REAP Newsletter
| The REAP Business Update newsletter is published quarterly for REAP members and others interested in starting, expanding and supporting small rural businesses. The Rural Enterprise Reporter is published every September as REAP's annual report.
Current articles appear below | Newsletter Archive and pdf versions | Sign Up for Updates
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Small Business Survey Results Coming Soon
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:20 — Marie PowellDid you take the 2010 Small Business Needs Assessment survey? If so, your results are being tallied. In 2008, the greatest needs were bookkeeping and marketing/advertising. What will they be in 2010?
Remarkable Year for Enterprising Couple
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:19 — Marie PowellIt has been quite a year for the owners of Sandhills Glass and Garage Doors, Brad and Gina Babb from Ord, Nebraska. From receiving a major award in February, to starring in a documentary video (as one of four businesses chosen nation¬wide), to addressing over 600 people at a national conference in Washington DC – it’s been a whirlwind start to 2010.
Why Do I Need the Internet?
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:16 — Marie PowellApproximately 20 people gathered at Central Community College Columbus Campus last May to learn more about Social Media Marketing. Sally Cohen of eGrowth Marketing (www.egrowthmarketing.com ) shared information about the Social Media venues (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) and how they can increase sales for your business.
Spotlight on Business: Difficult Economy Spurs New Venture
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:14 — Marie PowellHistory seems to repeat itself, and this was evident to Rick Camacho Sr. just a year ago. He worked for a construction business that was busy eliminating departments and reducing jobs, including his. Rick worked in the Mechanical Division for HVAC & Plumbing and Sheet Metal Fabrication.
Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:11 — Marie PowellThe IRS is interested in informing small businesses and others about recently enacted federal legislation that includes tax-saving opportunities for small businesses to hire new workers.
Business Plan Training in Imperial, Nebraska
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:10 — Marie PowellImperial, Nebraska, was the site for a five-week Business Plan training offered by REAP in collaboration with the City of Imperial, Adams Bank and Trust, Pinnacle Bank and First Bank and Trust Company. Nancy Flock, REAP Hispanic Business Specialist, spent weeks meeting with Hispanics in the area to find out if this type of training was needed.
Seward County Business Fair 2010
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 15:09 — Marie PowellREAP again collaborated to sponsor the Third Annual Seward County Business Fair on June 17, 2010. The day was filled with informative presentations and a chance for entrepreneurs to get their questions answered about starting or growing a business.
REAP Marks Decades of Small Business Development
Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:41 — Marie PowellThe Center for Rural Affairs’ Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) program began in January 1990 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. REAP, respected nationally as an outstanding microenterprise development program, is one of the largest rural microenterprise development efforts in the country. The first microenterprise development program founded in Nebraska, REAP set a tone for excellence in the state that continues today.
Can Social Networking Save Small Businesses?
Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:38 — Marie PowellSocial networking is all the buzz these days. But Trent Hamm, author of The Simple Dollar, makes some good points in considering whether it is right for your business or not. Here’s what he observes.
Spotlight on Business: Couple Finds Opportunity in Trying Times
Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:37 — Marie PowellBrewer’s Coffeehouse, LLC began as Minden’s first coffeehouse in June 2007. But the idea for the business started percolating in Sherri Brewer’s mind in 2003 after moving to Minden from Windsor, CO.
Spring Active for REAP Hispanic Business Center
Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:32 — Marie PowellThe REAP Hispanic Business Center has teamed up with the City of Imperial, Adams Bank and Trust, First Bank and Trust and Pinnacle Bank to host a five-week Business Plan Basics Course in Spanish.
REAP Women's Business Center Provides Training Opportunities
Sun, 04/18/2010 - 12:31 — Marie PowellSeveral REAP staff were involved in presenting or assisting with the Center for Rural Affairs’ MarketPlace conference in February during National Entrepreneurs Week. It was a great time for learning and networking! Mark your calendars for February 23, 2011 for the fifth MarketPlace conference in Kearney!
New Year Resolution for Entrepreneurs
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 11:08 — Marie PowellHave you written down your New Year’s resolutions for 2010? If you are a farmer, rancher, civic leader, rural developer, small business owner or are thinking of starting a small business, you should add attending the Center for Rural Affairs’ MarketPlace conference to your list.
MarketPlace: What’s in it for you?
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 10:58 — Marie PowellThe short answer: it will improve your business and your bottom line. The long answer: the information you learn and the networks you create will serve you for years to come. That’s what small business owners who’ve attended MarketPlace are saying.
Survey to Address Needs of Small Rural Business
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 10:56 — Marie PowellREAP will once again ask Nebraska’s small businesses and those who serve them what their needs are when it comes to business. The 2010 statewide survey of small business needs is a follow-up to a highly successful survey we did two years ago.
REAP Staffer Receives Award
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 10:51 — Marie Powell2009 was an exceptional year for the Center for Rural Affairs’ REAP program on many fronts, including receipt of several substantial awards. Business Specialists Gene Rahn and Jerry Terwilliger received significant awards earlier in 2009, and now another REAP Business Specialist has earned honors for her work.
