Entrepreneurship & Business 2019 (StartUp)

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BUSINESS-BUILDING BASICS SUCCEEDING AS A START-UP CAN BE ALL ABOUT MEETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND FINDING THE RIGHT PROGRAMS. HERE ARE THE KEY WAYS TO DO THAT IN THE VALLEY. COMPILED BY TOM GIFFEY

ARE YOU TH IN KIN G AB O U T TAKING TH E LEA P IN TO EN T REPRENEUR S H IP? Have you already started your own business but could you still use a hand, a sympathetic ear, or some inspiration? The Chippewa Valley offers a rich environment to create and expand your own business. Numerous programs can help you incubate your entrepreneurial idea. Here are a few of them.

1 MILLIO N CU PS Every Wednesday morning at Chippewa Valley Technical College, entrepreneurs meet over free coffee to network and listen to presentations from other business innovators about their latest and greatest ideas. Learn more at 1millioncups.com/eauclaire.

IDEA CH ALL EN G E Local entrepreneurs submit their business ideas, get free guidance from business professionals, and compete for a chance at $5,000 worth of prizes to help their ideas succeed through this program, offered by the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp.

Learn more at eauclaire-wi.com/entrepreneurs/idea-challenge.

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STARTUP 48 Participants pitch their startup ideas, form teams, and scramble to create a plan for a minimum viable product – all in the space of just two days.

One participant called it “the most fun you can legally have in 48 hours!”

Learn more at startup48.co.

JUMP- START CO M P ET IT IO N This annual competition focuses on people who want to start businesses in – or relocate them to – downtown Eau Claire. Over the past 13 years, JumpStart has given more than $75,000 in prizes, and more than 40 participants have opened their doors downtown.

This year’s application deadline is Sept. 2. Learn more at downtowneauclaire.org/jump-start.

MU S KY TANK M IX ERS Musky Tank, a company which helps early-stage firms develop business plans and get financing, holds frequent mixers that bring together entrepreneurs and industry experts who can help them sell their ideas. Learn more at muskytank.com.

CHIPPEWA VALLEY INNOVATION CENTER

MUSKY TANK MIXERS

CHI P P E WA VA L L E Y INN OVAT I ON C E N T E R This facility on Eau Claire’s north side provides a temporary home for start-up businesses as well as access to local economic development agencies for managerial, technical, and financial assistance. Learn more at eauclaire-wi.

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com/entrepreneurs/chippewa-valleyinnovation-center.

S MA L L BUS I N E SS D E V E LOP M E N T C E N T ER The Small Business Development Center aids entrepreneurs at every stage of business development with

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financial, marketing, and management techniques and strategies – all at no cost! The center offers the Entrepreneurial Training Program, a series of classes that help you learn what it takes to start and sustain a small business. Learn more at wisconsinsbdc.org/eauclaire.

SLOW TO START? WISCONSIN RANKS LOW IN NATIONWIDE INDEX OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP WE H AVE S OM E G O O D NEWS AND SO M E BAD NEWS A B O U T WIS CONS IN ’ S N AT IO N AL RANKINGS FO R EN T REPRENEUR IAL ACT IVIT Y. The good news is that – unlike the previous three years – Wisconsin didn’t place dead last among the states in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s 2018 ranking of startup activity. The bad news is that this is only because the Kauffman Foundation – which has produced such rankings for more than 20 years – took the year off in 2018. No rankings means nobody can be worst (or first). The Kansas City-based nonprofit said it didn’t rank states and metro areas last year because of “the availability and timing of some underlying data sources and a new direction for its research strategy.”

Presumably, the retooled Kauffman rankings will be back later in 2019. In the meantime, it’s interesting to examine how Wisconsin has placed in the recent past. Here are some numbers from the 2017 report, with explanations on what they mean:

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Wisconsin ranks 50th among all states in 2017 (and 2016 and 2015) on the Kauffman Index of Startup Activity, which is described as “an early indicator of the beginnings of entrepreneurship in the United States, focusing on new business creation, market opportunity, and startup density.”

By comparison, Minnesota placed 33rd and Illinois 41st.

Upper Midwesterners, it seems are, tentative about staking their claims in the business world. The top states – such as Nevada, California, and Texas – tend to be in the West and South.

Wisconsin also lands in last place among the 25 largest states in the “Opportunity Share of New Entrepreneurs.”

That’s the percentage of entrepreneurs who are starting new businesses out of a sense of opportunity rather than because they lost their jobs.

“Of course, entrepreneurs coming out of unemployment also can achieve high growth, but Opportunity Share can give us an early indicator of potential,” the foundation says.

In Wisconsin, the Opportunity Share was 66%, meaning 34% of entrepreneurs started businesses because they were jobless. By comparison, the Opportunity Share was 92.5% in No. 1 Iowa.

Wisconsin ranks 23rd among the 25 largest states in Growth Entrepreneurship – i.e., the revenue and employment growth of new firms. One component of this ranking is Startup Growth (how much a new business’s number of employees grew over five years). Wisconsin ranked at the bottom in this area with 51% growth, compared with 100 percent growth in Georgia.

Another factor is High-Growth Company Density – the number of fast-growing companies with at least $2 million in annual revenue. There were 39.9 of these firms for ever 100,000 employer businesses in lastplace Wisconsin vs. 208 per 100,000 in No. 1 Virginia.

Wisconsin shines in at least one part of Kauffman’s rankings: the Index of Main Street Entrepreneurship, which “measures business ownership and density of established, local small businesses.” On this index, last compiled in 2016, Wisconsin finished second only to Minnesota. Looking at all these statistics can lead to the conclusion that while Wisconsinites may be extremely cautious in making the leap into business ownership, once we do so we are more likely to be in it for the long haul.

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Learn more about the Kauffman Index at www. kauffman.org/kauffman-index.

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BUILDING COMMUNITY BRICK BY BRICK AND BOARD BY BOARD, MARKET & JOHNSON HAS CREATED AN AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS BY KEEPING CUSTOMERS FIRST WORDS: TOM GIFFEY • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

M A R K E T & J O H N SO N R EC E I V E D T H E PA R AGO N AWA R D FROM T H E E AU C L A I R E A R E A ECO N OM I C D E V E LO PM E N T CO R P. E A R L I E R T H I S MO N T H . FROM L E F T TO R I G H T: M& J P R E S I D E N T J E R RY S H E A , M& J C EO DA N M A R K E T, RC U P R E S I D E N T A N D C EO B R A N D O N R I EC H E RS, A N D E AU C L A I R E A R E A E D C E X EC U T I V E D I R EC TO R LU K E H A N SO N .

YOU’ R E FOR G I V E N I F YOU D I D N ’ T R E A L I Z E T HAT M AR KET & J OHN S ON ’ S HE A D Q UAR T ER S I S ON G A L LOWAY ST R EET I N EAU C L A I R E . After all, those of us who live in the Chippewa Valley are used to seeing their name everywhere.

Banners emblazoned with “Market & Johnson” have hung all over the Chippewa Valley – and beyond. In the past few years alone, passersby have seen the M&J name and logo on the Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire City Hall, Haymarket Landing, Eau Claire Fire Station No. 10, the new Altoona Elementary School, and the Jamf office and Royal Credit Union headquarters in downtown Eau Claire.

These are just a handful of the civic, commercial, educational, industrial, manufacturing, and housing projects that Market & Johnson has worked on in Wisconsin and eight other states.

And 2018 brought another big project for Market & Johnson: the renovation of, and addition to, its own headquarters at 2350 Galloway St. The more than $5 million project including an 18,000-squarefoot addition plus the renovation of about 9,5000 square feet of office just and nearly 30,000 square feet of warehouse and storage space.

These projects and countless oth-

ers over the company’s 71-year history helped Market & Johnson earn this year’s Paragon Award from the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp. The award, which honors businesses’ economic impact on the Chippewa Valley, has been given out annually since 2001, when RCU was the first recipient.

RCU now sponsors the award.

“Market & Johnson has made a significant impact by focusing on projects that make our community a better place to live and work now and will continue to benefit generations to come,” said Brandon Riechers, president and CEO of RCU, who presented the award earlier this month.

Dan Market, the company’s CEO, said Market & Johnson was honored to received the award, but that it isn’t the kind of company that goes looking for awards. “It’s really a credit to all of the employees that make us where we are today,” he said. In addition to about 60 office staff, Market & Johnson employs as many as 425 people in the field during the peak of construction season. It is western Wisconsin’s largest contractor, with $400 million in annual construction volume.

But considering its mission statement – “Adding value to everything we do” – Market & Johnson doesn’t focus solely on getting bigger, Market said.

“IF YOU GO OUT AND DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS, THE CUSTOMERS WILL MAKE THE GROW T H H A P P E N.” – D A N M A R K E T, C E O , M A R K E T & J O H N S O N VOLUMEONE.ORG

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WO R K E RS I N STA L L E D T H E CO N FLU E N C E C ROSS I N G P E D E ST R I A N B R I D G E L A S S U MM E R AC ROSS T H E E AU C L A I R E R I V E R I N D OW N TOW N E AU C L A I R E . M A R K E T & J O H N SO N S E RV E D A S CO N T R AC TO R FO R CO N ST R U C T I O N O F T H E T H E B R I D G E A S W E L L A S FO R T H E PA B LO C E N T E R AT T H E CO N FLU E N C E B E H I N D I T.

“We don’t try to grow just to grow,” he said. “If you go out and do a good job for your customers, the customers will make the growth happen.” On the other hand, he added, trying to expand too fast can make a company lose touch with its customers.

“Go slow, be methodical about it, do a good job and growth will take care of itself,” Market added. “And hire good

people. That’s probably No. 1.”

Community members nominate businesses for the Paragon Awards, and nominees are judged on criteria that include creating jobs, expanding existing facilities, increasing tax base, training workers, supporting economic development in the community, and developing new technologies or products. Past Paragon winners include

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Artisan Forge Studios, Jamf, Action City, Menards, CURT Manufacturing, Bush Brothers, Dove Healthcare, Indianhead Foodservice Distribution, and Dynamic Fitness and Strength.

Market & Johnson was founded in 1948 by Milt Johnson and Juel Market, father of current CEO Dan Market.

Originally homebuilders, Market & Johnson got into commercial construc-

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tion in 1952, building Altoona High School. By 1956, they transitioned entirely to commercial building.

In addition to its main office in Eau Claire, Market & Johnson has offices in La Crosse and Oakdale, Minnesota.

While the firm’s main focus is western Wisconsin, it has worked on projects in nine states, ranging from a police training center in St. Paul to the Menomonie Market Food Co-op to sand-processing plants in Texas and Oklahoma.

While Market & Johnson has built theaters as part of school and university projects, the Pablo Center was its first full-scale arts center. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Market & Johnson President Jerry Shea said of working on such a highprofile project.

Shea said that the headquarters addition and renovation was long overdue. The company had grown, but its offices hadn’t, and every available space was being used. The company’s board assigned Shea and Market to seek potential sites for a new office, and while they studied 33 of them, they ended up concluding that the company was best served by growing at its current location. The spot is near downtown Eau Claire – site of many of Market & Johnson’s recent projects – as well as near the company’s storage yards. But its also near a bike and pedestrian trail and other amenities the firm’s employees use.

Naturally, Market & Johnson renovated its own headquarters, giving workers a firsthand view of the construction process. “We really enjoyed having the office employees live through what we do to our clients,” Market said.

Learn more about Market & Johnson at market-johnson.com and about the Paragon Awards at www.eauclaire-wi. com/services/paragon-award.

NURTURING GROWTH SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER EXPANDS AT UW-EAU CLAIRE - BARRON COUNTY WORDS: UWEC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS UWEC PHOTO

THE WISCONSIN SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT UW-EAU CLAIRE RECENTLY OPENED AN OFFICE IN MEGGERS HALL AT UW-EAU CLAIRE – BARRON COUNTY IN RICE LAKE. The office will be staffed by SBDC consultants from the Eau Claire office, with office hours available by appointment. The office opening stems from the increased number of clients the SBDC serves in Barron, Washburn, and surrounding counties. Client service requests in these counties grew from 47 requests in fiscal year 2016 to 103 requests in fiscal year 2018. Future plans include staffing the office on a part-time basis and holding regular office hours.

The SBDC will offer the Entrepreneurial Training Program in Rice Lake. This 10-week course will be held Thursdays, Feb. 21-April 18, from 6-8:45pm in Meggers Hall at UW-Eau

LUKE KEMPEN, UWEC SBDC DIRECTOR Claire – Barron County. For more information on the class offering, visit the Entrepreneurial Training Program website (wisconsinsbdc.org/eauclaire/

attend/etp) or contact the SBDC at (715) 836-5902 or etp@uwec.edu.

The SBDC at UW-Eau Claire, which is directed by Luke Kempen, is part

of a statewide network of SBDCs that works with business owners and entrepreneurs to facilitate business growth and improvement, and to help launch successful new companies. Through nocost consulting, low-cost entrepreneurial education, and strategic facilitation, SBDC experts serve as resources for small and emerging midsize companies.

UW-Eau Claire’s SBDC office received Wisconsin’s 2017 Small Business Development Center of Excellence and Innovation Award for playing a critical role in the state’s small business community.

The Wisconsin SBDC is hosted by the UW System and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To learn more, visit the UW-Eau Claire SBDC website. To set an appointment to meet with SBDC staff in Rice Lake, contact Luke Kempen at (715) 836-5902 or kempenls@uwec.edu.

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RANKED AT THE TOP U.S. NEWS PUTS UW MBA CONSORTIUM AMONG BEST ONLINE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY WORDS: UWEC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS FO R TH E FIRST T IM E, U. S. N EWS & WORLD R EPO RT H AS RAN KED TH E UNIVERSIT Y O F WISCO N SIN MBA CO NS O RT IU M PRO G RAM among the top nine programs in the nation in its Best Online MBA Programs rankings.

The UW MBA Consortium placed ninth in the 2019 rankings, the highest the program ever has been ranked by the prestigious publication. It moved up five spots from last year’s No. 14 ranking.

“We work hard to create and deliver an exceptional program so it’s satisfying to see that others also are recognizing the quality and value of this MBA program,” says Dr. Robert Erffmeyer, a UW-Eau Claire professor of management and marketing who serves as the director of the UW MBA Consortium. “With multiple universities involved in this online program, our format is different from many online programs, but clearly what we are doing is working.”

The UW MBA Consortium – which celebrated its 500th graduate in December – includes UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW Oshkosh, and UW-Parkside. The program is managed

by UW-Eau Claire.

The UW MBA Consortium is the only program in the upper Midwest included in the top 10 in the 2019 rankings, Erffmeyer says, noting that U.S. News evaluated 302 distance education MBA programs to create its 2019 rankings list.

“We are in incredibly good company,” Erffmeyer says of the other highly respected and often nationally known institutions that are at the top of the prestigious rankings list.

In the 2019 rankings, the UW MBA Consortium also was recognized by U.S. News as one of the top online MBA programs in the country for military veterans, ranking fifth in the Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans list. Nearly 25 military veterans currently are enrolled in the UW MBA Consortium program.

“It’s an honor to know that our work is helping veterans accomplish their academic goals, which positions them for even greater success in their careers,” Erffmeyer says.

The UW MBA Consortium has been ranked in the top 5 percent of all online MBA programs in the country since U.S. News began ranking online MBA programs in 2015. Since 2015, the number of online MBA programs appearing in the rankings has increased by 35 percent.

The UW MBA Consortium also was recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Business Programs listings in 2013 and 2014.

Rankings are determined by factors such as admissions selectivity, reputation for excellence among peer institutions, and academic and career support services offered to students.

More than 20 years ago business faculty at UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse,

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and UW-Parkside recognized the need for an online MBA program, but none of their institutions had the resources to meet that need on their own, Erffmeyer says. Instead, they worked together to establish the UW MBA Consortium, which involved College of Business faculty from the three institutions teaching MBA students via interactive television. Each campus also began offering a full complement of pre-MBA courses.

UW-Oshkosh soon became the fourth campus to join the consortium.

More than two decades, the demand

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for the program continues to grow, Erffmeyer says. In 2009, the program graduated nine students. This year, it will graduate more than 75.

While four campuses make up the UW MBA Consortium, since the program’s beginning, UW-Eau Claire has served as the managing partner, handling nearly all administrative aspects of the program.

For more information about the UW MBA Consortium or the U.S. News rankings, contact Dr. Robert Erffmeyer at erffmerc@uwec.edu.

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SPOTTING FOR START-UPS MENOMONIE BUSINESS OWNER OFFERS INSIGHT INTO CHAMBER BENEFITS WORDS: LAUREN FISHER • PHOTO: ANDREA PAULSETH

TH OMAS SAM PSO N IS CH AIRM AN O F TH E YO U N G P RO F ESSIO N AL S O F TH E MEN O M O N IE CH AM B ER O F COMMERCE and owner of The Machine Shed CrossFit gym. He opened his gym in 2016 and joined the chamber a little more than a year later. Sampson is a lifelong Menomonie resident who is dedicated to growing the community through entrepreneurship, investment, philanthropy, and volunteerism. He envisions a community that offers the employment and recreational opportunities that will encourage locals and UW-Stout students to make their permanent homes in Menomonie.

Volume One: What is the role of the Chamber of Commerce in Menomonie?

Basically we would like to showcase what Menomonie has to offer, as far as businesses, restaurants, nightlife, opportunities for people looking for jobs, Stout students. Why do we want people to stay and work in our community? Why would they want to raise a family here?

What is your role within the Chamber?

This year, I took over as the president of the Young Professionals Steering Committee. My role for the most part is to be the voice between the steering committee for the Young Professionals and the chamber board. The chamber has kind of outlined what they want the Young Professionals to do for the year as far as activities go. This is awesome for me because every single time we do an event, I learn. I don’t have a business degree, I don’t have a marketing degree, I don’t do web advertising or anything like that. … (It’s) to educate young business professionals on job skills that they might need, or that would help them advance in their jobs and their business. We’ve done financial literacy. … We’ve had somebody go over Internet marketing and advertising. There’s a variety of things we go over – health and wellness in the workplace.

If I can go to some of these events and learn something that’s going to help me do my job better, that’s awesome.

Advertising is a big one. We can put our pamphlets and our bumper stickers or anything like that at the Chamber office.

We’ve got a spot on their website where any time Machine Shed or another business is hosting an event, we just send information over to the Chamber and they’ll put it out in their monthly newsletter. Say you open a new business; the Chamber will come out and do a ribbon cutting. Any time that you’ve got a big event going on you let them know and they’re going to be there to make sure that you get the word out. There are a lot of things that go on in the community that you wouldn’t know about if there wasn’t a central location for all that information.

Do you work with many business owners in the area through the Chamber?

I absolutely do. I work with young business owners, older business owners, supervisors and managers at other corporations. It’s really, really neat, you kind of get that intergenerational community.

You can share information back and forth. To also kind of rub shoulders with other young business owners, it’s really neat to see these young guys come in and whether it’s real estate that they’re into or whether they’re opening a body shop, if we can kind of help each other, that’s a good thing.

people face when starting a business locally? What can be the biggest stoppers?

That’s a tough question because I don’t know that any two businesses would be the same. Let’s say you want to open a grocery store or a convenience store, you’re probably going to have a little different perspective than I have.

But the biggest thing that I ran into was the learning curve. The amount of sweat equity that has to go into you starting your own business doesn’t compare.

You can have the money to start your own business, but the sweat equity, the long hours, the early mornings, the late

What are some of the bumps and hurdles

What kind of resources does the Chamber offer to local businesses?

I probably don’t even take advantage of a fraction of what they have.

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nights. … You’ve got to learn how to be a plumber, you’ve got to learn how to be an electrician, you’ve got to learn how to do sheetrock. That was probably the toughest thing. To see your dream come to life, it’s gonna be a lot more work than you would assume it is. But it’s not impossible, you can do it. When you come up with your business plan, odds are it is not going to go how you planned. You have to be an innovator.

To learn more about the Young Professionals and other programs of the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce, visit menomoniechamber.org.

LET’S GET STARTED! R E S O U R C E S & L I S T I N G S UPCOMING EVENTS One Million Cups Every Wednesday, 9am • Chip-

pewa Valley Technical College, 620 W. Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire • 1millioncups.com/eauclaire An event for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the thriving peer network of founders in Eau Claire. The coffee is encouraged.

Training Program Feb. 19, 6-8:45pm; Feb. 26, 6-8:45pm; Mar. 5, 6-8:45pm; Mar. 12, 6-8:45pm; Mar. 19, 6-8:45pm; Apr. 2, 6-8:45pm; Apr. 9, 6-8:45pm • UW-Eau Claire Human Sciences and Services Building, 239 Water St, Eau Claire • $250 (after scholarship applied) • All Ages • (715) 836-5902 • wisconsinsbdc.org/eauclaire/attend/etp The sessions are designed to help people learn the fundamentals of small business start-up, management and how to create a business plan.

Entrepreneurial

2019 Sales Conference Feb. 28, 8am-2:30pm • The

Florian Gardens, 2340 Lorch Ave, Eau Claire • $79 Member $109 Non-member • (715) 834-1204 • eauclairewicoc.wliinc25.com The Chamber will present its fifth annual Sales Conference to help sales professionals learn new tips, discuss different strategies and refresh ideas to help boost sales performance.

From seasoned sales professionals to those just starting their careers, this conference will empower you with better tools to make this the best sales year ever.

Leading Intentional Customer Service Every Day

from Feb. 28 to Mar. 1, 8:30am-4pm • Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire • $600 • (715) 836-3636 • ce.uwec.edu The service a customer experiences with your business is critical to your success. Happy customers are your best marketing tool. This course will provide hands-on training

with best practices and proven techniques to deliver exceptional customer service through effective leadership.

Supervisor Training: Learning to Lead Mar. 7,

8:30am-4pm; Mar. 8, 8:30am-4pm • Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire • $600 • (715) 836-3636 • ce.uwec.edu Good leaders continually look for new ways to learn in order for themselves and their teams to be successful. Learning to Lead will challenge and inspire you whether you’ve been in a leadership role for a long time or you’ve recently taken on such a position.

Up Your Marketing Game in 2019: “50 Tips You Can Use Today!” Mar. 20, 5:30-6:30pm • Augusta

Memorial Public Library, 113 North Stone St, Augusta • FREE • All Ages • (715) 286-2070 • SuccessfulBusiness.org Learn how to help your small business grow using social media, seasonal marketing, loyalty programs, promotions, and more! Presented by The Western Dairyland Business Center.

HR Management for Non-HR Managers Mar. 28,

8:30am-4pm; Mar. 29, 8:30am-4pm • Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire • $600 • (715) 836-3636 • ce.uwec.edu This concentrated, two-day course is designed for supervisors and managers who do not have direct human resource experience but who interact regularly with employees and play a critical role in ensuring productivity and engagement.

Supervisory Management: Orientation, Time Management and Delegation Apr. 4, 8:30am-4pm; Apr. 5, 8:30am-4pm • Holiday Inn South, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire • $600 • ce.uwec. edu Learn to delegate, onboard, and time manage

your employees. One challenge many managers face is effectively delegating tasks across their team in order to maximize time management.

15th Annual Women’s Business Conference May.

16, 7am-4pm • Davies Center, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Eau Claire, Eau Claire • Registration fee information available online • (715) 836-7511 ext.

1171 • WomensBusinessConference.com Attendees learn from established members of the business community in Western Wisconsin, talk to business assistance providers, and network with hundreds of emerging entrepreneurs. Last year featured 100+ businesses displaying their services and products in the exhibitor hall. Twenty educational sessions and roundtables cover a wide range of topics, and oneon-one counseling is available to discuss specific business questions.

ADVOCACY Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce 10

South Bridge St., Chippewa Falls • (715) 723-0331 • chippewachamber.org Seeks to improve the quality of life in the community by providing leadership to coordinate, support, and promote the business interests of its members. A leader of the business community by providing value through member benefits, quality programs, and political leadership resulting in a solid return on investment for members.

Chippewa Falls Main Street 514 N. Bridge St.,

Chippewa Falls • (715) 723-6661 • teri@cfms.us • chippewafallsmainst.org Chippewa Falls has been a Wisconsin Main Street Community since 1989.

Chippewa Falls Main Street helps promote and improve the downtown with rehabilitation projects, façade improvements, and numerous promotional

activities including Pure Water Days, Paint The Town Pink, and the Bridge to Wonderland Parade.

Chippewa Valley Entrepreneurs • chippewavall-

eyentrepreneurs.org/hello-world Chippewa Valley Entrepreneurs is a free, member-led, confidential, peer-sharing group of like-minded entrepreneurs from the Chippewa Valley area. Meets monthly in groups of 7-10 people to support each other by focusing on business growth, personal development and community involvement. CVE members will support each other and offer input in those areas where you have questions that someone else has already experienced.

Chippewa Valley High Tech Alliance • members@ cvhta.com • cvhta.com A group of area technologybased businesses that have come together to raise awareness of the region as a leader in technology.

A large number of companies – past, present and emerging – either employ technology as the core of their business, or rely on technology to deliver their products or services.

Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce 101 N

Farwell St, Eau Claire • (715) 834-1204 • eauclairechamber.org Leader in progressive development of the business community in Eau Claire. Hosts numerous events to promote a healthy business community. Advocates for strong education systems and workforce readiness, promotes educational information and other resources to enhance development, and supports small business members by providing programs and services specific to businesses with 20 or fewer employees.

Greater Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce

342 Main St. E, Menomonie • (715) 235-9087 • menomoniechamber.org Seeks to promote a successful business climate in the Greater Menomonie area

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through a variety of events, training seminars from experts, advertising opportunities, a broad professional network, and member-only programs. Hosts Business After Hours, a networking event hosted by and for Chamber members.

Main Street of Menomonie Inc. 342 E. Main St.,

Menomonie • (715) 235-2666 • mainstreet342@ wwt.net • mainstreetmenomonie.org Main Street of Menomonie Inc. is a non-profit organization with the purpose of working with downtown property owners and business owners to build a strong and vibrant downtown commercial district. The group’s four-point approach includes organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring. Main Street of Menomonie is behind a number of annual events, including SummerDaze and WinterDaze.

downtowneauclaire.org Created to allow business and property owners in the downtown to develop, manage, and promote downtown Eau Claire and to establish an assessment method to fund these activities. The South Barstow BID is responsible for the flowers and music on Barstow Street. Contact to learn when the next meeting is.

BID stretches along both sides of Water Street from the Chippewa River west to Seventh Avenue. Contact for information about the next meeting.

West Grand Business Improvement District City

of Eau Claire Economic Development Division, 203 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 • downtowneauclaire.org Created to allow business and property owners in the West Grand Avenue business community to develop, manage, and promote their business district and to establish an assessment method to fund these activities. The West Grand Avenue BID comprises the commercial area on the west bank of the Chippewa River from First Avenue to Second Avenue. Contact for information about the next meeting.

Water Street Business Improvement District City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division, 203 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 • downtowneauclaire.org Formed to allow business and property owners in the Water Street business community to develop, manage, and promote their business district and to establish an assessment method to fund these activities. The Water Street

Startup Current Dennis L. Heyde Entrepreneur

Program, Schneider Social Science Hall 400D, 105 Garfield Ave., Eau Claire • 715-836-4636 • mgmtmark@uwec.edu • startupcurrent.org Startup Current is a website designed to promote the culture of entrepreneurship on the UW-Eau Claire campus and throughout the community. It provides startup-related news briefs and information about entrepreneurrelated events. Startup Current is sponsored by UWEC’s Dennis L. Heyde Entrepreneur Program.

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS North Barstow/Medical Business Improvement District City of Eau Claire Economic Development

Division, 203 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 • downtowneauclaire.org Formed to allow business and property owners in the North Barstow and Medical districts of downtown to develop, manage and pro mote their respective districts and to establish an assessment method to fund these activities. Contact for information about the next meeting.

South Barstow Business Improvement District

City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division, 203 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 •

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation 770 Scheidler Road Suite #3, Chippewa Falls

• (715) 723-7150 • chippewa-wi.com A certified economic development staff can assist offers multiple business solutions including loans, scholarships, incubators, initiatives & incentives, and an easy-to-use web-based tool designed to help entrepreneurs find a location for their business.

City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division

203 S. Farwell St., P.O.Box 5148, Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 • eauclairedevelopment.com A division of the City of Eau Claire. Its mission is to grow local businesses, facilitate expansions, and incentivize

businesses to locate in Eau Claire. Has resources available to assist in marketing & branding strategies, paperwork, permits & regulations, finding a properties to rent or own, and finding financial assistance through grants, loan & credit programs.

Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. (DECI) 203 S. Farwell

St.; PO Box 5148, Eau Claire • (715) 839-4914 • downtowneauclaire.org A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the development of business, housing, cultural resources, and activities within downtown Eau Claire. DECI offers grants, loan programs, and credit programs to help businesses that are creating new job opportunities, expanding their operations, or bringing new technology to Eau Claire. DECI can help with location expansion, buying equipment, paperwork, permits & regulations, marketing & branding strategies, and learning how to get started.

Dunn County Economic Development Corporation

800 Wilson, Suite 219, Menomonie • (715) 232-4009 • director@dunnedc.com • dunnedc.com/dunn Promotes economic growth and stability in Dunn County. Resources available include finding available or building new commercial or industrial locations, expansion, starting a new business, customer retention, and matching individuals and companies with funding sources and incentive programs.

Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation 7 S. Dewey St., Suite 101, Eau Claire • (715)

834-0070 • ec.info@eauclaire-wi.com • eauclaire-wi. com The Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation advances economic prosperity through business and job growth by assisting in the creation, enhancement, and expansion of local businesses.

They have resources for protecting and developing your ideas, financing and funding programs, information regarding regulations and permits, and more. In addition to other financial resources, such as a variety of grant programs, they host the annual Idea Challenge, which is an ongoing contest for individuals or businesses with an idea for a new product or service with the chance to win a grand prize of $5,000.

Momentum West 2322 Alpine Road Suite 7, Eau

Small Business Development Center Have a business idea but don’t know where to start?

Claire • (715) 874-4673 • info@momentumwest.org • momentumwest.org Momentum West is a regional economic development organization serving Barron, Clark, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce, Pepin, Polk, Rusk, and St. Croix counties featuring startup, R&D, and Technology Transfer resources and much more.

SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES Western Dairyland Business Center 418 Wisconsin

St., Eau Claire • (715) 836-7511 • westerndairyland. org The Western Dairyland Business Center targets historically underserved populations such as women, low-income, minorities, veterans, and disabled individuals in our local counties offering group training, networking events, and an annual Women’s Business Conference. Works with entrepreneurs one-on-one to develop a business plan, marketing plans, website development, and business structure.

Already own a business but want to take it to the next level??

Western Wisconsin SCORE 500 S. Barstow St.

Federal Building Rm B11 (Lower Level), Eau Claire • (715) 834-1573 • score@score-eauclaire.org • score-eauclaire.org SCORE is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and is comprised of retired entrepreneurs that offer advice to current entrepreneurs. Offers free management, bookkeeping, accounting, construction, design, and budgeting counseling, financial & loan resources, help with permits & regulations, and seminars from experienced entrepreneurs.

Let us help you!  One-on-one consulting  Low cost educational

programs

Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at UW-Eau Claire 7 S. Dewey St., Suite 101, Eau

 Spring and fall

contact the

Claire • (715) 836-5811 • KEMPENLS@uwec.edu • wisconsinsbdc.org/eauclaire The SBDC assists entrepreneurs at every stage of business development with financial, marketing, and management techniques and strategies at no cost. Provides professional consulting to entrepreneurs in an eight-county area of westcentral Wisconsin. Also offers the Entrepreneurial Training Program, which helps entrepreneurs create business models and business plans and provides advice on accounting, marketing, financing, business structure, and more.

715-836-5811 | etp@uwec.edu

FINANCING

Entrepreneurial Training Programs

 Offices in Eau Claire

and Rice Lake

Small Business Development Center

Chippewa Valley Angel Network 2322 Alpine Rd.

Suite 7, Eau Claire • (715) 878-9791 • cvangels@ execpc.com • wisconsinangelnetwork.com Angel Investors provide equity capital to local entrepreneurs in order to bridge the gap between initial seed funding and institutional financing.

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mission • (715) 836-2918 • wcwrpc@wcwrpc.org • wcwrpc.org The West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Committee has established the Regional Business Fund, which offers low-interest loans to businesses that expand within the region, diversify the economy, add new technology, revitalize buildings in the region’s downtowns, and create quality jobs and capital investment in the region.

Wisconsin Business Development 3610 Oakwood

Mall Dr. Suite 201, Eau Claire • (715) 834-9474 • wbd.org WBD facilitates financial assistance for your business by working with your local lender and federal loan opportunities.

INCUBATORS Chippewa Valley Innovation Center 3132 Louis Ave., Eau Claire • (715) 836-2842 • chippewavalleyinnovationcenter.org The Chippewa Valley Innovation Center encourages new and emerging entrepreneurial business by allowing them to use community resources and by providing them a temporary start-up facility as well as managerial, technical, and financial assistance. CVIC offers flexible, low-cost building accommodations along with access to local economic development agencies.

CVTC Applied Technology Center 2322 Alpine Road, Eau Claire • (715) 833-6237 • dolson@cvtc.edu • cvtc.edu/atc/Pages/default.aspx The CVTC Applied Technology Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is designed to accommodate the development of business start-ups for microfabrication and other advanced manufacturing technologies.

UW-Stout Discovery Center 278 Jarvis Hall, UW-

Stout, Menomonie • (715) 232-2397 • discoverycenter@uwstout.edu • uwstout.edu/discoverycenter/ The Discovery Center is the umbrella organization for UW-Stout’s research, outreach, and economic development efforts. The center aids local industry and the community thanks to the extensive expertise of UW-Stout faculty, staff, students and other specialists, fostering discovery and innovation. Among the center’s many programs and services are the Fab Lab, a digital fabrication lab that allows users to design, prototype, and built their creations; the Stout Technology and Business Park, a 403-acre mixed-use park; the Manufacturing Outreach Center, which helps regional manufacturers grow; and the Center for Innovation and Development, which helps inventors commercialize their products and technologies.

STATEWIDE AGENCIES Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

201 W. Washington Ave., Madison • (855) 469-4249 • inwisconsin.com The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing Wisconsin’s business climate.

Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network 432 N. Lake St.,

Suite 425, Madison • (608) 263-0398 • wenportal. org A statewide network that identifies high-potential entrepreneurs and helps move their businesses forward, and facilitates collaboration between entrepreneurs and outside organizations. Provides grants to help with business plan development and proposals for federal research and development grants. Expertise, coaching, and guidance with respect to technology assessment and commercialization, business planning, raising capital, and securing state and federal grants.

Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority 201 W. Washington Ave. Ste. 700, Madison

• (608) 266-7884 • info@wheda.com • wheda. com WHEDA uses funds from Wisconsin’s State Small Business Credit Initiative to support programs that leverage private lending to help finance creditworthy small businesses. These programs include Capital Access Programs, loan guarantee programs, and venture capital funds.

Wisconsin Innovation Service Center 1200 Hyland

Hall, UW-Whitewater, Whitewater • (262) 472-1365 • innovate@uww.edu • uww.edu/wisc/ Wisconsin Innovation Service Center specializes in new product and invention assessments and market expansion opportunities for innovative manufacturers, technology businesses, and independent inventors.

Wisconsin Procurement Institute 10437 Innovation

Dr., Suite 320, Milwaukee • (414) 270-3600 • info@ wispro.org • wispro.org NPO assisting Wisconsin businesses in creating, developing and growing their federal, state and local government sales by providing technical and professional expertise and experience to Wisconsin’s business community, specialized for disadvantaged, minority, woman, disabled and veteran owned firms as well as those located in designated HUBzone and distressed areas.

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