MainStreetChamber Minnesota - Small Business Oasis

Over the River and Though the Woods!

Susan Fronk — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:49:12 +0000

Tired of non-stop politics, stress and worries? Why not head over the river and through the woods for a generous portion of laughter, wacky family dynamics and bowls full of homemade wisdom to help you get through the Holidays. Hurry - the show only runs through November 18!

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Marketing RESULTS 2012 – September 26, 2012 Metropolitan Event Center

Susan Fronk — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 22:20:21 +0000

Its not too late to get Marketing Results in 2012! Join us on September 26, 2012 at the Metropolitan Event Center and learn the most effective methods for attracting and keeping customers!

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America and Other Stories Worth Telling

Susan Fronk — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:26:04 +0000

Some say the great social and political experiment called America is failing and the end of our story is near. Here are my reflections on America's story and other stories worth telling - like this one about the life of Mike Clough.

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Are Networking Events Really Worth Your Time?

MainStreetChamber — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:44:38 +0000

Networking is not about handing out business cards and telling everyone what you do. It's about asking questions and seeing how you can help and serve people. When people say "I don't get anything out of networking events, I have gone to them, handed out business cards and I've gotten nothing", we have to go back to the first rule of networking. Remember, it's not about you, it's not about what you get; it is about what you give.

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Legislature Acts to Help Brick and Mortar Retailers

Buzz Anderson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:16:55 +0000

This could be the most significant bill passed for small business this decade Ever lost a sale to an internet retailer that is not required to collect and remit sales taxes? A lot of hometown brick and mortar retailers have lost customers to out of state online suppliers since they don't include the sales tax in their pricing. Not only are brick and mortar retailers required to charge sales tax, they also have to collect and remit the sales tax at the end of each month which, is costly and...

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Success May Be Just A Tweak Away

Mike Clough — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:52:57 +0000

In working with numerous business owners and being involved in several turnarounds over the course of my career, I have found that many are seeking a large magic bullet or a major overhaul to turn their business around. In most cases, I have found that major changes are not necessary. The good news is that, in most situations, all that is needed is a simple tweak here and there to turn a business around. Let’s look at a couple of examples.

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Give First; Expect Nothing in Return

Mike Clough — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:29:45 +0000

The vast majority of Americans have lost faith in big companies, the senior leadership of those companies and advertising. It seems the tougher things get, the more people value caring, empathy and generosity. That is why MainStreetChamber's philosophy of giving first and expecting nothing in return has become a best practice for small businesses. Read full article for details.

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SCORE Big In 2012

Mike Clough — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:05:58 +0000

Are you hoping to achieve better results in 2012 than what you experienced in 2011? Although hope and faith are certainly important ingredients for success, they are not a substitute for a good plan. And don’t forget the old definition of insanity: “To continue what you have always done while expecting different results.”

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Nothing Focuses the Mind Like a Deadline

MainStreetChamber — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:11:38 +0000

Focus is hard to achieve and even harder to maintain. This is mostly because of the tremendous number of distractions we face everyday. Small business owners become unfocused because of the myriad tasks, crises or opportunities that pop up everyday. Throw in a challenging economic climate and the focus challenge gets even worst. To combat this, you can employ one of the most powerful focusing methods I know – deadlines.

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The Power of People

Mike Clough — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:51:51 +0000

As a card-carrying techno geek I own a smartphone, iPod, iPad, HD TV, feature-rich universal remote controls and most of the latest technology. Since I bought most of it online, savvy retailers utilized analytics to profile me as a buyer of all things technical. And they would be right. However, all of this got me thinking. As critical as technology is to building a successful business, it cannot replace the need for the human element. Technology does not purchase products and services; people...

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