July 2015


Treasure Styles   

Treasure Styles is a company that serves the intimate apparel needs of women through comfort and design, and at an affordable price, with a cutting edge product called "BRASOL®". Brasol is a soft spandex undergarment that covers the cleavage area and comes with adjustable straps. Think of a camisole without the added bulk of unnecessary fabric. They are available in more than 10 different colors and fabrics as well as two different necklines.

 
Choosing a Business Partner? 
4 Qualities to Look For
Starting a business by yourself can be a highly challenging and intimidating task. That's why so many entrepreneurs choose to work in a team and launch their startups with a trusted business partner or two.

Its that time again! 
The Edge Connection will be hosting its 
2015 Business Plan Competition!
Business plan entries must be submitted by 11:59pm on Friday, July 3, but you will have until Monday morning at 9:00am to submit the final version of your business plan.  Applicants will need to have completed the Plan for Profit courses and have a completed business plan. Applicants also need to meet with an Edge team member or consultant to ensure their plan is competition ready.  The top seven plans will make it to our semi-finalist round (semi-finalists will be notified on July 17). Semi-finalists will be invited to pitch their businesses on the evening of July 30th. Please contact our office at  470-578-3228  if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment with one of our consultants so that they may review your business plan before it is submitted.
Going Green: 9 Successful
 Eco-Friendly Businesses

As a famous anthropomorphized amphibian once said, "It's not easy being green." It's true that sustainable business practices sometimes can be costly and time-consuming, but in an age when consumers are paying attention to corporate social responsibility, many people want to know that the brands they patronize are taking care of the planet. 

 
Want to Start a Business? 
Why You Should Keep Your Job

Gone are the days when employees and entrepreneurs inhabited two different worlds. In these financially uncertain times, more and more 9-to-5 workers are rounding out their paychecks with cash from entrepreneurial ventures.

 
4 Budget-Friendly PR Strategies 
for Small Businesses

Behind nearly every news feature, profile or review about any company is a great public relations strategy. Take it from a reporter: You might have a great story to tell, but getting the word out - and more importantly, getting the media interested - requires some real  

 

Read More 
How to Open a 
Business Bank Account 

Opening a business bank account is a critical task for a new business owner. Even if you are a sole proprietor, having a business account is the best way for you to keep track of your finances and your business records. Putting this simple barrier between your personal and professional finances helps to make day-to-day transactions easy to follow and document.

 

 Read More 

The Next Ten Billion Dollars Will 
Feature a Woman

The next generation of the $10 bill will have a woman on the face of it.

The new $10 bill won't be out until 2020, but when it is released, a woman will replace Alexander Hamilton as the primary image, according to an announcement from U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

 
Perfect Your Pitch: 
An Insider's Guide for  Female Entrepreneurs

At Southwest, where apps such as Meerkat sparked industry buzz, The Ipsos Girls' Lounge brought female founders together to help guide new tech startups. With only seven percent of women currently receiving startup funds, we dug into the bias that may be holding female entrepreneurs back and shared insight to help them win the pitch. 

 

Why Women Struggle As Entrepreneurs

 (and How To Change That) 

Becoming an entrepreneur is exciting. For me, it came with the thoughts of location independence and traveling the world. 

However, this wasn't always the case.

When we go on the entrepreneurial journey, as women, there seems to be one thing that happens frequently that results in a long uphill battle to building a business we love. 

A lot of us are hiding behind our business.

Read More
 
Many thanks to the individuals and organizations who  support The Edge Connection and the entrepreneurs we serve. 
Together, we CAN make a difference!
   A special thanks to our benefactors who awarded grants or donated funds in June:

Looking for ways to contribute to The Edge Connection? 
Check out the links below!






Classes

Mark Your Calendar For Innovative, Relevant,
and Inspiring Classes and Workshops!!

Financing Your Future Workshop   
July 9th | 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Cost: $10)

Ready to take your business to a new level?  Join The Edge Connection as we welcome Syeeda Moore, Business Banking Specialist from Wells Fargo to teach us how to "finance your future".  In this workshop Syeeda will discuss the following:

  • Overview of going into business
  • Determining how much money is needed
  • Getting ready to finance your business
  • Important key business plan information
  • Types of capital and their significance
  • Personal credit consideration
  • Meeting with the bank or other lender on types of loans and terms
  • The role of the SBA in helping you get the money
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EXPLORE
July 15th & July 20th 6:00pm-9:00pm 
Cost: $25

The Edge Connection's Explore Program helps those who are interested in entrepreneurship examine their potential for success. Both personal and conceptual readiness is assessed. Personal readiness includes an evaluation of financial, emotional, and physical capacity to ensure that the individual is prepared for the rigors of developing a business. Conceptual readiness explores the concept behind the business. After careful analysis of their business idea, each participant will gain a clear understanding of their business's purpose, goals, and potential for success. Both personal and conceptual readiness will be reviewed and barriers to success will be assessed. 
 

Click Here To Sign Up Today!
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Woman- & Veteran- Owned Business Certification Workshop
July 16th  | 11:30am-1:30pm (Lunch & Learn) (Cost: $15) 
Charlotte Johnson of the Small Business Administration (SBA) will be joining us to guide participants through the process of self-certifying as a Woman-Owned Small Business. Join us and ask all your questions about the process of self-certifying and pick up some tips and tricks from someone who knows the system well!

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Sales Training Workshop Part 3
July 23rd | 6:00pm-9:00pm (Cost: $25) 
You will build critical skills for learning to close sales and move your business forward. 
Class fee is reduced for Edge Members.


SBA logo
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.