STAKEHOLDER
Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters
Hiring Strategies LLC
Kelley Imaging Systems
​
SHAREHOLDER
J.C. Richards Construction Co., Inc.
Narrows Glen

INVESTOR
BrightWire Networks
First American Title Insurance Company-Tacoma
Garibay Homes LLC
Ideal Benefit Solutions
Leadwell Pacific
Milgard Success Center
Nicholson Drilling, Inc.
OBee Credit Union-Fern Hill
Paukert & Troppmann, PLLC
Polaris Payments
Shine On Signs and Graphics

TACOMA, WA – The Citizen-Servicemember of the Year Award recognizes the civic contributions of our Citizen-Soldiers (Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen) and is presented in memory of Howard O. Scott, who grew up in Tacoma and served our nation during World War II. After the War, he returned to Tacoma, and not only became a successful banker, but also gave much of his time and energy to community service organizations, believing that doing so is one's civic responsibility.
 
The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and award committee recognizes Captain Hans Zeiger, Washington State Senator, 25th District, as the 38th annual Howard O. Scott Citizen-Servicemember of the Year recipient.
 
Hans Zeiger serves as Captain in the Washington Air National Guard, is the author of several books, and a resident of Puyallup, Washington, and is deeply engaged in his community in a manner that goes beyond his service in the Washington State Legislature, where he represents the 25th District. For several years, Zeiger has worked as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 174; in 2002, he served on the Puyallup Veteran’s Memorial Dedication Committee, and in 2007 he began a project to document the stories of Puyallup’s World War II veterans.
 
Mr. Zeiger’s civic and volunteer activities also include membership on the boards of the One Another Foundation, the South Hill Historical Society, the William Ruckelshaus Center, Mainstream Republicans of Washington, and the Pierce County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board.
 
The Chamber, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Tacoma, will be presenting the Citizen-Servicemember of the Year Award on Tuesday, May 21st, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Tacoma. For details and registration to the award ceremony, please visit http://bit.ly/Howard-O-Scott-2019.
 
 
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jerrol Anonuevo
Social Media & Content Coordinator
(253) 683-4883
jerrola@tacomachamber.org

TACOMA, Wash. – The Tahoma Business Environmental Award is presented annually by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber to a local business for its outstanding environmental stewardship.
 
This year’s award was presented to Ocean5 – Table 47 of Gig Harbor, Washington.
 
Ocean5 – Table 47 received the Tahoma Business Environmental Award for, among other things, it’s innovative building which was awarded the LEED Silver certification in September 2018 for their building design. Some key features include:

• 3.6 miles of geothermal wells under the parking lot that heat and cool the entire building
• 22 bowling lanes using string pinsetters, using less energy than motorized free falling pins
• LED lights throughout the building, including the two-story laser arena
• Carpet made of 100% recycled carpet content, including material made of discarded commercial fishing nets left in the oceans
• Recycled wine corks used in the Salish Sea Lounge walls
• Grown and raised ingredients, working with local farmers in Gig Harbor and Pierce County
• Over 40 local taps of beer and wine, sending fewer individual bottles to the landfill

 
Visit Ocean5 – Table 47 for more information.
 
The Chamber is proud to recognize forward-thinking businesses and organizations throughout Tacoma and Pierce County. Congratulations, Ocean5 – Table 47! 
 
The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is a member-based, business and economic-growth organization, dedicated to making the South Sound the best place to do business in Washington State.
 
 
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Thank you to our sponsors:

Think your company is too small to offer great health insurance?  Think again.

Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Business Health Trust (BHT) – Washington’s source for employee benefits to provide access to high quality, affordable healthcare options to our members.
 
EXCLUSIVE CHOICES FROM MAJOR CARRIERS
Whether you have two employees or more than 100, BHT can help you create a benefits program that attracts talent and keeps your employees healthy and productive – at a budget you can afford. Their comprehensive offerings give employers a choice of over 20 affordable medical plans from major carriers like Premera and Kaiser, and a wide range of additional employee benefits including dental, vision, life insurance, personal accident and an employee assistance program.
 
MORE THAN INSURANCE
In addition to insurance, BHT offers comprehensive plan administration, and a wide variety of additional services, resources and savings such as on-demand virtual care, monthly wellness resources, cost-savings on common office supplies, business services, and up to 50% off on retail ORCA passes.
 
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPEN ENROLLMENT RATE GUARANTEES
If your business is in one of the following industries you can take advantage of open enrollment rate guarantees through June 2020: Media, Transportation, Maritime, Healthcare, Tourism, Hospitality, Aerospace.  If you’re not in one of these industries, you can still get a quote with rate guarantees through December 2019.
 
GET A FREE QUOTE
Even if you already offer health insurance to your employees, we recommend getting a free quote from BHT to compare rates and learn more about the options that are available to you!
 
Click here for a free quote

STAKEHOLDER
Air Mangement Solutions
Anthony's Restaurants - Anthony's at Point Defiance
Anthony's Restaurants - Harbor Lights
Dispatch Health

SHAREHOLDER
ADT Security Services
B&I Public Marketplace
European Wax Center
OOMA, Inc.
The Realm

INVESTOR
BathroomsVAt
Caring with Compassion
Color Street
Discover
Dreamboat VISTA Productions
Dunkin Diesel Service
Heavenly Cheesecake Company
Landlord Liaison Program
National Economic Education Delegation
People Ready - Puyallup
Puget Sound Transfer & Storage
The Law Offices of Smith and White, PLLC
The People's Parlor
TractionSpace

EXECUTIVE
Deep Roots Tree & Lawn Care LLC

SHAREHOLDER
East Tacoma Grocery Outlet
PrimePay - JULIE DAVIS
US Foods
WinSource Group, LLC

INVESTOR
ACT Capital Advisors
Amara
Charles Kim Dentistry
Coldwell Banker Danforth - ZACHARY SCHON
Gateway By Vintage
Heartland Payment Systems - VINCENT GIRARD
Kirkland Insurance Associates, Inc.
PNW Adult & Teen Challenge
Rooney & Associates
S.E.A. Construction LLC
The Spar in Old Town

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 
WHAT:
The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber Luncheon: WorkWell Awards, recognizing local employers who have made a commitment to creating a healthy work environment. Help us celebrate these Pierce County businesses that make health and wellness a priority in their workplaces. Connect with community leaders and get ideas on how you also can create a work culture that promotes healthy lifestyles.
 
Congratulations to the 2019 WorkWell Award nominees:

• Better Business Bureau Northwest & the Pacific
• CHI Franciscan
• City of Tacoma
• GeoEngineers
• Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
• Harts Services
• HopeSparks
• MultiCare
• SiteCrafting
• The Doty Group
• TrueBlue

 
WHEN:
Friday, February 8, 2019
11:30A to 1:30P
 
WHERE:
Pacific Grill Events Center
1530 Pacific Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98402
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Visit the Chamber’s website for more information about nominees, sponsors, and event details.
 
For more information about Chamber Luncheon and/or the WorkWell Awards, contact info@tacomachamber.org or (253) 627-2175

-----------

JERROL ANONUEVO
Social Media & Content Coordinator
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber
jerrola@tacomachamber.org
(253) 683-4883 

The partial federal government shutdown was a last-minute star of the show for those involved in the 2019 Horizons Economic Forecast, held early Wednesday at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center.

The annual event, organized by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, brought together economists offering a national and local perspective on the economy, with both mentioning the effect of uncertainty from the current shutdown.

The shutdown also kept U.S. Reps. Denny Heck and Derek Kilmer from attending as speakers, as they were both called back to Washington, D.C. Both appeared in video presentations.

The event’s keynote speaker, Jon Haveman, executive director of the National Economic Education Delegation, said that while the U.S. economy has grown, it’s not been enough to make up for lost time from the recession, notably from personal consumption expenditures falling below expected trends.

Tied to that is the fact that national figures on household debt also are down, and we’re saving more, essentially spending less.

Another component is housing investments and expenditures.

“Our population is growing, but our population is also aging,” he said. “The economy is slowing, so the demand for new housing is down.”

Regardless, there’s no sign of a downturn in home prices, Haveman added.
“We’re at a point in time in the U.S. economy where it could kind of go either way,” he said.

He cited the need for more workers for available jobs nationwide.

“We’ve got lots of labor on the sidelines that could come in and increase productivity, increase GDP growth,” Haveman said, also noting that tougher immigration policies will have a ripple effect on reducing the labor force, further hurting economic growth.

He ticked off things to worry about: stock market volatility, trade policy uncertainty, immigration policy, the government shutdown and government debt crowding out other spending such as for roads and security.

Neal Johnson, principal of Sound Resource Economics and author of the Pierce County Economic Index, was interviewed by Tom Layson of KBTC’s Northwest Now. Johnson echoed Haveman’s concerns on potential tariffs and their effects on the county’s large trade and transportation sector.

“That’s probably a bigger risk than the government shutdown,” Johnson said. “You might see some slowdown in that sector going forward, but I think overall the county’s robust enough that we would weather that.”

As far as the shutdown’s effect locally, Johnson thought in the short term it would be seen most notably in the retail spending side.

Aside from the D.C. drama, the local economic index projected slower growth for 2019 compared with the previous two years.

Other highlights from the index’s executive summary:
▪ Jobs: Just under 10,000 jobs were created last year in Pierce County, with a projected 9,700 jobs to be added in 2019.

▪ Personal Income: Total real personal income estimated to have grown 4.6 percent in 2018, with the per capita rate of 2.6 percent. For 2019, 3.1 percent increase in total real personal income with a per capita rate of growth at 1.2 percent.

▪ Taxable retail sales: Total taxable retail sales grew 7.4 percent to $17.1 billion in 2018; forecast to increase at an annual rate of 4.1 percent through the end of the year.

▪ Housing and real estate: New listings declined 1.4 percent compared with 2017, closed sales fell 5.2 percent with active listings 13.4 percent lower in the fourth quarter than the previous year. The county’s affordability index also declined through 2018 after a more stable 2017. The affordability index is expected to trend lower for 2019, which indicates even less affordable housing.

“I was kind of surprised that buyers are perhaps a little myopic. They see mortgage rates going up, so they hold off on buying,” Johnson said. “But I think if they look at the data, mortgage rates are likely to continue going up.
​
“So if they’re delaying buying a house with the hopes of getting a lower mortgage rate ... good luck.”

▪ Port of Tacoma, Northwest Seaport Alliance: Combined international and domestic volumes projected to grow 2 percent in 2019. NWSA’s market share for U.S. West Coast international container volume, according to the index, was projected to end 2018 at 13.3 percent, down from 13.4 percent in 2017 and 14.2 percent in 2016.

Johnson, in remarks Wednesday, and the index itself pointed to competition from the Canadian ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver as the root cause of the decline.

Original Article by The News Tribune
Author: Debbie Cockwell
JANUARY 23, 2019 01:55 PM

TACOMA, Wash. – Every business depends on a healthy local income, a thriving real estate environment, retail growth, B2B opportunities, or our local port, manufacturing, and industry sectors and forecasting the state of the economy is vital to making sound business decisions. You don’t want to miss the 2019 Horizons Economics Forecast Breakfast – Wednesday, January 23rd, 7:00A to 9:00A at Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center.
 
Local Economist and Researcher Dr. Neal Johnson of Sound Resource Economics, alongside Tom Layson, Host and Producer of KBTC’s Northwest Now, will be presenting original commissioned research – the Pierce County Economic Index (PCEI) report -- which forecasts the upcoming economic landscape of Pierce County and what to expect in 2019. Attendees of event will later have all-exclusive access to a website version of the PCEI Report.
 
Dr. Jon D. Haveman, Executive Director of the National Economic Education Delegation (NEED) will be this year’s national economist. Dr. Haveman has published extensively on a wide variety of economic issues. He also has a lengthy record of publishing articles in the areas of labor and international economics and a work history related to private asset accumulation. A well-known media commentator, Dr. Haveman has been quoted in The Economist, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee, and San Jose Mercury News, among many other publications. His radio and television appearances include regular interviews on CBS Channel 5 in San Francisco, and interviews on KCBS AM, KGO AM, and KQED public radio. Dr. Haveman speaks regularly at and has testified at numerous federal and state government hearings on issues related to seaport activity and security, technology trade, and local economic development.
 
 
Visit http://bit.ly/Horizons2019 for more information on the event, speakers, and sponsors.
 
 
 
Media Contact:
TOM PIERSON
President & CEO
Tacoma Pierce County Chamber
TomP@tacomachamber.org
 
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​

As we prepare to ring in 2019, we would like to highlight our top 10 achievements of 2018:​

10 - Chamber Launches New Website
To kick-off the new fiscal year, the Chamber launched a new website on October 1, 2018. This mobile-friendly site with easy navigation aims to be a top business resource in the South Sound by providing insightful articles from area experts, instructions on how to maximize your Chamber membership, and much more!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE


9 - South Sound Summit Reaches New Heights
Over 500 area leaders attended the 2nd annual South Sound Summit, featuring keynote speaker Mitch Lowe, Co-Founder of Netflix and CEO of MoviePass. Attendees heard lightning talks called, “Influencers of the South Sound” from local business and community leaders including Congressmembers Derek Kilmer and Denny Heck, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, and Developers Loren Cohen and Mike Absher. Attendees also learned new skills during “Tactical Business Solutions,” where topics including HR, marketing, and tech, were designed to provide practical business applications.

MORE INFORMATION ON SOUTH SOUND SUMMIT


8 - World Trade Center Launches New Export Store
The World Trade Center Tacoma Export Store is a Business-to-Business (B2B) Cross-Border e-commerce store hosted on Alibaba.com, the world’s largest B2B e-commerce platform. Local businesses can easily enter foreign markets and showcase their products and services across a network that reaches over 150 countries.

VISIT WTCTA'S EXPORT STORE


7 - BIA Tacoma Renews for Ten More Years
With three decades of experience providing maintenance, security, and cleaning streetscapes in an 84-block district, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) Tacoma was voted unanimously to be renewed to 2028. This dynamic organization helps keep downtown safe, clean and accessible through security services, graffiti removal, maintenance, and beautification. FAST FACT -- BIA Tacoma made it possible for the Tacoma Link to be a “no-fee” ride!

LEARN MORE ABOUT BIA TACOMA


6 - Spaceworks Increases Entrepreneur Footprint
Through Spaceworks Tacoma’s Business Incubator program, the Chamber supported six businesses in a new space and eight more in the business planning stage. The Incubator program provides relevant and meaningful small business training, technical assistance, workshops, coaching, and peer-to-peer support to entrepreneurs creating or growing Tacoma-based businesses.

MORE INFORMATION ON SPACEWORKS' INCUBATOR PROGRAM


5 - Veteran Business Service: Job Placements and Chamber Valor of the Year Recipient
During five years of partnership with Camo2Commerce, 1,440 servicemembers and spouses were placed in permanent, family-wage jobs. Of these, 99 were placed by the Chamber’s Veteran and Business Services (VBS) team in 2018! As a result of their work supporting our local heroes, the Chamber was honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Hiring Our Heroes as the 2018 Chamber Valor of the Year recipient.


4 - A HUGE Win for Business: Interim Regulations Renewed Without Amendments
In November 13, Tacoma City Council voted to renew the existing Tideflats Interim Regulations as-is with no amendments, a big WIN for industrial lands in Tacoma which will allow continued growth and investment from our existing businesses.

SEE MORE ABOUT INTERIM REGULATIONS RENEWAL


3 - Sue's Tech Kitchen Comes to Tacoma
Randi Zuckerberg, serial entrepreneur and creator of Facebook Live, brought Sue’s Tech Kitchen, a tech-fueled wonderland, to Tacoma. Sue’s Tech Kitchen, which was designed to spark interest in STEM and cutting-edge technology among youth, introduced over 3,000 local kids to binary code, algorithms, chemistry and more during the three-day event at the Armory. FAST FACT -- Tacoma was chosen as one of only nine cities across the country (and was the only west coast location) to host this exclusive event.

SEE RECAP VIDEO


2 - Manufacturing Industrial Council Launched
The Manufacturing Industrial Council of the South Sound (MIC South Sound) grew from the momentum created by the Place for Job coalition. MIC South Sound is the voice for the manufacturing, industrial, and maritime community and promotes & enhances a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries. It is dedicated to safeguarding and improving people’s lives, creating a sustainable environment, and providing the jobs that anchor Washington’s economy.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL SOUTH SOUND


​1 - CHAMBER BREAKS THE INTERNET! No Head Tax Here
In May 2018, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to implement a Head Tax on employees,penalizing employers in an attempt to balance failed budget policies on the backs of business. This $275 tax per employee on companies grossing at least $20 million per year was bad news for regional economic development. The Chamber reacted quickly, letting Seattle employers know that this is NOT how we do business in Pierce County. The Chamber produced a 30-second video and promoted it heavily across all social media channels. The video, which quickly went viral, championed the region letting everyone know that the South Sound is, “Open for Business.” The Head Tax was quickly recalled by City Council.

VIRAL HEAD TAX VIDEO

​Most individuals and business owners are quite familiar with the usual services that an accountant can provide – tax preparation, audits, and standard bookkeeping services. What you might not already understand are some of the ways that an accountant can help you before you’re in a position of needing help for stressful or negative reasons.

1. Trusted Partnership
   Accounting is a complex language of business, and an accountant is much like an expert “translator” in the business world. They serve the role as a trusted partner - able to assist in a variety of ways including bookkeeping, tax, audit, financial reporting, consulting, etc. The best accountants will be your biggest cheerleader, maintain your best interests, and develop a long-lasting relationship with you and/or your business.
   
   
2. Strategic Growth
   If you’re a new business owner, consulting with an accounting professional can allow you to focus on your strengths, while they focus on the accounting. Outsourcing the CFO or Controller-level of work or hiring an accountant allows you more free time to focus on other business-related matters. Although hiring an accountant can be costly, the cost is an investment into the success of your business. Engaging an accountant provides valuable insight into the most efficient ways to boost income while driving down costs.
   
   
3. Tax Preparation
   For most, the mention of taxes seems daunting. Most public accountants provide tax services like tax/estate planning, tax filing, and of course, tax return preparation. Tax accountants keep up with the ever-changing tax laws to provide deduction maximization and search for additional tax benefits when applicable, knowing for certain that you have the support of an expert well-versed in the laws.
   
   
4. Personal Investing
   Whether you’re a first time or experienced investor, an investment accountant can aid in managing your investment portfolio. Examples of an investment accountant’s specialized work include staying current with regulations for reporting/management purposes, as well as tracking your returns on investments. Hiring an accountant can help individuals to get more ‘bang’ for their buck.
   
   
5. External Auditing
   ​External auditors give your financial statements an extra boost in quality and credibility. An audit will essentially measure the health of your business for internal and/or external use. External auditors will work with you and your financials to detect possible areas of weakness and areas for improvement in your business practices. Contrary to common auditor stereotypes, auditors want to see your business succeed by providing reasonable assurance that fraud is being prevented and government compliance is being followed in the world of business. They are not to be feared! 

EVENT MARKETING STRATEGIES
Whether your next event is a fundraiser or a friend-raiser, developing an event marketing plan is key to making it a success. Every possible opportunity to connect with your guests needs to be considered. Today’s customers are more empowered than ever, and there are so many variables when it comes to events. There is no one-size-fits-all approach; however, whether your objective is to generate leads, build a brand, educate the audience on a product, or raise funds for a good cause, there are proven event marketing tactics for all stages of the event that will make yours stand out.

Before the Event
Let’s start with the basics: the invite list, the save-the-date, the invitation and RSVP’s. Event marketing is dual purpose when it comes to the planning stages. It’s great advertising to invite people to events; events expose people to your brand and gets them interested, talking and sharing about it. At the same time, being on top of tracking registrations helps you plan for the number of guests. Using a software program that tracks attendees and handles ticket sales is a must. There are many low-cost cloud-based options out there, and a lot of them have built-in integration to connect with your email marketing and social media marketing.

Depending on the event and target market, invitations and RSVP’s may be physical paper mailers or online registrations. Many times, the sweet spot of an event is a combination of both. If physical marketing pieces are being sent out, this will be one of your higher event marketing expenses unless you are able to print in-house. In order to get the most bang for your buck, make sure your team is organizing the mail data. When there’s no link to click, tracking data can be tricky. Some trusted ways to capture response rates from physical marketing pieces are by printing a unique phone number or email address for the event. If applicable, include a coupon, raffle ticket or contest entry that you can collect at the event. Making these strategic event marketing choices can save you time and money for next time, showing you what’s really working to bring in guests.

If you have an email list, now’s the time to put it to use. Just like traditional mail, save-the-dates should be sent out months in advance, followed by an official invitation. Reminders for registering should be sent out on a weekly basis, then some final notices 2-days and 1-day before the event. Find creative ways to switch up the emails each time so they aren’t repetitive. If there are guest speakers, add content with their biographies. If there’s a key topic for the event, include different photos and videos in each email. Answer frequently asked questions and provide new tidbits of information. You’ll get a better turnout by communicating with your audience early and often leading up to the event.

Another approach to event marketing is taking advantage of local press. Almost every newspaper or city-based website has an event calendar, and most are free to post event listings on. This works best for in-person events, but also has great SEO value by providing a lot of external links to your website. Keep a list of local journalists and send a press release to them. If a member of the press responds with interest in your event, offer them a free invite. Keep a list online calendars, their login information, and posting deadlines.

READ MORE >

It may seem like advertising and marketing are two concepts that share exactly the same objective. In fact, they do have the same objective: alerting consumers to products and services being sold. Marketing and advertising have many things in common, but there are some differences.

Comprehension of these differences and similarities will help any business or organization with their strategy for customer and audience acquisition.

Marketing
Marketing is a process that involves design, creation, research, and data mining about how to best align the idea of a product or service with the target audience. This gives the company top-of-mind awareness and name recognition. Marketing can be expensive but really should come first.

How Do You Market?
Marketing involves research and analysis. This involves studying audience response and creating language and design that will best influence your target audience. Certain groups of consumers respond better to images and words than others. Slogans and mission statements that best communicate the “message” of the product are essential to marketing. Marketing strategy can be broken down into the 5 P’s: product, place, price people and promotion.

What Is Advertising?
Advertising is the literal process of making a product and service known to an audience. It is the description used to present the product, idea or service to the world. This generally entails advertising campaigns in the media. An advertising campaign uses creative positioning in the media. Advertising must be timely and used in a specifically strategic way. It should always have a call to action.

Understanding the differences between marketing and advertising helps companies maximize their budgets, teams, and market reach. But you aren’t in it alone—contact MadCap Marketing to utilize our marketing and advertising experience.

Original Source

The more we use our computers, the more data we create.  The more data we create, the less paperwork we have filling up filing cabinets and desk drawers.  Unfortunately your data could be at risk from hard drive failures, damaged or stolen equipment, or even user error.  This lost data can mean thousands of dollars of lost revenues or even fines if the data contains sensitive information.  So, what are the advantages to having a managed cloud backup service?

Eliminate manual and complex backup tasks
Internal manual backups are becoming more complicated and difficult.  Multiple technology platforms, amount of data, and the time necessary to complete this task can stretch a small IT staff thin.  However, with a managed backup service, you can set it up once and let it go.  This allows your staff to work on tasks that have a greater impact on the growth of your business.

Budgeting and cost prediction becomes easier
It can be difficult to budget for software licenses for your servers, replacement hardware, maintenance, or the media on which the backups are stored when you manage your backups internally.  With cloud backup services, the cost is the same each month.

Reliable and fast data recovery
Do you test your internal backups?  Do you know if you can fully recover your data?  What if a tornado hits your building tonight, will you be able to get your staff back to work quickly?  Managed cloud backup services automatically transmit changes to files and databases to a secure, off-site facility for backup.  Some solutions can capture changes in open files and databases without upsetting your workflow.  Being able to quickly recover your data will allow your employees to get back to work faster after a potential disaster.  Once your data is stored in the cloud, it can be recovered where and whenever it is needed.

Easily scalable
Your company’s storage needs will grow as your business grows.  With a manual backup process, you will need to increase storage space and, potentially, add more servers as your needs expand.  With managed backups, server and data sprawl are no longer an issue and there is no need to add additional equipment or software.

Share large files and documents via email
Some email systems do not allow you to send large attachments.  However, a managed cloud backup service, can allow you to create a link to the document that you want to share.  You can paste the link into your email message and the recipient uses the link to download the file.  This completely bypasses the attachment size limits.

Accessibility
By storing your documents in the cloud, you gain the ability of accessing them from anywhere.  Therefore, you will be able to view your files with a smart phone, tablet, laptop, or even a home computer if you have access to the internet and a web browser.

Original Source

Starting and growing a small business in is not an easy task. As a lender dedicated to helping small businesses it is absolutely humbling to hear stories about how people have sacrificed in order to achieve their dream of owning a small business. Whether it is a retail store, new service business or manufacturing a product, each business has its unique challenges.  As most business owners know, the #1 issue small businesses face is getting access to capital.

In the United States, we have an amazing government program called The SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) The SBA works with banks in order to provide a loan guarantee to assist banks in making certain loans to small businesses when businesses do not qualify conventionally. The SBA does not directly lend money to business owners, the SBA partners with the bank to do so.

There are two main SBA lending programs.

SBA 7(a) – This program allows small businesses to finance inventory, working capital, vehicle and equipment purchases, business acquisitions and more. An average SBA 7(a) loan term (that doesn’t rely on real estate) are up to a 10 year term with market rates typically in the 5-9% range. SBA 7(a) can also be used for real estate with terms up to 25 years.

For borrowers who are seeking loans under $350,000, the SBA has the SBA Small Loan and SBA Express program that has increased overall efficiency with less paperwork the borrower needs to fill out and quicker turnaround times.  With an average 7(a) loan amount around $350,000 this small loan program can really assist businesses get capital that they need quickly.

SBA 504 - This program is great for business owners looking to purchase large equipment or owner-occupied commercial real estate.  An average SBA 504 Loan allows the borrower to have as low as a 10% down payment which keeps more capital in the business. The SBA lender then provides the funding for 50% of the loan and a Certified Development Company (aka the SBA portion) finances 40%. The best part of this program is that the SBA/CDC portion of the loan typically has a 10 or 20 year fixed interest rate.
​
When applying for SBA loans, banks still look for the 5 c’s of credit:

• Character -Having good credit personally and for the business will always be a big deciding factor in getting a loan. It is important to check your personal credit free each year at annualcreditreport.com.
• Capacity – Be able to show you have a financial plan or historical proof on how you plan to pay back the loan. Having multiple sources of repayment is always a plus.
• Capital – Lenders will always look to see how much cash or equity you put into the project. There are very few 100% lending programs for businesses available.
• Collateral – Even though the SBA can be flexible with collateral, having some collateral is still required.
• Conditions – How you are going to use the loan funds is also important. Make sure you have a solid budget and business plan.

Original Source

1. O.M.G. One Main Goal 
Set one simple goal for yourself before each meeting, event or conversation with a prospective business partner. “Meet two people that also manufacture widgets and see what makes each one unique”

2. M.M.M. Meet Mingle Memorize
When entering a room make sure to smile and make eye contact with people.  Be courteous to those who may be greeting you. People tend to watch doorways to see who is entering. You don’t want their first impression of you to be bad. A huge part of successful networking is managing your actions and expressions. It is also important to not become so involved in a conversation that you do not have time to meet someone new.  Take a mental note of the key points of the conversation or something special about the person you spoke with. 

3. W.H.A.T.  What is your Industry, Hobbies, All about them a little about you, Tell me more…
The best questions are ones that are not a simple yes or no. “Who’s your ideal prospect?” “What is your greatest accomplishment this year?” “What do you do in your free time?” Not all conversations need to lead to a sale. Building a connection with someone that has similar interest can lead to stronger connections that are not just sales based. 

4. V.A.L.U.E. Volunteer, Align, Listen, Understand, Engage
Add value to all relationships. Give freely of your time, connections, knowledge, etc. and expect nothing in return. What are you amazing at that they may need help with? Who do you know that can help solve their problems? Be known as a resource and surround yourself with people who are valued resources as well.  

​5. T.H.E.M. Their Method Every Message
There is nothing worse than the promise of a follow up that never happens.  Set a realistic expectation and keep true to your word. Set aside time each week on your calendar to follow up with people you just met and to foster the relationships you already have. It is imperative to ask for their preferred contact method: email, mail, text, fax, LinkedIn, cell or office. Adapt to their preference, it’s about them and not you. When connecting make sure you send a message about a conversation that you would like to continue or why you want to connect. Follow up regularly so that you don’t become forgotten.    
 
Most Importantly:
Be yourself. Be bold. Be Daring. The worst that will happen is that one person may dislike you but ten others will adore you. Build your own tribe. Surround yourself with people you adore. It makes work so much better.  If we all drank tea there would be no Tequila.