Thanks to the resounding success experienced by our outreach events in 2009, the National Business Information Clearinghouse (BIC) is kicking off the new year with a schedule of five Business Forums (see article below), the first commencing February 23 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Forum will be held in partnership with the City of Phoenix, Western Union, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other local partners.

Over 600,000 people of Hispanic or Latino descent reside in the Phoenix area, over 40% of its total population. And yet, in 2002 the U.S. Census estimated only 9.5% of Phoenix businesses were Hispanic-owned.  If you’re in the area and would like to hear ideas on starting and running a successful business from established business and community leaders, visit the Hispanic BIC’s Business Forums page and register today!

January 2010 marks another milestone, the launch of the National Black Business Information Clearinghouse and its new website, BlackBIC.org! A companion to the nationally recognized HispanicBIC.org, the Black BIC finally emerged from a year of planning, design and development. On January 12, 2010 the site was rolled out in Washington, D.C. to a prestigious audience that included officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The website is targeted toward Black entrepreneurs who want to start and grow a successful business.

The Black BIC's first partners—the Minority Business Round Table and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce—were instrumental in previewing and offering feedback on the site. According to Dr. Eric Lee, President and CEO of the Colorado Black Chamber, “The Black BIC website is a comprehensive toolbox of resources, information, videos and articles designed to ensure the success of black business owners. The Chamber is excited to support it and start offering its benefits to our members.”

Do you need to know the current state of small business financing? How about trends in Internet marketing and technology? Or, how does a small business owner build valuable relationships with government and corporate procurement authorities? These are some of the hot topics discussed at BIC’s national series of Business Forums, with panelists ranging from procurement officials to top Hispanic marketing agencies. After the first forum in February, the series continues on to Atlanta in April, Las Vegas in May, Miami in July, and closing out with San Diego in September. Please check out dates, times and venues (as they are confirmed) for the entire schedule of Business Forums at HispanicBIC.org.

The BIC recently released a new video that attempts to close that gap, “Finding Networking Opportunities.” The video concisely spells out Who you can contact, Where you might meet fresh contacts, and What you should try to accomplish after meeting new acquaintances. Take a few minutes and learn something new, you never know when it could help!

The National Business Information Clearinghouse offices have moved. Please make a note of our current address: 1125 17th Street, Suite 2450, Denver, Colorado 80202. The telephone numbers will remain the same.