"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it, so it goes on flying anyway. Determination keeps our wings flapping until what we hope for is ours." ~ Mary Kay Ash
Help us celebrate the 25 Under 25® Class of 2008—and the contributions of all small businesses to our community! Order your tickets TODAY for the Seventh Annual 25 Under 25® Awards Dinner & Gala "Small Business: The Power to Ignite!"
Join us for an evening exploding with entrepreneurial energy and attitude on Saturday, March 8, 2008, at the Downtown Marriott's Imperial Ballroom. Featuring:
SPONSORS: Thank you to the following sponsors who help to make this program such a continued success:
Title Sponsor: Skyline Displays Heartland
Entrepreneurial Investor: Key Companies & Associates (owned by Joe and Judy Roetheli, co-founders of S&M NuTec, class of 2003) Entrepreneurial Advocates: Time Warner Cable, Union Bank, UnitedHealthcare, WEB Contracting (owned by Lynette Beck, also owner of Allstate Specialty Construction - Class of 2005)
Entrepreneurial Patrons: Bartunek Technology Group (Class of 2004), Roger the Plumber (Class of 2002), UMB Bank, Warehouse1;
Pre-Gala Dinner Sponsor: Missouri Bank
Radio Sponsor: Hot Talk Radio 1510 KCTE Announcement Sponsor: Wrenn Insurance (Class of 2003)
For sponsorship opportunities, please click here or contact Kelly Scanlon at (913) 432-6690 or
.
SMALL BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS
Entrepreneurs in Action . . . Get updates on local businesses and their latest achievements
New Kauffman Foundation PaperAdvances Regional Policies for Fostering Entrepreneurially Driven Economic Growth . . . Paper provides a roadmap for how regional economies can grow by forming and growing new firms rather than chasing after existing ones . . . The report also examines the best approaches to creating business clusters, sheds light on the connections between entrepreneurial activity and urban success, and reviews seven areas of government policy that could conceivably affect entrepreneurial activity . . . Read more . . .
KC BIZ SQUARE Kansas City Small Business Monthly's online community . . .
KC Biz Square "Kansas City's Virtual Business Town Square" - Where Kansas City business owners gather to do business, find out what's happening and exchange ideas Be sure to visit daily to check out:
Call (913) 432-6690 to find out how to get your business ON THE SQUARE - or be a sponsor!
READERS' POLL
Click here to cast your vote in Kansas City Small Business Monthly's February Readers' Poll . . . Has your small business been affected by the credit crunch?
WEB COLUMNISTS
BRIAN SULLIVAN'S PRECISE SELLING MOMENT
COMPLIMENTARY LISTENING
by Brian Sullivan
"The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer. " ~ Henry David Thoreau
What is it about compliments? Why is it that when someone tells us they love what we're wearing (rare in my case), like the new hairdo (even rarer) or appreciate something we did at work, our first reaction is to wince, maybe blush and act skeptical ... as if we weren't worthy of it or don't believe they mean it? We often respond with, "Oh, thanks, but this shirt is actually three sizes too small." "They actually cut my hair shorter than I wanted." Or, "The project actually fell short of my expectations." Compliments are meant to make people feel good, but they actually make many people uncomfortable.
Civic Involvement Benefits Everyone Being involved in civic groups helps your bottom line and the community.
By John Landsberg
Do you belong to any civic groups? Are you active in your community?
Those are two questions I frequently pose to new clients. In most cases, the answer is a somewhat sheepish, "Not really, I spend most of my time focusing on my small business. I just don't have the time."
"KCSmallBiz.com Extra" is a publication of Kansas City Small Business Monthly, Inc. 
COMPLIMENTARY LISTENING