Cheyenne gears for Small Business Week

Hauser, Piburn to speak at event

CHEYENNE — Cheyenne is definitely looking forward as it celebrates its first Small Business Week of the 21st Century with a look at what small businesses can expect in the New Economy along the Northern Front Range.

Small Business Week 2000, scheduled for May 1 to 5, will feature Wyo-ming Gov. Jim Geringer; Mike Hauser, president of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce; and Business Report columnist Gregg Piburn, owner of Leader’s Edge Consulting in Loveland.

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The Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce has been sponsoring Small Business Week since 1988, and this year the focus is on the future and “looking forward to how we can be competitive in tomorrow’s world,´ said chamber president Larry Atwell.

“I think there are going to be some real changes in the way small businesses operate as we see more and more e-commerce and competing worldwide,” Atwell said. “It’s going to take businesses that are aggressive and are able to meet customer demand.”

Hauser opens the Small Business Week activities on May 1 at a “Small Business and the New Economy” chamber luncheon. In the past, this luncheon had featured reports on Cheyenne’s economy, but Hauser is expected to talk about what Cheyenne businesses can expect in a changing economy.

As a consultant and facilitator with chambers and business groups across the country, Hauser “really has a good feel for what’s going on in other areas and how those changes are going to affect us more and more,” Atwell said.

“I’m certain he’ll challenge the business community to rethink how they’re doing business and who their competition might be next year, as opposed to last year,” Atwell said.

In another break from tradition, Geringer will respond to questions about small business and the New Economy at a luncheon on May 2, instead of the traditional televised breakfast.

Atwell said costs and other factors prompted the change to a luncheon forum, which will allow more people to attend and a longer time for questions and answers.

Panelists include Tom Segrave, Cheyenne chamber chair; Mary Schwem, chair of the Small Business Council; Larry Sutherland, last year’s small business of the year; Rolinda Sample, executive director of the Laramie Chamber of Commerce and president of the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce Executives; and Tim Stamp, president of the Laramie Economic Development Corp. and president of the Wyoming Econo-mic Development Association. Darren Rudloff, executive director of the Cheyenne Area Convention and Business Bureau, will be the moderator.

On May 4, some 80 businesses will participate in the Laramie County Small Business Showcase, the chamber’s annual trade show to highlight area small businesses and their products and services. The showcase has expanded this year.

The week’s final event is the Chamber Small Business Awards Luncheon on May 5, featuring Piburn as the keynote speaker. His program is being sponsored by The Business Report.

Piburn’s topic is “Turn on the lights ` of communication,” and he will discuss how businesses, groups and individuals can use better communication to achieve their goals. His firm, Leader’s Edge Consulting, “helps people boldly communicate through times of challenge and change.”

All Small Business Week events are at the Cheyenne Holiday Inn. Sponsors include American National Bank, CBS NewsChannel 5, Holiday Inn, Laramie County Enterprise Center, Office Depot, McLeod USA Business Services, RSM McGladrey Inc., Trader’s Shopper’s Guide and WINhealth Partners.