Thrive! January issue

thrive!Volume 11, Issue 1 www.laceychamber.com January 2010

Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow. That will be the topic of the January Forum speakers. Wind and solar—what is it that we should know about these green ways of producing power? Is it real? Can we

depend on it for a constant source of power? How much will it cost per kilowatt compared to the current power we use? As a user of commercial and residential power, is there a benefit to me by way of a tax credit, selling power back to the power company, or long-term investment return that we

can look forward to?

Solar Power: What is the latest technology? How much does the owner of a 2,500 sq. ft. home have to invest to be revenue neutral? How much sun is needed per day to make it work for the average home? Where do I install it? Can I do it or do I need a contractor? What is coming down the pike for the future or should I invest in this now?

Casey Cochran, Lacey Chamber member from Puget Sound Energy and past board member, has agreed to bring Andy Wappler to speak to us about these topics. Andy Joined Puget Sound Energy in February 2008 as part of the utility’s eff ort to communicate the need for renewable energy and energy efficiency in order to meet the challenge of climate change.

I look forward to meeting Andy Wappler and hearing his thoughts on this very important subject. I encourage all our members to join me January 6 for a great Forum and a real opportunity to network and make new friends.

Volume 11, Issue 1 www.laceychamber.com January 2010Volume 11, Issue 1 www.laceychamber.com January 2010

The Lacey Chamber NewsletterThe Lacey Chamber Newsletter

Forum Sponsor Media Sponsor 5:01 Surge

Table of ContentsMessage from President 1Blogging Your Way Into Your Customers’ Hearts 2Spotlight Your Business 2Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Business Success 3Membership Dues Increased 4Mark Your Calendar 4January Forum 4Kidwiler Thank Yous 4Elements of Change 5Business is Booming! 9Roster 9Calendar 11

Green EnergyBy Jeff Powell, President

Hometown Property

Management, Inc.1600 4th Ave E

Olympia, WA 98506(360) 456-7368

www.hometownpm.com

Lucky Eagle Casino12888 188th Ave. SW

Rochester, WA 98579(360) 273-2000

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Check it out! Lacey Chamber’s web site has been redesigned.

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Call the Chamber for advertising and Web site link opportunities.

Cabinets by Trivonna4444 Lacey Blvd. SE, Suite G

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www.cabinetsbytrivonna.comTuesday, January 26

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2 Lacey Chamber of Commerce January 2010

Community Resource Guide Advertising

Opportunity

Blogging Your Way Into Customers’ HeartsSubmitted by Corey Lopardi, Pardiman Productions

2010 Lacey Community Resource Guide ad sales are now being sold. A minimum of 5,000 Directories will be printed and distributed throughout Lacey and Thurston County via relocation packets, hotels, banks, local realtors, and various businesses. Please contact Sceni Foster 491-4141 for more information and rates. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for prime advertising space!

Spotlight YourBusiness

It’s no secret that when people, military personnel, and businesses relocate one of the first places they visit are Chamber of Commerce websites!

With the upcoming launch of our new website approaching in early October, we would like to spotlight your business!

As a value to our members, we randomly select members to feature on the home page of our website. If your business would like to be considered, please send us the following information via email:

1-3 paragraphs that explains • your business Business address• Contact & phone number• Business hours• Year established • Web address• Company logo• Photograph of you and/or your • business (.jpg format)

The Chamber is excited to help you further promote your business. Please contact Sceni Foster at 360-491-4141 or [email protected] for more information.

For a business today, having a web presence is essential to expanding its exposure. But, for

many businesses, a website has become nothing more than an online brochure. If traffic to your site is waning and you’re looking for a free way to increase page views and search engine placement, then you need a business blog.

A business blog is a web page usually made up of short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically. The idea behind a blog is that it allows a business to share it’s expertise directly with current and prospective customers, get feedback, and draw traffic for its website.

The purpose of your blog should be to provide useful information about the products and services that your business provides and give insight into aspects of your industry. Providing lots of useful information is the key to a successful business blog. This information builds your image as an expert in your field and helps readers to feel more comfortable doing business with you.

Once you’ve started your blog and get a readership you will begin to get comments and questions from them.

Your readers are your customers and leads and it is important to respond to every comment and e-mail in a prompt and courteous manner. This feedback can be a great way to determine what your customers know and don’t know about your products and services and can help to point out areas of improvement for your business.

A business blog can also dramatically improve your search engine rankings. The more you post, and the more your customers comment, the more opportunities for search engines to pick up your content. Make sure to use the blog as a portal to get traffic to your website and not as a big advertisement. People will stay and read the information if it is informative and entertaining. From there you can direct them to your website, increasing site traffic.

If you start a business blog, be prepared to stick with it. A client who enjoys your blog only to have it go silent will make some negative assumptions about your business as a result of this. Create a blog that is consistent and relevant and you may just work your way into readers hearts and daily habits.

Kidwiler Applications Available Now

Do you know a high school senior?

If you have or know a high school senior in one of the North Thurston High Schools, remind them that Kidwiler applications are now available. To obtain an application, contact a counselor at one of the high schools or the Lacey Chamber at 491-4141. Two scholarships will be awarded, one in the amount of $1,000 and the other in the amount of $500. The applications are due back in the counselor’s office by March 31, 2010.

January 2010 Lacey Chamber of Commerce 3

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on your business’s progress over the past year and plan how

you want your business to develop. Do you want increased success in 2010 or the chance to enjoy the success you’ve achieved? These top 10 New Year’s resolutions are designed to help you strike a better work-life balance, so you can achieve a truly satisfying success in the New Year.

1) Learn how to delegate and do more of it.

There are so many things to do when you’re running a small business it’s easy to delude ourselves that we need to do all of them. Then we wonder why we’re so tired and frazzled and have no time to do anything else! Determine Your Personal Return on Investment, and decide to let someone else do some of the tasks for a change. Delegation is the key to a healthy work-life balance.

2) Promote your business regularly and consistently.

Too often the task of promoting a small business slips to the bottom of the to-do list in the press of urgent tasks. If you want to attract new customers, you have to make promotion a priority. Make a New Year’s resolution to hire a marketing expert, or take the time to create a marketing plan on your own and follow through. Try some of these Low-Cost Ways to Promote Your Business to get started.

3) Make business planning a weekly event.

Planning is vital if you want a healthy, growing business. Business planning lets you take stock of what worked and what didn’t work, and helps you set new directions or adjust old goals. So why do it just once a year or once a quarter? Set aside time each week to review, adjust, and look forward - or even better, make business planning a part of each day. Not only will this help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on track, but you’ll feel more focused and relaxed.

4) Learn something new.

What you choose to learn may be directly related to your business (as are the four free ecourses I offer on this website) or completely unrelated. Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues, or friends. How will you find the time to learn something new? By delegating, remember?

5) Join a new business organization or networking group.

There’s nothing like talking to other business people for sparking new ideas, refining old ones, and making contacts. Whether it’s a group specifically designed for networking or an organization dedicated to a particular type of business, in person or over the ‘Net, making the effort to be a part of a group will revitalize you and your business.

6) Give something back to your community.

There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community. Make a New Year’s resolution to find a cause that matters to you, and give what you can. Make this the year that you serve on a committee, be a mentor, volunteer, or make regular donations to the groups in your community that try to make the place you live a better place. And those that give get. As I say in Top 10 Ways to Get Known, nothing will seed and grow goodwill for you and your business better.

7) Put time for you on your calendar.

In Schedule Time for You, I point out how important it is to take the time to recharge and refresh yourself; a healthy work-life balance demands time out. All work and no play is a recipe for mental and physical disaster. So if you have trouble freeing up time to do the things

you enjoy, write time regularly into your schedule to “meet with yourself” and stick to that commitment. If you won’t invest in yourself, who will?

8) Set realistic goals.

Goal setting is a valuable habit - if the goals lead to success rather than distress. Make a New Year’s resolution that the goals you set will be goals that are achievable, rather than unrealistic pipe dreams that are so far out of reach they only lead to frustration. If you have trouble setting realistic goals, see Goal Setting Is the First Step to Achievement for a formula to help.

9) Don’t make do; get a new one.

Is there a piece of equipment in your office that’s interfering with your success or something that you lack that’s making your working life harder? Whether it’s an old fax machine that’s a pain to use, or the need for a new employee to lighten your work load, make a New Year’s resolution to stop putting off getting what you need. The irritation of making do just isn’t worth it. You’ll find information on both office equipment and business software in the Running Your Office section of this site.

10) Drop what’s not working for you and move on.

All products aren’t going to be super sellers, all sales methods aren’t going to work for everyone, and all suppliers or contractors aren’t going to be ideally suited to your business. If a technique or a product or a business relationship isn’t working for you, stop using it. Don’t invest a lot of energy into trying to make the unworkable workable. Move on. Something better will turn up.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is like maintaining a good relationship; you have to keep working on it. But if you apply these New Year’s resolutions throughout the year, your success is guaranteed!

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Business SuccessImprove Your Work-Life Balance With These New Year’s ResolutionsBy Susan Ward, About.com Guide


Wind and Solar Power

The Lacey Chamber of Commerce will start out the year with Andy Wappler from Puget Sound Energy addressing the subject of wind and solar power on Wednesday, January 6 at the January 2010 Forum.

Andy joined Puget Sound Energy in February 2008 as part of the utility’s eff ort to communicate the need for renewable energy and energy efficiency in order to meet the challenge of climate change.

Come hear what Andy has to say and you will get the opportunity to network with many from Lacey’s business community.

The Lacey Chamber Forums are held at Saint Martin’s University in the Worthington Center. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the program starts promptly at noon. Cost is $18 for members, $25 for guests.

We strongly encourage participants to RSVP by emailing [email protected] or calling 360-491-4141.

Get there early, this fills up fast!

Kidwiler Scholarship Fund Thank Yous

The Lacey Chamber would like to thank these member businesses who donated raffle prizes to benefit the Kidwiler Scholarship at the December 2009 Forum:

Charlie’s Safari – The Family Fun Center Professional Temp Staff AgencyS. Stewart Ridgeway, CPA A Steve’s Professional Truck Mounted Steam Cleaning 94.5 ROXY Radio The Ram Restaurant & BreweryRed Wind Casino Community Values MagazineCabinets by Trivonna Harborstone Credit UnionPardiman ProductionsMixx 96-Kelly HernandezOBee Credit UnionJohnson Insurance

Thank You for Your Continued Support!

January ForumMembership Dues IncreasedMembership Dues as of January 1, 2010:

Basic Membership: Business $250 (1-4 Employees) Business $350 (5-10 Employees) Business $480 (11-20 Employees) Business $620 (21-30 Employees) Business $820 (31-50 Employees) Business $910 (51-75 Employees) Business $1040 (76 and up) Retired $110 (not in business) Charitable 501C3 $220 Appointed & Elected Officials $150

Tiered Dues:Spark! $750Ignite! $1500Boom! $3000

Web Site Link from Lacey Chamber Membership Directory $72 (only $6 a month)

Beginning April 1, 2010 Web Site Link will be $120 ($10 a month)

Contact the Chamber to have your site linked today!

Mark Your 2010 Calendar! February 1 Lacey Loves to Read – Lacey Community

Center

March 27 Capital Food & Wine Festival – Saint Martin’s University

May 15, 16 Lacey Spring Fun Fair – Saint Martin’s University

June 4 Lacey Chamber Golf Classic – Golf Club @ Hawks Prairie

June 24-27 America’s Festival of Dixieland Jazz – Saint Martin’s University

September 11 Military Family Support Day

September 18 Summer’s End at Lacey Car Show – Huntamer Park

October 16 Lacey Chamber Fundraising Auction – Saint Martin’s University


The key to achieving more than you currently are, no matter which area of your life or work

you are focusing in on now, is change. The old saying rings true: If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you.ve already got. If you keep eating and exercising the way you currently are, you will weigh the same a year from now. If you continue to sell to the same people on the same schedule, you will make the same amount of money next year. In order to move forward, we must change.

As I have worked with people, both in a professional setting and on a personal basis, I have found two things to be true about change. One, it is simple. Two, it is not easy. That is, the concept of change is simple to grasp. People or organizations are quick to say, “Oh, I know we need to change.” Simple.

But where the problem starts, and why most people and organizations do not change, is because it is not easy to change. But, I believe, if the process is well thought out, and if we have the guts and determination to carry it out, change can happen, and we can move on to more fulfilled lives.

With that said, let me give you what I consider the elements of change.

Discontentment with your current state. The first step in the process of change is to not want to be where you currently are. You must be discontent with it. If you are overweight, you must say, “I will not accept this anymore.” If you are in debt, you must say, “I cannot tolerate this any longer.” If you have broken relationships, you must say, “I will not live with this.” This is a decision to change and not accept the status-quo.

The picture of your preferred outcome. What is it that you want to change to? It absolutely is not enough to say, “I need to change.” It must be: “I

am going to change to…” This becomes the goal. I would encourage you to get a mental picture of it formulated in your mind. Get a real picture of it if it is that tangible. Perhaps write yourself a short essay, extolling the virtues of what life will be like when you get to the changed state.

New associations with the two states. You must begin to associate your current state you are in with pain, and the state you want to be in with pleasure. Let.s take weight for example. We tend to think of ice cream, mounds of it, with pleasure. I know that I do. Especially chocolate chip mint. Last night we went to some friend.s house and we had some ice cream. Normal portions. I don.t like to eat normal portions. I like huge portions of ice cream. There is an association of pleasure there. But what I did to overcome the urge to eat scoop after scoop was to associate huge portions to being overweight, not the pleasure of the taste. I also associated not eating the ice cream with feeling better about myself. Then when it comes to exercise, I work on associating the exercise and weight-lifting with the pleasure of fitting into my clothes rather than the pain my muscles feel every time I do it. This help me win the battle of the mind.

Develop a plan of short, simple steps. “I am going to lose fifty pounds in two months.” “I will sell 500% more next month.” These are examples of change that are good goals to have long term, but too big for the time allotted—and this is havoc on change! If your goals are too big in too short of time, you will fail and become discouraged. Then you will quit and decide change can’t be accomplished. Instead, you must have short, workable, attainable goals if you are going to see real change happen and stay. “I am going to lose five pounds a month for ten months.” “We are going to sell 6% more each month this year

(That would double your business each year).” These are the size steps you need to take. Then you will build victory after victory.

Discipline yourself. Sorry but this is where it is up to you. At the heart of change is the ability to discipline ourselves. I cannot lose your weight. Your mom cannot go out and make sales calls for you. The only real obstacle standing between your current state and your desired outcome is you! So do everything you can to get yourself motivated to change! Force yourself to get out of bed and get to work on your goals! Discipline yourself. Choose to make the right decision.

Reward yourself when you have made the change. That’s right: reward yourself. You have worked hard and exerted a lot of self-discipline to get there! You deserve it!

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success and Extraordinary Leaders, two companies helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries around the world! Get Chris’ FREE weekly Made for Success Ezine by sending a blank email to [email protected]. Get his FREE daily SuccessQuotetm with action point by sending a blank email to [email protected]. Get his FREE monthly Extraordinary Leaders Ezine, one of the world’s most widely distributed leadership newsletters, by sending a blank email to [email protected] or visit his websites at http://www.madeforsuccess.com and http://www.extraordinaryleaders.com. Copyright 2002 Made for Success. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Elements of ChangeWritten by Chris Widener


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New MembersEdward Jones-Pat Lenahan9333 Martin Way E, Suite 206Lacey, WA 98516Contact: Pat Lenahan Category: Financial Planning Phone: (360) 923-2045 Web: www.edwardjones.com

Cynthia PrattContact: Cynthia Pratt Category: Government-City ElectedPhone: (360)-456-4862Web: www.ci.lacey.wa.us

Cecila Mikler-Remax-SPARK! Investor3009 Pacific Ave SE Olympia, WA 98501Contact: Cecila Mikler Category: RealtorPhone: (360)-357-3336Web: www.cecliamikler.com

Fisher Jones Family Dentistry-IGNITE! Investor2415 Pacific Avneue SELacey, WA 98503Contact: Joann Bell Category: Dental Phone: (360) 943-4644Web: www.FisherJonesFamilyDentistry.com

Design Smart Home Staging & Redesign15835 Lawrence Lake Road SEYelm, WA Contact: Lisa Rosenberger Category: Home Staging Phone: (360)-480-5810Web: www.designsmartstaging.com

2009 Board of Directors & Group RosterExecutive Board

Jeff Powell, President, Prime Development Group, 528-2550Jerry Farmer, President Elect, 94.5 ROXY, 236-1010Felix Peguero, Vice President, Edward Jones Investments, 438-0341Mike Harris, Treasurer & Board Member, Columbia Bank, 459-3344Carlene Joseph, Secretary, Harborstone Credit Union, 253-983-8636

Board of DirectorsAndrew Barkis, Hometown Property Management, 456-7368Tom Carroll, Networks Communications International, 701-1532Al Eckroth, Virgil Adams Real Estate, 701-3307Lowell Gordon, The Creative Office, 754-1732Chris Lester, Chris Lester Insurance Services, 866-0610Tony Salas, Anchor Bank, 491-2250Renée Sunde, Thurston EDC, 754-6320Angelique Wilson, Professional Temp Staffing Agency, 786-8443Patrick Davidson, Past President, Loan Network LLC, 412-1000 *Recently elected, serving a two-year term.

GroupsAmbassadors:

Jenny Thorsell, Lacey Chamber Exec. Director, 491-4141

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Business & Economic Development Roundtable: Reneé Sunde, Thurston EDC, 754-6320

Education: Courtney Schrieve, NTPS, 412-4418

Goal Cultivator Workshop: Linda Jensen, Asset Care & Preservation Svcs., 357-6328

Government Affairs: Daniela Anderson, Hometown Prop. Mgmt, 456-7368

Golf: Joanna West, Washington Business Bank, 754-1954 Chris Lester, Chris Lester Insurance Services, 866-0610

Kidwiler Scholarship Foundation: Stewart Ridgeway, CPA, 459-4404

Military Affairs: Carlene Joseph, Harborstone Credit Union, (253) 983-8636

Business Examiner 975 Carpenter Rd. NE Lacey, WA 98516Contact: Marny Bright Category: NewspaperPhone: (253)-404-0891Web: www.businessexaminer.com

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The Lacey Chamber of Commerce8300 Quinault Dr NE, Suite ALacey, WA 98516

Phone: (360) 491-4141Fax: (360) 491-9403Email: [email protected]: www.laceychamber.com

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Thrive! January issue

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