The Business Alliance Grapevine - It's All in the BAG!
The Capital City Club and Cardinal Club Business Alliance has been created as a way to bring members and businesses together through educational and social events that foster learning, fellowship with peers, and networking opportunities.
June Issue 2007
View the BA Summer 2007 Directory
(NEW and Improved!)
Send your company announcements to Jean Wiley to go in the next Grapevine!
Letter from the Editor
Welcome to the June Issue of the Business Alliance Grapevine! Taking into consideration busy schedules and full inboxes, we are trimming the BAG a bit – the last issue was 12 printed pages! One way we are trimming is alternating our four columns so we will print two by-line columns per issue. Please welcome new columnist Devon Kaplan, who will be writing a General Business Column.
This month’s BAG is full of celebrations, need-to-know information and descriptions about our great programs coming up in June and July. You won’t want to miss these lunch-and-learn programs so be sure to reserve your spot early! Also, please feel free to forward this newsletter to other members in the respective Clubs. It’s a great way to invoke interest in the BA and build our membership! Our goal is 207 members by the end of 2007.
Be in the know – read the BAG! Don’t forget to search for the imbedded icon! The first person to find it receives a complimentary lunch.
Thank you for your continued participation, readership and feedback.
Warmest Regards,
Jean Wiley, Editor in Chief
Inspirvations
(the hybrid of Inspiration and Motivation)The Concord of Conflict
Does anyone else wish we lived in a world free of conflict? As a professed lover of peace, I often daydream of a world free of conflict. Imagine, if you can, that we lived in a world devoid of internal, interpersonal, professional, political and global conflict……hard isn’t it? Some very compelling stories, plays, films and literary works are built upon the foundational premise of conflict. Not to mention the myriad of businesses that have built their services around Conflict Resolution.
Conflict can be inspiring, creative, motivational, gut wrenching, depressing and confusing. What do you bring to the table of conflict? Ideally, conflict can bring resolution, deeper understanding and empathy. Approaching conflict in the spirit of openness, with a readiness to listen and a desire to truly understand the opposing viewpoint and stance, can be a growth experience for all involved. How is it then that we so often get off track?
Life can be complicated to be sure and there are times when real or perceived conflict is the last thing I want to see on my proverbial plate! In a world of information overload, unrealistic demands and a “faster than the speed of light pace,” a disgruntled person or group standing front and center demanding my attention (and no, it’s never really a good time, is it?) in my day-to-day schedule can be a real bummer!
But, admittedly, I do find that in hindsight I learn so much from the experience. Learning is a process I value highly and believe that, collectively, it is one of the purposes of living this life. Conflict has moved me out of ruts, impasses-both self-imposed and otherwise, and into newer and deeper levels of understanding.
What if everyone approached conflict from a positive learning perspective? Hmm, can we even imagine the possibilities? I’m sure gonna try :-)
Happenings
"The Anatomy of a Sale: 3D Training – No Glasses Needed"
Capital City Club
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
$15.00 ++ for Club Members
RSVP 832-5526
Professionals of today are responsible for making personal and business life better for themselves, their clients and their company. Drawing on information from United Professional Sales Association (UPSA), every sale is broken down into 9 phases. These phases include actions taken prior to, during, and after the sale to insure great customer service, repeat business, and job satisfaction. With a “3D” performance, you will receive engaging information and valuable tools to clarify the importance of this knowledge to create a successful sales transaction.
- Witness real life sales situations
- Examine how a sale is really won or lost from the buyer’s vantage point
- Learn how to align yourself with your customer to increase sales, gain future sales, and increase job satisfaction
- Receive valuable tools to enhance your sales professionalism
- Develop a language for sales transaction quality assurance
Designed and Presented by Martin Brossman & Tim Dumas, UPSA RTP Chapter Education Chairs
|
 Tim DumasSpeaker & Consultant Imagine the Impossible …Find a Way To Do It! www.timdumas.com 919-325-2888 tdumas@nc.rr.com |
Martin Brossman
The Business Alliance Presents “Twice the Fun” with Sharon Hill
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
The Cardinal Club, 28th Floor Wachovia Building, 150 Fayetteville Street
Reservations required. $15++ Call 834-8829.
Is That Your Glass of Water or Mine? Dining Etiquette Tips to Remove All Confusion - Which concerns you more at a formal dinner: (1) Closing the deal with your sophisticated customer, or (2) wondering if you look out-of-place at the table because you aren’t sure of dining etiquette rules? If you chose the second answer or if you had to ponder before answering, this is the program for you! Sharon, a certified etiquette trainer, will clear all confusion in a fun, lively and interactive dining etiquette session. Never again will you have to ask, “Is that your glass of water or mine?”
Secret Power of Presenting and Receiving Business Cards - We (may) be past secret handshakes, but there is a secret power in properly presenting and receiving business cards. In this discussion Sharon will arm you with subtle tips on how to use business cards to make a positive impression, break the ice to start small talk, and grow your network.
Events Recap
MAY BA GATHERING PERSPECTIVE
Jan DeLory of Boston Professional Group absolutely rocked the room on May 10th at the Cardinal Club gathering of the Business Alliance. The topic was “How to Build on the 60 Second Relationship”. In a well-paced presentation that included interactive audience participation, Jan offered insight into relationship building through found common ground, good listening, and simple but effective conversational gambits. One audience exercise was an intriguing practice on dealing with the ‘difficult’ contact – such as the boaster, whiner, or personal space invader. An audience bonding ‘we-will-rock-you’ session was one of several evening highlights – and yes, there was table smacking involved! You should have been there…Identity Theft is Alive- How are you Protecting Yourself?
Devon Kaplan , Assistant Editor, General Business
– dbkaplan@mailaaa.com
Picture this. It is time to review your expenses and pay your monthly bills. When checking your credit card bill for the golf clubs you purchased last month, and the iPod you bought for Nicole, you see that not only are these charges present but so are a number of others that you don’t recognize. In fact, your credit card has been completely depleted of its available balance and has an overage of $500!
The sinking suspicion you feel is correct- you are a victim of identity theft!
According to the Federal Trade Commission, about 10 million Americans annually discover that their personal information has been misused to open fraudulent credit card and bank accounts or used to commit other crimes. That means that every minute about 19 people become a new victim of this crime. Identity theft scams are on the rise and, despite the perception, it is not just the elderly who fall victim to them. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Statistics, identity theft has passed up drug trafficking as the number one crime in America. The criminals that want your information and intend to assume your identity have proven that they will go to any length to get it- some by stealing mail, some by using internet pop-ups, and some get it from the most reliable source- YOU. Many identity theft situations can be traced back to the victim giving out their own information over the phone!
The effects of identity theft can be horrifying. Your previously well-protected credit score can be ruined, leading to further financial troubles in the future. In 2004, identity theft victims spent an average of 330 hours recovering, many times over a period of three years.
It is extremely important that you counteract this criminal activity by protecting yourself. Here are some suggestions on how to protect yourself from identity theft:
- Guard your identity as you would any other valuable asset.
- Protect your Social Security Number. Do not carry your social security card in your wallet, and do not print your driver’s license or social security number on your checks.
- Don’t click on links in unsolicited email.
- Protect your passwords. Do not share them with others or write them down. Be sure to have a different password for each account and do not make the passwords something obvious like date of birth or your mother’s maiden name.
- Install spyware detection software.
- Protect your mail. Opt out of pre-approved credit card applications by calling 1-800-5-OPT-OUT. Do not leave incoming or outgoing mail in an unsecured mailbox that is easily accessible to criminals.
- Shred!
- Review your credit card charges monthly and your credit reports annually. Thieves often times make tiny charges over a long period of time to avoid getting caught.
- Know the scams. Never give out your personal information over the phone unless you are certain of who is on the other end. Visit www.noscamnc.gov for more information.
- Invest in Identity Theft Insurance. Taking the proper steps to protecting yourself does not always prevent someone from stealing your information. Identity Theft insurance can be purchased from your credit card vendors or through your insurance agent and can help to pay for restoring your personal identity information and reinstate correct credit report information.
If you suspect you have been the victim of identity theft, immediately contact the credit agencies (Equifax-888-766-0008, Experian-888-397-3742, and Transunion 800-916-8800). You can request “fraud alert” status, which requires companies that issue credit in your name to call you first and verify the validity of the request. This is free to the consumer!
For more information on how AAA can help you with your identity theft insurance needs, please feel free to contact Devon Kaplan at 919.832.6411 ext 9301#.
Dr. Thomas Griggs, Assistant Editor, Leadership – tgriggs@nscgroup.com
Engaged Leadership
Stephen Alston, Guest Columnist – sca@splitscreenconsulting.comDo you want to start a high-energy conversation at your next party? If so, randomly walk up to party participants and share an opinion concerning the leadership abilities of the President of the United States. Your opinion can be positive, negative or indifferent. It can be about the current or a past president. It doesn’t matter. I can assure you that a spirited conversation will find its way to you in a matter of moments. Undoubtedly, you will find someone who disagrees with your ability to assess leadership and does not hesitate to let you know. Why is it that we have such a variety of views about leadership? 
Our understanding of the word ‘leader’ and our experiences with ‘leadership’ both contribute to our opposing views.
Engaged leaders are involved in activities that create the best opportunity for success through achieving the goals of the organization. Let’s say leadership is the ability to influence people to achieve predetermined goals. If we measure a leader’s ability or capacity to lead like we measure fuel, then engaged leadership would probably measure somewhere above half-full. Leadership that measures between half-full and full has the best chance at achieving success. Engaged leaders have the greatest capacity to lead.
We expect our leaders to keep their tank closer to full than not. We want leadership that articulates a clear vision for where we are going. Engaged leadership demonstrates the ability to communicate this vision to the various learning styles of the people who are expected to contribute towards reaching this vision. We expect our leaders to take every opportunity to show how our world will be different. We follow because we have been sold on a vision that excites us. An engaged leader takes every opportunity to show us a better tomorrow, not just for some but for all.
As the vision becomes clearer, we expect to be motivated by our leaders. We want to know how we should behave differently to make the vision a reality. Engaged leadership energizes us and excites us about making our contribution to this shared vision. For those of us who are moving in the right direction, we are rewarded by leadership with recognition and small perks, reinforcing our positive progress. Engaged leadership constantly shows us how to make the changes required to reach the vision. Engaged leadership also has foresight and understands balance. Engaged leaders demonstrate sensitivity to our daily needs by understanding the challenges associated with change, yet they are driven enough to not sacrifice our better tomorrow.
Lastly, engaged leaders know how to get involved, demonstrating their personal belief and commitment to the vision. This is where many otherwise good leaders forfeit their chance to a legacy of greatness. Great leaders know that while most of us are absorbed with running engine rooms, their responsibilities include proper navigation of the ship and assisting with the intense effort required to keep the ship operational. Engaged leaders establish trust and demonstrate integrity by removing barriers encountered by the crew. When leaders share our morals we stay motivated and make the necessary contribution towards this new vision. Leadership that embodies clear vision, motivating energy and personal commitment is engaged and has the best opportunity at success.
Now, back to our party conversation about leadership: One clarification that might assist with the discussion is the difference between ‘a leader’ and ‘the leader.’ ‘A leader’ is associated with action and welcomed change. This is the person that emerges with great vision, energy and supportive action. ‘The leader’ is a position, someone that may have been elected, appointed or just waited for his or her turn. ‘The leader’ does not automatically come with an abundant capacity to lead while ‘a leader’ does by definition. Interestingly enough, in the job description for the President of the United States (Article II, Sections 1-4 of the Constitution), neither the word leader nor leadership is there. Is it possible that we are looking for something from ‘the leader’ that was never intended? Similarly, maybe we should be challenged if we use of the word “leader” to refer to the CEO who gets a $40M bonus for making self-serving business moves that the rest of us will surely pay for later. Maybe ‘leader’ and ‘leadership’ are not in his job description either.
On that futuristic day when I am en route to the grocery store and I am confronted by those familiar aliens who say, ”Take me to your leader!” I’ll simply respond, “You’re looking at him. All of the leaders are hidden in a maximum-security safe location, deciding how the rest of us should be led through this invasion.”
Steven Alston is the President of Split Screen Consulting. He is a management consultant and facilitator with 20 years of various organizational experiences. After starting his career as a software engineer, he quickly transitioned into a leadership role, a decision based on his commitment to nurture human potential. His ability to embrace the uniqueness in people assisted in his formulating experiences that resulted in deep personal development. Over the years, many sought Steven's help and encouragement because, on some level, they knew that his helpfulness was both genuine and fulfilling. Steven's primary focus is assisting socially conscious organizations and his insightful approach makes this work valuable to all types of businesses. Steven is a graduate of NC State University and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for The Alliance of AIDS Services * Carolina. His wife Jean accompanies him on this journey and they currently live in Raleigh, NC. Learn more about Split Screen Consulting at www.splitscreenconsulting.com.
BA Member Announcements
Vickie Nelligan, Business Alliance’s Member Liaison, was awarded the Heart of the House Team Player Award for 2006 as the product of Star Cards she received for her many special efforts.
Wendy Coulter, President of Hummingbird Creative Group, has been named co-chair of the technology/website and public relations committees for the 2007 Carolinas Wireless Associate Board of Directors.
GarageWorks Solutions has been selected as the preferred vendor of garage organization products for the Triangle Builders Guild. Triangle Builders Guild is a group of 29 of the largest custom homebuilders in the greater Raleigh area. GarageWorks Solutions is the Raleigh-Durham area dealer for Whirlpool’s Gladiator garage organization systems and ONRAX overhead storage shelves. Glenn Seitchek & John Tucker of GarageWorks Solutions discuss the state of garage clutter and storage solutions in the article, “Spring Forward With a Plan to get Organized” in the Spring issue of New Homes & Ideas magazine. www.garageworkssolutions.com
Sarah M. Place, President & CEO of Place Trade Financial, Inc., a full service discount brokerage firm based in Raleigh, NC, has been named to the Kids Voting North Carolina/Wake County Board of Directors. As a board member, Place will support the organization's mission, focus on critical strategic issues, assist with fiscal oversight, fundraising and community outreach. She will also serve on the Communications Committee. Sarah can be reached at 919.719.7200.
The revolutionary women’s fitness club concept, Butterfly Life, continues its expansion in Raleigh, NC at 3512-A Wade Avenue, Ridgewood Shopping Center. With an expected opening in May, 2007, the new club is designed for women who are interested in attaining simple, achievable and sustainable fitness and total health results in a fun, nurturing and non-threatening environment . Butterfly Life club owners, Sunita and Joseph Shouse, comment, “The Butterfly Life concept was created by a team of pioneers boasting more than a century of industry experience. Butterfly Life is the industry’s only fully integrated, 360 degree health and fitness system that incorporates the traditional components of weight loss (nutrition and exercise) with motivation, health, beauty and fashion. The program has created a unique platform that inspires women to become exactly who they want to be.”
Call 919.755.3322.
Pryde Dotterer joins VisionQuest as Vice President of Advice and Service. He brings to VisionQuest more than 10 years of wealth management experience. His experience includes training, product management, and general management in the development, operations and service of wealth management solutions to businesses and individuals. Sean Gimenez also joins VisionQuest as an Operations Manager. Previously, he held the positions of Operations Specialist and Business Manager for Home Depot in Seattle, Washington. www.vqwealth.com
Michael Torres with Commercial Property Consultants just met with an owner of a $7,000,000 building and provided him a study showing $340,000 in un-realized tax benefits the first year. He plans on using the first two years to put down on another building. You can reach Michael at Mike-Torres@nc.rr.com .
Gary Davis of Davis & Company at American Home Mortgage, just released his book, Networking in the South, on Wednesday, May 9th. More information is available at www.networkinginthesouth.com
Dana Stallard has achieved her 4th President’s Club, 6th 100% Club and 1st Century Award for her performance at Automatic Data Processing (ADP), Inc. She has been with the company for 9 years and is currently ranked #1 for the Southeast Sales division in her role. She offers strategic Payroll and HR solutions to her clients. Call Dana at 919.789.2009.
Sarah M. Place, President & CEO of Place Trade Financial, Inc., a full service discount brokerage firm based in Raleigh, NC, has announced that she served as a judge forInvestWrite®, an innovative national writing competition, produced by The Stock Market Game program and sponsored by the Foundation for Investor Education. Sarah can be reached at 919.719.7200.
Wendy Coulter, President of Hummingbird Creative Group announced her company was named Small Business of the Year for 2007 by the Cary Chamber of Commerce.
Mary Cantando, President of Womenbusinessowner.com, has selected a quote from Jean Wiley, Trainer and Coach, to be published in The Woman’s Advantage 2008 Page-A-Day Calendar. What is the quote? “View every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow and build your base of knowledge.” jean@jeanwiley.com
Financial Advisor, Mike Ingaglio, recently had a chance to speak to over 170 NC state employees around the state and 72 employees then wanted to see him individually (about 42%)! Contact Mike at 919.341.5107
Our Newest Members…
The Business Alliance, extends a warm welcome to our newest Business Alliance Partners
- Competitive Edge Group
Sara J. Perricone -
Terry Realty Group with Allen Tate
Nigel J. Terry -
Nationwide Insurance
Richard Winstead -
Horizon Mortgage and Finance LLC
Glenn Gardiner -
John David Custom Clothier
Michael Byers -
Commercial Property Consultant
Michael Torres -
Nature's Face
Barbara Carr Brossman -
Business Credit Solutions (COFACE NORTH AMERICA)
Jerry Glickman -
Carlson Financial Services
Chad Revelle -
Wachovia Securities
Zaida Montez -
ComputerHQ
Mark Williams -
EFG Consulting Group
Ben Harrell -
Coats Auto Body & Paint Inc.
Jim & Tana Malerba -
Risk Management Associates, Inc.
Michael Longmire
Assistant Editor Bios
Devon Kaplan is a professional insurance agent with AAA Carolinas. She is a young executive who has been in the insurance industry for three years, and recently partnered with AAA to provide the best options for her client’s particular insurance needs. Being an independent agent, she has a market for most everything from auto coverage to coverage for yachts, and prides herself on being a valuable resource for any insurance questions. Devon brings to the table her enthusiasm, ambition, and commitment to excellence. Devon can be contacted at 919.832.6411 ext. 9301#
Thomas Griggs , Ph. D., is President and CEO of New Science Consulting Group, Inc., in Raleigh. His particular interest is in designing effective programs that bring research scientist/engineers into new business ventures, and he especially likes to design and implement solutions to apparently impossible challenges. He is a graduate of Duke University and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, where he received an Ark Foundation grant for peace research and the Outstanding Dissertation Award for his doctoral thesis. He has been on the adjunct faculty at Duke University and currently teaches at the University of Richmond.
Dr. Griggs may be reached at tgriggs@nscgroup.com or 919.844.1990.
Susan Rumble is the President of The Vista Group, Ltd. The Vista Group offers professional sales representation for small business, partnering with visionary business owners who want to leverage their limited resources into the Next Level of growth from sales revenue. The revenue growth specialists at the Vista Group bring new business in through the front door for their clients and their consulting teams work with business owners to manage the rapid growth delivered by a successful sales mechanism. Prior to her sales career, Susan was a corporate trainer where she worked with executives from the Center for Disease Control, Coca Cola, Accenture, the City of Atlanta and many others. She has an extensive history of giving back as a community volunteer. The Vista Group is the fulfillment of her lifelong dream to help others reach their full potential. www.VistaGroupLtd.com 
Mike Schaul is retired from IBM where most of his career was focused on the software development process, specification and design methods for reducing error insertion. He started KG Funding in 1995 to buy and broker the sale of seller-financed mortgages and business notes. The American Cash Flow Association inducted him into its Million Dollar Club in 1999. Since then he has evolved his focus to commercial mortgages, business cash flow solutions, and litigation funding. Recently, the Gerson Lehman Group Councils named Mike a GLG Scholar for being ranked in the top 20% of their consultants. www.kgfunding.com
Daniel Trimpey is the CEO of Technigrafa, which is a print design, web design and web hosting company in Raleigh, NC. Daniel has a BS in Technology Education, with a minor in Graphic Communications from NC State University. Since graduating, Daniel taught middle school for 5 years in the Wake County School System, being awarded "Teacher of the Year" in 2003, before taking his business full-time in 2005. Other past positions include graphic designer for the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and web developer for Cisco's IT Learning Group. Daniel may be reached at 919.374.3014.
Jean Wiley’s professional experience includes corporate, mid-size (retail) as well as the small business owner and entrepreneur. Jean started coaching eight years ago while working in Professional Technical Search where her focus was in the engineering, IT and pharmaceutical industries. She develops and delivers customized training modules for the Technical Staffing industry in both recruitment and business development. Ms. Wiley is also a motivational speaker addressing such topics as: Empowering the Mind and Your Business, Mastering the Art of Communication as well as a variety of motivational Sales topics. Clients have included: GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Martin Marietta, Duke Children’s Hospital, Eli Lilly, Univision Television, The American Heart Association, Mang Insurance, Productivity Point International and the NC Engineering Association.
Jean is also the author of two books, “The Inner World, Exploring Your Dreams,” and a children’s book “Sweet Dreams for Sydney,” due to be published this Spring.
She has a monthly radio show in Pinehurst, NC and has appeared on television and radio stations across the state. Jean is a member of the Capital City Club, sits on the Business Alliance Steering Committee, is a member of UPSA (United Professional Sales Association) and attends NSA conferences. www.jeanwiley.com
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