June 2008
Access to Capital Event
This workshop is a MUST for every small business owner interested in securing a loan for working capital,
purchasing inventory, equipment and commercial real estate, business expansion and debt refinance. Plan to
attend this FREE workshop at Town Hall, 363 N. Main Street in Fort Bragg on Thursday, June 19th.
A stance is not that which changes according to the circumstances, but rather the precaution with which one
assumes a firm and steady position.
Miyamoto Musashi
Adobe Photoshop Express
Need to tweak your photos but can’t afford a photo editing program? Adobe now offers Photoshop Express as
a no cost online alternative to Photoshop. Photoshop Express is completely web based and allows you to edit
and share groups of photos via the internet, perfect for a series product or service demonstration shots. For
more information visit http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopexpress/
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another.
But above all, try something.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Cost-of-production Studies
The University of California, Davis, and UC Cooperative Extension have released 14 new cost-of-production
studies for growing high-density olives, table grapes, wine grapes, fresh market tomatoes, onions, berries,
apples and dates. Each study is based upon a hypothetical farm operation using practices common to a
region. Assumptions used to identify current costs and operations for the individual crops, material inputs, cash
and no-cash overhead are described. An analysis table shows profits over a range of prices and yields. Other
tables show the monthly cash costs by cultural operations, the costs and returns per acre showing material
inputs, hourly equipment costs, and the whole farm annual equipment, investment and business overhead
costs.
Topics of new cost studies include establishing a super high-density olive orchard in the San Joaquin and
Sacramento valleys; establishing and producing table grapes in the San Joaquin Valley (separate reports for
Thompson Seedless, Flame Seedless, Red globe and Crimson Seedless); establishing a vineyard and
producing wine grapes on the North Coast (separate reports for red varieties-Cabernet Sauvignon and white
varieties-Sauvignon Blanc); producing onions in the Intermountain region; producing fresh market tomatoes in
the San Joaquin Valley; establishing and producing apples in the Intermountain region; establishing a date
palm orchard and producing dates in the Coachella Valley; and establishing and producing blueberries on the
Central Coast (separate reports for conventional and organic blueberries).
The cost studies are available online at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu/ at county UCCE offices, by mail from
the University of California, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA
95616; or may be requested by calling (530) 752-1517.
To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish.
Chinese Proverb
Loan Guarantees Available for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
Loan guarantees (secured loans) are now available for qualified entrepreneurs with disabilities in 45 states. If
an applicant is already working with a local microlender or a bank and is having difficulty getting a positive loan
decision for business start up or expansion due to lack of collateral or credit experience, The Abilities Fund will
guarantee the loan for approved applicants. If an individual does not have a funding relationship but is seeking
startup or expansion capital for their business, The Abilities Fund will refer the application to a national lending
partner and guarantee the loan. A comprehensive business plan is required for all applicants and must
include: For more information visit http://www.abilitiesfund.org/
Dreams pass into the reality of action. Form the action stems the dream again; and this interdependence
produces the highest form of living.
Anais Nin
Going Green
The green sector which ranges from green building to organic food and body care products is one of the
fastest-growing business segments. Over 63 million U.S. consumers are classified as LOHAS (those with
“lifestyles of health and sustainability”), and are the most likely to buy environmentally and socially responsible
products. Check out www.greenbiz.com or www.greenbiz.ca.gov for examples of standards that define what a
small business must do to be certified “green.”
Sometimes it can be very dangerous to in search of a dream for the reality does not always match it.
Gracie Field
Set Winning Prices
Tips for savvy business owners who want to boost fees and keep customers. If your firm has a 10%
profit margin, a price increase of one percentage point will deliver a 10% hike in profit. Many business
owners assume that a price increase will drive away customers but those businesses underestimate
their pricing power. Many become so focused on price competition they don’t appreciate the value of
the added quality they offer, their fast and reliable deliver or other superior services they provide (or
could provide) to justify higher prices.
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Gather Intelligence
Know what your competitors charge, what they offer, and how you compare
Differentiate
Set prices based on the job’s demands.
Know Your Customers
If you provide what they value most, they will probably pay for it.
Test the Waters
Still not sure? Bump up process for only some customers or products, and gauge the
response.
Please pass this newsletter along to as many people as you like.
www.WestCompany.org
(866) 604-9378 (WEST)
760 B Stewart Street Fort Bragg, California 95437 (707) 964-7571 Fax (707) 964-7576
631 S. Orchard Avenue Ukiah, California 95482 (707) 467-5931 Fax (707) 467-5930
420 W Walker Street Orland, California 95963 (530) 990-5801 Fax: (530) 865-7402