Don’t Miss These Small Business Contests and Awards |  |
| Don’t Miss These Small Business Contests and Awards Posted: 24 Nov 2012 12:02 PM PST We all know the Holidays are an expensive time of year. Who couldn’t use some extra cash or goodies from a sweepstakes or contest or award? Or simply stand to get some extra recognition from an award program, to give your business a boost? Here’s our hand-picked list of small business sweepstakes, contests and awards. Don’t miss! ****
The recession has claimed thousands of small businesses in recent years. Valpak wants to do its part in fueling local business growth with the Dough to Grow Award. The winner will receive $10,000 to help grow their business. Entrants do not need to be Valpak customers to nominate their business.
Are you a small business mover and shaker? The SMB Innovator Awards celebrate the trailblazers among today's small business owners and recognize their courageous approaches to driving business success. You could win $20,000 as the grand prize winner in this contest by PhoneBooth.com. As a top 10 winner, you may also have the opportunity to win $2,500 through a People’s Choice Award.
General Assembly is teaming with Thrillist to give one lucky winner (and a friend) round-trip domestic flights to Las Vegas, three-night stay in a hotel, a tour of Zappos HQ and Downtown Vegas, and dinner with Tony Hsieh (Zappos CEO and author of #1 New York Times Bestseller Delivering Happiness).
Plantronics is running a sweepstakes to support small businesses throughout this holiday season. To enter, share your story about the craziest spot you've ever taken a business call, for a chance to win the Marque 2™ Bluetooth® headset. See Sponsored Post with Product Review Editor TJ McCue describing his strangest place for a call: Mt. Fuji, Japan! Deadline: Dec. 12, 2012. To share your story for a chance to win, go here: http://soundingboard.plantronics.com/community/small-medium-business.
Dell has launched a $100 million Innovators Credit Fund, with the purpose of helping entrepreneurs "maximize potential for innovation, speed to market and job creation." The credit fund will offer both funding and technology resources with IT support, depending on what each start-up needs. To be eligible, you must have already received some angel funding or venture capital before you can apply. Start-ups can get up to 10% of its current funding or up to $150,000 with limited credit terms. See website for details and application.
Toshiba, Intel and Staples have teamed up to help small businesses share their stories and win thousands of dollars in new technology. Throughout 2012, they will award $10,000 technology makeovers to American businesses and free Intel-powered Ultrabooks to the people who support them. Categories include Powering Knowledge, Powering Innovation, Powering Service, Powering Products, and Powering Good. See website for details and entry guidelines.
Do you have a great idea for an Infusionsoft App, integration or plug-in that will enhance the Infusionsoft user experience? Then you have a shot at being crowned the Kick Apps Champion in the Battle of the Apps 2013. First prize is $10,000. See website for details.
Shopify has teamed up with four world-class entrepreneurs to help you build a million-dollar business in just months. Come up with a product to sell, open your online store and pick a mentor. The Shopify community and your mentor will give you great advice and guidance along the way. At the end of the competition, the four stores that sell the most over a two month period will each win a $50,000 investment from their mentor.
2013 National Small Business Week Awards The U.S. Small Business Administration is accepting awards for: • National Small Business Person of the Year (chosen from among state award winners from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam) Enter online. Or send your nomination directly to your local SBA District Office (find an office here).
To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit our Small Business Events Calendar. If you are putting on a small business contest, award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please submit it through our Small Business Event and Contests Form (it’s free). This list of awards and competitions is brought to you by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com. Please note: The descriptions provided here are for convenience only and are NOT the official rules. ALWAYS read official rules carefully at the site holding the competition, contest or award.
The post Don’t Miss These Small Business Contests and Awards appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Teach The Young Entrepreneurs In Your Family With Nacho Money Posted: 24 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST
Meet Candi Sparks (@candi_sparks). She has been writing children's books on the subject of kids learning about money and how to manage it. The latest book, Nacho Money, is part of the series, Can I Have Some Money, in which its protagonist, a little boy named Max, learns the pieces to finance and a budding entrepreneurship interest. I met the author digitally during a twitter chat by Melinda Emerson, leading to a phone discussion about how Ms. Sparks discovered her writing passion. Sparks discovered her gift in 2005 while recovering from a life-threatening car accident. She noticed children in her hospital and began to wonder about their financial future, even as she struggled with hers. Given the changes in healthcare we are facing as adults, her thoughts were timely. So Sparks wrote her series as a wake up call to teach kids how to save what they earn. Told from Max’s viewpoint, Nacho Money opens with a simple favor among friends. Max's friend Emma lets him borrow a favorite video game in appreciation for his help with her softball practice. The story grows bit by bit as Max loses the game as well as a few other things which prevent him from obtaining what he wants most. Nacho Money is a joking term from Max's brother Chris (Nacho Money is a play on Not Yo Money). Max soon realizes what Chris means behind the joke:
Nacho Money is helpful for small business owners seeing their child losing $20 or borrowing something yet to be returned. The story is very brief. But its short structure fits on-the-go business owners who want educational material that stick with their children while their own attention is stuck on their business. The words can feel like you are prepping your child to work on Wall Street, but they entice enough for many ages and not require a spreadsheet to understand. The material is meant to keep children positive when there is a problem to solve. Here’s an example. Max's mom encourages as she asks Max:
A great aspect of the book is that a parent reading along can gain some ideas as to how to approaching a money discussion with a daughter or son. After Max's mom introduces the word debt to Max, she leave him mainly to bake a few cookies but to also let him figure out how to address his problem. I reviewed this book mainly because small business owners have to think about legacy just as much as finance, marketing, and…ahem, analytics. Legacy means examining the intangibles beyond assets and liabilities. Legacy also means ensuring valuable notions we provide to our children growing up are established into their personal standards, letting them make good choices growing up. Now as many business owners know, finding consistent family time to teach valuable notions can be hard to do. Nevertheless, Nacho Money succeeds in subtle yet terrific ways to educate, a fit during a challenging schedule. Reminders to make the time effective appear throughout, from its foreword to a small workbook section included at the end. In its own charming way Nacho Money will help small business owners with families teach fiscal responsibility, and keep children entertained. Candi’s ability to attract young readers is well earned and is a talented author that should be introduced to your young reader. Nacho Money ultimately aids small business owners in minimizing a potential debt – missing what we share in the quality time with a future doctor, soldier, policewoman, or entrepreneur. The post Teach The Young Entrepreneurs In Your Family With Nacho Money appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
Craziest Place You’ve Taken a Business Call
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