GROW News
August 18, 2010
Important Survey - Please Take 5 Minutes to Complete
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Task Force of the Nebraska Legislature is developing a Strategic Plan for Entrepreneurship that cultivates Innovation and High Wage Employment in the state. Invest Nebraska, a non-profit venture development organization, has contracted with the Legislature to provide research, analysis, and recommendations for the development of the statewide strategic plan. As part of this process, the Task Force is interested in your feedback regarding various programs, service providers, and the current condition of Nebraska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Please take a few minutes to complete this on-line survey. Your response will remain anonymous. The survey will close after August 25, 2010.
To access the survey go to:
http://s-ffcdbd-i.sgizmo.com/s3/i-16485930-94824/
New Members
My Still Water Massage - Ogallala, NE
Thank you to John Marquis of Ogallala Bay Rum for referring Jean! John will receive a $25 referral check.
Jean offers Dead Sea Salt for baths. She has 12 different scents and colors. You can fill your own container and get one kind or mix several. This is the true salt from the Dead Sea.
Prairie Harvest Granola - Trenton, NE
From the wholesome goodness of the fruit of the prairie come grains for your bowl, a homemade natural ingredient cereal.
The WebServant - Merna, NE
Beth offers web design for people who are just starting a new professional practice and need help doing the web thing. Most of their clients have been successful in the corporate world as consultants, counselors or trainers, and are now launching a new business.
Paperless Choice Digital Fundraising Challenge: Please Vote for GROW
Click. Vote. GROW!
GROW Nebraska is very excited to have the opportunity to be part of the Paperless Choice Digital Fundraising Challenge. Many of you were part of our success in the eBay challenge that we won over a year ago. Well, we need your help again.
All you have to do is click on the link, make a Justmeans account in the box that pops up and vote for GROW Nebraska. Be sure to scroll down on the page to leave a comment about what your favorite thing about GROW Nebraska is or about any wonderful thing Nebraska offers.
What are you waiting for? Click.
Vote. Grow!
Vote Now >>
Help Wanted in Retail Stores
Sales help wanted at the GROW Nebraska stores. If you are interested in working 3-4 shifts a week please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org with your information.
Win Free Membership
Starting on Monday, GROW is having their membership drive ... Member Mania! The first place winner will receive free bundle membership or $325 in GROW Bucks to buy Nebraska products (winner's choice) plus a full color ad in the next GROW Book. Prizes will also be given out for 2-5 place winners. How do you win? Refer members to the program, and get points towards Member Mania. More information coming soon, but be sure to start thinking about good members for the program!
Video of the Week
It's time for Member Mania! GROW Nebraska is holding a membership drive now through November 1. Watch the video below to see how you can win FREE bundle membership next year!
Did you sign up for the State Fair Store? There's still time left!
Before we know it the State Fair will be upon us. Do you want your product in the store? If so, please sign up today! Prices are no charge for 2010 bundle members, $30 for members who work at least one 6 our shift, $50 for members who do not work, and $150 if GROW has to take down, haul and pack your product. This year's State Fair store is in Grand Island from August 27 through September 6. The store hours are 9am-9pm.
Below is a list of who is signed up.
If your name is not on this list and you would like to be involved, please click the "sign up now" link below to make sure you are included.
- 3rd Ear Magnetic Clip
- 67th Street Goodies
- A+ Products
- Annette Snyder-Novelist
- Art Horizons Studio
- Back Home Wreaths
- BBQ Specialties
- Blackburn Mfg. Co./Say it Flags
- Bob's Country Sales
- Country Taste of Homemade
- Creations By Valerie
- Creative Hand at the Red Shed
- Creative Scents By Autumn
- Cynfull Sauces
- Epp Productions
- ERH Studio
- Fairbanks Studio
- Flowers By V
- From The Heart Creations
- Garvin Meats
- Grab Bags
- Grandma's Home Brewed Soap
- Heartland Nuts 'N More
- Heavenly Creations
- Herbal Gatherings
- Hilger Agri/Natural
- Holen One Farms
- HR Poppin Sancks
- Hunzeker Frameables
- IM's Countryside Painting
- Ink Images Custom Apparel
- K & A Creations
- KD Designs
- Kimberly My Daughter/book
- Lovely Street
- Mike Mennard
- Mosaic
- Mychals Prints
- Nebraska Famous Steaks
- Oasis Enterprise
- OPA-O's
- Otoe Steakhouse Seasoning
- Petals & Pastries
- Photos by Ms. Mac
- Prairie Barn
- Prairie Harvest Granola
- Pur Java Coffee
- Rafter 7S
- Randy's Garage Studio
- RCK Creations & More
- Ricky and Lucy's Country Greenhouse
- Rustic Writing
- Shepherd's Dairy 4 Ewe
- Sheryll Hickman - Artist
- Shortcuts to Gourmet cooking
- Stop N' Go Fitness
- The Beverage Butler
- The History of Prayer in America
- Time in a Treasure
- Two Ewes Bath & Body
- Wine Brights
- You've Been Framed
- Zooreka
Sign Up Now >>
Who Sold Online This Week?
Member News
The Northeast Community College is starting a new era of scholastic cooperation in Norfolk, Nebraska by openining new state of the art nursing facility with the help of the University of Nebraska. Learn more
here.
Joyful Promotions held their first ever Entrepreneur Show. Congrats Katheryn! Learn more about the show
here.
Ann of Wingssets was recently chosen to do an interview in regards to the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010. You can listen to the radio interview
here. Indie Beauty is a large organization that provides many services to a lot of small business personal care companies. She is also having two pictures of her product featured in the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild 2011 calendar. Congrats!
Do you have news about your business? Please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org.
Building a Business on Specialty Foods
Mark your calendars! The eXtension Entrepreneurship webinar series is back for the fourth season. All webinars will air monthly on the second Thursday at 2:00pm (ET); 1:00pm (CT); 12:00pm (MT); 11:00am (PT).
On Thursday, September 9, 2010 we open with a three-month series on specialty food businesses. September’s topic will be
Starting Right in Specialty Foods. Join Brian Norder, Director of the Vermont Food Venture Center for an informative session on what it takes to start and grow a specialty food business. Brian has over a decade of experience assisting entrepreneurs in all phases of food-related business development. On October 14 the webinar will focus on the importance of branding and will feature specialty food business owners Judith Moore of the Charleston Cookie Company
(
www.charlestoncookie.com) and Robin Rhea, Slather Sauce (
www.slatheriton.com). The November 11 webinar will conclude this series with a look at Culinary Tourism, an emerging niche that combines agriculture, specialty food and tourism. This presentation will feature a panel of Extension specialists working on Culinary Tourism initiatives.
No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to participate. About 10 minutes prior to the start time simply go the Adobe Connect Pro meeting room at
connect.extension.iastate.edu/ecop/. You will be presented with a login screen that has an "Enter as Guest" option. Enter your full name then click "Enter Room" to join the conference. You will be able to hear the audio directly from your computer’s speakers.
Integrating Organics with Federal Conservation Programs
Are you an organic farmer or rancher, transitioning to organic, or considering transitioning? Are you interested in learning how you can shape federal conservation programs at the state and local level to better serve organic?
This is a friendly reminder urging you to attend this workshop in Ponca, Nebraska!
Integrating Organics with Federal Conservation Programs
Monday, August 23
9am-3pm
Ponca State Park, Ponca, Nebraska
Join them to:
*learn about federal conservation programs and how you can benefit from them
*learn how to participate in the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) State Technical Committees and Local Working Groups
They have a block of hotel rooms reserved in Ponca for the evening prior to the workshop.
Space is limited so PLEASE RSVP.
Send questions and RSVPs to Traci Bruckner - tracib@cfra.org - 402-687-2103 ext 1016. Travel assistance is available if needed.
This workshop is hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Farm Aid. Funding for this workshop provided by Organic Valley and Farmers Advocating for Organics.
West Corporation Hiring for At-Home Jobs in Greater Nebraska
(Omaha, Neb., July 15, 2010) – West Corporation, a leading provider of technology-driven, voice-oriented solutions , recently announced plans to hire numerous at-home workers in Nebraska. The hiring push is the result of the recent passage of LB1081, a new Nebraska job creation act that grants corporations tax incentives for hiring telecommuters in greater or rural Nebraska.
“We are excited to be able to offer Nebraskans these job opportunities in the midst of a recovering economy,” vice president of corporate human resources Robin Westfall said. “Nebraskans possess a work ethic and commitment to quality that is quite unique.”
The new positions will focus on providing customer service, sales or technical support to customers of various Fortune 1000 clients—all from the comfort of the employees’ homes. During the application process, job seekers will complete an assessment to help determine the position type (customer service, sales or technical) best suited to their skills. Those who are hired will earn competitive hourly or by-the-minute wages and will enjoy very flexible scheduling—employees can choose shifts that last as little as one hour or as long eight hours and may add schedules on a daily basis. Because employees have the opportunity to work as many hours as they wish, they directly control their income opportunities.
“Ideal candidates for these positions are independent, responsible and have outstanding time management skills,” Westfall said. “These positions are great for folks in our smaller Nebraska communities. They have an opportunity to work for a large, reputable Nebraska company, while helping customers find solutions from the comfort of their own home.”
Those who are interested in learning more about, or applying for, available positions are encouraged to visit
www.westathomenebraska.com to learn more about what it’s like to work from home. The application process, which is done completely online, takes approximately one hour to complete.
About West at Home:
West at Home is one of the nation’s leading providers of home-based customer contact solutions. West at Home helps Fortune 1000 companies deliver unparalleled results through a combination of higher quality, better educated agents and a highly scalable, state-of-the-art infrastructure. West at Home employs the industry’s most comprehensive agent training, management and monitoring processes and features multi-layered security protection. This helps companies protect their customer data, achieve a higher level of quality service, improve staffing flexibility and realize a greater return on their investment.
West at Home is a subsidiary of West Corporation, a leading provider of technology-driven, voice-oriented solutions. For more information, please visit
www.westathome.com.
