What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

http://www.obi4u.org/, http://www.obi4u.org/

Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd./Omni Business Incubator, 13950 SW Galbreath Drive , Ste. 216, Sherwood, OR (2026)

05/14/2026

As a Small Business Owner, Do You Need a Will or a Trust?

By Kathy Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

Every small business owner needs to look ahead and plan.

The day you open the doors of your small business should also be the day you take the steps to protect your family and your business IF you become incapacitated or if you pass on.

Let’s look wills and trusts, two of the documents you need to protect your family to make sure your assets are distributed the way you wish.

The basics of these two documents:

• Last Will and Testament:
o Appoints a guardian to care for any of your children or dependents under the age of 18;
o Appoints an executor of the estate;
o Names your beneficiaries;
o Allows you to make charitable contributions;
o Specifies how your assets and possessions are distributed to your beneficiaries.
o Often, retirement accounts and life insurance policies aren’t covered by your will; these assets pass directly to the beneficiaries you name.
o A will becomes active after you die.
o A will is a public document filed with the courts and available for anyone to peruse.

• Revocable Living Trust:
o A trust is active while you are still alive and determines how your estate is handled if you become incapacitated AND governs the distribution of your estate after your pass.
o A trust avoids your estate being processed through probate—a legal process which has costs and takes longer than processing a trust.
o A trust is private and your heirs are not required to release it to the public.
Is there more than one type of trust? Yes. We’ll dive into that in a later post.

We are not lawyers so we are not offering legal advice.

Depending on your situation and size of your estate, you might need one of these or both of these. Check with an estate planning attorney in your city to find out what you need to do to protect your beneficiaries.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/14/2026

2 New SBA Loan Programs for those in Food and US Manufacturers!

By Kathy Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

The Small Business Administration (SBA) often adds new programs to spur growth in particular sectors.

As of May 1, these two new guaranteed loan programs for small business owners in the specific categories of food production, logistics, and manufacturing were opened.

To qualify for either new loan, your small business needs be classified under specific NAICS codes for agricultural producers, processors, transporters, and retail outlets or in manufacturing.

Created under the umbrella of the SBA’s International Trade Loan (ITL) loan program, these two new loan guarantee programs are aimed at eliminating food desserts and increasing manufacturing done on American soil.

First, let's understand the SBA's most popular guaranteed loan program and how these two new programs compare.

The SBA’s 7(a) program is a guarantee for up to 75% of the loan—meaning that the lender will be made whole if the borrower defaults on the loan.

(Spoiler alert: These two new loans will guarantee up to 90% of the loans which means the borrower is required to come up with a lower down payment to secure the loan.)

Second, let’s see how these two new programs differ from the 7(a).

SBA Grocery Guarantee Loans
• Goal: To lower the costs of food to American consumers.
• Eligible borrowers: Those in agriculture, farming, food processing, food transportation/logistics, and retail food companies (e.g., grocery stores).
• Approved uses for the loan: Any combination of working capital, real estate, facility modernization or expansion, equipment, technology, inventory, and supplies.
• Maximum loan size: $1,000,000
• Guaranteed up to 90% of the loan.
• Term: 10 years maximum.
• Required time in business: 2 years minimum.
• Minimum FICO credit score: 600+.

SBA Made in America Guaranteed Loans
• Goal: To bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and expand markets for American manufacturers.
• Eligible borrowers: Those in manufacturing, either in the U.S. or offshore.
• Approved uses for the loan: Any combination of working capital to expand operations or acquire other businesses, facility modernization or expansion, diversity the supply chain, and/or increase inventory.
• Maximum loan size: $1,000,000
• Guaranteed up to 90% of the loan.
• Term: 10 years maximum.
• Required time in business: 2 years minimum.
• Minimum FICO credit score: 600+.

Check with a local SBA-approved lender to find out what you need to do to get started applying for either new loan program.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/14/2026

Protecting Your Small Business Intellectual Property

By Kathy Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

Let’s define these terms:

IP is Intellectual Property, a legal term covering copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets. These are some of the assets of your small business.

ICs are independent contractors. You may have employees and independent contractors.

• Employees are individuals hired by a company.
o An employee works on the company’s schedule and uses the company’s tools.
o In the employment contract, the employee may give the intellectual property for any work created to their employer.

Example: An aircraft engineer might be required by their employment contract to give the IP for an airplane part they invented to the employer.

o An employee receives wages. Their income is reported on a W-2 by the employer.
o An employee may qualify for benefits offered by the employer (e.g., medical insurance, vacation days).

• Independent contractors are a self-employed individual or a business that provides specific, specialized services to a client.

o The IC uses their own tools, sets their own hours, invoices to client to get paid, and delivers the work to the client.

o When an IC creates content or designs a trade mark for a client, the IC owns the IP unless it is specified in the contract that the IP transfers to the client.

o An IC receives a 1099 from the client and then pays all their own taxes.

o An IC does not qualify for benefits from the client.

As a small business owner, how do you protect yourself?

In law, there is an assumption that if the IC is paid a lower rate, then
the IC retains copyright or other IP so that they can edit the content and sell it again to another client.

On the other hand, if the IC is paid a higher rate AND the contract so specifies, then the intellectual property for any social media content created, trademarks designed, or any other IP transfers to the client. If the copyrights transfer to the client, the client can apply at the US Copyright Office to protect those words, graphs, and images. If the IC designed a trade mark for the client, the client could then file for a state or federal trade mark.

Nike paid a graphic designer $350 for a trademark—the swoosh. Since the contract specified that the IP for that transferred to Nike, Nike was able to file successfully for trademark protection.

Should you have a contract with any IC?

We strongly recommend it!

True story: An IC created social media content for over 2 years for her client. Since there was no written contract on who owned the IP, she was able to take down her content when she resigned.

Y’all been warned!

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/14/2026

Create an OSHA-Compliant Program in Arizona

Part 2

By KathyBazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

Let's continue this discussion following our May 4, 2026 post on an OSHA-compliant program for an Arizona small business.

If you have 10 or more employees, your program needs to be written down, not verbal.

In addition to the IIPP and the OSHA 300 log, there are several other sections of OSHA requirements for your small business.

o Hazardous Communication (HazCom): This is a written program which covers an employee’s Right-to-Know about hazards in the workplace. It includes but is not limited to:

o Safety Data Sheets (SDS): This is the first aid needed if someone comes in contact with certain chemicals at the work site (e.g., floor cleaner, landscaping chemicals, printer ink, sticky notes). The SDS can be 1-5 pages for each chemical and can be organized in a binder or stored in an electronically searchable format.

o Emergency Action Plan (EAP): This written program what you do if there is an earthquake, fire, tornado, other natural disaster, or if an 18 wheeler spills its cargo of hazardous chemicals near your business.

o Container labeling: All containers must be properly labeled.
o Employee training and record keeping.
o Fire Protection Standard: Fire extinguisher training by all employees.

o IF an employee has a first language other than English, you need offer training in that language.

o Fire extinguisher training is mandatory when the person is hired and annually after that.

o You must keep records of who the trainer was, who was trained, if they passed the quiz, and have all those involved sign that they participated.

o Fire extinguisher training courses and the quizzes are available online.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): A written program identifies ANSI standards for eye, head, and foot protection, hazard assessment, and any necessary training.

This is intended as a quick overview and not a comprehensive recitation of what you as a small business owner in Arizona need to do to be in compliance.

Other states have similar requirements. Please check with your state’s occupational health agency to ascertain what you need to do to be in compliance in your area.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/11/2026

Heads up! The SBA Wants Their $279,000,000,000 Back!

By Kathryn Lee Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

We know that if we take out a loan that the lender will probably want their money back. Some lenders are becoming more aggressive when collecting their money.

During the depths of the pandemic, the Small Business Administration (SBA) extended its local disaster relief loan program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to small business owners struggling to survive COVID-19. These 30-year, low interest loans were often as large as $2,000,000 and required little documentation from the borrower—which is why over 4,000,000 loans were funded.

At the time, there was also the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a forgivable loan program. Many small business owners became confused and thought both programs would be forgivable.

The EIDL loans weren’t.

As of June 2025, the latest numbers show that of the $378,000,000,000 that was loaned out, there is now an unpaid principal balance of $279,000,000,000.

Of this amount, the SBA has referred over $75,000,000,000 to the U.S. Treasury Department for collection. Those borrowers in collection might have their payments from Social Security and USDA seized to pay the debts.

And here is where additional problems arise.

Due to 31% of the SBA’s workforce being laid off in 2025, there are fewer SBA people to pick up the phone to answer borrowers’ questions. Borrowers reported spending hours on hold and waiting weeks to get a response to an e-mail asking for an “offer in compromise,” a better deal for the borrower when part of the loan was forgiven after a partial lump sum payment was made.

Facing the same problem, lawyers working for the small business borrowers are having a difficult time reaching anyone at the SBA who can negotiate an offer in compromise.

Collection agencies told borrowers they should refinance their homes and businesses to pull out the money needed to pay these EIDL loans in full. This advice is not in the public interest because it then puts the borrower in danger of becoming homeless. The collection agencies are threatening to ruin the borrower's credit and seize any assets to pay down the debt without offering an offer in compromise.

If you are a small business owner who is struggling to pay back your SBA loan, contact your US House of Representatives member or one of your two US Senators. These elected officials have staff members who may be able to get you the help you need.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/07/2026

Time Management Tips for You!

By Kathryn Lee Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

Most small business owners feel overwhelmed at one time or another. Here are our tips for time management so that you can find clarity and focus...and then take action!

Every task you need to do for your business falls into one of three categories:
• You HAVE to.
• You NEED to.
• You WANT to.

Let me explain.

Items that you HAVE to do should be done today. These could be:
• The utility bill that must be paid TODAY.
• The grant application that is due TODAY.
• The counteroffer you must send TODAY.

Items that you NEED to do are less urgent than those in the HAVE to category:
• The utility bill that is due next Tuesday but could be paid today so you stop worrying about missing the due date.
• Call a specific client to set a meeting.
• Draft a blog post and social media content.

Items you WANT to do are those you want to do but put off doing because you think there is so much work to be done. These include:
• Calling a friend or relative to check in and see how life is unfolding.
• Taking a break from work to watch 1 cat video or highlights of your alma mater’s latest game.
• Doing something that feeds your soul or allows you to recharge.

We all know that as small business owners, we can categorize 80% of our lives in the HAVE to section so hold on there a second. To alleviate feeling overwhelmed,
• Complete 2-3 HAVE to tasks first thing every morning.
• Then complete 1 or 2 NEED to tasks.
• Reward yourself with completing 1 WANT to each day.

By doing so, you’ll create more joy in your business and your life.

BTW, the greatest enemy of finding joy is writing out a to do list that has 40 different projects on it. Don’t do that. It adds to feeling overwhelmed. Realize that if you create that long scroll of projects, you will have to change it when the first 2-4 projects at the top of the list are completed.

These time management tips will help you become more effective.

Go get ‘em, Tiger!

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/04/2026

How to be OSHA Compliant in Arizona, Part 1

By Kathryn Lee Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

Small business owners should be aware that they need to comply with federal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations and with their state’s environmental health and safety regulations.

In Arizona, this means that business needs to comply with OSHA and with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH).

In this blog post, we’ll outline the major sections of a compliant program. Depending on your business, there may be specific requirements you need to meet. We suggest that your program is written down and therefore accessible in a binder or in an electronic format.

o Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP): This program sets up the framework to enhance workplace safety, prevent workplace injuries, and reduce worker compensation costs. It:
o designates which members of management are responsible for safety compliance;
o delineates how safety information will be communicated to staff (e.g., when safety meetings are scheduled);
o spells out which safety training will be conducted and when;
o states which records will be kept and for how long;
o identify, evaluate, and correct any hazards.
o OSHA 300 log: If you have 10 or more employees, you may need to keep track of any work-related injuries, workplace illnesses, overnight hospitalizations, medical treatment more specific than first aid, days away from work, and deaths.
o While you might be very aware that if your chef cuts his/her hand at work and that needs to be written in the OSHA 300 log, you might not be aware that any event at work might need to be recorded on the log. For instance, one employee had a heart attack at work. Even though work did not cause the heart attack, OSHA fined the company when that hospitalization was not recorded in the log.

In our next post, we’ll cover a few of the other sections that might be required in your company’s safety plan.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

05/01/2026

What is the Best Legal Structure for Your Small Business?

By Kathryn Lee Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

This will be a very quick overview of your options.

For-Profit Business Structures:
• Sole Proprietor/Your Own Name: In most states, you are allowed to open a business with your first or last name: “Jordan’s Landscaping” or “”Smith Accounting.” The upside is it might be free. The downside is that if you don’t register the name with your state, someone else in your state can start a business with the same name and there’s nothing you can do about it.

• Trade name: Registering your business name as a trade name or Doing Business As protects your name from being used by anyone else in your state: “Acme Plumbing” or “Smith Accounting.”

• Partnership: Two or more people can start a business as a partnership.

• Limited Liability Company: Registering any LLC in your state protects your personal assets from your business assets. (If someone sues your business, they can’t take your home if you have obeyed your state’s rules.) Example: “Smith Accounting, LLC.”

• Corporation: A corporation provides even more protection for your business: “Smith Accounting, Ltd.”

Non-Profit Business Structure:

• Non-Profit Corporation: After you form a non-profit corporation in any state, then you apply at IRS.gov for your 501 (c). (There are 19 different 501c categories.) If you are given a 501 (c) 3, then you can apply for grants and accept donations.

After your trade name, LLC, corporation, or non-profit corporation is approved in your state, then you apply for a free Employer’s Identification Number at IRS.gov. This EIN serves as a Social Security Number for your business which means you can start a bank account.

Protecting your personal Social Security Number is a very good thing these days!

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

04/29/2026

Texas: Small Business Disaster Loans Available Now

By Kathy Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

To understand why these loans are available in Texas, let's explore the background of the situation.

What is the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan?

Knowing that natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and wildfires can damage the U.S. economy, the Small Business Administration (SBA) founded the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to provide low-interest, long-term loans to small businesses, small agricultural/family cooperatives, and specific types of private nonprofit (PNP) organizations that were economically affected by a declared natural disaster or an agricultural production disaster. Even if the physical property of the entity was not damaged by the disaster, the entity may qualify for the loan.

Example: After the huge wildfires in the Grand Canyon, businesses in Flagstaff were able to apply for the EIDL because dense smoke had diminished tourist visits (and sales to those tourists). Even though the businesses were not physically damaged by the smoke, because sales plummeted, the businesses were able to apply for the EIDL.

Are EIDLs available in Texas due to the drought?

Yes!

What is the deadline to apply?
December 10, 2026

Who is eligible?
• Small businesses and
• Private nonprofit (PNP) organizations that suffered drought—related economic losses since November 1, 2025 in
o The counties of: Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria.

What is the maximum loan size?
$2,000,000.

What is the interest rate?
As low as…
• 4% for small businesses
• 3.625% for PNPs.

What are the terms?
• Maximum term: 30 years to pay in full.
• First payment is due 12 months after the loan funds are disbursed.
• No interest accrues during that 12 month period.
• Loan amounts and terms are determined by each applicant’s financial situation and may vary from these best possible terms.

Visit the SBA’s disaster loan website to learn more and apply electronically.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

04/27/2026

To Boldly Go…Crowdfunding with Sulu

By Kathy Bazan, Certified Small Business Counselor

George Takei played the role of “Sulu” in the original "Star Trek" TV series and later in the first films.

However, we’re not here to discuss how he boldly went where no one had gone before; we’re here to share how this renowned actor created one of the most successful and innovative crowdfunding campaigns of all time.

Backstory:

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which forcibly removed Japanese Americans—many of the U.S. citizens—from their homes on the West Coast and relocated them to desolate “relocation camps” until after World War II ended. George Takei’s and his family were among the 120,000 people relocated, leaving the small businesses they built, the homes they loved, and the pets they cherished as they were suddenly moved hundreds of miles away from the communities where they had peacefully dwelled.

It was Mr. Takei’s personal experiences from his childhood in those internment camps which directly inspired the musical, "Allegiance."

It costs quite a bit of money to bring a musical to Broadway in New York City. To raise that money, Mr. Takei’s team came up with an innovative—and very successful—way to raise that money:

Crowdfunding!

What did George Takei do differently in crowdfunding?

In 2015, Mr. Takei started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.com.

What reward did he offer donors?

Regardless of the size of the donation, every donor’s name would be included on a “Virtual Hall of Fame” on the website for the musical, "Allegiance." People who donated only $1 were included on that webpage right next to people who donated much more to produce the musical and to support the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).

The results were impressive!

Launching in March 2015, the campaign raised over $125,000 in just a few days—which was half of the goal. In 17 days, they raised over $275,000 and exceeded their goal.

Why was this crowdfunding campaign so successful?

The project allowed fans—whether they were impecunious or prosperous—to support directly the production of this musical based on the personal experiences of Mr. Takei as a child in an internment camp.

© 2025-2026. Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd. All rights reserved internationally.

Oregon Business Incubator, Ltd./Omni Business Incubator

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

05/11/2026

05/07/2026

05/04/2026

05/01/2026

04/29/2026

04/27/2026

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm