NEDCO

Light Rail Business Support

Kick Off Meeting

September 1, 2011

AGENDA

Introductions

Construction Schedule

Help Available from NEDCO

Upcoming Workshops

What To Start Doing Now

Communication

Questions

INTRODUCTIONS

Terry Benelli-Executive Director, NEDCO

Julie Rule-Consultant

Christy Strauch-Consultant

Andres Guevara-Intern

The Audience

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

HELP AVAILABLE FROM NEDCO

Monthly workshops

Individual Consulting Assistance

Facilitated Coaching Groups

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?

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING

◦Accounting: Bookkeeping,

Budgeting, Accounting Systems,

Controls Assessment

◦Marketing: Plans, Social Media

◦General Business-Business plans,

Lease Negotiation, Risk

Assessment

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING

◦ Information technology:

Computer Equipment

Assessment

◦Human resource issues:

Planning, Governance

◦Loan document preparation

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

THE GOOD NEWS

All the help is

free

HERE’S WHAT’S WORKED (AND NOT)

http://nexus.umn.edu/Theses/ReubenColli

ns_ProfessionalPaper.pdf

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

NEDCO APPLICATION

On your table

This will help us understand what

programs businesses want

This will help YOU get started planning

for construction

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

QUESTIONS