What Businesspeople Need to Know About the Secretary of State’s Office
with MN Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and
Get Back On Track with Presenter Buffie Blesi
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Register
Part One - What Businesspeople Need to Know About the Secretary of State’s Office
Minnesota’s Secretary of State Office is most known for its role in the State’s elections, but did you know about the Office’s Business Services Division? Be it a corporation or LLC filing, an assumed name or even a reservation of name, the Secretary of State’s office handles all of these matters.
The Secretary of State’s office keeps track of these filings, and the data shows that microbusinesses are playing an ever-increasing role in Minnesota’s economy.
Come and hear Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie discuss both the business services available through the Secretary of State’s office and his observations about the importance of Minnesota’s microbusinesses. Part Two - Get Back On Track
You wouldn't just hop into your car and start driving on a long trip without checking your oil, filling up on gas, checking the tires, planning out where you are going, and how you are going to get there. So WHY would you start and run your business without doing the same!? Too many small business owners don't have any idea what the definition of success is for their company let alone a strategy to get there. During this 1 hour session, you will learn how to simplify the planning process, leverage it and create organizational alignment & focus. 90% of small businesses will fail within 10 years on the top reason is that they lack a solid plan! Don’t be a statistic. Join us and see how you can breathe new life into your strategic plan and take steps to place it into action. 
Minnesota Secretary of State
Mark Ritchie
| About The Speakers
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie partners with township, city, and county officials to organize elections on behalf of Minnesota’s 3.7 million eligible voters.
Ritchie also oversees a wide range of services for Minnesota businesses provided by the Office of Secretary of State, including the archiving of official documents. He is also responsible for administering Safe at Home, Minnesota’s address confidentiality program.
Ritchie serves on the State Executive Council, the State Board of Investment, the Twin Cities Army Community Advisory Board and on the board of the Minnesota Historical Society. He served as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State during 2011 and has been a member of the NASS executive board since 2010. He was recently appointed by Governor Dayton to co-chair the Civil War Commemoration Task Force.
In the 1980s, Ritchie served in the Minnesota Department of Agriculture working to address the economic crisis threatening family farms and rural communities. He served as the president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy from 1988 to 2006.
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Buffie Blesi
President, KnowledgeSphere Inc. & Independent Franchisee for AdviCoach
| Buffie Blesi is a recovering corporate executive, entrepreneur and owner of two businesses both geared toward helping small businesses achieve success. Here are 10 realities about me:
- I was lucky to spend 20 years learning from some of the sharpest business minds in finance, marketing, operations and leadership.
- I helped start a discount trading operation, grew it, merged it with another and then was ran the whole thing.
- I believe in lifelong learning. If there were a way to get paid really well for being a college student forever, I would be the first to sign up.
- I am a huge fan of leadership studies and love to read about good and bad leadership stories. I took it further and got my masters degree in leadership from Augsburg College.
- I started my own business called KnowledgeSphere and purchased an Area Developer license with AdviCoach and am now growing a team of business coaches to improve the success rate of small business in Minnesota.
- I love teaching and coaching business owners
- After working from home for the last three years, the isolation was killing me and my business. I started a coworking space called WorkAround so that other solo businesses can get the support they need too and I could have a place to collaborate with other businesses as well.
- I believe that entrepreneurs deserve more from their businesses – more time, more equity, more value and more money!
- I believe in giving back to the community and business owners. We are members of the Minnesota Keystone Program and are committed to giving at least 5% of our net profits back and also provide pro bono coaching.
- Love to travel with my husband John, do home improvement projects, spend time with family and friends and spoil our two Clumber Spaniels, Winnie and Samson.
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2:30 pm ... Registration & Networking
3:00-3:50 pm ... Mark Ritchie
4:00-5:00 pm ... Buffie Blesi
5:00-7:00 pm ... Twin Cities North Business Expo
hosted by Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce $25 Advance Registration • $30 At the door
FREE to AAM & Twin Cities North Chamber Members
Light snacks and beverages will be provided Mermaid Entertainment & Event Center
Atlantis Ballroom (downstairs)
2200 Hwy 10 NE
Mounds View | Map
612.721.4249
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