Oregon  Entrepreneurs Network is offering a new version of the OEN Executive Series.  OEN interviewed Mark Frinell of  Insurance Partners, LLC, a professional services firm who assists commercial and individual  clients in managing their risks through the successful design and  placement of insurance programs, to learn more about the changes to the  executive series and why Mark volunteers with OEN.

Mark  is an OEN volunteer and serves as the Chairperson for the Executive  Series, a five-week program focused on delivering strategic financial,  operational and sales/marketing insight to entrepreneurs who are  interested in building companies that are attractive to investors,  customers, partners and employees.

Describe  the executive series?

The Executive Series is  designed to offer entrepreneurs access to industry professionals via interactive  and engaging sessions, so that they walk away with the skills and knowledge to  make critical business decisions.  We will have five sessions in April and early  May from 7:30am to 9:30am at the offices ofPerkins  Coie in the Pearl District.   Each session will focus on a different subject matter imperative to  entrepreneurs and will be presented by an industry professional.  As an example,  Greg Fletcher of Kieckhafer Schiffer & Co, LLP will be presenting a session  on “Understanding Financial Statements”.  In addition to providing an overview  of the components involved in financial statements, Greg will also discuss key  financial rations and how they will prove to be valuable from both internal  (measuring financial health) and external (investors)  perspectives.

What  changes did you make to the program and why?

We’ve changed the  Executive Series significantly from the last few years.  First, prior Executive  Series were comprised of a 16-week session.  While valuable insight was gained  by meeting over a 16-week period, members of the Executive Series committee felt  that it may have been too much of an overlap of information and too much of a  time commitment for the average entrepreneur.  This year, we’ve scaled down the  Executive Series to a five-week session focused on topics including  Understanding Financial Statements, Selecting the Correct Legal Entity for your  Company, Human Resources Roundtable, Marketing your Company Successfully to  Potential Stakeholders and Developing a Sales Process.  We’ve selected the five  topics that got the most positive feedback from prior Executive Series  attendees.

What  do you think entrepreneurs will get out of the experience?
The  goal is for the entrepreneurs to walk out of the Executive Series with  more knowledge of business matters and ideologies than when the series  started.  We’re also hopeful to hone their existing skill set so that  they are better prepared to take their company to the next stage.

Why  do you volunteer with OEN?
I’ve found OEN to be an incredible  organization to be part of.  The volunteering part is really contagious  as the organization is filled with various industry experts who are  interested in dedicating their time to the success of locally owned and  operated businesses of all sizes.  I’ve met a lot of entrepreneurial  individuals through OEN and its fun to be part of an organization that  exerts so much energy to helping individuals and businesses that range  from idea stage to established companies with a history of financial  success.

Any other comments?
The Executive  Series has been a very well-received program in the past and we don’t  anticipate anything different this year.  While we’ve made a few  changes, we believe the shortened Executive Series will intensify the  sessions and create a learning and collaborative environment that  entrepreneurs will find valuable.

Any questions about  the OEN Executive Series can be directed to the OEN office at  503-222-2270 or you can register online for the  OEN Executive Series.

Business leaders need to be exposed to the latest trends, as well as core business ideologies.  So, OEN has developed the 2009 Executive Series curriculum to provide entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to make critical business decisions.  This four-week educational series is designed to offer entrepreneurs access to industry professionals via interactive and engaging sessions.  We will assist you in building companies that are attractive to investors, customers, partners and employees via a series of focused, interactive educational sessions. 

Session I – Sales and Marketing -  Presented by Bill Etheredge, WCE Consulting This session will prepare you to address key sales and marketing functions critical to the success of your business venture.  You will benefit from focused discussions on market selection and segmentation, sales channel definition and development, sales methodology, developing engaging presentations and marketing fundamentals.  

Session II – Understanding Cap Table Dynamics - Presented by Brent Bullock, Perkins Coie This session will assist you with the development and design of your business and will educate you on legal issues and capital management strategies.  Specific topics will include selecting the right legal entity, equity structure, pre-money valuation, capital table dynamics, and liquidation analysis.  

Session III – Understanding Financial Statements - Presented by Jared Holum, Perkins & Co. This session will provide you with an overview of the components involved in financial statements.  In addition to an understanding of the usefulness of each type of financial statement, you will learn to decipher book versus taxed based accounting, and will also learn to interpret key financial ratios applicable to your business.  

Session IV - Ask the Expert Panel You will get a chance to ask key questions of a panel of experts, including an attorney, a CPA, a sales & marketing professional, a venture capitalist, and an entrepreneur. The panel will expand on the topics covered in previous sessions, but will also cover key issues not part of the curriculum.  

Registration information:

Pricing: The course is $200 for OEN members for the entire Executive Series and $325 for non-members (includes a one year OEN individual membership), and is available for a maximum of 20 participants.  

Register for the OEN Executive Series

Who should attend: The course is designed for leaders of companies who are beyond idea stage and are up and running but may be pre-revenue. 

Venue: Perkins Coie, 1120 N.W. Couch Street, Tenth Floor, Portland, OR 97209-4128.  Parking in building garage will be validated.  Dates: October 6, 13, 20 and 27. 

Time: 7:30am to 9:30am, coffee, refreshments to be provided.   Check our calendar of events to register or call OEN at 503-222-2270 to register over the phone.

Guy Kawasawki of How to Change the World recognized there is always info being shared on what entrepreneurs should do. Here he shares a dozen truthful and funny don'ts entrepreneurs should not do. See his 12 most important don'ts:

1. Don’t worry, be crappy. Perfectionism, first of all, is an illusion. Nothing is perfect. Even worse, perfection stands in the way of revenue and truly learning what customers think because nothing is in their hands yet. When your product is “good enough” (but not “perfect”), ship it, and see what happens.
2. Don’t give out lofty titles. Just because a roommate was there during the drunken weekend when you came up with the idea for your company, doesn’t mean he should be CTO. Someday, you’ll need to hand out titles like director, vice-president, and chief whatever officer, so keep them in reserve. Until then refer to each other as “co-founders” and describe the area of responsibility: for example, “programming.” If your roommates aren’t cool with this, they’re doing you a favor by showing their colors now.
3. Don’t hire your family. The probability that your spouse or relative is the best person you can get for a job is 0%. The probability that people will hate working at company with spouses and relatives is 100%. The probability that one of you will have to go someday is also 100%. Never hire out of expediency. Always hire the best person you can get. This usually means not hiring your family unless you’re Jack or Suzy Welch.

   By the way, if you both hire your family and give them a lofty title, you are truly a bozo.

4. Don’t sweat valuation. This is easy for a venture capitalist to say, but your company is either going to die or make you more money than you imagined. Whether you have 10% or 15% and whether your pre-money valuation is $2 million or $3 million isn’t going to really matter. Do the math: 15% of $0 is $0, so stop negotiating, take the money, and build something that’s worth more than $0. Whatever valuation a venture capitalist offers you, increase it by 20% and counter her offer. This is just enough to show that you’re not a pushover, but not too much that it will prolong or blow up the negotiations.

5. read more

Get a free copy of Business Plan Pro Premier

July 1, 2009| 11am – 3pm | OEN | 309 SW 6th Ave. Suite 212, Portland

On Wednesday, July 1, 2009, Palo Alto Software will sponsor a one-day only event, ”Oregon Small Business Boost".  OEN is one of the event hosts and will provide OEN members (in Oregon) a promotion code card to obtain your free copy of business-planning software, Business Plan Pro Premier. The purpose is to help Oregon entrepreneurs start, run, and grow their businesses by utilizing local services, programs and tools to foster entrepreneurship and further business growth in Oregon. For more information go to www.paloalto.com/boost or contact your local Chamber or Small Business Development Center.

Visit OEN for your free copy of Business Plan Pro Premier on Wednesday July 1 from 11am-3pm.

*Please note this promotion is valid only to people in Oregon.