SCORE Presents: Business Plan--A Roadmap to You

Monday, June 9, 6 pm, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
In this workshop, Mark Lieberman, SCORE mentor, covers the essential elements of business plan development including setting goals and objectives; preparing marketing and financial plans; and defining action steps to attain your goals. Registration is required. Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

NextChapter event:Lessons on Social Media and the law from "Breaking Bad"

Thursday, June 5, 12 noon, Small Meeting Room, Main Library
Using examples from the “Breaking Bad” plot and short clips from the show, Michael Allen, attorney, and Enna Allen, a marketing professional, will present a lively seminar on how to pick your partners prudently, communicate effectively, and know your network. Topics include: Friending, Tagging and Tweeting; Copyright Infringement, Privacy and Data Security BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch).   Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

NextChapter Event: Starting a Business is a Bad Idea!

Wednesday, June 4, 12 noon, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
Climbing the corporate ladder is far more lucrative and secure.  So why start a business?  Stelios Valavanis, Founder, onShore Networks, and Founder, Creative CoWorking,  will share his insights and experience in this workshop. Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630. 

Lynda.com tip of the week

Online Marketing Fundamentals

with Lorrie Thomas Ross

In Online Marketing Fundamentals, Lorrie Thomas Ross introduces web marketers, web designers, business owners, and executives to the world of online marketing. The course takes a look at the basis of any online marketing effort—a business's web site—and reviews how the different components of the site can support the business's goals, from SEO and SEM to social media, online PR, and content marketing. Topics include:

• Defining the target market
• Setting clear goals and success metrics
• Working with web analytics software
• Building a site map
• ...and more

New York Times Best Selling Business Books May 2014

   

May 25, 2014

This Month		Business Books
1		FLASH BOYS, by Michael Lewis. (Norton.) The world of high-frequency computer-driven trading, from the author of “Liar’s Poker.”  Also available on Audiobook CD.
2		THRIVE, by Arianna Huffington. (Harmony.) Personal well-being as the indispensable third measure – with money and power -- of success.  Also available as a downloadable Audiobook
3		SMART MONEY SMART KIDS, by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze. (Lampo Press.) Encouraging wise fiscal practices in the next generation. (†) (Not held by the Evanston Public Library)
4		CAPITAL IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, by Thomas Piketty. (Belknap/Harvard University.) A French economist’s analysis of centuries of economic history predicts worsening inequality and proposes solutions.
5		LEAN IN, by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell. (Knopf.) The chief operating officer of Facebook urges women to pursue their careers without ambivalence.  Also available as a downloadable eBook, and as a dlownloadable Audiobook.
6		THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, by Daniel Kahneman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux.)

Read more »

ACA for Small Business Free Webinar

Learn how the Affordable Care Act affects your small business.Free Affordable Care Act Webinar for Small Businesses Presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration Thursday, May 29 at 1 p.m. CDT (2 p.m. ET) Visit www.sba.gov/healthcare to register.  The Affordable Care Act includes specific provisions for small businesses and self-employed business owners. During this webinar, some of your key questions will be answered and you can learn how to take advantage of new health care plans and tax incentives that may help your business. Visit www.sba.gov/healthcare to get more information and to register for the webinar. For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace or to connect with a Presence Health Certified Application Counselor, click here. presencehealth.org

14 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read in '14

Published 4/21 by Entrepreneur

BY John Rampton | April 21, 2014

Image credit: Shutterstock

Whether they're battle-tested veterans or fresh-faced newbies, entrepreneurs undergo an intense learning process when establishing and launching a business. Even those who've been through it before typically face a certain amount of uncertainty. That's why it's critical that they learn as much as possible about their specific area of business as well as entrepreneurship as a whole.

Probably thousands of books offer business, leadership or startup advice, but we've narrowed it down to just 14. Entrepreneurs and all those fascinated by start-ups should find the time to read these titles this year during their travels:

1. The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change The Way You Do Business by Clayton M. Christenen, 1997. Harvard professor Clayton Christensen, who has founded a handful of companies of his own over the years, delivered one of the most respected and useful books for entrepreneurs 17 years ago. Its power lies in the assertion that even though things are done correctly, a company can still vanish.  Other takeaways from this modern-day classic are insights about when a businessperson should not listen to customers, the appropriate times to select smaller markets over larger ones and the right moment to invest in development of lower-performance products.

2. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries, 2011. Whether an entrepreneur is a business veteran who has experienced the highs and lows of the great dotcom bubble or a young, inexperienced newcomer, a long-standing set of rules and suggestions are typically offered for certain scenarios, such aswhen it's wise to turn to a focus group or just remain optimistic.  Entrepreneur Eric Ries went in a different direction. Instead of listening to that coveted focus group, watch the customers inside, he advised. He has served as an entrepreneur in residence at Harvard Business School.

3. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber, 1995. For more than 40 years Michael Gerber has assisted thousands of small businesses. In his 1995 update of his 1986 underground classic, The E Myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, Gerber argued that despite entrepreneurs coming up with great ideas, rarely do they make for good businesspeople. To help prevent readers from making fatal mistakes, Gerber presented in an easily understood book an effective business model to guide entrepreneurs at all stages of growth.

Read more »

NextChapter: Your Business Website--It Pays to Look Good!

Thursday, May 22, 12 noon, Small Meeting Room, Main Library
Your company's website should be a no-selfie zone.  Making a good first impression with your profile picture is critical to projecting a professional image for your business.  Join photographer, Robert Lieberman, as he gives tips on how to look your best online.  He will give examples of things to do, as well as things to avoid, to present your best self. He will demonstrate by showing sample head shots. BONUS: The first 10 registrants will receive free headshots!  Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

Lynda.com video tip of the week

Do you know you can access Lynda.com training videos with your Evanston Library Card?  Go to www.epl.org/search, and look for the link to Lynda.com.  Browse all their courses, including Microsoft training, web development tips, photography lessons, and more.

This week's video is

Social proof

Persuasive UX: Creating Credibility | by Chris Nodder

Credibility is currency with online audiences. By knowing how concepts like social proof ("if other people do it, so can I") and authority affect your audience or customers, you can build your credibility and influence their behavior. Dive into this course to learn more, and start putting these concepts to work for you.

View this entire Persuasive UX: Creating Credibility course and more in the lynda.com library.

Chicago Small Business Expo

Chicago's Largest & Only B2B Small Business Trade Show
Thursday, April 24, 10 am to 5 pm; Navy Pier
The Chicago Small Business Expo brings together thousands of business owners and decision-makers to network, attend business critical workshops, build new business relationships and shop from vendors that provide unique products & services. Start-up to a Fortune 500, this is a highly anticipated annual event that every business must attend!  Registration is free.

Upcoming events at EPL

Legal, Financial and Insurance Aspects of Protecting Your Business Against Risk

Tuesday, April 22, 6 pm, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
A panel of experts will discuss legal risks to small business, including those related to form of business, compliance, registrations and filings, communications, contracts, website issues, managing relationships, classifying employees and independent contractors, and capturing and protecting intellectual property.  Additionally, you will learn about the type of insurance your business will need, including liability umbrella, data breech, key man and other forms of insurance; and how to budget for insurance, prepare for taxes, and value your business. Registration is requested. Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630. 

Mergent Intellect Training

Thursday, April 24, 12 noon, Community Meeting Room, Main Library
Mergent Intellect is a database that provides basic facts on over 20 million North American companies and over 70 million global companies, including company locations; estimated sales and numbers of employees; industry analyses; Dun & Bradstreet data including D-U-N-S identifier numbers, credit ratings, and corporate “family tree” details; and executive contacts and biographies.  Join Mergent trainer, Tevis Vandergriff, as he introduces you to the various ways Intellect can help you in your business research.  Lunch will be provided.  Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

NextChapter event:

Trademark, Copyright & Patent Basics for Start-Ups

Wednesday, April 2, 7 pm, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
Trademark, Copyright and Patent law broken down for the new business person with no legal background.  Properly obtaining intellectual property rights can be instrumental in securely growing your business.  Ignoring the intellectual property rights of other can lead to infringement lawsuits that will seriously harm a budding business.  Join Patent Attorney, Sean Goodwin, as he shares examples will be provided of what to do and what not to do.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

New York Times Business Best Sellers for March 2014

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March 9, 2014

This Month		Business Books
1		LEAN IN, by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell. (Knopf.) The chief operating officer of Facebook urges women to pursue their careers without ambivalence.
2		WOLF OF WALL STREET, by Jordan Belfort. (Bantam.) The rise and fall of a financial insider.
3		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent.
4		THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, by Daniel Kahneman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux.) The winner of the Nobel in economic science discusses how we make choices in business and personal life.
5		POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times reporter’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.
6		JIM CRAMER'S GET RICH CAREFULLY, by James J. Cramer. (Blue Rider.) Investment advice and an overview of the workings of the stock market.
7		TRIPLE PACKAGE, by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld. (Penguin Press.) Why some of America’s cultural groups are more likely to succeed.
8		DECIDE, by Steve McClatchy. (Wiley.) Change the way you make decisions for better results and less stress.(Not currently held by EPL)
9		DECODED COMPANY, by Leerom Segal and others. (Portfolio/Penguin.) Using technology to attract and motivate talented employees. (Not currently held by EPL)
10		SECOND MACHINE AGE, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. (Norton.) How digital technologies will change our lives and the economy.

About the Best Sellers

A version of this Best Sellers report appears in the March 9, 2014 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings on weekly lists reflect sales for the week ending February 22, 2014.

NextChapter events

How to be Self-Employed

Saturday, March 22, 12 pm, Small Meeting Room, Main Library

Get advice on how to get started, and what you need to do to be self employed and work out of your home in today's world! Registration requested. Presented by Ed Perry.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630. 

 

Basic Introduction to Accounting for Your Small Business

Monday, March 24, 9 am, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
In this 3-hour workshop, accounting consultant Jean Cunningham will teach you the basic language of accounting to enhance your understanding and credibility when working with accountants, bankers and financiers. Discover the three basic accounting reports, what they are used for, and what they mean. Time is allotted to allow lots of questions. Registration is requested. Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

 

Legal, Financial and Insurance Aspects of Protecting Your Business

Tuesday, March 25, 12 noon, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
A panel of experts will discuss legal risks to small business, including those related to form of business, compliance, registrations and filings, communications, contracts, website issues, managing relationships, classifying employees and independent contractors, and capturing and protecting intellectual property.  Additionally, you will learn about the type of insurance your business will need, including liability umbrella, data breech, key man and other forms of insurance; and how to budget for insurance, prepare for taxes, and value your business. Registration is requested. Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630. 

 

Legal Issues for Startups

Wednesday, March 26, 5:30 pm, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
Get an overview of the legal considerations you need to consider when starting and growing a business, including when to form an entity, entity selection, founders agreements, managing and protecting intellectual property, and basic contract issues.  Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

Upcoming NextChapter Events

Mediation for Partnerships and Small Business

Wednesday, March 19, 6 pm, Third Floor Seminar Room, Main Library
Learn about options for working with mediators and using the basic principles of mediation in your everyday communications with co-workers, employees, and customers. Registration is requested.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

 

Suburban Minority Contractor Association Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, March 19, 9 am, Community Meeting Room, Main Library
Agenda items include: Chicago Transit Authority bid opportunities and "Doing Business" with the CTA; City of Evanston Minority Contracting Opportunities; Basic Construction Cost Estimating Training Session; launching of the SMCA NEW Feature at Monthly Meetings; Entrepreneur Roundtable Sessions regarding membership services and networking with the experts. Registration is requested. Register online or by calling SMCA at 847-852-5010.

NextChapter for Evanston entrepreneurs

On March 4, 2014, the City of Evanston and the Evanston Public Library launched NextChapter – a resource hub designed to nurture Evanston’s freelance, solopreneur, and home-based businesses at their earliest stage of development. Differentiating NextChapter from other regional library-based business resource centers is the focus on free programming, provided with private sector partners.

The business stage and business topic workshops, mentorships, and networking events will support the graduation of emerging firms from their “kitchen table” to Evanston’s co-working spaces, incubators and office spaces as their businesses grow. Individuals will receive help writing the next chapter of their business’sdevelopment through this enhancement of the extensive business support programs, consultations, publications, and research materials already offered by the Evanston Public Library.

Participants in NextChapter programs will collaborate not only with Evanston Public Library staff experienced in business development resources, but also with successful entrepreneurs who will lead workshops at low or no cost to participants.

If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, educator, or an individual with an expertise willing to help develop Evanston’s budding entrepreneurs and earliest stage businesses, we invite you to submit a proposal for a class, workshop, or presentation.. Those who offer to teach a workshop or a series of courses will help individuals “turn the page” and become more successful.

NextChapter was created to provide a focal point for Evanston residents dispersed throughout the city. Having a central meeting place for the fiercely independent, risk taking, and creative freelance and solopreneur community will lead to opportunities for supplier partnerships or contracts with many of the downtown Evanston-based companies. Additionally, it is anticipated that programs offered at NextChapter will also be relevant to career changers and seasoned professionals who need instruction on recently updated software or web applications.

To learn more about NextChapter programming, please visit evanstonedge.com/entrepreneurship or call 847-448-8013.

New York Times Business Best Sellers for February 2014

February 9, 2014

This Month		Business Books
1		THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, by Jordan Belfort. (Bantam.) The rise and fall of a financial insider.  Also available as a dowloadable eBook.
2		JIM CRAMER'S GET RICH CAREFULLY, by James J. Cramer. (Blue Rider.) Investment advice and an overview of the workings of the stock market.
3		LEAN IN, by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell. (Knopf.) The chief operating officer of Facebook urges women to pursue their careers without ambivalence.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook, or eAudiobook, and on CDs.)
4		THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, by Daniel Kahneman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux.) The winner of the Nobel in economic science discusses how we make choices in business and personal life. (Also available as a downloadable Audiobook and on CD.)
5		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook, or eAudiobook, and on CDs.)
6		POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times reporter’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook or eAudiobook, and on CDs.
7		FINANCIALLY FEARLESS, by Alexa Von Tobel. (Crown Business.) Financial planning from the founder of LearnVest.
8		PEOPLE TOOLS, by Alan C. Fox. (SelectBooks.) Techniques for building relationships.
9		ON THE EDGE, by Alison Levine. (Business Plus.) Applying leadership principles of extreme adventure to business environments.
10	*	THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) How and why certain products and ideas become fads. (Also available as a downloadable eBook, a downloadable Audiobook, and as an Audiobook on CD.)

About the Best Sellers

A version of this Best Sellers report appears in the February 9, 2014 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings on weekly lists reflect sales for the week ending January 25, 2014.

NYT Business Best Sellers for January 2014

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January 12, 2014

This Month		Business Books
1		LEAN IN, by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell. (Knopf.) The chief operating officer of Facebook urges women to pursue their careers without ambivalence.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook, or eAudiobook, and on CDs.)
2		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook, or eAudiobook, and on CDs.)
3		WOLF OF WALL STREET, by Jordan Belfort. (Bantam.) The rise and fall of a financial insider.  (Also available as a downloadable eBook.)
4		THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, by Daniel Kahneman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux.) The winner of the Nobel in economic science discusses how we make choices in business and personal life. (Also available as a downloadable Audiobook and on CD.)
5		JAB, JAB, JAB, RIGHT HOOK, by Gary Vaynerchuk. (Harper Business.) Business tips on optimizing social media strategies. (†)

Read more »

America's Small Business Summit and the Dream Big Award

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual event—America’s Small Business Summit— empowers you to make a big impact. By uniting with small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the country you will have the opportunity to learn, network, and discuss common legislative and management concerns. The event will be held in Washington, D.C., from June 11- June 13, 2014.  For more information, or to register, check the Chamber's website.

They are proud to provide special recognition to the small business community by hosting the Small Business of the Year Awards program, sponsored by Sam’s Club®. Winners will be acknowledged at the Summit.

Do you know a deserving small business? Do you wish to highlight your own business achievements? If the answer to either of these questions is yes then submit your online nomination or application today.

What investors wish you knew about how to get their backing

Presented by Blue Sky, the Chicago Tribune’s new gathering place for news, analysis and events related to innovation and entrepreneurship.

By James Janega, @JamesJanega , Blue Sky Reporter
Dec. 23, 2013, 12:43 p.m.

  

Pitching investors requires a targeted approach. Why ask an investor focused on biotech to fund a consumer electronics startup? It turns out investors wish startups knew more about what piques their imagination, too. We asked a handful of top investors in Chicago to break down how changes in the funding climate have impacted what they want to hear from founders with big ideas.

Answer? It’s a good time to be focused.

Chicago venture capitalists say inconsistent returns have pushed some investors out and made those remaining more choosy about the startups they support, while angel investors say their smaller investment pots make them selective to begin with. The retreat of individual venture capitalists has meant fewer investments and more frequent funding gaps between investment stages — and more competition for the investment dollars that remain.

Read more »