Sunday, August 30, 1998
The Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce is breaking out the Starbucks for its presentation of the 1998 Small Business Awards Sept. 18 at the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center.
John Smith, regional vice president of Starbucks Coffee, a company with more than 1,500 retail locations in North America, will be the featured speaker at the annual Chamber Institute for Small Enterprise luncheon. The company, a symbol of American entrepreneurial success, is now entering Pacific Rim markets with stores in Hawaii, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines.
Mr. Smith will speak about building customer relationships and how the philosophy has helped the Seattle-based company rapidly achieve recognition as a premier company in the United States. The luncheon will also honor the 1998 Small Business of the Year and winners of the chamber's customer focus, emerging entrepreneur and innovation in business awards.
The luncheon costs $30 for chamber members and $45 for non-members. A business showplace, a business-to-business trade show of 200 exhibitors, will open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
J.T.M. expands Harrison plant
J.T.M., known as an innovator in the marketing of frozen-meat products at retail, has expanded its bakery operations in Harrison in a big way.
The $3.5 million expansion allows production of 300 hoagie rolls a minute, more than three times pre-expansion production. The expansion occurred after J.T.M. found that sales of baked goods -- 800 cases of bread a week in 1990 -- had risen to 15,000 cases a week by 1997. The company projects $6 million in sales of hoagie buns for 1998. The company employs 240 at its Harrison plant with 40 in the bakery, which completed its expansion in April.
Franchise group, Microsoft team
The International Franchise Association and Microsoft have teamed to bring technology information and solutions to entrepreneurs nationwide.
Entrepreneurs can now access the association's Web site at www.franchise.org for technology guides, tech news and free trial software and Internet mail. The Web site was launched in March and features a directory of 2,000 franchise companies and their investment requirements, a list of how-to books, links to other company Web sites and information on franchising.
Business bookshelf
From Make It Your Business by Stephan Schiffman (Pocket Books):
"If you're looking for help from a venture capitalist, you should begin by sending an executive summary of your business plan to potential capital investors. If there is interest, in what you have to offer, you will be asked for the entire plan."
