Hilliard Biz Monthly January 2012

HILLIARD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BUSINESS MONTHLY

Issue 20

January 2012

Jan. 20 Chamber luncheon

What is happening at Mill Run?

Newly elected board leaders of the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce are: (from left) Shawn McCabe of McCabe PrintWorks, who was named vice chair; Tom Baker of Baker & Associates Insurance Agency, who was elected chair; Rich Capuano of Credit Union of Ohio, who was re-elected as treasurer.

Chamber board of directors elects leadership for 2012 Tom Baker was elected to serve as board chair for 2012 at the December meeting of the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The executive committee for the chamber was also elected at the meeting.

Baker has been a local business owner

www.hilliardchamber.org

of Baker & Associates Insurance Agency and partner for 19 years.

He has 22 years experience in Commercial Business Insurance, underwriting and placement.

Shawn McCabe, owner of McCabe PrintWorks, a company that provides any

product or service for business communications, was elected vice chair.

Rich Capuano was re-elected treasurer. Capuano is the president/CEO of Credit Union of Ohio.

Please thank them for taking on this responsibility when you see them.

Jason Taggart of Taggart Management & Real Estate Services, LLC will be the speaker at Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Jan. 20 luncheon at Heritage Golf Club. Taggart is the principal/marketing director.

He became licensed in 1994 and has been involved in all facets of commercial real estate services including: development, brokerage, property management and ownership of industrial, office and retail proper- Jason Taggart ties.

Taggart Management & Real Estate Services, LLC has been involved in the acquisition, development, ownership, sales, leasing, property management and landscape maintenance of commercial real estate in Ohio for more than 40 years.

Their developments include industrial parks, office buildings, mixed-use parks, retail and office warehouse facilities.

Some of their major developments include: • Northstone Office Center (21,000 square feet) • GreenPointe Business Park (133 acres) • Mill Run mixed-use subdivision (350 acres) • Sinclair Road Distribution Center • Millington Apartments (328 units) Residential Condo conversion • Eastwind Commerce Center (66,000 square feet) • Commerce Pointe Business Center (176,000 square feet) • Market at Mill Run Shopping Center (236,000 square feet) At this luncheon, which is open to the public, Taggart will be updating attendees on the Mill Run Shopping Area. Reservations are required and need to be made by Tuesday, Jan. 17.

The cost for Hilliard Chamber members is $18 and the cost for the public is $21.

You may also make your reservation through our website, www.hilliardchamber.org, by contacting the Chamber office at (614) 876-7666, or email info@hilliardchamber.org.

January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

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Hollyfest Arts and Crafts Show

Thank you to all the show’s volunteers With the help of many volunteers, we held a successful Hollyfest Arts and Crafts Show for the 29th year.

From setting up poles and drapes,doing electricity set up, booth checks, admissions, parking, and tear down of the event, we had volunteers who made this show happen. More than 5,500 visitors came to Hilliard Hollyfest to do some Christmas shopping or have their pet’s picture taken with Santa, courtesy of Canine Companions for Independence. We would like to thank ACT — Associations, Conventions and Trade Shows for providing the poles, draping and signs for the booths. Due to their generosity, we received many compliments from crafters and visitors alike. Bonnie Nyikes, Prudential Calhoon Realtors, headed up the committee again this year. Thank you so much, Bonnie.

We would like to thank the following people who volunteered to help make this one of the greatest shows that we have had: Jean Sickles, Premier Chiropractic Center of Mill Run; Josh Hornik, Security Plus Insurance Agency; Mike Moore, TrueMT; Carrie Stanley-Davis, Nationwide Insurance, David Stanley & Associates; Amanda Morris, Hilliard City School District; Jill Gerschutz, Credit Union of Ohio ; Sandra Simpson, Bowen & Keck,Attorneys at Law; Kristi North, Indiana Wesleyan University — Columbus; Steve Bunyard, OhioHealth; Larry Earman, Earman & Wood, CPAs; Steve Ulrich, Your Complete Web Pres-

ence; Emily and Ladd Gabriel, Buck Gardens Animal Hospital; Tom Baker, Baker & Associates Insurance Agency; Sheree Cohen, Baker & Associates Insurance Agency; Dan Neff, Makoy Center; Linda Ulrey, Flyers Pizza & Subs; Kim Davis, Tolles Career & Technical Center; Chad Lybarger, Huntington National Bank; Jason Brown, All Star Sports; Don Nixon, Creative Spot; Heather Brookey, RE/MAX Affiliates; April Rhoden, Shaklee; Liane Rippingale, Columbus Metropolitan Library — Hilliard; Lisa Wood, Earman & Wood CPAs; Mark Jennings; Sue Thomas, Susan E. Thomas, CPA; Debbie Claytor, Latona Chiropractic & Rehab Center; Sandy & Sarah Deas, Safe Haven Counseling; Heather Keck, Bowen & Keck,Attorneys at Law; Rich Capuano, Credit Union of Ohio; Dennis Gongwer, ProForma Graphic Impressions 2; Debbie Petrella, Ohio State Bookkeeping; Cheri Hughes, Ohio State Bookkeping; Vijay Kannan, Nikworks; Sara Pettola, Blue Technologies; Ryan Ambrose, KEMBA Financial Credit Union; Shawn McCabe, McCabe PrintWorks; Tony Moog, Rotary Club; Buz Sherman, Rotary Club; Christine Liberto, Brian Keck, Donna and Denny Swenson, Jeremy Felix, Joyce Dorsey, Joyce Rhinehart, Sue Parks, Cindy Gerhan, and Tracy Hanson.

Special thanks to the Hilliard Darby and Hilliard Bradley high school softball teams who helped the crafters load and

Pictured are some volunteers who assembled poles and drapes together for the 2011 Hollyfest Arts & Crafts Show.

unload their items before and after the show and the Hilliard Davidson High School softball team who helped to set up the gym. We also appreciate the Vito-

Hilliard United summit, Best Hometown celebration set for Jan. 17 Please come and join the being named the “Best Homecommunity for the event, “Our town” by Great Lakes PublishCommunity, Our Future” on ing.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, which will We will be celebrating at the feature different organizations Makoy Center, 5462 Center from the community to hear Street. everyone’s “Big Idea.”

The doors will open at 6 p.m.

This will also be the celebration of Hilliard and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly is a special adver tising supplement to ThisWeek Community Newspapers. Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly is not responsible for opinions and vie ws expressed in the paid adver tisement in the business profiles. All real estate adver tising herein is subject to the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to adver tise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familiar status, or national origin, or intention to mak e any such preference, limitation or discrimination. ” We will not knowingly accept an y advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All per sons are hereby informed that all d wellings advertised are available on an equal oppor tunity basis.

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ria Arts School Dancers, Hilliard Davidson Madrigals and the Hilliard Happiness Singers for their holiday entertainment.

Having Tom McNutt, KaTaTim Inc., do

a live broadcast for his portion of the show on NBC4 during the show was a treat.

He also answered gardening questions and autographed his book.

Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce 4081 Main Street, Hilliard, OH 43206-1435 Phone: 614-876-7666 Fax: 614-876-3113 E-mail: info@hilliardchamber.org www.hilliardchamber.org Officers Tom Baker of Baker & Chair Associates Insurance Agency Shawn McCabe of Vice chair McCabe PrintWorks Rich Capuano of Credit Union of Ohio Treasurer

January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

Board of Directors Cheryl Bundy of KeyBank Steve Bunyard of OhioHealth Don Nixon of Creative Spot Bonnie Nyikes of Prudential Calhoon Company Realtors Brenda Roth of Hampton Inn & Suites Jean Sickles of Premier Chiropractic Center of Mill Run Carrie Stanley-Davis of Nationwide Insurance, David Stanley & Associates Brian Wilson of Hilliard City Schools Staff Libby Gierach President/CEO Jessica Woolley Administrative Assistant

www.hilliardchamber.org

Chair’s perspective

Looking forward in 2012: Do something different and business owners going to do different in 2012? I would like to suggest just one thing: Let’s forget about the word recession and all that negative talk about TOM the economy.

Whether or not we BAKER are in or out of a recession has little to do with what we do every day in our businesses. If it is part of our everyday business mentality then we are watching or listening to too much media on the subject,and reacting to what we hear.

Think about it, if they are talking about it, then it started 12-18 months prior, and we would be making busi-

ness decisions on old news. I am not professing that we ignore the economic climate.

In my business, I am lucky enough to talk with business owners across many industries and I find a common thread among those most successful.

It is that their business plans do not change because of the economy. Sure, some things change, but not the core business plan. They also don’t talk about how bad business is, but they do talk about planning for economic changes.

They plan for changes, because nothing stays the same. When we talk about the good old days, it can be comforting in terms of history, but in terms of business planning the good old days are just that, “old.”

The Hilliard community is vibrant

Annual Meeting set for March 16

Nominate a deserving Chamber member today The 2012 Annual Meeting will be a luncheon meeting to be held from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16, at the Heritage Golf Club.

The annual Chamber report in addition to the Chamber awards will be presented. Mark your calendar and plan to attend this important meeting.

There are three categories for chamber awards: Emerging Business, Established Business and

Most Involved Volunteer. Please feel free to nominate a deserving chamber member for any of these awards. All of our current members are listed on our website.

The nomination form is also on the website for you to download, print and send into the Chamber. The deadline to receive the nominations is Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Once again, Allied Sources will be doing the video production of the award winners.

We are saying goodbye to and as tw o Heather Keck as she has resigned years as board her position on the Chamber chair. She will Board of Directors with her elecbe missed, but tion to the Hilliard City Schools will use her Board of Education. time and talKeck has contributed countents to k eep less hours to the betterment of Brenda Roth our communithe business community through ty progressing her years of service on the board in her newly elected position.

www.hilliardchamber.org

Brenda Roth is a new member to the board of directors. She is the director of sales at the Hampton Inn & Suites on Lyman Drive. Roth has had multiple years of broad-based hospitality experience in and around Hilliard and nearly 10 years as an e vent planner for Best Buy Company.

Please welcome her!

business to join the Chamber. I would like to challenge each member to act on this in 2012, and start by inviting a guest business/business person to a Chamber function. I realize no one has to act on the challenge, but it is my hope that our business community will prove Mr. Walter Linn wrong when he says: “It is surprising what a man can do when he has to,and how little most men will do when they don’t have to.”

Please be a Chamber advocate, and do what most people will not do according to Mr. Linn — invite a guest in 2012! Best wishes for a productive 2012.

Tom Baker is the chair of the board of directors for Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce.

Join the LinkedIn group for the Hilliard Chamber The Hilliard Chamber of Com- LinkedIn is the professional plat- ing meaningful conversations merce has a LinkedIn group that form of social media,we want to about business issues. Look for we encourage you to join. As connect you to others in generat- our group and become a member.

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Goodbye to Heather Keck; welcome to Brenda Roth

and that involves a healthy business community, a healthy government, healthy schools, and healthy charitable support. The members of the chamber of commerce should carry the banner of this great community with pride.

We should support each other and work with an abundance mentality. Competition is healthy here and we should embrace it because it makes us better business people, and it’s better for the community.

As the chair of Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce my hope is that we can all act and think positively in this coming year. And that starts with being positive Chamber advocate.

This past November, our “Go Bucks” Lunch speaker Jeff Logan suggested that each member should get just one

Th

Welcome to 2012. I look forward to being of service to the Hilliard b usiness community. I would first like to recognize the Chamber board of director’s past leaders going back 10 years and thank them for serving the Hilliard business community: Heather Keck, Carrie Stanley-Davis, J.W. Kline, Brett Febus, Leslie Zimmerman, Tim Oyster, Larry Earman, and Chuck Buck.

And thank you to the board of directors, whom you’ll find listed in this newsletter, and all the directors, ambassadors, and volunteers who have served in the past. In this first perspective, I find myself looking at the overall big picture and less about specific issues or subject matter. Thank you for indulging me.

What are we as business professionals

LOCATIONS: Lane Avenue Hilliard-Now Open!

1629 West Lane Ave. 3870 Main St. 614-771-1388 614-488-8248

January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

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Hilliard Women in Business

Lessner to speak at Jan. 25 luncheon Elizabeth Lessner will be the speaker at the Wednesday, Jan. 25, luncheon for the Hilliard Women in Business luncheon.

Lessner is the founder/co-owner of the Columbus Food League, a restaurant group that includes Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits, The Surly Girl Saloon, Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog P alace & the Jury Room.

As a young bartender new to Columbus in the late ‘90s,Lessner was not impressed with the city’s restaurant and bar offerings. So in 2001, she opened one of her own, Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits. She was just 27 years old.

What she saw missing, she set out to

create. It would be a different kind of bar for Columbus.

Somewhere women could have fun and be comfortable with real tables, comElizabeth Lessner fort food, tasty cocktails, good beer, and friendly people serving it up.

Lessner was born in Chicago, went west for college and visited Columbus one summer and never left. She is out to

do this bar-and-restaurant thing not just differently, but for the better.

She is passionate on providing progressive benefits to her employees, respecting the earth in philosophy and practice, and when she can’t find a solution

New Chamber members Farmers Insurance – Brad Cummins Brad Cummins 5123 Norwich Street, Suite 240 Hilliard, OH 43026 (614) 309-3660 www.farmersagent.com/bcummins1 Brad Cummins Farmers Insurance Agency’s new location in Hilliard is no w open.We specialize in Hilliard insurance. We have been offering home, auto, business and life insurance in Hilliard since 2004. Call us at (614) 3093660 or log on to www.farmersagent.com/bcummins1 to learn more about our insurance agency.

Playpon De Blackstone 470 Schrock Road, Suite A Columbus, OH 43229 (614) 785-9300 Playpon is an Internet marketing and fundraising company who believes that through good schools comes better communities. Every deal that is purchased on Playpon’s site, 5% of the purchase price is given back to the local schools and 10% is given back to the purchaser’s charity/nonprofit of choice. Check out Playpon.com today.

Cuzzins Yogurt Jean Patrick 3870 Main Street Hilliard, OH 43026 (614) 771-1388 Cuzzins is the ultimate self-serve frozen yogurt experience. We serve smooth, creamy yogurt in 12 crowd-pleasing flavors that change regularly. And while Cuzzins Yogurt is good for you and low in fat, don’t worry — it still tastes great!

Choose from our 40 plus ultra-fresh toppings to create your own delicious treat. Come in soon and custom mix flavors to your heart’s content.

Sarah E. Dmytryk, CPA Sarah E. Dmytryk 3660 Colonial Drive Hilliard, OH 43026 (513) 659-5926 Sarah E. Dmytryk, CPA is an expert in individual, fiduciary, partnership, S Corporation, and C Corporation income tax. With the complexity of our ever-changing tax code, Sarah strives to provide the clients of her stand-alone practice the expertise of a CPA without the high cost of a CPA firm.

Pre-pay for your Chamber luncheons in 2012 You have the opportunity to pay for your luncheons the entire 2012 calendar year. We do not have luncheons during the months of June or July. The one-

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time cost is $175. This also includes the Annual Meeting in March. You are still required to make a reservation prior to each luncheon you plan to attend,but

you won’t have to hassle with bringing your checkbook or keeping track of expense receipts.

Contact the Chamber at (614) 876-7666 with your information.

— creating her own.

Lessner will be speaking on how she started her restaurant passion, how she has overcome setbacks to her business, and how she is giving back to the community.

Hilliard Women in Business luncheons are open to the public to anyone in central Ohio. Reservations are required and need to be made by Friday, Jan. 20, by contacting the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce at (614) 876-7666 or at info@hilliardchamber.org. The cost is $18 for Chamber members and $21 for the public. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Reception House at Raymond Memorial by Schmidt’s, 3860 Trabue Road in Columbus .

The mission of the Hilliard Women in Business is: Women dedicated to the inspiration, education, support and celebration of the personal and professional success of other business women.

Have you renewed your Chamber membership?

It’s renewal time for our Chamber members. We appreciate your continued support of the Chamber’s work on behalf of the business community.

We would like to recognize Pamela Trocchio, Ohio Semitronics, as the first business who renewed for 2012. We appreciate you being a chamber member and look forward to another great year.

Thank you to the following members who have re-invested as of press time: Ohio Semitronics; Kirkey & Company Financial Advisors, Inc.; ACC Party Rental, Inc.; John L. Haney, Jr., Attorney at Law; YMCA Hilliard/ Ray Patch Family Branch; Roger Reynolds; Curtis Elliott Designs,

Ltd.; Darby Creek Community Church; Northwest Kiwanis License Agency; Columbus Mitsubishi West; Rosati Windows; Norwich Township; Hamilton Safe Products Co. Inc.; Hilliard Pediatrics, Inc.; Hilliard Auto Farm & Fleet; Indiana Wesleyan UniversityColumbus Education and Conference Center; Scioto Valley; Jack’s Appliance Inc.; Beef ‘O’

To advertise in the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly, contact ThisWeek Community Newspapers sales representative Michelle Rettig at (740) 888-6016 or mrettig@ thisweeknews.com.

January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

Brady’s; Capitol City Glass & Screen Co., Inc.; Ameritron, Inc.; Kroger Co. — Cemetery Road; 9 Trees Landscape Construction; Sterling Protective Services, Inc.; DogWatch of Columbus Hidden F ences; Parkwest Professional Plaza; Coles & Associates CPAs; Xtek Partners, Inc.; and state Rep. Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City).

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www.hilliardchamber.org

Help to celebrate Columbus in song Calling all musicians: Help to celebrate the Columbus Bicentennial by participating in the Celebrate Columbus in Song contest.

Celebrate Columbus in Song contest is asking Columbus-community musi-

cians to submit original songs inspired

by Columbus, by Jan. 31.

All individual musicians and bands are eligible.

Songs must be an original creation for this contest, less than five minutes

and must celebrate the essence and spirit of Columbus.

Later, everyone will be able to go on the website and vote for their favorite song.

Celebrate Columbus in Song was

created to support local artists as they support the Bicentennial and for everyone to celebrate and enjoy the city’s amazing creative talent.

For further details, please visit http:// song.200columbus.com/.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

New legal requirement postponed to April 30 The National Labor Relations Board has agreed to postpone the effective date of its employee-rights notice-posting rule at the request of the federal court in Washington, D.C., that is hearing a legal challenge regarding the rule.

The board’s ruling states that it has determined that postponing the effective date of the rule would facilitate the resolution of the legal challenges that have been filed with respect to the rule. The new implementation date is April 30, 2012.

As of April 30, 2012, private-sector employers who are under the board’s jurisdiction must post a notice of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act at their workplace.

Employers must also provide a link to the notice from their internal or e xternal website if they routinely use the site to inform emplo yees of personnel rules or policies.

For your convenience and information, we have put a f act sheet on our website — www.hilliardchamber.org — explaining the board’s standards for asserting jurisdiction over the business operations of private-sector employers.

You may also go to www.nlrb.gov/poster, to download a 11-by-17 inch NLRB notice for free and have the option of printing it in multiple languages. In addition, the requirement may be satisfied by purchasing an all-in-one poster from a commercial vendor.

Representatives are also available to present information and answer questions in person through this link: www.nlrb.gov/who-we-are/request-speaker.

Member bits • Nathan Painter of Nathan D. Painter, LLC has been named 2012 Rising Star in Business Litigation by SuperLawyers Magazine. This award goes to the top five percent of attorneys in a practice area in the state of Ohio under the age of 40.

• The Hilliard Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Li-

brary is hosting a free adult-education fair from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The fair will host prominent schools from the Columbus area that offer degree

programs for adults. Schools include Columbus State Community College, Indiana Wesleyan University, Devry, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and many more. Drop by to speak with school representatives and collect information at this one-stop shop.

The library is located at 4772 Cemetery Road in Hilliard.

Read all about the Chamber at hilliardchamber.org www.hilliardchamber.org

Grand opening Join us on Saturday, Jan. 28, for the grand opening at Anderson Meadows, a new Schottenstein Homes community in Hilliard, with custom single-family homes priced from $200,000. Call (614) 876-6789 for more details.

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January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

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Member anniversaries The Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize our members who have continually supported the purpose of the chamber and its activities.

The following members have invested in the chamber for ten or more years as of January 2012: 23 years Ackerson Eye Care Center, Inc. – Laird Ackerson, O.D. Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. – Chuck Buck City of Hilliard – Mayor Don Schonhardt Hilliard Dry Cleaners, Inc. – Mindy Watkins Jones, Cochenour & Co. – Keith Lewis, CPA

18 years Multimedia InPhoNetworks, Inc. – Randy Babb 17 years Darby Creek Community Church – Greg Burlile David C. Mueller, DDS & Associates, LLC – Dave Mueller 15 years Western Credit Union – David Kinnard 14 years Extra Space Storage – Robynn Stepp PNC Bank – Hilliard Rome Road – Keri Collins

22 years Huntington National Bank – Jeff Ring

12 years Roger Reynolds

21 years Columbus Appraisal Company – William Uttley Loeb Electric Company – Tom Rupe Power Shack Fitness Centers – Sandy Tullett

11 years The Laserflex Corporation – Beth Hagerty

19 years Tolles Career & Technical Center – Kim Davis

10 years Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. – Nina Puluso COBA/Select Sires, Inc. – Bernie Heisner jh Web Works – Nick Hunkar The Keenan Agency – Michael Keenan

Guest column

Balancing our work and life Work is essential as the activity that delivers the things necessary for our survival as humans.

Beyond survival, work is the lever of our intellectual curiosity and the blessing that has produced civilization.

Congratulations, civilization, because many small business owners love what they do so much that they actually don’t think about it as work – or that they would ever stop.

Alas, facing that indictment, this business owner would be guilty as charged.

B.C. Forbes (1880-1954), founder of Forbes magazine and grandfather of Steve Forbes, said, “I have known not a few men who, after reaching the summit of business success, found themselves miserable upon attaining retirement.”

Is Mr. Forbes warning us about

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JIM BLASINGAME retirement or the dangers of a life without balance? If the latter, consider this Blasingame Small Business Principle: “The work we love can morph from blessing to curse if it exists without balance.”

If you love your work, congratulations; but simultaneous with that love, make sure you also love whatever can counter-weight your work to balance the scales of your life: golf, tennis, knitting, or — and this is a big one — your child’s ball game.

Research shows that balancing our beloved work with other interests enhances physical and mental well-being, and actually increases productivity. And it makes us much more interesting and desirable to be around.

Balancing work and life is eas-

ier for employees than it is for an owner because they’re typically concerned only with their assignments. But when the proverbial “buck” stops on the owner’s desk, it’s loaded up with all of the challenges and opportunities facing every aspect of the business.

And even if you’ve acquired the ability to take all of this in stride, “all of this” quite simply just takes a lot of time.

Consequently, achieving balance requires conscious intention, plus a little bit more. Finding the right combination of work and balance in the life of a small business owner requires the execution of at least three of the things that we use to achieve success in our businesses: planning, scheduling, and discipline.

The virtue of having a business See BALANCE, page 7

Guest column

7 tax tips for small businesses Small businesses have an especially hard time when it comes to taxes. Here are seven tips that will help keep you focused and could help save you money.

1. Deductions – make the most of them. While reviewing your expenditures, remember that ‘ordinary and necessary’ business expenses aren’t just equipment and rent. Business losses can be deducted from the business owner’s personal income taxes. In addition, if you are on a business and pleasure trip, the transportation costs are deductible if you spend more than 50% of your time doing business. Check with your accountant to find out if you are making the most of your deductions.

2. Check out tax credits.

There are a variety of valuable tax credits available that can reduce your tax liability. These tax credits include Employer Social

DAWN KRAUS

four times a year: Jan. 15, April 15, June 15 and Sept. 15. Sales tax is due quarterly or monthly, depending on what state your business is located in. Employee taxes are due either weekly, monthly or quarterly, depending on the size of your payroll.

6. Update your accounting.

Spend time each year reviewing your accounting practices to ensure that your books are up-todate and accurate. Speak with your accountant about your procedures and ask if your current computer accounting system is the right system for your business.

7. Always keep your tax documentation for seven years. Although no one is looking for an audit, it is better to have your documentation ready if it happens.

Security Credit, Disabled Access Credit, Work Opportunity Credit, Research Credit, Investment Credit, and more. Ask your accountant what credits are available for your business.

3. Quarterly estimated tax.

If your business has a tax bill of more than $500, you should be paying quarterly estimated taxes or you may be hit with IRS penalties which can severely impact your business’s cash flow.

4. Don’t forget to give. Charitable contributions can be claimed as deductions.

5. Meet your deadlines. Annual returns are due on April 15 for unincorporated companies and S corporations. C corporations must file within 2 1/2 months from the end of their fis- Reprinted courtesy of Dawn cal year. Estimated taxes are due Kraus of SmartBiz.com.

Calendar of events Friday, Jan. 13 Morning Business Network Exchange Chick-fil-A 1988 Hilliard Rome Road 8-9 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 17 Our Community, Our Future

Hilliard United Summit & Hometown Celebration Makoy Center 5462 Center Street 6-8:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 20 Chamber Luncheon Heritage Golf Club

3525 Heritage Club Drive 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 25 Hilliard Women in Business Luncheon Heritage Golf Club 3525 Heritage Club Drive 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Become a fan of the Chamber on Facebook We are on Facebook which provides us with another avenue to be in contact with you! If you are on Facebook, please search Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce and click to become a fan. You may also go to www.facebook/hilliardchamber. We are posting pictures of our events as well as providing more up to date information on what is going on in the Chamber.

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January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

www.hilliardchamber.org

Guest column

Six steps to a more marketable LinkedIn profile Somewhere along the line, you started treating it more like a resume. It’s time to fix that.

Overall, LinkedIn is the best social media platform for entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals. Unfortunately, your LinkedIn profile may not be helping you to create those connections.

So let’s tune yours up with six simple steps: Step 1. Revisit your goals.

At its most basic level LinkedIn is about marketing: marketing your company or marketing yourself. But that focus probably got lost as you worked through the mechanics of completing your profile, and what started as a marketing effort turned into a resume completion task.

Who you are isn’t as important as what you hope to accomplish, so think about your goals and convert your goals into keywords, because keywords are how people find you on LinkedIn. But don’t just whip out the Google AdWords Keyword Tool and identify popular keywords.

It’s useful but everyone uses it— and that means, for example, that every Web designer has shoe-

BALANCE Continued from page 6 or financial plan is self-evident.

But we should be just as disciplined about a plan that balances work with other interests. Otherwise, paraphrasing Mr. Forbes, we may become miserable upon retirement.

Surely, the recipe for happiness includes work, relationships, and experiences that create memories.

Write this on a rock... Make sure your memories aren’t just about work.

Reprinted courtesy of Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate.

www.hilliardchamber.org

JEFF HADEN horned six- and seven-digit searches-per-month keywords like “build a website,” “website templates,” “designing a website,” and “webmaster” into their profile. It’s hard to stand out when you’re one of millions.

Go a step further and think about words that have meaning in your industry. Some are process-related; others are terms only used in your field; others might be names of equipment, products, software, or companies.

Use a keyword tool to find general terms that could attract a broader audience, and then dig deeper to target your niche by identifying keywords industry insiders might search for.

Then check your keywords against your goals. If you’re a Web designer but you don’t provide training, the 7 million monthly Google searches for “how to Web design” don’t matter.

Step 2. Layer in your keywords. The headline is a key factor in search results, so pick your most important keyword and make sure it appears in your headline. “Most important” doesn’t mean most searched, though; if you provide services to a high-

ly targeted market the keyword in your headline should reflect that niche. Then work through the rest of your profile and replace some of the vague descriptions of skills, experience, and educational background with keywords. Your profile isn’t a term paper so don’t worry about a little repetition. A LinkedIn search scans for keywords, and once on the page, so do people.

Step 3. Strip out the clutter.

If you’re the average person, you changed jobs six or eight times before you reached age 30. That experience is only relevant when it relates to your current goals.

Sift through your profile and weed out or streamline everything that doesn’t support your business or professional goals.

If you’re currently a Web designer but were an accountant in a previous life, a comprehensive listing of your accounting background is distracting.

Keep previous jobs in your work history, but limit each to job title, company, and a brief description of duties.

Step 4. Reintroduce your personality. Focusing on keywords and eliminating clutter is important, but in the process your individuality probably got lost. Now you can put it back and add a little enthusiasm and flair. Describing yourself as, “A

MAKE YOUR GREAT OUTDOORS GREATER!

www.Buckandsons.com 614-876-BUCK(2825)

process improvement consultant with a Six Sigma black belt,” is specific and targeted but also says nothing about you as a person — and doesn’t make me think, “Hey, she would be great to work with.”

Share why you love what you do in your profile. Share what you hope to accomplish. Describe companies you worked for or projects you completed.

Share your best or worst experience. Keep your keywords in place, leave out what doesn’t support your goals, and then be yourself.

Keywords are important but are primarily just a way to help potential clients find you. No one hires keywords; they hire people.

Step 5. Take a hard look at your profile photo. Say someone follows you on Twitter.

What’s the first thing you do?

Check out their photo.

A photo is a little like a logo: On its own, an awesome photo won’t win business but a bad photo can definitely lose business.

Take a look at your current photo. Does it reflect who you are as a professional or does it reflect a hobby or outside interest? Does it look like a real estate agent’s headshot? A good photo flatters but doesn’t mislead. Eventually, you’ll meet some of your customers in person and the inevitable disconnect between Photoshop and life will be jarring.

The goal is for your photo to reflect how you will look when you meet a customer, not how you looked at that killer party in Key West four years ago. The best profile photo isn’t neces-

sarily your favorite photo. The best photo strikes a balance between professionalism and approachability — making you look good but also real.

Step 6. Get recommendations. Most of us can’t resist reading testimonials, even when we know those testimonials were probably solicited.

Recommendations add color and depth to a LinkedIn profile, fleshing it out while avoiding any, “Oh jeez will this guy ever shut up about himself?” reactions.

So ask for recommendations, and offer to provide recommendations before you’re asked.

The best way to build great connections is to always be the one who gives first.

Reprinted courtesy of Jeff Haden, Inc. Magazine

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Spotlight on Business:

Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. Celebrating its 40th year in business, Buck & Sons Landscape Service has been a longtime member of the Hilliard/central Ohio community. Buck & Sons was started in 1972 by Charlie Buck; his wife, Marianna; and their sons, Chuck and Steve.

Buck & Sons developed a reputation early on as a firm built on family business principles of pride, ethics and quality in service.

Buck & Sons is a full-service landscape business, providing both landscape installation and maintenance services. On

any given day, you may see one of our installation crews creating ponds, water features, paver patios, or installing new hardscapes for both residential and commercial properties. Our maintenance crews travel around central Ohio daily to ensure that our clients’ homes and businesses have beautifully manicured lawns, weed-free beds, and colorful annual flowers. And in the winter, you may see us plowing or shoveling snow at many of our customers’ properties.

Buck & Sons Landscape Ser- Buck & Sons crew members install a “green roof” on one of the structures at Highland Park Family Aquatic Center. Buck & Sons is vice has a long list of accom- committed to implementing green initiatives in all facets of our company’s operations. plishments in the landscape in- received more landscape main- help you with any of your residustry. tenance awards than any other dential or commercial landscape We incorporate professional- firm in Ohio and has been rec- needs. ism and quality into every job. It ognized for all facets of the servContact us at (614) 876-5359 is our goal to earn our customer’s ices we provide, from design and or greatoutdoors@buckandrespect and gratitude by provid- installation to lawn care and main- sons.com and let us show you ing superior service. tenance. how we can make your outdoors In addition, Buck & Sons has Buck & Sons would love to great.

Serving Hilliard and surrounding communities 2011 landscape installed at Highland Family Aquatic Center in Westerville.

Voted 2011 “Rising Star” in Business Litigation by SuperLawyers

Central Ohio Business Resources Small Business Administration www.sba.gov

Service Corp of Retired Executives www.scorecolumbus.org

Ohio Chamber of Commerce www.ohiochamber.com

The Women’s Business Development Center (614) 222-6700 cascenter@aol.com

Small Business Development Centers of Ohio www.odod.state.oh.us Small Business Development Center www.entrepreneurohio.org

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Conway Center for Family Business www.familybusinesscenter.com Central Ohio Better Business Bureau www.centralohio.cbbb.org

Business Law, Business Litigation, Criminal Law, Divorce Education Law, Election Law, Employment Law, Equine Law, Estate Planning, Personal Injury

www.NathanPainterLaw.com 5491 Scioto Darby Road, Suite 102, Hilliard, OH 43026 614-319-3306

January 2012 | Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

www.hilliardchamber.org