SCORE Chicago Presents: Business Plan--A Road Map to You

Monday, October 24, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 
Good planning increases the odds of success. This workshop, presented by 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 requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

Making Money Last in Retirement

Tuesday, October 18, 7 pm, Small Meeting Room, Main Library 
In this presentation, we'll discuss strategies designed to help you work toward fulfilling your retirement expectations. This program focuses on providing not only for your income needs today, but also well into the future, and throughout one's retirement years. In addition, we'll explore how to address key retirement concerns such as inflation, health care expenses and market volatility. Presented by Neil Gardner, of Edward Jones, Inc.  Registration is requested but not required. Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630

SCORE Chicago Presents: Social Media 101: The Basics of Social Media for Small Businesses

Monday, October 3, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library
Have you been thinking about marketing your business with social media? Feel overwhelmed? Not sure how to get started? Not convinced that it works?  Norbert Barszczewski, of Constant Contact, will show you the 5 most popular social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest – and help you decide what is right for your business.  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

How to Beat Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Wednesday, September 14, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library
Age discrimination: Employers don't talk about it, but they sure are thinking about it. They're wondering if you are over the hill, don’t have the drive you used to, cost too much, don't have up to date skills, can't handle technology, won’t take direction from someone you perceive as less experienced than you, and so on. Learn strategies to conquer age discrimination. Presented by Steve Frederick, Register online or call 847-448-8630. 

SCORE Chicago Presents:LinkedIn 201--Action Steps to Build Your Brand and Expand Your Network

Monday, September 12, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 
This workshop will present a brief review of LinkedIn's highlights for small businesses, followed by an in-depth look at some immediate action steps to build a more professional profile, and why and how to expand your network.  These are tow of the seven basic "take aways" presented by Michael Yublosky, SCORE Chicago mentor.  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

SCORE Chicago Presents:Exploring Business Ownership and Franchise Opportunities for New Entrepreneurs

Monday, August 22, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library
John McLellan, of FranNet, will explore the advantages and disadvantages of starting your own business.  Should you buy an existing business or buy a franchise?  This workshop will highlight emerging concepts and businesses, demographic trends, and how to find the "right" business. He will also review the various financial options that are available in the market place.  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

SCORE Chicago Presents: Business Problem Solving--Some Systematic Tools for Defining and Solving Them

Monday, August 1, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 
Learn methods to define a problem versus dealing with its symptoms, and concepts to differentiate symptoms from their roots. Also learn how to analyze the importance and the desired benefit of solving the problem; and how to determine the support and resources needed to resolve the problem, to create an action plan and finally, to measure  success. Three case studies will be shared. Presented by Arnie Goldberg, SCORE mentor. Registration is requested but not required. Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630. 

SCORE Chicago Presents: What You Need to Know about Federal Taxes and Your New (or Existing) Business

Monday, July 11, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 
Joel Shabsin, SCORE Chicago mentor, will discuss the five different forms of business organization and the non-tax advantages and disadvantages of each.  Other topics he will cover include record keeping requirements for businesses; general income tax deductions; deductions unique to each organizational structure; and depreciation .  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

SCORE Chicago Presents: Grow Your Small Business through LinkedIn Networking and Marketing

Monday, June 20, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 
LinkedIn is the Web's largest business networking platform.  No longer merely for job search, use it to market your B2B or B2C small business.  Michael Yublosky, SCORE Chicago mentor, presents an overview of LinkedIn, its top benefits, the best tools to use and immediate action steps you should take.  Build your brand, expand your network, increase your visibility, and find more qualified prospects.  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630

Using LinkedIn in the Job Search

Tuesday, June 7, 7 pm, Computer Training Room (3rd Floor), Main Library


Have you spent countless hours polishing your resume, but neglected your LinkedIn profile. If your profile is bland and uninspiring, fix it now. Hiring managers, potential clients, and recruiters often search for people on LinkedIn using keywords. If the keywords aren't present, they'll never find you. Steve Frederick of Lucrative Careers, Inc., will show you how to improve your LinkedIn profile and get the job! Registration required. Register online or call 847-448-8630. 

New York Times Business Best Sellers May 2016

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May 15, 2016

This Month		Business
1		THE THIRD WAVE, by Steve Case. (Simon & Schuster.) In the current era, entrepreneurs will use technology to revolutionize various sectors of the economy. (†)
2		MONEY: MASTER THE GAME, by Tony Robbins. (Simon & Schuster.) Seven steps aimed at finding financial security and creating an income for life. (†)
3		DISRUPTED, by Dan Lyons. (Hachette Books.) A longtime tech writer, age 52, takes a job at a start-up called HubSpot.
4		SHOE DOG, by Phil Knight. (Scribner.) A memoir by the founder of Nike.
5		DREAM HOME, by Jonathan and Drew Scott. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.) The stars of HGTV’s “Property Brothers” collect their advice on buying, selling and renovating houses. (†)
6		THE POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times journalist’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.
7		ORIGINALS, by Adam Grant. (Viking.) A Wharton School professor argues that innovators are made, not born, and offers suggestions for how to become one.
8		THE BIG SHORT, by Michael Lewis. (Norton.) The people who saw the real estate crash coming and made billions. Originally published in 2010 and a 2015 movie.
9		ELON MUSK, by Ashlee Vance. (Ecco/HarperCollins.) A technology writer follows Musk’s life from his difficult South African childhood to his involvement in Internet start-ups like the rocket company SpaceX, the electric-car company Tesla and the solar power installation company Solar City.
10		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent. Originally published in 2008.

Rankings reflect sales for April 2016.

NYT Business Best Sellers March 2016

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March 13, 2016

1		ORIGINALS, by Adam Grant. (Viking.) A Wharton School professor argues that innovators are made, not born, and offers suggestions for how to become one.
2		THE BIG SHORT, by Michael Lewis. (Norton.) The people who saw the real estate crash coming and made billions from their foresight.
3		THE INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE, by Alec Ross. (Simon & Schuster.) Ross predicts that the near future will see amazing inventions, and identifies industries that are likely to be key drivers of change.
4		THE POWER OF BROKE, by Daymond John. (Crown Business.) The “Shark Tank” star draws on his entrepreneurial experience for lessons on how to parlay empty pockets and ambition into wealth and success. (†)
5		THE POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times reporter’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.
6		SMALL DATA, by Martin Lindstrom. (St. Martin's.) A brand-building expert travels the world to gather "small" details that reveal information about consumer behavior. (†)
7		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent. Originally published in 2008.
8		#GIRLBOSS, by Sophia Amoruso. (Portfolio/Penguin/Putnam.) An online fashion retailer traces her path to success.
9		A PASSION FOR LEADERSHIP, by Robert M. Gates. (Doubleday.) The former secretary of defense counters the argument that big bureaucracies are too difficult to improve.
10		EXTREME OWNERSHIP, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. (St. Martin's.) Applying the principles of Navy SEALs leadership training to any organization. (†)

Rankings reflect sales for February 2016.

NYT Business Best Sellers January 2016

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January 17, 2016

This Month		Business
1		THE BIG SHORT, by Michael Lewis. (Norton.) The people who saw the real estate crash coming and made billions from their foresight.
2		EXTREME OWNERSHIP, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. (St. Martin's.) Applying the principles of Navy SEALs leadership training to any organization. (†)
3		ELON MUSK, by Ashlee Vance. (Ecco/HarperCollins.) A technology writer follows Musk’s life from his difficult South African childhood to his involvement in Internet start-ups like the rocket company SpaceX, the electric-car company Tesla and the solar power installation company Solar City.
4		THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, by Daniel Kahneman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux.) A winner of the Nobel in economic science discusses how we make choices in business and personal life.
5		THE POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times reporter’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.
6		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent. Originally published in 2008.
7		ABOVE THE LINE, by Urban Meyer with Wayne Coffey. (Penguin Press.) A championship-winning college football coach shares his insights on team building and leadership.
8		WHEN TO ROB A BANK, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (Morrow.) Celebrating ten years of “Freakonomics” with a collection of curated economic blog posts from its companion website.
9		#GIRLBOSS, by Sophia Amoruso. (Portfolio/Penguin/Putnam.) An online fashion retailer traces her path to success.
10		EMPIRE OF COTTON, by Sven Beckert. (Vintage.) The history of the fabric and its dominance as a global commodity that drives modern capitalism.

Rankings reflect sales for December 2015.

Social Media 101: The Basics of Social Media for Small Businesses

Tuesday, December 8, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room

Have you been thinking about marketing your business with social media? Feel overwhelmed? Not sure how to get started? Not convinced that it works?  SCORE presents Norbert Barszczewski, of Constant Contact, who will show you the 5 most popular social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest – and help you decide what is right for your business.  Registration is requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

Business Plan: A Road Map to You

Monday, November 16, 7 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library 

Good planning increases the odds of success. This workshop, presented by 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 requested but not required.  Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

Upcoming Workshop: Financials: Accounting Tools For Small Business Money Management

Financials: Accounting Tools For Small Business Money Management

Thursday, November 5, 7 pm, Small Meeting Room, Main Library

SCORE mentor, Arnold Goldberg, presents an overview of the fundamentals of financial and managerial accounting. Basic accounting principles used to measure business success will be discussed. You can use this knowledge to make better business decisions based on limited resources, pricing decisions, break even analysis and business ratios among other topics.Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630

Upcoming Workshop: Market Research: What it is. How it works. Why it’s Essential and Economical

Thursday, October 22, 7 pm, Small Meeting Room, Main Library

Your business decisions should be based on the needs and wants of customers and prospects. Learn from SCORE mentor, Bob Kaden, how to tap into the mind-set of your target market to help you make the right marketing, operational and financial decisions that can strengthen your opportunity for business success and lead to greater profitability. Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

NYT Business Bestsellers for September 2015

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September 13, 2015

		BUSINESS
1		OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Back Bay/Little, Brown.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent.
2		GET WHAT'S YOURS, by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Philip Moeller and Paul Solman. (Simon & Schuster.) A guide to deciding when to claim Social Security benefits and to getting all you’re eligible for when you do.
3		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.
4		ELON MUSK, by Ashlee Vance. (Ecco/HarperCollins.) A technology writer follows Musk’s life from his difficult South African childhood to his involvement in Internet start-ups like the rocket company SpaceX, the electric-car company Tesla and the solar power installation company Solar City.
5		THE POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg. (Random House.) A Times reporter’s account of the science behind how we form, and break, habits.
6		MONEY: MASTER THE GAME, by Tony Robbins. (Simon & Schuster.) Seven steps aimed at finding financial security and creating an income for life. (†)
7		FREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (Morrow/HarperCollins.) How to apply economic theory to almost everything.
8		THINK LIKE A FREAK, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (Morrow/HarperCollins.) How to solve problems creatively, from the authors of “Freakonomics.”
9		TEAM OF TEAMS, by Stanley McChrystal with Tantum Collins, David Silverman and Chris Fussell. (Portfolio/Penguin.) Applying a small-team approach to armed conflict to non-combat scenarios. (†)
10		THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, by Naomi Klein. (Simon & Schuster.) The author of “The Shock Doctrine” argues that the free market created and is worsening the climate crisis.

About the Best Sellers

Rankings reflect sales for August 2015.

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

Thursday, September 24, Noon, Small Meeting 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 breach, 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. 

Upcoming Workshop: Lunch 'n' Learn--Intro to ReferenceUSA

Monday, September 21, Noon, Community Meeting Room, Main Library

ReferenceUSA helps users create marketing plans, conduct competitive analysis, raise funds, and locate people.  Join ReferenceUSA representative, Nancy Spidle, for this presentation on how you can use this resource to create targeted mailing lists; locate detailed info on either competitors or businesses similar to your own; create job search lists, and more.  Lunch will be provided, so registration is required.  Please register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.