Posts Tagged ‘U.S. Small Business Administration’

Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center

WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu

CONTACT: Sara Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@nmsu.edu

New name. New attitude.

That sums up the revamp of an annual small business and entrepreneur conference hosted by New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center.

Once called the Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Symposium, the name of the Nov. 4 half-day gathering has been changed to GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs.

“We’re going to have different experts sit down with people one-on-one to talk about (a business’) specific problem,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director for the Arrowhead Center. “The intention is for it to be a working, very tangible event. People come in with a problem and they leave with resources. It’s targeted to those who want to start a business or who already may be in business.”

In past years, the setting was more formalized, with a panel onstage taking questions from the audience. This year, the audience will sit through a few presentations and then have the opportunity to stop at various stations and talk directly to the experts. For example, a small business owner who has designed her own brochure will be able to show her work to a marketing expert who will provide a constructive critique and advice.

Theresa Gonzales, vice president of RTD Hardware, was a panel participant last year and is enthusiastic about the GROW changes.

“Not many people asked questions last year, so there really wasn’t much interchange between the audience and us,” she said. “Less formal is always less intimidating for a lot of people. This will probably be a much easier way for people to ask questions. It would have made me more relaxed as well. I’m not really big on speaking in front of people. I prefer one-on-one.”

Despite running a business that has been operating in Las Cruces for 25 years, Gonzales said she is interested in attending GROW so she can learn more from the experts about social media and insurance issues.

“I can see myself sitting in front of an expert and asking questions for my business,” she said.

Among the speakers at the GROW event are Michael Rivera, state director of the New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network; Bill Allen, president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce; and John Woosley, director of the New Mexico district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Chris Penner, director of the Arrowhead Technology Incubator, will give the luncheon keynote address. Penner will discuss his experiences as an entrepreneur. Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development, will give the closing remarks.

For the one-on-one meetings, local experts will be on hand to help small business owners and budding entrepreneurs in a variety of fields such as Web design, marketing, commercial lending, taxes, insurance, information technology and international trade.

In addition to getting free advice from the experts, GROW attendees also will receive a jump drive that has templates, instructions, guidelines, checklists, information on how to open a Facebook account and more, Sanders said.

Along with the Arrowhead Center, GROW is sponsored by the Dona Aña Community College Small Business Development Center and the New Mexico Procurement and Technical Assistance Program.

Peter Ibarbo, president of the Ibarbo Consulting Group in Las Cruces, said small businesses in the area have many resources available to them, but the Arrowhead Center fills a special and needed niche.

“The Arrowhead Center provides a specific, technology-focused type of business incubation,” he said. “I think it is very critical to the economy to attract companies that require that connection with the university to provide them with research and with space.”

GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs takes place from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Nov. 4, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. The cost is $49 to the public and $35.50 for students. For more information and to register, visit Grow2011.eventbrite.com.

Sponsored by:

Arrowhead Center

Dona Ana Community College Small Business Development Center

New Mexico Procurement and Technical Assistance Program

On behalf of all of the sponsors of the 2010 Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Symposium, you are invited to attend this year’s conference!  The Symposium will be held on Friday, August 13, 2010 at the NM Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.  This will be a half day event, beginning at 7:30am and ending at 2:00pm.

Master of Ceremonies – Dr. Margie Huerta, President, Dona Ana Community College (DACC)

AGENDA:

7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration and Breakfast Networking Opportunity

8:15 a.m. Opening Remarks by Dr. Margie Huerta, President, Dona Ana Community College (DACC)

8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. “The State of the New Mexico Economy: A Small Business Perspective”

Panel Moderator: Mr. William Hett-Dobricky, Procurement Advisor, NM-PTAP

Panel Members:

• Dr. Christopher Erickson, Professor of Economics, New Mexico State University
• Dr. Ken Martin, Professor of Finance, New Mexico State University
• Dr. James Peach, Regents Professor of Economics, New Mexico State University

9:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. “Commercial and Residential Real Estate Markets: A Local Perspective”

• Ms. Connie Hettinga, President, Realtor’s Association of New Mexico
• Mr. John Hummer, President, Steinborn & Associates Real Estate

9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Break

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. “Business Owners Panel: Issues and Best Practices in Small Business”

Panel Moderator: Dr. Kevin Boberg, CEO, Arrowhead Center

Panel Members:

• Mr. Bryn Davis, Sapphire Energy
• Mr. Mike Beckett, Owner, Coas Bookstore
• Ms. Dana Kyle, Attorney at Law
• Danny Osborn, Vice President of Operations, BroCon, Inc.

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. “SBA Recovery Act and Lending Programs”

• Mr. John Woosley, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration, NM District Office

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. “Healthcare Reform: How it affects New Mexico’s Small Businesses”

• Dr. Beverlee McClure, President & CEO, New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry

12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Buffet Lunch Serve

12:45 p.m. – 1:45p.m. Luncheon and Keynote Address

Introduction of Speaker: Jim Berry, President, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Bill Gilmer, Vice President, El Paso Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

1:45 p.m. – 2:00p.m. Closing Remarks Speaker: Dr. Garrey Carruthers, President, Arrowhead Center

Event registration is $49.00 per person. You may register on-line by clicking the icon below. For more information please contact the DACC Small Business Development Center (575-527-7676).

The New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NMMEP) invites you to attend a workshop to reduce manufacturing costs.

July 21, 2010

Location: Dona Ana Community College Workforce Center

2345 E Nevada Ave, Las Cruces, New Mexico

8am Registration

8:30am-3:00pm Workshop (Lunch included)

Who should attend? Everyone who is involved in producing a product — all levels of the company will benefit and be able to apply the Lean Manufacturing to reduce product costs.

You will see results!

• Ways to work smarter, not harder, and get more done

• Proven Lean Manufacturing techniques to reduce costs through

O Increased efficiency

O Better utilization of resources

O Improved productivity

O Reduced overtime

• How to identify and eliminate the 8 types of non-value added activities (wastes) to save time and money

• How to immediately apply Lean principles in your facility

No charge for attending – The tuition ($350) is subsidized by New Mexico Small Business Assistance for qualified companies. Eligibility confirmation is required prior to the workshop.

Space is limited. Register before July 7, 2010 by calling Jeff Abrams (575)642-3577 or via email: jeffa@newmexicomep.org.

*Must be a NM manufacturer meeting U.S. Small Business Administration requirements for small business.

Article Courtesy of The Las Cruces Bulletin

Help is on the way for anyone looking to start a business, but not quite sure how to start.

The Entrepreneurship Institute at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center will hold a grand opening for its Entrepreneurship Laboratory from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at NMSU’s Academic Research Building A, located on the south end of campus.

“This is an incredible community resource and it’s available for anyone interested in exploring the option of starting or running a business in New Mexico,” said Matt Elgersma, business research and outreach coordinator for Arrowhead Center. “We want to help spur economic development by helping potential entrepreneurs in beginning the process.”

The lab includes a library of entrepreneurship resources, computers equipped with business simulation software and a step-by-step workbook written for anyone interested in starting a business in the state.

The lab is part of Arrowhead’s Entrepreneurship Institute, which also focuses on fostering emerging entrepreneurs and establishing an entrepreneurship network within the state. The institute is funded by a three-year, nearly $1 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration and made possible by New Mexico’s congressional delegation.

There will be free finger foods and beverages, and a raffle will be held with the winner taking home a piece of jewelry provided by Boudreau’s Glenn Cutter Jewelers and Gallery, located at 2001 E. Lohman Ave., Suite 125. Entrants must be present to win. The drawing is at 4 p.m.

For more information, email Elgersma at melgersm@nmsu.edu, call 646-7832 or visit www.arrowheadcenter.org.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Office of International Trade and the U.S. Commercial Service are hosting one-day workshop on Thursday September 24, on “Export Methods of Payment and Export Shipping/Documentation Requirements”.  Businesses who are interested in understanding export financing and shipping and documentation requirements are encouraged to attend.

Finance representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Export Import Bank of the United States will be making presentations on methods of export financing, export payment methods, and their agencies’ export finance and insurance programs. There will also be a representative from UPS and a local customs broker from Brown, Alcantar & Brown will go over important international documentation and shipping requirements.

Seminar Date and Time: September 24, 2009 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

> Registration Fee of $35 includes networking coffee breaks, lunch and all conference sessions and materials. You must pre-register and pay online.

> Event Location: Nick L. Salazar Center for Performing Arts, Northern New Mexico College, 921 Paseo de Onate, Espanola, New Mexico