| Business Before Hours program held on July 23 The Marion Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business Before Hours event on Thursday, July 23, 2015, at Heartland Regional Medical Center, Classroom 1.  The Marion Chamber of Commerce held its Business Before Hours event on Thursday, July 23, 2015, at Heartland Regional Medical Center, Classroom 1. The event began at 7:45 a.m. with free breakfast (provided by Heartland Regional Medical Center) and networking, followed by a presentation by Ted Gutierrez with the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University. The seminar covered the basic requirements of starting your own business including: legal structure, finding financing, business planning basics and much more. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with the tools, guidance and support necessary to start, manage and grow successful and sustainable businesses. Direct and personalized business assistance is provided to entrepreneurs through one-on-one professional consulting, training/workshops, assisting business owners to increase their sales, obtain loans, streamline operations, utilize new technologies, expand into new markets, and position themselves for long-term growth. All consulting is strictly confidential and their one-on-one advising is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Southern Illinois University and is offered at no cost to Illinois residents or businesses planning to move to Illinois. Their team of professional consultants are not only advisors but also business owners with diverse backgrounds and expertise in a variety of areas such as financing, technology, social media, ecommerce, marketing and international trade, among others. Presenter: Ted Gutierrez joined the SBDC staff in May 2014 and has established himself as a trusted resource for small businesses in the Southern Illinois region. He earned his MBA from the University of Redlands and his undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico. Prior to working with the SBDC, he honed his skills with more 15 years of successful business results including most recently with a local financial institution. Currently, Ted serves as a Board Member for the Marion Chamber of Commerce, is active with the Marion Lions Club, and attends several events for the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce. Marion Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours events are held on the fourth Thursday, every quarter during the year, at 7:45 a.m. at Heartland Regional Medical Center, Classroom 1. Presenters for each Business Before Hours are chosen by the Marion Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee. For more information about the Marion Chamber of Commerce, its Membership Committee and how to join, or the Business Before Hours event, call (618) 997-6311 or e-mail director@marionillinois.com         Published: 07/23/15 |
