ADLEEN B. STIDHUM
Assistant Director - Administrative Services
SBOP Administrator
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Your Small Biz Update
From Clark County Purchasing
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Greetings!
It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is already behind us, our last 2019 SBOP session is over, and the new year is fast approaching. Many people use the holiday season as a time of deep reflection and renewal, which is a wise practice for any business owner.
In this issue of the small biz update, we offer a few questions to consider as you plan your business approach for the coming year. You will also learn about an upcoming invitation to bid, meet our new graduates, and find a link where you can RSVP to join us for the Clark County Business Development Advisory Council's Second Annual SBOP Alumni and Friends Mixer, which is just one week away, on Monday, December 9th.
Hope to see you at the BDAC mixer next Monday, and I look forward to serving you in 2020.
Wishing you the Happiest Holiday Season,
Adleen B. Stidhum
Adleen B. Stidhum
Assistant Director - Administrative Services
Purchasing & Contracts Division
SBOP Administrator
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Our Graduates of SBOP 2019 Session #2
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Standing, left to right:
Royal Alexander, SBOP Support; Jessica Reynoso, Statewide Contracting, Inc.; Curtis Schuler, Resurrection Cleaning Service; Chi-Ying Seto, Infinity Engineering, LLC; Gail DeGruy-Rhodes, SBOP Support; , Stacy Burrell, The Motivational Institute; Phillip Allen, American Federal Security & Protection Group, LLC.
Seated, left to right:
Griselda Lloyd, CORE Mental Health Services, LLC; Priscila Rowley, Rowley Contracting, LLC; Adleen Stidhum, SBOP Administrator; Idolina Gutierrez-Duarte, Color Print, LLC; Heather Phillips, BookTradeShows.com, LTD.
Not Shown:
Lauren Reames, Britstan Technology, Inc.; Renee Smith-Black, Coast 2 Coast Printing & Marketing, LLC; Erwin Ipatzi, Division of Traffic Control Nevada, LLC; Lisa Vargas, Gear up By Design, LLC; Mark White, JIMMEC Janitorial Services, LLC; Claudia Arevalo, Just-Us Services, LLC; Gemini Abrams, Love Labor, LLC; Timothy Tucker, Medieval Concrete Cleaning, LLC; Rafael Moreno, Moreno Electric, LLC; Yoko Aoki, National Bandwidth Services, Inc.; Nicholas Spindel, On Point Barricade, LLC; Natashia Garland, Press Beyond, LLC; David Papp, TFC Enterprises, Inc.; Crystal Harris, Top 2 Bottom Cleaning Services, LLC; Lavael Randel, Trustworthy Janitorial Services, LLC
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What Graduates are saying...
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"I recommend it to anyone, experienced or not. You get to meet a lot of experienced people who show you how to grow your business."
CURTIS SCHULER
Operations Manager
Resurrection Cleaning Services
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"
[SBOP] gave me access to some good information and a road map for how to reach out and bid on opportunities."
HEATHER PHILLIPS
CEO/Business Development
BookTradeShows.com
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"
The greatest benefit for me
was
learning how to work with other businesses on a partnership scale
.
"
PHILLIP ALLEN
President/CEO
American Federal Security and Protection Group
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Plan Ahead as the New Year Approaches
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The end of the year is a great time for a little reflection, analysis, and planning that can lead to better business growth in the coming year. If you take time out to revisit your business plan and determine how well it served you this year, you will likely find it could use some improvements. Here are some of the questions to answer.
What went well for your company in 2019, and what could have gone better?
Evaluate everything from audience engagement to pricing, marketing, sales, customer service and retention. Plan to do more of what went well in 2020, while creating strategies to overcome your greatest challenges.
How are people talking about your business?
Your brand is what people say about your company. You are responsible for helping to shape what the audience is saying, and you shape that message with everything you do throughout the customer lifecycle. Do you truly understand and connect with your audience, or is your marketing message in need of an overhaul? When connecting with new leads, converting them to paying customers, and providing services, are you reinforcing the perception you want them to have of your organization? If not, consider rebranding to create the level of clarity and trust the people in your audience deserve and
need
in order to become loyal customers and raving fans.
Is your pricing competitive, and what sets you apart from others in your industry?
In competitive bidding, Clark County seeks to do business with the lowest responsible bidder. That means purchasing agents are looking for the organization that can provide fair, competitive rates and also demonstrate that it is the best company to provide the goods and services at hand. If you have a unique selling proposition that sets you apart from your competitors, make sure you and your marketing materials are doing a great job of differentiating yourself from the crowd. Revisit your marketing, messaging, and proposal strategy and make the revisions you need to make sure you can stand out as the company of choice.
Is your customer experience the very best?
For many companies, current and past customers are an important and sizeable source of revenue. If you are not enjoying as much repeat business as you would like, perhaps it is time to survey or talk to past customers to find out what they loved about working with you, and what would have made their experience better. Use customer responses to sit down with your team and brainstorm new ways to wow clients before, during, and after the sale.
Have you been diligent about connecting with County agencies?
Most small business owners tend to meet with a potential Clark County client once and then disappear without any strategy to keep in touch. As each purchasing agent and also many end-users learn about hundreds of small businesses each year, it is easy for a one-time acquaintance to get lost in the mix. You might find it helpful in the coming year to create a new keep-in-touch strategy to stay top of mind with organizations that might be able to buy your goods or services.
Are all of your eggs in one basket?
Most businesses need multiple revenue streams to sustain a business and thrive. If you are now doing business with the County, chances are you offer products or services that would also work well in the private sector. Where else can you market to diversify your income and sell more? Make a list of other government entities, private companies, nonprofits or consumer segments you will reach out to expand revenue sources in the coming year.
Are you collaborating for success?
No one succeeds in business alone. If you are operating as a “lone ranger” you are likely missing out on tremendous opportunities to land contracts that only a solid partnership can bring. For example, if you want to work on a major project and don’t have the bonding or resources to complete the work alone, try seeking a larger prime contractor who could use the expertise and skills you and your team can provide as subcontractors. Make a commitment to identify and connect with new strategic and resource partners who can help you achieve mutual goals in 2020.
Once you evaluate where you stand and where you would like to be this time next year, it is time to develop the plan to get there.
Your business plan can be a formal, detailed document (the kind your banker might request when you're seeking a loan), or an informal document that provides a basic, high-level overview of how you will grow your business.
Free resources to help with your business plan.
There is a variety of resources and services to help small business owners launch or grow a business. For example, the U.S. Small Business Administration provides
business plan basics
on the SBA website
. The
Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE)
offers mentoring, business plan templates, and online courses to help you create or update your business plan, all free of charge.
Take advantage of available resources now, and design your plan for greater business growth next year.
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Does your small business want training
on how to do business with Clark County?
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To become an SBOP partner or mentor:
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INVITATION TO BID
Road Improvements
Clark County invites qualified firms to bid on a project to provide roadway improvements on Desert Inn Road from Nellis Boulevard to Hollywood Boulevard, and a new bridge crossing at the Las Vegas Wash.
A Pre-bid Conference for this project will be held on December 4, 2019, at 10:30 am,
in the Gold Conference room in the Purchasing and Contracts division, on the 4th floor of the Clark County Government Center, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89155.
Proposals for this project will be accepted on or before Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 2:15:00 pm
based on the time clock at the Purchasing and Contracts front desk.
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Are You Missing Important Updates from SBOP?
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If your business contact information has changed since you first signed up for a Clark County small business training program or newsletter, please provide your new information using the "
Update Profile
" link in the footer of this newsletter. Never miss out on new updates that can help you grow your business!
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FREE SHRED DAY
SHREDDING SERVICES BY OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE
Declutter your office
.
Protect sensitive information.
Prevent fraud
.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019
9:00 AM TO 12:00 PM
6811 S EASTERN AVE
LAS VEGAS, NV 89119
Donations to Opportunity Village are welcomed. Enjoy light refreshments.
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Save the Date
March 26, 2020
Women's HERstory Month Event
All proceeds benefit the Nevada Women's Business Center
.
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Selling to government?
Simplify the process.
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Free resources available from
PTAC & POP
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The Nevada Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) and Procurement Outreach Program (POP) provide free services to simplify the process of selling goods and services to government. These programs from the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development provide services free of charge.
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