DESIGNING A BETTER BUSINESS

Thursday, March 01 2007, 06:56 AM EST

IKEA Paramus Hosts the First in a Series of Initiatives for Local Entrepreneurs to Discover Essential Business Practices
On Wednesday March 7, 2007 at 8:30 AM, IKEA Paramus will be hosting a special event for local New Jersey business owners to discover proven business practices from small business experts while enjoying a delicious Swedish breakfast, reclining in comfortable IKEA couches and alleviating any stress with a neck and shoulder massage.

The “Designing a Better Business” event is the first in a series of events nationwide developed by IKEA to help local business owners connect, learn and harness the power of fellow professionals in their local business community. Based on research of small business owners regarding their biggest challenges and needs, IKEA created an in-store business forum for entrepreneurs to learn best planning and operating practices from a financial planner, a marketer and a life coach, all of whom will share their respective specialized expertise of starting a new business.

“We understand that an exciting and efficient working environment can be just as critical to the success of a company as a solid business plan. At IKEA, we remember what it was like when we were a smaller company and can appreciate the practical challenges of opening and growing a business,” said Astrid Oyo, Manager of Small Business, IKEA North America. “IKEA has been serving small businesses with design, furniture and space solutions for years and we have realized there is an opportunity for IKEA to help connect the local business community and facilitate sharing expertise and ideas on a larger scale.”

Further strengthening its commitment to small business, IKEA is working with the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO®), a non-profit organization devoted to the female entrepreneur. This relationship emerged from the mutual interest both organizations have in assisting small businesses and encouraging the success of entrepreneurs across the country. NAWBO® has been helping women build their businesses since 1975 and is proud to share their vast resources with their 10.6 million members across the country.

“IKEA presented NAWBO® with an incredible opportunity to help small businesses at a grassroots level,” said Carol E. Kuc, National President of NAWBO® and the keynote speaker for the IKEA Paramus event. “As a longtime small business owner myself, I fully empathize with the level of personal investment it takes to start-up and manage your own company. We are proud to be working in collaboration with IKEA to share our collective knowledge and offer the solutions we know small business owners need.”

Kuc will be joined by three business experts from the New York and New Jersey area:
· Diahann Lassus, of Lassus Wherley, will highlight how to create a financial plan.

· Suzanne Pease, of Ampersand Graphics, will be advising local business owners on creating and maintaining a brand identity that helps attracts customers.

· Beth Schoenfeldt, a life coach from Ladies Who Launch, will provide attendees with guidelines for successfully integrating and balancing their work life with home life.

IKEA Paramus is located at 100 IKEA Drive, Paramus, New Jersey. A $20 admission fee will be charged, with all proceeds from the event being donated to the NAWBO’s® Institute for Entrepreneurial Development, to ensure the continual development and growth of small businesses nationwide.

To pre-register for the event, please contact uspr@memo.ikea.com or phone (646) 935-4029.

ABOUT IKEA

There currently are more than 250 IKEA stores in 34 countries, including 29 in the U.S., where other stores are being planned in: Brooklyn, NY; Charlotte, NC; Draper, UT; Portland, OR; Somerville, MA; Sunrise, FL; and West Chester, OH.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” List (three years in a row), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (four years in a row) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 125” ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (five years in a row). IKEA incorporates environmentally and socially responsible efforts into day-to-day business, and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. To visit the IKEA Web site or for information about working at IKEA, please go to http://www.IKEA-USA.com.

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