Columnists - Indiana Minority Business Magazine

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Blossoming Bloomington Strategic planning essential

by Mike McAfee

McAfee It is nearly impossible to achieve goals and be successful without a plan no matter what industry you might be in. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Wishing and having a vision for your organization should be part of any planning process but it is much more than that.

Although plans need to be custom built and there are other approaches that work, I think the basic planning process I describe below can work for most organizations. There are three main stages or questions to be answered through a planning process:

Stage 1 – Where are we now?
Stage 2 – Where would we like to be?
Stage 3 – How do we get there?

Visit Bloomington is the official destination marketing organization for Monroe County and visitors spend approximately $279 million annually in our area. We promote our incredibly diverse destination to visitors of all types and it is critical that our organization has clarity and stability in all of our efforts. Effective planning is the catalyst for creating that.

We recently developed a three-year (2011-13) strategic plan. The purposes of that plan were to gain better understanding of changes in our industry, identify existing and new challenges, re-examine our mission, set goals and determine critical factors for continued success.

It’s very important that a plan is endorsed by board members, stakeholders, clients and all types of partners. We had over 100 partners participate in our planning process. We worked with a facilitator over a six-month period holding three input sessions and conducting an on-line survey. It’s important that the facilitator or the person leading the planning process is completely unbiased and has no stake in the outcomes of the plan.

Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Stage 1) to Bloomington as a destination led to identifying six key challenges:

(1) Use research and partnerships to increase productivity.
(2) Develop a more viable convention center and full service host convention hotel.
(3) Improve online and direct sales efforts.
(4) Increase business during off-peak periods.
(5) Strengthen visitor industry locally through focused advocacy.
(6) Allocate resources for best destination returns.

Visit Bloomington’s mission:

Actively market and sell the Bloomington brand promise through targeted and industry partnered strategies resulting in increased visitor spending and enhanced community well-being and resident quality of life.

Visit Bloomington’s brand promise:

Bloomington is a uniquely placed Midwest cosmopolitan city and area. We present an affordable, clean, safe and healthy lifestyle centered on a lively downtown, fun entertainment and cultural districts and friendly, diverse neighborhoods. With internationally recognized Indiana University, this regional community and hub showcases superb attractions and meeting, sports and dining venues, as well as nearby spectacular outdoor recreational experiences.

Long-term goals (Stage 2):
(1) Increase Bloomington brand awareness through visitor-targeted strategies.
(2) Deliver extended visits and converted overnight leads.
(3) Develop visitor infrastructure.
(4) Champion the value of the visitor industry.
(5) Operate a fiscally responsible organization with talented professionals and engaged partners.

Twenty-three key programs (Stage 3) falling under those five long-term goals were identified as crucial for Visit Bloomington to develop and implement. Many of those were already in existence but several are completely new. Implementation of that work is already under way, efforts are being tracked and results documented and evaluated in an annual update of this plan.

Mike McAfee is executive director of Visit Bloomington. You may email him at mike@visitbloomington.com For more information about Visit Bloomington and to receive its monthly e-news, log on to www.visitbloomington.com.

A true commitment to minority businesses

by Carolyn Mosby

Mosby I recall when I was a child growing up in Gary, Ind., the “Buy in Gary” campaign; encouraging Gary residents to shop in Gary and support those businesses that remained in the city and didn’t flee to the suburbs to cater to those who didn’t want to live around minorities in the first place. I often wondered, “Why do we need a campaign to support our own?”

Fast forward 30-some years and we are still campaigning to encourage not only residents to support minority businesses in their communities but cities and corporations to purchase from diverse suppliers and prime contractors to utilize minority subcontractors on projects.

Indiana Public Law 34 – 1983 established the Governor’s Commission on Minority Business Development and called for a goal of three percent of the state’s spending to go to minority businesses. Contractors had to show a “good faith” effort to utilize minority businesses. That legislation was authored by my mother, the late Indiana state Sen. Carolyn Brown Mosby, D-Gary. I went to work for that agency in my 20s and saw firsthand, the lengths that a few majority contractors went to in order to keep from using minority subcontractors on state work. As a matter of fact, there was a big investigation into the building of the State Office Building and some contractors falsifying documents and using “front” minority contractors on the project.

I then began to understand the need for such programs, even though voluntary, to try to ensure that minority businesses are afforded the opportunity to participate in the procurement process. Since then, the state’s program has expanded to also include women-owned businesses and other programs in city governments around the state. The Indiana Minority Supplier Development Council (IMSDC) exists to certify minority and women-owned businesses and ensure that opportunities are available as well.

Many Indiana corporations have supplier diversity programs and people in place to work with diverse suppliers and I have found that most have a true commitment to strengthening their supplier bases and investing in communities. I am privileged to have member corporations as part of the IMSDC that are truly committed.

While these programs provide job security and an opportunity for a pat on the back when goals are met, when are we going to just do the right thing and support each other and those businesses that employ people in our community, our family and friends and help our economy?

Trailblazing legislators who have passed away but dedicated much of their career fighting for minority businesses like the late Congressman Parren J. Mitchell, D-Maryland, and my mother have to be turning over in their graves because while many things have changed, many things have stayed the same. Thankfully other legislators and community leaders and organizations are still advocating and fighting on behalf of our minority businesses.

As individuals, let’s ask ourselves the question, “What can we do to be more supportive of our minority businesses?” And the answer is…

Carolyn Mosby is president of the Indiana Minority Supplier Development Council.

Career education can bolster job prospects

By Elizabeth Ramirez

Ramirez In today’s competitive job market, post-secondary education can provide a viable solution to developing the marketable skills that employers look for in potential job candidates.

Whether you are working or looking for a job, there are steps you can take to help enhance your prospects in the marketplace.
Many adults are going back to school with an eye toward bolstering the chance for promotion or studying to enter a new field altogether, and many across the nation report that enrollment numbers are rising as people of all ages seek to gain additional skills.

At Brown Mackie College-Indianapolis, we are finding that our student population comes from several sources. Today’s economy has presented new challenges for many single income families.

For these adult students, program flexibility is an important consideration. They want to see the kids off to school in the morning, and get back home in the afternoon to meet the kids at the bus. Having a flexible schedule definitely helps.

Some enrolling in school are those who began an academic career earlier in life and postponed it, while other view education as the only way to enhance their career potential.

We are also seeing more high school graduates who are looking for non-traditional academic programs. Many find non-residential career schools to be an appealing option.

As the baby boomer population ages, the health care industry offers many different career options. Enrollment is growing at Brown Mackie College - Indianapolis in the health care and technology programs, with the greatest enrollment growth in health care field programs.

Inspiration to join the health care field comes in different ways. Some of the population is dealing with an aging parent that received good care. Or they’ve had someone in health care reach out to them and made a difference, and they feel they want to become involved.

Brown Mackie College - Indianapolis is one of 27 locations of the Brown Mackie College system of schools (www.brownmackie.edu), which is dedicated to providing educational programs that prepare students for entry-level positions in a competitive, rapidly-changing workplace.

We offer bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, certificate, and diploma programs in health sciences, business, information technology, legal studies and design technologies.

We are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees, certificates and diplomas.

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

We encourage everyone, whether they are employed or under-employed, to explore the opportunities that await them with a new degree or certification. Higher education and certification is an investment that is worth making for yourself, your family and our economy.

Elizabeth Ramirez is president of Brown Mackie College-Indianapolis For additional information about college call (317) 554-8300 or visit http://www.brownmackie.edu/indianapolis/.

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