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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 30, 2012 |
Loud and angry doesn't make you right. It just means that you are loud and angry.
Have you submitted your proposal to speak at Ignite Missoula? Deadline is April 5!! http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Starting Life on the Right Foot - ALPS of Missoula raises the bar with its support of the Missoula Education Foundation (What can your company do for education success in your community?) http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Montana Department of Commerce
Ignite Missoula
- Get registered now for the 2012 Montana Tourism Conference, Rates go up April 2
Well over 300 have already registered for the 2012 Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation scheduled for April 11-13 at the Best Western Heritage Inn in Great Falls.
- Montana Means Energy March 2012
When I visit with Bakken oil producers, I ask them how things are going. "Great" they say, except for one thing--the bottleneck.
Inteneo Systems
- Have you submitted your proposal to speak at Ignite Missoula? Deadline is April 5!!
What's your passion?
Northwestern Energy
- The Biggest Obstacle to Embracing Big Data? You
It's like figuring out which cockroaches to kill when the light comes on.
Great Falls Development Authority
- Energy efficiency: Credits, audits help homeowners take control
NorthWestern Energy is an investor-owned utility that offers a free home energy audit to its customers.
Highway 12 Ventures
- Shared commercial kitchen proposed for Great Falls, Montana - Please take the survey
The certified facility would allow farmers, gardeners, bakers and other groups to process home grown foods.
- Montana Advanced Biofuels gets green light for Great Falls facility
The project is expected to create up to 700 construction jobs.
Come Home Montana
- GutCheck Launches New Market Research Product
Denver-based GutCheck http://www.gutcheckit.com/ , the provider of online, instant market research services which is venture backed by Highway 12 Ventures and Village Ventures, has launched a new product today, called Instant Research Communities.
Montana Business
- Montana Career Opportunity - CEO - MSU - Great Falls
The Chief Executive Officer/Dean (CEO) is responsible for providing strong decisive energetic leadership for all aspects of the operation of the College and for facilitating the growth of higher education programs on campus.
- Montana Career Opportunites - Various positions including Information Technology Senior Director - Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital
Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital's http://www.mdmh.org employees are committed to quality, accessible, personalized healthcare.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Cloud Network Administrator, Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, Hosted Services Consultant, Application Automation Specialist, Application Specialist I - Xcentric (Bozeman, MT)
We are a friendly group of software vendor-neutral technology consultants, infrastructure engineers, support professionals, and business developers focused solely on making technology work for, and not against, the accounting profession.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Adhesive Consultant /Vendor and adhesive selection - Sympretek, Inc
We are not looking for a manufacturing salesperson who just wants to tell us to purchase their products.
Montana Economic Development
- Applied Materials' Montana-based Semitool Unit on the Front Lines of Digital Revolution
Inside the expansive Applied Materials building on West Reserve Drive in Kalispell, the Digital Revolution continues to advance.
MSU Leadership Institute & UM Global Leadership Initiative
- Premier Energy Conference to be held in Montana on April 3rd and 4th.
The conference includes global industry leaders discussing energy resources and the impact energy development brings to Big Sky Country.
- Kelly Valentine Joins Prospera Business Network as the Organization's New Marketing and Membership Director
"Prospera is fortunate Kelly has joined our organization," says Stuart Leidner, Executive Director of Prospera Business Network, "and I am confident that she will serve the business community well."
Careers
- Governor Schweitzer speaks at University of Montana global conference
The initiative is a new strategic plan of building the university for the global century and UM officials believe the plan will provide students the education they need to hit the ground running in an ever evolving complex global society and also provide opportunities to take advantage of the world they live in.
- University of Montana launches global leadership program
This is the first semester of the new initiative. All current freshmen were invited to enroll. The 140 students in the first class of global leadership fellows will be asked to tackle international issues over the next three and a half years.
Business Plan Forums
- Outsourcing to the Autistic Rather Than to India
"I haven't had one parent of an autistic child come to me and say this isn't going to work," he says. "They say, 'This is a way for my child to make more money than they would have made otherwise, and allow them to be more independent.' They worry, what is my child going to do when I'm gone? And this is kind of a way out."
Idaho Business
- Boston University Announces the 4 Teams Competing For $50K In This Year's New Venture Competition
For Boston University students and recent alumni, it's never been easier to take an idea and develop it into a solid business plan.
Incubators and R&D
- Boise one of the strongest 20 metros for recovery, Brookings reports
The program tracks economic recovery among the 100 largest metro areas by analyzing employment, unemployment, gross metropolitan product and housing prices.
- Idaho Power test of variable power pricing could help its grid and some consumers
The utility has used time-based pricing systems for several years with industrial, commercial and agricultural users and has had some success working with farmers. But so far, it hasn't had home power consumers adjust their usage to certain times of day.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Intellectual property research tool relies on the crowds
Businesses or entrepreneurs who have come up with a new idea or product can sign up to CrowdIPR and post the details of their projects on the site. Other users can then provide information about similar products that already exist, in the form of patent documents or academic research.
Other Economies
- Missoula, Montana based Adventure Cycling Association warns touring bicyclists to stay away from North Dakota oil fields
The Adventure Cycling Association http://www.adventurecycling.org/ , based in Montana, says it's remapping the popular bike routes due to "alarming reports" about risky riding conditions through North Dakota's booming oil patch.
- As North Dakota Thrives, Leaders Look to '2020 and Beyond'
State leaders say business professionals in North Dakota aren't just interested in seeing their own region thrive, they want to see the entire state succeed.
Regional Business
- OCAST provides funding for scientists, researchers, manufacturers
OCAST leveraged $20.39 for every $1 invested by the state, for a $4.3 billion economic impact. More than 1,500 jobs were created or retained by OCAST-supported organizations in fiscal year 2011.
Regional Economic Development
- Signal Peak Ventures and vSpring Capital combine to form leading Rocky Mountain Region Venture Capital firm
"It is no secret that the number of compelling information technology and life-sciences company in the Rocky Mountain region continues to expand."
- More confident US CEOs to boost hiring, investment
The Business Roundtable says a survey of its CEO members found that 42 percent expect to hire over the next six months. That's up from 35 percent three months ago.
- What Apple's Supply Chain Says About US Manufacturing and Middle-Skill Training
Companies like Apple "say the challenge in setting up U.S. plants is finding a technical work force,"
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Growing Toward the Future: Building Capacity for Local Economic Development
What Makes a Region or Locale Resilient?
- SBA Announces Second Round of Grants Under Export Promotion Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration is inviting states and U.S. territories to apply for $30 million in grants that can be used in a variety of ways to help increase exporting by small businesses.
Missoula Schools Excellence
- Parlez-vous Python? - A Surge in Learning the Language of the Internet
"Inasmuch as you need to know how to read English, you need to have some understanding of the code that builds the Web."
- Speaking of jobs: Speakers discuss variety of careers at Stevensville High School
"You will see the absolute worst side of humanity. You will see violent death, horrific car crashes, drug and alcohol abuse and crime. You will see a lot of suffering."
- Wyoming Schools to Careers program helps students learn about careers
Schools to Careers students meet a couple of times a month during their lunch hour to hear from professionals around the community about how they got to where they are today.
Montana Education Excellence
- Missoula County Public Schools delays rehiring 36 teachers until 'budget needs' clarified
The District provides more than 1,200 jobs in the community.
- Missoula County Public Schools Needs Your Help To Better Prepare Our Youth For Careers And College - Please Take This Short Survey.
The survey aims to gauge the business community's interest in participating collaborating with MCPS to better prepare our youth for careers and college -- as well as to help determine website features that can facilitate efficient student / teacher / business professional communication.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- MSU announces development of new online programs
"We are excited to see how thoughtfully our MSU faculty have been considering online education and how it can serve the needs of people for whom campus-based classes are not feasible," Potvin said. "Distance education continues to be a top priority for MSU as we work to serve more non-traditional students in Montana and beyond."
- New Online Course on Relational Development offered through the University of Montana Fall 2012:
Emphasis is on significant discoveries in the fields of neuroscience, childhood trauma, grief and loss, childhood development, and family systems that have fueled the evolution of the attachment treatment philosophy to a broader method of caring for emotionally distressed children, the Relational Development treatment approach.
- The Future Of Two-Year Education In Montana, 4/4, Montana State University
"As we all know, Montana is a wonderfully unique state with our own set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to higher education. Through College!NOW, we're looking at those challenges and finding creative ways to address them."
- Health Sciences At Montana Tech Introduce New Labs And Cutting Edge Technology
Program directors and professors agree having the right facilities to teach cutting edge technology is the best way to prepare students to be real life professionals.
Bill Payne
- Starting Life on the Right Foot - ALPS of Missoula raises the bar with its support of the Missoula Education Foundation
ALPS wanted to make a lasting contribution that could actually help prove that graduation does matter.
- Montana State University College of Business seeks nominations for family business awards
Anyone may nominate companies, and self-nominations are encouraged.
Funding and Building your Business
- The Berkus Method: Valuing an Early Stage Investment.
Fewer than one in a thousand startups meet or exceed their projected revenues in the periods planned.
Energy and Climate Change
- Obama team praises jobs legislation
"We are pleased Congress took bipartisan action to pass key initiatives the President proposed last fall to help small businesses and start-ups grow and create jobs," said a statement from White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage.
- SBA's real mission and passion is to work with entrepreneurs
"SBA's real mission and passion right now, in large part, is to work with young entrepreneurs and many of them are in the tech industries."
- Venture Capital And Entrepreneurial Communities Commend Congress on Passage of the JOBS Act
"The JOBS Act will help revitalize an IPO market that has suffered in recent years under the weight of market volatility and one-size-fits-all regulation. The passage of this legislation sends a strong and welcome signal to our most promising companies that the U.S. capital markets system is open for business."
- New SBA corporate link designed to boost small business
The corporations -- with a combined purchasing power of more than $300 billion -- can peruse the profiles of small businesses who register online and determine which ideas or products might be worthy of their investment dollars.
- 12 Proven Ways to Promote Your Company on Pinterest
It looks like Pinterest came out of nowhere, but it's the third fastest-growing site in the US and it's getting our clients tens of thousands of visitors a month.
- The Difference between Keywords Translation and Keywords Localization
Global Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of adapting your multilingual content and websites for search engines in different languages and countries to maintain the best rank and visibility in the search results also known as search engine results pages (SERPs).
- What Neuroscience Tells Us About Consumer Desire
"People are fairly good at expressing what they want, what they like, or even how much they will pay for an item. But they aren't very good at accessing where that value comes from, or how and when it is influenced by factors like store displays or brands."
- Why External Hires Get Paid More, and Perform Worse, than Internal Staff
"My research documents some quite substantial costs to external hires and some substantial benefits to internal mobility."
- 10 Ways to Make Your Customer Experience Stand Out
Delivering consistently superior customer service is the only differentiator left for creating loyal and engaged customers.
- 7 Online Project Management Tools to Keep You Organized
What tools and technologies do you use to manage your projects?
- Big Firms Mentor Start-Ups on Their Image
Marketing guidance for start-ups is growing, with a range of new programs promising to provide start-ups with better access to traditional ad agencies and major marketers.
- 10 Mental Toughness Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs
Define the win for your business.
- Crowdfunding's Wild West Awaits a Stampede
The legislation, which Congress passed yesterday and awaits President Obama's promised signature, is expected to unleash a wave of crowdfunding platforms, according to a crowdfunding industry organization.
- Analysis: U.S. Jobs Act could help the least flashy startups
"The biggest hurdle to new startups is not the money," Arnold said. "It's the network of professionals, advisors, community. None of these will come from crowdfunding."
- VC: There's no Series A crunch, there's a 'seed glut'
Investors have probably never been confronted with so many young companies looking for new funding that have already received enough money to get off the ground.
- 10 Tips for Raising Money on Kickstarter
Not every project will work on Kickstarter, and even fewer will create a feeding frenzy.
- Talent acquisition tips for startups
Here are some of the questions a startup should consider when reviewing their talent acquisition strategies. I say these are for startups, but really, many of them apply to any company.
Connectivity & Communications
- Climate change report: time to start preparing for the worst
It's time to start protecting people from the impact of severe-weather events, a panel says. The report offers further evidence of how the climate change conversation is shifting.
- Fracking is bad - And the West had better watch its water
Last week, national intelligence agencies released the unclassified version of a report which predicts that nations and regions will increasingly go to war over water as global warming, population and consumption continue to grow.
- The Green Elite: Montana # 6 in the Top 10 States for Renewable Power
The number one renewable source for all of these states was hydro power, which provided 6 percent of the country's electricity in 2010.
- It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's the Future of Renewable Energy
It is what it looks like: a standard wind turbine, normally mounted on a big pole, instead secured inside a helium-filled balloon. Awesome.
Government Technology
- Microsoft Unveils New Plan to Speed Up the Web
The process of creating a faster HTTP replacement will not mean simply picking any one vendor's protocol and standardizing it.
- Satellite broadband providers expand into rural areas
"There is a market there, but it's a secondary market. They have DSL and, if they are to switch, they have to buy satellite equipment. It's not free."
- Free Wireless Broadband for the Masses
When you think of basic human rights, access to wireless broadband Internet probably isn't at the top of the list. But a new company backed by a Skype cofounder disagrees, and plans to bring free mobile broadband to the U.S. later this year under the slogan "The Internet is a right, not a privilege."
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Spray-On Pothole Filler? Yes, It Exists
"The advantage of this is we get a clean, dry hole, and that's really important when you're dealing with any asphalt product."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Looks Can Be Deceiving - Jonathan Antoine Audition - Britain's Got Talent 2012
Amazing voice. Great performance.
- April Fools' Day pranks made by companies & 11 Legendary College Pranks
It doesn't matter that you're not drunk, responsibility-free, and reckless. If you want it badly enough, you can make fools of us all.
- Super-floater: One-Pound Boat That Could Float 1,000 Pounds
Aerogels are so light that some of them are denoted as "solid smoke."
- Bump Pay Lets You PayPal Someone With A Tap, But Only In-Person
Bump Pay lets you transfer money via PayPal to anyone in arm's reach.
- City hackathon to unite developers, artists, government
"It's really a way for the city to connect with the startups, the innovators and the VC communities."
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