Write it Rich! Real-world Writing Tips for Reluctant Writers

Are you writing for the internet? Find out how to resonate with an invisible audience in this 1-hour workshop. Susan Rich, owner of RichWriting Inc., shows you how to organize thoughts and pick a key message. Together you’ll discuss what makes good content—do’s and don’ts to capture your market’s attention. Susan Rich is a business writer, editor, and writing consultant with 20+ years of experience.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members (cash or check) with all proceeds going to MCNW programs. Held in our brand new and improved classroom space at 43 SW Naito in downtown Portland. Please contact Anu at [email protected] or 503-896-5080 to RSVP.

http://writeitrich-tipsforreluctantwriters.blogspot.com/

Blogs are powerful and cost-effective marketing tools any microenterprise can use. In this seminar, you will learn how to use a blog to attract clients, build your reputation, and showcase your expertise. You will leave with tips and advice on setting up a blog, managing and promoting it efficiently, and writing engaging content.

With presenter Peter Korchnak, principal of the local sustainable marketing consultancy Semiosis Communications, blogger at the Sustainable Marketing Blog, and speaker. For more information: www.semiosiscommunications.com

Seminars are $5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. They are held in our brand new and improved classroom space at 43 SW Naito in downtown Portland.

Please contact Anu at [email protected] or 503-896-5080 to register, and check the website the day of the event for any cancellation notices.

It's time to come out from behind your desk and meet your audience. In this hands-on workshop, learn 10 essential tips for making powerful presentations, whether it's to a client, your staff, or an auditorium of potential investors. Discover how to give presentations that serve your audience and present your message with confidence and ease. Topics include how to:

-Structure the content of a presentation

-Use clear language that avoids jargon and paints pictures

-Manage nerves and anxiety

-Handle inevitable mishaps with ease

-Rehearse like a pro

Ticket Info: $5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members (check/cash. All proceeds benefit Mercy Corps Northwest programs.

Contact Anu ([email protected] or 503-896-5080) to RSVP. Check website (www.mercycorpsnw.org) day of the event for any cancellation notices.

Tuesday, October 27th, 6:00-7:30pm.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members (check or cash please). At the Mercy Corps NW office at 43 SW Naito Pkwy downtown by the Burnside Bridge.

Contact Anu ([email protected] or 503-896-5080) to RSVP. Check website (www.mercycorpsnw.org) day of the event for any cancellation notices.

Eric Helmy from Northwest Business Law Clinic will discuss how the law impacts all areas of your business. You will learn about the most common legal business problems, and how to avoid them. He will also tell you where to find legal assistance.

Selling your products and services is essential for small business owners. Learn effective and easy to use sale techniques and how to handle sales objections.

Learn practical sales strategies for business. Watch practical real-life sales demonstrations to really learn how to sell. You will learn the following and more:

• Identify customer needs.
• Varied sales approaches that work.
• Creating a Sales Manual.
• Exhibits and documentation.
• Handling sales objections.
• Secrets to closing the sale.

Tom Howe has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years and owns two technology companies. He has written four books (law and software programming) and speaks at legal conferences throughout North America and technology conferences around the world. His practical and entertaining presentation style makes him a highly sought after speaker.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. Sign up online on our website or contact Anu ([email protected] or 503-896-5080)to RSVP.

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

When: Thursday, April 29th Time: 4:00 - 6:15 PM Where: Beaverton Library, 12375 SW 5th St, Meeting Room B, Beaverton, Oregon 97005 (corner of SW 5th St. and SW Hall Blvd)

Having a website is not enough. You need a website that attracts new business. Learn the most important ways to optimize your website for the search engines and others ways to use your website for growing your business.

Using step-by-step training and demonstrations, learn how to optimize a website:
-Effective word and phrase selection -How to submit your website to the search engines -Optimization tools, techniques, and tips -Using title, keyword, and description tags -Word placement and density strategies -Inbound and outbound links -Helpful website tools and software -Strategies for promoting your website

Checklists and forms are provided to workshop attendees.

Tom Howe has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years and owns two technology companies. He has written four books (law and software programming) and speaks at legal conferences throughout North America and technology conferences around the world. His practical and entertaining presentation style makes him a highly sought after speaker.

SIGN UP ONLINE

A step-by-step setup guide on how to get new customers and increase revenue with smart use of social media marketing sites, including: LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasts, Flickr, Blogs, Biznik, and other social media sites.

Speaker: Tom Howe has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years and owns two technology companies, including a website design and hosting company. He has written four books (law and software programming) and speaks at legal conferences throughout North America and technology conferences around the world. His practical and entertaining presentation style makes him a highly sought after speaker.

Mercy Corps Northwest works to assist motivated low-income individuals improve their lives through starting or expanding a small business. We provide funding, matched savings and small business classes that help clients increase their economic self-sufficiency through self-employment.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. At the Mercy Corps NW office at 43 SW Naito Pkwy, downtown by the Burnside Bridge.

You can sign up online. Contact Anu ([email protected] or 503-896-5080) with questions. Check our website (www.mercycorpsnw.org) the day of the event for any cancellation notices and mercycorpsnw.wordpress.com for more info about seminars.

Are you writing for the internet? Find out how to resonate with an invisible audience in this 1-hour workshop. Susan Rich, owner of RichWriting Inc., shows you how to organize thoughts and pick a key message. Together you’ll discuss what makes good content—do’s and don’ts to capture your market’s attention. Susan Rich is a business writer, editor, and writing consultant with 20+ years of experience.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. At the Mercy Corps NW office at 43 SW Naito Pkwy, downtown by the Burnside Bridge.

SIGN UP ONLINE @ http://www.mercycorpsnw.org/what-we-do/seminars/

You can’t escape it, you must sell! Learn practical sales strategies for business. Watch real-life sales demonstrations to really learn how to sell. You will learn the following and more:

• Identify customer needs.
• See benefits
• Varied sales approaches that work.
• Handling sales objections.
• Secrets to closing the sale. Last time we did this class, participants commented that: "So much was helpful - in helping me focus on tools and seeing what I already do well" "I'm not good at marketing or sales so I liked the fact that it covered the basics and offered more"

Mercy Corps Northwest works to assist motivated low-income individuals improve their lives through starting or expanding a small business. We provide funding, matched savings and small business classes that help clients increase their economic self-sufficiency through self-employment.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. At the Mercy Corps NW office at 43 SW Naito Pkwy, downtown by the Burnside Bridge.

You can sign up online. Contact Anu ([email protected] or 503-896-5080) with questions. Check our website (www.mercycorpsnw.org) the day of the event for any cancellation notices and mercycorpsnw.wordpress.com for more info about seminars. Ticket Info: $5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members

SIGN UP ONLINE @ http://www.mercycorpsnw.org/what-we-do/seminars/

A step-by-step setup guide on how to get new customers and increase revenue with smart use of social media marketing sites, including: LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasts, Flickr, Blogs, Biznik, and other social media sites.

Using a step-by-step training and demonstrations and learn how to implement social media marketing in your business.

1. What is Social Media Marketing?

2. Social Media Marketing Defined

3. Traditional Marketing vs. Social Media Marketing

4. Market Research and Market Demographics

5. Top 100 Websites

6. Top Social Media Websites

7. Demographics for Top Social Media Websites

8. Cost of Social Media Marketing

9. Your website and Social Media Marketing

10. Registering Your Website with the Search Engines

11. Registering Your Website with the Directories

12. How to Social Media Marketing to Grow Your Business

13. Searching for your Social Media User Name

14. Discuss demographics, how to setup accounts and how to use YouTube, Podcasts, Flickr, Facebook and more

15. Using Aggregators to Post to Many Sites and the Same Time

16. Ways to Promote Your Social Media

17. Links to Reference Information

Speaker: Tom Howe has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years and owns two technology companies, including a website design and hosting company. He has written four books (law and software programming) and speaks at legal conferences throughout North America and technology conferences around the world. His practical and entertaining presentation style makes him a highly sought after speaker.

$5 for MCNW clients and $10 for community members. At the Mercy Corps NW office at 43 SW Naito Pkwy, downtown by the Burnside Bridge.

SIGN UP ONLINE @ http://www.mercycorpsnw.org/what-we-do/seminars/

Need a better grasp on the art and science of sales to boost your business and increase revenue? Al Nodarse of Olsen Group, Response Capture, Inc. will share his expertise on how to increase your sales with various techniques from articulating your value proposition, cold calling, to populating data bases. Workshops will be held at the Willamette University Portland Center (1120 NW Couch, suite 450) every Tuesday from 3-5pm and every Friday from 4-6pm until Friday, August 27.

Passes for the workshops can be purchased at the door before each workshop. A pass for any single workshop can be purchased for $20, a pass for a series of three workshops can be purchased for $50, and a pass to attend the complete summer series of workshops can be purchased for $200.

Following workshops will be instructed by: Steve Davis - Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Diane Fraiman - Voyager Capital David Uslan - Perkins & Company Jim Mcconnell - Private Forecasting Consultant Pam Abrahamsson - Stephenson Group Al Nodarse - Private Sales Consultant Amy Winkelman - Private Product Management Consultant Kelley Pecis - Herd Freed Hartz Executive Search Partners Todd Hardy - Silicon Valley Bank Jerry Ketel - Leopold Ketel Kathy McAllister - Insider Marketing/Technology Agency

For details about future workshops and other Portland Ten programs please visit: www.portlandten.com. Sincerely, The Portland Ten Staff 45.5236740000 -122.6824180000

Note: This event is FREE, however space is limited so please RSVP.

Learn how to get the most out of your IT help desk while enjoying a complimentary taco bar by Qdoba!

We will be having lunch with representatives from LANDesk Software who will show us the power of LANDesk Service Desk!

Plus free giveaways courtesy of LANDesk!

RSVP to [email protected] Space is limited so please sign up early.

Questions? Call us at 503-644-3434.

FREE Educational Seminar with Q&A

Confused by your employee benefit options during open enrollment? Ever wonder exactly how an HMO or PPO works? This workshop, hosted by a former insurance industry insider will cover the basics of open enrollment, provide alternative healthcare solutions and options for the uninsured. Every year more than half of all employees waste nearly $800 on poor open enrollment decisions. Don't be that guy!

The goal of this seminar is to provide education to help SAVE YOU MONEY on health insurance and out-of-pocket medical costs.

This is not a sales event. EDUCATION-ONLY.

The true test of an IT organization is its ability to sustain operations through any business disruption — whether from a major disaster or leaky plumbing — or to recover operations quickly and effectively.

Join EasyStreet, Arista, Coherence Advisors, CommVault, IVOXY and V1 Data for an informative and insightful seminar that examines BC/DR from many perspectives. Topics include:

• 6 basic steps on the path to effective BC/DR planning
• The anatomy of a disaster and the underlying root causes
• The importance of effective IT governance in BC/DR planning
Focusing on IT services (not just on IT technology)
• Assessing organizational capability and maturity
• Effective risk mitigation (brand, operational, financial, technological, contractual)

We will have a drawing to give away 3 iPad minis!

Anvil Media Lunch & Learn

Join Alicia Nagel from Alicia Nagel Creative for a seminar on branding and audiences on February 12.

You might think that your target audience is “everyone”, but marketing to everyone often leads to generic messaging that goes unnoticed. Instead, show a little personality! Embrace your core values and let your passion shine through. By defining your brand and identifying your target audience(s) you can connect with your customers. When you understand your customer, you can anticipate their decision-making process and ace their evaluation of your product or service. Customers who forge a bond with your brand spread the word about your company’s awesomeness and become brand evangelists. Seminar attendees will learn how to define their brand, define their target audience(s), anticipate their audience’s decision making process, and foster brand evangelists for their company. Presentation will be followed by a brief Q&A.

Read The 5 Stages of Getting To Know Your Audience for a taste of some of the topics which will be covered.

The presentation will be an educational Lunch & Learn event from Noon to 1 p.m. at the Anvil office. Food and beverages will be provided. Register now to save your seat!

Cost: Free

Register for the Seminar

Calling on tech entrepreneurs for a small business funding seminar! Are you looking for funding for your proprietary technology? Please sign up!

Oregon Best funds and supports cleantech startups and we are hosting a series of small business funding seminars for SBIR/ STTR grants.
This is a Lunch + Learn event - sign up here - best $10 you'll ever spend! 12 - 1:30pm Tuesday May 24th.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-learn-small-business-funding-seminar-tickets-25210896470

We will start with a 10 min overview Oregon Best and what we do ( and explain what cleantech is) followed by a 30 min in-depth SBIR/ STTR presentation by expert Leon Wolf.
We will give you an overview of the process, understand eligibility requirements and give free support in applying for grants for appropriate companies.

Many people get confused by the word cleantech. We want to clarify and shed light on the wide range of technologies that fall under this category.

The hope is that more people will: 
a.) see themselves and their tech as possibly falling under the "cleantech" umbrella 
b.) contact us about their technology c.) seek eligibility and support in applying for an SBIR/ STTR grants.

Oregon Best invests at very early "risky" stages - before the technology has been proven.
We then support startups in several ways by: 
a.) Investing between $50k - $250 per startup 
b.) Making Introductions / networking with key partners
c.) Funding interns to work in their company d.) Connecting co's to an experienced CEO or Entrepreneur-In-Residence to help them navigate growth, priorities, business plans, pitches e.) Help with manufacturing / scale up through our partnerships f.) showcasing the company at conferences, trade shows and BESTFEST g.) Support with Government grants SBIR/ STTR

Please register to attend! Lots of great information to learn about and resources to help tech startups.

EMA & ERA Talk Trade on May 24. Join Us.

We are excited to present our first seminar of the year. Join us for a fun, informative evening featuring talks from three industry pros. Their combined topic is from an Idea to a Product: How to Start and Grow Your Business. Take Your Business to the Next Level

This event is geared towards patent based businesses and start-ups, inventors, and people looking at new ventures in electronics manufacturing. The format is casual, with opportunities to network before and after. Hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar are available, so grab a beer and stay awhile. Meet People & Grow Your Network

We expect lots of faces from the electronics manufacturing industry, so be sure to bring your business cards. This is an excellent opportunity to meet new faces and reconnect with colleagues.

Three Expert Speakers

An Introduction to Intellectual Property Dr. Laura Zager, patent attorney (more info)

"I've got a great idea for a business name, and just printed it on 3000 mugs!" "I think I need to get a patent so I'll be clear to make and sell my product." "Of course I own my company's logo—I paid a graphic designer to create it!" All of these statements represent misunderstandings of intellectual property law, which can trip up even the most conscientious of business owners. This talk will give a quick overview of the key areas of intellectual property law in the US, and will use case studies and examples to flag some of the most common pitfalls.

Financial, Business and Estate Planning Strategies for Business Owners Diana Wojcik, patent valuation analyst (more info)

Covering incorporation choices, valuations, tax strategy, and continuity/succession plans, Diana will illustrate different options available to business owners and explain the costs, risks, and benefits of each, to help business owners plan ahead to maximize their gains and minimize their risks. Her talk will mainly address the needs of businesses based on patent or other IP, manufacturing, tech advisory/consulting, and privately owned businesses.

Getting it all Wrong: How I learned to Love the Lean Startup Leo Frishberg, UX strategist (more info)

The Lean Startup takes an "action first" approach to exploring products, markets and business models. In theory this approach makes a lot of sense, but in practice it is fraught with challenges. In his talk, Frishberg leads the group through a couple of case studies in which the business got almost everything wrong, and was all the better because of it.

Building great products takes a lot of work, but hard work isn't enough on its own. No matter what you're building, you're going to need a plan for how you'll get there. In this talk, we'll talk about the Heroku Postgres team's working habits as it scaled a 24x7 high-availability product while maintaining close contact with its users over a long period. We'll focus on the specific and practical techniques the team used to plan, organize, and execute its work, and talk about the principles behind them. After a tour of some of these techniques, Heroku Postgres founding member Peter van Hardenberg will answer your questions about scaling from startup to acquisition and massive scale.

Speaker Bio:

Peter van Hardenberg was an early team member at Heroku and co-founded Heroku's Department of Data, the team behind Heroku Postgres. Heroku was acquired by Salesforce.com in December 2010 for $212M less than four years after founding. Prior to joining Heroku, he worked as an Arctic oceanographer, game developer, and Shakespearean scholar. He lives in San Francisco and, among other things, advises high-growth software companies like Zapproved and Auth0.

REGISTER >>

“Attorney” may seem like a four-letter word, but every startup faces legal questions, and it’s always best to have the right structure and protections in place from the outset. This workshop will provide you with a general overview of common startup legal issues, and will help you learn how to translate “legalese” into plain language that you can understand.

You will walk away from this workshop with legal templates you can start using in your business today, including:

• LLC Operating Agreement & Guidelines
• Mutual Nondisclosure Agreement
• Employment Agreement
• Independent Contractor Agreement

You will also get:

• Guidance on whether to choose an LLC vs. corporation
• A better understanding of the difference between employees and independent contractors
• An overview of key legal issues that affect startups
• Answers to basic questions about protecting your IP

Coffee and breakfast snacks provided.

Cost: $60 for OEN members and $125 for non-members.

Register here: http://bit.ly/legal-seminar

Join us for a dynamic discussion where our distinguished panelists will discuss their transition from a scientist/clinician to an entrepreneur. Learn from their unique experiences, insights, challenges, and successes to embark on your own entrepreneurial journey.

Sandra Shotwell, PhD, CEO of Design Medix Brian Martin, MD, CEO of Recentia Health Erik Tucker, PhD, COO of Aronora Greg Cox, PhD, Director of Corporate Development for MolecularMD

Please join us on March 27-28, 2019 for the sixth annual OHSU Commercialization Conference, hosted by Technology Transfer and Business Development . This conference connects with OHSU innovators with investors, industry partners and community collaborators to help build a vibrant hub for innovation and commercialization of innovative technology. Through speaker sessions, startup pitches, industry insights and collaboration stories, the conference will focus on the theme of "Fueling Health Care Innovation." The conference offers a platform for attendees to explore the impact of innovations that will revolutionize health care and understand the drivers of this transformation.