Saturday, May 31, 2014

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.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

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.

Monday, May 26, 2014

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. 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

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

Friday, May 23, 2014

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.
5LEAN 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.)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

ACA for Small Business Free Webinar


Presence Health

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
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

14 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read in '14

Published 4/21 by Entrepreneur

14 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read in '14
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.

Monday, May 19, 2014

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.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

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.