Independent Belle (independentbelle)'s Public Profile in the Diigo Community

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Nolo’s Employment Law Blog: Discrimination and Harassment Archives on 2009-06-22
- Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Twittermania: 140+ More Twitter Tools! on 2009-05-09
AW Jobs, WebBiz & Social Media Blog on 2009-04-14
- Time To Ramp Up and Scale Up: Next Step - GGwebGroup
  
  Less than a year after I started I began helping other sites set up and ramp up on the Net.
  
  Today I operate AdvancingWomen.com, Careers.AdvancingWomen.com, AW Career & Biz Blog, Advancing Women in Leadership Journal,
  
  NewEnergyResearch.net, the first of several planned “green business” websites, and a number of diverse websites for clients.
Today's Chicago Woman - Banking on Alternative Loans on 2009-04-14
- For those who live or own a business in the Chicago neighborhoods of Uptown, Edgewater, Lakeview or Rogers Park, there’s a third choice for borrowing – the North Side Community Federal Credit Union.
- Hedy M. Ratner is co-president of the Women’s Business Development Center. Contact her at hratner@wbdc.org.
Today's Chicago Woman - Banking on Alternative Loans on 2009-04-14
- ACCION Chicago, a community-based organization, provides credit to small businesses without access to loans from commercial sources, such as childcare businesses. The organization lends from $500 to $25,000, with terms from two to 60 months. Filing fees and a commitment fee of three to five percent are added to the loan. There is no out-of-pocket expense at the time of the closing.
Today's Chicago Woman - Banking on Alternative Loans on 2009-04-14
- Two legitimate and popular sources of funding are borrowing from family and friends, or utilizing the services of community-based organizations that specialize in making loans.
- One option is a “gift” loan, meaning you don’t have to pay it back.
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- - However, most loans from family or friends come with an understanding that you’ll pay them back, usually with interest, over a set period of time.
  - For the sake of your relationship with the lender, it’s important to document the loan in writing, with detailed terms of repayment, including what happens if a payment is late. The agreement, when signed, is considered legally binding.
  - A third option is to have family or friends buy “shares” in your business as equity investors. Equity investors essentially have shared ownership and a say in how the company is run. In buying “shares,” they often take on considerable risk, sometimes providing an amount like $50,000 with no guarantee that the business will make money. But if the business succeeds, they stand to make a lot more than if they just leant you the money.
  - If you choose this option, you’ll need to compensate the investors fairly for the risk they’ve taken on, and put all the agreements in a document with assistance from an attorney. And the investors may want to become involved in the business itself, perhaps serving on the board of directors. Consider closeness either a plus or a minus.
  - The City of Chicago Small Business Development Loan Fund is made available through the city, and Chicago Community Ventures to small, high-growth young companies.
Today's Chicago Woman - The Job Search, 2009 Style on 2009-04-14
- Arm yourself with an "elevator speech" that’s short, concise and contains these three components: who you are, what you do and what you’re seeking.
- American Business Women’s Association www.abwa.org
  
  Business Marketing Association www.marketing.org
  
  Chicago Women’s Network www.cw-network.org
  
  Executives’ Club of Chicago www.executivesclub.org
  
  Executive Network of Group of Greater Chicago www.engchgo.org
  
  The Financial Executives Networking Group www.thefeng.org
  
  Le Tip International www.letip.com
  
  Step Up Women’s Network www.suwn.org
  
  Young Executives Club www.youngexecutivesclub.com
  
  Not sure which group is right for you? Check out these Web sites for more information regarding networking groups and events:
  www.networkingmonkey.com
  
  www.meetup.com
  
  www.linkedinchicago.com
  
  Julie Monti is vice president of The Larko Group, www.thelarkogroup.com.
Today's Chicago Woman - The Job Search, 2009 Style on 2009-04-14
- Gail R. Meneley, founder and principal of Shields Meneley Partners, a leading executive consulting and transition firm in Chicago.
Today's Chicago Woman - What Women Want on 2009-04-14
- Expand loan and investment programs as well as the network of lenders for women-owned businesses, including microloan and traditional bank loans for start-ups and long-term financing with competitive interest rates and a simplified loan approval process.
- Increase appropriations for SBA-funded women’s business centers nationwide.
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- - Establish a microenterprise federal procurement program with special initiatives to provide that purchases under $100,000 are reserved for very small businesses with an emphasis on women- and minority-owned businesses and those businesses with 15 or less employees and $1 million or less in revenues.
  - Implement a women’s procurement program through the SBA for all federal agencies to implement the five percent procurement goal for women-owned businesses.
  - Review and adopt comprehensive legislative and administrative changes; establish and strengthen anti-bundling safeguards; establish rules strengthening subcontracting and joint venturing requirements. This will help women-owned businesses compete for federal contracts and subcontracts.
  - Ensure tax equity and basic fairness for small business.
  - Establish a small business and microenterprise initiative tax credit for investment in small businesses that are women and minority owner-operated.
  - Hedy Ratner is co-president of the Women’s Business Development Center. For information about the center’s workshops and services, visit www.wbdc.org.
Today's Chicago Woman - What Women Want on 2009-04-14
- Chicago’s own Karen Gordon Mills, the new administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
- Support increase in microlending (loans typically under $25,000) and microloan technical assistance. Establish a national new entrepreneur tax credits plan to support the development of women-owned microbusinesses.
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- - Make U.S. SBA Community Express loans, a major source of capital for women business owners, into a permanent program.
  - Develop initiatives that would encourage investment - angel, equity, venture capital - in small minority and women-owned businesses by providing tax credits for qualified angel and equity investments.
  - All national and local women’s business organizations support affordable and accessible health insurance offerings for small businesses. This would lower costs and promote multi-year predictability for women business owners and their employees.
  - The SBA is a critical source for access to capital, procurement opportunities and technical assistance to women business owners. It has the ability to promote growth and sustainability to women-owned businesses.

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