Archives For Workforce

Programs encourage Maryland businesses to explore exporting

Emily Kimball —  May 21, 2013
The Port of Baltimore is a hub for exporting in Maryland.

The Port of Baltimore is a hub for exporting in Maryland.

A growing number of products and services are traveling the world through Maryland’s borders­, and several programs are available to help continue that trend.

In 2012, Maryland’s exports reached a record $11.8 billion. It was one of few states to increase its number of goods and services launched into the international market. Still, according to Deputy Secretary Bob Walker of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, just 3 percent of Maryland companies are involved in exporting.

“You can imagine, if we were to adjust that needle to 4 percent, how many more dollars we could bring into this economy, how many more jobs we would create and how many more companies could improve their bottom line through revenue and sales and so forth,” Walker said.

Continue Reading…

Maryland kid entrepreneur pitching cupcakes to Warren Buffet

Emily Kimball —  May 17, 2013
Cupcakes for Literacy

Krissa Hillman of Cupcakes for Literacy is a finalist in Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club’s Learn and Earn, Grow Your Own Business Challenge.

Does the Sage of Omaha have a sweet tooth? An 11-year-old Howard County student is on a mission to find out.

Krissa Hillman, the budding entrepreneur behind Cupcakes for Literacy, is a finalist in Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club’s Learn and Earn, Grow Your Own Business Challenge. She will travel to Omaha, Nebraska this weekend to present her business plan to Buffet and other investors for a chance to win $5,000 in seed funding.

Krissa, a fifth-grader at Bollman Bridge Elementary School, was chosen from among over 4,000 other children with business plans. Cupcakes for Literacy is a spin-off of the website her mother started six years ago that catalogs YouTube videos of Krissa reading books to children. Since February, Krissa and her board of classmates regularly bake and sell cupcakes to raise funds for schools, libraries and literacy, art and music programs.

Armed with a pan of red velvet cupcakes (topped with bright blue frosting and candies), she did a practice run-through of her presentation at Howard County’s Maryland Center for Entrepreneurship, in conjunction with Startup Maryland, in Columbia on Friday.

“Everybody loves cupcakes, right? If you don’t love cupcakes, you must be crazy,” Krissa said, drawing laughs from the center’s panel of entrepreneurial advisors.

Continue Reading…

Maryland business news: President Obama, Preakness, bow-ties

Emily Kimball —  May 17, 2013

Keep up with the latest statewide business and economic developments.

Maryland/DC District Export Council to train businesses in trade

Emily Kimball —  May 13, 2013
Maryland/Washington D.C. District Export Council, Inc.

Maryland/Washington D.C. District Export Council

Over $11.8 billion in merchandise traveled out of Maryland and into markets around the world in 2012.

While Maryland already has a flourishing export market, the Maryland/DC District Export Council is working to build that number even higher. The DEC plans to hold its first-ever Celebration of International Trade in Linthicum Heights on May 21, with a special focus on training businesses in exporting goods and services.

Registration for the Celebration of International Trade has reached 70 percent and will remain open online until the day of the event. Admission, including breakfast and lunch, is free for government employees and $99 for others.

The world market is a “surprisingly small place,” according to Carl Livesay, chairman of the DEC.

“Businesses perceive that there are overwhelming barriers to exporting goods and services, and that’s just not the case. It is confusing and it can be cumbersome, but if you align yourself with businesses and people who have traveled that path before, they will help light the way,” he said.

The region benefits from transportation systems that easily support trade, including the top-ranking Port of Baltimore and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Livesay also described the area as a “hotbed and innovation and technology.”

“There’s no other area in the country that is better suited, better qualified or has access to stronger resources than we do here in Maryland,” he said.

Ultimately, as more companies in Maryland and Washington, D.C. trade internationally, the more the overall economy will grow and the national trade balance will improve. He said, ”We do not seek to help companies import foreign goods or services into the United States. To put it bluntly, this is about creating permanent, sustainable jobs right here in Maryland.”

The event’s main draw is an extensive list of prominent speakers, including Robert Walker, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development; Laszlo Horvath, CEO or Active Media; and Todd Marks, CEO of Mindgrub Technologies.

Dozens of other industry leaders and exhibitors will present training sessions, ranging from mitigating risk in international trade to strategic tax consideration.

VIDEO: Maryland celebrates its egg industry

Emily Kimball —  May 13, 2013

Whether you prefer them sunny side up or whipped into an elaborate souffle—eggs play a major role in Maryland’s agriculture economy.

As May is National Egg Month, the Maryland Department of Agriculture is celebrating the Maryland farms that produce nearly 71 million dozen eggs a year. According to the department, Maryland’s combined poultry and egg industry accounts for the state’s largest farm revenue category, measured at $784,237,000 in 2011.

“Eggs are a commodity that can work for both large and small scale producers,” MDA Secretary Buddy Hance said in a statement. “Only nine Maryland egg producers have flocks larger than 3,000 birds. We have another 500 small-flock producers. Together, they produce about 71 million dozen eggs a year while Maryland consumers purchase 72 million dozen a year. We’re very proud of our farmers, large and small, who produce nutritious eggs to help meet the demand in our state.”

Maryland’s Best, a website managed by the MDA, recently produced a behind-the-scenes video at Sauder’s Eggs and Sunnyside Farm in Carroll County, that both produce and process eggs in Maryland.

Find more information, recipes and a prize drawing through Maryland’s Best.

Maryland business news: Knorr Brake, tourism, entrepreneurs

Emily Kimball —  May 10, 2013

Keep up with the latest statewide business and economic developments.

Who will direct Caroline County, Maryland’s ongoing economic push?

Emily Kimball —  May 7, 2013
Caroline Technology Park

The Caroline Technology Park’s expansion is part of the county’s economic push.

Caroline County doesn’t let its size get in the way of economic expansion. Just ask David Whaley, president of the Caroline Economic Development Commission.

“We’ve had some forward thinking people who have attracted some great businesses to our county. We were always known for agriculture, but we now have four industrial parks. We’ve been very successful,” Whaley said.

In recent decades, the county on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, with a population just under 33,000, has attracted major manufacturers like Solo Cup Company, Maryland Plastics, Hanover Foods, Pillsbury and Tri-Gas & Oil. Several privately owned flower farms have been incorporated into Bell Nursery’s network of growers, which supplies Home Depot stores. The number of smaller technology start-ups is also expected to grow within the expanding Caroline Technology Park. The county’s roughly 710 businesses employ 7,310 workers, according to county government reports.

The Caroline Economic Development Commission, a non-profit organization closely associated with county and state government, is currently seeking a qualified individual to continue its legacy of growth. The Director of Economic Development position recently opened and will remain active until June 7. Caroline County government is conducting the hiring process that is scheduled to be completed by July 15.

The job description emphasizes the ability to forge partnerships. It states:

The successful candidate must have the ability to market Caroline County, promote its strengths, and identify weaknesses through the development of a strategic economic development planning process. The ideal candidate must be able to develop and establish partnerships with municipal, county, regional, state, and federal organizations to identify and achieve goals and to collaborate with the Caroline County Chamber of Commerce, the MidShore Regional Council, and the Caroline County Association of Municipalities.

The position also includes assisting businesses, whether they be small businesses or major corporations, through the process of procuring tax incentives. These incentives have played a major role in preventing businesses from migrating to Virginia and North Carolina, according to Whaley.

Find the full job listing and application through the Caroline Economic Development Commission.  

Maryland small business: 10 tips for advertising on a small budget

Emily Kimball —  May 6, 2013
Andy Malis

Andy Malis is president of Baltimore-based MGH.

MDBIZ News features weekly expert advice to assist you in running your small business. Follow Maryland small business posts here. 

Andy Malis is the president of Baltimore-based MGH, Inc., one of the region’s largest integrated marketing firms and the brains behind the creative promotion of Maryland mainstays, ranging from Old Bay seasoning to Ocean City.

MDBIZ News asked him about low-cost ideas for Maryland’s small business owners. Malis contributed the following:

Whether you’re an entrepreneur trying to get your company off the ground or a veteran businessperson looking to be as efficient as possible with your marketing spend, here are ten strategies that can help boost your business and maximize your advertising dollars.

1) Be the customer

Audit every piece of customer communication from your customers’ point of view. Today’s marketplace is cluttered like never before — from radio and TV, to direct mail and endless Web advertisements. Not to mention, shorter attention spans and time pressures add to the distraction. BUT, if your message is simple, focused and pertinent to your target audience, you will reach them.

2) Measure as much as possible

Most advertisers have no idea if their advertising is working. You may experience increased traffic and sales, but is it from your advertising? And if so, from what specifically? Develop ways to measure the effectiveness of your advertising by using targeted promotion codes, unique website addresses and different phone numbers — which all allow you to track customer response.

3) Ignore your competitors. Know your audience

Just because a company in your area — or even a competitor — is running a lot of radio advertising, for example, it doesn’t mean you should do the same. What if your core customer is a television viewer? Does your product need to be seen to be appreciated? What time of day is your customer watching TV, or what magazines are they reading? Are they a busy professional or a retiree? Know whom you’re talking to, and that will tell you how to reach them.

4) Be easily found

Seventy-seven percent of all Internet searches are just looking for your address, business hours or other basic contact information. Don’t hide it. Not everyone enters your website from your homepage, so make sure that information is on every page.

5) Don’t forget mobile

According to a recent study by Google, 61 percent of consumers say they’ll abandon your site immediately if it’s not mobile-friendly. Look at your website on your smartphone. Can you read it? If not, your potential customers can’t either. You could be losing out on revenue if you’re not creating a great mobile experience for users.

6) Relentlessly pursue the interested

Anyone who contacts you is gold. How are you following up? Use technology to stay in front of them. For example, you should be retargeting your website visitors. Retargeting is a form of online advertising that keeps your brand in front of bounced traffic after users leave your website. After a visitor has left your page, he or she will be served up your ads later on—keeping your business top of mind.

7) Actively manage your online reputation

A recent survey found that 72 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Google your business name followed by the word “reviews.” Read what comes up. Is it good? Bad? You must monitor what’s being said about your company and respond to complaints. First, make sure you company is registered with online directories such as Yelp, Google Places, Bing Local, Yahoo Local, and BBB. Second, start a program that asks your customers to post reviews. A one-star increase in Yelp reviews has been associated with a 4 to 9 percent increase in sales.

8) Get noticed

Implement high-impact tactics to get famous fast. Bigger and fewer is always better than lots of smaller. For example, one full-page ad will get you more than four quarter page ads. Most buying decisions are emotional, not rational. Don’t get lost in facts. Facts support the need your product or service is fulfilling.

9) Create happy customers and they’ll do your advertising for you

Play to the front row and make your raving fans “lunatics.” Go above and beyond in customer service and make sure that it permeates every touch point of the customer experience. Mystery shop your store to uncover any potential problems and create an environment that customers want to return to — and have their friends experience.

10) Smaller = Faster

If you’re competing with larger or national competitors, use your size to your advantage. Most national companies are notoriously bad at local marketing. Most large companies are slow to act. You can quickly respond to local market conditions and change your plans fast. You can OWN the local market and leave them in the dust.

Advertising doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective. And above all, it shouldn’t break the bank. Successful advertising, whether on a big or small scale, is simply about reaching your customers with the right message in the right medium, and sometimes at the right time. Before implementing your next advertising campaign, take a step back and review which of these cost-effective advertising methods may make the most sense for your business.

Maryland business news: ‘Veep,’ innovation, growth

Emily Kimball —  May 3, 2013

Keep up with the latest statewide business and economic developments.

Maryland wind power project slated for Frostburg

Emily Kimball —  April 26, 2013
Wind turbines are expanding in Maryland.

Wind turbines are expanding in Maryland.

A wind energy project, approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission, could bring up to 24 wind turbines to a mountainous area in Frostburg, the Associated Press reports.

Fourmile Wind Energy LLC, of Annapolis-based Synergics, is leading the project, which is planned for Fourmile Ridge and the western slope of Big Savage Mountain, according to the article.

Continue Reading…

BioMaryland’s brand: How life sciences come together in Maryland

Emily Kimball —  April 25, 2013
BioMaryland 2013

BioMaryland appeared at the 2013 Bio International Convention in Chicago.

Between world-renowned institutions like Johns Hopkins University and innovative medical research start-ups like GrayBug—it’s no surprise that Maryland is a major player in the life sciences field.

The BioMaryland Center, an office within the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development, brought together several of the state’s premiere companies and institutions in the life sciences industry during the 2013 Bio International Convention this week in Chicago.

Brian Castleberry, who works within DBED to promote and build partnerships with Maryland health and science companies, explained what he calls the “Maryland brand.”

Continue Reading…

Lt. Gov. Brown pledges continued Maryland life sciences investment

Emily Kimball —  April 24, 2013
2013 Bio International Convention

Lt. Gov. Brown addresses Maryland life sciences companies at the 2013 Bio International Convention

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown addressed leaders in Maryland’s life sciences industry, both to offer thanks and ensure continued state-sponsored investment, during the 2013 Bio International Convention Wednesday morning.

“For all of the hard choices that we had to make, we never stopped investing in our biotech industry, because we know how important you are. You represent one of the strongest work horses in our economy and you offer a tremendous return on investment,” he said.

Brown reinforced Governor Martin O’Malley’s BioMaryland 2020 initiative, which calls for more than $1.3 billion in state-sponsored investments in the life sciences industry between 2010 and 2020. As of 2013, the state has already invested more than $600 million.

These investments have elevated or maintained the state’s position on several national rankings. These include the Milken Institute‘s State Technology and Science and Technology Index, which recently ranked Maryland second in the nation with an emphasis on human capital investment, research and development inputs, and technology and science work force.

“For all of our success, I think we can all agree there is still a lot of work to be done, and that’s why we remain committed to our bio sector and to our companies in the life sciences … we are dedicated to making sure that all of the cutting edge research produced here makes it to market,” he said.

Brown also praised the Maryland professionals working to address traumatic brain injuries. A panel discussion and other presentations related to traumatic brain injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment was planned at the BioMaryland pavilion following his remarks.