Marketing
Workshop Series
We're launching a new marketing workshop series in February to support
small to medium sized local businesses.
Through January 31st, you can participate in
six workshops for just $12.50 each with our special pass. Find
out more about the workshops and register
now.
MHBA
Annual Meeting
Join us Fri Feb 27 at 6:00 pm for the annual
meeting of MHBA members. Business meeting with election of the board
will be followed by food, music and connection. More info will be
delivered soon.
BALLE
Conference
MHBA is hosting the 7th annual national BALLE conference, and
registration is now open! Find
out more about this important event bringing together
entrepreneurs and thought leaders to build local living economies. Take
advantage of early registration discounts, and sponsorship
opportunities are still available.
Local
Capital Summit
Registration opens next week for the Local Capital Summit, a one-day
event on May 20 presented by the MHBA. Save the date and contact
us for more information about getting involved in the event.
Colorado
Enterprise Fund
We're excited to partner with the Colorado Enterprise Fund, a local
non-profit lending organization providing loans of up to $200,000 for
small businesses. Find
out more about their lending programs and contact them at
303-860-0242 for more information.
Founding
Members
We are proud to acknowledge the following local businesses for helping
found the Mile High Business Alliance.
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A
New Year, A New Economy
If
only that were good news.
The New Year is an opportunity for reflection on the past, and planning
for the future. What have we learned? What can we improve? What's next?
The end of 2008 brought us an exciting Presidential election, the
annual retail blitz of holiday shopping, and endless news of bank
failures, corporate bailouts, increasing unemployment and political
corruption.
What are we going to do? Our
economy is in recession, and that downward spiral is dangerous because
it builds momentum, quickly. Banks are lending less so there's less
money to go around and our personal and national debt is staggering.
People are losing their homes and businesses are closing - and the more
that happens, the faster it accelerates, unless something happens to
alter its course.
Here's the good news: even as
trillions of dollars have disappeared from bank ledgers in the past few
months and our financial sector is in turmoil, our capacities have not
disappeared. We are still able to grow food, provide health care,
create new businesses and marketplaces.
Good news, because perhaps these huge economic problems are actually an
opportunity. Perhaps we don't have to continue in the huge downward
spiral of recession.
Now's the time to re-write the rules. 2009
is an exciting time for Denver and Colorado. As one of the most
entrepreneurial states in the Union, we have amazing capacities to grow
local businesses in every sector.
This is why we invite you to get involved.
We're not just about marketing
workshops and media
campaigns and Local
Flavor Guides, although we love all of those things. We know
that times are difficult for you as local businesses. Trust me, we
know. But we must rebuild our economy, and it's going to take all of us
- local business owners, entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, local law
makers, and every person who lives in our communities.
It starts by building relationships of trust. By working together to
address these problems head on. The rest of this newsletter
is filled with info about the partnerships, events and resources we've
identified and provide to help make this possible.
Please join
us. We can't afford to keep losing our local businesses. It's
up to us, and the time is now.
We truly look forward to working with you to build better community
through better business.
~
Mickki Langston and MHBA Staff and Leadership
Special Event: Mobilizing Local Capital Now
Join us for a special event to
address the growing need of capital for local business.
When: Mon Jan 26 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Cost: Free; $3 donation is
suggested
Where: Location TBA - please register
so you can stay informed. (more
info)
Recession, waning consumer
confidence, credit crunch. Many of our local businesses are
feeling the pain of these problems now. What can we do to avoid the
economic downward spiral, and mobilize our resources to keep our local
businesses in business? How do we activate and effectively manage all
kinds of local capital, including human capital, social capital, local
productive capacity and natural and financial
capital?
Please join us for a special event for local
business owners and community leaders entitled: Mobilizing
Local Capital Now. This event will examine the issue head on,
bring together existing resources, and look at how we can work together
to strengthen our local economy.
MHBA
Starting Peer Advisory Groups
As independently owned (and mostly small to medium sized) businesses,
we have much to do, with very little time or extra resources. But we
still have the need to develop our businesses, to adapt to changing
circumstances, and to learn how to best address the challenges we face
while building a thriving business.
We may not have thousands of dollars in our budget for professional
consultants, but we do have each other. As a member of the Mile High
Business Alliance, you are able to connect with other local business
owners. We'd like to help even more to make that happen.
We are currently seeking MHBA members
to participate in our peer advisory group. (read
more)
Recent
Local Biz Blog Posts
Subscribe
to our blog for the latest news on MHBA, local business and
the growing movement to support local businesses first. Here are some
recent posts we think you'll like:
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