Mile High Biz Blog

This week MHBA hosted our Buzz Box on financing and capital options for small businesses. We were joined by Rob Smith of RMMFI, a local micro-finance organization doing great work with budding entrepreneurs. 

Tomorrow, the American Sustainable Business Council is hosting a webinar on this issue: how do small businesses raise necessary capital that's *also* more sustainable (from a triple-bottom-line sense)?

If you're a local business owner, it's likely that the principles of triple-bottom-line accounting are embodied in how you do business, whether or not you formally counting it. The other two profit lines, those of people and planet, are often of higher priority to local business owners. I make this claim out of my experience working with these people - who are more likely to sacrifice profit for the well-being of their employees, customers and community. 

I recently had a conversation with a restaurant owner who was being chastised by his bank for not generating a higher profit. His response? 'I'm not here just to make a profit. My employees are more important than that.' This same restaurateur works with local farmers directly, paying a premium for his product out of his commitment to local agriculture and great flavors. 

Profits are necessary to the long-term success of a business - you can't keep functioning if you build too much debt. However, the pursuit of profits while sacrificing other things we value - this we must stop doing. Creating a healthy, resilient economy requires that we ditch the incentives and systemic mechanisms that allow (and even reward) that kind of behavior, and re-align our businesses to create value and generate profits that don't endanger our long term capacity to thrive.

This is why MHBA exists: to support local businesses who are the foundation of this new economy. As always, we invite you to get involved as a member and participate in our upcoming events and programs. 

 The August issue of Consumer Reports reviewed where to shop for home applicances. Scoring businesses on prices, service, knowledgeable staff and ease of sale, they're reporting that indepedent retailers scored higher than big-box retailers in the areas of service and having knowledgeable staff. Independent retailers also received high marks for selection and ease of shopping. 

While getting a good price is definitely important, their report shows that shoppers want more than just the lowest bottom line. And we know that local businesses are more able to provide competent, positive service experiences. Why is that? 

We think there are three reasons: 

• The store owner is more connected. Instead of being owned by thousands of absent shareholders, independent stores are owned by people in our community. They have more at stake, often including their property and financial future. 
• They manage more than the bottom line. Because ownership is closer to home, the impact of how their employees treat customers is more immediate, and vital. Investment in good service is a bigger priority.
• Fewer middle men mean problems are handled more quickly by people who are actually in charge. Middle management just ads more people and time to the decision making process - which means you're more likely to deal with someone who can actually help you deal with an issue.

So where do you go if you want to find appliances from local businesses? 

• Listen Up sells home entertainment electronics with three front range stores and online
• Ace Hardware stores sell small appliances in dozens of stores across the state (and each Ace store is independently owned and operated)
• Crush sells trendy (and funky) kitchen accessories (and other home products) online and in their LoDo store
• Ultimate Electronics is the largest local source for small & large applicances and home electronics in Colorado. Now a national chain, Ultimate Electronics is still headquartered in Colorado

The long-awaited construction on South Broadway's Antique Row is finally finished! Adios, Concrete Works of Colorado. Are you ready to hit the streets and celebrate?

 

NEWSFLASH: The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be Thursday, August 19th at 11:30 am on the corner of S. Broadway and Florida. Remarks by the Mayor and others.

 

 

For Immediate Release
Contact: dana@danacain.com or 303-347-8252

 

Antique Row's "Better Broadway Bash" Celebrates end of construction & lots of improvements August 20 - 22

 
 
South Broadway's famous Antique Row has been suffering through construction obstacles and lane closures for months, as many of us have witnessed firsthand. At last, the construction is completed, the tree-lined median is in place, new light fixtures have been installed, and the merchants along Antique Row are ready to celebrate!
 
Their late August Better Broadway Bash also serves as the launch pad for the annual Antique Row Summer Festival, with three days of entertainment, free appraisals, sidewalk sales and more. The Festival also includes a $1000 Antique Row Shopping Spree gift certificate, good at any participating location.
 

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All Weekend:

Antique Row(d) Show - Free Appraisals at Designated Shops
Sidewalk Sales
Up to 50% off selected items in all participating shops 
Live Music from 3 - 7pm at the Open Tap, 1446 S. Broadway
 
 

Saturday, August 21:

 
10 am - 6pm   - Antique Row(d) Show
- Free Appraisals at Designated Shops
 
10am - 2pm   -  Antique Car Display
Turn of the Century, 1475 S. Broadway
 
11am - 6 pm  -  Vintage Scooter Display
Spencer House, 1420 S. Broadway
 
12 - 6 pm - Stilt Walkers
Artsmyths, 1454 S. Broadway
 
12 - 3 pm  -  Marching Band (TBA)
 
1 - 3 pm  -  Book Signing - Steve Friersen: "Buffalo Bill - Scout, Showman, Visionary" Gallagher Books, 1428 S. Broadway
  
3 - 6 pm   -  Handsome Little Devils Victorian Circus Act
Victorian Era steam punk circus entertainers, mobile act, up and down the street
 
3 - 7 pm
Live Music with Tommy Standt
The Open Tap, patio, 1446 S. Broadway
 
4pm  - ? Drawing for Prize: $1000 Antique Row Shopping Spree Gift Certificate
Drawing will be held at Antique Exchange, 1500 S. Broadway. Must be present to win. $1000 Gift Certificate is valid at any participating Antique Row location.
 

 

...And more events are being planned!
 
Admission is free and open to the public.  More information is at www.antique-row.com.

Volunteers are needed for the Local Flavor Festival! We're currently in need of volunteers for the event. If you're interested in lending a hand, we'd greatly appreciate your help!   Read more about the Local Flavor Festival here.  

• Volunteer shifts will occur between 9am and 6pm.
• Complimentary lunch provided by Chipotle.
• Free beer (if of legal age) provided by Great Divide Brewing Company.
• School credit / signoff for volunteer hours available.

    Interested in volunteering? We'd love your help. E-mail Malia, the LFF Coordinator ASAP!

 

Apply Now for the 2010 Transit Alliance Citizen's Academy   Metro Denver is emerging as THE learning laboratory for revitalizing our communities through the development of a multi-modal transportation infrastructure. NO ONE else in the nation is doing what we are here in Denver. Thanks to voter support of FasTracks in 2004, we will have more than 90 transit stations in the metro region in just 10 short years.     The program includes 7 weeks to discuss the complexities of combining transportation and community development to support the regional success of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in the Metro Denver area.   <!--break--> The cornerstone of this unique program is that participants will take their new knowledge and put it in action. Each session will be designed to be very interactive and participants will be asked to follow-up each session with a homework assignment. In addition, participants will spend a portion of each class designing their personal action plan that they will implement upon completing the academy.   Academy Graduates will: • Actively educate other citizens about transit and its important linkage to sustainability in the Denver region. • Actively educate others about transportation infrastructure investment.  • Develop and use active listening skills to bring shared meaning to vocabulary associated with sustainable transportation and community development.  • Actively gather, analyze and summarize relevant data.  • Develop new transportation expertise to enable them to take on expanded leadership roles in the region.       When The Academy will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6-9pm for seven consecutive weeks beginning on Wed. September 8th and ending Wed. October 20th.   Location All classes will be held at Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 1445 Market St. 5th Floor Denver, CO   Apply Today Submit your application here. **Application deadline is Friday, August 13th 2010 at 5pm MST.**

 

If you're a car owner in Denver, I'm sure that you've experienced that feeling of intense surprise where your heart jumps into your throat as your suddenly wonder: Oh no! Is it street sweeping day?!?  Even worse is the feeling of dread as you peel that yellow ticket off of your windshield. Yes. It IS street sweeping day. A facepalming moment, indeed.

    Well, Honest Bros. with the help of Denver company ID345, has come to the rescue! They've put together a free campaign to remind you of street sweeping dates via text message.   All of the nitty gritty can be found on their website: textvsticket.com as well as in the press release below.     <!--break-->     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Eric Hines, 303‐847‐9225
Erika Sauerwein, 303‐625‐3874   LOCAL AGENCY GIVES DRIVERS CHOICE: TXT OR TICKET? New text message program allows drivers to customize street sweeping alerts.     DENVER – Local design and marketing agency Honest Bros. launched a new text message program this month textvsticket.com. More than 1000 Denverites have already subscribed. Drivers can tailor text messages to their needs – from what days to be alerted and what time of day – either 7 a.m. or 7 p.m. Honest Bros. partnered with Denver‐based ID345 to create the program.   “There is nothing more frustrating to start or end your day with one of those yellow envelopes sticking out of your car door,” said Eric Hines, founder of Honest Bros. “I just wish we would have thought of this idea earlier – we all would be a few hundred dollars richer.”   The city’s street sweeping program started April 1 and continues through November. More than 100,000 tickets were issued last year to drivers in the way of sweepers.   Although the current program is only available to Denverites, Hines said the back‐end programming and support is present to expand into other cities around the country. With those capabilities in mind, Hines said he sees great business potential with the program, as sponsorship of the text messages is available.   “It’s more than just a way to remind people or advertising, it’s a way of thinking that allows us to be set apart from other creative’s in a diverse economy” Hines said.   To sign up or for more information about TXT VS. TICKET, visit textvsticket.com.       About Honest Bros: Denver‐based Honest Bros. is a collaboration of like‐minded individuals who do more than simply design. The team is composed of photographers, artists, silkscreeners, print makers and creative thinkers. They have proven expertise ‐ covering a diverse range of design and branding projects for a wide variety of companies, artists and
organizations.

Date & Time:  Sat, 08/07/2010 - 11:00am - 5:00pm    

 

Last year we had lots of fun, and this year's event promises to be even better with more activities, awesome local food, a beer tent and live local music.

  Exhibitors
  · B-Cycle · Bike Denver
· Boutique Apartments · Calanan Photography · Cannabis Medical Technology
· Ceramics in the City · Colorado Audio Group · Colorado Easy Eats
· EcoMetro Guide · eGo Car Share · Flobots.org · Grant Family Farms
· Moon Dance Botanicals
· Swallow Hill Music Association · Tony's Market
Festival Food & Drink
· The Steamin’ Demon (Shhh. It's Watercourse's food cart)
· Breggos · Chipotle · Deluxe Food Truck · Encore on Colfax · Great Divide Brewing Company   Live Music · Ian Cooke Band - 2:15 pm · Oakhurst - 12:45 pm · Porlolo - 4:00 pm · Safe Boating Is No Accident - 11:00 am

 

Workshop with Flobots.org:

Put it on the Pen: A lyrics writing workshop hosted by Apostle, 90 minutes, ages 14 and up, materials provided - 3:00 pm inside the Tattered Cover

 

Other Awesome Stuff:

Hula Hooping, Arts & Crafts and other activities for kids

In-store events at Tattered Cover and Twist and Shout

Farmstand by Chipotle with fresh produce & food products from local farms & markets

      Date & Time Saturday, August 7th  11am - 5pm   Location Lowenstein CulturePlex Between Twist & Shout and the Tattered Cover Bookstore 2508 E. Colfax Ave  Denver, CO
Cost Free!!   Parking Available on the street and in the garage (access on Columbine) Free bike parking provided by Bike Denver    Help Spread the Word! Help get the word out with everything from posters to web banner ads to a press release here.   Volunteers Are Needed! We're currently in need of volunteers for the event. If you're interested in lending a hand, we'd greatly appreciate your help! E-mail Malia, the LFF Coordinator asap!

 

 

 
   

 

The non-partisan Colorado Pay Equity Commission is an official Commission of Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.  This body is charged with studying the pay gap for women and people of color in Colorado, and for coming up with creative, collaborative ideas for how to address this issue in our state. 

Serving on the commission represents an opportunity for your business to present its perspective on the important issue of pay equity in the workplace, and to build relationships with other businesses, state officials, and other groups who are interested in this issue.
The Commission is currently accepting applications for the 11 appointment vacancies, one of which is to be filled by a representative of a business that employs 15 or more employees.  The representative can be any person who is designated by the business as representing them, such as the business owner, an employee, or a manager.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, however, many of the appointments could be made within the next several weeks, so applications should be submitted as soon as possible.

For more information on the mission and activities of the Colorado Pay Equity Commission, please see the Pay Equity Commission Fact Sheet.pdf

To submit your application, or for questions regarding the Colorado Pay Equity Commission, please contact David Oppenheim in the House Majority Office at 303.866.2302 or david.oppenheim@state.co.us.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Shannon Fern
CSG-PR
303-433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com

 

Governor Ritter signs bill intended to increase
Coloradans’ access to healthy foods LiveWell Colorado-initiated bill establishes a Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council

 

Council May 26, 2010 – Denver, CO – Governor Bill Ritter today will sign into law Senate Bill 106: Creation of Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council, which will convene key stakeholders to address improving access to healthy food within Colorado. The bill was initiated by LiveWell Colorado, a nonprofit organization committed to reducing obesity in Colorado by promoting healthy eating and active living, and sponsored by Senator Bob Bacon (D-Fort Collins) and Representative Marsha Looper (R-Calhan).

The bill establishes a state-endorsed 13-member council, which will work across diverse sectors, to develop food system recommendations that state and local governments, businesses, agriculture and consumers can use to improve healthy food access in Colorado.

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“There isn’t one single place or single group that addresses the complexities of food systems and their impact on health,” said Maren C. Stewart, president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado. “For the first time in Colorado, the Food Systems Advisory Council will convene stakeholders from the multiple sectors that impact food systems to recommend policies and programs that will increase access to healthy foods.”

LiveWell Colorado anticipates that the Council’s work will address many of the recommendations outlined in the nonprofit’s recently released Food Policy Blueprint, which include (among others):

• Increase participation in federal food assistance programs. Colorado currently has one of the lowest participation rates of any state.

• Address food deserts by providing incentives to support the economic development of healthy food retailers, including full-service grocers, mobile vendors, corner stores, and farmers’ markets and stands.

• Introduce electronic benefits transfer (EBT) to farmer’s markets to make it easier for all Coloradans to purchase healthy foods.

• Address school food procurement regulations to make it easier for schools to purchase healthy local foods.

“The bill strengthens local and regional sustainable food systems and offers economic benefits to Colorado,” said Bacon. “In addition to combating obesity, the work of this council will promote economic development and support local agriculture.”

The council will convene later this year and include representatives from four agencies (Departments of Health and Human Services, Public Health and Environment, Agriculture and Education) and nine gubernatorial designees with experience in Nutrition and Health (2 members), Agricultural Production (3 members), Food Wholesalers/Retailers (2 members), Anti- Hunger and Food Assistance (1 member), and Economic Development (1 member).

“Once established, this multi-sector Council will look at issues and address barriers to getting underserved communities, particularly low income families and children, access to healthy, fresh food. There are far too many families in Colorado that struggle to put food on the table every day, and SB 106 will help address that problem and ensure our children are well nourished,” said Looper.

To read the full text of the bill, review LiveWell Colorado’s Food Policy Blueprint or learn more about the nonprofit’s public policy agenda, please visit www.livewellcolorado.org.

About LiveWell Colorado
LiveWell Colorado is a nonprofit organization committed to reducing obesity in Colorado by promoting healthy eating and active living. Leading a comprehensive approach, LiveWell Colorado inspires and advances policy, environmental and lifestyle changes that aim to provide every Coloradan with access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity in the places they live, work, learn and play. For more information about LiveWell Colorado, visit www.livewellcolorado.org.

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Sometimes, hearing others' personal stories can be quite a pleasure. You're most certainly not alone in the quest to become a locavore. Relocalizing your shopping habits, diet, etc has its tough spots, but there is quite a bit of beauty in the process as well. I hope that you enjoy this personal story as well as check out Amy Cotler's book The Locavore Way.

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June 15th 2010
By: Monika V.I. Kunz, Slow Food USA

I’m going to spill a secret: even though I try my best to exclusively eat local, sustainable food, I’m not 100% a locavore. I can blame it on the fact that I’m Southern California grown and had the luxury of fresh—and locally grown—produce for most of the year during much of my life. But, truth be told, I didn’t exactly intentionally eat locally while a Californian.

When I moved to the East Coast six years ago I was suddenly appalled by how bland my grocery store-purchased fruits and vegetables tasted. I’d review the label, see they were grown in California, and wonder how avocados from the homeland could taste so terrible in the North East. It look me awhile to fully grasp that West Coast food is meant to be consumed while your feet are planted near (or, even better, in) the Pacific, and vice versa.

In Amy Cotler’s book The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Food, she guides the reader through three simple steps on how to become a fan and advocate of local buying and eating.  Step one is to shop for local foods—meeting your farmer actually does enhance the flavor of her harvest; step two is to eat seasonally and simply—your ingredients do all of the work when they’re as flavorful as locally grown items tend to be; and step three is to connect and engage—you have a backyard (or fire escape / windowsill), so why should people with over an acre of land have all the fun? She manages to make waiting for something to come into season compelling, even to a self-described instant gratification junkie.  At one point Amy writes about how she only eats strawberries while they’re in season because the delight that comes from consuming these perfectly ripe berries is worth the months of deprivation.

I’ve gotta say, after enjoying ramps, and rhubarb, and asparagus, and greens, and finally strawberries recently that were produced by farmers I chat with at my greenmarket each week, Amy and her Locavore Way are spot on. This isn’t to say I won’t still sneak some greens in the winter months (old habits die hard!), but spring greens that taste of the (East Coast) earth mixed with love and patience are better than just about anything grown and bagged in California then shipped to Brooklyn. 

By: Karen E. Klein
BusinessWeek.com  

Lori Webster has been feeling the love recently. Small business love, that is. She's been telling the customers of her family-owned stationery store about the 3/50 Project, one of many campaigns to support local small businesses.

Then last week, Tom Hanks walked into Webster's Fine Stationers in Altadena, Calif.—about 20 miles from Hollywood. Celebrities aren't unheard-of in the store: The actor John C. Reilly lives in the neighborhood and drops by occasionally.

But Hanks, who was filming on location across the street, went out of his way to talk up small business. "He told us how nice it is to shop at a family-owned business and how he particularly liked family-owned stationery stores," Webster says. Along with extolling the virtues of small business, and disparaging their big-box competitors, Hanks asked about Webster's history, posed for pictures, lamented the closing of the family's card store nearby, and bought $120 worth of pens, notebooks, and puzzle books.

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Hanks' goodwill fits with a larger trend that has strengthened during the recession: As public anger smolders against banks, financial institutions, and large corporations like BP (BP), small business owners have emerged as American heroes.

  Ninety-five Percent Positive Rating

A February Gallup poll that tested Americans' reactions to seven terms, including "capitalism" and "socialism," found that "small business" got the best reaction, with a 95 percent positive rating across the political spectrum.

In a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, small business owners got better ratings than any other institution the survey asked about, including churches, colleges, and the news media. The results this year build upon similar results in the recent past.

But do all these warm and fuzzy sentiments translate into a bottom-line boost for American entrepreneurs? That's a tough thing to measure, but there is some evidence they might.

In a survey released last month by WebVisible, an online marketing services provider that works primarily with small and midsize companies, 4 out of 5 respondents said they regularly patronize small, independent businesses over larger chains. Their top three motivations: to support their communities, for travel convenience, and for the personalized service, says Kirsten Mangers, WebVisible's chief executive officer.

Just 17 percent of survey respondents said they don't choose small businesses over larger chains. "We automatically assume that if shoppers are going into a national-brand chain store, it's because they get economies of scale" and lower prices, Mangers says. "But we're finding the perception is that by transacting with a local merchant, you'll save time and money at the end of the day."

Along with motivated customers, small business owners have also been attracting some perks recently. Here's a rundown of a few:

  Hospitality

Hotels are beginning to offer special programs for small business owners. Boutique chain The James has a menu of perks and access that are reserved specifically for small business owners who book 25 nights annually at any property. The James Chicago and soon-to-open James New York are offering discounts on best-available rates with no blackout dates; complimentary high-speed Internet access; early check-in/late checkout; and special group rates.

  Markets

Overstock.com (OSTK) has just announced a new, online Main Street Store. It will initially carry 2,500 products from about 60 small and minority-owned U.S. businesses and is soliciting more. "We feel a lot of love" for entrepreneurs, says Overstock Chief Executive Officer Patrick Byrne. The Main Street marketplace is for-profit, but Byrne says fees have been structured to provide "the leanest margins we can, just to cover our costs. I want to allow the entrepreneur to focus on making her gourmet pies and shipping them and let us handle everything else." Overstock will provide marketing and credit-card processing for its small vendors, accept returns, and do customer service.

  Banking

Bank of America (BAC) recently announced it will increase its spending with small, midsize, and diverse businesses by $10 billion over the next five years. Bank of America increased its lending to small and midsize businesses by $3 billion in the first quarter of 2010 from a year earlier, and pledged to increase lending to them by $5 billion in 2010.

  

Will all the love help? Hard to tell. But confidence levels of National Federation of Independent Business members rose last month to their highest level since September 2008. Webster, for her part, is hoping that more local consumers will follow Hanks' lead into her stationery store.

Promoting small business "is still a hard sell here," she says. But the shop, founded by her husband's grandfather as a liquor store, got through Prohibition by selling "medicinal" whiskey. If he could tough it out, she figures, so can they.

  We're pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Local Flavor Festival will take place Saturday, August 7th at the Lowenstein CulturePlex on Colfax & Elizabeth.   Last year we had lots of fun, and this year's event promises to be even better with more activities, awesome local food, a beer tent and live local music. More  
 

 

Exhibitors
· Ahimsa Footwear · B-Cycle · Bike Denver
· Boutique Apartments · Calanan Photography · Cannabis Medical Technology
· Ceramics in the City · Colorado Audio Group · Colorado Easy Eats
· Dragonfly Ecogoods · EcoMetro Guide
· eGo Car Share · Flobots.org · Grant Family Farms
· Moon Dance Botanicals
· Swallow Hill Music Association
Festival Food & Drink
· The Steamin’ Demon (Shhh. It's Watercourse's food cart)
· Breggos · Chipotle
· Encore Restaurant · Great Divide Brewing Company   Live Music · Ian Cooke Band · Oakhurst · Porlolo · Safe Boating Is No Accident.            

Workshops with Flobots.org:

Put it on the Pen: A lyrics writing workshop hosted by Apostle, 90 minutes, ages 14 and up, materials provided

Make Your Own T-shirt Screenprinting and Design Station: Bring your own t-shirt or choose from a selection. All ages. Donations for materials greatly appreciated.

 

Other Awesome Stuff:

Hula Hooping, Face Painting and other activities for kids

In-store events at Tattered Cover and Twist and Shout

Farmstand by Chipotle with fresh produce from local farms

 

Date & Time

Saturday, August 7th  11am - 5pm   Location Lowenstein CulturePlex Between Twist & Shout and the Tattered Cover Bookstore 2508 E. Colfax Ave  Denver, CO
Cost Free!!       Volunteers Needed! We're currently in need of volunteers for the event. If you're interested in lending a hand, we'd greatly appreciate your help! (read more)       Press Release Download it in .doc format     More Media Goodies Web banners, logos, posters & more!  

 

   

 

The days are long, and the sunsets are beautiful. The days are hot and the markets in this town are starting to boom – the Denver Handmade Homemade Market is no different!

The Denver Handmade Homemade (HaHo) Market is one that aims to bring community together and create a venue for a local economy. It is a place where you can trade or “donate” money for food and craft grown and produced in Denver from your neighbors’ homes and backyards, without the high costs of commercial production. With this second market we will continue to provide a venue for people growing gardens, cooking delicious foods and producing handmade goods on a small, grassroots scale.

 

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Many vendors have already registered and plan to be carrying items from herbal tea to baked goods to kimchee to worm castings. I know that I'll be rocking some homemade kombucha, and Mickki will be making you smile with homegrown herbs, pies, and honey!

 

2nd Ever Denver Handmade Homemade Market

When: Friday, June 25th from 6pm – 9pm 

Where: Green Spaces Colorado – 1368 26th Street

A “Sleeping Giant” for Arizona’s Economy?

Local First Arizona economic study finds half-billion dollar annual impact from newly privatized SCF Arizona

Phoenix, AZ (June 7, 2010) – Local First Arizona (LFA), a non-profit organization representing a coalition of local and independent Arizona businesses, issued the findings today of an economic impact study commissioned by LFA that scientifically measures the economic impact of buying locally. The study demonstrates that locally-based SCF Arizona, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance supplier, has an annual economic impact in the state of approximately a half-billion dollars. The findings, reported by Applied Economics found that last year SCF sourced 82 percent of its goods and services from other Arizona companies, resulting in an overall economic impact in Arizona of $528.3 million in 2009. This one company – with 555 employees – demonstrates the power of buying locally. In other words, for every person SCF employs Arizona benefits economically by $952,000.

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The purpose of the study was to demonstrate how one major employer can have a significant impact on Arizona’s economy when buying from other Arizona based companies. In the past, other general measurements have suggested that when consumers buy locally the majority of dollars spent are re-circulated back into the local economy, but this is the first fully scientific study in Arizona measuring the economic impact of just one employer.

“SCF Arizona is a sleeping giant, when it comes to its local economic impact in the state,” said Kimber Lanning, Executive Director of Local First. “We hope this study encourages business leaders to think even more broadly about the impact of spending their money with local companies. The ripple effect adds up to much more than most of us realize, and this study quantifies that impact. The numbers are staggering.”

SCF Arizona, founded in 1925 as a part of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, was privatized in the most recently concluded legislative session (SB 1045). Under the law, SCF Arizona will have three years to transition to being a mutual insurance company, becoming fully-privatized in January 2013. When the transition is complete, SCF Arizona will become the largest insurance company in Arizona – and will continue to have a major impact on the local economy.

In an impressive display of locally-focused corporate responsibility, SCF Arizona spent $38.5 million with other Arizona companies in 2009, which in turn created an estimated $68.2 million impact when factoring in all of the dollars re-circulating right here in Arizona.

“We feel strongly about being an Arizona company,” said SCF Arizona President and CEO, Don Smith. “Our policyholders are all Arizona companies and when we support them, we are really supporting ourselves. That’s true of any business when a consumer spends his or her dollars locally. So, whenever we can, we spend locally.”

SCF pays its employees $36.4 million, or an average of $59,100 per employee plus benefits, which was well above the all-industry average wage across the state. Factoring in employees at all of the secondary businesses SCF purchased from, total employee impact from SCF Arizona was an additional 3,000 jobs and $167.9 million in annual payroll. These additional jobs and payroll stem from direct and indirect impacts of supplier demand created by SCF and consumer demand created by its employees.

“SCF Arizona provides an important service for Arizona businesses and their employees,” said SCF Arizona Board Chair, Judy Patrick. “But we also play an important role as an employer in this state, providing quality jobs and good pay for our employees. It’s very gratifying to see that all of that has a positive impact on the state’s economy – particularly in times like these.”

Other areas measured in the economic study include capital expenditures such as tenant improvements and construction, total employee spending, and claims payments. SCF also plays an important role as a responsible corporate citizen in Arizona, donating a staggering $570,000 to non-profit entities across the state in 2009, despite the massive economic downturn.

“Local First Arizona’s mission is to highlight the importance of local economies and to increase local spending as a means to economic recovery and sustainability”, says Kimber Lanning, Executive Director of Local First. “SCF Arizona exemplifies responsible spending and stands at the forefront of creating a healthy, diversified Arizona economy, and I am grateful the legislature voted to allow them to grow and even better serve our state.”

This study demonstrates unequivocally that Arizona can benefit significantly if its largest employers purposefully shift their spending from out of state sources to other Arizona-based businesses. Further, it demonstrates simply that dollars spent locally create more Arizona jobs.

For the complete study produced by Applied Economics, contact Kimber Lanning, Executive Director of Local First Arizona, find it on the LFA website at: http://www.localfirstaz.com/ or download the full document in PDF form here.

Wealth for the Common Good is a network of business leaders, wealthy individuals and partners supporting public policies that promote shared prosperity and fair taxation.
Over the last 30 years, we have disproportionately benefited from economic policy. We feel it’s time to rebalance the economy so that it works for everyone — not just the wealthy. Our country is facing unprecedented economic challenges right now: We all need to pay our fair share to resolve these issues and make long overdue investments in education, health, energy and infrastructure.
It is powerful when those who would pay a tax speak publicly on its behalf. It’s important that we let our elected officials know that there are thousands of us who would pay more — pay our fair share — to invest in the country.     Why are we challenging tax havens? Responsible businesses are at a competitive disadvantage when other firms hide assets in tax havens and avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Our communities lose the revenue needed to fund essential services and the infrastructure that supports economic growth. An estimated $100 billion or more in tax revenue is lost every year to offshore accounts.

Washington has been hearing mostly from Wall Street business lobbyists opposed to strong legislation to stop tax haven abuse. The voice of business people and investors can make a crucial difference in this debate.  
 

 
When:   June 22nd  9:00am - 1:00pm (Lunch will be served.)
Where:  Mi Casa Resource Center, 360 Acoma Street, Denver 80223
Register:  $45 for private companies, $30 for non-profit/student/government
 

On June 22, 2010, there will be a celebration honouring the Greater Good Academy’s first graduating class of entrepreneurs. This class of 14 students has developed their "triple bottom line" business plans, with community, sustainability and profit at the core. (read more about the program here)
 

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The celebration will showcase these emerging small business ventures and present a thought leadership forum of more established socially responsible businesses. (see the agenda here)
 

 
The goal of the 8-week Greater Good Academy (GGA) is to provide civic-minded entrepreneurs from underserved communities with the resources they need to succeed and scale their ventures. GGA accomplishes this by providing the students with mentors and connecting them with business partners in the community. The GGA helps to strengthen local communities, incubate green businesses and increase economic self-sufficiency.

David Korten: Where does the concept of “climate debt” fit into a New Economy framework?

By: David Korten  in YES! Magazine Blogs
May 12, 2010

As the climate changes, the consequences for poor people in low-income countries—those who have had no part in the profligate consumption that created the problem—will be particularly devastating. This fact is bringing climate justice to the fore of the agenda for many progressive groups that deal with international issues. But even among those groups, all proposals for dealing equitably with the climate crisis are not equal. The differences between them highlight an important contrast between Old Economy and New Economy perspectives.

That difference is highlighted by blogs on the issue by two progressive friends and colleagues I greatly admire. A blog by Naomi Klein titled "Climate Rage" spells out the Old Economy’s “climate debt” take on climate justice. A blog by Gustavo Esteva with Juliette Beck, titled "Let's See Ourselves," presents a New Economy take that focuses on localization. The contrast between the perspectives brings to mind the wisdom of Albert Einstein, who observed that a problem cannot be solved within the same conceptual frame that created it.

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The underlying values and intention of the two perspectives are much the same: Both recognize the seriousness of climate change and the need for decisive action to address the unjust burden that it imposes on the poor. The solutions they put forward, however, are strikingly different. I urge you to read both articles with the following observations in mind.

The climate debt approach calculates the economic cost, for poor people in poor countries, of the climate disruptions caused by profligate consumption in rich countries and demands compensating financial payment. The moral case is clear and unassailable, but by framing both the problem and the solution in financial terms, it embraces an Old Economy frame in which money is the defining value, power is conceded to those who control money's creation and allocation, and the remediation of environmental damage is simply a financial issue.

The foreign aid system within which I worked for some 30 years used the same Old Economy frame. In the name of helping the poor, that system consistently fed corruption as it transferred money from the poor of rich countries to the rich of poor countries. That money often supported aid projects that in fact transferred control of land and water resources to the relatively more wealthy—resources from which the poor traditionally derived their livelihoods. Rather than helping to balance the scales, this process accelerated the social and environmental destruction at the heart of current concerns about climate justice.

Well intentioned though the climate debt solution may be, there is no reason to believe that a program of financial reparations from the global North to the global South will play out differently than the past 60-plus years of foreign aid. In itself, it will do nothing to redistribute wealth from rich to poor or to change the institutions and behaviors responsible for the climate crisis.

In contrast, by focusing on the local control and sustainable beneficial use of Earth's real resources, the localization perspective embraces the New Economy frame. It recognizes life, rather than money, as the defining value. It recognizes that the locus of power and leadership initiative must reside with local people engaged in stewarding Earth's resources to ensure sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their children for generations to come. They know the devastating consequences of the Old Economy from their everyday experience. They have the needed moral authority, the political power of numbers, and the necessary local knowledge.

As Wall Street has so dramatically demonstrated, the world of money is a world of illusions, accounting tricks, and scams by which the rich expand their control of Earth's declining base of real living wealth without the burden of producing anything of value in return. We must turn our attention to defining problems and solutions in terms of the goal of restoring and equitably stewarding Earth's real living wealth.

The foremost obligation of those of us who have been the beneficiaries of the rapacious excesses of the Old Economy is to change the way we live to dramatically reduce our burden on Earth's biosphere and bring an end to our expropriation of the resources of others. Restructuring and democratizing the institutions of money will be a necessary part of this process. It requires a great deal more than the climate debt solution of a money transfer. It requires changing our values, our institutions, and the way we live.

David Korten is co-founder and board chair of YES! Magazine, co-chair of the New Economy Working Group, president of the People-Centered Development Forum, and a founding board member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). His books include Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth, The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community, and the international best seller When Corporations Rule the World.

Ahh yes, the growing season is upon us in Colorado (FINALLY!!) and that means that it's time for our beloved farmers' markets to open up.

Okay, there are some folks that have been livin' la vida locavore so-to-speak with their year-round markets. Sincere thanks go to Denver Urban Homesteading with its Indoor Farmers Market and to the Highland's In Season Local Market.

But as for now, this is the time for the rest of the farmers' markets to join the locavore party. They are one of the best ways to eat locally as well as support local artisans such as soap makers and bakers. LocalHarvest.org has a great blurb on why eating locally is environmentally important that I can't resist sharing:

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Most produce in the US is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped for an average of 1500 miles before being sold. And this is when taking into account only US grown products! Those distances are substantially longer when we take into consideration produce imported from Mexico, Asia, Canada, South America, and other places.

We can only afford to do this now because of the artificially low energy prices that we currently enjoy, and by externalizing the environmental costs of such a wasteful food system. We do this also to the detriment of small farmers by subsidizing large scale, agribusiness-oriented agriculture with government handouts and artificially cheap energy.

Cheap oil will not last forever though. World oil production has already peaked, according to some estimates, and while demand for energy continues to grow, supply will soon start dwindling, sending the price of energy through the roof. We'll be forced then to reevaluate our food systems and place more emphasis on energy efficient agricultural methods, like smaller-scale organic agriculture, and on local production wherever possible.

Cheap energy and agricultural subsidies facilitate a type of agriculture that is destroying and polluting our soils and water, weakening our communities, and concentrating wealth and power into a few hands. It is also threatening the security of our food systems, as demonstrated by the continued e-Coli, GMO-contamination, and other health scares that are often seen nowadays on the news.

These large-scale, agribusiness-oriented food systems are bound to fail on the long term, sunk by their own unsustainability. But why wait until we're forced by circumstance to abandon our destructive patterns of consumption? We can start now by buying locally grown food whenever possible. By doing so you'll be helping preserve the environment, and you'll be strengthening your community by investing your food dollar close to home. Only 18 cents of every dollar, when buying at a large supermarket, go to the grower. 82 cents go to various unnecessary middlemen. Cut them out of the picture and buy your food directly from your local farmer.

For a complete listing of Colorado farmers markets, pick up a copy of the 2010 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory, with information on more than 200 farmers markets, farms, ranches, roadside stands and other agricultural operations that reach out to the public. It’s free at participating libraries, chambers of commerce and at CSU Extension offices, and it’s also accessible online at www.coloradoagriculture.com/farmfresh.

In addition, this Saturday, June 5th is the Denver Handmade Homemade Market is having its first gig from 5-8pm! It is an alternative market place; one that brings community together and creates another venue for a local economy. We want to bring people together to share and exchange their passion for local food, art, crafts, and music. Here you can "donate" money for food/goods produced in local homes and backyards.

Now it's time to get our of the blogosphere and get out there!! Enjoy Colorado!

Okay. I'm definitely hooked on Go Local Sonoma County's website. There is so much excellent information on there that I couldn't help but make one more post on banking locally. The following information is taken from a post by Kelley Rajala and Terry Garrett.Make sure to follow the link to see a great Prezi on the Local Multiplier Effect. (Background: Prezi is similar to PowerPoint, but is less linear in both layout as well as scope.) Enjoy!

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The Local Multiplier Effect is a very valuable, hidden feature of our economies. The term refers to how many times dollars are recirculated within a local economy before leaving through the purchase of an import. Famed economist John Maynard Keynes first coined the term "Local Multiplier Effect" in his 1936 book The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money.

Prezi on the Local Multiplier Effect

 

 

 

Branching off of National Small Business Week, a tradition since 1963, our very own city is celebrating locally with Denver Small Business Week. (May 24th - 28th) Small business is big business in the City and County of Denver, making up approximately 83% of the total number of businesses in the Mile High City!

<!--break-->   Monday, May 24 Kick-Off Reception and Overview of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in Colorado

Confucius Institute at the Community College of Denver
1030 St. Francis Way Denver, CO 80204
(Free parking at the St. Francis Parking Lots)
 
4:00-4:45 pm     ARRA Overview
Maranda Pleau, Director of Minority and Small Business Outreach, Governor's Office
 
4:45-6:00 pm     Welcome Remarks and Networking
Community College of Denver
Denver Metro Small Business Development Center
Small Business Administration
City and County of Denver - Denver Office of Economic Development
Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council
 
Event is free - hors d'oeuvres will be served
RSVP FOR RECEPTION

 

Tuesday, May 25 ACCESS Opportunity with the City & County of Denver General Services/Purchasing Division

Rocky Mountain MSDC
1445 Market St., 2nd floor boardroom
Denver, CO 80202
 
9:00-10:30 am  
 The City of Denver's Purchasing Division procures goods and professional services for various city agencies. City buyers will be on-site to advise and answer your questions.
 
Event is free - light breakfast will be served
RSVP FOR ACCESS OPPORTUNITY
 

Wednesday, May 26 National Healthcare Reform: How It Will Impact Your Small Business

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
1445 Market St., 5th floor
Denver, CO 80202
 
8:00-10:00 am     Breakfast and Networking
 
9:00-11:00 am      Panel
Lorez Meinhold, Director of National Healthcare Reform Implementation, Governor's Office 
Marcy Morrison, Colorado Commissioner of Insurance
Ed Regalado, Broker, HUB International Insurance Services, Inc.
Leo Tokar, Vice-President of Marketing, Kaiser Permanente
 
Event is free - light breakfast will be served
RSVP FOR HEALTHCARE PANEL

 

Thursday, May 27 Road to Recovery 

Kimbal Hall
700 E. 24th Ave Denver, CO 80205
(free parking available across the street, entrance on Washington)
 
9:00-9:45 am     The Future of Capital
 Mark J. Martinez, Solera National Bank
Bob Martin, Small Business Administration
Jeff Romine, Denver Office of Economic Development
 
10:00-10:45 am     The Future of Human Capital Management
 
11:00-12:30 pm     The Future of Technology and Marketing
Eric Elkins, WideFocu.Us
Bart Lorang, Cloud Services
Kim Dushinski, Mobile Marketing Profits
Enrique Gutierrez, Qwest
LaSheita Sayer, ZoZo Marketing Group, LLC
Ellsworth Grant, DBE Today
Mark Mitton, Carbon 8
 
This is a free event - you can register for one or more of the panel discussions at the links above.

 

 

For more information on Denver’s Small Business Week, visit www.MileHigh.com or call 720-913-1999.