Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Idea Capital of the World is a place that fosters entrepreneurship and innovation. Agencies like the Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center (ICC) are working to do just that.
The ICC’s Bucks for Bright Ideas (www.BucksForBrightIdeas.com ) is a competitive program that encourages residents in our *region to turn ideas into reality. “Many people in our part of the state have innovative ideas that could become the foundation for a new business. Some of those people need help moving forward toward commercialization,” said Lisa Williams, executive director the Lincoln Trail Innovation Center.
Business development experts will work with entrepreneurs and innovators to turn ideas into a business reality. The ICC is accepting applications through April 15. Application forms are available on the Bucks for Bright Ideas web site.
Applicants can compete for over $25,000 worth of valuable prizes. Multiple winners will receive free services from regional professional firms for market research, patent research, accounting support, product design help and more.
And all applicants are eligible to receive one-on-one assistance with their idea at no charge.
*applicants must reside in one of following Wired65 counties to apply – Breckinridge, Hardin, Grayson, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Washington
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Small Business Fitness Workout
Do you have a Business Fitness Plan? Yes a fitness plan. We often think in terms of personal fitness, but your business has a fitness level too.
And there is no cost to attend.
If you own a business in the Lincoln Trail counties of the Wired65 region (Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington), be sure to apply at http://www.mttc.org/ for one of five 4-hour training sessions held at the Regional Education Center in Radcliff.
Training dates are April 7, 14, 21, 28 and May 5
Application Deadline is March 31
So what other factors do you think impact business fitness? Share your thoughts and ideas here. Post a comment to the kix blog.
- Often, business plans are lethargic (or non-existent) documents that hold little relevance to the operation of the business; establishing meaningful milestones, goals, and strategic objectives will truly serve as guides for business decisions, as well as indicators of progress and success;
- Many small businesses are unable to determine true costs; failing to “weigh-in” all the factors that contribute to the overall cost of operating the business;
- The weight of expenses frequently suffocates the growth or continuance of small businesses; incorporating cash flow management strategies into daily operations is key;
- Precious time is often lost creating unique documents; you can improve efficiency by “exercising” the use of helpful business templates;
- Traffic on the business website need not be sluggish; there are ways to “energize” the features and content on your site, and “realize the benefits” of search engine optimization (SEO). Even those without websites will learn strategies to improve the “profile” and customer awareness of the business.
And there is no cost to attend.
If you own a business in the Lincoln Trail counties of the Wired65 region (Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington), be sure to apply at http://www.mttc.org/ for one of five 4-hour training sessions held at the Regional Education Center in Radcliff.
Training dates are April 7, 14, 21, 28 and May 5
Application Deadline is March 31
So what other factors do you think impact business fitness? Share your thoughts and ideas here. Post a comment to the kix blog.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Job Seekers connect with valuable tools on kix.com
It was the kix.com team's pleasure to be a part of the Youth Opportunity Showcase job fair. Sponsored by Kentuckiana Works, Louisville Metro Government and the Kentucky Office of Employment & Training, the event attracted more than 1,000 young people to the Kentucky International Convention Center. A good portion of those job seekers stopped by the kix.com booth to find out more about what the site offers.
And besides leaving with kix.com brochures and knowledge of the site's features, many of the participants used the event's computer lab to visit kix.com to see those features firsthand. We heard nothing but positive comments. The results? Following the event, we saw a significant jump in traffic to the site!
Job seekers will once again have the opportunity to connect with the kix.com team and regional employers at the Louisville Urban League's 17th annual "Louisville Career Expo" on Wednesday, March 16th. Check-out the "Featured Opportunity" posting on the kix.com homepage to find out more!
And besides leaving with kix.com brochures and knowledge of the site's features, many of the participants used the event's computer lab to visit kix.com to see those features firsthand. We heard nothing but positive comments. The results? Following the event, we saw a significant jump in traffic to the site!
Job seekers will once again have the opportunity to connect with the kix.com team and regional employers at the Louisville Urban League's 17th annual "Louisville Career Expo" on Wednesday, March 16th. Check-out the "Featured Opportunity" posting on the kix.com homepage to find out more!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Look at the Future - Hardin County Chamber of Commerce
Kix.com is pleased to share a blog from the interim director of the newly formed Hardin County Chamber of Commerce. Rik Hawkins reflects on the two year journey to arrive at this point and the outlook for the future.
The four chambers of Hardin County, Elizabethtown/Radcliff/Vine Grove and West Point, began discussion over two years ago about the possibility of merging our memberships. By December 2010 we had concluded the membership votes to move forward. We now stand up as The Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, one of the largest chambers in The Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Why did we move this direction, and, what do we hope to accomplish? Our area, as a result of the 2005 BRAC, was the beneficiary of a recipe for tremendous growth. It is amazing to actually witness that growth on a daily basis. However, to ensure that a single voice of advocacy emerged, it was the correct action that our chambers become one. Together, as a single voice, we will have more opportunity to present a strong case for the necessary funding to continue acquiring the support for growth.
So where do we go from here? As we find our voice of leadership in all our ( regionalization) growth, our Chamber of Commerce will need to emerge as an entity that is bigger than our historic activity. While festivals will always have a place in our activity, as they should, we will need to chart a course that is more supportive of the world of commerce. In the future, our agenda will need to be driven by legislative, regulatory and actions that support commerce. Our presence needs to be felt in Frankfort and Washington, D.C. We stand prepared to deliver the leadership that our memberships have entrusted us with.
Why did we move this direction, and, what do we hope to accomplish? Our area, as a result of the 2005 BRAC, was the beneficiary of a recipe for tremendous growth. It is amazing to actually witness that growth on a daily basis. However, to ensure that a single voice of advocacy emerged, it was the correct action that our chambers become one. Together, as a single voice, we will have more opportunity to present a strong case for the necessary funding to continue acquiring the support for growth.
So where do we go from here? As we find our voice of leadership in all our ( regionalization) growth, our Chamber of Commerce will need to emerge as an entity that is bigger than our historic activity. While festivals will always have a place in our activity, as they should, we will need to chart a course that is more supportive of the world of commerce. In the future, our agenda will need to be driven by legislative, regulatory and actions that support commerce. Our presence needs to be felt in Frankfort and Washington, D.C. We stand prepared to deliver the leadership that our memberships have entrusted us with.
The newly formed chamber meets for the first time on March 10. Guest speakers are Governor Steve Beshear and Ky Chamber of Commerce President, David Adkisson.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Your Idea Counts in the Idea Capital of the World
We hope you are as excited as we are about the return of the kix.com blog! Here, people from our region come together to network, search for jobs and share stories about what is happening in our region.
It’s a new year, and the kix.com team is dedicated to ensuring that everyone knows what makes our region great...
Talent, Innovation and Place.
These three things are what make our region a wonderful place to Live, Work, Play and Learn. This year we will focus our attention to highlight these areas of interest, but we cannot do it alone. Our team invites you, the people who know our region best, to share your stories of why our region is such an exciting and innovative place.
What is happening in your corner of the region? What ideas have been turned into a reality in your community? This is the Idea Capital of the World. New ideas and dreams become reality every day.
We want to highlight these accomplishments on kix.com, and show the world what makes our region great!
Interested in submitting an idea to be highlighted on the kix.com blog? E-mail us at kix@wired65.org or comment below.
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