The Business Networker - James River Trade Exchange

Transcription

Volume 2 • Number 4 • April 2009
Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D. and Mark M. Deutsch, MBA
How Deep Is Your Network?
R
ecently, someone I barely knew
contacted me and asked if I
would promote his business
service within my networking
organization. I considered
this person a business associate, but
definitely not someone I knew very well.
That request made me think about how
many people assume that if they have
met you, they can ask for something
that only a close associate would be
willing to do.
Master Networkers know
that having a good contact doesn’t
necessarily make someone a good
connection. Being a part of an
international networking organization
that has been operating for more than
two decades, one of the most important
things I have learned is that it is not
“what you know,” OR, “who you know,”
it is “how well you know them” that
really counts in building a powerful
personal network.
This means that your network
must not only be “broad,” it must also
be “deep.” Unfortunately, I believe
most people focus on the broad aspect
more than the deep aspect. That is,
they concentrate on making more and
more contacts hoping to find that one
special person that will solve their
business needs this month. However, it
is critical that you have done the work of
strengthening your connections well in
advance of your need.
Unrealistic expectations of your
network come from trying to “use” your
network for support that your contacts
might not feel you deserve or feel they
have no obligation to provide. You
really do have to earn the loyalty and
engagement of your referral sources.
You want your network to have very
deep roots. Following are some tangible
ways to deepen the roots of your
network:
Build quality relationships: Take
the time necessary to deepen the
relationships between you and your
referral sources. You must make the
time to go beyond the normal business
interactions with those from whom you
want to be able to ask for support.
Think about where to network that
can build deep roots: It is not enough to
just show up at every networking event;
you must establish credibility with
people before you can expect them to
help you in some way.
Change your focus from “what’s
in it for me?” to “how can I help you?”:
This is perhaps the most powerful
technique for deepening AND
widening your networks. When
building a deep network, do the things
you can to bring business and contacts
to your networking partners. It’s no
wonder that the most effective and
powerful networking entrepreneurs live
by the philosophy that “givers gain.”
I hope you are seeing a trend in
each of these points. When deepening
your network, you want to focus on
giving to your referral sources. It’s
that tried and true analogy of farming
versus hunting when building a business
through word of mouth. Give your time,
give your knowledge, and give what
your referral sources need to succeed.
As you develop stronger networking
skills, it’s better to put on the farmer’s
overalls and cultivate the connections
you need to be able to call in support
for programs and products you want to
promote.
We all know that the best time
to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago
however, the next best time is right
now! It’s never too late to change your
focus and develop business relationships
with very deep roots, as well as farreaching breadth.
Director of BNI-Central Virginia
Called the father of
(www.bniva.com). He is a widely recognized
modern networking
by CNN, Dr.
expert in referral marketing and a
Ivan Misner is a
frequent speaker on the topic. You
New York Times
can learn more about Mark by visiting
bestselling author.
www.markdeutsch.com. He can be reached at
He is the founder
[email protected].
and chairman of BNI
(www.bni.
com), the world’s largest business
networking organization.
His latest #1 bestseller, The
Business Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
29% Solution, can be viewed
James McIntosh shares his thoughts on Darwinism and
at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr.
business, while taking a new fresh look at the tale of
Misner is also the Sr. Partner
the scorpion and the frog.
for the Referral Institute
(www.referralinstitute.com), an
Networking Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4
international referral training
Check out the dozens of networking opportunities
company. He can be reached at
coming-up in the next month...so much business
[email protected].
to be done!
Inside...
A facilitator of
success, Mark
Deutsch is the
Managing
Editor of
The Business
Networker.
Mark has
started
several successful companies,
and he is currently the Executive
The Business Networker, LLC
P.O. Box 11826
Richmond, VA 23230
Q & A Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8
LuEllen Buhrman; Publicist, Writer and Marketing
Consultant; Amethyst Public Relations.
Contributor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9
Michelle Braden gives us some ideas on how to use
“renewable energy” in your business.
Expert Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 10
Charlotte Jensen updates us on how sexual harassment
claims can impact your business and steps you can take
protect your business.
Farmers_5x5.5ad_converted.pdf 10/24/2008 4:14:29 PM
The Business Networker
P.O. Box 11826
Richmond, VA 23230
Phone: (804) 464-1093
Fax: (804) 257-5450
www.thebusinessnetworker.biz
Publisher
Cindy Creasy Woolfolk
Managing Editor
Mark Deutsch
Advertising Director
Lisa Ritchie
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MOVE IT
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Contributing Writers
Michelle Braden
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2 • The Business Networker • April 2009
The Business Networker serves as forum for local
business professionals to offer their opinions, advice,
encouragement and experiences. Their opinions
and views do not necessarily reflect those of the
administrators and staff of The Business Networker.
The Business Networker is not liable for any
misrepresentation of facts, copyright infringements
or inaccuracies on the part of said contributors.
is another idea powered by
Business Fundamentals • James McIntosh
No time to evolve the sting in your nature
D
o you know the story of the scorpion
and the frog? It’s a story about the
dangers of not changing with the
times. To make really good sense
of it, though, we need to revisit
the ‘nonsense’ of Charles Darwin.
In February, two hundred years ago,
Charles Darwin was born. Fifty years
later he published a theory that caused
quite a stir. In this country, that theory
continues to cause a stir. I don’t care
whether people believe in his theory of
evolution or not. I do care when we ignore
good insights simply because we don’t
care for the main theory.
Here’s the insight from Darwin: ‘It
is not the strongest of the species that
survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable
to change.’
For many of us it is time to stop doing what we’ve always done well. It is time
to learn new things and do them well.
But learning to do new things can
be very difficult, especially during times
of stress and uncertainty. At work this
translates into doing the things that we’ve
always done, the things we’re good at. It’s
called our comfort zone for a reason. It’s
where we zone out stress and uncertainty.
Here’s one reason why we find it so
difficult to learn new tricks. Soon after
you were born Big People began to tell
you what to do and how to do it. Not long
after that they demanded that you get
better at what they told you to do. We
call these people parents and teachers and
bosses and spouses.
Not many of us break out of this
cycle of being ‘told’. Most of us go on
trying to please these ‘significant others’ to the extent that we fail at being us.
No wonder we become confused about
whose goals we are really striving for; no
wonder we end up living someone else’s
vision of a successful life.
Maybe it’s time to stop getting better
at what others want for you. Maybe it’s
time to understand what really matters
to you. Maybe you should commit to that
for a change. Maybe that’s the opportunity in this economic chaos.
But then, maybe you won’t. Because
maybe you think you can’t because
maybe you believe it’s just your nature.
Maybe deep down you are just like that
scorpion.
A scorpion asks a frog to help him
across a river. The frog refuses because
he is afraid of being stung. The scorpion
points out that if he did sting the frog
then they would both drown. Convinced,
the frog agrees to the task. But then, in
mid-stream, the scorpion stings the frog.
‘Why?’, asks the drowning frog. ‘Because
it’s my nature’, explains the scorpion.
Indeed, many of us are like that scorpion. Over time we become very good at
what we do. So good, in fact, that we keep
on doing it, even as the world changes
around us. We end up believing that doing what we have always done is simply
who we are. It’s just our nature.
By believing so strongly in who you
are now based on what you did back then,
you become unable to change today,
even as others try to help you into the
future. (Quite frankly, you don’t have to
be a Charles Darwin to realize how unevolved that is.)
And that, Dear Reader, is the real
sting in the tale.
James McIntosh is a consultant, speaker,
executive coach and writer working out
of Richmond, VA. He is also the Chief
Nonsense Officer for NonsenseAtWork.
com, which helps senior executives make
the nonsense at work work for them. For
more than 25 years he has been directly
involved in diversification strategies, the
integration of acquisitions, start-ups,
the sale of business units and corporate
turnarounds from bankruptcy. You can
hear him express his nonsense on 88.9
FM, WCVE Richmond, Heathsville
and Chase City, Virginia, on Mondays at
7:19am and Saturdays at 8:19am. And you
can buy his books on-line or in bookstores: Make the Nonsense at Work Work for
You (also available on CD) and Crossing
The Nonsense Divide: Steps to Finding Your
Path to a Successful Life. Find more and
free ebooks on www.nonsenseatwork.com.
Which BNI group are you in?
Everybody’s talkin’ about it!
In 2007, members of BNI passed more than 5.5 million referrals … resulting in
more than $2.2 billion dollars in business for them.
We would like to extend an invitation for you to join us at a meeting to see how
BNI and word-of-mouth marketing builds business by:
● Structured and supportive systems …
● Regular educational programs …
● International organization
Business Network International
Central Virginia
“The”
Business
Referral
Organization
TM
www.bniva.com
(804) 612-2891
The Business Networker • April 2009 • 3
Networking Events
April 2009
Networking meeting/event information
is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
Some events may require a fee. Be sure
to contact the sponsoring organization
for the most current details. Visit
www.thebusinessnetworker.biz to submit a
networking meeting/event for publication consideration – we make every
effort to include as many meetings/
events as possible (space permitting).
RICHMOND AREA
269-0432, [email protected], or
visit www.tcb-bni.com.
Islanders BNI (Richmond Country
Club, 12950 Patterson Avenue,
Richmond, Virginia 23238), Details:
Adam Packett, (804) 288-8800
x120, [email protected], or
visit www.bniva.com.
Tuesdays – 11:45am
Strategic Partners BNI (B. S. Burgers
& Sports, 9498 West Broad Street,
Richmond, VA 23230), Details: Mike
Kane, (804) 237-8599, [email protected],
or visit www.bniva.com.
Tuesdays – 4:30pm
On-Going Meetings/Events
Mondays - 11:30am
Covenant Group BNI (Hampton InnMidlothian Tpke., 800 Research
Road, Richmond, VA 23236) 6771251, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
Tuesdays - 7:30am
The Power Players BNI (Salisbury
Country Club, 13620 Salisbury Road,
Midlothian, VA 23113), Details:
Heather Tanner, (804) 338-3480,
[email protected], or visit www.bniva.com.
Paragon Partners BNI (Enterprise
Meeting Center, 2708 Enterprise
Pkwy., Richmond, VA 23294),
Details: Daniel Caffrey, (804) 5126288, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
Tuesdays – 8:00am
Professional Partners (Firebirds
Restaurant - Short Pump Town
Center, 11800 W Broad St.,
Richmond, VA 23233), Details:
Chris Schmidt, (804) 467-7653,
[email protected], or visit
www.professionalpartners.biz.
City 3 Taking Care of Business BNI
(Enterprise Meeting Center, 2708
Enterprise Pkwy., Richmond, VA
23294), Details: Ron Dortch, (804)
Southside Business Builders BNI (Lone
Star Steakhouse, 10456 Midlothian
Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23235)
Details: Billy Hoffman, (804) 4025476, [email protected], or visit
www.bnirichmond.com.
Wednesdays – 7:30am
River City Stars BNI (Haley Toyota
of Richmond, 3600 Lonas Pkwy.,
Tim Gallimore, (804) 858-8334,
www.bniva.com.
Ultimate BNI (Beaufont Towers, 7015
Carnation St., Richmond, VA 23225),
Details: George Greene, (804) 3302626, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
Prospectors BNI (Shoney’s, 10093
Brook Rd. Glen Allen, VA 23060),
Details: Paul Lachance, (804) 5985432, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
Fargo Group BNI (Enterprise Meeting
Center, 2708 Enterprise Pkwy.,
Greg Rollins, (804) 740-7914,
www.bniva.com.
Better Business Builders BNI (Extra
Billy’s Barbeque, 1110 Alverser Dr.,
Midlothian, VA 23113 ) Details:
Erin Barton, (804) 398-8694,
Richmond Unlimited Referrals BNI
(Family Life Center, 7837 Carousel
Ln., Richmond, VA, 23294), Details:
Carolyn Clements, (804) 754-4257,
www.bniva.com.
On the Move BNI (Nick’s Roman
Terrace, 8051-A W. Broad Street,
John Vandenhoff, (804) 783-7269,
www.bniva.com.
Wednesdays – 4:00pm
Success Express BNI (Sahara Middle
Eastern Cuisine, 9550 Midlothian
Turnipke, Richmond, VA 23235),
Details: Ronald White, (804) 7801466, [email protected], or visit
www.successexpress.org.
Thursdays – 7:30am
The Southside Network BNI (Chester
Village Senior Apartment
Community, 11701 Chester Village
Drive, Chester VA 23831), Details:
Brice King, (804) 769-3999,
www.bniva.com.
Chester BNI (Bon Secours Retirement
Community Center, 6701
Ironbridge Pkwy., Chester, VA
23831), Details: Jim Evans, (804)
743-0900, [email protected], or visit
www.chesterbni.com.
Profit Partners BNI (Brio Tuscan Grille
- Stony Point Fashion Park, 9210
Stony Point Pkwy., Richmond, VA
23235), Details: Paul Winslow, (804)
www.bniva.com.
Abundance BNI (Woolridge Church,
5130 Woolridge Road, Moseley, VA
23120), Details: Mike Hatch, (804)
www.bniva.com.
Independence Eagles (RE/MAX
Allegiance - 13204 Hull Street Rd.,
Rhoda Raymond, (804) 7719563, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
The King Pins BNI (The Lounge at King
Pin Lanes, 200 North Otterdale
Road, Midlothian, VA 23113),
Details: Rick Fleming, (804) 3566222, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
Golden Circle BNI (P.F. Chang’s China
Bistro - Stony Point Fashion Park,
9212 Stony Point Pkwy., Richmond,
VA 23235), Details: Doug Flory, (804)
www.bniva.com.
The Stones BNI (Provident BankParkside, 10791 W. Broad Street,
Glen Allen, VA 23060), Details:
Andrew Sanborn, (804) 935-5324,
www.bniva.com.
Virginia Marketing Alliance BNI (Can
Can Resturant/Brasserie, 3120 W.
Cary St., Richmond, VA 23221),
Details: Lara Hansen, (804) 787-1035,
Capital Excel BNI (River City Diner
North, 804 East Parham Rd.,
Chris Galiffa, (804) 357-2670,
www.bniva.com.
BNI Allstars (Westwood Racquet Club,
6200 W. Club Ln., Richmond, VA
23226), Details: Kim VanHuss, (804)
www.bniallstars.com.
Group Synergy BNI (Einstein Bros.
Bagels, 3058 Stony Point Road,
Keith Reynolds, (804) 320-1348,
www.bnigroupsynergy.com.
Glen Gary BNI (Shula’s 2 - Sheraton
Richmond West, 6624 W. Broad
St., Richmond, VA 23230), Details:
Stephanie Hudnell, (804) 7401507, [email protected], or visit
www.glengarybni.com.
Fan BNI (Beauregard’s Tai Room, 103 E.
Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219),
Details: David Staples, (804) 3580500, [email protected], or visit
Networking Events
continued
www.bniva.com.
Richmond Rainmakers BNI (Enterprise
Pkwy., Richmond, VA 23294),
Details: Jennifer Khoury, (804) 7801420, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
West End Synergy (Napier RealtorsWest End Office, 10148 W. Broad
Street, Ste. 200, Glen Allen, VA
23060), Details: Nancy Steele, (804)
Fridays – 7:30am
DGG BNI (Westwood Racquet Club,
6200 W. Club Ln., Richmond, VA
23226), Details: Scotty Hager, (804)
Diamond Ring BNI (P.F. Chang’s China
Bistro - Stony Point Fashion Park,
9212 Stony Point Pkwy., Richmond,
VA 23235), Details: Phil Tibbs, (804)
www.bniva.com.
Colonial Heights BNI (Dunlop Farms,
235 Dunlop Farms Blvd., Colonial
Heights, VA 23834), Details:
John Brandt, (804) 504-7766,
Direct Connections BNI (Long & Foster
– Midlothian Office, 9321 Midlothian
Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23235),
Details: Tom Austeri, (804) 560-7625,
www.bniva.com.
Fridays – 8:00am
Deep Run BNI (Enterprise Meeting
Center, 2708 Enterprise Pkwy.,
David Wilson, (804) 381-3567,
www.bniva.com.
Fridays – 11:30am
BNInsteins (Roma Ristorante Italiano,
8330 Staples Mill Rd., Richmond, VA
23228), Details: Lindsay Alford, (804)
visit www.bninsteins.com.
One-Time Meetings/Events
Wednesday, April 1
7:15am – GRCC inVision Henrico (Henrico
Doctor’s Hospital, 1602 Skipwith
Rd., Richmond, VA 23229; Details:
Greater Richmond Chamber of
Commerce, (804) 783-9368, or visit
www.grcc.com.
7:30am – RCEN Monthly Meeting (Willow
Oaks Country Club, 6228 Forest
Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225);
Details: River City Express Network,
www.rivercityexpressnetwork.org.
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Thursday, April 2
7:15am – GRCC inVision Richmond (Willow
Oaks Country Club, 6228 Forest Hill
Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23225);
Details: Greater Richmond Chamber
of Commerce, (804) 783-9368, or visit
www.grcc.com.
NEW Monthly Luncheon; Details:
Network of Enterprising Women,
[email protected] or visit
www.networkofenterprisingwomen.org.
Richmond: 804.282.2218
Mobile: 770.262.0571
Fax: 800.537.6305
Email: [email protected]
Magda R. Ruesch
Sales and Marketing Manager
Richmond: 804.282.2218
Mobile: 804.512.8570
Fax: 866.611.1997
Email: [email protected]
P.O. Box 2130 Glen Allen, VA 23058
Friday, April 3
7:45am – RMA First Friday Forum
(Westin Richmond Hotel, 6631
West Broad Street Richmond, VA
23230); Details: Retail Merchants
Association, (804) 662-5500, or visit
www.retailmerchants.com.
Tuesday, April 7
7:30 – CCC Networking… with New
Members; Details: Chesterfield
Chamber of Commerce, (804) 7486364 x4, [email protected], or
visit www.chesterfieldchamber.com.
Wednesday, April 8
7:15am – Innsbrook Executives’ Breakfast
Club (Markel Essex Salons, 4521
Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, VA
23060); Details: (804) 217-8800 or
visit www.innsbrook.com.
7:30am – Morning Expresso Networking
(Café Caturra, Midlothian TurnpikeSycamore Square, 13830 Village Place
Dr., Midlothian, VA 23114); Details:
Michelle Walters, (804) 615-1348 or
Continued on Page 6
Networking Events
continued
[email protected].
7:30am – HPGCC Monthly Membership
Meeting Coffee at the Chamber
(Hopewell-Prince George Chamber
of Commerce Office, 210 N.
2nd Ave., Hopewell, VA 23860);
Details: Hopewell-Prince George
Chamber of Commerce, (804) 4585536, [email protected], or visit
www.hpgchamber.org.
11:15am – CCC March Luncheon
(Meadowbrook Country Club, 3700
Cogbill Road, Richmond, 23235)
Details: Chesterfield Chamber of
Commerce, (804) 748-6364 x 4,
www.chesterfieldchamber.com.
Thursday, April 9
4:00pm – Open Networking at BOOST
Fitness Training (Boost Fitness
Training, 4908 E. Millridge Parkway,
Midlothian , VA 23112); Details:
Lindsay Alford, (804) 744-6333 or
[email protected].
6:00pm – HYPE Social at RIR (Richmond
International Raceway, 600 E.
Laburnum Avenue Richmond, VA
23222); Details: Greater Richmond
Chamber of Commerce, (804) 7839368, or visit www.grcc.com.
Tuesday, April 14
7:30am – GRCC Breakfast Break (The
Bankuet Place, 1129 Hull Street,
Richmond, VA 23224); Details:
Greater Richmond Chamber of
Commerce, (804) 783-9368, or visit
www.grcc.com.
Wednesday, April 15
RMA – Petersburg Chapter; Details:
Retail Merchants Association,
(804) 662-5500, or visit
Thursday, April 16
11:30am – AMA Luncheon (University of
Richmond’s Jepson Alumni Center,
101 College Road, Richmond, VA
23229), Details: American Marketing
Wanna Trade?
We did it when we were kids.
Smart businesses are doing it now.
Improve Cash Flow and Increase Purchasing Power
(804) 257-7126
Association Richmond Chapter, (804)
359-1759 or www.amarichmond.org.
Friday, April 17
11:30am – GRCC Brown Bag Workshop
(Greater Richmond Chamber, Main
Street Centre, 600 East Main Street,
Suite 700, Richmond, VA 23219);
Details: Greater Richmond Chamber
of Commerce, (804) 783-9368, or visit
www.grcc.com.
Thursday, April 23
7:15am – GRCC inVision Hanover
(Randolph Macon College, Estes
Dining Hall, 204 Henry Street,
Ashland, VA 23005); Details: Greater
Richmond Chamber of Commerce,
(804) 783-9368, or visit www.grcc.com.
Tuesday, April 21
11:00am – PCC Women in Business
Luncheon (Lee Club, Fort Lee, VA
23801); Details: Petersburg Chamber
of Commerce, (804) 733-8131,
www.petersburgvachamber.com.
8:30am – Networking is like a bottomless
cup of coffee, the opportunities are
endless... Open networking event
(Minuteman Press, 4826 Market
Square Lane, Midlothian, VA 23112);
Details: Lindsay Alford, (804) 7446333 or [email protected].
11:30am – Powhatan Chamber of
Commerce Monthly Luncheon
(County Seat Restaurant, 3883 Old
Buckingham Road Powhatan, VA
23139); Details: Tina Bustos, (804) 5982636, [email protected], or visit
www.powhatanchamberofcommerce.org.
PCC Breakfast; Details: Petersburg
Friday, April 24
11:30am – Final Friday Forum (Enterprise
Pkwy., Richmond, VA 23294); Details:
Elephant University – presented by
Networking
Events3207continued
(Holiday Inn – Central,
N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA
23230),
Details:
Retail(866)
Merchants
Dancing
Elephants,
670-5689,
Association,
(804)
662-5500,
or visit
or visit www.dancingelephants.net.
Wednesday,
Monday,
Oct. 6April 29
12:00
– 2:00pm
– Petersburg
Chamber
7:30am
– Coffee
Talk Networking
(Daily
ofGrind
Commerce
Women
Business
Coffee
Houseinand
Café, 11665
Luncheon
Fall 2008
(The Lee
Broad Street,
Richmond,
VAClub
23233);
atDetails:
Fort Lee,
Petersburg,
VA),(804) 615Michelle
Walters,
Details:
Baker, (804) 733-8131,
1348 or Karim
[email protected].
Tuesday, Oct. 7
7:30 – 9:00am
- Networking. . .with
New
FREDERICKSBURG
AREA
Members and Ribbon Cutting at
Signs Now (Signs Now, 13610 Hull
Street Road, Midlothian, VA 23112),
Details: Chesterfield Chamber
On-Going
Meetings/Events
of Commerce,
(804) 748-6364 x4,
Tuesdays – 9:00am
www.chesterfieldchamber.com.
Partners in Profit BNI (Platinum
Wednesday, Oct. 8
Executive Suites, 420 Hudgins
11:15am
1:00pm – ChesterfiVA
eld22408),
Chamber
Rd.,–Fredericksburg,
ofDetails:
Commerce
October
Luncheon
D.J Porter, (540) 846at6370,
Meadowbrook
Country Club
[email protected],
or visit
(Meadowbrook
Country
Club, 3700
www.bniva.com.
Cogbill Road, Richmond, VA 23235),
Details:–Chesterfi
Tuesdays
11:30am eld Chamber
of Commerce, (804) 748-6364 x4,
admin@chesterfi
eldchamber.com,
or visit
Stafford
BNI ( Jimmy
the Greek
www.chesterfi
eldchamber.com.
Family Restaurant,
235 Garrisonville
Rd.,– Stafford,
22554),
Details:
4:00pm
Nuts andVA
Bolts
of Franchising
Dan
Rakes,
(540)
288-8879,
(Chesterfield County Comm. Dev.
[email protected],
or visitCenter
www.bniva.com.
Bldg.,
9088 Government
Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832),
Thursdays
– 7:30am
Details: Jackie
Carter, (804) 783-9314,
[email protected], or visit www.grcc.com.
Energizers BNI (HoneyBaked
Ham &
Cafe,
Thursday,
Oct.
9 2007 Plank Road,
Fredericksburg, VA, 22401), Details:
7:15am – inVision Richmond (Willow
Jerry Harrison, (866) 503-6464,
Oaks Country Club, 6228 Forest Hill
Avenue, Richmond, VA 23225-1834),
Details: Beverly Jones, (804) 783-9300,
Thursdays
– 8:00am or visit www.grcc.com.
[email protected],
Strike Force BNI (Rubicon Café, 11120
Gordon Rd., Fredericksburg, VA
22407),
Details: Missy Jones,
(540)
FREDERICKSBURG
AREA
www.bniva.com.
On-Going
Meetings/Events
Tuesdays – 8:30am
Thursdays – 12:00pm
NetWORKS - Ticker’s Coffee (2037 Plank
Fredericksburg
FreeNIVA
(Tru
Luv’s
Rd, Fredericksburg,
22401),
Modern
American
Bistro,
1101 Sophia
Details: D.J Porter, (540) 846Street,
Fredericksburg,
VA
2401),
6370, [email protected], or
visit
details:
www.freeni.com.
www.bniva.com.
Stafford BNI ( Jimmy the Greek Family
Restaurant,Meetings/Events
235 Garrisonville
One-Time
Rd., Stafford, VA 22554), Details:
Dan Rakes,
(540)
Wednesday,
April
1 288-8879,
8:00am
– FRCC Spotsylvania Roundtable
www.bniva.com.
(WyteStone Suites of Fredericksburg,
Tuesdays
– 12:00pm Parkway,
4615 Southpoint
Fredericksburg,
VAStreet
22407);
Details:
Stafford FreeNI (King
Blues,
2866
Fredericksburg
Regional
Chamber
Jefferson Davis Hwy., Stafford, VA
of Commerce,
(540) 373-9400 or visit
22554),
Details: www.freeni.com.
www.fredericksburgchamber.org.
Monday, April
Energizers
BNI6(HoneyBaked
Ham & Cafe, 2007 Plank Road,
12:00pm
– FRCC Monday
Fredericksburg,
VA, Motivation!
22401), Details:
(Brock’s
Riverside
Grill,
503
Jerry Harrison, (866)
503-6464,
Sophia
Street
Fredericksburg,
VA
22041); Details: Fredericksburg
Regional
Chamber of Commerce,
Thursdays
– 8:00am
(540)
373-9400
or visit Café, 11120
Strike Force BNI (Rubicon
Gordon Rd., Fredericksburg,
VA 22407), Details: Doug
Tuesday,
April
7 898-7888,
Walton,
(540)
8:00am – FRCC Fredericksburg Roundtable
www.bniva.com.
(Fredericks, 1005 Princess Anne St.,
Fredericksburg,
Thursdays
– 11:30am VA 22401); Details:
Fredericksburg Regional Chamber
Closers BNI (Ryan’s Restaurant,
of Commerce, (540) 373-9400 or visit
1780 Carl D. Silver Parkway,
Fredericksburg, VA 22401), Details:
Dan Clemente, (540) 371-0073
Tuesday, April 21
x23, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com.
11:30am – FRCC’s Network of Enterprising
Women–(Fredericksburg
Country
Thursdays
12:00pm
Club, 11031 Tidewater Trail,
Luv’s
Fredericksburg
FreeNI
Fredericksburg,
VA(Tru
22408);
Details:
Modern
American
Bistro,
1101 Sophia
Fredericksburg Regional Chamber
Street,
Fredericksburg,
VA 2401),
of Commerce,
(540) 373-9400
or visit
details:
www.freeni.com.
CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA
CHARLOTTESVILLE
AREA
On-Going
Meetings/Events
Charlottesville Hoos Hoo BNI (West
Main Restaurant, 333 W. Main
On-Going
Meetings/Events
Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902),
Details: Lee
McAllister, (434) 975Wednesdays
– 11:30am
2319, [email protected], or visit
www.bniva.com. Hoos Hoo BNI (West
Charlottesville
Main Restaurant, 333 W. Main
Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902),
Gaylord
Group
Main Restaurant,
Details:
Lee(West
McAllister,
(434) 975333
W.
Main
Street,
Charlottesville,
2319, [email protected],
or visit
VA
22902), Details: Fulton Gaylord,
www.bniva.com.
(434) 964-7474, [email protected],
or visit www.bniva.com.
Continued on Page 12
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Q & A Spotlight
LuEllen Buhrman
Background
Amethyst Public Relations
804-690-8173, [email protected]
Profession: Publicist, Writer and
Marketing Consultant
Years In Business: Less than one year
with this business; eight years in this
profession
Location: Richmond (Henrico County)
Family: Currently single; no children
(I love being a professional aunt!); no
animals, but I periodically baby-sit my
sister’s dogs and my niece’s cat.
Residence: Henrico County – Westham/
University of Richmond area
Interests: Music is like oxygen to me. I
love listening to, playing and singing
almost any kind of music. I also am an
avid reader; I enjoy books (nonfiction
and fiction – especially mysteries and
spy thrillers), magazines, newspapers,
blogs, etc. I’m a movie buff (especially
vintage and indie films) and also love
the visual and performing arts. I enjoy
wine tasting and visiting wineries.
One of my goals this year is to get back
into yoga, which I really like, and also
explore Pilates.
Accomplishments: My biggest recent
accomplishment has been starting
my own business – very scary but I’m
loving it. In the past, I got my MBA
with a marketing concentration from
VCU while working full-time. For
what it’s worth, I’m also a member of
Phi Beta Kappa.
Organizations/Networks: I belong to the
Network of Enterprising Women,
where I also serve on the board. I am
a proud member of the James River
Trade Exchange. I currently belong to
the Richmond Ad Club and will soon
be a member of the local chapter of the
Public Relations Society of America.
I am also part of a small group that is
working on starting a new Episcopal
church in the Richmond area.
Q&A
Why did you choose this profession:
I’ve always loved writing and I get
to do a lot of that in this business.
I also love
the creative
nature of
PR and
marketing
work. Brainstorming and thinking up
new and inventive ways to do things is
an incredible rush. I truly believe that
small business is the heart and soul of
our country and economy, so working
with clients to help them solve
problems and grow their businesses
brings me a great deal of joy.
What is your key to success:
Networking, networking, networking!!
Especially in this market, building and
nurturing relationships is imperative.
I also believe that what goes around,
comes around. So I always try to
focus on what I can do to help others
(whether they’re clients, colleagues,
etc.) rather than on what’s in it for
me. There are some folks who’ll take
advantage, but more often than not, it
pays to be nice.
What moment changed your life?
When I decided to pursue an MBA,
I had to take all the prerequisite
courses, since my undergraduate
degree was in art history! The first
course I took was Marketing 101.
Sitting in that classroom, on the first
day of class, I knew that I’d found my
calling and that I wanted to work in
some area of the marketing field.
Best advice I’ve gotten: Being a music
lover, I often get my best advice from
songs. For example, I learned from
the Rolling Stones that “You can’t
always get what you want, but if you
try sometimes, you just might find, you
get what you need.” Also, I love these
words from Jewel: “In the end, only
kindness matters.”
Advice to give: Follow your dreams, but
make sure you have enough money to
pay the bills first. You should strive
for the perfect balance of idealism and
realism. Believe me, suffering for your
art isn’t even nearly as romantic as it
sounds!
Personal mission statement: To help as
many people as I can, to learn as much
Continued on page 14
Contributor’s Corner • Michelle Braden
Incorporating Renewable
Energy into Your Work Culture
O
ver the past few years I have been
captivated by our need for
development of renewable
energy. It was only recently
that I realized the parallel
between investing in natural resources
and renewable energy to affect our
environment and
investing in people
to affect our work
environment.
According to
Nexen, Inc., “renewable
energy” is derived
from sources that are
constantly replenished
by natural processes such
as wind, water, solar and
geothermal. Wikipedia
says it is energy that can
be replenished at the same rate as it is
used. What happens to the work culture
when we are withdrawing more energy
than we are replacing?
What difference would be created
if we were making sure to constantly
replenish our people resources through
investing in: motivation, conflict
resolution, work life balance, trust,
seeking feedback and then using it,
developing emotional intelligence,
listening, customer and colleague
service, respect, and so on? I would
dare say that if these became renewable
energy sources, constantly replenished,
a leader’s results would be astounding on
their corporate culture.
They would see drastic
improvement in productivity, bottom
line dollars, less sick time, higher
motivation and an overall more prolific
work culture. Ongoing motivation
and energy are difficult enough for
an individual to accomplish within
themselves, let alone to encompass
the entire team. However, as it is with
renewable energy so it is with renewable
people energy. People energy seems
difficult to harness and redirect, but
with vision and plans in place it can be
accomplished. Excellent leaders realize
the importance of investing in their
professional development and growth.
As a successful leader you have
to incorporate the law of multiplicity
in your company. The results are
staggering when leaders take the high
road of not only investing in themselves,
but also in their team. It is time to get
it right.
Things are important, but people
are more important. Thomas Edison
said, “If there is a way to
do it better...find it.” If
there are ways to make
your team feel more
valued, respected and
trusted… find them. The
results will be reflected
when effectiveness
and inspiration soar.
The return on people
investments inevitably
yields profitable
returns. With a technological society
perpetually moving forward, the
investment in your people is what will
set you apart from your competition.
Richard Sloma, author of The
Turnaround Manager’s Handbook said,
“People are a firm’s most important
asset. If you have an excellent product
but only mediocre people the results
will only be mediocre.”
Michelle Braden
is the president
of MSBCoach.
She has coached
and trained
for seventeen
years. She is
an advanced
certified human
behavior
consultant, certified business coach and
facilitator of GET CLIENTS NOW!
MSBCoach is a Charlottesville based
training, leadership development and
coaching company, offering nationwide
service via phone coaching or on site.
They partner with individuals, teams
and companies to turn potential into
success through clearly defining where
you want to go and setting a strategy
to get there! MSBCoach doesn’t sell
coaching, they sell success! Michelle can
be contacted directly at (804) 502-4319,
[email protected], or visit her on the web
at www.msbcoach.com.
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Protecting Your Business from
Sexual Harassment Claims
E
mployment-related complaints and
lawsuits tend to rise when the
economy is struggling. A common
belief is that this represents
employees who would normally just
quit and go get another job, which is not
easy to do in a down economy. Data from
the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) seems to support
this. The EEOC recently reported that
discrimination and harassment claims
were up 15% in 2008, rising to the highest
numbers in EEOC history.
Sex-based claims are consistently
among the highest received by the
EEOC. Think it won’t happen to your
company? As many as 88% of workers
say that they have been subjected to
sexual harassment at some point, so the
odds are very good that you have at least
one of those employees.
While some aspects of employee
relations are relatively black-and-white,
sexual harassment issues frequently reside
in those fuzzy shades of gray. Why?
1. What can constitute sexual
harassment is very broad. According
to the EEOC, unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors,
and other verbal or physical conduct
of a sexual nature constitute sexual
harassment when this conduct explicitly
or implicitly affects an individual’s
employment, unreasonably interferes
with an individual’s work performance,
or creates an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive work environment.
2. It doesn’t matter what a person’s
intentions are; what counts is how the
employee on the receiving end of an
incident perceives the other person’s
actions or comments.
Tax Preparation
LLCs
Individuals (1040)
Partnerships (1065)
Corporations (1120, 1120S)
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Expert Advice • Charlotte Jensen
3. The person filing the complaint
doesn’t have to be the one directly
harassed; it can be anyone affected by
the offensive conduct. Conversely, the
person who did the harassing doesn’t
have to be an employee; it can be a
client, vendor, or other third party.
4. As the business owner, you can be
held liable for your supervisors’ actions,
even if those actions violated your
company policy.
Are you rethinking your immunity
to sexual harassment issues? Fortunately, there are relatively simple steps you
can take to protect your business.
1. Have a well written, zero tolerance
policy against harassment in your
employee handbook.
2. Actively communicate the policy on a
regular basis.
3. Train employees and supervisors on
what harassment is (and is not), how to
avoid it, and how to file a complaint.
Training is not a legal requirement in
most states, including Virginia; however,
courts who have ruled on harassment
cases generally agree that such training
carries significant weight in determining
to what extent a company attempted to
protect its employees from harassment.
Smaller businesses should not
assume that they are immune from
EEOC claims. It does not cost an
employee anything to file a complaint
with the EEOC, and the EEOC is
obligated to investigate. The business
owner, however, is strongly advised
to obtain professional counsel when
responding to a claim, and that won’t be
cheap. The best thing employers can do
is take the above steps to help protect
their business upfront to ensure there’s
no need for an employee to file a claim,
in good times or bad.
Charlotte Jensen is a
Human Resources
Consultant for
small to mediumsized businesses. As
President of Cole
James Associates,
Inc., Ms. Jensen
provides her
clients guidance on their employment
and workplace issues. Based in
Richmond, Virginia, Ms. Jensen
works with businesses across the
state. She can be reached at (804)
339-5576, [email protected] or
www.colejamesassociates.com.
Biz News • Al Harris
Richmond Consumers
Shopping Less but
Still Dining Out
S
hoppers in
Richmond
cut back
spending
at a
surprising clip in
the fourth quarter of 2008,
according to recently released tax
data. But restaurants, long thought
to bear the brunt of new-found thriftiness, didn’t see an across-the-board hit
to their revenue.
Local spending shrunk more
than 5.5 percent during the last three
months of 2008, compared with the
same period a year before, according
to recently released state sales tax
data.
Companies in Richmond,
Chesterfield, and Henrico reported
just over $2.6 billion in combined
sales for the fourth quarter of last year, a
$155 million drop from 2007.
Henrico County sales underwent
the biggest dollar value decline, a
$74.2 million reduction from the year
before. Chesterfield County lost $46.4
million, and Richmond City lost $35
million in sales.
Not all industries felt the
same pinch. Spending at health
and beauty establishments, which
include everything from prescription
medication to cosmetics, rose 6 percent.
Andrew Wolf, an equity analyst for
BB&T Capital Markets, said although
that is a category where people can still
scrimp and save, for the most part it is a
necessary expense.
“There are places where
unemployment is higher and sales are
lower, where people are splitting their
prescriptions,” Wolf said. “This suggests
that isn’t happen here as much, that
people overall can afford to take care of
their health.”
Sales
at grocery
stores and
convenient
stores rose
4.5 percent.
“There is a lot
of food inflation
in
that number,”
said
Wolf, who specializes in food and
drug
merchandising.
He added that
the sales increase
in that category
is in line with
the rest of the
country.
As far as
eating out,
restaurants and
bars for the most part
held steady, losing less
than .25 percent.
Megan Svajda,
director of government
relations for the
Virginia Hospitality
and Travel
Association, said that
the restaurant industry has
suffered its share of scrapes and bruises
but that it will bounce back.
“You have to look at the amount
of businesses that have gone out of
business,” said Svajda. “Obviously
those restaurants that are more
successful than others will be bringing
in more money.”
The VHTA also represents the
hotel industry, which gained 10 percent
in Henrico but declined nearly 3 percent
for the area as a whole.
Continued on page 12ALL
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Richmond BizSense is Richmond’s Homepage for Business News
804-965-6303
804-377-0827
For more information, contact Doug
Bradt or Todd Curtis
Mail Entry Form to:
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Attn: MOD Golf Tournament
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Networking Events
Biz News • Continued from Page 11
continued from page 7
One-Time Meetings/Events
Wednesday, April 22
Friday, April 3
5:00pm – CRCC “Celebration of
Community” Business After Hours
(Charlottesville Pavilion, 321 E Main
St. # 201, Charlottesville, VA 22902);
Details: Charlottesville Regional
www.cvillechamber.com.
9:00am – CRCC Aging in Place Business
Round Table; Details: Charlottesville
Regional Chamber of Commerce,
or visit www.cvillechamber.com.
Thursday, April 16
9:00am – CRCC Non-Profit/Business
Council (CRCC Conference Room,
209 5th Street NE, Charlottesville,
VA 22902); Details: Charlottesville
RMA–Charlottesville Chapter;
Details: Retail Merchants
12:30pm – CRCC Business Women’s Round
Table (Cavalier Inn at the University,
105 North Emmet St., Charlottesville,
VA 22903); Details: Charlottesville
“Henrico added more hotels and
added a lot more high-end hotels, so
that helps offset some things,” Svajda
said.
General merchandise stores, which
include big-box stores such as WalMart, gained 5 percent in Chesterfield
and 7 percent in Henrico. In Richmond,
which for the most part lacks highvolume national retail chains, general
merchandise stores experienced a sales
decline of almost 15 percent.
Although some business defied
the overall sales slump, many others
did worse, with declines in the double
digits.
Sales at hardware and garden stores
decreased by 20 percent. Furniture and
home decor stores were down more
than 18 percent. Sporting goods, hobby,
music, and book store sales declined
about 14 percent.
Motor vehicle sales and parts
declined by almost 10 percent. Gasoline
stations reported a 6 percent drop in
sales.
Clothing and accessory sales
dropped more than 11 percent for the
area overall, but Richmond apparel
sellers improved sales by 2.8 percent.
Anne Kennon, who owns a mid- to
high-end maternity clothing store in
Carytown called It’s Hip to be Round,
said her sales seemed to be more in line
with the area as a whole; they fell about
10 percent in the fourth quarter from
the year before.
“I think we stayed a bit more steady
than most,” Kennon said. “The dip I
had in January didn’t get any deeper.”
Another store location will open in
August at West Broad Village, Kennon
said.
Kennon said the modest increase
reported by Richmond clothing shops
could be because of more local support
during tough times.
“In an ideal year, they would be
spending money all over the place,”
Kennon said. “Now, since they are
spending less money, they try to keep as
local as they can.”
Al Harris covers small business for
BizSense. Please email story ideas to
[email protected]
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A
utomate some of your more mundane tasks with TEXTER.exe and get through
your day with less typing, and configuring responses on the keyboard.
TEXTER is a free tiny software program that allows you to pre-populate
common phrases, copy, or text that you can then quickly insert into ANY
document, email, or program that you are using – simply with a few shortcut letters
or ‘snippets’ you choose/create.
Think of it as a computer shorthand tool, that at the end of the day, week, and
month will save and freed up hundreds of hours!
How does it work?
1. Download, install and run the program.) – 2 minutes.
2. Open and create a shortcut. – 3 minutes.
a. Double click on icon (down by your clock)
b. Click the plus button to add new TEXTER shortcut
c. Name your shortcut with a few letters.
d. Paste the text that you want the few letters to produce when typed.
e. Choose the ‘trigger’ (usually ‘tab’) that confirms the shortcut to take place
Let’s walk through a quick example…
I wanted to create a shortcut TEXTER’s to be able to ‘paste’ into any document, or
program with a few keystrokes, a new business signature for myself.
Here’s what I did:
1. Opened the program
2. Chose my ‘snippet’ letters – in this case ‘dbsig’
3. Typed out my signature (can also paste in from a another document)
4. Saved my work.
Save These Dates
Upcoming Networking Opportunities
You Won’t Want to Miss!
Tuesday, April 14 z 5:00 – 6:30pm
RMA Connect@ River City Diner
(River City Diner, 11430 W Huguenot Rd.,
Midlothian, VA 23113); Details: Retail Merchants
First sign of Spring!! Connect@RMA!
Join our cozy (hip) gathering at the
new River City Diner at Bellgrade. As
you approach the River City Diner,
you’ll experience that feeling of
yester-year as you enter a diner of the
50’s! Nowhere else in Richmond will
you see the sights and hear the
sounds of times past like this! You
know it has to be fun, in a modern yet
retro-kind of way! Bring business
cards, invite associates & neighbors
who would appreciate RMA and all it
has to offer—and plan to meet new
members and make new contacts.
Friday, April 24 z 11:30am – 1:00pm
Final Friday Forum
(Enterprise Meeting Center, 2708 Enterprise Pkwy.,
Richmond, VA 23294); Details: Dancing Elephants
– Central Virginia, (866) 670-5689, or visit
www.dancingelephants.net.
The purpose of Final Friday Forum is
three-fold.
First, it’s a great opportunity to
network!
Second, it’s an opportunity to share
insights on sales and business related
challenges with other local
professionals.
Third, it’s an opportunity to hear and
learn from a phenomenal speaker!
Participants are not required to
R.S.V.P. and a light lunch (pizza) will
be served.
Thursday, May 14 z 4:00 – 7:00pm
GRCC Schmooza Palooza
(University of Richmond, Westhampton Green
Richmond, VA); Details: Stephanie Phillips, (804)
www.grcc.com.
Now what happens?
Anytime I type ‘dbsig’ and then hit the ‘tab key’ my signature gets dropped in
without any extra typing – saving me valuable
Continued on page 14
time many times a day.
Schmooze with over 1,100 Richmond
business leaders and groove to great
music at Schmooza Palooza, the
Greater Richmond Chamber Annual
Picnic. This popular Richmond event is
THE opportunity to network, have fun,
enjoy great food and bid on exciting
Silent Auction items in a casual and
relaxed atmosphere.
Web Resource Center • Continued from Page 13
So why not use built in auto signatures – like Outlook offers?
You still can, but I often use gmail, or want to drop in something in a word
document and TEXTER is program independent. So, once you create your
shortcuts, you can use them in any program.
Website programmers can use TEXTER’s to drop in script, or pre-written code
blocks in Dreamweaver or any program in mere seconds - saving them and their
clients hours of programming and typing time.
You can even use the advanced script function and drop in ‘action items’ that
will create a whole series of inserts/shortcuts.
Here’s an advanced example:
+{Tab}^{Home}^+{Right}^c{Tab}{BS}Thanks for the email, ^v{BS}.
Creates a reply email message that pulls in the senders name, and replies with a
short message that can be modified or sent as is – all with a few ‘snippet’ keys.
Lost? Don’t worry- watch a video/learn more here: http://lifehacker.com/software//lifehackercode-texter-windows-238306.php
Advance users who are at
their computers most of
the day…. Check out:
http://www.phraseexpress.
com which offers
tons of additional
features. Please note:
PhraseExpress is free
for non-commercial
personal user only, and
$49.95 for business use.
For more tips &
tricks, please check
out Chris’ blog
www.webinfarmation.com
For affordable strategic business solutions, and help, call my handheld at (804) 3823647. I can get help you become more profitable in hundreds of different systematic
and leveraging ways.
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as I can and to enjoy life as much as
possible!
What makes you and your business different?
I understand that every person and every
business is unique with unique things
to offer. It is a pleasure and an honor to
get to know each client and learn about
their individual goals and values. It may
sound like a cliché, but I truly care about
my clients and love nothing more than
helping them build their businesses. I
also believe that many people often lose
sight of the “big picture” – of where their
business fits into the market and the
importance of long-range planning; I’m
very good at helping my clients with the
“vision thing!”
Most motivational book or seminar: The most
inspiring local speaker I’ve heard lately
is Rita Ricks, a coach and writer. I also
learned a lot from David Nour, who
spoke in Richmond recently about social
networking. There are way too many
books to choose just one; I’m currently
reading two books that I’m really
enjoying. “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel
Pink is excellent and very encouraging
for me, personally. It’s about the value
of being right-brained (which I am) and
the competitive edge this orientation can
give you in today’s business world. I’m
also reading “Never Check E-mail in the
Morning” by Julie Morgenstern. This is
an outstanding guide to increasing your
productivity, efficiency and effectiveness
(although I still usually check my e-mail
first thing in the morning!).
Mark Deutsch
Classified
advertising
What’s On My Reading list
Employment
Furniture
PART TIME SALES - Looking for dynamic Moms,
Have any office furniture you’d like to get rid off? Seniors or College students who need extra
Try The Business Networker Classifieds
income.
your
own hours.
(804) 257-7126.
TheSet
29%
Solution:
52Call
Weekly
Networking Success Strategies
by Ivan R. Misner Ph.D., Michelle R. Donovan (ISBN-13: 9781929774548)
Projects
Real Estate
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hands-on p.r. & special event projects. 257-3096.
Six Disciplines Execution Revolution: Solving the One Business Problem that
Makes Solving All Other Problems Easier Visit www.thebusinessnetwoker.biz
Misc.
and click on Submissions. Submit your
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14K Yellow Gold Diamond Stud Earrings. New.
classified ad today!
Retail @ Cardow $2295. Asking $1695. 257-7126.
The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and Fun) Guide
to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less
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Catagories for advertising submissions
This is perfect place to sell old phones, computers,
include:
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Equipment
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Projects
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Misc.
The
Business
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"This is an incredible book! It shows sales professionals and business owners how to get
more and better customers, faster and easier, than in any other way. The practical, proven
strategies for sales and business growth you learn can save you months and years of hard
work."
- Brian Tracy, author of The Way to Wealth
Develop your networking skills, increase your connections, and become part of
the roughly 29% of people who are separated from the rest of the world by just
six degrees.
Co-authored by bestselling author Dr. Ivan Misner, who is referred to as "The
Father of Modern Networking," and Michelle R. Donovan, who is known as "The
Referral Expert" in Pittsburgh, The 29% Solution is the first book designed to
integrate networking into the way you do business on a weekly basis with fiftytwo quick, straightforward networking strategies.
Your income is directly related to your ability to network your business for
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the 29% of the population that produces exceptional results.
By reading this book, you will experience the true essence and meaning of
networking. The 29% Solution gives you the answers to two conflicting
questions that a business owner or salesperson faces every day: How can I
tend to my existing clients while at the same time network for new business?
and, Should I place higher value on my current clients or on new clients?
Visit www.29percentsolution.com
The Business
• April
• WeekNetworker
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22, 2009
2008 • 15
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The Business Networker - James River Trade Exchange

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