RISBJ Volume 3 Issue 9 by Rhode Island Small Business Journal

volume three issue nine

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other

from the founder THE POWER OF NO The word NO has such a negative connotation in the English language. Think about it for a moment. When have you ever heard the word NO and had a warm and fuzzy feeling or positive reaction? For most, just thinking about hearing the word NO is enough to stop them from taking action or pursing a life-long dream. Other words associated with the word NO are: rejection, disappointment, demoralization, repudiation…and the list goes on. But, for an entrepreneur, the word NO means something entirely different. When an entrepreneur hears the word NO, they take it as an opportunity to work even harder. They’ll see a challenge and say “Let’s do this!” The word NO doesn’t have any power over an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs know that they have to hear the word NO over and over again in order to eventually hear the word YES. The word NO becomes an entrepreneur’s best friend. NO becomes a motivator for entrepreneurs, a driving force pushing them to reach and exceed their goals. The difference between being a winner or loser, a success or a failure, is how you deal with hearing the word NO. For example, let’s say there are two entrepreneurs, both selling the same product at the same price to the same target market. Both startups have the same 25% close ratio. So for every one YES, they receive 3 NO’s. The first entrepreneur hates hearing the word NO and takes it personally every time he hears it. The fear of hearing the word NO results in fewer appointments scheduled, only 2 a day or 10 per week. He closes 2.5 deals a week, 139 deals a year. The second entrepreneur thrives on hearing the word NO and does not take it personally. He expects to hear it over and over again. He sets up 5 appointments a day, 25 per week, resulting in 6.25 closed deals a week. That’s 4 deals a week more, or 208 more deals a year. Which entrepreneur will be more successful? How many NO’s do you think some of the most successful entrepreneurs have heard before becoming the top in their field? We just see them at the top and think they got there by having a secret formula or a special gift, but they got to the top because they were willing to hear the word NO over and over again and were able to turn a negative into a positive. So the next time you hear the word NO from a prospective client, just smile and say thank you because that NO just got you a little closer to your next YES.

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BE IN DEMAND.

Gil Lantini Founder Ralph Coppolino Co-Founder John Resnick Marketing Coordinator Mike Casale Senior Designer Pam Walsh Managing Editor Sara Celano Production Assistant Intern Keri Biron Chad Sabo Contributing Writers Gail Ahlers Susan Avery Chris Barnett Jordan Becker Kristin Carcieri-MacRae Ted Donnelly Susan Esposito Seth A. Goodall Jessica Holden Donna Mac Sally P. McDonald Byron McMasters, Esq. Secretary of State Ralph Mollis Jeff Morse Payden Matthew R. Plain, Esq. Treasurer Gina Raimondo Peggy Riley Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro Lisa Shorr Mayor Angel Taveras Nancy Thomas Kristen M. Whittle, Esq.

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www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

UPCOMING EVENTS NETWORKING AND WORKSHOPS For More Events Visit www.risbj.com OCT

OCT

Wednesday, October 15 Capital City Connection Networking 7:30am-9:00am 140 Hillside Rd., Cranston Wednesday, October 15 Providence Biltmore Hotel City of Providence Mayoral Forum 8:00am-9:15am 11 Dorrance St., Providence

OCT

Thursday, October 16 The Hive RI Integrating Events and Social Media 12:00pm-1:00pm 650 Ten Rod Rd., North Kingstown

Tuesday, October 21 Spring Hill Suites East Greenwich Chamber Business After Hours 5:30pm 14 James P. Murphy Hwy., West Warwick

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Wednesday, October 22 Corner Bakery Café Capital City Connection Networking 7:30am-9:00am 140 Hillside Rd., Cranston

Thursday, October 23 Centerville Seminar Center The 5 Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make…and What to Do Instead 9:00am-11:00am 875 Centerville Road, Building 2, Suite 5 Thursday, October 23 Woonsocket Harris Library Northern RI Chamber Social Media Marketing for the Holidays 9:30am-11:30am 303 Clinton St., Woonsocket Thursday, October 23 The Garage: Featuring the Knowledge Economy Community Forum at Hasboro 3:00pm-7:00pm One Hasboro Place, Providence

Thursday, October 16 Peace Dale Mill Complex Southern RI Chamber The Taste…of Southern RI 5:00pm-8:00pm 1425 Kingstown Rd., Peace Dale Tuesday, October 21 Northern RI Chamber Communication Skills & Conflict Management 8:30am-4:30pm 6 Blackstone Valley Place, St. 402, Lincoln

Thursday, October 23 Antique Armory Marketplace Newport Chamber Business After Hours 5:00pm-7:00pm 365 Thames Street, Newport OCT

Saturday, October 25 Maximizing Social Security Lecture East Smithfield Library 11:00am-12:30pm 50 Esmond St., Smithfield

Saturday, October 25 Crowne Plaza Hotel Heart & Soul Ball 6:00pm-11:30pm 801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick Saturday, October 25 Omni Providence Hotel Rhode Island Manufacturing Renaissance Gala 6:00pm-11:00pm 1 W Exchange St.

OCT

Tuesday, October 28 Newport Chamber Seminar Presented by Joe Schechtman 8:30am-10:00am Tuesday, October 28 Cornerstone Group HR Bootcamp 6:00pm-8:30pm 931 Jefferson Blvd., Suite 3001, Warwick

Wednesday, October 22 RI Kitchen & Bath, Inc. Central RI Chamber Bella Vino Wine Tasting 5:30pm-8:00pm 139 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick

Thursday, October 16 Newport Chamber Business During Hours 12:00pm-1:30pm Sponsored by Chili’s

OCT

Tuesday, October 21 East Smithfield Library Maximizing Social Security Lecture 6:00pm-7:30pm 50 Esmond St., Smithfield

Wednesday, October 15 WorkDigz - Central RI Chamber Business After Hours 4:30pm-7:30pm 16 International Way, Warwick Wednesday, October 15 Riverbend Athletic Club Southern RI Chamber Business After Hours 5:00pm-7:00pm 316 Columbia St., Peace Dale

Tuesday, October 21 Cornerstone Group HR Bootcamp 6:00pm-8:30pm 931 Jefferson Blvd., Suite 3001, Warwick

OCT

29 OCT

30 OCT

Wednesday, October 29 Corner Bakery Café Capital City Connection Networking 7:30am-9:00am 140 Hillside Rd., Cranston Thursday, October 30 Kirkbrae Country Club Northern RI Chamber Gubernatorial Forum with RISCPA’s 7:45am-9:30am 197 Old River Rd., Lincoln Friday, October 31 Providence Marriott Downtown Rhode Island Gubernatorial Forum 8:00am-9:00am One Orms St., Providence Friday, October 31 Central RI Chamber Leads Luncheon 12:00pm-1:30pm Sponsored by Secure Future Tech Solutions

NOV

Tuesday, November 4 Cornerstone Group HR Bootcamp 6:00pm-8:30pm 931 Jefferson Blvd., Suite 3001, Warwick Wednesday, November 5 Corner Bakery Café Capital City Connection Networking 7:30am-9:00am 140 Hillside Rd., Cranston

contents

volume three issue nine

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

6 Upcoming Events, Networking and Workshops

8 Secretary of State Ralph Mollis 9 Spotlight on Startups 10 Federal Government Meets Commitment to U.S. Small Businesses 11 Small Business News 15 Welcome to the Empowerment Factory 16 Reimagining Our Capital City 17 Making a Name in Our Backyard 19 The Perils of Being Star-Struck 21 Getting to Know the Candidate 22 5 Reasons Your Business Needs to Get Organized 24 What Does Your Right to Privacy Include? 25 Ice Buckets & Pennies from Heaven 26 SEO: Thriving or Diving 28 Real Estate News 32 Rental Real Estate Income, Deductions and Recordkeeping 34 When Money Doesn’t Talk 35 Newport – A Dream Destination for Work and Pleasure 36 Sound Business Advice 37 EverFi Financial Literacy Program 38 Seller Beware 41 Procurement Unearths New Ways to Add Value 42 Potential Legal Liability for Employers at Corporate Events 44 Learning isn’t Just for Kids 47 Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation 48 Don’t Rely Solely on Uncle Sam’s Help for Retirement 51 Not Just Trinkets Anymore 52 What Would Joan Say? 54 Local Small Business Directory 56 Corporate and Event Planning

ON THE COVER

Featured When Money Doesn’t Talk

Non Profit Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation

47 www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SECRETARY OF STATE | Ralph Mollis

Get Prepared For The

Upcoming General Election by Secretary Of State Ralph Mollis

•

As the 2014 general election nears, I want to make sure Rhode Island voters are aware of upcoming deadlines they must meet in order to make sure their voice is heard as they cast their ballots on Election Day.

• •

As move into October, the next important deadline for voters is October 14th, which is the deadline to apply for an election mail ballot. The date of the 2014 general election is November 4, 2014. Our office hopes more people than ever register to vote, and come out to vote in this year’s general election, as this is a right so many have fought for across the world. This year will see election contests for many municipal offices, General Assembly seats, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and statewide general offices, including all five General Office seats (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, General Treasurer, and Attorney General). For more information on this year’s election, and for a complete list of deadlines, resources for voters, and candidates running, please visit our online elections page at www.sos.ri.gov/elections. Also, to learn who your elected officials are, check your voter registration, locate your local board of canvassers, view sample ballots for upcoming elections and find out where your polling place is, please visit our online Voter Information Center at https:// sos.ri.gov/vic/. Your name, date of birth and zip code or city/town of residence are required to view your personal voter registration record. All other data is available by using the general search option and entering just a street address and zip code or city/town. It’s also important to note that poll workers will ask you to show a current and valid photo ID when you vote at your polling place this year. Poll workers will accept the following valid and current Photo IDs: • RI driver’s license • U.S. passport

Our office hopes more people than ever register to vote, and come out to vote in this year’s general election, as this is a right so many have fought for across the world. 8

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

• •

ID card issued by an educational institution in the United States U.S. military identification card ID card issued by the U.S. government or State of Rhode Island like a RIPTA bus pass Government issued medical card RI Voter ID

Registered voters who don’t have an acceptable current and valid Photo ID can get a free Voter ID at our office in Providence at 148 West River Street during normal business hours (8:30a.m.4:30p.m.). We will also come to your community. To invite us to provide free Voter IDs at your organization or event, contact us at 222-2340, TTY 711 or elections@sos.ri.gov. Our office is also pleased to remind voters about the new mobile voter application our office recently launched, which delivers voter information to Rhode Islanders with the touch of a button. RI VIC is the name of the new mobile application, and it’s designed to assist Rhode Island voters from mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets. This app is FREE and available for online download for Apple devices at the Apple store, and for Android devices at Google Play. This is exciting news for all Rhode Islanders. Our new RI VIC application puts voter information, literally, in the palm of your hands, from your home, office, car, or anywhere on-the-go. I am very proud of this new technology, offered by our office, which will help voters access their voter information more easily, and on a 24/7 basis. The RI VIC application is incredibly user-friendly and is perfect for anyone looking to learn their voter status, find out where to vote, research district information, and even get GPS directions from your current location to your polling place, and more. Simply download the RI VIC app to your mobile device. Tap the icon, which reads RI VIC, and this launches the app on your device. Here, you have the option to conduct a “personal search” or a “general search.” After you make your selection, simply type in the required information and hit search. A video demonstration of RI VIC is available on our website at: http://www.sos.ri.gov/mobileapp/ For more information on this year’s elections, and resources for voters and candidates, please visit our website at www.sos.ri.gov/ elections/, which includes our Voter Information Center, and important deadlines. Or, visit our office at 148 West River Street in Providence during normal business hours, or call us at (401) 222-2340. I am committed to making it easier for Rhode Islanders to vote, making it easier to do business in Rhode Island and making government more open and accessible.

Spotlight | STARTUPS

Spotlight

on Startups Lana Drew: revisited

Student Concierge Service Contact Information: Lana Drew 141 Waterman St, Providence, RI 02906 401.578.1851 LDrew20@gmail.com Digital Media Website: http://lanadrew.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lanadrewforyou Twitter: https://twitter.com/LanaDrewForYou LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanadrew Company Information: Lana Drew Student Concierge Services (LDSCS) offers a wide range of concierge and lifestyle management services to university students. Our concierge business is complimented by our extensive professional capabilities, with expertise ranging from professional real estate services to daily lifestyle tasks. LDSCS hopes to make the college experience easy by ensuring that both students and parents are comfortable on a daily basis. Who We Are Lana Drew Student Concierge Service began with a simple mission — to help students transition into and out of college life. As experienced professionals in the education, professional services, real estate and client service fields, we understand that college students have unique needs, special circumstances, and particular preferences as they start and finish their university studies. We are dedicated to helping at all points in the process and ensuring that our student clients have everything at their disposal that they need to succeed.

What We Do As a student concierge service, we aim to provide any and all services that our students may require, whether moving into their college dorms or preparing for their first career post-graduation. From finding the right apartment, setting up cleaners, planning events, providing chef services, or planning for the ultimate spring break vacation, we are there for our clients every step of the way. Why We Do It College should be a time in which adventures are only bound by hours in the day and the heights of our imagination. We understand that along the way, any number of hurdles — from the mundane to the extraordinary — can get in the way. That is why we at Lana Drew Student Concierge aim to ensure that our students have a rock they can call on — whenever, for whatever — as they encounter every new adventure fresh and ready. The Latest Recently, Lana Drew Student Concierge Services has been invited to partner with Brown Student Agencies at Brown University. Currently, Lana Drew provides services to many students in over 50 countries worldwide. Lana has future plans of expanding her business to college campuses throughout the New England area. Additionally, LDSCS has partnered with Dr. Prakash Sampath, Chief of Neurosurgery at Roger Williams Hospital to provide medical concierge services to clients. Students will have access to medical treatment for anything from a simple cold to setting a broken leg. Lana Drew will make sure students receive the medical care they need and parents have peace of mind.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SBA | Federal Government Meets Commitment To U.S. Small Businesses

Federal Government

Meets Commitment to U.S. Small Businesses by Seth A. Goodall

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is proud to announce that our federal government met its small business federal contracting goal for the first time since 2005 thanks to the SBA and President Obama’s commitment to increasing small business contracting opportunities. In Fiscal Year 2013, our government awarded 23.39 percent in federal contracts to small businesses, which is $83.1 billion of eligible contracting dollars according to SBA’s Small Business Procurement Scorecard. Advancement and progress continues in several small business prime contracting categories. The SBA has increased its efforts and collaboration with all federal agencies to broaden opportunities for our small businesses to compete and qualify for federal contracts. Furthermore, the Obama Administration has accelerated payments to small businesses through the “QuickPay” program so small business owners can maintain cash flow to grow their businesses. Additionally, the private sector’s equivalent, SupplierPay, will support private sector contracting for small businesses. We all know that when small businesses earn federal contracts, it’s a win-win for small businesses, the innovative job creators who fuel the nation’s economy, and the federal government. In Rhode Island, companies like the J. Goodison Company in Providence are part of this success. J. Goodison Company is a Service-Disabled VeteranOwned Small Business and a HUBZone Certified firm. More than 90 percent of the company’s business is from federal government contracting. SBA’s goal is to ensure our small businesses continue to gain federal contracts to expand their opportunities and fuel the American economy. The federal government buys nearly $100 billion worth of goods and services from small businesses every year, ranging from paperclips and food services to IT consulting, which may prompt you to wonder: what can my small business do to earn a share of federal contracts? One of the first steps in becoming a government contractor is to determine if your small business qualifies for government contracts on SBA.gov. If your small business qualifies, you will need to register your

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

business with the federal government’s System of Award Management (SAM), the primary database of vendors doing business with the federal government. Once you determine your business is small and register on SAM, you can contact Matt Spoehr at the SBA Rhode Island District Office by calling (401) 528-4561, or by e-mail at providence.ri@sba.gov to answer any immediate questions and to help your business flourish. There are additional support programs for America’s small businesses such as: The SBA 8(a) Business Development Program offers an inclusive and broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled by minority individuals. This program includes SBA’s MentorProtégé Program, designed to connect successful firms with 8(a) program participants to establish your small business entrepreneurial success. The ChallengerHer Initiative, a SBA partnership with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express Open, provides women a forum for discussion on federal contracting and connects womenowned businesses to one another to increase their small business network. You can learn further about small businesses and federal contracting through the SBA classroom. The GC Classroom can be accessed at www.sba.gov/gcclassroom. By using these tools, you can successfully navigate the federal contracting marketplace and propel your business and the American economy. The SBA is here to help you, so after exploring the various SBA tools above, make sure you contact your nearest SBA office for additional resources and counseling. Under the leadership of Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, the new SBA looks forward to being Smart, Bold, and Accessible to America’s small businesses as they are the backbone of our economy. Therefore, we will continue to work tirelessly to create opportunities and continue the President’s efforts for small businesses to secure government contracts. Seth A. Goodall New England Regional Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration

One of the first steps in becoming a government contractor is to determine if your small business qualifies for government contracts on SBA.gov

SMALL BUSINESS

NEWS

Ashley Advertising Announces New Advertising Medium Involved in D.G. Yuengling & Son’s Rhode Island & Connecticut’s Market Introduction

PROVIDENCE, RI — Ashley Advertising Agency, Agency of Record for D.G. Yuengling & Son, among others, has contracted with Promotion with Motion, to help reach beer consumers in large and small towns across Rhode Island and Connecticut as part of a layered approach to reaching consumers in the Yuengling Brewery’s advertising market introductions in each state. This utilization of mobile digital billboards will help reach consumers both in media dominated markets as well as those based in cities and towns not covered sufficiently by more traditional static billboard advertising. “We expect to see a very positive impression made by this newer form of outdoor media,” said Frank Gussoni, President of Ashley Advertising Agency. “The flexibility to run static images in conjunction with short

video commercials, combined with the ability to ensure the ads are in the right places at the right times, when consumers will most engage with the advertising, should bolster our layered advertising efforts in both states,” Frank continued. It is more challenging each year to break through the “noise” of the varied types of advertising to reach the right consumers at the right time and place, without having to invest a fortune to do so. We believe this Digital Mobile Vehicle will help us share Yuengling’s products attributes and message in conjunction with other traditional outdoor and media properties. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, PA, Ashley Advertising is experienced in multiple facet advertising strategies and one of the nation’s leading mobile media agencies.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS

NEWS

Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England Receives $75,000 Donation from Amica Companies Foundation

WARWICK, RI — Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England (GSSNE) received a $75,000 donation from Amica Companies Foundation in a check presentation on Friday afternoon at GSSNE’s new headquarters in Warwick. The donation will help establish the Girl Leadership Experience Center, a girl-led hub of creativity, connectivity, exploration and inspiration located at the headquarters. The center will offer programming in six key areas: making a difference, life skills, travel/adventure, camping/outdoor skills, global citizenship and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math). The center is currently used for meetings and programs on a limited basis. However, through donations to the capital campaign, Girl Scouts is hoping to fill the space with interactive technology that would allow girls in the center to connect with girls at urban satellite locations, camps and throughout the world. “We were looking for that first big donation, and we’ve been blessed with Amica’s support,” said Neil M. Stamps, CEO of Girl

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Scouts of Southeastern New England. “We want to continue moving toward our capital campaign objectives.” “One of the goals is to have state-of-the-art technology in the Girl Leadership Experience Center,” said Lisa DeCubellis, a vice president in the claims department at Amica Insurance and chair of GSSNE’s Board of Directors. “We want to build girls of courage, confidence and character, and we need the funding to support that goal.” Lisa M. DeCubellis, right, a vice president in the claims department at Amica Insurance and chair of Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England’s (GSSNE) Board of Directors, presented a check for $75,000 in support of the capital campaign to fund the Girl Leadership Experience Center. Receiving the check, from left to right, are McKenna, a Daisy Girl Scout; Ginger Lallo, senior director of fund development, product sales and marketing; and Neil M. Stamps, CEO of GSSNE.

SMALL BUSINESS

NEWS

Commerce RI’s STAC Opens Call For Proposals in 2015 Collaborative Research Grant Program

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation announces the next round of funding of approximately $800,000 through its Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) Collaborative Research Grant Program to support multiinstitutional, multi-disciplinary projects that increase Rhode Island’s competitiveness as an international leader in marine ecosystem research.

•

This call for proposals is in support of STAC’s partnership with the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and seeks projects that address any of the three EPSCoR research questions related to the overarching question: “What are the impacts of climate change on marine life?”

The deadline for pre-proposals is September 26, 2014, and invited full proposals will be due October 20, 2014.

•

What are the stress responses and evolutionary potentials of marine organisms in response to climate change?

•

How are the structure and function of coastal marine food-webs and biogeochemical cycling being redirected in response to climate change?

How will global climate change affect the ecology of marine pathogens and parasites?

Proposals are preferred if they include use of core research facilities in Proteomics, Genomics and Sequencing at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island (URI), and in Marine Life Sciences at URI’s Bay Campus.

For more information, visit http://www.stac.ri.gov or contact Christine Smith at (401) 278-9197. To date, STAC has invested $9.8 million in collaborative research projects that have yielded a return of over $36 million back to the state in the form of grants for continued research, new federal programs, infrastructure improvements, commercialization of new products and venture funding for new companies.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

Joe Sheehan

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401-837-0239

companyprofile THE EMPOWERMENT FACTORY

by Gail Ahlers

As is true for many of us, 2014 has been a year of transformation. Over the years, in addition to being an artist, I have been a community activist. These philanthropic endeavors have allowed me to share my vision of optimism while collaborating with several nonprofits, such as We Share Hope and PeaceLove Studios, and also facilitating Youth Workforce job training. These experiences led me to create The Empowerment Factory. My goal in opening The Empowerment Factory was to create a place of learning and community. The space is located in The Hope Artiste Village, a renovated mill with high ceilings, natural light and hardwood floors. The space is large enough for groups of up to 30 people. For refreshments, New Harvest Coffee Roasters is right across the hall, and there are also two restaurants, The Bread Lab and Nosh, for easy access to dining. The classroom is nestled within a vibrant entrepreneurial community. There is free parking with easy highway access. The Empowerment Factory, a space located within Ahlers Designs’ art studio, is available for rent to inspirational and creative instructors and speakers for conducting workshops, meetings or

training sessions. My mission of “making art, creating joy and empowering people,” includes helping others expand their opportunities through personal and professional growth. I call myself “The Ambassador to Joy.” The Empowerment Factory is a place where people can come together to share the tools that create smarter, happier and more empowered people. Here are a few quotes from past students: “The Empowerment Factory is a welcoming space that is comfortable, bright and airy.” - Barb McKee “I love learning at The Empowerment Factory” - Claudia Cardoza Some of our classes have included, “Finding Your POWER in Uncomfortable Conversations & Presentations” by Donna Mac, “Social Media Communications & Marketing” by Joanne Lefebvre, “Calling in the ONE” by Gail Johnson, expressive arts workshops and neuro-linguistic programing. I look forward to the future and invite groups and individuals to consider this wonderful place of learning.

Located at 999 Main Street Studio 707 Pawtucket, RI Phone 401.365.1010 800.553.3149 ahlersdesigns.com

Gail Ahlers Artistic Director and CEO Ahlers Designs

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

What Clams Taught Me About SMALL CAPITAL BUSINESS CITY | Reimagining || How Manage OurACapital A Remote City Worker or Office SMALL BUSINESS Dear To Mom: Letter Home From ALeadership One Day Warrior

REIMAGINING

OUR CAPITAL CITY

by Mayor Angel Taveras

Providence is reimaging itself as a city of diversity, urban design and creativity. And in recent days, that concept has become even more apparent. The Americans for the Arts in their 2010 study of cities nationwide showed Providence as a true leader with its $190 million-a-year creative economy and more than 4,000 workers directly employed in arts and arts-related activities; the multiplier effect was projected to be even greater. As our reputation grows, so, too, does our opportunity for more jobs and even more small business.

Providence, Rhode Island is attracting designers, artists, musicians, architects and other creative minds. We are setting a standard for a thriving economy for many years to come and all ages to enjoy. Recently, our capital city hosted Design Week RI, a 10-day schedule of headspinning, thought-provoking events such as the Business Innovation Factory Summit, A Better World by Design, a Get to Know Providence scavenger hunt, and keynote presentations by speakers Eugene Lee, Michael Hendrix, Seth Goldenberg and Justin Maguire. There was also a festive 10th anniversary of FirstWorks with its Urban Carnevale and music, spectacle, art and food.

WE ARE SETTING A STANDARD FOR A THRIVING ECONOMY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND ALL AGES TO ENJOY. From theatre and neighborhood festivals, to fine dining and food trucks, to concerts, ballet, the Philharmonic and museums,

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PARK(ing) Day brought with it a spirited celebration of miniature “parklets,” where we transformed metered parking spaces

into temporary public parks across the city, joining cities all across the globe in promoting imagination, civic and social engagement, and play. Earlier this summer, we were proud to win the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Livability Award for our clever Pop Up Providence campaign, which featured everything from “BID (Before I Die) Boards” to a Providence Polaroid Photography exhibit, to a block party of performances and basic instruction with Community MusicWorks. Our capital city also continues to capture attention for its extraordinary scale of architectural talent. We’ve turned abandoned and decrepit buildings into award-winning sites such as The Dean Hotel, Providence G, Arnold Building, and one-of-a-kind Arcade, among others. And going forward, we can expect other great transformations, such as South Street Landing and a joint URI-RIC and Brown nursing school. It is the foresight, talent and passion of our people that is reimagining all that Providence can be, making life in the city an always interesting and rewarding experience.

Making A Name In Our Backyard | SMALL BUSINESS

I N

O U R

MAKING A NAME

B A C K Y A R D by Chris Barnett

Forbes Magazine’s most recent “30 Under 30” list includes Providence renaissance man Asher Dunn. Just a few years after graduating from RISD in 2008, he founded “DUNN,” which creates everything from coffee tables and dining room sets to stools and bowls. Forbes says his Providence studio “produces sleek, simple furniture, lighting, bowls and vases that recall mid-20th century modernism.” “We are fascinated by honest materials and age-old manufacturing techniques. Working with these techniques requires knowledge, patience, and love for the materials we work with,” says Dunn. Sustainability is a priority. The company has a conscious approach to design and manufacturing that relies on reusing material and minimizing waste. They work with high-quality domestic timber, unique in color and grain, from sustainable forests. Even their new aluminum line of products uses up to 90 percent recycled aluminum. “We work quite a bit in wood. To us, this material is personal; it lives, feels nice to the touch, and never looks the same. When treated correctly and respecting a material’s strengths and weaknesses, we can create unique and beautiful designs,” Dunn explains. His firm strives to create timeless pieces influenced by nature with a

contemporary twist. The commitment is paying off. In addition to the Forbes nod, Dunn has already received numerous honors including “Best New Designer” at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and New England Home’s “5 Under 40” accomplished in design and architecture. The 28-year-old entrepreneur from Michigan is putting down deep roots in Our Backyard. He also founded Keeseh Woodshop, a community workshop that teaches woodworking, and Anchor Providence, an arts and business incubator. “Everybody at RISD jokes that the campus is a bubble – nothing gets in and nothing gets out. Well, I leaped out a few times and explored the landscape and found that Rhode Island is filled with exciting resources. There is a vibrant design community here that is dedicated to seeing Rhode Island grow. Providence in particular is increasingly making a place for itself on the map,” he says. “Being located between Boston and New York City makes this an ideal location for designers. We can have clients in both large cities, while living and working in a less expensive city. Not to mention that everything is so close in Rhode Island – our material suppliers and the manufacturers are never more than 30 minutes away.”

Chris Barnett Senior Public Affairs Officer Rhode Island Foundation

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

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The Perils Of Being Star-Struck − Your Power To Communicate | SMALL BUSINESS

The

Perils of Being Star-Struck YOUR

POWER TO by Donna Mac

On a beautiful afternoon, she was waiting for a valet driver to bring her car back. Then, her eyes met his. She recognized him almost immediately. Her heart skipped a beat. She had been watching this man host TV shows on and off for years! Once that realization enveloped her, she did what most humans do and that was to immediately turn away. “OMG...it’s HIM! And he’s only 15 feet away!” Then another realization came her way. The moment her eyes diverted from his, he actually said, “Hello.” So, she caught her breath and decided to return the greeting. As she straightened her posture and turned to say “Hi,” she realized that her window of opportunity to engage this gentleman was gone. Now, he had turned away. And her car arrived. In a way, she was relieved. So, she whisked past his 6’4” frame, hopped into her car and drove home. 5 seconds into the ride, regret had set in. She lost her opportunity to share greetings and a moment in time...with Conan O’Brien. If she knew then what she knows now, here is what she would have done differently: Before she got into her car, she would have tapped him on the shoulder and said, “You look familiar, did we go to high school together?” Then she would have smiled, shaken his hand, welcomed him to the Rhode Island shoreline, and told him to enjoy his time at the ocean. Plus, her story would have been so much richer! Perhaps she could have even asked him if he wanted to take a selfie with her! LOL...HIS camera, of course! This was a moment that BOTH could have enjoyed and benefitted from. Stars must encounter the star-struck all the time, but how often do they encounter great communicators−

COMMUNICAT E people who can see past the wealth and fame and their own nervousness to understand the value of human connection; the value of someone being vulnerable enough to break through so they could have a breakthrough moment! It was easy for her to blame her inaction on her made up story that Conan wanted his privacy. Thinking back, I bet he would have appreciated her effort. It would have been authentic and refreshing and fun! So the next time YOU’RE star-struck (by the rich, the famous or THE BOSS, or even A PROSPECT!), remember that they’re just people. If you’d like to make more memories, build stronger relationships (that can often lead to sales!) and have fewer regrets, you might want to consider becoming BOLDER in your communication! Remember, the most effective communicators place themselves on a level playing field with their audiences. They don’t talk down to them, nor do they place them on a pedestal. They understand that: 1. They are subject matter experts. 2. Their most important job is to create conditions where communication can flow. 3. They know that every audience is different; some are more open than others. 4. And they understand that there’s a great benefit to being both well prepared and occasionally vulnerable. Being confident in your communications is the key! As we know, becoming confident at anything takes attention, time and practice. So if you’re preparing for an important presentation, give it time. I also suggest you prepare for the unexpected— have a few phrases in your back pocket so the next time you encounter a star, you’ll remember they’re just people. People will appreciate your effort and remember you fondly for your stellar communication skills! Donna Mac DMacVoice & Media Corporate Communications Producer and Director

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

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ELECTION

2014

Getting to Know the Candidate ERNIE

ALMONTE

As Treasurer, how do you feel your position would make a positive impact on Rhode Island’s small business community? Businesses thrive in an environment where the state and the municipalities have their financial house in order. For far too long our state and our cities and towns have been on the brink of fiscal calamity and businesses are wary. They have resisted expanding and hiring, even when there has been a need to do so. The Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer for the state. The most important role of the Treasurer is to ensure strong returns on the pension portfolio. I will work to reduce fees and risk by diversifying our pension investments to produce transparent, stable and strong returns. As Treasurer, I will also deploy a Municipal Financial Expert Resource Team to the cities and towns to help them become better places to do business. The Treasurer’s office can be a resource for small businesses to access clear, consistent, and competent financial advice on how to best take advantage of state programs and get their finances in order. I will also implement widespread financial literacy education programs to help business owners, employees, and even government officials better understand and improve their financial situations.

FOR

What experience do you have personally that makes you the candidate that will represent the best interest of Rhode Island’s small businesses? For 35 years, I’ve worked as a Certified Public Accountant and auditor helping businesses and individuals assess and improve their financial standing and to plan for the future. As a small business owner, I understand what it is like to start and grow a business in Rhode Island. In addition to my 35 years as a CPA, I am also a Certified Government Financial Manager, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified in Financial Forensics. My certifications, credentials, and management experience make me the only candidate truly qualified to run the Treasurer’s office without any on-the-job training. As Chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Financial Literacy Commission, I worked with the Ad Council to produce several national financial literacy programs. These free tools are a resource to Rhode Island businesses looking for advice on everything from lease versus buy decisions to improving their credit to access loans. How does our pension reform affect small business and what will you do as Treasurer to continue improve our pension system?

TREASURER When the 2011 pension reform law was proposed, I testified saying that it represented a substantial down payment, but did not fully address the problem. Many of Rhode Island’s cities and towns suffer from critically underfunded pension systems. Most of these funds are individually administered, making collective reform difficult. As Treasurer, I will work to ensure high returns and solvency on the state level. I will also use my proven negotiation experience as Auditor General to work with cities and towns to repair their ailing pension systems. Pension reform has a substantial impact on small businesses. With cities and towns pouring increasing amounts of their tax income into funding their pension programs, there is less money left for programs and services that support citizens and small businesses. Entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a small business need confidence in municipal and state finances. With large unfunded liabilities burdening Rhode Island’s cities and towns, businesses may end up looking elsewhere to grow. We cannot afford to turn businesses away out of an unwillingness to fully address municipal pension reform.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | 5 Reasons Your Business Needs To Get Organized

Reasons Your Business Needs To Get Organized by Kristin Carcieri-MacRae

Have you recognized that you are stressed, overwhelmed, and paralyzed due to your disorganization? Are you losing time, money, and clients? Are you the type that “clears” a space once a month, thinking you are being productive? Are you wasting precious time searching for documents or important files?

Here are 5 reasons your business needs to get organized: 1. Save money. Have you been so disorganized that you are paying your bills late or paying them late because you can’t find them? Are they buried under mounds of paper? Your credit score drops when you pay bills late and your interest rates will increase. You are wasting money in late fees. Keep paying your bills late and you will eventually have to deal with collection agencies, which will also cost you money. Do you store your supplies in one area? If not, you will be wasting money purchasing duplicate items you already own. Keep all office supplies itemized and categorized in one area in your office. If you have piles of papers on your desk and thrown into drawers, I will guarantee that there are cash, checks, and gift cards mixed in those drawers and piles. 2. Reduce Stress. We all have stressful situations that arise in our workday. When you are organized and have systems in place, it is much easier to handle a stressful situation. Organized people recover quicker than disorganized people when a stressful situation occurs. The disorganized person will waste time and energy searching for files, phone numbers, or that important email and it

will take them longer to recover from the situation. The organized person handles the stress because they know where everything is in their office. They handle the stress and go about their day. 3. Enjoy more free time. Time management and organization go hand in hand. Utilize a calendar and keep a running to-do list every day. On Friday, take a look at the week coming up to get an idea of what you have scheduled and where you have to be and make a to-do list from that. Every night before you leave work be sure you have a to-do list for the next day. Streamline your workflow. There is always a more efficient and productive way to complete a task. Re-evaluate how you are functioning and streamline your procedures. 4. More energy. When you consume yourself with clutter and disorganization, your mind will be cluttered too, which will weigh on you mentally. Clear the mental clutter and you will feel much lighter. 5. Your clients will have more confidence in you. We all know the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Picture this scenario: You have a potential client visiting your office for the first time. You have paperwork, business cards, files, etc. all over your desk. Your bulletin board is full of clutter. You are working off piles on the floor and even worse, you struggle to search for something when your potential client is in your office. Your clients are going to wonder if you will misplace their important information. They are praying that their information isn’t going to get mixed in another client’s file. They are going to wonder how efficient and productive you are and if you are distracted by your disorganization. What is holding you back from getting organized? Get out of your comfort zone and be open to change. There are so many great opportunities out there that you may be missing out on. Make that change, get organized and reap the benefits.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae Owner Organizing in RI, LLC

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www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | When It Comes To Your Cell Phone, What Does Your Right To Privacy Include?

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR CELL PHONE,

what does your right to privacy include? by Sally P. McDonald

If you are one of the more than 90% of American adults who own a cell phone, consider for a moment what your device contains. Millions of lines of text? Hundreds of personal photographs? Your internet search history? Confidential or proprietary documents attached to your work emails? Even more in salvageable deleted files or the cloud? Finally, ask yourself, would you like to hand all of this information over to the government?

In a ruling applauded by privacy experts, the United States Supreme Court reversed Mr. Riley’s conviction. In Riley v. California, the Court ruled that the police generally may not, without a warrant, search digital information on a cell phone seized from an individual who has been arrested. The unanimous Court noted that “[c]ell phones differ in both a quantitative and qualitative sense from other objects that might be carried on an arrestee’s person…Before cell phones, a search of a person was limited by physical realities and generally constituted a narrow intrusion on privacy.”

The Fourth Amendment is the part of the Bill of Rights that prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. As such, a law enforcement officer cannot walk into your home or place of business and conduct a search on your computer, or look through your phone records, without a warrant. The United States Supreme Court has held, however, that a warrantless search may be reasonable if it falls within one of a few specific exceptions. One of those exceptions is when a warrantless search is conducted incident to a lawful arrest.

Following Riley, it appears United States citizens have a reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to what is put into their cell phones. But what about what comes out of them? The Rhode Island Supreme Court recently made a distinction in the case of State v. Patino. Certain text messages at issue in that case, from Mr. Patino, were accessed by police from his girlfriend’s phone. The Court opined that a sender of a text message relinquishes control over what becomes of that message on the recipient’s phone. As such, the Court determined that the defendant did not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in his girlfriend’s phone.

The United States Supreme Court was recently called upon to consider the case of Mr. Riley, who was stopped by the police for a traffic violation. This traffic stop led to an arrest, which led to a search of Mr. Riley’s person without a warrant. At the time, Mr. Riley was carrying his cell phone in his pocket. The police officer seized Mr. Riley’s phone and over the next few hours, the phone was searched. Based in part on information discovered in the phone, Mr. Riley was charged and convicted of a serious crime.

It is unlikely that the Founding Fathers could have anticipated the substantially greater individual privacy concerns implicated by mobile devices containing massive amounts of digital information. It is safe to predict that the battle between governmental interests and privacy concerns will continue well into the future, as technology continues to advance and evolve.

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Sally P. McDonald Associate Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC

Ice Buckets & Pennies From Heaven | SMALL BUSINESS

P E N N I E S

F R O M

by Nancy Thomas

Is there a coincidence that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has played out in such a dramatically successful way all over the world and at the same time we have been victimized by some of the worst news stories in recent memory? They’re piling up on us so rapidly, it seems surreal. What can we learn about social media, about philanthropy, about the human condition by this extraordinary phenomenon? The setting for this viral movement is reflective and important. Beheadings. Ebola. Ferguson. Israel and Gaza. Russia and the Ukraine. Thousands of children streaming over our borders in search of a new life. Floods, tornados, hurricanes and sinkholes. Economy sputtering. Election silly season. The loss of Robin Williams, and with it the loss of humor often found in life’s serious side. Amidst all of these nightly assaults from our televisions−and if we manage to miss it, there’s always the morning news to bring it right back−there was something that happened that gave us joy. It gave us something to do about the human plight. And we were pulled together in one unbroken human chain, from coast to coast, continent to continent. The Ice Bucket Challenge. A moment in time. A silly, personal action that we share with millions on social media, inspiring laughs all across computer tops, iPads and iPhones in a nanosecond. It has popped up every once in a while for different charities and causes. But this year, this year was so different. An obscure disease, actually called an orphan disease, afflicting “only” 30,000 people in the United States. Maybe the small numbers reminded us of how we feel against the global times we live in and the hopelessness we carry around with us to effect any change at all. But there was this thing you could do. This cold bucket of ice thing. And you could dump it over your own head. Shock yourself and take a video of it, then share it on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and all the rest. You could make your friends do this, too. And then go to your computer and donate money to the ALS challenge, which has received over $109 million nationally, with

H E A V E N

about $1 million coming from the state of Massachusetts alone. And there’s no end in sight. And for two or three weeks the little worlds we live in threw buckets of ice water over our heads−a personal moment of control over this bombardment of grief in our world. Have you done it? Even on a really hot day it jolts you. It’s as if the memories of a beheading, of a boy lying in the street oozing blood into the pavement, of dirty homeless children flooding this land of made-up dreams, of rockets red glare, red dragons, and bleeding eyes, were put out of our minds and our hearts for just a little while. We took control over our mental anguish and turned it positive, joyful, helpful and hopeful. Not only has this event raised more money than has ever been collected at one time in ALS research, but there are also now over 3 million new donors. The challenge has created new opportunities to communicate, engage and develop people who previously had no interest or even knowledge about ALS. Imagine if a PR person planned all this. Well, they would be receiving some top honors somewhere. But that didn’t happen. It began with one person–Pete Frates–totally disabled now, and without speech, he and his family began this to try to raise some money. And it went out of control. PR people rushed to keep up with it. Meetings are still being held to strategically invest these new dollars. And every day we see a new twist, watch a new video. Sometimes, you just don’t have any control at all. A bucket of ice. Who knew? Who knows the power it will have on inroads to a cure? But in each of our small worlds, magnified on the screen of social media, we took control, we chose to laugh, we chose to do something rather dramatic, rather beautiful– we chose to be the essence of who we can be. We chose peace for a moment or two, or maybe because we shared it in those nanoseconds, the peace lasted a little longer. And in our giggling, shivering wetness, how beautiful we are! It has been my great honor and privilege to support the communications and public relations efforts of the ALS Association’s Massachusetts Chapter, where the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge originated. In a 30-year career, I thought I had experienced the best of the best, but this was one unexpected joy. Nancy Thomas, President Tapestry Communications

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Thriving or Diving

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Thriving or Diving | SMALL BUSINESS

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION by Jeff Morse

In the ever-expanding universe of the internet, it’s getting harder and harder to be seen. Businesses can no longer rely on being seen based on their own merits. Visibility requires strategy, planning, time and effort. Every day, technology affords us new, more interesting, and (most likely) more complicated ways to reach our audience. Leveraging technology to remain competitive is no longer an option. With over ninety percent of online adults utilizing search engines to find information, the need for a strong, visible presence on the web can mean the difference between your business thriving… or diving. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of evaluating and editing the structure and relevance of website content— and the code behind it—to achieve the right balance of content, relevance, usability, and authority. The objective of any SEO program is to improve the ranking of your site in an organic search—in other words, to make your website show up at or near the top of the first page when someone searches for the type of product you offer (e.g. if your company offers healthcare QA services, your goal is to appear on PAGE ONE when someone searches for healthcare QA services). It’s complicated If you think SEO is complicated, that’s because it is—very. In order for it to work, besides the programming and “search” expertise, you must crunch a tremendous amount of everchanging data, understand how it correlates to the marketing goals, and consider its implications on the brand. A good optimization program takes input from a team of people within these areas, working together, to find the right balance. All roads lead to SEO. SEO leads to all roads. When you create an optimization program, you must first take a careful look at what has been happening “behind” the site. Assuming some fundamental analytics steps have been taken

during the design and creation of the website, there should be some basic data available if you know where and how to look for it: • • • • • •

How are people finding your site? Where are they going? Where are they coming from? How long are they staying in the site and where do they go? What search terms are they using to find the site? And much, much more.

Then you have to look at your brand, marketing plans and goals: • Who are your target demographics? • What are the key words used to describe your brand? • What are the key words people might use to find you? • What does that GAP analysis look like and why? • Who are your competitors? What are their page rankings and why? • And much, much more. Then, you should create a plan for how to increase optimization. The recommendations are concise and measurable. Some results happen immediately, and some are part of a longer term strategy. It never ends Unfortunately that’s true, because, as sure as successful companies are optimizing, their competitors are doing the same. It is an organic process that takes an ongoing program based on precise data. As I said at the beginning, visibility requires strategy, planning, time and effort. And let’s face it; if you’re not visible, well, you’re invisible. That about says it all. Jeff Morse Partner, Imaj Associates

www.risbj.com| | volume three issue nine www.risbj.com

REAL ESTATE

NEWS

Local Healthy Housing Groups Launch Rhode Island Alliance for Healthy Homes

Providence, RI - Local healthy housing groups announced the launch of Rhode Island Alliance for Healthy Homes (RIAHH) with the goals of raising awareness about the costly impact of unhealthy housing and providing cross-sector coordination of education, resources and services among state, city and community-based service organizations. RIAHH has undergone an intensive year-long planning process engaging more than 80 organizations and 55 college students. Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), a national leader on healthy housing with 17 sites around the country, will lead RIAHH’s day-to-day management. The launching of RIAHH marks GHHI’s first expansion to a state-wide model. With this expansion, GHHI Providence will now be known as GHHI Rhode Island. “The Rhode Island Alliance for Healthy Homes brings the critical issue of unhealthy housing to the forefront of the discussion about improving health, safety and housing stability for Rhode Island’s families,” said RIAHH Executive Steering Committee Chairperson of the Liz Tobin-Tyler. For the first time, all of the key partners will work together to coordinate information, resources and planning. This is an exciting opportunity for Rhode Island to be a leader in developing evidence-based healthy housing policy and practice.” The idea of RIAHH coalesced in June 2013, when limited coordination among local healthy housing efforts coupled with staff and budget limitations prompted the idea for a new organization to streamline healthy housing services and resources. The Rhode Island Department of Health’s Healthy Housing Collaborative, the Rhode Island Housing Resource Commission’s Healthy Housing Work Group and GHHI Providence’s Learning Network combined forces and gathered additional stakeholders to lead the RIAHH planning effort, including the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency Resources Management Council, Rhode Island’s Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Office of Energy Resources,

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Office of the Attorney General, Office of Housing and Community Development/Housing Resources Commission, and Rhode Island Housing, Inc. Dozens of other agencies and organizations representing health care providers, health care insurers, utility providers, residential building professionals, public health, higher education, housing advocacy organizations, community action agencies and community development corporations also joined in the planning process. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office has awarded RIAHH a $54,000 grant to support its efforts. The grant is made possible from settlement funds from a 2007 court order resulting from a lawsuit brought by Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, other states and the federal government against American Electric Power Service Corporation (AEP). The lawsuit alleged AEP constructed and modified numerous power plants in the Ohio River Valley without the permits required under the Clean Air Act, causing increased smog in Rhode Island and other states. Under the court order, recently reopened and increased, AEP paid a $15 million penalty and committed $65 million to perform or finance pro-environmental projects, of which approximately $30 million was distributed to eight states to fund pollution reduction, renewable energy, green building and other environmental projects. Rhode Island’s portion of the settlement was approximately $2 million, with an additional $714,000 through a 2013 settlement. In previous years, the Attorney General has leveraged these court-ordered monies to reduce state energy costs and harmful air pollution through the installation of wind turbines at Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground and East Matunuck State Beach, the installation of a two-acre, 300 kilowatt solar roof field at RIPTA’s Transportation Building located on Melrose Street in Providence, as well as providing for upgraded air emissions devices on state-owned heavy equipment.

REAL ESTATE

NEWS

R.I. Home Prices Hold Steady As Sales Decline Slightly Since July

Warwick, RI - July sales statistics released by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors showed continued stabilization of the Rhode Island housing market in July. The median single family home sale price rose less than one percent from the year prior while sales activity declined by three percent. While prices appear to be moderating, Julyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s median single family home price remained higher than ten of the past twelve months.

Fourteen percent of all single family home sales were distressed in July, falling from 22 percent in the beginning of the year. The pre-crisis share of distressed sales was traditionally about two percent according to Corelogic, a global provider of property information and analytics. Sales trends have shown that Rhode Island has made significant progress in reducing distressed sales since the peak of the housing downturn.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Prices rose fairly quickly and now that rate of appreciation is slowing down, which can actually be considered a good thing. The last thing we want to see is the unsustainable price escalation that we saw earlier this decade. People need to get the chance to get back on their feet again,â&#x20AC;? said Robert Martin, President of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors.

Prices fared better in July in the condominium and multi-family segments of the market, with median price up eight percent among condo sales and nine percent in the multi-family market. The nine percent increase in the investor-driven, multi-family market led to the highest median price in nearly three years. The number of sales dropped year over year among both categories. www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

AVA I L A B L E P RO P E RT I E S

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 $105,000

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. 2000 sq. ft. $2,500/mo.

1950 South County Trail, East Greenwich: 20,000 SF warehouse space with 5 dock height doors, 24’ clear height. Ample Parking, Located off Route 2, Great Access to Route 4. Lease at $5 psf.

6 Jefferson Drive, Coventry:

Attention: Investors and 1031 facilitators... Solid National Tenants in this like new office, production, and distribution space. Lead tenant is Neptune-Benson, a leading supplier of commercial water filtration systems. Ryan-Herco is secondary tenant who is a major supplier of parts that support Neptune-Benson. Synergistic relationship adds to already stable companies and likelihood for long term tenancy. Approx. 9% CAP, $4,250,000.

963 Victory Highway, Mapleville:

111 Hopkins Hill Road, West Greenwich:

2220 South County Trail, East Greenwich:

2240 South County Trail, East Greenwich:

Post Office. Great investment opportunity!; stand alone building, with long-term USPO lease and other income units with upside potential. The front of the building has been divided into a retail/ studio, garage, and apartment.. The entrance to the post office is in the back of the building, where there another garage, and large parking lot. Approx. 9% CAP, $579,000

One year lease offers buyer(s) time and income to space plan & seek permits. Close to Exit 7 on Rte 4 across from Stanley Bostich and adjacent Stork’s Nest Child Academy. Lease at $14 psf.

Commercial • Investment • Residential

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

All spaces include utilities except warehouse. Warehouse space includes 1,200 SF of office space and shared loading dock.Located in expanding business park with ample parking. Quiet, wooded site. Direct highway access to Route 4. On Route 2, near intersection of 402 (Frenchtown Rd.). 6-12 sq ft warehouse from $6 psf. Call for details.

111 Airport Road, Warwick:

Very nice 2nd floor office space near Hoxsie 4 corners. Tastefully decorated, good paint & carpet, possible office furnishings (nice stuff!) Three offices, conference, reception, lav., plus large basement storage. $180/month condo fee. $77,500

222 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick:

Class “a” law office includes conference room, 4 private offices, lavette, reception, storage, kitchen. over 1450 sq ft, plus 500 sq ft storage! Reduced $179,900

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!

39 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich:

2,000 to 20,000 sq. ft. flex space for lease. Warehouse, office, classrooms, thearte, recreational, 6 acre site with 500’ front on route 3 land lease available for outdoor storage, nursery greenhouse, ect. Only 1.2 mile from Exit 6. Next to retail plaza. From $5 psf.

Many more Commercial Properties

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

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text VALUE to 401-359-2338 and a full time, top agent will prepare a market report for you

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MyDreamHomeNow.com 31

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

S P I

SMALL BUSINESS | Tips on Rental Real Estate Income, Deductions and Recordkeeping

by Peggy Riley

If you own rental real estate, you should be aware of your federal tax responsibilities. All rental income must be reported on your tax return, and in general the associated expenses can be deducted from your rental income. If you are a cash basis taxpayer, you report rental income on your return for the year you receive it, regardless of when it was earned. As a cash basis taxpayer, you generally deduct your rental expenses in the year you pay them. Below are some tips about tax reporting, recordkeeping requirements and deductions for rental property to help you avoid mistakes. What is Considered Rental Income? You generally must include in your gross income all amounts you receive as rent. Rental income is any payment you receive for the use or occupation of property. In addition to amounts you receive as rent payments, there are

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

R enta

Dedu

other amounts that may be rental income and must be reported on your tax return. Advance rent is any amount you receive before the period that it covers. Include advance rent in your rental income in the year you receive it. Security deposits used as a final payment of rent are considered advance rent. Include it in your income when you receive it. Do not include a security deposit in your income when you receive it if you plan to return it to your tenant at the end of the lease. But if you keep part or all of the security deposit during any year because your tenant does not live up to the terms of the lease, include the amount you keep in your income in that year. Payment for canceling a lease occurs if your tenant pays you to cancel a lease. The amount you receive is rent. Include the payment in your income in the year you receive it. Expenses paid by tenant occur if your tenant pays any of your expenses. You must include them in your rental income. You can deduct the expenses if they are deductible rental expenses.

Tips On Rental Real Estate Income, Deductions and Recordkeeping | SMALL BUSINESS

R eal E state I ncome ,

uctions and

Recordkeeping

Property or services received, instead of money, as rent, must be included as the fair market value of the property or services in your rental income. For example, your tenant is a painter and offers to paint your rental property instead of paying rent for two months. If you accept the offer, include in your rental income the amount the tenant would have paid for two months’ worth of rent. Lease with option to buy occurs if the rental agreement gives your tenant the rights to buy your rental property. The payments you receive under the agreement are generally rental income. If you own a part interest in rental property, you must report your part of the rental income from the property. What Deductions Can I Take as an Owner of Rental Property? If you receive rental income from the rental of a dwelling unit, there are certain rental expenses you may deduct on your tax return—mortgage interest, property tax, operating expenses, depreciation, and repairs. You can deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses for managing, conserving and maintaining your rental property. Ordinary expenses are those that are common and generally accepted in the business. Necessary expenses are those that are deemed appropriate, such as interest, taxes, advertising, maintenance, utilities and insurance. You can deduct the cost of repairs that you make to your rental property. A repair keeps your property in good operating condition and does not materially add value to the property. You can deduct the expenses paid by the tenant if they are deductible rental expenses. When you include the fair market value of the property or services in your rental income, you can deduct that same amount as a rental expense. You may not deduct the cost of improvements. An improvement adds to the value of your property, prolongs its useful life, or adapts it to new uses. Examples are adding a deck, a new fence or roof. The cost of improvements is recovered through depreciation. You can recover some or all of your improvements by using Form 4562 to report depreciation beginning in the year your rental property is first placed in service, and beginning in any year you make an improvement or add furnishings. These expenses must be depreciated over the useful life of the property. Only a percentage of these expenses are deductible in the year they are incurred. How Do I Report Rental Income and Expenses? If you rent buildings, rooms or apartments, and provide only heat and light, and trash collection, you normally report your rental

income and expenses on Form 1040, Schedule E, Part I. List your total income, expenses, and depreciation for each rental property. Be sure to answer the question on line 2. If you have more than three rental properties, complete and attach as many Schedules E as are needed to list the properties. Complete lines 1 and 2 for each property, including the street address for each property. However, fill in the “Totals” column on only one Schedule E. The figures in the “Totals” column on that Schedule E should be the combined totals of all Schedules E. Sum up your receipts and canceled checks for your repairs. All of these costs are deductible in the year they were incurred. Fill out Schedule E and Form 4562. List the total of your expenses for repairs on Schedule E, line 16. Carry over your depreciation deduction from Form 4562 and list it on line 20. Complete Schedule E and deduct the total of all of your rental expenses from your rental income. If your rental expenses exceed rental income, you may report a loss up to $25,000 on your tax return, limited for adjusted gross incomes above $100,000. What Records Should I Keep? Good records will help you monitor the progress of your rental property, prepare your financial statements, keep track of deductible expenses, prepare your tax returns and support items reported on tax returns. Maintain good records relating to your rental activities, including the rent and the rental repairs. You must be able to document this information if your return is selected for audit. Keep track of any travel expenses you incur for rental property repairs. Separate receipts for minor repairs like plumbing, fixing a broken door or minor repainting from receipts for capital improvements like adding a new roof, remodeling a kitchen or installing insulation. You must be able to substantiate certain elements of expenses to deduct them. You generally must have documentary evidence, such as receipts, canceled checks or bills, to support your expenses. If you are audited and cannot provide evidence to support items reported on your tax returns, you may be subject to additional taxes and penalties. For example, if you cannot substantiate the rental real estate expenses of replacing the door locks, with appropriate records, the IRS may disallow that expense which may mean that you incur additional taxes and penalties. Peggy Riley IRS Media Relations Specialist

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | When Money Doesn’t Talk

When Money Doesn’t Talk Every business owner wants their employees to be happy. Most of us strive to create a pleasant work environment where our staff enjoys coming to work every day. Studies show that happy employees are 10% more productive than unhappy employees. If you’ve neglected to recognize your employees throughout the year, the holidays are a great time to start. So what will motivate your staff and keep them happy? Research shows that employees find personal recognition more motivating than money. While money often makes an immediate impact, its long-term effects are not as beneficial as other ways of showing appreciation. If you find ways to engage with your staff, you’ll produce more loyal, harder working employees than if you simply wrote them checks. Here are 5 ways to say, “I appreciate you and all your hard work,” without breaking your budget. 1. A Day Off – Who wouldn’t like getting paid for not coming to work? Give your employees a paid day off when they’re most deserving. It will not only help in showing them appreciation, but it will also help them recharge. 2. Flexible Hours – Who says a workday needs to be 9 to 5? Show your employees you value their time by accommodating their schedule. Many companies offer summer hours where you can work longer

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days. Monday through Thursday and take Friday off. Another option is to allow employees to come in earlier than 9 so they can leave the office by 3. 3. Send a Note - Saying thank you about a specific task is a subtle, yet powerful reward. The personal touch shows true appreciation for your employee’s work. 4. Public Acknowledgement - Acknowledge an employee’s business or personal accomplishment at a staff meeting or gathering. In addition to recognizing someone for a great job at the office, you could also recognize the completion of a degree program, joining the board of a nonprofit organization or celebrating a personal milestone like an engagement or the birth of a child. 5. Give a Gift – Show your thoughtfulness by giving employees gifts that have personal connections. If you know an employee needs a night out with their spouse or friends, a gift card to their favorite restaurant or the movies is a great way to say thanks. If you have employees that like a certain coffee shop, a bag of coffee or a gift card will go a long way. So the next time you think your employees want you to “show them the money,” what they really might be looking for is a little recognition.

Newport—A Dream Destination For Work And Pleasure | SMALL BUSINESS

A dream destination for work and pleasure.

Newport ©Photography by Caitlin. 401.480.0466.

by Jessica Holden

You dream of a Newport vacation, touring the mansions, setting sail on the bay, and a fabulous dinner at one of our amazing restaurants, but then the family drags you to Disney instead. Has this happened to you? Why wait for the next family vacation when you can bring your next corporate event to Newport? Newport has something for everyone, for all different budgets and we have more corporate event space than just your typical conference room. Francis Malbone House offers twenty luxurious rooms and they are happy to rent out the full inn to a large group coming into Newport. We also have larger hotels if your corporate outing needs more space, such as the Hyatt on Goat Island that offers 257 guest rooms as well as 27,000 square feet of function space with audio visual services and wireless internet, as well as a free shuttle to downtown Newport. There is also the Hotel Viking with 208 guest rooms, a shuttle service and conference space that gives you all the amenities a corporate outing may need. The Newport Marriott is also a great choice, right in the heart of Newport on America’s Cup Avenue. The Marriott name is known all over the world and continues to keep their standards high. With 17 meeting rooms, 16,084 square feet of total meeting space and 319 guest rooms, this hotel is ready to book any corporate outing. After finding the perfect place for accommodations, there is plenty of fun to be had in our city by the sea. The Newport Mansions and the Preservation Society offer mansion tours

year-round, and are happy to accommodate a large group. 12 Meters Charters offers a variety of cruises to fit your needs and can accommodate up to 300 guests. Newport Vineyards has been renovating their space and will soon open a new restaurant to go with their already wonderful wine tastings and tours. Ready to take your group for dinner? We have that covered, too. With over 200 restaurants in our city, there are options for everyone. Midtown Oyster Bar, located on Lower Thames Street has event space that can be rented for a large party and can accommodate up to 200 people at a time. The Landing Restaurant and Bar can provide the perfect backdrop for your party. Their waterfront room seats 100 guests but the restaurant can accommodate 300 throughout the facility. If you are looking for a traditional Clam Bake, Newport has that, too. Kempenaar’s Clambake Club is a facility that easily serves a small intimate group, but can also expand to accommodate a gathering of 700 or more! These are just a few of the many great resources Newport has to offer, but your corporate outing is not limited to Newport alone. Chamber members have more to offer including wine tastings, pumpkin patches, and sporting events. With happenings going on year-round, Newport is the destination for work and play! More information can be provided by visiting Newportchamber. com or calling the staff at 401.847.1600. Jessica Holden Member Relations and Communications Assistant Newport County Chamber of Commerce

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Sound Business Advice

Sound Business Advice: Know All the Laws Governing Your Marketing (And You Probabl y Shouldn’t Mis repres ent Your Produc t Either)

Recipe for a lawsuit: mix 99.5% apple, grape and raspberry juices with 0.3% pomegranate juice and 0.2% blueberry juice and call the resulting juice blend “POMEGRANATE BLUEBERRY.” This is what Coca Cola did to find itself embroiled in a false advertising case brought by POM Wonderful.

beverage labeling and has issued extensive regulations governing the content of such labels, the lower courts reasoned that allowing a false advertising suit by a competitor would undercut the FDA’s “expert judgments and authority” on labeling. Essentially, the lower courts decided that the FDA knows best; if it was okay with the label, the label must not be misleading.

POM Wonderful makes a pomegranate blueberry juice comprised entirely of pomegranate and blueberry juices and is a direct competitor of Coca Cola. POM Wonderful alleges that Coca Cola is misleading customers about the nature of its juice product, causing POM Wonderful to lose sales to Coca Cola for what POM Wonderful claims is a far different product than advertised. Coca Cola prevailed in the lower courts by arguing that its label had been approved by the FDA. Because the FDA is authorized to regulate juice

The United States Supreme Court disagreed, holding last month that nothing about either false advertising laws or food and drug laws forbids POM Wonderful’s challenge to Coca Cola’s label. Specifically rejecting the proposition that the FDA possessed expertise to regulate advertising that private enterprise lacked, the Court noted that competitors “have detailed knowledge regarding how consumers rely upon certain sales and marketing strategies” and an “awareness of unfair competition practices [that] may be far

by Byron McMasters, Esq.

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

more immediate and accurate than that of agency rule makers and regulators.” Therefore, allowing both administrative enforcement through the FDA and private enforcement by competitors “takes advantage of synergies among multiple methods of regulation.” The erosion of judicial deference to administrative agencies as the sole, or even primary, guardians of marketplaces is hardly sudden. The Supreme Court, in particular, has shown increasing distrust of governmental agencies as all-knowing regulators. Still, the Court’s ruling is significant because it did not concern the typical direct challenge to the correctness of the FDA’s decision. The Court determined rather that the FDA’s decision, even if proper under food labeling laws, did not matter to the question of false advertising. As a result, competitors may now assert false advertising claims in private

EverFi Financial Literacy Program | SMALL BUSINESS

Essentially, the lower courts decided that the FDA knows best; if it was okay with the label, the label must not be misleading. suits covering a wide variety of untrue and misleading statements that were permitted or even expressly authorized by the government. Combined with another decision from this term expanding competitors’ standing to sue, the scope of false advertising claims has undoubtedly broadened, potentially leading to more litigation. The impact of the Court’s decision on small business could be significant. Various industries have certain licensing and regulatory requirements. Under the POM Wonderful decision, marketing content that strictly complies with such regulations may constitute false advertising. For example, advertising that a business uses “green” and environmentally-friendly business practices because it meets EPA requirements may nonetheless constitute false advertising if a jury believes that it used such terms misleadingly. Obviously, the goal should always be not to deceive potential customers, but it is not always clear where the line is. The lesson of POM Wonderful is that you cannot rely on the government to identify the line. It should be noted Coca Cola has not yet been found guilty of false advertising. The Supreme Court only ruled that Coca Cola could be sued by POM Wonderful under false advertising laws despite FDA approval of the label. A jury may still find that the label was not misleading. But I think Coca Cola has a tough position. Regardless of the outcome, the fact that Coca Cola may get squeezed should make businesses consider carefully their marketing choices and not rely on the government to protect them.

EverFi

FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM by Gina Raimondo

I believe personal finance education is essential to ensure our students are equipped with the tools they need to become financially successful in the future. At Treasury, my team and I have worked to make financial literacy a priority in Rhode Island classrooms. As the summer winds down and the school year begins, I am proud to announce that the EverFi web-based financial literacy curriculum is now available to 53 Rhode Island high schools at no cost. EverFi is an e-learning platform designed to teach students about personal finance in an interactive and engaging way. The program was introduced to Rhode Island schools in the spring of 2011 as part of Treasury’s EmpowerRI initiative. EverFi has since been used by 5,000 Rhode Island students and more than 3,000 students have received their Certificate of Financial Literacy, a valuable mark of distinction on college applications and resumes. Thanks to sponsorship from Discover’s Pathway to Financial Success, EverFi is now available at 10 additional Rhode Island high schools including Block Island School, Coventry High School, the Jaquline M.

Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts, NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy, Paul Cuffee School, Pilgrim High School, The Greene School, Toll Gate High School, Warwick Veterans Memorial High School, and West Warwick Senior High School. The addition of these schools, as well as the continued support from our local financial institutions, has expanded the EverFi program to include classrooms statewide. EverFi’s financial literacy course consists of 10 units, totaling six hours of educational programming that introduces personal finance topics to students using tools from the latest media technologies including video messaging, social networking and 3-D gaming. The curriculum covers a variety of financial concepts including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, and 401K’s. The progress and score of each student is carefully tracked and those who successfully complete the course receive their Certification in Financial Literacy. The EverFi financial literacy program fills a need in our schools’ curriculums. Expanding the availability of this digital platform will help our high school students make educated choices regarding their financial decisions after graduation that will have a lasting impact on their lives. Gina Raimondo Rhode Island General Treasurer

Byron McMasters, Esq. Scott & Bush, Ltd.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SELLER

BEWARE by Jordan Becker

No matter what industry you’re in, small business owners always have one thing in common: they like to do things themselves. If you can train yourself to build it, fix it, whatever, you can save money, and saving money is paramount. So what to do when entering the murky waters of credit card processing? Credit cards have become a necessary evil these days, and most businesses simply cannot afford to not accept them. But who’s going to give you the best deal? Who’s going to be honest with you? Tell you about the fine print? The short answer is: educate yourself. For as much as we like to do on our own, we are woefully ignorant of how this whole credit card thing works. For most of us, it’s as simple as setting up a machine, swiping a card, and waiting until our statement to see how much money we owe our credit card company. It doesn’t have to be this way. Take some time to learn how the industry works, because it has a big effect on your business! Call your contact person at your processing company and get your questions answered. In the meantime, here are a few pointers for those new to the credit card game, and those who are considering switching processing companies. (Note: This article assumes the most common “Interchange Plus Pricing” model. There are others like tiered and fixed models, which are almost always a bad idea, but depending on your business, they may be worth familiarizing yourself with.)

FIRST TIMERS

Contract Terms

I cannot stress this enough, this is the most important thing to talk about. Contracts range from a year to infinity, so make sure you know what you’re getting into. What is the contract term and are you comfortable with it? This is especially important if you’re used to constantly changing vendors to ensure the best price. The credit card processing industry is designed to discourage this behavior. Early termination fees (ETFs) range from around $100 to as much as $500. Make sure you know how much your ETF is, and if it’s prorated yearly. If so, sometimes sticking it out

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for an extra month or two can save a big chunk of money when switching companies. Remember, if you can’t afford to get out of business with someone, you can’t afford to go into business with them, period.

Cost/Value

There are essentially only two or three things you should be paying for with a credit card processing company. They are going to charge you a percentage of your credit card sales, called interchange fees. Now, while this might seem insane, it’s standard practice. All major cards charge a percentage, so the processing companies do as well. Look for the lowest rate you can find. Every sales rep will tell you, “I can save you money.” Super. Find out where it’s coming from, because there’s only so much wiggle room (Visa, MasterCard, etc. set these rates). You’re not really saving a hundred bucks a month if they’ve got a separate line item charge for snake oil. There is a fee per each swipe of a credit card through your machine. I own a pizza place, and we have a lot of $2-$5 transactions. This is a deal breaker for me. Fees can vary from 10¢ to as high as 25¢ per swipe. If you’re doing a smaller number of transactions and higher ticket totals, this may not be a big deal. However, if you are doing a lot of transactions, this can add up quickly. Be careful you’re not robbing Peter on the monthly percentage, to pay Paul with the swipe fees. And sales reps know what type of place they’re walking into. They know you might be so bedazzled by their low percentages that you won’t even think to ask about the fee per swipe. Trust me; they won’t go out of their way to bring it to your attention. Lastly, there is going to be a flat monthly fee to use their service. This does include legitimate costs, but this is also how they make money, and at $25-$40 a month, it is usually built into their business model. If it’s at the high end of that or higher, it’s time to start asking some specifics about what those fees are for!

Extras

Lots of companies are offering really neat stuff, from mobile card swiping to gift cards and beyond. Before you sign on, think about services you may want to take advantage of (even if it’s down the road) and find out prices now. Get them in writing and find

Be careful you’re not robbing Peter on the monthly percentage, to pay Paul with the swipe fees

out how long those prices are valid for. Say you want to do gift cards down the road. If you wait until six months from now to find out the prices and they are astronomical, you will already be knee-deep in your contract with them. Are they offering you other cool stuff? Additional machines? Mobile machines? Is there a separate company handling the lease? I can’t tell you not to get involved with a 3rd party leasing company… but don’t get involved with a 3rd party leasing company. It’s always cheaper to buy this equipment on your own, if you even need it in the first place. And if you get into an equipment lease, you’re still on the hook for that even if you cancel service with your processing company.

What to look for when switching

Often, companies will pay all or part of your early termination fees if/when you switch to them. Be sure to ask. Find out what you have to do to get that money once you’ve switched and how long it will take, and get it in writing! You may experience a change in service. Try to think about all the aspects of your current service that affect your day-to-day business. For instance, with one company you may get your money the next day, while another might take 48 hours. Address these concerns with your rep before you sign. Again, you may end up saving money in one area, but be surprised by additional charges in another. Sit down and go over their fee structure and make sure you’re comfortable with it. Do your due diligence and make sure what they are saying matches what’s on paper, because at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what’s in black and white. Jordan Becker Owner Pier Pizza

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

Helping Children and Families Living with Epilepsy If you, or somebody you know is living with epilepsy, the Matty Fund® offers a variety of free programs:

 The ONLY Resource Center in RI for children and families dealing with epilepsy  Monthly support group meetings held throughout the state – Lincoln, Warwick, Newport and Wakefield  Camp Matty--therapeutic horseback riding camps  Pumpkin Festivals and Egg Hunt for children diagnosed with epilepsy  Educational Workshops for parents and caregivers  College Scholarships for children with epilepsy  Epilepsy Awareness Programs in regional schools – Matty Hatty

The Matty Fund® provides family resources, raises epilepsy awareness, promotes patient safety and improves the quality of life for children and families living with epilepsy.

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The Matty Fund® www.Mattyfund.org 401.789.7330 mattyfund@cox.net

Procurement Unearths New Ways To Add Value: Recycle, Reuse, Recover | SMALL BUSINESS

Procurement Unearths New Ways to Add Value:

Recycle, Reuse, Recover by Susan Avery

Procurement professionals looking for new ways to add value to their organization need to search no further than their own offices. Revamping or introducing a recycling program can help reduce costs and is beneficial to the environment. At some organizations, managing assets through their lifecycles has always been procurement’s responsibility. Over time, however, these programs can grow stale; reevaluating may unearth new ways to save. Other organizations are turning to procurement to lead corporate sustainability initiatives. Examining how the facility manages its waste and recycling can fit right into these plans. Procurement professionals attending the monthly member meeting of the Institute for Supply Management-Greater Rhode Island affiliate in September had the opportunity to learn more about their role in their organization’s waste management and recycling efforts and the benefits their actions can bring. After a welcome and introduction by Michelle Voyer, Programs Committee Chair at ISM-GRI, Krystal Noiseux, Recycling Program Manager at the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp in Johnston, RI, set the stage for her talk by describing legislation over the years that resulted in several firsts for Rhode Island: It’s the first state to mandate recycling, as well as the first to enact laws for recycling plastic bags and film and, most recently, food waste. “There is a lot going on in Rhode Island for good reason,” Noiseux told the 25 procurement and supply professionals attending the meeting in East Providence. “If we continue disposing of waste at current rates, the landfill will close in 2038. How can we extend the landfill and plan for the future?” Responding to the question, Noiseux described the capabilities of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp and the services it offers to businesses. While there are fees for waste disposal, there is no charge for recycling, she said. For ISM-GRI members who work in nearby states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, Noiseux suggested they look for similar facilities that serve their organizations. One service for businesses offered by RIRRC that particularly interests the procurement professionals is the organization’s free waste assessments. In fact, several attendees said that they had recently met with David Bordieri, Waste Prevention Coordinator at RIRRC. He typically leads the activity, which consists of a close examination not only of the facility’s disposal process, but its refuse and recycling as well, followed by recommendations for improvement and ongoing support services.

During the assessment, Noiseux explained that her colleague describes ways to reduce the amount of waste generated by an organization in the first place. These include prevention such as purchasing items that are reusable. She also suggested exchanges and donations as ways to cut down on waste.

Butch Roberts, First Vice President and Professional Development Chair at ISM-GRI, shared with the group results of a waste assessment conducted recently at his workplace. The facility, he said, used to haul two loads of trash to the landfill each week. Now they send just one load a month. Noiseux walked the procurement professionals through instructions for recycling some materials that RIRRC accepts, including plastic containers, glass, paper and cardboard, hazardous materials, plastic bags and film, electronic waste, textiles, and metals among others. For instance, RIRRC accepts glass bottle or jars for recycling, with the exception of Pyrex containers. All businesses and consumers need to do is to remove the metal lids, she said. Recycling plastics is a little more complex; exceptions include bottles that contained automotive fluids, CD cases and compostable cups, among others. Styrofoam, Noiseux said, is never accepted. “If you follow the rules, you’ll be right 95% of the time,” she told the ISM-GRI members. “And, if you’re not sure, ask.” Noiseux also suggested facilities that accept materials for reuse in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. As a takeaway for the procurement professionals attending the meeting, she recommended that when they return to their offices, they look at their organization’s waste hauling contract and talk to their hauler to learn where they take their recycling. Then, she said, “Schedule an appointment with RIRRC for an assessment.” ISM-GRI Programs Committee Chair Voyer, for one, said she was leaving the meeting “energized” to take a new look at her recycling practices both at home and at the office. Other services RIRRC offers businesses include an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program and a Business Materials Exchange. For more information on these services and other capabilities, use this link: www.rirrc.org. Noiseux added that virtual tours of the facility are also available online at youtube.com/rirrc. The next meeting of ISM-GRI is October 22 at Bryant University in North Smithfield. Jan Miller, Vice President, Membership at ISM, is scheduled to speak on How to Leverage the Benefits of Membership in the ISM. For more information and to register, use this link: http://www.mypurchasingcenter.com/ purchasing/profiles/ism-greater-rhode-island/events/ Susan Avery My Purchasing Center

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Potential Legal Liability For Employers At Corporate Events

Personnel Practices Potential Legal Liability for Employers at Corporate Events by Matthew R. Plain, Esq. & Kristen M. Whittle, Esq.

Company-sponsored events can be a great way to contribute to employee morale, raise the company’s profile in the community, and provide an opportunity for positive public relations. Many employers hold events, such as holiday parties and summer outings, as a way to thank employees for their service. Other employers may sponsor or organize community or charitable events in order to give back to the communities where they’re located. When planning a company-sponsored event, Rhode Island employers should be aware of several pitfalls so as to potentially avoid unexpected liability. LIABILITY FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY EMPLOYEES Typically, employees who are injured during their voluntary participation at employer-sponsored social or athletic activities are not entitled to workers’ compensation. However, to the extent that the employee’s injury was caused by the negligence or other misconduct of the employer, the employee may be able to recover damages against the employer in a

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal

civil lawsuit. Although employers should always ensure the safety of their employees, employers should be particularly mindful that workers’ compensation insurance may not cover injuries sustained at company events, and the employers may otherwise be responsible. VICARIOUS LIABILITY ISSUES Rhode Island courts generally hold employers liable for the acts of their employees committed within the scope of employment. Although factual issues may arise as to whether attendance at a company event is considered an activity “within the scope of employment” for legal purposes, employers should nonetheless be mindful that any injuries caused by an employee at a company event may give rise to a claim or lawsuit against the employer, whether or not the injured party ultimately succeeds. Employers should be particularly cautious at events where alcohol will be served. Although Rhode Island courts have not yet adopted the social-host theory of liability with respect to adults over the legal age, the courts have imposed liability for injuries arising out of the service of alcohol to minors. When

Potential Legal Liability For Employers At Corporate Events | SMALL BUSINESS

be mindful that any injuries caused by an employee at a company event may give rise to a claim or lawsuit against the employer, whether or not the injured party ultimately succeeds providing alcohol at company-sponsored events, employers should use common sense and ensure that only employees over age 21 partake in certain festivities. BEST PRACTICES When planning a company-sponsored event, be aware of the following best practice tips to avoid potential headaches down the road: •

Provide transportation, especially for events when alcohol will be served. The cost of buses or cab vouchers is a small investment compared with potential liability issues arising from car accidents or other incidents.

•

Consider providing social media guidelines, or implementing a social media policy concerning corporate events. Although employees may be eager to share photos from office holiday parties or other outings, photos taken by employees may not be the best representation of the image your business would like to project, particularly if the photos could potentially be viewed by customers or clients.

•

If you intend to use photos from the event for marketing purposes, obtain consent from all subjects of the photos, including employees and non-employees who may also be present at the event. Failure to do so may result in liability for the unauthorized use of the subject’s image.

•

For events involving physical activity, such as employersponsored field days or road races, obtain liability waivers prior to participation in such activities from employees and invited guests. Such waivers should typically include a certification that the participant is physically capable of participating in the activity, an acknowledgement that there are risks associated with the activity, and an agreement to hold the company harmless for any injury sustained.

Awareness and consideration of these issues in advance may assist employers in ensuring that company-sponsored events run smoothly, and in minimizing potential liability. Matthew R. Plain, Esq. Partner, Barton Gilman LLP

Kristen M. Whittle, Esq. Associate, Barton Gilman LLP

TOGETHER SMALL BUSINESSES ARE

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www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Learning Isn’t Just For Kids

LEARN I S N ’ T by Susan Esposito

As a new school year has begun and people’s thoughts turn to fall clothes, school supplies, and new things to learn, it’s also a good time for employers to think about learning in their workplace. Study after study has found that supporting and providing development opportunities for employees has major benefits for everyone involved. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that “the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences can increase

J U S

employee motivation and job satisfaction, and help workers more effectively manage job stress.” Development opportunities also benefit companies “by enhancing organizational effectiveness and improving work quality, as well as by helping the organization attract and retain top-quality employees.” Those are some pretty big payoffs from such a simple investment. Now, there’s no one-size-fits-all employee development plan. But, there are many ways employers can provide personal and professional growth and development opportunities, many of which are as big or as small as the companies themselves. There are three basic ways any employer can kickstart their business’s learning plan without investing a lot of time or money.

Establish a Learning Culture The excitement and drive to learn new things must start at the top. Employees need to see that management, from the company executives to the frontline managers, are passionate about growing their knowledge and skills. Managers should encourage their own employees to continue learning and give them the freedom to acquire new skills through a variety of formats, including online videos, webinars, or articles. Growth and development can also be woven into the yearly review and goal setting process. Each employee should set at least one development goal at the beginning of the year. Then, check back around the middle of the year to ensure progress is being made and that the developmental

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NING T

F O R

Learning Isn’t Just For Kids | SMALL BUSINESS

K I D S

Managers should encourage their own employees to continue learning and give them the freedom to acquire new skills through a variety of formats, including online videos, webinars, or articles.

goal hasn’t been pushed aside for something that seems more important. Host Internal Lunch and Learns Schedule regular lunch and learn events where employees can learn something new over their lunch break. Whether or not you provide lunch is up to you and your budget, but you don’t have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to bring in subject experts to speak. Tap into the experts you already have on hand. Ask various departments or team members to host the lunch events and teach on everything from understanding social media to using the latest software version to the basics of invoicing and accounting. These luncheons can just be for personal enrichment or to help employees grow their skills in other work areas they might be interested in going into. Support Professional Organization Involvement Be supportive of employees’ professional organizations, whether you can cover the annual membership fees

on the employees’ behalf or you just allow them time off to attend meetings. Employees will become even greater experts in their fields as they learn from specialized speakers and network with colleagues at organization events. Many local organizations also provide opportunities for members to attend nationally-recognized conferences and workshops at discounted rates. The more employees who are involved in local organizations, the better known your business will be around the community. Learning isn’t just for kids returning to school! Everyone needs to continue learning throughout their life to keep from growing placid and out-oftouch…this includes your employees! Providing opportunities for growth and development will not only help keep workers motivated and satisfied, but their growth will also fuel your business to reach its full potential. Susan Esposito Business Developer Express Employment Professionals of Warwick, RI

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RESOURCE FOUNDATION In 2001, when Gloria Gemma was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer, the internet was peppered with cancer information, and it was difficult to decipher good information from bad without a medical degree. Gloria’s nine grown children had difficulty finding information regarding their mother’s disease, and when Mrs. Gemma passed from breast cancer in 2002, her family had an overwhelming desire to help people with similar situations. They didn’t want other families to endure the frustration of bad information and lack of resources. So, in 2004, the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation was established. It was initially a one-stop website for information, resources and reputable website links for cancer patients. Since then, the foundation has grown into an organization that serves over 10,000 people a year. Executive Director Maria Gemma (Gloria’s eldest daughter) leads a team of six full-time employees who share her passion and dedication to helping people in need. They are proud of the fact that 90 cents of every dollar raised is applied to programs and services offered to people affected by breast cancer. The foundation takes a holistic approach in developing its programs and services, and concentrates on healing mind, body and spirit. It understands that breast cancer is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, and a diagnosis affects the entire family. It offers these healing services at its center, located at 249 Roosevelt Avenue in Pawtucket and throughout the community. Cooking classes, exercise and yoga classes, and support are all offered at different locations throughout Rhode Island. In addition, the foundation has the Hope Bus, a 38-foot-long pink RV that travels free of charge to hospitals, businesses, community centers, and schools throughout greater Rhode Island offering education, healing arts, one-on-one counseling, and drop-in support groups, with a special outreach focus on lower income areas.

However, for all that the foundation does throughout the year to help people touched by breast cancer, it is probably best known for its annual Flames of Hope: A Celebration of Life™ Weekend event at Waterfire, held every Columbus Day weekend. It is the largest breast cancer awareness event in the region, and this year marks the foundation’s tenth anniversary. The event is October 11-12, and will feature educational activities, health interactive activities, healing arts activities, live music (3:30pmOne Wild Night, a Bon Jovi Tribute and 9:00pm-Joshua Tree, a U2 Tribute), and cooking demonstrations, including Chef Mary Ann Esposito from the television cooking show, Ciao Italia. Of course, the pinnacle of Saturday evening is the coveted Illuminations of Life Ceremony and torch procession to light one of the largest Waterfire’s of the season. October 12th is the Flames of Hope Run/Walk Series, the largest fundraising event for the foundation. Three races highlight the morning, beginning with the Kids Fun Run for children ages 5-11. Then, it’s the Pink Pump Palooza, a hilarious 50-yard dash run in high heels by both men and women. This year two of the foundation’s sponsors, AGI Construction and Gem Home Services each have a $10,000 challenge in which money is being raised in order to watch the owners of these companies risk injury by dashing 50 yards in stilettos. Finally, the morning ends with the race that started it all six years ago, the Gloria Gemma 5K. To register for any of these races or for more information on any of the events this weekend, please visit flamesofhoperi.com. The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation has been anchored in hope for the past ten years, and its commitment to helping people affected by breast cancer will not change in the new decade.

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Don’t Rely Solely On Uncle Sam’s Help For Retirement

Don’t Rely Solely...

On Uncle Sam’s Help For Retirement by Ted Donnelly

Twenty years ago, retirement was a time to look forward to and savor. But, today, we live in uncertain times. So, for most working adults, retirement has become very complex—requiring years of planning, a well-thought-out strategy, and a phase to be put off as much as possible. We’re living more years in retirement. Why? Company-sponsored pensions have all but become extinct. Thanks to medical advances and healthier lifestyles, people are living longer. In the early 20th century, life expectancy was 47.3 years versus today’s life span of nearly 79 years.1 According to data from the Social

Security Administration, a man who lives to 65 will live on average to age 84, while women of the same age should live to age 86.2 Of course this is good news, but we need to be prepared for it. The truth about Social Security. And if you believe that Social Security will be there to support you, think again. For retirees in 2013, if you retire at the full age of 66, your maximum monthly benefit is $2,5333—not enough for many of you to live comfortably. While there are no easy solutions, life insurance can guarantee4 the protection of your loved ones and also supplement your retirement savings5 if the death benefit is no longer needed. Leaving a legacy. Life insurance’s primary purpose is to deliver death benefit protection, which can provide a generally tax-

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free legacy to your loved ones. But permanent life insurance also carries “living” benefits. Your policy earns cash value that accumulates tax deferred. This means you do not pay taxes on any of the accumulation within the policy. Additionally, you can access that money generally tax-free through policy loans.5 This cash value can be used to fund college expenses, a small business loan, or any other anticipated or unexpected event. In addition to the death benefit protection, the cash value of permanent life insurance can also be used to supplement your retirement income. As such, it can be a vital piece of the complex puzzle of retirement planning. This educational, third-party article is provided as a courtesy by Ted Donnelly, Agent, New York Life Insurance Company. Ted Donnelly Agent New York Life Insurance Company

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Not Just Trinkets Anymore | SMALL BUSINESS

Not Just Trinkets

Anymore by Payden

Corporate branding through promotional products and corporate merchandise, once a cottage industry, has grown to over a $20 billion a year industry with numerous applications. When I first entered the industry in 1977 with a sportswear screen printing and embroidery business called Two’s Company, my future mother-in-law questioned the longevity of my chosen career, stating, “T-shirts are just a fad.” At the time, few people realized that the T-shirt, and related sportswear items, would become such a powerful branding tool, with individuals of every age sometimes paying to wear your company’s corporate logo and brand on their chest. According to a study commissioned by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), 95% of the 839 businesses surveyed used promotional products. Today, companies in every industry and of every size use promotional products to launch and promote new products, reward employees for their accomplishments and build customer loyalty.

Just think of how many impressions your corporate logo on a T-shirt receives over the course of its life. The use of promotional products as a brand-building tool has become a staple for many companies and organizations. It has become as important to their advertising budgets as their print, radio and television campaigns. The key to their success is the creativeness of the product and how it ties into their long-term goals and what the measurable return on their investment is. Just think of how many impressions your corporate logo on a T-shirt receives over the course of its life. There are hundreds of applications for corporate merchandise and promotional products in today’s business world. The key is to come up with a product that fits your company’s image in a creative and effective manner. Your promotional products distributor should offer suggestions that reflect the image of the company, perpetuate your firm’s brand and contribute to annual marketing goals. Payden Managing Partner Payden and Company, LLC

www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | What Would Joan Say?

What would by Lisa Shorr

In August, we lost a comedic icon, Joan Rivers. For several decades, she delighted and shocked audiences with her quick wit and crass humor. On the stage, she had a ‘take-no-prisoners’ stance, while behind the scenes she loved her family and was generous philanthropically. She once said: “I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking.” Yes, she certainly did and most of the words she said cannot be published in this article! She made fun of everyday outfits and actions that make you and me inhale a shocked or disgusted breath or mumble words of frustration under our tongues. Alas, Joan Rivers was our spokesperson, our release in a more soft-spoken society. Well, mostly soft-spoken! Too often corporate events pose a too tempting opportunity to break free from tact and reveal either a private message of a coworker, or worse, too much skin! So what lessons can we learn from this star of sarcasm?

1. Dress to impress; do not undress.

There are many types of corporate events, luncheons, golf outings, holiday parties, and fundraisers. Each type of event calls for a different style of dress. But ladies, one rule holds firm: revealing too much skin never sends a positive message! Outings are a perfect opportunity to impress your boss and co-workers. Start by dressing appropriate for the event. If you are unsure of the dress code, then ask the organizers. Choose confidence or lose respect!

2. Brash, brazen and bombed is so many decades ago! If one message rings true in the hit show Mad Men, based on a 1960’s Madison Avenue advertising firm, it’s that alcohol played a huge role in not only making the deal, but also destroying reputations! Fast-forward to today—drinking too much at a function and flirting with your coworker(s) is never comfortable the next

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Joan say?

day and may lead your boss to secondguess your judgment and pass you over for that promotion. Put a cap on your cocktails everyone!

3. Lose the phone. Need I say more?

That call can wait! Answer that call or text and you instantly send the message that you are not interested in the person you’re talking to. At the very least, turn the sound off on your phone so you are not distracted.

4. Actions speak louder than words!

You have 7 seconds to make a great first impression: don’t blow it by not making eye contact, giving a colleague a weak handshake or not dressing appropriately. Another point; watch your tone of voice. Be attentive. Ask yourself, when responding to questions, is your voice emanating enthusiasm for the subject or sounding disinterested and listless? The other person might interpret your behavior and overall persona as standoffish.

5. A wallflower does not get the promotion.

A corporate function is the perfect opportunity to grab the ear of your boss or get to know a new employee. Standing against the wall too nervous to approach others sends a message of being aloof or lacking in confidence. I recommend you engage in open-ended questions versus a yes or no answer to keep the conversation flowing. Some suggestions: Instead of asking, “Do you like to take vacations?” say, “Tell me about your favorite vacation spot.” Or, instead of asking, “Are you from New England?” ask, “Where are you from?” While we can never emulate the great Joan Rivers, her messages on appearance and proper etiquette are loud and very clear. Remember, you do not have to be in your office to represent your corporate brand. Corporate events are the perfect opportunity to dress for success and build relationships. Don’t be the brunt of the day after’s quips and jokes due to inappropriate behavior.

Rest in peace, Joan.

Lisa Shorr VP of Marketing PC Troubleshooters, Inc.

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SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

local small bus APPAREL

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

J Hilburn Contact: Rae Medgyesy Rae.Medgysey@jhilburnpartner.com www.Jhilburn.com 3 Wagon Lane Attleboro, MA 02703 401-258-3656

Butler Realty www.butlerrealty.us jab@butlerrealty.us Contact: Jeff Butler 655 Main Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 401-884-6050

BUSINESS SERVICES The Business Develoment Company pdorsey@bdcri.com www.bdcri.com Contact: Peter Dorsey 40 Westminster Street, Suite 702 Providence, RI 02903 401-351-3036 Lyoness America (Local Loyalty Partners) www.lyoness.net/us Localloyaltypartners@gmail.com Contact: Ernie Pitochelli 130 Darwin Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 401-368-6911

COACHING & CONSULTING Redwood Environmental Group Gkaufman@redwoodenv.com www.redwoodenv.com Contact: Gary Kaufman 10 Elmgrove Avenue Providence, RI 02906 401-270-7000 The Growth Coach D.Marantz@thegrowthcoach.com www.thegrowthcoach.com/dmarantz Contact: Daniel Marantz 33 Urso Drive Westerly, RI 02891 401-612-4769

MG Commercial www.mgcommercial.com mike@mgcommercial.com Contact: Mike Giuttari 365 Eddy Street Providence, RI 02903 401-751-3200 Scotti & Associates www.scottirealestate.com pmbgs@scottire.net Contact: Peter Scotti 246 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 401-421-8888

DESIGN & MARKETING Artinium, Inc. www.artiniuminc.com Darren@Artiniuminc.com Contact: Darren Marinelli 5 Division Street, Building D, 2nd Floor Warwick, RI 02818 401-729-1997 Big Fish Results www.bigfishresults.com Tony@BigFishResults.com Tony Guarnaccia 5 Division Street Warwick, RI 02886 401-484-8736

DISASTER RECOVERY Lynchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cleaning & Restoration www.lynchsrestoration.com

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Contact : Shawn Lynch 25 Starline Way Cranston, RI 02920 401-464-8937 PuroClean Disaster Restoration www.purocleanri.com Tabbruzzese@puroclean.com Contact: Terri Abbruzzese 5 Minnesota Avenue Warwick, RI 02888 401-633-5565

ENERGY Super Green Solutions www.supergreensolutions.com Robert Cagnetta 300 Quaker Lane, Box # 6 Warwick, RI 02886 401-932-1985

FINANCE J.P. Matrullo Financial www.jpmatrullofinancial.com jpmatrullo@matrullofinancial.com Contact: Jonathan Matrullo 10 Orms Street, Suite 410 Providence, RI 02904 401-276-8788 Morgan Stanley www.morganstanley.com Rick.Bellow@ms.com Contact: Rick Bellows 1 Financial Plaza, 19th Floor Providence, RI 02903 401-863-8400 The Ameriprise Financial Planning www.ameripriseadvisors.com/Eric.Coury Eric.Coury@ampf.com Contact: Eric Coury 1 Citizens Plaza, S. 610 Providence, RI 029O3 401-996-7660

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SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

siness directory FOOD AND BEVERAGE

HOSPITALITY

RENTALS

3rd Rock Coffee Company www.3rdrockcoffee.com Newell@3rdrockcoffee.com Contact: Newell Brown 21 Old Town Trail Narragansett, RI 02882 401-413-4925

Choice Hotels www.choicehotels.com Keastman@teamadvantech.com Contact: Kate Eastman 360 Airport Road Fall River, MA 02726 978-290-0515

Ocean State Rentals www.oceanstaterental.net Oceanstaterental@gmail.com Contact: Jim Baldwin 530 Wellington Ave Cranston, RI 02910 401-941-4002

HEALTH & WELLNESS

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SIGNS

Aflac Allen Miller 29 Crafts Street Newton, MA 02458 617-658-1820 www.aflac.com Allen_Miller@us.aflac.com

Thrive Networks www.thrivenetworks.com npacitto@thrivenetworks.com Contact: Kevin Ellis 836 North Street, Building 300, S. 3201 Tewksburry, MA 01876 978-243-1432

AA Thrifty Signs www.aathriftysign.com mcahill@aathriftysign.com Contact: Linda Iannotti 221 Jefferson Boulevard Warwick, RI 02888 401-738-8055

Amethyst Biomat www.mindfulness-abundance-healing.com healingartsri@cox.net Contact: Maria Sorensen 1130 Ten Rod Road N. Kingstown, RI 02852 401-932-6820 Jennifer L. Wilkicki, LMT & Esthetician www.styleseat.com/jenniferwilkick jlw531@aol.com Contact: Jennifer Wilkicki 51 Sockanosset Cross Road, s. 204 Cranston, RI 02920 401-935-3549 Qivana www.blessedwithhealthandwealth.com Janetdeleo@gmail.com Janet DeLeo 66 Club House Road Coventry, RI 02816 401-524-2339

ss Listed In Our Directory? or more information

TIMIT Solutions, LLC www.timitsolutions.com tmontgomery@timitsolutions.com Contact: Tim Montgomery 100 Randall Road, Unit 93 Wrentham, MA 02093 774-307-0652

INSURANCE Allstate Benefits www.allstate.com Jeff.Davide@allstate.com Contact: Jeff Davide 98 Hollis Avenue Warwick, RI 02889 401-500-3748

PAYROLL Paychex www.paychex.com apachomski@paychex.com Contact: Andy Pachomski 501 Wampanoag Trail Riverside, RI 02915 401-663-6677

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Wireless Zone www.wirelesszone.com j.sorensen@wirelesszoneri.com Contact: Jason Sorensen 76 Gate Road N. Kingstown, RI 02852 401-886-8484

TRANSPORTATION A Airlines Express Limousine & Car Service, Inc. www.aairlineexpresslimousine.com cottongin@cox.net Contact: Virginia Coulley P.O. Box 222 Saunderstown, RI 02874 401-295-4380

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Rescom Exteriors www.iwantnewwindows.com Jrousseau@Iwantnewwindows.com Contact: Janette Rousseau 714 A South Bridge Auburn, MA 01501 508-832-5202 www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

SMALL BUSINESS | Corporate & Event Planning

Planning

Corporate and Event

by Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro

With the holiday season approaching many businesses, both large and small, are planning an annual holiday event. To optimize the value of an event, I would encourage each business manager and business owner to first ask who they are having the event for and why they are having the event. Great Reasons For An Employee Event Might Include That: • Employees asked for the event. • Last year’s event was so successful that employees were talking positively about it for months. • Managers want employees who do not normally see each other to get to know one another better. • Business owners want to have an event as a way to reward their employees for their work throughout the year. Great Reasons To Have An Event For Clients Or Customers Might Include: • Management wanting customers to feel like they are “a member of the family.” • The anticipation that discussions at an event will lead to new business or business improvement. • Very positive customer feedback throughout the year. Reasons Which Are Not As Beneficial Include Expressions Such As: • We have always done it. • Everyone else is doing it. If those are your best reasons, think a bit more before planning the event. Once you know the reasons for the event, you can plan effectively. If you want small groups of people to get to know each other, then a formal dinner with eight people seated at each table might be perfect for you. If you want everyone at the event to get to know

everyone else a bit better, the best alternative might be to skip the formal dinner and instead have a meal with both light and heavy hors d’oeuvres served at various stations, with few tables and chairs so that people will mingle. If you are interested in a team building program, there are many organizations that offer programs designed to improve communication, leadership and communication skills among team members. Having a program of this nature or doing a significant community service project before or in lieu of a dinner might be the perfect alternative for you. Please be sensitive to every employee’s likes and needs as you plan your program, be it a dinner or an activity-based program. There are people who thrive on team building programs. There are people who would enjoy working in a support role (e.g. photographer, scorekeeper, or handing out name tags) or audience member. There are also people who would strongly prefer to have no part in activity-based programs, dinners or whatever. As one who leads TV game show style programs which are applicable, educational, entertaining, useful and a ton of fun for most people, I’m well aware that being an onstage participant (or even a group activity participant) is not for everyone. If someone does not want to participate, that should be their option. There are few, if any, people who would rather have nothing to do with the program, but if there were any, having an alternative activity, such as “covering the office” should be acceptable. Find out the needs and desires of each employee and find the appropriate role for each one in whatever you do plan. Make the occasion a positive one for all concerned. As you begin the planning process, you might want to have an employee committee review the business objectives for your program, consider options and make a recommendation to you. Alternatively, you might send out a proposal to your employees and obtain feedback. Either way, include employee (and customer, if applicable) input into your decision making. After all, Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro the event is for them. I would like to thank Industrial Consultant Dr. Margarita Posada Cossuto for helpful comments.

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www.risbj.com | volume three issue nine

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