T H E M O N T H LY B U S I N E S S S E C T I O N F O R L I N N A N D B E N T O N C O U N T I E S A N D T H E M I D - W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y
www.democratherald.com/business • www.gazettetimes.com/business
February 2014
Giving a kick start to startups LBCC small-business program reaping dividends
INFORMATION For information on programs at the Small Business Development Center call co-directors Marc Manley at 541-917-4969 or Barbara Bessey at 541-917-4930.
By JAMES DAY Mid-Valley InBusiness
he Small Business Development Center at Linn-Benton Community College is branching out. “Our critical issues used to be funding,” said co-director Barbara Bessey. “Now we are interested in clients. “We’re hiring advisers. Now we have a cadre of folks who can step up at any table. It’s a pretty exciting time.” The center still is serving whoever comes in the door plus businesses in Linn and Benton counties that are in trouble. But some additional grant money and expertise has alBessey lowed Bessey, codirector Marc Manley, and their staff to forge ahead and assist so-called Stage 2 companies. “A Stage 2 company has five or more employees,” Manley said. “There are lots of risks to starting a business. By the time you get to five employees you have stabilized.” And are ready to take advantage of one of the SBDC’s newest offerings, the Small Business Management Program, which came online in 2013. The Small Business Management Program, which is designed specifically for Stage 2 companies, includes three hours of classroom work per month plus 11 1-on-1 counseling sessions with SBDC advisers. The program costs $695, but discounts and scholarships are available. A new round of classes starts March 19, but Bessey said “it’s filling quickly now.” Companies say they have benefited from the program. “I highly recommend anybody going into business to take
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this class,” said Sara Kjellgren of Eastern Flow Massage in Lebanon. “There are so many aspects that go into one business. Having a brief overview of each challenge a business can bring is helpful with the planning of your business.” Helping pay the freight was $24,000 in assistance from the city of Corvallis via an intergovernmental agreement. “We will evaluate results this spring and decide whether to extend the contract,” said CorvallisBenton County Economic Development Manager Tom Nelson. “I must say we are very hapAMANDA COWAN | MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS py with the results thus far.” Mod Pod’s Jessica Klein poses for a photo inside her downtown Corvallis store on Feb. 5. A second new SBDC initiative, Grow Oregon, also was unveiled last year. The program is geared toward larger, more esJessica Klein runs Mod Pod on Northwest Second Street in but the cost of paying someone to be at the store while tablished companies, with more Corvallis. Here are her thoughts on the Small Business you are at the class. I did miss a one or two meetings. The than 10 employees and more Management Program: 1-on-1’s were easy to schedule because it worked more than $1 million in gross sales. QUESTION: How did you become involved? around your schedule and the instructor. ANSWER: I had done the small biz free consulting and Q: How have you been able to use what you have learned The program costs $250, and found out about it. I am always looking at gaining more to manage your company more effectively? Bessey said they have three spots knowledge on running a retail store so I thought I would A: How to look at financials and use them for your busiopen.
MOD POD
Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@gazettetimes.com or 541-758-9542. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day.
give it a try. Q: How challenging was it for you to manage the time commitment the program required? A: It was tough to get to the workshops and when you hire college students your schedule is never set in stone. And not only do you have to factor into the cost of the class,
ness was helpful. Lots of info was a refresher and was good to go back over. I think if you are new to business you would get the most out of it. It is a good brief overview of lots of aspects of a business, but because you have a wide range of businesses in the class you won’t get into the nitty gritty of your particular industry.
EASTERN FLOW MASSAGE Sara Kjellgren runs Eastern Flow Massage in Lebanon. Here are her thoughts on the Small Business Management Program: QUESTION: How did you become involved? ANSWER: A very good piece of business advice from Marlene Peterson (of SBDC), who suggested I take this class. I was changing locations after six years at Wow Fitness and felt that the class would be a great format for my first year at my new location. Q: How challenging was it for you to manage the time commitment the program required? A: The hours were manageable and subject matter keyed in on what I need-
ed to understand for my business.The 1 on 1 sessions allowed us to work in our business and then follow up and discuss concerns or ideas we had that were directly related to our business. Q: How have you been able to use what you have learned to manage your company more effectively? A: (It offered a) format to expand on your business plan and really understand your goals and what you need to do to reach those goals.The HR portion was very informative. The class covered employment, from which type of person are you looking to hire, through the interview process, into managing employees once they are hired.
DAVID PATTON | MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS
Owner and Massage Therapist Sara Kjellgren shows the massage room at Eastern Flow Massage in Lebanon.
Sedlak’s Boots & Shoes COMING FRIDAY: The first part of our annual Focus section offers profiles of mid-valley businesses that have stood the test of time. Here’s a sneak preview, featuring one of the businesses you can read about on Friday:
built his business on quality and reputation. In 1987, a Bay Area sandal maker stuck his head in the door and asked if Sedlak would be interested in adding sandals to his inventory. Paul Mumford had moved to Corvallis and was looking for a place to display his handcrafted ADDRESS: 225 S.W. Second St., sandals. Corvallis Sedlak said no but asked if Mumford PHONE NUMBER: 541-752-1498 would buy the business. After looking over the books, Mumford agreed and WEBSITE: sedlaks.net has owned the store ever since. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Five At Sedlak’s, Mumford said, customer KEY LEADER: Paul Mumford, owner experience is the reason the store has and president endured. WHAT IT DOES: Sedlak’s sells and re“You do what you have to to have a pairs shoes. happy customer,” Mumford said.“You WHY IT’S WORTH WATCHING: Sed- engage the customer and provide a lak’s just marked its 70th anniversary good experience.” AMANDA COWAN | MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS of selling and repairing shoes in downWANT MORE? Check out the full ver- A selection of footware is town Corvallis. sion of this story in Friday’s Focus edion display at Sedlak’s, On Feb. 14, 1944, German immigrant tion. which is celebrating its Alfred Sedlak hung his shingle downtown. For more than 40 years, Sedlak — Maria Kirkpatrick 70th anniversary.
T H E L I ST In 2012, according to the Oregon Employment Department, more than 24,000 Oregonians worked in the food-manufacturing industry. Here’s where they worked: Frozen food manufacturing: 6,505 Bread and bakery: 3,679 Fruit and vegetable drying and canning: 2,812 Dairy product (except frozen) manufacturing: 2,093 Animal slaughtering and processing: 1,445 Seafood preparation and processing: 1,210 Snack food manufacturing: 862 Cookies, crackers, pasta: 752 Coffee and tea manufacturing: 725 Tortilla manufacturing: 366 All others: 3,798