Our next event will be a combination of our “normal” Lunch & Learn Headlined By Shannon Johnson and a fundraiser for the not-for-profit, Devoted Foundations that helps those in need for free. Come and learn, eat an amazing lunch, and do a silent auction for all donated items for a good cause! More details to come and you can find out more about Devoted Foundations by visiting www.DevotedFoundations.org.

Silent Auction Items:

We are blessed to have so many businesses offer silent auction items here is a list of just some that will be offered up at the auction!

MN Vikings signed memorabilia- Valued at–priceless

Free spa treatment Valued at around $400

Free Beauty make over-Valued at over $300

Big Screen TV– Valued at over $800- Donated by PawnWorks

Luxury Jewelry – Valued over $1,000- Donated by PawnWorks

Onsite Business Health Check– Valued between $3,000 & $10,000 By Devoted Enterprises

Online marketing & lead generation membership- Valued at over $7,300

Brand Bounce Bootcamp Workshop- Valued at $300- By Orange Ball Creative

Three-hour sales training mini boot camp for up to 10 staff members by Sandler Training-  $1500 value

2-hour onsite manager/supervisor sexual harassment prevention training seminar (max. attendance 25)(Value $995) Donated by Zaylore Stout & Associates

(2) Gift certificates for free starter package for martial arts training and self defense- donated by Z ultimate self defense studios– value of $400 each

**items will be updated as they are added*

You can reserve your seat and RSVP to the luncheon here!

Shannon Johnson will be presenting on “Creating an effective social media marketing strategy”.

There‘s no denying that you need to be using Social Media Marketing as part of your overall marketing strategy.

In today’s world, social media is part of our daily lives with most people tuning in, turning on and connecting to one social platform or another. With billions of people using social media, you would be crazy not to be using it to build your online presence. However, there’s more to social media marketing than just creating profiles on different platforms and posting content. To get results, you need a strategy. In this lunch and learn, we will get you the keys to making your own strategy work!  We will also be doing a fundraiser for a special organization!

THE FUNDRAISER

This fundraiser event will use 100% of all proceeds made during this event to help businesses and business professionals in need through our partner organization Devoted Foundations SBC. They help businesses and people in need with the donations that are given and allow them to get the professional help they need to get their business and their career back in line and on track. They need our help! Come and do a silent bid on things like Big Screen TV’s, fine Jewelry, Spa Treatments, beauty make overs, free consulting help, and more. stay tuned for updates!

RSVP for the luncheon today!

The SBAB is excited to announce that Shannon Johnson is our Guest speaker for our October 17th Lunch and Learn and Fundraiser event.  Come and here her speak on “How to Create an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy”.  You can RSVP to the event here!   So who is Shannon Johnson?

Shannon Johnson

“I’m an entrepreneurial-minded marketer who offers a variety of support for growing businesses.  I’m passionate about helping others market their businesses so that they can earn a comfortable income doing what they love. As a seasoned networker, I also enjoy being able to make quality introductions for you to the right people. I have an impressive network of amazing connections and talented friends. I love connecting them!” 

My background is in marketing and design from Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minnesota.  I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve decided to freelance and help other business owners. I used to work for a well known Minnesota marketing agency, Media Relations Agency. I published a women’s business magazine before that for over six years. I founded and sold a successful women’s network, called Encourage Her Network. I’ve produced hundreds of live networking events in the Twin Cities that supported many great non profit organizations around the world. I’ve personally supported hundreds of small businesses with their marketing over the last decade. My network has grown stronger over the years. I’m working on projects tailored specifically to the needs of my clients from strategy and event planning to social media and building websites. Every project is different which keeps my work exciting! I can help you fill the gaps in your marketing strategy.

I offer strategy sessions with expert marketing advice if you want to do it yourself. My positive coaching style aids clients along in taking action on “business building” or “revenue generating” activities. We talk about making money, growing sales, innovative marketing strategies, creative business approaches, branding, and more.

“Think BIG. Dream BIGGER“

I’ve done a ton of personal development over the past decade. I strive to always be learning and growing, spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially. Staying up to date on industry trends fascinates me. I love investing in personal and professional growth but what’s even better is seeing other people in my life grow right along with me. I think success is sweeter when shared.

“LIVE A GREAT STORY.  LIFE IS IN SESSION.”

I enjoy using my God-given gifts to help businesses connect with more customers. Strengths-finder categorized me as a “maximizer”. That means that I’m driven to help people and projects succeed. Hearing businesses’ stories excites me. I’ll listen to your needs and connect you to the right resources. I look forward to getting to know more about you and your business!  Contact me to find out more!

Did you gain some great insight at our luncheon last month about creating a great work environment?? Are you wanting to hear MORE ?? Or maybe you missed the topic and wish you hadn’t. Well, the Small Business Advisory Board will be hosting an in-depth and interactive workshop on this topic in just a few short weeks!

Are Your Employees Excited to Come to Work Everyday and Knock It Out of the Park?

This interactive workshop will cover a variety of topics such as:

-Tips for hiring and developing a team that fits their roles and meets their goals.

-Key actions needed to create a workplace culture that supports employee engagement and productivity.

-How to address employee problems and complaints while protecting your business.

-What’s needed in today’s workplaces to keep great talent, saving both your bottom line and your sanity.

Presented by our SBAB experts Jessica Hamilton, Jodi Milbradt, Deb Sauder, and Zaylore Stout. More info or online registration can be found at https://smallbizab.com/events/healthy-workplaces-with-dynamic-teams/.

What does it take to create a team that can take your business to the finish line and win the game?

The first step in creating a winning team is to determine the game and know what the team is playing for. Is your team playing football, baseball, or soccer? Let’s say they are playing football, what kind of football are they playing; touch, flag, or tackle football? What is the objective they are working towards? The NFC or AFC division championship, or the ultimate win, the Super Bowl?

Before you build your champion team you as the owner, coach, and cheerleader must answer the following questions:

• What game will the team be playing?
• Why is the team playing the game?
• When is the best time to recruit the team?
• Who do you want playing the game?
• Where will you draft your best players from?
• How will your team execute the key plays and how will you keep them happy, motivated, and persistent?

Make sure your organization is ready to get into the game and stay in the game.

Ultimately, it is the team that creates the win for which your organization plays. So where do you start?

• Create a game plan you know works: have strong, consistent processes
• Make sure you understand the gaps on the team
  • Who are your current players and are they a good fit for the team?
  • Who do you need on your team?
• Have a plan for recruiting your team and use good hiring practices while you scout your talent
• Assess your possible recruits to ensure they can fulfill the position
• Determine if you need short-term or long-term players

Execute your game plan with top talent and you’ll see the results and reap the rewards!

You can’t expect the kind of results you want if you are not clear about your wins and losses. You must always be aware of what is working, what is not working, and what your options are.

• Understand your organization’s strengths and gaps: financial, customer, processes, and people
• Determine how well you really understand your current players and coaches
• Consider the need for independent players to fill in some gaps: consultants, partners, expert advisors, investors etc.
• Gain yardage by increasing your resources – time, capacity, and money
• Pass your risk (Worker’s Compensation) and focus on what you do best – WIN!

Most importantly, make sure you understand the rules of the game. Rules and referees are an essential part of ensuring a game’s fairness. It’s critical to a team’s success to have a clear understanding of the rules and how a referee would apply and interpret those rules. As the coach of your business and team, here are two areas where you must have a very clear understanding of the rules:

• Exempt vs. Nonexempt Classifications
• Employee vs. Independent Contractor Classifications

Following the rules can prevent costly penalties and litigation as your team pushes towards attaining that Super Bowl ring!

Don’t wait to create your Super Bowl contending team. Join the SBAB team experts on February 21^st. They understand the game you are playing, they know some trick plays that lead to touchdowns, and they can’t wait to cheer you on towards your biggest win yet!

SBAB Contributors: Jessica Hamilton, HR Consultant; Jodi Milbradt, Employer Solutions; Deb Sauder, Leadership Strategist; Zaylore Stout, Employment Lawyer.