Future Plans Underway for 150 Highway in Grandview

The City of Grandview, Missouri has commissioned Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB Americas) to complete a sustainable development corridor study for Highway 150 between US 71 and Kelly Road.  The purpose of this corridor study is to accomplish the following:

·         Enhance the quality of all future development along the corridor, and

·         Improve the gateway character to Grandview, and

·         Leverage new and future transportation improvements along the Highway 150 corridor, and

·         Capitalize on potential for economic development along the corridor, and

·         Enhance the revenue-generating capacity along the corridor

The team has been hard at work developing a public engagement plan, developing overall goals and vision statements for the corridor, holding key stakeholders meetings, and working toward a Sustainable Development Vision.  One of the key steps in this process is a Community Workshop to be held on July 28, 2001 from 5:30-7:00 at the Grandview City Hall, 1200 Main Street.  At this Workshop, you will be directly involved in reviewing and discussing some visual concepts for future development along the Highway 150 corridor.  Please share this with your fellow business owners, employees and others who might have an interest in this important corridor study planning effort.

Submitted by Chris Chiodini, Community Development Director, City of Grandview

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Social Safety Nets: How Safe?

How have United States Americans lost sight of their responsibility to prepare for their future? Who taught them that their government was the all powerful, ever-present godfather of us all who would forever look after the children in its care? Did we really vote into office people who were so delusional as to believe they were working for the people in a process that could possibly serve every health and life need? Were we that delusional in the first place? Who blinded us? And, why?

I just read an article by Phillip Greenspun on BusinessInsider.com called “Why Social Safety Nets are Harmful to Economic Growth” which was very thought provoking. I hope you will read it, as well (see link below).

Not only is it one more wise word about how Americans have put too much faith in their government, it is also an eye opener to the wisdom of people in other countries who do not believe the same of their government. They understand who is responsible for their future and they do something about it. The evidence is that higher domestic savings lead to a stronger economy.

You’re right, Mr. Greenspun, “it wasn’t such a good idea to tell Americans the government would take care of them.”

My question is, how do we change the tide? What will inspire Americans to stand up and take care of themselves, which will be one more action to add economic stability to the entire nation.  Obviously, after all this time, it will take much creative imagination to educate people to save and prepare in a brand new way. (Brand new to them, not their ancestors, I might add.)

Do our readers have any ideas? Or are we all stumped to the point of allowing the status quo to over ride our creativity?

Read the article referenced above, here: http://www.businessinsider.com/is-a-strong-social-safety-net-harmful-to-economic-growth-2011-7


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Motivating Employees to Connect with Customers

I recently read an article on the American Express Open Forum blog that had several good idea for small businesses that are also relevant to our chamber non-profit.

The article notes that that employees who hear directly from the customer about how the companies products or services helped them, the more motivated the employees were and the more they sold.

The article also gave several ideas to connect employees with customers they might not otherwise meet:

1. Send Employees to Events
2. Hold Customer Events
3. Hold Focus Groups
4.  Gather Testimonials
5.  Speak Out

For example as in Item #3, the Grandview Chamber this year is hosting a series of focus groups by business type or neighborhood to gather information that staff will use for our future business plan.   These "Business Matters" events help clarify what we are doing right and what we need to focus on as a team in the future.  It helps all of us feel appreciated, yet motivates us to face new challenges.

For the full article, please go to http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-easy-ways-to-motivate-employees-and-connect-with-customers.  If you haven't already been invited to a Business Matters Focus Group, we hope you'll watch for your invite and attend!

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The E-Myth

At a recent Chamber of Commerce conference that involved 300 chamber organizations of all sizes from the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas & Oklahoma, one of our presenters spoke highly of the book The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.  Mick Fleming, President of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, said it was a pertinent book for our small businesses and entrepreneurs as well as our own organizations.

The E-Myth, or Entrepreneurial Myth, states that most new businesses are not started by entrepreneurs who set out to build a strong business but by technicians who enjoy the hands-on work themselves.  Because of the natural bias, most business owners focus on working IN their business when really they should be working ON their business.

There is, however, a simple and effective way to offset the E-Myth tendency.  Instead of looking at the business as a one-off operation, the owner should consider the business to be a prototype for a large number of franchises that will be added at a later date.  By adopting that mindset, the business owner will not only participate in the business as the technician but will also act as a manager by putting systems and controls in place as well as an enterpreneur who has a vision of how the business can create sustainable added-value for key stakeholders.

A business that is built and managed by someone who combines the approach of the technician, the manager and the entrepreneur will have a far greater chance of future success than one guided by someone thinking like a technician alone.

For those who would like to explore the E-Myth concept further, check out their blog at www.e-myth.com/blog/



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From a Consumer's Perspective

We have all heard the charges that Wal-Mart has become the symbol for American society. I do not buy this (pun intended). While I admit that monolithic discount stores have a strong hold on the American consumer, they have always shared the market with the multitudes of small businesses that line our streets. I know that the average wallet contributes just as much too small retail and service oriented shops as it does to large retailers and nationwide service chains.

As a fairly typical average consumer, I thought that I would share my and my wallet’s perspective as to where I shop and why. I fit into several different target markets -- mid-thirties, female, homeowner, and some disposable income to spend. I love a bargain and try to stretch my dollar as much as the next person, but I am also willing to spend a little bit more money to stay closer to home, have great service, find unique items, and support locally owned businesses. So what is it specifically that draws customers like me to seek out small businesses?

Location. I am not just talking about what is close to home. Most of us spend at least eight hours a day at work. With our time being stretched thinner and thinner, we are all looking for ways to make our life easier. If I can schedule an eye doctor’s appointment or drop off my grandmother’s pearls at the locally owned jewelry store down the street from my office I will. Lunch breaks are not a break for most of us anymore; they are a time to run errands, make appointments and try to eat a few hundred calories in between. Having a great little business down the street from my house also makes my life easier. I can drive by it on the way home or make a quick shot up on the weekend. Who wants to spend all that time in the car traveling to the closest shopping Mecca and fighting the traffic to buy a simple graduation present? Having something that I can walk to, bike to or just drive a few blocks is a much better way to spend my Saturday afternoon.

Size. I may have been born in Texas, but I do not follow the “bigger is always better” creed. Don’t get me wrong, I can spend hours going through the racks at Marshalls or wandering the isles of Lowes, but generally I have a limited amount of time. Inside a smaller store I don’t get lost wandering the endless maze of isles. I don’t stand in line for 30 minutes buying impulse packs of gum and magazines. Sometimes I think we forget how quaint and welcoming smaller places can be.

Service. Great service goes a long way. While I have received great service at large scale chains and stores, I generally love the more personalized service that I get from my small store that knows me by name. There is something to be said for being greeted by your first name when you walk in the door. Small businesses have a great advantage in one-on-one customer service interactions. Receiving personalized service and flexibility from smaller service based businesses creates repeat customers and a strong referral network.

Unique & Local Products. One thing I love about smaller shops is their ability to bring in unique and often times locally made goods. When it comes to dressing, decorating and gift giving nothing makes you feel better than knowing that you have something that no one else will. Supporting local craftsman and artists is important to me. I won't lie; I have taken full advantage of the bragging rights that it lends itself to also!

There are many more reasons --some tangible and some abstract -- that compel me to open my wallet to small businesses. Yes, large retailers and service providers are vital and thriving entities in our society, but our communities are made up of all businesses, small, medium and large. How sad would we be if all of our beloved small business shops and services closed their doors?

Submitted by Angela Brincefield.......................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's In a Name?

Everything. Naming a business is one of the most crucial decisions you will have to make. The name is more than just signage and a business card. It tells who you are, what you do, and differentiates you from your competitors. Your business name becomes your business identity, and you want to be sure that your business is presented accurately and without too much effort.

An article written by Phil Davis on Entrepreneur.com details how important an effective name is to a business. “Naming a business is a lot like laying the cornerstone of a building. Once it's in place, the entire foundation and structure is aligned to that original stone. If it's off, even just a bit, the rest of the building is off, and the misalignment becomes amplified. So if you have that gnawing sense that choosing a name for your new business is vitally important, you're right.” (http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/namingyourbusiness/article76958.html)
Expert opinions bounce between abstract names and immediate descriptive names. Abstract names have worked amazingly well for companies like Monster.com and Yahoo. But at the same time, their marketing and branding campaigns helped gain them name recognition. Some prefer that the consumer be able to instantly recognize what it is that your business does by its name. It is all a matter of personal preference and what you want to be able to build your business identity and brand around. In an article written on April 28, 2011 for Businesszoom.com, Kevin Grames outlines the five helpful tips below for choosing a name.
(http://biznesszoom.com/is-your-business-name-important/ )

• The name should appeal to you and your potential customers. Remember it is more important that you attract business then it is that you think your name is cool.
• Your business name should be comforting to customers. Most consumers do business based on an emotional attachment. If you tap into these emotions your business may grow quickly.
• Stay away from long and confusing names. They can be hard to remember and pronounce and consumers tend to shy away from them.
• Do not use names that only you understand or know the meaning behind them. They only tend to confuse customers and do not normally convey what your business is about.
• Finally do not use “Inc” after your name if you are not actually incorporated.

Don’t be afraid to enlist help from employees, friends, family and even clients. There are many companies that also provide professional assistance in coming up with business names and branding strategies. Having three to five back-up choices is also a good plan. Be sure to check with the secretary of state’s website to ensure that your desired business name is not already in use; you do not want to get caught up in trademark infringement. Another important aspect of a name to consider is the domain name. Company websites are an essential part of business today. Don’t be afraid to be witty and creative! But do remember to write it down, spell it out, and make sure that it cannot be confused with something else. While we all want our company name to be known, we don’t want it known because it was sexually suggestive or sounded like a curse word when spoken too fast.


Submitted by Angela Brincefield...........................................................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!

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



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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
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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

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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

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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!

How the Disaster in Japan Could Affect Your Business…

submitted by Bob Bennett, CommWorld of Kansas City

We’re not saying, “The sky is falling, run for your lives!” but we do encourage you to think ahead and be prepared.

All of us are part of the global economy. The earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear incident which hit Japan have rippling effects. Of course, the loss of life and the suffering of the people are of greatest importance. Our prayers and support go out to them as they begin the process of rebuilding their economy, the damaged and devastated structures and their lives.

This enormous disaster also has effects on electronics industries throughout the world. Japan is a major supplier of components used in all types of electronics from computers to cell phones, TVs, copiers, cameras, LCDs, automobiles, batteries, tablets, telephone equipment and more. Whether an electronic device is “made in America” or any other country, it probably includes components from Japan.

The process of making chips is especially sensitive to power interruptions, dust and vibration. Even manufacturing facilities which were not damaged may experience problems. Electricity interruptions, transportation and shipping problems and employee absences can contribute to a slowdown or shutdown. The research firm, IHS iSuppli, reports that the current inventory of components should be enough to keep production running at global electronics manufacturers if the interruptions only last a couple of weeks.

Reports of shortages, both real and imagined, may result in price increases. Already an article in Information Week reports prices for flash memory found in smartphones up as much as 10% and prices for system memory used in PCs up by 7%. It is actually too soon to know for sure if prices will increase or by how much.

After 30 years in business, COMMWORLD of Kansas City has lived through product shortages before and we know how challenging it can be. It was especially hard for customers who experienced an equipment failure when replacements were difficult to get.

We have not received official notification of product shortages or price increases, but we do encourage you to be prepared. If you’re planning to acquire electronics equipment this year, it may be wise to get it now. If you’re trying to keep old equipment alive, but you know its days are numbered, now would be a good time to replace it. If you haven’t protected electronic equipment with a battery backup or UPS, do it now and if the batteries in those units haven’t been changed in 3 years, be sure to get them changed, too.

COMMWORLD will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates the best that we can.

ABOUT COMMWORLD OF KANSAS CITY:

COMMWORLD of Kansas City, locally owned by Bob and Linda Bennett for 30 years, is a recognized leader in telecom. The company provides reliable, high quality telecommunications products from leading global technology manufacturers including Toshiba and Samsung. “One point of contact” means businesses count on COMMWORLD for Business Telephone Equipment, VoIP, Voice Mail, Unified Communications, Local/Long Distance/Internet Service and more. Their Experienced Experts provide technology solutions designed to increase your business productivity, customer service and profits. COMMWORLD offers the best warranty in telecom plus 1^st class service – guaranteed!  The company is located at

6200 Main Street, Grandview, MO.

For a free consultation, call (816) 763-1100 or visit www.commworld-kc.com.

Sources: Information Week, eweek.com, TechNewsDaily, Los Angeles Times ,guardian.co.uk, The Christian Science Monitor

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Does Your Business Have A Plan?

You have owned and operated a small business for 5 years. Quite possibly, you are thinking about starting a business. Do you have a plan for your business? You might think this is a silly question, but please consider the following facts. A study was commissioned at Harvard University some years ago involving the graduating class. A graduating class was selected and 20 years after their graduation, they were asked if they had written down their goals. Only 3% of the graduates had written down their goals; however, the net worth of that 3% was greater than the combined net worth of the remaining 97% who had not written down their goals.

I think there are many important lessons to be learned from this true story. The one lesson I want to focus on for business owners is the critical importance of developing a written plan for your business. For those business owners who have a business plan – congratulations! I will speak to your situation shortly.

For those business owners and want-to-be business owners, developing a business plan is one of the most critical steps you must complete if your business is going to survive and thrive over the long haul. If I could provide some insight into how you can develop a business plan, I offer the following:
1) Write the business plan yourself. Please don’t let someone else, who is not a partner in the business, write your business plan. You and your partners are the ones who have the idea, the vision, and the ability to translate that vision.
2) Don’t be afraid of the reading, writing and researching required to develop your plan. I have found that as I research, I actually learned more about my industry, my competitors and myself in the process.
3) The resources available to develop your business plan are innumerable. Resources can be found at your local public library, online through your local public library, magazines, on the internet, the Small Business Administration, your local chamber of commerce, your local SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), Small Business Development Centers, and University Extension offices, just to name a few.
4) If your plan is to secure external financing (funds outside of your own capital/equity), you should begin developing personal relationships with potential funding partners whether they are credit unions, community banks, larger banks, high-net worth individuals or others. Be honest with them, tell them exactly what you are doing and that you might look to them for financing.
5) Do you have an Advisory Board? Do you have a group of people you trust that can provide advice, counsel and feedback (honest) on your business plan such that you can revise your plan to make it higher quality.
6) In your discussions with commercial bankers, have you asked them if they might allow you to review the business plans of potential businesses that they rejected? These plans and discussions with your potential lender can be very valuable in understanding what a loan committee is looking for.

For those business owners that have a business plan, when is the last time you looked at it to assist you in making a decision in your business? If you spent the time to develop your plan, you must spend time using it on a regular basis to make decisions in your business. A business plan is a living document that will change over time but it is the foundation upon which your business was built. I urge you to spend time in your business plan and make the necessary changes using the steps I mentioned. I wish you all the continued business success you can handle.

Submitted by Chris Chiodini, Community Development Director, City of Grandview............................................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!

So You Want to Start a Business in Grandview, Missouri?

Submitted by Chris Chiodini, Community Development Director, City of Grandview

You’ve always dreamed of owning your own business. You have always been the independent type of person and want to be in control of your own destiny.  Now, the opportunity to start your business has finally come around and you’ve chosen Grandview, Missouri as your location.

Before you put “hang your shingle” and open your doors to that new business venture, have you thought about, researched and done the following things to make sure you are following all the rules of operating your business in Grandview?

1.       Have you contacted the staff at the Grandview Chamber of Commerce (www.grandview.org or 816-761-6505) to learn all you can about the business environment in the City from the perspective of other business owners?  This might include research on the demographics within the City, your potential market and potential competitors.

2.       Is your business going to be operated from your home (a home-based business) or will you be leasing space or purchasing a building in the City from which you will operate your business?

3.       If your business is designed to be a home-based business, have you spoken or visited with City staff in the Development Services Division (Sara Copeland at scopeland@ci.grandview.mo.us or 816-316-4822) to determine if your business is one that can be operated as a home-based business?  The City’s Zoning Ordinance is very specific about which types of businesses can be operated from your home and the conditions under which they must be operated.

4.       If your business will be operated from a location in the City outside your home, will you be leasing space or purchasing the building?  This is very important because the City has different zoning districts throughout the City which control which type of businesses can operate in that specific zoning district.  For example, you would like to operate a business that manufactures plastic and paper products from recycled materials.  This type of business is only allowed in certain zoning districts.

5.       Once you have the type of business and the allowable zoning district of the City, you can begin to narrow your search on available land and/or facilities to locate your business operation.  Most business people are not experts at the finer points of real estate site selection, zoning or real estate transactions.  Have you engaged the services of a commercial real estate professional and/or a real estate attorney to help guide you through this process such that you can locate the right piece of real estate, lease negotiations, purchase agreements or other real-estate issues?

6.       Once you have located what you feel is the right piece of real estate in the proper zoning district, have you met with City staff to discuss your business idea and its physical layout requirements before purchasing the property?  Many times, a piece of real estate is purchased prior to any meetings with City staff, and unfortunately, there are fundamental issues with the site and/or building that will not allow the prospective business owner to use the purchased property as intended.  An example of this might be that your business, according to the building code, requires operational fire sprinklers installed in the building due to the nature of the business process or chemicals involved, and the building you bought has no fire sprinkler system and the water lines that provide service to the building do not have enough flow or pressure to support a fire sprinkler system.

7.       The fire sprinkler system is just one of many performance-related issues that your prospective site must address in order for the business to locate and operate in that space.  One very beneficial service provided at the City is weekly Pre-Application Meetings that any current or prospective business owner can have with City staff.  There is no fee for these meetings and it gives the business owner the opportunity to discuss any and all issues with City staff that might affect their business such as off-street parking requirements, utility connections, building permit fees, inspections, site plans, building setbacks, building heights, perimeter fencing, landscaping, signage and screening requirements among other items.  To set up a meeting, you would call Sara Copeland, City Planner, at 816-316-4822 or e-mail at scopeland@ci.grandview.mo.us.

As a current or future business owner, there are many issues you must deal with.  The successful business owner will take the information presented above and study it, research it and contact City staff at every opportunity to insure that they are not only following the City’s rules, but doing so in a manner that saves them time, money and heartache.  We wish you every success along the path of business ownership and stand ready to work with you here in Grandview, Missouri

Chris Chiodini

Community Development Director

City of Grandview, Missouri

(816) 316-4820

cchiodini@ci.grandview.mo.us

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Article in Thinking Bigger Business Magazine

Below is an example of articles that are posted in Thinking Bigger Business Magazine. This is a terrific resource for small businesses to learn from and to promote their unique business through content based articles.

March 2011 Vol 20, Issue 3 (Copied with permission)

See the Light for Cost Savings
Reducing lighting usage can help the environment and your bottom line.

By Monica Bury

We are bombarded daily with news reports about how energy usage is going up. Some reports indicate that demand for energy will double in the next 10 years. We are competing in a world-wide race for energy resources, and there are even plans to build more power plants in our area to meet these ever-increasing needs. Energy related expenses affect your company’s bottom line, and make it difficult to hold down costs to your customers. Is there anything you can do to help reduce energy demand and save money in the process?
The answer could be as simple as turning on a light—or at least one that saves you money.

Illuminating Costs
Your business runs on energy. The costs are mostly variable, with the prices of these commodities being driven by supply and demand. Most are regulated by government agencies, and they try to keep the costs down to the end user. Still, energy costs eventually will go up.
The three primary areas that use energy in a business are production (equipment), heating and cooling (HVAC) and lighting. Lighting represents anywhere between 30 percent and 70 percent of your total energy costs. How can you reduce your lighting usage and thus add money to your bottom line?

Power Down Your Energy Needs
Having an energy audit, specifically a lighting audit, can tell you whether you are using too much energy for lighting. Inefficient lights can use more than twice as much energy as energy-efficient lighting.
Most manufacturing environments use high intensity discharge lights (HID), which typically use around 465 watts of energy per light. They also put off radiant heat that adds to your summertime cooling costs. Energy efficient lights can use at as little as 221 watts of energy per light while producing the same amount or more light. These lights also run much cooler, thus reducing additional heat output that results in more less A/C usage in the summer months.
These newer, efficient lights also have several other important benefits. The light levels they produce generate nearly 50 percent more light output than HID’s, thus improving the ambient light in an area. This improves morale, productivity and safety. These factors, along with lower maintenance costs, give energy efficient lights a big edge on existing fixtures. Incorporating instant on/off motion sensors will further increase your savings. Plus, additional savings can be found by retrofitting fixtures in office environments as well.
These lights qualify under the Kansas City Power & Light (KCPL) rebate program and, in most cases, can be expensed off your taxes in the year they are installed (EPACT). These additional cost reductions usually make your ROI for the project to between one and two years.

Below is an actual project:

Fixture Quantity X Wattage X Hours of operation /1000 = Kilowatt hours X energy rate

Existing HID Fixtures in Printing Facility
237 Fixtures X 465 Watts X 8760 Hours /1,000 = 965,395 Kilowatt Hours X $.069 electricity cost per hour = $66,612.00 per year

New High Bay Fluorescent Fixture in Printing Facility
237 Fixtures X 221 Watts X 8760 Hours /1,000 = 458,823 Kilowatt Hours X $.069 electricity cost per hour = $31,659.00 per year

Savings
Total Investment $78,093
KCPL estimated Rebate $28,672
Epact 2010 Estimated $20,731
Net Investment after Rebate/EPACT Deduction $28,690
Verifiable annual electrical savings (lighting) $34,953
Project will pay you $6,262 in first year
Project Pre-tax ROI 121.8%

Money in your pocket all subsequent years: $34,953

Old Monthly energy cost $5,551
New Monthly energy cost $2,638
Money in your pocket each month $2,913

The rebate by KCPL will be confirmed before the project begins.

As you can see, it was well worth it for this customer to replace their lights. Under the current economic conditions, or even in the best of times, it is always good to be able to lower your overhead and variable energy costs. Doing so will allow you to put more money on your bottom line.

Monica Bury is CEO of Pro Circuit, Inc., an electrical contractor performing commercial and industrial electrical and low-voltage service and construction since 1993. Pro Circuit has performed hundreds of lighting audits and installations.


Posted by Boyd Nolen, Pro Circuit, Inc......................................................................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!

Small Business Resource

Last year when I joined the Small Business Advisory Board within the Grandview Chamber of Commerce, we discussed what we could do to help businesses succeed, and what advise we might be able to give them to help. We all know there is not much substitute for experience in the business world, and connecting business owners and leaders together to discuss issues is a critical form of help. Joining chambers, business associations, rotary clubs, etc, can all help your businesses, not just from increased exposure and finding new customers, but also peer advise regarding business issues.

I also found local publications regarding businesses in your area are also good sources of information. One publication, thinking Bigger Business, is an exceptional forum for this type of business knowledge. Each month they have many articles from various authors, most of whom are business owners, or experts in their field, that detail out many of the issues businesses are going through, along with some ideas on how to solve problems and/or save money, which means bigger profits!

thinking Bigger Business's website is http://www.ithinkbigger.com/

They offer a monthly magazine and/or an email web version.

It is nice to read and see other business people with similar issues to our own problems. It is also nice to get some possible solutions for those issues.

Posted by Boyd Nolen, ProCircuit Inc...................................................................................................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!

Upcoming Events for KC Area Small Businesses

KC SourceLink has announced their upcoming March 2011 calendar full of wonderful and enciteful programs for small businesses, professionals and enterpreneuars.

Visit their website to see if there are any valuable classes that you could be taking to further your business advantage.

http://www.kcsourcelink.com/

Submitted by Angela Brincefield
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Inspiring Story: 5 Guys Burgers & Fries

This is a link to a great small business success story - 5 Guys Burgers & Fries. At the print of this story they were 570 stores strong!!

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100401/jerry-murrell-five-guys-burgers-and-fries.html#

Submitted by Angela Brincefield


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Deal of The Day Websites - Do They Work?

One of the newest marketing tools for the service oriented business is the
"deal of the day" websites, such as Groupon. Diane Sawyer with Good Morning America called it, "A new online shopping trend sweeping the country...community by community, mailbox by mailbox.". So, what exactly are they and do they work?

Groupon and it's most successful competitor, Living Social, offer targeted geographical advertising geared towards a mass group of potential customers through a one-time highly discounted offer. Grandview business and chamber member MaidPro has used Groupon twice and Living Social once. "Financially it [Groupon] has been a huge success and that is why we are going to run it again," reported Owen Carr with MaidPro. Carr did state that there are downsides with the deal of the day sites that businesses need to be aware of. Due to the high volume of people redeeming the one-time discounted offer all at the same time, a businesses job costs rise significantly during that time. For many small businesses, the workload can be overwhelming "...and it takes a lot of customer service and sales to service nearly 250 random prospective clients for free more or less," states Carr. Keeping staff excited and happy during this potentially hectic time can be difficult as well. It is imperative that a business know how much volume it can handle without sacrificing quality before moving forward with a special promotion such as this or that business runs the risk of being overwhelmed and leaving customers and potential customers unsatisfied.

For Carr, and many other businesses, the real opportunity with these sites and one-time offers comes in gaining that repeat customer, referrals, and the opportunity to upsell services and goods. MaidPro has seen a 10% recurrence rate from initial users. The Groupon weebsites posts several testimonials from business users with a 95% satisfaction rate. According to Groupon businesses receive new customers, measurable marketing, larger exposure and a new younger eager audience. All without any out of pocket costs. How does this work you ask?

A company decides to utilize one of the deal of the day sites, signs up through the site and agrees to offer one deal per day to potential viewers or customers. A predetermined number of people must purchase said deal or it becomes void. The deal of the day site then takes a cut from the purchases from the participating business. Customers who purchased said deal then contact the business to redeem the special one-time discounted offer. Due to the electronic nature of this tool, it lends itself to being able to link up to the many social media outlets as well; therein amplifying the potential customer and referral base through Facebook, Twitter and the many other social media outlets. Purchasers can "share" the link with their "friends". Living Social even offers a reward for purchasers to share their link. If three of their friends purchase the offer using the link the sent them, then that person's purchase becomes free. This is a great way for a small business to get their name out, with very little effort or cost to them. Groupon user Suzanna Linden received an offer for a 4-pack of discounted passes to a local water park. As she does not have children, she passed the offer to her boss who does. She states that she has been using Groupon for approximately a year now and loves the diversity of products offered, " Using Groupon seems ideal for a business looking to quickly boost sales and gain new customers," she believes.

There can be no denying that technology is changing the way we do business. Deal of the day websites such as Groupon and Living Social are embracing the new tools and bringing them to businesses. While they may not work for every business model they do have success stories and as time moves forward it will be interesting to see how they survive and evolve to stay relevant and how businesses will use them. Visit the sites to see how they work or sign up to receive the specialmoffers yourself.

Www.grouponworks.com
Www.living social.com

Posted by Angela Brincefield, Office & Publications Manager, Grandview Chamber of Commerce


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The energy and hope of 2009 rings true today in Grandview

I came across an article at ithinkbigger.com today that was written in 2009. It's all about the energy and hope that industrial and road development in and around Grandview sparked.  The article may be old, but the message is still the same. See what you think:
Grandview Mo area: Burgeoning Economic Development

submitted by Cheryl Ann Wills, c-owner The Hard Bean Cafe (one of the businesses mentioned in this article)

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