Are You a Good Example of Leadership? What Do You Measure to Come to that Conclusion?

Are You a Good Example of Leadership To The People In Your Quad State Organization?

“We strive to deliver something for which there is unlimited demand–being treated with honor and respect. There seems to be a very limited supply of that in today’s world.” -Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A CEO

There is much talk these days about what the vacuum in our country's current leadership is doing for the USA's reputation across the globe.

This piece is gleaned from an inspirational article in none other than the vaunted Harvard Business Review. (You are reading HBR and Forbes.com regularly, yes?)

While we can get off on very good rabbit trails in good discussions in this regard, Quad State owners are often remiss in simply taking time to ponder our own 'core values' in regards to our leadership and the impact it is having on those we lead.

Listen in on MBA classes and corporate conferences and you will hear a lot of talk about the need for inspiring missions, ethical behavior and transcendent purpose. And judging from the “core values” statements in most annual reports, the vast majority of business leaders want their companies to grow by enriching the lives of their customers and employees.

And yet, this can often sound like so much fluff in the real business world. Our system of financial accounting rewards quarterly profits, but struggles mightily to place a value on ethical behavior. Even accounting rules specifically dealing with reputation — goodwill and intangible assets — are subject to frequent rule changes and endless debate.

A Great Leadership Tool...The Golden Rule in Long-Term Mathematics for Financial Success?

Reputation is earned, for the most part, through the simple, age-old concept of the Golden Rule (I refer you to the original source of Matthew 7:12 to check out), treat others as you yourself would want to be treated.

Each time you live up to the Golden Rule, your reputation is enhanced; each time you fail, it is diminished.
The mathematics of long-term financial success — revenues, profits, cash flow — square perfectly with this scorecard.

Everyone wants to be treated with honor and respect in many ways, large and small, that enrich our lives.

Could this be the missing ingredient in your leadership repertoire in striving for that 'ultimate' customer service? 

 Such experiences not only make us happy, we want to share them with people we care about.
It's a lot bigger than Yelp or Yahoo! notations. Sure, we rely on social media way too much, but in many industries, getting comments from fellow customers enhances our own buying decisions.

By recommending an experience, we’re signaling our trust that our friends will be treated similarly.

Recommendations also signal to businesses how customers view their relationship with the company. When customers feel so well treated that they enthusiastically recommend a company to friends, they are promoters. When treated so badly they recommend avoiding the company, they are detractors. Both have direct and measurable economic consequences.

Is This the New No-Cost Customer Relationship Management (CRM) breakthrough?

While a high level of 'serving others the way we want to be treated' may keep our bank accounts happy, there is also both a management and inspirational dimension to get to that end.

We as leaders should be striving to come up with practical ways we can measure how customers and potential customers are treated. Add our employees and suppliers in there and we have completed the loop!

That’s how Walt Bettinger, chief executive of Charles Schwab, describes his company’s new-found 'CRM tool' and system when recommending it to other CEOs:

“First, I ask them if they believe in the importance of the Golden Rule — that ancient moral and ethical principle that we should treat people the way we would want to be treated. They always nod emphatically and say, ‘Yes, of course.’ So then I ask them what they do to measure how consistently they and their organization are living the Golden Rule each day. Their typical response: ‘Well, it would be great if we could measure it, but there’s no practical way to do that.’ To which I reply that there most certainly is a way.

In fact, at Schwab we have been using a new measurement tool to measure our Golden Rule compliance for more than five years, and it works brilliantly. This tool is the first screen I open when I boot up my computer each morning. It lets me know for each part of our company how we are performing in living up to our core values. By making NPS a top priority, we have become a better company — not just in terms of living our core values, but also in terms of profitable growth.”

Bettinger is not alone. CEO Dan Cathy explains the winning strategy at Chick-fil-A in similar terms: “We strive to deliver something for which there is unlimited demand–being treated with honor and respect. There seems to be a very limited supply of that in today’s world.”

These CEOs have not discovered a new concept: in one form or another, the Golden Rule is a pillar of most of the world’s great religions and it also lies at the heart of secular ethics. The Golden Rule is simply a key part in our basic human DNA in wanting to bond with others.

The challenge executives face is how to put the Golden Rule into practice, especially when the lingua franca of financial accounting pushes the business to focus on short-term profits.

In striving to measure something heretofore that may be to many UN-measureable, there are ways that just about anything we can conceive of can be measured. As Schwab and Chick-fil-A have discovered, it really does pay to think of others first—paying dividends in both revenue and your personal and corporate leadership.

###

Republished from: www.QuadStateBusinessJournal.com

Jefferson County Chamber Taps Andrew Skinner as new Chamber President

The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, in their recent elections, have tapped Andrew Skinner of the Skinner Law Firm to the post of President.

In announcing  the even, the Chamber also announced the new 2014-15 Jefferson County Chamber Board President, they released the names of their new Board of Directors.

Chuck Ellison, Frontier Communications

Jeanie Hamilton, MidAtlantic Farm Credit

Tiffany Hine, Blue Ridge CTC,

Judy Hockman, UHA Home HealthCare

Aaron Howell, Bank of Charles Town,

Pat Hubbard, Blue Ridge CTC

Rob Losey, Bloomery Plantation Distillery

Tripp Lowe ,Clarion Hotel& Conference Center

Liz McDonald, Blackwell Realty

Heather McIntyre, Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce

Tara Orndorff , Hampton Inn & Suites

Amy Panzarella, American Public University

Roger Ramey, Hollywood Casino

John Reisenweber, Jefferson County Development Authority

Jeff Rogers, Specialty Business Supplies

Andrew Skinner, Skinner Law Firm

Peggy Smith, City of Charles Town

Mary Via, ED Emeritus

James Vigil, Shepherd University

Dave White , Thompson Gas

For fuller information on the calender of the Jefferson County Chamber, click here:

http://jeffersoncountywvchamber.org/calendar.html

###

This article first appeared in www.QuadStateBusinessJournal.com 

Keeping Your Quad State Business from Failure

 

As I have spent several years working with SCORE in and around my 41 years earning my paycheck with street-level entrepreneurs, I thought it was about time the Quad State Business Journal did an article on why businesses fail.

I know that SCORE and SBDC folks are ‘supposed’ to accentuate the positive with entrepreneurs and business owners who seek their advice. It’s dictated by the SBA and Commerce Department among other ‘polite’ societal norms.

My time with SCORE was fun, don’t get me wrong. We helped a lot of sharp entrepreneurs get launched. But I suppose what was the beginning of the end of our relationship was the time that I told a newly-retired NASA engineer who retired from the Goddard Space Flight Center to go home and thank the Lord he has a pension.

And to forget his business idea–simply because he was uncoachable, unteachable and was unwilling to listen to even the most timid among us SCORE counselors–unless he is aiming for a huge write-off.

SCORE and SBA Aren’t Used To Telling Dysfunctional Entrepreneurs They are Dysfunctional

That’s not meant to be as irreverent as it sounds. I have always felt empathy for founders and their stakeholders. After all, it’s not as if I were some paragon of virtuous behavior when I was an executive, either. Nobody’s perfect.

Nevertheless, you can’t fix a problem until you face the truth. So whenever I have an opportunity to help a promising startup that can’t find its way or a mature company in need of a turnaround, it is difficult to watch them fail simply because those in charge aren’t willing to deal with their limitations.

Of course, we’re all human. But the beauty of an organization is that the head honcho does not have to go it alone.  Here in our Quad State region, there is a lot of help for both the start-up and ‘mature’ entrepreneur if one is willing to extend oneself. That even goes beyond SCORE, SBDC or various ‘governmental’ help.

Is There Non-Governmental Help In the House?

There are successful business owners, right now, in our region, who would be thrilled to help a new entrepreneur get started or a mature entrepreneur get through a sticky business issue–if approached decently. (I suppose that ‘if approached decently’ is fodder for another full article.)

And yet, in all the years I’ve been doing this, the most common preventable failure mode by far is when CEOs are simply not willing to do what is best for their company. Call it fear, greed, myopic views or just plain selfishness, a business–whether start-up or mature–cannot survive their owner denial to give their dreams life-giving marketplace air.

I say “not willing” because it is a choice. Denial is a choice. Failing to challenge your own comfort zone is a choice. Maintaining the status quo is a choice. Listening to groupthink is a choice. Lacking the courage to face your fears is a choice. And putting your own self-interest ahead of those of your stakeholders and your business is a choice.

Make It Your Business to Understand Your Market

Stephen Covey’s writing wisely asked us to ‘understand, then seek to be understood.’   Gerber, author of ‘The-E-Myth told us to ‘work on your business, not in your business.’ If you are  too busy to go outside your market to take a look at it from an outsider’s or a customer’s point of view, hire a consultant to give you that perspective.

Any decent psychiatrist will tell you that on some level smart people do understand what’s really going on. They do have common sense. They hear what others are telling them. They know what they’re doing. So when they suppress it, bury it in their subconscious, hear what they want to hear – call it what you want – that, my friends, is a choice.

Sure there are indeed concrete reasons why companies fail. Jump on any SCORE or business publication website and you will see a list.  But failure of leadership is at the root of a great 99.9% of them.

Sure there are unforeseen things–even right down to selling a company and thinking that the proceeds will fund one’s retirement. And then you get shafted. I can personally give testimony for that! But what do you do after that?

You Have to Lead Yourself, Number One: Be In It for the Long Haul 

There are so many terrific Quad State business owner stories about owners who were dealt a bad hand, a dirty deal, a sudden change in their market. We wish we could tell them all. But these owners gave short-shrift to their pity party and re-invented themselves and their businesses.

Lots of companies run out of cash. But while some can’t raise capital, you would not believe how many can and simply don’t. Oftentimes, their founders aren’t willing to give up a piece of the pie. They try to bootstrap a promising venture and end up starving it to death. Or they have too high a burn rate, aren’t willing to invest the time it takes to raise a round of funding, wait too long and run out of time.

It’s hard to imagine how many beneficial ideas, inventions and innovations never see the light of day because they offer solutions that don’t actually solve any real problems. Or they’ve come up with concepts, not products.

Lots of entrepreneurs are not in it for the long haul or for the right reasons; they think they can make a quick million or feed their egos. Some don’t think they need a unique value proposition or competitive differentiation. Others have holes in their strategy so big it would take a miracle to fill them.

I see this stuff every day. And none of it is rocket science, folks. It’s Startup 101. You should all know better. In all likelihood, you probably do. But you do it anyway. And fail. That’s what I’m talking about.

Success Is Hard–But So Is Failure–We Must Take Risks but We Need to Manage Them

Look, it’s not easy starting and growing a business. If it were, every startup would succeed. The problem is they can’t. Don’t kid yourself. Markets are zero-sum games. They are elastic but they are also competitive. People and companies have limited budgets. Ad dollars are finite. We are all after the same number of eyeballs and page views.

Just so this isn’t misunderstood or misinterpreted, let me make an important distinction. You should take risks. You should do what you love. You should take the plunge if it is in you to do it. You will never know how things would have turned out if you don’t. All I’m saying is do it with your eyes open.

I don’t care how inspired or passionate you are. Like it or not, there are laws of physics, finance, and human nature your ego simply cannot overcome. By all means, reach for the stars. But if you don’t keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, you’re just going to end up floating away. And trust me when I tell you, there are no customers up there.

###

Originally appearing in www.QuadSBusinessJournal.com

How Quad State Owners Can Safely Take Cash Out of Their Business

How Can You Get Cash Out of Your Business?

By Scott Ford and David Ryan

At a certain point, business owners hope to be able to take back some of their initial investment out of their company. They may use that money to invest as a means of protection from the ever-changing market that may undervalue their business. Another reason for taking cash from the business is that owners may want to lessen their personal guarantees for loans or they may need the financial capital to buy out a partner.

Sometimes the business may invite a private equity investor or strategic buyer to buy a portion of the business; however, usually this is not preferred by the owner. Most private equity investors buy a larger percentage stake (70 percent or more) in the company. Consequently, the current owner will lose their position as a majority owner, as well as their ability to make company decisions. Another complicated option is Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), which is also not preferred by business owners.

An Alternative: Luckily for owners, there is another way that allows them to remain in control of their business while gaining their financial independence. This option is called: Minority Recapitalization – the sale of less than 49 percent of the business to an outside investor.

Many owners, especially those from the baby boomer generation, are not prepared to leave their companies. They prefer to still be involved, but also have the time to enjoy other activities, traveling, spending time with family, volunteering, etc.

Some private equity firms create opportunities to contribute their capital in a way that works for both the business owner and the investor. By having the investor provide non-recourse debt, which is debt without personal guarantee, and buying a minority equity position, the firms can earn a return while also giving large amounts of liquidity to the business owner. In addition, by maintaining their majority stake in the company, the business owners are able to continue to work towards the success of the business.

Easier Transactions: So how does this work? Let’s run through a scenario: Meet Bob and his best friend Tom; they own BT Construction Company. Bob wants to retire, but Tom does not; therefore Tom wants to buy Bob’s stake in the company and operate the company.

As a majority owner, Bob owns 70 percent of the equity in the company and Tom owns the remaining 30 percent. BT Construction has recently been valued at $10 million, therefore Bob’s stake in the company is worth $7 million and Tom’s stake in the company is worth $3 million.

Tom has decided to do a minority recapitalization as a way to come up with the $7 million. The private equity firm has given him an interest-only loan of $5 million. This $5 million dollar loan has provided the company with half as much equity available in what investors call “net equity value.” Because the equity is now halved, Tom’s 30 percent stake is now 60 percent of the total available equity. His stake is now 60 percent of the $5 million in equity value, even though it is still worth the same $3 million.

To align with the loan, the private equity firm purchases the remaining 40 percent for $2 million, which added to the $5 million loan, providing the total $7 million that was needed to pay Bob. His payment is taken care of in a tax-efficient manner.

Tom now has operational control of the business and he has bought his partner out for cash. Not only has he doubled his ownership interest in the company, but he did so without using his personal finances or having to sign a personal guarantee. In addition he is able to work at the company while enjoying other activities.

For many companies a minority recapitalization is a viable way to take money out of the business.

###

Scott Ford is Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Wealth Management Group in Hagerstown. He is the author of Financial Jiu-Jitsu, based on his many years of martial arts training. He is a Certified Gazelles Coach and helps entrepreneurs and business owners operate profitable and efficient firms. Scott can be reached by email at scottf@cornerstonewealthgroup.com, via phone at (301) 739-8505 or on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/scottdford.

David Ryan is the founder and managing member of Upton financial group. He has more than 25 years of experience in the Mergers & Acquisitions industry and has previous experience as a practicing CPA, CVA and investor.

If you would like to learn more about this exciting opportunity, we will conduct a free 30-minute webinar that explains how this type of financing works. The webinar, Take Cash Out of the Business – Without Losing Control, will be held on Thursday, July 24^th at 4 p.m. ET. Please click on the link or copy and paste it into your browser: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/260111177

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through CWM, LLC, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

Entrepreneurs to Meet at Country Inn in Berkeley Springs August 7th!

Update!

(July 1, 2014, 201) – What happens when a professional wrestler, physician/rock and roll singer, serial entrepreneur and astrologer come together for a one-night only appearance? The result can only be an incredibly unique panel discussion. “So You Want to be a Star? Branding Yourself for the 21^st Century” will be held Thurs., Aug. 7^th at the Country Inn, Berkeley Springs, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Panelists are Peter Corum, developer of Morgan Grove’s Market, radio host and banker; John Diamondidis, aka Big John Greene, a professional wrestler and Internet entrepreneur; and Dr. Matt Hahn, owner of River Bend Family Medicine and a rock and roll singer. Well-known Berkeley Springs resident and business owner Jeanne Mozier will moderate the discussion. Mozier is also an author, tourism promoter, astrologer and social entrepreneur.

The program is presented as part of the Eastern Panhandle Entrepreneurs Forum (EPEF). The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Country Inn in Berkeley Springs, and begins at 5:30 p.m. with networking, refreshments and exhibitors. The educational portion of the program begins at 6:30. Exhibitor space is available for $5 a table. Please email amy@jcda.net to reserve a table.

Organized by the economic development authorities in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties, the EPEF is a non-profit organization of individuals in the business and technical communities that promotes the creation and growth of innovative new businesses in the Eastern Panhandle. Programs are held the first Thursday of each month (except July), rotating between venues in the three counties. The organization is based on the premise that the future economic vitality of our region comes in large part from the emergence of new businesses through entrepreneurship.

 In order for this to occur, there must be an entrepreneurial culture, a pool of resources to draw from, and successful models to follow.

2014 Sponsors: Accurate Systems, American Public University System, ANW Enterprises, Around the Panhandle magazine, Bank of Charles Town, Blue Ridge CTC, BB&T, City National Bank, Comcast Business Division, Diehl Law Firm, HBS Tax and Small Business Experts, HMS Technologies, Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc., United Bank, Panorama at the Peak, Mid-Atlantic ProTel, Remax 1st Realty, Specialized Engineering, Triad Engineering, University of Charleston-Martinsburg, WV Manufacturer’s Extension Partnership.

For more information call or click: epef@jcda.net, 304-728-3255, http://www.jcda.net/entrepreneurs-forum/. The Country Inn is located at 110 S. Washington St., Berkeley Springs (www.thecountryinnwv.com/).

WV SBA Business of the Year Are Also in Quad State Region

Jill Sommers, QSBJ Business Writer

A business media writer could take several angles to this story as it provides for a lot of background material that could be used. There can be some wonderful backgrounders taken as you will see. There were five categories for West Virginia's Business of the Year awards.

WV Small Business Person of the Year

This award went out to Kenneth Allman, president of PracticeLink.com and MountainPlex Properties of Hinton, WV. Mr. Allman was nominated by the former Mayor of Hinton, Cloe Mathews. What PracticeLink.com does is connect more lthan 5,000 WV hospitals, medical practices and healthcare groups together. I will put the SBA website link at the end of this article.

Small Business Exporter of the Year

It is interesting that they had exporter as a category. If anyone knows if this is the same name as an award for last year, let me know. The Exporter of the Year is Chad Remp of the Wheeling Truck Center, Inc. in Wheeling, WV. The Truck Center is the oldest continuously operating White/Volvo truck deal in America and exports to 93 countries. Chad is a fourth-generation owner of the family business that started in 1933.

Family-Owned Business of the Year

This business has a heart-warming story in itself. We have not yet gotten to the Quad State region's winners yet, but this business just celebrated its 100^th anniversary from starting out delivering meat from door to door. The winner is Christopher Wendling of A.F. Wendling, Inc. of Buckhannon, nominated by Stephen Foster of the Upshur County Development Authority. The business serves 53 counties in WV and also serves selected areas in PA, MD and Ohio.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

This honor goes to Bridget Rowsy of Bridget's Dance Academy of Huntington, WV and was nominated by Amber Wilson, SBDC director at the Huntington office. That is the rest of West Virginia. Now let's bring it into our region.

Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year

Now we reach the Quad State region! This honor goes to Jeannette King. And I will allow their copy to describe the business. The winner in this category is Navy veteran Jeannette King of Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc. in Martinsburg. Ms. King was nominated by Christina Lundberg of the SBDC in Berkeley County. King, Navy Veteran, founded Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc. in 2007 to provide strategic management and IT consulting services to the federal civilian and defense agencies.

She has built a management team of certified professionals and continues to show her support for veterans oversees and in the U.S. SRE is the largest corporate sponsor for Final Salute, Inc. King also serves on the board of this organization which provides safe and suitable housing for homeless female veterans and their children.

Women In Business Champion of the Year

This award went to Quad State business owner Pam Neely of State Farm in Martinsburg. Ms. Neely was nominated by Tina Combs of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber and is the second nominee winner selected by Christina Lundberg of the SBDC in the area. I suppose one could say that if you are looking for your business to be nominated, you might do your business good if you could have the Panhandle's SBDC nominate you! Neely is the owner of a local State Farm office and has been active in the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce as Chair of the Women’s Network.

In 2013, Neely coordinated the Chamber’s third annual Women’s Network Book Club. Neely led a networking session that included a variety of techniques she learned in her corporate work. The Chamber’s Women’s Network under Pam’s leadership provided professional development to 138 women in the workshops and 71 women in the conference.

Two WV Banks Also Came Out on Top This Year

It is interesting that the WV SBA had two awards to give: the Community Bank of the Year award, won by Community Trust Bank; and the Lender of the Year award won by Huntington National Bank.

We salute our Panhandle winners and look forward to hearing from other areas in our Quad State region.   ###

Is Crowdfunding For Quad State Businesses and Nonprofits?

Taking On or Joining With The Crowdfunding Movement

At first I thought this was akin to Angel Investing only for nonprofits. But crowdfunding is for everyone--really. The Quad State Business Journal had an article in 2013 about a Washington,DC restaurant who was in the thick of raising money for local nonprofits--and selling hamburgers at the same time.

Crowdfunding websites offer average people to give money (not invest) to average folks for just about anything your head can imagine--from the proverbial ridiculous to the sublime. There have been small companies looking to raise cash for a new product to a nonprofit looking for a new animal shelter to a guy asking others to fund his vacation (yes, he was successful).

We are only taking on the crowdfunding for nonprofits idea briefly for now.

I have not followed up on the restaurant, but it seems crowdfunding is getting more mainstream every day.  I do wish I had the crowdfunding sites around when I had my nonprofit on elder financial abuse. But alas, the financial legislation had not been set in play at that time.

We are talking about a lot of crowdfunding sites to take advantage of, too. I have listed a few of them at the end of the article but it would be easier to research on your own as to quantity. There are very generous people out there who want to see a small company or idea take root.

Why So Many  Crowdfunding Websites? Piece of the Action, Baby!

This is an entrepreneurial venture and there are entrepreneurs behind each site idea. As of the end of 2012 there were right at 450 crowd platforms usually manifested as websites. The idea of the crowdfunding website is that you package your idea, your product or service story or whatever into an outline meeting the terms of the website.

There are literally tens of millions of dollars being raised through crowdfunding sources. Word is that just with Kickstarter, it alone has been responsible for over $1 billion raised since its inception.

The websites usually allow the person to flesh out their idea and put it on the site free of charge. A 'fully funded' goal is set on your project and your end result will be in two directions: fully funded or not fully funded. The site owner then takes, say 9 percent or some such figure--give or take--from the funds that you have raised for their services.

Depending on the kind of reward that the backers agree to receive upon giving money, one can distinguish between at least three types of Crowdfunding. -1- Donation-based Crowdfunding, in which the backers essentially donate money to support a cause. Sometimes he/she may receive in exchange a "thank you", a special mention, or even a gadget, but in any case the pledge is essentially a gratuity. -2- Reward-based Crowdfunding, in which the backer receives a reward with a clear monetary value in exchange of the pledge. The reward is often a product or a pre-series item that the backer helped producing by pledging money. In this case the money pledged is similar to paying for a pre-order of a product or service. -3- Credit-based Crowdfunding (more commonly called Peer-to-peer lending or "Crowd-lending"), in which the backer lends the money and receives an interest rate in exchange. In this case the money is pledged in the form of a credit loan. -4- Equity-based Crowdfunding, in which the backer receives shares of a company in exchange of the money pledged. In this case the money is pledged in the form of risk capital.

The 'Crowd' In Crowdfunding Can Be Any Type of Group .

The inputs of the individuals in the crowd trigger the crowdfunding process and influence the ultimate value of the offerings or outcomes of the process. Each individual acts as an agent of the offering, selecting and promoting the projects in which they believe. They will sometimes play a donor role oriented towards providing help on social projects. In some cases they will become shareholders and contribute to the development and growth of the offering. Each individual disseminates information about projects they support in their online communities, generating further support (promoters).

Intellectual Property Exposure--Inventor Beware!

One of the challenges of posting new ideas on crowdfunding sites is there may be little or no intellectual property protection provided by the sites themselves. Once an idea is posted, it can be copied. As Slava Rubin, founder of IndieGoGo said: “We get asked that all the time, ‘How do you protect me from someone stealing my idea?’ We’re not liable for any of that stuff.” Inventor advocates, such as Simon Brown, founder of the UK-based United Innovation Association, counsel that ideas can be protected on crowdfunding sites through early filing of patent applications, use of copyright and trademark protection as well as a new form of idea protection supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization called Creative Barcode.

Where Does Crowdfunding Go From Here?

Crowdfunding exists in just about any democratic country--yes, even Great Britain. Each country puts their own rules and regs on crowdfunding but, again, does not limited citizen participation for the most part.

If you have done crowdfunding for your organization (nonprofit) or company--or even a dream vacation--let us know! We are looking forward to seeing the potential in our Quad State region grow and flourish.

If you would like to create a crowdfunding campaign with one of the sites below, you are invited to make it public record through the Quad State Business Journal--as much info as you want anyway. We would like to see if we can launch or have started five crowdfunding groups in our four-state area to build commerce. If this gives you an idea, shoot me an e-mail!

###

Sample crowdfunding resources:

www.Indiegogo.com; www.Equitynet.com; www.Gofundme.com; www.Kickstarter.com