Gas

Page one of this article offered relatively inexpensive ways that businesses (and individuals) can save money on gas. If you’re serious about cutting fuel costs, though, maybe it’s time to get rid of the gas-guzzler – or at least convert it to use alternative fuels or energy sources. The suggestions for how to save money on gas on this page require more of an investment but may also have a bigger payoff in reduced fuel costs.

7. Trade in your vehicle(s) for vehicles with better fuel economy.

Some businesses have to have trucks. But does yours? You know the drill; generally cars have better gas mileage than trucks/vans/SUVs and smaller cars have even better gas mileage. If you’re serious about cutting your fuel costs, it may be time to “downsize” your vehicles.

8. If you haven’t, join your Chamber of Commerce.

Many Chambers offer fuel cost savings as benefits to their members. For instance, members of the BC Chamber of Commerce can receive a 3.5 percent discount on fuel, oil, top-up fluids and car wash for each Canadian purchase at any Esso service station (with a minimum purchase of $1500 a year or 3000 litres a year), and fuel discounts at Shell and PetroCanada are also available. Chambers of Commerce also offer many other benefits. It’s definitely worth a call to see what benefits your local Chamber offers.

9. Look for the “E-10 blend” of gas.

“E-10 Blend” is a fuel blend of gasoline and up to 10 percent ethanol that can be used in virtually any gasoline-powered vehicle manufactured after 1980. In other words, if you can find it, you can use it without any modification to your vehicle, saving money on gas in the process.

10. Get vehicles that aren’t gas-powered.

By selling your gas-powered vehicles and buying vehicles that run on other fuels or types of energy, or converting your current vehicle to use another form of energy, you can save considerably on fuel costs – and avoid being held hostage by high gas costs in the future.

One solution is a hybrid car, a vehicle that combines a fuel-efficient gas engine with an electric motor that assists the engine when accelerating. The electric motor is powered by batteries that recharge automatically while you drive. The Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Ford Escape SUV and the Lexus 400h SUV are all examples of hybrid cars now available.


You don’t have to let high fuel costs eat into your profits. Saving money on gas is possible as long as you’re willing to pay attention to what you’re driving and how you’re driving it and willing to make a commitment to cutting your fuel costs.

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The Principles of Critical Thinking

1. Ask questions; be willing to wonder.

2. Define your problem correctly.

3. Examine the evidence.

4. Analyze assumptions/biases.

5. Avoid emotional reasoning.

6. Don't oversimplify.

7. Consider other interpretations.

8. Tolerate uncertainty.

Carol Tavris & Carole Wade
Critical & Creative Thinking.

The Weekend Walkabout

Ascension and decline

This organization, formed in 2007, slipped by me. Expansion and contraction is laid out in a recent Oregonian story: "Study identifies the Portland-area industries to retain and the ones to recruit"

What industries in Oregon are in ascension and which ones are in decline? This last week a privately funded organization, Greenlight Greater Portland, released a study dealing with that issue. Visit their website: http://www.greenlightgreaterportland.com

The worst-kept secret on the Portland-area's industrial landscape may be that its all-important electronics manufacturing is expected to fall into long-term decline.

The silver lining, the region's newest economic-development group says, is that the knowledge and skills developed in the local industry over decades can easily shift to a promising new industry already taking shape here: alternative-energy manufacturing and services.

For that combination of reasons, Greenlight Greater Portland, a privately funded organization established last year, intends to focus on retaining the one industry while recruiting the other.

The following companion stories related to hiring the executive staff will fill in some of the details.

Business group hires former magazine publisher ---- Nov 2007

Greenlight Greater Portland hires chief executive ---- Sept 2007

Stay tuned.


A Staffing Model to Watch

Vital Signs - From the Oregonian

A small business start-up last year is a staffing agency with a niche market orientation: working professional parents looking for permanent placement with a firm.

Matchpoint Corp. Portland Formed March 2007
The product: A recruiting and staffing company that specializes in finding corporate jobs for working parents who need flexible hours or want to work from home.

Visit their website at: www.matchpointcorp.com

Matchpoint is focused on the needs of professional parents. With operations located in NY, Portland, LA, Atlanta and Seattle our mission is to help professionals identify and explore professional opportunities, share information on domestic services, and help create and sustain family friendly work environments. We are committed to improving the way corporations engage and leverage the skills of talented professionals looking to find a balance between family and work.

Business Assistance in Northeast Portland

If you have a small business in North or Northeast Portland, drop in on the North Northeast Business Association.

Their mission statement: Advocating for businesses in the Soul of Portland with friends and partners who share our vision, values and goals.

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Next Week's Business Calendar

The Business Calendar - Compliments of the Oregonian
Sunday, March 23, 2008

Tuesday

Portland Business Alliance Leads Exchange: 7:30-9 a.m. Rose Garden arena, One Center Court; members $5 online, $8 at the door; nonmembers $10, $15 at the door; www.portlandalliance.com or 503-235-8771 Portland Pearl Rotary Club: 7:30 a.m. Ecotrust Building, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave.; $10; www.portlandpearlrotary.org Small Business Innovation Research Summit: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. "SBIR Phase I Proposal Writing." Portland State Business Accelerator, 2828 Southwest Corbett Ave., Room 209; $150 or $300 for series; www.oregonsbir.org or 503-312-3175 Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affair Council: 11:30 a.m. lunch forum. Heidi's of Gresham, 1230 N.E. Cleveland Ave., Gresham; $5, $20 for lunch; www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131 Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber Membership Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Topic is "Community Giving." Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Broadway; Members $25, nonmembers $30; www.hmccoregon.com/events or 971-404-1450 Rotary Club of Portland Luncheon: Noon. The Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave.; $17.50; info@rotarypdx.org or 503-228-1542 American Society of Women Accountants: 6-7:30 p.m. "Retirement Plan Boot Camp." Oswego Crest Financial Group, 5000 S.W. Meadows Road, Third Floor Conference Room, Lake Oswego; www.aswaportland.org or 503-496-5400

Wednesday

Columbia Corridor Association Breakfast Forum: 7:30-9 a.m. Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 N.E. Airport Way; members $25, nonmembers $35; www.columbiacorridor.org or 503-287-8686 East Portland Chamber of Commerce Good Morning East Portland: 7:30 a.m. Ambridge Event Center, 300 N.E. Multnomah St.; www.eastportlandchamber.com or 503-788-8589 Small Business Innovation Research Summit: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. "SBIR Accounting and Financial Procedures." Portland State Business Accelerator, 2828 Southwest Corbett Ave., Room 209; $150 or $300 for series; www.oregonsbir.org or 503-312-3175 Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The Fifth Annual Excellence in Enterprise Luncheon. Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. Sixth St., Vancouver; members $40, nonmembers $50; www.vancouverusa.com or 360-694-2588 North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours: 5 p.m. A business networking event. New Seasons Market, 15861 N.E. Happy Valley Town Center Drive, Happy Valley; www.yourchamber.org or 503-654-7777

Thursday

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce: 7:30-8:30 a.m. Sales Tune Up. Sales and marketing skills development and training. Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce, Beaverton Chamber of Commerce, Suite 140, 12655 S.W. Center St., Beaverton; www.beaverton.org or 503-645-7905 Small Business Innovation Research Summit: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. "SBIR Phase II Proposal Writing." Portland State Business Accelerator, 2828 Southwest Corbett Ave., Room 209; $150 or $300 for series; www.oregonsbir.org or 503-312-3175 Northwest Association of Book Publishers: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Fairfield Inn, 100 S.W. Meadows Road, Lake Oswego; www.nwabp.org or 503-684-3581 Program Management Forum: 11:30 a.m.-1:20 p.m. "So, You Want to Create Value For Your Customers? A Better Product is Just the Beginning." Kingstad Conference Center, 15450 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; preregisters $26, all others $30.; www.programmanagementforum.org Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. Tualatin Country Club, 9145 S.W. Tualatin Road, Tualatin; www.tualatinchamber.com or 503-692-0780

Friday

Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Connect with Success AM: 7:15-9 a.m. Lambert House East Adult Day Services, 2600 S.E. 170th. Ave.; www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131 Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Coffee Connection: 7:45-9 a.m. Weekly networking event open to all area businesspeople. Home Depot, 4401 S.W. 110th Ave., Beaverton; 503-644-0123 Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Networking: 8 a.m. Whole Foods Market, 7380 S.W. Bridgeport Road, Tigard; www.lake-oswego.com or 503-636-3634 Job Finders Support Group: Noon. Capitol Hill Library, 10723 S.W. Capitol Highway; www.multcolib.org/events or 503-988-5385

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FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

The Small Business Week in Review

For Oregon's Small Business Conditions Improved in February

Conditions improved in February for Oregon’s small businesses, but merchants aren’t expected to bask long in last month’s glow.
Retail spending is expected to decrease throughout 2008, due to projections of slowing growth in new jobs and in total personal income, according to the monthly Oregon Small Business Index compiled by Eugene-based LibertyBank.
“Total personal income is the primary contributor to overall consumer spending, so retail spending will naturally be lower this year,” Jeff Thredgold, a Utah-based economist who compiles the index for LibertyBank, wrote in his monthly report.

Read more in last Wednesday’s Register-Guard.

Economic gardening helps businesses grow:
City program nurtures companies to stimulate growth, develop jobs

When Ron May hired a second business development officer for Pinnacle Bank, he was interested in developing a list of businesses for that person to call on for prospecting purposes.

Pinnacle’s president and chief executive officer decided to give Beaverton’s new Economic Gardening Program a try.

“The price was right,” May said.

The free program is designed to nurture existing businesses and provide them with specialized services to help them flourish.

“Our goal is to help our Beaverton-based businesses become more competitive, help them expand their operations and see if we can provide resources that would enable them to become more successful,” said Rob Pochert, Beaverton’s economic development manager.

Columbia Community Bank Hires New Business Specialist

Joshua Adams has been named Business Specialist at the Tanasbourne office of Columbia Community Bank (OTCBB: CLBC). Adams joins Columbia Community Bank after serving as a small business specialist in his previous position at another local financial institution. Throughout his banking career, Joshua has been responsible for maintaining and developing new business relationships. His successes were evidenced through the connection and rapport that he developed with local businesses and professionals.

Small business: Make time management a priority

Feeling stressed -- like there aren't enough hours in the day to get your work done?

It's possible you're not making the most of your time.

Many entrepreneurs wind up behind the eight ball because they aren't very good at managing time effectively, experts say.

"Entrepreneurs are often wearing many hats," explains Andrea Feinberg, president of Coaching Insight Llc, a small-business and marketing consultancy in Port Jefferson Station. "They become accustomed to doing everything, and that becomes a growing monster."

So it's important to understand you can't do everything yourself, and the key to effective time management is distinguishing between what's important and what's not.

_________________________________________________________________

Next Week's Business Calendar

The Business Calendar - Compliments of the Oregonian
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Institute of Management Consultants: 7 a.m. "The Hard Knocks of Consulting: A Panel of Experts." $25 members, $35 nonmembers; www.imc-oregon.org or 503-223-6251

American Electronics Association: 7:30-10 a.m. "The Changing Roles and Responsibilities of the Board." The Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road; $100 members, $150 nonmembers; www.aeanet.org or 503-226-1561

Portland Pearl Rotary Club: 7:30 a.m. Ecotrust Building, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave.; $10; www.portlandpearlrotary.org

Software Association of Oregon: 7:30-9 a.m. "Making the Most Out of Your Customer Wins." The Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave.; $20 members, $60 nonmembers; www.sao.org or 503-224-3400

The Portland Business Alliance Shop Talk Showcase: 7:30-9 a.m. OHSU Center for Health & Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond Ave., Third Floor; www.portlandalliance.com

Meeting Professional Internationals: 8-10 a.m. "Extreme E-Learning: Outside the Box, Beyond the Pale and Past the Bleeding Edge." Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 N.E. Airport Way; www.mpioc.org or 503-281-2500

East Metro Transportation Forum: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Featuring Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Metro Councilors Rex Burkholder and Rod Park. Fairview City Hall, 1300 N.E. Village St., Fairview; $15; 503-929-2287

Society for Marketing Professional Services Oregon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Seminar on "Active Listening: Influencing Others by Being Open to Influence." BridgePort Brewery, 1313 N.W. Marshall St.; $50 members, $60 nonmembers; www.smpsoregon.org/events or 503-241-7179

Cascadia Region Green Building Council: 5 p.m. Transformational lecture series on "Collaboration and Change: The Pathway to a Living Future." Ashland Springs Hotel, 212 E. Main St., Ashland; www.cascadiagbc.org/education/transformational-lecture-series or 888-795-4545

Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber: 6-7 p.m. Workshop on how to start a business. Beaverton City Library, 12375 S.W. Fifth St., Beaverton; www.hmccoregon.com/events or 503-644-2197

Wednesday

Electronic Manufacturers Association: 7-9 a.m. Presentation on "Lean and Green Recycling," by Brent Young of E-Tech Recycling. E-Tech Recycling, 5555 S.W. 107th Ave., Beaverton; $10 nonmembers; www.ema-oregon.org or 503-693-8939

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce: 7:30-8:30 a.m. "Business Matters." Learn about practical, effective advice for saving money, making money and building business connections. Beaverton Round Training Center, Coldwell Banker Building, 12725 S.W. Millikan Way, Third Floor, Beaverton; www.beaverton.org or 503-644-0123

East Portland Chamber of Commerce Good Morning East Portland: 7:30 a.m. Presentation by Multnomah County Commissioner Jeff Cogen. Cherrywood Village, 1417 S.E. 107th Ave.; www.eastportlandchamber.com or 503-788-8589

Public Relations Society of America Portland Chapter: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. "Media Measurement Best Practices." $30 members, $40 nonmembers, $20 students; www.prsa-portland.org or 503-223-6251

Cascadia Region Green Building Council: 5 p.m. Transformational lecture series on "Collaboration and Change: The Pathway to a Living Future." First Unitarian Church of Portland, 1011 S.W. 12th Ave.; www.cascadiagbc.org/education/transformational-lecture-series or 503-228-6389

Women Entrepreneurs Organization of Washington Monthly Meeting: 5-8:30 p.m. The Camas Meadows, 4105 N.W. Camas Meadows Dr., Camas, Wash.; Members $29, nonmembers $35; www.weowa.org or 360-904-8083

Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Alive After Five: 5:30 p.m. Rumours Day Spa & Salon, 19245 S.W. Martinazzi Ave., Tualatin; www.tualatinchamber.com/events.php or 503-692-0780

Southwest Washington American Society for Quality: 6-8 p.m. "Supplier Performance Evaluation: A Partnership to Quality." SolarWorld Industries America, Building 8, Suite 800, 12004 N.E. 95th St., Vancouver; www.asqswwa.org

TiE Oregon: 6-9 p.m. "Carbon Trading: The Mechanics and Economics." University Place Hotel, 310 S.W. Lincoln St.; $20 members, $30 nonmembers, $10 students; www.oregon.tie.org or 503-221-0140

Thursday

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce: 7:30-8:30 a.m. "Sales Tuneup." Sales and marketing skills development and training. Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce, Beaverton Chamber of Commerce, Suite 140, 12655 S.W. Center St., Beaverton; www.beaverton.org or 503-645-7905

Metropolitan Business Association: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. General breakfast. Hotel Monaco, 506 S.W. Washington St.; 503-223-6978

U.S. Small Business Administration: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. A briefing on financing a small business. ODS Tower, 601 S.W. Second Ave., Suite 2030; www.sba.gov/localresources/district/or/index.html or 503-326-2682

Software Association of Oregon: Noon-1 p.m. "Growing or Starting Your Online Sales Channel." Hood River County, Commissioners Board Room, 601 State St., Hood River; $10 members, $20 nonmembers; www.sao.org

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Westside Young Professionals: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Experiential networking and professional development. Vino 100, 2092 N.W. Stucki Ave., Hillsboro; $15 members, $20 nonmembers or $25 at the door; www.beaverton.org or 503-644-0123

Friday

Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Connect With Success AM: 7:15-9 a.m. The Gresham Outlook, 1190 N.E. Division St., Gresham; www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131

Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Networking AM: 7:30 a.m. Pacific Continental Bank, 7111 S.W. Nyberg St., Tualatin; www.tualatinchamber.com/events.php or 503-692-0780

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce: 7:45-8:30 a.m. "Coffee Connection." Weekly networking event open to all businesspeople. Applebee's Restaurant, 1220 N.W. 185th Ave., Beaverton; www.beaverton.org or 503-644-0123

Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Networking: 8 a.m. Mary Jo Avery, RE/MAX Equity Group, 18606 Jennifer Way, Lake Oswego; www.lake-oswego.com or 503-636-3634

North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce: 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Hear the candidates for the expanded board of county commissioners before you vote. OIT Conference Center, 7740 S.E. Harmony Road, Milwaukie; $15 advance, $20 at the door; www.yourchamber.com or 503-654-7777

Willamette Valley Development Officers Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. "Wealth Management." The Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road; $20 members, $20 guest of members, $30 nonmembers; www.wvdo-or.org or 503-226-1561

Job Finders Support Group: Noon- 2 p.m., Capitol Hill Library, 10723 S.W. Capitol Highway; www.jobfinderssupport.com

BE AWARE

• Be aware of your surroundings

• Learn

• Apply what you’ve learned

• Move forward

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

The Fishfry has five articles for you tonight: four focus on urban small business/development and one on rural development.

When you think of writing a business plan it is most often in preparation to asking your banker for a loan. Business Week makes the case that a small business owner needs to consider all the ways a business plan can be used:

Do You Really Need a Business Plan?

Every business needs a business plan, whether or not it will be borrowing money or seeking investors. Writing a business plan not only helps you determine whether your business idea is feasible, it also establishes a map for your company's future. Without it, your business is likely to drift along without direction or parameters for measuring progress.

• Defining a new business venture
• Determining whether your business will make a profit
• Providing an estimate of your startup costs
• Devising an effective marketing strategy
• Helping you compete in the marketplace
• Measuring your business performance and tracking your growth

Washington State is considering practical solutions to the small business/health insurance crunch:

Small businesses need Health Insurance Partnership

Small businesses are hit hard by the health care crisis. More than 200,000 small business employees in Washington are uninsured.

Even those with coverage are not secure. Premiums for small businesses have increased faster than for large businesses, and the quality of coverage they receive is lower.

Lawmakers in Olympia have designed a program to help.

The Health Insurance Partnership would help make quality coverage choices affordable for small businesses. Participating businesses and employees would save by paying premiums with pre-tax dollars. Low-wage small business employees would receive premium assistance.

The Oregonian covers an interesting variation to eco-tourism. The eco-destination meeting. Many local small businesses, whether they are part of Portland's evolving green industries or not, will benefit from the attraction to the city's green reputation:

City's gold standard for green meetings

Portland is counting on its long-standing "green" reputation to help it become the destination of choice for people who want to meet in an eco-friendly place.

To that end, Travel Portland, the city's marketing agency, launched a three-day "Green Familiarization Tour" on Thursday to persuade meeting planners from across the country that Portland is the place to convene.

Highlights include an expedition by biodiesel-powered bus to the city's organic farm in Southeast Portland, a look at the eco-friendly features of area hotels and a fashion show highlighting recycled clothing at the Gerding Theater at the Armory -- a Pearl District building that has earned the nation's highest sustainability rating.

"Being green is the biggest movement in the meetings industry," said Jeff Miller, executive director of Travel Portland, formerly called the Portland Oregon Visitors Association. "And Portland is uniquely positioned as the national front-runner right now."

Apparently the Portland/Metro Area has a rich selection of independent wine shops. All small businesses:

Raising a wine glass to independence

If small winery operations are the backbone of Oregon's $1.4 billion wine industry, small independent wine stores are at least part of the skeleton -- despite increasing consolidation among wine distributors and the might of retail powerhouses such as Fred Meyer and Costco.

UI to help rural Idaho towns market strengths

Helping small communities capitalize on their existing talents and resources is the focus of a new initiative by University of Idaho Extension and the Western Rural Development Center.

Called "2 Degrees Northwest: Where Art Meets the Land," the program will connect the arts, agriculture, history, food, and unique lodging opportunities with customers, said Lorie Higgins, a UI Extension community development specialist.

The USDA has other Economic and Rural Development examples.

Have a good weekend
Joel

Small Business Outlook: Forbes Special Report

This week's issue of Forbes Magazine has the 2008 Small Business Outlook. I never get around to filing their predictions and insights to see how 20/20 their vision is. Perhaps this year. Though Forbes is a decent business magazine, in general, their small business articles tend to have some mental speed-bumps. The articles are expansive. I think it has something to do with the scale ... their notion of "small" is bigger than my "small." Most of my work has been with businesses of five to twenty employees. Microbusinesses, I guess?

But, it is a good read. The FORBES.SBR2008 will take you to the cover page where they have links to the individual stories.

I think you will find at least a couple of them interesting. Some of the coming tech cities surprised me. And, I can appreciate the need for some changes in the patent laws. I have been concerned though about restructuring our patent laws to resemble Europe's. Could Hewlett and Packard have patented their movie sound modulator ... or their first oscilloscope in their garage? I don't know? The process seems to be tilting away from the lone inventor.

The four lead stories are:

Top 10 Up-And-Coming Tech Cities

Thanks to a potent recipe mixing hearty helpings of money, leadership, commitment and vision, a cadre of small cities is rapidly earning respect as veritable tech hubs.

Where will the next Silicon Valley spring up? Philip Auerswald, professor of public policy at George Mason University, knows where to look. He surveyed regional innovation trends across the U.S. and cobbled a list of up-and-coming tech centers.

The Biggest Business Blunders Ever

Entrepreneurs will need every drop of hard-earned wisdom to navigate the coming year--by all accounts, a challenging one, care of a deepening credit crisis and potential recession.

With those dangers and the above adage in mind, we canvassed the last four centuries for the biggest business blunders of all time, in terms of wealth destroyed and opportunity lost.

They Call This Intellectual Property?

The already arduous road to patenting a great idea is getting even longer. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court raised the bar on what the law defines as the "standard of obviousness" in patent cases. In short, if a business or technique is so obvious that anyone could have invented it, it shouldn't merit a patent.

While stricter standards may ease some of the pressure on the increasingly swamped U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the new regulations--and more being debated in the coming months--could add costs and complications down the road, too.

The Biggest Risks To Your Business

While spring is in the air, the business pages are filled with dark thoughts about recession, collapsing credit markets, $100 oil, global competition and inflation (or worse, stagflation).

But those aren't the only risks entrepreneurs have to sweat. What chttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifan happen in business will--and when you least expect it. The prepared win, the napping lose.

But what exactly can happen? You might see the thunderheads gathering this week or even this month, but what about all the nasty weather one, three or 10 years from now? You can't manage risk if you don't know where to look for it.

The stories in the SmBiz sidebar look interesting as well but I will have to save them for this weekend:

Cracking The Battery Barrier
Are You Born To Be A Billionaire?
Making Coin Off The Credit Crisis

The 2008 Outlook Report

This weekend I will also add links to Oregon's Minority Entrepreneur Association, and the Oregon Native American Business Network.

Let me know if I am missing any resources?
Joel

Next Week's Business Calendar

Next Week's Business Calendar: Compliments of the Oregonian

Monday

Oregon Health Forum: National Health Reform Coalition visits Portland. 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., The Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. Registration requested: www.healthforum.org, 503-226-7870

Tuesday

Clark County Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Awards: 7 to 9 a.m., Camas Meadows Golf Club, 4105 N.W. Camas Meadows Dr., Camas. 360-258-1181

Portland PC Users Group General Meeting: 7:15 to 9:15 p.m., Gateway Elks Lodge, Cascade Room, 711 N.E. 100th Ave. www.ppcug.org

Portland Pearl Rotary Club: 7:30 a.m., Ecotrust Building, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave. $10. Donald Smith, donaldqsmith@yahoo.com or 503-780-9672

Portland Business Alliance Leads Exchange: 7:30 to 9 a.m., Rose Quarter, Rose Room, 2 Center Court, Fourth Floor. Members $5 online, $8 at the door; nonmembers $10, $15 at the door. Registration requested: www.portlandalliance.com

Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Council Lunch Forum: Discussion of local issues. 11:30 a.m., Heidi's of Gresham, 1230 N.E. Cleveland Ave, Gresham. $5. Lunch is $20. www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131

Wilsonville Chamber Member Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Holiday Inn, 25425 S.W. 95th Ave., Wilsonville. $17. Walk-ins are $20. 503-682-0411

American Marketing Association of Oregon Connect Networking: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Broadway. $30 members, $50 nonmembers. www.ama-pdx.org

Lunch and Learn: How to Value Price Your Products: Sponsored by the Open Technology Business Center, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network and The Software Association of Oregon. 11:30 a.m. networking, noon to 1:15 p.m. program, 15455 N.W. Greenbrier Pkwy, Suite 210, Beaverton. $10 advance, $15 at the door. Lunch provided. Registration requested: www.opentechcenter.com or 971-223-4660

Rotary Club of Portland: Noon to 1:15 p.m., Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. $17.50. Registration requested: info@rotarypdx.org or 503-228-1542

Northwest Coaches Association: 5:45 to 6 p.m. workshop, 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. networking, 7:15 to 9 p.m. general meeting. Scottish Rite Center, 709 S.W. 15th Ave. www.nwcoaches.org

Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon: Dinner meeting, 5:45 to 8:30 p.m., Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, 112 S.W. Second Ave. Members $35, nonmembers $50. Registration requested: www.oregonweo.org or 503-229-3819

Wednesday

East Portland Chamber of Commerce: Networking event. 7:30 to 9 a.m., ExecuTech Conference Center, 5933 N.E. Win Sivers Drive. www.eastportlandchamber.com or 503-788-8589

Willamette Valley Development Officers: "Weathering Economic Downturns." 7:30 to 9 a.m. Registration requested: www.wvdo-or.org or 503-274-1977

Cascadia Region Green Building Council: "Build it LEED For Contractors." 8 a.m. to noon, Metro headquarters, council chambers, 600 N.E. Grand. Members $150, nonmembers $175, students $75. Registration required: www.cascadiagbc.org/events/2008/march/build-it-leed-pdx-flyer

Portland Business Alliance Business After Hours: 5 to 7 p.m., McFadden's Restaurant & Pub, 107 N.W. Couch St. Members $8 online, $10 at the door; nonmembers $12 online, $15 at the door. Registration requested: www.portlandalliance.com

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network PubTalk: 5 p.m., BridgePort Brewpub & Bakery, 1313 N.W. Marshall St. Members $15, nonmembers $25. Registration requested: www.oen.org

Landlord Study Hall Forum: 6:30 to 8 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church, 4033 S.E. Woodstock Blvd . Registration requested: www.landlordstudyhall.com or 503-997-9035 or 503-722-8825

Thursday

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Sales Tuneup: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Beaverton Chamber of Commerce, 12655 S.W. Center St., Suite 140, Beaverton. www.beaverton.org or 503-645-7905and Learn: Semiconductor Outlook 2008: Sponsored by the Open Technology Business Center, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network and The Software Association of Oregon: 11:30 a.m. networking, noon to 1:15 p.m. program, 15455 N.W. Greenbrier Pkwy., Suite 210, Beaverton. $10 advance, $15 at the door. Lunch provided. Registration requested: www.opentechcenter.com or 971-223-4660

Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber Workshop: 11:30 a.m., Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Broadway. Registration requested: www.hmccoregon.com/events

Gateway Area Business Owners Association Monthly Meeting: Seminar on tax reducing strategy. 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., JJ North's Grand Buffet, 10520 N.E. Halsey St . www.gabanet.com

Commercial Real Estate Women Portland: "Hotel Fifty and the Boutique Hotel Trend in Oregon. " 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Members $20, nonmembers $35. Registration required: info@crew-portland.org or Pat Fuller, 503-768-4299

Software Association of Oregon Networking: "SAO Connection & Industry Conference Fair." 4 to 6 p.m., Thetus Corporation, 34 N.W. 1st Ave. Nonmembers $25. Registration requested: www.sao.org

Northwest Environmental Business Council Pub Mixer: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Bridgeport Brewpub and Bakery, 1313 N.W. Marshall. Members and guests $35, nonmembers $48. Registration requested by Tuesday: www.nebc.org

Friday

Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Networking AM: 7:30 a.m., Oregon Employment Department, 7995 S.W. Mohawk St., Tualatin. www.tualatinchamber.com/events.php or 503-692-0780

Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Connect With Success AM: Networking event. 7:30 to 9 a.m., East Hill Church, 701 N. Main, Gresham. www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131

Beaverton Area Chamber Coffee Connection: Weekly networking event open to all area businesspeople. 7:45 to 9 a.m., Wells Fargo Bank, 11601 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton. Lonnie Martinez, 503-333-7854 or 503-644-0123

Cascadia Region Green Building Council: "Energy Modeling Tools for Early Design Phase." 2 to 5 p.m., NW Natural Hospitality Room, 220 N.W. 2nd Ave. Members $65, late $85; nonmembers $75, late $95; students $25. Registration required: www.cascadiagbc.org/events/2008/march/energy-modeling-03-14/

Portland Female Executives: "Tapping Into Emotional Intelligence." 5:30 to 8 p.m., March 18, The Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. $25 members, $40 nonmembers. Registration requested by March 14: www.pdxfx.org

EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS

Friday

Job Finders Support Group: Noon to 2 p.m., Capitol Hill Library, 10723 S.W. Capitol Highway. www.jobfinderssupport.com

SATURDAY

Job Fair Boot Camp: Hosted by Portland Community College Cascade Campus Career Services. Workshop on job searching tactics. 4 to 5 p.m., Hollywood Library, 4040 N.E. Tillamook St.

The Weekend Walkabout

The Earth Times -- United Kingdom -- reports this last week on The Oregon Investment Fund. Apparently the long-lens creates a favorable impression regarding job creation and retention in the PDX-Metro area:

PORTLAND, Ore. - (Business Wire) The Oregon Investment Fund (OIF) has started the year with more than $94 million committed to ten venture, buyout and seed-stage funds. Within that group of ten investments, it has invested additional capital into Riverlake Partners, a Portland, Ore.-based private equity firm making control, growth investments in smaller profitable companies. The impact of these funds on jobs throughout the Pacific Northwest has positively affected more than 2,767 people, an increase of 35% over 2006. The year 2007 was also a record year for the OIF in that its portfolio funds invested $84 million in Pacific Northwest companies. In addition, outside investors invested another $45 million in those same companies, for a total of $129 million.

Some of the funds are directly targeted to the PDX-Metro area small businesses:

In July 2003, House Bill 3613 was passed in the Oregon State Legislature and enacted a mandate for the OIC to design and implement a $100 million program that encourages the growth of small businesses within the state of Oregon. To accomplish this mandate, the OIC chose to develop a fund of funds, the OIF. This fund, which is capitalized by funds from the OIC, has committed capital to private equity and venture capital funds that in turn invest in companies located primarily in the state of Oregon, as well as the Pacific Northwest region. In addition, a percentage of the assets of the OIF may be invested directly into operating companies alongside the OIF private equity and venture capital managers.

More About the Fund

The OIF is a fund of funds that is managed by Credit Suisse’s Customized Fund Investment Group for the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund (“OPERF”) and is overseen by the Oregon Investment Council (“OIC”). OIF’s portfolio is comprised of funds ranging from private equity buyout firms that invest in more mature and established businesses to early/seed stage funds that invest in young, fast growing companies. ... To accomplish this mandate, the OIC chose to develop a fund of funds, the OIF. This fund, which is capitalized by funds from the OIC, has committed capital to private equity and venture capital funds that in turn invest in companies located primarily in the state of Oregon, as well as the Pacific Northwest region. In addition, a percentage of the assets of the OIF may be invested directly into operating companies alongside the OIF private equity and venture capital managers. The OIC chose Credit Suisse Customized Fund Investment Group to develop and manage this Fund on a discretionary basis. The OIF was awarded an additional $50 million in May of 2007 to continue building the portfolio of the Fund. Contact www.oregoninvestmentfund.com.

Portland Oregon -- A Green Glow from Popular Science Magazine

Popular Science Magazine says Portland, Oregon is the greenest city in America, with San Francisco close behind. And given Portland's greenbelt and great public transportation, and the Fog City's dedication to just about all things green, that's no surprise.

How did those fifty greenest cities get green? Click x-----> Here

The seeds are planted. Look for a growing crop of small businesses in the Metro area to pop-up and add their efforts to our existing green economy businesses. JM

Joel's Journal: Constraints and Contingencies

This weekend I reached down into my chrono-file to catch up on some of the reading I have put off. At the top of my list was the bankruptcy, in September of 2007, of Columbia Aircraft in Bend, Oregon. Lancair/Columbia first came to my attention in the early nineties, as a Southern California producer of kit planes.

Columbia achieved positive national recognition in 2002, on the 75th Anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's Trans Atlantic flight. Grandson, Erik Lindbergh, "honored the Lindbergh legacy by re-creating the 3,600-mile voyage in a single-engine Lancair Columbia 300."

At 450 employees, Columbia is not really a small business. But their twenty-year history with Central Oregon, and growth from small business transplant to medium-size business, certainly earns both credit and examination.

I am sad that the unique badge of Lancair/Columbia will no longer exist. I am relieved that Cessna Aircraft came to their rescue.

*********************************************

Cessna buys Columbia Aircraft in $26 million deal

*********************************************

The four-hundred plus jobs, are promised to stay in the Bend area.

I believe Columbia's fate can serve as an example of constraints and contingencies for small and medium-size businesses. In 2006 Columbia Aircraft had delivery problems with avionics supplier, Garmin International. This created a months-long production delay. Also, in 2006, a hailstorm damaged 70 completed aircraft waiting delivery to their buyers.

Finding an alternative avionics package is not like having another hardware supplier on hand. However, the weather damage leaves me scratching my head. Weather is hard-wired into the psyche of aviation-types. Why potential hail damage was not part of their check-list is a mystery to me.

This can serve as a lesson to all of us to do the "what if" in the review of our business processes. The "experts" can miss something. Sometimes the obvious gets overlooked with extreme consequences.

Though this adds some turbulence to the Bend, Oregon business climate, the Central Oregon Economic Development Corporation has experience with the aviation industry.

Examples include:

PCC Schlosser, Precise Flight, Mt. High Oxygen Systems, Electronics International and Leading Edge Aviation. Additionally, EDCO is working behind the scenes to recruit new aircraft manufacturing operations here as well as suppliers, which will only add to the vibrancy of the industry cluster.

Another Bend based aviation business, kit plane Epic Aviation, has taken on a new partner. Epic will produce what is called Very Light Jets (VLJ)

In a deal that provides VLJ manufacturer Epic Aviation with the ability to accelerate certification for its family of aircraft, Epic President and CEO Rick Schrameck, completed a new partnership with Indian billionaire Dr. Vijay Mallya, owner and operator of Indian airline Kingfisher ...

Still, I am sorry to see Columbia Aircraft go.

Joel

FRIDAY'S FISHFRY

Small Business Committee hearings

Often, even in the best of times, loans to big business sucks up much of the capital available for loans. The House Subcommittee on Finance and Tax held a hearing for the purpose of improving the SBA's Access to Capital Programs for Our Nation's Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC - The House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Finance and Tax will hold hearing entitled "Improving the SBA's Access to Capital Programs for Our Nation's Small Businesses" to explore the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in securing affordable financing through the SBA's access to capital programs.

The Subcommittee expects to hear testimony from the Small Business Administration, and from banking as well as small business associations to discuss their perspectives on small business owners' needs for affordable and accessible capital.

Go to Original


E-business a struggle for small firms

Small business group ISME says many of its members are struggling to implement internet sales strategies.

In its latest e-business survey, ISME found that 61% of the 237 firms surveyed used e-mail for more than half of their correspondence. This is almost double the figure in the 2004 survey.

E-mail was the preferred medium for all areas of incoming correspondence, but the phone still accounted for 20% for customer orders.

Only 4% of the businesses surveyed were using dial-up internet, with 74% having DSL broadband access.

26% had no website, and 14% had no intention of establishing one. 49% of those with a site admitted that it needed to be changed or updated. 44% said that commissioning a website was a 'confusing and frustrating' experience, while 40% were unhappy with the level of business their site generated.

Go to Original

Online course shows small biz how to win fed contracts

Small business owners can now access a free online course that teaches them how to win federal contracts.

Offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the course is specifically designed to help women entrepreneurs and small firms in underserved areas tap into the $400 billion federal contracting market.

One of more than 24 online tutorials offered by the SBA, the course can be accessed at www.sba.gov/training.

The course uses both script and audio to teach business owners where to find contract opportunities and how to sell their services. The course also provides information on contract rules and has more than 40 links highlighting contracting resources.

Go to Original

OPEN HOUSE - Welcome!

Hello! Come on in! Make yourself comfortable.

Feel welcome to wander around and look. We're still ... technically .... under construction, so if you stray into an area where the crews are wearing hardhats we might ask you to put one on as well.

The design of a structure is important ... but the living in it is the telling point. We want you to find your visits worth the stay. We hope the resources we recommend are useful to you. While I am personally responsible for the posts every week, I seek input from a rich network of professionals I have worked with for over two decades. In time, I hope the posts turn from monologue to dialog. I enjoy hearing from those who appreciate my point of view, but I especially like to hear from people that have a different point of view.

Our foundation subject is Good Management. Good management has no economy of scale. It doesn't matter if you work for a large corporation, a medium-sized firm, or if you are an owner/manager of a small business. My personal interests and passions center on Small Businesses and the challenges to their owners. I began my work career, however, in the aircraft/aerospace industry. Like my older siblings, I was comfortable with companies that had teams of 2,000 to 20,000 employees, and project time-lines of three- to seven-years. It was after college that I had the opportunity to work for a small business and understand both the joys and challenges of the small business.

An article in the February 28th issue of Entrepreneur magazine titled, "Spirit of the Entrepreneur," described five characteristics of an Entrepreneur:

1. Passion
2. Positivity
3. Adaptability
4. Leadership
5. Ambition

While the personality of an entrepreneur, with their tilt toward risk-taking, may not fit the personalities of all small business owners, the five characteristics are shared by everyone that does own and run a small business.

I cannot promise that I will hit my posting deadlines perfectly, but I will work to post between two and three times a week. I have selected some general categories that are, I hope, of interest to you. Some of the postings will be exclusively focused on my city of Portland, Oregon and the surrounding communities, but others will be transferable to your community or situation where ever you live.

One regular post, "Friday's Fishfry" will be some tasty morsels that I have found during the week related to small businesses in general, or small business in Oregon.

"The Weekend Walkabout" will post next week's business/commerce calendar for the Portland/Metro area plus any tidbit related to small business or management I have gleaned from grazing the weekend newspapers.

"Nailing the Numbers" will be an occasional post related to Small Business Financial Management.

"Joel's Journal" will also be an occasional post on the craft, art and science of management. I want to encourage you to tune in to, and think critically, about the business environment we work in. There is a saying in the aerospace community: "Logic is a way of going wrong with certainty." Sometimes success means thinking counter-intuitively.

While I hope my weekly posts provide an interesting and changing landscape, I want you to also tune-in to the sidebar. I hope that I can provide for you the links that hook you up with the information you need. I want this to be an e-watering hole of a sort. The resources of other western states are included because I hope what our neighbors are doing may either be different or useful to you. Tell others about the links here. Tell me if I am missing a resource.

You WILL lurk! We all do it! But please, occasionally tip in. Respond to what is posted on this site if you feel you have something to contribute. What you say may be the helpful perspective someone needs or the assistance they have not thought about. If you disagree with something I say .... respond! Let me know why you think the way you do.

This is about you. We can make it interesting ... maybe even fun!

I look forward to hearing from you!
Joel

LISTEN

“The best way to persuade people is with your ears - by listening to them.” - Dean Rusk

Uses for that old laptop.

Several years ago I discovered that we ship our dead tech stuff to Asian countries (often China) where they scrap them. In the process, they look for circuit boards that can be rehabilitated or deconstructed for the heavy metals and chemicals in it. Huge mountains of toxic scrap accumulates in their landfill and seeps into the groundwater. The particular documentary I saw spoke to the ailments and diseases already showing up in the local population.

We have alternatives to scraping it. Consider this:

Lifehacker.com suggests that we shouldn't be so fast to toss that ailing laptop computer on the scrapheap. Instead, we can find some alternatives for it. To give your laptop a new life you could:

1. Create a no--monitor, low-power spare system.
2. Convert it to a home system/server.
3. Make a better digital photo frame.
4. Install Linux for a new (and faster) lease on life. A minimal Linux system can operate fast if you only use it for the web, email, and document handling.

Go to the original.

If reconfiguring for your use is out of the question, consider our own regional computer rehab shop: FreeGeek

Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
"Helping the needy get nerdy"
For more information about Free Geek, go here

FreeGeek will strip computers and other hardware that is beyond repair, and repair or rehabilitate for others who might need a slower, but still useful computer.

Avoid just sacking that old computer. Save them from landfills, whether in China or Eastern Washington or Oregon.

FreeGeek's retail shop has some great values.
Why not drop in for a look-around.

The Sunday Walkabout

Small business: Riding out the economic slowdown
By JAMIE HERZLICH | bizeditor@newsday.com
6:56 PM EST, February 29, 2008

Worried about the economic slowdown?

Needless to say, you're not alone.

Consumer confidence dropped from 78.4 in January to 69.6 last month, the lowest reading since February 1992, according to the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.

Although the results aren't too encouraging, there are ways you can help your business weather the storm, experts say -- provided you don't drag your feet.

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Quango Once Again Ranks Among 100 Best Companies to Work for

In its second year on Oregon Business Magazine's annual list of the "100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon", Quango ranked 22nd in the small business category, receiving high marks in the area of ‘Decision-making and trust’.

“Focused creativity is vital to our existence and has been a major reason for Quango’s success,” says Sean Henderson, President. “We’ve found that creating a compelling work environment free of distracting thoughts, concerns, or worries frees our employees to focus on client needs and deliver both superior-quality creative and business results.”

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From: The Sunday Oregonian
The Business Calendar for the coming week
Sunday, March 02, 2008

Portland Pearl Rotary Club: Featuring director Christina Barnes, Heart Walk, American Heart Association. 7:30 a.m., Ecotrust Building, 721 N.W. Ninth Ave. $10. Donald Smith, 503-780-9672 or donaldqsmith@yahoo.com

Portland Business Alliance ShopTalk Showcase: 7:30 to 9 a.m., Banner Bank, 101 S.W. Main St. www.portlandalliance.com

Open Technology Business Center: "The Four Practices of Effective Online Education." 11:30 a.m. networking, noon presentation. 15455 N.W. Greenbrier Parkway, Suite 210, Beaverton. $10. Registration requested: entrepreneur.meetup.com/1041/calendar or 971-223-4660.

Rotary Club of Portland: "A Contrarian's Take on Portland." Noon to 1:15 p.m., Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. $17.50. Registration requested: 503-228-1542 or info@rotarypdx.org.

Portland Business Alliance Green Team Forum: 1 to 5:30 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel at Lloyd Center, 1000 N.E. Multnomah St. www.portlandalliance.com

Wednesday

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Business Matters: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Beaverton Round Training Center, Coldwell Banker Building, third floor, 12725 S.W. Millikan Way, Suite 300, Beaverton. Free. 503-350-2007.

American Electronics Association: "The Power of a Professional Network." 7:30 to 8 a.m. breakfast/networking, 8 to 9 a.m. program. Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road, Skyline Banquet Room. Members $35, nonmembers $95, nonmember technology companies $55. Registration requested: www.aeanet.org or Kari Naone, 503-624-6050.

East Portland Chamber of Commerce Good Morning East Portland: Networking event. 7:30 to 9 a.m., An Daire Academy of Irish Music and Dance, 1505 S.E. Gideon, Portland. www.eastportlandchamber.com or 503-788-8589.

Society of American Military Engineers Portland Post: 11:30 a.m., Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, 112 S.W. Second Ave. Members $20, nonmembers and walk-ins $30, students $10. Registration requested by Monday: Larry Greep, lgreep@water.ci.portland.or.us or 503-823-6900.

Hollywood Boosters Business Association: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friendship Masonic Center, 5625 N.E. Alameda St., Portland. $10 for lunch. Registration requested: 503-288-3892.

Northwest China Business Council: "The Chinese Aviation Industry: An Intersection of Market Forces and Government Regulation." Noon to 1:30 p.m., House of Louie Restaurant, 331 N.W. Davis, Portland. Members $20, nonmembers $30, students $15. Registration required: www.nwchina.org/programs/080305cbn.htm or 503-973-5451

CCIM Oregon/SW Washington Chapters Luncheon: "New Withholdings and Other Changes in Real Estate." 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Members $25, nonmembers $35. 503-768-4299, info@oregonccim.com or chapters.ccim.com/oregon

Portland Business Alliance: "Doing Business With the Netherlands." 2 to 4 p.m., Portland Business Alliance Conference Room, 200 S.W. Market St., First Floor. www.portlandalliance.com Registration required: tom.dicorcia@state.or.us

Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Alive After Five: 5:30 p.m., Umpqua Bank, 18757 S.W. Martinazzi Ave. www.tualatinchamber.com/events.php or 503-692-0780.

Thursday

Portland Business Alliance Cornerstones for Success: Education forum for executives and owners of small and midsize businesses. "Igniting Your Referral Engine." 4 to 6 p.m., 200 S.W. Market St. $20 members; $30 nonmembers. Registration required: www.portlandalliance.com.

Metropolitan Business Association General Breakfast:7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Hotel Monaco, 506 S.W. Washington St., Portland. 503-223-6978.

Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce Sales Tuneup: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Beaverton Chamber of Commerce, 12655 S.W. Center St., Suite 140, Beaverton. $1 for coffee. 503-645-7905.

Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce AM Eye-Opener: 7:30 a.m., Public Works and Police departments, 30000 S.W. Town Center Loop E. www.wilsonvillechamber.com or 503-682-0411.

Portlandia Monthly Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 S.W. Salmon St., Portland. Registration requested: www.portlandia.org or 503-347-2812.

Rotary Club of East Portland Luncheon: Noon to 1:30 p.m., Rose Quarter, Rose Room, 1 Center Court. $10. www.eastportlandrotary.org or Walt, 503-335-9284.

Mt. Hood Community College's Small Business Development Center: "Finding the Data to Make Your Business Grow: An easy Way to Find Information You Need for Your Business Loan or Business Plan." 1 p.m., MHCC Small Business Development Center, 323 N.E. Roberts Ave., Gresham. Registration required: 503-491-7658 or BizCntr@mhcc.edu

TiE Oregon: "Building Successful Companies -- The Journey of Two Web 2.0 Entrepreneurs." 6 to 9 p.m., McMenamins Cornelius Pass Road House, 22115 N.W. Imbrie Drive, Hillsboro. Members $20; student members $10; nonmembers $30. Additional $5 at the door. Registration required: www.oregon.tie.org

Friday

Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Connect With Success AM: 7:15 a.m., Mt. Hood Community College Town and Gown Room, 26000 S.E. Stark St. www.greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131.

Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Networking AM: 7:30 a.m., Wine Styles, 7009 S.W. Nyberg St. www.tualatinchamber.com/events.php or 503-692-0780.

Beaverton Area Chamber Coffee Connection: 7:45 to 9 a.m., Mercer Windows, 10760 S.W. Denny Road. www.beaverton.org, Lonnie Martinez, 503-333-7854 or 503-644-0123.

National Consumer Protection Informational Open House: Sponsored by the Portland Post Office and the Postal Inspection Service. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Main Post Office, 715 N.W. Hoyt St., Portland.

Employee Assistance Professionals Association Columbia River Chapter: 11:30 to 1:30 p.m., Oregon State Building, 800 N.E. Oregon St., Room 140, Portland. Members $18, nonmembers $25, students $15. www.creapa.com Registration requested: 503-294-2180 or lunch@creapa.com

Oregon Business Association Forum: Ryan Decker, president of OBA, will present "Sustainability: Mere Buzzword or a Great Opportunity." 12:15 p.m., The Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave, Portland. Members $16, nonmembers $20. Registration requested: www.oba-online.org or 503-641-0990.

Tuesday

Oregon Department of Transportation's Portland Metro Area Workforce Alliance: An orientation for those interested in a career in highway construction. 9 a.m., Clackamas Community College, Harmony Campus, 7616 S.E. Harmony Road, Room 191, Milwaukie. www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/

Thursday

Mt. Hood Community College Career Planning and Counseling Center: Summer jobs fair. 10 to 1 p.m., College Center, 26000 S.E. Stark St., Gresham. 503-491-7432.

Friday

Job Finders Support Group: Noon to 2 p.m., Capitol Hill Library, 10723 S.W. Capitol Highway. Free. www.jobfinderssupport.com

Compiled by Mark Graves
The Oregonian



Restaurant firm chokes on own ambitions

Dining - A company's rapid-fire expansion in Portland leaves at least four new eateries in the dark and platefuls of broken promises

Sunday, March 02, 2008
KAREN BROOKS and JEFF MANNING
The Oregonian Staff

For N.W. Hayden Enterprises to pull off its furious expansion into Portland's competitive restaurant scene, the firm needed an exacting recipe: equal parts sound plan, steely focus and surplus cash.

Instead, Hayden boiled over with chaos and red ink.

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Scammers circle homeowners in peril
Amid the bust, a boom in shady foreclosure advisers who charge fat fees and do little
Sunday, March 02, 2008
RYAN FRANK
The Oregonian Staff

When a foreclosure starts, so do the sales pitches.

They come with a knock at the front door, a letter in the mailbox or a bright sign on the telephone pole.

"You'll lose your home if you don't call now!"

"Sign here and we'll save your home!"

"Stop foreclosure!"

But watch out for this last-ditch offer: A rescue from foreclosure.

Go to Original