Fourth Quarter 2012 - Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

Recruitment, Retention, Expansion...Oh My!
It’s hard to
believe that
the Oak Ridge
Economic
Partnership was
founded more than 10 years ago. The
Partnership’s mission remains simple and
focused; to recruit, retain & expand office
& industrial business to Oak Ridge.
During these slower economic times, it is
more critical than ever to be proactive in
keeping Oak Ridge on the radar screen of
potential companies and site consultants
looking for new locations or expansions.
In 2012, the staff at the Economic
Partnership has been laser focused on
the following objectives to ensure we are
ready for when the economy turns around.
Diversify the Oak Ridge Economy—
Recruit new business in the following
target industries:
•
Nuclear Supply Chain (leveraging
UPF, SMR)
•
Carbon Fiber & Composites
(leveraging CFTF)
• Instruments & Devices
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Shared Services/ Corporate Office
Ensure suitable Oak Ridge property
inventory is shovel ready—OREP is
working to facilitate the following
actions:
•
•
•
•
Increase electrical power capacity at
Horizon Center
Marshal resources to construct
another large spec building in
conjunction with the IDB
Accelerate DOE property transfer
timelines at Heritage Center
Participate in certified site programs
by Tennessee ECD & TVA
Retain & expand existing Oak Ridge
businesses — Much more cost effective to
grow existing business than to recruit new
business:
•
•
•
Visit & survey 50+ existing
companies
Connect existing businesses with
resources available at ORNL,
Y-12, UT, ECD, TVA, RSCC,
TSBDC & Export Services to
foster growth & expansion
Ensure existing businesses
realize OREP is their advocate
for any issue
Sell, market & promote Oak Ridge
as a preferred business location:
•
•
Maintain award winning website
www.oakridgetn.org
Maintain Facebook & LinkedIn
presence for maximum visibility
Creating better business goals in 2013
“Your Success is Our Business”
If you have
registered in the
CCR (Central
Many small
business owners
use the New
Year as a time
to take a look at the state of their business
and list goals they want to accomplish
over the next 12 months.
Having clear, defined goals is a great way
to keep moving your business forward
and ensure you’re on the path to success.
However, sometimes it’s difficult to create
solid goals for your business, and it can be
even harder to actually attain them. Below
are some tips for creating better business
goals in 2013. You owe it to your business
to do it right.
•
Evaluate your business. How did 2012
look like?
• Set goals that excite you.
• Make the goals specific and attainable.
• Create milestone goals.
• Create a plan for how you’ll get there.
It goes without saying that creating clear
business goals is an important step in
consistently moving your business
forward and growing your brand.
However, not all goals are created
equal. The best goals are the ones that
are specific, plotted and allow you to
control the final outcome.
For information, please contact
the TSBDC at 865-483-2668 or e-
mail jbangs@tsbdc.org (located at
the Chamber of Commerce in Oak
Ridge).
The TSBDC offers free, confidential
counseling by appointment. Our
counselors can assist with a range
of needs to facilitate in
the growth, success, and
development of your small
business.