CEO's Updates

If you could have a wish list  for your business - things that would make a real difference - what would be on it?

Topping my wish list for ASBA is to have more Arizona businesses Connect with us to Grow.  The more members we have, the more potential for valuable business connections, the more opportunities to access great programs and services, the more we ALL benefit.

The ASBA Board of Directors and Staff  are always looking for ways to make your ASBA experience more valuabe. 

ASBA (the Arizona Small Business Association) is a connected community of businesses working together across the state of Arizona.  We all come together with different needs and from different places.  We connect each other to the people, businesses, information, education, and resources (including Healtcare, SCF Safety Training, and cost saving ASBA Advantages.) http://www.asba.com

Here is your chance to use the ASBA Blog and let us know what you want and need for your business.  Are there more things ASBA can do to help you find more opportunities and more savings?

We’re asking, please let us know.  Just click ‘comment’ and join in the conversation.

ASBA (the Arizona Small Business Association) is a connected community of businesses working together across the state of Arizona.  We all come together with different needs and from different places.  We connect each other to the people, businesses, information, education, and resources (including Healtcare, SCF Safety Training, and cost saving ASBA Advantages.)

 The ASBA Board of Directors and Staff  are always looking for ways to make your ASBA experince more valuabe. 

Here is your opportunity to use the ASBA Blog and let us know how Connecting to ASBA helps YOU grow your business. 

Everything changes.  Today, change is on everyone’s lips.  Candidates, business owners, and educators alike are telling us that things need to change.

 Yet,  change is rarely convenient.

It is so easy to say - "Yes I need to change - but now is not a good time.  I will do it next week, next month, next year."

Yet, so often the change we postpone is the change we need right now.

It can be a simple thing like getting a new lap top - even though it means learning a new operating system like Microsoft’s Vista or new applications  like Microsoft Office 2007.  I had been putting that off - I was afraid of the inconvience of learning something new.  What if it did not work?  What if it slowed me down.  What if…

Yet, when I got that new laptop and started using it last night, it was not so bad. 

Yes, some of the laptop’s keys were in a different place.  The software looked different.  I had to think about what I was doing instead of just following familar routines.  It did slow me down - for about an hour.

Yet, after I figured it out, my computer was faster. 

The new software actually had some cool stuff in it.   I was on a roll again.  Oh, and I had a little bit more to work with, better connections, and more access to information than I had before.  The change WAS a bit inconvenient - but the benefits moved me forward toward my goals.

This is a simple example.  Some changes are much more important, life changing, or even world changing.  But whether we are changing something in our business, in our our life, or in our world, don’t be afraid of a little inconvenience. take a chance and change.

p.s.  If you’re  looking to change your business for the better - ASBA can help.  With more opportunities to connect to people, information, cost saving programs and critical business needs like Healthcare that works for small business - you might just find that one thing you need to reach your goal faster.  We are a community committed to working together, to connect and grow.  Check us out at www.ASBA.com.

Remember the old saying about the writing on the wall?

Well, a few weeks back I asked our ASBA Team - "How Can We Grow?"  I did not send an email or call a meeting.  I wrote it on the wall.

(I have not lost my mind - I painted it with white board paint first.)

Before I knew it, the wall was filling up with great ideas for partnerships, processes, marketing campaigns, products and services.

Well world - here is your wall.  We are a community committed to growing together.  How can we grow - our businesses, ourselves, our community.

 Go for it - take a minute and Write on the Wall….Share your ideas - we can connect and grow together!

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite plays was Peter Pan.  In the play, Tinkerbelle is poisoned, and the only way to save her was for thousands of people to clap to show that they BELIEVE. 

It was a way to show confidence, to share a belief, to build a community.  People have been clapping for decades. 

Well, I’m no Tinkerbelle, but I need the same thing – confirmation that you believe.  Read on and you will see.

In December of 2006, I took a sabbatical from the company I own to be the CEO of ASBA, the Arizona Small Business Association.  I did this for one simple reason.  I truly and passionately believe that we must have a community of businesses working together to grow individually and collectively.  And, equally important, we must develop a network of resources to support that growth. I chose ASBA as that opportunity and as a platform for the simple reason that almost 98% percent of the businesses in our state are small (less than 500 employees) and the remaining 2% do business with them.

We went to work ensuring that the resources were there and that we can deliver. And I set a very audacious goal – to double our membership from 3000 to 6000 members in 2008 creating community of businesses committed to growing personally, professionally and together growing our state.

Well we are growing, just not fast enough.  I want to be VERY clear.  ASBA is NOT in trouble.  As a matter of fact – ASBA is doing great. 

For Instance, ASBA has…

The only Association Healthcare Plan in the state where any business can access affordable healthcare insurance without having their team fill out medical questionnaires and having rates set based on the result – or worse – having rates increased because one of the team – or a member of their family got sick.

One of the largest  Association Safety Plans,  in partnership with SCF of Arizona, where information, on the ground and online education, and personalized safety counseling can help a business reduce workplace injury, increase productivity , and be financially rewarded for their efforts.

ASBA Academy – on line, on demand, workforce education, where an ASBA business owner or their employees can access over 300 courses on a wide range of subjects for an annual fee of $100 per student per year.

More opportunities to Connect face to face each month than any other organization in the state.

Huge Events like the upcoming Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch on November 11, 2008 at the Phoenix Convention Center, where we will celebrate 50 growing second stage companies (local firms with 10 – 100 employees and $1M to $100M in revenue) with their owners, their teams and the community.  Over 300 companies applied to compete for that honor this year!

Entrepreneurial Focus in bizAZ – a dedicated section in every issue bringing  ASBA’s Small Business Community Messages and insights to not only ASBA members but to 23,000 business people across our state.  And ASBA members can showcase their business in it incredibly affordable rates.Partnerships with chambers and business organizations across the state so we can share resources.

MOST important, a community of thousands of businesses – across the state – committed to working together that you can connect to and with. 

OK, enough of that – if you haven’t figured it out – I could go on all day…

Here’s where you come in. 

If you are not already a member, I need you to join ASBA today.  I want to show the world that here in AZ we believe.  Annual Membership is only $125  and you can do so from this link https://www.asba.com/home/join.aspx  

If you are a member, I need you to Do a Friend a Favor and share this message with them.  Share your story and tell them why you believe ASBA makes sense for them.  Ask them to believe.

Subscribe to this blog at www.ASBAblogs.com  so you can continue to connect, learn, and grow with us. 

And more importantly share with us how we can help YOU. - just comment here! 

You may be asking “Why did she post this message.”  Well at one point over the past 18 years of working in this community and pursing my passion for helping our businesses grow, I may have touched you.  You gave me your business card, sent me an email, or worked with me on one of many projects as we shared a goal. I hope that experience made a difference.     

Perhaps we have never met, but you are out in social media land looking for ways to grow your business.  Asn I know we can make a difference  

If so, please don’t just think about it, act now.  Like Tinkerbell, I want to show the world that we BELIEVE that a community of business working together to connect, help each other, and grow CAN make a difference.  I need to know that you believe - won’t you please connect and share your story.