February marked the start of a new deep-green business plan competition for budding MBA students. The first annual Madrona League Business Plan Competition is designed to foster bold innovation in sustainable businesses that emphasizes all bottom lines: profit, people, planet, and purpose. The competition is presented jointly by Bainbridge Graduate Institute and Presidio Graduate School, founding members of the Madrona League.

Competitors must apply by March 1 to become one of 16 teams invited to compete for $10,000 in prize money and sustainability bragging rights. read more »

Donald Logan, a local Edward Jones financial advisor, will be hosting a coffee club at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22 and on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Edward Jones, 2416 NW Myhre Road, Suite 102 in Silverdale.

“The coffee club offers us an opportunity to learn from one another and receive market updates,” Logan said. “I look forward to keeping individual investors informed about the current market and economy, as well as have fun and get to know some of my neighbors.”

Seating may be limited. To reserve a seat, call Sarah Bartley at (360) 692-1216.

The aroma of baking bread wafts through the supermarket, even when the ovens are empty. The breezy scent of coconut oil floats through the bathing suit aisle of the department store when summer is months away.

Welcome to the world of scent marketing. Retailers are increasingly using ambient scents to induce shoppers to stay longer, spend more and maybe even behave a little more kindly toward fellow shoppers.

Retailers are wary of discussing it lest they be accused of manipulation. But the fragrance makers, researchers and advertising agents gathered in Miami Beach for the ScentWorld conference in December were happy to explain their art. read more »

While Facebook users expect exclusive content, discounts, promotions and updates from the companies they “like” on the site, marketers see the action of “liking” in a slightly different way.

The “Variance in the Social Brand Experience” study from the CMO Council and social CRM firm Lithium asked both marketers and consumers what it meant when a customer “likes” or engages online with a brand.

Fifty-seven percent of marketers thought a “like” meant the content on the site was agreeable, and 41 percent thought it meant customers wanted to be heard. Only 33 percent of marketers said they thought customers were looking for incentives or rewards for their “like.” read more »

Consumers shopping in some New England stores this past holiday season may have spotted Quick Response codes in some unusual places. Research from mobile marketing and technology firm Nellymoser Inc. found that of more than 700 stores canvassed in the Boston area, 23 contained at least one QR code, a type of two-dimensional bar code.

Retailers use 2-D bar codes to enable consumers to view mobile web-based content with their smartphones. Consumers click to open a free scanning app, point the phone at the code, and the web content appears on the phone’s screen. read more »

I am often asked: “What does the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance do; how does it help to develop our local economy?” My “elevator pitch” answer is: “We deliver business development services to our clients — businesses small and large, local and global — to help them grow and prosper in Kitsap County; and we do so free of charge due to the financial commitment of our many investor partners, from both public and private sector partners. In short, KEDA practices economic development as a community-wide team sport executing client-based business retention, expansion and recruitment strategies which are aimed at attracting investment and creating jobs…one business at a time. read more »

The brand-new CEO peer-to-peer group in Kitsap County held its first workshop on Jan. 12 at the Clearwater Casino Hotel and Resort.

Excell Puget Sound is based out of Seattle and has several executive groups in the Puget Sound region. Regional Director Dave Shapiro has teamed with local consultant and executive coach, Dan Weedin to facilitate and lead this group.

The group already has four local business leaders committed to founding this new group — Mike Hall from Hall & Company (Poulsbo); Tony George from Kitsap Bank (Port Orchard); Dan Ryan from Tim Ryan Construction (Poulsbo); read more »

Change management is a hot buzzword in business circles today. Everywhere you turn, experts espouse ways to deal with change in the workplace, in the world, and even in your home. CEOs and executives want to learn how to manage change; implore change; beg for change; and even get exact change. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can stop. You don’t need no stinking change.

You read that right. You don’t have to change. You don’t have to know how to manage it or teach it. You can go on forever doing just what you’ve been doing all these years. It’s your life and your business. No change! read more »

During the past ten years, I’ve been lucky enough to help mentor and launch nearly 1,000 new business start-ups, in my private consulting practice, and through my involvement with the Washington Community Alliance for Self Help (CASH) program.

Nearly one thousand times someone has looked up from a nascent business plan, or with a look of steely determination and said. “I want to start my own business.” Those seven words always get my attention.

One of the many lessons from Washington CASH is that every single one of these entrepreneurs needs a mentor. read more »