sept 2014 ibaw magazine

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SEPTEMBER 2014 SEN. JOHNSON: THE BUDGET: IT’S WORSE THAN YOU THINK INSIDE THIS ISSUE: IBAW WHITE PAPERS: - NLRB FRANCHISE RULING - EXPORT / IMPORT BANK KEATING: SMALL BUSINESS POLICY INDEX: RANKING THE STATES ON POLICY MEASURES AND COSTS IMPACTING SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP September 8th Best Practices Sales Roundtable “Wisconsin’s Workforce: Agony or Ecstasy? Jonathan Berry & Scott Jansen State of Wisconsin September 19th VIDEO

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A business magazine for Wisconsin small business owners filled with insightful articles and business intelligence.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

SEPTEMBER 2014

SEN. JOHNSON:THE BUDGET:

IT’S WORSE THAN YOU THINK

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

IBAW WHITE PAPERS:- NLRB FRANCHISE RULING

- EXPORT / IMPORT BANK

KEATING:SMALL BUSINESS POLICY INDEX: RANKING THE STATES ON POLICY

MEASURES AND COSTS IMPACTING SMALL BUSINESS AND

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Sept

embe

r 8th

Best PracticesSales Roundtable

“Wisconsin’s Workforce: Agony or Ecstasy?

Jonathan Berry & Scott JansenState of Wisconsin

Sept

embe

r 19t

h

VIDEO

Page 2: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

At AT&T, we know that making connections is critical to success. In Wisconsin and across the nation, we link businesses with their customers and the world through our wireless network with access to the nation’s largest Wi-fi network. It’s just another way we help our customers stay connected.

AT&T is proud to support the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin.

© 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

Networking matters

IBAW thanks AT&T for it’s continued sponsorship.

Page 3: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

Executive DirectorSteve Kohlmann

PresidentJohn WeberHypneumat

Secretary Charles Fry

Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc

President Elect 2014Membership / Sponsorship

Jim LeefITU AbsorbTech

VP. State & National ProgramsJeff Hoffman

Judson & Assoc.

TreasurerCasey Malek

Sikich

Directors

Bart AdamsSikich

Ann Barry HannemanSimandl Law Group S.C

Heather BaylorPark Bank

Richard BlomquistBlomquist Benefits

Lisa MauerBlackhawk Industrial

Jason KuwayamaGodfrey & Kahn

Tom BoelkowBSI Design, Build, Furnish

Craig CoursinMSI General

Robert GrossGross Automation

IBAW MEDIA LINK

IBAW Mission:To advance business prosperity through insightful

programming, executive networking and member-driven public policy and advocacy.

Senator Ron Johnson’s talk on the Federal Budget.

“It’s worse than you think.”

To view, click here.

Page 4: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

Business Education Series

LOCATION THE WISCONSIN CLUB 900 W. WISCONSIN AVE. MILWAUKEE

7:00 AM REGISTRATION & NETWORKING

7:30 AM BREAKFAST & PROGRAM

9:00 AM PROGRAM ENDS

Registration now open! Click here.

FIVE STAR Programing

There isn't an industry not impacted by the need to find good, qualified workers. The issues are almost always the same:

• Unable to find workers who can pass a drug test.• Workers lacking in the basic skills of reading & math.• Workers that want to show up and actually work.• Replacing an aging workforce.

What is the State of Wisconsin doing to help you, the small business owner, to change these frightening trends?

What short term and long term solutions are being looked at?

Learn about the demand driven training/grant programs for employers and talent development strategies for Wisconsin and what DWD is doing to address your concerns.

September 19th Meeting“Wisconsin Workforce: Agony or Ecstasy”

COST:IBAW Members....$32.00

Guests....$42.00

Includes high level networking and plated breakfast!

Attire: Business professional.

Jonathan Barry,Deputy Secretary, Department of Workforce Development

Scott Jansen, Director of the Office of

Skills Development

Page 5: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

Sympathy for the DevilSteve Kohlmann, IBAW Executive Director

“I could never do sales, I couldn’t handle the pressure and rejection.” That comment, uttered in passing by my sister, was very eye opening. My sister, you see, was a HR executive who dealt with hardball union officials on employment, benefit issues, contract renewals. Everything nitpicked and hardcore. And she could’t handle the pressure and rejection of sales? Really? I’d much rather be in sales than battle over a union contract - even if it’s something you only have to do every few years.

Sales can be a tough job, always has been, always will be. It hasn’t been made easier by the Great Recession, new technology, competition (locally, nationally and globally) and a host of other reasons too numerous to fill this page. When we think of salespeople we generally think negatively: Car salesmen, insurance salesmen, the guy or gal who interrupts your day dropping in unannounced to sell you a new copier. Or the person who comes to your house just as you’re putting a dinner fork in your mouth wanting to give you a quote on a new roof because of that hailstorm that came through last month.

But sales is key for any business and dealing with salespeople is vital. They are the people who save you money, time and can make your business more efficient or make that impossible deadline somehow possible. Your internal sales people keep your employees working, your doors open, and represent your brand and reputation as an ambassador. But they can easily be misunderstood and be viewed by internal production people as “the devil” since anything brought in makes people work, and salespeople often push deadlines to meet the customer’s demands. And often, as in my own past experience, internal teams don’t fully understand what salespeople do. If a salesperson is in the office doing paper work or making follow up calls, worker bees question why they aren’t out making calls. And when they out making calls, they are probably screwing off, playing golf or having a two-hour lunch over cocktails after playing golf. Make calls on a sunny day or a Friday afternoon and comments such as “I suppose you’re taking the rest of the day off” arise. Truthfully, sales calls are made on days when the weather is nice and when it is -10 degrees in February with snow coming down sideways. While others head home to a warm house, salespeople are battling rush hour to get to a networking event downtown in hopes of meeting that right connection.

Both production people and middle management often believe sales can be turned on and off and regulated - sort of like turning the knob on a faucet. Need work? Turn the knob a little bit and let some sales come out. Oh, you don’t want to work overtime or we’re coming up to capacity? That’s OK, just turn the knob and cut off the flow, let me know when you’re ready for more. The reality is when you turn the knob it either comes out as a drip or the knob comes off in your hand and gushes out uncontrollably (HALLELUJAH!). Or the worst - not at all.

Business owners are more sympathetic towards sales people. They know nothing happens until a sale is made so a good sales team is vital for any business, especially these days when competition is fierce. It might also have something to do with the fact in their humble beginnings, business owners dealt in sales themselves. They know how tough it can be when you are out beating the bushes for work.

Love them or hate them, when it comes down to crunch time and a business is faltering, with layoffs looming, everyone turns to the salesperson to bail them out. “Sales cures all” I believe is the catchphrase. (Just a side note, if you have a crap product or crap service, sales won’t cure all for long.)

There’s a lot that goes into a sale - and your next sale, too. Everything from a salesperson actually showing up and making a call to pricing, marketing, and your reputation (or lack thereof), to your delivery guy’s attitude and even the person answering your phone. Networking, making connections, how you dress, even what type of car you drive plays a role. I knew of one salesperson who wouldn’t take her fifteen year old BMW on calls for fear it would look like she didn’t need a sale. After all, she was driving a BMW.

Sales people makes things happen and nothing moves until a sale is made. Yes, sales is often a tough, lonely job that’s often misunderstood.

Show a little sympathy for the devil. They need it more than you think.

Page 6: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

In this workshop we’ll share best practices that increase website traffic, leads and sales. Learn to plan an effective strategy and the secrets of successful product catalogs and product detail pages.

WE’LL SHARE:• Ten rules of effective online catalogs & product detail pages• SEO & Social Media strategy• Content writing for the web• Dealer/rep locators• ERP integration• Using a PIM to manage graphics & data from multiple sources• Online tools & features that increase conversions• Mobile sites, responsive design, custom apps, & more

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:• Manufacturing & distribution business owners, managers• Marketing directors & marketing teams• Website managers & staff

Thursday, September 11 ADMISSION: FREE!

Location:SE Wisconsin Regional Planning CommissionHwy 164 north of I-94 on Rockwood DriveW239 N1812 Rockwood Drive, WaukeshaView Map

Schedule:8:15am - 8:30am    › Check-in / Coffee Selection8:30am - 11:00am    › Workshop / Q&A

Registration & More Info:LearnAtNorthwoods.com/mfg

“Successful Websites & Online Catalogs for Manufacturers”

Presented by:Patrick BieserFounder, Northwoods

This month we'll discuss 'Branding' and its influence in adding credibility to your sales tactics. What it is, how to utilize it and how to communicate it so you stand out. This is open to anyone in a business development role at an IBAW member company who would like to share their real world challenges and most successful strategies for growing business. 

This Roundtable is meant to serve as a confidential means to learn from your peers in other industries and to help others learn from your experience – good and bad.     Location:CTaccess Conference Room740 Pilgrim Parkway, Suite L3Elm Grove Coffee provided by CTaccess, bagels provided by IBAW.

SALES: Best Practices ROUNDTABLE

Cost: Free - A benefit of IBAW membership.(Registration is required)

Registration is open! Click here.

Monday, September 8th 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM.

HIGH VALUE WORKSHOP - Bring Your Marketing Team!

Page 7: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) released its 18th annual “Small Business Policy Index 2013: Ranking the States on Policy Measures and Costs Impacting Small Business and Entrepreneurship.”

SBE Council has published the state Index for 18 years, which ranks the 50 states according to 47 different policy measures, including a wide array of tax, regulatory and government spending measurements.

The states that have the most entrepreneur-friendly policies under the “Small Business Policy Index 2013” are: 1) South Dakota, 2) Nevada, 3) Texas, 4) Wyoming, 5) Florida, 6) Washington, 7) Alabama, 8) Indiana, 9) Ohio, 10) Utah, 11) Michigan, 12) North Dakota, 13) Arizona, 14) Colorado, and 15) Virginia.

In contrast, the states with the least friendly policy environments for small businesses are: 40) Rhode Island, 41) Connecticut, 42) Oregon, 43) Iowa, 44) Maine, 45) Minnesota, 46) Hawaii, 47) New York, 48) Vermont, 49) New Jersey, and 50) California.

The “Small Business Policy Index 2013” can be read and downloaded here, with an interactive map and slide show on SBE Council’s website here.

SBE Council president and CEO Karen Kerrigan said: “Policy reforms that bolster small business startup and growth are mostly being implemented at the state level.  Unfortunately, federal policy and uncertainty remains an overall negative for entrepreneurs and small businesses. But states vary widely in terms of their policy approaches. The top states on the Small Business Policy Index 2013 are streamlining government and lifting burdens like excessive taxation and regulation. They are passing responsible budgets, and living within their means. The worst ranked states keep treating small businesses and entrepreneurs as piggy banks to fund higher spending and bankrupt programs.”

Kerrigan added: “Governors and state leaders who are serious about improving their entrepreneurial ecosystems are aggressively working to change policies that are harming entrepreneurship and business growth.   The White House needs to closely examine what the most successful states are doing to help entrepreneurs.  These pro-growth policies, if

SBE Council Ranks the 50 States in “Small Business Policy Index 2013”

enacted at the federal level, would make a major difference for U.S. economic growth and competitiveness.”

Raymond J. Keating, SBE Council’s chief economist and author of the study, pointed out, “This study is straightforward and well documented. The Small Business Policy Index 2013 is built on sound, clear-cut economics, as understood in Economics 101 and evidenced by the many studies cited in the Index. Quite simply, the states are compared and ranked according to how state and local government policies impact costs and incentives for entrepreneurship and investment. In turn, such risk taking is critical to economic growth, income growth and job creation.”

Keating added, “Small business owners and business leaders need to look at the details for their respective states.  The Small Business Policy Index 2013 is a valuable tool to let policymakers know where improvements are needed, so that entrepreneurs can do what they do best, that is, start up and build businesses, innovate, grow the state’s economy, and create jobs.”

Page 8: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

WHAT IS IT?

The Export Import Bank (Ex-Im) was established in 1934 to provide working capital guarantees (pre-export financing); export credit insurance; and loan guarantees and direct loans (buyer financing) financed through US Treasury to assist US businesses with financing trade deals to international markets. While the Ex-Im reports that 90% of the 3,413 transactions they completed in 2013 were with “Small Business”, the actual monetary volume of deals is heavily concentrated with “Big Business” such as Boeing, GE, & Caterpillar. As an example; it is estimated that Boeing has financed $48 billion worth of deals over the past 5 years through Ex-Im.

WHAT IS THE SIZE OF EX-IM?

The total operating budget of Ex-Im in 2013 was approximately $90 million generally paid for by user fees. While user fees finance the program, the loans are backed by Treasury (tax payer) and are covered if there is a default. Total loan authorizations in 2013 were $27 billion which supported $37.4 billion of export sales. To put the deal volume in perspective, the Chinese used their version of the Ex-Im to finance more than $100 billion worth of trade deals in 2013.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

The Ex-Im charter comes up for reauthorization on September 30th, 2014 and congress must act to keep the program funded. Ex-Im has asked for a 5 year reauthorization with an increase in total exposure level to $160 billion. A program that is relatively insignificant, compared to the scale of the federal government, has become a lightning rod in the ongoing debate over the reach and role of the federal government’s involvement with private enterprise.

Pros & Cons for Wisconsin Businesses:

Pros:• Since 2007 the Ex-Im bank has supported $4 billion

worth of export deals from Wisconsin Companies. • Out of the 177 exporters assisted in the State, 105 were

classified as small businesses.• Ex-Im deals have been estimated to impact 25,560 jobs

in the State.• Wisconsin possesses a great depth of suppliers to

companies such as Caterpillar, who routinely use the Bank to finance mega deals. This drives economic development for not only the Big Business but also for the Small Business suppliers who will benefit from the deals being transacted.

Cons:• While Ex-Im has been profitable to tax payers over the

past 5 years, returning $1.6 billion in fees to the treasury, Ex-Im’s loan guarantee exposure (backed by the Tax Payer) has exploded from $57.4 billion in 2007 to $113.8 billion in 2013. The CBO recently estimated that if the bank used fair-value accounting the bank could lose $10 billion over the next decade.

• The Ex-Im bank creates market distortions. For example, Delta Airlines has complained that Boeing has been able to lower the cost of their goods with the backing of the Ex-Im to deliver orders to Air India which is a competitor of US based Delta. Air India can now pass the cost savings onto their customers which puts Delta at a competitive disadvantage.

• Crony Capitalism. Ex-Im is viewed as a tool for the politically connected to receive an artificial tax payer subsidy to lower their cost of operations while shifting risk to the tax payer.

This white paper compiled by IBAW Board Member, Jeff Hoffman, head of State & National Programs for the IBAW.

EXPORT IMPORT BANK R E A U T H O R I Z A T I O N D E B A T EThe government run Export-Import Bank provides direct loans, loan guarantees and credit insurance to help foreign buyers purchase American-made products.

Page 9: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

NLRB’s Suit Against McDonald's Expanding Joint Employer Liability

Impacts Small Business

The National Labor Relations Board ruling on McDonald's could damage a large share of the economy: the franchise industry.

WH I T E PA P E R

Page 10: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

NLRB’s Suit Against

McDonald's Expanding Joint

Employer Liability Impacts

Small Business

On July 29, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Richard E. Griffin authorized filing a complaint against McDonald’s, USA, LLC along with the McDonald’s franchises where alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) occurred. This authorization to sue both entities is a departure from how the joint employer doctrine has been applied in franchise situations involving NLRA violations and has sent a shock wave across industries where small business franchises are prevalent.

This issue of joint liability resulted from a series of complaints filed across the country. Since November 2012, the NLRB has received 181 cases involving McDonald’s arising from employees’ participation in protests for higher wages. Of those cases, 68 were determined to have no merit and 64 are still in investigation. During the course of discussions to settle the 43 cases determined to have merit, the NLRB announced that it will issue a complaint against both the franchises as well as McDonald’s USA, if resolution cannot be reached.

The NLRB has advocated for an expansion of joint employer liability and this recent announcement is a sign the NLRB is aggressively pursuing that expansion. In a recent “friend of the court” brief filed by the NLRB in June of this year, the NLRB argued that existing franchise owners may not be the sole employer of their business despite the contractual and understood arrangement with the franchise. In this brief, the NLRB argued in favor of a broader interpretation of joint employer liability. Under the current standard, the “significant control” standard, joint employer liability is found only when the employer at issue directly controls employment practices of the other company. The application of this standard acknowledges the franchisor-franchisee relationship in that franchisees retain the name and face of their corporate counterpart, but maintain extensive independence in administering wages, scheduling hours, retaining discretion on hiring, and controlling day-to-day operations. Under this standard, the franchisee is found to be legally independent for purposes of labor relations given its

control of employment practices and thereby solely responsible for any NLRA violations.

The NLRB, however, advocates changing this standard to make the joint liability standard to be less restrictive. The NLRB’s proposed standard, also known as the industrial realities test, would find joint employer status under a totality of the circumstances basis where the corporate entity “wields sufficient influence over the working conditions of the other entity’s employees such that meaningful bargaining could not occur in its absence.” Under the industrial realities test as proposed, a franchisor’s liability as a joint employer would include instances where the franchisor keeps track of data on sales, inventory, and labor costs; calculates the labor needs of the franchises; sets and polices employee work schedules; tracks franchisee wage reviews; tracks how long it takes for employees to fill customer orders; and screens applicants throughout the system. This expansion will have far reaching effects and will likely impact many employment relationships long considered to be outside the scope of joint employment for liability purposes. The application of “sufficient influence” will be subject to interpretation and suggests that all aspects of the “running of the business” will be examined, going well beyond the issue of who makes the ultimate decisions affecting employees.

In the cases involving McDonald’s, it is claimed that McDonald’s USA sufficiently influences the working conditions of the franchise employee and, therefore, should be jointly responsible for any resulting NLRA violations. According to arguments by the Fast Food Workers Committee, a group funded by Service Employees International Union, McDonald’s exceeded its bounds as franchisor through prevalent means of control on their franchises. The complaints specifically allege that McDonald’s provided strict rules regarding hiring, food, cleanliness and other employment practices and that McDonald’s USA actually owned many of the restaurants used by the franchises. The NLRB will likely take the position that these “means of control” are sufficient to hold McDonald’s liable for any NLRA violations that affect employees at franchise locations.

The proposed extension of joint liability jeopardizes thirty years of established law governing the franchise model in the United States and threatens the economic viability of such business models and relationships. Businesses that use subcontractors or temp agencies, dry cleaners and car dealerships are just a few examples that may be encompassed by the scope of the

Page 11: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

industrial realities test, as the joint employment concept is just not limited to franchise relationships. The NLRB’s decision to advance its agenda in expanding the joint employer liability standard will require all employers to carefully examine the way it does business, particularly small business who rely on other businesses. Just how far the NLRB will take this joint employer expansion remains to be seen and employers should keep abreast of further developments in this area. Significant developments in this area will likely make it easier for unions to organize and to collectively bargain, negotiating terms and conditions directly with the franchise.

The impact of the NLRB’s decision to sue McDonald’s will negatively affect small business owners, particularly those who have developed independent businesses in the franchise model, and will affect the overall growth of small business if the NLRB succeeds in applying this expanded joint employer standard. The uncertainty as to who bears the responsibility for employment decisions will necessarily deter the growth of such business models and relationships. Franchisers will have to become actively involved in the day-to-day operations to monitor and control legal exposure and franchisees will be restricted from independently making decisions that affect the profitability of their independent business. Given that small businesses have accounted for 60 percent of the net new jobs from mid-2009 to mid-2013 according to the SBA’s Office of Advocacy, this potential impediment will have to be monitored.

Consistent with IBAW’s mission to advance business prosperity, IBAW will continue to keep its members apprised of the developments on this joint employer issue and its impact upon Wisconsin businesses.

###

Ann Barry Hanneman is a member of the IBAW Board of Directors and is a Principal at Simandl Law

Group, S.C., a boutique law firm that represents businesses in labor and employment matters.www.IBAW.com

AUTHOR

“The proposed extension of joint liability jeopardizes thirty years of established law governing the franchise model in the United States...”

Page 12: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

If You Want to Build a Stronger Brand, Focus on Your Touch Points.Scott Seroka, Seroka Branding

We’ve been beaten senseless with statistics on how many marketing messages we’re exposed to every day. The numbers range anywhere from 2,000 to as many as 12,000. The unfortunate fact is that we don’t even notice 95 percent (probably more) of these messages, making it that much more difficult for marketers to “capture” our attention and motivate us into making a purchase decision.

The popular argument is that more marketing boosts brand awareness and brand uniqueness, so that when customers are ready to buy, our brands will be strongly considered. By this simple rationale, the marketer with the largest marketing budget will consistently beat the odds and win. But this is not rational thinking.  It is neither strategic nor accurate, for one reason: Pouring more dollars into marketing a fuzzy brand is like shining high beams in the fog. It simply highlights a brand’s lack of clarity, and at times, confuses customers even more.

The more strategic and effective approach to creating brand awareness and communicating brand differentiation, among many other metrics, is to define your brand promise, and then direct your focus on

living and delivering that promise through your brand’s touch points. Touch points are those areas where buyers connect with your brand as they move through the sales process. They can be broken down into three categories: pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase.

How is this done? Consider the example of a manufacturer promoting the following brand promise for its services division: Proven solutions for maximum uptimeSM. There are two primary messages to work with: solutions and maximum uptime. Below are several examples of how this manufacturer can live and communicate its brand promise through some primary touch points.

Pre-Purchase

Online. Content could be created around the theme of solutions through a FAQ page and case studies exemplifying solutions to common problems. This manufacturer should also do whatever is possible to ensure that its site never goes down, as it would run completely contrary to “maximum uptime.”

Marketing/PR channels. Images and content should be consistent and representative of the brand promise. The company should provide examples and other evidence of how it is able to promise solutions and maximum uptime.

Plant tours. New scripts and guidelines should be created for tours focused on the brand theme.

Purchase Points

Delivery and installation. When products are repaired and delivered, deliveries should always be on time, all the time, and the delivery team should be well schooled in proper installation, no matter what conditions or obstacles may be in the way. This would reinforce the “solutions” theme.

CSR experience. This department should be staffed with experienced, knowledgeable and creative people who know how to think on the fly. They should be able to offer ideas and solutions to even the most complex problems.

Delivery and training. There’s a lot to be said about reaffirmation of customer (purchase) decisions. When delivering the serviced product, the company rep will explain how the product was refurbished or rebuilt so that it does in fact provide maximum uptime.

Page 13: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

Post-Purchase Points

Customer appreciation. The company needs to think in terms of what can be done to show appreciation for its customers’ business. Whether it is an event or a visit, the brand promise needs to be creatively reinforced.

Responsiveness. Since part of the theme is focused on uptime, the company will need to have an exceptionally responsive team to handle calls, inquiries, etc.

Service experience. From the perspective of the customer, any service-related issue is a violation of the brand’s promise of maximum uptime. Service should be handled quickly with minimal interruption to the customer’s business.

Warranty. The warranty should be the best, or at least one of the best in the industry.

Your brand is your greatest asset – it’s your character, your integrity and everything you stand for. A tagline is not just something that is meant to be catchy or sound good. Your customers view it as your promise, and when they connect with your brand, it is an expectation. If customers don’t experience what your tagline and marketing led them to believe, your brand credibility will lose a lot of altitude.

Johnson, Kooyenga Reach Out to Small Business Owners

Senator Ron Johnson and 14th District Representative Dale Kooyenga discuss a range of topics from Wisconsin’s workforce, manufacturing tax rates and charter schools during a feedback session August 22nd at QPS Employment Services in Brookfield.

Page 14: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

BLS Releases Latest Private-Sector Job Creation Statistics

October 17, Chicago, IL

The Strategic Sourcing Forum is the second Leadership Series event for 2014, that will focus squarely on the challenges facing SME importers from China. As we enter a new era where double-digit price reductions stemming from labor arbitrage are harder to find, SME’s must now aim at becoming more effective and efficient at managing Chinese suppliers if they are to avoid margin compression.

Click here for more information.

Page 15: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

National Legislative Priorities

2014

1- Delay of the Affordable Care Act

2 - Support the Existing Level of the Federal Minimum Wage

3 - National Energy Policy Capitalizing on our Strengths

4 - Pro Growth Tax Reform

5 - Increase Access VISAS for Immigrants with Advanced Degrees & Start Ups

State Legislative Priorities

2014

1- Workforce Development / Technical College Benchmarks

2 - Pro Growth Tax Reform

3 - Address the Structural Deficit of WI DOT 4 - Predictable Sand Mining Regulation

Hi-Crush Partners LP

IBAW Legislative Priorities Online

State Legislative Priorities

- Workforce Development / Technical College Benchmarks

- Pro Growth Tax Reform

- Address the Structural Deficit of WI DOT

- Predictable Sand Mining Regulation

Click here to view.

National Legislative Priorities

- Delay of the Affordable Care Act

- Support the Existing Level of the Federal Minimum Wage

- National Energy Policy Capitalizing on our Strengths

- Increase Access VISAS for Immigrants with Advanced Degrees & Start Ups

Click here to view.

Page 16: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

THANK YOU SPONSORS...

AT&TITU AbsorbTechBlomquist BenefitsAssociated BankSikichGodfrey & KahnPark BankLauber CFO’svon BriesenVrakas / BlumAdvantage LeasingGrace MatthewsAdvanced Waste ServicesSimandl Law Group, S.C.

BSI - Design, Build, FurnishLetterhead PressMSI General ContractorsBMO HarrisPowertestJudson Commercial Real EstateReinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, S.C.Hypneumat Mfg

Sponsor support helps IBAW continue to bring insightful programming to small business owners.

Ask about becoming a sponsor today!

G e t C o n n e c t e d . G e t I n s p i re d . G e t I n f o r m e d .

Page 17: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors who make your IBAW programing possible.

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Political Advocacy • Education • Networking

www.ibaw.com / 262-844-0333 / [email protected]

We can’t be responsible how you feel after attending our meetings.

IBAW’s Business Presentation Series offers high level speakers on timely business topics keeping you informed and exhilarated.

Quality programming every month.

That’s IBAW.

“As a result of listening to the speakers today I was able to find and lookup the WI Lean Govt. working group and booked appointments with three departments so far this afternoon.” - Mark Truesdell, CTaccess / Computer Technologies of Wisconsin, Inc.

“...I am much better informed and educated on a plethora of topics.”

- Todd Poston

FIVE STAR Programing

Page 19: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine

PLEASE CHOOSE THE APPROPRATE CATEGORY FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE GROWTH AND STABILITY OF SMALL BUSINESS

AMOUNT

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN COMPANY ANNUAL DUES

1 – 5 $215

6 – 15 $275

16 – 25 $375

26 – 49 $470

50 or more $600

Sustaining Member $700

Special! – Pre pay breakfast meetings – 12 for the price of 10 $300

ENCLOSED AMOUNT:

Membership Application

Name____________________________________________________________________________________

Company_________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Business___________________________________________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip_____________________________________________________________________________

Phone____________________________________Fax_____________________________________________

Email______________________________________Website________________________________________

PAYING BY CHECK ? Make checks payable to IBA – and mail to: IBA 960 Timber Pass Brookfield, WI 53045 WANT TO PAY ONLINE? You can also pay by Mastercard / Visa at the IBA Membership page. www.ibaw.com

________________________________________________________________________ The Independent Business Association of Wisconsin is a not-for-profit entity filed with the IRS under 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code. As a not-for-profit association, the members of The Independent Business Association, Inc. are allowed to deduct a percentage of dues that are not used for lobbying purposes. For the year 2013 based on the total income of the association and the lobbying expenses as reported on the Wisconsin State Ethics Board Lobbying reports for 2011 the percent of dues that were used for lobbing purposes is 10%. Therefore, the percent of dues that would be tax deductible is 90%.

IBAW 960 Timber Pass

Brookfield, WI 53045

Office: 262-844-0333 WWW.IBAW.COM

Page 20: Sept 2014 ibaw magazine