Rhode Island Can Be No. 1 Again

This editorial appeared in today's edition of North East Independent.

Twenty-one year old Englishman Samuel Slater left England in September 1789. Dressed as a farm laborer, he didn’t arouse any notice from the British troops and customs agents guarding the seaports against the illegal export or larceny of valuable manufacturing plans. The most important were plans based on British advancements in the field of water-driven textile machines. The American textile industry was offering bonuses of $100 ($2,510 in 2009) for technical knowledge of manufacturing machinery. Slater arrived in New York City in December 1789.

Though young, Slater had been apprenticed to work in a cotton mill at the age of ten, learning about machines, technology, operations, and factory management. At the conclusion of his apprenticeship, Slater left England to pursue greater fortunes in the land of opportunity. Less than a year later, Slater’s skills, experiences, and entrepreneurial drive led him to Obidiah (Moses) Brown in Pawtucket where he improved and expanded Brown’s fledgling cotton mill. An experienced young man, a skilled merchant and industrialist, and some natural water resources were joined together to establish Rhode Island as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Rhode Island offered the right place, the right people, and the right time. Rhode Island mattered and was a national leader.

Rhode Island still matters and it could be a national economic leader again with many of the same successful Rhode Island keys that drove and supported vital innovation 220 years ago. Here are three things we can do now to make our state number one.

+ First, encourage all students to gain real skills and get practical work-style experience before they finish public school.
+ Second, match successful business owners and managers with the new generation of inventors, scientists, and innovative thinkers.
+ Third, turn every public library in every Rhode Island community into idea and new business incubators.

When we support our state’s most important 21st century resource---people---we can achieve great success and show the world once again that Rhode Island Matters!

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*Adapted from Why Rhode Island Matters! First in Independence, Industry, Art & Innovation (Shoreline Press, 2010), by Ann Marie Marshall, Economic Gardener for Exeter & North Kingstown. She writes the weekly business blog, http://rieconomicgardener.blogspot.com. She is a Republican candidate for House District 31.

INCREASING YOUR CUSTOMER BASE!

The weather is getting better, warmer---except for all the rain---and that means that business too will begin to heat up as we move toward the middle of the year.

This week we'll talk about adding customers to your client roster.

The main criteria for success in this effort is to identify those potential clients and businesses that have a problem you know how resolve. By focusing on clients with problems, you will be 85% of the way to increasing your customer base.

This Thursday we'll learn how to grow your business by adding clients and cross-selling products and services to improve your overall sales renenues.

If you have questions in the meantime or simply want to get a jump on the competition, please call me anytime at 401-667-0971.

Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, March 18th at 8:00am.

See you again soon-

Ann Marie

Reduce Your Costs of Operation

OUR FOCUS
One sure way to increase your profits is to reduce the cost of operating your business. It is one of the two not-so-secret keys to the success of Wal-Mart.

In these times, the quicker you evaluate and review every single cost of doing business, the faster you can free up cash in your business and boost your profits.

Ask yourself three questions about everything you are currently paying out each week or month to operate your business:

1- Is this expense absolutely necessary for the survival of my business?

2- If it IS necessary, is there a cheaper alternative I can use, either another supplier or another service company?

3- Can I reduce the use of a needed product or service by even ten percent and thereby save money, lower my operational expenses, and boost profits?

Every business can find savings in their operations or their purchasing that can help the bottom line. You will, too!

I'm on vacation this week and next.
I'll have a special report for you from Florida next Sunday.

Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, March 11th at 8:00am.

See you again soon-

Ann Marie

Boosting Customer Counts

THIS WEEK'S FOCUS
Increasing the number of customers frequenting your retail location or viewing your web site is important for several reasons:
1- All businesses lose customers constantly, due to moving, job loss, death, change in family status, or change in lifestyle choices.
2- You need to think about how to replace lost customers and incorporate your strategy as one of your DAILY business activities.
3- Getting new customers, and MORE customers, will lead to long-term business growth, both in revenues and in the value of your business.

Interested in getting more customers?
We'll take up this subject as well as addressing your current business needs at our weekly Coffee Conversation on Thursday and begin the process of developing a plan to take you and your business to the next level.

Our weekly Coffee Conversations at Updike's NewTowne are getting noticed and people are excited! There's always room for you, too!

We'll meet you this Thursday morning, February 18th at 8am to help small business owners who want to grow their sales and profits and also help those who want to start-up their own enterprise to get started right.

Updike's NewTowne Coffee Roasting Company and Cafe is located at 7726 Post Road in North Kingstown (across from the town's main Post Office). This is the sixth in a weekly series of coffee conversations to boost businesses in our community.

Have questions? Call me anytime at 401-667-0971.

See you soon-
Ann Marie

GROWING OUR ECONOMY

The end of 2009 is near---!

Growing our economy, but more importantly setting the stage for solid, strong and positive growth, is now our first priority. As an Economic Gardener, I will be preparing the soil and setting the stage for all those who dream to build on the vision of our founding fathers and those brave entrepreneurs who came before us.

In the next twelve months, I will be meeting and joining with the leaders of the next New Frontier in the Towns of North Kingstown and Exeter to build on the business education and civic pride of our business owners, their families, and our residents to create the basis for growth of our existing businesses, the creation of new businesses, and the education of the next generation of entrepreneurs who will lead us forward.

Are you interested in transforming the present into something even more exciting?

Please call me at 667-0971 or email me at annmariemarshall8@hotmail.com to begin a conversation, take action, and speed the plow that will till the soil to unearth exciting new possibilities for business and economic growth in our South County communities.