Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 32

Business Austin American-Statesman D2 Wednesday, July 8, 1998 Flexibility important in small business Wednesday Roundup Items and people of interest and impact, with a focus on small business Long-term providers can help wrih high-tech growing pains to sell a line of scarves. "We tried golf scarves they didn't go over, but we tried them," Connett says. But while being flexible is key, don't forget old relationships, she warns. Friends at Sara Lee, for instance, once put her in touch with the organizers of a golf tournament the company was sponsoring. As a result, she landed an order for 300 hats.

"You can't meet enough people," she says, "and people wiH come to you when you least expect it." Kim Tyson writes Wednesdays on small-business issues. Send information to her at P.O. Box 670, Austin, 78767 or by e-mail at ktysonstatesman.com. departments in Iceland, Germany, Bermuda, where ever, I kept looking through the hats (which were often hanging next to hosiery)," she says. "I wondered, 'What makes a hat $150 and this one $30? Why isn't there something in She left Sara Lee and the corporate world with the idea of founding a hat company or one selling corrugated paper window shades that could be painted.

When the window shade company stopped making the product she was trying to market, she switched into designer hats, and later, to golf hats. "When I moved (to Austin in 1996) I sold my house in Albuquerque and I had $15,000 in my pocket to live on and to start my business," she said. Connett, 38, says while she had built up 40 accounts, the company wasn't making enough to pay the bills. She started interviewing and accepted a job, but had second thoughts and backed out. A few months later she got the Golf smith account, her largest account.

According to buyers for Golfsmith, Hats Etc. is one of only two Austin companies that sell products to the $180 million retail chain. Connett still runs a lean business. She stores the hats in her garage and the third bedroom of her Southwest Austin home. "I can keep about 4,000 hats in my garage," she says.

Sometimes, of course, flexibility doesn't always pay off with profits. To bring in revenue during the slower winter months, Connett once tried Continued from Dl In her book "Bootstrapper's Success Secrets" Kimberly Stan-sell says initial setbacks are flags that an entrepreneur may be trying the wrong market, courting the wrong customers, or marketing the wrong message. "Give yourself permission to change your direction," Stansell advises. "Misplaced determination or pride won't pay your bills or move you any closer to building a better business, so feel free to modify your business accordingly." Connett got her idea to start a hat business when she was marketing L'eggs hosiery for Sara Lee Corp. "When I was traveling around the world and I was in the hosiery My company is growing quickly, and we need help expanding our level of technology.

We don't have the money to hire a staff of highly trained information systems professionals. What other options are there? the same headache as before. Another choice is to partner with a local virtual information systems organization. Such an organization provides the highly trained staff you need, as you need them. Just as you partner with a law firm or accounting firm to take advantage of their expertise, you can partner with a local organization that will supply With the rapid changes in computer networks, computer software and business via the Internet, a staff of highly skilled an Radio giant Chancellor acquires UN Television alysts, programmers, hardware experts, net cr-7 many companies find themselves with this problem.

There are not enough qualified infor work specialists and database administrators to develop and baseball games, LIN will receive a $50 million interest in the company, which does not yet have a name. Chancellor will issue 0.03 shares of its stock for each share of UN's 17.7 million shares under the deal. It also will assume $769 million of LIN's debt. Chancellor stock fell $3.06, or 6 percent, to $50.75 in Nasdaq trading Tuesday. maintain your information systems department as your business grows.

"You have access to all the knowledge your growing business requires, with no increase in headcount. A virtual information system could also: Build an Internet site Customize a database system. This week's question was answered by Sandy Dennison, vice president of sales and marketing at Catapult Systems, and Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce member. mation systems professionals to go around, and they seem to be more and more expensive to hire and train. One option many companies choose is to hire an outside consulting firm.

Consulting is big business, and these professionals offer a quick solution to your company's growing pains. But once the immediate problem is solved, the consultants move on to the next project, and your internal personnel may not be able to maintain the new system. When your company grows again, you are faced with Continued from Dl Chancellor, and is subject to a vote by Chancellor stockholders. It also must be approved by federal regulators. Chancellor owns and operates 108 radio stations in 22 of the nation's largest markets, including stations in each of the nation's top 10 markets.

Last month, it purchased Martin Media, an outdoor advertising company with more than 13,000 billboards and other outdoor advertising displays in 12 states. LIN, based in Providence, R.I., is the 22nd largest owner of television stations in the country. Besides KXAN in Austin, LIN owns major network affiliates in Indianapolis; Portsmouth, New Haven, Buffalo, N.Y.; Decatur, and Fort Wayne, Ind. It also is purchasing a station in Grand Rapids, Mich. That deal is awaiting regulatory approval.

LIN has local marketing agreements with stations in Grand Rapids, New Haven and Portsmouth. As part of its purchase of LIN, Chancellor also is expected to acquire an equity interest in a regional sports company in which LIN has an interest. In a separate transaction Tuesday, LIN agreed to contribute the Dallas independent television station KXTX-TV, Channel 39 to a newly created company in Dallas that is controlled by principals of Hicks, Muse. The new company will own the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Stars hockey team and a partial interest in the Ballpark at Arlington and a new sports arena for the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars. In exchange for KXTX, which now broadcasts the Texas Rangers Senate ponders cap on liability r.im.i ,,,.,.1, -i r.i.

i 11. 1 1 1 1 in- t.i.. GOT SCRAP? We buy electronic computer scrap axcess TEctiNoIoqies 10719 Research Blvd. 346-6800 Home Equity Loans Have Found A New sellers, holding them liable only for their own intentional wrongdoing and not that of manufacturers. The bill would require lawsuits to be filed within two years of when a consumer discovered, or should have discovered, the damage.

Consumers would have 18 years to file lawsuits over injuries caused by most workplace equipment in cases in which they have received, or are eligible to receive, workers' compensation. Congress passed a tougher bill limiting product liability damages in 1996, but President Clinton vetoed it, saying it did not protect consumers. In a meeting with reporters before debate began, Lott said he and other conservatives don't think the compromise goes far enough, but would support it. "It's a question of how much we can get," Lott said. "This is all that was achievable." The bill's Democratic opponents have said it would undermine protections for consumers who should be fully compensated for sometimes devastating injuries.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader has called it "a disgraceful effort to subvert our civil justice system, allowing corporations to escape financial responsibility for the harm and damage they cause innocent citizens." The cap would make it harder for Americans suffering brain injury, amputation, paralysis, cancer and death at the hands of corporate wrongdoers, Nader said. Sen. Ernest Hollings, called the bill's language vague and ambiguous and said it would upset long-established grounds of liability. "It is an unwise, unnecessary intrusion on the longstanding authority of the states to promulgate tort law," Hollings said from the Senate floor. By Cassandra Burreu.

Associated Press WASHINGTON Legislation that would set a $250,000 limit on punitive damages that small businesses must pay to consumers who win product liability lawsuits survived Democratic delaying tactics Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, told re-( porters that it would be a mis-' take for Democrats to further delay action as the Senate scrambles to make progress on a list of bills in the weeks before Congress begins its August recess. "We don't have the time to spend days on anything," Lott said. The Senate voted 71-24 to end procedural maneuvering that stalled debate on legislation that would impose a national cap on punitive damages awarded to consumers injured by faulty products. Senators debated the issue until early afternoon, then moved on to another bill.

They were expected to return to the product liability bill later this week. Under a compromise bill supporters reached with the White House, punitive awards would be limited to no more than twice the amount of economic damages or $250,000, whichever is smaller. The cap would apply only to businesses with no more than 25 employees and less than $5 million in annual revenues. It also would apply to local governments and individuals with net worth below $500,000. In order to receive punitive damages, plaintiffs would have to show "clear and convincing evidence" that a company acted with "a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of others." The compromise also would limit the liability of product MEPHISTO THE WORLD'S FINEST WALKING SHOES Enjoy The Rewards Of The New NationsBank Home Equity Loan.

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i ih.ni'. muii.il.lr ui TV.isuii ii'tilifnil mim)nnt imjB fm -ijiplii alums mciv.il Ihrmuiti UlW NttlHtisiliinV will Uiiik-ntiuinil vVu, (twin fc.r hmrut of nr h-wi. Kor Imn mer SNKp.uhi. Nimmisftutk will jutv rxmk-niininil i ruMs rweiil titl' iiiMimire, ttlirti will wil In hammer. TV Ikhtiwp rtut acVlil knal wirvry nih) uihwiumI fci (Imt nimiiissnh Minimum kun in Consult jurvisor imcn-J iktlumi.ilm rVx.il luinml mMmuKf nui.

U' niiitrril. Sh NaiiiHisHiink lor funhrr uvi.iita. NalKUUtHaiitc siilxttHwri tank an- A Kual IkuwiiiR U-rnh-rs iiikI MiiiiIxts KIilC Hhtiw (W.nn.,i Just a month after Austin-based Capstar Broadcasting purchase of SFX Broadcasting Jack Jaddeo, former senior vice president of programming for SFX, has been named senior vice president of programming for Capstar. Taddeo will oversee combined programming assets of Capstar, Including more than 300 radio stations in 75 markets nationwide. Faske Lay Co.

promoted Ronny Armstrong to manager and Jeff Miller to senior accountant. Austin-based Faske Lay certified public accountants and business advisers specialize in accounting services, financial planning and business solutions. Time Warner Telecom-Austin named Gina Westphal southwest regional vice president In her new role, Westphal will oversee sales in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. Westphal will continue in her role as general manager for Time Warner Telecom, a post she has held for the past two years. Prior to joining Time Warner Telecom, Westphal handled national account marketing and sales for seven years at The Transportation Lawyers Association named Austin resident Kenneth R.

Hoffman its first vice president. TLA is a professional association of attorneys who represent both providers and consumers of transportation and logistics services. On the Move features management-level Job changes, professional associations and awards. Fax contributions to 445-3971 or mail to: Business Desk, Austin American-Statesman, P.O. Box 670, Austin, 78767.

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Business Roundup Is compiled by Cindy McKInley j. "I 1 I.