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CHAMBER OLD SAYBROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Count the Ways to Be Involved With Your Chamber

MARCH 2014 UPCOMING EVENTS:

March 4, 5:30pm Home-Based Business Community Meeting @ Chamber

March 12, 11:30–1pm Women in Business Council Luncheon @ Saybrook Point Inn

March 19, 6:30-8pm Young Professionals Group, location TBD

March 20, 8am Ambassador Team Mtg @ Chamber

March 26, 5:30pm Board Meeting @ Luigi’s Restaurant

March 27, 5:30-7pm Chamber Connections @ Fenwick Mortgage / Saybrook Soup&Sandwich

April 1 8:30-9am Home-Based Business Community Meeting @ Pavilion

September 27 75th Anniversary Cruise Aboard Lady Katharine

March 2014

As we bid goodbye to the month of February (and hopefully to snowstorms too…) we couldn’t help but be excited about all the offerings and initiatives planned for the coming months. If you’re looking for ways to stay connected with other members, to promote your business, or to be more involved with the community, we encourage you to take a closer look at all that your membership offers:

1. YPG The Young Professionals Group meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at

6:30pm. Welcoming professionals ages 25—40ish, for socializing and networking. 2. HBBC The Home-Based Business Community launched January of this year and is a forum for business owners and entrepreneurs who work from home. Meets monthly; programming and format varies. 3. WIB Women in Business Council meets 2nd Wednesday of the month, a luncheon from 11:30am—1pm , with varied speakers and panel discussions on topics relevant to

women, finance, entrepeneurship, and more. 4. Chamber Connections A business after hours from 5:30—7pm hosted by member businesses. Connect with others, socialize, promote your business in a relaxed setting. 5. Ribbon Cuttings Celebrate the opening of your new business with a ribbon cutting ceremony. We bring the ribbon, camera, and help to publicize your business. 6. Signature Events Sponsors and volunteers are the underpinnings of our annual signature events. The Chili-Fest, Arts & Crafts Festival and Business Showcase offer opportunities to support and give back to the community. Did you know… all your employees are members and thus eligible to attend and participate in all Chamber activities! Photo by Joseph Wollack

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Sold Out Crowd At WIB Luncheon President: Lori Woll,

Octagon @ Mystic Marriott

Vice President: Linda Brophy, Edward Jones Treasurer: Jay Mills, Oakley Wing Group Secretary: Elaine Beame, Beame Realty Past President: Kristen Roberts,

The February Women in Business Council luncheon at Saybrook Point Inn was a well-attended, sold-out event. Hosted by SANNO Spa, more than forty women came to learn from make-up artist and esthetician, Tara Raschello, who demonstrated make-up tips for the busy career woman. One lucky attendee, Wendy Rieder, of Wendy Rieder Designs was chosen for a “make-over.” Wendy Rieder of Wendy Rieder Designs was the winner of the Make-Over session and was the perfect model!

Comcast

Directors Heather Gagnon,

Heritage Properties

Ed Lombardi,

Lighthouse Home Care

Left to right: Robin McShane, Hope Partnership; Sue Brady and Sandra Miller, Guilford Savings Bank

Bence Strickland, The Day

Angus McDonald Jr.

WIB MARCH 12: KAY WILSON— WOMEN, POWER & INFLUENCE

Bill McMinn,

You won’t want to miss attorney, coach, and motivational speaker Kay Wilson, who will speak about leadership essentials for women. Some highlights include: • The myth and reality of female competition • How to speak up, be heard and get noticed • Five powerful techniques of leadership in which women are naturals • The power of humor in navigating gender issues • How women lose power, and how to take it back

Angus McDonald / Gary Sharpe & Assoc. Essex Printing

Tom Salvo,

Barnum Financial

Bob Bradley,

New England Alliance Mtg

Peter Callahan,

Fresh Perspectives

Jessica DeRing,

Apple Rehab Saybrook

Staff

Judy Sullivan,

Executive Director

Karen Pinette,

Member Services Manager

Meryl Tsagronis,

For more information on Kay, visit KayWilson.net

Reservations required. Cost: $21. March 12th @ Saybrook Point Inn, 11:30am—1pm Call Karen @ 860 388-3266

Marketing Coordinator Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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Wrap Beautiful with It Works Wanda Slater Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-304-6446 http://wrapbeautiful.com We offer exclusive Ultimate Body Applicator to tighten, tone & firm the skin as well as a botanically based skincare line and nutritional supplements.

Nikaila’s Realty LLC Nicolette Petros P.O. Box 56 Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-250-1555 http://petrosn.ctmls.mlxchange.com Accredited Buyer's Representative, Senior's Residential Specialist with 25+ years servicing clients (estate clean outs).

Andy Morrison, Associate Member Clinton, CT 06413 (860) 575-3102

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Do you know a new business, a new business owner, or a new resident that might be interested in joining the Chamber? Let us know and we’ll give them a call or we’ll stop in for a visit.

It’s Guidebook Time!

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2014-15 Chamber Guidebook and Business Directory. All current members are listed by category and alphabetically in the Guidebook. To advertise, be sure to complete the enclosed form and mail, fax, or scan it to The Day (see insert for complete details).

Advertising Deadline: Fri, March 14 Publish Date: May 2014 Once again, we will be publishing the larger 8” x 10.5” format. This is also the time to submit your 2014-15 events: please send to Karen by April 5th. Space is limited. 25,000 Chamber guidebooks will be published for Memorial Day and distributed throughout the year; • • • • • • •

Mailed to all residents in Old Saybrook & neighboring towns Multiple copies to all members Hotels, banks, realtors, offices In all rooms at Saybrook Point Inn CT Visitor Center on Route 95 CT Building at the Big E And more!

Cappella Cantorum, a community chorus, is celebrating its’ 45th Anniversary Season under the

continuous musical direction and co-founder Barry Asch. Cappella has been invited to sing the Durufle “Requiem” in a Festival Chorus with the Masterworks Series in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City on Sunday March 23rd at 8pm. Submitted by Cappella Cantorum

Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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Letter From Our Chamber President Dear Fellow Members,

Lori Woll, Chamber President

I hope you are surviving this snowy, cold winter. I don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to spring. I hope you all enjoyed the Chili Fest; look for this year’s winners on our website! A big thank you to Guilford Savings Bank for being the presenting sponsor for this fun event. For those who don’t know, the proceeds from the Chili Fest benefit the 2014 C. Wilfred Hunter Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship application is

available online and we encourage students to apply. I thought I would include another business article that I truly believe and hope you will find it helpful whether you are a small or larger business or an employee or manager in a business. Thank you all again for your continued support of the Old Saybrook Chamber and I look forward to seeing you soon. All the best, Lori

5 Ways to Grow Your Business in 2014

By Tom Gimbel Founder and CEO of LaSalle Network Published January 28, 2014 When trying to grow a business, a common misstep is to focus on gaining new business, but the secret may actually be right before your eyes. Focusing on what you already have – internal staff and external customers – may be the key to success. Consider practicing: 3. 1. Customer service is king. Reality is, everyone doesn't have a nice demeanor and not everyone cares about how they or their company are perceived. It’s crucial to teach and stress the importance of client relationships, and the value of treating them with respect. Gaining business from new customers 4. is nice, but retaining current customers is more important. Establishing a loyal customer base ensures steady, reliable business. 2. Hire slow, fire fast. Take the time to find and hire the right people… people that are a culture fit, and don’t be afraid to part ways with the bad hires who impact productivity and culture. To ensure a candidate is the right fit for the company, and vice versa, each candidate should meet with four or five

different staff members individually. If a few employees have concerns, it’s likely they aren’t the right fit for the organization. If a manager still ends up hiring the wrong person for the role, they should remove the employee immediately. 5. Invest in professional development. Growing a company means committing time to professional development. Managers can’t expect their staff to want to learn, grow and invest time outside of the workplace by attending seminars or taking continuing education classes if managers aren’t doing it themselves. 3E’s: Education, Empowerment, Empathy will help you retain staff. Education: Employees want to continue developing their skills while learning new ones. Offering training sessions and having employees attend webinars and conferences will feed their desire to learn while augmenting their skill sets. Empowerment: Empower staff by demonstrating confidence in their abilities to utilize the newly acquired skill set with new & challenging tasks. Empathy: I believe the best managers

& leaders have great empathy for their teams and staff. They understand that an employee can feel pressure without understanding the end goal, and make it a point to walk them through the process and help them to understand. 3C’s: Collaboration: Promote internal communication. Encourage employees to get up, move around the office and talk to coworkers in different units. Some of the best ideas come from cross-unit/crossoffice communication. Compassion: Have compassion for one another and try to understand what others are going through. Realize events outside of the office may affect someone at work, i.e. planning a wedding, death of a family member, having a child, etc. Consider reorganizing tasks on his/her team. Competition: Internal competitiveness is OK! It’s great for an employee to want to be better…better than they were yesterday…better than a coworker…better than their direct team members. This doesn’t this mean they want anyone to fail. And it never hurts to remind the team to compete as a whole against your business competition. Then everyone wins.

Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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From the Desk of the Executive Director We talk a lot at the chamber about the benefits of networking. We introduce members all the time to potential new customers – helping to build businesses one relationship at a time. It is up to the member to take it from there. I read an article recently forwarded to me from a fellow chamber exec entitled, ‘6 Habits of Great Connectors.’ Connecting with new people is a vital skill for any business person wanting to grow their business. This may not come naturally or be easy, especially for introverts. The article touched on the following 6 habits: Smile. Sounds simple enough but do you do it? Smiles are contagious and the simple act makes people feel better. The article suggested you smile even when talking to someone on the telephone. Your smile comes through in your voice. Make friends. How would you treat this person if they were a close friend? Empathy is important. I’m reminded of my mother, “treat others the way you want to be treated.” Pay attention. Practice the art of really listening. People want to tell their story. Be the person excited to hear it. See Friends, not strangers. When you walk into a room view the new faces not as strangers but as friends you have yet to meet. Remember something about them that you can inquire about when you see them again. Contribute. Meeting people is about making their lives better… give like crazy, embrace

generosity and make others more successful. Be open to conversation. Embrace conversation with those around you. Everyone has something to offer. This isn’t easy, especially if you’re the shy type. But give it a try and you’ll reap the benefits. The energy at the Old Saybrook Chamber is palpable. Come and network with the chamber – see what all the excitement is about. Join us for our March Chamber Connections hosted by Fenwick Mortgage and Saybrook Soup & Sandwich, 745 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook – Thursday March 27th 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Call the office or register online. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll sign off with an Irish blessing: For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way – Good Health, Good Luck and Happiness for today and every day. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

See you soon, Judy

“Practice the art of really listening… Be the person excited to hear it.”

March 4 @ Chamber Office 5:30-7pm April 1st @ Saybrook Pavilion 8:30-10am March 4: the Home-Based Business Community (HBBC) will be meeting for an evening of Networking at the Chamber Office from 5:30-7pm; giving the members an opportunity to meet & connect with others. April 1: HBBC will host Jim Jackson of Connecticut’s Small Business Development Center offering confidential, no-cost business advice to both prospective and existing business owners to help them start or expand their business. So whether you are just starting out, experiencing growing pains or have a difficult business challenge, CTSBDC can help. We anticipate this presentation will be helpful to all in our HBBC. Many of you may know Jim as he is an active and longtime member of the Chamber. He and his wife, Isabel, own their home-based business, The Essex Group, a business and management consulting firm. Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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Ribbon Cutting @ Tractor Supply The Chamber welcomed Tractor Supply with a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 8th. Shown are Store manager Andrew Gaskins with Assistant Manager Amanda McGuiness along with Chamber members and local representatives.

Follow us on Twitter @oschamber

Member To Member Rewards The Chamber is proud to announce our newly launched, Member Rewards Program. Local businesses want to support other local businesses and we now have a program to enhance these transactions. The Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping members grow their businesses, cut costs and bring new customers through the door. Chamber membership guarantees access to these exclusive dis-

Elaine Beame, Beame Realty "I am proud to be a member of the

OSCC and feel I benefit by expanding my business contacts up and

down the Shoreline Area. I enjoy attending the Chamber events which are always well planned, big and present many opportunities to connect with friends, neighbors and fellow businesses!"

counts from other Chamber members. By taking advantage of such discounts, members can see a quick return on their membership investment. The program launched February 10th with offers from a variety of businesses including: Middlesex Eye Physicians, Shoreline PC, Before-nAfter Dog Services, Quality Care Drug and Mike’s Deli & Restaurant. Contact the office to find out how you can participate!

Thank you for promoting Bikes For Kids in such a special way for us. We are very happy to let you know that Bikes For Kids has just been able to move into a warehouse that will house our entire inventory under one roof. After a generous donor stepped forward with a three year lease for our program. Up until now, we have been using several donated sheds in various towns, making the retrieval and repair of bikes a very time consuming and cumbersome task. He provided a wonderful "hand up' for us, something that wouldn't have been possible on our own for quite a few years to come, if at all. With this support, we’ll begin several new program ideas, increase our productivity and hopefully reach out to more young people than the 1,368 folks that received a bike from us in 2013. Submitted by Dave Fowler, President

Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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Newsletter Business Card Sponsors Kathy Callinan

John Boucher Mar, Apr, May

Annie Garland

Consider one of these great values: Newsletter Back Page Color Sponsor: $200 Business Card Insert: $90 for 3 months Newsletter Insert: $100 ($50 nonprofits) Call today: 860 388-3266

Your Chamber of Commerce home, appropriately located at the head of Main Street, is blessed with our own flag pole where we can display our nation’s colors and other special flags, visible to all who come into our town. There are two different flag pole versions. The simple flag pole with a rope going to the top may or may not have a cross tree (or yardarm) where two additional hoists can be used for additional flags or pennants. The position of honor on this type of pole is usually at the top. An example of this type can be found at the Fire Department further down Main Street. The Chamber enjoys a nautical flag pole with crosstree and with a gaff. After 300 years of tradition, the US Navy, US Power Squadrons, and waterfront facilities everywhere, have determined that on a nautical flag pole the place of honor where our U.S. national ensign should be flown is at the gaff, not the top of the pole. It would be showing disrespect to the national ensign to fly it from somewhere other than the highest point of honor, the gaff. Recently the hoist was missing and thanks to the Old Saybrook Fire Company and their ladder truck, installing a new hoist and hardware allowed the ensign to return to where it belongs. The Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce is a member driven organization dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality and quality of life of Old Saybrook and its surrounding communities. Chamber News Editor Judy Sullivan © March 2014, Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 625, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 860-388-3266 www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 19 OLD SAYBROOK, CT

March 2014 Phone 860-388-3266 • www.oldsaybrookchamber.com

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Tues March 4— Home-Based Business Community @ Chamber, 5:30—7pm Wed March 12—Women in Business Luncheon @ Saybrook Point Inn, 11:30—1pm Wed March 19—Young Professionals Mtg 6:30-8pm Thur March 20—Ambassador Meeting @ Chamber, 8am Wed March 26 – Board Meeting @ Luigi’s Restaurant 5:30pm Thur March 27 – Chamber Connections @ Fenwick Mortgage & Saybrook Soup & Sandwich 5:30 – 7pm Tues April 1 – Home Based Business Community @ Saybrook Pavilion 8:30am

Thank you to our March 2014 newsletter sponsor: Middlesex Eye Physicians