Grants, Loans & Venture Funding for Women

IN THIS ISSUE

1.    Grants, Loans & Venture Funding for Women
2.    New Articles in Brainy Article Bank
3 .   Quote of the Week
4 .   Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers
5 .   A Little Fun
6 .   Smell the Coffee


Don't forget to tell all your friends and business associates about this informative newsletter! You don't want to be the only smart one in your group, do you?

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1. Grants, Loans & Venture Funding for Women

Over the years, I've met many business owners in various stages of entrepreneurship. Eventually, most of them need some type of funding to start or grow their business.

New women business owners frequently look for grants. Being new to business, they are very conservative and not willing to risk going into significant debt. Getting a grant is a slow road and doesn't often bring success, but here are a couple of places to learn about available grants:

The Business Owners IdeaCafe
Federal Grants

Going the commercial loan route is a good option if you have an existing business with quantified sales, a good credit history, you own property that you can collateralize, and you are willing to provide a personal guarantee. You'll also probably need a good business plan, and you should start with your current bank. Having a good relationship with your banker is very important, as well.

But what if you have an innovative idea for developing a brand-new type of software or medical device that will revolutionize your industry and you need millions of dollars to make it succeed? That's when you turn to venture capitalists. They provide the dollars in exchange for a piece of the pie.

How do you find them? Now, a new report not only lists the names of the venture capital firms, but gives you the complete contact information, dollars invested, and information about all the lucky "winners" and investors.

The 2004 VENTURE FUNDING FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS REPORT, developed by Growthink Research in partnership with re:invention, is a landmark gender-based analysis of venture capital investments. In preparing this report, Growthink's team analyzed 1,860 companies that raised over $19 billion in venture capital in 2003. This 400-page study identifies and profiles 671 companies with women executives that successfully raised venture capital. The funded companies are organized by region, and executives are organized by position. Also included are various charts and graphs with regional and sector breakdowns as well as contact information for over 200 venture capital firms and corporate investors that invested in companies with women CEOs.

You can read more about this informative and vital report or download it and be preparing your proposal for venture funding in minutes here.


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2.  New Articles in Brainy Article Bank

This week we have several very informative, new articles in our Brainy Article Bank. All of these terrific marketers have contributed their expertise to make you wiser, famous and more profitable. Here's what's new:

"What is Guerrilla PR Anyway?" by Michael Levine
"Decisions, Decisions, Decisions" by Emil K. Kalil
"PR Coverage for Special Events" by Joan Stewart
"Find a Hidden Fortune in Your Website Stats" by Jim Edwards
"Getting Publicity in a Noisy World" by Shel Horowitz

Take a look!


Also, be sure to visit our blog. You'll find articles, resources, and interesting tidbits in the Marketing Idea Shop Blog.



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3.  Quote of the Week

My definition of success is being able to do what you love doing, being respected by others for the way you conduct your personal and professional life, and making a little money at the same time.


George Mueller
Synergyworks LLC
and Impact Sales


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AND NOW, A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS...


What's your definition of success?
Email your comments to me.


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4.  Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers

• "Guerrilla PR Insights" is a free weekly email resource for people that would like to learn and apply the PR secrets of Michael Levine, publicist to hundreds of Hollywood superstars and author of "What is 'Guerrilla P.R.' Anyway?" in our Brainy Article Bank. Learn from one of the best. Subscribe at the website.
  
  

• Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs Deadline Extended
  
  If you were planning to enter your company or nominate a woman entrepreneur for the Advanta Stevie Awards, you have a little more time. The deadline has been extended to July 31. Find out more here.
  
  

• Free SBA "Entrepreneur Express" Workshop July 27
  
  Small business owners in the Shenandoah Valley and beyond may want to attend this free seminar. Entrepreneur Express workshops offer information about SBA’s products and services with the ultimate goal of increasing access to capital (loans) to small businesses in the area. Similar seminars are being offered throughout Virginia. Check with your local SBA office or Small Business Development Center for seminars in your area.
  
  The workshop will cover LowDoc, Community Express, 7(a) and 8(a) loan programs. This seminar will be held on Tuesday, July 27, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Community College Augusta Center on the grounds of the Augusta Medical Center in Fishersville, VA. For more information or to register for this workshop, please contact: Ford Scott at (804) 771-2400, ext. 153, or via e-mail him.
  
  

• DC Tech CONNECT Networking Event, August 3
  
  The DC Tech CONNECT: Library of Congress will be held following the DC Tech IT Showcase at the Library of Congress on August 3. Network with the "technology business community of the Nation's Capital" in the Foyer under a large statue of James Madison, one of the Pioneers of Information Management. Plenty of food and drink. Tuesday, August 3, 6-8 PM, James Madison Building - Madison Lobby, 101 Independence Avenue, SE, $35 for members/$50 for nonmembers.
  
  FYI, individuals interested in walking through the IT Showcase floor may do so from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM in the Madison Building - 6th Floor Munford Room. There is no charge to visit the Exhibition. For more information or to register for DC Tech CONNECT:
  
  

• Wireless Symposium Coming
  
  The Virginia Piedmont Technology Council's (VPTC) Fall Symposium on Wireless Networking will be held Wednesday, September 15th at the Doubletree Hotel in Charlottesville, Va. The day-long event will feature pertinent keynote addresses and panel discussions about this rapidly changing technology. For additional information, call VPTC at 434.817.6300. Program information and registration is available here.
  
  

• Learn the Ins and Outs of Certification
  
  Here's an announcement from the National Women's Business Center in Washington, DC. Get the inside scoop on how women-owned businesses are entering and growing in the corporate market.
  
  You’ll learn how to combine three key tools: Women’s Business Enterprise National Council certification, an understanding of corporate supplier diversity programs, and a sound corporate marketing strategy.
  
  Over 500 Council corporate members are eager to do business with certified woman-owned suppliers. This seminar will show you how to reach them. Every woman-owned business that wants to grow its sales to major corporations should master the material covered in this seminar. This class is especially helpful for woman-owned firms interested in subcontracting with large federal prime contractors. It is being held Wednesday, July 28, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm (refreshments and networking following), at the National Women's Business Center's Training Center in Washington, DC. Tuition is $50 for members of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council/$65 for nonmembers. To register, call Susan Kuhn at 202.785.4922 or register online.
  
  

• FREE! Marcia Yudkin's "Web Site Makeover Case Study"
  
  Are you thinking of changing your website? Has it gotten out of date? Has your business changed over the years so you need to promote your products or services better? When someone comes to your website, can they quickly see what you do?
  
  Marketing consultant Marcia Yudkin recently decided it was time for a makeover on her website. She felt it didn't look as up-to-date as she knew her information was. But she didn't want to lose the momentum she had created (not to mention all the incoming links!) since starting her business in 1998. Marcia gave it very careful study and the end result met all of those needs and then some. In fact, within 4 weeks she had 31% more visitors, 224% more subscribers, and a sales increase of 178% just by re-doing her website.
  
  Download this free report before July 31st and see how she did it.
  
  

• Looking for a great shopping cart system? How to Pick a Shopping Cart System that Makes You Money is an ebook that explains all the important features. You can get it here, free!
  
  

• Want to learn how to improve your sales? As a special treat for my readers, you can immediately download the table of contents and three sample chapters of SALES SUCCESS! STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN, our new sales training ebook, FREE with the click of a button. No shipping costs. It's a fully printable, self-study learning guide. Download it FREE here.
  
  

• Do you like these resources? There are plenty more like these in my ebook, BUSINESS SUCCESS SECRETS: HARD-WORKING TACTICS & RESOURCES.
  37 pages, packed with ideas you can use immediately ... to get more business, generate more traffic to your website and make improve your bottom line. Over 135 hyperlinks that can take you directly to a marketing resource or idea you can use right now...so you can save time and money. Beginning and advanced tactics to really make a difference in your marketing results...and you can make more sales with much less effort. Learn to save money on your advertising. Get a list of websites that would LOVE to post your articles. Get a list of websites that would LOVE to post your articles.
  
  Read more about it or order it here.
  
  
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  5. A Little Fun

 

A new entrepreneur I know was feeling depressed because he was so low on cash. Then I heard him say, "I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped on. I can't afford one, so I'm wearing my garage door opener. Now everyone thinks I'm cool, too."

Help keep the smiles coming ... please send me your marketing, PR or sales jokes. I'll be happy to give you credit and list your website! Email me.


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6. Smell the Coffee...

I guess when you meet the right person, all that's left is to get married. Remember my neighbor Steve with the big, scary dog that cornered me a few weeks ago? Well, he had been pining away, hoping to meet the right woman. My husband and I were trying to think of nice, eligible women to introduce to Steve. We thought of a few, but one was taken and the other lives in Philadelphia.

Anyway, Steve got rid of his dog and quickly fell in love with Debbie. They're getting married on Saturday and it's only been a month since they met! Shades of Dharma and Greg (the sitcom)!

If you know of people who made such quick decisions about their soul mates—and it worked out—please send me a note so I can share it with Steve and Debbie. Email your stories to me here.

Lois


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Published by:
Lois Carter Fay, APR
Marketing Guru, Marketing Idea Shop, LLC
411 Rainier Road, Massanutten, VA USA 22840
Voice 540.289.3840 or 800.203.8660

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© 2004 Marketing Idea Shop. All rights reserved.

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