GRAND CHUTE — With the state's jobless rate still hovering around 8 percent, lawmakers are seeking ways to encourage private business investment to get people back to work.
The state Assembly last week approved a bill that would provide state tax credits to businesses or individuals that invested in ventures that created jobs in economically distressed rural and urban areas. The measure, which passed unanimously in the Assembly, moves on to the Senate for its consideration.
It's possible communities that have experienced major plant closures could benefit from these tax credits, said Amy Pietsch, director of the Venture Center at Fox Valley Technical College. Paper making company NewPage put 600 people out of work after it closed its mill in Kimberly in 2008.
"If you look at the region, those hardest hit (by a closure) would benefit from this," Pietsch said. "Our job at the Venture Center, would be to understand how the program works, so we can direct people to it."
Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna, is confident his colleagues in the Senate would back the legislation.
"It has bipartisan support and it provides a practical solution to the economic crisis we're confronting today," he said.
The state tax credits would be offered in addition to the Federal New Markets Tax Credits, which has generated more than $8.3 billion in investments across the country.
The proposed state tax credit would spread the incentive over a seven-year period, Nelson said.
"This is a targeted tax credit that will incentivize job creation not just in the Fox Valley about around the state," he said. "The whole point of spreading the credits out is that we want the jobs here beyond 2010."
Pietsch said the state program also would provide a means for start-ups to apply for working capital, though the funds are not guaranteed.
"It's not a silver bullet," she said. "But it is another option and strategy for possible investors to consider."
Anything to encourage business investment also may incent existing businesses to expand, said State Rep. Ted Zigmunt, D-Francis Creek, who represents northern Manitowoc County and parts of Brown County.
"A bill like this can help a business bring in new employees or purchase new equipment," he said. "I think this will make Wisconsin more attractive to investors."
GRAND CHUTE — With the state's jobless rate still hovering around 8 percent, lawmakers are seeking ways to encourage private business investment to get people back to work.
The state Assembly last week approved a bill that would provide state tax credits to businesses or individuals that invested in ventures that created jobs in economically distressed rural and urban areas. The measure, which passed unanimously in the Assembly, moves on to the Senate.
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It's possible communities that have experienced major plant closures, including Kimberly, could benefit from these tax credits, said Amy Pietsch, director of the Venture Center at Fox Valley Technical College. Papermaking company NewPage put 600 people out of work after it closed its Kimberly mill in September 2008.
"If you look at the region, those hardest hit (by a closure) would benefit from this," Pietsch said. "Our job at the Venture Center would be to understand how the program works, so we can direct people to it."
Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna, is confident his Senate colleagues would back the legislation.
"It has bipartisan support and it provides a practical solution to the economic crisis we're confronting today," he said.
The state tax credits would be offered in addition to the Federal New Markets Tax Credits, which has generated more than $8.3 billion in investments across the country.
The proposed state tax credit would spread the incentive over a seven-year period, Nelson said.
"This is a targeted tax credit that will incentivize job creation not just in the Fox Valley about around the state," he said. "The whole point of spreading the credits out is that we want the jobs here beyond 2010."
Pietsch said the state program also would provide a means for start-ups to apply for working capital, though the funds are not guaranteed.
"It's not a silver bullet," she said. "But it is another option and strategy for possible investors to consider."
Anything to encourage business investment also may incent existing businesses to expand, said state Rep. Ted Zigmunt, D-Francis Creek, who represents northern Manitowoc County and parts of Brown County.
"A bill like this can help a business bring in new employees or purchase new equipment," he said. "I think this will make Wisconsin more attractive to investors."
GRAND CHUTE — The Fox Valley Technical College is rolling out a fast-track version of its E-Seed training program.
The program, dubbed E-Seed Express, is an abbreviated form of the intense course for entrepreneurs drawing up business plans. It's been in the making for 18 months and is coming none too soon.
"We're really excited to roll it out," said Amy Pietsch, director of the Venture Center at FVTC. "We really think it's going to meet a gap in the marketplace."
E-Seed Express is set to launch with an initial pilot session Feb. 20. Ten were enrolled with space for up to 15.
"We're going to be marketing E-Seed Express to folks who have some level of business experience and those early stage entrepreneurs who've been operating their businesses but never formally adopted a business plan," Pietsch said.
One of the first to sign up was Cyndi Connolly of Appleton, an entrepreneur who makes and sells artisan pasta flavored with organic herbs.
"I expect it to focus attention in my weak areas," she said. "I have a business plan but no where near the intensity of what I think they'll put us through.
"They have marketing strategy. They have financial strategies as well as your business plan. And you have to develop all three areas if you want to stay successful and continue to grow."
FVTC instructors will conduct a series of three-hour classes, which will take place over an eight-week span compared with the current 15-week E-Seed program.
Not only does the Express version call for a shorter time commitment, but it's more affordable: tuition is $699 versus $1,000.
Nearly 200 entrepreneurs have completed the E-Seed program the past six years, most of them successful with their business ventures, said Chris Jossart, spokesman for FVTC.
Pietsch said the school normally launches its new Venture Center offerings as a pilot before proceeding with marketing campaigns. In the six years E-Seed's been going, FVTC found some students want to move a little bit faster.
"Oftentimes, they don't have 15 weeks. So we were losing people," she said. Connolly concurred with that.
"The Express answered a lot of my needs," she said. "I could go 15 weeks but this is my slow time right now when I start gearing up for the spring and summer. And I've already started my business. So this was a perfect answer."
The ‘primo’ networking event
Passing business cards, noshing nibbles make a tasty mix at NEW END
Heading into the exhibit hall at the KI Center in Green Bay, it was a bit hard to decide: sample the tables filled with delicious food made by area entrepreneurs or jump into conversation with entrepreneurs, business and education leaders and others from across the New North. But since this was NEW END, you could do both at the same time (although please remember to keep your mouth closed while chewing).
“This is a wonderful way to bring people together and network. Coming here is definitely worth our time. It’s a great way to renew old contacts and make new ones,” says Barb Dreger, director of marketing for Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton.
NEW END – which stands for Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day – was created five years ago as a networking opportunity for area entrepreneurs. It’s a time for small business owners to gather for an afternoon and trade ideas and make connections, says Amy Pietsch, director of FVTC’s Venture Center. Last year, the event took on another dimension when it combined with the annual New North Summit. Added to the mix was the Taste of Entrepreneurship, where a dozen locally-owned restaurants from across the New North display their wares.
“It was a natural progression – bringing entrepreneurs together with business leaders and others throughout the New North. New North is committed to entrepreneurship and growing small business, so it made perfect sense to bring everyone together,” Pietsch says. “Imagine the ideas being exchanged!”
With that in mind, participants balanced their plates with nibbles from Titletown Brewing Company and Republic Chophouse in Green Bay to cookies from Leonard’s Designs of Hortonville, to name a few of the vendors, while catching up with old friends and making new ones.
“I saw someone here I haven’t seen in 20 years – it was amazing,” Dreger says. “This is definitely the primo networking event of the year.”
These days, when a store cleans out inventory, it looks like a casualty of the unforgiving economy.
But in this instance, the storeowner isn’t throwing in the towel, rather going in a new direction.
My Happy Place opened today at 1869 N. Casaloma Drive in the Trasino area of Grand Chute. It’s actually a retooled version of Home Things, a decor and gift store that shut one building to the north.
Andrea Hogan, owner of both ventures, decided to downsize and tailor her merchandise to fit customers’ need-driven buying patterns.
“After three years in business, we figured out what people want,” she said. “It’s more gift oriented and we have more jewelry, puzzles and gift items. People still have birthdays and anniversaries. Mother’s Day is one of our busiest holidays.”
She edited out a lot of the home furnishings, so the name change was in order, she said.
The phone remains the same: 920-968-7554.
The new spot is between Nails 4 All and Charles Schwab in the Trasino building that also houses New York Deli and New Balance.