OMEN is seeking applications from organizations throughout Oregon interested in becoming a VISTA host site from organizations.  Approved sites will recruit a full-time VISTA volunteer who will serve at their site for twelve months beginning Aug. 18, 2012.  Applications must be received at the OMEN office by 5:00 PM on Friday, February 24th, 2012.  Sites will be notified of their acceptance by April 6th, 2012 via e-mail.

Detailed information:

• Request for Proposals Document
• Blank VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)
• Sample VISTA Assignment Description (VAD)
• VISTA Prohibited Activities Document

Please contact Leanne Murray by phone at 503-546-9913 or by e-mail at Leanne@oregon-microbiz.org with questions.

Ted Huckins opened William Joseph Gallery next to Pioneer Square in 1993. His gallery attracted walk-in customers who reveled in beautiful prints featuring Oregon’s natural landscape and history. Foot traffic, however, nearly stopped when the Trimet light rail began construction outside the gallery storefront. Ted searched for business strategies that would help him survive the construction period.

Ted turned to the Trimet loan program, a program established by TriMet in partnership with Portland Development Commission and Portland State University, to help his business reposition itself during this time. He received business support services from the Portland State University Business Outreach Program and a low interest loan to help him through the construction hardship. The loan provided Ted with computing power, software, and hope that his business would survive the construction period. He updated his technology, developed a new digital product line, and realized his business had a future after walk-in service.

The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provided students that worked under experienced business advisors to complete a capstone project and support Ted’s business. The team helped Ted assess business competition, industry growth trends, and jump start a new accounting system. Ted speaks highly of the support students gave him. “It helped to have a group of interested students who were giving their all to make this business happen.”

In addition to selling photography from his gallery next to Pioneer Square, Ted markets his products directly to local Portland businesses. He creates HD photography exhibits for the décor of financial, high tech and other professional offices. His products draw from the work of 20 professional photographers and 4 historic archives. Ted believes that contemplative photography has a strong impact on viewers’ daily lives. “Landscape and historic photographs are symbols of our personal experience and common heritage. We can transcend the clutter of daily work in a moments’ gaze at a contemplative image of Oregon’s beauty or of it’s poignant past.”

Visit William Joseph Gallery at 526 SW Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon, or via http://www.williamjosephgallery.net/.

The TriMet Loan Fund supports 10 businesses impacted by the heaviest phases of construction on the I-205/ Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project. The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provides technical assistance to the businesses and Oregon Microenterprise Network administers the loan fund.  

A special Thank You to our generous event sponsors:  Enterprise Cascadia, CFED, Oregon Business Development Department, and OnPoint Community Credit Union!

Two programs were added to this year’s event.

We heard from Featured Entrepreneur Mary Stevenson who owns Earth and Vine Wine Bar and Art Gallery in Baker City.  Mary is the perfect picture of how practitioners can help and support a small business.  She is a client of the North East Oregon Economic Development District in Enterprise, OR.  Mary has worked with OMEN Board Member Lisa Dawson for technical assistance and has built her assets through an IDA (Individual Development Account).

OMEN presented three awards at the Summit:  The Rising Star Award was presented to NEDCO (Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation) of Eugene for their brilliant and systematic addition of microenterprise development services to their original menu of housing-related services.  The Guiding Star Award was presented to Adelante Mujeres of Forest Grove for their leadership, innovation, and constant demonstration of best practices in the microenterprise field.  The Small Business Champion Award was presented to Representative Jefferson Smith of Portland for his unwavering belief in the power of small business and his tireless advocacy for support to small business owners in Oregon.

Materials from Microenterprise Boot Camp (10/12/11) (click to see list)

Presentations from Key Note and Break Out Sessions (10/13/11)

2011 OMEN Annual Meeting

2011 Summit Key Note Address

It Takes a Village to Raise a Business

Evaluating to Learn

Redefining the Triple Bottom Line

A, B, Si’s of Creating Opportunity for Latino Entrepreneurs

What If?

Oregon Resources for Food Entrepreneurs

• Take Your Recipe to Market with PCC
• Get Your Recipe to Market

Anni Forestel was managing a thriving beauty salon located on 5^th Avenue in the heart of Old Town when construction of the new TriMet line began. Bella Pearl Salon depends on walk-in customers and a prominent storefront presence to gain business, but construction of the new lightrail caused business to slow and product sales to drop.

It was during this time that Bella Pearl Salon received a long term, low interest loan from TriMet in partnership with Portland Development Commission and Portland State University to offset financial setbacks caused by lightrail construction. The loan provided working capital for Bella Pearl to make repairs to its storefront and improve the interior of the salon.

In addition to receiving capital from the Trimet loan fund, the Portland State University Business Outreach Program provides ongoing business support and counseling to Bella Pearl Salon. This includes a dedicated Portland State University student team that worked with Anni for 4 months to fine-tune her business plan, develop her business goals, and improve her marketing strategy. The students came from diverse fields of study, including marketing, accounting, and business management, and created a fresh and creative approach to running the business.

Bella Pearl Salon has been an important part of the downtown 5^th Avenue neighborhood since 2000. Anni Forestel became owner of the salon in 2002. The salon employs 10 stylists, 1 skin care specialist, and 3 part time receptionists. Job creation and the development of thriving neighborhood economic centers lie at the heart of microenterprise, and Anni Forestel has excelled at fostering these values for her business and the community around her.

The TriMet Loan Fund supports 10 businesses impacted by the heaviest phases of construction on the I-205/ Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project. The Portland State University Business Outreach Program provides technical assistance to the businesses and Oregon Microenterprise Network manages administration of the loan fund.  

In 2004 Mira Fannin lined a small booth at the Eugene Farmers Market with her latest clothing creations. Her products immediately drew the attention of shoppers who loved the organic blended fibers with cuts described as ‘simple, modern, yet classically wearable.’ As Mira recalls, “there was such a demand for the classic simplicity and wearability of the designs that the obvious choice was to keep going.” Although she started with a tiny 4-foot by-4-foot space, her products quickly became popular and she expanded her booth to accommodate shoppers. Sweet Skins now operates a thriving store in Eugene, an online website, and acts as a distributor to customers worldwide.

One season Mira realized that purchasing large quantities of fiber would ultimately decrease her production costs and allow the natural fiber dyeing process to be more efficient, but she did not have the start-up capital to purchase fiber in bulk. With the help of eDev (Entrepreneurial Development Services) in Eugene, Mira applied for a $10,000 loan from the CapitalLink program of Oregon Microenterprise Network. Mira worked with Shawn Winkler Rios, Executive Director at eDev, to develop her business plan. She also took classes in accounting and worked with peer groups composed of other small business owners in Eugene. As Mira works to repay her loan, eDev provides customized support to fit her individual business needs and ensure that the microloan makes the greatest impact on the business. Mira meets regularly with eDev staff to fine-tune her entrepreneurial skills and approaches to running a small business.

Sweet Skins is a minority and female owned business located in Eugene, Oregon. Owner Mira Fannin designs all products herself, including shirts, fleece sweaters, pants, dresses, hats, and more. “I try to use all sustainable and natural fibers, mostly organic cotton and hemp,” says Mira. Her most unique creation uses a material called eco-fleece, a 100% recycled material made from recycled plastic pop bottles that produces an amazingly soft fleece without harmful chemicals and pesticides. Until recently, all aspects of production- designs, cut and sew- have been done by women locally. “It’s definitely more to pay for locally-made clothing rather than mass produced, subsidized clothing, but people seem willing and even feel good about it,” Mira notes. Sweet Skins maintains a conscious business model that supports environmental sustainability and the local community. The business employs one full time and three part time females from the Eugene community and has been a strong player in community development, job creation, and economic growth.

Sweet Skins website: http://www.sweetskins.com/

Contact Margot at margot@oregon-microbiz.org if you have any questions!

Garden Of Ink