Business Updates
Every business leader runs into problems and issues in their careers. Eliminating or reducing those constraints on your operation can seem a daunting task. But you are not alone! Other leaders in various industry segments throughout the East Metro have come across similar situations. They have found some measures to move past it and focus on delivering optimum business results! Read about the paths they have taken below and learn from their experiences.
This is also an excellent way for you to give to the community by telling us your story! Please leave your comments here on a critical issue you and your company faced and how the resolution was made possible!
Like to Submit a Business Update of You Own? Click Here!
Enroll in a What’s Next CEO Event Today!
Monday, February 20, 2023
Business leaders in Washington County represent an intelligent, enterprising demographic of go-getters. Yet, everyone runs into a snag at some point in the small business lifecycle. If you are the kind of person who learns best with discussion amongst peers facing similar challenges, What’s Next CEO has the perfect solution. Facilitated by the Washington County Community Development Agency, What’s Next CEO offers the opportunity for executives and business leaders to meet with each other at various events in a no-cost, confidential environment to help solve the issues facing your business.
Find the perfect business optimization event
The What’s...
Step through SCORE’s Marketing Program for Your Small Business
Monday, February 13, 2023
Determining where to invest in your business is often the most important single decision an owner can make. Dedicating yourself to a quality marketing plan is one investment that takes minimal financial contribution but can pay off significant dividends. SCORE’s five-step marketing program is an essential plan to get small businesses in Washington County on the road to success. SCORE is a targeted small business resource of volunteer experts that provide free advice for all stages of the small business cycle.
SCORE’s marketing program will help you develop your ideal customer and teach you how to quickly explain your...
Direct Access to Business Financing with What’s Next CEO
Monday, February 06, 2023
Business success is inherently tied to growth. Expansion and production increases that drive growth are often the result of investment into equipment, facility footprint or people. But that investment requires a business to have access to funding while maintaining the necessary cash flow to keep existing operations running. That balancing act is often an extremely narrow tightrope walk.
Find the Financing Your Company Needs!
Fortunately, Washington County’s new What’s Next CEO program offers insight into the many local, state and federal agencies available that offer small business financing. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the U.S....
Make the Connection Between Employees and Prospective Employers
Monday, January 30, 2023
Quality, engaged employees are one of the engines that put life into a small business. Finding those individuals is often an extremely difficult and time-consuming task for owners and human resource managers. What’s Next CEO is a new resource in Washington County for business leaders to find or train employees. Additionally, residents looking to enter the workforce can get access to organizations that can help them expand their skills or advance their careers.
Connecting employers with prospective employees
What’s Next CEO has a resource database that specializes in assisting small businesses with their workforce needs. These organizations provide...
Be Part of the Collective Strength of What’s Next CEO
Monday, January 23, 2023
Being a small business owner or entrepreneur can feel like a lonely, overwhelming cause at times. The Washington County Community Development Agency’s new program - What’s Next CEO - offers business executives critical support with the tools, resources and opportunities necessary to run a successful company.
Leadership across companies operating in the Twin Cities East Metro region can benefit from the collective knowledge gained by others over years of experience in various disciplines. View our diverse partners available to offer their expertise now, from resolving supply chain bottlenecks to developing consistent streams of quality workforce sources.
What’s...
Comparative Analysis: Where Does Your Business SizeUp?
Monday, January 16, 2023
If information is power, then SizeUp is the most powerful tool your business needs! SizeUp is a free business intelligence tool available with What’s Next CEO to help business leaders make smarter decisions.
Having difficulties finding suppliers to complete your operations and customers for your finished product? SizeUp will provide maps of each. Trying to understand the impact of potential competitors in a new sector you may be interested in pursuing? SizeUp will not only locate them but can benchmark how your business would stack up against them.
Put SizeUp to Work for Your Company
SizeUp...
Hiring? You May Qualify for the Worker Opportunity Tax Credit
Monday, January 09, 2023
The Worker Opportunity Tax Credit allows businesses to reduce their tax liability by up to $9,600 per new hire, regardless of the size of the business, as long as it is for-profit. Workers qualify even if they are part-time or seasonal. There is no limit to the number of new hires an employer may claim in a calendar year, so this can save your business a lot of money if you’re in the hiring phase.
Worker Opportunity Tax Credit: How to Apply
To apply for the Worker Opportunity Tax Credit, you’ll need to meet the IRS 28-calendar day...
How to Register with SAM.gov & Pursue Government Contracting Opportunities
Tuesday, January 03, 2023
Registering for SAM.gov is one of the first steps a business must take to pursue government contracts. There are contracts released through this platform for all types of government agencies, ranging from small one-time procurement opportunities to multi-year contracts. Washington County businesses can use this opportunity to grow and we encourage you to do so.
How to Register with SAM.gov
While there are a lot of questions to answer to finish the registration, it is definitely worth the time and effort if you get a government contract. Before registering, watch this video to learn what to expect so...
How to Find Solutions to Supply Chain Challenges
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Supply chain challenges are impacting businesses in Washington County and throughout the world. Locally, we are fortunate to have an ecosystem of local companies who can sometimes step in to fill supply gaps. Through What’s Next CEO, we hope to connect business owners to solve this issue further. In addition, organizations like the SBA have put out information on resources and tactics that can help to shore up supply chains.
In “The Bottom Line: Finding Solutions and Navigating Supply Chain Challenges,” representatives from the SBA and local businesses discuss some of the best practices they are seeing for solving...
Don’t Go into 2023 Without Considering These Small Business Trends
Monday, December 19, 2022
It’s difficult to understate all the changes the business landscape has seen in the past few years, and yet entrepreneurs have responded with incredible adaptability. Perhaps that is one of the biggest reasons small business owners are optimistic about the future. In fact, 66% expect revenue increases and more than half plan to expand their business in 2023.
Click here for the complete article.
Tips from Lawyers on Buying or Selling a Business
Monday, December 19, 2022
The SBDC’s video titled “Realizing the Dream: M&A Under $100k,” showcases law professors discussing how to help entrepreneurs buy or sell a small business and how they have structured the deal. “Small business deals can sometimes be more complicated than mergers of large corporations,” said Tom Sharbaugh, Director of the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic at Penn State Law. “There are a lot of deals under $100,000, such as selling a barber shop or a restaurant and these entrepreneurs typically can’t afford to hire a full suite of accountants to complete audited financial statements, for example. In fact, we often see employees...
U.S. Small Business Administration Announces Strategic Alliance to Support Small Business Exporters
Monday, December 19, 2022
“SBA’s new agreement with BAFT recognizes the impact and ingenuity of our small business exporters and the important role our lending partners play in funding their growth,” said Administrator Guzman. “Our joint efforts to increase resources to BAFT members and grow the number of lenders offering SBA international trade products will expand access to capital. By doing so, this work helps deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to create opportunities for small businesses, and strengthen our economy for all of us."
Click here to view the complete article.
New Growth Loan Fund Supports Washington County Entrepreneurs
Monday, December 12, 2022
A new loan fund is available for Minnesota's entrepreneurs - the Growth Loan Fund. “Minnesota was recently named by Startup Genome as the 4th top emerging startup market in the entire world,” said Commissioner Steve Grove. “If you look at the ecosystem here, the proximity to the Fortune 500 market, the access to talent we have - this makes us an incredible place to start a business. But getting the capital you need to get moving can be challenging. That’s why we have launched the Growth Loan Fund.”
The fund provides loans directly from DEED to innovative technology businesses...
Join other small business owners at the What’s Next CEO Roundtable
Monday, December 05, 2022
Challenges and issues arise for small businesses on a seemingly daily basis. Nothing helps those running these businesses as knowledgeable peers who ‘have been through it before.’ Fortunately for those in Washington County, What's Next CEO Roundtable offers exactly that helpful forum.
What’s Next CEO Roundtable is a professional business meeting between peers - not a networking event. The group will consist of individuals responsible for the whole operation of a business with annual revenue between $500,00 and $5 million. Participants will be able to have open, confidential discussions in a secure environment to exchange information and ideas on...
