GROW News
June 16, 2010
New Members
AwareCare - Blair, NE
Physical therapy, specializing in manual therapy, and exercises for people with Parkinson's and with osteoporosis. Feldenkrais, a method of movement education, that improves overall well-being.
Rocking Chair Inn Bed and Breakfast - Broken Bow, NE
Cindy and her dog, Scooter, invite you to come and rock on their comfortable wrap-around front porch or take a stroll on the quiet streets of Broken Bow. The downtown square has many shops to visit, including an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. The Custer County Fair Grounds are located just minutes away and have something happening nearly every weekend. Free Wireless Internet.
GROW Nebraska to host Russ’s B&R Showcase
GROW Nebraska is proud to announce that we be hosting an opportunity for food members to showcase their products to the buyers and top management of Russ’s B&R Stores. This is only for food members that sell wholesale and have UPCs.
We are thrilled that Russ’s B&R wants to add more local foods to their shelves. The event is free but you MUST be signed up for the event.
Date: Wednesday, July 7
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm (set up will start at 11:00)
Place:
27th Street Conference Center – Lincoln, NE
Don’t forget ... if your business is interested in getting UPCs, we have them available to members at a cooperative discount. For more information please contact
info@grownebraska.org or 888-476-9632.
Video of the Week
The goal of the eValueWeb is to provide members and non-members valuable feedback regarding their web site. Since $134.9 billion dollars was created in online sales in 2009*, an effective web site will increase sales of your product(s), as well as promote your business. The jury panel consisted of several web industry experts who have backgrounds in e-business strategy, graphic design, and usability testing. The jury will rate and comment on your web site in six areas: audience/purpose, graphics, navigation, content, functionality and search engine optimization.
Flavors of Nebraska
The new Flavors of Nebraska site is live at
www.FlavorsOfNebraska.org. Be sure to check out the site,
download your Flavors brochure, and rate the stops!
6 Month Survey
We're half way through 2010 already, and we would like to know about your experience so far with GROW Nebraska this year. Please fill out this short 6 question survey to help us evaluate how we're helping Nebraska businesses. If you have any questions or immediate concerns with our program, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org or call us at 888.476.9632.
Fill Out Survey >>
Fabulous Friends: A Little Help from Everyone Can GROW Nebraska
GROW Nebraska is launching their Fabulous Friends Campaign, searching for 1000 people to donate just $10 each who believe in GROW Nebraska and Nebraska businesses and entrepreneurs. Donating just $10 puts your name on our "
Partners and Donators" web site page. You can become part of the
GROW Nebraska Cause and track our progress in this quest. Donating is easy. You can donate through the
GROW Nebraska Cause, on our
web site, or by mailing in your donation to the GROW Nebraska headquarters in Holbrook.
P.O. Box 7
Holbrook, NE 68948
If you have any questions, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Sign Up for the State Fair General Store
Employees Needed
Are you interested in working in the GROW Nebraska General Store at the State Fair? It is a paid position and we are looking for all shifts. We prefer to hire members that can work three or more shifts. If you are interested in working please e-mail
info@grownebraska.org.
It’s A Grand Affair On The Presentation Stage!
The Nebraska State Fair will be upon us very soon. Plans are underway to again have demonstrations on the presentation stage. This is a great way to showcase your business. Show off your skill, whether it is cooking, wheat weaving, metal work or more. Be creative - the possibilities are endless. Times are available from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm beginning Saturday, August 28 through Monday, September 7. They are filled on a first come first served basis. If you are interested in participating please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org.
Have Your Product In the State Fair Store
Before we know it the State Fair will be upon us. Do you want your product in the store? If so, please sign up today! Prices are no charge for 2010 bundle members, $30 for members who work at least one 6 our shift, $50 for members who do not work, and $150 if GROW has to take down, haul and pack your product. This year's State Fair store is in Grand Island from August 27 through September 6. The store hours are 9am-9pm.
GROW will also be offering some training. Please let us know on the sign up form which topic(s) you like best.
If you have any questions about the 2010 State Fair store opportunity, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Sign Up Now >>
eValueWeb
Regular maintenance is a part of everyday living. Cars' oil levels need to be regularly checked. Children need yearly physicals. Even chimneys, air conditioning units and furnaces need looking after. Well, guess what? The same holds true for web sites.
Be sure to sign up to have your web site evaluated by industry experts. Hurry, sign up ends June 30!
Sign Up Now >>
Who Sold Online This Week?
Member News
GROW Member Encourage Me Kids was recently featured in the June issue of Nebraska Family Times. Congrats!
Do you have news about your business? Please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org.
Entrepreneurship Series Workshops
NBDC will present a series of workshops entitled,
Entrepreneurship Series, on the last Friday of every month starting June to November, 2010.
These seminars are designed for the new business owners, including those in the startup / pre-launch phase; for existing business owners, for entrepreneurship educators, and/or for organizations involved with economic and community development. Topics include legal entities, taxes, email marketing and business plan developing among others. Experts in these different areas will be involved sharing their experience relating to the small business information presented.
Schedule
Friday,
June 25 "Considerations that go into choosing an entity" "Issues arising from multiple owners of an entity" "liability issues" topics. Presenter: Darrell K. Stock, attorney at law and SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) volunteer.
Friday,
July 30 "Seven Things Small Business Owners Should Know About the IRS" Be prepared! Get down-to-earth clarification of your responsibilities and learn shortcuts to IRS services. Presenter: Shelley (Michelle) Paschke, Internal Revenue Service.
Friday,
August 27 "Understanding Nebraska Sales Taxes" Learn what the small business owner must know about tax permits, tax collection, tax exemptions and recordkeeping. Presenter: Dawn Holtmeier, Revenue Specialist.
Friday,
September 17 "Email Marketing: Big Opportunity for Small Businesses" Discover whether email marketing is a good fit for your business and tips for making it work for you. Presenter: Paige Cahill, Constant Contact -Regional Development Director
Friday,
November 5 "The Absolutely Essential Business Plan"
Learn the basics of writing a good business plan and why it is the most important ingredient for business growth. Presenter: Marisol Rodriguez NBDC-Lincoln Service Center Director
These seminars will be held at the Nebraska Union (14th and R Street) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and will run from 8:00 am to 9:30 am. The seminar cost is $10 per session
(cash or check at the door). Pre-registration is encouraged at 402-472-5222 or register online
here.
For more information, please contact Marisol Rodriguez.
Extension eShip Webinar: "The Security Squad - Keeping Your Information Safe"
June 15, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. CDT
The June 15, 10:00 A.M. CDT, 9:00 A.M. CMT, UNL Extension eShip Webinar: "
The Security Squad - Keeping Your Information Safe" will be on Adobe Connect Pro at
http://breeze.unl.edu/extension/eship
We hear it all the time - there's been a breach in security from someone hacking into a businesses database and taking confidential information. Marilyn Schlake, Associate Director, Nebraska EDGE and Connie Hancock, UNL Extension will be presenting general guidelines on improving your data and equipment security protocols. It is vital for every business to have a security plan? Do you? Then listen in on how you can develop and implement a security plan for your business.
The monthly eShip Webinars are coordinated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Entrepreneurship Initiative, The intent is to expand adoption of entrepreneurship strategies by communities and rural businesses and introduce new potential resources.
Presenter: Marilyn Schlake, UNL Nebraska EDGE Director & Connie Hancock, UNL Extension Educator in Entrepreneurship
Area Ag Entrepreneurs Produce for the Local Food System
This webinar will highlight a tour of farms in southeast Nebraska that are producing food for the local food system in Nebraska. UNL Extension has previously visited these farms in southeast Nebraska and learned about their operations, what they are producing and where they are selling their products.
Farms that will be featured include: "Grazin Acres" (Terry and Melissa Fulton & family) in Nemaha County that produces grass-fed beef, pastured poultry eggs and vegetables from a high tunnel and markets through the Nebraska Food Coop, at farmers markets, in local grocery stores, and at an on-farm store; T D Niche Pork (Travis Dunekacke) from Johnson County that produces heritage breed niche pork on outside dirt lots and sells to restaurants, CSAs and directly to customers; Pawnee Pride Meats (Paul Rohrbaugh & sons) from Pawnee County raise naturally produced grass-fed beef, pasture raised poultry, eggs, and pork and sell via a CSA, farmers markets, to the UNL food service and locally to customers and Bluff Valley Farm (Ken and Mary Grace Thiltges) from Richardson County that produces naturally-grown beef, lamb, free-range pastured poultry and when available free-range eggs that are marketed through the Nebraska Food Coop, at farmers markets, at a new on-farm store and locally to customers. I anticipate including a couple of other farms from the region in the presentation as well. This is an excellent opportunity to see how some ag entrepreneurs in Nebraska have diversified their farms and are adding value to their products by direct marketing to consumers, restaurants and grocers.
Presenter: Gary Lesoing, Nebraska State SARE Coordinator, Extension Educator in Nemaha County with UNL Extension.
To participate in the Adobe Connect " Sustainable Ag Webinar Series "Area Ag Entrepreneurs Produce for the Local Food System" on June 23 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM CDT. You will need to have a computer with Internet access and a phone to participate. At the meeting time, simply click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser to enter the meeting:
http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/nebraska
When you go to that URL you will find yourself at a login page. Simply click on "Click to Enter" under the "Enter as a guest" heading. You will then be prompted for your name. Enter your name and click "Enter" to enter the meeting space. The instructions that detail how to join the integrated phone audio conference will be on the screen when you join the meeting.
Anytime before the meeting you can visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the Breeze server:
Click Here >>
If you have any questions in regards to this webinar, feel free to contact me at (402) 274-4755 or at glesoing2@unl.edu
The "Traveling" International Office
Susan Rouch, Office of International Trade & Investment, Nebraska Department of Economic Development in Lincoln and Meredith Bond, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce in Omaha are packing up resources, experience and expertise and taking it on the road. The visit will include a 2-hour "export round table" and open office hours to meet individually!
Locations: "Export Roundtable" Locations for June: June 22, Norfolk; June 24, Doniphan; June 30, Fremont
They are open to any and all individuals and businesses interested in international trade. In addition, the "office" will be open for individual discussions with one or both of the experts later in the day. No fees involved and no appointment necessary! For more detailed information contact: Susan Rouch,
susan.rouch@nebraska.gov; 402-471-4668; or Meredith Bond,
meredith.bond@trade.gov; 402-597-0193.
Why Be A Government Contractor
The NBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center is sponsoring a series of workshops at the University of Nebraska at Kearney each month.
July 8 - Why Would Your Company Want to be a Government Contractor?
Discover how marketing your products or services to the government can boost your company's bottom line.
