Size Up Your Business

If you are like most small business owners, you probably have wondered how your business measures up to your competition down the street or to a similar business you visit on vacation.  Well, the creators of the website http://www.sizeup.com/ makes it easy (and free) for you to find out.  Size up your business to gain a better understanding of how much market share your business is missing out on.  You could also confirm (hopefully) that you are at the top of the pack!  Thinking about opening a new business?  This website can help you determine the optimum location for you new venture.

EnterpriseU Entrepreneurs Boot Camp & Business Plan Competition

The Small Business Development Center of Kankakee Community College (KCC), the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County, and the Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council (GLCEDC) is hosting the second annual EnterpriseU Entrepreneurs Boot Camp & Business Plan Competition.  The competition will be held from February—June 2012. The initiative includes a formal business plan competition, an accompanying coursework series crafted by KCC's Small Business Development Center, and special community and business events centered around the ideas of developing talent and building business opportunities from the ground up!  EnterpriseU contestants will receive free access to a coursework series developed by Kankakee Community College's Small Business Development Center:

·         Pre-Business Workshop

·         Business Plan Writing Workshop

·         Business Recordkeeping

·         Legal Issues in Business

·         Business Marketing

·         How to Apply for a Small Business Loan

All new businesses as well as existing businesses expanding into new product markets are welcome to participate in the 2-month EnterpriseU Boot Camp, which includes access to business plan mentoring, applicable coursework and several special events.  Winners will be determined based on the quality of their business plans and Kankakee and Livingston Counties will each have their own winners.  

The EnterpriseU kickoff meeting will take place Tuesday, February 21st at KCC with the winners to be determined in mid-June. Last year's competition had over 40 participants just from Kankakee.  The hosts hope that by including Livingston County entrepreneurs, they will increase the total number of participants and lead to a growing regional concentration of successful locally-owned small businesses.

For details, visit www.EnterpriseU.com or contact the Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council at 815-842-2900.

ComEd Smart Ideas Portfolio Helps Businesses Become More Energy Efficient

In today’s economy, business owners and operators have to be more conscious of their bottom line than ever before. ComEd’s Smart Ideas for Your Business^® program offers business customers a portfolio of incentives, tools and tips to help implement energy saving technologies that can reduce energy use and lower electricity bills.

ComEd’s Smart Ideas program provides incentives for both routine improvements and large scale projects to meet a building’s complex operations. These incentives help businesses analyze their energy using systems and compressed-air systems and encourage the integration of energy efficient features that surpass standard, new construction requirements.

From June 2008 through May 31, 2011, ComEd’s Smart Ideas program provided $74,000 in incentives to 16 energy-efficiency projects in Livingston County. These projects are expected to save approximately 970,000 kilowatt-hours (kWhs) in electricity.

Overall, ComEd’s Smart Ideas program has provided more than $46 million in incentives to encourage commercial and industrial business customers to implement energy saving technologies that use electricity more efficiently, reduce electricity consumption and save money. This effort has helped more than 5,500 northern Illinois businesses save more than $65 million in electricity costs.

The current Smart Ideas program year runs through May 31, 2012. For more information on incentives and to download an application, visit ComEd.com/BizIncentives or call the Smart Ideas hotline at 888-806-2273. Smart Ideas is funded by ComEd customers in compliance with Illinois Public Act 95-0481.

If You Happen to be at the Chicago Auto Show...

The Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum and Resource Center in Pontiac will be presenting a custom-painted car at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.  Read about it here. 

GLCEDC Annual Meeting Scheduled for January 18

The 2012 GLCEDC Annual Meeting will be held on January 18 at 5:00 pm at the Country Mansion in Dwight.  This year, we will offer a plated salad, buffet meal, dessert and a cash bar.  Tickets are now on sale for $20 each (covers cost) and are available at the Dwight Country Mansion, Dwight Village Hall, and the GLCEDC office.

Businesses may reserve a table for 10 guests ($200), otherwise, the event will be open seating. Tickets can also be purchased at the event, but you must RSVP by replying to this email before January 11th so that we have an accurate count for the Mansion.

The event is open to Invested Members and Guests.  Our Keynote Speaker will be Ms. Colleen Callahan, IL Director of Rural Development.  Staff will also deliver a "Livingston County by the Numbers" presentation, that will outline the economic picture of the county and also provide a few hi-lights from our recent survey of area businesses.

Walmart Provides $5,000 Grant to the GLCEDC

The Pontiac Walmart, through the Walmart Foundation, recently announced that the Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council (GLCEDC) was the recipient of a $5,000 grant for their work in facilitating economic development opportunities for the communities and residents of the Livingston County area.

"We are excited to have local support for our efforts from Walmart.  Walmart understands that economic development is a team effort and that it takes financial support from all of the various industries and employers to be successful", said Larry Vaupel, CEO of the GLCEDC.

Steve Lawson, General Manager of the Pontiac Walmart stated, "We are pleased to be able to support local organizations like the GLCEDC that are making a positive impact on the local economy and in the lives of area residents."

The GLCEDC is funded by annual member investments from local businesses, the Livingston County Board, and area municipalities.  Their mission includes efforts to recruit and retain businesses, train and assist entrepreneurs starting new businesses, and facilitate economic development activity in the region.  More information about the GLCEDC can be found at their website: www.youropportunityawaits.org.  To learn more about the Walmart Foundation, access their website at: http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/.

Workforce Board Offers Hiring & Training Assistance

The right job applicant is out there... we can shorten your search time. 

We are Livingston County’s Hiring and Training Resource.

We can help you with:

Employer job postings – We make sure the right people see your listings.

Recruitment assistance and hiring events – We customize the hiring process to meet your company’s specific needs. Services may include applicant referrals, collection of resumes, job fairs, screening of applicants, assessments and behavioral based interviewing.

Skill and aptitude testing – We offer a variety of pre-employment testing services to make sure your potential applicants have the skills needed for the job.

Labor market information – We help you stay informed of the local labor market with up-to- date wage rates and projected labor demand.

Training services – We have the resources and the referrals on training programs for your employees as well as potential funding sources.

The Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board is committed to maintaining a strong workforce in Livingston County. Most of our services are free to employers and can be customized to meet your specific set of needs.

For more information call:

Ann Rzasa

Business Services Coordinator

909 N. Liberty Street 

Morris, IL 60450 

815-585-6722 

arzasa@glkwb.com

www.glkworkforceboard.com