Twitter Changes

Twitter Makes Tweaks

It may not get the attention Facebook does, but Twitter is still a powerful tool in the world of today’s social media, even more so with last week’s redesign. In an effort to broaden its appeal, Twitter has simplified its process for new users while, at the same time, providing a relevant platform for advertisers.

If you’re on Twitter already, you may have noticed the home page has been total revamped with three icons at the top of the page: “Home,” “@Connect,” and “#Discover.” Here’s the scoop:

Home – you’ll discover that Twitter has embraced it’s two most recognizable functions that implement both the at (@) and hashtag (#) symbols. Their goal in doing this is to make Twitter easier to learn. With the redesign, the news feed is easier to follow and you can now see photos and videos displayed within tweets once you click on them rather than being taken to another site.  

@Connect – when you click on this icon, it will take you to a page that displays your Twitter interactions. You will easily see how many times your tweets have been retweeted or if other Tweeters have mentioned you.
 

#Discover – this is where you might notice the biggest change. One problem many new users to Twitter faced was the lack of initial content. No one wants to be lonely on Twitter, so #Discover helps users find content from the start as well as trending stories, community activities, top categories, and suggestions for who to follow and connect with – very similar to Facebook.
Finally, Twitter is expected to roll out Brand Pagesover the next few weeks. The hope is that this will help create more compelling brand destinations for companies by using large header images for displaying visuals, logos and taglines.

 Follow the NEECCO SBDC on Twitter

This information is from Eric Spellmann from Spellmann & Associates

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 at 9:35 am and is filed under Internet business in Colorado, Marketing your business, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

New Loan Program for Colorado Main St. SBA

Colorado Main Street Loans

Eligible Uses:

SBA:

  • Buy, build, renovate primarily owner occupied commercial real estate
  • Working capital/inventory
  • Purchase materials, suppliers, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

US Department of Agriculture:

  • Working capital, building/land purchase or construction, business acquisition, debt refinancing and purchase of inventory, furniture, fixtures and equipment.
  • Agricultural production is not eligible.

Loan Amount:

SBA: Financing available up to $200,000

US Department of Agriculture: Financing available from $20,000- $35,000

More information view flyer

Loan Application

This entry was posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2011 at 9:45 am and is filed under Business Finance, Finding Investors for your Colorado Small Business, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

SBA Agility Disaster Preparedness Card

September is National Preparedness Month!

Have you been looking for some information regarding disaster preparedness?  Join the SBA’s free webinar series:

 Culture of Preparedness-Getting Through the First 72 Hours: September 7th from 2:00-3:00 EDT

10 Steps to Business Preparedness: September 14th from 2:00 to 3:00 EDT

Personal & Community Preparedness: September 21st from 2:00 to 3:00 EDT

Survivor Panel- Real Life Lessons Learned from Recent Disasters: September 28th from 2:00 to 3:00 EDT

For More Information View the Flyer

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 1st, 2011 at 10:07 am and is filed under Internet business in Colorado, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

New Marketing to UNC Students

Have you been trying to get into the UNC market and just can’t reach them?  Would you like to have your marketing materials in every dorm room at UNC?  Then you are probably interested in a new form of marketing that has come to Greeley, CO.  It is a company called Wall Connections.  They create a whiteboard that is given to all dorm rooms and is bordered by advertisements.  Prices vary fro $375.00 to $600.00.  In addition to the space on the border you receive a free QR code that you can post in your slot and have access to update/change coupons and discounts.  For more information on this new marketing go to their website below or check out the brochure.

See the picture to the right for an example.

Or contact Yvette directly: 1-800-552-9033 ext. 809

www.wallconnections.com

Brochure

This entry was posted on Monday, June 13th, 2011 at 10:02 am and is filed under Marketing your business, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

SBA Smart Phone App

The SBA has release a new smartphone application for all those tech savvy business owners.   For those  interested in starting or growing a small business can now find helpful resources at their fingertips via a new SBA mobile application from the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

“The mobile app will help users connect with SBA district office staff and SBA-affiliated counselors and mentors who can provide free, personalized small business assistance. The user-friendly format of the app will help answer questions such as: How do I start a business? Where can I go in my area to get free help with writing a business plan? And where do I begin finding funding for my business?

The SBA mobile app also features a built-in startup cost calculator to help estimate the costs associated with getting a business off the ground, plus an SBA partner locator to help users find SBA offices, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE.”

If you would like more information on this topic read the press release below.

SBA Smartphone App Press Release

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 8:49 am and is filed under Internet business in Colorado, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

New Colorado Lending Source Loan Program

Colorado Lending Source, the state’s not-for-profit small business financing expert, announced the launch of Colorado Main Street Loans, a new small business loan program in northeastern Colorado established in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program will provide $450,000 in revolving, non-agricultural loans to small businesses in northeastern Colorado in an effort to stimulate economic growth and create jobs.  Colorado Main Street Loans of $20,000 to $35,000 each are available to small businesses located in towns with populations of fewer than 25,000 people in Eastern Elbert, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Yuma, Washington and Weld counties. Financing via the Colorado Main Street Loans can be used for working capital needs, start-up operating costs, building construction or renovation, the purchase or development of land, acquisition of equipment, feasibility studies or debt refinancing.
 

About Colorado Lending Source:
Colorado Lending Source is a private, not-for-profit economic development organization with a mission to foster the economic growth of diverse, Colorado-based small businesses. Colorado Lending Source has been assisting Colorado’s small business community for more than 20 years. By providing loans for commercial real estate and capital equipment purchasing, Colorado Lending Source has helped create nearly 16,000 jobs and invested more than $750 million in the state’s economy. In 2010 alone, Colorado Lending Source helped create or retain more than 2,300 jobs and awarded more than 250 loans.

For more information view flyer 

By: Nicole Christianson

Loan Officer

Colorado Lending Source

Direct Line 303.657.4813

nicole@coloradolendingsource.org

Tags:

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 26th, 2011 at 1:09 pm and is filed under Business Finance, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

How to Write a Mission Statement

When trying to figure out what your mission statement is, ask yourself one questions. 

“What is my #1 goal for my business?” 

Hopefully when you answer you will have that important factor of success!  Without success what are we doing in business?  There are two different types of mission statements.  The first is a reason of being and the second is a destination.

Reason of Being: A reason of being mission statement will identify why you are in business or if you are a start-up business why do you want to start the business.

 Business A is a flower shop:

To be a successful flower business providing quality products.

 Business Bis a service based business for exterior residential painting.

To be a successful painting business providing the best service.

Destination: A mission statement that identifies a specific location in which the business will target.

Business A, the flower shop:

To be the #1 flower shop in Denver, CO. 

Business B, the painters:   

To be the premier painting service in Burlington, CO.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Business Planning, Starting a Small Business in Colorado, Uncategorized, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Ranching and Farming Loans

CADA Beginning Farmer/Rancher Loan

There is a loan available for beginning ranchers and farmers looking for funding.  This loan is a direct and guaranteed loan for those who are not able to obtain financing from commercial credit scores.  The loan is provided from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). 

There are specific requirements that must be met by the person looking to qualify for the CADA loan and to apply you need to contact your local FSA office. 

Click on the link below to find where you can apply.

FSA 

Key points of the Beginning Farmer Program

  • Borrower must be a Beginning Farmer which is defined as an individual who has never owned farmland which is equal to or greater than 30 percent of the median county farm acreage
  • Funds can only be used for the purchase of agricultural land and depreciable agricultural property
  • The maximum which can be borrowed is $469,000
  • Borrower must be approved by a lender
  • Loans are not guaranteed by the government or by CADA
  • The borrower and lender must mutually agree upon the terms of the loan (i.e. interest rate, length of loan)
  • Interest rates can be either fixed or floating
  • Loan applications must be approved by CADA within 60 days of any payments made on the project
  • No portion of the loan may be used for a personal residence

Information from http://www.cadafarmloan.com/ 

This entry was posted on Monday, February 7th, 2011 at 9:02 am and is filed under Business Finance, Small Business Financing Options in Colorado, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

This Week’s Colorado Company to Watch: Country Creations of the Rockies, LLC!!!

Country Creations was announced as This Week’s Colorado Company to Watch!  Country Creations based out of Greeley, CO has been known to as a very innovated company that fills Greeley with the scent of fresh baked bread and treats. 

Country Creations introduced the braided bred to the fundraising industry focusing mainly on the fundraising for schools, churches, and others in need of funds.  They have release five new products in 2010 identifying a new niche in the industry and looking at 2011 as a new and exciting year.

For more information about Country Creations and This Weeks Colorado Company to Watch view the full article in the link below.

Country Creations

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 13th, 2011 at 9:29 am and is filed under Client Success, Uncategorized, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

NEECCO SBDC reaches out to Brush, CO

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

People who are interested in starting a business or people who are currently in business may receive free technical assistance in Brush through the Small Business Development Center.  Dr. Merle Rhoades, Business Counselor of the Northeast-East Central Small Business Development Center, will be meeting clients in Brush on Tuesdays either at East Morgan County Library or at the client’s place of business.  An appointment must be made by calling 867-2303 before 4:00 p.m. on Mondays.

“Our goal at the Small Business Development Center is to help emerging and existing entrepreneurs gain control of their business operations,” states Richard Pickett, Director of the Northeast-East Central SBDC whose office is located in Greeley.  “We provide free guidance and counseling in all aspects of funding and developing small business,” states Pickett.

The director states “While we cannot eliminate risk, we work to minimize it by helping clients write comprehensive business plans, conduct financial forecasts, strategize marketing tactics, apply for funding, and improve operations.”

Rhoades is an educator, entrepreneur, and consultant.  He has been providing business counseling through SBDC for the Brush community for over ten years.  He has been involved with the local Chamber of Commerce and was the recipient of the Brush Chamber of Commerce “Spur of the Year Award” in 2007.

The Northeast-East Central SBDC is hosted by the Monfort School of Business of the University of Northern Colorado.  It covers all of Northeastern and East Central communities with counselors located throughout the region. Funding is partially provided by the Small Business Administration and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade with contributions from local colleges, municipalities, counties, banks, foundations, chamber of commerce, and other people who interested in the success of small businesses. “It is from the generosity of these people that we are able to provide the business counseling at no charge to the client,” states Rhoades. 

For more information contact the office coordinator, Kristi Enninga, at 867-2303 or look at the website, www.neeccosbdc.org.

For a more detailed report visit: http://www.brushnewstribune.com/ci_17065655?source=email 

###

This entry was posted on Friday, January 7th, 2011 at 11:22 am and is filed under Free Business Plan Help in Colorado, Training Programs for Small Businesses, blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.