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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Aug 24, 2012 |
"Businesses and government should think big, start small, scale fast and be flexible. Life's too short to have no impact." Silicon Valley entrepreneur and author (The Lean Startup) Eric Ries http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
University of Montana Marketing Management Class (BMKT 480) Offering Marketing Plan Development to Montana Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Sept. 10-11 conference on aging in Montana to be streamed and available on Web http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html ---
IdeaMensch
Inteneo Systems
- 1 Honda Element, 3 guys, and a quest to ignite entrepreneurship in America
The goal always is to create win/win/win situations. We shine the lights on many of the surprisingly entrepreneurial communities across America, speakers get exposure, and the audience gets to learn how successful entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life.
Montana Community Finance Corporation
- Louisville, Ky., Uses Metrics to Cut Overtime and Boost Performance
The goal is to spot weaknesses in government performance and processes.
Northwestern Energy
- Montana Community Finance Corporation (MCFC) - Helping Businesses Take the Next Step - August 2012 Newsletter
Do you know of a business that is looking to purchase or construct a building or purchase a large piece of equipment? They might qualify for a 504 loan.
PrintingForLess
- Missoula's Hellgate High School wins Northwestern Energy Academic Award
The award is given annually in association with the Montana High School Association (MHSA) to one school in each classification (Class AA, A, B and C) that has the highest "average" Grade Point Average (GPA) for its participating students in MHSA-sanctioned sports, cheerleading, and state speech and drama, and music festival activities.
Highway 12 Ventures
- PrintingForLess.com August Newsletter - Overcoming Business Roadblocks and Introducing New Table Tent Formats
Many small businesses face their own set of roadblocks that keep them from fully engaging their customers to reach the next level. Read on to find out what common obstacles may be holding you back and what you can do about them.
Come Home Montana
- The Power of Passion When Starting Your Company
While some mentors and investors wanted to understand all the market and customer dynamics, others were able to see, or dream about, the enormous potential opportunities if the product could ever be created.
Montana Business
- Montana Career Opportunities - Director/ Vice President Of Engineering, Software Developer, Senior Software Developer - TerraEchos
TerraEchos, Inc. is an internationally recognized leader in stream computing, harnessing the power the real time analytics for extreme workflow optimization.
Montana Economic Development
- The "Missing Link" to Reducing Work Comp Rates in Montana
There is a direct correlation between safety and lower workers' compensation costs.
- Submittable (Missoula, Montana) pitched a few hundred Silicon Valley investors today including MC Hammer and Ashton Kutcher. :)
Customers already include Virgin, Harvard, and Playboy. What do those companies have in common? Nothing, which is why the founders think this could be a huge market: "If they could use it, anybody can use it."
- Montana's The Natural Baby Company, HuHot Mongolian Grills, TicketPrinting.com, and MercuryCSC included in INC.'s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies
Congratulations to these outstanding Montana companies. Well done!
- Innovate Panel Guests Announced by Governor
"We have some of the brightest minds in Montana and the country coming to talk to businesses and leaders in Montana. The panel will focus on how we can continue to foster innovation in existing industries and create innovative startups across Montana," said Governor Brian Schweitzer.
- Resodyn hosts industrial workshop
Fifty industry representatives from across the country and around the globe will be in Butte Wednesday through Friday to learn more about Resodyn Corp.'s acoustic mixing process.
The Burton K. Wheeler Center
- Hardin, Montana replacing runway with $6 million airport
"It's going to be a tremendous asset for the county and for Hardin," Mayor Joe Koebbe said. "There's going to be some more people who fly in to use the Bighorn River for hunting and fishing."
Careers
- Sept. 10-11 conference on aging in Montana to be streamed and available on Web
For the first time ever, residents across Montana will be able to participate in a Sept. 10-11 Wheeler Center conference when a forum on the graying of Montana is streamed live via the Web and screened at four state-wide viewing sites.
Come Home North Dakota
- Institute for Veterans & Military Families and Griffin-Hammis produce government benefits guidebook for veterans with disabilities
"While government benefits programs can be confusing, this manual concisely illustrates the key decision points one faces when returning to work or starting a business. After all, there is no government program as powerful as having meaningful work."
- Why are people overconfident so often? It's all about social status
"Our studies found that overconfidence helped people attain social status. People who believed they were better than others, even when they weren't, were given a higher place in the social ladder. And the motive to attain higher social status thus spurred overconfidence."
- Free training course helps veterans adapt technical skills to land jobs
With many soldiers leaving service with technical and computer skills, New York-based Incline is offering training in order to help them adapt that talent to the workplace.
Government
- Now Hiring in North Dakota
North Dakota boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the country and that`s not changing anytime soon. Job Service of North Dakota says the low unemployment rate can bring on more competition.
Government and University TechTransfer
- Montana's Governor Schweitzer warns of massive property tax shift
"This looks and smells a lot like utility deregulation," Schweitzer said, referring to a 1997 bill that deregulated Montana's electrical industry and eventually led to the demise of the former Montana Power Co.
- National Governors Association - A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
"Individuals with disabilities should have, to the maximum extent possible, the same opportunities as all others do: to live close to family and friends; to live independently and in safe communities; to engage in productive employment; and to participate in community life." Governor Jack Markell, Delaware National Governors Association Chair, 2012-2013
Idaho Business
- University of Utah holds out hat for tech transfer - Gateway Crimson Innovation Fund
Money donated to a new Gateway Crimson Innovation Fund http://www.techventures.utah.edu/tco/sponsorships.php will help push university inventions, such as medical devices and treatments, drugs, energy technologies and software, into the marketplace.
Regional Economic Development
- Idaho's Magic Valley Sites Talent Pool as a Major Reason for Businesses to Locate There
Combined with low electrical rates and a location as a transportation hub, it all makes Twin Falls a desirable place for new businesses.
Washington State Business
- National Governors Association - 12 Actions for Growing State Economies
Startup firms that develop organically are critical to strengthening a state's economy.
Wyoming Business
- Washington State University software glitch stymies students
"It is a disaster, it is a debacle, it is ridiculous," said Shannon Seiler, whose daughter is a sophomore and son is a senior at WSU. "Nobody really seems to know exactly what's going on and nobody really has a clear answer."
Education
- Casper, Wyoming economic development group proposes speculative building
The speculative building -- to be built with the help of a grant from the Business Ready Grant and Loan Program -- would be available for lease to an incoming company that would not otherwise have chosen Casper for business.
Montana Education Excellence
- The financially sustainable university
Talk of a higher education "bubble" has reached a fever pitch in the last year.
- High School Grads Miss Mark
"Far too many high school graduates are still falling short academically," John Whitmore, ACT's chief executive officer, said in a statement. "We need to do more to ensure that our young people improve."
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Kuhr named UM interim vice president of communications
"I am pleased to employ Peggy's expertise as a member of my cabinet as we begin a new academic year," Engstrom said. "She is known for her strong journalism background and her insistence on transparency. I believe she is uniquely positioned to expand and enhance our communications with the campus community and the greater Missoula and Montana communities."
- Intermountain has teamed up with University of Montana's UMOnline to create an online course that covers strategies to help children whose early experiences deprived them of the essential capacity to connect with others.
Emphasis is on significant discoveries in the fields of neuroscience, childhood trauma, grief and loss, child development, and family systems.
- University of Montana and Montana Tech make Princeton Review list of best colleges
"Undergrads seem to truly enjoy life at U of M," the review stated. "As one ecstatic undergrad tells us, 'Western Montana is a divine place for hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, snowshoeing, swimming, huckleberry picking, going to hot springs, mushroom picking, antler collecting and just being immersed in nature.' "
- Montana high school students get dual-enrollment discount
Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau says every high school student should consider the opportunity. She says it makes college more affordable, while also offering a new challenge.
Community
- MSUB students available again to craft business plans
In the past several years, the class has worked with ZooMontana, the City of Billings, North Park Children's Center, Soaps by Rusty B and Billings Educational Academy.
- University of Montana Marketing Management Class (BMKT 480) Offering Marketing Plan Development to Montana Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations
If you know of a business or organization that needs to have a marketing plan developed this semester, please have them contact me as soon as possible.
Funding and Building your Business
- Vancouver opens door to laneway housing
Laneway houses, basement apartments, and secondary suites are excellent sources of affordable rental homes for Vancouver, BC city residents.
- Announcing a new webinar series from the Local Government Center - Sustaining Communities Through Philanthropy
The Local Government Center is announcing a new webinar series focusing on transfer of wealth and sustaining communities through philanthropy. Each bimonthly, one-hour interactive presentation features an author from the Spring 2012 Montana Policy Review.
- Community Kick-Starting the Flow of Ideas Turning to Competitions
I have been exploring the concept of "ideation" -- a fancy word for the process of developing and testing new ideas.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- Y Combinator's Young Startups Tout Revenue Over Users
"We're seeing a new focus on people thinking about how they're going to make money and build these big sustainable businesses. "It's not just about how quickly you can attract a ton of users."
- Entrepreneurs Need to Listen More and Talk Less
Building a business is all about building relationships, and one of the most important elements of a relationship is effective communication.
- Lessons from Southwest Airlines' Stellar Customer Service
"Herb's vision was that we were going to provide excellent customer service in an industry not known for treating customers well."
- Startups Must Balance Social Media Costs vs Value
There are hundreds of consultants out there who will take your money for guidance in this area, but I recommend that you start with some free resources on the Internet.
- 8 Ways Entrepreneurs Often Destroy Team Motivation
To learn about ways that your team is demotivated, most leaders would need to look no further than feedback from their own team, indicating you do the following:
Connectivity & Communications
- American Prairie Reserve buys a 150,000-acre Montana ranch as it continues to build a national park-caliber prairie wildlife preserve
"They're getting up to a level on which an awful lot of Americans can visit and develop an idea of what the environment was really like at a time before human occupancy changed it,"
- Bison (and Montana) Benefit from Prairie Buy Back
The APF hopes to eventually piece together a three million acre preserve that will rival Africa's Serengeti and resemble the landscape Lewis and Clark traveled through more than two centuries ago.
Government Technology
- Montana Senator Tester fights government control of internet
"Montanans' personal freedoms are too important to hand over to an international body," Tester said. "Montanans use the internet to start small businesses, express their opinions, and stay connected to their communities. I'm not going to let the United Nations or any foreign country restrict our hard-earned rights."
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Montana Adds Mobile-Optimized Tax Payment Option
If you are a Montana taxpayer, settling your income tax burden just got easier
- Digital Differences to Consider When Planning Your Public Outreach Strategy
There are myriad ways to reach citizens in this day and age.
- Governments Take a Lean Startup Approach - "When there are real-life facts and data behind what people want, it can enable things that may not have been possible before."
On his first full day in office, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum on transparency and open government, calling for a more participatory government to tap into the expertise of the American people when addressing the biggest challenges facing the country.
- New concerts and events added to Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival week August 24 to September 1, in Whitefish and Bigfork, Montana
High end auction items to be sold at intermission on Tuesday and Saturday nights
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