November 2012 - Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

PAGE4
PAGE 5
PAGE 8
Power Points From Peers
Fire at Service Master, Heroic Recovery
Power Points from Peers
Engaging with Criticism, 5 Steps to
Being Found
PAGE9
Knowledge is Power
Business Educating Educators,
Smartphone Processing of Credit Cards
CHAMBER
News
Succession Planning
Exiting Your Business
*Content written by outside sources do not reflect the views & opinions of the Chamber.
Volume10 Number9
2012
November
Planning
Ahead
I
am writing this while on maternity leave, which makes
this month’s topic of planning
extremely relevant for me and
the Chamber. In the past four
years, there have been four
maternity leaves in our office
and we have all come to understand the importance of being
organized and having a plan in
place early, a plan that everyone understands and is actually
used.
It is not enough to write a
plan. You have to thoroughly
think through a plan and you
have to be ready to implement
on a moment’s notice. Whether
it is an expected leave of absence, the sudden loss of a key
employee or an unexpected
natural disaster, all businesses
should have a plan to keep operations running smoothly or
to get back up and running as
soon as possible.
In addition, it is
important that everyone involved
knows the plan
and their role
in it.
~ Mindy
Bradish-Orta
The Razing
of Riverwalk
T
he County is preparing for the razing of the
Riverwalk hotel. The contract has been let
to the Adamo Demolition Company. Adamo has
been a leader in demolition for over forty years and
has an extensive fleet of demolition equipment.
Adamo boasts more than 30 excavators and was
the first to premier CAT’s ultra-high reach demolition excavators. These new machines can reach up
140 feet, over ten stories, to perform demolition.
The County has also engaged TRC Engineering
to provide oversight and consultation in an effort
to ensure everyone’s safety and satisfaction upon
completion of the project and site restoration. The
work is expected to commence by mid-November and be completed by the end of March.
Up until November the hotel has been open
for business, serving as a training ground for public safety personnel. Thus far the State Police have
blasted numerous doors open with explosives in
ongoing training efforts. The National Guard of the
51st Civil Support Team out of Fort Custer has used
the hotel in conjunction with the State Police Bomb
Squad training for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and other weapons of mass destruction
type attacks. One officer reportedly said we do not
get many opportunities to use live explosives under
real world conditions, because most property own-
Me
e
ike Nevins
M
t
The CEO of
EverLast® Lighting,
a commercial lighting
manufacturer, brings
jobs, innovation,
and energy
efficiency to
Jackson.
be
Mem
President’s Letter
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
r
Sp
otlight
ers are too concerned about the liability involved. It
is true that there are liability concerns and occasionally mistakes do happen with real consequences.
However, this is very necessary training, you treat
the risk accordingly with insurance, but the lives
you save due to this type of training is immeasurable. Additionally, the hotel has also been used by
numerous fire agencies for training.
The November demolition start allows the State
owned parking lot on the east side of the building
to be vacated so that Adamo Demolition can stage
the work from the vacated parking lot. The State
plans to resurface the lot in the spring of 2013,
therefore saving the County the expense of making repairs upon completion of demolition. The
use of the eastside lot allows the demolition to be
kept away from the occupied portion of the One
Jackson Square building on the west side of the hotel. While we anticipate that the parking structure
adjacent to the hotel will continue to be open for
parking, we do expect that a no parking perimeter
will be established for safety. The Adamo team will
use an ultra-high reach demolition excavator to
basically cut and remove sections of the structure
from the top to the bottom. Upon removal of the
structure the basement will be filled with sand,
covered with topsoil and seeded with grass. Given
the prime location along the banks of the beautiful Grand River in the heart of Jackson’s downtown
the County expects to sell the vacant land for redevelopment sometime soon.
Contributor: Mike Overton, Jackson County Administrator
JacksonChamber.orgNovember
2012 Chamber News 1
CHAMBERSTAFF
President/CEO
Mindy Bradish-Orta | [email protected]
Events Coordinator
Angela Machnik | [email protected]
Accountant & Human resources
Mary Schuessler | [email protected]
Membership Coordinator
Emily Garrison | [email protected]
Education &
Communications Coordinator
Susan Franck | [email protected]
Receptionist
Elizabeth James | [email protected]
Chamber in Action
ExecutiveCommittee
Chair
Michael M. Jones | Consumers Energy
Vice Chair
Sarah Ermatinger | C P Federal Credit Union
Immediate Past Chairman
R. Dale Moretz | Moretz Technologies, LLC
Treasurer
Tom Shemanski | NorthStar Capital, LLC
Secretary
Aaron Boatin | Ambs Call Center
At-Large
Daniel Machnik, CIS | Willis & Machnik Financial Services
Robert J. Michaels | RJM
Karyn L. Updike | Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists, P.C.
BoardOFDirectors
J. Jeffrey Anderson | Anderson & Makulski, PC
Brad A. Brelinski | Curtis & Curtis, P.C.
Josh Burgett | Michigan International Speedway
Pat Burtch | City of Jackson
Martha Mertz, guest speaker and founder of Athena International, pictured with local Athena Award recipients at
the Chambers’ Hall of Fame, Imagine What’s Possible event on September 19th.
Over 60 guests joined us for June’s Business After
Hours at Sleeping Bear Winery. It was a great
networking event and launch celebration for the new
Jackson OnTrack.
July’s Business After Hours at the Hard Knock Café,
sponsored by OSB Community Bank, had over 50
guests reveling with the fun pirate theme.
Augusts’ Business After Hours, hosted by MLive Media
Group at Darryl’s Downtown had over 90 people in
attendance.
Over 90 guests joined the Chamber and representatives
from the 64th, 65th, and 7th District at the 2012
Candidate Forum held at Cascade’s Manor on
September 10th.
The Concord Café was the host for the July Coffee with
the Chamber. Partnering with Smart Commute, a few
participants left to ride the Falling Waters Trail back into
Jackson.
Over 40 participants enjoyed Speed Networking
outside, under the pergola; at Sleeping Bear Winery
on August 23rd. Sponsored by TomCo Asphalt, the
Albion and Marshall Chambers joined us.
Wendy Clifton | A Frame Above
Freddie Dancy | Western Southern Life - Freddie Dancy
Jeff Edwards | Spring Arbor University
Sarah Hartzler | South Central Michigan Works!
Martin G. Lozier | Aymond, Lozier & Arora, PLC
Dan Maletich | Comerica Bank
Chad Noble | Allegiance Health
Teri Ogg | Manpower Services
Mike Overton | Jackson County
Brandon Ransom | Experience Jackson
Dr. Michelle Shields | Jackson Community College
Barb Smith | Rapid Refill Ink
Ken Toll | United Way of Jackson County
John Waldron | County National Bank
BoardOFGovernors
Paul Buchholz | Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers
John Crist | CP Federal Credit Union
Philip DuPuis | DuPuis et Fils Jewelers, Inc.
Linda Furgason | Avis Rent A Car
Sue Goldsen | Jackson Radio Works
RON GRIFFITH | Spring Arbor University
Sandy Maes | Allegiance Health
Philip M. Moilanen | Marcoux, Allen, Schomer, Bower,
Nichols, Kendall, & LindseyUnion
Steven Patch | The Lally Group
Dr. Daniel J. Phelan | Jackson Community College
Allen Spiess, Jr. | Kellogg Crankshaft
2 Chamber News November 2012
JacksonChamber.org
Learning Curves
The Chamber has the complete Retail Mastery System available to loan out to businesses
in our community. Eleven modules covering different skill areas such as Inventory Management,
Store Operations, Selling, Visual Merchandising,
Financial Management, Staff Development and
more are available to borrow for a month at a time.
There is a $250 deposit refunded in full upon return of the module. Why not take us up on our offer, strengthen your business skills, and put more
money in your bank account because of your new
skills?
There are other resources in Chamberland that
can help you too. By going to JacksonChamber.
org/Get Connected/Resources there is a plethora of community connections that will help you to
do business better.
Everyone goes through the learning curve.
While there are many things in business that we
can do to help ourselves, there are three areas that
every business should rely on the experts for: their
legal protection; CPA/financial manager; and insurance matters. This issue touches on having an
exit plan and being prepared for
ck
an
the future. After
all, you certainly do not
want to learn
the hard way
in some areas.
Fr
here is a learning curve that everyone goes
through.
Level One: Unconscious Incompetence
Level Two: Conscious Incompetence
Level Three: Conscious Competence
Level Four: Unconscious Competence
Level One is where we don’t know what we
don’t know. Ignorance is bliss! However, when the
light shines on our darkness, there is a choice to
make. Do we do something about it or leave it be?
Level Two is where we decide to do something
about it, find resources and learn everything we
can to remedy the situation.
Level Three is the hardest phase. This is where
we deliberately and diligently put what we have
learned into practice until we master it.
Level Four begins the day you ‘turn the corner’
and the habit or skill you have been working on
becomes second nature to you.
I first heard about this learning curve through
Bob Negan, author and trainer of the Retail Mastery System. He taught us that if you understand
where you are in the continuum of learning then
it is not nearly as stressful because you realize that
it is a process. You may struggle a lot in level three
when looking at your profit and loss sheet, which
looks more like ancient Greek, but by spending
the necessary time to really understand it, you can
master it. This is level four and now you will find
that you can easily review that balance sheet and
immediately see where a problem lies.
Your mastery comes through the application of information and turning that information into habits and skills.
B y S u sa n
T
AdvertisersIndex
Accident Fund Insurance Co...................................................................................................................................Page12
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.....................................................................................................................Page11
Comerica Bank................................................................................................................................................................Page 9
Comtronics........................................................................................................................................................................Page12
CP Federal Credit Union...........................................................................................................................................Page 3
Full Spectrum Solutions/Everlast Lighting.....................................................................................................Page12
Jackson Community College..................................................................................................................................Page11
Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers.......................................................................................................................Page6
Physicians Health Plan................................................................................................................................................Page8
RjM........................................................................................................................................................................................Page7
Spring Arbor University.............................................................................................................................................Page10
Graphic Design by RjM | Printing and Mailing by Great Lakes Graphics
Editor: Susan Franck, Communications Coordinator
JacksonChamber.orgNovember 2012 Chamber News 3
Power Points
from Peers
Fire at
Service Master
O
Heroic Recovery
C
utting my teeth with the company as a salesman many years ago, one of the most
stressful parts of the job was contacting a customer that had an issue with a transaction. No one enjoys this type of call and in fact, most will go into classic avoidance mode.
Now in this electronic age when e-mail or texting is common place in the industry, it is
easy to avoid an issue by using the electronic method. Unfortunately, these methods of
contact can lead to larger issues. We have all received e-mails that we took completely
out of context due to wording and the lack of expression.
Crai
As a rule of thumb, I try to stress to our employees that pickgL
.
ing up the phone and conversing person to person is the best
way to resolve any issue. No doubt that for most employees this customer contact will be very uncomfortable.
To help alleviate some of the stress, I have used a few
simple practices at our company. Working together
with your employee, organize a results oriented
road map that includes discovery, resolution and
follow up in a timely manner. Putting the plan in
writing will also help script the event for your employee. A tool that has proven itself effective is to role
play the issue with employees, and as you know, practice
makes perfect and builds confidence.
We have found that a good up front plan is always better than no plan. It will build
confidence and transform your employees from classic avoidance to “Heroic Recovery”.
Contributor: Craig L. Ward C.E.A., General Manager, F.P. Miller Company
4 Chamber News November 2012
JacksonChamber.org
d
Contributor: Carl Howard, CEO ServiceMaster
Absolute Home and Restoration Services
‘Power Points from Peers’ is a series of short articles sharing
best business practices, recommendations and lessons
learned from various Chamber member businesses.
ar
W
n the 11th of July 2012 at 3 a.m. in the
morning I received a phone call from a
hysterical employee, screaming at me through the
phone that she was outside my building watching
it burn to the ground.
Two and a half months later we are still struggling to put our world back together. I have a great
team and we make critical decisions based on our
collective experiences. Our loss will exceed one
million dollars: devastation, thousands of dollars
of lost technical equipment, clients’ contents, and
the total destruction of our facility.
Fortunately, we have very good insurance and
a great insurance agency. They have worked with
us every step of the way; they are sensitive to our
needs and have gone out of their way to assist us.
As a disaster restoration company we understand the importance of having a viable disaster
recovery program. We encourage you to “plan for
disaster” by having a contingency plan in place.
Know who to call and what to do first. Safety
and security should be your first priority.
In retrospect, I would recommend to never,
never, never scrimp on your insurance. Develop
a relationship with your agent, understand your
policy. Terms like actual cash value and replacement costs and other insurance lingo do make a
difference on how you are reimbursed.
As a disaster restoration company we can truly
say to our clients that we have been there. We understand their concerns and frustrations.
Power
Points
Power Points
from Peers
5 Steps to Being
Found By Interested
Customers
from
Peers
W
ho uses search engines to find information online? Just about everyone! “92% of online adults
use search engines to find information on the Web, including 59% who do so on a typical day.”* According to
comScore, a media industry data company, 17.7 billion
searches were conducted in July, 2012. With statistics
like these, you can’t afford to not make search engine
optimization (SEO) a priority.
90% of search engine clicks go to websites listed on page
one of search results.
60% of clicks go to the top 3 search results.
I
37% of clicks go to the website that comes up first in
search results.
Wendy C
Hiring an agency to optimize
lo
w
your website is a valuable
investment, but if professional SEO is not in
your budget, here are
some things you can
do to improve your
search engine results:
Some random ideas:
1. Make sure your
business’ name, address,
phone number and other
pertinent information are in text
format on your website homepage. Search engines do
not see image boxes, photos or flash.
Seth
Go
d
in
Engaging with Criticism
f you need to find out how your audience is receiving your
work, it is worth considering how you’ve structured the
interactions around criticism. Sometimes a customer has a
one-off problem, a situation that is unique and a concern that
has to be extinguished on the spot. More often, though, that
feedback you are getting represents the way a hundred or
a thousand other customers are also judging you.
•
If you defend yourself to the customer, quickly explaining precisely why the policy is the way it is, why the product is the way it is, you are pushing the criticizer away because you are telling them they are wrong about their opinion. And they might indeed be wrong, but it is certainly not going to encourage more feedback.
• If your front line people restate the criticism in their own words and are grateful to the customer for sharing it, everyone will benefit. You can always choose to ignore the input later.
• If there is no way for your staff to easily send the criticism up the hierarchy, it dies before it reaches someone who can do something about it.
2. There are 300+ business directories online. Find and claim
as many as possible and verify your business name, address
and phone number. Start with Google, Yahoo and Bing.
3. Every page of your website should have a unique title
– a keyword phrase, not your brand name.
4. Make sure your website contains original content and
update it frequently.
• If senior people follow up with the customer with specific acknowledgment and thanks, you multiply the benefits.
5. Start to consistently acquire backlinks. A backlink is
when content from another website links back to your
website. The more, the better. One way to do this is to
write articles for blogs.
Not every company needs to do this right to succeed (Apple succeeds and does not one of these
things--and as far as I know, Bob Dylan is in the same camp), but if you believe you can benefit
from a cycle of feedback, it is worth a try.
You likely spent a lot of money on the development of
your website. Protect your investment and make it work
for you. *Pew Research Center, May 2011
Reprinted with permission from Seth Godin’s Blog: Featuring his riffs on marketing, respect, and the ways ideas
spread. Seth Godin is a bestselling author, entrepreneur and agent of change. Website: http://www.sethgodin.com
Contributor: Wendy Clow, Account Executive, MLive
Media Group
JacksonChamber.orgNovember 2012 Chamber News 5
CAlendar
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
To Register: Unless otherwise noted, R.S.V.P. for events to Mary at [email protected] or 517-782-8221 (please have your credit card information handy
when you call). All cancellations must be received with a 24-hour notice or no shows will be billed. Non-members are encouraged to attend no more than two
networking events before joining. All Chamber events are posted online at www.JacksonChamber.org under Events
November Events
Thurs., November 1
Speed Networking
We guarantee that you will network with more
people than you typically do during the same
amount of time in an unstructured networking
setting!
„„ Where: Commonwealth Commerce Center (209 E. Washington Ave.)
„„ When: 2:00-5:00 p.m.
„„ Cost: Members $15/Potential Members $25
„„ Other: Open networking and happy hour 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Thurs., November 1
Thurs., November 8
Business After Hours
Come see the new renovations to the EECU –
A Community Credit Union Parnall location.
These improvements include moving their
newly upgraded ATM to the first drive-up lane
as well as updating the main walk-in entrance
and much much more. They will provide
wonderful food, beverages and of course, door
prizes.
„„ Where: EECU - A Community Credit Union (1425 Parnall Rd)
„„ When: 5:00-7:00 p.m.
„„ Cost: FREE for Members/$10 for
Potential Members
Candidate Meet & Greet
Fri., November 9
Just days before the election, you can ask all
candidates running for office in Jackson County
questions about key issues and voice your
opinion before voting on the 6th.
„„ Where: Daryl’s Downtown
(151 W. Michigan Ave.)
„„ When: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
„„ Cost: FREE
Orientation for New Members, New Managers
and Sales Professionals, learn more about
chamber benefits, opportunities and events.
„„ Where: Chamber Office (141 S. Jackson St.)
„„ When: 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
„„ Cost: FREE
6 Chamber News November 2012
Member Orientation
Tues., November 27
Good Morning! Greater
Jackson
Attend this live radio program that features 5
members. The November sponsors are A Frame
Above, Auto Lab of Jackson, Jackson Pack N
Ship, Sam’s Club, and The Toy House
„„ Where: Bella Notte Ristorante
(137 W. Michigan Ave)
„„ When: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
„„ Cost: $10 for Members/ $20 for
Potential Members
„„ Other: Open networking and hot
breakfast included.
November Meetings
Tuesday, November 6
Election Day - Be Sure to Vote!
Where: michigan.gov/vote
Wednesday, November 7
Leadership Academy Session Five
Where: Baker College Welcome Center
When: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
JacksonChamber.org
Friday, November 9
Ambassador Committee
Where: South Central Credit Union
When: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, January 15
Speed Networking
Tuesday, November 13
Friday, January 18
Chamber Board of Directors
Where: Allegiance Health Specialty Center
When: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
MLK Diversity Breakfast 2013 - John F. Drake The Lingap Center
Monday, January 21
Jackson Retail Success Academy Begins
Thursday, January 24
104th Annual Meeting
Tuesday, March 12
2013 Restaurant Rally
Thursday, November 15
MLK Diversity/Challenge Day Committee
Where: Chamber Office
When: 8:00-9:00 a.m.
JAXPO Committee
Where: Chamber Office
When: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 21
Leadership Academy Session Six
Where: Baker College Welcome Center
When: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Economic Club Committee - cancelled
Where: Chamber Office
When: 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Thursday/Friday,
November 22&23
Chamber Office Closed
Where: Thanksgiving and day after
Monday, November 26
Legislative Committee
Where: County Commission Chambers
When: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Thank You to our
2012 Statewide Ambassadors
Conference Sponsors!
South Central Credit Union
Accident Fund Insurance Co
Acro Legal Copy Service
Advance Employment
Advertising Solutions Today!
American Office Solutions
Baker College
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan
Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber
Christoff & Sons Floor Covering
Consumers Energy
C P Federal Credit Union
EECU- A Community Credit Union
Employment Plus
Experience Jackson
Eye Services/Gilbert Chocolates
Farm Bureau Insurance
Freeland Photography
Full Spectrum
Great Northern Sentry
Innovative Financial Strategies
Jackson Community College
JCHEA
Jackson Public Schools
Ladwig's Culligan
MI Assoc. Of Chamber Professionals
Rotary Club
Saginaw Chamber of Commerce
South Central Michigan Works
Tri-Star Trust Bank
JacksonChamber.orgNovember 2012 Chamber News 7
Knowledge
is Power
Business Educating Educators
E
productive society member. The more teachers
can a) increase professionalism for self and
students, b) expose career options and their
connection to curriculum, and c) add realworld activities to their lessons, the more they
will answer the age-old question, “when will I
ever use ________?”
That is powerful learning.
For additional information regarding the Regional Business Fellowship and how your business can benefit by participating as a partner,
contact program director Robert Teboat rtebo@
scmw.org or visit http://scmw.org/workforceinitiative/eduation.html They are looking for
new 2013 partB
ners now.
y
lly A. Higd
o
n
Contributor:
Molly A. Higdon, Educator,
Michigan Center Junior/Senior High School
Mo
ach summer South Central Michigan Works!
sponsors the Regional Business Fellowship
(RBF) Program. Thanks to my experiences in the
RBF, I have a new understanding of how curriculum standards will translate to the workforce and
elements of different professions.
Dress codes, attendance policies, profanity-free
environments, greetings and hygiene, although
not in the curriculum, are part of the instruction
we offer each school day. It is important for a
teacher to take these skills beyond the textbook,
classroom lesson or assessment; to show students
the real-life implications of building or ignoring
these skills. If we underestimate that significance,
we undermine our students’ success in a very
competitive yet rewarding workplace.
The RBF Program definitely fills a need in the
hustle and pressure of core curriculum, assessment and performance evaluations. Sometimes, it
feels like the goal of education, which is a career, is
overshadowed by the education alone. It is important to also focus on developing the student as a
Process credit cards with a
smartphone this holiday season
A
Contributor: Mike Dorland, Regional Marketing Representative for Michigan Retailers Association, which
By Mike
represents
Do
nearly 5,000
members and
their
more
than 15,000
stores
and
websites in
Michigan.
d
an
8 Chamber News November 2012
important that you choose a provider and service
that fits the needs of your particular business.
Michigan Retailers Association has the knowledge and expertise to help any business choose a
provider that offers a mobile processing solution
and ensure the best mobile processing partner is
chosen the first time around.
With the busy holiday season just around the
corner, now is the time to make sure your card
processing is as secure and efficient as it can be.
rl
s the holiday season approaches, you may be
looking at alternatives to your current credit
card processing setup, or even looking to begin
accepting credit cards. Technology has advanced
over the years and given merchants many options
for processing, including the convenience of using
a smartphone.
With the increasing number of smartphones in
use and the dawn of the “app store” for distributing software, a successful alternative to traditional
terminals has been created. Magstripe readers are
now available that slide onto your smartphone
and, with the accompanying software, allow you
to process a swiped transaction, collect a digital
signature and email the receipt to the customer.
In addition, you have access to a “virtual” terminal from any computer that can get you to the
Internet in order to process other transactions
(credits, voids, etc.) and run reports.
These mobile solutions can help your business save time, reduce errors and allow for faster
and more secure transactions. It is, however, very
JacksonChamber.org
Succession
Planning
Exiting Your Business
Seven steps to a sound transition
B
jectives. Find ways to ensure creditors don’t reap
benefits—to which you’re entitled—through
your transition. (Examples include removing
owners from personal guarantee arrangements,
structuring adequate insurance coverage for the
payout, etc.) Identify ways to increase the value of
your business.
Contributor: Doug Barber CFP CLU,
Rehmann Financial
er
4. Sell your business thereby converting it
to cash – Depending on to whom you will sell the
business, either
a) negotiate a sale to a single outside party, employees or family members; or
b)proceed with what is called a competitive
controlled auction of your business.
This step involves pre-sale planning (clarification of seller objectives, pre-sale seller due
diligence, tax considerations and pricing). It also
includes marketing the business, finding a buyer,
negotiating the sale and documenting the deal.
5. Secure seller-financing arrangements –
although all sellers like to sell exclusively for cash,
the reality is that seller financing will be at least
part of the deal. This is especially true with inside
buyers. Define tax-wise means of having the
cash payout flow securely to the owners.
6. Make a contingency plan – determine how the business will continue if your
situation changes.
7. Preserve your wealth – structure
your affairs to ensure that your personal
and financial objectives are ultimately realized. Comprehensive estate and financial
planning are important last considerations
in the exit-planning process.
A well-defined and well-implemented
exit plan is a critical undertaking. After all,
leaving a business in style
is the
D
y
career-long objeco
B
ug
Ba
tive of any successful entrepreneur.
rb
usiness advisors who specialize in succession
planning are familiar with the panicky calls
from entrepreneurs looking for guidance after becoming mired “mid-stream” in the process of exiting their business. Scenarios often include:
The entrepreneur…
• has attended a “hype” seminar where he or
she was told that the business would never
be worth more than it is now. The seminar
presenter stressed that the company needs
to be packaged and hastily sold.
• has encountered a business broker
pitching the idea of putting the company
on the block.
• admits that he or she has had
enough of the day-to-day craziness. The
entrepreneur thinks transition is as easy as
signing over stock certificates to children
or employees.
Exiting a business can be a well-orchestrated process tailored to your personal
and financial goals. For most entrepreneurs, it
will be the most significant financial and emotional transaction of their life. This step-by-step
process ensures you maximize your exit value
while emotionally preparing yourself to let go.
1. Set exit objectives – determine timing of
your exit, define how much after-tax income is desired during retirement and decide to whom you
may want to transfer the business. With an “inside
sale,” develop a training program to prepare succeeding owners to run the business.
2. Determine what your business is worth –
retain an appraiser to determine the value of the
business. The valuation analysis may differ based
on the type of prospective buyer (e.g., your business will have greater value for someone already
serving the same market segments because they
have the infrastructure to support the business.)
3. Identify ways to preserve, protect and
promote business value – identify vehicles for
ownership transfer (e.g., sale, gifting, charitable
remainder trusts, ESOP, etc.) and if tax-favored
means exist to help you accomplish personal ob-
JacksonChamber.orgNovember 2012 Chamber News 9
Welcome
September New Members
Advanced Communication Cabling, Inc
Ruth Fritz
P.O. Box 308, Spring Arbor
(517) 524-2224
www.advancedcommunicationcabling.
com
We have been involved in technology projects of
all sizes; we are well equipped with experienced
knowledge to take on most any project. Each of our
employees are trained in the latest technological
advancements and adhere stringently to TIA/EIA
Engineering. We offer a 25 year warranty on all
installation projects.
Alpine Lake Apartments
Mary Griffis
665 N. Alpine Lake Drive
(517) 782-5558
www.alpinelakeapts.com
Apartments
Alpine Lake offers a premier location right next to Ella
Sharp Park providing a lush country setting and great
neighbors. Featuring a friendly and knowledgable staff.
Our community offers studio, one bedroom, and two
bedroom town home apartments.
Autumn Woods/Glenwood Apartments
Theresa Hunter
3500 Commons Blvd
(517) 782-4220
www.autumnwoodselement.elementmgt.
com
Apartments
Superior resident services in a relaxed and peaceful
atmosphere, conveniently located to downtown
Jackson and all major highways. Gracious one, two
and three bedroom townhomes as well as one and
two bedroom apartments feature spacious open
kitchens, large open rooms and generous closets to
accommodate everyone.
Catholic Charities of Jackson County
Sue Lewis
1522 Joy Avenue
(517) 782-2551
www.ccjlhc.org
Non-Profit Organizations
We provide emotional support and keys to recovery
for all residents of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale
Counties. Through professional licensed therapists,
we offer the highest quality, confidential care to
individuals and families. Other services include,
foster care, adoption, roadmap to graduation, retired
and senior volunteers, and personal needs and linen
closet.
Chilango’s Mexican Grill
Carlos Perez
1020 E. Ganson Street
(517) 795-1502
www.facebook.com/pages/ChilangosMexican-Grill/134357953268268
Restaurants: Bars/Clubs/Coffee House
Homemade, fresh, high quality Mexican fare.
Featuring a cozy dine-in experience with fast,
friendly service or carry-out for your convienence.
Enjoy authentic and fantastic Mexican food right
here in Jackson County.
Fresh is Best LLC
Roni Weaver
(517) 262-9358
www.fresh-is-best.com
Caterers
An order-ahead fresh lunch service for adults and
children alike. In addition to prepared lunches, we
also offers Shopping Concierge Services. Twice a
month, we’ll do your shopping for you, at one of
several natural foods stores in Jackson/Lansing/
Ann Arbor, you provide the list we will do the rest.
Also, now featuring “fruit art”, pre-order edible
centerpieces for your next event today!
Howard Printing Company, Inc.
Patty Smetana
7419 S. Sprinkle Road, Kalamazoo
(269) 329-0022
www.howardprinting.com
Printers, Publishers, Mailings & Graphics
We are a full-service printing, binding and fulfillment
company, serving clients across Southern Michigan.
We have up to 40-inch traditional offset AND shortrun digital printing equipment. After printing, we can
bind and ship, store and fulfill OR help clients with
list development and direct mail services.
Kevin Fleming, Principal Financial®
Jackson
(517) 990-7601
www.principal.com
Individuals
Project “S.A.V.E”
Tammy Myers
3501 Wildwood Avenue
(517) 937-3214
http://www.projectsaveinfo.com/
Non-Profit Organizations
An organization founded to raise the awareness of eating
disorders in male and females. We start the education
process of teaching young people the health risks
associated with these disorders.
Starr Commonwealth-Albion
Cameron Rudolph
13725 Starr Commonwealth, Albion
(517) 629-5591
www.starr.org
Non-Profit Organizations
Starr offers residential and community based programs
for at-risk youth and vulnerable families.
THANK
YOU
Renewing September
Members
1-5 Years
Moors Condominium
Assoc. (MCDA)
Art 634
On the Point Promotions
Gregory Optical
Guidance HR Solutions
PS Advanced Solutions
Home Depot
Walnut Ridge
In the Kitchen Personal
Chef Services, LLC
6 Years
Jackson County Sheriff
Steven Rand
Mat’s Cafe & Catering
Michigan Youth
Sportsman Club
Midtown Association
Court Compliance
Corporation
15-20 Years
LeMatic, Inc.
Spring Arbor University Jackson Site
My Chamber App
10 Chamber News November 2012
JacksonChamber.org
Student Workers:
Know the Laws
Q: I have a lot of student workers on
my staff. What are some of the basics
regarding student rights and limitations?
A: As an employer, you are required to
follow OSHA teen guidelines and Fair Labor
Standards. You and your student employees
should be aware of student worker laws and
rights.
Hours of work:
According to child labor laws, no employee under the age of 16 should be on the
job after 7 p.m. when school is in session.
Child labor laws determine how many hours
a student can work based on the student’s
age. These laws fluctuate to allow students
to work more hours during the summer or
when school is out of session during vacation and other school breaks.
Ages 14 – 15:
When school is in session, students can
work no more than three hours per day, including Fridays, and no more than 18 hours
per week. Students can work no earlier
than 7 a.m. and no later than 7 p.m.
When school is not in session, students
can work no more than 40 hours per week.
On the weekends, school-leave days and
holidays, students can work no more than
eight hours per day.
Ages 16 – 17:
Students 16 and older can work unlimited hours as long as their job is a nonhazardous position.
At the end of the day
While you don’t want to think about the
possibility of one of your workers being
killed at your place of business, the fact is
that teen homicide is the leading cause of
work-related death, especially in retail and
food-service industries.
Make sure you have a safety plan in place
and offer training that instructs your employees what to do in the event of a robbery or
other violent act on the premises.
• Remember that students younger than 16 are not to work past 7 p.m.
on school days.
• Never leave a student worker alone on the job.
• Never let student workers close on
their own.
• Remind them to report any customer
(or worker) threats or acts of violence.
• Let them know that they should call the police if they notice any suspicious
behavior.
• Have phone numbers for the police department posted near the phone.
For complete information on hiring teen
workers, visit OSHA’s Teen Workers site at
www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/index.html.
To find out more about Accident Fund’s
WorkSafe Students program or to order teen
training materials, contact your independent
Accident Fund agent.
This article was reproduced with permission
from Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. Founded in 1912 and rated “A” (Excellent) by
A.M. Best, Accident Fund offers low-cost group
rates with a 5% up-front discount on workers
compensation insurance as well as possible longterm dividends. Contact Beth Goodman (517)
202-5121 for more information.
JacksonChamber.orgNovember 2012 Chamber News 11
141 South Jackson St. • Jackson, MI 49201
517.782.8221 • www.jacksonchamber.org
12 Chamber News November 2012
JacksonChamber.org