SAVE THE DATE:
Artist Exchange-North is Feb. 1
The Artist Exchange-North is only two (gulp!) months away and will feature not one, but two great speakers!
Rebecca Rule, a hit at the Artist Exchange-South in November, will spin her humorous tales of life in New Hampshire as the keynote speaker. And over lunch, motivational humorist Steve Gamlin of Jigsaw Consulting in Exeter will present on Attitude, Action and the Law of Attraction.
The business conference for artists takes place Feb. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield. Attendees will receive tips on Web page design and financial information from local experts Eric Lang of Legal Ledgers in Berlin and Roxanne Herres of Sunny Valley Creations in Columbia.
Registration is required - $45 for MicroCredit-NH members and $55 for non-members. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. Please go to our Web site or call (800) 769-3482 for more information.
Advanced training goal: Taking financial control
Round two of our advanced trainings begin in January and aim to give microentrepreneurs the skills they need to gain financial control of their businesses.
Each monthly training covers a different topic and is offered at sites in Dover, Keene, Lancaster and Meredith. Classes are limited to 10 participants and are designed to be intensive and hands-on. Each session will offer specific tools and exercises, culminating with the creation and presentation of financial plans for the participating businesses.
You must register in advance for these trainings. MicroCredit-NH Leaders may attend for no cost as part of their membership benefits. Charge for all six sessions is $125 for other MicroCredit-NH members and $210 for non-members. Per-session cost is $25 for all other MicroCredit-NH members, $35 for non-members.
Please see our Web site for more information, including the full training schedule.
We all live by habit and routine. We rise at the same time most days, move through a series of familiar activities and tasks, and return to bed to restart the cycle.
Routine is good for consistency and planning, sometimes for efficiency. But small-business owners and entrepreneurs can't be bound by routine. Unexpected events intrude on the best-laid plans: Your vehicle breaks down on the day you have deliveries to make or when you planned to meet a client to sign a new contract.
Even with a well-thought-out work plan, you need flexibility and a Plan B. You need to be able to divert your efforts and reshuffle priorities when the unplanned disrupts your routine.
Even better is to avoid getting stuck in routines that stifle your creativity and enthusiasm. Adopt a flexible mindset and enjoy everything that comes your way – especially those unplanned diversions – and stay ready for success no matter what.
David Hamel
MicroCredit-NH Director
Painter, leader, artist innovator
Ethel Hills, a painter, Hampton resident, and chair of Artefacto, received the 2009 Artist Innovation award at the recent Artist Exchange-South at Southern New Hampshire University.
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Ethel Hills. Photo by Jay Reiter. |
She honed her skills through art studies at UNH and the New Hampshire Institute of Art and has exhibited in numerous juried shows and won several awards.
"Ethel is a wonderful example of how an artist excels at networking and collaborating with other local artists," said MicroCredit-NH Regional Manager Jennifer Murphy Aubin in making the award.
Congratulations Ethel, and thank you for being a great role model for other artists and craftspeople!
Cimbria Badenhausen covering climate change conference for Sea Change
Cimbria Badenhausen, a member of the Creative EcoNomics group in Conway, will attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark this month.
She'll be there as correspondent for Sea Change, a nationally syndicated weekly radio show and podcast covering the shift to social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Cimbria will conduct interviews with decision-makers from around the world working on global climate policy.
Cimbria is dedicated to building living, sustainable communities; forming productive collaborations; and helping organizations promote social, environmental and economic justice.
She is Principal of Blue Sky Environmental Strategies and Get To Zero CO2, consults as a Community Innovation Broker to develop resilient local economies, and is creator of the Sustainability Network, a community forum for sharing news and information.MicroNuggets
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Meet the second graduating class of the Coos County Entrepreneurial Program. Front row, from left, Louise Jordan of Northwind Quilting Studio, Carla Allen of BigRock Campground and Store, Karen Bradley of Peak Health, Lise Grondin-Danault of Osmosis, Diane Daley of Caron's Gateway Real Estate, Maria Neal of Mud Pony Studio, and MicroCredit-NH Regional Manager Joyce Presby. Back row, from left, MicroCredit-NH Director David Hamel, Angela Placey of Beakley's Health Products, Roxanne Herres of Sunny Valley Creations, Christine Whiting of Love-A-Lot Pets, Christie Weir of Weir Tree Farms, Amy Landry of New To You Consignments. Not pictured: Robby Bergeron of Severth Street Graphics. |
Stacey Lucas of Veggie Art Girl Boutique and Diane Michalski of Taylor Made Graphics will host a Holiday Open House at their Holderness studios at 1116 Rte. 3 this Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. The event offers live music, munchies, raffles and free gift wrapping.
Jim Wells will display and demonstrate his Winnipesaukee Collection wooden toys and outdoor furniture at Christmas in Sanbornton on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is hosted by the Sanbornton Historical Society, 520 Sanborn Rd., Rte. 132, Sanbornton.
Kelly Gale of KLG Architecture in New London will celebrate her first anniversary in business January 2.
Loni and Allen Voivod of Epiphanies, Inc. in Gilford recently earned the "Certified Social Media Strategist" designation and became founding members of the International Social Media Association (ISMA), the world's first professional organization dedicated to establishing standards and guidelines for social media practicioners, consultants, and strategists.
Jerry Crompton of the North Country Business Boosters is celebrating the Grand Opening of Jerry's Appliance on 9 State St. in Groveton on Saturday, Dec. 5. He'll offer new Crosley appliances, various used appliances, and more than 30 years of repair experience. "My customers were looking for an alternative to the big box stores, so after considering what it would take to do that, we decided to offer the Crosley appliance line that comes with a great warranty," he says. Call 603.636.6059 for more information or directions.
Wilderness Map Company cartographer Edward Rolfe has just produced a new waterproof TOPO Map and Guide: Exploring the New Hampshire's White Mountains. The map is rugged enough for backpacking and beautiful enough for framing. Look for Edward's maps at Foster's Crossroads in Twin Mountain, International Mountain Equipment in North Conway, The Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln, and at the Plymouth Book Exchange.
MicroCredit-NH is a non-profit business development program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. MicroCredit-NH delivers business training, loans and networking opportunities to self-employed individuals and microbusiness owners statewide.
Wallace offers free financial report workshop
MicroCredit-NH member Dana Wallaceof Professional Bookkeepers Accounting & Tax Service is offering a free three-hour workshop on How To Use Financial Reports To Solve Business Problems and Create Business Opportunities on Jan. 13, 9 a.m. to noon in the Courtyard by Marriott, 700 Huse Rd., Manchester.
Dana has 30-plus years in the bookkeeping business and recently made the switch to building his own business. Spaces are limited, so register by phone (800.459.3370) or email today.
Tax credits available for energy efficiency
Before winter takes hold, take advantage of the energy incentives provided in the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
A pair of home energy tax credits – the non-business energy property credit and the residential energy efficient property credit – could help cut your winter heating bills and lower your 2009 tax bill too.
Information on these credits and more can be found on the IRS Web site.
$5 admission.
Dec. 1, Manchester
Jillian's, 50 Phillipe Cote St., 6-9 p.m.
Dec. 9, Center Sandwich
Corner House Inn, 22 Main St., 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 9, Raymond
Famous Legends Sports Bar, 4 Essex Dr., 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15, Jefferson
Jefferson Town Hall, 698 Presidential Highway, 6-8 p.m.
Full list of networking and orientation events.