Artrepreneurship 2.0 – the business of art in a new economy

The idea of artists as business people isn’t new. Cheryl McNab, former Executive Director of the Western Colorado Center for the Arts, says, “Art has to be a business if you want to be serious about it.” Many artists in the community have worked with Linda Brotman-Evans and ArtSpace and Open Studio, where a mix […]

Upcoming event to offer employment law update

Are you looking for updated information about employment law and recent changes to state and federal legislation? Are you confused about health care reform and its implications for your organization? The Western Colorado Human Resource Association (WCHRA) will host a spring conference and employment law update to offer HR professionals, benefits specialists, office managers and […]

Garnishing information: Employers must follow procedures

Despite what news sources and government numbers might indicate, daily life says economic times remain tough. And with tough times come an increasing number of wage garnishments. Over the last year or so there have been dramatic increases in the numbers of garnishments that employers receive as well as circumstances leading employers to seek their […]

Signs points to further growth

              Emotional markets are often irrational markets.  In both real estate investing and in the financial markets, investors without a discipline can be easily swayed by fear and greed.  By developing a discipline and anchoring decisions to specific facts, investors can maintain their bearings amidst uncertainty and turbulence.  Many […]

Keeping an eye on consumer trends

                 I am a firm believer in horizon scanning…looking ahead at how the world is changing.  Once I know this I can position the Chamber for future opportunities and position the organization to weather challenges.  One of my major sources of information for this exercise is trendwatching.com.   […]

Look for stable year in commercial real estate

           Though the Mesa County economy seems to be strengthening at a snail’s pace, the outlook for commercial real estate this year is looking more positive daily.  Demand should begin to outpace the formerly growing supply in industrial, office and retail properties.              Since our country’s credit crisis of 2008, investors […]

You acquired the target, but how’s your aim?

                  All businesses people have heard the term, “Know Your Target Market.” But do they really understand how to find out who their target market is? This is an essential step in successful advertising. Many businesses say everyone needs my product or service when I first meet […]

Instilling confidence in your customer base

            The quality of the customer service your business provides is absolutely essential to the growth of your operations. If your desire is to retain and grow your customer base, do so by instilling confidence in them through exceptional customer service experiences.             Just this […]

New Year’s resolution road map

              If you are the person who is out running at 5:00 am every morning, this article is not for you.  If you are the person who eats nutritious meals every day, this article is not for you.  However, if your New Year’s Resolutions include any part of living […]

Marketing plan well worth the effort

Have you ever said to yourself: This town has too many hair salons? Or have you noticed that yet another pizza joint has opened? Of course, it’s entirely possible such ventures are all making a good profit. But sometimes you have to wonder whether small business owners sufficiently evaluate local markets to ensure their products […]