Visa offers the business breakthrough challenge

By Jeremy M. Simon

Afre you a Visa business credit card holder who accepts Visa credit cards and debit cards at your small business?  If you answered "yes" and "yes," the Business Breakthrough Challenge, presented by Visa, offers you an exciting opportunity: the chance to win prizes that will make your small business run even more efficiently.

To enter, you will need to craft an essay that in 500 words or less explains how your small business could be more efficient in one of five Business Breakthrough categories.  One winner in each category will receive a detailed, in-person business evaluation from an expert in the chosen field, as well as a prize package of solutions valued at up to $10,000 that is tailored specifically for your business based on the expert's assessment.

The categories Visa cardholders who enter the Business Breakthrough Challenge can select from are marketing, technology, finance, team building and organization.

The essay dealing with one of these five categories will be judged on a combination of four equally weighted criteria, which include presentation of your challenge in a clear and logical manner, demonstration of commitment to your business, need for assistance in the chosen category and potential for achievement if your business is given help or resources.

In order to qualify for entry, in addition to having a Visa business card for your enterprise and also accepting payment by Visa (when applicable), your small business must have an EIN/TIN, you must have no more than 100 employees, and your annual revenue cannot exceed $25 million.

The Business Breakthrough Challenge, presented by Visa, runs from Oct. 16, 2006, through the end of the year.  To learn more, visit http://businessbreakthrough.msn.com and enter before midnight on Dec. 31, 2006.

Published: December 29, 2006

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