Heard on the Street

LOCAL GIRL MAKES GREAT. Shannon Bailey was honored June 10 with the Avon Spirit of Enterprise Award. Bailey is the daughter of Springfieldians Janet and Gary Ellison, and a 1989 graduate of Kickapoo High School. She opened Third Stone from the Sun, a jewelry and mineral gallery, in Kansas City in 1992. In addition, Bailey is a Feng Shui consultant and lecturer, helping clients apply the lessons of the Asian art of placement in development of residential and office space. She utilizes Feng Shui principles in her own business and attributes to its benefits. The award is a joint venture of Avon Products Inc. in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. It recognizes women business owners who have overcome personal or professional challenges or who have exhibited exceptional entrepreneurial spirit to achieve professional success. Bailey was among four regional winners of the award this year. Besides the honor of the award, Bailey was also presented with $1,000.

STIFF QUIP. SBJ staffers (and publisher) traveled June 10 to Washington, D.C., to attend a trade association conference. One luncheon speaker to the gathered business journal crowd was Steve Forbes, fellow publisher and Republican candidate for president of these United States. If you think Al Gore is wooden, you haven't seen Forbes speak. Others in the crowd who had heard Forbes before said his presentation was ebullient compared to efforts in the '96 campaign, with the addition of varied, if hardly spontaneous, hand gestures while standing motionless for the entirety of the 35-minute speech. But content is the important thing, not presentation. And Forbes's content included this sound bite about estate taxes: Declaring the elimination of estate taxes as a tenet of his candidacy, Forbes said citizens should be allowed to pass from this mortal coil unmolested by taxing authorities. "No taxation without respiration," Forbes said. All

indications are that the candidate is still breathing.

START ME UP. The Missouri Department of Economic Development, Missouri Small Business Development Centers and University Outreach and Extension have completed a project to help people start and operate small businesses. The project compiles 400 pages of information on a CD-ROM designed by the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Included in the kit are such topics as "Starting a New Business in Missouri," "Market Research Workbook," and "How to Start and Manage a Home-Based Business." "Business specialists can further assist new business owners with business plans, record keeping, financial management and other business-management topics. Individual counseling is provided by all three agencies," said Betty Lorton, business and industry specialist with University Extension in Springfield. More information about the project is available at the Web site

www.umsl.edu/~smallbus

or by calling 888-751-2863.

HEARD WRONG. Last week's Heard on the Street item regarding Springfield's Axiom Partners Payroll Network Inc. was in error. Axiom did merge with National Payroll Systems Inc. of Denver June 1. Ron Lombardo and Sandy Mangnall, misidentified in the June 14-20 SBJ, are the former owners of National Payroll and will continue to manage the office in Denver. Axiom Partners CEO John Penny and other owners and managers in Springfield will remain in place here, where Axiom is based.

SLICE OF NICE. The 10th annual "Beach Days" promotion to recruit blood donors began June 21 and continues until July 9 at the American Red Cross Blood Center, 313 E. Battlefield, Ste. B. The blood drive is an annual event that provides a healthy supply of blood during the critical July 4 holiday weekend. Anyone 17 years old or older who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health is encouraged to give blood. The Blood Center will be open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays.

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