Issue 9 of RISBJ by Rhode Island Small Business Journal

Gil Lantini | From The FOUNDER

What a year it has been. As 2012 comes to a close, it’s great to reflect on the growth of RISBJ over the last several months. Since it’s launch in February, we’ve seen our initial idea transform into a small business resource publication, web site, and online community, becoming a staple resource for thousands of small business owners throughout our state. We’ve featured dozens of inspiring companies, highlighted many non-profits and worked closely with amazing state resources like the SBA, SBDC, CWE, SCORE and the Secretary of State’s Office. Although our state still faces challenges, we’ve made progress in the right direction, which is evident from several of our cities that are experiencing economic growth such as Providence, Cranston and Warwick just to name a few.

from the founder

We hope that you’ve enjoyed following us this first year as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing you each issue of RISBJ. As 2013 approaches, be on the lookout for many new developments, each furthering our commitment to the small business community within our state. In addition to 12 full issues of RISBJ, we have BIG things planned for the New Year. In order to continue our growth and support, we want to hear from you. If there are businesses that RISBJ should be featuring, entrepreneurs we should be interviewing or start-ups we should be promoting, please let us know. We’re also always looking to add new contributors to our already amazing lineup. Without our contributors, RISBJ wouldn’t be the go-to resource for small business owners that it has become. I also want to thank all of our advertisers who believed in the idea of RISBJ even before our first issue came out. It’s their support that has helped to keep RISBJ going each month. Be sure to support them, help them grow and keep our business local. I hope you enjoy the final issue of 2012 and we look forward to hearing from many of you next year!

CONTENTS | Work Your Way Through Our Issue

small business

from the founder

startups Mind Your Own Brand Where The Jobs Are Differentiation... The Elusive “Sales Proposition” So Will You Make Money With Your New Idea?

Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too! Multitasking – Trendy but Risky! Atrion Networking Corporation: A Rhode Island HPO ASICS Real-Time Marketing Keeping Fit at the Office Leave That Google Review Alone! PTIN Renewal Period Underway

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

sba secretary of state

‘Secret Sauce’ for Startup Success

you are here spotlight on startups 2

events and workshops

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

featured story

21 Point Checklist for Your Website and Social Imprints Engage In ‘Employee Relationships’ Effective Communication: Strategic & Nimble!

featured nonprofit chamber news

The Autism Project

5 Creative Ways To Give Back To the Community! When Did Your Problems Start?

featured chamber

BYOD

Narragansett

Paper and Spice Here A Crisis, There A Crisis... Quonset and Davisville Helping Rhode Island “Make it Happen” Young Social Innovators Learning From Our Mistakes

golocal

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72

capital city

commercial

Yankee Candles are Hard Currency How Does She Do It? Get Your Office Staff Organized Benefit Words That Determine Customer Needs The Aspiration Project

community corner

women in business www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Secretary of StatE | Ralph Mollis

challenges of today’s economy Secretary Of State Ralph Mollis

The challenges of today’s economy make it more important than ever that we serve the needs of entrepreneurs. We want your advice about our annual “We Mean Business Expo.” In 2007, we launched the We Mean Business Expo with the goal of making it easier to do business in Rhode Island by bringing business and government together in one place for one day. Our annual Expos attract hundreds of small business owners and entrepreneurs drawn by the opportunity to talk face-to-face with the government officials who regulate them, provide financing and offer advice. Past Expos have attracted hundreds of entrepreneurs drawn by the opportunity to make contacts and get answers from government at all levels. As successful as past Expos have been, we always strive to do even better. To refresh your memory, the Expo is like speed dating for small businesses. Instead of leaving the usual voice mail or email or visiting an agency’s website, you can sit down with a real person and talk through the issues that are important to your business. Among the agencies that have been regulars are the cities of Cranston, Providence and Warwick; the state departments of Environmental Management, Health and Labor and Training and the Internal Revenue Service. The Expo gives entrepreneurs a place to turn when they are looking for help from the public sector. Making it easier for Rhode Island companies to do business frees them to do what they do best: be innovative and grow. For people who do not associate the Secretary of State’s office with businesses, we serve every company registered to do business in Rhode Island – 60,000 in all.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Our First Stop Business Information Center is often the first place people thinking about starting a business interact with government. In addition to providing advice to start-ups, we also oversee recording commercial liens and protecting corporate trademarks. In 2011, we worked with more than 6,900 new businesses.

our annual expos attract hundreds of small business owners and entrepreneurs drawn by the opportunity to talk face-toface with the government officials who regulate them, provide financing and offer advice We want to work with yours, too. Of course, this won’t be the first time we have improved the Expo. Our “Smart Start” clinic has turned into one of the most popular features since we introduced it in 2010. We pulled together a group including the state Division of Taxation, the Internal Revenue Service and volunteer attorneys and CPAs including Judith Hetherman of Judith Hetherman & Co., Everett Petronio, Jr. of Kalander & Shaw, Melanie Flamand of Flamand & Associates and Daniel Holmander of Barlow Josephs & Holmes to help entrepreneurs with formation filings, patents, trademarks, tax documentation and Federal Identification Numbers. So, we’d love to hear your advice about how we can utilize the 2013 Expo to make it even easier to do business in Rhode Island. Talk to First Stop Director Kelly Carello at 222-3040 or kcarello@ sos.ri.gov. Listening to you is just one more way to prove that we mean business.

Gil Lantini

Frustrated?

President, Founder Ralph Coppolino

Vice President, Operations

& Business Development Danny Angeli

Account Executive

James Pardee Jr

Creative Director and Design Editor Mike Casale

Graphic Designer Aaron Cadieux

Video Production Manager Contributing Writers

Lisa Buben

Matthew Celeste Jeffrey Deckman Laura Dunn Jaime Gamache Larry Girouard Adam Harvey Mark S. Hayward R. Paul Herman Russ Irving

There are many frustrations in business but your phone service shouldn’t be one of them.

let’s talk about the all in one phone solution

Robert F. Johnson & Bob Wittstein Steven J. King Dave Lubelcyzk Donna Mac Kristin MacRae Dave Marcello Aileen McDonough Ryan McGowan Nancy Merrill Elizabeth Pierotti Kelly Ramirez/Brandon Lane Patricia Raskin Peggy Riley Tuni Schartner Ronald G. Shapiro, Ph. D. Chris Sheehy Lisa Shorr Tim Sullivan Nancy Thomas

email us at sales@ritelephone.com

FOR A FREE 1 MONTH TRIAL *Limited Time Only

• VOIP PBX Features:

• Auto Attendant & Voicemail • Transfer to Cell Phones

• Voicemail to Email & Music on Hold Built In • Web Portal for Administration

Gina Watkins

www.facebook.com/risbj twitter.com/risbj 401 831 7779 info@risbj.com www.risbj.com ©MMXII Rhode Island Small Business Journal

888 856 5970 | www.ritelephone.com 81 Western Industrial Drive Cranston, RI 02921 www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Mind Your Own Brand | Startups

by Dave Lubelczyk

Mr. Whipple taught us that not all toilet paper is the same. Because of him, we all demand fluffy soft tissue instead of thirty-grit janitorial supply sandpaper for our bathrooms at home. However, when we enter a public toilet, things are not as predictable and we have come to expect very different bathroom experiences when we enter a restroom stall. From gas station restrooms to lavatories in five star restaurants, we have certain toilet tissue expectations when nature calls. Whether they know it or not, how a company lives up to those expectations is shaping our brand loyalty. Companies spend significant resources developing logos, corporate identity standards, marketing materials, and loyalty programs but often forget that something as small as a three by three square of bathroom tissue is shaping their brand. A brand is more than just a logo; it is reflected in everything a company says and does. Consequently, something as “insignificant” as toilet paper can convey a great deal of information about an organization. When developing a long-term brand strategy, it is necessary for organizations to examine all aspects of their business. Instead of just focusing on the marketing and corporate identity programs, they must consider that every point of contact between their company and potential audiences is affecting the status of the organization’s brand. Companies must understand their audience’s expectations and use that information to build brand experiences that strengthen a customer’s relationship with the brand.

a brand is more than just a logo; it is reflected in everything a company says and does Building a successful brand means building a lasting relationship with people who become your advocates. If you provide your customers with consistent experiences beyond their expectations, you will be able to recruit loyal advocates. These loyal brand advocates will share the company’s vision, care about its success, see the company’s products as the only logical choice and spread the word to others. So with that in mind I ask you, can they squeeze your toilet paper and more importantly, will it exceed their expectations?

Dave Lubelczyk Image Identity | imageidentity.com

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Startups | Where The Jobs Are

WHERE the JOBS ARE solving society’s problems for potential profit Job creation in the U.S. remains

challenging. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, business and

by Paul Herman

Recent Downturn is Not like PostWWII Recessions: A New Approach to Job Creation is Needed When employment data is plotted on a graph, the differences between the “Great Recession” and every other downturn the U.S. has experienced since WWII are clear. Jobs were lost on a much greater scale during the “Great Recession,” and the subsequent return to full employment is moving at a glacially slow pace. After four years, the U.S. economy has barely managed to make a dent in the “jobs gap.” By contrast, at this point in the economic cycle, every other post-WWII recession had managed to return to its previous jobs peak. A new approach, which recognizes where the jobs are in the 21st Century economy and how to design policies to

government employers are adding

jobs slower than the pace required to

absorb the growth of the labor force.

However, a closer look at the historical

data highlights a bright spot in the

employment landscape of the United

States. Businesses and organizations that are solving society’s problems

and making a positive impact on the

world are the consistent engines of

positive job growth. stimulate further job creation, is needed. The U.S. was only able to reverse the unemployment crisis during the Great Depression with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal policies -- and later a gearing up of the war economy. No U.S. agency collected official statistics on the labor force during the Great Depression, but estimates of the unemployment rate during the 1930s have been provided by economist Michael Darby. Although these numbers are not perfect, they provide a glimpse into Depression-era labor force patterns. The shift in the unemployment rate in the

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Where The Jobs Are | Startups

1930s required drastic action and major economic shifts, and the same mentality is needed today to move the U.S. toward full employment and a vibrant economy.

U.S. Data Shows Positive-Impact Sectors Account for Large Share of U.S. Jobs -- and Outsized Job Growth At least three out of 10 jobs in the U.S. economy focus on building a better world. These positive-impact jobs

come from both the public and private sectors. Government jobs are traditionally considered positive impact, as they focus on providing citizens with much-needed

Libations Restaurant

education, infrastructure, and social services. U.S. government jobs accounted for 22 million of the 130 million non-farm payroll jobs reported in 2011 and made up just over half of the total jobs that helped to improve society. However, much of the positive impact in today’s world is increasingly the result of private industry innovations. In 2011, approximately 21 million of the 110 million jobs in the private industry positively affected society. This private industry contribution primarily came from the sub-sectors of health care, education, and social assistance services, but it also includes positive-impact sectors like utility system construction, environmental waste remediation, and grant-making institutions. (U.S. jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bls.gov, combines both for-profit business and non-profit social-sector organizations under one category of “private organizations.”) Furthermore, business- and socialsector organizations from the private sector that have focused on dealing with society’s problems and solving human needs have been adding jobs at a faster rate than the private sector in general over the past decade.

Lounge

S M A L L P L AT E S • B I G F L AVO R • G R E AT VA L U E

According to HIP Investor’s analysis of annual jobs data released by the BLS between 2002-2011, jobs in the positiveimpact subsectors of the U.S. economy have grown by 21 percent (2 percent

annually) while total private industry jobs subtracting the impact sector have fallen by -3.7 percent (-0.4 percent annually). The “Annual Year Over Year Growth in Jobs by Sector” graph below shows the differences in annual growth of the impact sector, the government, and private industry (excluding the impact sector). Note that the impact sector is the only sector to have grown in every year, even during the “Great Recession.”

Paul Herman CEO and Founder HIP Investor Inc

Our clients know we’re here for them year-round, not just at year-end.

JAMES J. PRESCOTT PETER L. CHATELLIER DAVID A. FONTAINE JAMES D. WILKINSON DEBRA A. MITCHELL

AT BRAVER, IT’S THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS.

ROBERT J. CIVETTI

155 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903 401 421 2710 www.thebravergroup.com

Libations Restaurant & Lounge at the RADISSON HOTEL PROVIDENCE AIRPORT

2081 Post Road • Warwick, RI 02886 401.598.2121 • www.radisson.com/warwickri

NEWTON

BOSTON

TA U N T O N

PROVIDENCE

C O NC O R D

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Startups | Differentiation ... The Elusive “Sales Proposition”

differentiation... the elusive “sales proposition”

to customer service or cost effective manufacturing techniques in the 70s and when Japanese companies entered the market with a superior product offering in the 80’s with a very attracting price point it almost put Xerox out of business. Unfortunately most companies do not have the luxury of having this type of product uniqueness and therefore struggle with how they differentiate their product offerings in the eyes of the customer. I have had the opportunity to perform many customer satisfaction surveys for companies that do not have hard differentiators and the response from the customer base is always the same, even if the words are different. Poor quality, poor on-time delivery, long lead times, long response time for requests, supplier indifference, get lost in a phone tree and can’t get to a live person, they never call me back, lack of professionalism, no flexibility, arrogance, poor technical support etc. are often listed. The list goes on and on.

by Larry Girouard

“I’ll make a Xerox copy of the document for you and be right back” …. How many times have you, or one of your associates, made that statement. We associate making a copy of a document with Xerox the same way we associate Kleenex with tissues. While these monikers are more prevalent for people over 50, I still hear them today. From a marketing standpoint it is a dream to have a hard differentiator like Xerox or Kleenex. In the late 1980’s Coleco introduced the family of dolls called The Cabbage Patch Kids and every parent with a pre-teen daughter was willing to pay well over list price to get one to place under the Christmas tree that year. In the early 1970’s Gary Dahl had a brainstorm to take a small rock, place the rock in a box with air holes

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

(so it could breath) and insert a pamphlet into the box on how to take care of your rock. He called it “The Pet Rock” and put a list price tag of $4 on it ($18 in 2012 with inflation). He sold millions!!!!!! J.K.Rowling has energized more of our children to want to read for pleasure with her series of Harry Potter books. Microsoft has transformed the computer industry. There are many examples of products that are so unique that they capture the market with seemingly little competition. Similarly, many companies that developed such products that created these high demands have had the “luxury” not to have to pay much attention to their customers, and their needs, as sales boomed. Xerox, for example, did not pay much attention

The problem is that most companies do a very poor job on paying attention to the soft differentiators that can make all the difference in their value proposition. As a general statement we have all become accepting of marginal customer service. When finishing a meal we tip 15% - 20% even if we do not get the best of service. We become creatures of habit even though TIPS in an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service. I was conducting a customer service seminar recently and went around the room asking each attendee for an example of both exceptionally good and bad customer service that they have experienced. It was interesting to look at the body language and tone of their voices when they recanted each experience. As they described their exceptional experience they were excited and smiling

Differentiation ... The Elusive “Sales Proposition” | Startups

and, as you might expect, you could actually hear the anger in their voices as they reflected on the negative examples. Referencing both those positive and negative feelings, I drove the point home that this is exactly what their customer feels when they are subject to various levels of poor customer service.

if a company wants to improve their value proposition they must measure the key elements of their value proposition If a company expects to penetrate a market in the absence of a “hard” differentiator it must measure all the elements that make up the total output of the goods and services that the corporation is producing. They must view their company from the customer’s standpoint and measure their performance on each of the key “customer needs”.

Operations, Quality Control, Human Resources etc) and the needs of these departments. Simply put, if you can’t satisfy the needs of your internal customers you will never be in a position to satisfy the needs of your external customers. Once you identify the key needs of your customers you can then look inside your company to determine the process required to optimize each customer need. If “shorter lead times” is the need in question (Need 1), what are all the elements of the corporate process that pertain to “on time deliver”? Once you map out the entire process you can begin to measure the key elements of that process. For example, the very start of the process is “order entry”. You can easily measure how long it takes from the time the order is entered until it is scheduled to be produced. I have had clients where this part of the process took more than a week. Analysis Paralysis The first reaction I get when measurement is discussed is negative. Companies do not want to measure anything, and the usual comeback is .. “We do not have

the time!” I assure them that if only the key items that make up each process are measured they will not be inflicted with analysis paralysis. If a company wants to improve their value proposition they must measure the key elements of their value proposition. If a company wants to really enhance the customer experience, the output, they must measure each element of the output. As a whole, this defines their product. Differentiation Once the management team determines that the total corporate output is, in fact the company’s product, this is the first step in achieving differentiation. As the corporate culture focuses on optimizing the performance of each element of the output, differentiation will clearly identify itself in the form of shorter lead times, improved on time delivery, and the like, all of which are easily quantified. Market penetration will be greatly simplified once this happens because competition will not be in a position to compete.

Diagram 1 to the right is an abstract view of a typical company. Customers have needs, whether it’s on time deliver, a quick response to RFQs, lead times, or the like, that go well beyond the product/service they are in business to deliver (red box) and each need can be measured. When we discuss needs, if the ultimate goal is to optimize the needs satisfaction of a customer there are two different types of customers to consider which are the external customer and the internal customer. The internal customers are the company departments (Finance,

Larry Girouard President The Business Avionix Company www.businessAvionx.net

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Startups | So Will You Make Money With Your New Idea?

So will you make money with your new idea? by Elizabeth Pierotti

Tips from the trenches There’s certainly no shortage of creative ideas floating around out there for new goods and services. We all get them. It’s just not always easy distinguishing the good ones from the commercially viable ones from the ones that will make money. Given the choice and the audience for this publication, it’s probably safe to assume we’d choose all of the above – the good and commercially viable products that will make money. When is a good idea a worthy one? This is not a trick question but there are multiple parts to it. Worthy to whom? Let’s start with you, the idea generator and the one responsible for what happens to it. Does your idea have a shelf life? Will it be as exciting an idea tomorrow or next week as it is today? I’ve learned to let new ideas simmer in a creative bubble for a time and not share them prematurely before they start to take shape and can be articulated clearly. There’s something about keeping a new idea safe from the “Let me play devil’s advocate” types who can stifle enthusiasm at a critical stage when the creative process should be left alone to evolve. Once you have a degree of confidence in an idea’s staying power, the next question is, are you prepared to commit your time and energy to validate it? If you can answer yes, then this is the first step in testing an idea’s worthiness. When is an idea viable? If it’s worthy to you, the next consideration is its commercial viability. Think about the questions companies ask when they evaluate whether or not to take on a new product. Will it work? Can it be made affordably? Will it be profitable? Who owns the rights to it? These are also questions for you to answer. The good news is that, for the most part this information can be acquired without spending your valuable resources. It just takes

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

time, organization, and grunt work. This may include exploring completely unfamiliar territory in which you have little or no interest, but consider this experience as dues to be paid and your education as to what’s involved in transforming this particular idea into a finished product. By doing this work now, you will be making informed decisions when the time comes to invest. Who matters most? An idea is not worthy commercially unless your target consumers will buy it. If asked, even at a concept stage, these individuals will set the value marker, will tell you what you need to know including how much they’re willing to pay for it. The successful products of today and in the future will have more characteristics than just being good and functional. When consumers evaluate your concept, this is more than an intellectual exercise. They will be using their senses and connecting with it (or not) on an instinctive and emotional level. The product concept, its story, has to be able to sell itself. If a significant number of consumers respond, on their own without being led, with an “I want that” or some variation thereof, then that is one healthy sign that you’re onto something and it’s worth pursuing. My favorite Steve Jobs quote is: “Sometimes consumers don’t know they want something until they see it.” So show it. There is a lot of competition out there. Test early and test often and you’ll be on solid footing.

Elizabeth Pierotti The Inventing Life www.theinventinglife.com

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

barlow, josephs & holmes, ltd. patent, trademark & copyright law is pleased to announce that

DANIEL J. HOLMANDER has become a Partner in the Firm.

we are also pleased to welcome

ROBERT L. LICHTER who has joined us as an associate.

Established 1857

BARLOW, JOSEPHS & HOLMES, LTD. Intellectual Property Law

Patents Trademarks Copyrights Internet Law Licensing 101 Dyer Street, 5th Floor, Providence, Rhode Island 02903 t 401 273 4446

f 401 273 4447

www.barjos.com

All Attorneys licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office 14

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

SBA Has Tips To Help Small Businesses Prepare For The Holiday Season | SBA

season, whether it’s through timely updates, compelling calls-to-action and promotions or discounts. You may want to consider developing holiday themes for your email templates and update your website and Facebook profile picture with a festive look.

sba has tips to help small businesses prepare for the holiday season by Mark S. Hayward

The holiday shopping season is around the corner. According to the National Retail Federation’s Holiday Consumer Spending Survey, holiday sales will increase 4.1 percent this year. It’s never too early for small businesses to prepare for the holiday rush. Whether it’s financing seasonal working capital needs, updating a marketing plan or hiring temporary workers, the U.S. Small Business Administration has suggestions to help you maximize sales this holiday season. Get help financing your seasonal working capital needs If you need help meeting short-term and cyclical working capital needs, SBA’s CAPLines Program might be for you. From contracting to purchase orders, CAPLines provides financing through a revolving line of credit. This helps more small businesses get the cash-on-hand to manage their cash cycle, scale up and create jobs. The SBA streamlined the program this year to make it easier for small business owners to get financing even if collateral is tight. Hiring temporary or seasonal workers If you plan to hire temporary or seasonal workers, be aware that some of the laws and regulations that apply to full-time

employees differ from those that apply to seasonal or part-time employees. For example, independent contractors and employees are not the same, and it’s important to understand the difference. Take the time to review the Equal Employment Opportunities Law – Who’s Covered? to determine whether a person is an independent contractor or an employee, and which are covered under federal laws. Don’t forget that labor laws still apply to seasonal workers, as do some benefit and tax laws. Holiday marketing tips There are endless ways to promote your small business during the holiday season. Here are just a few budget-friendly tips that you can consider: Use your website and social media to promote your business – This is true yearround, but your online presence, email marketing, and social media networks are great ways to target and connect with local consumers during the holiday

Host an Open House – You can use the holiday season as an opportunity to “open” your business and give customers an opportunity to check out your merchandise or holiday menus. Get Involved in Community and Charitable Events – Supporting a charity or sponsoring a community event is a great way to generate awareness for your business during the holidays. Even if you don’t have the budget to donate large sums of money, think of other ways to get involved, such as offering volunteer services, equipment or even space. Small Business Saturday Don’t forget that Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 24. If you are a small business, get involved with this nationwide initiative. You can access free marketing materials, including sample posters, press releases and social media updates by visiting www.smallbusinesssaturday.com. If you are a consumer, support a small business in your community by shopping at one that Saturday. The holiday season can be overwhelming for some small businesses. The SBA is here to help. Our goal is to provide the tools and resources for small businesses to start, grow and succeed. Visit SBA’s website www.sba.gov to learn more about preparing your small business for the holiday season or contact the SBA Rhode Island District office at (401) 5284561 for one-on-one service.

Mark S. Hayward District Director U.S. Small Business Administration

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

tlight startups on

The RI Web Gurus bring knowledge, wisdom and authority to the website development and online marketing arena. Our commitment is to help any client that we meet. Whether you walk away with a brand new website that was built by RI Web Gurus, or just an idea on how you yourself can improve your website design, our goal is to be a resource for those looking to improve their presence on the web. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible while offering superb customer service to make for an enjoyable web experience!

opened : March 2012 number of employees : 3 378 Main Street, Suite 9E riwebgurus.com twitter.com/riwebgurus facebook.com/RIWebGurus biggest challenge : Some of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is getting all of our proper documentation in place with the State of RI to ensure our filing for the tax year

We believe in small business as they are the core of our success; we are happy and proud to share in the growth of small businesses in RI.

is correct. It is also a balance between providing our services, growing our portfolio and ensuring financials come in versus focusing on the core of our own business and growing it. (It’s a lot of fun though!)

opened : July 2012 number of employees : 2 435 Thames Street Unit 2n Newport, RI www.reliant-it.com twitter.com/reliantit_llc facebook.com/reliantitllc biggest challenge : Spreading the word about the new business, bringing new customers into the store, creating momentum for the company.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Reliant IT was created out of the desire to provide an incredible customer experience from the top down. We love helping our customers, and we love working with technology. Our mix of years of technical and customer service experience allows us to create a unique feel. It’s like having that friend that can fix your computers, and actually have them fixed when you get it back.

tlight startups on

Spotlight on Startups |

My Méz combines functionality and art. Méz is the Indian word for table, similar to Mesa in Latin/Spanish. The table is topped with a photograph and then finished with a coating that makes the table top durable and attractive. You could say we give lasting form and function to people’s memories. It’s art so good that you could eat off it! With our Indian heritage, Méz seemed like the perfect name for our business. However we’ve lived in RI for over 10 years now and made the conscious decision not to outsource the production but to handcraft our tables right here in Rhode Island. We are passionate about quality and believe that functionality and beauty can go hand in hand. Our artful tables add character to any home or theme-room and also make the most unique, custom gifts. opened : June 2012 number of employees : 2 www.mymez.com biggest challenge : The biggest challenge that my husband and I have had is to balance our priorities for our start up while working full-time. It’s important to promote and market our product while being realistic about operational considerations.

At Laid-Back Fitness, we specialize in fun and challenging workouts using unique yet practical equipment. Founded by a former engineer and ironman triathlete, Laid-Back Fitness takes a systematic approach to training as it applies to overall health. Our workouts incorporate “play” while focusing on developing fundamental human skills and increasing efficiency of movement. All of these principles are geared to help people become healthier and improve their quality of life without being obsessive. While physical fitness is important, we believe a healthy lifestyle also involves eating responsibly, participating in recreational activities we enjoy, and taking time to relax when our bodies give us that message.

opened : September 2011 number of employees : 3 2800 Post Road Warwick, RI 02886 www.laidbackfitness.com biggest challenge : Leaving a high-paying career with awesome benefits to pursue my passion!

Laid-Back Fitness, LLC

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Events | Networking and Workshops

12/19/2012 Where People Meet

12/28/2012 Chamber Connections

to Build their Business

Newport County Chamber

Providence Chamber

8:00AM - 9:15AM

8:00AM - 9:00AM

35 Valley Road - Middletown

30 Exchange Terrace - Providence

12/19/2012

12/29/2012 Masquerade

Business after Hours

End of Year Party

Southern RI Chamber

Faerline Club

5:00PM - 7:00PM

12:00AM - 1:00PM

Mantunuck Oyster Bar

200 Allens Avenue - Providence

629 Succotash Road - Wakefield

12/20/2012

01/03/2013 Business before Hours

Eggs and Issues Breakfast

International Tennis

Northern RI Chamber

Hall of Fame

8:00AM - 9:15AM

Newport County Chamber

197 Old River Road - Lincoln

8:00AM - 9:15AM 194 Bellevue Avenue - Newport

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

12/20/2012 Brown Bag Networking

01/04/2013

Newport County Chamber

Chamber Connections

12:00PM - 1:30PM

Newport County Chamber

Prescott Point

8:00AM - 9:15AM

2547 West Main Road - Portsmouth

35 Valley Road - Middletown

Networking and Workshops | Events Color Key:

networking

workshops

01/07/2013 In Transition:

01/16/2013 How to Explore the 8A SBA

Market Yourself the Right Way

Government Contracting Program

CWE

10:00AM - 12:00PM

2:00PM - 4:00PM

132 George M. Cohan Blvd

2nd Floor - Providence

01/08/2013 Outoftheboxnetworking Vanity Restaurant & Lounge 5:00PM - 7:30PM 5466 South Main Street - Providence 01/09/2013

8:30AM - 10:30AM 400 Reservoir Avenue - Providence

Eastbay Chamber 5:30PM - 7:00PM 940 Fall River Ave - Seekonk

to view all updated and current events and workshops for this month

emiliodiv@gmail.com 401-359-2338

3,110,415 | C21.COM

at the Clarion Inn of Providence

be sure to visit isupportsmallbusiness.com

2,115,139 COLDWELLBANKER.COM

Business after Hours Networking

307,061

01/09/2013

1,823,865 KW.COM

Total Monthly Visits:

When Selling Your Home, You Want Exposure! Weichert.com Is The #1 Searched Real Estate Site By Home Buyers & Sellers!

4,275,272 | WEICHERT.COM

Sales PHD, Sandler Training

3,992,436 | REMAX.COM

Call Me To See How My Weichert Buyers Program Provides You With Instant Information 24/7 For All RI Listed Properties!

Jump Start your Sales for 2013

facebook.com/agentemilio

ERAONLINE.COM

Cress & Company

Emilio DiSpirito IV, Realtor®

START YOUR SEARCH HERE

Our Guarantee...

New England Credit Card Systems Merchant Services will provide you with six months of free statement fees if we are not able to save your company money on your existing charge card services.

Call Us Today For Your No-Obligation, Cost Savings Rate Analysis. We Buy and Sell Anything Valued Over $1,000 Cars | Bikes | RV’s | Real Estate | Equipment

Toll Free:

1-877-585-0033 Email: info@newenglandccs.com

www.newenglandccs.com

Get It Sold and Get Your Cash Fast!

www.soldin30.co Like Us On Facebook www.facebook.com/ soldin30

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too!

Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too! by Jeffrey S. Deckman

The focus of my practice is to help build skillful and resilient leadership teams at the supervisor, manager and executive levels. This is very rewarding in that a high percentage of people at these levels are very conscientious, have a solid work ethic and are life long learners. They are also good at their jobs and care greatly about the company and their coworkers; which is often why they were promoted in the first place. But these people face a unique set of stresses that non-management people never experience.

What I am talking about is something that is considered taboo and even politically incorrect, certainly by union leadership and others who spread the self-serving myth that workers have to be protected from management. The premise being that people who work their way up from â&#x20AC;&#x153;worker to managementâ&#x20AC;? somehow magically become power hungry and a threat to those they supervise. Well sometimes the opposite it true. Sometimes it is the supervisor or manager who has to be protected from a rogue

COMMUNICATION SKILLS WORKSHOP The single biggest problem with communication is the allusion it has occurred. (George Bernard Shaw)

If your communication skills are merely an illusion, so are your profits! Join us for a no-cost introductory communications skills workshop where you will learn some of the most powerful communication techniques for delivering your message with power and confidence. Seats for this limited time offer will go fast. To register for a workshop near you, visit our website at www.thelearningcurve.us

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Color Key:

networking

workshops

Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too! | Small Business

worker who is intent on being as disruptive as possible, for whatever reason. While this may be a foreign concept to those who have never been in management I guarantee anyone who has management experience is nodding their head in agreement at this very moment. They can relate.

infant • toddler • preschool ages 6 weeks to 5 years old

The Gallup organization released a study a while back that identified three classifications of employees: Highly Engaged, Moderately Engaged and Actively Disengaged. In the typical company 29% of the people are highly engaged; 55% are Moderately Engaged and 16% are Actively Disengaged. It is those who make up the 16% that this article is focused upon. Gallup describes these people as ones who are actively working against the organization. These are people who, for whatever reason, have chosen to be disruptive to management and their own colleagues. They often do this by avoiding work, challenging anything they don’t approve of, chronically complaining and stirring up co-workers who were otherwise content. The amount of stress and distress these people cause is significant, especially to their managers. And while I have seen my share of bad management styles, most are a result of a lack of training in the human and group dynamics that one must understand in order to effectively engage and lead people around them. However, most of the bad employee antics I have seen are not a result of someone not understanding how to be a good employee. The impact these people have is often magnified by the manager initially trying to avoid directly confronting the worker so as not to be considered a “hard-ass” or over-reactive. Then, once the manager decides to act, the process they must follow is laborious; often taking weeks and months to document EVERYTHING through a series of verbal and written warnings. This adds significantly to the manager’s workload and steals precious time which must be made up by their working late to get their regular jobs done. Meanwhile the rogue employee is free to engage in multiple rounds of guerilla warfare using tactics that range from being moody, acting passive/aggressively and even “behaving” for a while which often results in their manager stopping the disciplinary process or even resetting the discipline clock in an act of good faith that often comes back to haunt them. All of these tactics are purposeful and masterful acts of manipulation of a good hearted person working within a well intentioned system designed to protect workers from the exact type of abuse and anxieties the miscreant is purposefully inflicting upon others.

learning center YOUR TRUSTED CHOICE IN CHILDCARE

401 764 0468 www.lollipoplearningcenterllc.com

QUALIFIED TEACHERS NURSE ON SITE DAILY DCYF CERTIFIED DHS ACCEPTED A CLEAN & SAFE ENVIRONMENT

NOW ENROLLING CALL TODAY!

continued on page 22

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too!

Understanding the Mindset So how does one handle one who is not only determined to be disruptive, but who is also clever enough to know the restrictions placed on management? Well, you have to out think them. But to out think them you must first understand how they think. At the expense of oversimplifying things constantly disgruntled people fit into two basic categories: 1. Those who feel victimized, are emotionally immature, and who lack the communication skills and/or the self confidence to address situations maturely. They may also openly pout and shut down. They see themselves as Eeyore. 2. Those who feel victimized, are emotionally immature, are angry and aggressive, who bend truth and situations to justify their actions and who openly challenge anyone who won’t give them what they think they should have. They see themselves as a heroic Joan of Arc fighting against evil oppressors. They both are also primarily self-centered and think the world should bend to them. When it doesn’t they make those above, around and below them pay. Because of their self centered view of life they also tend to become self-righteous which serves to allow them to justify any actions they take while keeping them conveniently able to play the role of victim.

the impact these people have is often magnified by the manager initially trying to avoid directly confronting the worker so as not to be considered a “hard-ass” or over-reactive However one of the most underhanded, but effective, traits they share is that they are manipulators of people, situations and of the truth. This often catches their managers by surprise because most people, yes even management, are honest, open and seek to move peacefully through life without creating unnecessary dramas or hurting people. Countering Tactics – Truth, Transparency, Accountability The first thing I do when I have identified one of these folks is that I prepare myself to encounter their manipulative and emotional based tactics. Those are two favorite tools the “Eddie Haskill’s” use to disrupt things, to keep you off balance and to secure

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Management Has a Right to a Peaceful Workplace Too! | Small Business

their advantage. If you understand their game and steel yourself to resist their pull you have taken the first step in turning the advantage to your side.

LocaLPassing.com

I then “rise up” to a high level of professionalism and work hard to stay there. Emotion and deception is their weapon. Therefore, intellect and honesty is my counter. At the same time discipline is their weakness. This means that if I make discipline my strength I begin to build even more momentum. I then slow….every….thing….down and I seek to clearly understand what is going on. Fast-talking and confusing issues is another tool of theirs. So I remove it from them by asking questions designed to help me methodically attempt to put their puzzle pieces together. I calmly ask for clarity on anything I don’t understand. One of my most effective phrases is: “Help me understand that better.” This allows me to hear them out if they are being honest or flush them out if they are being manipulative. Manipulators hate being made to make their stories, their viewpoints or their thinking make sense because they have carefully created story lines that make them appear. So when you slow them down, they get tangled in the loose ends of their stories and the advantage further shifts in your direction. This is because the only thing manipulators dislike more than not getting their own way is being caught in their act.

LocaLPassing.com The most comprehensive and timely

Death Notice Listing in the greater Providence area

Since lies are the manipulator’s friends that means that truth is their enemy. So seek truth. Use it. Stand for it. Because the light of truth has the same affect on the manipulator as the light of day has on the vampire. It repels and weakens them both. In time not only will they learn that lying to you is going to be a painful experience for them but they will also learn they can’t manipulate you and in that, you begin to define that your culture is one of honesty. In doing so you are making a clear statement to them and others that neither lying nor liars are accepted or acceptable. Hopefully they respond positively to your stand for integrity and you are able to help them to save their jobs. As you can imagine there is always more to learning how to become impervious to these workplace “vampires” who suck the energy, time and profits out of those very companies that fund their livelihood. But hopefully this information will give you a fighting chance against them. It sure works for me.

Jeffrey Deckman Capability Accelerators www.capabilityaccelerators.com

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Multitasking – Trendy but Risky!

Multitasking - Trendy but by Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro

Multitasking refers to performing several activities at the same time. It is trendy to see multitasking in a variety of job requirements. Nearly all of us can multitask with varying degrees of success. We may remember to get something on the way home while performing our job (but, we may forget!) President Lyndon Johnson had a television set made for the oval office with three picture tubes. Presumably, President Johnson watched the 3 major networks simultaneously. When Johnson heard his name (or saw his picture) he might have turned his attention to the network discussing him. We could have turned the dial on our TV between channels for a similar effect. Given the low content value of TV programs, we might not have missed much. Nonetheless, we would have missed important content (such as the word “not”) had it appeared on a channel we were not attending.

as small business owners, managers and employees, one obvious temptation is to try to perform many tasks in little time. At the other extreme there are some tasks that none of us can do simultaneously. For example, we cannot (try this) draw clockwise circles with our right foot while drawing a larger number “6” (starting from the top of the “6” and going to the bottom of the “6”) in the air with our right hand. The presence of irrelevant information can prevent us from performing successfully in the Stroop task. Say out loud the color of the following inks: Red, Yellow, Black, and Blue. You either performed this task very slowly or you read the word rather than naming the ink.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Multitasking – Trendy but Risky! | Small Business

Risky!

As small business owners, managers and employees, one obvious temptation is to try to perform many tasks in little time. Some tasks seem like they can be done safely and well simultaneously, but they really cannot. One such example particularly applicable to small business owners is having conversations on a cell phone while driving. While it is illegal to hand hold the phone (or to text) while driving in Rhode Island, it is legal to talk on a mounted phone. Unfortunately, it is unsafe to engage in a meaningful conversation while driving. When speaking on the phone we may be shifting attention similar to watching multiple TV channels simultaneously. While driving is the most important task, an interesting conversation may capture our attention (as the color names did in the Stroop task), and we may miss a critical occurrence on the road causing a very serious accident. Is it ever safe to have a cell phone conversation while driving? Probably yes, if you are on a deserted road with no other people or animals present. The conversation may help you to stay awake. You won’t find these conditions during the business day or business commuter hours in Rhode Island! The logic regarding cell phone usage while driving also applies to cell phone usage or other intense conversation while using hand or power tool which may cause harm if used improperly.

out of the box thinking lending Capital for all the right reasons THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY www.bdcri.com

401 351 3036

Turning to other tasks which we may be tempted to do “simultaneously,” you may be tempted to read while listening to a conversation. This might be OK if your name is called before critical points you need to focus on. If your name is called afterwards, you may have to ask what was actually said. Similarly, you may be page turning and get little useful information from your reading if you are attending to the conference call. So, be safe, be efficient, think carefully before multitasking and prioritize appropriately.

Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro Independent Consultant in Human Factors Learning and Human Resources

I would like to thank Industrial Consultant Dr. Margarita Posada for helpful comments

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Atrion Networking Corporation: A Rhode Island HPO

Atrion Networking Corporation: by André A. de Waal

Established in 1987, Atrion operates at the cutting edge of IT and business. The company specializes in the fusion of business and technology. Through building relationships with and focusing on its clients’ business goals, Atrion accelerates business productivity and satisfaction with full-scale customized technology solutions, including consultation, project management, manufacturer certified training, carrier services, telephony, software & application services, equipment procurement, local and wide area networks, managed services and digital, and interactive and mobile media design. The personal and professional workshops given by the company, as well as the industry publications and published articles written by Atrion’s staff exemplify the passion and commitment of Atrion to its clients and the industry. As a result, Atrion has been growing steadily and was named the Best Place to Work by Providence Business News in 2010 and 2011, and a Fast 50 Company to Watch and Fastest Growing Private Company in 2009. We wanted to see this first hand. HPO Diagnosis at Atrion We had the opportunity to visit Atrion headquarters while conducting global research on High Performance Organizations (HPOs) for my new book “What Makes a High Performance Organization: Five Validated Factors of Competitive Advantage that Apply Worldwide” just published by Global

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Professional Publishing. An HPO is an organization that achieves financial and non-financial results that are exceedingly better than those of its peer group over five years or more, by focusing in a disciplined way on that which really matters to the organization. Over a period of five years, we’ve conducted research into what makes an HPO. This has included a review of 292 studies into business high performance and excellence, a personal survey of close to 2500 organizations spanning the globe, and the collection of numerous in-depth case studies of high performing

companies representing nearly every continent. Through this research, we’ve determined the HPO Framework— a conceptual, scientifically validated structure that practitioners can use for deciding how to improve organizational performance and make it sustainable. For our review of Atrion, we collected data through our HPO questionnaire and interviews. We concentrated on two questions: What makes Atrion great? And, where could Atrion improve so it would not only remain an HPO but actually increase its HPO status?

Atrion’s greatness revealed itself in five areas. The first is Atrion’s service model, which strongly focuses on longterm partnering with clients. Tim Hebert, Atrion’s Chief Executive Officer, explains: “We believe that the term client implies that we have a responsibility to protect individuals that choose to do business with Atrion. When we talk about client focus and client relationship, it comes down to the core values of the company. Therefore we say: when debating a choice, your values are your compass; and you will always choose in the best interest of the client. If the client is successful, it follows that Atrion will be too.” This strong client focus delivers: many companies have been with Atrion since 1987. The second area is Atrion’s strong people focus. The company makes a conscious effort to grow people from within. This starts from the hiring process in which people with ambition are hired. Then all people are trained to become well-rounded leaders. Hebert explained: “We have a rigorous hiring process that focuses extensively on the content of the character of the individual that we wish to employ.” Interestingly, everybody, whether in a managerial position or not, receives leadership training. Atrion also features substantial coachingon-the-job and formal development programs, empowering their people to shape their own career. Thirdly, Atrion has developed a strong culture based on a value set of empathy, honor, integrity, trust, and especially openness. According to Chief Operating Officer Michelle Pope, “You cannot have

Atrion Networking Corporation: A Rhode Island HPO | Small Business

A Rhode Island HPO an open-door policy if the managers are not engaged, sitting bent down over their desks in their offices. Therefore Atrion does not have offices, even the office of our chief executive officer is an open space where everybody can walk in. You will never see managers walking down the hallway without saying “Hi”’ to the persons they pass.” Fourthly, Atrion emphasizes the quality of the services it provides. As Melissa Delprete, Director of Marketing, says, “We focus on quality, not on cash.” Managers and employees constantly communicate about how and where they could improve. This calls for a rigorous focus on strategic performance management in which Atrion’s critical success factors and performance indicators are charted and passed on to everyone in the organization. Furthermore, the organization recognizes and rewards performance with small bonuses, honorable mentions, and prizes such as a parking space right in front of the entrance for the month’s best employee (who is chosen by fellow employees). Finally, Atrion strives to be recognized as a thought leader in the industry. The company does this by offering leadership courses free of charge to clients and suppliers – who welcome this with open arms – and by developing ‘thought leader’ concepts in order to get players in the sector thinking and improving so that everyone’s clients were given a better service.

Point of Sale Solutions

What’s Next for Atrion? Predictably, Atrion did not rest on the laurels of the HPO diagnosis. Instead, Atrion took cues and ideas from the evaluation to improve. For instance, Atrion’s chief executive officer had a clear image of the future of Atrion and how it could be achieved, but that vision was not yet being shared with and embraced by the other managers and employees. Sometime later we caught up with Tim Hebert, who revealed that Atrion had fully committed to the idea, implementing a monthly full-day strategy session starting in April 2011 for all senior Atrion leaders. This meeting, called COMPASS, consists of three components: Strategic Education, Harvard Business Review Case Study work, and a Vision Strategy and Execution discussion. Not stopping there, “We also launched a monthly half-day strategy session for team leaders and leaders,” says Tim. “Simultaneously, we began a rigorous process of developing mid-level leaders as well as hiring some seasoned mid-level leaders. Upgrading leadership skills at this level gives our senior levels more time to be strategic. We are already seeing great results.”

We Install and Service Point of Sale Systems for any Restaurant or Retail Business. Credit Card Services Available

A True HPO One of the most difficult skills for any company, even an HPO, is the ability to commit to continuous improvement and renewal. But here we see that true HPOs, like Atrion, constantly seek feedback and ways to progress, and will take immediate and strong action to improve themselves.

Call 401-255-6522 for more information or visit www.POSinetPOS.com

André A. de Waal Academic Director High Performance Organization Center in the Netherlands

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | ASICS

the people seeking treatment. Removing worldly worries and stresses of the patients made them more receptive to treatments once they were admitted to the temple. Sometimes this process took days.

ASICS

“anima sana in corpore sano” a healthy soul in a healthy body by Tim Sullivan

The Latin phrase “Anima sana in corpore sano” (ASICS) represents the goal of any successful wellness program today. As businesses look to workforce wellness programs to slow the growth of health insurance costs, and realize productivity gains that result from healthier employees; the question arises, “What is the best design for a wellness program for my business?” Because there are dozens of approaches a business might take, it is sometimes best to look at history to help solve modern problems. Much of western civilization is built on the accomplishments of ancient Greek and Roman societies, who thrived in part due to their emphasis on a balanced approach to wellness. The lifestyle captured by the spirit of ASICS allowed those societies to thrive intellectually, militarily, commercially, and

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

artistically. Nothing exemplified their balanced approach to wellness better than the hundreds of healing temples dedicated to the Greek God of healing Asclepius (later adopted by the Roman culture as well) that dotted the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean as far back as 450 BC. The Asclepian healing temples were where early physicians gathered and practiced their healing arts. Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine, learned his craft in an Asclepian temple on the island of Kos. Today’s medicine is highly focused on the physical body, drugs and surgery for treatment of ailments. Asclepian temples approached healing by treating the spirit and the soul along with the body for maximum benefit. There was an elaborate entrance ritual to the temple that deliberately slowed down the lives of

Once inside, you engaged in activities that touch your mind body and spirit. Temple staff would guide you to different activities to engage in or foods to eat as part of your experience/treatment. Activities could include listening or playing music, engaging in some physical activity, taking a long walk, meditating, or eating a particular diet. Inside the temple there were organized debates to engage the mind, or plays to entertain and inform. At the end of the day you would be encouraged to relax, reflect on your days activities, and just before falling asleep ask the gods for a healing dream. The dreams from this reflection were deemed important to the healing process.

work hard, but take time to get your exercise, nutrition and recreation with your loved ones. Those who were healed at the Temple would return home with renewed energy, vitality and enthusiasm for life that was missing when they went there. I’m not suggesting that we replace hospitals with destination spas where you hang out in a toga debating existence. The

Tim Sullivan Life-Panel www.well-track.com

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano | Small Business

point is that there is some merit to getting away from the stresses of everyday life and re-grounding oneself. Appreciating nature and art and music, exercise for fun, eat new and healthy food, try fasting; praying or meditating; experiencing a completely different place and people; learning something new. Incorporating some of these suggestions into your life can really help round it out; in the process your health will undoubtedly improve as a result of the experience! Balance your life. Work hard, but take time to get your exercise, nutrition and recreation with your loved ones.

PERFECT HARMONY BroadSign added this FREE GOGOMOBILE DEAL OR AD from

Any of their 30,000 screen

from 6 August 12:01 AM to 6 Oct 11:59 PM Advertise on or own a BroadSign and/or a GoGo-Screen? Well, for the next 90 days you can get a deal or an ad placed in GoGo Cast’s New Rewardingly Addictive App, GoGoDeals ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!!

There are some lessons that might help the modern business promote the greatest amount of wellness among their employees. Encouraging employees to: •

• • • •

• •

Take vacations to places they’ve never been before can be very relaxing and rejuvenating to the body and soul. Start a hobby that they’ve always wanted to Take a class in something…anything that interests them Try joining a meditation group Take a new exercise class at their gym, trying something new can add some fun to the weekly exercise regimen Set exercise goals and meet them Isolate sources of stress in your life and work to remove them or alleviate them from your life.

An effective wellness program can be very simple or complex. The simplest versions focus on diet, exercise, habits and rest. More complex versions incorporate spirituality into the mix.

INTRODUCING AMERICA’S #1 ADVERTISING DUO, ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!! in GoGo Cast’s New Rewardingly Addictive App, GoGoDeals Well, for the next 90 days you can get a deal or an ad placed Advertise on or own a BroadSign and/or a GoGo-Screen?

AND

SCREENS

from 6 August 12:01 AM to 6 Oct 11:59 PM from

Any of their 30,000 screen

FREE GOGOMOBILE DEAL OR AD

The Rhode Island Business Journal is excited to introduce our newest media partner, GoGo Cast. This Rhode Island based organiation is a leading on-demand, location based digital media company providing real-time HD digital news, information and advertising displays in hundreds of high traffic retail locations across the state. (GoGo Screens) In addition, RISBJ and GoGo Cast are proud to present GoGo Cast’s newest rewardingly addictive mobile platform, GoGo Mobile. GoGo Mobile provides business with a unique promotionl solution that delivers real-time highly relevant information directly to ther consumer when they want through a mobile BroadSign added this

application. GoGo Mobile complements GoGo Screens marketing solution by providing them with the ability to extend their reach from within the store, directly to the consumer. Businesses can easily create ads and deals on both the app and the screens, easily supply them to a market audience and/or target locations, and redeem all the benefits from advertising on these two advertising powerhouses. This partnership will provide RISBJ with additional reach in the digial media market statewide.

SEE YOUR PRODUCTS IN:

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Real-Time Marketing Small Business | Real-Time Marketing

by Dave Marcello

The pace at which information travels nowadays is astounding and, at times, even overwhelming. We’ve gone from neighborly conversations at the local watering hole to snail mail to email to chat forums and now to social media channels that allow us all to act as content creators and broadcasters. In a moment’s notice, trends are instantaneously established and then rapidly swept to the side for new ones (anyone remember Rebecca Black’s “Friday”?!). If it feels like there’s a new Internet meme or Twitter trending topic every other day, that’s probably because there is! Frightening as it may seem, this new world order presents an exciting opportunity for nimble and bold brands. Real-time marketing, as we call it, involves capitalizing on existing largescale buzz with topical promotions. Whether it’s the Super Bowl, the Royal Wedding or an unexpected heat wave in January, any moment that captures attention is worth your consideration for piggy backing. Some brands actually earmark discretionary funds in their annual budgets for “reactionary marketing efforts” such as this.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

The two most important factors leading to success in this arena are flexibility and timing. Flexibility means you cultivate a culture of openness and readiness to react to buzz-worthy events in creative ways. Consistently keeping your finger on the pulse of the topics your target market is paying attention to is a must. Timing is truly everything – if you’re not quick to develop plans and execute them, the tidal wave of attention will be gone before you can take advantage of it. This is a prime reason why small businesses are in an advantageous position when it comes to fast action. Less corporate red tape opens the door for effective real-time marketing. Check out these examples and guiding principles for some inspiration: • You can still have an impact without physically being there. There are plenty of big-time events that you won’t be able to attend in person, but that shouldn’t disqualify them from your real- time marketing efforts. A word of mouth agency wanted to connect with attendees of the South by Southwest tech conference, so it produced a pre-event infographic, “Guide To Awkward Conversation Starters”.

• Major sports don’t have to cost major bucks. During the March Madness basketball tournament, a Chicago bar takes advantage of its huge street-facing windows by painting updated brackets every day on them. In a bout of ambush marketing, Paddy Power, an online betting service, advertised its association with the “biggest event in London” this summer...a spoon-and-egg race it created in London, France. • Date-specific buzz allows for oneoff themed events. When a rumor was working its way around the Internet about the world ending on 10/21/11, a minor league hockey team in Las Vegas ran a “Rapture Night” promotion, complete with a “final confessions” booth. • Show your brand’s personality (especially when it involves humor!). In response to all the potentially unhappy voters during the current presidential election, JetBlue is running an “Election Protection” promotion that gives away 1,000 one-way international flights to those on the losing side that threaten to “leave the country if my presidential choice doesn’t win!” • Be the hero. Listening is great. Action is better. Real-time action is the best. When Taco Bell heard that a small town in Alaska, located 400 miles from the nearest chain restaurant, was duped by a mischievous prankster into believing a restaurant was opening up locally, it sprung into action. Even though the brand had nothing to do with the silly hoax, it provided over 2,500 pounds of free food to the residents as a result. • Provide useful value. BuzzFeed, a social content curation site, created “Unpolitic.me”, a Google Chrome

Keeping Fit at the Office | Small Business

extension that replaces all that unwanted political talk in your Facebook and Twitter feeds with cat pictures. As relatable and exciting as real-time marketing can be, it can also easily backfire if you’re not careful. On the heels of the devastating Superstorm Sandy, two clothing retail brands made major social blunders. American Apparel launched a “SANDYSALE” promotion (“in case you’re bored during the storm”, the ad read) and Gap encouraged those affected to stay safe and “do a little shopping on Gap.com”. Both were met with plenty of backlash from consumers, forcing at least one to immediately apologize. Use common

the two most important factors leading to success in this arena are flexibility and timing sense and empathy when considering an approach like this – natural disasters and events that have potentially dangerous or even sensitive impacts should probably be avoided. Unless, of course, you can help those affected, as Duracell did when it drove its disaster-relief vehicles to NYC to provide free charging stations and flashlight batteries. Keep those eyes peeled and creative juices flowing so you can spot the next opportunity to capitalize on real-time marketing for your brand.

Dave Marcello Chief Disruptor DISRUPTIVE

Keeping Fit at the Office As a former desk jockey, I understand the pain and hopelessness of an 8 to 10 hour day seated in squeaky chairs, wearing e-leashes, while baking under rays of fluorescent lighting. However, this doesn’t have to preclude one from having a healthy and active lifestyle. If you follow the tips below, you’ll feel more alive and will likely be more productive; perhaps creating more free time to be spent in the great outdoors! Get direct sunlight whenever possible Leave your phone at your desk and walk detached for 5 to 10 minutes Go outside and walk while returning calls or voicemails Schedule walking meetings instead of doing lunch Always take the stairs (hit them hard if you’re already in good shape)

by Ryan McGowen

Do pushups and squats when nobody is looking

Do a few yoga poses when nobody can see or hear you Tell everyone you work with you’re trying to live healthier and get some of them to join you! Become the coordinator of your next corporate bonding event! Doing something from a group walk, adventure race, Tough Mudder (if you’ve got some ambitious colleagues), etc. will boost morale and give you some fresh water cooler material! Although the office is not the ideal environment to spend 40+ hours of your week, our bodies are resilient. We can offset unnatural habits by making an effort to move. Keep in mind that activity is cumulative. If you can only squeeze in 5 minutes at a time, but can do it a few times a day, you’re “hitting your numbers” as they say!

Find a reason to get up at least once every 30 minutes

Ryan McGowen Owner Laid Back Fitness

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Leave That Google Review Alone!

leave that google review alone! by Chris Sheehy

Your business is adored by its customers but be careful with sharing their Google reviews. Picture this... Your business receives a glowing review from one of your adoring customers, so good in fact that as you sit atop your building overlooking the city below, you think to yourself - you couldn’t have written it any better. The suns warming rays are shining thru a double-rainbow, trees are dancing, and the animals are all your friends now... you are in a very happy place indeed. So after a few hours of basking in your glorious self, you scrape that review from Google and paste it to your website so everyone else can see your awesomeness. Yep - I’ve been here before too. No doubt, it’s a good place to be. You should be proud that your customers thought enough about your business to slow themselves down and share their experience as a Google review. This is certainly worthy of celebration! However, did you know that you just diluted the marketing potential of that review by

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

posting it on your website? Yep - you did. Moreover, if (when) Google sees that it has been duplicated on your website, they just might remove it from their index. “Duplicate” being the operative word here. While the practice of repurposing your wickedness (Wicked in a good way - it’s a New England thing) has been the standard for years, Google recently (last week actually) made the statement that duplication of their reviews would constitute “duplicate content” (See what Google has to say about it here - ) - for which they assess penalties, like reducing your ranking on their search engine. So in effect - you just innocently broke the rules. Don’t beat yourself up about it though; it’s not easy to keep up with Google’s twice-a-day changes to their algorithm - admittedly, even for the pros. I suggest you take a good look at the testimonials and reviews you have shared on your website and think long and hard about the ones shared from Google. Sometimes it’s best not to share...

< learn more Chris Sheehy Sidewalk Branding Co. www.sidewalkbranding.co

PTIN Renewal Period Underway | IRS Tip

PTIN Renewal Period Underway for More Than 2,500 Rhode Island Tax Professionals; Registered Tax Return Preparer Candidates Urged to Schedule Tests by Peggy Riley

Boston…The Internal Revenue Service is reminding the nation’s 730,000 federal tax return preparers, including more than 2,500 from Rhode Island, that they must renew their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs) for 2013. Also, preparers who have a competency test requirement should take the time now to schedule an appointment for the exam. Anyone who is a paid federal tax return preparer must register with the IRS and have a PTIN, as must all Enrolled Agents. Additionally, some return preparers have new continuing education and competency test requirements. “We ask that you renew your PTIN as soon as possible to avoid a last-minute rush. It’s easy to let this slip as the holiday season approaches,” said Carol A. Campbell, Director, IRS Return Preparer Office. “And, if you have a testing requirement and haven’t yet scheduled an appointment, please do so at the same time.” The online PTIN renewal process takes about 15 minutes. Renewed PTINs will

be valid for calendar year 2013. The IRS also has significantly upgraded the PTIN system to make it easier to use and more intuitive. Preparers who have forgotten their log-in information, password, or email address can use online tools to resolve these issues. Get started at www.irs.gov/ptin. New continuing education and testing requirements also apply to approximately 340,000 preparers who previously had no such requirements. These preparers must certify when renewing their PTIN for 2013 that they have completed the 15-hour requirement for continuing education in 2012. Learn more about the 2012 continuing education requirement at www.irs.gov/taxpros/ce. Additionally, preparers with a testing requirement should schedule their tests, whether it is the Registered Tax Return Preparer (RTRP) test or the more extensive Special Enrollment Exam (SEE) for those interested in becoming Enrolled Agents. Compare the tests

and credentials at www.irs.gov/taxpros/ tests. The RTRP test can be scheduled online through the PTIN system by selecting “next steps and additional requirements” from the PTIN account Main Menu. The SEE can be scheduled online at www.prometric.com/see. Preparers who wait until next year to schedule a test may find it difficult to arrange the test at a convenient date, time and location. Enrolled Agents, Certified Public Accountants and attorneys are exempt from the new continuing education requirements because they already pass more extensive tests and take continuing education courses to satisfy their professional credentials. For more information about requirements for federal tax professionals, go to www. irs.gov/for-Tax-Pros.

Peggy Riley Media Relations Internal Revenue Service

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

featured story

Betaspring

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

‘Secret Sauce’ for Startup Success by Melissa Withers Betaspring Chief of Staff // Nerdwhisperer

In November, the Betaspring team watched with pride as the 13 startups participating in our fall accelerator program presented to a sold-out crowd of investors, mentors and partners from across New England. This is always a bittersweet moment--it’s thrilling to see our companies rise so far, so fast, but in the weeks following the conclusion of the program, I always miss the intense, day-today moments we share while in the trenches of the 12-week session. www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

FEATURED STORY | BETASPRING

The wistful, “day after” feeling we and our companies experience after the conclusion of the program is important: it’s proof that we’ve created deep, effective relationships with the startups we serve. It’s the secret sauce in our recipe for startup success. Betaspring is focused on high growth, technology driven startups. We use a 12-week, full immersion model, providing our companies with $12-$20K in seed capital, intense mentorship and workspace in an active startup community. Our year round program is run by full time staff. We have two sessions per year, one in spring and one in fall. Even when we are not in active session, Betaspring is working with our alumni, recruiting companies and building our network. Being focused on our companies 12 months a year allows us to customize our services and find the right resources for each company. We’re entrepreneur led and entrepreneur driven. Our programming is designed, developed and delivered by people

who have started multiple companies. We understand the highs and lows that our founders face and have been navigating the high seas of new venture creation for over a decade. We take a stand on issues that matter to startups. Startups--and the founders who drive them--don’t typically materialize out of thin air. They evolve. This is why we focus on being active in the startups across New England and participants in national conversations about what it will take for America to launch more startups, faster (visit our blog at betaspring.com to see what we’re focused on). We have a 24/7 galactic headquarters that includes private and shared office space for our companies. We also run a co-working community for startups that includes many of our alumni companies. Experience has taught us that nothing is more powerful to

Betaspring Fast Facts •

Founded in 2009

•

57 companies accelerated to date; $20M in capital

•

In 2012, Betaspring expanded to two sessions per year

•

Betaspring companies receive seed capital, intense mentorship, workspace at Betaspring HQ, immersion into a startup community and access to Betaspring’s mentor and alumni network.

•

24/7 facility with private and shared workspace

•

Run by full time staff with deep experience in technology entrepreneurship

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

a startup than being immersed in a community of entrepreneurs. As a bonus, we offer 10 weeks of free office space to our companies after the accelerator wraps and we run activities to enhance our companies’ growth. It’s like 2 accelerators for 1. Providence, and really all of Rhode Island, plays a major role in our success--it is the ecosystem our startups flourish in while they are with us, and it’s a great place to build a start up. We’re like The Brooklyn of Boston, connected to a world class metro but unique in many ways. Startup costs are low, the community is supportive, quirky and proud of it, and Providence is perfectly positioned in the northeast corridor, one of the richest, most populous and diverse places in the US. Since 2009, Betaspring has accelerated 57 companies. Our companies have raised $20M in follow on funding and we had our first major acquisition in early 2012. And even though we just launched the fall companies, it’ll be time to do it all again when we kick off our 6th session on February 11. You can read more about us on our website at betaspring.com. Our companies come from all across the country to participate in Betaspring and many stay after completing the program. The 13 companies that participated in our fall session well-represent the diversity of our portfolio. They are:

BETASPRING | FEATURED STORY

AutoBikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s automatic shifting bicycle creates the smoothest, most comfortable riding experience ever. No shifting, just fun. Crunchbutton curates the top food items from the top restaurants within a community, so you can order favorites online and on your phone with just one button. Brought to you by the creators of One Button Wenzel, the cult phenomenon that sold over $60K of a single sandwich at Yale.

All photos from the event were taken by Cat Laine of Painted Foot www.paintedfoot.com

Greentape uses sensors and a mobile app to calculate shopper intent, tracking their interests, movement, and in-store location to i n s t a n t l y provise offers and loyalty points via smartphone. HealthID Profile is a mobile solution that works with unique medical ID bands to offer simple, chronic disease management tools coupled with emergency communication. Kuratur lets social media users filter out the noise and keep track of only the people, conversations and topics they care about. Pennant is a powerful ad creation tool that enables ad agencies to create interactive advertisements, delivered via advertising networks to desktops, phones, and tablets.

create an itinerary and start group planning with your friends and family. Rootless is a ridesharing community that safely connects passengers and drivers to get them where they want to go. Scholrly makes it easy for companies to find and collaborate with researchers. Fostering collaboration between academia and industry unlocks the value of billions of dollars of research that goes unseen and unused. TennisHub connects tennis players with high quality playing opportunities while providing tennis clubs with powerful tools like online booking to help them grow their business. TouchVu allows small businesses to instantly turn their Facebook business pages into websites that are fully optimized for mobile phones, tablets, and PCs. Umbie DentalCare is a webbased management solution for dental practices that provides all the functionality that a modern dental practice needs while meeting the HITECH law requirements. WorldBrain enables more students to travel the world than ever before. GoWorldBrain.com serves as a teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salesperson, marketer and accountant to double the chances of a trip taking place.

Plandree is a collaborative vacation planner that helps you discover incredible experiences and makes planning easy. Simply www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | 21 Point Checklist for Your Website and Social Imprints

21 Point Checklist for Your Website and Social Imprints by Lisa Buben

Now that you have your website or blog up for a while how often do you check it? The other day I was on a social website and realized one of our logos was an old one. It got me thinking - How often do you check your website / blog and social imprints? Google likes freshness and you should change your website often or at least part of it (like the blog). If it is an extensive website how often do you check all the pages? Here are some tips for things to check from time to time. The “About You” Page – Over time you will want to update this as things change. You may have “ABC” in business for 2 years but it may now be 3 or 4 years. Time to update! The FAQ Page – You have one right? Frequency Asked Questions. As time goes on and you do receive questions from questions. It signals a great time to update that page. If you are selling through your website, the less asked questions will bring more time for sales to happen. Your Links to Social Sites – Are you still on those social websites? Are your logos updated there? Have you been active or left it and forgot it? Also check your bio and other pertinent info on those sites. Did you get rid of a line of product and it is still listed on another site? Oh yes, that can happen easily. Keywords – Are your keywords still relevant today? Are people still finding you through

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

them or is it to refresh them too? Google has a great keyword tool you can use for free to check. (it is in Google adwords) Video’s – Are your video formats still working live? There have been some changes with formatting so you may want to be sure your videos still play and are not missing from the page. Resource Page – If you have a resource page be sure those businesses/listings are online still and do not produce a dead link for you. Dates – Do you have dates on your website for stock or other areas? They too may need an update and can catch you off guard. I sometimes will do a search for “out of stock” to check on those or by name of a month. Ads – Do your ads still go to the proper place? No need to add more broken links to your sites because of an ad. If they ad has an offer, is it still good? Blog Comments – Have you approved or replied to your comments on the blog? Check to be sure you haven’t forgotten one. (Another easy thing that can slip by you) Testimonials – Have you had someone thank you for service or product? Have you included it in your testimonial? They may not always come easy so be sure to add them when they do.

Duplicated Content – This has become a big NO-NO to Google now. It can really wreak havoc on your site in search. You can check via Copygator.com or Plagiarisma.net which allows you 5 FREE checks per day. (This is really important if you had guest bloggers do a blog post for you – they may have used one from another place they submitted on the web.) Facebook Cover – Did you update it for last season and have not since updated it? Time to make a change over there. Some Facebook pages change weekly or with the season. You may want to think ahead and make images for the upcoming seasons. The size is 831 x 315 pixels. If you don’t have access to Photoshop you can use PicMonkey for free to design yours. Twitter Profiles – Have you converted your Twitter design to the new profile image? You will need to upload a custom image that is 1252 x 626 pixels. You will have more room for copy but it looks best if you don’t totally fill it up. You may want to simplify the background too with this new image. Give yourself 15-30 minutes to update once you have your new image so you can preview and play around. LinkedIn – When have you been there to update? They too have made changes and offer a new look for companies. You can add all your products to LinkedIn to showcase them. Google Plus – Have you made your business page yet or converted from the Google Places? If you have made one you may want to update your images there as well. You can also add a lot of info with links from there. And add some along the way as things will change. Pinterest – Did you start to pin and forgot about it? Pin away your updates. This social site has really given traction to some retailers. Food is a huge category as well as bridal and home. Be creative. Use some of your new images to pin.

21 Point Checklist for Your Website and Social Imprints | Small Business

Social Buttons – Are all your social buttons on your website or blog so readers can follow you? Be sure the links are working properly too. Are your share buttons still working? De-Clutter – Has your website or blog become cluttered since you first started? Clean it up! No one wants to read or buy from a cluttered website. Too many things flashing or too many ads can be overly distracting.

MOVING BUSINESSES The “Go To” Mover of Choice.... in the Southern New England Area.

Spelling – Spelling can get you every time. There is a site you can submit your website to and it will check for you. It is called Spellcheck.net/website-spellcheck/ They will email you the results.

google likes freshness and you should change your website often or at least part of it Have Someone Else Give It Look Another pair of fresh eyes can always find something different. Ask a friend, relative or business associate to give your site a quick look. Is Your Site Mobile? If you are using WordPress it is an easy fix, be sure to have a responsive theme. Mobile is no longer an option; it really is becoming a must for websites.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & A FREE ESTIMATE VISIT

GentryMoving.com

RI: (401) 233-2786 MA: (508) 656-2786 CT: (860) 821-2150

You can no longer just build a website or blog and forget about it. There are so many out there and fresh quality content has become king. Don’t get yours lost in the crowd.

Lisa Buben Fancy Scrubs www.fancyscrubs.com

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Engage In ‘Employee Relationships’

Engage In ‘Employee Relationships’ by Russell Irving

when was the last time that you asked the least paid employee if things were going okay for them?

Relationships! - Not the ones that you have with your customers, as important as they are. No, I refer to the relationships that your employees have with one another, with you, and even their relationships at home. “What? Their home life is none of my business! I tell them to leave any issues at their house, or at least at the doorway to work.” This is how many or most of you probably feel. Yet, Karl Wadensten, for one, wisely, feels otherwise. Karl is the owner of VIBCO, a R.I.-based manufacturer. He also was the host of the great talk show, The Lean Nation, heard on WPRV AM 790. Although it was a business-oriented talk show, Karl invited me to be a guest, multiple times, for the full hour. The topic: Relationships. We used my book, Improve Your Marriage – Don’t Overlook The Obvious as a basis for discussions. Wise employers know that employees don’t often leave their personal life at home. They know that problems with family often impact a worker’s job performance. And, they wisely know that many of the principles guiding a

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

successful marriage are ones that guide a successful workplace. For example, ‘Do you allow them to earn your respect?’ - How often do you criticize an employee for not being an effective and creative problem solver, when you have verbally set limits on their ability to independently resolve problems? Or, what about, ‘How often do you ask them about their day and actually listen to their response’? - When was the last time that you asked the least paid employee if things were going okay for them? Did they need new equipment? Was there a problem with a customer or co-worker? And, did you actually show them that you listened to what they said? ‘Children know when their parents are faking it.’ - Your staff knows when you are giving them false compliments. Or simply giving lip service to their concerns. ‘Help them to realize that you will stand by them, if they try a new endeavor, giving it all of their might, yet they still fail.’ - Do

you stand by your workers or tear them down when their idea fails to yield the desired results? While you don’t necessarily need to provide an employee assistance program or on-site counseling, you do need to be sensitive to a worker’s emotional state or issues at home. For example, if their spouse has cancer, and just began treatment, then ask how it is going. Offer to lighten their workload for the day, unless they want to be kept unusually busy. Obviously, I could go on and on! The reality is that you need to be in tune with the relationships staff have at work with you and their co-workers. You need to be in tune to their moods, coming from home. (Whether positive or negative.) Every business. I repeat, every business, is based to some extent on employee relationships. So, do yourself and the company a great favor: Treat your employees as though they are as valuable and ‘human’ as they are. ‘Nuff said.

Russell Irving Author, Consultant, Speaker and Instructor www.ExpressYourselfHere.com

21 Point Checklist for Your Website and Social Imprints | Small Business

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Effective Communication: Strategic & Nimble!

Effective Communication: Strategic & Nimble!

1. Do your homework. That work not only means you must know your subject matter, but it’s also always best to literally take time to rehearse. Ask anyone who has ever been interviewed the importance of this step. Even though they’re experts and very knowledgeable, it’s always beneficial to “speak before you speak”. Rehearsing will ensure that you don’t stumble on your words, AND it will help “put you at the scene” prior to actually arriving. I’m not suggesting you memorize every word. But rehearsing will help you deliver a clear message AND help you get back on track quickly when your conversation or presentation gets off course.

by Donna Mac

Navigating your communication skills is like navigating your business. While you must be strategic in your planning, you also must be nimble. That means, ready to adjust your sails, sometimes in a momentʼs notice. This is especially true when you experience a drastic shift in conditions.

How best to be both strategic and nimble? Basic communication skills are always imperative. Combine those with the intuitive skills of understanding the mindset of the people you’re speaking with as well as the energy surrounding your conversation, and you’ve got the recipe for healthy, productive communication. When preparing to communicate with a new group or individual, the following is a quick checklist to consider first. It will help to ensure that how you plan to move forward is well thought-out, AND you’re feeling well enough about your potential interaction that you’ll be able to confidently and swiftly readjust when the time arises. Guaranteed it will!

2. Know your Goals. Are you trying to sell something, build a relationship or just educate your audience? Knowing this will help you “build a story” that’s compelling and succinct. It will also enable you to anticipate what kind of questions your audience might have when the time comes for you to deliver. If you understand your goals, you’ll be better able to “start at the end” which is what any great communicator does. So before an important conversation or presentation, always ask yourself, “What are the important take-aways from this upcoming interaction?” In fact, that’s a good way to begin! Once you know your goals, share them in a relaxed and confident style with your audience. 3. Know yourself. It’s a fact that people pay more attention to non-verbal communication than they do verbal. So make sure you head into meetings well groomed and with consistently healthy energy (good posture, great eye contact) so you don’t have to spend any time concerning yourself with those things later. If you know you’re the type of person who might tense up while speaking, just be cognizant of that fact and check in with yourself from time to time without losing focus of your audience. Breathing and slowing down just a bit always helps communication flow better. That’s a tool you can tap into without anyone in the room taking notice. 4. Know Your Audience. Get as much insight into who you’ll be communicating with prior to your meeting. Once you find out, you’ll be much better able to plan how your upcoming interaction can be utilized for everyone’s benefit. What matters to a group of doctors is certainly different than what matters to a roomful of gourmet chefs. But the important thing is that you’ve taken time to figure out what matters to them! They will intuitively know it and feel it, and THAT is the foundation toward excellent communication with anyone. If you’re speaking with someone you consider of great importance, remember we all, every one of us, have strengths and vulnerabilities. Work to find common ground. It’s there to be found. We all need to plan and focus when we communicate. That helps expedite everyone’s time as we work to build

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Effective Communication: Strategic & Nimble! | Small Business

relationships for ourselves and our companies. But if that’s all we do, we haven’t brought forth the most important factor in the communication equation: Relatability! Being nimble means being yourself and not someone who sounds scripted and controlled. It’s someone who can deviate from the core conversation, speak from their head and heart and then make sure their points have been well made and well received. If you’re speaking before a crowd and sensing that you’re losing your audience, the best course of action is to pause and ask the all-important question, “How am I doing?” or “Am I speaking too fast?” If you think the energy of your audience is decreasing, don’t automatically assume it’s because of something you said. We’re all doing our best to stay present to the countless details of our lives and businesses. You just might need to interject “something different” like an off-beat story or something to make them laugh. Adding those elements every few minutes will supply energy to content that’s monotonous, dry or just new.

once you know your goals, share them in a relaxed and confident style with your audience As the great communicator and playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place”. So if you’re wondering, ask!

There are plenty of business people who can state the facts, deliver the analytics and attempt to drive their listeners to action. But itʼs the speakers who share their knowledge while simultaneously and nimbly putting themselves in their listeners’ shoes who stand out from the crowd and are appreciated, respected and remembered fondly. Why not be one of them?

ONE RESOURCE for all your voice & data needs.

Business Telephone & Voicemail Systems Security Cameras & Access Control Structured Cabling Computer Network/Servers

With over 25 years of experience, CTI has successfully become the one technology resource for hundreds of businesses. We are a one-stop one-resource technology provider. This makes your life easier to manage your IT budget and support costs. Experienced professionals that work together for you.

Are you Moving… Expanding… Upgrading? Call today for a free quote. Mention this ad and get 10% off.

401.737.5300 / www.computertelephone.biz Donna Mac Owner DMacVoice & Media

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | 5 Creative Ways To Give Back To the Community!

5 Creative Ways to Give Back to the Community by Adam Harvey

Every small business owner knows how important it is to give back to the community. It’s a perfect way to engage with the folks around you, plus it’s great for PR and goes a long way toward securing customer loyalty. But not every business can afford to donate money. The good news is there are plenty of creative ways to give back that don’t cost much at all. Let’s take a look. Run a Facebook “like” drive for charity This one does several things at once. Not only will it get you more followers on Facebook, but it also promotes your favorite charity at the same time! Announce to your followers that if you reach a certain number of likes, you’ll donate a product or service to a charity. So, for example, if you’re a restaurant, you might donate food to a homeless shelter or open up to the homeless for an hour or two one day. Think of the warm and fuzzy PR and how good you’ll feel about helping out! Make sure to tell the local news about it too. You want to inspire your fellow business owners to step up and help out! Organize a volunteer day Organize a day when your whole team goes to volunteer somewhere. It could be anything from cleaning up a park for a couple of hours to walking dogs at the

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

animal shelter! A volunteer day is also a great team building activity. Bonding will inevitably take place through a shared experience that makes everyone feel good about themselves and the work they do. Organize a collection Have employees collect items to be donated. It could be a peanut butter drive to donate to a local food pantry (they always need peanut butter) or a backpack and school supply drive in August, or a coat drive in November. Maybe your whole team could sponsor a needy family during the holidays and each sign up to purchase an item from their wish list. This is also a great way to involve the friends and family members of your employees who’ll probably reach out to them for donations.

on a board can also help you practice your leadership skills in a different context, and it can help you build your reputation as an upstanding citizen in the community. Start a rumble Invite other businesses your size to compete with you in a donations race to see who can raise the most money.

you want to inspire your fellow business owners to step up and help out

Be on the board of a non-profit What a great way to donate your time while networking with local people who share your values and interests! Serving

Adam Harvey GLAD WORKS www.gladworks.com

Imagine the good-natured smack talking that can take place amongst the participating businesses on Facebook and Twitter! Plus, it’s a great way to cross promote and get to know other business owners in your area. These are only a few simple ideas that don’t take a ton of resources to pull off, but the benefits can be huge—especially in the way it makes you feel! It’s just good business.

When Did Your Problems Start? | Small Business

When Did Your Problems Start?

by Jaime G. Gamache

You don’t work out, so you get stiff and lose energy... You lose energy and get stiff so you don’t work out... So you don’t work out, lose energy and get stiff, etc. etc...  When did this start for you? For many people, working out or playing sports of some kind was at one point in our lives a regular practice. What changed? Was it the desk job that made you sit all day? Was it the kids that took the time you used to spend at the gym? Was it money? An injury or illness? Whatever it was, its here now and unless something changes, it’s here to stay. And it only gets worse. None of us are getting younger. But have you thought about how that affects your work? Your productivity? Or simply your quality of life? Here are some stats to consider:   •

Employees in poor health take 9 more days of sick leave over healthy employees

•

Employees in good health are 3 times more productive than employees in poor health

•

Employees that exercise on a daily basis are more alert during work hours and they are less likely to get tired during the workday

•

Healthy employees are able to concentrate more on their jobs and they make 60% fewer errors than employees in poor health

•

If an employee will exercise at least once a week, they will reduce their average number of sick days from 10 to 5

And it’s not easy. Working out is painful, your body enjoys a situation called homeostasis, and it really doesn’t want to change. Research shows that it takes six weeks of an activity for it to become a routine.

So what are you doing for the next month and a half? There’s a reason we idolize those with ripped abs and rippling muscles, it’s really hard to accomplish! There are a million reasons not to work out, but there are a couple of really good ones to start. So where do you start? You start by finding out where to start. If you were sick would you go to a doctor or just read about it in a magazine?  If your car blew a gasket would you take it to a mechanic or your buddy that can change his own oil?  If you needed a dress or a suit made, would you go to a tailor or just ask the guy that dresses well? You hire a trainer for their expertise. You find someone that has a degree and experience. Someone that really understands both what you’re looking for and what you may not know you need. The trainer that is well versed in physiology, kinesiology, nutrition, movement mechanics with a dash of psychology mixed in. You don’t hire a trainer because he or she looks good in a t-shirt or because they happen to have good genetics or played sports in high school or college. You don’t hire one who really, really likes to work out so they figure they’ll try it as a career or worse a burned out banker or lawyer that’s coming off a mid-life crisis. And you certainly don’t hire one that took a course online or went to a weekend seminar and claims they’re an “expert”. Money is tight for everyone these days. This is precisely the reason you should be able to think of your trainer as an investment or an education, so the value becomes more apparent. Your health has a premium, you might not know what it is yet, but if you take the time to care for it, you may develop a new appreciation for it.

Jaime G. Gamache, M.Ed., CSCS, USAW Owner and Head Strength Coach The Way Human Performance Institute

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | BYOD

Is BYOD Right For Your Business? by Lisa Shorr

Where are you reading this article? Are you in your office sitting among piles of paperwork and continuous distractions? Or are you sitting in a cozy coffee shop sipping a latte while taking a break from working on a presentation that is due tomorrow? If your answer was the latter, now tell me, how are you reading this article, in print or on an electronic device? If you said laptop, tablet or smartphone, you are among 81% of the population who use a personal electronic device for work-related functions. According to Juniper Research, there are approximately 150 million employeeowned smartphones and tablets used in businesses. Juniper Research predicts by 2014 the number to jump to 350 million! This booming trend, called BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has small business owners in a quandary. BYOD refers to allowing employees to bring their own devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablets to work for use accessing the corporate network. Should I jump on this bandwagon? What are the benefits and risks of allowing my employees to use their mobile devices for work? How can I protect my valuable data?

Before these questions can be answered, consider the following insights:

Employees Insights: Autonomy is key! BYOD allows the employee to decide for him or herself to use the personal the device they are most comfortable with. They have control of features and apps that they want to download. Studies show that this is a boom to employee morale. Productivity grows at Starbucks! The next time you enter a local Starbucks, look around at all of the customers with their noses camouflaged by their laptops. Thanks to BYOD, the new “mobile office” can be used anywhere around the globe providing the employee a wonderful flexibility free from office distractions and drama. This has proven to improve productivity!

Business Insights – know the realities: Celebrate lower overhead! Because employees are responsible for purchasing and maintaining their mobile devices, employers that allow BYOD will see a reduction in hardware purchase and maintenance costs.

Is your corporate data secure? Many mobile-based devices have security built in. However, many employees do not take the time to activate the autolock feature on their phones. What if the phone is lost or stolen? What if the employee leaves the company? Will your intellectual property be at risk? Businesses need to enforce a password policy for each phone and implement a remote wiping program to delete the data on a lost or stolen device. Maintaining many devices Although protecting corporate data is the number one concern when instituting a BYOD policy, maintaining multiple mobile devices can be challenging. The IT department’s job becomes more complicated because of the numerous devices and third party applications that will need to be supported.

look around at all of the customers with their noses camouflaged by their laptops There is no avoiding the BYOD insurgence. Increasing employee morale and productivity can surely outweigh the risks of adopting such a policy. Business owners need to assess their own risks and design a BYOD policy that incorporates both security measures, IT procedures for maintenance and an acceptable use policy. Now that you’ve gained some valuable insights about BYOD, go order another latte and get back to work!

Lisa Shorr PC Troubleshooters www.pctrouble.com

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Paper and Spice | Small Business

small business in the making:

paper and spice

Mihaela Hinayon has quite literally come a long way in just two short years - she’s moved from the Philippines to the U.S., gotten married, and gone from being a communications project manager at Pfizer in Hong Kong to an aspiring small business woman in Providence. But in the midst of all that change, there lies a common thread: the need to follow her passions and add a little spice to life. And she’s bringing those qualities together in her new business, Paper and Spice. Hinayon moved to the U.S. in March, 2011 to be with her fiancé, a Rhode Island native whom she met in a Hong Kong Pfizer management training program. Like most brides-to-be, she threw herself into planning every detail of the big day, and in the process discovered what would soon become not only her next obsession, but her new profession – designing and printing letterpress cards and prints.

How One Young Woman is Turning a Hobby into a Business That’s Hot Off the Press

“I was looking online for wedding invitations and saw an ad from AS220 for a letterpress class. I checked it out, and it turned out the class was the very next day and there was only one spot left,” she says. “It seemed like it was meant to be, so I signed up.”

by Laura Dunn

By the end of the four-session program Hinayon says she was hooked. “I had been inspired by so many other people in the class. I decided to make my own wedding invitations on the press and I was really happy with them.” And her small business venture was born. Now, about a year later, Hinayon is working hard to build her business, while also working as a managing editor for RI Style magazine. “I’m surrounded by pretty things,” she says. In addition to all the “pretty things” she encounters through her job, her background in designing creative marketing pieces for Pfizer as well as a brief stint running her own communications design business, DesignNine Media, has helped in giving her an artist’s eye. But turning out work on a manual printing press is a far cry from designing on a computer. For Hinayon, it’s a labor of love. “Letterpress printing and design is really a lot of work. Everything is manual, you have to apply each ink separately, so if you have a five-color design you have to run each piece 5 times, and it takes a half-hour to clean the press after each ink. But it’s got so much more dimension than designing on the computer; it’s about craftsmanship and it’s something that I really love to do.”

Laura Dunn Quill and Cursor

Hinayon’s Paper and Spice creations can be found at Psuedio Studio, a gallery in North Kingstown. Her new holiday collection was also featured in AS220’s Annual Holiday Sale in early December. But the holiday cards and her other timeless pieces can also be viewed and purchased anytime in her etsy store at paperandspice.com. www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Here A Crisis, There A Crisis

here a crisis,

there a crisis… by Nancy Thomas

Everywhere a crisis? The news cycle seems to take us from one crisis to another…. sometimes close to home, other times far away, but brought closer to us by the global, 24/7 news cycle. In an instant, with the red banner of “breaking news” we can be taken around the world to the site of a tsunami, a mass shooting, a devastating weather situation, or a salmonella outbreak. Usually, while the situation may touch our heart, it does not require us to take any corrective action. But one day, it may. And, if it did, would you, and your company, be ready? Will you have a tight plan already in place on how you will handle the insistent call from a reporter for a statement, the television camera outside your door, or at your home; the phones ringing, the emails stacking up, and the steady din of social media.

people will watch how you handle yourself under fire, and if you do it effectively, you will earn respect and admiration Do you remember any of these scenarios? A patient is the victim of wrong side surgery, and it’s not the first time this has happened. Customers with food poisoning from tainted seafood. The treasurer of an organization indicted for embezzlement. An employee’s spouse brings domestic abuse and violence into the office. A worker sustains an injury due to equipment failure. A teacher is arrested for DUI. A 100 year flood takes out an entire mall.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

These are all real occurrences in RI over the last few years. While they run the gamut in severity, they share one key element – there was a crisis unfolding, in a moment’s notice, and it was one person’s ultimate responsibility to know what to do. Words had to be written. A trained spokesperson had to be chosen. Legal consult had to take place. A position had to be decided upon. Internal communication needed to happen and it’s never fast enough, followed by rapid response to the external audiences. Ask yourself this: would YOU be ready? Do you have a Crisis Communication Plan? Is it up to date? Do you review it yearly? Here are some components you should think about so that you will be ready if something truly negative, big or small, comes your way. 1. Plan ahead. The time to plan for a crisis is before you have one. 2. Spokesperson. Usually, but not always, the CEO. And a backup spokesperson. Who will be the “face” of your company to the public, to your employees, and to the media? Who will stand with you, who are your allies? 3. Your crisis communications team. This team should have total access up and down the chain of command. 4. Your message. What you will say? How you will say it? Will you need specific, current documents? Audio visual such as photos, charts, printed materials, etc. Do you need video conferencing? 5. Control the conversation. Speak first to your inner audience to bring everyone on the same page. Develop a question and answer mechanism. Speak early and speak often. Never leave people wondering in silence – that is when assumptions get made, and usually they are wrong. 6. The media. You are at their mercy. Avoid “off the record” or reporter “exclusives” – these can be used, but you should have professional advice in doing so. A good PR person has trusted allies in the media, built over time and with experience. 7. More media… Remember, each media outlet has unique needs. Radio needs short soundbites. Television needs visual. Print will usually follow broadcast in deadline, and want more in depth, new information. Online media have their own needs, too. Showing knowledge and experience when dealing with the media positions you as professional in handling the situation. 8. Social media. Get on top of this quickly. You will want a brief statement acknowledging the issue, letting people know when they will hear from you again. Monitor the broader social media outlets – in today’s world, this is the easiest way for your issue to “go viral” in a matter of minutes. 9. Ethics. Usually, the most honest, the most transparent, the better. You will have to decide quickly on full disclosure, or not, and how will you state why not and when more information can be forthcoming.

Here A Crisis, There A Crisis | Small Business

10. After it’s over – it’s not over. Recovery planning and moving forward – the last step in your plan. 11. Remember, too, that crises aren’t always public – they can be wrapped around pending legislation, or a looming financial crisis, a possible union strike, etc. The percolating before the public exposure is still very much a crisis requiring planning. The last point I’d make about Crisis Communications Planning is you are not alone. There are experienced professionals to help you. Ideally, you already know who that person or firm is, and they will not have a learning curve to get to know you or your business – they will be able to jump in, fully accessible, and in a crisis that means 24/7, home phone, cell phone, immediate text messaging & email access, and right by your side.

be ready with your plan, your people, and tackle it head on, then move strategically forward

You don’t need to know everything. Car owners don’t need to know the difference between a valve and a piston. You rely on a trusted mechanic to help maintain your vehicle. Business owners don’t need to be tech savvy. We can be your trusted advisor, helping you make smart business decisions when it comes to technology. Let RCC help you: • Avoid the “Break-Fix” technology model • Maximize productivity and reduce downtime • Protect your business against security risks • Know when to let go of aging equipment • Choose effective options for upgrades and new technology purchases

Remember, a crisis is not something that happens only to someone else. Usually, it is not a question of if, but a question of when. Be ready with your plan, your people, and tackle it head on, then move strategically forward. People will watch how you handle yourself under fire, and if you do it effectively, you will earn respect and admiration from both your internal and external audiences. Remember the flooding of the Warwick Mall? A press conference standing knee high in water? Showing the awful damage. Telling it as it was, giving some sense of timeframe for rebuilding, one that no one wanted to believe was true; speaking to the welfare of the employees and how they would handle loss of wages, exterior signage with slogans heralding the rebuilding, an up to date website, immediate access, community visibility of the CEO, periodic radio interviews, and a celebration at every stepping stone in recovery. I can still remember the utter devastation, and the steady CEO in a suit and bright orange tie with the Governor and congressional delegation by his side. Some people just do crisis communications as second nature, and they get it all right.

Nancy Thomas President Tapestry Communications

RCC

Brilliant solutions for smart technology Visit us online at www.RCC-pcSupport.com 40 Nashua Street, Providence, RI 02904 401 272 9262 p 401 351 4002 f

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Quonset and Davisville Helping Rhode Island “Make it Happen”

Quonset & Davisville

creating jobs is vital to the future growth of our state. With some 60,000 Rhode Islanders unemployed -- the second highest unemployment rate in the country – the group focused on ways to create new jobs, and retain existing ones. With 168 companies, 8,800 jobs on site, and the Port of Davisville now the 7th largest auto importer on the continent, the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) works every day to move Rhode Island’s economy forward. Despite the fact that our nation was undergoing one of its worst financial periods in its history, 2,700 of those jobs were created since 2005, so we were eager to be a part of the Rhode Island Foundation’s initiative and offer our ideas on how to create a climate where more jobs can be created in our state.

HELPING

At Quonset, our efforts to grow jobs have been made possible by two main driving forces. First, we have invested close to $86 million in our top shelf infrastructure since 2005. Second, we are constantly seeking new ways to bring greater predictability to the planning of current and future tenants looking to grow here. The private sector has responded with investment of their own - $297 million in private investment made at the Park since 2005. In addition, we are more than 95 percent finished with the recent $22 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant improvements at the Port of Davisville, and we recently embarked upon a $7.5 million dredging project for the Davisville channel at no expense to taxpayers.

From a predictability standpoint, we can point to examples like the “Quonset Zone,” which was recently recognized by Grow Smart RI with their “Outstanding Smart Growth Policies & Plans Award.” This collaborative effort between the QDC and officials from the Town of North Kingstown, created a single zoning district designation assigned to the Quonset Business Park. Another key model is our Site Readiness program, which provides new businesses with permits and pre-engineered sites and was unveiled this spring by Governor Chafee. Last month, its first participant opened its doors with the completion of the new Wide World of Indoor Sports facility. The pre-permitting program was also chosen as the key model for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation’s “Rhode Island - Ready” initiative, being developed by the RIEDC’s Office of Regulatory Reform.

“Make it Happen” by Steven J. King, PE

Earlier this fall the Rhode Island Foundation brought together 300 individuals from our state’s private sector for a two-day program called “Make It Happen RI”. The event was designed to generate new ideas about how to stimulate the state’s economy. The goal would be achieved by creating a critical mass of “key doers and thinkers – true diversity across sectors, industries, generations, and areas of expertise and experience – to identify short-term private sector actions to rekindle the economy.” The Make It Happen RI initiative and the subsequent report produced by the Rhode Island Foundation represent an important step in addressing a universal concern for all of us. Simply put,

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

As some readers may know, the Rhode Island Foundation’s follow up Progress Report to the Make It Happen RI event keyed in on some of these efforts. Specifically, the report: •

Praises Quonset as “an example of a business development scheme that works” and it applauds our pre-permitting program, “so you can hand a package to anyone who is thinking of locating there.”

Quonset and Davisville Helping Rhode Island “Make it Happen” | Small Business

•

Emphasizes the importance of making it easier to register a business, and recommends looking at Quonset’s 90-day site-readiness program to address regulation reform.

•

Suggests that all permitting and regulatory processes be improved across the state, and that successful efforts to do so should be celebrated. As an example, it points to the Quonset Business Park.

•

Calls for continued efforts to “improve infrastructure in our ports.” At the Port of Davisville we’re addressing this with the recent $22.5 million in TIGER grant improvements and recently began a $7.5 million dredging project.

Over the past 15 years, auto-import activity at the Port of Davisville has quadrupled and the Port now supports 1,105 direct and indirect induced jobs. With the completion of this year’s dredging project and addition of a new mobile harbor crane, which allows us to become more active in the short-sea shipping business,

we are constantly seeking new ways to bring greater predictability to the planning of current and future tenants looking to grow here we believe those numbers will continue to climb. And just as the idea of pre-permitting of more than 34 parcels has required an investment of QDC’s time and resources, we know a streamlined permitting and regulatory process will bring more tenants and more jobs to the Quonset Business Park.

Having the Right Network Makes All the Difference Cisco’s Borderless Networks and Atrion SMB connect anyone, anywhere, on any device, at anytime. By linking together users, devices, and applications, you can connect securely and communicate more effectively. Contact Atrion SMB today at info@atrionsmb.net or by calling (401) 825-4422 to learn more about how they can provide highly secure yet flexible access to your business needs to stay competitive.

It is a testament to the investment we have made in our infrastructure and the proactive steps we have taken to provide more predictability for businesses that the Rhode Island Foundation and Make It Happen RI attendees recognized our approach as a good model for generating new jobs. We have been an engine of economic growth for Rhode Island in recent years and we embrace the opportunity to continue in that role.

Steven J. King, PE Managing Director Quonset Development Corp

Scan or visit http://bit.ly/

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Small Business | Young Social Innovators

participants. YSI is currently conceptualizing an immersive and interactive digital education platform meant to augment classroom learning and expand access to entrepreneurial programming for more of Rhode Island’s youth. If past performance is any indication of future success, last year’s alumni success bodes well for this crop of aspiring young entrepreneurs. More than a handful of YSI graduates currently helm some of Rhode Island’s newest social enterprises. Green D(RI)VE, an eco-friendly, mobile classroom and Jam2Fit, a healthy lifestyle and fitness program both launched with the support of Young Social Innovators.

Young Social Innovators, a program of Social Ventures Partner RI, is in its sophomore year of operation and like any good educational startup it’s continually transforming to meet the needs of its students. Inside this particular classroom the atmosphere is definitively cool; YSI’s program director, Chahney Hinds, leads the class from behind a table made of two repurposed wood pallets. The bounty of artwork and creative space at Woonsocket’s RiverzEdge, one of YSI’s four partner sites this semester, provides the ideal setting for the lesson that’s about to unfold. The scene is equal parts classroom, workshop, and business incubator; eight young entrepreneurs have gathered here after school to discuss their ideas for social enterprise development. Students brainstorm opportunities within their communities and offer solutions to the

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

problems they’ve identified: a youthorganized radio show, a product line of eco-friendly, handmade cleaning products, and a custom skateboard deck made from upcycled materials each top the list of prospective business ideas. A quick glance around this table might leave some wondering how these students will turn such lofty ideas into action; after all, these are budding entrepreneurs. The youngest student at the table is still in middle school and the oldest is two years from graduating high school. The answer lies in the brand of entrepreneurship education YSI is continually developing for its youth; at the heart of its curriculum is an action-based lesson plan, a meaningful mentor-driven experience, and soon the creation of an online environment which will aim to cultivate the entrepreneurial energy of its

These early stage companies represent some of the more important pieces in the development of Rhode Island’s economic pipeline. In an effort to bolster and retain entrepreneurial talent in-state, YSI provides access to resources, networks, and educational opportunities in economically underserved communities as early and often as possible. To further this mission, YSI culminates in a graduation event which provides students the opportunity to pitch their prospective ventures to a panel of distinguished judges. Each student entrepreneur competes for up to $1000 in startup funding. The event is held at the MET Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and last year eleven student businesses received just over $10,000 in funding. This year’s event will be held on December 13th, 2012 and features just under twenty student ventures vying for ever-precious startup capital. If you are interested in becoming involved with the Young Social Innovators as either a mentor, judge, or donor please contact Brandon Lane, Director of SEEED Youth (SEEED name reflects SVPRI’s upcoming brand refresh). For more information visit www.seeed.org or email blane@seeed.org

Learning from our mistakes Gordon D Fox

Speaker, Rhode Island House of Representatives

Learning From Our Mistakes | Small Business

I am humbled and honored to be re-elected for a two-year term by the voters of House District 4, which includes the Mount Hope, Summit and Blackstone neighborhoods in Providence. I also received the overwhelming support of my Democratic colleagues to continue to serve as Speaker of the House for the 2013-2014 legislative session. During the course of the campaign leading up to the November election, one of the most-discussed issues was the failure of 38 Studios. I have received many questions about this and I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight, particularly in light of the misinformation that was spread by my opponent. First let me say that I am as upset and frustrated as anyone in the general public about the failure of the 38 Studios loan. When I took over as Speaker of the House in 2010, Rhode Island had lost 32,000 jobs in two years. Our unemployment rate soared from 6.2% to 11.9%. Staring down the barrel of this economic gun, the Economic Development Corporation proposed a job creation program to guarantee loans sought by knowledge and technology businesses. The program proposed was $50 million, but the EDC increased its request to $125 million, which the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved. At the time of the vote, the media had been widely reporting that 38 Studios, a video-game company, was interested in relocating from Massachusetts. I had met with owner Curt Schilling and the EDC director to discuss the company’s interest in creating several hundred jobs here. While I was aware of 38 Studios’ interest, the EDC made clear that there was a substantial vetting process in place to ensure that any company applying for loan guarantees had to be a viable and worthy investment. Neither I nor anyone in the General Assembly was involved in any way in the financial review and awarding of the $75 million loan to 38 Studios. It was the EDC, made up of the state’s business leaders, who approved the loan. Former Governor Carcieri, who chaired the EDC, said that the General Assembly did its job in creating capital to stimulate the economy. He said recently on Chanel 12 Newsmakers: “I don’t blame the General Assembly. No. Not at all. They passed the loan guarantee program. Their job is to pass laws.” Our job in the General Assembly is also to provide oversight. It is important we learn from our mistakes and focus on how to move our state’s economy forward. In that regard, I will take every action to lessen taxpayer exposure and provide aggressive oversight to make certain that such mistakes are never repeated ever again.

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Featured NonProfit | The Autism Project

producing good by Nancy Merrill

Business plays a larger role in society than producing goods and services. Producing good is part of the bigger picture, and much of it comes from supporting local charitable organizations. But taking the first step can be the tricky part. Because the tapestry of charitable causes is so large, many companies focus on working with a single organization. A single-organization focus means the cause becomes familiar, knowable, and more personal. And you are able to see the benefits first hand. There are lots of questions to ask. How do you choose the ‘right’ organization? How deeply should you be involved? What benefit from these relationships should be expected?

And, not unimportant in all this is the knowledge that you are helping make something important happen. One non-profit organization that is organized to work with local businesses is The Autism Project. This 15-year-old organization is dedicated to serving children and young adults with autism and their families. The need has grown exponentially in recent years with 1 in 88 births resulting in an autism diagnosis. This year more children will be diagnosed with autism than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined.

The Autism Project is proficient at supporting donor organizations. Over the years, local companies have done Find the right organization by asking yourself “What’s everything from fashion shows to dress down important to me?” What do you feel strongly about? Or, what do your day to sporting events to gala dinner events employees feel strongly about? Is there an employee or employees already or pasta nights. No effort is too small. involved with a cause? The personal connection for employees enhances your employee relations and helps the cause. The organization provides dedicated professional support to donors for How much involvement depends on your commitment. If you are working through employees executing events or out reach programs. already involved, let them continue to take the lead, and focus your time and attention on the major events or activities. The monies raised will directly impact local families, schools and the communities. Families can access As far as benefits are concerned, the benefits of partnering with a charity are more than just feeling good. It’s OK to ask “What’s in it for me?” If there is something in it for you or the training and support groups; children and young adults can access ‘Social business, the greater the commitment you will have. And this doesn’t change much based on size; small and mid-size businesses can realize the same benefits as Skills Groups’ to teach them how to be those of larger companies. productive citizens in their communities.

Among the benefits: More connection with employees, and better employee relations Opportunities to deepen relationships with customers & suppliers Community recognition and publicity opportunities will illustrate your community support and goodwill, which never hurts when dealing with community influentials. There are financial benefits, to be sure, in the form of tax breaks that recognize your charitable involvement. But these should be ‘icing on the cake’ and not the reason you do something. Few things in life can be justified based on tax benefits!

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Educators take advantage of the numerous professional development programs as well as consultation by The Autism Project professionals for specific individuals in the classroom. The community benefits as well by saving precious tax dollars. The support for families and schools helps to keep the children in district who would otherwise be sent to expensive out-placement in specialized institutions. Working to improve the community and ‘produce good’ is a worthwhile investment of time. Whatever charity you choose, it is a win-win for everyone. The Autism Project www.theautismproject.org

401 785 2666 www.theautismproject.org www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

GoLocalProv.com is the “go to” local Web experience that breaks the biggest local stories, sports, high school sports, weather, news, politics, arts,

entertainment — and allows users to go as deep as they wish. Branded, credible, and respected contributors from RI create the stories and content.

Information is delivered through multimedia, written, and video platforms. All at GoLocalProv.com.

Employers Need to Prepare for Health Exchanges Next year, employers with more than 50 employees will have a lot more to worry about. That’s because, under healthcare reform, the exchanges being set up by many states around the country – including Rhode Island – must be operational by 2014. What will be on employers’ to-do lists? First and foremost will be notifying employees of possible opportunities to enroll in the exchange. But determining just who is covered is the bigger issue. Eligibility for Coverage When the exchanges are implemented, employers will need to understand how many employees will qualify to leave employer coverage and how many will stay on. But there’s a new way to calculate eligibility for full-time employee coverage that complicates the equation – and may cause employers with more than 50 employees to offer coverage to more workers than they do today. Coverage Adds Up Employers will now have to include within the definition of full-time employee (for benefit purposes) those who work an average of 30 hours a week in a month. This means that if an employer offers adequate coverage (as defined by PPACA) and an employee who meets this new definition of FTE is not eligible for the exchange because they’re not income eligible for the federal subsidy, the employer will have to offer them coverage. Those employers who previously considered only those employees eligible who worked more than 30 hours a week (i.e. 32 hours or 40 hours) may now have to cover more employees -- exposing the organization to additional costs. Who Will Feel the Impact? Employers who have a lot of part-time and seasonal employees, and previously didn’t have to worry about offering them coverage, including industries like hospitality, tourism, social service organizations, healthcare providers, and retail, will now have an added financial burden of adding these employees. For these employers, many of whom are small, the impact will be huge.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Providence | golocal

Rhode Island Ranks #19 in US for Entrepreneurship Rhode Island has been ranked the #19 state in the US for entrepreneurial activity, according to the latest US State Entrepreneurs Index compiled by the University of NebraskaLincoln. Nearby Massachusetts snagged top honors for the second year in a row. The Bay State was followed by North Dakota, California, New York and Minnesota. Also in the Top 10 this year were Oregon, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Illinois. Texas, at #8, was the highest ranked southern state. The State Entrepreneurship Index Economists at UNL’s Bureau of Business Research and Department of Economics developed the annual State Entrepreneurship Index by combining five key components -- a state’s percentage growth and per capita growth of business establishments, its business formation rate, the number of patents per thousand residents and income per non-farm proprietor in each state.

not to say there is not significant action in

Rhode Island’s performance For 2011, the latest year for data, Rhode Island’s score was 1.191 (compared to MA’s 3.01). Rhode Island’s performance varied across the Index’s submeasures. In Percent Establishment Growth, the state dropped from #29 to #34; while in Growth in Establishments Per Person, RI moved up slightly, from #28 to #23. The state’s best performance ranking was in Business Formation Rate, from #11 last year to #9 this year. In the area of Patents, the rate per thousand placed RI right at #20 both years running. Income for non-farm proprietors in RI dropped from #23 last year to #24 this year. A state index for each component is assigned based on how much each state’s performance is above or below the median of all state data, which has a value of 1.0. For example, a component one standard deviation above the median gets a value of 2.0, while a component one below is assigned a value of zero. A state’s overall SEI number is the average of the five index values. The State Entrepreneurship Index combines detailed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS Statistics of Income Bulletin, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Statistical Abstract.

other regions of the country, of course, but our data shows this year’s entrepreneurial activity has a definite northern flavor The result is a comprehensive look at the levels of entrepreneurship in each state over the past year, said Eric Thompson, UNL associate professor of economics and director of the bureau. “To reach the top of the rankings, a state had to do very well in at least four of the five categories that made up the index,” Thompson said. “This year, those states tend to be clustered in the Northeast and the upper Midwest. That’s not to say there is not significant action in other regions of the country, of course, but our data shows this year’s entrepreneurial activity has a definite northern flavor.”

From Rhode Islanders and for Rhode Islanders: See it. Read it. Share it.

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Capital City | Buy Providence / Buy Art

Buy Providence / Buy Art Mayor Angel Taveras The holidays are upon us and shopping is a fundamental part of the celebration. But as we turn on our Smartphones and computers to find the just-right present for friends, neighbors and loved ones, I ask you to stop and think about the impact you – as a consumer – can have in driving our local economy. Did you know that a locally-owned independent business returns 45 cents of every dollar earned back into the community? Did you also know that one dollar spent in a local shop returns itself five times over through employee wages, city taxes and purchase of other goods and services. That’s money that pays for your schools, roads, social programs, and as importantly for income for your family and neighbors. Small locally-owned business is anything but ‘small.’ This year, in advance of national Black Friday and Cyber Monday we’re calling for a ‘time-out.’ We ask you to stop and take a good look at all the wonderful, unique and special gifts and goods and services found right here in our own backyard. We host an annual Buy Providence / Buy Art campaign to raise awareness about the great products and services to be found in your own backyard. This year, we’ll launch from Wayland Square and Federal Hill, with the help of their local merchants’ associations. We’ve invited – and received great enthusiastic support – from our other merchants’ associations as well. We’ll host a press conference, promote our live interactive website www.providenceri.com/bpba, distribute free window signs for merchants, and give them lapel stickers for merchants to hand out to customers “I Buy Providence/Buy Art.” We will promote our efforts through publications such as RI Small Business Journal, and our own City News, an e-publication reaching tens of thousands of people interested in our capital city. We are cross-promoting through the Chamber of Commerce, Providence Foundation, Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors and others urging

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

them to raise awareness about the importance of buying local. And we’re driving event-listings to www.Providencefortheholidays. com - the PWCVB website for listing locally-sponsored events and promotions, and we’ll tweet and connect through Facebook. According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, www.ilsr.org, independent businesses that are in a community with a “buy local” campaign reported a strong 7.2% increase in sales compared to those without (2.6% increase).

one dollar spent in a local shop returns itself five times over through employee wages, city taxes and purchase of other goods and services ILRS also says there are at least 10 good reasons to support locally-owned businesses: local character and prosperity, community well-being, local decision making, keeping dollars in the local economy, jobs and wages, entrepreneurship, public benefit and costs, it’s the green thing to do, competition and product diversity. Businesses can compete with the massive on-line e-commerce sites by offering free shipping or at least paying for returns; creating loyalty programs for their best customers; using video merchandising to show how items look or work, and knowing what your competition is so you can truly compete. Offer specials, ‘loss leaders’ and give the experience you can only get walking into a store – great personal service and treatment. If you are a retailer or small businessman or woman, sign up on our website to learn more. It will cost you nothing and perhaps, even help you grow your bottom line! Happy Holidays!

Yankee Candles are Hard Curren¢y by Aileen McDonough

Yankee Candles are Hard Currency | Women in Business

My mother is a veteran shopper, and she always had strong opinions on products and services. Growing up, I heard them so often they were like the Ten Commandments: immutable, inviolable, sacred. Nowadays, I think on those pearls of wisdom as I market my own business and services… Yankee Candles are hard currency. Jar candles abound in the holiday season. You can find expensive ones at your local specialty store and cheap ones at your local drugstore, no candle but a Yankee Candle will ever find its way into the home of my mother, an avid candle consumer. She is fiercely brand-loyal. “Yankee Candles are hard currency,” she says whenever she gives or receives one, “their value is undisputed. When you give it as a gift, that person knows it’s a good gift. If they don’t like the smell of roses or buttercream or whatever, they can re-gift it.” Remember when people used to flip greeting cards for the Hallmark logo? It’s the same principle. If you create a product or service that becomes the gold standard in your field, you will succeed through any season, be it holiday gift buying or recession belt tightening. Don’t focus on what we spent…focus on what we saved. This was drilled into us from the first time we were old enough to carry shopping bags into the house under my father’s watchful eye. “It was clearance,” she’d counsel, “so it was over 50% off the original price. Make sure you let Dad know.” As business owners, we know what we do for our clients, and we know the value of our products and services. Many of us also provide extra services to clients which are taken for granted. But again and again, I find that customers don’t even realize what they’re getting. This is natural: they’re focused on what they’re paying, it’s up to you to share the value of what you’re giving them. Whether it’s through your website and brochures, or with regular social media updates on your value-added services, or even in the language in your contract, you need to communicate your value. Remind customers what they’re getting, not what they’re giving away. Shopping is therapy. Once, when I was a teenager feeling teenage angst, my mom took me shopping for a little pick-me-up. It did the trick! When marketing our own businesses, we need to make the process fun for potential clients. I used to have a milkman who would let us know when he was close to winning his company egg nog sales contest. I have a designer friend who designs her own holiday card every year. Have fun in your business, and others will have fun, too! We also need to listen. If a client comes to you because they’re frustrated with their current provider, they may need to vent that frustration and you may need to gain their trust. Listen and reassure. Make the process easier on them.

Aileen McDonough 3am Writers www.3amwriters.com

Remember Mom’s Marketing Wisdom and have a wonderfully successful holiday season! www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Women in Business | How Does She Do It?

How Does She Do It? Real Stories of Real Professional Women in Rhode Island! by Tuni Renaud Schartner

On any given day the reality is groceries, dinner, dishes, laundry, homework, volunteering at school, sending in permission slips, exercise, house cleaning, walking the dog, doctors appointments, quality time with: the kids, husband, family, self...then there’s work! We’re just tipping the iceberg here and every story is unique but similar in the fact that though it’s not easy, we all love what we do, work really hard, and not only want to succeed but want to help each other in the process! I have the pleasure of being friends with dozens, if not 100’s, of dynamic, brilliant, kind-hearted, warm, loving and extremely hard working women. The recent visit from Hurricane Sandy gave me the idea for this month’s article as I was juggling the kids being home from school; trying to take advantage of the extra time at home with them while also trying to not “stress” that I should be working! I realized how many of my professional gal pals were in the same boat while so many of my professional guy pals were at work... please know I’m not throwing anyone under the bus here...just sharing a few real stories. I sent a request asking a handful of my lady entrepreneurial friends to share the stories of “how they do it” and here are some of the responses:

#1. I would have to say my experience being a woman business

owner has been rewarding, but the balancing is far from easy. With three kids under the age of seven, I am pulled in many directions- one because I am the default parent, as many mothers are- expected to keep house and home together all while running my business. Meal planning, grocery shopping, birthday parties, sports practice, dance, etc. So many nights I lie awake trying to brainstorm about the perfect design concept for my client just to fit in a few extra moments of productiveness, as so many of my daytime hours are split between my kids/family and doing

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

all of the necessary things needed to run a business (like client meetings, accounting and networking, etc). The beauty of it all is that it’s on my own terms. If I’m sensing my family or kids need me (or I’m immersing myself too much into my work) I have the ability to step-back and re-prioritize. And for that I am grateful to be a woman, and a small business owner. As for building my business I have found that being genuine, being yourself and letting that shine through works far more than any paid medium (although that certainly doesn’t hurt!). The referrals from others because they like you, trust in you, and believe in what you do, has built my business far quicker than I ever could have imagined!

It’s a constant challenge balancing quality time with those that mean the most to us while focusing on business and professional growth but it’s all worth it

#2. All I can say is my husband has been a huge help with

stepping up to feed the kids when I have a presentation. The boys have been very understanding when they don’t get a great dinner on nights I have a party or meeting. My boys are really very positive and encouraging about my business which really keeps me pressing on in the ups and downs of growing a business.

Get Your Office Staff Organized | Women in Business

get your office staff organized! by Kristin Carcieri-MacRae

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a staff that is organized. If you are disorganized and you have support staff that is disorganized, you are putting your business at risk for losing clients, time, money, and your reputation will be on the line.

Maybe I can add more when I have computer! (I had to add that to show that these girls responded right away, via smartphones, as their power was still out but they were working!)

#3. I guess I fall into this category too...being the single mother

of 3 and starting over professionally in my 40’s, which in itself brings a novel’s worth of trials and tribulations to share, but I will say that surrounding myself with authentic friends who aren’t afraid to tell me the truth has been the most valuable part of my journey. I truly believe in doing business with people you “know, like and trust”, which is the definition of a friend, and I feel blessed to be doing what I love, surrounded by people that I enjoy. It’s a constant challenge balancing quality time with those that mean the most to us while focusing on business and professional growth but it’s all worth it and I have found a way to wrap my personal and professional lives into one, as much as possible, which is a great way to be more efficient with my time. Joining networking groups with other professional women that become friends, as well as involvement with local Chambers of Commerce, in which I am surrounded by many business people that I’ve known for decades, has become an extended family of sorts and where community involvement and business often merges. So many of us, women & men, are wearing many more hats than ever before but I think we are becoming more comfortable with it. It’s harder some days than other days but I don’t know many who would trade it for anything. To all the hard working, multi-tasking entrepreneurs and professionals out there... HATS OFF!!!

Tuni Renaud Schartner tuni@deepblueti.com 401.996.7822

When interviewing potential candidates, look for skills and qualities listed on their resume such as ‘efficient, productive, multi-tasking, and able to work independently’. Be sure to screen them as best you can when it comes to questions about how organized they are. When you are busy and need to push work downstream you want to have a staff that will be able to jump in and take over with little supervision. You want to be able to have confidence that if you give them a task they will be able to handle it and handle it well. The key is to have a staff that is organized. If you are organized, set an example for your employees. 1. Have policies and procedures in place so when new people are hired they know what is expected of them and they know what your company represents. 2. Hold monthly meetings so your staff is on the same page with company happenings. 3. Keep office desks streamlined and organized. Disorganization causes unwanted stress. When clients visit they don’t want to see disorganization. It doesn’t present well. 4. Organized people are more efficient, productive, and can multitask. Why wouldn’t you want to hire an organized person? 5. If you are disorganized, it is best you find an assistant that is organized or chaos will take place and you won’t be able to get out of each other’s way. Disorganized staff will create more work for you and your business will suffer because of it. Having a support staff that is organized will make your life easier and you will be able to focus on the important issues that you need to deal with on a daily basis. Your business will become more productive and efficient, saving you time and money and in turn increasing your revenue.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae Owner Organizing In RI, LLC

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Women in Business |

Benefit Words That Determine Customer Needs by Patricia Raskin

There are basic reasons why customers buy products and services. These benefit words help to determine the needs, values and selection patterns of your customers.

FREE This seems to be an obvious benefit for everyone. However, if the customer is certain that a product or service will work for them, they won’t necessarily give it a try-even if it is free. BONUS We all like bonuses, but again as in the

free category, the bonus is most effective when the customer is sold on the product or service that you are offering.

FLEXIBLE Flexible means that you are willing to accommodate the customer within reason. For example it might mean extended store hours, flexible payment arrangements or special guarantee policies. SAVE TIME Many products and services offer longterm time saving benefits where the customer does not see an immediate result. But the results are there, long term. SAVE MONEY Saving money isn’t always in the reduced price tag. Cost savings can come from buying one durable product at full price because the product can often last for years. PERSONAL SERVICE This benefit is synonymous with customer service. It’s the ability to meet the customer’s individual needs. SAFETY/SECURITY/PEACE OF MIND I feel that this is one of the most important benefits because it helps to reduce worry and anxiety. Be sure to look for this benefit from the product or service that you are offering to your customers.

BETTER HEALTH Better health has become increasingly more important to Americans. This includes health maintenance such as having more physical and mental energy strength flexibility. Think of creative ways to add products and services that offer customers the better health benefit. COMPETITIVE You want to remain competitive in the marketplace and have a greater value to the customer. As a service provider you can find ways to gain the recognition that sets you apart from your peers. As a business owner offering products you can select products that have proven themselves in the marketplace. VALUABLE This benefit can be misleading and tricky because as “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” so is value. The more you understand the need to get customers the more you can begin to determine their deeper values which ultimately drive their actions. STATUS For some customers status plays a large role in the decision-making process. These customers place a high value on trends, what’s fashionable, what’s “hot” and the choices of their peer group. If your customer fits this description, pay attention to what’s “in” and why.

Patricia Raskin Raskin Resources Productions www.patriciaraskin.com Patricia Raskin, President of Raskin Resources Productions, Inc., is a radio talk show host, award-winning producer, media coach and speaker. She is the host of “Positive Business” on AM790 on Fridays from 3-5PM, “Patricia Raskin Positive Living” on WPRO -630AM & 99.7FM on Saturdays from 3-5PM and “The Patricia Raskin Show” on WSAR – 1480AM on Fridays from 10-noon. www.patriciaraskin.com

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

The Aspiration Project | Women in Business

The Aspiration Project by Matt Celeste

What is your name? Mel Rainsberger What is your passion?  Animation and video. What is your business? My business is They’re Using Tools! www. theyreusingtools.com. I make video, animation and illustrations. Most of my work is for the web, for companies that want to create a small piece to target a specific demographic and entice them to take interest in their product. Most of my work is handmade in some way, to create a warm, intriguing piece of art. What got you into it? Originally I was going to be a furniture designer, but I realized I was a little bit accident prone and went into the video and animation program at RISD instead. Filmmaking allows me to use all the parts of my brain, just like in making a piece of furniture, but without all the power tools. I conceive, plan, measure, and create a complex piece. What quote inspires you? “Animation is not a genre. It is a method of storytelling.” - Brad Bird What spurred the conversion from hobby to business? Animation was never quite a hobby, but I love planning and that has always been something I do ‘just for fun.’ Whether it was planning a dinner for friends, or a group outing, or a classroom lesson--I like

figuring out how to have fun with a large group of people. I started making it a bigger part of my business when I realized it was a skill that other people in my field lacked, but appreciated.

called Professor Farnsworth (named after the creator of the television). I love that he describes flying through space as “It’s a little home business I started to fund my research.”

What are some challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Mostly, there’s not enough hours in the day. Part of it was leaving my night time teaching job, but ‘doing everything’ is still a constant challenge.

What’s your contact info? www.theyreusingtools.com @theyusetools facebook.com/pages/THEYRE-USINGTOOLS/113386663921

How long have you been in business? 6 years. What’s your ultimate goal/where would you like to be in five years? In five years, I’d like to have at least 1-3 full time employees, to have a small agency that churns out even more interesting commercial projects and has fun doing it. What’s the best advice you can give someone contemplating turning their love into their livelihood? Don’t be afraid of being professional and taking the time to get it right. Contracts and all that seem scary, or seem like they get in the way of what you love. But, it’s like making sure you have all the ingredients before starting to cook. Really, you just want to eat, but if you don’t have any food to cook, you’re not going to enjoy eating. Do you have any other thoughts you’d like to share? My favorite show is Futurama, one of the characters is a 180-something scientist

If you’re a lady in the RI area and would like to get involved with The Aspiration Project, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to matt@blueflashphotography.com for more information.

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

F E AT U R E D

C HAM B ER Narragansett

Deborah Kelso, Executive Director 36 Ocean Road, Narragansett, RI 401 783 7121 | www.narragansettcoc.com

The Narragansett Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in 1925 and is fast approaching its 90th anniversary. The mission statement has not changed much over the years, and was last amended in 2004 reinforcing the basic premise that the chamber is organized for the purpose of advancing the commercial, recreational, civic and general interests of the Town of Narragansett, Washington County and the State of Rhode Island. The Board of Directors, chaired by Pier Fuel owner Kevin Mulholland, has embraced the mission and has created a wide range of programs and partnerships to serve the business community and residents alike. Narragansett Chamber of Commerce has 4 major committees: Government Affairs, Public Relations, Events and Membership. Each committee is chaired by a sitting board member and made up of current board members and representatives from the general chamber membership. Programs and benefits of membership include energy buying, health insurance, credit card processing, low cost advertising, networking and member referrals.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

The membership of the Narragansett Chamber reflects the diverse business climate in South County. Retail, food service, education, fishing and related industries, construction, travel & tourism, recreation, financial & business services as well as many other business categories are represented within the membership base. Geographical diversity is also evident as members are located in all corners of the state and beyond. The reasons for the diversity are attributed to the unique philosophy and also the strategic physical location of the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce Information & Visitor Center. The philosophy of the Narragansett Chamber is that public / private partnerships and cooperation is of great importance because the pristine coastal ecology and the importance of protecting and maintaining it, as well as the promotion of the area drive the local economy. In plain talk: The businesses in Southern RI need the beaches and local historical sites to be preserved and well maintained along with a favorable business climate in order to thrive. The Chamber has always had an open dialog with the Town of Narragansett

and the Sate of RI. We pride ourselves on our ability to have formal and informal, open and honest discussions with local and state officials. The importance of advocating for best business practices is high on our priority list.

The Narragansett Information & Visitor Center is managed by the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce and is a very busy place. Located in the iconic Towers on Ocean Rd, adjacent to the Narragansett Town Beach, the center’s front door opens onto one of RI’s Award Winning Best Free Attractions: The Narragansett Sea Wall. Thousands of tourists and area residents stop in to ask “What’s Happening?” The information center is busy all year fielding requests, via email and phone, from people seeking recommendations for all services. Our member directory and visitor guide is picked up in person, direct mailed and downloaded via our website to thousands of people each year. The directory offers valuable advertising opportunities for Narragansett Chamber members. Member brochures, maps and event

Narragansett Chamber | Featured Chamber

guides are picked up by the hundreds each day. Area restaurant menus (hard for us to keep in stock) are particularly popular with residents and visitors.

Commerce. The UCRI promotes each other’s events, offers their membership reciprocal networking and advertising benefits and shares best practices.

Our annual Narragansett Area Restaurant Week has become a much anticipated event. This year it is scheduled for March 1 – 10, 2013. Only Narragansett Chamber member restaurants are invited to participate. The Chamber promotes the event in local and regional publications and provides links to restaurant week menus through the chamber website. This yearly event allows participants to set their own menu and pricing as we believe that one size does not fit all in the food service industry. Area diners are seduced by the delicious offerings and special pricing. The member restaurants appreciate the exposure during the off-season.

Membership dues are based on a sliding scale. Some examples are: $45/year for interested individuals (no company affiliation), $100/year for any business who is a member of any other RI Chamber of Commerce, $150/year for businesses with 5 or fewer employees and $275 for a Bed & Breakfast. Please contact us for more information.

Other major events include the annual Golf Tournament in early June, the wildly popular Summers End Festival in late September on Narragansett Town Beach and the Jingle Bell 5k and 1 Mile walk as part of the Town’s Festival of Lights. 2012 was the inaugural season of our satellite information booth on Narragansett Town Beach. We believed that we were missing an opportunity to promote the area to the daily beach goer. A partnership was formed with the Pier Marketplace Merchants Association to help offset the cost of staffing the booth. The Town of Narragansett Parks & Recreation Department embraced the idea of the booth on the beach and the Town Council sanctioned it. The beach information booth was very well received and we are proud to be bringing it back for 2013. Narragansett Chamber of Commerce is a proud member of the United Chambers of Southern RI. The alliance is made up of the Block Island, Charlestown, Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area, Narragansett and North Kingstown Chambers of

Narragansett Chamber office is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm Saturday from 9am until 3pm Sunday from Noon until 4pm

36 Ocean Road PO Box 742 Narragansett, RI 02882 401-783-7121 www.narragansettcoc.com dkelso@narragansettcoc.com.

New Narragansett Chamber Members

Mobile Arts Classroom The Matty Fund Rhode Island Kingfish Indoor Lacrosse Team

T. Girard Studio & Gallery Manfredo Boxing Fitness Studio Stay Local, Play Local OneWay Gallery & Silver Tides

NoMy Style- Women’s Fashion Stylist Stifel, Nicolaus & Company

Callaghan and Callaghan Attorneys at Law www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

Chamber Chat | What’s New

Be part of a dynamic group of leaders, 4 East Greenwich Stephen Lombardi, Executive Director make new contacts, gain new lifelong 3288 Post Road, Warwick, RI 580 Main Street | East Greenwich, RI | 401 885 0020 friendships and increase your opportunity 401 732 1100 | www.centralrichamber.com www.eastgreenwichchamber.com to grow. We have a lot of great things happening here at the East Bay Chamber. Networking – Support – Advocacy. East Greenwich is well known for its www.eastbaychamberri.org The Central Rhode Island Chamber of vibrant Main Street, waterfront, great www.facebook.com/eastbaychamberri Commerce creates opportunities for restaurants, colonial architecture members. While the needs of a business and many community events all year New Members will change and are based on a number including the Main Street Strolls (named ADP: of key factors, the Central Rhode by Yankee Magazine as one of “the Nutrition Counseling: Island Chamber is available to help its top 20 things to do in Rhode Island”), Plumbing & Heating, LLC: members respond and set strategic Arts on Main, Main Street Trick or Treat Central Payment: goals for the future. Maximizing your Parade, and Holiday Strolls. In addition, Mass Mutual, Legacy Financial Group – investment in the Chamber is the secret East Greenwich hosts events like the Rachael Pierce, to reaching these goals. The staff is Turkey Trot 5 K, Summer’s End Concert Natalia’s in the Sky: available to meet with each member and the EG Art Festival. Pure Salon: and connect them to the opportunities Right Weather, LLC, and individuals needed for them to take The East Greenwich Chamber of Wise Guys full advantage of their membership and Commerce and its 30 member Main achieve success. Street Merchants Committee work hard all year to help make Main Street 3 Cranston Chamber New Members a shopping destination for all of Rhode Stephen C. Boyle, President Big Fish Marketing Island. Most of East Greenwich’s 150 Midway Road, #178, Cranston, RI Blaeser Insurance Main Street Merchants are small 401 785 3780I | www.cranstonchamber.com City of Warwick - Fire Department owner operated businesses. They Elder Law RI LLC look forward to welcoming shoppers The Cranston Chamber is sponsoring Expose Hair Studio to our great shops, boutiques, salons a discussion with Health Insurance Goodwill Industries of Rhode Island and restaurants. Soon, the Greenwich Commissioner, Christopher Koller on Kent County Daily Times - SRIN Odeum Theater will be re-opened November 15th regarding the effect Offsite Office Services and will join Main Street businesses in that the new rates will have on small Primary Care Partners making EG’s Main Street one of the best businesses in 2013. President, Stephen Professional Ambulance in the region. C. Boyle was featured on radio station Randolph Savings Bank WLBQ, Westerly, RI to discuss the Small Skinplicity & Healing Elements Main Street’s year round decorations Employer Health Task Force and its role SuperGreen Solutions and fun filled activities are also a in lowering the health insurance rates collaborative effort of the Chamber’s in RI and was recently appointed to the Main Street Merchants, the Town of East Health Insurance Advisory Council by Greenwich, the Main Street Association, the Commissioner. In addition they are 2 East Bay Chamber Mark G. DeVine, CPA, Chairman plus corporate sponsorship support from in the process of finalizing a Kickstarter 16 Cutler Street, Suite 102, Warren, RI the Rhode Island Blood Center, Bank promotion for the Tom Lanigan Band. 401 245 0750 | eastbaychamberri.org Newport and Cox Communications. All The philosophy is to actually get involved this support and effort demonstrates a in Kickstarter or Crowd funding venture Our mission is to promote business as commitment to make Main Street East to further help other in the chamber with the foundation for community growth Greenwich a great place to shop, eat, this unique way of raising capital. and well-being by being the most reliable play and do business. resource and leading advocate for New Members businesses throughout the East Bay and New Members Advantage Specialties surrounding areas. Jiggers The Beauty Lounge@Magnolia Heritage Art Gallery Primary Residential Mortgage We welcome new members! Get involved! Greenwood Credit Union Colonial Life

Central Chamber

Lauren E.I. Slocum, President/CEO

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

What’s New | Chamber Chat

Lollipop Learning Center Jacavone Garden Center Anderson Real Estate Group Premier Cleaning Services

Blue Chip Financial Advisors – Paul J. Long PWP by DeeDee Puerini Design Jax Design

Newport

Jody Sullivan, Executive Director

Northern RI

John C. Gregory, President/CEO

35 Valley Road, Middletown, RI

6 Blackstone Valley, Suite 301, Lincoln, RI 02865

401 847 1608 | www.NewportChamber.com

401 334 1000 | www.nrichamber.com

RI Department of Labor and Training Director, Charles Fogarty to Speak at State of the State Economic Luncheon

401 349 4674 | www.ncrichamber.com

The NRI Chamber will host its signature Holiday Open House and Table Top Expo on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 from 5:00-8:00 PM at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln. The event also features 8 Southern RI a silent auction and 100% of proceeds Elizabeth Berman, Coordinator 230 Old Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI from registrations are donated to the RI 401 783 2818 | www.srichamber.com Community Food Bank to buy food for food pantries in Northern RI. The event will also offer an opportunity for chamber The Southern Rhode Island Chamber of members to exhibit and showcase their Commerce supports and enhances the business at the event. For more information, business community of Southern Rhode to donate an item to the silent auction or Island and promotes opportunities for registration information, contact the NRI for the growth and development of Chamber at 401-334-1000 or events@ its member businesses. Advocacy, NRIChamber.com. connections, credibility, educational opportunities and referrals are some of New and Renewing Members the ways we foster that growth. We Dataworks hold two networking events each month. Fore Court Racquet & Fitness Club, Inc. The First Friday Coffee, on the first Friday Orion R E D of each month and our Business After Suite 600 Bar & Lounge Hours, usually the third Wednesday of American Tool Company the month. We believe that the best Dennis Printing Co., Inc. networking happens when you have a Grandview Nursing Center variety people at each event so we open Murphy Business & Financial Corporation all of our events to the general public. ProProducts Web Design Visit our website www.srichamber.com Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership to see a list of events. Saint Antoine Residence O’Neill Funeral Home, Inc. New Members Twin River Casino Chamber Connex North Smithfield Fence Co., Inc. Re/Max Cityside Mereco Technologies Inc. Aflac- Independent Agent Deb Daly Images by Bob Dicaprio, Inc. JC Global Supply Batchelor, Frechette, McCrory, Michael & Mulligan’s Tap & Grille Company Orange Leaf

New Members Sweet Pea Children’s Boutique High Steppin’ Dance Academy

be sure to visit risbj.com for all the latest chamber news & events happening this month

On Wednesday, December 5th, the Chamber will host the final of a four part economic luncheon series. Director of the RI Department of Labor and Training Charles Fogarty will be the keynote speaker and will be discussing the Governor’s economic and workforce development efforts, the DLT’s services as they relate to Rhode Island businesses, and latest labor market intelligence for the State and Newport County. This STATE OF THE STATE luncheon series will take place at the Atlantic Beach Club, 55 Purgatory Rd., Middletown at noon. Preregistration is required for this event. The price for Chamber members is $25 per person, and for non-members $35 per person. Please visit www.NewportChamber. com for additional information. New Members Clear Choice Glass & Window Systems The Computer Guy Latitude Worldways Social Marketing

R. & P. Manifold Services Nation Wide Construction Corp. Metro West Business Services, LLC Overlook Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Cumberland Collision, Inc. The Nimble Thimble Inland Waters, Inc. Stratosphere Incorporated Crown Supply Co., Inc. Hillview Auto Body, Inc. Rt. 5 Auto Repair The Call The Times

North Central Chamber Deborah Ramos, President

255 Greenville Avenue, Johnston, RI

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

THE RHODE ISLAND

COMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS® P RO P E RT Y F O R L E A S E

Several Prime Office Locations:

Providence, Warwick, Johnston, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, and Exeter. Call for details and address Several to choose from, Some For Sale or lease. Financing available. Call for details.

333 Main Street, East Greenwich:

635 Arnold Road, Coventry:

Great location at Exit 7 near Centre of New England. 800’ front retail/office- Rear 1700’ warehouse service area with 14’W x 10’L O.H. door. Fully air conditioned!! Recently TOTALLY RENOVATED!!! RILiving.com MLS #1024237

269 Greenville Avenue, Johnston:

776-782 Main Street, East Greenwich:

Best location on Main Street. Bright and open 2nd floor unit with high ceilings. Parking lot across the street. Great office or studio space! 1,250 sq ft, $12. psf/yr. RILiving.com MLS #1018391

Bright office/retail/general business space with open floor plan- Former tanning salon. PRIME busy corner location; easily accessible. Ample parking. 3 phase electric. $700/per month. Unit C. Former Law/Financial Planning office. 3 phase 200 amp electric. $1400/per month. Unit E. RILiving.com MLS #1010162 and MLS #1010159

Excellent visibility in the Greenwich Shopping Center by the Dunkin Donuts on Main. 825 square feet with full glass and rear entrance. Retail, medical or office. Can be combined for 1,650 Sq Ft. MLS #1018795 (Unit 776) & #1014642 (Unit 782) Ample parking in the rear. RILiving.com MLS #1014635

20 Centerville Road, Warwick:

39 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich:

74 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich:

Former school; solid brick construction. Very nice 2nd floor space; owner on 1st floor. Space plan attached. Great Apponaug location! Quick highway access and walk to Apponaug Village amenities! RILiving.com MLS #988739

1755 Smith Street, North Providence:

Former Dunkin Donuts for over 30 years (they bought & moved across the street). Seats 30+. Has a drive-thru. Parking for 20+. GREAT for ANY fast food concept. 4500 sq. ft. $3,200/mo. RILiving.com MLS #1028322

Great Rt.3 location just a mile north of Rt.95 Exit 6. Versatile building. 13,000 sq ft clear span with high ceilings, plus two offices/service areas, 2000 & 4000 sq ft. May divide. Other end of this 40,000 sq ft building is to be shared with Church. From $5,50 psf/yr. RILiving.com MLS #1022330

24 Quaker Lane, Warwick:

1,000 sf street level retail - $900 mo. 1,000 - 3,000’ sf (3 units) 2nd level, bright second floor space from $750 mo. with high ceilings and sky lights. Zoned general business. By Kent County Courthouse & “Miracle Mile” Rt.2/Rt.117. Great highway access & signage. RILiving.com MLS #987502

Butler

Realty Group

Commercial • Investment • Residential

401-886-7800 www.ButlerRealty.us 68

747 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston:

Great location near Rolfe Square. Three floors of office suites from 200 sq. ft. and up. Good income generator or large owner occupied office. Owner keeping several suites clear anticipating a larger use to buy/occupy and have income. $800’s

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Great Route 3 location just ½ mile from Rt 95 exit 6, nicely appointed office or retail suite with several offices and open area,was HQ for Bess Eaton & Tim Hortons. Fresh paint and carpets. 600-3600’, from $10 psf/yr. RILiving.com MLS #990071

6828 Post Road, North Kingstown:

Bright, light open floor plan. Signage on Post Road. Easy highway access, near Quonset Gateway Plaza. Own bath and shower. Great location, value and flexibility. Plenty of parking. Four units from $650-$1250. CHEAP SPACE, CALL NOW! RILiving.com MLS #986669

Many more Commercial Properties @ www.ButlerRealty.us .... or email Jeff Butler at jab@ButlerRealty.us Trusted Real Estate Service Since 1977 Looking to Buy or Lease? Call the Butler!

THE RHODE ISLAND

COMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS® P RO P E RT Y F O R S A L E

400 South County Trail, Exeter:

Great location!! Design Award of Excellence. Private baths. Centrally located 6 minutes South of Home Depot in North Kingstown. Easy access at the gateway to South County. Taxes are approximate. Assessment as unfinished. 900-4,000 sq.ft. available. From $124,000 RILiving.com MLS #995461

845 North Main Street, Providence:

Great location. 919 sq ft office condo in a medical building near Miriam Hospital. Easy highway and city access by the corner of Branch Ave and North Main. Waiting room, reception, private bath, 3 exam rooms, office. $50,000 under assessed value. $98,500 RILiving.com MLS # 1029651

440 Drybridge Road 1A, North Kingstown: 2100sf Contractor Condo w/700 sf office &750 sf warehouse (15’x50’)w/14ft overhead door, 20 ft ceiling, 3 phase power including 8ft high 700 sf mezzanine. Office has central air, bath & shower. Also for lease. $179,900

RILiving.com MLS#1025512

111 Hopkins Hill Road, West Greenwich: ½ acre – 16 acres Very fast growing area off Exit 6A near GTech, Amgen & Centrex. Front pad is busy Dunkin Donuts, balance of site permits office, retail, warehouse & light industrial. Traffic count 15,000 and growing! Multitude of possibilities- 6 other avail. lots. From $150,000 RILiving.com MLS #855989

81 West Industrial Drive, Cranston:

132 Meadow Street, Warwick:

Flex space, office/warehouse very convenient off Rt. 295 at Rt. Up to 2,000 sq ft office, 1,000+ sq ft warehouse 14’ OH door, end unit on dead end street offers parking and vehicle flexibility. Great for contractors. $275,000

Great location off Rt.117, 1 mile East of Exit 10. Office/ Mfg Wrhse combo. Great value for user. Nice, clean, bright space! This bldg has been substantially updated & is turn key ready to go. Owner can also modify to suit! Lease option available. $525,000 RILiving.com MLS #1013527

17 Sandy Bottom Road, Coventry:

39 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich:

Great location and set up for night club, restaurant or other food/entertainment venue. Very close to turnkey as night club. Lease, lease/option or buy. 326 capacity. $595,000 RILiving.com MLS #1022520

111 Airport Road, Warwick:

Very nice 2nd floor office space. Tastefully decorated, good paint & carpet, possible office furnishings (nice stuff!) Three offices, conference, reception, lav., plus large basement storage. $180/month condo fee. $89,000 RILiving.com MLS #1012762

0 - 59-1 Stilson Road Richmond:

Great exposure on Rt95, just north of Exit 3. Owner will divide,build to suit,sell or lease.Fast growing area of Richmond/South County. 9.995 acres, 418’ on Stilson Rd& 274’ on Rt95. An exceptional piece of land, many possibilities w/ proper approvals. $799,000 RILiving.com MLS #1019500

Butler

Realty Group

Commercial • Investment • Residential

401-886-7800 www.ButlerRealty.us

Large multi-use building offers great flexibility, possible multiple tenants. The church would consider a lease-back of 10,000-15,000sq ft. Additional 14 acres adjacent also available. Great Rt.3 location just a mile north of Rt.95, Exit 6. $1,750,000 RILiving.com MLS #1029643

400 South County Trail, Exeter:

Approved Development Zoned Business 17+acres.Current permitted plans for 7 office building for total of 86,000net sf.MANY POTENTIAL USES. Central Rt.2 location minutes from Home Depot/Walmart in N.Kingstown. Easy highway access-strong traffic count! $975,000 RILiving.com MLS #1029590

N CTIO EDU R E HUG

7265 Post Road, North Kingstown:

7.82 acres on US Rt.1. Zoning permits apartments/office/medical/retail. Many possibilities!! Will build to suit, sale or lease, or land only. Great location. Dozens of acres and walking trails behind property. Adjacent 5+- acres also available. Call For Details! RILiving.com MLS #856381

Many more Commercial Properties @ www.ButlerRealty.us .... or email Jeff Butler at jab@ButlerRealty.us Trusted Real Estate Service Since 1977 Looking to Buy or Lease? Call the Butler!

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

THE RHODE ISLAND

COMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS®

Peter M. Scotti & Associates, Inc.

Inside Cover C December 14 - 20, 2012

Rhode Island

New England Real Estate Journal

Visit the paper online nerej.com

PeterBrokerage/Appraisal/Management M. Scotti & Associates, Inc. BArokerage /appraisal /ManageMent Full Service Real Estate Company A full Service Real Estate Company wATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT SITE PARASCANDOLA wHARF, NEwPORT, RI 57,900 SF LAND SITE, 74,000 SF WATER- 1,000 FEET ON NEWPORT HARBOR WATERFRONT BUS zONE ALLOWS HOTEL, REST, MARINA, MUL FAM, MIX LAST WHARF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

AUTO DEALERSHIP FOR SALE 296 g. w. HIgHwAY, SMITHFIELD,RI

15,680 S.F. BUILDING WITH SHOWROOM, SERVICE, BODY SHOP, OFFICES 8.25 ACRE SITE WITH 300 CAR PAVED PARKING zONED PLANNED CORP. SELLER WILL CONSIDER OWNER FINANCING, PRICE: $1,975,000.00

FOR SALE, bELLA NAPOLI 96 ATwELLS AVE, PROVIDENCE, RI REDEVELOPMENT SITE LOCATED AT THE GATEWAY TO FEDERAL HILL TWO BUILDINGS, 5,400 S.F. & 2,354 S.F. ON TWO LOTS, 7,000 S.F. OF LAND zONED C-2 ALLOWING BROAD RANGE OF USES, PRICE: $995,000.00

DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR SALE 578 SOUTH MAIN ST, PROVIDENCE, RI

19,603 S.F. DEVELOPMENT SITE - PARKING LOT ON PROVIDENCE RIVER zONED W-2 ALLOWING MULTI FAMILY & COMMERCIAL & MIXED USES TOP LOCATION WITH VIEWS TO DOWNTOWN & BAY, PRICE:$1,300,000.00

RESTAURANT FOR SALE 248 ACADEMY AVE, PROVIDENCE, RI

3,400 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING CURRENTLY REGIONAL FRANCHISE USER OPERATING TURN KEY FACILITY IN MT PLEASANT AREA WITH DENSE DEMOS, OFF STREET PARKING PRICE: $295,000.00

OFFICE bUILDINgS FOR SALE EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI

124 WATERMAN: 7,600 SF VICTORIAN ON COLLEGE HILL NEAR BROWN U. AMPLE OFF STREET PARKING, PREMIER LOCATION, $695,000.00 240 HOPE: 3,000 SF VICTORIAN ACROSS STREET FROM BROWN ATHLETICS FULLY RENOVATED AND MOVE IN READY, $395,000.00 439 BENEFIT: 3,200 SF RENOVATED MIXED USE BUILDING NEAR WICKENDEN STREET, TWO OFFICE SUITES, 1 APT, PRICE: $459,000

MEDICAL OFFICE SUITES FOR LEASE 49 SEEKONK ST., EAST SIDE/PROVIDENCE

2,000 - 9,400 SF SUITES WET EXAM ROOMS, LABS WAYLAND SQUARE LOCATION

AMPLE ON SITE PARKING GROUND LEVEL H/C ACCESSIBLE COMPETITIVE RENTS

Peter M. Scotti & Associates, Inc. • 401-421-8888

Peter246 M.Hope Scotti & Associates, Inc.Island • 401-421-8888 Street, Providence, Rhode 02906 VisitStreet, our web page at www.scotticommercial.com 246 Hope Providence, Rhode Island 02906 Visit our web page at www.scotticommercial.com RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Changes Size: full

NE NY Tel: 781-878-4540 REal EstatE JouRNal

New Proof

Proof Approved

Section: rI

rop 2”

Proof

Commercial Real Estate

PEA E OF MIND management & real estate

Now carrying a full line of...

Full Service Manager Leasing Screening Real Estate Sales Consulting NOW Serving Quality Landlords in both Northern & Southern RI

call us today

Stacy 401 829 8323 Carrissa 401 749 9420

Chain Saws Leaf Blowers Demo Saws

“so you can sleep at night” Snow Blowers and more... 12 Month No Interest Financing Programs Available

112 Old Pocasset Road Johnston, RI 02919 | Exit 5 off 295

401-942-8857 | www.HartfordMaterials.com

www.risbj.com | volume one issue nine

COMMUNITY

CNR

| All The Services You Are Looking For

community corner

Evaluating your insurance needs and securing the best available pricing for you and your business.

All The Services You Are Looking For In One Location Business. Home. Auto. Life.

At Primary Residential Mortgage we are happy to help you to purchase or refinance a home using an FHA, VA, USDA or a Conventional Mortgage.

We Have The Loan Product To Match Your Needs. Call Us To Find Out About Our LOW, LOW, RATES!

Call us at 401-351-3280 www.johnstoninsuranceri.com

Contact Ken Cesaro

1343 Hartford Ave. Johnston, RI 02919

Cell: (401) 641-0019 Direct: (401) 490-7123 eFax: (401) 648-0055 | Email: kcesaro@primeres.com Licensed in RI, MA, CT & NH

YOUR EXTERIOR CLEANING SOLUTION Danny P. DeHoney

CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CRPC®

FINANCIAL ADVISOR CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ PRACTITIONER 175 HILLSIDE ROAD CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND 02920 877 277 0453 DANNY.P.DEHONEY@AMPF.COM CA INSURANCE #OE43144

Been In A Recent Accident? How Do You Want To Be Taken Care Of?

AutoPaint RI

ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTER Call (401) 943-6300 www.autopaintri.com Located at 47 Stamp Farm Road, Cranston RI

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

Philip C. DiSano, Jr. RI License# 22598 | Fully Insured

Commercial Pressure Washing:

Removes Mold & Dirt! • Increases value of the location! Saves time and money! • Improves Business Appeal

BE A

BIG FISH IN A LITTLE BANK ...that’s helped build some of Rhode Island’s most successful businesses.

Greenville (401) 949-1600 | Cumberland (401) 333-3666 | East Providence (401) 244-6691 | www.freedomnationalbank.com