Tag: professional

WA Department of Commerce ScaleUp Business Trainings

WA Department of Commerce ScaleUp Business Trainings

Posted on by Jeffery Bartley

Courtesy reposting from the Washington State Department of Commerce:

Three new sessions of ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition free business trainings scheduled

More than 350 growth-oriented small businesses helped during pandemic

OLYMPIA, WA – “ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition,” an education and training partnership between the Washington State Department of Commerce and Thurston Economic Development Council, has scheduled three new eight-week course tracks for small businesses interested in achieving exponential growth as the economy reopens.

Each interactive course is two hours long and held once a week for eight weeks. The ideal participant is a business owner or president who has operated a business for at least two years and had pre-COVID annual gross revenue in excess of $100,000. The course, which ordinarily costs $1,599, is free to qualifying businesses, thanks in part to a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The program is based on the Thurston Center for Business Innovation’s ScaleUp program, which uses the proven Kauffman Foundation’s Fast Trac® Growth Venture coursework as its foundation. To date, more than 350 businesses throughout the state have benefited from the program.

Participants in the ScaleUp coursework will learn how to strengthen their strategic decision-making, create new operational efficiencies, explore new markets and improve the bottom line. Topics include creating efficient business systems, improving product/service alignment, creating a stronger competitive advantage in the marketplace, understanding financial statements and key business drivers, increasing sales leads and improving the sales funnel. A special “study hall” provides additional opportunities for private mentoring and coaching.

“Support for small businesses is a key building block for strengthening communities as we enter a post-pandemic world,” said Lisa Brown, director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. “ScaleUp: The Rebuild Edition offers participants mastery of essential skills that will help them grow and take advantage of opportunities as Washington’s economy fully reopens.”

Interested businesses can choose from three different tracks at http://MyStartup365.com/programs/scaleup. Class size is limited to allow significant time for questions and group interaction.

Session #6 Wednesdays: July 7 – Sept. 1, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

Session #7 Thursdays: July 8 – Sept. 2, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

Session #8 Thursdays: July 8 – Sept. 2, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

There is no cost to qualifying businesses. For more information, contact James Davis, jdavis@thurstonedc.com, or (360) 464-6051.

 

Letter from the President: Mental Health Resources

Letter from the President: Mental Health Resources

Posted on by Jeffery Bartley

Dear Members, MBEs, Friends, and Colleagues,

The past year has put great stress on our collective mental health, worsening an already serious health and economic crisis. At the Council, caring for the health and wellbeing of our MBEs, members, staff and friends is deeply woven into our core values and goal of serving our community. We firmly believe that mental health should be valued, cared for and treated equally alongside our physical health.

Beyond the affect mental health has on individuals, it also has a significant impact on business. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. People who are grappling with anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma are not able to show up as their best self anywhere, and this includes the workplace. But WHO also found that for every $1 spent on treating common mental health concerns, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.

In our commitment to deliver value to our Members and MBEs, we have compiled a list of mental health resources available to share with your teams, and best practices around employee mental health. While this list is not exhaustive, some key points to consider when building a strong workplace mental health plan include:

  • Health insurance benefits that offer good mental health coverage. If you are not familiar with how your employee health plan performs in this area, we encourage you to research it.
  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). An EPA is a voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems.
  • Open communication and a pro-mental health culture. Talk about mental health openly in the workplace and encourage employees to take concrete steps to support their mental health.
  • Mental health education: standard training or onboarding that covers mental health, recognizing signs of stress, and ways to help. This is especially important for managerial roles.
  • Promote wellbeing by offering flexible schedules as possible, spaces dedicated to meditation or quiet, and encouraging vacation time
  • Ensure your leadership models healthy behaviors. A critical part of building a positive culture around mental health is ensuring your own actions as a leader model the behaviors you encourage. Employees who see their supervisor work through all their vacations will feel less comfortable utilizing their own vacation time.

The best approach for each business will vary depending on size, existing structure and environment. Whether you are a sole proprietor or a company of 200, we encourage you to explore resources available to you and your employees, including the enclosed list. After the collective stressors of the Covid-19 pandemic and social injustice upheavals over the past year and a half, note that even as the economy begins to return to pre-pandemic state, our lives and the lives of our teams and families are far from returning to ‘pre-pandemic business as usual.’

Sincerely,

Fernando Martinez, President & CEO NWMMSDC

To view and download resources, please click here

Covid-19 Economic Assistance for Small Businesses

Covid-19 Economic Assistance for Small Businesses

Posted on by Karla Malacon

On Thursday, March 12th, 2020 the Small Business Administration announced Disaster Assistance Loans.  See the attached news release and find more information with the links included below.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

Guidance for Businesses and Employers

SBA Products and Resources

Government Contracting

Local Assistance

Other options for help and assistance for small businesses are available from the local and federal government.

  • $5 Million in Small Grants from Governor’s Strategic Funds
    Up to $5 million of the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Funds will be made available as small grants to small businesses across the state to help prevent closure due to COVID-19. The state Department of Commerce will coordinate an application process.
  • City of Seattle Small Business Stabilization Fund
    Approximately $2.5 million is available for the City of Seattle Small Business Stabilization Fund, an emergency fund that provides working capital grants in amounts up to $10,000 to qualifying small businesses. Eligibility criteria and how to apply is here: seattle.gov/office-of-economic-development/small-business/small-business-programs-/stabilization-fund- Deadline to apply is March 25.
WSDOT Contract Opportunity

WSDOT Contract Opportunity

Posted on by Karla Malacon

There is currently an opportunity open for an interim position as Project Delivery Environmental Coordinator. This position will be working with the WSDOT Environmental Program for Megaprograms to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and provide various types of support to the Megaprograms team regarding environmental issues.

Request for a Statement of Qualifications

Environmental Coordinator Job Description

Interested in this position? Email the Statement of qualifications to Usman Naushab at Naushau@consultant.wsdot.wa.gov by March 13th.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Rob Berman at (206) 949-0475 or rob.berman@hdrinc.com.

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce: Employment Opportunity

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce: Employment Opportunity

Posted on by Karla Malacon

Position Summary: 

This person executes day-to-day communications to our members and the general public through a variety of channels. Their work reflects a passion for the Chamber’s role as a champion for our members, as well as the value we offer members as an advocate, a convener, and a resource for key services. This person instinctively understands the Chamber’s voice and tone as a business advocate and a regional leadership organization. They are a “go-to” person within the organization who ensures that all communications align with and advance our brand.

The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience working in communications. Previous communications experience in the policy/political fields, or for a membership organization, is a plus.

This position reports to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

For more information on this job posting and to apply, click here.

City of Seattle: Employment Opportunity

City of Seattle: Employment Opportunity

Posted on by Karla Malacon

The City of Seattle is looking to hire a Senior Design/Construction Project Manager for the Finance and Administrative Services department. Click here for more information on this employment opportunity.

Position Description:

Are you an accomplished project management professional with expertise managing facility projects and public works construction contracts? If so, this is your opportunity to join a talented team dedicated to providing high quality and efficient capital facility project delivery.

The Senior Design/Construction Project Manager works within the Capital Development Division (CD), which manages facilities capital master planning, programming, interior space planning, design and construction in City-owned facilities. In this role, you will be responsible for executing a complex project portfolio which includes master planning, new construction, major maintenance and tenant improvements. Project management duties include managing capital facilities projects on time, within budget, and in compliance with the governing laws and statutes.

The City of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is a dynamic organization of 600+ employees that provides $200 million a year in services to the City through an exciting portfolio of lines of business. FAS is a collaborative workplace with collective accountability to promote equity, respect, civility, integrity, inclusiveness and fairness for all employees.

 

Minority Business Enterprises Intersect with Healthcare and Life Science Organizations to Build Value

Minority Business Enterprises Intersect with Healthcare and Life Science Organizations to Build Value

Posted on by Karla Malacon

September 4, 2019 | Fernando Martinez | President & Chief Executive Officer

Introduction:

Business, IT, and Digital Transformation is the convergence point where information is leveraged in new and innovative ways to create a competitive advantage thus enabling organizational success. This is easier said than done. Barriers, including but not limited to expensive data preparation, structural, cultural and business politics, growth, and vendor lock-in can complicate transformation and possibly derail an advantageous market position. Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) are in a position where their creativity and innovativeness aptly intersect with the Healthcare and Life Science Organizations to solve problems and create value for all stakeholders – patients, Healthcare and Life Sciences organizations, MBEs and Society.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Current State:

Projected to reach $10.059 trillion by 2022 global healthcare spending continues to increase dramatically. Small niche companies where most new drugs are discovered, appear to be driving innovation. Conversely, with increasing spend how do Healthcare and Life Sciences (Hc & LS) organizations optimize their Return-on-Investment where over the last 9 years returns have fallen to their lowest ever for 12 large cap biopharma organizations? R & D returns amounted to 1.9% in 2018 compared to 10.1% in 2010. This definitively indicates a shift in the industry (2019 Global Life Sciences Outlook).

It is predicted that digital transformation can save $300 billion in the Hc & LS sector – more specifically in chronic disease. To remain competitive, Hc & LS organizations must solve three key problems.

First, solve the problem created by the three most mentioned barriers to digital transformation in the pharmaceutical and medical-technology industry: culture and mindset; organizational structure; and, governance. Culture, like many other industries, is the biggest hurdle!

Second, costs associated with lack of persistence (continuous use of the prescribed medication), compliance (following the prescribed treatment plan), and adherence (filling and following the prescribed treatment plan) is costly simply because patients do not achieve expected outcomes. Failure to adhere to the prescribed medicine regimen bears several ramifications and significant costs (Jones, Peter, Rutter, & Somauroo, 2019):

– 50 – 60% of patients with chronic illnesses miss doses, take the wrong doses, or drop off treatment in the first year.

– It is estimated 125,000 lives are lost annually in the US due to nonadherence.

– Estimated that $290 Billion dollars are spent as a result of nonadherence.

– 10% of hospitalizations are considered avoidable through improved medication adherence.

Third, invest in leveraging big data as a competitive advantage. It is estimated that 80% of the cost to using data is in data preparation. This information is important because it will be used to automatically identify risk factors and recommend preventative treatment. It is this ability to convert big data to high value analytics that will drive a real and essential competitive advantage (Wilder-James, 2017).

Solving these three problems will positively impact pharmaceutical-industry revenues. Inventive and Innovative MBEs can solve these problems. Inventive and Innovative MBEs can enter the existing marketplace as partners to already established transformative organizations thereby netting additional value for all stakeholders. This opportunity enables growth for MBEs within this industry while delivering significant value to our Hc & LS members.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Opportunity:

Although much progress has been made in transforming the Hc & LS Industry into an agile, customer centric, competitive industry, there is still more to be done. MBEs can play an integral part in the innovation of already existing digital transformation tools and processes (2019 Global Life Sciences Outlook):

– Patient empowerment growth is facilitated through Personalized Medicine with help from advances in healthcare analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. As the Hc & LS industry shifts to value-based personalized medicine is required to deliver healthcare to patients and the many stakeholders.

– Medtech is another Hc & LS sector where growth is projected over the next 5 years.

– Software-as-a-Medical Device (SaMD) is a rapidly growing area of innovation.

– As more Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) become connected to the Internet, cybersecurity programs must be strengthened to protect patients.

– Licensing, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), and/or Joint Ventures are an attractive source of innovation and reduced R&D investments and diminishing returns.

o In 2018 Transformative Acquisitions ranged between $60 – $70 billion.

o Innovation is stimulating nontraditional partnerships.

– Small Gene Based Therapeutic Startups are disrupting the traditional pharma culture. The challenge is that the pharma’s value chain is built around traditional products, while next-generation therapies are built around the patient.

– Tech Giants (Google, Amazon) are diversifying into Hc & LS sector leveraging big data and artificial intelligence for prediction and prevention as well as machine learning to mine and decode unstructured data in medical records.

– A growing networked ecosystem requires Management of Third-Party Risk.

– New value chain should keep Patients at the Core when new, creative, innovative processes and tools are being designed.

– Outsourcing for Strategic Relationships in biologics, data-driven clinical innovation, manufacturing capacity, expertise in advance technologies such as AI, Robotic and Cognitive Automation, and Cloud Computing to increase efficiencies, lower costs, and decrease clinical timelines.

These and other opportunities exist where MBEs may engage, innovate, add scaled value, and create a competitive advantage.

We are Here for a Purpose:

We are here to create a better society through improved healthcare in a competitive and sustainable manner. We come together to create an intersection of companies, building an ecosystem of differing expertise, enabling the design and development of the next original, creative, and relevant idea that will bring value to patients, Hc& LS members, MBEs, and, for the benefit of society at large. As leaders of Supply Chain Diversity, we understand that individuals and companies offer differing perspectives thereby leading to richer problem solving, and more creative outputs. Not only must organizations look to the obvious (leverage big data analytics, course correct the culture to a more collaborative one, and be part of the growing digital transformation in every aspect of Hc & LS) to gain a competitive advantage, organizations must be inclusive of a Diverse Supply Chain in their quest to innovate as an added competitive advantage.

Northwest Mountain MSDC 

* * *

Download Full Article

Reference:

Industry Report, 2019 Global life sciences outlook | Focus and Transform | Accelerating change in life sciences (January 31, 209). Deloitte Touch Tohmatsu Limited

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/us-and-global-lifesciences-industry-trends-outlook.html

Jones, G. L., Zinaida, P., Rutter, K.A., Somauroo, A. (2019) Promoting and overdue digital transformation in healthcare. McKinsey & Company

https://healthcare.mckinsey.com/promoting-overdue-digital-transformation-healthcare

Wilder-James, E. (2017 Winter).The Data-Driven Manager, Making the Numbers Work for you. Harvard Business Review.

UW Students Present "Supplier Diversity Toolkit" at the 2019 Annual Conference

UW Students Present “Supplier Diversity Toolkit” at the 2019 Annual Conference

Posted on by Karla Malacon

University of Washington students, Lukas Garcia, Jaclyn Hill, Wenqi Huang, Ashlyn Reid and Sy Ruiz of the Supplier Diversity Program conducted research on building a Supplier Diversity Toolkit. With guidance from Michael Verchot, Director of the UW Consulting and Business Development Center and Fernando Martinez, CEO of the Northwest Mountain MSDC, they had the opportunity to share their findings at our 2019 Annual Conference hosted on June 19, 2019.

View Supplier Diversity Toolkit Presentation Here

FB Live Stream Here

Interested in Building Out A Supplier Diversity Process for your business? Lukas Garcia, Jaclyn Hill, Wenqi Huang, Ashlyn Reid and Sy Ruiz walk you through a more detailed approach at what it takes to get started. Click Here to read more.

Best Practices - Effective Networking

Best Practices – Effective Networking

Posted on by Meghan

This is a continuation of “How to Prepare for Effective Networking.”

We polled some of our corporate members and MBEs on effective networking. They sent us some of the best practices, tips, and Dos and Don’ts of networking.

When you get there:

  1. Be patient.  (Networking and establishing business relationships takes time).
  2. Come in with a targeted list of who you want to make an impact with and what you will offer.
  3. (Remember to always) be professional, have a professional presence.  First impressions are important.
  4. When I’m networking, I like to start out with the mindset of, “How can I help the people I meet?”
  5. Relax, networking events can be overwhelming at times.
  6. Believe that you can and will make great progress.  After making all the necessary preparations, having the right mindset can lead to many great things.

How to introduce yourself:

  1. Keep your introduction succinct.
  2. Offer a handshake and introduce yourself and what organization you are with. (Remember the name. Use it three times and it’s yours.)
  3. Smile… be welcoming.
  4. Don’t assume that the person that you met previously will remember your name!  Unless a person is addressing you by your name when you see them again, then assume they don’t know and state it again.

During the conversation:

  1. Show passion for what you do.
  2. LISTEN closely to what’s being said.
  3. Listen twice as much as talk. Ask questions.
  4. Show excitement for what they do.
  5. Write down information in stenography notebook.
  6. Consider this first meeting as an opportunity for relationship building and for future opportunities to connect… you’re not going to get it all done with the first meeting, so don’t try.  We don’t want to (and you shouldn’t want to) spend 30 minutes with any one individual at a networking event.
  7. Don’t be disappointed if a target corporation is not interested or doesn’t have any current opportunities.  It’s better that you know now than be strung along.
  8. However, don’t assume that corporations do not talk to each other… we do!  And often times, we can be your resource to meet other potential targets.

How to make the most out of it:

  1. Ask about other companies attending the event that they should meet.  We can be very helpful this way and want to direct you to those that can benefit from knowing more about your company.
  2. Instead of trying to collect contact information, I’m actively listening to the people I meet at an event and trying to figure out how I can help them solve a problem.
  3. If I can’t help them directly, I connect them with someone in my network who can do that for them. I try to be a connector and give more value than I get.
  4. Team up with an existing customer to use as an immediate reference to your work when meeting future/potential customers.  An in-person testimonial can seal next steps quickly.
  5. Seek to develop a relationship with the event host leadership.  In the case of the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council, a MBE should develop a solid rapport with the CEO, Staff, Board of Directors and Corporate sponsors.

How to close:

  1. Make the ASK and go for the appropriate close so you get a chance at the next steps.
  2. Exchange cards and ask if you may contact them.
  3. Ask for a business card and let them know you’ll be contacting them in the near term to provide an electronic capabilities statement, but also an email to better define your value proposition for that particular corporation.
  4. Don’t ask for a business card if you have no intention of following up.  If you have provided us with your business card… we’ll remember that you didn’t follow up.
  5. If you make a solid corporate connection during an event and you would like to follow-up with that person, politely ask if you can schedule a meeting with them right on the spot!  Recommendation – ask for a date at least 30 days out from the current date to minimize potential conflicts as many Supplier Diversity professionals typically have a busy travel schedule.  Also for an initial call, I recommend you ask for a 30 minute or less conference call – not an hour.

What not to do:

  1. Don’t let nerves take over so you keep talking, don’t dominate the conversation.
  2. DO NOT take all of their time or make them feel captive.  Networking is meant to mingle with many people.
  3. Don’t try and “sell” your company’s products and services at a networking event unless the conversation lends itself to that; on the other hand, be prepared to clearly articulate your business in a 15 second elevator pitch because invariably someone will ask you “what do you do”.
  4. Don’t try to land a job, your goal is to make the introduction
  5. Don’t distribute handouts… this is not the time or place.
  6. LEAVE any marketing materials at home – give and collect business cards.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this blog: Dennis Brooks, Lisa Castillo, Pedro Castro, Lana Gosnell, James Hing, Sharon S. Lucas, Fernando Martinez, and Swen Nater.

Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should not be considered to be legal, tax, accounting, consulting or any other professional advice or service. The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors, contributors, references and commenters on this site do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council or its employees, stakeholders, members and sponsors. Any mention of other companies and organizations aside from the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council does not necessarily reflect or represent the views, opinions or positions of those companies and organizations or their employees, stakeholders, members and sponsors. Read more: Legal Disclaimer

How to Prepare for Effective Networking

How to Prepare for Effective Networking

Posted on by Meghan

Direct recommendations from Supplier Diversity Executives and MBEs

Northwest Mountain MSDC events provide excellent venues for business networking. While preparing for the 2018 Annual Awards Dinner & Silent Auction, we polled some of our corporate members and MBEs on effective networking. They sent us some of the best practices, tips, and Dos and Don’ts of networking.

Please remember that these are the opinions of contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Council, and these apply to Premiere Events. For full legal disclaimer please visit the Council’s Disclaimer Page.

Preparing for the Event:
Before you attend an event, decide what success looks like for you. Document your objectives for the purpose of observing what you achieved after participating.
Plan your strategic approach and strategic communication.
Be prepared, review the members list before hand and set a goal for who you want to meet.
Identify important people you want to meet and reach out in advance, if possible. Say “Looking forward to meeting you.”
Make the most of your time by ensuring you do your homework and be prepared for those you will be meeting with.

On what to say:
Prepare a short paragraph on exactly what you do. Practice it.
Refine the introduction of yourself and the business your represent – customize an introduction for a corporate target vs an “unknown” individual, but also identify whether you are the business owner, BD rep, etc. We want to know who we’re talking to.

Have your elevator speech solid and ready including what is your value proposition specific to those you’re targeting at the networking event. A generalized value proposition doesn’t always cut it. Elevator speeches should not be more than 3 minutes.
Don’t try to land a job, your goal is to make the introduction.

On preparing your questions:
Building rapport with someone is extremely effective if you are good at asking questions – practice listening more and talking less.
Make a list of questions you want to ask your target company. It shows interest and intent. The answers you receive may also help develop your business strategy.

On what to know:
Know your audience: in other words, do your homework on WHO is attending the networking event and then DO research about them before you get to the networking event so you’re up to date about their business model, recent press releases & strategy plans.
Check out the company’s Supplier Diversity website – not all programs are the same and it will give you a foundation of understanding what you need to say.
Research the company’s mission, so you know their company’s top priorities and it then becomes apparent you have done your research.
If you can, KNOW what your future potential customer needs are BEFORE the event so that you network with future customers who actually could consume your products or services. A win-win for both parties at a networking event.

On preparing your value proposition:
Be prepared to communicate your value proposition and what makes you different than your competition. (Corporations are contacted by hundreds of suppliers via email, at events, phone calls etc., each supplier wants a contract and would like to do business with us – but why should we do business with you versus the other 99 suppliers who approached us before you? What makes you different? Be prepared and ready to communicate this).

Practice! Practice! Practice!
Practice your introduction with what you want to offer.
Practice on your elevator speech and make it brief but informative. Be professional!

On what to bring:
Bring business cards!
Know who is coming so you can plan what to say and what to bring.
Come in with a targeted list of who you want to make an impact with and what you will offer.
Bring a stenography notebook for writing down contacts. Four columns: Name, Organization, Position, Notes.
Always bring enough of your business cards to any event.
Don’t distribute handouts… this is not the time or place.

LEAVE any marketing materials at home – give and collect business cards.

On who to bring:
BRING your owner and decision makers to build those relationships and show the face of your company beyond the sales person.

What not to miss:
Be professional, have a professional presence and proofread your marketing materials. First impressions are important.
(With regards to your business cards) from a print perspective, glossy business cards look cool, but I prefer a semi-matte finish so that I can write on my cards with a ballpoint pen. This may be a website, an app, or a quick tip I can share with someone. It attaches greater value to my name and it’s convenient.
Make a list of current or past business partners that you can talk about and use as reference during and after networking.
If you can find an “icebreaker” or someone to make the introduction that is really helpful but not necessary.

A note (or more) on what to wear:
Over dress! Make sure to be in Business Professional Dress (No 2nd chance for a 1st impression).
Dress like an executive.
Wear something to an event that is professional, but memorable! Most business events have a plethora of people wearing black, however bright, solid colors really stand out. While your connection may not remember your name the next time, they may remember something about your outfit.
Dress appropriately & drink responsibly.

Final tip:
When you know that some of your target corporations will be attending a networking event…DO some homework, but DON’T dominate their time. Remember, this is your first opportunity to meet your target and leave a lasting and great impression. Make sure you leave us wanting to further the conversation because having a foundation of a strong relationship will keep you memorable.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this blog: Dennis Brooks, Lisa Castillo, Pedro Castro, Lana Gosnell, James Hing, Sharon S. Lucas, Fernando Martinez, Swen Nater.

The above information is intended solely for personal non-commercial use. Any information taken from this page is the full responsibility of the user. While we have taken every precaution to insure that the content is both current and accurate, errors can occur. The information provided is general in nature and should not be considered to be legal, tax, accounting, consulting or any other professional advice or service. Please read our legal disclaimer.