March/April 2011
Mind Your Business
A Publication of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
WHAT’S INSIDE: LACDC
1, 2, 3
SBDC
4
CHAMBER
5, 6, 7
MAINSTREET 8, 9 LAMVB
Marketing & Promotions Fair March 7th is the date to save for the
Chamber’s annual Marketing and Promotions Fair. The Chamber works with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to put on a full month of workshops, presentations and planning tools. The Marketing and Promotions Fair is at the center as a sort of one-stop shop for everything you need to know about marketing and promotions. It will be held at the Small Business Center, 190 Central Park Square, from 4 to 7 p.m. on March 7th. It is FREE to all Chamber members. Be sure to register for special deals and giveaways. Refreshments will be served.
The Fair will be useful to both traditional retail businesses and non-profit organizations. We’ll have presenters from print media, radio, copywriting, movie theater advertising, video and television, photography, embroidery and promotional items, graphic design, web design and printing businesses. We’ll also have tables showcasing the SBDC help that’s available, the options for promoting your business through the MainStreet program, and the many ways the Chamber is able to help you get the word out. (Continued on page 3)
10, 11
FAN Club
Food And Networking Clubs are held the 3rd Wednesdays of the month 5:30 pm to 7:00 p.m. Contact Katy Korkos 505.661.4816 or email katyk@losalamos.org to promote your business
LACDC News
The Chamber has been working out how to offer and manage banner advertising on our websites. Through this work, we have established the availability of more than sixty targeted banner slots. During the past year, the pages where these banner ad slots appeared cumulatively averaged more than 48,000 page views per month. The most visited pages are the calendar pages with more than half of the total visits. Very targeted slots such as “Dining & Treats,” “Lodging,” and “Residential Real Estate” also receive considerable traffic averaging 1,130, 950, and 745 page views per
2
Banner Ads To Promote Your Business
month respectively. Advertisers are able to receive “page view” and “click through” statistics on their banner ads on a monthly basis. We are in the process of determining banner ad rates for businesses wanting to promote themselves in this way and would appreciate suggestions. If you are interested in featuring your business, organization or event to people who are interested in our community and looking to connect, please contact Katy Korkos at 661-4816 (katyk@losalamos. org) for more information or to sign up. As a special offer, the Chamber will provide free banner ad space for the next 90 days to the first three members who call Katy and request it. Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
New Way to Reach Tourists and Visitors
Based on a suggestion from Karen Wray from Karen Wray Fine Arts, the Chamber has pursued and received permission to place a “Local Area Only” brochure rack in the Bradbury Museum. The same rack will also be placed in the Los Alamos and White Rock Visitor Centers. Tens of thousands of visitors pass through these locations each year. “We want to thank Linda Deck and the Bradbury for agreeing to work with us on this,” said Chamber Member Services Coordinator Katy Korkos. The idea is to make it easier for visitors to zero in on local area information that they find interesting such as dining
& treat places, lodgers, attractions, souvenirs, and goods and services are most appropriate. Due to the limited number of slots available in the racks and in order to ensure that only appropriate, high quality materials are placed in them, there is a simple application process to complete if you want to place your materials in them. Please contact Katy Korkos at 661-4816 ( katyk@losalamos.org ) to receive application information. Installation is anticipated during March in order to have the racks in place prior to the busy summer season. If you do not have a brochure or rack card but would like to develop one to promote your business, call Emiley Bainbridge at the UNM-LA Small Business Development Center for FREE assistance. Emiley can help you to create an informative, attractive promotional piece. Budget and permissions depending, the Chamber would like to extend rack locations to other places would like to host them and are places that see a lot of visitors and tourists. If you have a location where you think it would be valuable to place a rack and are willing to grant permission to the Chamber to do so, please contact Katy.
Marketing and Promotions Fair (continued from front page)
We have traffic catcher pages, coupons (both online and in print), a comprehensive calendar of events, low-cost advertising options, CommUnityMatters participation, and publications. We’ll also be premiering our web banner ads. Marketing is something all business people should think about, but we all know it is something that gets put off until later - sometimes too late. Please set aside the month of March to focus on how to grow your business, and the evening of March 7th to enjoy
March/April 2011
3
UNMLA Small Business Development Center Spring Workshops @ SBDC 190 Central Park Square March 3
Simplifying Market Research 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Donna Berg, LANL, Tech Transfer
22
One-Person Shop Marketing 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Speaker: Rubina Cohen, Firefly Santa Fe
24
Advertising and Marketing 101 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Ruben Garcia, Johnny Boards
31
Social Media Marketing 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Rubina Cohen, Firefly Santa Fe
April 5
Contracting 101 - PTAP 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Government contracting Speaker: Elaine Palin, Procurement and Technical Assistance Program
12
Future Planning and Goal Setting 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Bhasweti Gewhas, Economist, Life Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist
14
HR Basics for Small Business Owners 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Karen Stewart, Stone Associates LLC
19
Using the Features of a Chamber Membership 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Katy Korkos, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce
28
Coaching... It’s Not Just for Athletes Anymore 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Ed Mickool, Master Certified Coach, Stone Associates
4
Youth Business Grant Applications Due May 13th
The Los Alamos Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is providing a unique opportunity for youth in the community to experience the rewards of starting a new business. The Youth Business Grant Program will provide up to $400 to enterprising young business people, ages 13-19, who want to start a business this summer. To apply, the students must prepare a mini business plan, which includes an operating budget, for evaluation by the SBDC. Applications are available on www.ybgp.org. The completed plan is due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2011. Students will attend an interview and discuss their plan with a selection panel as well as submit a final report at the end of the summer. Applications must be returned by mail to Emiley Bainbridge at the SBDC, 190 Central Park Square, Los Alamos, NM 87544 or submitted in person to the receptionist at the Small Business Center. This program would not be possible without the generous donations and support of the local business community. Any donations a business would like to make will be used solely to fund grants to the youth. The Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation and the Los Alamos Small Business Development Center will cover all other costs of the program. If you have any questions, please call the Los Alamos Small Business Development Center at 505661-4803.
$25 Workshops are FREE to Chamber members if you register at www.losalamoschamber.com For more details about the workshops, contact Emiley Bainbridge at 661-4805
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Chamber Business Spotlight
From your local
Congratulations! These businesses and individuals will celebrate their anniversary (in March and April) as Chamber Members for twenty years or more! DelNorte Credit Union - 33 years
Agent Owner: Tracy Kitts
Los Alamos Monitor - 33 years
Located At 1789 Central Ave. Suite 4 Los Alamos, NM 87544 (505)661-2554 sos@sos-nm.com
The Finishing Touch - 32 years Otowi Station/Science Museum - 21 years Steve Stoddard - 20 Years
x x x
Discover. . .
Chamber Checks e erc mm Co of ber k am hec ven C Ch sE r ber LA 0 m lla a do 0.0 Ch e en $1 erc T mm Co of ber k n ce am hec r Eve Ch r C rs mme LA mbe lla o a o C Ch of nd Te ber k n am hec C Eve Ch r rs LA ambe ll.a00 o0 Che n $d1 erc Te mm Co of ber k n am hec Eve Ch r C LA ambe ars oll Ch nd
Products We Offer Copiers Printers Multifunction Fax Machines Wide Format Engineering Machines
ber
0
0.0
0
0.0
$1
Los Alam os’ Porta ble Gift Cert ificate
$1
er
mb Me
er mb Me
er
mb
Me
am
ber
Ch
am
Ch
ber am Ch er b em
M ber am Te
Ch
x x x x x x
Services We Offer
Digital Scanning Archiving Various Document Production
To Purchase or for more information, visit the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, call 661-4815, or go to LosAlamosChamber.com
March/April 2011
The cleaner greener Color Qube
5
Chamber News
Holsapple (right) at a recent NMCEA meeting.
Chamber Exec Leads NMCEA
Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Kevin Holsapple, was elected in January by his peers as President of the New Mexico Chamber Executives Association (NMCEA) for 2011. NMCEA, the association of the State’s Chambers of Commerce, works on joint advocacy activities on issues of common interest, professional development of Chamber staffs, and mutual support and assistance between Chambers. “I am honored to have been elected as President of NMCEA for the coming year; and I hope to continue and build on the progress started by my predecessor, Simon Brackley of the Santa Fe Chamber,” said Holsapple. NMCEA highlights from 2010 included the inception of a web conference series, quality professional development opportunities for Chamber Executive Directors and their staffs, award of additional professional development scholarships, and an excellent annual conference. More than 85 per cent of New Mexico’s 50+ Chambers were members of NMCEA during 2010. Holsapple is one of New Mexico’s longest serving Chamber Execs.
6
Also pictured (L to R) Bill Lee of Gallup, Mike Espiritu of Alamagordo, and Hayley Klein of Artesia.
2011 is off to a fast start with advocacy on important legislation that would assist Chambers across the state to better help their members with improved healthcare options. These bills have received a good reception by both House and Senate committees to date; and we are optimistic about their passage. In the event that this legislation is successful, Chambers would once again be allowed to have their members and the employees of their members be treated as a group for health insurance purposes. Chambers throughout the state could conceivably form a large buying group that would provide buying power with which to seek more favorable plans and rates than are available to individuals. Another area that is beginning to be discussed is advocacy on behalf of State enforcement of gross receipts taxes on retail internet purchases. There has been concern expressed by retailers in Los Alamos about the competitive disadvantage they face against sellers who are not being required to pay GRT. This is the kind of issue where a broader based organization such as NMCEA stands a better chance of making a difference.
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Business Name
Adi Shakti Acupuncturist Blue Window Bistro Oasis Landscape Construction Verizon Wireless
March
Welcome New Members! Contact Name
Adi Shakti Melissa Paternoster Brad King Krystal McDonald
Phone
505-929-2794 505-662-6305 505-780-0590 480-259-9739
Type of Business Acupuncturist Restaurant Landscaper Cell phone provider
Chamber Member Anniversaries
Business Name
Date Joined
Aflac 2010 Atomic City Corvettes 2009 B & B Environmental Safety 2010 Bilingual Montessori School 2008 Coronado Paint & Decorating 1999 Critter Control 2010 Daniel’s Cafe Haagen-Dazs 2009 Don Taylor’s Photography 1992 E2 Consulting Engineers 2000 Habitat for Humanity/Esp. Valley & LA 1998 Hand Precision Machining 1997 HealthFront 2010 Home Instead Senior Care 2000 Hub International Insurance 2010 J&M Management 2007 Land of Enchantment Guides 2009 Los Alamos Sales Co, Inc.- The Black Hole 1998 Mountain Images Advertising 1996 Otowi Station Bookstore/Science Museum 1990 Pajarito Greenhouse 2007 Pet Pangaea 2005 Quality New Mexico 1996 Technology Management Consultanting 2004 United Way of Northern New Mexico 1997 University of New Mexico-Los Alamos 1997 Ziegler Insurance Agency 2010
March/April 2011
April
Business Name
Date Joined
Allstate 2010 Association of Commerce & Industry 2001 Blackrock Networks 2000 Bob’s Bodacious BBQ 2004 Canyon Inn 1994 Caring Therapy 2008 Chaparral Siding & Windows 2001 Comfort Inn 1998 Del Norte Credit Union 1978 ETEBA 2010 Family Strengths Network 2002 Finishing Touch, The 1979 Frank’s Supply 2009 Fuller Lodge Art Center 2010 Grubb & Ellis/ New Mexico 2005 Los Alamos Association of Realtors 2007 Los Alamos Monitor 1978 Los Alamos Public Schools 1998 Los Alamos Schools Credit Union 2006 PMTec, Inc 1999 RE/MAX of LA - Suzie Havemann 2009 Real Estate Associates - Francine Mendoza 2010 Rep. Jeannette Wallace 1989 Self Help, Inc. 2007 Steve Stoddard 1991 Tasty Creations by Jarda 2010 Valles Caldera National Preserve 2009 Village of Jemez Springs 2009
7
MainStreet News & Events
For more information on the MainStreet Program please contact: Suzette Fox Phone: 505.661.4844 E-mail: suzette@losalamos.org www.LAmainstreet.com
Call for Exhibitors for The Next Big Idea Our annual family-friendly event that highlights Los Alamos’ unique, creative heritage - designed to inspire, illuminate and educate through science, technology, arts, food and music - is moving to the fall. STEM Student Day is Friday, September 16th from 9 am to 3 pm and the Festival is Saturday, September 17th from 11 am to 3 pm. Early bird registration is on our website at www.nextbigideala.com. We are looking for exhibitors who have the latest and greatest in their industry. For instance, if you are into skiing - what is the latest technology in gear or clothing out there? What are you working on at LANL that can be shared with the public? Have a connection to the military - then bring up a Black Hawk helicopter. We would love for NASA and Spaceport folks to attend. Artisans are welcome to showcase their art. Please contact Suzette Fox at the number or email above.
Save the Dates - Upcoming Events for 2011 ChamberFest: Downtown MainStreet - June 11th Chamber Golf Tournament to benefit United Way- July 22nd STEM Student Day & The Next Big Idea- September 16th/17th Fair and Rodeo Weekend - August 12th/13th/14th Halloweekend /Trick or Treat on MainStreet- October 28/29th WinterFest Parade: - December 3rd
We Need Your Input! Los Alamos Creative Culture District The draft plan for the Arts and Cultural District will be published to our website www.CreativeNM.com in mid-March for input from the community. Please share your thoughts by contacting the district coordinator, Emiley Bainbridge, at emiley@losalamos.org and 661-4805. The cultural planners will be back in Los Alamos March 24th and 25th to discuss the plan and ways that it can be improved to better serve the area. Please continue to check the website to stay up-to-date with the schedule for their visit.
8
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Science and Math-based Art Contest Announced
A science and math-based art juried-competition and exhibit will become a part of The Next Big Idea Festival in 2011. Artist entries will be accepted beginning March 1st, 2011 at www.NextBigIdeaLA.com. All interested individuals are encouraged to enter their art. More than $3,000 in prizes will be awarded. Science and math-based art demonstrates scientific or mathematical concepts, principles, or phenomena in creative ways. It can be created digitally using computers, be a photograph, or be produced through traditional fine arts methods including drawing, painting, pottery, fiber arts, etc. The contest is free to enter. All entries will be a digital representation of the artwork uploaded on the contest website. Entries will be accepted through June and will be posted to a gallery on the website as they are received to allow for viewing and comment. Contest winners and awards will be announced in conjunction with the Next Big Idea Festival on September 17th with an exhibit. A cornerstone feature of this contest will be the Los Alamos Public Schools Fractal Art Challenge, a division of the contest to give special recognition to local and area students. LAPS math and art education coordinators are working with the Albuquerque-based Fractal Foundation March/April 2011
to introduce the fractal challenge into our school curriculum as a way to excite interest in math through creating art. Fractal Art is a unique digital art form using mathematical formulas to create contemporary art with an amazing diversity of form, color and light. The Fractal Foundation provides free, easy-to-use software (download at www. fractalfoundation.org) for creating fractal art and assists teachers with incorporating the use of the software into a stimulating, interactive curriculum. Students will be encouraged to enter the art they create into the contest. The Bradbury Science Museum is also expected to offer workshops and demonstrations related to the creation of fractal art in the coming months. The Next Big Idea has been established as Los Alamos’ “Festival of Science, Invention, Innovation and Discovery.” 2011 will be the fourth year for the Festival, which also features a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Student Day. For more information about the Next Big Idea Festival or the Science and Math-based art contest, visit www. NextBigIdeaLA.com or call Los Alamos MainStreet Manager, Suzette Fox, at 505-661-4844 or email suzette@ losalamos.org.
9
LAMVB News Calendar of Events
March 2011
April 2011
3 4 4 8 10 12 18 24 24 26
1 6 7 8 9 13 14 16 19 21 28
Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series presents A Mighty Wind Fuller Lodge Art Center presents Art Exhibit Opening Reception for Los Alamos High School UNM-LA – Tribute to Jim Sagel, poeta nuevomexicano Historical Society Lecture Series - Manhattan Project Memories Winter Farmers Market Skiesta Spring Ski Festival at Pajarito Mountain Los Alamos Concert Association presents Imani Winds Mesa Public Library Authors Speak Series presents Rick Hendricks Los Alamos Arts Council program: Guitars at the Lodge - Michael Chapdelaine PEEC presents Exploring the Night Sky Star Party
Mesa Public Library presents Art Exhibit PEEC Los Alamos Arts Council Brown Bag Performance Series presents Bill Leland Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series presents No Direction Home: Bob Dylan Fuller Lodge Art Center Art Opening Reception for exhibit Dewey Decimal PEEC presents Hawk Watching in the Sandia Mountains PEEC presents Citizen Science Pika Monitoring Winter Farmers Market Los Alamos Dog Jog sponsored by Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club Los Alamos Historical Society: Stories from Secret City of Oak Ridge Los Alamos Arts Council program: Guitars at the Lodge - Albuquerque Academy Honor Quartet Mesa Pubic Library presents Authors Speak Series: Marilyn Stablein
Go to fyiLA.com for a complete and detailed list of events. Familiarization (FAM) Tour by Cindy Whiting, Volunteer Coordinator
The visitor center staff and volunteers received a little “culture” recently as we toured the local art venues. It was interesting to discover the differences in each place - the art at the library can be a nationwide traveling show, the art at Fuller Lodge Art Center is theme based, and Karen Wray’s Gallery displays only local artists. Carol Meine, of Mesa Public Library, explained that one of the exhibits was a 16th century lace collection that someone possessed right here in their Los Alamos home! Karen Wray has discovered that there are many unknown local artists that were just waiting for a venue all their own. Ken Nebel, of Fuller Lodge Art Center, let me try on all of their beautiful soft and yummy warm winter hats that are each a lovely work of art.
10
We truly have a variety of art choices here in Los Alamos. From lace to gear shafts, to a rapunzel tower look alike, all are art and are beautiful in their own way. If you would like to be a volunteer, contact me at 505661-4815 or email cindy@losalamos.org
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
The LAMVB, a program of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, operates the Visitor Center in Los Alamos and the White Rock Tourist & Information Center (WRTIC). The LAMVB also produces and distributes advertising and marketing materials such as the Los Alamos Visitor Guide. We also maintain the online visitor guide at visit.losalamos.com.
House. At the symposium, historians, historic house experts, and community members encouraged the local cultural attractions to work together more to help develop sustainable tourism for the region.
Cultural Coffee Klatch by Heather McClenahan Los Alamos Historical Museum
Several years ago, Linda Deck, director of the Bradbury Science Museum, Hedy Dunn, director of the Los Alamos Historical Museum, and I (assistant director at the LAHM) were working on a project and discussing how helpful it would be if we met monthly, informally – perhaps over coffee – to keep each other informed of what we were doing. The idea sat until September 2010, when the Los Alamos Historical Society hosted a symposium on future public uses of the Oppenheimer
As a result, Linda and I revived the idea of having coffee together once a month; and we invited others to join us. The group has included representatives from Bandelier National Monument, the Valles Caldera National Preserve, the Chamber of Commerce and LACDC, the County Government, the Laboratory, Mesa Public Library, the Los Alamos Arts Council, the Fuller Lodge Art Center, and Puye Cliffs. The group is open to anyone in the Jemez Mountain region with an interest in tourism-related attractions or businesses, from history to high-altitude sports. The goal of the Cultural Coffee Klatch is two-fold: Communication and Collaborations. Different groups are already working on joint exhibits, summer programs, tours, and more. Eventually, the group may work on the development of centralized visitor centers as well as the development of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. If you are interested in learning more about this great group of people, give me a call at 505662-6272 or email heather@losalamoshistory.org
Visit.LosAlamos Face Lift The www.Visit.LosAlamos.com website has a new look these days. For the past couple of months we have been working on updating the information and making the site more user-friendly, we hope that you will like what we have done. Take a look at some of the new features like the “add to my notebook” feature. It saves information allowing you to print out an itinerary with a map of the different destinations you want to visit. The website features an array of images that show all there is to see and do in Los Alamos. Check it out at www.visit. losalamos.com. Reminder: If you linked to any of the pages on our old website we ask that you double check your links to make sure that they are not broken. We hope that you enjoy all the new features of our new website!
March/April 2011
11
Volunteer Appreciation
We can’t do without you!
Newsletter Managing Editor: Suzette Fox - 505.661.4844 email:suzette@losalamos.org Contributions by: Emiley Bainbridge, Suzette Fox, Kevin Holsapple, Katy Korkos, Claire Roybal, Cindy Whiting
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
PAID
LOS ALAMOS, NM
Permit No. 152
P.O.BOX 460 LOS ALAMOS, NM 87544