MATR Newsletter – May 16, 2019
The state with the best education wins!

People across the nation know Montana as ‘Big Sky Country’ or the ‘Last Best Place’ thanks to our stunning landscapes, blue-ribbon trout streams, and welcoming communities. Fewer people recognize that Montana has one of the most competitive business climates to go along with our exceptional quality of life.

Steve Bullock

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Big Sky Economic Development

Big Sky Economic Development aiming to buy downtown building
Zoot Enterprises, a multi-million dollar credit information analysis company started by Montana native Chris Nelson, knocked $750,000 of the purchase price of the building, effectively donating the amount to BSED.

Montana Department of Commerce

Kalispell Manufacturing Business ClassOne Technology to Receive Exporter of the Year Award
“With its proven commitment to doing business in Montana and its impressive growth over the past year, ClassOne is well deserving of this honor,” said Director Rice.

TechLink

TechLink – US Army has $2 million in cash prizes for small businesses with ‘disruptive’ ideas
xTechSearch is the U.S. Army’s latest initiative to uncover novel science and technology solutions by engaging with small businesses and nontraditional partners.

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

Want to win in the gig economy? Think big, diversify and know your worth
One common mistake I see people in the “gig economy” make is that they think too small.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

Elon Musk shows us the 60 satellites that will one day help power a better internet
On Saturday, Elon Musk tweeted out a photo of 60 satellites loaded into the fairing, or nose cone, of his company’s Falcon rocket.

2019 Montana Legislature and Politics

A New Angle Podcast – Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins is a reason to believe
In 1994, Wilmot Collins fled civil war in Liberia and somehow landed in Montana. Learn more about his amazing journey, his dedication to public service, and his inspiring rise to Mayor of his adopted home of Helena.
Steve Bullock On Why He’s Running For President
As far as what others will be saying in the large field, you know, the best that I can do is say, here’s why I’m doing it, here’s what I believe that we can do, and leave that for the voters to decide.

Montana Economic Development

Urban Design Thinking Needs a Broader Perspective
If we think about it correctly, dense, mixed use urban spaces are the ultimate design solution to our transportation problems.
Prospera Women’s Business Center in Bozeman wins national award
Starting a small business is hard but the Prospera Women’s Business Center in Bozeman just won an award for making it a litter easier.
City Club Missoula – Business leaders: Missoula economy peppered with advantages, challenges
As Missoula’s ever-expanding class of upstarts look to grow and compete on the national stage, they continue to face new challenges along the way, a panel of business leaders told members of City Club Missoula on Monday.

Montana Ambassadors

Why every entrepreneur needs a great mentor
“Entrepreneurship is a complex ecosystem that mentors are a fundamental part of: they have the experience, knowledge, motivation and leadership skills to help others along their journeys.”

Montana Business

MMEC News and Events for Montana Manufacturers May 2019
How much water does it take to manufacture a gallon of beer?

Visit Montana

Montana’s Norris Hot Springs Is The Nation’s Most Calming Music Venue
The stars are brighter here than at home in the city, and they’re better than any light show you’d see at a festival — endless points of light, puncturing the pitch black Montana sky, punctuated by music.

Funding and Building your Business

More Than $1 Billion in New Capital Has Been Earmarked for Women Entrepreneurs. Here’s Where to Find It
It turns out only a fraction of them are in Silicon Valley.
My favorite class at Wharton taught me a 5-step technique for getting anyone to do anything you want
He taught me how to get anyone to do anything you want, and now I will teach it to you. Everything in this column comes from Professor Dwyer.

Regional Business News

By 2040, more than half of new cars will be electric
“We see a real possibility that global sales of conventional passenger cars have already passed their peak,”
Lessons Learned From California’s Pioneering Microgrids
Four years ago California funded seven microgrid demonstration projects, from fire stations to a college campus. How have they performed, and what do they say about the future?

Idaho News & Events

This Ada County agency just suffered a ransomware attack. Now the FBI is investigating
ACHD isn’t saying how much money was requested in the attack, but the money was not paid.
Tired of political incivility? So are Butch Otter & Walt Minnick, and they hope you can help in Idaho
Allred told the Idaho Press he asked Otter to help promote the CommonSense American program because while they disagree on some policy issues, they are “shoulder to shoulder” when it comes to what makes the United States republic work.

Wyoming Business

Jackson, Wyoming officials ask: What does Western look like?
With Jackson’s heritage on the line, officials look to Town Square regs, other preservation methods.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

Mindfulness helps Missoula, Montana’s Willard, Paxson students manage emotions, stress
The idea is that the practice of mindfulness, or developing an awareness for the present moment through various exercises, can help students slow down and focus on the task at hand.
Apple CEO Tim Cook: ‘I Don’t Think a Four-Year Degree is Necessary to Be Proficient at Coding’
What we found out is that if we can get coding in in the early grades and have a progression of difficulty over the tenure of somebody’s high school years, by the time you graduate kids like Liam, as an example of this, they’re already writing apps that could be put on the App Store.”

Non-Profit News

A New Angle Podcast – Marc Moss Tells Us Something
Marc Moss is the creator, producer and host of Tell Us Something, a live storytelling event that began in Missoula and is expanding across Montana.

Careers

95% of Stanford MBAs Have Taken This Leadership Course. Now You Can, Too.
Stanford now offers non-students a version of one of its most popular business school courses.

Workforce Development

They Were Promised Coding Jobs in Appalachia. Now They Say It Was a Fraud.
Mined Minds came into West Virginia espousing a certain dogma, fostered in the world of start-ups and TED Talks.

Washington State Business

A Surprising Place for Climate Change Relocation: Washington State
The city of Hamilton in Skagit County, Washington showcases another kind of community at risk from the effects of climate change and considering relocation to higher ground.

Energy and Climate Change

The John Oliver Show – ‘You idiots’: Bill Nye’s fiery x-rated message to leaders stalling on climate change
“What I’m saying is: The planet’s on fire,” Nye said, punctuating his point with some R-rated profanity.

Privacy, Hacking and Virus Alerts

Meltdown Redux: Intel Flaw Lets Hackers Siphon Secrets from Millions of PCs
Today Intel and a coordinated supergroup of microarchitecture security researchers are together announcing a new, serious form of hackable vulnerability in Intel’s chips.
Microsoft warns wormable Windows bug could lead to another WannaCry
Company takes the unusual step of patching Win 2003 and XP. 7, Server 2008 and 2008 R2 also vulnerable.