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