Biz Talk - Business Blog Roanoke and Beyond

Has the current job market and slumping economy caused you to think about starting your own business?  Fortune Small Business on CNNMoney.com canvassed the country to find towns with the best mix of business advantages and lifestyle appeal. They put together a list of their 100 top picks for the perfect place to launch a new business and build your dream.

The list included 4 Virginia area's that are great locations to for a startup company.  Southwest Virginia was included on the list as Blacksburg was noted as the # 43 best city.  Blacksburg, home of Virginia Tech and the Corporate Research Center and was listed as one of the 6 Technology Launching Pads.   CRC is a 120-acre research park and incubator, with 130 private companies in occupancy, ranging from corporations to tiny startups and covers technologies from computer hardware to pharmaceuticals.

Southwest Virginia can now boast about adding to their list of BEST's. Not only are we among the best areas to launch your business but we are also one of the Best Places to Retire.

We live in changing world. Businesses are constantly facing change at an accelerating rate. I was browsing slideshare.com and found that one of the most viewed shows was Shift Happens.  About a year ago I watched the video on YouTube.  If you haven't watched it, take a look.  It will make you think about the impact on businesses and how technology has changed us all. The video is full of facts regarding the current state of global competitiveness and emphasizes how we can continue to expect Shift in the future.  How will this impact your business?  How will it change your marketing strategies for the future? 

Stuart Mease asked me to participate in this meme, a way to share information from blogger to blogger to increase traffic and exposure of a site and give a more personal touch to a blog.

So, here it goes with a little different spin…

I am going to provide you with some facts about me but you will need to check out my profiles in Linked-In, Facebook or MySpace to find the answers.

1. I have lived in the Roanoke area all my life.  What high school did I go to?
2. I made a career move after spending 28 years with what company?
3. I have a pet that loves to socialize more than me.  What is his name?

I'm sure you didn't have any problem finding the answers from my social profiles.  OK, so now I'm going to tag Josh Perrington and Robyn Tippins with this meme.  You can thank Stuart Mease for this.