SCL Biz: Everything Business in Sonoma County

Sonoma County has a wealth of farmers’ markets – great opportunities for growers and crafters. Check Sonoma County Farm Trails for a year round guide to farms. The local seasonal farm markets has detailed information, including dates, times, locations, and vendor information. Eat delicious, eat healthy, and support our local farmers.

Open year-around:

• Santa Rosa Market, in the Veterans Building parking lot Wednesday & Saturday mornings
• Sonoma, Depot Park, First Street West, Friday Mornings

If you love the company you work for and would like everyone to know about it, nominate it for the North Bay Business Journal’s ‘Best Places to Work in the North Bay.’ Winning companies will be featured in a special section devoted to the best companies to work for and will be recognized at the awards celebration in September 2008. Companies must be in Sonoma, Marin, or Napa counties.

Nominations must be postmarked by May 9, 2008.

Keith McFarland spent five years building and analyzing the world’s largest growth-company performance database and interviewing more than 1,500 growth-company executives on four continents. His goal was simple: to identify the secrets of breakthrough. Winnowing a study pool of more than 7,000 companies down to nine that have made the transition to major-player status, McFarland highlights real-world tools and myth-busting insights that can be used by anyone wanting his or her business to join this exclusive circle in his book, The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers [Crown 2008].

This event will focus on small business education, including government procurement, business basics, diversity marketing, a lending panel and internet marketing. This exciting event is a collaborative effort of the City of Santa Rosa, The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), the Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Toastmasters. The event includes continental breakfast.

05/12/08 Government Procurement
05/13/08 SBA/Lending Panel
05/14/08 Diversity Marketing
05/15/08 Business Basics
05/16/08 Internet Marketing

May 12 – 16, 2008 • 8:30 – Noon
Redwood Credit Union, Community Room
3033 Cleveland Ave, Suite 100, Santa Rosa 95403

Information & Reservations

The Sonoma County Business Environmental Alliance (BEA) is the place to go for help in making your business more environmentally sound and you know that will not only help the Earth, but saving energy and water and reducing your waste will also help your bottom line.

• How To Guides – These nine detailed guides will help you develop an environmental policy statement, educate your employees, evaluate environmental opportunities, and more.
• Conservation Checklists and Tips for Businesses on water, energy and waste management
• Business Water Project – If your business is in Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, Valley of the Moon, and the cities of Sonoma, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, or Windsor, you may be eligible receive a free water usage assessment conducted by a qualified independent contractor. The report provided by the contractor focuses on ways the business can lower water and wastewater bills. In addition, the business receives follow-up assistance from the BEA to ensure that any of the conservation measures they wish to implement are successful.

This award-winning forum, fourth in the North Bay Growth, Innovation and Venture series, is a collaborative effort between the City of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and Golden Capital Network to put innovative start-up companies in touch with potential investors. The forum generates local angel financing and supports companies that have proprietary, unique or innovative business propositions with high growth and investment potential in these categories:

In addition to many exciting investment opportunities, this event also features panels and presentations.

April 29 & 30, 2008
Hilton Wine Country Inn, 3555 Round Barn Boulevard, Santa Rosa, CA

Information & Reservations

The Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce is hosting this annual event that is a celebration of Chamber business members to which the entire Rohnert Park community is invited. Exhibits provide an opportunity to showcase products and services, meet potential customers, and build goodwill. Always a sell out, this two-hour Showcase is the largest community event in the city.

May 1, 2008 • 4 – 5pm Business to Business; 5 -7pm Open to the Public
Callinan Sports & Fitness Center, 5405 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park

Information

SCL Biz is always excited to see one of our local businesses recognized in the national press. The May 2008 issue of Money magazine published a short list of ‘The Best Wines Under $20,’ selected by Andrea Robinson, Master Sommelier, and only two of the six selected were from the US (both California wines!).

Our very own Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery in Sonoma made the list with their 2005 Sonoma County Merlot. Robinson’s comment on the wine: “In blind tastings, this wine beat out competitors that cost two and three times more.” Congratulations to Sebastiani Winery and Mark Lyon, Winemaker.

Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery Visitor’s Center
389 Fourth Street East
Sonoma, California 95476
Phone: (800) 888-5532 x3230
Phone: (707) 933-3230

The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. The Council’s mission is to promote bold initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women’s business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces — from start-up to success to significance.

In addition to research material about the key issues for women in business, they have a good list of business mentoring programs.

For more see the SCL Biz Guide to Women in Business.

This event will focus on small business education, including government procurement, business basics, diversity marketing, a lending panel and internet marketing. This exciting event is a collaborative effort of the City of Santa Rosa, The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), the Redwood Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Toastmasters. The event includes continental breakfast.

05/12/08 Government Procurement
05/13/08 SBA/Lending Panel
05/14/08 Diversity Marketing
05/15/08 Business Basics
05/16/08 Internet Marketing

May 12 – 16, 2008 • 8:30 – Noon
Redwood Credit Union, Community Room
3033 Cleveland Ave, Suite 100, Santa Rosa 95403

Information & Reservations

Inc. Magazine [April 2008] reviewed The Game-Changer: How You Can Drive Revenue and Profit Growth with Innovation, by A.G. Lafley and Ram Charan [Crown Business 2008] in their ‘Priority’ column and rated it a 9 on a scale of 1-10.

One of the intriguing ideas is Proctor & Gamble CEO Lafley’s contention that he “starts sweating if more than 60 percent of new ideas succeed, because it means that he’s playing too safe.” Great ideas for ways to bring innovation into your business – large or small.

The North Bay Leadership Council presents this breakfast summit, with speakers from the leading transportation agencies and elected officials that will provide answers and valuable information to help employers and employees take control of their commutes in and throughout Marin and Sonoma counties.

April 25, 2008 • 7:30 – 11:30am
Sheraton Hotel, 745 Baywood Drive, Petaluma

Information & reservations

The North Bay Business Journal is seeking nominations to “honor outstanding women in the North Bay for their success and contributions to the business community as leaders, innovators and visionaries from among the following industries: Banking & Finance, Construction, Employment, Health Care, Hospitality & Tourism, Insurance, Nonprofits, Real Estate, Technology, Wine, and Other Professional.” Plan on attending the Leaders -Innovators -Visionaries Women in Business 2008 Awards Dinner Gala in June.

Nomination deadline is April 18!

Information and nomination form

Printer jammed? Can’t remember how to program your fax speed dial? You turn on your PDA and all you get is a blank-face? The CE Customer Support Contact List is an extensive directory of electronics manufacturers and customer support information. Information may include a phone number, links to user manuals, FAQs, support centers, home page of the manufacturer, or an email address for support help.

CE Customer Support Contact List