They have a really great list of favorite links, but curiously enough they have not included BellevueBusinessJournal.com or IamEastside.com …

Home to two of the region’s four Slayer espresso machines, the Italian-inspired specialty cafè will offer hand-crafted espresso, coffee and beans in Premium Blend and Single Origin varieties, as well as a full selection of gourmet teas and chai beverages.   Along with coffee and tea drinks, Vovito Caffè & Gelato will feature house-made gelato, sorbetto, a wide variety of paninis, salads and baked goods -– all made fresh daily.

The café will open at 6:30 am Monday through Friday (8:30 am on Saturdays and 10:00 am on Sundays) to satisfy coffee and breakfast cravings, including freshly prepared Panini breakfast sandwiches, pastries, fresh orange juice and gelato smoothies.

Vovito is a welcome addition to The Shops at The Bravern, which has been seeking a coffee purveyor.  “We’re extremely pleased to have Vovito Caffè & Gelato open at The Bravern,” said Mark Netherland, senior investment manager for project developer Schnitzer West, LLC.  “The quality of the product we can now offer visitors was worth the wait.”

Founded by Eastside entrepreneurs Ariff and Shairose Gulamani, Vovito Caffè & Gelato represents the third start-up venture for the couple.  It was a personal passion for unique artisan products that led the two to begin development of the Vovito concept a year ago.   Bellevue seemed the perfect location to launch their flagship store.

“We see Bellevue as the new hub,” says Ariff Gulamani. “It’s vibrant, it has the right demographics, and it has become the new center of activity for the region. We were very excited when we heard about The Bravern.  Its inviting, upscale environment is the perfect setting for our concept.”

Much like vintners and sommeliers, Vovito’s baristas will further refine the art of coffee, exploring the nuance of single origin sources right down to the farms or hillsides; to blending, brewing and extracting for various flavor profiles and themes.

“Vovito will offer the very best coffee for connoisseurs,” Ariff points out. “For us, this is an opportunity to build social connections around coffee while connecting people in the café with our sustainable business relationships with direct coffee farmer co-ops where we will source the world’s best coffee beans.”

After much recipe research, consultation with Italian Master gelato chefs and menu development, Vovito Caffè & Gelato will offer flavor-rich gelato and sorbetto made fresh daily. The café will open with 24 flavors of colorful gelato and sorbetto, as well as delicious gelato cakes. The gelato offering, says Shairose Gulamani, will accommodate customer preferences with new gelato flavors featured every month.  And there is a focus on fresh, healthy ingredients:  “Most people don’t realize that gelato has fewer calories and less sugar A006Ed fat than ice cream,” she explained. “It’s a great way to treat yourself.”

Vovito Caffè & Gelato will occupy 2,444 square feet in The Shops at The Bravern and seat approximately 35 inside the shop. Vovito Caffè & Gelato plans to open its doors July 25 with grand opening festivities set for July 30. Reflecting the Italian origins and artisanship of its signature products, Vovito Caffè & Gelato will feature Italianate design throughout, from the custom-made, curved gelato cases to the stone counters and stairs to the warm colors enveloping the interior design of the space. Comfortable and contemporary bar stools and ledges line the walls, with table seating provided for small or large groups as well as lounge chairs for a relaxed alternative. The café will offer free WiFi service and will be family friendly and wheelchair accessible.

There’s a lot going on here, true.  But check out what the grand prize winner gets and it all makes sense that this is a sweepstakes worth dropping one’s John Hancock for.

One person will win the grand prize – and will get to bring along five friends for the following:

1. Whisk off to Whitefish Montana, where you and your crew will:

• • Meet master brewers and take a tour of the Great Northern Brewery
  • Make your own brew
  • Design the label for your signature suds

2. Learn to fly fish with the masters and walk away with rods and cases as gifts

3. Go on a multi-day river rafting trip for your party of six

4. Spend a night in Glacier National Park at a mountain chalet where you can take a load off with a luxe spa package

5.Fly via private plane to California for two practice sessions with the Sacramento Kings

6. Hop back on the plane and heading to Las Vegas, where the group will stay for free at a world-famous hotel and resort and enjoy:

a.VIP poolside cabana

b. Dinner at a five-star restaurant

c. VIP table service

7. The winner also gets:

a. Complimentary Flip video camera and a Canon camera

b. Black Star Beer gear and other swag (hoodie, hats, shirts)

8. GET THIS:  The winner and his/her five friends who went along for the ride will receive round-trip airfare tickets in order to take a vacation from their Black Star Beer vacation.

Readers can enter the sweepstakes at www.facebook.com/blackstarbeer.  All they have to do is “like” Black Star Beer on FB and they’re in.  Deadline is August 19 – there’s three-and-a-half weeks left to take a crack at living a summertime dream.

Past auctions have sold out, and we are expecting this year will be no exception! Tickets are available to purchase for $110 dollars at www.bellevuebotanical.org.

Bellevue Botanical Garden is also looking for people who have items that could be donated to the auction! If you have a special talent, time at a vacation home, or something else that would catch the eye of auction guests, please contact Melinda Lilley at auction@bellevuebotanical.org

Your donations are always greatly appreciated!

As with all of our events, we could not succeed without the help of our volunteers! If you would like to volunteer for the 2010 Annual Auction, please contact Elana Russell at auction@bellevuebotanical.org.  There will be many positions open to fit our volunteers various skills and talents.

Whether you are attending, volunteering, or donating, this auction is going to be a memorable event that is sure to keep people talking all year! Do not miss out on your opportunity to be a part of it.

Though the swimming areas will be closed, the remainder of the parks will remain open. The swimming area at Meydenbauer Beach Park will reopen on Tues., July 20, and the swimming area at Newcastle Beach Park will reopen on Wed., July 21.

According to the Department of Ecology, milfoil is considered to be the most problematic aquatic plant in Washington.  Milfoil can drastically alter a water body’s ecology and rob oxygen from the water by preventing the wind from mixing the oxygenated surface waters to deeper water. The dense mats of vegetation can also increase the sedimentation rate by trapping sediments.  More information about milfoil can be found on the Department of Ecology website at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/weeds/milfoil.html

The Bellevue Downtown Association is a nonprofit membership organization charged with leading the evolution of Downtown Bellevue as the economic and cultural heart of the Eastside. The BDA also produces the annual Bellevue Jazz Festival, the Live at Lunch Concert Series, the Ice Arena at the Bellevue Magic Season, Walk Downtown Bellevue, and co-produces the Bellevue Family 4th with the City of Bellevue.

While I have been focusing on my real estate business lately, I have also been inspired to follow through on what is perhaps the best business idea I’ve ever had in my life.  It is a fully scalable, and repeatable business that will get the support of many, many local business people (including many of the 1,900+ Eastside Entrepreneurs) – as well as consumers.  

This idea is long overdue and would be great for the current economic climate.

To get it started, I will need a retail location in downtown Bellevue.  It does not have to be huge, but does need to have a store front and an area to hold classes and events of 25-50 people or more.  Easy parking is a necessity (as it is for most retail businesses).

The ideal situation would be a space that is currently available – and may have been available for some time – a space like the old Village Bellevue would be almost perfect.  This space would be owned by a motivated and flexible owner, who might consider partnering on this business – and possibly on future expansion.

Alternatively, I may consider taking on equity and/or working partners.

The space used for this biz could also be part of an existing business that isn’t fully utilizing all of it’s space – or another business which would love a lot of traffic coming and going daily.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please contact me asap – I’d be happy to make a presentation to any possible principles.

The first-ever “Job Sector Survey” aims to collect measurable data about the sentiments, challenges and aspirations of King County employers. Results will be broken down by industry sector, geographic area and company size. This will form a data-rich illustration to guide elected officials, policy-makers and community leaders when making decisions that impact the local economy.

“The survey will tell us what employers on “Main Street” face every day and what they need to succeed,” said Phil Bussey, president & CEO of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “By capturing many different business voices—from storefront retailers to multi-national companies—we will finally have a substantive and relevant information base to determine the best ways to keep and grow jobs.”

“Seattle businesses have been remarkably resilient during the economic downturn, and we must remain innovative in our efforts to support business growth and ensure shared prosperity,” said Steve Johnson, acting director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. “It’s essential that government understands the needs of businesses and remains pro-active in its efforts to support business and job growth.”

“Seattle and King County are truly unique in the depth and diversity of industry sectors,” said Bob Drewel, executive director of the Puget Sound Regional Council. “Our task is to assess the strengths of those sectors and then to sustain and to grow them. This survey will be a vital piece of information for regional leaders at all levels.”

Invitations for the online survey will be distributed to employers by each of the partner organizations beginning July 12. A link to the survey will also be posted at http://itstimeforbusiness.com and a hard copy will be available upon request. Responses will be collected until July 24. Each survey respondent will be entered to win two Southwest Airlines Green LUV tickets.

Since multiple organizations will be sending invitations, a single employer may get the survey from several sources. To verify data, participants will be asked to provide contact information. These details will remain confidential and no attribution to individuals will be made.

Partner organizations include:

Associated General Contractors of Washington, Association of Washington Business, Building Owners and Managers Association of Seattle King County, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Downtown Seattle Association, enterpriseSeattle, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Greater Seattle Business Association, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, King County, King County Bar Association, Madison Valley Merchant Group, Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, National Investors Relations Institute Seattle, Prosperity Partnership, Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Business Coalition, Seattle Hotel Association, Seattle’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, Seattle Nightlife and Music Association, SODO Business Association, Tabor 100, Technology Alliance, Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, Trucking Association, Urban Enterprise Center, Washington Research Council, Washington Restaurant Association, Washington Retail Association, Washington Roundtable, Washington Technology Industry Association

Additional partners are welcome. For details, contact George Allen at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce at georgea@seattlechamber.com or (206) 389-7268.

As a member of Guidant’s advisory board, Kiser-Block will provide insight into the franchising community’s needs from, and expectations of, a small-business financing provider.

“I am excited to be joining forces with a company that, over the last several years, has been at the forefront of introducing creative financing solutions to the franchise community,” says Kiser-Block, part owner of national franchisor Rapid Refill Corp., and former president of the national franchise consulting firm FranChoice, Inc. “For years I have watched [Guidant Cofounders] David Nilssen and Jeremy Ames use their knowledge, creativity, energy and enthusiasm to build a strong company, all-the-while keeping the entrepreneurs’ best interests at heart, regardless of industry pressures.”

The announcement of Kiser-Block’s alignment with Guidant comes on the heels of the U.S. economy’s greatest downturn since the Great Depression. America is now relying on small business more than ever to fuel the economic recovery. The International Franchising Association (IFA) reports that, between 2001 and 2005, franchising created more than 1.2 million new jobs.

“Our passion is helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams of business ownership,” says Guidant Cofounder David Nilssen. “By supporting the franchising community we are helping to bring entrepreneurship to all those who aspire to it. Lori’s experience on-the-ground as a franchisor and as president of one of the largest franchise consulting firms in the nation will give us an increased ability to build relationships and better serve the franchising community.”

Kiser-Block’s extensive experience in the franchising community has given her a unique understanding of the many challenges small business owners face. Her career in franchising began in her family-owned 7-Eleven franchise, after which she went on to spend several years in various sales and development roles. In 1993 she joined Carlson Wagonlit Travel, subsidiary of the franchise industry giant Carlson Companies. With Carlson she spent nine years as a franchise development manager and director.

In 2003 Kiser-Block joined FranChoice, Inc., where she became its president in 2006. Currently, Kiser-Block is an officer of, and investor in, Rapid Refill Ink Franchise Company.

Kiser-Block is also a sought-after mentor and coach, and speaks at numerous franchise-industry events. She regularly interviews with reporters at several national media publications and outlets, and her appearances include an interview MSNBC on the franchising industry.

“Guidant recognized early on the opportunity for a premier small business financing company to make franchise ownership accessible to more individuals,” she says. “I am thrilled to be a part of an organization that has already had such an impact on the growth of this industry. My hope is that my insight and connections will help bring Guidant’s small business financing solutions to more people.”

About Guidant Financial Group

Guidant Financial Group is the premier provider of self-directed IRAs and business-funding solutions through IRAs and 401(k)s. Guidant’s services allow investors the freedom to make investments in real estate, franchises, businesses, tax liens and more by accessing their retirement accounts without penalty before retirement age. For more information on Self-directed IRAs or Small Business Financing please visit www.guidantfinancial.com.