Tempe Chamber Announces The Business Solutions Clinic

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Business Solutions Clinic

Business Owners: How Are You Making Yourself Or Your Business More Valuable in 2010?

If you don’t have an answer to that question or a path to achieve it, I encourage you to consider this event.  At the very least, take 10 minutes to review Part 1 of the Jim Rohn video to the right of this post and set a goal to become more valuable to the market place this year and have your best year ever!

Part 2 Can be found here and Part 3 Can be found here.

Through its Business Resource Advantage Committee, the Tempe Chamber will organize and host this FREE event which provides instruction on six different areas of business.  The event will be held at the Tempe Chamber offices on Feb. 25 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m and business owners can book a 30-minute appointment to meet with an expert and ask questions pertaining to that business topic.  Based on feedback from business owners and chamber members business areas covered will include:

Marketing

Diane Wallace – Diane Wallace has been a marketing communications/PR exec for 14+ years for leading companies in both NY and Arizona she is experienced in creating successful, revenue-generating web sites and full ad campaigns.  She is also a small business owner with proven, real-world success in using social media to increase revenue and build additional business.

Topic Suggestions: Web site navigation/design/message issues, ad concepts/campaigns, how/why to use social media and which might be appropriate for my business, is the ad campaign we’re running really doing what the company needs, best ways to target a specific audience, brand and message concerns, internal communications issues.

Sales

Anita Grantham – Anita is currently Chief People Officer at Jokake Construction. She has worked in the field of organizational and leadership development, strategic planning, training and human resources for nine years. Anita has expertise in the construction, manufacturing, and hospitality industries and is passionate about creating great places to work. In Spring of 2009, Anita expanded her interests at Jokake into Business Development for the heath care market sector.

Anita is also a Managing Partner for The Whale Hunters. Members form local chapters under certified chapter chairs and meet monthly for training and coaching in The Whale Hunters methodology.

Topic Suggestions: Sales strategy, understanding current market conditions, creating competitive edge and competitive advantages, metrics for sales performance and compensation, transition from biz dev to ops, creating a fast growth culture

Accounting/CPA

Laura Opstad – With over 26 years combined experience and over 15 years working in CPA firms, Laura is a leading provider of accounting and tax services for small to medium sized businesses.  She works with a variety of businesses including health care practices, retail stores, service businesses, restaurants, auto shops, construction contractors, distribution firms and small manufacturing companies.

Topic Suggestions: Business entities, Business taxes, Payroll taxes, Sales taxes, Tax planning strategies, Retirement plans, Accounting programs, Chart of accounts, Understanding financial statements, Planning a budget, Current changes in tax law, Business vehicles, Business assets and depreciation, Help for starting a business

Insurance/Workers Compensation

Neil Chitel - My Second Career which has become my passion is to help Small to Medium business owners with the obstacles of having/Understanding and maintaining employees.
Insuring that companies Workers’ Compensations codes are correctly in place and that every employee is covered correctly. Completing Workers’ Compensation Audits and records examinations, including informing the Industrial Commission of any changes that may occur, within a businesses lifetime.

Topic Suggestions: Is my policy Coded correctly? What is an EMod and how can I earn one? How to handle your audit and keep your costs down? When do I need a Workers Compensation policy? I had an accident how do I handle it?

Legal

Joan L. Jakel P.C. – Joan L. Jakel is a business attorney in private practice with the Law Office of Joan L. Jakel, PC.  Her firm enjoys a business transactional practice with a concentration on entity formation and modification, strategic business advising, lease review and negotiation, preparation of customized contracts, employment policies and handbooks, and sales/acquisitions of businesses.

Suggested Topics for the meeting: Entity formation, differences in entity types, preparing company minutes, lease considerations, contract review, creation of a contract, business startup considerations, trade names, employment policies, including protecting trade secrets, non-disclosure agreements, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.

Business Banking

Peter Eberle – Peter Eberle is a Vice President of Commercial Banking for National Bank of Arizona.  In this position, Eberle helps small and mid-sized companies develop banking solutions including treasury management services, credit facilities and wealth management. Prior to joining National Bank, Eberle served as Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce where he directed an annual investment conference, manufacturing network, and various small business programs.

Suggested Topics for the meeting: Is my current account structure efficient?  How can I reduce fees and take advantage of technology?  Credit… what is happening in the banking world and how do I position my business for growth?

Things to bring with you: Updated personal financial statement, analysis bank statement.

Tempe Chamber members can sign up for a maximum of two 30-minute time slots where they can ask specific questions and work one-on-one with subject matter experts recruited from the Tempe Chamber.  Appointments can be set with any of our six experts by calling the Tempe Chamber offices directly at (480) 736-4285.  Each expert will have 7 time slots available and will be booked on a first come, first seevred basis.  Appointment times are as follows

• * 1:00p – 1:25p
• * 1:30p – 1:55p
• * 2:00p – 2:25p
• * 2:30p – 2:55p BREAK
• * 3:00p – 3:25p
• * 3:30p – 3:55p
• * 4:00p – 4:25p
• * 4:30p – 4:55p

Participation Requirements

Participants must be members of the Tempe Chamber. Courses are available in 30-minute sessions. All 30-minute sessions must be reserved in advance to Sachiyo Ragsdale at sachiyo@tempechamber.org or to (480) 736-4285. Participants may book a maximum of two sessions. We regret that walk-in guests cannot be accommodated.