Issuu

2015

MARCH/APRIL

Chatter the Chamber

The Member News & Information Resource

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

Dear Members,

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

CHAMBER STAFF Mark Yoder President Dave Fairman Director of Membership Bethany Kopp Member Service Coordinator Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce 119 North High Street West Chester, PA 19380 tel 610.696.4046 fax 610.696.9110 www.greaterwestchester.com

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce took every precaution to ensure that all information is correct at the time of publishing. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

Design6Ëš | connections count www.design6degrees.com

It is a privilege to serve as the 2015 Chair of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. I am excited to be a part of an incredible organization that is focused on the success of local business and industry. I first want to thank Chris Tolsdorf, our immediate past chair, who was instrumental in developing our committee structure enabling the board to strategize, discuss and review new ideas to better service our members. The committees allow additional opportunities for the Chamber to hear from our membership and they enable the members to become more engaged with the Chamber. I look forward to continuing this precedent in 2015 and again, thank Chris for his leadership. I ask you to consider being an active chamber member as part of your business strategy. There are many benefits of being involved in your local Chamber, where business members have opportunities to share ideas, strategies and work together for mutual success. National studies have been done to determine the impact of Chamber membership and have found a majority of those polled believe a member uses good business practice, believe the member has an enhanced reputation and believe the member cares about its customers and is involved in the community. These perceptions result in increased business to the member. I have benefited from working with business professionals and owners who have all brought their own exceptional and diverse experience and points of view. The stories of entrepreneurship are unique, but the business issues the owners face are common to all. Because of the knowledge and connections I have gained as an active member of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, I am a better advisor to my Firmâ€™s clients, many of whom are closely held business owners. As the Chamber looks forward to 2015, we have many events planned to benefit our members. On March 26, 2015, the Disney Approach to Leadership Excellence Seminar will be held. We are exploring opportunities to partner with West Chester University to further enhance the education series to our members. The Exchange and Womenâ€™s Roundtable forums offer our members the opportunity to meet and converse with business leaders in our community. Our monthly meetings address topics of interest to business owners, such as understanding how banks evaluate credit, Employee/HR issues, and marketing strategies. There are exciting changes in store for our 10 Grand Event. The Iron Hill Criterium and Mars Drinks Old Fashioned Christmas, presented by QVC are sure to be a success. While there are mixed reports about the state of our economy the general consensus is that we are trending towards better times. Opportunity lies therein. I encourage you to prepare your business for the improved economic climate. The resources at the Chamber, including a great staff, can help you towards that goal. We are committed to serve and strive to support the betterment and economic development of the Greater West Chester Area. We look forward to learning more about you and your business and continuing our mutual journey for growth and success. If we can be of any assistance please feel free to contact me at Fischer Cunnane & Associates Ltd or Mark, Bethany or Dave at the Chamber office. Thank you. Donna Urian, Chairman Fischer Cunnane & Associates, Ltd.

The Chamber Welcomes New Members Brumbaugh Wealth Management

Greene Street

PassItOnword.com

Ms. Michelle Venema Eagleview Corporate Center 760 Constitution Drive, Suite 100 Exton, PA 19341 610-458-2495 mvenema@brumbaughwealth.com www.brumbaughwealth.com Financial Services

Melissa Mellon 119 West Market Street West Chester, PA 19382 484-947-5562 melissagreenestreet@gmail.com www.greenestreet.com Apparel

Ms. Lia Koyner 1379 Dilworthtown Crossing, Suite 114 West Chester, PA 19382 484-886-4323 wendy@passitonword.com www.passitonword.com Non-Profit

Chester County Night School

Mr. Fred Gusz 416 West Market Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-952-3784 fredgusz@gmail.com Associate Member

Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio

Jill Johnson 222 North Walnut Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-692-1964 jill@chestercountynightschool.org chestercountynightschool.org Education/Training

Classic Diner, West Chester Mrs. Linda Farrell 16 East Gay Street West Chester, PA 19382 484-947-0809 lindabfarrell@gmail.com classicdinerpa.com Restaurant/Cafe

Counseling - Life, Love and Loss Elaine Madden 1032 Dunvegan Road West Chester, PA 19382 484-604-0737 counselingbyem@gmail.com www.elainemmadden.com Counseling/Social Services

Cowles Graphic Design Bette Cowles-Friedlander 177 Fringetree Drive West Chester, PA 19380 610-363-6418 info@cowlesgraphicdesign.com cowlesgraphicdesign.com Graphic Design

First Financial Group Garrett Flasinski 2 Bala Plaza Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 610-766-3311 gflasinski@financialguide.com thefirstfinancialgroup.com Financial Services

Healing Art Works MS Christine Smolenski 210 Ravenwood Road Exton, PA 19341 717-669-8902 christine.smolenski@gmail.com www.healingartworks.org Arts & Crafts

Weichert Realtors West Chester/ T. Horan Mr. Timothy Horan 1238 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382 610-436-0400 tim@timothyjhoran.com timothyjhoran.com Real Estate

IC Bidding Mr. Eric Kruse 604 Municipal Drive Thorndale, PA 19372 484-653-9429 ekruse@icbidding.com www.icbidding.com Personal Services

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline Mr. Eric Roe 313 West Market Street Suite 6238 West Chester, PA 19380 610-344-6100; Fax 610-344-6448 mkichline@chesco.org chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=1323 Government

Brendon Dolan 901 South Bolmar Street, Suite N West Chester, PA 19382 610-430-3333; Fax 610-235-5725 info@pinestreetcarpenters.com www.pinestreetcarpenters.com Kitchens & Bath

Providence Facial Plastics & Cosmetic Surgery Ms. Linda Paoli 500 Evergreen Drive, Suite 18 Glen Mills, PA 19342 610-874-5366; Fax 610-874-6098 lpaoliprovent@gmail.com providencefacialplastic.com Medical Services

Ron Cherry/ Writing Et Al Mr. Ron Cherry 302 East Marshall Street, #518 West Chester, PA 19380 484-318-5589 roncherry@comcast.net Freelance Writer

West Chester Sport & Social Mr. Timothy Horan 1290 Country Lane West Chester, PA 19380 484-919-8547; Fax 215-483-9340 tim@playphillysports.com playwcsports.com Sports

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Thank you to our

Renewing Members in December & January Members for 20 - 29 years Chester County Opticians Founds Funeral Home, Inc.

Our members are the foundation of our organization. To honor them we would like to congratulate and thank those who renewed their membership in December 2014 & January 2015. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce. Dave Fairman Director of Membership

Jane Chalfant / Kiki Boutique Manito Abstract Company, Inc. Market Street Print Richard C. Nelson, DDS Wetzel Gagliardi & Fetter LLC Chester County SPCA Chester County Bar Association Arthur Hall Insurance Good Fellowship Ambulance Club of Chester County Process Equipment & Systems, Inc. Brandywine Valley Wealth Advisors, LLC

Exton Senior Living Optimodal, Inc. A. Poletto & Associates Toucan Enterprises Robert E. Delphais, Inc. Main Line Today West Chester Psychiatric Associates Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts

Milestone Events Weed Man Lawn Care RTD Financial Advisors

ABC Hearing Net

Avis / Budget Rent-A-Car Yori’s Church Street Bakery

3 - 9 years Comfort Keepers New Haven Style Pizza Kritter Cleaner Mobile Pet Grooming Fulton Bank

Quinn of West Chester, Inc./DBA ServPro of West Chester Employer Services Online LLC

Media One Products, LLC Children’s Country Week Association Uptown! Entertainment Alliance Saints Peter & Paul School

1 - 2 years Ballroom at the Westside Chester County Computer Corner Marling’s Emergency Water Removal

10 - 19 years

Horace Mann Insurance

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Ferullo Insurance Agency

A Taste of Olive

SosteNica, Inc.

Englund’s Apparel for Men

Underground Services, Inc.

USI Affinity Insurance

Rhoads Creative, Inc.

Kaly

Keller Williams Brandywine Valley

Bellingham Retirement Living

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Pettine Law Offices, LLC

Pro College Advisors

Pagani and Wylam, CPA

Kelly’s Sports, Ltd

Delightful Desserts & Culinary Creations Inc.

Blue Dog Printing & Design

The Arc of Chester County

BlueEdge Consulting, LLC

ecoservices, LLC

1-800-905 Geek / Geeks On Call

Thomas Comitta Associates, Inc.

Church Farm School

Jefferson at Westtown

BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors / K. Anstey Dusty Rose Cleaning Service

West Chester Christian School

Kinetic Physical Therapy Adventures in Advertising

2015 GWCC Board Members Officers

Board of Directors

Donna Urian, Chairman Fischer Cunnane & Associates, Ltd.

Mary Bigham Town Dish, LLC

Debi Friedmann Blue Dog Printing & Design

Patrick M. McKenna Gawthrop Greenwood, PC

Robert Partridge, Chairman- Elect Cutanea Life Sciences

Bryan Brockson EDiS Construction & Development

Thomas Gavin The Chester County Hospital

Michelle Patrick West Chester University

Liz Golding Susquehanna Bank

Marisa Powell Pietro’s Prime

Nicole Grebloskie Arthur Hall Insurance

Donna Saul Donna Saul LLC, Assoc. Business Strategist & Consultant

Marc Ernest, Vice Chairman Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Marjorie Wentz, Treasurer Trinity Wealth Management, LLC Andrew McMenamin, Secretary DNB First Chris Tolsdorf, Immediate Past Chairman Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express

John J. Cunningham Lamb McErlane PC Guy T. Dunn 1-800-905 Geek / Geeks On Call Helen Flanders YMCA Oscar Lasko Youth Program Center Robert Fraser West Chester Area School District

GOLF MEMBERSHIP WINNERS The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Applecross Country Club to offer renewing members an opportunity to win a Casual Golf Membership at Talamore and Applecross Country Clubs. All current members are eligible to win during the month they renew their membership. The drawings will continue each month through December 2015.

Congratulations to the following businesses who were picked in a lottery drawing of Chamber businesses that renewed their memberships in December 2014 and January 2015:

Timothy Jefferis Penn Liberty Bank Quazi Khaled Mars Drinks North America, LLC Jeannie McGinn Fulton Bank

Brian Stephenson Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC Leigh Timberman Infiniti of West Chester

Mr. David Liegeot Adventures in Advertising

Ms. Lauren Iannucci The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Mr. Andrew Durako Bellingham Retirement Living

Mr. Bruce West Manito Abstract Company, Inc.

Mr. Kevin Miller BlueEdge Consulting, LLC

Ms. Khristian Toolan Marling’s Emergency Water Removal

Ms. Wendy Hoffman Chester County Bar Association

Ms. Diane Matthews Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts

Mr. Christopher Reagoso Chester County Computer Corner

Ms. Andrea Sankaran Milestone Events

Ms. Robyn Freese Chester County SPCA

Richard C. Nelson Richard C. Nelson, DDS

Ms. Diane Sheppard Senator Andrew Dinniman’s Office

Mr. Anthony S. Poletto A. Poletto & Associates

Ms. Linda DeNenno ecoservices, LLC

Mr. Elwood Baldwin Process Equipment & Systems, Inc.

Mr. John R. Ferullo Ferullo Insurance Agency

Mr. Hal Zuber Underground Services, Inc.

Mr. Steve Kelly Kelly’s Sports, Ltd

Ms. Christina Sarrafian Uptown! Entertainment Alliance

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Me mbe r Spotlight Founded in 1929 and members of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce since 1983, the Chester County SPCA exists to end animal suffering and to involve the entire community in the welfare and well-being of animals. Engaging communities as a whole results in happier and healthier companions. This goal is accomplished by promoting the adoption of healthy animals, prevention of animal overpopulation with spay and neuter resources, and provision of affordable veterinary services as well as support to the public so that pets can remain in loving families. Being an open-access shelter covering both Chester and Delaware Counties can prove difficult at times, but the Chester County SPCA welcomes the chance to connect with an array of people. In doing so, it is committed to making progressive, proactive changes to benefit as many people and animals as possible. “My own vision is to truly be able to get the community involved from the ground roots,” states Adam Lamb, Executive Director of the Chester County SPCA.

Chester County SPCA 1212 Phoenixville Pike West Chester, PA 610.692.6113 www.ccspca.org

The 10th Anniversary of West Chester’s Premier

When: Friday, April 10th 7:00pm – 10:00pm Where: Penn Oaks Golf Club 150 Penn Oaks Drive, West Chester Ticket Prices: $200.00 Guest Tickets: (one per ticket purchased) $50.00 Call Today to Purchase Your Ticket: 610.696.4046 *Attendance isn’t necessary to win.

Located at 1212 Phoenixville Pike in West Chester, the staff of the Chester County SPCA encourages members of our community to visit the shelter and see the positive changes that have been made during recent months. And who knows – you may very well leave with your new best friend! For more information, please contact the Chester County SPCA at 610.692.6113, or feel free to visit its website at www.ccspca.org.

I s H e a d e d Y ou r Way You won’t want to miss this fun-filled evening among your friends, colleagues, and—did we mention there’s a chance at winning $10,000? We’ll save your seat. On April 10th, GWCC and the 10 Grand Club are pulling out all the stops, with top-notch food, drinks, and big-ticket prizes, including gift cards, TVs, iPads, and more! Not only that, but a good portion of the proceeds will benefit the GWCC Education Foundation. Tickets are $200 each—and there are only 200 tickets available—meaning everyone will walk out a winner! It also means every attendee has a 1 in 200 shot of winning $10,000, and those are odds worth playing for. So how does it all work? Each attendee is assigned a number between 1-200, and numbers will be drawn for each prize at random. You won’t walk out empty-handed. Not to mention, we have a few surprises up our sleeves for this year’s event.

There are only two hundred tickets and they’ll go fast. Reserve yours today! — Cocktail Hour Sponsor —

— Prize Sponsor —

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Become a Better Leader: The Disney Way This March, the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce is kicking off an education series in partnership with Disney, called Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence. GWCC couldn’t be more excited about The Disney Institute coming to West Chester to help improve our local business community. But how can an entertainment company teach you how to become a better leader within your own organization? Of course as one of, if not, THE most popular brands in history, Disney’s approach is focused on empowering businesses and organizations like yours to collectively raise the bar through leadership, culture, customer experience, brand loyalty, creativity, and innovation— and you’d be wise to listen.

is to passionately communicate your shared vision and practice what your company stands for. Leaders also cultivate committed employees who strive to lead as well. It is this approach to leadership that is responsible for The Walt Disney Company legacy known around the world today.

During this education session, you’ll learn Disney’s time-tested approach to enhancing your leadership capabilities, helping to:

What You Will Learn:

- Improve trust and respect

- I dentify the personal and organizational values that drive you as a leader to carry out your organization’s vision.

- Strengthen employee performance - Enhance customer service - Build better business results Leadership is more than a nice-to-have label. Leadership is about taking hold of the reigns and positively impacting your team through values and behavior that they, in turn, will reciprocate to other. As The Disney Institute states: Great leaders align their own values and vision with those of their business and help operationalize them for the future. The most meaningful way to demonstrate these skills

- Adapt time-tested Disney business insights to assess and improve your organization.

- E stablish an alignment of personal values and organizational values to enthusiastically support your organization’s vision. -U nderstand a leader’s values-infused role in operationalizing culture-building and team support. -D evelop strategies to sustain your organization’s values and vision during turbulent times as well as good times.

Register today for your chance to learn how Disney can teach you and your team effective leadership strategies to enhance your business or organization. We’ll see you there! When: Thursday, March 26, 2015 8:00am - 4:00pm Location: Days Hotel West Chester 943 S. High Street West Chester PA 19382 Registration: GWCC Members – $319 Chamber Alliance of Chester County Members - $349 General Public - $399

-B uild your own personal legacy as a leader.

Sponsored by:

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Why a Change in Attitude is Vital to Long Term Growth OR The Unseen Factors that Affect Sales, Retention and Growth Because I spend most of my time on the road and working inside other companies, I see firsthand how people gain and lose trust, sales, and their self-respect time and again. I’ve watched companies treat their front line people so poorly that sales plummet, leaving everyone to wonder why when the reason is obvious and right in front of them. I’ve listened as colleagues and co-workers complain about one another, sabotage one another, yet never addressing the issue directly with the person(s) in question. And while at the water cooler, in the bathrooms, on the road, and at their desks acting out and voicing their complaints, they’re losing sales, and the respect of potential customers. If you think all of this is acceptable behavior, think again. For each and every one of these circumstances, you—or the company that employs you—is losing sales, losing money and all of this threatens the ability of a company to grow and keep people employed. This is a new year, with new rules for surviving in an only moderately functioning economy, and it’s time we started being just a little nicer to one another—personally and professionally. If not because you’re built that way and think it’s time, but because it’s critical to long term success. So I offer a few solutions to consider based on my experience:

1. Say what you mean and mean what you say. This speaks to integrity, and without integrity, you or your company will lose trust, lose business and lose jobs. For example, we’ve all met the sleazy sales person who sells without regard to a prospect’s needs, or who makes promises that can’t be kept. We’ve all met the employee with the bad attitude that is ignored and allowed by the company who hired them, and yet when the numbers slump wonder why customers don’t come back. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These types of people and situations are everyone’s problem, and in this new economy, it’s time that everyone does their part to ensure a company’s success and long term growth. It’s not the large companies that will drive economic recovery, although if you listen to some talking heads they’d like to think they’re the ONLY solution. The solution is in the strength of small and growing companies that need all hands on deck to become a viable force for job retention and economic growth. And a key element of this is integrity—keeping your word, minding your language, doing the right thing in the face of odds, and addressing the hard stuff that comes along at all stages of a company’s growth and a person’s existence on and off the job. A job is a necessity, but it’s also a gift to be respected by all parties at all levels.

2. What you do and how you act affects everyone around you. No one operates in a vacuum, and work is hard. Some

people love it and some are just doing their time. Regardless, it serves the bottom line, as well as your job security, to consider that no one is entitled to anything. You and the person beside you both are working for a living, as are the customers you serve. Yes, they can be annoying; yes, they can be rude, but you have the power to determine how you allow this to affect you. You can take the bait and lower your standards to theirs, or you can lead by example and let their behavior flow off of you like water. In the end, everyone wins. Potentially, you retain customers, your job, your self-respect, and definitely, it won’t wreck your day. Choose. Then consider the habits and skills you need to develop to enhance your integrity, and act accordingly. Everyone wins—you, the customer and the company.

3. Ethics is good business. In addition the right thing to do, ethics are a valuable commodity that go a long way in establishing trust and building a solid foundation—personally and professionally. The Golden Rule—treat others as you would want to be treated—has stood the test of time because of its authenticity and truth. By treating others with the same courtesy you expect from them, and in otherwise acting in a way that you yourself want to be treated, you will gain respect and trust from coworkers, employees, customers, business partners, and beyond. Like attracts like. All of this matters to the bottom line, job retention and job satisfaction and economic growth. The pursuit of excellence (in the form of exceeding customer expectations, delivering superior results regardless of task, commitment to innovation and continuous improvement), integrity (in the form of doing the right thing every single time, delivering on commitments, and being personally, professionally, and socially responsible), teamwork and respect (in the form of recognizing the power of collaboration, respecting others opinions, and empowering people to make the right decisions) are not idle concepts but fundamental truths associated with profit and long term economic survival. They’re also integral to happiness, and who doesn’t want more of that?

Donna Saul is a business strategist and consultant with a proven track record of helping companies grow fast, increase sales and revenues, improve productivity and profit and building a stronger bottom line. ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS

donna@donnasaul.com | 610.889.0626 | www.donnasaul.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

By: Donna Saul

By: Daniel R. Zajac

Why Your Stock May be a Detriment to your Financial Plan As a financial advisor, I constantly hear the same two questions (if only I had a nickel…): “What stock should I invest in?” And, “Can I tell you about the stock I just bought?”

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you have the discipline to sell at the top of the market and cash in your stock. If so, congratulations! You picked a great stock and made a great profit. And for the record, three very unlikely things happened in this imaginary stock scenario:

I am not here to tell you whether your stock selection is a great idea or not; however, I will tell you that it is unlikely that a good pick or a bad pick will drastically change your financial future.

1. You picked a stock.

More importantly, if you are depending on “picking stocks” to meet your financial goals, then you may need to reconsider your “plan.”

3. You sold your stock at the perfect time.

Simple Math - Why Your Stock Doesn’t Matter Success comes down to simple math as well as how much you are willing to invest. More often than not, when investors pick a stock and invest, the total investment is a small portion of their assets (to be fair, it makes sense to only invest a small portion of your money in a stock for which you have no vested or controlling interest. But I digress…) Let’s assume that you take a hypothetical $10,000 and invest it in XYZ stock. Continue the assumption and imagine that the value of XYZ stock doubles in one year (which would be a remarkable and uncommon event).

2. Your stock doubled and doubled quickly.

This is the question: can you do it all again? We already determined that this amount of money won’t materially change your life. So what now? Time to reinvest. Now, do you think you will be just as lucky, er… successful on your second time around? What about your third?

What’s My Point?

Great. Your $10,000 turned into $20,000.

I encourage you not to fool yourself into thinking that random stock picks from your friend is a sound financial planning strategy that will help you to achieve your long-term goals. Accept it for what it is – typically, a 1- or 2-year spin on a financial roulette wheel.

However, let me ask you the following questions. Will this dollar amount materially change your lifestyle? Are you suddenly independently wealthy? Can you quit your job and buy that Ferrari you’ve been dreaming about?

If you want to save/invest money for retirement, a house, college, or something else, it takes time. It also takes a plan. It takes goal setting and discipline. It takes a concerted effort over a period of years to accumulate wealth.

Cue the “Debbie Downer” music - the answer is almost certainly “no.”

When Will You Sell? For argument’s sake, let’s assume that you did pick a great investment, and it performed as well as the example above. Are you going to have the discipline to sell your beloved stock and make money? (You don’t make money until you sell…you know that, right?). What if you don’t sell at the top of the market and XYZ stock starts to lose money? At what point will you cut bait? Worse, will you hang onto your baby in hopes that it will “bounce back?”

The above hypothetical example is for illustrative purposes only and does not attempt to predict actual results of any particular investment. No person or system can predict the market. All investments are subject to risk, including the risk of principal loss. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) noted and may or may not represent the views of Capital Analysts, Inc. or Lincoln Investment. The material presented is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. As with all investments, past performance is no guarantee of future results. No person or system can predict the market. All investments are subject to risk, including the risk of principal loss. Advisory services offered through Capital Analysts, Inc. or Lincoln Investment, Registered Investment Advisors. Securities offered through Lincoln Investment, Broker Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. www.lincolninvestment.com Simone Zajac Wealth Management Group, LLC and the above firms are independent, non-affiliated entities.

Daniel R. Zajac, CFP®, AIF®, CLU® is a Partner with Simone Zajac Wealth Management Group. You can learn more about Daniel and read his thoughts on financial planning at www.financeandflipflops.com.

daniel@simonezajac.com | 610.363.1344 | www.simonezajac.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

CHAT AROUND THECHAMBER CHAMBER CHAT AROUND THE How are you gearing up for spring? Do you wish fitness was fun and not a chore? Do you want to be strong to run a race, simply enjoy walking through downtown West Chester smelling the fresh spring air, plant those spring flowers and mulching your garden without it being a back breaking ordeal, or do you just want to be strong to lift groceries, children, and anything else properly without injuring yourself this season?

Erica Burns Fit Ryde Indoor Cycling & Fitness Studio

STRONG is the new skinny this Spring! Get FIT and RYDE with me and my awesome team of instructors at Fit Ryde Indoor Cycling and Fitness Studio in West Chester, PA. Take the challenge and decide to have some fun. No excuses…there is always time to get fit, be healthy, and feel strong!

GWCC’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) status renewed for 2015 We are pleased to announce that the Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester Education Foundation is once again eligible to receive support from our member businesses as an approved scholarship organization through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. The EITC program enables Pennsylvania-based businesses to receive generous tax credits by contributing to qualified organizations. This is the eighth consecutive year that GWCC has been awarded EITC eligibility. It’s easy for your business to participate! EITC contributions enable the Chamber to distribute your company’s donation to a growing list of Chamber member schools in the greater West Chester area. EITC scholarships directly benefit students in need of financial assistance. Why send your tax dollars to Harrisburg? Invest in your community! Each year we celebrate our contributing businesses and recipient schools at our annual Education Foundation luncheon in May. Please contact Dave Fairman in the Chamber office for more information. 610.696.4046

Chamber Chatter NEWS

By: Kathy Wileczek

Why Your Withholding May Not Be Enough When preparing personal tax returns, I generally know whether my clients are expecting to receive a refund or write a check. In years when circumstances change, we will talk about the impact during the year or will cover it during our visit when the information is given to me. When a return results in an unexpected balance due, it can be one of the harder phone calls to make. When it is close to April 15th, there is limited time to absorb the shock and allocate the money for payment. There were several changes last year resulting in a greater number of these phone calls to be made to clients with wages as their main source of income.

Below are some of the common reasons withholding may not be enough: •

•

dditional Medicare Tax - Beginning in 2013 wages of a A married couple over $250,000 are subject to an additional tax of .9%. If the family has one wage earner, that tax will be withheld. Two earner households will need to report and pay the tax on their 1040 as their joint earnings exceed $250,000. dditional Tax on Investment Income - Also effective A beginning in 2013. Couples with incomes over $250,000 may have to pay an additional 3.8% tax to the extent their investment income exceeds the base amount. L imitation on Exemptions - For every $2,500 of income over $305,000, a married couple must reduce their deduction on exemptions by 2%.

•

L imitation on Itemized Deductions - Returned in 2013. Married couples with incomes exceeding $300,000 found their itemized deductions reduced by 3% of the excess amount.

•

ual wage earners - May be short on withholding due the D progressive tax rates. Since withholding by the employer is based on a single income, the smaller income is effectively taxed at the higher marginal rate.

•

neven earnings - Those with bonuses, exercise of stock U options or irregular commission amounts may also find themselves subject to under withholding. The mandatory withholding rate on those payments is 25%. If your marginal rate is higher, the difference will need to be made up when you file.

•

A lternative Minimum Tax- Originally created to close loopholes for the wealthy, it has become a burden to middle class households who have significant deductions for taxes paid.

Most of these taxes cannot be avoided, so couples need to anticipate that withholding may not cover their joint liability. There are interest and penalties for not paying in enough during the year. Consider making quarterly estimated payments or electing to have a greater amount withheld from earnings. Don’t wait until April to have your taxes prepared. If you are going to owe, it is better to know in February so there is time to plan for payment.

Kathy Wileczek, CPA, Principal at Maillie LLP (formerly Maillie Falconiero & Company, LLP), a CPA firm with over 65 years of experience in business, government and non-profit accounting, and business advisory.

kwileczek@mallie.com | 610-696-4353 | www.maillie.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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It’s All About Business! There is a truly one-of-a-kind program that is marking its 37th anniversary of teaching Pennsylvania high school students (juniors and seniors) to both understand and celebrate why “free enterprise” is vital to the American way of life. Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW), internationallyacclaimed for its excellence, will host more than 2,200 students this coming summer in its exciting seven-day journey into the world of business. Participants will act the parts of senior management in modern-day companies that will face the same challenges that all American firms do and particularly those in Pennsylvania. Each summer, PFEW holds five, one-week individual sessions in July and August. The focus of the week is to group the participants (strangers at first) into “management teams” of senior executives who have inherited imaginary “companies.” These teams, under the guiding hands of “executives-on-loan,” called Company Advisors, operate their firms for a computersimulated three-year period of time. Each day’s activities include presentations from world-class business people from a list that reads like who’s who in Pennsylvania. The students hear about: Business and Finance, the Role and Relationship of Business and Government, Taxation, Business Ethics, Labor Relations, and much, much more. With our economy still “recovering” from one of the longest recessions in our history, teaching young people to understand and cherish our private enterprise system has never been more important. The Chamber is proud to support PFEW to give our local students this eye-opening experience. We encourage our local companies and civic organizations to provide sponsorships for our students and, if possible, volunteers for the sessions.

A PFEW marketing team takes a “time out” from working on their Marketing/Advertising Presentation for their company’s product

(PFEW is completely a product of the private sector.) Every student attends PFEW on a fully tax-deductible $575 scholarship (the actual value of the scholarship exceeds $1,500) which is provided by a local firm. Each student wears the name of their sponsor throughout the week and also corresponds with his or her sponsor following graduation to report on what they learned. PFEW is also an approved organization through the PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program through the Department of Community and Economic Development. To learn more about this award-winning program, visit their website at www.pfew.org or contact John Trombetta, President of the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education at (814) 833-9576 ext. 106 or e-mail him at john@pfew.org.

PFEW is open to all current sophomores and juniors in Pennsylvania and information on attendance, as well as program applications, can also be found on the website. Questions can be directed to Ms. Amber Goss, Schools Assistant for PFEW, by calling her office at (814) 833-9576 ext. 103 or emailing her at amber@pfew.org.

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week | Ms. Amber Goss | 814-833-9576 ext. 103 | amber@pfew.org

11 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

All Social Media is Not Created Equal

By: Spencer Deane

Social media is maturing to the point that any business owner needs to give it serious thought. Why? Consider this scenario: - A prospect receives a phone call from one of your sales staff requesting an appointment. They accept the appointment. - The prospect immediately does a Google search or searches LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, for your business. - Of course they find your website. But increasingly, they are looking for what other people are saying. A recent study by PowerReviews found that 90% of the consumers polled said peer-to-peer reviews impact their purchasing decision and 60% claimed those reviews are the most important factor. - If they find great content, testimonials, case studies and constructive comments, this will peak their interest in the meeting. - What happens if they find absolutely nothing? Worse, in searching for you, they find your competitor instead and their customers are saying great things. If so, they will cancel the appointment. When it comes to choosing which social media sites you will use for your business, consider which sites your customers are on. To understand what social media channel might be best for your business, watch the following Webinar:

Take a little time to understand your audiences on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+ and how each of these platforms is used. Some channels may be appropriate for your business and some may not. Then determine a strategy for the most relevant sites.

A good social media strategy is to seek to give first. A typical prospect doesnâ€™t care about your website or your latest video. They care about themselves. So keep in mind the five-to-one rule, which states that you should provide five pieces of useful information to your social media network for each business request or business update that you make. By doing this, you will establish yourself as someone who can be helpful and can solve their problems. Then they will remember you when theyâ€™re ready to buy.

http://info.thealternativeboard.com/optimize-social-media-profiles

Spencer Deane is a Partner at TAB (The Alternative Board) â€“ PA & Ohio Valley. TAB helps forward-thinking business owners grow their businesses, increase profitability and improve their lives by leveraging local business advisory boards, private business coaching and proprietary strategic services.

sdeane@tabpaohvalley.com | 610.517.0798 | www.tabpaohvalley.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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March Events Calendar Thursday, March 5

Tuesday, March 10

Thursday, March 12

Business Card Exchange

The Exchange

SCORE Seminar & Networking

“Climbing the Ladder to CEO”

Zukin Realty

Thursday, March 5

“How to Get the Inside Data on Your Customers & Competitors”

with Jeffrey M. Schweitzer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Univest Corporation

Presented by Melissa Kohl Followed by Networking at Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Tuesday, March 10

Thursday, March 12

121 East Gay Street, West Chester 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Iron Hill Brewery 3 West Gay Street, West Chester 5:30pm – 8:00pm

1310 Wilmington Pike, West Chester 4:00pm – Seminar 5:30pm – Networking

Free for members $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

$55 for members $65 for non-members RSVP is required

Free for members $10 for non-members RSVP is required

Wednesday, March 25

Thursday, March 26

Women’s Executive Round Table

Disney Institute

with Michelle Patrick, Dean, College of Business & Public Affairs, West Chester University