There is so much hype these days about the state of the economy, uncertainty of whether businesses will survive, businesses closing their doors, etc. In times like this it is imperative that small businesses stay focused and truly understand their businesses, and there is no better way to do this than with business and marketing planning. I am excited to be part of a company that has the tools to assist businesses with their planning, and furthermore, excited that other organizations and communities see the inherent value in planning, especially in a down economy.

The City of Myrtle Creek, population approximately 3500, is one such example. They received a $5000 grant from the Department of Agriculture to support a local business improvement plan and decided to use this money to purchase 50 copies of Business Plan Pro software. They will give the software to 50 small businesses within the city limits in order to assist them with their planning and growth. Further, Tim Berry will be speaking in Myrtle Creek on November 13th about the importance of planning, and the software will be distributed at the event. They are already spreading the word through their local paper; read more about how Myrtle Creek businesses are taking advantage of this opportunity.

Just think what kind of economic upturn we could see if other cities jumped on this bandwagon. It’s pretty exciting, and we are excited to be a part of Myrtle Creek’s economic development initiatives.

Kristen Langham
Manager of Business Development
Palo Alto Software