Smoke Signals February 1994 Page 9
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Business Development
Division Update
At the Januaiy General Council Meeting, Small
Business Development Division Manager Mitch Conley
gave his annual report of the division's projects and activities.
Here is a recap of Mitch's report:
The division currently has 200 active clients.
18 new tribal business were started in 1993, and 4 are
working on expansion loans.
Opened the Business Development Center offering business
library, 4 station computer lab, business video library, phone,
fax service, and meeting room.
Began monthly computer training in Basic Computer,
Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Print Shop Deluxe,
Excel, Quicken, Works, and spreadsheets.
The division received a grant from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs to sponsor the "Going Into Business" conference in
Coos Bay, Oregon. Over 70 people attended the two-day
conference. The BIA grant also sponsored a nine-month
internship for tribal member Matthew Kirkland. Matthew is
a student at Western Oregon State University and has been
a great asset to the Business Development team. Matthew
was responsible for coordinating the "Going Into Business"
Conference and also wrote the policy and procedure manual
for the division. ,
ONABEN (Oregon Native American Business &
Entrepreurial Network) has several successes this year.
First, ONABEN became affiliated with Northwest Indian
College, so all participants receive college credits for
ONABEN classes. Second, Erskine Bowles, President
Clinton's appointee as the administrator of the Small Business
Administration, met with ONABEN board members during
his town hall meeting in Portland. Mr. Bowles pledged his
support of ONABEN and is helping ONABEN establish a
loan fund for program graduates.
Advertising & Promotion Seminar
Have youever wondered where you should advertise
your business? What should a print advertisment contain?
This is your chance to find out about advertising your
products andserviceslThursday, February 10th from 3:00 to
6:00 P.M. in the Tribal Community Center. Lawrence
Edwards will be presenting information and experience
about how to advertise and promote your business. Low-cost,
high return advertisements and prmoters will be the focus of
the seminar, so come join your Small Business staff and learn
how to increase your business income!
Seniors Tax Assistance
Business Development Division staff are offering
tax preparation assistance to tribal elders. Staff members
will input tax information into the Turbo Tax software
program which is designed to help prepare returns. Returns
will be prepared on an appointment basis, so please call
ahead to schedule a time, and to find out what information
you need to bring with you. If you are a tribal elder and
interested in doingthis, please call Debby Childers at 1-800-422-0232
for an appointment.
National Indian Business Association
The National Indian Business Association (NIB A)
was created in 1992 to promote, encourage, and advocate
Native American owned businesses. Current NIB A activites
include: an annual NIBA Conference and trade show,
compilation of a directory of Indian-owned businesses
throughout the United States, and coordinating ' ith major
corporationsintheU.S. to promote Native Amerir nbusiness
development. Membership is free. For more imo call (505)
256-0589.
Entrepreneurs Of The Month:
Troy & Travis Sanchez
Few places in the Pacific Northwest are growing as
rapidly as the towns in central Washington: Toppenish,
Richland, and Yakima, to name a few. People are beginning
to move there from the faster-paced cities to a more suburban
life-style. It's an ideal area to begin a construction business,
which is exactly what tribal members Troy and Travis
Sanchez did.
Troy and Travis are brothers who have lived in
Washington for a long time, and know the state pretty well.
They've both worked in construction for years, and decided
to start abusiness together Chinook Construction Company.
"We work mostly in Tri-Cities," explained Travis.
"More homes are being built there than ever before."
The fact is, that area has one of the highest
development rates in the nation. Travis and Troy work
mostly in concrete. They can lay down pavement for almost
any public or private party.
Said Troy, "In the past, I worked under small
business owners who were usually hired by private families
building their own home or adding on."
Like many people in construction, the Sanchez
brothers learned on the job from their employers. They began
to build up their own equipment, and finally decided to go out
on their own. Although they knew the business well, they
needed some help in some business areas.
"I knew we needed to get licensed and bonded," said
Troy. "We called Mitch (Conley) in Small Business
Development. We had been reading in the newsletter about
what the Tribe could do to help us. It seemed like everyone
was getting help from the Small Business department."
Mitch and Elaine Moore, Business Development
Specialist, helped Troy and Travis set up a business plan for
their future.
Said Travis, "We jumped right into everything
without setting up a plan. Elaine helped us get everything
organized."
Troy said he firmly believes that any tribal member
who wants to start a business should not hesitate to take
advantage of the services the Tribe offers. For them, being
their own bosses was the best move they ever made.
"When you work hard on a job, it's difficult seeing
your boss get all the credit," said Travis. "Now when a job
gets done, we receive the recognition."
1 nTjiSrS
Troy and Travis Sanchez
j Notice: Monthly Business Seminar Time Change: 2nd i
Thursday of each month, at the Tribal Community 1
Center now at 3:00 P.M.
Computer Training Schedule
The Business Development Department is offering
several computer training classes in November. Space is
limited to three people per class, so call Dcbby and reserve
a spot now. The numbersare: 879-2476 or 1-800-422-0232.
If you are interested in a specific computer training not
offered, call and make an appointment with a staff member.
BASIC COMPUTERS: Come learn the basics of the computer.
We cover an overview of the computer, learn to use the
mouse, and do a brief overview of Word For Windows.
Instructor: Shelley HansonTrevor Aaron. Offered 216 6:00
P.M.8:00P.M., 222 10:00 AM.-Noon.
WORD FOR WINDOWS: Word for Windows is an easy to
use, quick learn word processing system. If you are wanting
to write letters or memos, or create reports, Word for
Windows is an ideal program for those projects. Instructor:
Mitch ConlcyTrevor Aaron. Offered 217 9:00 A.M.
11:00 PRINT SHOP DELUXE: Do you ever need flyers or signs for
your business or program? Print Shop Deluxe is easy to use,
and creates flashy designs. Print Shop Deluxe has a variety
of pictures and graphics to add pizazz to your flyers, signs,
calendars, or cards. Instructor: Debby Childers. Offered
28 1-3 :00 P.M.
MICROSOFT WINDOWS: Windows is an easy to use
"operating system" based on a simple point (at a picture) and
click (with a mouse) method. WhetheryouVe used Windows
before or not, there are endless possibilities with this system.
Instructor: Mitch ConleyTrevor Aaron. Offered: 29 1-3:00
P.M.
QUICKEN: Are you looking for a simple, inexpensive
accounting program? This is it! You can use quicken to write
checks, and maintain your business personal books. If you
are considering a computerized accounting system, check
this program out. Instructor: Elaine Moore Offered: 2161
3:00 P.M.
TURBO TAX: Are you feeling a little overwhelmed about
your taxes? Come try Turbo Tax, and relieve a little stress
from your life. Turbo Tax will figure your federal and state
tax returns, and print them out for you. Turbo Tax is an easy
touse, Windows-based system, You answer questions as you
go and after completing the question and answer period, are
ready to print your return. Instructor: Elaine Moore. Offered
23 1-3:00 P.M., 224 9-11:00 A.M.
Sales & Marketing Seminar
Lawrence Edwards, "Marketing, Advertising, &
Sales" consultant presented a seminaron sales and marketing
Thursday, January 1 3 at the Tribal Community Center. The
first half of the session focused on preparing a marketing
plan for your business. Marketing Plans do NOT have to be
long, drawn out documents, but there are some basic areas
that need to be addressed. The key components of a
marketing plan are: the situation statement, your marketing
objectives and goals, your tactics to meet goalsand objectives,
defining your target market, identifying your competition,
determining your products and services and their benefits,
your product pricing strategy, distribution, your advertising
plan, and your public relations publicity plans. Lawrence
handed out a worksheet to walk business owners through the
marketing plan preparation process if you would like a
copy of it, call Shelley Hanson at 1-800-422-0232, or 879
2477. Personal selling was the focus of the second half of
the seminar. The eight steps to successful personal selling
are: know your target market, prospect for new business,
make first contact, present your merchandiseservice, handle
objections, ask for the sale, ask for the add-on sale, use a
follow-up system. Remember, your best customer prospects
are your current customers. Are there any ways to increase
the productsservices they buy from you?