June Events &
Registration Links

Lunch & Learn Brown Bag
“Turning Speaking Engagements into Business Engagements,”presented by Nadine Pfautz of C.H.A.R.T. Consulting
Location:
Eastern Bank
80 Washington St. (Rt. 53)   
Norwell, MA 02061
Date & Time:
Thursday, June 5, 2008
12 noon – 1:30

Bring your lunch, the Network provides drinks and desserts as Nadine continues the Marketing Matters segment of our lunch and learn series.  No matter what the speaking engagement, five minutes or one hour, you have an opportunity to present yourself in such a way that others will be interested in doing business with you or referring you to their network.  Nadine Pfautz of C.H.A.R.T. Consulting will show you how being prepared, credible, and articulate can influence others to do business with you.

REGISTER NOW

Networking Lunches
Our regionally located luncheon events are developed to give you lots of opportunity to get connected on the South Shore. Enjoy great food, introductions from everyone attending and facilitated networking. Take the opportunity to increase your visibility to prospective clients and referral sources!

Hingham Lunch,
Rustic Kitchen at Derby Street Shoppes
Tuesday, June 10    
11:45 – 1:30
Lunch Choice:  Grilled Salmon (fish) or Mozzarella Proscuito Panini (Sandwich)
Sponsored by:  JGE Awards and Promotions -  Providing Promotional Products, Corporate Apparel, Awards & Gifts, Giveaways. www.jgeawards.com/contact.htm

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Plymouth Lunch
East Bay Grille, Plymouth Center
Wednesday, June 18   
11:45 – 1:30
Lunch Choice: Shrimp Scampi (fish) and Chicken Caesar Salad (Chicken)

REGISTER NOW

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About the Law

By Barry Gordon,
Attorney at Law

Buying a Business

Whenever consideration is given to buying a business, the questions begin with:  “Is this a business I want to be involved with, is it in a good location, and can I make any money operating the business?” Those questions I am not qualified to answer; but there are many experts who can help.  Once the “right” business is found, there are a number of legal things to think about.

In most cases, the Seller is a corporation or a limited liability company.  If that is the case, ask yourself:  “Should the assets be purchased?  Or, is the stock of the corporation or ownership interest in the limited liability company to be purchased?”   In most cases the assets should be purchased.  If the stock is purchased, then you are buying the assets and the liabilities.

Unless it is clear that all the liabilities are known, be very wary of buying the shares.

When buying assets, there are several steps that must taken to ensure that the assets that you expect to purchase are owned by the Seller, that they are fully paid for, that they are in working order and, where appropriate, under warranty.

For certain assets -- such as soft goods or food -- the assets should be fresh.

That means that they are in current season for the soft goods, not spoiled for the food, and that other merchandise for resale is current and not out of date.

Make certain that no licenses are required.  Should the business be a franchise, another round of due diligence is required. (Another topic for this column, for another day)

Since you are likely to be investing a good part of your life’s savings, be careful.  And DON’T FORGET TO INVOLVE YOUR SPOUSE OR SIGNIFICANT OTHER IN THE PROCESS! 

Barry Gordon is an attorney in Quincy, MA who is President of Gordon, Mond & Ott, P.C.  A graduate of Northeastern University and Boston University School of Law, he represents families, businesses and financial institutions. His concentrations include real estate and business.  Barry is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, the Florida Bar, SSWBN,  the South Shore Chamber of Commerce and the Art and Business Council of Boston.

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From the Director of Member Services

EXPO HUGE SUCCESS!!

“Congratulations on the best Expo that I have ever experienced! I did not want to leave.”  “Congratulations on a fantastic program . . . SSWBN is a wonderful group of professionals and I applaud the incredible commitment you have all made to the organization.”  “Congrats on a fantastic Expo, I was very impressed.” 

This is just some of the feedback we have been receiving in response to the May 1 “Real Business Happens Here!” Expo.  Undeniably, the success of the event is testament to the contribution and dedication of many: the Expo Team, led by Michelle Cox; the Marketing Team led by Tom Burke; the generosity of our sponsors, IKEA of Stoughton, RBC Wealth Management, BWM Consulting, Professional Bookkeeping Services; the support of our media partners, Plymouth County Business Magazine and WATD Radio; the collaboration of area chambers and business associations; and all the volunteers who helped out on the day of the Expo. 

It really was an amazing experience to watch the empty ballroom at The Lantana transform into a networking hub.  With 61 exhibitors, 400-plus exhibition hall visitors, the warm cookie pass, the 50-plus raffle give-a-ways, the 3:30 “Connections and Cocktails,” and the wonderful ambiance provided by IKEA – the day was a hit on all levels. 

And the planning is already in the works for 2009!  Cheryl Terrill has accepted the role of Expo Team Chair with Michelle Cox assisting as Past Chair.  The team is strategizing on how to build on this year’s success.  If you would like to be a part of planning for the 2009 Expo email Cheryl at:  cterrill@atlantichradvisors.com

GOLF ANYONE?!

SSWBN happily announces the 2008 Golf Outing Team Chair – introducing Lisa Braun, of Plymouth County Business Magazine.  With the guidance of past chairman Steve Certa, Watch All Pest Management, Lisa is leading an energetic group of Network members who are excited to host SSWBN’s best ever Golf Outing on September 26th.  To get involved contact Lisa at: lisa@plymouthcountybusiness.biz P.S. You don’t have to be a golfer to be on the Team.

CONGRATS TO OUR MAY NOVAS
Each month the SSWBN Membership Team recognizes a member – or two -- who exemplifies the qualities of a Networking Nova, a person who embodies the Network’s core values of coaching, contacts and collaboration, someone who is visible at many SSWBN events and who treats others with respect and dignity.  In addition, this person utilizes the Network to build his/her business and helps others do the same. This month, we are proud to feature two such Novas:

DEBBIE CLAPP OF MINDFUL ABUNDANCE COACHING
mindfulabundance@aol.com

JENNIFER KAUFFMAN OF ACTIONCOACH – BUSINESS COACHING
www.actioncoach.com/jenniferkauffman

NOTE ON OUR BROWN BAG SERIES

The Network has been hosting a Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Series on the first Thursday of the month, this year featuring the theme Money Matters, Marketing Matters and Management Matters.  This year’s Brown Bags have garnered great attendance and great feedback.  The SSWBN staff and the professional Development Team thanks all of those who have presented at these workshops:  Kathleen Burns Kingsbury(KBK Connections), Barbara Case (RBC Wealth Management), Beth Sobiloff (Birchwood Enterprises), and Nadine Pfautz (C.H.A.R.T. Consulting), who will present June’s Brown Bag. 

There will not be a Brown Bag in July or August – but mark your calendars to join us in September for the Management Matters section of the series.

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Movin' on up

By Jayne Pelosi

This month, BWM Consulting, Inc. was certified by the state of Massachusetts through The State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) as a certified minority woman owned business.  BWM Consulting, Inc. can now pursue state contracts. Congratulations to Brenda Wornum Moore!

Gwen Morgan, author/creator of the What if … Workbook, (www.whatifworkbook.com) has fully enjoyed offering her What if … Workshops at various locations in the area, including Hingham Elder Services, Scituate Adult Education, the United Church of Christ in Norwell, and St. Christopher’s Church in Chatham, MA (see Connections for that wonderful referral story!)  She also presented an evening seminar on the What if … Workbook for the clients of McNamara Financial in Marshfield, and introduced the Workbook to the Abington Rotary, thanks to the wonderful referral of Rosemarie Lanchester.  Gwen is always looking for more venues at which to present her message of “Giving the Gift of Preparedness to Your Loved Ones.”

This spring, Jayne Pelosi of Renaissance Interior Design was busy with her PR efforts.  Last month, Jayne presented a seminar on “Staging” to the Agents of Kinlin Grover Real Estate in Chatham and Today Realty in South Yarmouth.  Additionally, the March issue of South Shore Living Magazine quoted Jayne extensively in an article on personal spaces for women.  Finally, Jayne was a featured contributor in the May issue of Home Remodeling magazine.  The topic of the article was “Design Mentor,” Jayne’s interior design telephone coaching service.

So, Network members:  Send me your good news by the 16th of each month and share your success with the Network.  It’s more than an opportunity to brag; it’s also a way to have your company name advanced on the internet search engines.  Enthusiasm for your work can be contagious-let’s try to catch it!  Remember, if you do what you love, you will never work another day in your life!  Summer is just around the corner -- Rejoice!

Jayne M. Pelosi
Renaissance Interior Design
From one time consultations to large project oversight, your space will reflect your personality, not mine!
Www.RenaissanceInteriorDesign.com
jayne@renaissanceinteriordesign.com
781-588-5259

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Connections

By Kristen Ford Hernandez

Hello, Members!

Here it is June already.  Summer is right around the corner and soon the children will be out of school.   Great advice for working parents can be found here.  I hope that all the prospects and contacts you make will be prosperous ones. 

The Expo was a big hit and we received a lot of great feedback.  It was nice to see so many of you there.  What a great turnout for a remarkable event!  By the time next month’s newsletter comes out, I’m expecting some great emails about all the connections that were made. 

This month, we have an intricate and heart-felt thank-you from Gwen Morgan of the Lydia Group whatifworkbook.com), creator of the What if … Workbook.  Writes Gwen:

Talk about ‘6 degrees of separation’!  I first met with Jane Ford of Melaleuca – The Wellness Company (www.workforwellness.com) before Christmas 2006 to have coffee and learn about each other’s businesses.  She bought a few of my What if … Workbooks for gifts to her friends. One of her workbook recipients, Kathy, contacted me for more books.  Then, about a year after my initial meeting with Jane, I received a call from a friend of Kathy, who also received the book as a gift and who happens to be the pastoral care director at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Chatham on Cape Cod.  As a result, I just finished a fantastic 3-week workshop down there!  You never know how one event will lead to another! Thanks to Rosemarie Lanchester of Send Out Cards for being a wonderful friend and teaching me essential life lessons, and for her introduction to Attorney George Whiting, by whose invitation I was able to speak to the Abington Rotary about the Workbook and its use as a tool for communication among family members.