Chamber Cafe: Strategic Business Planning

Flagstaff Chamber Members,

My name is Malcolm (Mal) Bowen and I’m going to be giving a 1½ hr beginning workshop on “the basics of how to create a useful Strategic Business Plan regardless of the size of your business” 9/12/12 at the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce. The key outcomes of this presentation workshop are:

• Why plan strategically versus just using basic action plans?
• Understanding of the key terms and processes that are used in Strategic Planning
• An understanding of and ability to use a planning framework that incorporates the Baldrige Criteria (The vital processes all business must plan for and take actions in to be a successful growing business).
• 30 minutes of you beginning your own 2013 business’s planning process using some of these tools with my assistance.
• Ongoing Q&A (questions and answers) during the presentation workshop
• A few special offers to assist you in your planning path forward for those of you that are interested in purchasing one of our planning packages (a number of choices will be provided). These packages include proprietary templates, processes and individual virtual or face to face coaching support at special prices for participants of this Chamber sponsored presentation workshop.

Prework if you’re willing!

To assist you in preparing for this talk and maximizing your planning ½ hr I’m recommending that you:

1.   Look at this link that will give you a complete explanation of the Baldrige Criteria that are one of the key ingredients in our planning framework.

2.   When looking at the Baldrige Criteria jot down notes about both what you currently have in place in each of the criteria and what you would like to begin during 2013 to you business to facilitate your growth and continued success.

I hope this is helpful and I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday September 12, 2012 starting promptly at 11:30am. If you have questions regarding the presentation you can reach me as shown below.

                                  Thanks, Mal Bowen

                                Performance Consulting

                                http://www.PerformanceConsulting.org

                                Telephone (Office) 928-227-3028

                                               (Cell) 510-813-4077

                                E-Mail: Skipbow@ix.netcom.com

Register online for this Chamber Cafe HERE

Job postings in Flagstaff

Did you know that the Chamber allows (and encourages) all our members to post their open job positions on our website?

We do!

Here are some currently-posted positions in Flagstaff!

• Service Technician
• Marketing/Social Media Intern
• State Farm Agent
• Grants Writer
• Art Gallery Manager
• Director of Resource Strategy
• Agency Relations Manager
• Community Services Director
• Public Fiduciary: Community  Services
• Planner, BOM Estomator
• CNC Machinist and Programmer
• Part-Time Teller
• Bioinformatics Technician
• Office Manager
• Executive Director

View the complete list of job positions here!

Flight times in and out of FLG Pulliam Airport

Ever wanted to know the departure or arrival time of a flight out of our very own Flagstaff Pulliam Airport?

This handy tool knows everything about every commercial flight in and out of FLG!

Resource: Online Classes BLOG

We just learned about a great resource (and good reading) directed at college students and soon-to-be college students.

OnlineClasses.org is an organization that provides higher education for those without the time or the finances to attend a "traditional" college program.

Their blog has a variety of useful and humorous articles discussing many of the issues that new college students tend to be concerned with:

• 7 Benefits of Graduating Early
• 8 Best Places to Study Besides the Library
• 7 Unsung Benefits of Staying Single
• 7 Reasons a College Degree is Still a Good Investment
• Health and Fitness, and more!

http://www.onlineclasses.org/blog/

If you know any college students who are reconsidering their motivations for getting that degree, or high school students who are wondering if they really want to go to college, this blog is a great resource for them!

Membership Drive!

For the month of September, the Chamber is giving out serious perks and savings opportunities for serious business owners who join our membership, already over 1000-strong!

What kind of perks, you ask?

A FREE insert in the Business Matters Newsletter ($150 value)

FREE membership mailing labels ($150 value)

FREE membership spotlight in newsletter & online! ($75 value)

FREE insert into the Good Morning Flagstaff bags ($25 value)

2x FREE pass to "Business After 5" Mixer ($7/ea value)

That's $414 in FREE extras at the Chamber! 

The average membership is only $275 per year. At that rate, you've paid for the first 1.5 years of your membership in savings!

In addition, you also get all the regular membership benefits found on our website, including:

• Free job postings
• Free e-coupons
• Brochure distribution in the Chamber lobby
• A ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Online advertising
• Social media promotion
• Insurance discounts
• Workers Compensation savings
• Inclusion in the "Buy - Dine - Stay Flagstaff" program!

and much more!

You can join online today OR give us a call and ask to speak with Kat or Matt - we would be happy to sit down with you and discuss all the benefits of membership with the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce!

(928) 774-4505
mbeaty@flagstaffchamber.com

Your Feedback Required: Chamber Cafe

We are looking to gather some information from our members regarding the ongoing education series we run called Chamber Cafe.

Please take a few moments and fill out the quick form below! Your feedback is appreciated and helps us to continually improve!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So you're looking for an Intern?

Looking to get an intern through the W.A. Franke College of Business at NAU? Somebody who knows Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Computer Information Systems, Economics,  or Management?

Here are some things you should know:

The FCB does *not* require students to complete an internship at any point during their career. Students seeking interns do so by their own free will and not to fulfill a requirement imposed on them by the university.

Internships for credit are approved on a case-by-case basis at the college. In order to get an internship approved, you must submit a job description to the college where it will be reviewed. If approved, you may offer credit to students through the FCB. If not – you can still offer the internship, but students will not get credit.

If your business is approved for a for-credit internship, the student must work at least 135 hours over the course of the semester (9 hours/week). They will also be required to submit weekly assignments on the BlackBoardLearn online education system through NAU.

The undergraduate programs available at the FCB include:

Accounting, Business Economics, Computer Information Systems, Finance, Management and Marketing.

Because students are not required to do internships, many will avoid positions that do not pay an hourly wage. This may translate to you having difficulty finding a student to take the internship, regardless of whether credit is offered. To keep students motivated and to ensure you get an intern who wants to work with your business, we recommend offering an hourly wage.

There is a limit to the number of credits a student can take. If they take too many – the university worries they may be overloaded and so discourages students from taking more than 19 credits. Any more than that, and often students will have to sign a waiver stating that they know their course load is unusually large and that they risk failing classes by stretching themselves too thin.

Students can be a *great* resource for your organization! They are learning the latest tricks and techniques in the business environment, they are technologically savvy, and they are open to learning. If you think your business can offer great experience to students, we highly recommend you get in touch with the Franke College of Business and get things started.

Your contact at the Franke College of Business is Michael Goldman.

Phone: (928) 523-1291

Email: fcb-cdo@nau.edu

Paint The Town Red Contest Judging Today!

“PAINT the TOWN RED” Contest

Sponsored by Findlay Toyota

 Contest Judging to Take Place Today!

1.       Pioneer Title Agency located: 1120 W. University Avenue, Flagstaff AZ 86001

2.       Granny’s Closet, 218 South Milton, Flagstaff AZ 86004

3.       Flagstaff Design Center, 1 South Milton, Flagstaff AZ 86001

4.       About Memories and More, 1500 E. Cedar Avenue #66, Flagstaff AZ 86004

Please take a moment to visit these businesses & enjoy their Arizona Cardinals “swag” in full display.  Over the next two weeks the Chamber will visit

these establishments deciding upon the businesses who most demonstrated their creativity, excitement, and spirit for this contest. 

HOT Prizes for this year’s contest include: $350.00 cash prize, A Bike Cruiser from AZ Bikes, and a designer watch from Mountain Sports.

Contest displays should remain decorated until Tuesday, August 21^st 2012, the end of the Arizona Cardinals Training Camp.

For additional information on the Cardinals Training Camp schedule visit:  http://www.flagstaffchamber.com/arizona-cardinals-nfl-training-camp-schedule  

Chamber Cafe: Wednesday August 22

For those of you who don't know, the Flagstaff Chamber hosts an ongoing education series each month called Chamber Cafe. We touch on different topics each time and we've got one coming up next week!

Wednesday, August 22 

11:30am - 1:30pm

Flagstaff Chamber Board Room

Lunch by Scott's Chicago Pizza is included! 

We are hosting Karen Karr, a Labor & Employment expert at Clark Hill PLC in Phoenix. She will be discussing topics related to employment and holding a Q&A session on:

• Employment:  An overview of the varied and many federal and state laws governing the relationship between you and your employees; a discussion of the risks your supervisors might unwittingly be exposing your company to; and ways to combat that risk.

• Wage issues:  An overview of state and federal wage laws; a discussion of the most litigated issue in Arizona and how to minimize the risk to your company. 

• Unions.  An overview of the National Labor Relations Act; Congress’s and the Board’s efforts to increase success in union campaigns; and a discussion of how these laws impact non-union work forces.

• Immigration.  A discussion of SB 1070 after the Supreme Court’s ruling and its impact upon Arizona employers.  Also, an overview of I-9 and eVerify procedures.  

Online registration is available HERE: http://bit.ly/N9wfnr

Also, make sure to add the rest of this year's Chamber Cafe events to your calendar!

Manufacturing Round Table

One of the programs we offer at the Flagstaff Chamber is called the "Manufacturing Roundtable."

It serves as a platform for us to get the manufacturing community of Northern Arizona together for discussions about relevant topics. These organizations are some of the biggest employers and commerce drivers in our economy - yet many know almost nothing about them or the opportunities they offer.

Today we discussed workforce development at length - the difficulties that our manufacturers have had in hiring people for positions that high school students are qualified for. We are working on several campaigns to get the word out there, as are many other organizations in Arizona.

More on those programs later - thanks to the following organizations for coming to today's Roundtable!

IML 

Pepsi

Joy Cone

Prent

Nestle Purina 
CAVIAT
Novakinetics

And thanks to PRENT for being such gracious hosts! 

Our next roundtable will be in early December. See you then!

SCORE business counseling

Each month, the Chamber hosts business mentors from SCORE, who come in and give out FREE business counseling advice!

Sessions are completely confidential. Experienced business professionals help you to grow or start your organization in-person.

One hour-blocks are available on the third Friday of each month.

10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2

To reserve your slot, call the Flagstaff Chamber! We'll get you settled with the time slot that works best for you!

968-774-4505

What else can we do for you?

The Flagstaff Chamber does a lot every day to help our local economy and business community grow stronger, more connected, and better represented.

That being said - there is always something more we can do. We know we don't have it perfect and we are working hard to increase the value for our members.

SO. We are scheduling meetings with current members, past members and any people who have something to say. We want to know that the Chamber does that you like, that you don't like. What we do well and what we could do better. What programs could we start that would help your organization? How can we serve you better?

If you're interested in such a meeting, please send Matt an email: mbeaty@flagstaffchamber.com and he will schedule time with you to sit down and discuss your needs and views regarding the Chamber.

After all - we are serious about the success of your business and we are hard at work for you, while you're hard at work.

"Paint the Town Red" : Update

“PAINT the TOWN RED” Contest

Sponsored by Findlay Toyota

With the deadline passed for participants in the “PAINT the TOWN RED” contest the Chamber is

Excited to announce the following businesses who are finalists in this year’s contest:

1.      Pioneer Title Agency located: 1120 W. University Avenue, Flagstaff AZ 86001

2.      Granny’s Closet, 218 South Milton, Flagstaff AZ 86004

3.      Flagstaff Design Center, 1 South Milton, Flagstaff AZ 86001

4.      About Memories and More, 1500 E. Cedar Avenue #66, Flagstaff AZ 86004

Please take a moment to visit these businesses & enjoy their Arizona Cardinals “swag” in full display.  Over the next two weeks the Chamber will visit

these establishments deciding upon the businesses who most demonstrated their creativity, excitement, and spirit for this contest. 

HOT Prizes for this year’s contest include: $350.00 cash prize, A Bike Cruiser from AZ Bikes, and a designer watch from Mountain Sports.

Contest displays should remain decorated until Tuesday, August 21^st 2012, the end of the Arizona Cardinals Training Camp.

For additional information on the Cardinals Training Camp schedule visit:  http://www.flagstaffchamber.com/arizona-cardinals-nfl-training-camp-schedule  

NAU's Estrada in London, Finishes 21st

The Chamber likes to keep tabs on the great things and amazing people who are part of the Flagstaff community.

Today's update comes from member NAU Athletics.

A senior at NAU, Diego finished 21st in the Men's 10,000 meter run in his Olympic debut.

"I doubt that anybody in that race ran their personal best time," said Director of Track and Field Eric Heins, who was in the stands for the race. "The first 2k was slow. It was his first huge international race in championship style. A lot of times it will go out slow with a high surge. Hopefully next time he will be more prepared for that because he was not running slow but he got left in the back. For his first Olympics, I thought he did some good things and there are some things to do better the next go around."

For more information, click the picture below and read the full article at www.nauathletics.com