Go to the Fair

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Go to the Fair – This is one place small business should be

You may not make it a habit to go to the county fair, or community festivals like the Oktoberfest, but you might want to reconsider. The fair, and all the other get-togethers, are a great place to meet people and make a few business contacts. It’s also one of the best places to learn how your business can help the community.

At the fair you usually have an option of a tent or a building. Some fairgrounds offer tables in their air-conditioned building. Yes, it costs money. This is part of your advertising budget.

At the fair a huge variety of people walk past. You’ll need to decide what you can offer to all those people – and it should be free.

The newspaper offers free newspapers of the most current edition. There are forms for subscriptions and news articles at the booth (in the AC) and a display of past editions.  

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The New Frontier – Better than the old Verizon

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First, a disclaimer:  I worked for GTE/Verizon from 1995 thru 2001.  My wife has worked there (GTE/Verizon/now Frontier) for over 15 years…and she still works there.  If you read between the lines, you might figure out that she was one of the bonuses I got. LOL.

Last month, I began my post How to Make Lifelong Customers with this paragraph:

“How many times have you dreaded calling the phone company, even for something as simple as a billing question?  You know the routine:  A 20-minute maze of phone prompts, several transfers, then a series of never-ending sales pitches.  Somebody really missed the mark, here.  They can get away with putting profits ahead of customer service because they (basically) have a captive audience.”

Well, now I get the pleasure of telling you how 26 States are about to actually enjoy calling their phone company!  

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Global Entrepreneurship and the United States

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – How does the United States compare to other nations in the field of entrepreneurship? A paper released today by the Office of Advocacy titled Global Entrepreneurship and the United States (http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs370tot.pdf) by Zoltan J. Acs and Laszlo Szerb looks at this question. Using the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index (GEDI), the   United States ranks third overall; it ranks first on the entrepreneurial aspirations, sixth in entrepreneurial attitudes, and eighth in entrepreneurial activity. The GEDI is a research tool that captures the contextual features of entrepreneurship in 71 countries.

“Entrepreneurship is essential for an economy to grow and flourish,” said Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “This important study provides a better understanding of our strengths and where we need to improve in order for us to compete in a global economy”

The GEDI’s detailed rankings compare U.S. entrepreneurship and U.S. performance vis-à-vis the world’s other major economies. In particular, the index reveals that the United States is among the world leaders in startup skills; it is a leader in competition; and it is first in developing new technologies.  

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SCORE Webinar: How to Really Start Your Own Business

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SCORE announces new webinar:  How To Really Start Your Own Business

Event information:
Date/Time:
Tuesday, September 14th
Noon Eastern
Fee: No Charge
Sign Up Online- You must register for this webinar @ score.org

What You Will Gain:
Experts from SCORE will share starting success secrets, including focusing your business idea and where to look for small business financing.

Julie Brander has been a SCORE volunteer since 1997. She has 20 years of experience in business, having started a manufacturing, wholesale and retail jewelry company. After selling her business in 1996, she became a dedicated advocate for small business with vast experience and knowledge in helping entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses. More about Julie.

Steve Bloom started several business ventures in mortgage banking, real estate development and management, importing, sign manufacturing and business consulting. Steve has invested in several start-ups that provided opportunities in technology transfer, music videos and merchant banking. He is a lecturer at Emory University’s Center for Life Long Learning. More about Steve.  

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