Seating limited to the first 25 who register

Fee: $25 (workshop valued at $199) coffee, tea, beverages and light snack provided.

Location: Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, Sony Room

NOTE: The Smart-ups Pub-Talk “Funding Your Business Through Selling Product – Not Equity” follows this workshop from 5-8PM at the Oregon Electric Station.

The very successful Portland Ten model which helps early-stage companies reach $1M in sales within 18 months is coming to Eugene to deliver a 2-hour workshop on generating sales.

Whether it’s closing your first deal, switching from consumer to enterprise sales, improving the efficiency of your overall sales pipeline, or scaling up sales efforts to maximize a market opportunity, sales are an integral part to the survival and success of your business.

For any entrepreneur, there can be significant barriers to making a first sale or scaling up your sales force. This workshop will provide you with hands-on principles for facing those barriers head-on!

Hands-on Training! Bring to the Workshop:

• Your business model
• You sales pipeline
• Your deal tracker, and recent sales figures to break down your sales process and identify areas to optimize and generate additional revenue in the months ahead!

Workshop Facilitators:

Carolynn Duncan is the Director of Portland Ten, and an expert in venture capital, angel fundraising, and start-up management. She has assisted entrepreneurs in raising millions of dollars, and founded Portland Ten to increase the quantity of high-growth start-ups in the state of Oregon.

Prior, Ms. Duncan worked in the tech, start-up, angel/venture capital networks in Seattle, Portland, southeast Idaho, and Salt Lake City. She has also been affiliated with FundingUniverse, EPIC Ventures, Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center, Hundred Dollar Business, and Provo Labs, and has advised more than 300 startups during her career.

Jennie Kalberer is the Program Manager of Portland Ten’s Six Week Sprint track. She is Founder and Director of Kahnaway Art and Ecology Center in the Columbia River Gorge, and consults for start-ups and new venture projects. She also is the owner of Clean Like You Mean It, a natural cleaning products company. She worked as an interior designer before receiving her MBA in Finance from the University of Portland, serves on the Board of Oregon College of Art and Craft, and volunteers at Chapman Elementary.

Thanks to our great sponsors for supporting entrepreneurship in our community!

TITLE SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

One of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce’s main organizational goals is Entrepreneurial Development. We recognize that entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy, and it’s the innovators who take the risks, launch new ideas into market, invest in business growth, create jobs and provide great products and services to our community and beyond. 

Entrepreneurs and innovators who have or need to raise somewhere between $200,000 – $2 million to launch their idea into the market can submit their business plans to the Southern Willamette Angel Network (SWAN). Below are the submission requirements:

Executive Summary Outline (not to exceed 5 pages):

1. Need in the Market – including an overview of your company
2. Your Product/Solution – including any information about patents/intellectual property
3. Your Traction – highlighting the successes you’ve currently attained (i.e. money raised, customers secured, signed Letters of Intent, significant hire, significant media coverage, etc.)
4. Your Target Market – including your addressable market, and any barriers to entering this market
5. Your Customer Acquisition Strategy – including any data to back-up your proposed strategy
6. Your Competition – including your value proposition
7. Your Revenue Model – including how you will phase your growth over time
8. Your Financial Projections – including key assumptions and the number of human resources you’ll need to reach these goals.
   • Note: You will also be required to provide your detailed financial projections as an attachment to the Executive Summary
9. Your Management Team – highlighting successes relevant to this venture

     10. Your Key Advisers – noting if they have any ownership in your company

     11. Your Funding Needs – including your use of these funds

     12. Your Exit Strategy – including any market comparables

Investor Pitch Deck Outline (Presentations should take 12-15 minutes to deliver – which gives you around 1 minute per slide; therefore, it’s important to practice you pitch. Investors need to walk away understanding the value proposition of your product):

Slide #1:            Title Slide

Slide #2:            The Problem in the Market (tell in story format)

Slide #3:            Your Solution (your product/service)

Slide #4:            Your Business Model (how you’ll make money)

Slide #5:            Your Special Sauce (why you’re product is so unique)

Slide #6:            Your Customer Acquisition Strategy

Slide #7:            Your Competition (best to present in a matrix format)

Slide #8:            Your Team (including key advisers)

Slide #9:            Traction (key milestones you’ve met)

Slide #10:            Your Current Status and Timeline for Growth

Slide #11:            Your Financial Projections (key assumptions)

Slide #12:            Your Funding Needs (including use of funds)

Slide #13:            Your Exit Strategy (highlight comparables where appropriate

Process for Submitting to SWAN:

1. E-mail your Executive Summary and Pitch Deck to JJ O’Connell: jjo@eugenechamber.com                                                                                                        
2. Your submission will be reviewed and you can expect to hear back within 2 weeks after your submission. You will be notified whether or not you’re selected to pitch to SWAN. We will inform you if additional coaching is required, and where possible, we will recommend advisers.
3. SWAN hosts company pitch meetings once a quarter – and sometimes more frequently (depending on the time of year and the quality of the deal flow). Contact Ben Sappington: bens@eugenechamber.com for more information.
4. If selected to pitch to SWAN, you will be invited in prior to the SWAN meeting to deliver a dry-run of your slides, and additional coaching will be provided.
5. Upon delivery of your presentation to SWAN, individual members will decide whether or not they choose to inquire further about your company. The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce does not have any involvement in the investment decisions.

Best of luck to you in your venture!

Building start-up teams can be one of the most challenging parts of emerging growth companies. Your team IS your business. Learn from experts about how and when to hire your first employee, how to navigate HR laws/regulations, how to know when to give equity, and how to grow from 4 employees to 20.

More info coming soon…

Fun in the sun with start-ups!

Come expand your network with the local start-up community over a pint of Ninkasi’s award winning beers.  In addition to the drink tickets, Ninkasi will be giving Smart-ups attendees an extra $1 off beers. Networking challenges and a tour of Ninkasi’s operations are scheduled. 

When: July 28th 5 – 8PM

Where: Ninkasi Tasting Room (map)

Register Now!

($20 if you pre-register; $25 at the door; $15 for Eugene Chamber, Corvallis Chamber and SAO members, $10 for students (present ID at the door)

Ignite-Style Pitch Competition – winner pitches at WAC!

Location: Mookie’s Northwest Grill, 400 International Way, Springfield | location

Time: 5 – 8pm       

Register: $20 if your pre-register (click button below); $25 at the door; $15 for Eugene and Corvallis Chamber members; $10 for students (INCLUDES FOOD AND BEV)

Click here to register

Come and vote for the company you think has the most viable business plan. Audience members will vote for the company they think delivered the best overall pitch. The winner will be guaranteed a spot to deliver a “wildcard” pitch at the Willamette Angel Conference on May 12th in Corvallis. Come out and support the amazing and talented start-ups companies in our region!

*** Entrepreneurs: You must submit your executive summary and your 13 slides BEFORE 5pm, March 18th.

Please click here for submission guidelines.

This Smart-ups is going to be an Ignite-style business plan competition (13 slides, slides automatically advance every 15 seconds = 3.5 minutes to pitch your business plan). It’s an exciting competition – one you won’t want to miss! 

Any emerging growth start-up company (with an “investor-ready” plan) in the Willamette Valley can submit for the opportunity to present at this pub-talk. The audience will vote for the best overall pitch/plan.

The winner of this event will receive:

• A slot to present again in the “wildcard” segment of the Willamette Angel Conference submission process (conference is May 12, 2010 in Corvallis) – meaning they will have their $199 conference submission fee waived, and they will deliver a 3.5 minute speed pitch at the conference. One “wildcard” pitch at the WAC will get the opportunity to deliver a full 10-minutes pitch and become eligible for the investment prize.

*** You must submit your executive summary and your 13 slides BEFORE 5pm, March 18th.

Please click here for submission guidelines.

Click here to register

Thanks to our great sponsors for supporting entrepreneurship in our community!

TITLE SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

 Note: Ignite Eugene is a business-plan pitch competition sponsored by Smart-ups and is not affiliated with the worldwide network of O’Rielly Ignite community events.

A panel of successful entrepreneurs discussing their start-up “Firsts”

First big sale – first employee hired/fired – first big purchase – first funding secured – first big mistake – first media coverage, first…. and the list goes on. Learn from those who have “been there done that!” Come and be a part of the conversation! All three panelists also built their businesses via bootstrapping! Many of you have been asking to hear more from founders who didn’t utilize angel or venture funding. This panel is for you!

$20 if you pre-register; $25 at the door; $15 for Eugene Chamber, Corvallis Chamber and SAO members, $10 for students (present ID at the door)

Location: Mookie’s Northwest Grill, 400 International Way, Springfield | location

Panelists Include:

  Nikos Ridge

  Co-founder of Ninkasi Brewing Company

 Tim Berry

  Founder of Palo Alto Software

  Jeff Kast

  Co-founder of IDX Broker

Thanks to our great sponsors for supporting entrepreneurship in our community!

TITLE SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

Location: Oregon Electric Station, Eugene | directions

Register: Click here to register:

$20 (includes food and beverage)

$15 for Eugene and Corvallis Chamber members + SAO members

$10 for students (present ID at the door)

$25 at the door

Marci Hansen (Palo Alto Software’s VP of Marketing) will talk about the creation of a brand and the creation of an Internet marketing campaign through real life examples. Her presentation will be interesting for start-ups and small businesses because of the focus on low-cost and free marketing tactics that really work!

Hansen has an impressive background in both conventional and non-conventional marketing. She was awarded the “Guerrilla Marketer of the Year Award” from Brandweek Magazine while she served as the Marketing Director for the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Hansen broke new ground with search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, web ads, paid search terms and other then-uncommon initiatives.

Prior to joining Palo Alto Software, Hansen served as VP of Marketing at the Crafts Americana Group where she oversaw the marketing and merchandising activities for two online crafting brands. Previously, she oversaw product launches, directed content and design, and developed marketing and sales campaigns as the Marketing Director at Dotster Inc.

Hansen additionally developed and directed the marketing campaign for the Amazon.com Outlet Web site while serving as the company’s Marketing Manager. She also worked as a Manager of marketing and corporate events at Eddie Bauer.

Hansen has more than 15 years of marketing experience, and in her new role at Palo Alto Software, she is overseeing online and traditional marketing and promotion, and business development and strategic partnerships for the company’s full line of small business products. In addition, her team will be actively involved in new product development and introduction.

You won’t want to miss this presentation to hear about low-cost and free marketing tactics that really work!

Thanks to our great sponsors for supporting entrepreneurship in our community!

TITLE SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

Contact:

Caroline Cummings, Smart-ups Co-founder | Director of  Entrepreneurial Development at the Eugene Chamber of Commerce

carolineineugene@gmail.com | 541-968-2982

DM via Twitter @iamcarolina

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First-Ever Start-up Expo in Eugene, Oregon

The hottest/hippest super entrepreneurs will be showcasing their cool innovations on Aug 26th

Smart-ups, a program of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, is hosting its first-ever Start-up Expo at the Valley River Inn on August 26, 2010 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet our region’s coolest and hippest Super Entrepreneurs as they come out of their garages, back offices, home offices and university research labs, to showcase their start-up super powers.

WHO: 

Entrepreneurs — showcase their start-up companies, and share their entrepreneurial Super Powers with their peers, investors, service providers and the media. Industries represented include: software, clean/green tech, Internet-based, biotechnology and consumer goods.

Exhibiting Companies Currently Registered:

Arcimoto (electric vehicle)

Dune Sciences (nano technology)

Elements Naturals (natural, compostable baby wipes)

Floragenex (bio technology/planet genomics)

Forward Thinking (internet media and hardware)

Good Clean Love (consumer goods/natural intimacy products)

IDX, Inc (internet/real estate technology market)

Incisive (spreadsheet analysis solutions)

Investing Ventures (factor services/alternative commercial finance solutions)

Moonshadow Mobile (content management system/mobile-optimized Web site and mobile apps)

One Click Sports Now (internet/sports news advertising platform)

Opa Cove (consumer goods/fun-themed life jackets for kids)

Pharmacopia Herbals (consumer goods/herbal extracts)

Planet Verde (internet/sustainable e-commerce)

Precision Plant Systems (technology/agriculture field measurement hardware and software)

Rainwild Rehabilitation (medical devices/robotic-assisted fine-motor therapy device)

Restaurant Tech (internet/restaurant training software)

Sipping Dreams (consumer goods/drinkable chocolate)

UGo Furniture (consumer goods/easy-to-move and assemble furniture)

VizMe (social media)

Investors, Service Providers and the Media — meet the hottest/hippest start-up companies in our region and the Superhero Entrepreneurs starting, running and growing them. 

Sponsors of this event include: Title (Endeavor Law Group); Supporting (Palo Alto Software, Moss Adams LLP, and Pacific Continental Bank).

WHAT:  

Smart-ups is a program of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, and a chapter of the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network headquartered in Portland.  Smart-ups was started by two entrepreneurs in Feb 2008. Smart-ups hosts eight “pub-talks” a year where the focus is to provide emerging growth/traded sector start-up companies with education, access to capital and networking.  This Start-up Expo is our first event of this type and we will be featuring up to 20 start-up companies from our region.

WHERE:  

Valley River Inn, McKenzie Ballroom | 1000 Valley River Way, Eugene, OR 97401-2115

WHEN:  

Thursday, August 26, 2010 | 5 – 8PM

WHY:  

The Willamette Valley has numerous emerging growth start-up companies, but most people are not aware of these companies and/or the entrepreneurs starting, running and growing them. Many of these companies are started in garages, back offices, home-based offices and university labs – so they are under the radar of most people in the community. You may remember the Willamette Angel Conference that was hosted in Eugene for the first-time this past May – where Eugene-based start-up Good Clean Love walked away with a $165,000 seed investment prize. There are many “firsts” happening in our community related to supporting entrepreneurship. Don’t miss this next first!

This Start-up Expo will give people the opportunity to mingle with these Super Entrepreneurs and see the exciting new innovations coming out of our region. Investors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, bankers, accountants, educators, politicians, students, and people from the media are encouraged to attend this event.

HOW:  Online registration is closed – you can pay at the door…

Fees:

$20 if you pre-registered ($25 at the door)

$15 for Eugene and Corvallis Chamber and SAO members

$10 for students

Table Space to Showcase Company: + $29 (when you display you get an extra free ticket into the event)

The following individuals are also available for interviews:

Dave Hauser | president of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce

Caroline Cummings | co-founder of Smart-ups, and leader of the Eugene Chamber’s entrepreneurial efforts; regional representative for the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

Don Gerhart | associate vice president for research and innovation, UO, and member of the Eugene Chamber’s Entrepreneurial Advisory Board

Tim Berry | founder/president of Palo Alto Software, sponsor of Smart-ups, member of the Smart-ups Committee, and local angel investor

# # #

Christina started the Ducks Denim Business Group this past fall, along with six other business majors who joined her venture after she pitched her idea to the International Business and Economics Club, Entrepreneurship Club, and Launching New Venture class, which are entities she is greatly involved in. Their first product? O-Jeans. O-Jeans are premium denim jeans with Oregon logos (which ones are still to be decided) on the back and/or the front pockets. They contacted the head buyer at the Duck Store, pitched their product, and the store love it! The store had wanted to do something like this, but had never been able to get at-cost price low enough to make it profitable.

By working primarily in the exporting division and attending China’s Import and Export Fair, Christina learned great insight into the premium denim industry. Premium jeans can sell $100, but for all practical purposes they cost $10 to make. Using her connections in China she was able to get a competitive price on quality denim, have the manufacturing company waive minimum quantity for styles and sizes, and brought the total minimum order quantity down from 3000 to 1000 through negotiations (since the Duck Store would only order 300 to start). Christina and her group believe that selling their first shipment of 1000 pairs of O-Jeans would not be difficult in a student body of over 22,000. They even have their distribution process down pat: Manufacturer (who has an exporting license so an intermediary is skipped) to Freight Forward (ship, insure, and import products to Port of Portland and they pick up merchandise there) to Duck Store to Storage (inventory).

Right now, cost is the most important factor for Duck Denim. The group wants to put the students first in all of their considerations because they are in fact student themselves. They’re still trying to find the right price point for students (approximately $45). They want the price to be affordable, but still be representative of a quality product. They also want the price to fit in with other products that the Duck Store sells, like sweatshirts ($15-30). The group is still in the process of sending out a marketing survey to help determine prices, styles, cuts, and designs. However, the most important quality they want to emphasize is the unique benefit of O-Jeans—the Oregon duck spirit.   

As for start-up funding, the group just finished their feasibility study and they want to be as conservative as possible in their estimates. As of now, the students only need $11,000 dollars for start-up money. The founding team is contributing $3-5000 and then will proceed to go to family and friends for funding. They want to bootstrap as long as possible before going to the bank. Based on projections, Duck Denim will breakeven by the first year and will not pay salaries for the first year. Their reasoning is what’s the point of paying each other and still having to pay other people?

What’s really left is waiting for the logo licensing to be approved. The Duck Store wants two different styles to start, so the Duck Denim Business Group will be in contact with a few UO alumni that used to work for major clothing retailers to design a fashionable pair of jeans that also shows school spirit. They also plan to launch a denim design contest across campus next year to gain awareness. Additionally, they are in the process of constructing a website and a Facebook page, which have a viral effect for marketing their jeans. The Duck Denim Business Group didn’t sign an exclusive agreement, so if the jeans prove to be profitable, there’s room to expand. In the future, they aim to expand their denim business across university campuses in Oregon, the West Coast, and throughout the USA. As for now, they hope to have the O-Jeans out by the end of Spring and just in time for IntroDUCKtion and Fall football.