Calling Entrepreneurs: Maker Faire In Kansas City

If your small business has created a unique product, you might want to consider participating in the Maker Faire!   Union Station will host the first Maker Faire: Kansas City on the weekend of June 25th and 26th, 2011.  Maker Faire demonstrates all kinds of creations that people and businesses make--from new technology and electronic gizmos and robots to urban farming and "slow-made" foods to quilts and scuptures. 

Maker Faire:  Kansas City is an event guided by the staff of MAKE magazine and is organized by Kansas City-based organizations.  The goal is to bring together makers, crafters, inventors, scientists, artists to showcase their talents and products to the public.

The event is accepting application to exhibit though May 6th.  Interested persons must go on-line to register.  There is no cost to have a booth unless the Maker is a Commercial Vendor who plans to sell products.  In that case, there is a $100 fee.

For more information, visit the web site at info@makerfairekc.com



............................................................................................................We encourage your comments. Be sure to read the Bloggers' Guidelines posted in the footer of this blog. Especially see item 6 regarding anonymous accounts & postings. Thanks for joining the discussion!

Should you have a business in Kansas or Missouri?

After reading an article in the Kansas City Business Journal which reported on the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council’s Business Tax Index 2011 report, I am grateful that practically by fate we ended up establishing our businesses in Missouri and not Kansas. 


Fate? When we moved to the MidWest from New Jersey, we didn't own a business. We chose Missouri because we could quickly move into a house that fit our needs. It could have been Kansas!


This report is encouraging for all local small business owners, especially those in Missouri. It is also helpful for those who are planning a move in the near future. 

See the original story at:  http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2011/04/20/missouri-ranks-well-for-business-taxes.html


Cheryl Wills, CoOwner The Hard Bean Cafe
Cheryl Ann Wills
............................................................................................................We encourage your comments. Be sure to read the Bloggers' Guidelines posted in the footer of this blog. Especially see item 6 regarding anonymous accounts & postings. Thanks for joining the discussion!

Kudos to the Marines AND Sears

Seems a bit strange to give a shout out to the Marines and Sears in the same blog but if you read about Gunnery Sgt. Edward Schrank you will understand.

On a career path to commissioned officer, Schrank was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. While undergoing grueling proton therapy after the removal of his eye, he studied to earn a master of business administration on top of his bachelor’s degree.

And then Sears Hometown Stores franchise announced a contest called Operation Stores & Stripes to help a U.S. Vet own one of their stores.

Schrank won the competition with the people in his hometown of Rochelle, Illinois. Sears part of the deal was to waive the franchise fee, pay all construction costs, and supply the first ninety days operating funds. 

Why a shout out to the Marines? In Schrank's words, "“Once you can acquire a bit of finance and accounting, then the leadership skills that you have from the military environment ... will be the biggest competitive advantage. The military is a leadership factory."

Thank you to Sears for recognizing the efforts of our military veterans on behalf of us all. I wish Schrank all the prosperity he deserves.

See the original story at: Stars and Stripes

Cheryl Wills

co owner The Hard Bean Cafe

Cheryl Ann Wills

............................................................................................................We encourage your comments. Be sure to read the Bloggers' Guidelines posted in the footer of this blog. Especially see item 6 regarding anonymous accounts & postings. Thanks for joining the discussion!

Start Up America Partnerships Get Google Boost

Google ads can help small business especially when they're free.
Google just announced their commitment  of up to $100 million to the  Startup America Partnership—an alliance of the country's most innovative entrepreneurs, corporations, foundations and other private sector leaders. This money is to be used "for companies to promote their business with Google advertising over the next year."


Check out the link about Startup America Partnerships if you have not heard of it. I am grateful for those who have formed this program to help U.S. small business. Surely this partnership will have a positive, enduring impact on our country. What do you think?


Cheryl Ann Wills
co-owner The Hard Bean Cafe
Cheryl Ann Wills

............................................................................................................We encourage your comments. Be sure to read the Bloggers' Guidelines posted in the footer of this blog. Especially see item 6 regarding anonymous accounts & postings. Thanks for joining the discussion!

What SBA Offers to Help Small Businesses Grow

The programs are many and varied, and the qualifications for each are specific. SBA can help facilitate a loan for you with a third party lender, guarantee a bond, or help you find venture capital. Understanding how SBA works is the first step towards receiving assistance. SBA’s Role SBA provides a number of financial assistance programs for small businesses that have been specifically designed to meet key financing needs, including debt financing, surety bonds, and equity financing. Guaranteed Loan Programs (Debt Financing) SBA does not make direct loans to small businesses. Rather, SBA sets the guidelines for loans, which are then made by its partners (lenders, community development organizations, and microlending institutions). The SBA guarantees that these loans will be repaid, thus eliminating some of the risk to the lending partners. So when a business applies for an SBA loan, it is actually applying for a commercial loan, structured according to SBA requirements with an SBA guaranty. SBA-guaranteed loans may not be made to a small business if the borrower has access to other financing on reasonable terms. SBA loan guaranty requirements and practices can change as the Government alters its fiscal policy and priorities to meet current economic conditions. Therefore, you can’t rely on past policy when seeking assistance in today's market. Bonding Program (Surety Bonds) SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) Program helps small business contractors who cannot obtain surety bonds through regular commercial channels. A surety bond is a three-party instrument between a surety (someone who agrees to be responsible for the debt or obligation of another), a contractor and a project owner. The agreement binds the contractor to comply with the terms and conditions of a contract. If the contractor is unable to successfully perform the contract, the surety assumes the contractor's responsibilities and ensures that the project is completed. Through the SBG Program, the SBA makes an agreement with a surety guaranteeing that SBA will assume a percentage of loss in the event the contractor should breach the terms of the contract. The SBA's guarantee gives sureties an incentive to provide bonding for eligible contractors, thereby strengthening a contractor's ability to obtain bonding and greater access to contracting opportunities for small businesses. SBA can guarantee bonds for contracts up to $5 million, covering bid, performance and payment bonds, and in some cases up to $10 million for certain contracts. Venture Capital Program (Equity Financing) SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program is a public-private investment partnership through which the SBA provides venture capital to small businesses. SBICs are privately owned and managed investment funds, licensed and regulated by SBA. With the private capital they raise and with funds borrowed at favorable rates through SBA, SBICs provide financing in the form of debt or equity to small businesses. SBICs are similar to venture capital, private equity and private debt funds in terms of how they operate and their ultimate objective to generate high returns for their investors. However, unlike those funds, SBICs limit their investments to qualified small business concerns as defined by SBA regulations. For more information visit the SBA website at http://www.sba.gov Posted by Joseph Hood, UMB Bank..........................................................We encourage your comments. Be sure to read the Bloggers' Guidelines posted in the footer of this blog. Especially see item 6 regarding anonymous accounts & postings. Thanks for joining the discussion!