Small Business Development Resources

Small Business Development Resources

Good afternoon. I just wanted to share small business resources that you, or someone you know, may find of interest.

State Representative LaShawn Ford Small Business Seminar

State Representative LaShawn Ford, the Chairman of the Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Committee, will be hosting a Small Business Seminar on Saturday, December 17, 2011, at the offices of the Chicagoland Foreign Investment Group, LLC, 111 East Wacker Drive, 26th Floor, Chicago, IL. A number of State Agencies will be present to provide information about their services, and conduct a workshop on how small businesses may get certified to do business with the State of Illinois. You may download a flyer for the workshop and a fact sheet for doing business with the State below.

http://valeriefleonard.com/StayingintheLoop/nfblog/?p=993


Entrepreneurial Idol

Chicago State University, in cooperation with Senator Mark Kirk and Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., are sponsoring the Entrepreneurial Idol Competion for Small Businesses and Nonprofit Businesses. The multi-step process will start this Friday, December 2, 2011, with a workshop, and culminate with a winner selected by a judges panel and audience members on February 3, 2012. Click onto the link below to learn more.

http://www.csu.edu/business/eicompetition/apply.htm


Million Dollar Business Pitch

Michael Baisden, a nationally-syndicated radio host with WSRB, is sponsoring the Million Dollar Business Pitch. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to submit their business, product, or service for a chance to get a part of a $500,000 investment into small businesses. Click onto http://www.baisdenlive.com/interior.cfm?itemCategory=39467&siteid=409&priorId=0 to learn more.


Business Plan Pro Discount

You can order Business Plan Pro and Marketing Plan Pro at discounts ranging from 20%-40%. Business Plan Pro will provide

500+ sample business plans

Funding tools to impress investors

Lender-ready documents

Visit http://www.paloalto.com/specials/monroe_foundation for further information.

If your business or nonprofit organization is looking for someone to write a business plan or review it for reasonableness, please feel free to contact me.

Emilie & Friends Releases Report on the City of Chicago's

Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program

I thank Otis Monroe, CEO of the Monroe Foundation, for sharing an e-mail from the Emilie & Friends Show, with links to a press release and report regarding the City's track record on contracting with Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. Click here to download the e-mail.

Valerie F. Leonard
Community Development Consultant
Phone: 773-521-3137
Fax: 773-522-1832
E-mail: valeriefleonard@msn.com
Website: http://www.valeriefleonard.com
Weblog: http://valeriefleonard.com/StayingintheLoop/nfblog/ (Staying In the Loop)