Examine Pricing

Here is a timely article about what companies should do to evaluate pricing.  This is important for the coming year as the market is still adjusting.  Enjoy the read:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/examine_pricing.html

2nd Annual Florida-China Business Summit

2nd Annual Transit Summit: Miami-Dade County

Creating Forecasting for Business Units

It is necessary in business to take the time to forecast or project how your business will perform in the immediate and the long term future.  Here are some basic tips:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/create_forecast.html

Should Small Businesses Be Allowed to Be Bigger?

Here is an interesting article about the SBA policies related to small businesses and thoughts related to adjustments that may need to be made in the definition of a small business.  Adjustments definitely have their benefits and disadvantages.  How much growth is too much?  Read and feel free to interject your opinion in a comment:

http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2009/11/should-small-businesses-be-allowed-to-be-bigger.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+entrepreneur/dailydose+(Daily+Dose)

Global Entrepreneurship Week in Miami-

Don't Miss GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK At the University of Miami's Toppel Career Center More than 50 Global Entrepreneurship Week events are planned at the University of Miami November 16-20, 2009 RSVP at www.thelaunchpad.org/GEW Global Entrepreneurship Week Highlights University of Miami Monday, November 16th 10 a.m.-noon: Entrepreneurship Fair, University Center 3:30 p.m.: Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship, Maurice Gusman Concert Hall 7 p.m.: Six Degrees to Success: The Art of Networking, Storer Auditorium Tuesday, November 17th 10 a.m.: Laurie Silvers, co-founder of the Sci-Fi Network, School of Communications, Shoma Hall Noon-2 p.m.: Entrepreneurs of the Internet Panel, Contemporary Judaic Studies Auditorium 4 p.m.: Romero Britto, Storer Auditorium 6 p.m.-9 p.m.: An Evening with Fashion Entrepreneurs, including Donald J. Pliner; Storer Auditorium Wednesday, November 18th 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Women in Entrepreneurship Day at Jungle Island; keynote speaker is Suzy Welch (panels are free; fee for luncheon) 3:30 p.m.: Watch first-round eliminations in Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library 5:30 p.m.: Leonard Abess, CEO, City National Bank, Storer Auditorium 6 p.m.-8 p.m.: Presentation of Ten9Eight and Q&A with filmmaker Mary Mazzio, Cosford Theater Thursday, November 19th 10:30 a.m.: Watch second round, Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library Noon to 6 p.m.: Social Entrepreneurship Summit, University Center Friday, November 20th 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Watch finale of Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Gaming and Mobile Applications Fair and Summit with founders of AlienWare, Destructoid and GameRecruiter, University Center Miami Dade College Miami Dade College is hosting more than a dozen events on its campuses. Go to www.mdc.edu/business or call 305-237-0620 for a complete list. Here are a few: Wednesday, November 18th 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Can You Sell It? A competition, InterAmerican Campus, Flag Courtyard 9:15 a.m.: Kenneth Rader, founder and CEO of the Cereal Bowl, Wolfson Campus, Room 1264 10:30 a.m.: How a Reality Show Affected My Business, Wolfson Campus, Room 1264  For more information on all of The Launch Pad's events and to RSVP: www.thelaunchpad.org/gew-calendar thelaunchpad@miami.edu 305.284.2789

Women Owned Business Event

Here is information on an upcoming business event for women:

Memoirs of a Woman “Women Leading Extraordinary Lives” And our Host University of Phoenix Invite you to a Power Packed Luncheon on Friday November 20th 2009 12:00pm – 1:30pm Leverage your competence and confidence to get the business you want, TODAY!  This interactive luncheon will highlight how to make powerful new business relationships by: · Making a great first impression · Using communication effectively · Building solid professional contacts · Converting contacts into new business · Cultivating business relationships This luncheon will be fun, engaging, and will get you connected to new business immediately, so if you want to boost your bottom line, RSVP today! Guest Speaker: David Suarez, Business Owner, Entrepreneur David Suarez, MBA is President, CEO, and lead facilitator of Interactive Training Solutions, LLC and has worked with many organizations to create, and implement customized corporate training and team building solutions to address pertinent challenges and needs.  A South Florida native, Mr. Suarez has been in the field of corporate training for over seven years, and has developed a full complement of workshops, strategies and solutions for small to large sized organizations. Mr. Suarez has been profiled in the recently released, The Actor's Other Career Book, as well as in The Miami Herald, Miami New Times, and The Street. Mr. Suarez is active in the South Florida community volunteering his time with several charitable organizations.  He enjoys cycling, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
PRESENTED BY: SUPPORTING SPONSORS
For additional information please contact us at  info@memomirsofawoman.com
Date:  Friday, November 20, 2009 Place: 11410 NW 20th St Miami, FL 33172 (305) 428-4910 RSVP to 954-274-4102 info@memoirsofawoman.com Time:  12:00 to 1:30 PM Registration beginning at 11:30 AM Admission: $25.00 In Advance Due to capacity limitations Lunch Included Meet other women business owners and develop business relationships and friendships to support your business endeavors. Create Extraordinary Connections Come and join your colleagues, and be Inspired! Sponsorship & exhibit opportunities available by calling 954-274-4102

Is Offshore Business Right for you?

The link below is for an article that helps business owners navigate the pros and cons of offshore businesses.  The key to starting any new venture successfully is investigation, information and adaptation.  You need to learn about the industry and see if your skills fit the venture well.  Enjoy the read:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Offshore-Business-the-Right-Business-For-You?&id=3239608

Establish Daily Forecasting

Managing labor and resources is especially important to small business owners in this economy.  Here is a good article on things to do to establish daily forecasts:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/establish_daily.html

Doral “International Business Exchange”

Here is an upcoming event:

Sell Value, NOT Time

One struggle that many businesses face is how to quantify the value of the product or service that they provide.  Here is an interesting article about what pricing figures should be based on; especially in services businesses.  Enjoy the read:

http://blog.smallbusinessadvice.com/2009/10/21/sell-value-not-time.aspx?ref=rss

Small Business Counselor Video Series: Business Entities

Learn more about business entities here:

Small Business Counselor Introduction Video

Here is the introduction video:

Small Business Counselor Video Series

Here is the link to the weekly videos that I am putting together for the benefit of small business owners.  I will also post the videos as blog entries here.  Feel free to share with your friends and associates:

http://robertmrogers.snappages.com/small-business-counselor-video-series.htm

Can States Save Their Small Businesses:

Entrepreneur.com has an interesting article about the things that states are doing in order to assist their small businesses.  Read here:

http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2009/10/can-states-save-their-small-businesses.php

Event Helping Businesses Connect to the Global Marketplace:

Make Your Business Global - Understand How Multilingual Website Marketing Can Work to Your Advantage

Here is an interesting article about some of the things that you can do to improve the online marketing that you are doing for your international business.  Enjoy the read:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Business-Global-Understand-How-Multilingual-Website-Marketing-Can-Work-to-Your-Advantage&id=1076615

Business Catalyst Networking Event

Planning For Your Small Business

Creating the metrics that work for you:

One of the major issues that separates successful individuals from less successful individuals is the ability to create and adapt a workable plan.  Because 2009 is coming to a close, now is an excellent time to establish your goals for 2010.  There are many resources for planning and goal setting for businesses.  I would like to outline three things that I have seen help in creating an effective plan: 1) creating metrics that work for you, 2) work the plan, and 3) adapt the plan.

CREATING METRICS THAT WORK FOR YOU

There first key element to establishing an efficient plan for your business is to establish proper metrics.  Metrics are the figures that are used to measure how well you are working toward your goals.  Good metrics are your stepping stones to achieve the goals that you have set.  They also allow you to track how achievable your goals are.  For example, if you want to achieve 5% growth in 2010, you metrics need to include the specific things that you will accomplish during the year to achieve that growth and the specific timeframe for accomplishment (i.e. marketing plans, improved efficiencies in pre-existing products/services, cross-selling, etc.).  The more specific the scope and time of your metrics, the easier it is to evaluate your goals.

WORK THE PLAN

Now that you have laid out your metrics for the coming year in order to successfully achieve the goals that you have made for yourself, the next critical element is to actually work your plan.  Do the things that you have decided that you need to do in order to achieve the goals that you have set for your business.  All to often, business owners lay out a business plan that will benefit, adapt and streamline their business.  Things they know that will help them to succeed, but when the time to implement comes, the owners/managers end up doing the same things that they have done in the past and end up getting the same results.  When we set goals to make changes, we must make a consistent, focused effort to achieve the metrics that we have laid out for ourselves.  This means that we must keep the goals and metrics in our minds.  Three good ways to do this: create accountability, set time to follow up, and keep the goals and metrics in a place in your office where you will have consistent view of them.

ADAPT THE PLAN

Given both positive and negative advances over the past several years, our domestic and global economy has significantly changed.  In order to succeed going forward, our businesses need to be adaptable and flexible.  As you are working you plan and evaluating your metrics, you need to determine how effective that plan really is.  As you properly evaluate the things that you are doing, you may need to make changes to the plan and metrics that you have created to fit the realities of your business.  By remaining fluid and adaptable, you can better succeed in your business.

Now is a great opportunity for you to create a plan for success either personally or professionally.  If you want feedback on what you are planning or how to implement your metrics, feel free to call me and we can discuss it.

Lending Source for Miami Small Businesses

Here is a interesting list of small business banks that have been lending to businesses here in the Miami area. The website does not state when the list was created but it does give a good snapshot of potential resources for businesses seeking lending in the area. Here is the link:

http://www.gaebler.com/Miami--Florida--Business-Loans

20 of the Best Resources to Get Your Startup Off the Ground

Here is an amazing resource for startups from Mashable.com.  A lot goes in to launching a new venture and one of the benefits of the internet is that it offers access to resources that allow people to educate themselves in the industry they are working in.  This article brings a lot of those resources together:

http://mashable.com/2009/11/05/resources-for-starting-your-startup/

Shelling Out to Keep Your Business Alive

What are you doing to keep your business afloat?  Here is an interesting article from Entrepreneur.com that discusses the lengths that certain small business owners are going to in order to keep their businesses operating.  Feel free to comment about some of the things you are doing in order to maintain your operations.  Here is the article:

http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2009/10/shelling-out-to-keep-your-business-alive.php

Miami de Gusta Event

Here is an upcoming event hosted by the Columbian American Chamber of Commerce.  If you are interested in the variety of Latin American cuisine that Miami has to offer, this is the event for you to attend to enjoy the food and network with others.  The information is explained below in Spanish.

 

La Cámara  de Comercio Colombo Americana se encuentra actualmente organizando MIAMI DEGUSTA festival gastronómico que reúne la más selecta muestra de cocina de reconocidos chefs y restaurantes de Latinoamérica en Miami. 

En este festival tendremos la presencia de los mejores restaurantes, chefs, y las industrias de alimentos, bebidas y catering las cuales organizan una serie de eventos culinarios ofreciendo a los visitantes una experiencia gastronómica única.
Durante el festival, se presentarán los platillos de los restaurantes participantes en una Gran Gala Gastronómica. También estarán presentes, en el pabellón de licor, las más reconocidas marcas de vino donde los asistentes tendrán la oportunidad de catar los diferentes sabores de Latinoamérica.

Al finalizar tendremos la premiación de las diferentes categorías las cuales serán evaluadas por un jurado de 5 personas de los diferentes países participantes. El evento  tendrá lugar el 12 de Noviembre del 2009- RUSTY PELICAN, KEY BISCAYNE 7:OO PM en un ambiente de luces, colores, olores y sabores que evocan a Latinoamérica.

Por este motivo, queremos invitarlo a usted y a la compañía que usted lidera a hacer participe de este gran evento, estamos seguros que será una gran oportunidad para mostrar sus creaciones llenas de sabor dentro de una cuidad que evoca la cultura Latinoamericana, MIAMI. El evento contará con la presencia de  importantes personalidades del sur de la Florida, medios de comunicación  y  numerosos invitados de nuestra comunidad, que se darán cita esta noche para admirar y festejar al talento Latinoamericano y para estrechar y celebrar nuevas relaciones comerciales.  

INFORMACION 305-446-2542 - info@colombiachamber.com

Nicaraguan American Chamber of Commerce Events

Finding Florida’s Export Financers

Here is information on an upcoming event for exporter and finance companies to learn about the current export finance environment:

DEAR FLORIDA CLIENTS:

We are pleased to announce our upcoming seminar on international trade finance for Florida companies.  We are working with the Florida International Bankers' Association (FIBA) to bring you this educational event where you can have all your export finance questions answered in one place.  We will also offer one-on-one meetings with representatives of banks that are seeking to finance exports for Florida companies as well as the U.S. Export-Import Bank and Small Business Administration.  Please register early and contact us no later than November 12, 2009 to schedule your one-on-one appointments.  Please note that these appointments with the bankers and financial institutions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, with early registrants receiving special priority.

FINDING FINANCING FOR FLORIDA’S EXPORTERS
US Commercial Service and Florida International Bankers' Association (FIBA)

November 20, 2009

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Intercontinental West Hotel - Doral

2505 NW 87TH Ave, Miami, FL, 33172

For more information, please see the attached agenda (tentative) and flyer and register at either of the links below:

www.fiba.net (Events Calendar)

http://www.fiba-events.net/eventdetails.asp?EventID=1183439955

Don't miss this opportunity to learn first-hand from experts in the field of international trade finance and credit.

If you have any questions, please contact sarah.cook@mail.doc.gov or 954-356-6640, ext 13.  We look forward to seeing you there!

10 Things You Can Do in the Next 60 Days to Market Your Business and Close More Sales

Here is an excellent article on marketing from Small Business Trends.  The holiday season offers both challenges and opportunities for marketing.  This list is a great summary of alternatives that will allow you to take advantage of the climate and build your client base.  Enjoy!

http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/11/10-things-to-market-your-business-close-more-sales.html