Boerne’s Premier Business Publication
TRUE VISION Vo lu m e 2 : : I s s u e 3 : : J u n e / J ul y 2 014
West Vita and his pursuit of the beauty within
BUSINESS PROFILES
LEADERSHIP
WHAT DRIVES THE STOCK MARKET
AND MORE...
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CONTENTS 8
FROM THE PUBLISHER
10 CALENDAR 12 HILL COUNTRY SITTERS
14
Equine Sense
18 TECHNOLOGY 28 IN THE NEWS 30 BOERNE COMMUNITY THEATRE
32 RETIREMENT PLANNING
16
Take the job and love it.
Administration / Advertising
22
Publisher Benjamin D. Schooley ben@thecompanymag.com
TRUE VISION
ADVERTISING SALES 210-507-5250 sales@thecompanymag.com
West Vita and his pursuit of the beauty within.
ART
20
What really drives the stock market?
Creative Director Ben Weber ben.weber@smvtexas.com thecompanymag.com
6 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
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WELCOME | a letter from the publisher Dearest COMPANY Reader, In a distant and far away land in a time long forgotten, I was actually withering away in middle management. With a suit, a tie, and one hell of a commute, I worked tirelessly for someone else. I would sit up late at night and tell my wife of my dream to one day start my own magazine here in town. She would tirelessly encourage me to drop everything and start pursuing my dream the very next day. I would scoff at her, because I wasn’t brave enough to walk away from the security of a paycheck and benefits for an uncertain future, but it seems like the very next night I would be excitedly telling her about all of my great ideas for my dream publication. Rinse and repeat. One day I walked into my secure paycheck job and was unceremoniously fired. I was a victim of “downsizing.” Stunned, I sat on the back porch in my dress shirt and tie and told my wife that I was now unemployed, and she stood and screamed with happiness, “That’s fantastic! Now you can get started on the magazine!!” And, as they say, the rest is history. I share the story above only because it parallels our cover story’s adventure. West Vita, local professional photographer and one of the founders of Ambleside School of Boerne, certainly didn’t start out with a clear career path for what he wanted to do. Instead, he simply took a job to have a job. A job that ultimately burned him out so bad, and much like me, he was forced to chase his dream.
8 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
I know that these stories are widely relatable to so many of the business owners throughout this area. The decision to pursue one’s dream of self-employment is certainly a difficult one. With pressures coming from every angle, the clarity to make the right decision isn’t always crystal clear. We wring our hands and we worry and fret about every possible outcome, and sometimes we make the leap. Others might not. But no matter what, the dream still exists. COMPANY is the celebration of that dream. We all know that virtually every business in our community is a “Mom and Pop”, and we take great pride in increasing the awareness for these great businesses. We continue to strive to be a part of driving attention to what is going on in our business community, and supporting the commerce of local small business. If you ever have a suggestion, comment, or critique, I encourage you to write or call us. We are always on the look out for new features as well, so forward your story ideas. Welcome to the June/July issue of COMPANY magazine. Sincerely,
Benjamin D. Schooley Publisher
CALENDAR |
BUSINESS AND HILL COUNTRY EVENTS CALENDAR
June 5
Ribbon Cutting for Sterling Home Technologies 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Come and welcome this new member!
June 8
Benefit Brunch & Raffle 10:00 - 11:30 AM at Scenic Loop Cafe Brunch and raffle to benefit Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries. Send us an email to RSVP.
June 12
Business After Hours Mixer sponsored by the Kendall County Women’s Shelter 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Come mix and mingle with your fellow Chamber Members at the Business After Hours Mixer sponsored by Kendall County Women’s Shelter 10 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
June 13-15
Boerne Berges Fest The 3-day, family-friendly festival centers around the German heritage of the Boerne area and commandeers Boerne’s Main Street on Father’s Day weekend. The Boerne Berges Fest is one of the City of Boerne’s biggest festivals. Attracting people from all over Texas, the Boerne Berges Fest boasts music from one of Texas’s best German folk bands, the Berges Fest Parade, dachshund races, carnival rides for people of all ages, and much much more!
July 1
Ribbon Cutting for Massage Matters 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Come and welcome this new member! Massage Matters, 930 E. Blanco, Ste. 800, Boerne, Texas 78006
July 31
Business After Hours Mixer sponsored by Kendall County Fair Association 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Come mix and mingle with your fellow Chamber Members for the Business After Hours Mixer sponsored by the Kendall County Fair Association
Have a business event?
Forward the information to Company Magazine and we’ll get you on the callendar. info@thecompanymag.com
830-249-2321 www.ebensberger-fisher.com 111 Rosewood Ave. Boerne, TX 78006
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BUSINESS PROFILE |
HILL COUNTRY SITTERS Tell us about your staff? Requirements? Accreditation? When we select our sitters, we first make sure each sitter shares our passion and love for children, and has a servants heart. We require each sitter to be CPR and First Aid Certified, have years of experience, and of course we run background checks on all our sitters. We want our clients to feel comfortable knowing they’re leaving their family in safe hands. We know that your families mean everything to you. I only hire team members that I would have over to my house, and trust taking care of my little sister. Needless to say ... we’re extremely picky!
Name Kristen Lewis Business Hill Country Sitters Date founded We started HCS in November 2011 Tell us the background for your business? How did you get started? It really started with me babysitting for local families, to the point where I couldn’t keep up with everyone anymore. I knew that I didn’t have the time to keep up with every family and their needs, but they all needed help! And really, the thought of leaving them in the lurch wasn’t an option. What challenges did you experience early on? I would say when we started, the biggest challenge I faced was how much I admittedly didn’t know went into running a business. As a 20 year old when I started I knew virtually nothing about DBA’s and business tax forms, but I learned everything the best way- through experience. Thank goodness for all our patient clients who’ve stayed with us through the learning process! Tell us a little about how you’ve taken ownership of the company. Hill Country Sitters began as a partnership in 2011, since then my partner has moved on. Owning and growing a business has not been easy to say the least. I feel like the term “American Dream” doesn’t tell the whole story. I’ve definitely experienced some hardships and made a few
12 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
How has it been doing business in Kendall county? So far, so good! We live in a great community with some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
mistakes along the way. At the same time, I can honestly say I’ve grown with my business, learned so much and am so thankful for how far we’ve come! For us, our company is essentially the team behind it, so I’ve poured my time and resources into recruiting the right team. What future plans do you have for the business? In the future, the goal is to expand our services into a business that essentially cares for families needs, which go beyond childcare. We want to grow with our families and be able to provide care to not just your children, but your pets, wedding & event childcare needs, carpool, and care for elderly family members. The bottom line is, families now are so busy, and we want to come along side them and provide services to help improve their quality of life.
What’s one thing that people don’t know about your business that you wish they did? We do more than babysit! It seems like people think we’re a “One trick pony” - but that’s just not the case. We provide pet sitting, wedding & event childcare, nanny service, quarterly events for sitters, and have even more plans for the near future! That, and the fact that we truly care about our clients. The beauty of being in a small town, is that most of our clients are personal referrals from someone who knows me from church, previous work, or just knows someone, who knows someone on our team. I met a new client the other day who got our name off of google and I said “Really? Google? That’s great! Well welcome to the HCS family”.
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BUSINESS PROFILE |
EQUINE SENSE Facilitated Psychotherapist, Dr. Leslie McCoullough, and shortly after I started working for her, she decided that she wanted to become a professor. I felt that helping people through horses was what I was meant to do. Leslie felt the same, and helped me get started with Equine Facilitatedated Learning so I could help people build their self-confidence and self-esteem as well as work on social behaviors and time management. Dr. MuCoullough introduced me to Patricia Speakerer, a retired Special Education teacher of 30 years, who had already been running a simiular program for unabled bodied students on Saturdays out of her home. I moved my two horses to Trish’s property and together we started Equine Sense. We have been slowly growing and are now in our third year. We just rebuilt our arena last August, and we want to get the word out that we are located here in Boerne, just out 474, so that more people can come and get assistance from us, whether they are able body or unable body or just need a good horse fix!
Name Kara Lund Business Name Equine Sense Years in Operation 2-years; since April 2012 Tell us a little about the history of your business. I have always had a love and passion for horses and helping people. I started working as an instructor for Equine 14 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
How do you use horses in a therapeutic capacity? The average horse can weigh in at about 1200 lbs and because of the size and strength they can be very intimidating. I teach my students to form a bond with their horse and to use clear comunication while working with and riding them. As they the students become better comunicators, their horse become easier to ride, so not only do their riding skill improve but so does their interpersonal coping skils improve as well. There are also many physical therapeutic beneifits to riding a horse, for example a paraplegic can get improved muscle manipulation and increased blood flow in their legs, and a stronger core strength which helps support their back, just by sitting on a horse while the horse is doing the walking for them! What results have you seen? There have been so many wonderful results that we have seen in our students, it is hard to pick which ones to share. One of my favorites is that of a young man who, when he started with us he was having a hard time with eye contact and taking care of everyday events for himself. Currently,
this young man gets his horse from the pasture, does all the grooming and tacking, mounts and rides my upper level horse bareback!! He does this all by himself while managing his time for the entire lesson which lasts an hour. His mom and dad are so proud of him and have seen simular results at home and at school. And he just keeps getting better!! How has Boerne supported your business? I actually graduated from Boerne Greyhound Highschool. I moved away for 12 years and upon moving back only 4 years ago I would have to say I was welcomed back with open arms! Since it is important to me to support our local businesses I spend a lot of time getting referrals from my friends , family and clients for various local services. It was through these referrals that I was invited to attend a Hill Country Women in Business dinner and after meeting these wonerful ladies I decided to join their organization of women in business helping other women in their businesses. I have also found it very easy and convenient to share information about my sevices threw out Boerne on the information boards located threw out the city at quite a few our local resturants and busineeses. What are some of your future plans for the business? My current future plan is to be able to provide services threw out the entire year I plan on installing arena lights so that we can have evening lessons during the school year. I am also investing in a new horse so I can give my students even more new Learning Experiences!! What challenges have you experienced since formation? One of the biggest chanllenges we have experienced is that our business slows down considerably during the school year. Hopefully by adding arena lights we will be able to keep up with the demand in the evenings with the help of appropriate lighting. What do you get out of the business? Tell us a bit about what keeps you doing this. I absolutely love what I do! I believe it is what God wants me to do! I never have troblem getting up in the mornings and going to the horses!! The number one reason is because it is as therapeutic to me as it is my clients!!
www.equine-sense.com
LEADERSHIP |
TAKE THIS JOB AND LOVE IT (part 1 of 4) By Paul Wilson A few weeks ago, I picked up my thirteen-year old son from school and experienced one of those rare conversations that a parent remembers for the rest of their life. On the ride home we somehow ended up talking about jobs and “what he wanted to do when he grew up.” Right in the middle of discussing ideas for future career options, he looks at me and says, “Don’t let me settle!” I was a little surprised by the intensity of his declaration. It seemed to come out of deep left field. This was obviously something he had been thinking about for some time. Seeing a great opportunity for a very special conversation, I asked him what he meant by “settling.” He said he didn’t want to end up doing anything for a job that he didn’t really enjoy. He actually invited me to hold him accountable. He came right out and said, “If you ever see me doing anything I don’t love, call me on it!” Now this is not the typical conversation we have on our ride home from school most days. As a dad, I was relishing this very rare occasion. 16 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
At this point, I was completely absorbed in our conversation. I was feeling that parental urge to seize this fantastic opportunity to mentor my son without spoiling it by my delight. Do you know what I am talking about? Have you ever noticed how teenagers quickly withdraw into their shell if us parents move toward the “teachable moment” too eagerly? Once they have dropped their guard to let us in as a confidant, they will immediately put up their force field if they sense we have suddenly shifted from friend to parent on them. So, very nonchalantly – acting as if I was distracted from the conversation by my focus on the traffic around us - I asked him, “What do you think it takes for someone to love their job?” I have to tell you, my seventh grader’s response absolutely floored me with his wisdom. He totally nailed three of the four most important experiences necessary for a person to absolutely love what they do for a living. He ticked them off without hesitation. Fortunately for me, he missed one. That left an opportunity to appear as if his dad might actually have something to offer this conversation.
He said, 1. Do what you love. 2. Do what you love with people you enjoy. 3. Have lots of variety in what you do. I added, 4. Do something more noble than make money. In this new series of articles, I’d like to explore these four important ingredients to an enjoyable career. I hope they serve as an inventory for each of us to honestly evaluate if we have “settled” in one of the most important dimensions of our life – our job. When you stop to consider the sheer amount of time we spend working throughout the course of our lifetime, it really is imperative we enjoy our work rather than endure it. PASSION Let’s start with the very first and most important. If you are going to enjoy a sustainable love for your work, you have to do something you are passionate about doing. Most people simply say, “I want to do something I love.” Passion, love, dream, desire, or calling – whatever word you use - all of us want to do something that brings tremendous fulfillment and satisfaction. Unfortunately, passion is one of the most difficult intangibles for most people to identify. I teach a workshop that deals with three important considerations to help volunteers find a “good fit” in a place of service. The exercises I use to help them
identify their passion always take the longest because most people don’t know how to verbalize this dimension of their life. To keep it simple, think of passion as what you love to do or what energizes you the most when you get to do it. Try answering these three questions for starters. What topic would keep you up talking late into the night? What are you doing when “time flies”? What would make you jump out of bed in the morning to go do? Our passion is that thing about which we most like to think, talk, read, imagine, improve, understand, watch, and do. If you could do only one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Interestingly, if you ask people what they are most passionate about, their answer is almost always about a hobby or recreational activity they enjoy when they are not working. Very few people answer questions about their passion by describing their job. I think that’s sad. Imagine what we could accomplish in our careers if our jobs were better aligned with our passions. If you get out of bed every Monday morning to go do something you love, you’ll never have to go to work another day in your life. While some people will be fortunate enough to take their favorite recreation and turn it into an opportunity to make a living, most of us will not. So our alternative is to find a career that connects with other expressions of our passion. Let me suggest you think in terms of what energizes you more
than the particular tasks of your work. • To help • To create • To design • To solve • To organize • To explore • To discover • To educate • To specialize • To lead So you’re reading this and thinking, “If I were to do something I love, I’m going to have to find another job.” For some of you, that’s exactly what it means. Only you can make that choice and take steps to turn your dream into reality. I recommend you take the time to plan your transition carefully. Do the research, get some advice, make small, carefully calculated moves if necessary. You need to be wise, not rash. If we get right down to it, each of us has one of four options when it comes to aligning our careers with our passion. A different role in our current industry. The same role in a different industry. A different role in a different industry. An enormous attitude adjustment about our current role. When it comes to your job, the only person who can get you properly aligned with your passion is you. The choice is yours. The decision is yours. The determination is yours. The time is now. Whatever you do, don’t settle.
Paul Wilson is the Senior Pastor of Cibolo Creek Community Church in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas. Launched in 1996, Cibolo Creek is committed to the challenging mission of creating a church unchurched people love to attend. A Masters degree in Theology and thirty years of leadership experience in non-profit organizations have granted Paul a unique perspective on what it takes to lead people effectively. Paul and his wife, Charlotte, and their two teenage sons make their home in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas.
thecompanymag.com | 17
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FINANCIAL |
THE REAL DRIVER OF STOCK PRICES By Karl Eggerss
Since the financial crisis and great recession of 2008,
2008. First, they lowered short-term rates to nearly
the stock market has risen dramatically. While some
ment, hire employees, etc. Also, low interest rates
0% in 2008 and have maintained that zero interest rate
have benefited and some have not, most have been sur-
have increased demand for stocks.
policy. In addition to dropping short-term rates, they
prised at the magnitude of the increase over the past few
The Fed has worn out their welcome in regards to
have been buying billions of dollars of bonds each and
years. After all, have things really improved enough to
interest rate manipulation. But have stock market gains
every month to help keep long-term interest rates low.
justify stock prices that have almost tripled?
from the past several years gone far above economic real-
While this has penalized savers and those trying to
In March of 2009, the financial markets were in sham-
ity? The data clearly suggests the answer is no. Stocks in
earn a reasonable return with little risk, it has favored
bles, companies were going bankrupt, and the United
the short-term can go up or down for any reason because
those who borrow, which includes not only individu-
States was on the brink of depression. The economy was
buying and selling is done on emotion. But, over the
als looking to buy a car or home, but also companies
losing over 800,000 jobs per month, foreclosures were
long-term, the value of companies rises and falls because
looking to expand operations, purchase new equip-
their profits rise and fall. In other words, there is a very
at record highs, and stocks had fallen over 50%. The Federal Reserve intervened by taking steps to give the public some confidence in the banks and encourage investing. But, it wasn’t entirely the Fed and regulatory actions that saved the day. Capitalism played a role as well and the markets eventually found a bottom. It was a generational low and those who had the courage to buy stocks got one heck of a deal. Currently, many believe that the dramatic rise in stocks over the past few years is unjustified and we are simply in a new stock market bubble. They also think the biggest contributor to the bubble is the Federal Reserve because the Fed has been extremely engaged in the day to day workings of the financial markets since
20 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
tight correlation between profits of companies and stock prices of the underlying company. Below is a picture of profits of companies on the New York Stock Exchange compared to the S&P 500, a basket of the largest and most impactful companies in the United States. Company profits are the main driver of stock prices over the long term, and there are many factors that can influence
them. Since March of 2009 (when the stock market bottomed), here’s a list of just a few of the many indicators which illustrate the economic improvement we’ve seen that has contributed to increased profits at companies.
As you can see, the market has responded to an overall improvement in profits and economic conditions since the financial crisis. If the economy and corporate profits continue to improve, it is not unreasonable to believe that stocks can continue to grow.
thecompanymag.com | 21
TRUE VISION By Ben Schooley :: Photography by Ben Weber West Vita, at the urging of his wife Kendra, began his professional photography career in 2008. Since then, his images have gone to grace covers from Cordillera Ranch Living to SA Wedding Magazine. His passion for his art is palpable, and yet it’s only one part of the man who began his career as an electrician, became a photographer, and is now involved with opening a private school in Boerne. West begins, “I was born just outside Detroit, Michigan. My folks were both insurance salespeople, and that job moved us quickly to Illinois, and ultimately to San Antonio. From there, I graduated from Clark High School in ’98, and realized quickly that I had absolutely no plans for my life at that point.” While he might not have had the direction for his life laid out, he did have a love interest. A fellow employee at the restaurant he was working at, Kendra captivated him quickly and by the time they were both 20, they married. Within a year, they had their first daughter Eliza. For West, he was able to look around, see his responsibilities and those that depended on him, and knew quickly that he needed to formulate a plan. “All I can think to do at this point is to get a job. Any job. I got a job with a 22 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
local electrician doing construction here in Boerne. I treated it like it was a job; I had no real passion for it, but the job was good as my boss was nice and I enjoyed Boerne a lot. It was a means to an end.” With a job and a small family, West found himself talking pictures of Eliza and it rekindled a passion that has existed in him for a long time. He explains, “I have wanted to be a photographer my whole life. I have a 3rd grade photo of my class that I staged and took. I’ve always had a passion to take photos; I love the images. Throughout my whole life I’ve enjoyed everything about photography. A tornado hit our town in Illinois, and I walked to town without my parent’s knowledge shooting photography of the damage. I got in a lot of trouble. That shows you right there that I’ve got a passion for it that has spanned my whole life.” While West knew that the passion for photography existed in him, he struggled with what to do with it. “My pursuit of photography dropped off through high school, but I started taking photos of my daughter after she was born and people started commenting, ‘You know, these are really good. You should pursue this.’ It still took 7 years after those comments before I got tired of electrician work to pursue it.” More than that, it took burning out with his electrician work and the words of a loving wife to help West find his new directions. Kendra explains, “For years, I knew that West was not an electrician. It just wasn’t his job. He should be spending his life doing what he was created to do, and that’s photography. I told him all the time that the way you spend your days is the way you spend your life. My little nudges hadn’t really done anything until he really burned out. Once he found rock bottom, he listened.” And listen, he did. West continues, “I was down in the gutter with the job, I’m on my fourth child, and I was terribly unhappy. I’m coming to her and venting and asking her ‘What do I do?’ and with her amazing planning abilities, she told me I should change to a service electrician technician at work, so that I could start working in photo shoots. Within a year, I was able to quit my job and pursue the photography full time. I remember turning in my truck at the electrician job. I just thought to myself, ‘Oh my gosh; I’m finally free. I can do anything I want now’. It was bliss.”
In 2008, with his new focus and passion firmly aligned, West Vita Photography officially opened and he’s never looked back. At the same time, Vita knew that he didn’t know everything starting out, and he began his business accordingly. He continues, “I was, and continue to be, a hands-on learner while shooting. I used to give out free sessions just so I could learn. Photo classes didn’t really help me; I learned so much quicker when actually doing it. I just wanted to get out and shoot and learn as fast as I could. I’m sympathetic to people starting out now. It is a lot of learning. What I don’t like is seeing them acting like they are a professional photographer when you know that they’re not there yet. When I started out, I didn’t want to charge, and I sure didn’t want to call myself a professional.” Whether West wanted to consider himself a professional or not, the community quickly took notice and vaulted him onto the scene locally as one of the more gifted photographers in the area. Quickly becoming the cover photographer for Cordillera Ranch Living magazine, winning the Bride’s Choice Award from The Knot Magazine, getting the cover for SA Weddings Magazine, and amassing a client list that had West as busy as he could have ever imagined, he was truly able to turn his passion into a thriving and growing business. While West’s success is due to his passion and work ethic, it’s also due to a desire to produce the finest image he can. Kendra explains, “The goal of a portrait session with West is to produce fine art work. It’s tangible fine art work. That’s very different than what many photographers do.” West adds, “When I go to a wedding, I’m trying to get the best images I can, tell a story, and do it all without interfering. I hear horror stories of photographers who stand on the pews, some that are 2 feet from the pastor doing the ceremony, and it’s just not respectful. But, photography is an art form. It’s something I’m deeply passionate about, and I treat it with the respect its due. I try not to focus or worry much about what other photographers are doing – I think sometimes it’s a distraction. I have a great respect for many of the other local photographers, but for those of us that are passionately pursuing our photography, we don’t get caught up very much with what other people are up to.”
2013 San Antonio Weddings Cover photo below: Wedding shoot 2009
thecompanymag.com | 23
24 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
above: 2014 Bridal Shoot, Veranda in San Antonio Pierce Fly, Senior shoot, 2011, Boerne
With West managing a blossoming business, Kendra was more than a little busy with a household of four young children. In their pursuit for the best in education for their children, the Vitas would embark on their next great adventure and ultimately found the Ambleside School of Boerne. West begins, “Kendra homeschooled Eliza and Kate for their first few grades, but after we had Simon and Juliette, it was just too much. We sent Eliza and Kate to a local private school, then they went to Ambleside in Fredericksburg. We instantly fell in love with it. It was the atmosphere of the school. When I went to visit Ambleside, there was an atmosphere of academics and joy at the same time, and I thought that was a lot different than anywhere else. Those two things combined were just so well done and it was absolutely beautiful. I knew I wanted my kids to go there. Then we began to learn about their philosophy and knew that it was something we wanted to pursue.” Kendra adds, “For me, it’s the most genuine, common sense approach to education. We’re concerned with what children are coming to know and who they are becoming as persons. Developing genuine care for others, care for all aspects of learning, care for numbers and history, literary care…it’s a feast. Charlotte Mason’s quote is that ‘At the end of his education, it matters not what he knows, but what he cares.’ Our students know a lot, don’t get me wrong, but we all have access to Google and can learn. We need people that can form those connections and care about the world around them. We can learn everything there is to learn about history, but if we don’t care about how that applies to us, then it’s useless book knowledge.” As their passion for the teaching philosophy of Ambleside grew, the Vitas began to seriously look at opening an Ambleside School in Boerne. West says, “Driving to Fredericksburg was hard, and we knew an Ambleside would do well in Boerne. We were with two friends, Rob and Mindy Harlan, and we started having talks about opening an Ambleside. We toured the Fredericksburg school, met with the couple that started Ambleside International, Bill and Mary Ellen Saint Cyr, and they gave us the go ahead to start the school in Boerne. They had faith in us, and that was in November of 2013. We had a fully functional school by August. That thecompanymag.com | 25
was simply God at work.” Kendra explains, “We are just finishing up our 1st year at Ambleside of Boerne. I have seen so much growth in our own kids after a year of attending. They delight in stories, nature, they enjoy working hard, and they’re just cheerful and attentive and alive and aware. We have a new Principal moving here this summer from an Ambleside in Denver. He’s a brilliant man, and is so passionate about this philosophy, and he’s so eager to move here. St. John’s Anglican Church (current site) wants Ambleside to stay in their building, and they are building some new facilities to increase our classroom space for next fall. They have 3.5 acres there that will provide us with room for growth.” While West Vita Photography grows, Ambleside is poised for growth as well. In their first year they enrolled 18 students, but are experiencing fast growth with enrollment, and can ultimately accept 208 total students. Much of the credit for this growth and interest Kendra credits to the community of Boerne as a whole. “It’s an ideal place to be an entrepreneur – it’s a growing area with people here that absolutely love it. They support it, and are involved heavily in the local businesses. It’s just so beautiful, and I know that West and I just couldn’t be happier here.” West adds that his love for the community is one borne out of a connection. “I shoot a lot of school photos, and it creates a huge connection because I see kids everywhere that I met at their school photo session. It’s a small town and it creates a connection and I just love it. There’s just something great about living in a small town with a tight community feel. I love it so much.” A family that has been focused on finding their true direction, the Vitas continue to grow both personally as well as professionally. While Kendra focuses much of her attention to Ambleside of Boerne, West continues to expand his business, as well as his skills. He sums it up nicely when asked the favorite part of his profession. He finishes, “Sometimes people wake up in the morning and just see the same face every day. When they show up to my office, I see them all as beautiful people. It’s easy for me to go out on a shoot and make them shine because I already can see the beauty in them. That’s the real joy of this job for me – exposing to the beauty that is already inside of them.” 26 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
“ That’s the real joy of this job for me – exposing to the beauty that is already inside of them. ”
For more information West Vita Photography www.westvita.com Ambleside School of Boerne www.amblesideboerne.com thecompanymag.com | 27
IN THE NEWS |
A Younique Direct Sales Company
Is there anything easier than managing you own business over the internet?? I host virtual online parties and I’m connected to my clientele 24/7. We utilize all social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin and Instagram to keep in contact with our clients about all of the new products. Younique is one of the newest direct sales companies in the industry. Recently launched in the US and Canada in September 2012. Younique offers a fresh line of natural based beauty products to the direct market sales and a unique business opportunity for budding entrepreneurs. Founded by siblings Derek Maxfield and Melanie Huscroft, Younique offers interested presenters a chance to be part of an amazing ground floor opportunity that has all the potential for success. With over a decade of experience up their sleeves, Younique’s founders certainly know all the necessary elements to create a successful venture. A graduate of Computer Science, Derek Maxfield is no stranger to running his own company, as he started NetSteps, a software company that ranked 11th in the list of fastest growing software companies in the country in 2009. He also has over a decade of experience in the direct sales and marketing industry. His sister and Younique cofounder, Melanie, who is currently Younique’s Vice President for sales and marketing is a graduate of Business Education, and Marketing and Art. Derek’s vast experience in business and Melanie’s expertise in marketing and passion for creating amazing beauty products is the reason why Younique has received so much support and success in so little time. Their products are only available through their independent presenters. The best seller being the 3D Fiber Lash Mascara aka Magic Mascara. After selling out several times in the last 6 months it is now back in stock and better than ever. A new and improved formula has just hit the shelves, along with our new Mineral Touch Cream Foundation, Mineral Touch 28 | COMPANY MAGAZINE
Pressed Powder, several new pigment colors, and new shades available of our BB Flawless Cream. Since launching in Sept 2012 the company has reached 7 million in sales. Yonique recently launched April 1, 2014 in Australia. And later this year will be launching in the UK and New Zealand. We currently hold the #1 spot on homepartyrankings.com for their six-month growth trend rankings!success in so little time. Our products are only available through Independent presenters. To learn more visit me at www.butterflykissesmakup.com
Cheyenne Johnson joins Cibolo Nature Center & Farm as director of development BOERNE, Texas—Cheyenne Johnson has been named the director of development at the Cibolo Nature Center & Farm. Johnson previously served as the director of development at the Hill Country Conservancy, a land trust that conserves land and water in the Texas Hill Country. Her former positions also include program coordinator for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Totally Cool Totally Art program, research field assistant in the Amazon rainforest, and program coordinator for the Texas Land Trust Council. Johnson also co-founded the Texas Land Trust Council’s LandTerns program, an internship program hosted by Texas State University and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment that engages the next generation in conservation careers. Johnson received a degree in geography from the University of Texas at Austin with a specialization in environmental resource management. The Cibolo Nature Center & Farm is located on 160 acres of natural lands at Boerne City Park off Hwy. 46 just west of the Kendall County Fairgrounds. The mission of the CNC is conservation of natural resources through education and stewardship. Call (830) 249-4616 or visit www.cibolo.org.
From Scratch Farm is busy expanding their offerings to the community. In addition to sales at their farm, shoppers can now make purchases at additional locations: Wednesday mornings at the new retail space, 11 Upper Balcones Rd. Saturday mornings at the farmers market, 33 Herff Rd. And in addition to the natural lip balms, healing salves, body scrubs, and laundry detergents that they’ve been selling since the start of their business... owners Nathan and Amy Anderson are happy to announce: The farm’s six happy, spoiled, free-range hens have begun laying eggs. Eggs by the dozen are now available for purchase! The business has received the honor of the GO TEXAN certification! And Amy has worked to receive her Texas food handlers license. Baked items will be their latest offering! Whether your purchase their body/home products or their fresh-baked items, you can feel confident in knowing all are homemade in their kitchen, using only the simplest and finest ingredients (no chemicals or preservatives added). To learn more about the business and products, get the family’s favorite recipes, read informative articles, get in on special deals, and make purchases: www.fromscratchfarm.com www.facebook.com/FromScratchFarm
Texas Hill Country Realty Co.
Texas Hill Country Realty Co. opened its Residential Division at 31007 IH 10 West, Ste 212 Boerne, Texas and is proud to announce two new REALTOR members; Renee Campbell and Tifffany Joslin. Business is good and they are looking to fill two more “Excellent Residential Realtor” positions. Pictured here are a few of the companies’ Realtors who were invited to Fair Oaks Country Club for the grand tour and fabulous luncheon. Pictured from left to right: “Tiffany Joslin”- Luxury Homes Realtor, “Kathy MOORE Cloud”Broker Associate, “Lynn Rich”-Fair Oaks Ranch Country Club Director, “Renee Campbell”-Residential Realtor, and “Naomi Weckesser”- Realtor/Trainer. “As REALTORS we were especially delighted to hear about all the upcoming innovative happenings at the Ranch for its members. If you’re interested in Golf, Tennis, Swimming, or simply socializing…this may be the venue for you.” Renee Campbell 210-542-0148 “If you think you might be interested in the country club but do not intend to live inside Fair Oaks Ranch, not to worry! Just give one of us a call and we’ll personally schedule a membership appointment for you. The social atmosphere is sure to create new friendships as many professional fields are represented in its membership base. And, a full calendar of separate events for children.” Tiffany Joslin 210-394-4399.
“ Kendall County is experiencing phenomenal growth. Staying informed is a high priority on our list. Our clients rely on us and deserve a well-informed REALTOR who is bound to the National Association of Realtors’ rules and regulations AND who is current on the local housing front. Texas Hill Country Realty Co’s training program and dedicated Agent Assist module is unique and ongoing. Our focus is to help all of our agents stay informed and also gain expertise in a specific niche’. We want our agents equipped with the knowledge our clientele can rely on for their specific housing needs,” Naomi Weckesser 830-688-0282. The Texas Hill Country Realty Co Realtors have been making their rounds in Boerne and the surrounding area, getting re-acquainted with all things HILL COUNTRY. They are ready to assist you with any of your housing needs. If you are trying to decide if it is time to buy instead of renting or want to move up to a larger home, give one of them a call for a free consult and let them get you quickly pre-qualified so you will have a better understanding of what you can actually afford to buy. If you want to sell your home, call for a courtesy consultation.
Shutter-Happy Photography
Shutter-Happy Photography is excited to have once again participated in the annual National Charity Model Search (this was ShutterHappy’s sixth year participating)! Hundreds of images for the Cutest Kids Contest were submitted by professional photographers nationwide. Portraits are voted on, first by the general public to determine the finalists in each age category, and then go on to be judged by a panel of professional photographers and model agents. In the first stage of voting, each vote by the public costs $1, and all proceeds directly benefit Now I Lay Me Down
To Sleep. Every year, Shutter-Happy Photography has been blessed to have several entries become finalists in the judging process. Once the finalists have been chosen, the judges look at composition and posing, lighting, and eye contact with the viewer, with the end goal being to find the image that best depicts the personality of the child. Only two winners from each age group are then awarded top honors. The Shutter-Happy staff was excited to announce 10 finalists in this year’s competition- six in the 0-3 years category, two in the 4-12 years category, and two in the 13-18 years category.
We have a new employee Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home proudly welcomes Paula Isbell to their family. Paula grew up living and working on a couple of family ranches around Haskell, Texas. She graduated Valedictorian of a small rural school in 2007. During her teen years, she tragically lost eleven close friends, including her fiancé with whom she had been very close since she was three years old. She volunteered at a nursing home after school while she attended high school. During that time, she became very close to several residents and helped them make their final arrangements. Paula lived with and cared for her elderly second cousin when she was 17, who in turn led her to God and shared the healing power of faith and prayer. She attended Midwestern State University where she majored in Biology and minored in Chemistry. The closer she got to graduation, the more she felt drawn to pursue a career in the funeral industry. After her Papa passed away in 2012, she knew she had to follow her dreams. Her dreams led her to the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service which put in her in contact with some of the same teachers that taught Dusty Fisher. As graduation neared, Paula wanted to work with the best so she could be the best which is how she landed in Boerne under Dusty’s wing. thecompanymag.com | 29
UNDER THE RADAR |
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BOERNE COMMUNITY THEATRE YOUTH PROGRAMS “I’ve been blessed with a great supportive family, my faith, and not least of all, my work as the Youth Director for the Boerne Community Theatre,” says Patricia Hausman. Known as “Mama” to her brood of teens and drama camp youth, Hausman works year-round directing the activities of the theatre’s Teen Troupe and three summer drama camps for pre-teens. “It’s exhausting, but very rewarding,” Hausman says. “Exposing these kids to the experience of theatre lets us see tremendous growth in their ability to work as a team, lose their fear of public speaking, and gain poise in many situations.” The theatre has always had a youth program of sorts since its beginnings in the early 90’s. In 2007, when Hausman took over as Youth Director, the programs for kids and teens really took off. The two-week summer camps, very popular with waiting lists, teach children the basics of theatre production and conclude with a full musical at the end, performing it three times for family and friends. Each camp has approximately 35 children, supervised by Hausman and her staff. The staff is often made up of members of the Teen Troupe (or recent graduates) and some have come up through the ranks from the summer camps themselves. Trevin Roming, a Boerne-Champion grad and former Teen Trouper, has been music director for the last few years and is working on his bachelor’s in music at UTSA. Cecilie Lamb, a camp veteran and current Teen Trouper, is one of the 2014 counselors. The summer camps are in June, July, and August. The July camp is run at the Geneva School because BCT has a regular season production in the theatre at that time.
“It’s great to have that partnership,” Hausman says, “so we can offer three camps in the summer. There is a demand for after-school programs, too, and we just can’t do it in our limited space at this time. But I’m working on that!” she exclaims. When the youth age out of the summer camps (for ages 9-13), they can continue working with Mama in the Teen Troupe. This program evolved from one mentored by Sheldon Boyce, now retired from Boerne Middle School North. In the theatre’s old space on North Main, the cramped quarters did not allow for much to happen beyond the five mainstream productions for adults. After moving into the E. Blanco location, the theatre and Ms. Hausman launched a more comprehensive program with a growing roster, officers, and activities to supplement the teens’ productions. Currently, there are three major productions—usually a play, a musical, and a special production for competition. More on that later. This past year, they presented The Family Man, a comedy about a father who takes over running the house while his wife takes a demanding job, and a musical version of Little Women. They are working on a drama, The Insanity of Mary Girard, for a June event. “One of the great benefits we gain from having the youth programs is that we have an instant pool of young actors to choose from when we need one for a season production,” says Christine Crowley, BCT board president. “They come trained and understanding of the process and are usually not very prone to stage fright!” Several adult shows have featured current and former Teen Troupers, including What I Did Last Summer, Tribute, Aftershock,
The Psychic, Rabbit Hole, Simply Divided, and Nunsense. Teens have also served as booth operators, running lights and sound and assisting backstage during productions. “Trish can be very proud of what she has taught them, instilling a sense of responsibility as well as an opportunity to have fun.” The biggest undertaking for the theatre and the Teen Troupe will happen this June. They are hosting the statewide Texas Nonprofit Theatre’s (TNT) Youth Drama Conference here in Boerne. Approximately 400 students and their families and teachers will be here for a five day round of workshops and performances. BCT is partnering with the BISD at Champion High School for the facility. The conference will have sixteen performing groups, including the Teen Troupe, presenting one-act productions in competition. Awards are given and it’s a very rewarding experience for those who participate. When they are not on stage, the Teen Troupe members have been busy out in the community working as volunteers for various events and organizations. Those include the Hill Country Daily Bread, Stelos Alliance Luau, the Best of Boerne Fest and Art in the Park. At Christmas they have caroled at area nursing homes. For the theatre’s annual Mardi Gras Gala, they have decorated, entertained, helped serve and clean up. “We count on our teens for a lot of support,” says Patty Loftis, the BCT Executive Director. “They provide invaluable help on many projects and come away with a true appreciation of our art.”
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RETIREMENT PLANNING |
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THE RETIREMENT WE IMAGINE, THE RETIREMENT WE LIVE Examining the potential differences between assumption & reality. By Jim R. Davis
Financially, how might retirement differ from your expectations? To some degree, it will. Just as few weathercasters can accurately predict a month’s worth of temperatures and storms, few retirees find their financial futures playing out as precisely as they assumed. As you approach or enter retirement, you may find that your spending and your exit from your career don’t quite match your expectations. You may be surprised by these developments, even pleasantly surprised by some of them. Few retirees actually outlive their money. If this was truly a crisis, we would see federal and state governments and social services agencies addressing it relentlessly. The vast majority of retirees are wise about their savings and income: they don’t spend recklessly, and if they need to live on less at a certain point, they live on less. It isn’t an ideal choice, but it is a prudent one. Health crises can and do impoverish retirees and leave them dependent on Medicaid, but that tends to occur toward the very end of retirement rather than the start. You may not need to retire on 70-80% of your end salary. This is a common guideline for new retirees, but according to some analysts, you may not need to withdraw that much for long. In the initial phase of retirement, you will probably want to travel, explore new pursuits and hobbies and get around to some things you may have put on the back burner. So in the first few years away from work, you might spend roughly as much as you did before you retired. After that, you probably will spend less. Bureau of Labor Statistics data is very revealing about this. JP Morgan Asset Management recently studied U.S. household spending and found that it peaks at age 48. The average U.S. household headed by people aged 65-74 spends only 63% as much as a household headed by people aged 55-64. Additionally, the average household headed by people 75 and older spends only 72% as much as the average household headed by people aged 65-74.1 In the big picture, households run by those 75 and older typically spend about half as much per year as households headed by people in their late forties.1
You could retire before you anticipate. You may want to work well into your sixties or beyond – and the longer you wait to claim Social Security benefits after age 62, the greater your monthly payout. Reality, on the other hand, shows that most people don’t retire at age 66, 67 or 70: according to Gallup, the average retirement age in this country is 61. The aforementioned JP Morgan Asset Management study determined that less than 2% of Americans wait until age 70 to claim Social Security benefits. So if your assumption is that you will work to full retirement age (or later), you should keep in mind that you may find yourself electing to claim Social Security earlier, if only to avert drawing down your retirement savings too quickly.1 You don’t have to be a millionaire to have a happy retirement. In a 2011 Consumer Reports poll of U.S. retirees, 68% of respondents were “highly satisfied” with their lives irrespective of their financial standing. Backing that up, JP Morgan Asset Management found that retiree satisfaction increased only incrementally the more retirement spending surpassed $40,000 a year.1 The retirement you live may be slightly different than the retirement you have imagined. Fortunately, in many ways you get to control how that looks. Have a professional crunch some numbers for you and see just how your retirement will look!
Jim Davis is Managing Partner of Hill Country Group www.hillcountrygroup. com and is a Registered Representative of IMS Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC Investment Advisor Representative of IMS Financial Advisors, Inc.
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COMPANY magazine is published by Schooley Media Ventures in Boerne, TX. COMPANY Magazine and Schooley Media Ventures are not responsible for any inaccuracies, erroneous information, or typographical errors contained in this publication submitted by advertisers. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of COMPANY and/ or Schooley Media Ventures. Copyright 2013 Schooley Media Ventures, 930 E. Blanco, Boerne, TX 78006
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