By Ron VandenBoom
The Small Business Development Center, the Havre Chapter of SCORE, Business Professional Women and the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce will be presenting a Home-Based Business Expo on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the old Anita's store at the Havre Holiday Village Shopping Center.
Several home based businesses will have booths at the expo where they will show their products and provide demonstrations to visitors, said Tracey Jette, director of Bear Paw Development's Small Business Development Center.
According to Jette, the idea for the Expo came from members of the local SCORE committee that wanted to do something to help home-based businesses.
"Home-based businesses are often left out of a lot of things because they don't have the exposure store-front businesses have," Jette said.
Other issues like financing, insurance, liability and marketing can also be unique to the home-based business, Jette said.
The Expo will offer four "break-out sessions" or workshops from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that will help to answer some of these issues.
The 11 a.m. session will feature Rebecca Bauman of the Montana Department of Commerce who will discuss "Made in Montana Products." She will be followed by Melisa Drugge, a loan officer with Bear Paw Development Corp., and Michelle Johnston, chief of the Entrepreneurial Development Division of the SBA, who will discuss financing options for the home-based business.
Bud Baldwin of Erickson-Baldwin Insurance, will discuss insurance issues that affect the home-based business.
The 1 p.m. workshop will feature "Marketing," with MSU-Northern professor Terry Munson and a panel discussion concerning "When to Establish a Storefront." U.S. West WOW will also attend to give a presentation on "Establishing a Web Presence."
At 2 p.m. the focus returns to Terry Munson and the subject of "Marketing," and Drugge and Johnston will offer more on the subject of finance. U.S. West WOW will also have an offering at this time.
Booth rent is available for $15, but space is limited and interested home-based business owners should contact Tracey Jette at 265-9226 to reserve a spot
