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ACTIVITIES
THIS MONTH:Newsletter and broadcast
sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call Debbie
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"Networking is not a numbers game. The idea is not to see how many people you can meet; the idea is to compile a list of people you can count on."
- Harvey McKay
"Dig
Your Well Before You're
Thirsty"
In this Issue: |
Put the South Shore Women's Business Network to work for you. There are exceptional people and businesses waiting to meet you.
Our regionally located luncheon events are developed to give you lots of opportunity to get connected on the South Shore. Enjoy great food, introductions from everyone attending and facilitated networking. Increase your visibility to prospective clients and referral sources by participating in any of our events. All luncheons run from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Breakfast Meeting - March 2, 20067:30 - 9:30a.m. Sponsored by the SSWBN Educational Foundation "If I can make a business out of this, You can make a business out of anything!"Would you like to turn your passion into a thriving business? Learn more by attending the South Shore Women's Business Network breakfast on March 2, 2006 from 7:30-9:30 am at the Radisson Hotel in Rockland, MA. Our regular monthly networking breakfast will feature keynote speaker Jane Pollak, "The Egg Lady", an internationally known entrepreneur, artist, professional speaker and author. This inspirational keynote speaker will present "If I Can Make a Business Out of This, You Can Make a Business Out of Anything". Jane's story and work has been featured on NBC's Today Show, CNN, HGTV, The New York Times and Lifetime. Randolph Luncheon - March 6, 2006 LaScala Meal: Baked Schrod or Chicken Parmigiana Hingham Luncheon - March 14, 2006Sponsored this month by Comfort Keepers Meal: Pan Seared Tilapia w/ lemoncello butter sauce, roasted potatoes & rustic vegetables; or Grilled chicken sand w/ mozzarella cheese w/ handmade potato chips and a side of field greens. Professional Development Workshop - March 16, 200612:00-1:30 p.m., Network Office Beth Sobiloff - How the Internet Helps Small Business
Beth Sobiloff, ownder of Birchwood Enterprises, SSWBN member and Webmaster, presents this interactive and informative workshop. Sign up soon as spaces are limited. $15.00 for members, $20.00 for nonmembers. Bring Your own lunch and we'll provide beverages and dessert. Plymouth Luncheon - March 22 , 2006Sponsored by The Law Offices of Arlanson Russo Meal: Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken OR Broiled Salmon Breakfast Meeting - March 30, 20067:30 - 9:30a.m. Sponsored by the Big Business Connection of
SSWBN, Chris Bond of Next Level Inc.'s mission is to provide a thought provoking, comfort zone expanding, and entertaining burst of new thinking regarding professional sales and sales leadership in today's demanding business climate. We will be challenged to be different in order to be better and to stop doing things the same way we have been doing them for the last decade. It is time for new ideas and a new approach to an age old profession. He will not leave you without challenging you to reach new levels of personal success. |
NOTE: The cost for Lunch and Breakfast is Pre-registration $25.00 members, $40.00 nonmembers. At the door $30.00 members, $45.00 nonmembers.
First Time Attendees are invited to take advantage of our member rate prior to joining the Network.
Keep in mind that each new member that joins the South Shore Women's Business Network earns someone a free lunch. It could be you. Here's your chance to help your network grow its membership. Bring a guest at the member rate! You can extend this offer to just about anyone: colleagues, friends, family and even clients. If your guest joins the network and gives you credit we will give you a coupon to attend one of our regularly scheduled events for free. We all know that SSWBN is a great place for coaching, contacts and collaboration, so why not share that with your acquaintances. We want to help grow their businesses. There is no limit to the number of guests you can introduce to the Network. So start spreading the word today.
| NOTE: REGISTRATION POLICY |
Cancellation Policy: Must be received 2 business days prior to 5:00 p.m. for credit to alternate meetings.
Vicki Donlan, the Publisher of the monthly newspaper, Women's Business, was an SSWBN founder and its first executive director in 1992. A natural entrepreneur and self-starter, Donlan gets up every morning at 5:00 AM to run near her home in Hingham. "I must have had at least 15 different careers over the course of my life," Vicki says. She notes that the typical person today now has 8 to 10 jobs over the course of their career - in other words, "you have 8 to 10 opportunities to start fresh, to try new careers and grow through new challenges." Vicki believes that fate brings you to opportunities. It's up to you to take advantage of those opportunities as they arise. One of the underlying goals of Women's Business and Vicki's mission is to provide visibility for businesswomen. "I believe that success comes from visibility," explains Vicki. "And women in business need more visibility. The greater visibility you have, the better," she continues. "If you're serious about promoting your business, visibility is important, because it builds credibility." Vicki was the marketing director at the Quincy accounting firm O'Conner & Drew when SSWBN first took off. Vicki stepped forward and took advantage of yet another opportunity, volunteering to quit her full-time job and take over as SSBWN's executive director. At the time, SSWBN had about 200 members. I presented an idea and a plan to the board for me to become executive director," Vicki recalls. She took a risk and a huge cut in pay, running SSWBN out of her house before moving everything into an office space on Gardener Street in Hingham, where SSWBN still is today. "We founded SSWBN," Vicki remembers, "because there were no networking events for women on the South Shore. There was a real need out there for women's business events." Their theory was born out by SSWBNs immediate popularity, with attendance doubling in the organization's first year. "I handled membership using my home phone number," Vicki says, "and I would come home every day to 30 calls on my answering machine." She and her husband Fran generated 1,500 - 2,000 mailings a month to potential and existing members, stuffing countless stacks of envelopes themselves at night at their dining room table. Vicki left SSWBN in 1995, taking out an SBA loan to start Women's Business. With the newspaper business in her blood - her brother founded the New England Real Estate Journal in 1963 - one of Vicki's first jobs was to work for him as circulation manager and then later in 1988 she returned as a sales rep and then publisher of several sections of the paper. However, skyrocketing cost of newsprint sidelined her from starting the journal until 1998. In the interim, Vicki decided to take a turn in health care and signed on to help develop Spence Centers for Women's Health, the first of its kind in the country. After two years there, Vicki met Lois Silverman and was asked to help establish The Commonwealth Institute as its first executive director. This is where she garnered more interesting statistics about women business owners and realized that it was time to start her dream of a newspaper for businesswomen. "While women excel at starting businesses, they have a harder time growing them, mainly because they still lack access to capital, which impedes business growth," Vicki says. "And even though some businesses can stay small, most need to grow to survive and thrive. Just 20% of businesses survive to their fifth year, and only one out of every six owners eventually sell their businesses" Vicki uses these statistics to illustrate the need of business owners to "Think about your exit strategy the day you start your business. Having an exit strategy is critical," she says. If you're opening a shop, for example, think about possible family members or potential partners that could come in and help you. It can take five years or more to sell a business, and women tend to not have the connections they need when it comes time to sell. If you own a service-based business, think about creating a valuable "book" of solid clients who offer a stream of consistent, repeat business. "Bring a partner on, do a merger, a joint venture," Vicki suggests. "Take your book and build in a contract for yourself. Think about all the alternatives of what you will do when you don't want to run the business anymore or can't. An exit strategy should be part of your business plan," she says. The Boston Herald bought Women's Business in 2005, but Vicki continues as the paper's publisher, working out of the Boston Herald's offices in Boston. "You need to define your professional goals, and separate your personal life from your professional one - which is a real challenge for many small businesses," Vicki advises. "Always think about building value in your business. If your business is literally putting food on your table - and nothing else - then you are surviving, not thriving. In this case selling your business is not a solution," she shares. As Vicki's professional life has moved from the South Shore to Boston, she is no longer an SSWBN member, but she constantly refers businesses to SSWBN. "I must refer people to SSWBN on a weekly basis! I've always believed that people find the network that works for them. And SSWBN can provide the perfect network support system for a lot of small businesses on the South Shore."
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SSWBN Visionaries Series - #3
Phyllis Wenzel of Image Resolutions (www.imageresolutions.com) reports that her company has been selected as The Norwell Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year for 2006. This award usually goes to a company that the town considers to be an outstanding contributor to the community. Lisa Rooney of LBR
Direct (www.lbrdirect.com) ended 2005
with another Award shows have started doling out an incredible array
of gifts. The celebrity gift bags for the Academy Awards are filled
with goodies worth over one hundred thousand dollars. Sure to be included
are the latest technical gadgets like Ipods and Blackberries. But the
real finds are new
styles and fashion gold that are gifted out to the super-stylish. Because
of
their incredible array of handbags, unique jewelry, and all things "accessory",
Frostedbrownie.com has been a part of two of the latest award shows:
the American Music Awards and the Radio Music Awards, where Ms. Boatwright
picked up her handmade, one-of-a-kind bag from Frosted Brownie. Paula and Bill Harris of WH Cornerstone
Investments That's it for this
month. I look forward to receiving news
from all of you Lois Wood |
First,
a big thank you to Gretje Ferguson, who has "moved on
up"
and onward from being the editor of this column. You did a wonderful
job, Gretje, I'll try to carry on the tradition! (Hey, I'm a graphic
designer, not a writer, but I'll give it my best!)
Raquel L. Mullaney of Comfort Keepers www.comfortkeepers.com wanted to let Theresa Narus of Eastern Bank how thankful she was for the wonderful service she provided to Comfort Keepers & Senior Health Services. Raquel adds that Terri was, "prompt, professional and customer service orientated". Raquel's husband is excited to change their personal accounts to Eastern Bank, as soon as their checks run out. Teri Narus must be busy, because Diane Sargent of South Shore Elder Services (SSES) www.sselder.org also expresses gratititude toTeri Narus of Eastern Bank, for informing her of the grant opportunities through Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation. Because of this SSES was awarded a $5000.00 Grant. The monies were given to support the" Special Needs Fund" and are used to provide food, medicine, clothing and shelter to frail elders in the community. Diane says Theresa and Eastern Bank helped, "to make a difference in the lives of frail elders in the eleven South Shore area towns". Great work Teri! Another show of gratitude from Diane Sargent to all the SSWBN members who so generously sponsored the Resource Guide for Older Adults and Caregivers on the South Shore. Lauren Gregory of Amazing Grace Private Nursing Care, Inc.; Emily Judd, Angels Ambulance; Raquel Mullaney and Mary Jo Cicchetti of Comfort Keepers; Barbara Dixon of Commonwealth Communities; Sue Grunwald of Financial Freedom; Jennifer Anastasiades of Home Helpers; Jennifer Moran of Home Instead Senior Care; Veva Johnson of Professional Bookkeeping Service; Lucille Sorrentino of Radius Management Services; Kristen &Greg Porell of South Shore Senior News; Denise Baxter of Sunrise Senior Living and Lynda Chuckran of Welch Healthcare and Retirement Group. Kudos to this large group of very giving members. On topic of what a wonderful network we are, is a person who agrees with me, Reiko Beach of TRB Design, Inc. www.trbdesigns.com who believes this is a network of, "caring, helpful people". Reiko would like to recognize Elizabeth Pineault and her fine staff at Elizabeth A. Pineault, CPA. Reiko explains how she, "helped me make sense of QuickBooks for our business needs". In addition Reiko praises Veva Johnson and her staff at Professional Bookkeeping Service who answered "quick question". Apparently we are also a group of thankful people! Jim Della Volpe of Growing Tree Partners, Inc. would like to acknowledge Steve Gilman of SPG Computer Services for extensive work on his new laptop. Jim was impressed that, "the work was done in record time and everything works flawlessly". Jim considers Steve an, "Ace when it comes to computers and networking." What a great endorsement. Paula and Bill Harris, CFP of Cornerstone Investments www.whcornerstone.com describes Jennifer Bruni of Mercury Communications as, "a delight to work with" while reworking the text on their web site. Their favorite part is the section where she profiled some of their clients. In addition to her work on their site Bill, who is a board member of MayflowerRSVP www.seniorservice.org/mayflower_rsvp, would like to thank Jennifer for her contributions to the first annual appeal for fundraising. Paula, a board member of Plymouth Philharmonic would like to thank Jane Ford of Melaleuca for generously sharing her knowledge, wisdom and insight with the organizations' new Director of Development. It looks from all this gratitude that we are out there doing lots of networking. If you have someone that deserves your praise for a job well done or for giving you a referral email me at jdonovan@jbcojewelry.com, with the names of those you would like to publicly thank in the next newsletter by the 10th of this month! Jennifer Barry Donovan |
Thanks so much to all the members
that sent me an email recognizing members that you thought deserved
acknowledgment here! Not only are you terrific for making sure
these members know you appreciate them, you are letting other members
know about what a good experience you had doing business with them. From
these submissions it seems there are a lot of us that are using each
other's services and willing to help out the non-profits that
our fellow members are involved in. Just another reason SSWBN
is such a great network to be involved in!
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copyright © 2006 South Shore Women's Business Network | All Rights Reserved