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President's Corner
As we close the business meetings for the year, I
just wanted to thank everyone for all your support!
It has been a wonderful year for WBO, lots
of great speakers and information has been shared.
We've had so many new members this year as well.
It's all tremedously exciting! As I exit the board I'd
like to remind everyone, that besides our annual
dinner on October 24th, our next regular meeting will
be January 2, 2007 at 6:00 at Lake Forest Golf Club.
Let me take the opportuntity to introduce the new
board to you as well.
WBO 2007 Board
President: Jeanne Loveland, Café Marie
VP: Angela Riehn, Edward Jones
Investments
Secretary: Jan Davis McDermott, Echo
Education Enterprises
Membership Director: Lisa Hudy
Treasurer: Patsy Aiken, Miller and
Associates, PC
Program Chairs: T. Rose Roane,
Contours
Express and April Davis, Breakout Marketing Group
Website mistress: Hillary Handwerger,
TLCI Website Solutions
E-mail mistress: Andrea Blome, ABI
Consulting
Event Coordinators: Lori Shephard,
Simply
Scrumptious Catering and Carolyn Anderson-
Fermann, Simply Organized Life
Thank you again.
| in this issue |
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| Meeting Update |
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Doing Business in Michigan during Challenging
Times
Presented by Chris Holman
Michigan
Economic Development Corporation
Chris wears many hats; for our meeting he wore the
hat of Small Business Advocate appointed by the
Governor representing the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation speaking to us about Doing
Business in Michigan During Challenging Times.
Chris started the Greater Lansing Business Monthly in
1987 out of the trunk of his car, and years later the
business is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Chris
has branched to other entrepreneurial experiences
including Majestic Golf Course, H&H Advertising,
Renaissance Productions, and an overseas company
Ameriental Carpet Group. One of the most respected
businessmen in the central Michigan area, he has
been awarded Media Advocate of the Year and
master Entrepreneur. He hosts a morning talk show
on radio station 1320 WILS in Lansing and on the
NBC TV Lansing affiliate with his show Business
Today.
Chris’ message included these highlights:
Big business is shrinking; 100% of new jobs in
Michigan are coming from small business. Women
Owned Businesses are the fastest growing
sector in Small Business. Michigan is
looking at “Entrepreneurial Dynamism” as a way of
determining a state’s success in nurturing, fostering,
Caring Small Business.
Typically we know of MEDC's involvement with big
business, but now they have a small business
division. They wish to be the front door for your
small business needs. Small business defined is by
the MEDC is anyone on the other end of the
phone.
It is not defined by the Federal guidelines of 1500 or
by the State of 500 at MEDC.
Most small businesses go broke chasing profit. We
need to get out there and market. To help mentor
small businesses, MEDC now has an Ombudsman
Department to help with state regulations and other
questions; there are
Workman's Comp specialists also to help work with
you as necessary.
Financing Options are available through the state:
- Capital Access Program = MEDC guarantees
the loan through their lender
- 21st Century Job Fund - $2 Billion
- this year focusing on home land security,
alternative fuels, bio tech
- Charter One job creation loans, a 2 point
reductions on loans
- SBA and 504 loans that are guaranteed.
- Express and low doc loans
Resources
- SBTDC
Business Planning Assistance
Education
Counseling
Research
- PTAC
Buy Michigan
Emphasizing value purchasing in Michigan
rather than low bidding
Lisa Sharpe Webber
- Export Assistance Center
MEDC
- Focus on 200 employees or less with 70%
of their visits such as retention visitations
- Uses partnerships for specific needs
- Uses an advisory board of providers
- Compiles a business directory
- Online directory for Michigan Small
Businesses
- Michigan Celebrates Small Business Awards
michigan.org
800 946 6829
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| Upcoming WBO Events |
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Annual Awards Dinner and Expo,
October 24, 2006.
There is still time to sign up for a booth and dinner.
Mary Candando, Author
of The Woman's
Advantage: 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You
What it Takes to Grow Your Business will be the
keynote speaker at this year's annual dinner and
Expo at Travis Pointe Country Club, Saline, Michigan.
The Woman’s
Advantage features stories
from some of the country’s most successful women
business owners and entrepreneurs including Janice
Bryant Howroyd, CEO of Act-1, the
daughter of North Carolina sharecroppers and owner
of the largest African-American woman-owned
business in the world; Helene Gralnick, co-founder of
Chico’s, whose business grew from a $1,500
investment to 763 retail locations across the United
States; and Rhona Silver, owner of the Huntington
Townhouse, the largest catering facility in the
country. The Woman’s Advantage provides business
strategies,
coupled with personal accounts from these women
and others who successfully used these strategies,
and will include information on four key business
elements: organization, promotion, certification and
expansion.
About Mary Cantando:
Mary Cantando is a nationally recognized expert
on women business owners. She sits on the National
Board of the Women Presidents’ Organization, serves
as the “Business Growth Advisor” for Women
Entrepreneurs, Inc, sits on the National Women’s
Forum, and is certified by the Women’s Business
Enterprise National Council. She is the author of Nine
Lives: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on
their Feet. As a member of the National Speakers’
Association, Cantando speaks to women who want to
grow their businesses, as well as corporations
seeking to attract the lucrative, fast-growth market
of women business owners.
The Annual Award
Dinner will also feature
WBO members who have been given the Lifetime
Achievement Award, Business Growth Award, and
Nancy Ray Founder's Award.
Costs: Members- Dinner only $38;
with booth $60
Guests- Dinner only $50; with
booth $80
The first 70 people who
sign up for the dinner will be given a free copy of
Mary Candando's book.
NO meetings in November and December
Monthly Meeting, Tuesday, January 2, 2007
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| Opportunities |
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WBO ANNUAL DINNER AND EXPO
Sign up for a booth to display
and sell your products or services.
The 4x4' Booths are only $22 extra for members and
$30 extra for non-members.
BECOME A WBO MEETING SPONSOR
For $25 you can sponsor one of our Monthly
Meetings. You can speak to the group for 5 minutes
describing your business; promoting yourself to the
WBO members as well as "training your salesforce".
You will also be mentioned, with a link to your site, in
the WBO Newsletter and on the WBO website. So
volunteer today. We are looking for Meeting
Sponsors starting with the January Meeting. Contact
Carolyn Anderson-Fermann
THE WBO NEWSLETTER CAN FEATURE YOUR
BUSINESS
For $25 you can be a featured business in the
WBO Newsletter. Not only can you get in print, but
your article and links to your site will remain for even
longer in the WBO newletter archives-- support
increased search engine visibility for your site. So
contact Hillary Handwerger at
hhandwerger@ix.netcom.com to tell me which month
you want to sponsor.
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| Spread the Word – Tana Dean, Arbonne |
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A first look at Arbonne International introduces
people to a company with great product. Herbal and
botanically based skin and body care for all ages,
formulated in Switzerland and manufactured here in
the United States. Products that are Pure, Safe and
Beneficial. Pure - the purest ingredients available;
Safe - all products are tested for safety and
Beneficial - products that work.
For me though, it has become much more. I recently
attended training in Orlando, FL where I reintroduced
myself after shutting my business down for several
months while I moved to Grand Blanc, MI. Again I
was taken by the incredible people who, by example,
teach me to live at my highest potential. This is what
I SHARE about this business. It’s an opportunity to
change people’s lives – truly. I’ve seen it happen
many times.
I SHARE this business and product with those who
are willing to spend 20-30 minutes with me on the
phone. In that time I SHARE with them the
possibilities of an income that could change their life,
a company with integrity and a company that is
focused on helping people create prosperity and live
in health.
It’s a business that allows me to work at home for 5-
10 hours a week, train for FREE online, be part of a
business building team (I am in business for
myself . . . but, not by myself) and have FUN! Yep, I
said it, have FUN! And, anyone can start their
business for $29!
Incredibly I was paid even when I was moving and
had not worked for months. It was truly a gift to
know that when I needed time to be with my family I
received a check in the mail every month, my boss
didn’t call or threaten to fire me, I did not lose my
business and the future is filled with possibilities. Do
you know someone who is interested? SHARE this
information and have them call me. We’ll setup a 20
minute phone call, that’s it, and they can choose the
best way, for them, to be part of an exciting,
growing company like Arbonne International.
Tana Dean, Independent Consultant
District Manager
810.603.9325
tana@myarbonne.com
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| New Members, Please welcome... |
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Lisa Loesel, Portico Commercial Real Estate
Note: If your listing is not in the WBO
Member
Directory on our website, or there are changes to
the listing that need to be made,
please contact Hillary Handwerger or Lisa Hudy with
your newest information.
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| 2006 Member Discounts |
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TLCI, Website Design, Development,
Consulting, SEO, Marketing, 12% off, 662-0154
Healing in Motion, JB Myofascial
Release, 25% off,
913-4816
Helping Hands Computer Solutions, Computer
and Business Support, 10% off, 995-6875
Contours Express, Women's Fitness, $100
off, 761-8663
Cafe Marie of Ann Arbor, Breakfast/Lunch
Cafe, 20% off, 662-2272
Ann Arbor Diet Center, Personalized Weight
Loss Services, 10% off, 327-2800
University Bank, Banking/Insurance, 1 year
free membership, 741-5858
AFFILIATE OF
NAWBO
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WBO members meet monthly, on the first Tuesday
of the month at Lake Forest Golf Course.
Please join us. Meetings start at 6:00.
Find out more....
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