BIZ. Magazine - August 2013

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2013 Real Estate Report Inside this Edition

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August 2013

Downtown Bound Resurgence Comes to District

We’ve Got Him

Dave Ramsey Answers Business Questions

DELIVERED TO BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGHOUT SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER

LISTEN UP! Podcast of the Month Page 9

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Biz. Magazine • August 2013

The First Word

Auto Reply Blues

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When on vacation, be careful of the impression you make back at work hile vacationing with my family at the home of my sister-in-law and her husband, I tried to disconnect as much as possible. That being said, I found myself checking emails each morning and forwarding things to be handled, etc. in my absence. This routine left the rest of my day to enjoy time away from work. One morning, while checking his email, my sister-in-law’s husband read me an auto-reply from one of his colleagues, who was also on vacation.

“What of do you think of this auto reply?” he asked.

Since I don’t have the text of the auto-reply, the following is a paraphrase: “Thank you for your email. I am on vacation this week, and would normally say that I have limited access email. However, since we all have mobile devices and generally have access to email, I will say that I will be checking things on occasion. Since this is a vacation, and my wife says I have to refrain from working, chances are I won’t be responding to your email. If it is absolutely critical that your issue be handled this week, please resend the email, marking it “urgent” and I will attempt to forward it to someone at the office at some point.”

My response was “Wow.” I was slightly impressed with this person’s honesty, but was otherwise taken aback. Compounding my displeasure toward this auto reply was learning that it was written by the SALES AND MARKETING vice president of the company.

Giving (and hoping for) the benefit of the doubt, I asked if this was an “internal only” email address, or was it one for that would go to any person, including customers/clients? Apparently, it was the latter.

Ouch.

The need to take a break and “disconnect” is real. In fact, I encourage my team to get away every so often. However, our clients are the reason we even have jobs (and paid vacations). This auto reply (in my opinion) says several things to clients about this person — and by extension — his company. n Don’t bother me when I am on vacation. n Just because you are the client doesn’t give you special privileges. n We have no balance between business and personal lives at this company. n My family takes a back seat to work, most of the time. n Your need can wait till I get back (unless you mark it really, really urgent). Then it might get handled — if you are lucky. n My company endorses my position on this by virtue of the continued existence of this auto reply.

It is a good thing to take a break from work. In fact, good clients understand this, and are generally willing to wait until after a vacation for a resolution to their needs. However, a vacation is not a “right” to ignore a client — or a colleague for that matter.

Such a brazen attitude, like the one illustrated here, can damage or destroy a relationship. Every time we touch a client or colleague, we either build up our relationship, or damage it.

David Specht Jr. President of Specht Newspapers, Inc.

Emails (even auto responders) are but one way to “touch.”

However, they still carry the building and/or destroying power of other forms of communications. Be sure you are careful when you use them — even if you are on vacation.

Read his blog about leadership at www.DavidASpecht.com He may be reached via email at dspecht@bossierpress.com.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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Contents 20

More Than a Fishing Tournament

FLW bringing giveaways, celebrities to local area

On the Cover

16-17

Real Estate - By the Numbers

Find out how both residential and commercial realestate performed in 2012.

Downtown Shreveport is a hub of real estate activity as of late. Find out why.

Starting on Page 14.

27

Dave Ramsey on Business

National radio host and best-selling author Dave Ramsey answers business questions.

Regulars

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BIZ. News Online

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The BIZ. website at www.nwlabusiness.com is Shreveport-Bossier’s home for business news, updated as it happens. In addition, users can sign up for a free BIZ. Daily Report to keep up with BIZ. news from the comfort of their Inbox.

Want to advertise? http://nwlabusiness.com/2013-advertising-kit/ Volume 4, Number 5 | ©Copyright 2013 by Specht Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. BIZ. is published each month by Specht Newspapers, Inc. at 4250 Viking Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111. Telephone (318) 747-7900. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

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Biz. Magazine • August 2013

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Auto Reply Blues

5

Stand Out From the Crowd

6

Time for a Checkup

11

Shoot to Succeed

13

Are You Fanning the Flames?

31

Might As Well Get Comfortable

When on vacation, be care of the impression you leave

Setting yourself apart in relationship building

Where do you stand on your goals for 2013

Adding video to your marketing plan makes sense

Have a plan to deal with clients when you fall short

Blue Southern Comfort Foods is a new name in an old place

Tools You Can Use When it comes to winning in Business, it helps to have the right “tools” for the job.

Win-Win Powertools

Standing H Out

Setting Yourself Apart Key to Relationship Building

ave you ever wondered how many salespeople each of your clients or prospects sees and talks to on the average business day besides you? You would be surprised! Maybe you should ask for the client’s perspective of you and all the others wanting to sell products and services. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at your client’s reaction that you asked and cared.

Why should you care?

You should only care if you want to successfully develop a deeper relationship with your client and sell/help/serve him or her.

Your time-starved clients want you to cut to the chase and show them the value. They will resent you wasting their time, which is money. You’ll end up on the long list of sellers they don’t have time to see or talk to. They have too many people to see including their own customers and employees. They want you to do your homework so you know and can understand their needs.

They also expect that you know your product or service inside out, have practiced your presentation (regardless of your goal) and are ready to show them how your product or service will help them.

From The Crowd

Remember, I am a salesperson and have been one all my life… even before I had the title. I’m selling all of the time and my #1 product is me. When I saw the pencils pictured above, I was struck with how I wanted to be perceived in the world of sales. I wanted to be the sharp pencil! I wanted to stand out from the crowded world of salespeople. I needed to because I was just an average seller. I studied and practiced. I continually saw myself as sharpening my pencil. Steven Covey called it “Sharpening the Saw®” in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®.

Then it hit me. I realized that my clients see the pencils too. They told me that THEY want to work with the sharp pencil. They want to invest their time with sellers who know their product and have planned, prepared and practiced their presentation.

Jerry Frentress Speaker & Coach, Win-Win Power(ful) Tools for Sales, Service and Employee Interviewing. Website: www.WinWinPowerTools.com.

Business Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WinWinPowerTools . 453-6080 / Bossier City

Look at the pencils again; like which pencil do you want to be perceived? With which pencil do your clients or customers want to spend time and money?

Good Selling!

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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Marketing B-S (Bossier-Shreveport)

B

Time for a Checkup

Randy Brown

elieve it or not, we are now more than halfway through 2013. At the beginning of the year, we talked about developing a comprehensive marketing plan. So, it is time for a checkup. If your marketing plan is anything like mine, it has experienced both ups and downs at this point.

In terms of what did not work well, don’t let these things impede your future progress. Don’t be afraid to try again if this is something that you really believe in. We must all learn to evaluate the good, the bad and the ugly in these unsuccessful marketing ventures. We must always remember beyond the shadow of a doubt that we will live to see another day.

First, there are some things that have worked very well. Secondly, there are some things that have not worked so well. Finally, there are some parts of the plan that have not been implemented simply due to a lack of time or other extenuating circumstances. These are very general statements. So, let’s dig a little deeper.

In discussing what you have not yet had time to do in relation to your marketing plan, stay the course. Evaluate where your are and decide whether or not you still want to go after the things that you have yet to do. Should you wait until next year? Sometimes this is a hard question to answer. There is absolutely nothing wrong with waiting until next year or beyond if (after evaluation) you feel that this marking venture is worth the wait! There may be some opportunity costs that go by the wayside in relation to the foregone revenue that will result from delaying this opportunity. However, you must accept this and move on. Again, there will be another day.

Advertising/Marketing Guru He is the Advertising Director for Bossier Newspaper Publishing Company, Inc., publishers of the Bossier Press-Tribune and BIZ. Magazine Randy may be reached at rbrown@bossierpress.com

As far as the things you have tried that worked well, applause and accolades are definitely in order! Congratulations! Way to go! You did it!

Celebrate your success in a BIG way!

However, don’t get too complacent, as it will soon be time for a repeat performance!

Also, be aware of the proper management of your time (as we reviewed last month). As we said then, time management is a real skill....a constant and ever changing balancing act.

At the conclusion of each marketing project (no matter the outcome), sit down with your team, discuss the outcome(s). Be sure to take good notes. I place all of my project (debriefing) notes in a folder and file them together in a specific location so that I can easily access them in the future.

Plan to win, win often and win BIG! If In review, make sure that your marketing goals are: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

Put these five points together and they form the acronym SMART. When it comes to re-evaluating your marketing plan for the rest of 2013, remember that You Must Be SMART! This will be hard and detailed work, but remember to make it fun too! Good luck and good marketing!

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Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Daily Business News. Delivered.

The BIZ. Daily Report.

Sign Up at www.nwlabusiness.com August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

7

Biz Tools

Do Something The speed of business is ever increasing. The successful business leader stays on top of the tools and information to help his company grow.

Books

What are we reading?

The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be.

And so one day, desperate to land a key sale at the end of a bad quarter, he seeks advice from the enigmatic Pindar, a legendary consultant referred to by his many devotees simply as the Chairman.

Order the book here.

The Five somewhat counter-intuitive Laws Joe learns from this kind and caring man will make a huge difference in both his personal and professional success.

What are they reading?

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, Jeff Speck

Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer Sean Green

I Am A Church Member, Thom Rainer

The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn

David Specht Jr.

Lisa Johnson

Liz Swaine

App of the Month If you have files. You need Dropbox. This free app is a “cloud-accesible” repository for nearly anything you want to throw at it.

From images and documents, to videos and applications, Dropbox keeps everything you use right where you need it.

Dropbox stores files in its cloud servers, but automatically syncs with all your devices. No waiting on uploads and downloads when you need a file.

Another nice feature of Dropbox is the ability to share files and folders with others — making it a great tool for collaboration.

The free edition comes with 2GB of space, but that can be expanded for free by adding referrals 500MB at a time (Up to 18GB.) Dropbox is available for Apple, PC, iPhone, Android and a host of other platforms.

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Biz. Magazine • August 2013

More Tools Listen Up Podcast of the Month This Is Your Life By Michael Hyatt

This Is Your Life is a weekly podcast dedicated to intentional leadership. It’s goal is to help you live with more passion, work with greater focus, and lead with extraordinary influence. The podcast is posted on Wednesday morning of each week. If you subscribe, you will automatically get every episode for free.

Worth Following Blog of the Month UnCommonSernseMarketing with Amy Kinnaird uncommonsensemarketing.com/blog If you are looking for someone who is local and “gets it” when it comes to marketing, both traditional and social, then Amy Kinnaird should be on your radar, and “must follow” list.

Amy says on her “about” page: “My expertise comes from 30 years of marketing computers and software, and training hundreds of users in technology. I have a natural ability to look at a business and see where technology is needed. You’ll appreciate how I can quickly come up with solutions and create a plan to implement them.

“My corporate background includes 15 years at IBM as a Systems Engineer and Marketing Rep. I then worked 13 years for another tech company selling, training, and supporting software for school districts.

“Now in my own business, Uncommon Sense Marketing, I train business owners and entrepreneurs. I teach them how to use the latest marketing tools and techniques to attract and keep clients. Being a marketing consultant with a very technical background my clients experience the best of both worlds. I make the techie stuff easy to understand and enjoy brainstorming new ideas with them.”

SOURCE: UNCOMMONSENSEMARKETING.COM

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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EMPOWERING the Northwest Louisiana workforce

www.bpcc.edu

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S p k a

V m

10 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Uncommon Sense Marketing

Shoot to Succeed...

Y

Adding video to your marketing mix is not difficult, nor expensive our business could benefit from the use of video marketing. By creating and sharing videos, you create a buzz about your business. While there are other video platforms, YouTube is your first stop. After all, Google owns YouTube, so your presence there helps your Google rankings. Consider this: 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and over 6 billion hours of video are watched each month! Bottom line: people are creating and watching videos like crazy.

Amy Kinnaird

Social Media Evangelist She trains business owners and entrepreneurs how to use the latest marketing tools and techniques to attract and keep clients.

View Amy’s website at www.uncommonsensemarketing.com.

With 1 billion unique visitors each month, your audience is there.

Often I hear this, “I don’t want to be on camera, so I don’t create videos for my business.” Luckily, the talking-head version isn’t the only way to go.

One solution could be to video somebody else delivering the message. Or check out these ideas: n Do a video tour of your office or facility n Interview some of your key employees. How about showcasing the woman that answers your phone or the guy working in your plant? n Get a video testimony from your happy customers

n Demonstrate how to use your new product n Show how your product is made n Answer frequently asked questions, one question per clip n Instead of writing your blog, share the same ideas in a video n You can do a screen capture demonstration of something on your computer. This is a popular tool for training.

caption text. These steps will help your videos show up in searches.

It’s time to add this marketing tool to your business. Let the filming begin!

Don’t forget that your fancy smart phone has a really nice camera on it.

If you are out and see something that would be of interest to your audience, why not take a short video to share with your followers?

After you create your videos, you easily upload them to your YouTube channel (which is free).

Then you can post them on your website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest.

You may also want to share some in LinkedIn. Keep your videos short – usually no more than a couple of minutes. We’re all busy and our attention span isn’t very long. Also, search engines can’t really understand the content of your video, so do two additional things: 1) write and upload the transcript of your video and 2) add closed August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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Business Development

Putting All the Pieces Together

T

Center provides many services aimed at helping small businesses start up and grow he Louisiana Small Business Development Center, part of the national network of “America’s SBDC’s,” plays a critical role in the health of small businesses. The LSBDC at LSU Shreveport is nationally accredited, and assists small businesses to start and grow, to develop strategy and access capital needed for expansion, to provide advice on regulations, to prepare for government contracting and to be first business responders when disaster strikes. The Center also works with entrepreneurs from the pre-venture phase all the way through business starts and expansions.

Small businesses are job creators and innovators. For example, America’s SBDC network accounts for one job created every 7 minutes and a new business every 36 minutes. In Louisiana between October 2011 and September 2012, the LSBDC network accounted for 165 business starts, 964 jobs created and capital infusion of over $54 million. There were 5,108 clients counseled, and 7,884 entrepreneurs attended training set up by the LSBDC network. The current client mix at the LSBDC, LSU-Shreveport, is 55% existing businesses and 45% startup, demonstrating that any business, from conception through years of growth, can benefit from the expertise available at the Louisiana Small Business Development Centers.

The LSBDC-LSUS offers both training workshops and one-on-one consulting by professionals – who also have in-depth real-world knowledge. Many of the consultants are small business owners themselves and can offer insight and lessonslearned when starting and operating a small business. All the consultants in Louisiana act as a team and can rely on expert support advice from any of the 10 Centers throughout the state. And one of the very special aspects of the consultant services is that they are at no cost to the clients. Also at no cost to clients is a nationally focused research hub in Hammond, Louisiana. The Research Center offers numerous methods of learning about business status and competition; with demographic and industry report information also available at no cost to the LSBDC clients.

Rande Kessler Director of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at LSUS.

12 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

The LSBDC-LSUS provides management and technical assistance to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs every year through no-cost face-to-face consulting, and low-cost training. LSBDC is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Louisiana Economic Development, and LSBDC staff are knowledgeable about programs those organizations have to boost small business. Also offered monthly are no-cost “Starting and Financing Your Business” workshops to aspiring and experienced business owners.

Check out our website at www.lsbdc.org to find the next workshop date as well as resources and small business planning tools.

The LSBDC, part of America’s SBDC network, is a cost-effective way to create jobs, grow the economy, enhance American competitiveness and fulfill the American dream.

Sales Power Tips

Are You Fanning the Flames or Putting out the Fire?

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Recovering from the inevitable shortcomings in sales e all have times where for whatever reason we fall short of a customer’s expectations and of our standards. We mess up. Things happen. Nobody’s perfect. But, how you handle that is the difference between a true professional and one who would aspires to be. One of the keys I’ve found over the years is simply this: Tell the customer what you CAN do instead of what you CAN’T do. It’s just that simple.

If you’ve missed a delivery date, instead of telling them what you aren’t capable of — just tell them what you can do to make it right. Don’t focus on the negative, lean toward the positive.

Have an order for a customer get fouled up? Instead of telling them all the ways you can’t solve their problem, how about focusing on the ways you can?The customer’s attitude and acceptance is drastically different based on how you approach the situation.

As salespeople, we all have “fires to put out” from time to time—but, are you fanning the flames or putting the fire out?

Butch Bellah Butch Bellah is a Sales, Business and Personal Development Coach and Speaker working to help businesses not only survive, but THRIVE in today’s economy. He has been named one of the Top 100 Sales Experts to follow on Twitter where you can follow him on at http://www.twitter.com/salespowertips or on his website at www.butchbellah.com. Reach him at 337-384-9204 or by email at butchbellah@gmail.com.

Your reaction, attitude and willingness to solve the problem dictates in large part how the customer views the issue.

Make it better. Not worse. Put the fire out–don’t pour fuel on it.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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Cover Story

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14 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Cover Story STORY BY Sean Green

Real Estate Report

Old Spaces Are Made New Again

E

Downtown Shreveport sees resurgence, thanks to grants, programs & building owners

veryone needs their own space. And for some business owners, that means nesting in a place that is unique, located amid the daily hustle and bustle. The historic buildings in downtown Shreveport check all the right boxes. “I’ve not met a person who isn’t intrigued with the thought of owning a historic building. If walls could talk — it’s amazing what stories these buildings could tell,” mused Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Liz Swaine.

“They’re constructed in ways and with materials that are no longer available and even if they were-would cost a tremendous amount. People feel a special kinship to these buildings. They’re like a part of the history of who and what we are, come to life.”

DDA encourages businesspeople to buy into downtown Shreveport and rehabilitate its buildings by offering both incentives and partnerships. The incentives include information on State Historic Commercial Tax Credits, free permits, and façade grants and low interest loans offered by the non-profit Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation.

“As important as the financial help is, the help in working through issues with permits, inspections, the State Fire Marshal, and making certain you have the electricity your building needs are equally important,” said Swaine.

“We help with that as well through a Performance Code initiative we began with the State Fire Marshal. This allows us to try to run some of the traps and get answers to questions before construction begins, saving time, money and headaches.”

Among the various upcoming projects and ones currently ongoing, the larger of the recently-completed proj-

People feel a special kinship to these buildings.

They’re like a part of the history of who and what we are, come to life.

Liz Swaine Downtown Development Authority Executive Director

ects include the old Ogilvie Hardware building’s conversion to apartments, the historic Central Fire Station’s conversion to the Shreveport Regional Arts Council’s new home, the George T. Bishop building on Spring Street becoming the new digs of Mark Prevot Design, and an entire block of construction in the 700 block of Texas Street that has transformed three old buildings into new uses while expanding and improving a fourth space.

Even though it’s a romantic notion to rid downtown of urban blight while simultaneously finding a cool, hip place to work, there are some important decisions to be made.

“While everyone is intrigued with ownership of an historic building, not everyone should own one,” Swaine ad-

vised. “If the building has been vacant for a number of years, nothing will be up to code, there may be structural or roof issues, it will lack modern fire safety. It’s important to be realistic about the overall cost and have the capital to complete the project.”

Even if you don’t want to work in one of the spaces, downtown has several success stories of business investments.

In 1927, Ogilvie Hardware was the spot for home and outdoor supplies. Now it’s just home.

In 2011, the building and the four acres it sits on were purchased by Provident Realty Advisors, Inc., of Dallas, Texas, with the intention of developing 90-open concept loft apartments. The project was made possible in large part by the State of Louisiana’s Historic Commercial Tax Credits.

Reopened in October last year, the modern style warehouse has a new lease on life.

“I’m proud that there are companies like Provident Realty Advisors who are willing to take a risk and spend the money needed to put a beautiful old building back into commerce andmake money in the process,” said Swaine.

DDA is sweetening the pot by providing tools that help businesses attain properties and make it easier, as well.

In October, the Downtown Development Authority partnered with State Fire Marshal Butch Browning, the City of Shreveport and State of Louisiana to unveil a new way of encouraging development downtown by cutting through red tape.

The partners launched a Performance Code plan

Continued on Page 19

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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Real Estate Report

When you watch things on national television and see some areas that have really struggled due to prices going up quickly and crashing, we didn’t have that here. Our increases were slow & steady.

By the Numbers — Residential Most Expensive Home Sold in Bossier Parish in 2012: 343 Spring Branch Road (on Lake Bistineau) 4.1 acres 5,878 sq. ft. $1.3 million Sold July 27, 2012

Most Expensive Home Sold in Caddo Parish in 2012: 910 Ockley St. Shreveport $1.36 million

Residential Real Estate Report provided by the Northwest Louisiana Association of Realtors: Statistics are Year To Date ending in July 2013 Average Sales Price Year to Date “YTD”: $172,356 2012: $167,701

2013 YTD Sold Transactions: 2030 2012: 2079 Current Housing Inventory (in months) 6.39 2012: 5.39 2013 YTD Top 5 Neighborhood home selling Data*: North Bossier 257 South Bossier 143 Haughton 138 Ellerbe Road Area 124 Broadmoor West 123 2012 YTD Top 5 Neighborhood home selling Data*: North Bossier 267 Ellerbe Road Area 145 South Bossier 140 Haughton 123 LSU-S area 112 *Does not include new construction/development

2013 Median Sales Price YTD: $160,000 2012: $152,800

16 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

www.nwlar.org

Robyn Locke, Association Executive for the Northwest Louisiana Association of Realtors

Real Estate Report

Commercial Real Estate When it comes to locations, Shreveport-Bossier’s market continues on an upward trend.

Office Market

Retail Market

Industrial Market

Downtown: U. L. Coleman Company, Ltd. conducts surveys at the end of the first and third quarter of each year, of the 21 multi-tenant office buildings composing 2.14 million rentable square feet in the Shreveport Central Business District.

Occupancy for the overall retail market was 92.2% in the fourth quarter of 2012. There was one sale of inventoried property in 2012. University Shopping Center, located at the comer of Youree Dr. and E. 70th St., sold for $29,571,400 or $146.64 per square foot.

The industrial market is comprised of two categories: office/service center and multi-tenant warehouse. Five Bossier City bulk warehouses were added to the survey in the fourth quarter of 2010 for a total of 140,130 square feet. The current survey contains 83 properties of which 66 are bulk warehouses and 17 are office/service center properties.

The latest survey indicates an overall occupancy rate of 85%, which is down 3% compared to third quarter of 2011. Average rental rates range from $12.31 to $13.66 per square foot.

No surveyed downtown office buildings have sold during 2012. One surveyed downtown office building sold during 2008, with none sold in 2009,2010 or 2011.

Suburban: The suburban market incorporates 42 multi-tenant office buildings with a total of 1.68 million square feet of rentable space, including 298,070 vacant square feet. The suburban office building market indicates an overall occupancy rate of 82%, which was down 5% compared to third quarter of 2011.

Rental rates increased slightly during this period, with a $0.19 per square foot increase in the average rent quoted.

None of the surveyed suburban office buildings sold in 2012, while one sold in 2011.

In the second quarter of 2012 the 300 section of the Shoppes at Bellmead was added for an increase of 19,702 square feet. Three new properties were added in the second quarter of 2011. Bayou Plaza, a specialty retail center comprised of three buildings totaling 51,360 square feet on Youree Drive in Shreveport, Northwood Shopping Center, a 20,848 square foot specialty center on North Market in north Shreveport, and Villaggio Main Street, a 56,275 square foot specialty property on E. Texas in Bossier City were added.

Stirhng Bossier, located at 1-220 and Airline Drive, opened in the fourth quarter of 2007. Phases II - IV at Stirling Bossier were added in the fourth quarter of 2009. Phase V has been completed and will be added to our list of inventoried properties in 2013. Phase VI is underway and we will continue to monitor this and other new retail developments.

The quarterly survey now samples 502,631 square feet of office/service center space, and 7,510,755 square feet of bulk warehouse space. The lower than average bulk warehouse occupancy is due to a number of large buildings at the Slack Industrial Park having available space as well as multiple General Motors supplier buildings being vacant during this period. The table is provided to show trends in rental rates and occupancy for these two property types from 2006 through the fourth quarter 2012.

Source: U.L. Coleman Company

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

17

Spotlight

STORY BY Amanda Crane

Luxury with Conscience

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Coates Bluff development to incorporate environmentally focused elements with top-notch amenities

new, energy-conscientious community is on the way to the Shreveport riverfront. According U.L. Coleman Companies’ Marketing Manager Ed Prokopf, his company’s latest development, Coates Blu at Wright Island is the “newest environmentally focused community with one and two bedroom residences that will promote energy savings.â€?

The 252-unit development under construction in Shreveport o Clyde Fant Parkway, is just minutes from downtown Shreveport and the I-20 corridor.

The luxury apartments feature activity programming and concierge level services, providing residents resort-style living right in their own back yard. “You cannot see it from the road. You’re so tucked in to where the trees are that it creates a whole new environment,�

Prokopf said. “What’s going to make this community unique is its rich, Louisiana-style, plantation feel. You see a lot of designs like this in Baton Rouge.�

This is one of the several projects the company has undertaken. But it’s long-anticipated residential and commercial combination development in south Bossier, Walker Place, is

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still awaiting approval.

The property was initially delayed by a Bossier City lawsuit ďŹ led four years ago. The residential-commercial combination development is still on hold despite a settlement between developer U.L. Coleman Companies and the city in December 2012. “The status has not changed. It’s still in planning,â€? Ed Prokopf, Marketing Manager for U.L. Coleman, said. “There are still some additional considerations that have to be weighed, measured and considered.â€?

A settlement in December 2012 saw the city grant the company a desired curb cut on the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, plus millions in infrastructure costs, and donated land for a city park. U.L. Coleman Company agreed to fund $100,000 to implement regulations to provide standards for future residential and commercial development in the Barksdale Boulevard corridor in South Bossier.

For a list of amenities for Coates Blu at Wright Island or to apply, call 318-868-9000 or visit http://coatesblu.ulcoleman.com/

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An artist’s rendering of the overhead view of the Coates Bluff development.

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Cover Story Downtown: Tax credits help in many ways From Page 15 aimed at getting together everyone who will have oversight on a historic remodel before plans are drawn and significant money is spent. The goal is that these “preliminary reviews” will result in better, smarter and potentially less-expensive ways for owners to improve their buildings and get them back in commerce.

“This has been tremendously helpful in opening up a pipeline to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. SFM Butch Browning is very business-minded and wants his office to assist getting buildings back into commerce, as vacant and under-utilized buildings do no one any good. Chief Plans Examiner Don Zeringue has been giving quick, personal attention to projects that come through this committee. It seems to have helped in not only speeding the process but helping us negotiate some issues to save the building owners money,”

said Swaine.

In downtown Shreveport and in cities and towns across the state, the Commercial (Historic) Tax Credit has helped increase money to state and local coffers by returning underutilized, vacant and severely neglected buildings to commerce.

Louisiana’s credit works by offering up to 25% of qualified costs on a historic rehabilitation up to $5 million. Those credits can be sold for cash within five years or kept and used toward a future tax bill.

“This is really the most important tool we have. When you consider that stacking State Historic Tax Credits and Federal Credits can return up to 45% of the investment in a building, no wonder developers from all over the country are interested,” Swaine said.

Since the tax credits were first approved by the legislature in 2002, downtown Shreveport has seen 11 projects completed, including artspace and Robinson Film Center. Prior to the construction, those two buildings were vacant and unused and their return to usefulness has meant more tax revenue, more jobs and more opportunities.

What’s Happening Downtown?

New construction: The Emmett Hook Performance Center, Millennium Film Studios, and a soon-to-be-constructed Family Dollar Store on Common Street.

Under construction: Municipal Auditorium, the old Sears building and two adjoining buildings in the 600 block of Texas Street, the historic Johnson Building in the 400 block of Milam Street, the Petroleum Building and Home Federal Bank in the 600 block of Market Street, and CoHabitat’s new space in the Red River District among others.

Upcoming projects: The Allen Building’s conversion to the new Southern University School of Nursing in the 600 block of Texas Street, and the possible conversion of another large vacant building to upscale apartments in the 300 block of Texas.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

19

NWLA Tourism

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STORY BY Chris Jay

More Than Just a Fishing Tournament FLW Expo to include giveaways, celebrity appearances

rganizers have announced details of the 2013 FLW Forrest Wood Cup, FLW Outdoors’ largest bass fishing tournament of the year, which will be held on the Red River in Shreveport-Bossier, Aug. 15-18. In addition to daily launches at Red River South Marina and weigh-ins at CenturyLink Center, the event will include the FLW Expo at Shreveport Convention Center, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Aug. 16-18. One of the outdoor industry’s largest expos, the FLW Expo offers fans a busy schedule of celebrity appearances, educational seminars, giveaways and more. Admission is free.

Here are some highlights of the 2013 FLW Expo:

Meet Swamp People Cast Members On Saturday, Aug. 17, Swamp People™ on

20 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

History® cast members Troy Broussard and Harlan Hatcher will meet fans and sign autographs at the FLW Expo, 12-4 p.m. Fans will have a second opportunity to meet Swamp People™ cast members when Troy Landry, Chase Landry, Troy Broussard and Harlan Hatcher meet fans and sign autographs, 12-4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, at the FLW Expo.

Giveaways The first 500 children ages 14 and under to be admitted to the FLW Expo on Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18 will receive a coupon redeemable for a free rod and reel combo and tackle kit courtesy of 1130 AM The Tiger. The coupons may be redeemed at the main exits of the CenturyLink Center following tournament weigh-ins on Saturday and Sunday.

Fishing Seminars A variety of free fishing seminars will be

offered at Shreveport Convention Center during the FLW Expo. A seminar focusing on antique fishing lures will be held, 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 17. Pro fishing legend and outdoor television host Hank Parker will present a fishing seminar, 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, with the first 30 fans in attendance receiving a free lure. A total of 10 free seminars will be offered throughout the event.

FLW encourages fans to park at the CenturyLink Center and catch a free ride to the Shreveport Convention Center on a dedicated shuttle. Shuttles will run continuously between the CenturyLink Center and the Shreveport Convention Center, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Aug. 16-18.

For complete details of the 2013 FLW Forrest Wood Cup, visit www.sbfunguide.com or www.forrestwoodcup.com.

Photo By David Brown The FLW Expo will be held at the Shreveport Convention Cetner Aug. 16-18.

Troy Broussard and Harlan Hatcher of Swamp People will be at the FLW Expo.

Congratulations

Helen Godfrey-Smith, Chairman Elect, Murray W. Viser, Chairman, Woody Schick, Past-Chairman, Tom Brice, Chris Haskew, Dick Bremer, Dr. Phillip Rozeman, Robert L. Dean, Johnette Magner, Jacqueline Scott, Scotty Amos, Kent Rogers, Steve Roop, Troy J. Broussard, Robert Lewis, Pete Zanmiller, Dr. Joseph McCulloch, Boyd Parker, and John Coutret.

Board Members not pictured: Rich DesCoteaux, Marianne Nelson, Janice Sneed, and Daniel Van

Join the Chamber today!

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

21

Your busine business s iiss our busine business. sss.

Allegra is locally owned and operated. We live, work and play in the same neighborhoods and communities as you. We are passionate about business. Not just ours, but yours too. Let’s face it – we’re not successful unless you are. When you par tner with Allegra, you have a par tner who understands what you need and how to get results.

Allegra A llegra M Marketing arketing P Print rint M Mail ail

Tina & James Breedlove Owners

509 Market Street, Shrevepor t, L A 71101 318.222.6111 allegramarketingsb.com

MARKETING

22 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

PRINT

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DESIGN

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SIGNS & BANNERS

PROMOTIONAL

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Downtown Development

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Downtown Bound

Why businesses may want to consider locating downtown wise person once joked that a clean desk was the sign of a sick mind. I’m happy to report that based on that criteria, my mind is very healthy indeed. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that ‘organized’ clutter can be a good thing when the reason behind it is activity — and there is serious activity in downtown Shreveport. Multi-million dollar developments, both finished and soon-tolaunch, dot the landscape.

Liz Swaine

Downtown Development Authority Executive Director

The City of Shreveport and Caddo Parish have joined forces to give a big boost to a new art and culture district called Shreveport Common, state and federal historic tax credits are giving developers more reason to save our inventory of historic buildings, and downtown venues continue to be ‘the’ place for popular events. Downtown is hitting its stride. Again.

Up through the 1950s, downtown was the first place people shopped, went to the movies, ate, worked, socialized and went to church. As suburbs and shopping malls developed, downtowns across the country went into decline.

town Shreveport is working to engage these young trendy professionals with co-working space, educational and networking opportunities and entertainment while not losing sight of our traditional business models.

During this period, many also lost most of the historic buildings that made them unique.

Shreveport did not.

The Downtown Development Authority and sister organization Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation provide incentives for business and building rehabs, work with city permits, zoning, the State Fire Marshal and others to ease the often-confusing path of construction and expansion, offer advice and networking opportunities and provide a commonsense bridge between business and government.

Downtowns that are positioning themselves to take advantage of the trends in smart growth and sustainability are returning in a big way. The young entrepreneurs and important ‘creatives’ love the ease of living near where they work, the ‘recycling’ of old buildings, and the art and vibrancy that downtowns attract.

Up-and-coming Millennials are now moving to a place that speaks to them, then finding -or creating- a job. This is quite different from moving to a place simply because that’s where the job is located. It’s a brave new world out there. Down-

More than 12,000 people work downtown Monday-Friday, formerly vacant buildings now house art galleries, movie theaters, apartments, condos, office and event space and more is on the way.

The place where it all began will soon be the place where it’s happening again.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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We Make You (And Your Business)

Look Your Best Brochures Business Cards Posters Banners Need Anything Printed? Just Ask!

Webster Printing Company

716 Broadway, Minden, Louisiana 71055 | (318) 377-8518 | Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday

24 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Briefly

Angie Risley

Shelly Vigé

LWCC Promotes Two Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) has announced two new promotions: Angie Risley is now the manager of financial reporting, and Shelly Vigé is the premium audit manager.

2013 Willow Creek Leadership Summit to be held at First United Methodist of Shreveport

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day, world-class leadership event experienced by more than 170,000 leaders around the world, representing more than 14,000 churches. It’s telecast LIVE from Willow’s campus (near Chicago) every August.

Throughout the fall, Summit events take place in an additional 300+ cities, 92 countries—and translated into 42 languages. This event is crafted to infuse vision, skill development and inspiration for the sake of local church transformation.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY… Founded in 1992, Willow Creek Association (WCA) is the organization behind The Global Leadership Summit. They serve pioneering pastors and leaders around the world by curating inspirational leadership, intentional skill development and experiences that help local churches thrive.

SERVING LEADERS IN THE ARK-LA-TEX… First United Methodist Church in Shreveport is privileged to take part in this two day event, helping serve leaders in the Ark-la-tex.

Each year for the Summit, we transform Bain Hall on the First Shreveport campus into a first-rate venue for the live simulcast, fully equipped with state of the art projection and media power stations in order to give you the best experience and help you feel like your in the midst of the conference without having to travel or provide costly overnight expenses for your staff.

We would love for you and your team to engage with us through the vision, training and resources provided by the 2013 Willow Creek Leadership Summit.

To register visit: http://firstleadership.org/2013/06/05/2013 -willow-creek-leadership-summit/

Risley has been with LWCC since 2003 when she was hired as a senior accountant. She has also held the title of senior financial analyst.

Risley, who was born and raised in Lafayette, earned her B.S. degree in finance, with a minor in accounting, from Southeastern Louisiana University.

It’s like receiving a business book each month.

Don’t Miss a Single Issue!

Vigé was born in Baton Rouge and raised in Brusly. She is one of a handful of employees with more than 20 years of service to LWCC, having joined the organization in 1992. She has held a number of positions in that time, including agency relations coordinator in Marketing and business analyst in Information Technology Services. Vigé was most recently a technology and operations specialist.

Vigé earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 2007 and is an active member of the Bayou Chapter of the CPCU Society.

LWCC (www.lwcc.com) is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company that is the largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana. The company carries an “A” (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best.

Feds: Louisiana Adds More than 28,000 Jobs over the Year BATON ROUGE — Louisiana’s private sector added 28,400 jobs over the past year, according to seasonally adjusted data for June released by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For 34 consecutive months, private sector employment has increased from the same month in the prior year.

Total nonfarm employment – private and government employment – in June was 1,946,500, an increase of 21,700 jobs over the year.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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26 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Dave Says — On Business

Business Q&A Creating a no-gossip culture Dear Dave, I have a small business with 17 people in the main office and another 44 mobile techs in the field. We had a merger last year, and although we’ve overcome rivalries and other difficulties, gossip is a huge issue in the office. How can we solve this problem and still maintain morale?

Chad Dear Chad, I have a zero-tolerance policy for gossip. Gossip will absolutely destroy an organization, and most places that have gossip running rampant are just cesspools. I can’t imagine wanting to be a part of a situation like that. Gossip is small-minded, it shuts down everyone involved, and the worst gossip of all is when workers gossip about the person who pays them!

It’s really simple at my place. My team knows they need to go to someone in leadership if they’ve got a problem or something’s bothering them. They know better than to stand around and complain to the receptionist about something someone in another department did or said.

Negatives go up, and positives go down. If you’ve got a problem, you take it to someone who can fix the problem.

If I walked into the kind of mess you’re talking about, I’d call a staff meeting, and we’d definitely cut that cancer out. I’d have no problem telling them if they want to keep their jobs they’d better cut out the gossip and stop acting like a bunch of teenage drama queens. I’m not talking about being a bully. I’m talking about being clear and blunt about what will and will not be tolerated in your organization.

You may have to be a tough guy for a while and fire a few people. That’s okay, because there are lots of folks out there looking for work who can take their places. But as a result, you’ll be left with people who want to work there, who want to be responsible, mature team members, and a culture that defends itself against gossip.

—Dave

The first team meeting Dear Dave, Our company is about to have it’s first-ever employee meeting. Do you have any suggestions on how to conduct something like this?

Brooke Dear Brooke, If you have an existing company, and you’ve never had an employee meeting in the past, I think the first one should be spent explaining why you’ve decided to have employee meetings.

We have staff meetings every week with all 300 team members, mainly for the purpose of communication between the different departments and divisions. We cheerlead when things are going right, and lots of times I’ll read email letters bragging on various team members.

Dave Ramsey Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

Now, no company is perfect, and sometimes there’s housecleaning to be done. That kind of stuff isn’t always pretty, but we tell the truth and shoot straight with the team about these issues. Occasionally, I’ll even use one of the meetings to teach on the principles of the way we run the company. This can cover accounting, marketing, or even the concepts of unity and loyalty.

Just do things gradually, and don’t hit your team with too much right off the bat. You might even take suggestions from your team as to what they feel would be beneficial in your meetings.

—Dave

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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T

On the Economic Development Front

Attracting Business NLEP helps communities become ready for economic development

he old business saying: location, location, location is so true in economic development. Companies move to communities that have good sites and locations. That’s why North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), a regional economic development organization, has dedicated resources to helping communities identify and create marketable, development-ready sites.

NLEP is working with our state and local partners to increase our portfolio of available sites in order to create more economic opportunities. Two Louisiana programs: Economic Development Site Readiness and Louisiana Certified Sites focus on improving the state’s and the region’s asset inventory.

The Louisiana Certified Sites program designates industrial or commercial property as development ready after the site passes a rigorous review process. The property is evaluated by a third party engineering firm for specific site details, including title work, zoning restrictions, environmental studies, soil analysis, and surveys. The

Certified Sites designation enhances the marketability of the site, because it assures potential buyers that the property has been checked out. The certification also indicates there shouldn’t be any major surprises that could derail a project.

In today’s fast paced business environment, companies are looking for sites that they can build on within a short time frame. Certified sites often allow companies to fast track their projects. The program also forces landowners to do most of their homework up front, so they can respond faster to a company’s request for information as it searches for available properties.

Currently, there are six certified sites within NLEP’s 14-parish region. A 313 acre site off of I-20 and Greenwood Road in Shreveport, a 90 acre tract at the Port of Caddo-Bossier, Ward II Industrial Park’s 950 acre site in Caddo Parish, the 700 acre Charleston Industrial Park in Ouachita Parish, and the 725 acre Millhaven North Business Park in Monroe were certified under the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) program. A 360 acre tract at the Port of Natchitoches was certified by

McCallum Sweeney Consulting as part of CLECO’s SmartSites program. Since receiving the Certified Sites designation, these properties have attracted interest from prospective companies.

NLEP and its local partners assisted many of these property owners in undergoing the rigorous and lengthy certification process. Our goal is to certify at least two sites in each of the 14 parishes that we serve.

Another program recently launched by LED, the state’s lead economic development agency, is the Economic Development Site Readiness program.

This program focuses on identifying, improving and marketing industrial sites that can be competitive globally.

Those sites are eligible for partial state funding to pay for services that would improve their competitiveness, including environmental studies and assessments, wetland delineation and mitigation, lot layout plans, grading and drainage plans, other site prep work and marketing materials.

For more information on the Louisiana Certified Sites and the Economic Development Site Readiness programs, visit www.nlep.org and click on site selection.

T

Scott Martinez President, NLEP He is the President of North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), a publicprivate partnership dedicated to promoting economic development in North Louisiana. Send comments to feedback@nlep.org.

28 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

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From the Bossier Chamber

Real Estate, from the Banks’ Perspective

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Lending institutions sometimes hamstrung by new regulations passed in wake of financial crisis

he residential real estate market in Northwest Louisiana has been remarkably resilient compared to other markets in the country and even across the South for the past several years. This resilience can be attributed to many individual components: the expansion of Barksdale Air Force Base, the drilling and production activity in the Haynesville Shale and the continued success of the film and gaming industries. These factors have prevented our region from experiencing the rapid and significant home price appreciation that other parts of the country have encountered.

While it appears markets are beginning to firm up in some of the harder hit areas (i.e. California, Nevada and Florida), regulations that have been written as a result of the financial crisis are just now starting to hamstring the lending services industry. At a time when American financial institutions need to be positioned to help with the recovery, these same institutions are “battening down the hatches” to prepare for the implementation of these new and unnecessary regulations. You may be asking yourself, “Why is Jason ranting about regulations in a piece about real estate?” Well, I am glad you asked!

Financial services in general and the availability of efficient lending services in particular are crucial to the market to facilitate the sales transaction. There are scores of real estate sales contracts that have not been able to close because the lending component of the transaction could not deliver financing.

Since most home buyers finance the purchase, the lending component of the transaction is crucial. With the regulatory burden that is being added to the financial services industry, these transactions will become more difficult to close. That said, I would offer the following advice to those looking to buy a home in the future.

First, it is never too early to contact your lender to find out what the requirements are for the loan you will need to purchase your home. Second, choose a lender based on their knowledge of the market, the process of buying or refinancing a home and the likelihood the lender will be able to close the transaction as you have requested. Third, choose the loan product that is most suited for your plans regarding the home. Fourth, always attempt to put at least ten percent of the purchase price down when buying a home.

Finally, make sure you have a payment that you can live with today and in the future; a financially mature buyer should always be cognizant of the difference between what they can qualify for vs. what they can actually afford.

Jason Smith Citizens National Bank Jason is 2013 Chairman of the Board of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce.

The availability of quality, affordable housing is one positive attribute that makes Bossier-Shreveport a great place to live, work and raise a family.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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30 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

Lunch Break

Might As Well Get Comfortable The Blue Burger

B

Familiar address offers memorable taste lue Southern Comfort Foods, a tiny, neighborhood eatery with a fantastic signature burger, recently opened at 1173 Louisiana Avenue in Shreveport. If the location seems familiar, that’s because it has been home to a series of beloved, eccentric restaurants, including the Burnin’ Spear Caribbean Cafe and Slap Your Mama Barbecue. The menu at Blue offers up a handful of popular Southern dishes, including barbecue shrimp ($12) and braised short ribs ($11.95), as well as a trio of handmade burgers and seasonal side items.

Chris Jay Public Relations and Social Media Manager, Shreveport Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. He is a monthly contributor to Biz. Magazine.

He may be reached via email at cjay@sbctb.org.

Typically, I’d do my best to briefly describe all three of the meals I’ve had at Blue, but there’s no time for that. We need to talk about the Blue Burger ($9.95) as soon as possible. A fist-sized serving of high-quality ground beef topped with shredded Gruyère cheese, homemade bacon marmalade and mixed greens, this hamburger instantly became one of my favorites in town.

What it lacks in enormity (compared to, say, the

burgers from Fumblebrewski’s) or old-fashioned, don’t-mess-with-perfection appeal (a la Gullo’s, Rollin’ in the Dough or even George’s Grill), it more than makes up for by being covered in homemade bacon marmalade. The hashtag “#YOLO” should really be stamped next to its listing on the menu.

“I just believe in buying the best ground beef that I can,” Manning said of the burger. “A burger doesn’t need to be stuffed with all sorts of things. Just buy good meat, that’s the key.” Struck dumb by the awesome powers of bacon marmalade, I was unable to ask any follow-up questions.

Blue Southern Comfort Food is located on Louisiana Avenue in Shreveport.

Blue is small, off-the-beaten-path, and lacking in signage, but food lovers should make the effort to seek it out. The restaurant is open for lunch, Monday-Friday, and dinner, Tuesday-Friday. Call (318) 762-1909 to place a call-in order.

Chris Jay reviews local food every Tuesday at www.20x49.com.

August 2013 • Biz. Magazine

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What do sniffles and nausea have to do with work injuries or physicals?

If you’re not currently a Work Kare client, visit our website, wkworkkare.com, or call one of our four clinics for more information.

North 318-212-4750 Bossier 318-212-7750 32 Biz. Magazine • August 2013

South 318-212-5750 Pierremont 318-212-3750