Deane was recently interviewed for an article published in the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce E-newsletter, BUSINESSdriver. The story, written by Sandy Des Georges, is published on the Chamber website; you can view it here: http://www.phoenixchamber.com/news/newsletter/marketing/2011/0714/growth or you can read the article below:
Size Wise: Keys to Expanding Your Business
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe…
Is your business beginning to feel like a size 10 trying to serve clients in a size seven setting? If so, there is much to consider inside the laces, and Valley-based Foote Consulting Group has earned a solid foothold in the development-related consulting industry. Be it real estate, site selection, workforce development or economic development services, President Deane C. Foote, with over 35 years professional experience in the development field, has built a network across the Valley, across the country and even in Mexico.
“New business growth means the need to plan for expansion,” says Foote, who has directed economic development assignments for the Arizona Department of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and a number of similar agencies from Ohio to Nebraska and from New Mexico to Iowa. “We advise our clients to act, not wait too long; oftentimes companies put off expansion and relocation and work in understaffed, overcrowded facilities for too long.
“Careful planning in a realistic timeframe is the key.”
A regular presenter at the International Economic Development Council, CoreNet and regional economic development workshops nationwide, Foote and his expert team of consultants pay attention to the important considerations and questions facing business owners who are feeling the squeeze. Among the top attention-getters are planning for a smooth transition, one that minimizes disruption of services; allowing time for the site selection process that takes into account project success criteria such as freight/logistics, labor costs/conditions; utilities and infrastructure; and taxes and incentives.
The site selection process has been refined over years of successful relocations.
Foote likes the Valley marketplace and its many advantages, which is good news for local companies experiencing growing pains – oftentimes, an expansion locally is the most cost-effective decision.
“The Valley is an excellent location for expansion or relocation,” says Foote, a founding board member of the Site Selectors Guild, a company promoting and enhancing the site selection profession. “The recently enacted tax law will offer lower corporate income taxes, tax credits and potential grants. Past tax credit laws have spurred the solar industry in Arizona, including new manufacturing plants for First Solar in Mesa, and Suntech in Goodyear. Plus, many solar suppliers like Sisener, a Spanish company, are now flocking to the Phoenix area, the heart of the U.S. Solar industry.”
Foote notes these important steps in the site selection process as he and his team of pros consider business growth options for their clients across the Valley and the country:
- Detailed labor market assessment of potential markets
- Analysis of labor costs, availability and quality factors in each comparison market
- Detailed assessment of quality-of-life factors such as education ratings and cost of living and housing
- Detailed freight/logistics analysis to assess cost of moving goods to/from markets
- Evaluation of new buildings or sites for building
- Incentives negotiations, including tax abatements, tax credits, training funds, loans and/or grants.
Get Connected
Foote Consulting
www.footeconsulting.com
This story, written by Sandy Des Georges, is part of the Chamber’s monthly Business Driver email. To sign up for any or all of the Chamber’s email newsletters, click here.
