PowerPoint presentation from the NEDCO Light Rail Business Support Kick Off meeting

1. NEDCO
Light Rail Business Support
Kick Off Meeting
September 1, 2011

2. AGENDA
 Introductions
 Construction Schedule
 Help Available from NEDCO
 Upcoming Workshops
 What To Start Doing Now
 Communication
 Questions

3. INTRODUCTIONS
 Terry Benelli-Executive Director, NEDCO
 Julie Rule-Consultant
 Christy Strauch-Consultant
 Andres Guevara-Intern
 The Audience

4. CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
 Utility relocations start late spring 2012
 Construction 2013-2015
 Pre-operation 2015-2016
For updates:
www.valleymetro.org/metro_projects_planning/central_mesa

5. HELP AVAILABLE FROM NEDCO
 Monthly workshops
 Individual Consulting Assistance
 Facilitated Coaching Groups

6. MONTHLY WORKSHOPS
1. Financial: how to begin setting money
aside and looking at ways to cut expenses
2. Marketing: how to begin talking to your
clients now
3. Accounting: what to do to make sure
your system is current, and what actions
to take if it isn’t
4. Alternative sales channels
5. Suggestions?

7. INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING
◦ Accounting: Bookkeeping,
Budgeting, Accounting Systems,
Controls Assessment
◦ Marketing: Plans, Social Media
◦ General Business-Business plans,
Lease Negotiation, Risk
Assessment

8. INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING
◦ Information technology:
Computer Equipment
Assessment
◦ Human resource issues:
Planning, Governance
◦ Loan document preparation

9. FACILITATED COACHING
 Owners of six to ten businesses will meet
once a month in a facilitated coaching
group,
 Report their progress to each other
 Share solutions
 Networking

10. THE GOOD NEWS
All the help is
free

11. HERE’S WHAT’S WORKED (AND NOT)
 http://nexus.umn.edu/Theses/ReubenColli
ns_ProfessionalPaper.pdf

12. WHAT TO START DOING NOW
 Start collecting your customers’ contact
information (start with email addresses)
 Begin talking to your customers regularly
 Get your accounting system up to date
 See if there are places you can start saving
money
 Get help from NEDCO-Fill out the
application

13. NEDCO APPLICATION
 On your table
 This will help us understand what
programs businesses want
 This will help YOU get started planning
for construction

14. LET’S BE FRIENDS
 “Like” us on Facebook:
◦ www.facebook.com/NEDCOLightRailSupport
 Follow us on Twitter: @NedcoLRSupport
 Check our website: www.nedco-mesa.org
 Opt into our email newsletter

15. QUESTIONS