0800 Repair, one of the UK’s largest professional appliance repair companies, has been given the seal of approval by the franchise industry’s governing body.

The Chester-le-Street-based firm, which specialises in carrying out repairs on a wide range of domestic appliances from washing machine repairs to Dishwasher repair, has had its business model endorsed by the British Franchise Association (BFA). Becoming an associate of the BFA is confirmation that 0800 Repair has developed a viable and ethical business proposition that works as a franchise operation.

The company currently has a growing number of franchise operations in the UK offering appliance repair, replacement services and warranty products, to tens of thousands of customers each year. 0800 Repair sees its main role as helping to steer, advise, support and motivate its franchisees, values that the BFA has recognised and applauded.

Paul Feek, managing director of 0800 Repair, said all the staff and existing franchisees are delighted to have been given the seal of approval by the BFA.

He said: “Winning approval for our franchise operation from the BFA is a major achievement and something that everyone at 0800 Repair can be rightly proud of.

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Given the current economic climate and the fact that good business news appears to be thin on the ground, expanding a franchise business beyond its current operating areas could be regarded as an enormous leap of faith and a real challenge. That’s exactly the journey Glasgow based entrepreneur Graeme Sim and his 1st Choice Chem-Dry team have just embarked on. This expansion involves growing their carpet and upholstery cleaning and fire and flood restoration businesses beyond their current franchise operating areas of Strathclyde to six other franchise operating areas and numerous parts of Scotland.

To embark on such a large expansion, even with a proven business model such as franchising, requires a lean and streamlined operating process, a motivated team and the flexibility to change daily work patterns to meet customer’s needs at short notice. 1st Choice Chem-Dry will be operating from two strategically based sites each with over 5,000 sq feet of space.

Graeme Sim, Proprietor of 1st Choice Chem-Dry, comments “This is a big challenge and a massive opportunity for 1st Choice Chem-Dry, with the business operating from multi site locations. Our franchise bears no resemblance to the business I first started up back in 1993, operating from the back bedroom. Since we took the decision to merge the 1st Choice Chem-Dry and Chem-Dry Paisley cleaning franchises in 2007 and our subsequent investment in a CTS 330 Truckmount carpet and upholstery cleaning system, this seems to be a natural progression for our franchise. What I have come to realise is franchising is a long term business solution, not just a short term business fix”.

1st Choice Chem-Dry continues to be a best practice example of a well managed franchise, with processes and a structure in place which enables them to develop at a pace which will not overstretch the business. It also allows the domestic and commercial side of business to evolve even throughout flood surge periods and emergency fire incidents.

Mark Galsworthy, Head of Chem-Dry Franchising comments “After over 15 years within the Chem-Dry network, Graeme and his team are a shining example and great role models for other aspiring franchisees. They exemplify what franchising and Chem-Dry is all about; working tirelessly hard for their business, with energy to burn and continually striving for improvement. Chem-Dry Franchising will endeavour to support Graeme and the 1st Choice Chem-Dry team as they embark on this new venture”.

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On Thursday July 29 th @ 5:00 PM, Jack London Aquatic Center, the Bay Area Business Roundtable will present “Spotlight Awards” to two of its members for outstanding contributions to the quality of life and business development. The awards will be presented during the annual Jazz Business Mixer and Fish Fry.

Pam May is the owner of TechScribe Communications, and developed two white papers, Developing a Sustainable Workforce, and Meeting Basic Needs. The papers outlined the challenges of poor communities and the need to focus resources that will meet the basic needs. The reports set in motion the development of a “green business incubator” to create jobs through entrepreneurship.

Oral Lee Brown has worked tirelessly to provide educational opportunities for Oakland ’s most underserved students. In 1987 she adopted an entire class of students from Brookfield Elementary School located in the troubled area of East Oakland . This group was labeled as Brookfield ’s “worst” first grade class. Nearly all of them were poor, and they lived in the violent-plagued flatlands of East Oakland . Of the original group of twenty-three students, nineteen graduated from high school and attended college. The Oral Lee Brown Foundation currently sponsors six (6) groups of children. Not only is she supporting the children financially for their future education, she provides after school, Saturday School , tutoring, mentoring, testing, SAT prep and enhanced online tutoring skills. She authored with Caille Millner “The Promise” How one woman made good on her extraordinary Pact to Send a Classroom of First Graders to College.

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Adsil, a global leading for manufacturing of a broad array of protective maintenance coatings, waterproofing sealants, and surface cleaning products, located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and a long-standing Volusia Manufacturers Association Manufacturing Member, is helping make New York City Green.

The magnificent stainless steel artwork pictured below was created by Wexler Galleries of Philadelphia.   It is located at the helicopter port near the historic World Trade Center site in Manhattan.    The protective railing behind it lines the Hudson River pedestrian park from 34th Street to the end of Manhattan.   The lower three rails of the railing is also made of stainless steel.   Both the artwork and lower three protective rails are coated with MicroGuard® AD35, a protective, corrosion-resistant sealant from Adsil, Inc.

Adsil’s protective coating is currently specified by the NYC Park Service for all stainless and decorative metal.  Their proprietary treatment covalently bonds to the surface, at the atom level, and provides long term protection from corrosion from any chemicals, salt-sprays and UV degradation. Adsil’s solution actually enhances the shine of the decorative metal. The best benefit of using Adsil’s protective sealant is that the treated surface is less costly to clean and maintain, resulting in use of less-harsh cleaning supplies, making cleaning with green cleaning chemicals possible and letting park staff clean the artwork and railing in minimal time. The protective railing was completed 3 years ago in 2007 and looks brand new in the picture. The artwork sculpture was completed last month, May 2010, and will be well-preserved with Adsil’s protective coating.

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The Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) is proud to announce that they will be hosting the Fourth Annual Manufacturers Expo for Daytona Beach area Manufacturers. Jayne Fifer, President and CEO of the Volusia Manufacturers Association said, “Each Year the Volusia Manufacturers Association Manufacturers Expo keeps growing, and this year, we’ve already set a new record for the number of Manufacturer participants. “ To accommodate all the Manufacturers and expected participants, the Volusia Manufacturers Association has chosen the newly renovated Ocean Center in Daytona Beach , Florida , for the event. The Volusia Manufacturers Association Manufacturers Expo for 2010 will be held on September 23, 2010 from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M.

The VMA Manufacturers Expo is the only place to find local Daytona Beach manufacturing suppliers and service providers all under one roof! This unique event facilitates open discussion among manufacturers and participants, in line with this year’s expo theme, “ Showing the Importance of Daytona Beach Manufacturers to the World ”. Manufacturers have opportunities to showcase their talents or goods to attending participants. Manufacturers additionally can interact with other local manufacturers. Attendance and Parking for the VMA Manufacturing Expo is free , but you need to RSVP for the event.

Those Volusia Manufacturers Association Members who are sponsoring the event areMagga Products, Florida Healthcare, James Moore & Co., Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Macro Transport, Volusia County Economic Development and Command Medical.

“The Manufacturers Expo has been hugely successful over the last three years, allowing local companies to draw on local manufacturing skills and talent to support local businesses and the local economy,” says Jayne Fifer, President/CEO of the Volusia Manufacturers Association . Fifer also said, “We are proud of our local manufacturing talent and proud to host this year’s event to show the importance of Daytona Beach Manufacturers to the World.”

The Volusia Manufacturers Association has been dedicated to supporting local Manufacturing Companies for over 30 years. The Volusia Manufacturers Association is committed to local manufacturers and dedicated to providing information, education, and networking opportunities for the manufacturers in Volusia County and the region.

For more information, please check out http://www.vmaonline.com/ME_EXPO.asp or contact Jayne Fifer directly. There are additional opportunities for sponsorship. If interested, please contact Jayne Fifer.

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The Bay Area Business RoundTable (BABRT) recently announced a new location for its monthly meetings. The new meeting place is the Jack London Aquatic Center (JLAC) at 115 Embarcadero in Oakland. The JLAC is located on the Oakland Estuary, just seven tenths of a mile west of the old meeting location at the Homewood Suites, also on Embarcadero.

The BABRT will meet in the JLAC’s second floor conference area starting Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. This new location will accommodate up to 185 attendees, allowing more capacity for larger gatherings. The space also has smaller adjoining rooms for breakout sessions. “As we began to outgrow the Homewood Suites, it became increasingly difficult to fit all of our attendees in their conference facility, as our monthly meetings typically draw anywhere from 35 to 60 people. The new, larger space can adapt to a variety of floor plans, which allows us to easily increase attendance,” said Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Ashcraft.

“We are fortunate to have found such a nice space on the waterfront, with close proximity to the old meeting location. We really wanted to limit the impact that relocation could have on our attendees and speakers. I don’t think we could have found a better location for our format.” PG&E’s Public Affairs Manager, Tom Guarino was responsible for bridging the connection between the BABRT and the JLAC. As a resource for water sports, the JLAC’s mission is to inspire the diverse communities of Oakland  - especially youth - to experience the Oakland Estuary for purposes of recreation, education and competition. The BABRT looks forward to supporting the JLAC in these efforts.

About the BABRT
The BABRT is a 501(c)-(3) focused on building community and fostering positive change, along with economic growth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit our website at www.babrt.org.

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A study conducted collaboratively by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, and HR Society for Human Resource Management has shown today’s high school and college graduates are ill-prepared for the 21 st Century Workforce. Industry and Educational Institutions must work together to better prepare our future workforce. The Volusia Manufacturers Association May’s General Meeting will present what the Volusia County Schools are doing to prepare their students for the workforce.

With the lack of jobs these days, it’s often wondered by the newly educated, job seeking graduate, what skills do I need to be successful in the workforce? In 2006, a study was conducted by a team from The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management to find out answers for this burning question. Knowing how employers view these new workforce entrants is an important first step in enabling both these new entrants and U.S. business to succeed on the global economic scene.

The four participating organizations jointly surveyed over 400 employers across the United States. These employers articulated the skill sets that new entrants—recently hired graduates from high school, two-year colleges or technical schools, and four-year colleges—need to succeed in the workplace. Among the most important skills cited by employers were:

• Professionalism/Work Ethic

• Oral and Written Communications

• Teamwork/Collaboration and

• Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

In fact, the findings indicate that applied skills were viewed as more important than basic knowledge and

skills, such as Reading Comprehension andMathematics . So, while the “three Rs” are still critical to any new workforce entrant’s ability to do the job, employers strongly emphasized that applied skills like T eamwork/Collaborationand Critical Thinking are “very important” to success at work as well. The results of the study showed that young people need a range of skills, both academic and applied, in order to be successful in the 21 st century U.S. workforce.

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TVE Magazine has been threatened by Entrepreneur Media, Inc., owners of Entrepreneur.com with legal action unless we change our name.

“…We hereby demand that you immediately cease and desist from any and all uses of the ENTREPRENEUR® mark or any similar mark in your online publication of “The Virtual Entrepreneur Magazine” and throughout the domain name www.tvemagazine.com. Moreover, we demand that you likewise immediately cease and desist from any and all uses of the ENTREPRENEUR® mark or any similar mark throughout your website and on advertisements, marketing, promotional, and/or sales materials of any sort…” (to see the full letter from the attorney go to http://www.tvemagazine.com/)

Therefore… we are having a ‘name change’ contest! The new name cannot contain the word Entrepreneur and we would like to retain the ‘TVE’ image. So – put on your thinking caps and help us use the initials ‘TVE’ for a new name. The winner will receive a 1/2 page ad (3.75”x5”) that will be published in the next 3 issues!

All entries for the name change contest must be received by May 31 and you must have a subscription to TVE Magazine to enter. We look forward to your creativity!

TVE Magazine is an ezine BY Virtual Professionals FOR Virtual Professionals. Subscriptions are free and article submissions are always welcome!

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The Volusia Manufacturers Association is sponsoring an exclusive plant tour of Covidien’s Deltona Manufacturing Facility. Covidien, a publically traded company on the NYSE, is a global provider of life-saving healthcare and pharmaceutical products.

The Volusia Manufacturers Association(VMA) is sponsoring a private tour ofCovidien, one of the leading manufacturers of healthcare devices and supplies in the world. VMA manufacturing members will take a tour of Covidien’s State-of-the-art manufacturing facility on May 19, 2010, at 9:00 A.M. Covidien is located at 2010 E. International Speedway Blvd. in Deland, FL.

Covidien is a leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, diagnostic imaging agents, and pharmaceuticals. Covidien employees 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, with products sold in over 140 countries. Covidien’s market stretches across the medical device, pharmaceutical, and medical supplies industries, focusing product lines on endomechanical, soft tissue repair, energy, oximetry and monitoring airway and ventilation, vascular products, specialty pharmaceuticals and chemicals, active pharmaceutical ingredients, contrast and radiopharmaceuticals, nursing care, medical surgical, Sharp Safety and OEM products.

Covidien provides a dvanced surgical tools and supplies, sutures and wound care products, needles and syringes, contrast media for diagnostic imaging, respiratory care devices, and generic pharmaceuticals. Key Brands include Kendall, Autosuture, Valleylab, Mallinckrodt, Nellcor, and Puritan Bennett. Also, recognizable, successful products include Monoject Magellan™ Safety Needle, Valleylab™ RF Ablation System, Kangaroo ePump™ Enteral Feeding Pump, and Optivantage™ DH Dual Head Injector, to name a few.

“Covidien has been a leading healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturer in the Daytona Beach area for many years, under Tyco International. It’s an exciting time for Covidien, after separating from Tyco in 2007, focusing their operations on the manufacture of many innovative healthcare products and pharmaceuticals. Covidien’s commitment to research & development hopefully will bring new, vital, life-saving products for humankind, and as a side, additional expansion and growth for Volusia County,” said Jayne Fifer, President & CEO of the Volusia Manufacturers Association.”

Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) is the only manufacturing trade association established by manufacturers uniting Volusia and Flagler County Manufacturers and Associates. The Volusia Manufacturers Association offers information, education, and networking opportunities for members, with over 60 programs annually. Each month, one manufacturing member hosts a plant tour for all members to attend to see daily operations and to gain understanding into their business operations.

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On Thursday, April 30th, California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer will speak before the Bay Area Business RoundTable (BABRT) on the future of green business in California’s strained economy. The BABRT meets monthly at the Homewood Suites Hotel in Oakland, California. Elected as State Treasurer in 2006, Lockyer has served as California Attorney General and President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate.

Having held elective office since 1973, Lockyer has arguably had more varied executive and legislature experience than any other current official of the State Government. Fifteen years before the Exxon-Valdez disaster, during 1974, Lockyer wrote the first environmental legislation to provide State funding for the detailed process of emergency oil spill decontamination.

His signature environmental achievement came in 1987 with a bill to create a Bay Trail, which he envisioned as an eventual 500-mile-long hiking and cycling path. Once completed, the Bay Trail will be a continuous recreational corridor, with adjacent bayshore parks and protected natural habitats that are intended to eventually encircle San Francisco and San Pablo Bays . To date the Bay Trail encompasses over 290 miles of completed trail, including on- and off-street segments.

Under Lockyer’s guidance, the Treasurer’s Office is the first investor in the U.S. to buy green bonds from the World Bank ($300 million to finance projects around the globe to fight global warming); sponsored successful legislation to make it cheaper for schools to build renewable energy projects; revived agency in his office that helps manufacturers build electric cars and make renewable energy products.

Executive Director for the Port of Oakland Omar Benjamin will also speak before the BABRT regarding Oakland ’s port as the hub of the Northern California megaregion. During the March BABRT, Benjamin received a spotlight award for exemplary leadership and commitment to the economic health and vitality of Bay Area businesses and communities.

The BABRT meeting will convene at 10:00 a.m. and along with the noted speakers, author, activist and attorney Christine Pelosi will be presented a spotlight award for her collaboration in working with the BABRT to offer the first Public Service Leadership Boot Camp at UC Berkeley Extension.

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Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) is the only manufacturing trade association established by manufacturers uniting Volusia and Flagler County Manufacturers and Associates. The Volusia Manufacturers Association was founded in 1980 in Daytona Beach, Florida and currently has over 180 Manufacturing and Associate members in the Daytona Beach area.

Don Bell Signs, a national sign fabricator located in Port Orange, Florida, and a long-standing Volusia Manufacturers Association Manufacturing Member, recently won Second Place in the 2010 International Sign Contest’s Sign Systems category for the best exterior signage.  Signs of the Times magazine has been a leading source of far-reaching sign-industry news and technical information since 1906. Its online version, SignWeb serves to educate and inspire signage and graphics professionals worldwide through editorials, technology updates, new product reviews, cutting-edge graphics techniques, and more. Its Annual International Sign Contest has such categories as best unique signs, best electronic message centers, best electric building signs, best commercial building signs, best electric freestanding signs, best commercial freestanding signs, best murals/banners/supergraphics, best electric monument signs, best commercial monument signs, best sign systems, and best exhibit graphics.

The award-winning sign was built for client, AMC Theaters, located in Kansas City, Missouri, with the design by Selbert Perkins Design.  Don Bell Signs manufactured and installed a 68′ x 6′ marquee that features an EVIDA 10mm LED motion-graphics board that curves to fit the façade.  They also manufactured and installed a 60′ x 11′ blade sign featuring channel letters illuminated with GE Lumination’s red Tetra LED strips and faced with red acrylic.

Don Bell Signs’ custom signs have won numerous design and manufacturing awards nationwide. Don Bell Signs services widely range from sign design, structural and certified engineering, sign permit and variance acquisition, sign fabrication, project management, sign installation, and routine maintenance services for all types of signage. Don Bell manufactures and installs Pylon Signs, Monument Signs, Channel Letters, LED Signs, LED Scoreboards, LED Video Displays, Time and Temp Displays, Electronic Digital Signage, Stadium Displays, Architectural Signage, Environmental Graphics, Wayfinding, Neon, and Marquees, to name a few.

“Don Bell Signs has been a leading manufacturer in the Daytona Beach area since 1947,” said Jayne Fifer, President and CEO of the Volusia Manufacturers Association.” Fifer also said, “As a manufacturer of custom signs, they are one of the few sign companies that produce all major components of a LED sign within their Daytona Beach manufacturing facility. The Volusia Manufacturers Association congratulates Don Bell Signs on its international achievement.”

The Volusia Manufacturers Association offers information, education, and networking opportunities for members, with over 60 programs annually. For more information about the Volusia Manufacturers Association, please contact Volusia Manufacturers Associationor Jayne Fifer at 386.673.0505.

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The Volusia Manufacturers Association General Meeting for April 2010 will be discussing the future of manufacturing and other industries in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

When is the economy going to turn around and when are companies going to be hiring again? Nationally, unemployment rates were higher this February than in 2009 for 347 of the 372 metropolitan areas, lower in 21 areas, and unchanged in 4 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-nine areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0%, while 2 areas registered rates below 5.0%. The national unemployment rate in February was 10.4%, not seasonally adjusted, up from 8.9% a year earlier. The top three industries with the most unemployed workers across the United States are construction, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing at 22.7%, 12.6% and 11.9% unemployment, respectively (source: Volusia County Department of Economic Development ).

Volusia County, composed of Deltona, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Edgewater and Deland, FL as the larger cities, has experienced higher than national average unemployment. In 2009, the yearly average unemployment rate for Volusia County was 11.0%, and is predicted to rise to a yearly average of 12.7% unemployment in 2010 (source: Volusia County, Department of Economic Development). Volusia County alone had 2009 unemployment rates of 11.8% for October; 12.4% for November, and 12.5% at the end of December, with the number of unemployed reaching 31,326 individuals. This unemployment rate is significantly higher than the national unemployment averages for the same time period in 2009: 9.5% for October, 9.4% for November, and 9.7% for December.

What does all of this mean for manufacturers in Volusia County and when are things going to get better? Volusia County Manager, Jim Dinneen, will be presenting his thoughts on the current state and future of manufacturing in Volusia County. Mr. Dinneen will also discuss the Volusia County Manufacturing industry; Manufacturing’s impact on Volusia County; and what Volusia County is currently doing to assist local manufacturers in growing their businesses. Other topics for discussion will be the proposed sun rail, the Volusia County budget, Volusia County economic development and future planning, and how Volusia County is facing the current challenges this economy has introduced.

“Local Manufacturers need to attend this meeting,” said Jayne Fifer, President/CEO of the Volusia Manufacturers Association. “With the current challenges local manufacturers are facing, the Volusia Manufacturers Association is committed to providing opportunities for manufacturers to interact with local Government Officials so that productive ideas can be created collaboratively to benefit all industries.”

The Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) would like to open up attendance to this very important and informative meeting to all local manufacturers so that any Manufacturer desiring information can attend. This meeting will be held on April 22, 2010, at a new venue location, Indigo Lakes Golf Club at 312 Indigo Drive in Daytona Beach, FL, with networking starting at 5:30 P.M. and dinner and presentation at 6:15 P.M.

For more information about the Volusia Manufacturers Association or more information on how to attend this meeting, please contact Volusia Manufacturers Association or Jayne Fifer at 386.673.0505.

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On Thursday, April 30th, the Bay Area Business RoundTable (BABRT) will present a Spotlight Award to author, attorney and activist Christine Pelosi for her partnership in teaching the Public Service Leadership Boot Camp course at UC Berkeley. The award will be presented during the BABRT’s monthly meeting held at Homewood Suites Hotel in Oakland . The Boot Camp course highlights skills that are essential in becoming an effective community leader, organizer or political candidate.

This class also emphasizes the same techniques in management, message, money and mobilization that helped win Congress back for the Democrats. Pelosi offers leadership lessons from her vast experience on the campaign trail. She has conducted campaign boot camps for candidates and causes in more than 15 states across the country and she blogs regularly for the Huffington Post and Politico.com.

The first ten-week boot camp course at UC Berkeley was offered last November and the second class is currently underway. Pelosi believes that every person has a call to service and an ability to lead. Her book, Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders, is the text for the class and a must-read for anyone preparing to run for office or engaging in public service.

Pelosi says, “Leadership requires inspiration, dedication and perspiration to turn ideas into results. My class provides best practices and ‘get real’ exercises, so that students can integrate these leadership lessons into their own public service efforts, relative to political campaigns, ballot initiatives or non-profit ventures.” Through collaboration with the BABRT, Pelosi brought the basic training principles of her book to the classroom.

The BABRT meeting will convene at 10:00 a.m. and speakers will consist of California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Executive Director for the Port of Oakland , Omar Benjamin.

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TrainingforEntrepreneurs.com, an on-line business skills training and virtual resource center for aspiring, beginning, and experienced entrepreneurs, announced today that membership enrollment is now open for the GO SAMMY Strategy System Program™. The GO SAMMY Program™ is a strategy development and implementation system created especially for entrepreneurs of small-to-medium size businesses. The Program is designed to help entrepreneurs broaden and fine-tune their strategic thinking, planning, and managing skill set. GO SAMMY™ is an acronym derived f r o m the first letter of each of the following words: Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Activities, Manage, Measure, and Yields. These words define the GO SAMMY™ planning, thinking, and managing initiatives.

“During this current economic climate, businesses of all sizes face critical issues and unique challenges that require well-developed plans and well-defined problem solving approaches. With well-developed plans and problem solving approaches, business owners and executives improve their chances for survival,” says Dolly Stevens, Director of Training for Entrepreneurs.com. “Entrepreneurs can substantially increase their probability of successfully achieving their goals and objectives by following a predetermined set of steps rather than flying by the seat of their pants! This predetermined set of steps is commonly referred to as a Strategic Action Plan (SAP). The SAP, or the entrepreneur’s road map, specifically outlines the steps and tasks that are necessary for entrepreneurs to implement so that they can achieve their business objectives.”

Ms. Stevens continues, “The SAP translates entrepreneurs’ ideas into action in order to make things happen. The SAP defines what needs to be done, how tasks are to be accomplished, which resources are required to carry out the tasks, and who is responsible for completing the tasks. Without a Strategic Action Plan, it is highly unlikely that the dreams of entrepreneurs will become realities, particularly in this current economic downturn! We are all familiar with the fact that the successful development of any project of value presupposes the use of a detailed blueprint or set of specific instructions. The blueprint for the development of the comprehensive Strategic Action Plan is the Blueprint for the GO SAMMY Strategy System™. With GO SAMMY™, entrepreneurs have a cost-effective solution for developing a custom-tailored Strategic Action Plan for their specific business that will guide them and their organization in the day-to-day business activities.”

The GO SAMMY Strategy System™ is a strategy development/implementation training program for business owners, executives, and professional service providers. The GO SAMMY Program™ provides the Select Plus members of Training for Entrepreneurs.com with expert guidance through the program’s weekly, systematic, instructional e-Lesson modules on strategic thinking, planning, managing, and executing key action strategies. The Program’s “breakaway-f r o m-business-as-usual” strategy development methods help entrepreneurs to more effectively and efficiently realign their business processes to current economic conditions, reposition their companies to gain a competitive advantage, minimize their risks, and maximize their operating results. The disciplined approach of the GO SAMMY System™ shapes and guides what the business is, what it does, and how and why it does it. By applying the GO SAMMY™ “breakaway-f r o m-business-as-usual methods of strategy development, businesses are now better equipped not only to survive, but also to more effectively re-position their businesses and thrive in almost any economy. Entrepreneurs can enroll in the GO SAMMY Strategy System Program™ by visiting http://www.TrainingforEntrepreneurs.com/programs/#strategy.com

Training for Entrepreneurs.com is an online business skills training and virtual resource center for entrepreneurs of small-to-medium size businesses who want to learn and enhance critical business skills and realize greater success. Training for Entrepreneurs.com creates, develops, publishes, and facilitates web-based information products, interactive distance e-Learning programs, and virtual mentoring programs to help members master the skill set a s s o c i a t e d with leaders that achieve extraordinary results.

Training for Entrepreneurs.com illustrates, demonstrates, and communicates its digital content using a combination of rich learning media: text , graphics, animation, audio, and video. With the use of “state-of-the-art” instructional design of the programs, subscription members are able to enjoy a valuable learning experience. Training for Entrepreneurs.com is the training and development group of Legacy A s s o c i a t e s, Inc., a small business consulting services firm located in Lakewood Ranch (Sarasota), Florida.

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Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) is the only manufacturing trade association established by manufacturers uniting Volusia and Flagler County Manufacturers and Associates. In a joint effort with the Center for Business Excellence and under the ingenuity of WebWax Design Studio (WebWax.net), the Volusia Manufacturers Association has created a new, flash streaming video solution to allow Daytona Beach students and manufacturers the opportunity to learn about and discover Volusia and Flagler county businesses without ever having to leave the comfort of their office / classroom computers.

Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) has added this video section to the VMAONLINE.com website to enable and facilitate unique manufacturing learning opportunities with video on demand as well as live video for seminars, general meetings, and other VMA manufacturing events. This new section is featured on the Vmaonline.com homepage and was modified to meet the ever-changing needs of Florida Manufacturers in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

Volusia Manufacturers Association President & CEO, Jayne Fifer, said, “Today’s businesses can’t always allow their employees the opportunity to attend meetings or events. Watching the VMA event in their own office environment allows the members the opportunity to learn without having to take time to travel to the meeting location or step away from their own business responsibilities. The Volusia Manufacturers Association strives to provide unique, exclusive learning opportunities for its manufacturing members to provide them with many opportunities for achievement.”

The Center for Business Excellence (CBE) supports local Volusia and Flagler County Manufacturers by assisting with employee recruitment, human resource information, or employee training opportunities so that local manufacturers can maintain qualified employees. The CBE’s efforts support local business needs and facilitates partnerships and initiatives between businesses, educational institutions, labor groups, economic development organizations, government institutions, community-based organizations, training providers, and employment firms.

WebWax.net has worked firmly with the VMA to design the VMAONLINE.COM website to provide proprietary tools allowing VMA members exclusive networking opportunities and the ability to completely interact with each other online. This new video addition to VMAONLINE.COM truly expands the Volusia Manufacturers Association member offerings and gives the VMA Manufacturing Members beneficial, new features that will help them conveniently learn about local manufacturing opportunities or manufacturing industry guidance.

For more information about the Volusia Manufacturers Association, please contact Volusia Manufacturers Association or Jayne Fifer at 386.673.0505.

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Blue Sky Technology Partners (“Blue Sky”) announced today that it is initiating a special pilot program to help seasonal businesses hardest hit by the recession and bad weather in Eastern Massachusetts (including the Cape and Islands and the North Shore) as well as the New Hampshire Seacoast regions. Blue Sky will work very closely with companies participating in the program to help them recover as quickly as possible from the recession by significantly improving their online marketing, sales, and operations.

Ideal candidates for this program include service-oriented businesses that rely heavily on seasonal resort visitors for their livelihood. Businesses engaged in hospitality, restaurants, tourism, as well as real estate related service providers (e.g. landscape, exterior painting, contractors, etc) would generally be suitable for inclusion. The extensive wet weather of the 2009 summer season compounded the effects of the economic recession, resulting in extreme hardship for many of these businesses.

The program is designed to run for 90 days, initially – like a personalized Business Recovery Boot Camp, so as to provide the participants with a strong start to the Summer 2010 season. A stated goal of the program is to help participants double their income in 2010 (compared with 2009). In many cases, it is expected, that this may merely result in helping participants in the program recover, economically, to their pre-recession operating levels.

Key objectives of the program will include: Helping participants to increase their online marketing visibility, implementing lead capture technologies, utilizing online registration for services (to minimize losses due to inclement weather), and leveraging ecommerce-enabled continuity-based service plans to the extent practical. All of these tactics seek to minimize the fluctuations in revenue that typically result from discretionary vacation spending, particularly in the context of unpredictable weather patterns.

Participation in the initial pilot program will be limited to a small number of companies to ensure that sufficient personnel, resources, and services will be available to help turn around the companies who take advantage of the program.

About Blue Sky:
Blue Sky Technology Partners provides cost effective software services for small businesses and non-profit organizations.  Blue Sky’s “Software as a Service” (SaaS) business management solutions enable clients to improve efficiencies and accelerate growth by leveraging online marketing, customer relationship management, integrated operations, ecommerce, and business intelligence reporting.

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On Thursday March 25th, the Bay Area Business RoundTable (BABRT) will present a Spotlight Award to Omar Benjamin, Port of Oakland Executive Director. The award will be presented during the BABRT’s monthly meeting held at the Homewood Suites Hotel in Oakland. Responsible for the administration and operations of the Port organization, Benjamin has shown exemplary leadership and commitment to the economic health and vitality of Bay Area businesses and communities.

As the Port continues to be the economic engine of Oakland, the BABRT recognizes several key achievements that are exemplary during the economic downturn, including:

· Oakland International Airport was rated No. 1 for on-time performance among U.S. airports during 2009.

· In May 2010 Southwest Airlines will begin offering 114 daily departures out of Oakland Airport, including restoration of non-stop service to Nashville, Tennessee and increased frequency of flights to the cities of Albuquerque, Denver and Seattle-Tacoma.

· Port of Oakland was one of six major US West Coast ports to collaborate at the World Shipping Summit held last November in Qingdao, China. The collaboration showcased the benefits of the US West Coast as the premier region for trans-Pacific trade.

· Port of Oakland has expanded capacity and improved transportation services to accommodate more cargo containers, increasing business by 10% from container shipping company APL Ltd., a subsidiary of NOL Group.

The BABRT meeting will convene at 10:00 a.m. and speakers will include Dr. Diana Wu, Dean U.C. of Berkeley Extension and Joe Haraburda, President of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

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The main advantage to small business owners who use check writing software is that it saves them money in a variety of ways - and that is especially true during these economic times. halfpricesoft.com and TrialPay have teamed up to give small businesses and families a new way to get the check printing software for free - legally. Consumers can now get full version ezCheckprinting software or ezCheckPersonal software when they try or buy an offer from one of TrialPay’s 2,000 blue-chip advertisers.

With this special offer for free check writing software and free check paper, a user’s total cost for the bank checks can be $0 if he already has a laser computer.

ezCheckPrinting software is check designing, writing and printing software for small to mid-sized business. This software was intentionally engineered for those end-users who are not professional accountants and computer experts, so it is very simple and user friendly. Check printing software saves users money on checks. ezCheckPrinting will work with any blank/preprinted computer check paper with 8-1/2″ X 11″ size.

ezCheckpersonal is the personal version check printing and designing software.

“Everyone loves getting free software. But through our partnership with TrialPay, consumers can get their favorite software for free and get something else they want
in the process,” said Dr Ge, the founder of halfpricesoft.com. “It’s a remarkable way to treat our customers to free software, while ensuring that the software’s copyrights are properly obtained.”

TrialPay is a revolutionary e-commerce payment platform that lets people pay for products online by buying or trying something else. Through TrialPay, halfpricesoft.com visitors can get the license key of business or personal check printing software by completing one advertiser offer, such as signing up with Blockbuster, buying clothes from Gap or signing up for an American Express credit card. With thousands to choose from, there’s a TrialPay offer for everyone.

This offer is available through recurring promotions at halfpricesoft.com or by visiting

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/business-free-special-offer.asp

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his month’s Small Business Sentiment Survey (SBSS), conducted by Angrisani Turnarounds, LLC, with data provided by Toluna, Inc., demonstrated a small—but fragile—improvement in small business owners’ attitude toward the economy.

Fifty-nine percent of small business owners surveyed said they had no plans to open their wallets anytime soon for capital expenditures, while last month 62.7 percent said they were holding off on capital purchases. Additionally, 70 percent of those surveyed said they were not planning to hire full-time employees in the foreseeable future, as compared to 80.1 percent last month. Despite slight improvement over last month, the survey’s newest figures still compare poorly with the baseline from the October 2009 survey, when 52 percent of SBSS respondents said they were disinclined to hire new full-time employees.

Has the deficit replaced health care as the new threat to Small Business?

According to Al Angrisani, founder and CEO of Angrisani Turnarounds and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Reagan, one new issue could be adding to the risk aversion business owners have expressed in recent SBSS surveys. A full 72 percent of small business owners surveyed said they were very concerned or extremely concerned about the massive federal budget deficit—which is forecasted to be $1.6 trillion for the current year, and had reached $430.69 billion through January—and the high taxes certain to follow in its wake.

“Small business owners are starting to look down the road at the huge deficit and heavy tax load sure to land on their shoulders,” he says. “So, while business owners have begun to feel slightly more positive about the economy and their businesses, deficit and new tax worries may be making them reluctant to hire full-time employees.”

Angrisani goes on to say that the deficit and accompanying taxes seem to have bumped health care reform from the top of the list of concerns for Small Business. “When we asked business owners to choose the biggest threat to their business, the highest percentage—23.5 percent—chose rising taxes, edging out health insurance costs by two percent. It’s clear this is becoming the big issue of the day.”

About the Small Business Sentiment Survey
Angrisani Turnarounds, LLC, commissioned Toluna, Inc., to conduct an online survey of small business owners. The survey, which used a representative sample of 200 owners of businesses with less than 100 employees from various industries and regions, was designed to assess the mood of small business owners. It also asked them to rate those issues presenting the greatest risk to their businesses and their general feeling about the health of their businesses.

About Angrisani Turnarounds
Building on his decades of experience in the turnaround industry, Al Angrisani has established Angrisani Turnarounds, LLC, as a vehicle for helping troubled companies overcome the challenges that have weighed them down and diminished shareholder value.

With the proven Angrisani Hierarchy of Value Creation Model (AHVCM) at its heart, the company’s mission is to work closely with Boards of Directors to transform troubled and under-performing companies (TUCs) into high-performing, innovative businesses that create new wealth for shareholders.

Please contact al@alangrisani.com for more information.

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On February 26, 2010, the Florida Legislature advanced legislation to relieve Florida employers of the exorbitant unemployment tax rate bills they are currently facing.  The Senate Ways & Means Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 1666, and a few minutes later the House Finance & Tax Council unanimously passed the companion measure House Bill (HB) 7033, otherwise known as the Unemployment Compensation Bill.

Both HB 7033 and SB 1666 bills address the tax amounts employers must pay this year in the following ways:

As one can see, passing of HB 7033 and SB 1666 would truly help Florida businesses by allowing a two-year delay in the tax hike. This tax relief comes at a time when all industries in Volusia and Flagler counties are struggling just to make ends meet or just to make the payroll. Only two Volusia-county industries showed growth in 2009 per the State of Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation, those being State government and Leisure and Hospitality. Manufacturing and Professional & Business Services led the industries in job losses for Volusia County in 2009 at 7.9% and 7.8% losses, respectively. So, unfortunately, the large hike in unemployment taxes would harm these manufacturers and businesses even more- maybe causing more layoffs or even causing them to have to close down operations.

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