2003 Expo Educational Seminars

Prioritizing Return on Investment (ROI)

Decision-making -- it is perhaps the most important skill for the entrepreneur. How do you know you are making the best investments of your finances, talent, time and relationships? How do you make the right moves to maximize your ROI? This session will present some fundamental concepts for strategic thinking necessary to your success. You will learn how and why it is critical to be flexible and develop options rather than fixed business plans. You will have the opportunity to work with a prioritizing and goal achievement tool that can help you realize your potential.

To be successful, people need to align the goals and objectives of their professional lives with their personal values and beliefs. Once the alignment has been made, the process of prioritizing goals and making business decisions becomes less trying and more fulfilling. At this session, attendees will work through a proven process they can use to prioritize goals and accomplish objectives critical to the success of their businesses.

John F. Neville, The SEA Group, helps individuals and organizations turn potential into performance and thrive in these turbulent times. For more than 25 years, he has been involved creatively in leadership development, business communications and management systems. His clients range from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. John has facilitated team-building and corporate culture programs; integrated sustainable development concepts into business practices; conducted total quality and management assessments; participated in strategic information and business planning; produced environment, health and safety communications and training; created performance enhancement tools and image presentations. At conferences and seminars, John has given presentations on effective communications, sustainable development, management systems and tools for creativity and dynamic leadership. He is an executive consultant with The Aper?u Group, and affiliate with Resource Associates and Total Quality Institute, and on the faculty at the Center for Brilliant Living. John is a member of the American Creativity Association, Responsible Minnesota Business and a number of organizations focused on the attainment of sustainable development.

Success Secrets -- Build Your Prosperity with High Tech Tools!

Learn Prosperity-Building Success Secrets that Cut costs, Improve productivity, and Maximize markets. This user-friendly seminar explores the 6 essential Internet tools for on-line success. These power tools are:

Success Secrets focuses on the challenges facing small-office and home-office businesses (SOHOs). Cash flow, time, travel and security are "do-or-die" matters for SOHOs, where the smallest miscalculation can sink the ship. Success Secrets is designed to keep you afloat...and profitable - by using proven technologies to Protect you, Enhance your efforts, and Position you for the future.

Attendees gain a good grasp of existing technologies and how to incorporate those technologies into their success strategies. Success Secrets is delivered from a business owner's perspective and in plain English (no "techy terms"). A generous Question and Answer period is included: Come with questions, leave with answers and new ideas to Build Your Prosperity with High Tech Tools!

Colleen Galli, CEO of InfoPac International, Inc., provides award-winning Internet solutions for growing companies worldwide. Before founding InfoPac in 1996, Ms. Galli had more than 20 years of international development experience, holding management positions with the U.S. State Department, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Catholic Relief Services, and the Peace Corps. She has held high-level security clearances with the U.S. Government, and she has taught at universities and academies in Japan, Italy, and Thailand. She has an undergraduate degree in history and political science and a master's degree in education and ESL from the University of New Mexico, and she is a member of Phi Beta Phi and Phi Gamma Mu, honorary societies for achievement in history and political science. Ms. Galli is also vice chair of the SouthMetro chapter of SCORE, and a Stephen's Minister.

Small Business Health Care Forum

Carolyn Clancy M.D. • Director | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

What words would you use to characterize the health care environment for small business?
"Rising health care costs and the quality "gap" (between what could be - and is routinely - delivered) present unprecedented challenges."

Is there cause for optimism that the health care situation will improve in 2003?
"Secretary Thompson's efforts to address access to and quality and safety of care represent new momentum."

Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., now serves as Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the lead agency responsible for supporting research designed to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce its cost, improve patient safety, decrease medical errors and broaden access to essential services.. Prior to her appointment as Director, February 2003, Dr. Clancy had served as AHRQ's Acting Director since March 2002 and before that Director of AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research (COER).

Scott Leitz • Minnesota State Health Economist | Director of the Health Economics Program | MN Dept. of Health

What words would you use to characterize the health care environment for small business?
"Small businesses face unique challenges in purchasing and providing health insurance to their employees. Cost increases hit them particularly hard, and so we face a challenge in ensuring continued coverage for Minnesotans, especially in a time of rising costs."

Is there cause for optimism that the health care situation will improve in 2003?
"While the health care system faces the challenge of rising costs, innovations in coverage options for small businesses will hopefully allow for continued affordable of insurance."

Scott Leitz is the director of the Health Economics Program at the Minnesota Department of Health, where he also serves as the State Health Economist. Mr. Leitz's program researches and reports on Minnesota's health care market and provides neutral and non-partisan information on the issues of cost and access to health care in Minnesota for the State legislature and interested stakeholder groups. Mr. Leitz has a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and a B.S. in economics and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

Kathy Kelly • Director of Product Management | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MN

What words would you use to characterize the health care environment for small business?
"Cost trends and affordability concerns are driving the demand to make new healthcare insurance solutions available to small businesses."

Is there cause for optimism that the health care situation will improve in 2003?
"Access to new treatments and medicines will continue to grow while employers and employees will have more options through various consumer directed plans like the Medical Savings Account (MSA)."

Kathy Kelly has held the position of Director, Product Management at BCBSMN for several years, after joining BCBSM initially as the Director, Workers Compensation Sales and Marketing for BCBSMN's affiliate company, CMC. Previous professional experience included work as the Administrator for the Mayo Health Plan and its affiliate TPA, MMSI. Prior to that she was a Consultant with William M. Mercer in Boston.

Kathleen Hall • Director of Sales & Marketing | Diversified Financial Group

What words would you use to characterize the health care environment for small business?
"Given an ongoing trend of double digit health insurance premium increases, the bottom line of every small business in America is being dramatically affected."

Is there cause for optimism that the health care situation will improve in 2003?
"Seeing more insurance companies offering consumer driven health plans and the pending favorable legislation regarding MSA's and HRA's makes me feel optimistic. However, market exposure is still key."

Kathleen Hall is the Director of Sales & Marketing of Diversified Financial Group, a nationwide health insurance brokerage that specializes in healthcare solutions for self- employed individuals and small businesses. Kathleen has been in the healthcare industry since 1985 and with Diversified as Sales & Marketing coordinator since 1998. Kathleen coordinates and conducts new agent training, recruits professional affiliates and brokers interested in offering alternatives, and provides ongoing sales, marketing, and technical support to the Diversified sales force.

Matt Lake • Director of HRA Education and Development | Benefit Administration for the Self-Employed (BASE)

What words would you use to characterize the health care environment for small business?
"As widespread as the lack of affordable coverage is and the lack of knowledge as to the tax benefits of various programs, like the HRA, that can help reduce the net costs of healthcare."

Is there cause for optimism that the health care situation will improve in 2003?
"Absolutely. There is continued improvement, education, and usage of such tax benefits as the HRA, MSA, and standard deductibility of healthcare, helping reduce these costs."

Matt Lake has been working with the section 105 HRA since 1995, and serves as the Director of Education and Development for Benefit Administration for the Self-Employed (BASE). His many years of experience lend to his extensive knowledge of the section 105 HRA. Matt has traveled extensively over the years to educate and train a variety of professionals ranging from accountants to insurance representatives. His teaching also extends to educating small business owners on how to utilize the BASE 105 HRA.

Gerald Hagaman • Small Business Consultant | SCORE Volunteer

Making Your Business GO in Difficult Times

This session will deal with tuning your business, and of course your business plan, to an uncertain economy. We will deal with such issues as evaluating the market, the suppliers, the viability of the product or service and determining whether this is a needed product or service or a wanted one. Is this the time to expand or draw back? And finally what is everyone else doing and what does this mean to my business?

This session is perfect for experienced business owners and entrepreneurs, the "in-transition professional," and emerging self-employed people who are looking for direction and planning support.

Gerald W. Hagaman retired from the American Farm Bureau after 41 years of numerous leadership development and administrative positions. He presently has his own business consulting firm and volunteers as a SCORE counselor. He conducts numerous classes on Business Development, Public Speaking, and Family Finance. Gerald Hagaman is the only 5 time Expo presenter; find out why.

Jay Lipe • CEO | Emerge Marketing

How To Get More Leads...for Very Little Cost

This marketing session will focus on effective lead generation and is specifically designed for small-based businesses and its unique situations. This critically important session includes:

• Today's Marketing Strategy; Stay Frequent, Cut Costs
• The One Thing all your Marketing Efforts Must Have These Days
• 3 of the Cheapest (and most effective) Tools
• Search Engine Positioning; The Basics on this new Tactic
• Some Tricks to Implementing Your Marketing Projects

Jay's popular presentation style features:

• Handouts for all attendees
• Interactive group session
• Real-time problem solving

Jay Lipe is the founder and president of Emerge Marketing, a nationally known marketing firm that has offered "Fortune 500 Marketing Expertise for Growing Companies" since 1994. He is also author of the new book The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses. He has worked with hundreds of small business leaders to improve their marketing.

In addition to his consulting practice, Mr. Lipe is an active speaker, trainer and seminar leader who specializes in marketing topics. He has spoken to groups, both large and small, including for-profit companies and non-profit organizations and associations. Jay has also taught marketing classes at the Open University.

Jay Lipe has also published a variety of marketing articles in publications including the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Business Journal (formerly City Business), Chicago Sun Times, Minnesota Business, Ventures, and Business & Industry. He has also appeared on the "Everyday Entrepreneur" cable television show and "Total Selling" radio show. Because of Mr. Lipe's extensive experience developing Marketing Plans for his clients, he has become known as the "Plan Man."

Moderator:  Andrew Amoroso - Minnesota SBA District Office

Panelists:

• Sue Malone - Strategies For Small Business, Inc. - SBA Community ExpressLoan
• Angela Lindsay-Johnson - Wells Fargo SBA Lending Bank/SBA Guaranteed Loans
• Gayle Mickey - Women Venture - Micro Loans For Small Business

Small Business Financing - Panel Discussion

Our topics will explain different forms of financing for start-ups and business expansion. The attendees will have a better understanding of how to finance their small-based businesses. This is a representative panel of hands-on local experts with a featured panelist from San Francisco.

Andrew Amoroso is an Economic Development and Loan Specialist Officer in the Minnesota District SBA office. He is involved with the marketing and outreach of all of SBA's programs in Minnesota. He also works with SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) and the Small Business Development Centers through out the state. He also is the Innovation and Technology Officer.

Mike Porter • MCPorter Marketing Communications, Inc. 

Let's Put On a Show! - Presentation Skills for Audiences of One to One Thousand

Every business person finds themselves in front of potential or existing customers on a daily basis. How you present yourself and your business offerings will ultimately translate into the success or failure of the business. This unique session will provide an outline for creating brief presentations that get to the point and sell you and your firm effectively... Now, that's the ticket!

Mike Porter has been working in marketing communications for 20 years. In that time he has participated in creation and implementation of a wide variety of communications strategies and tactics.

His expertise has been applied to the needs of organizations including: Net Perceptions, Inc.; RTW, Inc.; Cargill Intellectual Capital Group; Ontrack Data International, Inc.; Personnel Decisions International; Minnesota Technology, Inc.; Partners for Violence Prevention; Horton, Inc.; Minnesota High Tech Association; and others.

In addition to an MBA in Marketing from the University of St. Thomas and a BS in Mass Communication from Bemidji State University, Mike has been accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Mass Communications Department at St. Cloud State University, and frequently lectures on communications topics for a variety of organizations and universities.