We look forward to hearing about your continued success.

You can view this year’s conference photos  at
www.Facebook.com/usfsbdc. ‘Like,’ comment, share and let us know what you thought!

Seminar Power Points

Govt_Contracting_101-201

Doing Business with USSOCOM

SBA Loan Programs (2)

Marketing

HUBZone Primer

Federal Contracting Success

SBA Certification Programs May 2012

NIACORP_Security Clearance Brief

2012 CVEVerification

2012 Govt Conference Financing your Business

Proposal Adequacy

Sole_Source_Procurement

PODS_Small Business Presentation

Cost: $655

Date: November 13th-16th, 2012

Embassy Suites Hotel Information

Download Important Course Documents:

2012 Registration Form

You Should Attend If You’re Involved With…

• local, regional, state, and/or federal economic development organizations, including:
• public utilities
• educational institutions
• consulting firms
• financial institutions
• developers
• industrial brokers
• transportation authorities

Core Courses Include:

Introduction to the CEcD Program
Ethics Training
Entrepreneurship
Economic Development Strategic Planning for the Community: Theory & Practice
Managing an Effective Economic Development Organization
Community/Neighborhood Development
Small Business Development
Marketing/Attraction
Business Retention & Expansion
Real Estate Development Reuse
Economic Development Finance
Workforce Development

BEDC Sponsors:

Each location offers a different mix of discussion panels and speed consulting with Wells Fargo, the Small Business Administration and business consultants. Experts include accountants, lawyers, insurance agents and bankers.

Register

Register at the location nearest you to get your business questions answered by the experts — at no cost!

• Hillsborough: Monday May 21, 2012 from 7:30-10:30 AM
• Pinellas: Tuesday May 22, 2012 from 9 AM- 1 PM
• Hernando: Tuesday May 22, 2012 from 7:30-10:30 AM
• Pasco: Wednesday May 23, 2012 in from 7:30-10:30 AM
• Polk: Wednesday May 23, 2012 from 7:30 AM – 4 PM
• Highlands: Thursday May 24, 2012 from 7:30 -10:30 AM

Breakfast Sponsored by: Wells Fargo

What: Costa Rica Tech Trade Mission
When: June 18-20, 2012
Where:
American Embassy & the exclusive
Real InterContinental Hotel & Tower Club in San Jose, Costa Rica

What is the Purpose?

The purpose of the Costa Rica Tech Trade Mission is to provide an excellent opportunity to further the business development between the high technology companies of Central Florida and Costa Rica. Explore Costa Rica!

Interested? More Information:

For more see the ITINERARY

April 18-19, 2012
Hilton Miami Airport

Register here:

This is the premier event to expand your sales in the Western Hemisphere!

 Western Hemisphere Business Matchmaker brings the experts closer to you. It is a rare opportunity for U.S. exporters to meet with Senior Commercial Officers (SCOs) from throughout the Western Hemisphere at one venue. The SCOs from U.S. Embassies in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and Peru will be available for private one-on-one consultations with participants.

During the conference and one-on-one consultations you will have the opportunity to obtain information on current opportunities for your products and services in different markets.

You will be able to:

• Learn about your company’s sales potential in the Western Hemisphere
• Assess challenges in the marketplace and understand how to capitalize on free trade agreements
• Hone in on the best market opportunities
• Find out how the U.S. Commercial Service can help you identify new business partners

Registration Information

The Registration Fee for this event is only $175!

Fee includes: 3 appointments with U.S. Senior Commercial Officers (as available on a first come first served basis), panel discussions, lunch and continental breakfast for one person (April 18th only), networking reception and coffee breaks

Agenda

• April 18-Business Opportunities in the Western Hemisphere
• April 19- One-on-one consultations

For more information please contact:

Ms. Cathy Feig
U.S. Export Assistance Center
P: 954.356.6645
Cathy.Feig@trade.gov

Mr. Ivan Barrios
Enterprise Florida Inc.
P: 305.808.3390
ibarrios@eflorida.com

After long meetings around the kitchen table in the early 2000’s young engineers Julius Davis and Jorge Rivera, P.E. LEED®AP, designed VoltAir Consulting Engineers, LLC, to provide lighting, power distribution, plumbing and fire protection, and analysis and design for HVAC. Their humble beginnings started with an initial contract of $40,000 and expanded to an estimated $1.2 million. As a result, in six years, VoltAir grew from a two man operation to a professional firm of 11 engineers, plus consultants.

A small firm with big talent sets foundation for fast growing business
Recognizing that the competition was strong, they set out to differentiate their company by attending start-up business trainings and consulting in their early stages of business development with the SBDC.  After mastering the basics, they moved to advanced government procurement and business planning strategies.

“Through their guidance and support we have been able to develop the guidelines for our success,” said owners when asked about their experience with the SBDC. They credit having taken the time to create a business plan as part of their success as they developed a plan of action that helped them stay focused through the growing pains.

Today, VoltAir is a minority certified company by the State of Florida Minority Office of Supplier Diversity. In 2009 they joined the Florida Minority Supplier Development Council where they actively participate of local and state initiatives to meet potential customers. Most recently, they became a Small Business Administration’s 8A Certified Company. Now they are working with the SBDC to maximize these certifications though a strategic marketing plan. VoltAir has secured accreditation as LEED Accredited Professionals from the U.S. Green Building Council and have certified multiple buildings as LEED Gold and Platinum. These accreditations and ability to certify buildings set them apart from their competition in front of customers and prime contracting partners.

Trust, Access and Follow Ups Make the Difference

Their growth led them across the Gulf of Mexico, to Houston, where they have contracts with local entities like the Houston International Airport. They continue to look for opportunities across the nation, without forgetting that Tampa is their home. As they celebrate their sixth anniversary, they continue to work and develop their business keeping in mind key characteristics important to every business:

• Work to earn the client’s trust even after a contract is over.
• Recognize the importance and value of doing timely follow ups.
• Be accessible to clients.
• Stay in the client’s circle by marketing and promoting the company.

Some businesses only read the performance work statement and fail to consider the terms and conditions set forth in the solicitations.

Here are 3 rules in responding to a solicitation:

#1 rule is to read and understand the solicitation requirements

#2 is to read it again

#3 is to read it again

Read, read, read…. This also includes reading all amendments to the solicitation.

• If the solicitation requirements are ambiguous, get clarification from the Contracting Specialist (preferably in writing).  Oftentimes, the soliciting agency offers a time frame for questions and answers.  Don’t wait until the last minute to get clarification on any unclear language in the solicitation.

• Ensure there is plenty of time to work on the solicitation and submit your bid. A late bid is generally rejected and will not be considered.  This means it must be received before the specific date and time at the designated location.

• Since paying attention to details will significantly increase your chances of obtaining a government contract award, it’s a good idea to stop by your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Before you can achieve better purchasing power you need to know all the information that appears on your report. This includes everything from current and historical borrowing data to payment habits. After obtaining this information, you can determine if your habits or inaccurate information are hindering your purchasing power. These steps need to be taken before making a significant purchase or applying for any type of credit.

Tips for optimizing your credit report

• Never exceed, approximately, 45% of you allowable credit.  Credit cards are getting near their maximum allowable limit isn’t a good sign to inquirers.
• Multiple credit inquiries are unfavorable. Try to keep this number below five-to-six per year, and have them not all grouped together.
• Find the source. Whenever you are turned down for credit, the proposed credit provider must give you the source of the information that caused the refusal.  This allows you to get your report from whatever agency they used (free for a period of 60 days from their decision).
• Remember: all information including late payments, collections, bankruptcy, foreclosures, etc. are kept on the report for seven-to-ten years.

So you think you have excellent credit?
It pays to check periodically to determine if any information in which you may not be aware of has negatively affected your score.  Errors and discrepancies frequently appear and would be unknown to you if you have not developed a habit of periodically checking with the bureaus. By following this procedure it will allow time for you to correct or fix these problems prior to attempting to get financing.

Check your personal credit report at least once a year. Carefully review your reports to ensure all the information shown on your credit report actually belongs to you and that the balances are current and correct. There are three major credit bureaus to be should be concerned with.  Contact each credit bureau directly online.  Each of these have a small cost associated with the report:

• www.equifax.com
• www.Experian.com
• www.transunion.com

Also check out these two:

• http://www.annualcreditreport.com is a free site allowing you to get one report from each bureau annually. These reports do not contain your credit score, but for a small fee (usually under $20) the score can be obtained.
• Another good site is www.myfico.com.  They also have a small fee.

Be cautious and stay with the above choices.
There are untold numbers of sites that advertise the availability of your credit report and score and are quite often shown as being free. Be cautious of all these since you must supply your Social Security number and do not know their security level. Additionally, many will automatically sign you up for a monthly fee for a variety of services.

Have discrepancies? 
If you find any errors or discrepancies on your report, notify the credit bureau immediately. They are required to make a full investigation.  If the information cannot be verified in writing, within a short period of time, it must be removed from the report.

Set aside about a half an hour for each interview.   Plan a face-to-face meeting, unless geography does not permit.  Although a phone appointment my seem more convenient, keep in mind that you plan to work with this person in the most confidential part of your business. Meeting face-to-face will give you an indication of how easy they will be to work with.

When you are in the interview, remember you are trying to determine whether they will be good to work with, not solve your current problem.

Questions to ask during the interview:

What is your education and experience?

Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are licensed by the state and must maintain educational requirements.  Enrolled Agents (EA) are tax professionals recognized by the Department of Treasury.  Both must obtain and maintain a certain level of education to receive and hold their designations. Both CPAs and EAs are able to represent taxpayers before the IRS.  If you are talking with an accountant or bookkeeper who does not have one of these designations, realize that if you have issues with the Internal Revenue Service, you will be on your own.  Additionally, you can check CPA and EA licensing while others you cannot.

• Do you specialize in businesses like mine?
• What type of work do you do for others? (i.e. reports, complete tax returns, business consulting)
• How will you charge?

After your interview, ask yourself:

• What did the experience feel like?
• Does this professional show genuine interest in your business and working with you?
• Will you feel comfortable working with them?
• Do they listen?

If you follow this due diligence, focus on your needs and the potential accountant’s “Right fit for your business,” you should find an accountant to provide your desired level of service for years to come.  If not, be prepared to change accountants, one or more times, before you connect with the one that is right for you. While you thinking about your needs and money, it may be a good idea to think about how your Money Personality Impacts Your Finances.