Columbus Chamber Blog: Columbus Business News

Member Spotlight: iZigg

2013-05-22T14:40:57-04:00

iZigg provides a variety of highly effective Mobile communication solutions which provide a business the ability to connect and engage in real time with the consumer.

Why We Are Members of the Columbus Chamber:

Our membership goals and outcome are to connect with the Columbus business community to build new relationships. Moving forward, participate in ways which serve the needs of others.

Fun Facts about iZigg:

iZigg owns the short-code rights to the most recognized 5-digit number in the world, 90210.

iZigg’s Mobile platform sent and delivered more than 100 million SMS messages last year for brands as large as McDonalds, Verizon Wireless and Papa Johns, while also serving thousands of local community businesses, schools, churches, organizations and individuals.

Featured Products:

iZigg’s 90210 SMS Channel - Deliver valuable information directly to your
customer’s Mobile device, in real time, using the permission based SMS mobile
channel, 90210.
The iZigg Mobile Splash Site - is a mobile site that will turn any marketing
program into a mobile experience or act as your complete mobile web
destination. We design and provide rich mobile landing pages which capture and
engage your customer, providing instant touch point access to additional important
and valuable information.
The iZigg Custom Mobile Site - is a complete mobile site that will serve as your
mobile web destination.We provide an interactive mobile/social purchasing
platform partnering with Facebook
iZigg Pro Services – expert assistance to help your business develop
and execute an effective mobile strategy.
iZigg Mcard -The iZigg mCard offers individuals and businesses an ability to share their
personal information or promotions through the use of a single text message. As
a personal branding tool the mCard replaces the need to ever use a business
card again.

For more information, visit:

The Common Sense Initiative: An Update from the Lt. Governor

2013-05-17T15:32:10-04:00

This post was originally published on the State of Ohio website.

by Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor

You may have read in the news that "Chief Executive" magazine recently released its 2013 rankings of the best and worst states for business. Ohio made the largest jump, improving 13 spots in its annual poll of CEOs. The CEO comments included in the article focused on Ohio's turnaround and efforts to make the state more business friendly and to solve business problems. Among the efforts Governor Kasich has initiated to do this is the Common Sense Initiative (CSI), which he created in 2011 to reduce and streamline Ohio's business regulations. Governor Kasich appointed me to lead CSI the same day I was sworn into office.

CSI has been designed to operate along two tracks. The first track is focused on the administrative rules adopted by state agencies. Since January 1, 2012, all administrative rules that impact business must be submitted to the CSI office for review along with an analysis to demonstrate that the regulation justifies the impact to business. In 2012, Ohio's rule filings were 44 percent below the state's historical average, largely due to the fact that the CSI reviews have forced agencies to pause and ensure that they have met the CSI criteria and will be able to justify any rules they propose. The CSI Office has also worked closely with agencies to minimize business impacts, resulting in rule packages with better justifications and often changes to the rules themselves.

In addition to the rule review process, CSI operates along a second track which allows it to work directly with businesses to resolve issues that are affecting them. In one recent example, CSI was able to assist a small restaurant that was looking to expand but struggling with the state permitting requirements. With CSI's help, the restaurant was able to add 40 new seats and four employees. Other examples of CSI's successes include assistance to an asphalt company as it fought duplicative and expensive emissions testing; helping a small business avoid a six-month delay in receiving a $65,000 refund for overpaid sales taxes; and helping local pharmacies navigate the Medicaid system to open new locations in underserved areas.

For more information on Ohio's Common Sense Initiative, visit www.governor.ohio.gov/CSI or call (614) 466-3396.

Columbus Chamber Webinar: Intellectual Property Strategies for Small Businesses

2013-05-15T16:36:02-04:00

Presenter: Vance VanDrake, Patent Attorney at Ulmer & Berne, LLP and President of the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association

All businesses have intellectual property, some just choose not to protect it. The ability to identify and distinguish between patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copyright is often overlooked, yet adds important precaution in protecting your business. Tune in for a webinar to understand how to “issue spot” intellectual property that already likely exists within their business and how to effectively (and cost-effectively) protect this property.

About Our Webinars: The Columbus Chamber is proud to host the Smart Edge Professional Development Webinar Series in 2013. Our monthly webinars provide consistent, easy access educational opportunities for members—by members. Watch for them every second Tuesday at 10 a.m. Each lasts 30-45 minutes. You can also watch past webinars on demand.

Member Spotlight: SoMoLend

2013-05-15T14:24:51-04:00

Why We Are Members of the Columbus Chamber:

SoMoLend joined the Columbus Chamber because we want to help small businesses in Columbus get the loans they need in order to fund their growth, build customer loyalty and drive economic development in the community.

Fun Facts About SoMoLend

SoMoLend has more than 1,300 small business borrowers and 700 lenders on the site.

Our ability to get small businesses loans to help them grow has helped create hundreds of new jobs with SoMoLend customers.

SoMoLend Founder and CEO, Candace Klein, had a key role in working with congress and the SEC in the writing and passing of the JOBS Act. She was responsible for 38 words in the final version of the JOBS legislation.

Featured Service

We go above and beyond with services and support to help our small business customers get funded through lenders on the site as quickly as possible. This support can take the form of helping customers tell their story about what they plan to do with their loan money to spur business growth, or proactively matching up ideal lenders in their community, or providing social media tips to help small businesses ask their customers to fund a loan.

SoMoLend is one of a few select crowdfunding platforms the SEC has allowed to let customers, friends, family and accredited investors lend on the site through a partnership with GATE Global Impact, a broker-dealer.

For more information, visit:

Member Insights: How to Cultivate a Culture of Caring

2013-05-10T17:19:00-04:00

By Robert Shenton, managing partner of Plante Moran’s Columbus office, FORTUNE Top 100 Places to Work Winner 15 Years Straight

Want to set a higher standard of performance for your company? Want to edge out the competition? Then start by making coffee for the line workers on the factory floor or the account executive down the hall. Try sending a graduation card to the daughter of your plant manager.

Yes, building a strong, lasting relationship with your customer base starts with building a thriving, supportive culture in your own workplace. Building a positive company culture is good for business because it creates an atmosphere of excellent customer service.

When workers see the CEO or an executive vice president making copies for a presentation or cleaning up after a meeting, the atmosphere becomes contagious. This culture of caring recognizes that we are all in it together and forms the basis of the Golden Rule at Plante Moran.

Many business leaders see company culture from the cost side of the ledger. And they’re partially right. A workplace where employees love their jobs cuts down on turnover, employee training and the cost of recruitment. You can save money in a happy workplace.

But company culture also adds to revenue.

Let’s say that your company has two competitors that make the exact same product or offer the same service. Would customers rather do business with the supplier that takes extra steps to ensure they’re satisfied and are great to work with or would they pick the company that doesn’t return phone calls in a timely manner and requires vendor management?

There are a number of companies that belong to the Columbus Chamber of Commerce that understand the value of a positive company culture. They’re the ones that have been in business from generation to generation, or the ones with a growing client list. Those companies are to be applauded for getting it right.

The reason why a strong company culture works is that it’s a commitment to service, to staff, to clients and to the community. This is what successful businesses are all about.

So the next time you think your company environment needs a reboot, start with a cup of coffee. But make sure you take the cream and sugar with you as you walk down the hall serving it to your colleagues.

Member Insights: Bureau of Workers' Compensation Rebates

2013-05-08T09:51:58-04:00

From Savings Partner Careworks Concultants, Inc. (CCI):

Good news is on the horizon for Ohio employers in regards to the workers’ compensation premiums. The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) recently announced a proposal to pay a dividend in the amount of $1 billion back to private employers and public-taxing districts. Under the dividend, more than 210,000 private employers and public-taxing districts would receive approximately 56% of their annual premium payment made in the 2011 policy year which ran from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The next step is for this potential dividend to be presented to the BWC board of directors in the near future.

In addition, the BWC is asking the legislature to change the way premiums are collected by moving from a retrospective program to a prospective program. This will be discussed in the legislature and has been targeted for implementation in mid-2014.

Important Eligibility Items:

Private employers and public taxing-districts that pay premium into the State Insurance Fund and have active, up-to-date policies will be eligible for the dividend.
Employers that have an outstanding BWC balance will have their dividend payment reduced by the amount of premium owed to the BWC. If the amount owed is greater than the dividend the employers account will be reduced by the amount of the dividend.

If you have any questions on the BWC announcements or your status please contact Jason Bainum with CareWorks Consultants at 614.526.7114 or via email at jason.bainum@ccitpa.com.

Member Spotlight: MediaSource

2013-05-07T17:06:22-04:00

MediaSource is a media relations firm with award-winning multimedia content production. In today’s digital world these two specialties together provide measurable results for our clients through brand journalism. MediaSource specializes in healthcare communications and partners with a select group of academic medical centers and other major brands.

Why We Are Members of the Columbus Chamber:
We value the services that the Chamber provides and the credibility of being members. We also appreciate the opportunity to network with other chamber member businesses.

Fun Facts about MediaSource:
We’re a small firm but we think big and work with major national companies. Our team is diverse and bursting with energy. From one staffer who worked on a Tom Cruise movie to former news anchors and producers and even a party catering expert, we’ve got a fun team!
We just kicked off our Summer Fridays program where we leave work early for a team happy hour, take a field trip to get ice cream or go home early to be with our families. These are just a few of the reasons we love our jobs!
We recently produced a PSA for the United Way to promote the Columbus Volunteer Challenge that was a finalist for Business First’s Corporate Caring Awards.

Featured Service:
We specialize in brand journalism, which means we use journalistic tools to promote a brand -- and we get amazing results! We are one of the few companies in the midwest region that routinely deliver top tier national media coverage to our clients including The Today Show, Huffington Post, USA Today and CNN. One product under our brand journalism umbrella is the Multimedia Release (MMR). This is a very strategically produced multimedia version of a press release that our team pitches to the news media. Also, many potential clients are shocked to when we tell them “no” because if we don’t think your story is strong enough to get your desired results, we will tell you honestly so that you don’t waste your money.

Our Team:
We are very creative, we thrive on competition and this produces amazing results for our clients.

Our Biggest Recent Accomplishment:
MediaSource recently produced a Multimedia Release and media relations campaign for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that resulted in more 1 billion viewers/readers. Amazingly we did two different campaigns, two years in a row for this client that reached these unprecedented results. Talk about overachievers!

For more information, visit: www.MediaSourceTV.com
YOUTUBE: MEDIASOURCEdemo
FACEBOOK: MEDIASOURCETV
TWITTER: @MEDIASOURCETV

You can also view a Columbus Chamber Smart Edge Webinar presented by MediaSource on Thinking Like a Reporter and Getting More Media Buzz for Your Business.

Access to Capital: How to Finance Your Business

2013-05-01T09:29:30-04:00

Published in The Metropreneur

By Somers Martin, director of business development services for the Columbus Chamber

I am often asked by business owners where the “free” money is to operate their business. The quick and true answer is that there is no “free” money.

First Things First

Before beginning your search for funding, you should determine how much you will need, what you will use it for, how you will pay it back, and what sources you need to look to in order to finance your business.

It is a good idea to figure out what inventory and equipment you already have, what you need to purchase or lease, and how much it will cost. The next step is to determine or estimate how much it will take to keep your business running. You should consider the cost of your business space (even if you are operating the business out of your home), cost of business supplies, insurance, utilities, employees, licenses, advertising and unexpected costs.

Once you have determined what you need, you should think about where to locate the kind of financing needed to get the business up and running. Start with you; how much money are you able to put into the business? Are there family and friends who believe enough in you and your dream to provide some financing? Once you have exhausted this list, you will need to think about other financing options.

The Options

The following is a short list of some financing options a business owner might consider:

Crowdfunding– As the name implies, crowdfunding is where a large group of people (like you and me), fund projects with their own money. Crowdfunding was created as part of the American JOBSAct, allowing online sales of small stock to a large number of investors. Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and SoMoLend are examples of crowdfunding platforms.

Angel Investors– Individuals can also provide capital for a business startup, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity. These investors will typically provide advice to these companies. TechColumbus Angel Fund is one such group of investors for the information technology sector.

Community Development Corporations– These nonprofit organizations work to help residents in impoverished areas improve their quality of life. Some, like the Economic & Community Development Institute and Increase CDC, work with microentrepreneurs to assist them in developing their own small businesses.

State Small Business Credit Initiative– The state of Ohio received $55.1 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to encourage lending to small businesses. The majority of these dollars, made available to banks and credit unions through the Collateral Enhancement Program and the Ohio Capital Access Program, increase the amount of credit available to Ohio’s small businesses.

Finally, irrespective of the funding method, a business owner must be able to prove their credit worthiness and how they will repay the loan. Some lenders may provide assistance to increase the owner’s credit score and provide small loans initially. Most lenders will utilize a variety of funding streams in order to “package” the loan for the borrower.

Where Can I Get Help?

The Columbus Chamber’s mission is to help businesses thrive in the Columbus Region. We’re happy to connect you to resources that match your business’s needs. Just call us.

The Columbus Chamber recently hosted a free webinar on Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses that is available on demand.

For more information about financing your business, please contact Somers L. Martin, director of business development services for the Columbus Chamber, at 614-225-6919.

Member Spotlight: Recreation Unlimited

2013-04-29T08:49:52-04:00

The mission of Recreation Unlimited is to provide year-round programs in sports, recreation and education for individuals with disabilities and health concerns, while building self-confidence, self-esteem and promoting positive human relations, attitudes, and behaviors.

Why We Are Members Of The Columbus Chamber:

Even though Recreation Unlimited is located in Delaware County, our largest percentage of campers and donors are from Franklin County and the Columbus area. It is important that Recreation Unlimited maintains an exposure to this market. Additionally, being a chamber member we receive discounts through many companies.

Fun Facts about Recreation Unlimited:

One of the largest providers in the state of Ohio serving individuals with disabilities and health concerns.
Recreation Unlimited is located on its own 195-acre accessible campus.
3,700 individuals with disabilities and health concerns attend annually, with over 1,300 through the five Recreation Unlimited camp programs.
Debt free and fiscally sound.

Featured Service:

Recreation Unlimited is the best in providing camps and programs for individuals with disabilities and health concerns through sports, recreation and education. This is primarily achieved through five year round camp programs including Summer Residential Camp, Summer Day Camp, Year Round Respite Weekend Camps, Winter Residential Camp and Special Week and Weekend Camps. Recreation Unlimited also serves both youth and adults

www.recreationunlimited.org

Member Spotlight: Columbus Rotary

2013-04-22T08:48:12-04:00

Columbus Rotarians leverage their skills to improve the lives of people in our community, our country and our world. As one of the largest Rotary clubs that is a part of a global network of 1.2 million Rotarians in 38,000 clubs around the world, we are passionate about our commitment to "Service Above Self."

Why We Are Members of the Columbus Chamber:

The Club has had a long service with the Chamber. Our successes and history goes hand in hand. The Chamber’s services have always been invaluable to our Rotary club.

Fun Facts about Columbus Rotary:

We are the third largest Club in Ohio, 23 largest in the world. We celebrated our centennial anniversary on March 5, 2012 and were only the 38^th club chartered of what is now 34,000 clubs.

Featured Service:

We are executives and professionals who meet weekly for programs and networking. We build friendships while working on service projects that improve the lives of others. From supporting Columbus City School children with programs to build self-esteem to building an orphanage in Africa for children of parents who died of AIDS, we are always in motion looking for ways we can make a difference in the lives of others.