Where Did YOU Shop Locally Today?

A July, 2011 national survey by American Express found that consumers say that about one-third of their discretionary spending is with independent local businesses.  Here are some more stats to get you to open your wallet:

Fifty-nine percent of respondents to a 2010 Intuit survey said they spend at least $100 a month at small businesses.  Ninety percent of the survey respondents said that small businesses are vital to the community and 65 percent wanted more small businesses in the area.

For every $100 spent in a locally owned independent business, $68 is returned to the community through taxes, payroll, and other operating expenses.

If just half the U.S. employed population spent $50 each week in a locally owned independent business, more than $42.6 billion in revenue would be generated. 

So, where did YOU shop locally today?

(Sources:  American Express, Intuit, The 3/50 Project, The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal) 

9/22 Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce Mixer

The Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Union Bank are hosting an exciting networking event on Thursday, September 22, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Union Bank, 700 L Street, Sacramento. 

Meet with local small business owners and find out about the Chamber's programs and services.  Admission is free for chamber members and $20 for non-members. 

Register online at http://www.sacasiancc.org/ or call the Chamber at 916-446-7883.

9/14 and 9/28 Community Partnership Meetings

The City of Sacramento is hosting a series of meetings to facilitate broad communication between the City and the community on issues, policies and priorities.  At this month’s Community Partnership Meetings, you can:

·         Meet the new City Manager

·         Find out about New Council District Boundaries

·         Learn how to create a Neighborhood Newsletter.

For Council District 8, the meeting is Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at the Pannell Meadowview Community Center, 2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento.

For Council District 5, the meeting is Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Oak Park Community Center, 3415 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Sacramento.

The meetings are from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.  Staff from the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Services Department will be available at 6:00 pm to assist you with your neighborhood questions and concerns.  For more information, please call 916-808-6789.

Help Launch a New Generation of Business Leaders

Junior Achievement of Sacramento is seeking business people to volunteer in the classroom. 

JA is a national organization that helps K-12 students with financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship skills.  The organization provides the curriculum and training but needs volunteers who can give a "real world" perspective.  The programs will be hosted at 13 schools this fall, primarily in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. 

For more info, call Nelson at 916-480-2770, ext. 13 or visit http://www.jasac.org/.

North Franklin District Biz Assoc Annual Mtng

Our friends at the North Franklin District Business Association are holding their Annual Meeting this Friday, September 16 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.  The location is the Franklin Business Center, 7000 Franklin Boulevard, Suite 500, Sacramento.

The association will be recognizing numerous businesses who have been on the boulevard and in their district for over 50 years.  Several individuals and organizations who have helped the association and the community in general will also be honored. 

This is a popular event and seats go quickly, so reserve yours today by calling Kathy at 916-455-2124.

9/14 Social Media for Small Biz Workshop

Learn how your small business can benefit by using social media to build relationships with customers, drive traffic to events and products, create a positive buzz for your company, and more.   

Register for the "Social Media for Small Businesses" workshop offered by the Northeastern California Small Business Development Center - Greater Sacramento.  Topics will include Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, and email marketing.  The cost is $40 and includes resource materials.

The workshop is Wednesday, September 14, 2011, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the SBDC office at 1410 Ethan Way, Sacramento. 

Register at http://sbdc.net/workshops-and-registration.htm

FREE September Seminars for Businesses

Get two valuable topics in one FREE seminar from Paychex on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  A continental breakfast will be served.  For seminar locations and reservations, visit www.paychex.com/localseminars or call toll free 1-877-321-8581.
Top HR Issues:

• Hiring Practices
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• Employee Handbooks
• Harassment
• Family and Medical Leave Act
• Workers' Compensation
• Employee Discipline and Termination
• Protected Activities and Retaliation

Safe Harbor for 401(k) Plans:

• Non-discrimination testing
• Employer options
• Tax-deductible employer contributions

Can't attend a local seminar?  Then check out Paychex's FREE Web seminars, both live and recorded at http://www.paychex.com/.

• What Every Business Should Know About 401(k) Plans, Thursday, September 15, 2011, 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm ET.  Topics include the basics of 401(k) plans, advantages for businesses and participants, steps to set up an effective plan, and how a third-party administrator can simplify the process.

• Navigating Health Insurance Options for Businesses, Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm ET.  Learn about whether group or individual insurance best meets your needs and budget, how offering health insurance can benefit you and your employees, and the key considerations for an effective health insurance plan.