tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51992036754023766752024-03-13T06:25:36.120-04:00ShopTalkYour Small Business Help CenterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-27930529003906088232015-02-25T15:06:00.000-05:002015-02-25T15:06:17.789-05:00We've moved!We've moved! You can now find <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/small-business/shop-talk-blog/" target="_blank">this ShopTalk blog</a> at <a href="http://charlotteobserver.com/shoptalk">charlotteobserver.com/shoptalk</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-72371527508137025232015-02-24T06:30:00.000-05:002015-02-24T11:06:58.428-05:00Time to take control of your business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-98FRDXM-vm8/VOul8IEFqLI/AAAAAAAABD4/BPkXtFdlzzY/s1600/procrastinate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-98FRDXM-vm8/VOul8IEFqLI/AAAAAAAABD4/BPkXtFdlzzY/s320/procrastinate.JPG" height="294" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
If you're looking for ways to run your small business more efficiently, you may want to read our four-week “Small-business solutions” series starting in Wednesday's ShopTalk.
<br />
<br />
<br />
You'll hear from Tom Frenier and Rex Ferguson, who make their living helping small- and mid-sized businesses succeed. They are partners with <a href="http://www.lcg-ceo.com/">Hickory-based Lion Consulting Group</a>, a business the former CEOs launched about 7 years ago.
<br />
<br />
In their work, they'll go into a company and advise their clients how to work through an issue - from how to improve profits, to how to streamline office paperwork.
<br />
<br />
Frenier explains how they got started: “Rex and I were both running our own businesses as presidents and CEOs. We were personal friends…I was always amazed at how insightful Rex could be about my business,” even though he wasn't running it. And Rex thought Tom was smart to see things in his business, too.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--MR3kIt7W8c/VOumO1gOcgI/AAAAAAAABEA/pCcH6Gad0sg/s1600/Rex%2BFerguson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--MR3kIt7W8c/VOumO1gOcgI/AAAAAAAABEA/pCcH6Gad0sg/s200/Rex%2BFerguson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rex Ferguson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vywBP3JqJ5A/VOumaPrKOII/AAAAAAAABEI/dsfBnKuvuAI/s1600/Tom%2BFrenier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vywBP3JqJ5A/VOumaPrKOII/AAAAAAAABEI/dsfBnKuvuAI/s200/Tom%2BFrenier.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Frenier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
They realized that the hustle and bustle of running a business may keep owners from stepping back and taking an unbiased look at their companies.
And they thought: “Some day, we ought to do this professionally,” Frenier says.
<br />
<br />
<br />
Both their backgrounds include working for corporations. Ferguson launched an Internet business and an industrial automation company. Frenier was in the furniture industry, which included running a curved plywood manufacturing plant.
<br />
<br />
In their current business, they've advised a range of different companies, including a credit card processing business, a restaurant, medical offices and a dance studio. They’ll share some of that advice in upcoming weeks.
<br />
<br />
Frenier and Ferguson, both in their early 60s, say they aren't smarter than the people they work with, just more experienced. "We fill the gaps where they don't have any experience," Ferguson says.
<br />
<br />
"We love to see our customers succeed," says Frenier. "We sat in their chairs. Both Rex and I have wondered on a Wednesday if we'd be able to make payroll on Friday. If you sat in that chair and had the same nightmares you'd understand."
<br />
<br />
"To help them avoid making a mistake, or (take) advantage of an opportunity, is what we're all about."
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-40511025340988945952015-02-23T09:43:00.003-05:002015-02-23T09:43:31.163-05:00Coming up in Wednesday's ShopTalkCheck out this video preview of the next edition of ShopTalk, your small business help center:
<br>
<br>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S7oBKPkiDv4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-76695544030089644212015-02-17T12:28:00.000-05:002015-02-17T12:28:04.022-05:00Facebook cancels small-business boost plans for Concord<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPgxbxXb01w/VON6FRcKbsI/AAAAAAAAAb8/k5ZrFzGnZio/s1600/facebook%2Blogo.jpeg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPgxbxXb01w/VON6FRcKbsI/AAAAAAAAAb8/k5ZrFzGnZio/s1600/facebook%2Blogo.jpeg.png" /></a>As the region braces for more icy weather, Facebook has decided to cancel its plans for a small-business workshop in Concord on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
The social media company was planning to host a Small Business Boost in which an expert from their camp would give small-business owners tips, tools and tricks on how to achieve success and reach customers on Facebook.<br />
<br />
A panel of four local small-business owners who have done well on Facebook was scheduled to offer advice, as well. A similar event in Lincolnton on Tuesday was also canceled.<br />
<br />
While no dates have been set in stone yet, the company said it looks forward to returning to the Charlotte-metro area.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-41915243148045448342015-02-14T10:00:00.000-05:002015-02-16T09:02:24.123-05:00How is entrepreneurship doing in the U.S., and how does Charlotte fare?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7rsdF8CxmR4/VN4Oex4gNxI/AAAAAAAAAao/_bIiLc2MBiY/s1600/wendy_guillies.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7rsdF8CxmR4/VN4Oex4gNxI/AAAAAAAAAao/_bIiLc2MBiY/s1600/wendy_guillies.jpeg.jpg" height="200" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy Guillies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
You're likely accustomed to the stories of business successes and triumphs -- the tales of entrepreneurs who carve a niche, solve a problem or make a huge business turnaround. </div>
<br />
<div>
All those things do happen. But, is that the full picture?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Apparently not. <br />
<br />
Last Wednesday, the <a href="http://www.kauffman.org/">Kauffman Foundation</a>, an entrepreneurship research institute based in Kansas City, attempted to give the lowdown on the state of entrepreneurship in the U.S.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The economy is on a rebound, but has yet to reach full health. The key to that complete economic renewal is a boom in entrepreneurship — which will bring new jobs and bundles of innovation, said Kauffman Foundation CEO Wendy Guillies.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XKAK7bsyDRE/VN4KuVGssDI/AAAAAAAAAac/hm6uO2Ny6C0/s1600/Terry%2BCox.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XKAK7bsyDRE/VN4KuVGssDI/AAAAAAAAAac/hm6uO2Ny6C0/s1600/Terry%2BCox.jpeg" height="128" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry Cox, CEO of Charlotte's BIG</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Easier said than done.<br />
<br />
"The headline numbers may look good, but something isn't right when you dig a little deeper," Guillies said in a speech. <br />
<br />
New business creation dropped by 31 percent in 2008 and is still trying to make headway post-recession, she said. Young companies still struggle getting capital and credit. And, the <a href="http://www.nfib.com/">National Federation of Independent Business</a>, this week released survey results showing that optimism among small-business owners dipped by 2.5 points — with most of the decline blamed on business owners' uncertainty about the economic recovery.<br />
<br />
So what about the state of entrepreneurship in Charlotte? I asked a few local entrepreneurship advocates to weigh in:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Terry Cox, <a href="http://www.bigcouncil.com/">Business Innovation Growth Council</a>: </b>More government regulation and challenges associated with the Affordable Care Act have hindered U.S.<b> </b>entrepreneurial growth, Cox said. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Charlotte does well economically, she said, is still in the early stages of building an "entrepreneurial ecosystem."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It "has not reached a critical mass or maturity to rapidly produce successful startups or attract the early stage capital we need for them to thrive," she said.<br />
<br />
<div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1d5R2bLCltI/VOH1-WaIm7I/AAAAAAAAAbk/4n_BdSN8qHQ/s1600/steve-chapman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1d5R2bLCltI/VOH1-WaIm7I/AAAAAAAAAbk/4n_BdSN8qHQ/s1600/steve-chapman.jpg" /></a><b>Steve Chapman</b>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SBLCNow"><b>Small Business Learning Center</b></a>: "Main Street" entrepreneurship, Chapman said, is the "heart and soul" of microbusiness and the true mechanism that drives the economy. While he doubts the Kauffman Foundation's report is aimed at microbusinesses, he does agree that investment money for small businesses is scarce. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Charlotte, he said, has the potential as a financial center to champion "microbusiness investment."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
"But, I don't see that happening," he said. "Everyone talks about helping microbusiness owners access capital, but there is little effort behind the lip-service."</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl-suq8jGk0/VN4xYDtV0RI/AAAAAAAAAa4/olBum5e5ckA/s1600/jIM%2BvAN%2BfLEET.Jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl-suq8jGk0/VN4xYDtV0RI/AAAAAAAAAa4/olBum5e5ckA/s1600/jIM%2BvAN%2BfLEET.Jpeg.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Van Fleet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Jim Van Fleet, <a href="http://www.itsbspoke.com/">It's Bspoke</a>:</b> Van Fleet appreciates the Kauffman Foundation's efforts to spur entrepreneurship, but questions their gathering of "researchers and policy experts" -- two groups of people who, he said, are rarely considered entrepreneurs -- to help focus on "what is needed to renew entrepreneurial capitalism." <br />
<br />
He looks to Charlotte's entrepreneurial alliance as an example of people working with city leaders to set policy and create "real foundations to benefit entrepreneurs here."<br />
<br />
He said: "Our community isn't as vibrant as Durham and Raleigh...but if and when we're able to leverage our strength in community banking to feel more assured making bets on entrepreneurs...we in the Carolinas have the ingredients to change the face of the Southeast and the country."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Want to read the Kauffman Foundation speech yourself? Click <a href="http://www.kauffman.org/~/media/kauffman_org/resources/2015/soe/2015_state_of_entrepreneurship_speech.pdf">here</a>.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-33434894720300260742015-02-13T13:28:00.000-05:002015-02-16T15:53:35.681-05:00UPDATE: Facebook to share tips at small biz workshops in Concord<b>UPDATE: An earlier version of this blog post included plans for a Facebook event Tuesday in Lincolnton. That event has been canceled due to inclement weather. </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmHljjSkDuw/VN4-s-lQpfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/iLcqudcSiXs/s1600/facebook%2Blogo.jpeg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmHljjSkDuw/VN4-s-lQpfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/iLcqudcSiXs/s1600/facebook%2Blogo.jpeg.png" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>'s coming to town to give small-business owners in the Charlotte-metro area tips on making the most of the colossal social network.<br />
<br />
The social media company's Small Business Boost will hit Concord on Wednesday, and feature a presentation from a Facebook small business expert and a panel of local entrepreneurs who have found success on Facebook.<br />
<br />
There are more than 2 billion connections between local businesses and people who use Facebook, the social network says. More than 30 million small businesses use Facebook to connect with their customers.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.cabarrus.biz/">Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce</a> will host the event, and Rep. Richard Hudson will kick it off.<br />
<br />
An event scheduled for Tuesday in Lincolnton was cancelled due to inclement weather.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCKECPnLUsA/VN4-65EHSZI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/V5wpp47PebI/s1600/asset.find.us.on.facebook.lg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCKECPnLUsA/VN4-65EHSZI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/V5wpp47PebI/s1600/asset.find.us.on.facebook.lg.png" height="51" width="200" /></a>The boost begins at 8:30 a.m. at the <a href="http://www.cabarrusarena.com/">Cabarrus Arena & Events Center</a> on 4571 N.C. 49 North.<br />
<br />
Local businesses participating in the panels include:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.michael-a-anderson.com/">Michael A Anderson Photography</a>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/130122047084585" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>130122047084585</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.qccheese.com/">Queen Charlotte's Pimento Cheese Royale</a>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/queencharlottecheese" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>queencharlottecheese</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.carolinafitnessequipment.com/">Carolina Fitness Equipment</a>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaFitnessEquipment" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>CarolinaFitnessEquipment</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.theposhclosetonline.com/#">Posh Closet Children's Boutique</a>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theposhcloset" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>theposhcloset</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Want to go?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>To register for the Concord event, go to <a href="http://fbconcord.eventbrite.com/">http://fbconcord.eventbrite.com</a>.<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-27979654121788128442015-02-11T10:39:00.002-05:002015-02-11T10:39:37.554-05:00Investors up prize to $1.5 million for 6 companies in CLT Startup Grind<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOoMYhBeRNs/VNtvsPUOrTI/AAAAAAAAAaA/aZqaHByeBEo/s1600/grind.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOoMYhBeRNs/VNtvsPUOrTI/AAAAAAAAAaA/aZqaHByeBEo/s1600/grind.jpeg.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>After listening to four hours of pitches and presentations, three top-tier investors upped the prize in a Charlotte startup competition Tuesday night to $1.5 million for six early-stage companies that made it hard to choose one winner.<br />
<br />
Robert Grajewski and Kenneth Paulus, both of <a href="https://edisonnationmedical.com/">Edison Medical</a>, and Amish Shah, founding partner of venture capitalist firm <a href="http://www.sierramaya360.vc/">SierraMaya360</a>, were supposed to crown one company as the champion of Startup Grind Charlotte, a two-round pitch contest that put $250,000 in possible funding on the table for the last startup standing.<br />
<br />
But after whittling down the contenders to six finalists, the investors decided to offer their six favorite startups a potential $250,000 each in funding, which totals a $1.5 million total investment. <br />
<br />
"We were impressed with the companies," Shah said. <br />
<br />
"...I was floored," said Startup Grind Charlotte's director Jeff Brokaw about the six winners. "I can't say enough about how great this is for the local startup community."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0RvltHKASAM/VNtwnnk-OeI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ZU2-cSCCP5I/s1600/startup%2Bgrind%2Bcharlotte.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0RvltHKASAM/VNtwnnk-OeI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ZU2-cSCCP5I/s1600/startup%2Bgrind%2Bcharlotte.png" height="200" width="200" /></a>Each company will meet with partners at SierraMaya360, Edison Medical or <a href="http://enventys.com/">Enventys</a> to help refine their business models, brainstorm their needs and benefit from referrals and advisory services. Grajewski also agreed to help two additional startups specializing in medical technology.<br />
<br />
Twenty-two startups were set to pitch at the competition, held at Enventys' Ellis Street office where the PBS show "<a href="http://www.everydayedisons.com/">Everyday Edisons</a>" is filmed. They had 60 seconds to pitch their innovative ideas, which ran the gamut -- from technology to aid the visually impaired to a mother of nine specializing in brand consulting. <br />
<br />
Some used gadgets and props, while others relied on clever phrases, punchy cliches and interaction with the audience to make an impression.<br />
<br />
The judges grilled them with questions about their expansion plans, exit strategies, revenue models, sales numbers and their "secret sauce." <br />
<br />
It was standing room only for much of the night, at least until the first round ended and the beer and pizza started to run low.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StartupGrindCLT?src=hash">#StartupGrindCLT</a> near the end of the first round of pitching <a href="http://t.co/R0pxjXSCmR">pic.twitter.com/R0pxjXSCmR</a><br />
— Jonathan McFadden (@JmcfaddenObsBiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/JmcfaddenObsBiz/status/565324935061831680">February 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
<br />
The six companies named winners in the competition include:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EvolutionOrtho">Evolution Ortho</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">A company that makes and sells specialized and
stylized orthopedic shoes for children and young adults. Founder Rahsaan
Kearney, a former professional football player and past Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Power Up winner, says the company already
uses a manufacturer in<span class="apple-converted-space"> <st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on"></st1:place></st1:country-region></span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and has generated a $320,000 net
profit. He started the business when he realized the reason his father,
diagnosed with cerebral palsy, was reluctant to get out of bed was because
he did not like his orthopedic shoes.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.cathedralleasing.com/">Cathedral Leasing</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">An online platform that helps companies find and
compare offerings for leasing manufacturing equipment. It's the fourth
startup for founder Doug Speight, who described the company as the
"Lending Tree" for the equipment leasing industry.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://nimbusprocessing.com/">Nimbus</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">A digital loyalty software that integrates credit card payment systems with gift rewards programs, allowing retailers to process Bitcoin and coupons and track a customer's shopping habits. </span><span style="color: #222222;">Founder
Raymond Fosdick told judges he's invested more than $1 million of his own
money into the company and was on the prowl for venture capitalist
funding. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.brewpublik.com/#home">BrewPublik</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">A customized subscription craft-beer service in
which its founders lead customers to their website, allow them to indicate
their craft beer tastes and preferences and then deliver that beer to
customers right at their doorstep. Founders Charlie Mulligan and Zach
Jamison said they've created a database of 700 craft beers for customers
to choose from, and generated about $15,000 in revenue since starting several months ago.</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.collarperfect.com/">Collar Perfect</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">A company that has created a portable device meant to mitigate the tedium of ironing. The travel-size gadget irons out wrinkles in historically hard-to-reach places, such as collars, creases, between buttons and pockets. </span><span style="color: #222222;">Founder Brandon Dierker expects to
generate about $250,000 in revenue in Collar Perfect's first year, but
sought additional funding to hire a sales staff and support his
inventory. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.clinicianreports.com/">Clinician Reports</a>:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color: #222222;">A<b> </b>peer-approved directory of medical
products that acts as a search engine to help healthcare professionals
find specific tools for their work. Right now, owner Michael Lower sends the directory to
doctors, nurses and physician's assistants as an e-newsletter.. </span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Glad to see this big of startup activity in Charlotte. “<a href="https://twitter.com/jeffbrokaw">@jeffbrokaw</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StartupGrindCLT?src=hash">#StartupGrindCLT</a> <a href="http://t.co/uOKn3Fetuv">pic.twitter.com/uOKn3Fetuv</a>”<br />
— Harish Yarlagadda (@harish_yar) <a href="https://twitter.com/harish_yar/status/565318783498473474">February 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-84090563932342594482015-02-10T11:02:00.000-05:002015-02-10T11:02:22.394-05:00Charlotte marketing pros talk handling clients, breaking bad news<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kcSMBKHvGHI/VNom0JqjHxI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/Ei8XCYvFiRA/s1600/photo%2B(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kcSMBKHvGHI/VNom0JqjHxI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/Ei8XCYvFiRA/s1600/photo%2B(1).JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(from left) Jim Bailey, Tamera Green, Jaime Cardenas and Jon Show,<br />
who moderated the panel, at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte.<br />
Photo courtesy of Brooke Faw. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When Tamera Green has to deliver bad news to a client, she does it while wearing "velvet gloves."<br />
<br />
Preparing for the difficult conversations is key, especially if your client's wife has "sketchy" photos on the Internet, Green said early on Tuesday to a crowd of business owners and sport<br />
s professionals at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte.<br />
<br />
Such was one experience for Green, president of <a href="http://viridianmarketing.com/">Viridian Marketing</a>, who joined two other marketing entrepreneurs on a panel to discuss their business journeys, fears and struggles during a Charlotte Sports & Business networking event.<br />
<br />
"Don't knock them over the head with a hammer," Green said of clients. "Be prepared...if it's a tough conversation."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--d82x1EHCik/VNonKiGLtkI/AAAAAAAAAZg/U5nyP-jsOaM/s1600/jim-bailey-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--d82x1EHCik/VNonKiGLtkI/AAAAAAAAAZg/U5nyP-jsOaM/s1600/jim-bailey-2.jpg" height="200" width="108" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Bailey, CEO of Red Moon <br />
Marketing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Green, along with Jim Bailey, president and CEO of <a href="http://www.redmoonmkt.com/">Red Moon Marketing</a>, and Jaime Cardenas, CEO and founder of <a href="http://acmconnect.com/index.html">AC&M Cultural Marketing</a>, shared tips on how they maintain good client relations:<br />
<br />
<b>When you're right, you're right:</b> The old adage goes, "the customer is always right."<br />
<br />
Bailey agrees: "At the end of the day, the client is always right."<br />
<br />
That doesn't mean you're always wrong. Find a way to respectfully get your point across, even if it contradicts your client's opinion, he said.<br />
<br />
Disagreements are inevitable but the important thing, Bailey said, is finding a way to get the client back in your good graces.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CvnRT9A8nHE/VNonI3_qEQI/AAAAAAAAAZY/FojqubhXRII/s1600/Tamera-Green-Viridian-Cropped-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CvnRT9A8nHE/VNonI3_qEQI/AAAAAAAAAZY/FojqubhXRII/s1600/Tamera-Green-Viridian-Cropped-sm.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tamera Green, president of <br />
Viridian Marketing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"If you're a collector of relationships...good things will come your way," he said.<br />
<br />
<b>Rehearse the tough talks: </b>Clients are "the everything" to your business, Green said. Business owners, she said, should wake up each morning thinking about how they can add value to their client's experience.<br />
<br />
Yes, there are tough conversations to be had, but they get easier with a little homework beforehand.<br />
<br />
One difficult experience Green recalled was dealing with a client whose wife had "sketchy photos" on the Internet. Green spent days brainstorming on how to broach the topic. Finally, she did. The client already had an answer for Green, assuring her that his wife was not involved in any illicit activities.<br />
<br />
<b>Hire wisely: </b>Hiring the right people to take care of your clients the same way you do is critical, Cardenas said. Hire carefully and deliberately, making sure to clearly explain your company's standards and your clients' expectations.<br />
<br />
<b>Other advice they offered:</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2MQh7RvlwZk/VNorMDMEs9I/AAAAAAAAAZs/gE6osp8Nq4s/s1600/jaime.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2MQh7RvlwZk/VNorMDMEs9I/AAAAAAAAAZs/gE6osp8Nq4s/s1600/jaime.jpeg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaime Cardenas, CEO of AC&M <br />Cultural Marketing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Understand the commitment to the business and help your family understand they'll need to be equally committed to your success. As Cardenas said, "everything depends on whether we get this client or implement this project."</li>
<li>Establish core values and a company persona and communicate them to employees. Bailey's team has developed four key strategies for 2015. Employees are held accountable for exemplifying those values each day. </li>
<li>Take on the work you're not comfortable with and find people to help you understand it.</li>
<li>Pick up the phone and call people. You might hear information or ideas you never would have gotten in electronic communication. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Red Moon Pres/CEO Jim Bailey w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/viridianmkting">@viridianmkting</a> Pres Tamera Green & AC&M Group CEO Jaime Cardenas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sportsbusiness?src=hash">#sportsbusiness</a> <a href="http://t.co/vqz3FiwyOa">pic.twitter.com/vqz3FiwyOa</a><br />
— Red Moon Marketing (@RedMoonTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedMoonTeam/status/565150951766769666">February 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-4490263626691162282015-02-09T18:29:00.000-05:002015-02-12T15:27:50.646-05:00"The Woz" to speak at Charlotte startup conference <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DHGn3f8tkLU/VNlBGgaG7tI/AAAAAAAAAZA/jkbbcWalAXE/s1600/Woz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DHGn3f8tkLU/VNlBGgaG7tI/AAAAAAAAAZA/jkbbcWalAXE/s1600/Woz.JPG" height="320" width="252" /></a>The guest list for what's been touted as the largest showing of promising startups and eager venture capitalists to hit Charlotte now includes the man who co-founded Apple.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://woz.org/">Steve Wozniak</a>, who with Steve Jobs founded <a href="https://www.apple.com/">Apple Computer Inc.</a> in 1976, will be one of the featured speakers at this year's <a href="http://seventure.org/">Southeast Venture Conference</a>, an assembly of top venture capitalists and private investors waiting for a chance to pour their money into hopeful tech companies.<br />
<br />
Often called "The Woz," Wozniak is a Silicon Valley tycoon and electrical engineer who is credited with inventing the first personal computer, and recently revealed that Apple did not actually start in a garage.<br />
<br />
We <a href="http://shoptalkclt.blogspot.com/2015/01/whats-new-with-charlotte-venture.html">first blogged</a> about the Southeast Venture Conference last month, but apparently organizers didn't confirm Wozniak as a featured speaker until late last week.<br />
<br />
The conference, in its ninth year, will be held at the Le Meridien hotel Mar. 31 to April 1. It coincides with the <a href="http://charlotteventurechallenge.com/">Charlotte Venture Challenge</a>, a startup pitch competition that has drawn more than 200 early-stage companies in the past.<br />
<br />
This year, finalists will be able to pitch to investors attending the Southeast Venture Conference, putting them in contact with more than 600 top-tier investors, some of whom belong to Fortune 500 companies.<br />
<br />
"The combination of SEVC and the Charlotte Venture Challenge offers the region's most promising entrepreneurs an opportunity for great visibility...plus a great chance to learn from knowledgeable panelists and iconic speakers, such as Steve Wozniak," said Paul Wetenhall of <a href="http://www.bencraigcenter.com/">Ventureprise</a>, UNC Charlotte's incubator which hosts the venture challenge. "Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-62365834457054772292015-02-06T19:29:00.000-05:002015-02-06T19:29:26.030-05:00Next in ShopTalk: Puppy love at workCheck out this video preview of the next edition of ShopTalk:
<br>
<br>
<iframe width="405" height="228" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XtcGVvQvG3o?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-79740747196131760882015-02-02T13:53:00.000-05:002015-02-02T13:57:18.257-05:00Charlotte touchscreen maker's tech featured on CBS This MorningCharlotte-based touchscreen maker <a href="http://www1.t1visions.com/">T1Visions</a> made its way in front of a national audience last Friday when its tech was featured on "CBS This Morning." (watch the segment <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/D42qxDBIshJkCAGRkmIkgDWlFELOFXVr/high-tech-memory-mirror-records-and-shows-outfits-from-all-angles/">here</a>)<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7A7L4iQrLR8/VM-x9DSErDI/AAAAAAAAAYI/bLKiY19Wk5A/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7A7L4iQrLR8/VM-x9DSErDI/AAAAAAAAAYI/bLKiY19Wk5A/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marco Ventura, T1V's vice president of<br />
business development, poses with the<br />
interactive retail tables, currently in<br />
three flagship Neiman Marcus stores.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In a story about how mega-retailer <a href="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/">Neiman Marcus</a> is using technology to innovate and draw more customers, company execs showed off interactive retail tables in the shoe salon that allows customers to peruse the store's in-store and out-of-store inventory and add items to their favorites wishlist.<br />
<br />
At the 2 minutes 31 seconds mark, CBS reporter Ben Tracy describes the tables as "interactive tables that work like a giant iPad."<br />
<br />
These are the same tables we <a href="http://shoptalkclt.blogspot.com/2015/01/charlottes-t1visions-plants-high-def.html">blogged about last month</a>, and they're the same tables that will be the centerpiece in this week's ShopTalk, both in print and online.<br />
<br />
While T1Visions wasn't mentioned by name, the company did tweet its five seconds of morning news show fame.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
CBS This Morning Video - see what .<a href="https://twitter.com/neimanmarcus">@neimanmarcus</a> has been working on in its iLab: <a href="http://t.co/urXaKm7aJp">http://t.co/urXaKm7aJp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/interactive?src=hash">#interactive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/retail?src=hash">#retail</a><br />
— T1Visions (@T1Visions) <a href="https://twitter.com/T1Visions/status/561232250445254656">January 30, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
To learn more about how T1Visions landed the deal with Neiman Marcus, read <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/shoptalk/">ShopTalk online</a> on Tuesday or in Wednesday's Observer.<br />
<br />
CBS This Morning segment on Neiman Marcus:<br />
<br />
<object height="270" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://can.cbs.com/thunder/player/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=ePDPLKd6dWvI&partner=cbs&gen=1"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed width="480" height="270" src="http://can.cbs.com/thunder/player/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=ePDPLKd6dWvI&partner=cbs&gen=1" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-47860785570589824522015-01-28T11:34:00.001-05:002015-01-28T12:02:46.392-05:00Pitch season births CLT startup competition with $250K offering<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0PkS25XqEAE/VMkVgIy6yoI/AAAAAAAAAXE/7yRwF6jUvjI/s1600/Jeff%2BBrokaw%2Bheadshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0PkS25XqEAE/VMkVgIy6yoI/AAAAAAAAAXE/7yRwF6jUvjI/s1600/Jeff%2BBrokaw%2Bheadshot.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff Brokaw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The season doth approach for startup kickoffs, pitches and competitions.<br />
<br />
The late winter/early spring brings a flurry of opportunities for promising startups to secure funding and make nice with eager venture capitalists looking to invest.<br />
<br />
We've already told you about <a href="http://shoptalkclt.blogspot.com/2015/01/whats-new-with-charlotte-venture.html">new developments with the Charlotte Venture Challenge & Southeast Venture Conference</a> in March. Well, there's another one you might consider.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgVJ6j3wrTI/VMkWEOf1CyI/AAAAAAAAAXc/hYQXQJfPs80/s1600/startupgrind.jpeg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgVJ6j3wrTI/VMkWEOf1CyI/AAAAAAAAAXc/hYQXQJfPs80/s1600/startupgrind.jpeg.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Next month, <a href="http://startupgrind.com/charlotte/">Startup Grind Charlotte</a>, the local chapter of the global startup organization of the same name, will host a contest offering entrepreneurs the chance to pitch to the partners of <a href="http://www.sierramaya360.vc/">SierraMaya360</a>, an early-stage investment firm looking to connect promising startups with top-tier investors in Hollywood and Silicon Valley.<br />
<br />
You may remember our <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/16/5383431/entrepreneur-wants-to-help-charlotte.html#.VMkDVmjF87w">past coverage of SierraMaya360</a>, a re-brand of a venture capitalist firm started by local entrepreneur Amish Shah and his partner, tech pioneer Eric Kagan. They've now added Silicon Valley's Glen Howard and Tony Potts, formerly of Access Hollywood, to the roster.<br />
<br />
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 10, they'll converge at <a href="http://www.enventys.com/learnMore.aspx">Enventys</a>, 520 Elliot St., where the PBS TV show <a href="http://www.everydayedisons.com/">"Everyday Edisons"</a> is filmed.<br />
<br />
As part of the competition, th<br />
ey're offering $250,000 in funding and four hours of advisory services from Shah himself. Those services are typically worth $5,000, said Jeff Brokaw, director of Startup Grind Charlotte.<br />
<br />
Brokaw, 31, started his first web venture at age 14. He is the pioneer behind <a href="https://www.appvested.com/">AppVested</a>, a platform for connecting investors with carefully-vetted entrepreneurs launching mobile applications.<br />
<br />
Before the contest begins, Shah and Brokaw will share with attendees stories of successful startups and how they overcame their biggest challenges. They'll take questions, too, Brokaw said.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Usc_OPZxQB0/VMkVkZXGsdI/AAAAAAAAAXU/QgAanahtwx0/s1600/sierramaya360.jpe.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Usc_OPZxQB0/VMkVkZXGsdI/AAAAAAAAAXU/QgAanahtwx0/s1600/sierramaya360.jpe.png" /></a>"You can't do it by yourself," Brokaw said. "I tried building companies by myself. You have to surround yourself with people who know more than you do."<br />
<br />
It is a competition, so there are stipulations:<br />
<ul>
<li>Pitching teams or individuals will be entered into a two-round elimination. </li>
<li>The first round will be a 60-second pitch. </li>
<li>The field will be narrowed down to the top five teams or individuals who will then have an extra two to three minutes to expand their initial pitch.</li>
<li>During the second round, participants can use videos, props, or gadgets for their pitch.</li>
<li>After that, there's a five-minute Q&A session with the judging panel and audience, and a winner will be announced.</li>
<li> The winner will then have the opportunity to pitch to SierraMaya360. If the company likes the idea, the winner could earn $250,000 in funding.</li>
<li>One prize guaranteed for the winner are four hours of advisory time with Shah, Kagan, Howard, Potts and others who can help their business.</li>
</ul>
Interested in competing? Email Brokaw with your pitch, company and contact information at Jeff@StartupGrind.com. The deadline for entries is 8 p.m. Feb. 8. Just want to go? RSVP and purchase tickets at Startup Grind Charlotte's <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Startup-Grind-Charlotte/events/219925064/">Meetup page</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-54969507718496914352015-01-23T17:35:00.002-05:002015-01-23T17:37:41.612-05:00Calling all startups: Here's what's new with the Charlotte Venture Challenge this year<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FiJmMiIqj9M/VMLKjjfXwdI/AAAAAAAAAWY/BR0LHCn-3d0/s1600/Stephen%2BHoward.jpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FiJmMiIqj9M/VMLKjjfXwdI/AAAAAAAAAWY/BR0LHCn-3d0/s1600/Stephen%2BHoward.jpeg.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Howard, a UNC Charlotte graduate, won $5,000 last<br />
year at the Charlotte Venture Challenge for his $3,000 MechBlocks, a <br />
series of modular blocks and bearings for assembling devices. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's been tradition for the last 14 years: Founders of the Southeast's most promising startups swarm the Queen City and pitch their ideas to angel investors, venture capitalists and top executives for a chance at funding as part of the <a href="http://charlotteventurechallenge.com/">Charlotte Venture Challenge</a>.<br />
<br />
But 2015 throws something new into the mix.<br />
<br />
Finalists in the competition, which in the past has attracted more than 200 early-stage companies, will make their pitches during the opening day of the <a href="http://seventure.org/">Southeast Venture Conference</a>, an assembly of top venture capitalists and private investors waiting for a chance to pour their money into hopeful tech companies.<br />
<br />
Touting the tagline "where smart money meets smart people," the venture conference, entering its ninth year, was last in Charlotte in 2013. It was held in Atlanta last year, and has also been hosted in Tysons Corner, Va.,<br />
<br />
More than 600 investors, tech scouts and Fortune 500 executives are expected to attend the conference, from Mar. 31 to April 2, at the Le Meridien hotel.<br />
<br />
The opportunity to compete and pitch to hundreds of top-tier investors is big for aspiring startups. So, if you want to get in on the action, submit an application by noon Mar. 3.<br />
<br />
The challenge is organized by <a href="http://www.bencraigcenter.com/">Ventureprise</a>, UNC Charlotte's nonprofit startup incubator.<br />
<br />
Find applications for the Charlotte Venture Challenge <a href="http://charlotteventurechallenge.com/2015-competition/apply/">here</a>, and a chance to attend the Southeast Venture Conference on its <a href="http://seventure.org/attend/">website</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-28899013904154963812015-01-21T17:06:00.000-05:002015-01-21T17:45:26.441-05:00Charlotte small businesses keep changing hands at record levels<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BuCXPLFAQSA/VMAqyknkMcI/AAAAAAAAAV8/ktGto7NzHQA/s1600/Dogs.jpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BuCXPLFAQSA/VMAqyknkMcI/AAAAAAAAAV8/ktGto7NzHQA/s1600/Dogs.jpeg.jpeg" height="200" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Dina Beam, regional director of Pet Paradise,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
plays with dogs checked into the resort. Pet Paradise </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
bought Bed & Biscuits in Lake Norman last August from </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
original owners Susan and Dennis Meadows.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What do a coffee shop in uptown Charlotte, a Mecklenburg County motorcycle repair shop and a York County liquor store have in common?<br />
<br />
None of them have their original owners anymore.<br />
<br />
In fact, they were among the 13 Charlotte-area private businesses sold during the fourth quarter of 2014, bringing the number of Queen City enterprises to change hands last year to at least 67, according to numbers released Wednesday by <a href="http://www.bizbuysell.com/news/media_insight.html">BizBuySell.com</a>, an online marketplace for small-business sales.<br />
<br />
That's the highest number of sales recorded for any year since BizBuySell started keeping records in 2007.<br />
<br />
The Observer wrote about small-business owners <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2015/01/02/5420918/charlotte-small-businesses-being.html#.VMAReSvF_gw">selling their enterprises earlier this month</a>, when it seemed likely the Charlotte-area would outpace its previous record.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
Third-quarter numbers for 2014 showed that at least 54 private businesses had been sold -- a 42-percent hike from the same period a year earlier.<br />
<br />
The last time numbers were that high was in 2008 when 52 small businesses had been sold. The numbers started to dip in subsequent years, but picked up again in 2013 with 47 private business sales.<br />
<br />
In the backdrop of the Queen City's small business deals is a spate of national merger and acquisition activity, which also reached record highs in 2014.<br />
<br />
Nationwide, at least 7,494 small businesses were sold last year, a 6-percent increase from 7,056 in 2013, BizBuySell reported.<br />
<br />
Experts attribute the surge to favorable interest rates, cheaper borrowing options and increasing confidence in a recovering economy.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-stretch: normal; height: 1px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; width: 1px;">
<br style="margin-top: 0px;" />
Read mor</div>
<br />
Here are some other highlights about the Charlotte-area this year:<br />
<ul>
<li>Some of the businesses sold in Q4 were: a York Co. liquor store that sold for $150,000; a Cabarrus County child care center that sold for $1 million; and the uptown coffee shop, which sold for $237,500. </li>
<li>The median asking price for businesses in Charlotte is $250,000. At the same time in 2013, the asking price was $226,000.</li>
<li>Businesses listed for-sale in Q4 generated median revenues of $500,000. In 2013, they generated $402,667.</li>
</ul>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-33289944364844589462015-01-15T17:12:00.001-05:002015-01-16T13:11:28.253-05:00LockerDome names 10 Charlotte hubs jolting startup flurry A new ranking praises Charlotte's "unstoppable" startup ecosystem, and names the top 10 incubators and venture capital firms helping to make it happen.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lockerdome.com/">LockerDome</a>, a St. Louis-based social networking site that catalogs users' interests and allows them to share articles and factoids with like-minded enthusiasts, has listed Packard Place, <a href="http://www.sierramaya360.vc/">SierraMaya360</a>, Ventureprise and RevTech Labs as some of the front-burner groups helping spur the city's startup scene.<br />
<br />
Heading the list is SierraMaya360, an early-stage venture capital firm seeking to connecting promising startups with top-tier investors and notable celebrities.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8yfesmLGd8/VLgrwYGE8FI/AAAAAAAAAVI/VbljXqINv4A/s1600/Shah.jpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N8yfesmLGd8/VLgrwYGE8FI/AAAAAAAAAVI/VbljXqINv4A/s1600/Shah.jpeg.jpeg" height="138" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amish Shah</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The firm is a <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/16/5383431/entrepreneur-wants-to-help-charlotte.html#.VLgm5yvF_gw">re-brand of local entrepreneur Amish Shah</a> and longtime investor Eric Kagan's original firm, Sierra Maya Ventures, that now includes two new partners, offices in Charlotte, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and an enhanced mission to promote a client's startup in media and in front of tech-savvy investors.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
Other Charlotte firms that made LockerDome's list include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://cltjoules.com/">CLT Joules</a></li>
<li><a href="http://packardplace.us/">Packard Place</a></li>
<li><a href="http://queencityforward.org/">Queen City Forward</a></li>
<li><a href="http://detailedblock.com/">Detailed Block</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.revtechlabs.com/">RevTech Labs</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.edisonnation.com/?utm_expid=6441045-6.Xk77hrDQSJGD7f0VeTFrtw.0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edisonnation.com%2Fabout">Edison Nation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://industrycharlotte.com/">Industry Charlotte</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bencraigcenter.com/">Ventureprise</a></li>
<li><a href="http://incuseed.ventures/">IncuSeed. Ventures </a></li>
</ul>
<br />
Read more about these incubators and hubs at <a href="http://lockerdome.com/6306625019449153/7321702052924695">LockerDome</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-578434387953844532015-01-13T11:34:00.000-05:002015-01-13T11:34:24.675-05:00Charlotte's T1Visions plants high-def touchscreen tables in Neiman Marcus<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-asisZJcIkQA/VLVHJkIRkII/AAAAAAAAAUs/vhAePLe0YxY/s1600/T1V_NM_Customer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-asisZJcIkQA/VLVHJkIRkII/AAAAAAAAAUs/vhAePLe0YxY/s1600/T1V_NM_Customer1.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="http://www1.t1visions.com/">T1Visions</a>, a Charlotte-based maker of interactive touchscreens, has landed its latest creation in a chain of deluxe department stores.<br />
<br />
Interactive 32-inch high-definition retail tables now adorn the shoe salons of three <a href="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/">Neiman Marcus</a> stores in Austin, Chicago and Topanga, Calif. They allow customers to scroll through in-store and out-of-store inventory and add items to their 'My Favorites for Wishlist' at the touch of a finger, according to a news release.<br />
<br />
The tables give store associates access to the most current inventory information, including what isn't in the store and what is "coming soon."<br />
<br />
All the tables are touchscreen and built with a single continuous pane of glass that is customized in color.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zdpz5c7DHxQ/VLVHJpAD0KI/AAAAAAAAAUw/1sEnv9FKgSI/s1600/T1V_NeimanMarcusTopanga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zdpz5c7DHxQ/VLVHJpAD0KI/AAAAAAAAAUw/1sEnv9FKgSI/s1600/T1V_NeimanMarcusTopanga.jpg" height="320" width="279" /></a>T1Visions, <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/08/26/5130090/with-touchscreen-tables-walls.html#.VLVE3CvF_gw">founded by Mike Feldman in 2008 </a>after a career in electrical engineering and micro-optics, worked with Neiman Marcus' Innovation Lab (iLab) to develop the tables.<br />
<br />
OneShop, T1's proprietary retail software, powers the tables, giving them the infrastructure for customers to browse and filter through the store's inventory. It also supports a recommendation engine based on customers' browsing habits.<br />
<br />
More updates to the tables are expected later this year. Makers hope the tables will one day be able to conduct transactions, functioning as a stand-alone point of sale in the store.<br />
<br />
Last summer, <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/08/21/5119559/5-charlotte-companies-make-inc.html#.VLVE_CvF_gw">T1 Visions was ranked at No. 456 on the Inc. 500</a>, a list of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. The company generated $2.4 million in revenue last year, up from $212,000 in 2010.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-47331897937252990772015-01-06T15:24:00.000-05:002015-01-06T15:48:19.417-05:00Co-op opens studio space to Charlotte writers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z2axK6i6XBA/VKxADCiGsHI/AAAAAAAAATg/nxNDGJP7ffY/s1600/IMG_9832_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z2axK6i6XBA/VKxADCiGsHI/AAAAAAAAATg/nxNDGJP7ffY/s1600/IMG_9832_2.jpeg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathie Collins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Self-employed Charlotte writers no longer have to put pen to paper in isolation.<br />
<br />
Kathie Collins, a local author and academic writer, is giving them studio space and friendship.<br />
<br />
Collins, 49, recently started the August Moon Creative Co-Op and is renting out studio space in Plaza Midwood to creative professional and recreational writers tired of working alone. She wants them to congregate, she said, and tap into the "the power of group synergy."<br />
<br />
The studio is a classroom in the <a href="http://www.ihclt.org/midwood/">Midwood International and Cultural Center</a> on Central Avenue, near Zada Jane's Corner Cafe and Lulu, a French bistro. It comes furnished with a couch, throw pillows, WiFi, bookshelves and a dry erase board.<br />
<br />
She's charging co-op members a monthly $125 fee to help pay the costs of renting the room, which is $750 per month.<br />
<br />
"It's really a beautiful space," she said. "It's this feeling of being in a school."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dg4c2fEv7g0/VKxAFGhQ5CI/AAAAAAAAATo/SjBn2HA2R3Y/s1600/IMG_7966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dg4c2fEv7g0/VKxAFGhQ5CI/AAAAAAAAATo/SjBn2HA2R3Y/s1600/IMG_7966.jpeg" height="178" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The studio space at the Midwood International and Cultural Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Writers who can take advantage of the room include professional, recreational or freelance writers who might find it hard to focus on their craft at home. She's also offering to rent to artists or anyone with "good creative energy...interested in spending time with other people doing similar work."<br />
<br />
The room will be available night and day, she said.<br />
<br />
Collins, a UNC Chapel Hill graduate and mother of five, is a published poet who has written Biblical reflections for the <a href="https://www.educationalcenter.org/">Educational Center</a> in Charlotte.<br />
<br />
Anyone interested in renting studio space can contact Kathie Collins at 704-458-3293 or kathiescollins@gmail.com. The co-op meets at the Midwood International and Cultural Center, Suite 302 at 1817 Central Ave.<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-20996142802611480612014-12-18T14:41:00.000-05:002014-12-18T14:41:43.983-05:00Klassic Rides in Lincoln Co. under new ownershipThree former customers and the founder's son have officially assumed ownership of <a href="http://www.klassicrides.com/">Klassic Rides</a>, a Lincoln County automobile restoration shop specializing in vintage and classic cars.<br />
<br />
Klassic Rides announced its new owners on Thursday.<br />
<br />
The business is housed in a 20,400-square-foot facility in Denver with 22 employees, generated about $2 million in revenue this year and attracts customers from the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee.<br />
<br />
The shop disassembles, reconstructs and restores muscle, classic and vintage cars from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Employees take pictures of the restoration process and post them online each Friday so customers can track their vehicle's progress.<br />
<br />
The new ownership team includes operations manager Billy West, who started Klassic Rides with his father, Floyd West, in 2005; Fred Rice, a 70-year-old retiree; Olindo Mare, who serves as the business' sales, public relations and marketing manager; and Steve Lyon, a "silent owner" who lives in Vermont.<br />
<br />
Over time, Floyd and Billy West developed a "difference of opinion as to what the future should be," Rice said.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KjOmDH1lHo/VJMqcJrJ2oI/AAAAAAAAASU/FPCIDtKOllU/s1600/KR_Owners_3-30-14b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KjOmDH1lHo/VJMqcJrJ2oI/AAAAAAAAASU/FPCIDtKOllU/s1600/KR_Owners_3-30-14b.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new ownership team at Klassic Rides.<br /> (From left) Fred Rice, Olindo Mare, Steve Lyon and Billy West.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"You have a 30-something year old son and a 60-year-old father with slightly different interests in what the traction should be," he said. "Fathers and sons, they get to the point where they have the contest of who is going to be in charge to go forward.<br />
<br />
"As you get older, your risk tolerance goes down a little bit and you want to step back a little," Rice added. Meanwhile, "the young son is trying to put his stamp on the business."<br />
<br />
Billy West reached out to three customers to see if they would be interested in becoming co-owners, Rice said. They agreed.<br />
<br />
Papers were signed in January and it took the four owners about four days to gather the money to buy out Floyd West, Rice said. In July, they started negotiations to purchase the real estate -- a deal they finalized in November.<br />
<br />
Rice declined to disclose the value of the deal, but said it was a "mutually-agreed upon price" with Floyd West, who is no longer associated with the business.<br />
<br />
The company's vision, he said, remains the same: Continue to remain true to a commitment for "quality over quantity."<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-63033069087586795322014-12-09T11:34:00.002-05:002014-12-09T11:34:37.958-05:00Survey: Small-biz owners upbeat, hopeful for 2015Small-business owners are feeling pretty good about 2015.<br />
<br />
Business owners are more optimistic than they have been in more than six years, and are feeling the most cheerful about the year ahead since the Great Recession, according to the most recent <a href="https://wellsfargoworks.com/owners-most-optimistic-since-2008">Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index Survey</a>.<br />
<br />
The fourth-quarter survey, which polled private business owners for a week last month, returned a Small Business Index score of "positive 58," up from a "positive 49" in July and up 34 total points from a year ago.<br />
<br />
The score is the highest its been since January 2008 when it was a "positive 83."<br />
<br />
The survey cites several reasons for their cheery dispositions, including:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>More than 70 percent of small-business owners feel their company's financial situation will be very or somewhat good over the next year.</li>
<li>Hiring will increase as 26 percent of small-business owners reported they plan to increase the number of jobs at their companies "a little or a lot."</li>
<li>Business owners plan to make investments in their businesses over the next year with 29 percent of them expecting to increase the amount of money they spend on capital.</li>
<li>And, more than 50 percent of business owners expect their company's revenues to increase a little or a lot. Only 14 percent expect a decrease.</li>
</ul>
<div>
But, the survey isn't all smiles. Business owners listed attracting customers and new business among their top concerns for next year, followed by government regulations and financial stability. </div>
<br />
<br />
The survey also questioned small-business owners about health insurance coverage, with 56 percent of them reporting that they believe the cost for healthcare in 2015 will result in some kind of financial hardship. In 2015, 25 percent of small-business owners plan to offer health insurance options for their employees, up from 19 percent in 2010.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-50727399011097965252014-12-01T16:30:00.000-05:002014-12-01T16:46:42.708-05:00Customers support Shop Micro Local on its big shopping dayShop Micro Local vendors say they saw twice the amount of customer traffic this past Small Business Saturday compared to last year.
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eFXLGJRWgjQ/VHzap-tVI7I/AAAAAAAAA7s/EBq46Q9u9U0/s1600/shopmicrolocallede.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eFXLGJRWgjQ/VHzap-tVI7I/AAAAAAAAA7s/EBq46Q9u9U0/s320/shopmicrolocallede.JPG" /></a></div>
<i>From left to right: Olive Stewart of Bushelle Seasonings, Caroline Starnes of Guava Love Foods and Leslie Suber of Sadie's Caribbean Fish Cakes. Photo by Alana Dawson.</i>
<p>
<p>
Close to 30 merchants participated in Shop Micro Local, a coordinated pop-up store housed inside Triple C Brewery in SouthEnd. (Pop-ups are small, temporary businesses that operate in one location for a day or longer, and then leave.)
<p>
Here's how Olive Stewart, creator of the marinades line Bushelle Seasonings, described the day in an email to ShopTalk:
<p>
"Shop Micro Local was AWESOME! The atmosphere was joyous and PRO local small business. A D.J. kicked off the event and local bands followed. A variety of great food samples was served and many customers shopped while walking around with their Triple C Brew. The event hosted everyone from families to four legged friends with their owners!
<p>
The staff of Shop Micro Local, Center City Partners, Triple C Brewery and CPCC did an excellent job in getting the word out. The attendance rate increased two-fold from last year.
<p>
The vendors had the ability to have one on one conversation with current and future customers, which we feel is one of the most important aspects of SML. Contacts were made with customers and among vendors. New vendors were able to showcase their product for the first time and they received an overwhelming response. Many vendors agreed that the event was worth participating in financially and would participate next year." <br />
<p>
Here are photos from the event. Photos by Alana Dawson:
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FIktzVSVqU/VHzcK_0rVtI/AAAAAAAAA74/BNm-tc216JI/s1600/shopmicrolocal7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FIktzVSVqU/VHzcK_0rVtI/AAAAAAAAA74/BNm-tc216JI/s320/shopmicrolocal7.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I674OFiPpuA/VHzcSfmtfNI/AAAAAAAAA8A/MC91aasIW5g/s1600/shopmicrolocal1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I674OFiPpuA/VHzcSfmtfNI/AAAAAAAAA8A/MC91aasIW5g/s320/shopmicrolocal1.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CpluUHSIBYk/VHzcXBGDGUI/AAAAAAAAA8I/m7c_AzvbpSs/s1600/shopmicrolocal2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CpluUHSIBYk/VHzcXBGDGUI/AAAAAAAAA8I/m7c_AzvbpSs/s320/shopmicrolocal2.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dbFop1qcxUE/VHzceCdRgKI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/pEhixCKxMDk/s1600/shopmicrolocal3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dbFop1qcxUE/VHzceCdRgKI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/pEhixCKxMDk/s320/shopmicrolocal3.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v0T2VXlXJVw/VHzckfrzJYI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/E99Y_S33U2c/s1600/shopmicrolocal4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v0T2VXlXJVw/VHzckfrzJYI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/E99Y_S33U2c/s320/shopmicrolocal4.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j39RvAB8REU/VHzcpNYvZTI/AAAAAAAAA8g/vUzcS-QIgIQ/s1600/shopmicrolocal5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j39RvAB8REU/VHzcpNYvZTI/AAAAAAAAA8g/vUzcS-QIgIQ/s320/shopmicrolocal5.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BLEnL7piJYE/VHzcvrnBcsI/AAAAAAAAA8o/KVUFa_ixrmY/s1600/shopmicrolocal6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BLEnL7piJYE/VHzcvrnBcsI/AAAAAAAAA8o/KVUFa_ixrmY/s320/shopmicrolocal6.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JV-DY9H6eKY/VHzc21YTVSI/AAAAAAAAA8w/eyxKzDYwWTM/s1600/shopmicrolocal8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JV-DY9H6eKY/VHzc21YTVSI/AAAAAAAAA8w/eyxKzDYwWTM/s320/shopmicrolocal8.JPG" /></a></div>
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uHGv_zpTFgQ/VHzc6kOsvZI/AAAAAAAAA84/vhcbQmnHmMA/s1600/shopmicrolocal9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uHGv_zpTFgQ/VHzc6kOsvZI/AAAAAAAAA84/vhcbQmnHmMA/s320/shopmicrolocal9.JPG" /></a></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-48181560329408014392014-11-26T17:17:00.001-05:002014-11-26T17:17:33.757-05:00Check out the Fashion Truck Rodeo on Small Business Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YQcxdGMQJ8/VHZREHRtXeI/AAAAAAAAA7M/suz4FXSkEvQ/s1600/fashionTruck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YQcxdGMQJ8/VHZREHRtXeI/AAAAAAAAA7M/suz4FXSkEvQ/s400/fashionTruck.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
<p>
Fashion trucks are headed to South End for Small Business Saturday. Here's how Tobe Holmes of Charlotte Center City Partners describes the event:
<p>
"We’ve all heard of food trucks… but fashion trucks? No better time to debut South End’s first fashion truck rodeo than Small Business Saturday on 11/29 in the parking lot of the Shu and Brief storefronts located at 1426 South Tryon Street.
<p>
These mobile fashion purveyors are the first step for many entrepreneurs who aspire to a bricks-and-mortar storefront. Don’t think that because these fashion boutiques operate out of the footprint of a campers, buses or delivery trucks they can’t bring some serous style to the runway. But who are we to judge?
<p>
Judge for yourself! Come check out Gypsy Jule, Pink Culture, Motor Couture, L Squared, Sole Addiction and Circa 360 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Small Business Saturday, 11/29, at the corner of South Tryon Street and Camden Road. Make a day of it by catching the Holiday Trolley that will be delivering shoppers there every 30 minutes from other its stops at Atherton Mill and a 30 vendor pop-up shop at Triple C Brewing Company."
<p>
You can see what the fashion trucks are saying on Twitter about the event:
@gypstjulemerc
@PinkCultrTruck
@motorcouture
@Shop_Lsquared
@TheSoleAddictio
@Circa360StyleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-72362465362434341502014-11-19T11:03:00.000-05:002014-11-19T11:03:55.494-05:00Fifi's Fine Resale in Cornelius donates $5K to support breast cancer patients<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTF1fGml78s/VGy57h8g71I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/TeMFPqPtLLw/s1600/Fifis_Julia%2BAustin%2B%26%2BBeth%2BMedlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTF1fGml78s/VGy57h8g71I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/TeMFPqPtLLw/s320/Fifis_Julia%2BAustin%2B%26%2BBeth%2BMedlock.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>
Julia Austin, left, owner of Fifi's Fine Resale in Cornelius, presents a check for $5,000 to Beth Medlock of the Pretty in Pink Foundation during a recent presentation.
<p>
<a href="http://fifislkn.com/">Fifi's</a> hosted fundraising events throughout October to raise money to help pay for breast cancer treatment for some of Lake Norman's underinsured patients.
<p>
The <a href="https://www.prettyinpinkfoundation.org/">Pretty In Pink Foundation</a>, according to its website, serves people diagnosed with breast cancer who have limited or no health insurance.
Fifi's, a men's and women's consignment shop, is located at 20601-A Torrence Chapel Road in the Fresh Market Center.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-11522313079619884582014-11-14T17:07:00.001-05:002014-11-14T17:07:25.554-05:00CPCC celebrates entrepreneurs worldwide with int'l trade workshop Central Piedmont Community College will throw its support behind entrepreneurs worldwide next week after joining with an entrepreneurial hub keyed in to eight Southern cities.<br />
<br />
In time for Global Entrepreneurship Week, the college's <a href="http://www.cpcc.edu/sbc">Small Business Center</a> has signed on to support <a href="http://www.startuppoint.net/">StartupPoint</a>, a crowd-sourcing resource for entrepreneurs who want to make connections and collect advice.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gew.co/">Global Entrepreneurship Week</a>, the world's largest celebration of entrepreneurs, innovators and job-creators, starts on Nov. 17 and features more than 140 countries hosting over 20,000 activities, according to a news release.<br />
<br />
To celebrate, CPCC and the <a href="http://www.ncbar.org/public-resources/nc-leap/">North Carolina Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Program</a> on Nov. 19 will host a <a href="https://www.ncsbc.net/workshop.aspx?ekey=120340086">workshop exploring the legal aspects of international trade</a>. The workshop, which will teach entrepreneurs how to understand exporting products and the legal framework for international trade, starts at 9:30 a.m. and lasts until noon in the center's Hall Building.<br />
<br />
StartupPoint's connectors include supporters with companies in Asheville, Wilmington, Durham, Atlanta, Dallas, Savannah, Ga., and Beltsville, Md.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-62189682773457279922014-11-11T12:37:00.001-05:002014-11-12T15:10:04.954-05:00Edison Nation wants to hear from military inventorsIf you're a veteran or a military member on active duty who has a great new invention, Charlotte-based Edison Nation wants to hear from you.
<br />
Edison Nation, which operates an online community for innovators and produces the public television reality show "Everyday Edisons," is partnering with Ride 2 Recovery to encourage new product ideas.
<br />
All submission fees collected in the search will be donated to <a href="https://ride2recovery.com/index.php">Ride 2 Recovery</a>, a nonprofit that helps injured veterans improve their health and wellness through cycling programs. (The submission fee is $25 for each new idea submitted; $20 for each new idea submitted by an insider member.)
<br />
To participate, military inventors with ideas that are "unique, marketable, patentable, and meet a need in the marketplace" submit their idea <a href="http://www.edisonnation.com/live_product_searches/EN477">at this Edison Nation website</a>.
<br />
Deadline is Monday, December 22 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
<br />
The goal is to raise money for California-based Ride 2 Recovery, and also successfully launch a product idea, according to Edison Nation.
<br />
To kick off the contest, one of the inventors, Ben Welsh, visited Charlotte on Veteran's Day today to deliver his prototype.
His invention, called the "Modular and Portable Lighting System," is comprised of several, identical multi-color LED lighting devices that join together to form a single lighting structure.
<p>
In the photos below, Scott Dromms from Edison Nation (in the plaid shirt), Ben Welsh (in the white shirt) and his wife, Jennifer meet at Edison Nation. Photos courtesy of Edison Nation.
<p>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B6MEi37rk7c/VGO-ERAiLLI/AAAAAAAAA5g/pvQUywLQCJs/s1600/Ben%2Bvisit%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-B6MEi37rk7c/VGO-ERAiLLI/AAAAAAAAA5g/pvQUywLQCJs/s320/Ben%2Bvisit%2B1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3APPHvq1zNk/VGO-ICHLlMI/AAAAAAAAA5o/W3ykO-jCXm4/s1600/Ben%2Bvisit%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-3APPHvq1zNk/VGO-ICHLlMI/AAAAAAAAA5o/W3ykO-jCXm4/s320/Ben%2Bvisit%2B3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5199203675402376675.post-74484757328680161002014-11-06T15:30:00.000-05:002014-11-07T10:58:49.022-05:00SBA offers entrepreneurs week-long crash course in business Business owners at every stage, from start up to maturity, will soon get a week-long crash course in entrepreneurship from the comfort of their living rooms if they choose.<br />
<br />
To celebrate National Distance Learning Week, the Small Business Administration has launched a <a href="http://www.sba.gov/blogs/national-distance-learning-week-november-10-14-2014">blog </a>providing links to a variety of classes on small-business topics, such as how to write a business plan, crowdfunding for entrepreneurs and how to take your business global, according to a news release.<br />
<br />
Distance learning is simply attending or participating in a class or educational venture digitally, without the worry of commuting or sitting in an actual classroom.<br />
<br />
Starting Nov. 10, each entrepreneur or aspiring business owner will take a class each day tailored to the specific stage their business is in, according to an SBA news release.<br />
<br />
Classes start Nov. 10 and end Nov. 14.<br />
<br />
Each class is 30 minutes, but require Acrobat Reader or Adobe Flash Player to use. <a href="http://www.sba.gov/blogs/national-distance-learning-week-november-10-14-2014">Links and descriptions</a> of each class are available on the SBA's website.<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1