RISBJ V6 No6

volume six issue six

MARKETING

Educate

Rhode Island A COMPLETE GUIDE

Summer Primer

LET’S REVIEW THE BASIC BUILDING B LO C KS

PaSSionate

About The Past 1 S H I R I N G A C O N S U L T A N T F O R Y O www.risbj.com U R B| volume U Ssix IissueNsixE S

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contents

volume six issue six

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 7 Small Business News

9

9 Educate Rhode Island 10 Rhode Island Education and School Facts 12 Paying For College 101 13 The Basic Building Blccks Of Marketing

14

14 All About Internships 15 Monthly Activities: Development5 16 5 Pre-Show Marketing Tips

20

19 Safety Partners 20 Passionate About The Past

ON THE COVER

22 Personnel Practices

volume six issue six

MARKETING

24 Hiring A Consultant For Your Business 26 Keeping The Passion Engine Running

19

Educate

Rhode Island A COMPLETE GUIDE

Summer Primer

LET’S REVIEW THE BASIC BUILDING B LO C KS

PaSSionate

About The Past H I R I N G A C O N S U LTA N T F O R YO U R B U S I N E S S

Featured Educate Rhode Island Marketing Summer Primer For Business

27 www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

5

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RISBJ_Half_Nelson.indd 3

1/5/2017 6:14:53 PM

SMALL BUSINESS

NEWS

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR

J O H N TA M M A R O J O I N S T H E A L L D E B T S O L U T I O N S T E A M REGION—After spending more than two decades at the head of Debt Management Incorporated, Founder and CEO John Tammaro created his own company, All Debt Solutions.

Now in its second year, Tammaro’s Milford, Massachusettsbased company has clients throughout the Bay State and now in Rhode Island. His business works to help clients recoup outstanding obligations from customers quickly and compassionately.

Tammaro admits the work can be challenging—beginning with correcting the stigma of the job description.

“Debt collectors are viewed as people who either come to repossess your car at 3:00 AM, or hire people to do physical harm to people who don’t pay up. These stereotypes cannot be further from the truth,” said Tammaro, who invested 25 years helping people recover the money they earned. “Movies and television shows do not portray debt collectors in the most positive light. That cannot be further from the reality of what we do.”

do not receive that money then it may not seem like much. However, if enough clients fail to submit payment, then the outstanding balance grows larger. A company that is short many thousands of dollars ultimately fails because they lack that cash flow,” Tammaro said.

He added that one of the ways a customer could get the money back would be installing a payment plan for the client so they make the payoff making all sides look favorable as well.

“If a company is owed $400 and they do not receive that money, then it may not seem like much. However, if enough clients fail to submit payment, then the outstanding balance grows larger. A company that is short many thousands of dollars ultimately fails because they lack that cash flow,”

All Debt Solutions caters to many industries, including dental, construction, hospitals and attorneys. They also offer programs that enable clients to collect the funds owed and keep their relationship with that customer intact.

For more information, or to schedule a free consultation, please call (774) 804-3328, visit them on the web at http://alldebtsolutionsinc.com or email them at admin@alldebtsolutionsinc.com

Tammaro said those working in the industry are subjected to strict rules on how they can approach customers. He cited several examples ranging from when collectors may contact someone, what they can and cannot say and how often.

Tammaro said companies could not make harassing or threatening overtures on any platform (telephone calls, sending letters, social media posts, etc.) and prohibited from confronting consumers either at home or work.

In fact, Tammaro said many companies do not realize that once a debt last more than 30 days, then they are bound to the same regulations as debt collectors.

He said those companies cannot do the very things his companies are prohibited from doing.

The ADS President said the reason many companies do not hire debt collection businesses for several reasons.

He said companies are either too embarrassed to get the money, believe they will alienate their customers, are branded as someone who will go after deadbeats and/or think the money not be recovered.

Having any or all of those thoughts are not productive, Tammaro said. “If a company is owed $400 and they www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

7

AD V E RT I SE M E N T

Making Your Business Energy Efficient Is Easier and More Affordable Than You Think

Small businesses need to minimize costs to stay competitive.

Efficiency upgrades in lighting, HVAC systems, refrigeration, and specialized equipment are just some examples of where small businesses can save money by reducing their energy bills.

Fortunately, making these upgrades is easier, less disruptive, and less expensive than you may realize.

Small businesses will benefit from more than just having lower energy bills. Increased efficiency also lowers maintenance costs on equipment and lengthens its life span.

Efficiency upgrades also provide a better working climate, increasing employee productivity. Saving energy is also good for the environment, which benefits everyone.

Seeking energy efficiency should be a top priority, and here are four reasons why it’s easier than you think.

Expert help is available to you

Minimal disruption of your operations

An experienced Energy Specialist will make recommendations for improvements, and work with you to select the right efficiency upgrades for your facility. After the appropriate areas are identified, he or she will work closely with you and your schedule to complete the work.

Efficient upgrades eligible under the Small Business Direct Install Program are minimally invasive, and take only hours to complete. This means little to zero downtime for your business operations.

It’s balance sheet friendly Up to 70%* of the costs of efficiency upgrades are covered by incentives from National Grid. Spend less to save more.

You can spread out costs Certain businesses may be eligible to spread out the balance of the project costs over time as part of their energy bills. The “on-bill” repayment option allows businesses to better budget energy efficiency capital investments.

Visit ngrid.com/smallbusiness to schedule an assessment of your business and start saving. *Restrictions apply. See website for details. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2017.

These programs are funded by the energy efficiency charge on all customers’ gas and electric bills, in accordance with Rhode Island law.

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RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

©2017 National Grid.

Educate Rhode Island | SMALL BUSINESS

EducateRhode Island

A G u i d e t o L e a r n i n g i n t h e O c e a n S ta t e

$31,560 The average debt for Rhode Island College students from 2015-2016

The Average GPA

of 2016 University of Rhode Island accepted students was

3.43

According to Pew Research

91% of millennial

generation X, and baby boomer generations combined believe that college has, or will pay off.

81% Rhode Island’s

4th Place

Where Rhode Island ranks in the United States with highest amount of student debt.

High School Graduation Rate

31.3 %

of Rhode Islanders 25+ have a bachelor’s degree or higher www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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HIGHER EDUCATION FACTS The 17-member Rhode Island Board of Education was created by the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2014 and replaced the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education and the Board of Governors for Higher Education. This consolidated governance of all public education in Rhode Island is an innovative integration of policymaking and planning for elementary, secondary and higher public education in our state.

43,000 The Rhode Island higher education system provides instruction to approximately 43,000 undergraduate & graduate students each year.

$1 billion The Rhode Island higher education system has a combined operating budget of approximately $1 billion per year.

20% Percentage of students in graduating class that are minority/non-white in Rhode Island’s institutions of higher education.

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4,500 The Rhode Island higher education system employs approximately 4,500 faculty & support staff.

$133,444,377 Amount awarded to first-time, first-year undergraduate students through institutional grants.

+50% Individuals with an Associates degree or higher earn nearling 50% more than nother who have little to no college education.

LEARN ABOUT RI SCHOOLS

Bryant University A private university, located on 435 acres in Smithfield, RI. The institution was founded in 1863. Until August 2004, it was known as Bryant College.

Brown University A private Ivy League research university in Providence, RI, founded in 1764.

Roger Williams University A private, coeducational liberal arts university located on 140 acres in Bristol, Rhode Island, on Mt. Hope Bay, with a branch in Providence, RI.

BRYANT UNIVERSITY

BROWN UNIVERSITY

Johnson & Wales University A private, nonprofit, coeducational, career-oriented university with four regional campuses. Providence, RI is home to JWU's first and largest campus.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY

RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY

Rhode Island College A coeducational college located on 180 acres in Providence, RI. Founded in 1854 it is the second oldest college in Rhode Island.

Providence College A private, coeducational, Roman Catholic university founded in 1917. It is located on 105 acres two miles west of downtown Providence, RI.

SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

University of Rhode Island A public institution that was founded in 1892. Its main campus is located in the village of Kingston in southern Rhode Island.

Salve Regina University A Catholic, coeducational university founded by the Sisters of Mercy, located in the city of Newport, RI.

www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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SMALL BUSINESS | Paying For College 101

PAYING FOR COLLEGE 101: HERE’S 5 WAYS TO REDUCE THE COST. 4. SHARE THE LOAD

by Ted Donnelly According to a recent Gallup survey, 73% of parents with children under the age of 18 worry about paying for college more than any other financial issue.1 And with good reason: Over the last 30 years, inflation-adjusted wages have essentially remained flat, while the cost of attending a public, four-year university has more than tripled.2 So how can the average, middle-class family afford to send their children to college? It isn’t easy; however, there are a number of ways to reduce the high cost of college and minimize the financial impact it has on your lifestyle and future:

1. STAY IN-STATE According to the CollegeBoard’s Trends in College Pricing 2014, the average annual cost of tuition, fees, room, and board for a four-year, in-state, public university is $18,943. For an out-of-state student, that figure jumps to $32,762. You can cut your costs almost in half by selecting an in-state option.

2. MAX OUT FINANCIAL AID Be sure to investigate all your options, starting with free sources of funding such as scholarships, endowments, and grants. Once those are exhausted, your next step may be to consider low-cost student loans.

If you work with a financial professional, you may discover lots of creative ways to help pay for college.

For example: Did you know that you can borrow* against the cash value of a whole life insurance policy—and that this money does not count against you when filing for financial aid?

Given the fact that high-school graduates earn about 62% of what college graduates earn, there is little doubt that a college degree can make a big difference in your child’s future.3 And, with the right preparation and guidance, you shouldn’t have to jeopardize your future to do it.

This educational, third-party article is provided as a courtesy by Ted Donnelly, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company. To learn more about the information or topics discussed, please contact Ted Donnelly at 401-276-8728 or efdonnelly@ft.newyorklife.com 1 “U.S. Parents’ College Funding Worries Are Top Money Concern,” Gallup.com, April 20, 2015.

2 “Are Middle-Income Families Using the 529 Education Savings Plans They Fought For?” Brookings.edu, November 11, 2015.

3 “Why College Is Still Worth It Even Though It Costs Too Much,” Time.com, October 5, 2015. *Loans against your policy accrue interest and decrease the death benefit and cash value by the amount of the outstanding loan and interest

Agent, New York Life Insurance Company

If money is an issue, have your child attend a local junior college for a year or two, then transfer to a four-year university to finish up his or her degree. Most state universities accept junior college credit hours, and acceptance is sometimes easier than it is for students applying in high school.

12

5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Ted Donnelly

3. ATTEND A JUNIOR COLLEGE

“

While you may believe it is your responsibility to pick up the entire tab, there is no shame in asking grandparents and other relatives to help with the cost. Also, many financial experts recommend making sure your children have some skin in the game and contribute a portion as well.

You can cut your costs almost in half by selecting an in-state option.

”

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

The Basic Building Blccks of Marketing | SMALL BUSINESS

Each element of your marketing program is more effective when used in conjunction with others. Summer is the perfect time to review the basic building blocks of your marketing program.

S

The Basic Building Blocks of Marketing:

by Carolyn Lavin

mall firm and solo professionals in law, accounting, finance, and technology (and beyond) are often challenged by finding the time and talent to create and execute even the most fundamental marketing activities. In fact, for the busy professional, marketing and business development may be the most daunting aspect of your work-life.

In today’s contemporary workplace, implementing the basic building blocks of marketing makes you and your company more reachable, builds trust and credibility, and helps potential clients and customers make informed decisions.

Strategy: While you may not need a formal, ten-page marketing plan, it’s important to take the time to create a wellhoned big-picture strategy to maximize your marketing dollars. It makes sense to identify what you like to do, what services are in demand, and what is most profitable.

From there, you can define your key selling points, and identify your primary and secondary target audiences. Consider a business card with a logo, positioning line and other branding essentials. Where possible, use a professional to design your business card. A mini-marketing plan with a straightforward quantitative, business analysis will help you track measurable achievements and determine where to spend your own time and energy.

Website: Service professionals in the B2B arena often need websites so potential clients and customers can “vet” you and your business. For simple websites, there are usually three skillsets needed. The first is the design. It may be based on some of the elements

you have identified in your strategy such as company name, color schemes, positioning line and other graphic features.

The next part is the writing. You must spell out your compelling messages, avoiding common writing and grammar snafus that detract from your message. We are all tired of reading so it is important that your messaging be concise and easy to read.

The last piece is the technology, which is the backbone of your website. Because many potential clients and customers research professionals via phones and tablets, it is critical that your technology plan includes mobile functionality. Your technology professionals will also address security concerns to safeguard your site against hackers.

Social Media: Summer is the perfect time to reflect on your accomplishments and build or review your LinkedIn profile.

Savvy professionals use LinkedIn for networking, business development, competitive intelligence and other strategic B2B purposes. While you don’t want it to use up all your billable hours, a minimum commitment of time and energy is needed to be effective on social media. Have a friendly but professional photo for your profile, be sure to make your summary lively, and be discerning about your connections. This is your online listing of professional accomplishments and, because LinkedIn is highly optimized, it might be the first thing clients and customers view when they do a Google search for you or your company.

What’s Next Once you have the basics components of a marketing effort completed, consider subsequent, low-budget steps including: Communicate with clients/prospects via e-mail marketing to stay top-ofmind. E-mail “campaigns” are an integral and strategic element of a successful marketing approach.

When combined with tactics to leverage basic social media and drive traffic to your website, e-mail campaigns become a vital component to generate ROI of marketing dollars for business professionals.

Hone your 30-second “elevator speech” for your next networking opportunity. Whether you meet on the golf course or at a ball game, on the water or at the beach, or drinking and dining al fresco in a local eatery, summer can certainly be ripe for business development. Get out there.

Roll out a simple public relations campaign to generate awareness, keep your company top-of-mind, increase name recognition, highlight achievements, and position professionals as experts. Keep your message simple and present your news so it is compelling.

Carolyn Lavin is the president of Lavin Marketing Communications and can be reached at lavinmarketing@cox.net www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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SMALL BUSINESS | All About Internships

All About Internships

by Lynne Finnegan

Lynne Finnegan from The College of Business at the University of Rhode Island gives us an in-depth scoop on internships for interns and businesses looking to receive interns. Highlighted are reasons why students should do an internship and why businesses should share their knowledge with interns.

What are the benefits of an internship? √ Educational Experience √ Future job opportunities • • • • • •

• •

Internships provide work experience to students and recent graduates.

An internship provides the opportunity to gain hands on work experience within the student’s field of interest.

Employers see interns as prospective employees and many finish their internship and continue working with the company in a part time or full time capacity.

Internships can help you decide if this is the right career for you.

Internships are generally short-term, so you can test your future career without committing and find out if it is a career that will satisfy you.

Internship are great ways to meet people and develop your professional network. An internship allows you to meet people that might help you land a job later on and give you the contacts in the industry you’re trying to break into. Also, internships can help you develop professional reference with in your industry.

Internships are a great place to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting.

Internships are a great way to build your confidence and professionalism. It is also a great way to build your resume so you are more marketable.

What are some of the benefits for a business to hire interns?

• Internships allow the company to see if this student will be a good fit with the company.

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•

The company can hire a well-trained person at the end of the internship.

What can a company learn from students?

Internships provide employers fresh innovative business solutions.

Tell us about the process for assigning students to an internship. Do you follow a specific strategy?

Students search for an internship just like a full-time job search.

How do you best prepare your students for internships?

Students in the College of Business take a required one credit career class to prepare them for the internship search and job search. They develop the tools that they need for applying and the interview process. An example of this would be a resume and cover letter, the skills that they need for interviewing and searching for an internship. The also participate in various career events though out the semester.

This is all of the same tools that they will need for the full time job search after graduation.

Do you recommend specific ways for business to attract great interns?

Follow the academic cycle for the college (fall, spring, and summer terms) and start your process early, this would be posting and interviewing. Students are looking for experiences about a semester ahead of when they need to be doing the experience. They are also looking to work their academic schedule around an experience or vice versa.

One of the more significant advantages to providing internships is the opportunity to select and develop your future talent.

You have the opportunity to evaluate and screen potential employees prior to making a full-time position offer, which leads to financial savings.

Lynne Finnegan The College of Business at the University of Rhode Island

Monthly Activities: Development | PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

Professional Growth Monthly Activities Development

by Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD

Summer vacation is a great time to plan for your future.

I’m not recommending spending every hour of every day planning. Instead, I’m recommending getting away from the office or shop. Perhaps, go away on vacation. Best yet if you really disconnect from day to day activities. While on vacation do bring a pad of paper and a pen. Spend a little bit of time thinking about what you really enjoy doing and what you do that you would rather not do. Make a few notes. Based upon these thoughts think about what you would really like to be doing out in the horizon as far as you can see. Don’t worry if you are not able to come up with a ten year plan, a five year plan, or even a one year plan, just think as far out into the horizon as you can. Use your pen and paper to record these thoughts.

When you return from vacation transform your thoughts into a formal plan with three parts to it if you do not already have such a plan. (If you made a plan earlier in the year now is a great checkpoint to verify your progress and make any necessary changes.)

Objective. The first part of your plan, your long term objective, involves polishing notes you recorded while on vacation into a few sentences or a paragraph. Place this paragraph at the top of your plan. Read and verify that this is really what you want to be doing. If it isn’t do some more thinking and try to make this section accurate. If you do find that you have made a mistake here, you may correct it later at some cost, but remember having a plan is far better than no plan. Warning: if your plan calls for moving to the

vacation spot do not just move. Think about what the vacation spot would be like if you actually lived there.

Vacationing somewhere is very different than living there.

Timeline. Assuming that your objective is more than a year out, prepare a timeline showing the major steps that you will need to take to achieve your objective. Record these in the second section of your plan.

Detailed Plan. Prepare a detailed plan to achieve your

results for the first year of your timeline. Include in your detailed plan: academic courses (check out the information in this issue of RISBJ for some great ideas), trying new work experiences, and whatever else you need to accomplish. Assign a date for each of these items (Tuesday is recommended to avoid conflict with end of week deadlines, to allow the weekend to catch up and finally to allow Monday to catch up on anything not completed by Friday or over the weekend.) While it is a good idea in most cases to have something on your calendar every week, think ahead. If you happen to be a tax accountant in the USA, perhaps you should not put any of these activities on your calendar for March and April.

The most challenging part of the plan may be sticking to it, but please be sure to do it so that you will reach your goals. Be accountable. Discuss your plans and your accomplishments with someone you trust on a regular basis.

Be a great employer! Encourage your employees and family members to develop and follow through on similar plans.

It is possible that an employee’s plans will call for leaving your business. That is fine. When working with your employees and showing you care they may be less likely to leave you surprised with an unexpected vacancy during your busiest time of the year. It is even possible that your employee’s plans will call for opening a business similar to what you do. If you have worked together with this employee, perhaps there will be ways in which you can still help each other. For example, the former employee might refer more complex jobs to you and you might refer people who are looking for lower pricing to your former employee.

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

2 This is my 50th article appearing in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal. I would like to thank the readers, reviewers, staff, and editors for their support throughout the years.

Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro

Independent Consultant in Human Factors, Learning and Human Resources www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

15

Are you looking to get an edge for your upcoming show by advertising your presence beforehand? You’re not alone. In fact, according to EXHIBITOR’s 2017 Pre-Show Marketing Survey, 85% of participants used pre-show marketing tactics. So how do you carve out an advantage in such a crowded field?

If your brand has enough recognition, you could employ contrarian techniques, like those utilized by Siemens Healthcare, in which their pre-show marketing centered around NOT divulging product details or blasting their newest innovation out to attendees, but rather around a secret “reveal” that attendees could come by and watch. However, if your brand isn’t part of an $88 billion corporation, or you don’t have a groundbreaking product to reveal, you should follow these tips to ensure your pre-show marketing efforts are a successful endeavor.

1

A LITTLE MONEY GOES A LONG WAY Many of the most popular pre-show tactics include some form of free promotion or engagement, such as email campaigns, or social media promotion. While these free strategies’ value and effectiveness is not to be overlooked, this makes way for an environment in which 33% of companies allocate less than 1% of their exhibit marketing budget to pre-show marketing. Additionally, only 20% of companies spent over 5% of their budget on pre-show marketing.

Combine this with the growing consensus that pre-show marketing will increase in importance in companies’ future trade show strategies, and there is room to gain an advantage.

Spending even 5% of your budget on pre-show marketing puts you in the upper quartile of all companies, and allows you to better get the word out to drive traffic to your booth. Still, spending more money for the sake of spending more money doesn’t translate into more successful lead generation, so make sure you take the time to ensure that both your paid and unpaid pre-show campaigns are relevant, memorable, and reflect positively on your brand.

2

MAKE IT PERSONAL

5

MARKETI TO STAND

THE CR

Are you looking to get an edg advertising your presence before according to EXHIBITOR’s 201 85% of participants used pre-s do you carve out an advanta

How many times have you received an email that says “Dear valued customer” or “To whom it may concern” and clicked away immediately? If your leads feel as though they aren’t receiving your individual attention in an email campaign, they may come to believe your brand will not offer them the attention they need as a client.

This may be as simple as including their name in the email greeting, or offering them the chance to set up a meeting time at your booth for individual attention. For more high-priority leads it might mean a personal phone call, meeting invitation, or sending a mailer package with some prize or reward to stop by your booth.

Some forms of marketing are more suited for personalization than others, as your Facebook ad would likely be too costly to advertise to each individual lead attending the conference. But you can still make sure that there is a landing page giving them the opportunity to get information, or schedule a meeting time, and then be thanked with a personalized email or call. This isn’t just to ensure your leads feel appreciated either. 44% of companies that personalized their pre-show content saw higher returns than their non-personalized campaigns. That’s a high ROI that takes little effort to generate.

16 1

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

TRACK YOUR EFFECTIVENESS The only way to know if your tactics are working with your target audience is if you are able to analyze and compare the results. Surprisingly, only 40% of companies using pre-show marketing strategies tracked any metrics or response rates for those tactics. If you don’t know what you are trying to achieve with pre-show marketing, or if you are achieving it, how can you improve in the future? The simple process of setting goals, such as increased booth traffic, or heightened ROI, and then analyzing how your campaign influenced the achievement of those goals (with measures like pre-scheduled meetings, or response rates) can set your brand up for success, and give meaningful insight on how to improve for future events.

EARLY AND OFTEN In order to generate buzz about your booth and make sure that people have enough time to research your company and organically come to the decision that they’d like to stop by your booth, pre-schedule a meeting, or buy your products/services, you need to get the word out early enough.

TING TIPS

OUT FROM

ROWD

4

According to Pre-Show marketing survey results, 50% of all firms began pre-show marketing at least 3-4 weeks before the show if not longer.

This does not however, mean you should do one email campaign a month before and never re-contact leads. You should consistently be in contact, through email, social media, paid advertisements, and other marketing tools, while making sure to offer helpful information and not be invasive. Ensuring the leads genuinely are interested in stopping by your booth, and don’t feel like they’re being pressured to buy anything is equally important as remaining relevant in their minds.

by Susan Latielle

ge for your upcoming show by ehand? You’re not alone. In fact, 17 Pre-Show Marketing Survey, show marketing tactics. So how age in such a crowded field?

3

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE CREATIVE

In a trade show crowded by booths handing out pens, sunglasses, keychains, and other items unlikely to make an impression, or even make it home with most attendees, don’t be afraid to be different. Coupling effective pre-show marketing with a unique and enticing branded item can help drive traffic to your booth and make your name stand out in your leads’ memories of the event.

A good example of this is from 2014 VMworld conference where Micron Technology mailed punch cards, asking attendees to stop by each of their 3 demo kiosks in order to receive a bacon-scented t-shirt. Setting themselves apart with a unique and memorable item that people would actually bring home with them, as well as having an effective pre-show promotion of this helped them stand out in a crowded field of competitors.

5

In the arena of trade shows with companies competing for the attention of attendees, it is no longer enough to have an interesting and informative booth. You must make sure they are aware of your presence long before they hit the convention floor. An effective and targeted pre-show marketing strategy can help set your company apart from the pack, and ensure you stand out in your target audience’s minds long after they’ve left the sea of booths and kiosks. Ensuring you don’t overlook pre-show marketing can help originate and solidify new relationships that are potentially prosperous and beneficial for years to come.

Feel free to reach out to us directly at susan@discoveryouevents.com with any questions you may have about how exhibiting at a trade show could benefit your business. www.risbj.com | volume six issue six www.risbj.com | volume six issue four

17 2

9TH ANNUAL OCEAN STATE BUSINESS EXPO 801 Greenwich Ave. Warwick, RI 02886

INFORMATION The Ocean State Business Expo was created to bring the small business community together to meet, inspire and build connections.

The Ocean State Busines Expo, Rhode Island’s premier event for connecting businesses to each other, is scheduled for Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick.

Lt. Governor Dan McKee will kick off the expo at 11am followed by the opening of the expo and workshops at 12pm.

The expo’s mission is to support the growth and development of Rhode Island’s business community.

The excitement is building as we welcome more sponsors and exhibitors than ever before, The expo features over 120 exhibitor and valuable informational seminars throughout the day. Take a look at the Seminar Schedule so you can mark your calendar for the ones.

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Exhibitors - Meet with a variety of local businesses. Networking is key to business growth and potential oppurtunities.

Attendees - Discover the small businesses in the state that have services that you can use personally or professionally.

Admission - Free with a buiness card.

SCHEDULE Workshop schedule to be release soon. Check the website for more details.

11:00am - Kickoff With Lt. Governor Dan Mckee Join Daniel J. McKee, 69th Governor of Rhode Island, public service, buiness and non-profit organizations’ expert.

12:00pm - Expo Open Floor Services and products from the expert exhibitors are available throughout the day. The Ocean State Business Expo was created to bring the small business community together in meet, inspire and build connections. The event has become the premiere business event of the year!

SPONSORS

OceanStateBusinessExpo.com

-

Safety Partners | SMALL BUSINESS

SAFETY PARTNERS

American Red Cross, EPFD, Keller Williams Realty, Leading Edge help keep local residents safe.

EAST PROVIDENCE—Thousands of lives are lost annually because homes or other places of residence either lack adequate fire alarm systems or use outdated ones.

Several local organizations recently aligned to ensure families stay safe.

Volunteers from The American Red Cross/Rhode Island Chapter, the East Providence Fire Department and Keller Williams Realty, Leading Edge toured the city installing new smoke alarms and educating residents on having an escape plan, proper ventilation and other tactics that may prevent danger.

Elizabeth McDonald, Senior Director of Emergency Services, said they group performed 137 installations during its recent campaign. She said this effort is part of a national effort to prevent fire-related deaths. So far, 235 lives were saved since the start of the campaign, with efforts to decrease the number of residential fire deaths by 5% over the next five years.

“The American Red Cross responds to home fires and other disasters, nearly 64,000 a year,” said McDonald, who has worked for The American Red Cross for 25 years. “In these situations, we deal with the families after the fire— trying to take care of their immediate, emergency needs and help families get back on their feet. The faster fires are detected, the less damage that occurs, and the more time that people have to get out. Smoke alarms save lives!”

City Fire Marshal Capt. Kenneth Botelho and Asst. Fire Marshal Lt. Thomas Trainor, who helped to coordinate these efforts, spoke with the teams before they went about the installation process and provided education pointers. Volunteers from The Red Cross, East Providence Fire Department, and Keller Williams Realty, Leading Edge together visited each home. They spoke with residents about fire safety while other volunteers on the team installed smoke detectors.

The program took roughly 20 minutes at each stop. Keller William Realty, Leading Edge Volunteer Tom Keith of Cranston and Red Cross Volunteer Bob Foti (Rumford), were among the teams that installed the new fire alarm systems, which numbered up to three new devices in each residence. The agency has offices in Cumberland and East Providence.

Trainer said that programs such as the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign works for two reasons. The first helps keep the city safe in the event of a fire.

Second, it provides the EPFD with a chance to be more involved with the community and provide residents with answers to their questions or concerns.

He said having programs regarding this one are not only important for the public to take advantage of, but also for the Department to be proactive within the city.

“The majority of fires that we see often happen because of an accident,” said

Trainer. “Many of them could have been prevented with a working smoke system. Many people do not realize that the older alarms fail after five years if they do not replace the battery.

The newer models last 10 years, and there is no battery to replace.”

Paul W. Cutler of Keller Williams Realty, Leading Edge, and a Burrillville resident, said the opportunity to help came by chance. Cutler said he met MacDonald at an open house and they got to talking. When MacDonald said they were holding this event, Cutler said that fit in with the Realty’s RED Day Initiative, when the agency closes its doors for one day to get involved in the community.

Cutler’s colleague, Stephen Thibodeau, said the agency worked on several projects including building homes for Habitat for Humanity as one example. He said it was a simple choice to sign on for this project.

We have been doing RED Day since I began working here 12 years ago,” said Thibodeau, who works in the East Side as the Operating Principal.

“This program fits in with our culture and community partnership mission.”

McDonald said more of these events are coming up throughout the state, including one in Coventry this summer and more in the fall.

For more information about this and other event, please call 401-831-7700 or visit them on the web at: http://www.redcross.org/local/ rhode-island.

www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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PASSIONATE about the past!

by Travis

Landry

As Rhode Island’s premier auction destination specializing in antiques, fine art, collectibles, and unusual objects, Bruneau and Co. Auctioneers is proud of our service to individuals who are either consigning or purchasing fine art for pleasure or investment. But, beyond the individual market, we are also a B2B company, working closely with like-minded businesses throughout the region and beyond. We work with realtors and real estate agents, as well as related service groups such as appraisers, and estate attorneys. We work with individuals and families who are listing homes, or dissolving homes of loved family members who have left their home or passed away. From appraisal to auction, from one item to entire households, we offer our services efficiently and effectively so the real estate process can move forward.

We work with family attorneys, who are in the position of dissolving the lifetime treasures of a loved one or helping family members downsize and learn what their possessions are worth. Oftentimes, the sale of these items help loved ones move on to their next living arrangement with more assets than they thought they had. We work with realtors who get a listing but find there is much work to be done before that treasured home can be put into the sales market.

items for auction – or purchasing them as well. We pride ourselves on demystifying that process – we want everyone we encounter to become enraptured by what we are most passionate about and join us in the world of auctions.

We are a fast-paced business at Bruneau and Co, with cataloguing and online auctions turning over every three to five weeks, as we offer an eclectic mix of antiques and art from various estates across New England, and beyond. The advantage to our auctions is that we don’t just sell to a room but the entire world. Our auctions are offered on nine different online platforms reaching millions of potential customers ensuring a strong result for the market today. Those who place their treasured items with us receive the very best prices possible by this process.

When it comes to dispersion of an entire collection or full household, which happens more often than one might think, we will make an entire estate auction just for that

“We pride ourselves on demystifying that process – we want everyone we encounter to become enraptured by what we are most passionate about and join us in the world of auctions.”

The mainstay of our business is the auction process. We’ve learned that many see that as a leery and aloof process, and feel uneducated about how to even begin placing

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Passionate About The Past | SMALL BUSINESS

collection. Recently, at Bruneau and Co., we conducted single owner and specialty auctions every quarter, with the most recent being the Fine Art Collection of Tamara and Norman J. Bolotow, Esq. of Barrington, Rhode Island.

or an original piece of art in the home’s foyer, stagers and interior designers can often be found at our monthly auctions – you can peruse the catalogue ahead of time – or even call us if you are looking for that special item.

Other specialty auctions have included Asian Arts to our biannual toy and comic auctions, held in conjunction with Rhode Island Comic Con.

For those reading who may be real estate agents, appraisers, or attorneys dealing with an estate and don’t know where to begin, just get in touch. In addition to appraising, and selling, we regularly conduct speaking engagements for professionals throughout Rhode Island educating on what to look for and do when in a home. We also offer in-home and on-site services. Our consultations are free and for your benefit. What’s worth than not knowing what to do what is valuable and what is not, we all know that it’s never advantageous to leave money on the table in business.

At Bruneau & Co. we are not limited, our trusted team offers expertise in all fields across the board. We realize that all houses do not contain an Andy Warhol or X-Men number one - though two estates just did! We’ll assist the families, realtors, attorneys, or collectors in doing informal and formal appraisals, assessing the best way to sell those treasured items, all the way through to orchestrating estate sales and broom swept cleanouts.

It’s often that we get a call that there is a house for sale and realtors have no idea how valuable things are that may remain in the home at the offer of listing. From art on the walls, to antique furniture, to those sometimes more valuable things inside that furniture, it takes a keen eye and access to research to determine value and approach to a proper dissolution that honors the feelings of those who lived with and treasured those items.

Staging! Yes, we assist in providing items that will help your listing sell – whether it’s a fantastic, unusual mirror

As a pop culture expert, an antique specialist, and auctioneer, I oversee the intake, research and cataloging of antiques while also being the Toy Director here at Bruneau and Co. I specialize in American and Japanese toys, comics and decorative arts. Bruneau has specialists in all areas of antiques, fine art, and unusual objects and collectibles.

We love to talk about what we do, the ins and outs of collectibles and auctions. As we say, we are re passionate about the past – working harder for your future.

Travis Landry Bruneau and Co. Auctioneers BruneauandCo.com

www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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LEGAL | Personnel Practices: Employer Compliance With Medical Marijuana Laws

Personnel Practices EMPLOYER

MEDICAL

COMPLIANCE

MARIJUANA

by C. Alexander Chiulli, Esq. and Kristen M. Whittle, Esq.

Though marijuana is illegal federally, recreational marijuana is legal in eight states (including neighboring Massachusetts) and medical marijuana is legal in twentynine states. Rhode Island has not legalized recreational marijuana, and its legalization remains an ongoing debate in the General Assembly, but medical marijuana has been permitted in Rhode Island for over ten years. Rhode Island’s Medical Marijuana Act permits patients to use marijuana to treat “debilitating medical conditions” and protects patients, physicians, and caregivers from arrest and prosecution. However, due to the number of statues, regulations, and law governing medical marijuana in Rhode Island, their navigation is often confusing for employers.

The following are best practices for employers to remain compliant with medical marijuana laws.

Remember that Medical Marijuana is a Prescribed Medicine It is important for employers to remember that medical marijuana is recognized in Rhode Island as medicine for patients with debilitating medical conditions. The state’s Medical Marijuana Act accordingly provides that “No…employer…may refuse to…employ…or otherwise penalize, a person solely for his or her status as a [medical marijuana] cardholder.” Employers must therefore be careful to distinguish between recreational and medical marijuana use. An employer may discipline an employee for using marijuana recreationally while on the job, but may not discipline an employee for being a cardholder or having a prescription for medical marijuana. Similar to other prescription medications, whether employers may discipline an employee for using medical marijuana on the job depends on the circumstances of the use and the nature of the work.

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WITH

L AWS

Know Federal Statutes and their Requirements Concerning Drug Use Since marijuana is illegal federally, medical marijuana use is not covered by Federal acts which might otherwise apply or provide protection. For example, medical marijuana use is not protected under by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employers should pay further attention to whether they are subject to the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and its restrictions concerning drug use, e.g., medical marijuana, as a condition of employment on a Federal contract or grant.

In these situations, Federal law supersedes state law and often imposes strict requirements concerning maintaining a drug free workplace.

Because the Drug-Free Workplace Act requires an ongoing, good faith effort to maintain a drug-free workplace, employers subject to the Act should ensure that employees are aware of its policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace and communicate that employees must abide by the policy. An employer’s policy should establish a drug-free awareness program, including education and counseling, and inform employees

Personnel Practices: Employer Compliance With Medical Marijuana Laws | LEGAL

An employer may discipline an employee for using marijuana recreationally while on the job, but may not discipline an employee for being a cardholder or having a prescription for medical marijuana. that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited, as well as the actions that will be taken against employees who violate the policy.

Proceed Cautiously when Drug Testing In the first case of its kind in the state, a Rhode Island Superior Court judge recently ruled that refusing to hire a person because the or she is a medical marijuana cardholder is disability discrimination under the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act. This ruling has complicated the drug testing of job applicants and employees. Rhode Island allows an employer to drug test an applicant after he or she is offered employment conditioned on receiving a negative test result. But not hiring an applicant because he or she tested positive for medical marijuana may now subject an employer to liability for discrimination. Comparatively, Rhode Island employers may drug test a current employee when the employer has reasonable, documented grounds to believe that the use of a controlled substance may be impairing an employee’s job performance. An employer cannot, however, terminate an employee solely because of positive drug test result.

C. Alexander Chiulli, Esq. Associate, Barton Gilman LLP Kristen M. Whittle, Esq. Associate, Barton Gilman LLP www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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SMALL BUSINESS | Why Should You Consider Hiring A Consultant For Your Business

Why Should You

A CONSULTANT FOR

by Larry Girouard

No one knows my business better than I do. Why should I hire a consultant to tell me what I already know? This is a familiar retort from most company presidents, especially from those at the helm of smaller organizations. It certainly makes sense that company presidents and management teams would want to solve their own business issues internally, and not expose the inner workings of the business to “outsiders”.

While there are many reasons to look outside your own company for help, the foundational reason for bringing in a consultant is the fact that they are not emotionally encumbered with any of the activities, politics, or tribal knowledge within your organization. Consultants approach a company like a case study. They look at options based on the company data presented, and what they have learned throughout their years of experience in the field. It is rare that a seasoned consultant has not faced the issues that are currently impacting your company.

Seeing the Forest through the Trees

This experience provides the consultant with a different perspective than what you, as president, would have because you are too close to the situation.

Most consultants I talk with approach a client issue by initially looking at the company from a more strategic view, whereas the business owner is usually stuck in the weeds of detail on most issues, and are unable to see the forest through the trees. The ability of a consultant to first view a company from this loftier vantage point helps to assess the big picture, and the impact that any specific issue, or issues, might have on the overall operation of the company.

Also, this approach brings the owner up to this more elevated position, enabling the owner to better place most issues onto a more global map of the business. It is rare that any company issue has a single cause. Issues are not likely to be addressed by a quick fix. The consultant is more

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focused regarding the task at hand as outline in the Statement of Work, and are not pulled away by the day-today activities that detract from finding effective solutions.

Beyond the ability of the consultant to focus on the task at hand, bringing in someone with a specific expertise that is not currently available inside the company represents a learning experience that can positively impact the overall culture of the company.

While every consultant hopes to achieve the “ah ha” moment when it comes to company culture, these transformational moments remain elusive. The “we have always done it this way” is deeply engrained in almost every organization.

Resistance

Managers often look at consultants as a threat. As the consultant offers solutions to address the issues at hand, management sees these implementations as a threat because they see their reputation within the organization being lowered if they embraced these suggested solutions. It is not just the normal resistance to change that comes into play, but it is compounded by the fact that it is not their ideas.

Regardless of why you bring in a consultant, the net result is that, in most cases, change in something will be the prescription.

Change!!!! That’s right, if a company president is not willing to undergo some discomfort regarding implementing the suggested changes offered by the consultant, the targeted issues will remain.

That said, a consultant can help drive change. If you hire a consultant just to address your issues you will shortchanging yourself. A good consultant will teach you their expertise instead of just reporting the results to you. Good consultants get you involved with the process so that you are learning while doing.

They teach you how to fish. Every consultant has a process for addressing a problem, and the ultimate solution is likewise a process. This is all about learning new processes.

This all sounds good, but there is a very familiar response that company presidents seem to have all learned at “Resistance University”. The universal response is ... “ I do not have enough

Why Should You Consider Hiring A Consultant For Your Business | SMALL BUSINESS

u Consider Hiring

R YOUR BUSINESS?

time in the day to implement all that is being suggested.

I have customers to satisfy!”. If you, as president, are not open to learning and trying new things, little progress will be made.

Beta Test

If you have struggled with the concept of bringing in an outside consultant because of the extent of the overall commitment, try contracting for a small project. Have the tapped consultant work on a project that has a limited scope, but one that will have a measurable deliverable.

In this way you will be able to determine how the consultant approaches a project without much financial risk.

Conclusion

If you are having persistent issues with your business, hiring a consultant is one option for you to consider.

While an overused but true statement, Einstein said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. Change is difficult even under the best circumstances. If you are open to receiving advice and learning new things, hiring a consultant is the fastest way to get you there. The return on investment will speak for itself.

Larry Girouard President The Business Avionix Company

This experience provides the consultant with a different perspective than what you, as president, would have because you are too close to the situation.

www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

25

Promises Made. Promises Kept.

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passion

Keeping The Passion Engine Running | SMALL BUSINESS

KEEPING THE

ENGINE RUNNING

W

by Mike Brito

e all know the chips are stacked against us. After all, we are operating on the fringe of the contracting world, with prime contractors holding the best hand it is up to us to continually reinvent ourselves regarding efficiency and best practice innovation while at the same time staying on the radar screen of the busiest primes in Rhode Island! No easy task for sure however not impossible!

The facts don’t lie; 70% of small construction companies will not see year number two. 50% will not see year three; why? Some of us become disillusioned either in our own efforts or those efforts of agencies in which we place too much of our own resolve. We fail to realize that although because we are a certified DBE/MBE and therefore get a “leg-up”, we are still responsible to ride the horse ourselves! It is through our own hunger and passion that we must not just survive but thrive. It is when we miss this target that the bottom falls out and another statistic is born! So what is the plan for us and how do the select minority companies rise above the group? They stay passionate; they stay hungry!

As I’ve conveyed in prior articles, the priority for us is to be professionals to lean in and learn from those that have walked the same road to successful ends.

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RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

HOW TO STAY “ON-TRACK” WITH OUR DBE/MBE BUSINESS When faced with the mid-season segment of our companies it’s easy to get stuck. Stuck with the business of running the business! The fixed costs must be met, the people must be busy and the payables must stay current, but how do we stay motivated enough to continue creating ways to grow our small companies?

We must continually yearn for better ways of conducting ourselves remembering that our image is the first picture of success or failure that others will judge us by. I’ve stated that an owner must always be a student by which our employees observe the best example of leadership.

Pragmatically what do I mean?

“ It is through our own

hunger & passion that we must not just survive but thrive.

”

Search out new and better ways of running your company, use any and all resources available and implement these ways and structure these resources to fit the company, keep what works, discard what doesn’t!

I have printed lists of agencies, industry specific as well as associated organizations that are offered free or at

a greatly reduced fee that I have found great value in to enrich my own business in prior issues. There is no “magic” pill (that I know of) that will give you anything that you don’t already possess. We must start to learn from each other of what works and what does not. Working together instead of against one another is always a better path!

If you’re experiencing any business related issue that is holding back growth it is imperative that you get help before it buries you under a heavy load. The Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones; it ended because we found a better way! It won’t be easy and shouldn’t be. After you’ve read this issue from cover to cover, go through it again and make notes of resources mentioned, contact them and follow-up. Do the work required, invest your best resource “time” and be amazed at the results!

See you on the job-site!

Mike Brito (401) 952.5892 Team Lead - Manage the Road Ahead www.managetheroadahead.com msb@managetheroadahead.com

www.risbj.com | volume six issue six

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chosen Neighborhood because it’s affordable and has what they need.”

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