Chatter Nov-Dec 2014

2014

NOV/DEC

Chatter the Chamber

The Member News & Information Resource

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

Hi Chamber Member,

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

On December 5th, we will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the MARS Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade Presented by QVC. While we always thank our sponsors, we know that there are many people over the years that have helped make the parade what it is today. I would have to start with Judi Ivins, who has been a tireless volunteer helping to book those open houses and special engagements that surround the Old-Fashioned Christmas weekend. I would then thank MaryLou Enoches who, while on the Chamber’s Board of Directors, helped do the lineup for the parade one year and ended up being part of it for many years. Finally I would thank Todd Marcocci and Amy Walp, who donate hours upon hours of volunteer time creating, managing, and delivering one of the top “hometown” parades in the nation.

The Chamber, not just the Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, is what it is today because of volunteers like Judi, MaryLou, Todd, and Amy. It’s with that thought that I realize how apropos the Dr. Seuss title “Oh the places you’ll go” is for the future our Chamber.

CHAMBER STAFF Mark Yoder President

The Greater West Chester Chamber continues to provide resources for every single one of our members. We know every one of our members needs something different and that we can’t be all things to everyone – but our goal is to be something relevant for every Chamber member!

Dave Fairman Director of Membership

So, please help us answer the question: What keeps you up at night? We have the staff, the board of directors and the volunteers to ensure we can answer that question for you, our Chamber member.

Bethany Kopp Member Service Coordinator

We look forward to a successful MARS Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade Presented by QVC and a very productive 2015.

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

Mark Yoder President | Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce

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Design6˚ | connections count www.design6degrees.com

Space reservation is due by the 1st of the month prior to publication (i.e. March/April edition-reservation due by Feb. 1, and the ad itself is due Feb. 8).

The Chamber Chatter is a bi-monthly publication with a circulation of 1100. It is free to members of the Chamber. Editorial Content and advertising is limited to Chamber members. Editorial coverage does not imply or indicate Chamber endorsement of members business, product or services.

The Chamber Welcomes New Members Blue Max Promotions

Financial Advisors of Delaware Valley

Ready Aim Flier

Mr. Louis Ferdik 341 Dean Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-436-5034 LFerdik@gmail.com www.facebook.com/bluemaxpromotions Entertainment

Mr. Daniel Callahan 100 West Elm Street Conshohocken, PA 19380 610-234-0879 callahan.dan@faodv.com www.faodv.com Financial Services

Mr. Vincent Zambuto 243 Martins Corner Road Coatesville, PA 19320 484-378-4033 info@readyaimflier.com www.readyaimflier.com Advertising

C. Raymond Davis & Sons Inc.

Horizon Services

Top Dog Executive Coaching

Ms. Michelle Maack 2124 Kimberton Road Kimberton, PA 19442 610-933-8908 michellemaack@craymonddavis.com www.craymonddavis.com General Contractor

Ms. Tara Brown 900 Adams Avenue Audubon, PA 19403 610-644-1025; Fax 610-728-6325 WebMaster@HorizonServicesInc.com www.HorizonServices.com Heating/Air Conditioning

Ms. Sandra Fein 1101 Whispering Brooke Drive Newtown Square, PA 19073 352-870-2823 sandra.fein@gmail.com www.topdogexecutivecoaching.com Consultant

Chester County Children’s Museum

Jennifer Oberg Bridal Couture

Tyler Water Ice

Mr. Corey Wegerbauer 1226 Bridgewater Drive West Chester, PA 19380 484-319-5696 bcweg@verizon.net Not-For-Profit Organization

Ms. Jennifer Oberg 31 Skyline Drive Glen Mills, PE 19342 808-269-0525 love@jenniferoberg.com www.jenniferoberg.com Apparel

Mr. Jason Tyler 409 Redhill Road Broomall, PA 19008 610-405-0855 jgajtyler@aol.com Food & Beverages

Sarnoski and Smart LLC

Miller’s Insurance Agency Inc.

Mr. David Sarnoski 929 South High Street, Suite 11 Parkway Center West Chester, PA 19382 484-639-1936 davsarnoski@sarnoskiandsmartllc.com Electronic Retailer

Mr. Kevin Ralph 255 West Uwchlan Avenue Downingtown, PA 19335 610-269-4500 kevin.ralph@miainc.com www.miainc.com Insurance

Mrs. Debbie Giordano 24 Judith Lane Thornton, PA 19373 484-467-6739 dgiordano@welcomematservices.com www.welcomematservices.com/mainline Direct Mail

Cutanea Life Sciences

Nucleus Computer Services

Mr. Robert Partridge 1500 Liberty Ridge Drive, Suite 3000 Wayne, PA 19087 484-568-4298; Fax 484-588-0223 rpartridge@cutanealife.com cutanealife.com Pharmaceuticals

Mr. Fred Jackson 16 Rabbit Run Road Malvern, PA 19355 610-355-1980 fjackson@nucleuscomputer.com www.nucleuscomputer.com Computer Services

Employment Management Group, LLC

Partners In Outreach

Ms. Elvira Berry 29 South Darlington Street West Chester, PA 19382 484-746-0064; Fax 484-771-0063 eberry@emg-hr.com www.employmgmt.com Human Resources

Mrs. Maryanne Parsons P.O. Box 21 Chester Springs, PA 19425 610-574-1168; Fax 610-827-0168 mparsons@partnersinoutreach.org www.partnersinoutreach.org Not-For-Profit Organization

Welcomemat Services

Windle’s Water Works Mr. Kenneth Windle 314 E. Chestnut Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-696-7461 gkw59@verizon.net www.windleswaterworks.com Food & Beverages

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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Thank you to our

Renewing Members in August & September 2014 Members for 30 years or more Wells Fargo Bank

20 - 29 years Our members are the foundation of our organization. To honor them we would like to congratulate and thank those who renewed their membership in August and September 2014. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Delightful Desserts & Culinary Creations Inc.

West Chester Off-Campus Housing

ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center

PECO Energy/ Exelon Corporation

Westtown Dental Associates

Avilion, Inc.

The Inquirer / Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.

The metropolitan east goshen

Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, P.C.

Kashbox Coaching

The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Chester County West Chester Area Senior Center Model Specialties Co. Deery-Thomas Agency

Mars Drinks North America, LLC

3 - 9 years Keller Williams Real Estate / J. Gross Brandywine Water Systems, Inc. Meridian Bank

The Painted Plate Beacon Technologies Catalyst Outdoor Advertising Penn Liberty Bank Chamberlain Chiropractic & Wellness

1 - 2 years Fig West Chester / Moxie House LLC Massage Envy Spa, West Chester Otto’s BMW Judy’s Healthy Kitchen Morton Family Law First Resource Bank Baxter Properties / Harrison Hill Apartments

Paul W. Britt D.D.S.

EDiS Construction & Development

West Chester Public Library

Let Freedom Ring

Communication Graphics

Kreutz Creek Winery

Stirling Property Management, Inc.

West Chester LLC Harvey Insurance Group

E. Kahn Development Corporation

Encore Medical International Inc.

A. Steven Krug

Unite for HER

West Chester Railroad

Dave’s Automotive Repair Enterprises, LLC

Balance Hair Spa Studio

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. / T. Walsh

Moonflower

Rams Head Bar & Grill Jillian Skrocki / Liberty Mutual

Artistic Eyewear Chester County Family Academy / a PA Charter School

MM Computer Services

Castle Construction & Consulting, Inc.

Vivace Productions, Inc.

Treetops at Chester Hollow

The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center

Edward Jones Investments / J.Kitchen

Cobblestone Realty

Giannascoli & Kent, P.C.

Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America

Tailor Made Media Paoli Hospital Foundation

Friends Association for Care & Protection of Children

SAGE Vision Technology, Inc.

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All 4 One Sportswear

Cypress Capital Management Inc.

10 - 19 years

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Beneficial Bank

Elmark Signs & Graphics

EP Visual Design

Dave Fairman Director of Membership

Tom Mohr Law Office, P.C.

Stillman Volvo

Trinity Wealth Management, LLC

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 2014.

Congratulations to the following businesses who were picked in a lottery drawing of Chamber businesses that renewed their memberships in August & September 2014:

Ms. Michelle Morkun Avilion, Inc.

Mr. John Molnar MM Computer Services

Mrs. Sylvia Britt Paul W. Britt D.D.S.

Mr. Martin C. Zeller Model Specialties Co.

Michele Deery-Thomas Deery-Thomas Agency

Mr. Chet Reber The Painted Plate

Mr. Jeff Kitchen Edward Jones Investments / J.Kitchen

Mr. Gregory M. Cary PECO Energy/Exelon Corporation

Mr. Tim Long Elmark Signs & Graphics

Mr. James Cappello Rams Head Bar & Grill

Mr. George Scherbak Harvey Insurance Group

Dr. John Villella Vivace Productions, Inc.

Mr. Tony Cuffie The Inquirer / Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.

Mr. Thomas M. Walsh Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. / T. Walsh

Ms. Joan D. Walsh Kashbox Coaching

Ms. Kathy Sullivan West Chester Area Senior Center

Mr. Steven Krug, AIA, PE, CEM A. Steven Krug

Ms. Victoria E. Dow West Chester Public Library

Ms. Kate Diffenderfer Massage Envy Spa, West Chester

Drs. Diorio, Swintek, Guenthner Westtown Dental Associates

2014 GWCC Board Members Officers

Board of Directors

Chris Tolsdorf, Chairman Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express

Mary Bigham Town Dish, LLC

Donna L. Urian, Chairman-Elect Fischer Cunnane and Associates, Ltd.

Bryan Brockson EDiS Construction & Development

Debi Wright Friedmann Blue Dog Printing & Design

Thomas Ciccarone Parkway Dry Cleaners, Inc.

Thomas Gavin The Chester County Hospital

John J. Cunningham Lamb McErlane PC

Liz Golding Susquehanna Bank

Ronald K. DellaVecchia DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc.

Nicole Grebloskie Arthur Hall Insurance

Rob Partridge, Vice Chairman West Chester Area School District Marc Ernest, Treasurer Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Marjorie Wentz, Secretary Trinity Wealth Management Tim Jefferis, Immediate Past Chairman Penn Liberty Bank

Guy T. Dunn 1-800-905 Geek / Geeks On Call

Helen Flanders YMCA Oscar Lasko Youth Program Center

Mell Josephs Student Services, Inc.

Patrick M. McKenna Gawthrop Greenwood, PC Andrew McMenamin DNB First Brian Miller Mars Drinks North America, LLC Marisa Powell Pietro’s Prime Donna Saul Business Coaching & Consulting Brian Stephenson Wells Fargo Advisors

Jeannie McGinn Fulton Bank

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Me mbe r Spotlight It’s been a whirlwind year for Gina Edwards, the CEO at Resolution Accounting. She moved to Chester Springs, moved her office to Exton, and joined the Chamber this past spring.

Gina and her team have been serving their clients in the Philadelphia area since 1991. They have a specific focus to work with business owners that do not yet have the resources to have a full time financial person or what most refer to as a CFO. They provide a range of bookkeeping and accounting services by providing their own bookkeepers or accountants to their clients or work with their personnel if they have full time employees in these areas.

Gina relayed to me that most of her clients prefer to spend their time meeting with their customers and building sales. They don’t enjoy the accounting and “back end” of the business which is just as critical to running a successful enterprise. She told me that what she does for her clients is complex in one sense, with all the detail that they oversee, but the big picture is actually simple. They work with their clients to promote two fundamental concepts – Increased Profitability and Increased Peace of Mind.

200 Phillips Road Exton, PA 19341 www.ResolutionAccounting.com 610-486-6580

The CFO services and financial oversight they provide on an as needed basis fill a crucial need for companies that are not able to afford a full time employee in this position. Their services include: - Production of timely Financial Statements - Cash flow Analysis - Monthly/Quarterly reviews to increase profitability

- Forecasting and Planning - Bank Loan Proposal Documentation

Resolution is well versed in both PC and MAC operating systems and specializes in installation and training for accounting packages, including QuickBooks and Account Edge.

CHAT CHAT AROUND AROUND THE THE CHAMBER CHAMBER What’s your hot item this holiday season?

What’s your hot item this holiday season?

Jamie Jones

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Malena Martinez

WhirlAway Travel Jamie Jones WhirlAway Travel

Malena’s Vintage Boutique Malena Martinez Malena’s Vintage Boutique

Clients are really trying to Clientslasting are really trying to create memories create memories with lasting their loved ones with the theirholidays. loved ones over We over holidays.

We arethe seeing tons of are seeing tons multi of multigenerational, multigenerational, multi family, and milestone family, and milestone vacations begin planned vacations begin planned during the holiday season. during the holiday season.

Vintage and antique Vintageare and antique jewelry the biggest jewelry arethe theholiday biggest sellers for sellers for the holiday season. This is because season. is because it variesThis in price, area it varies in style. price, area and and style.

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

Jennifer Moriarta Chefanti Jennifer Moriarta

Lori Zytkowicz Faunbrook B&B Lori Zytkowicz

Jamie Robinson Boxcar Brewing Co. Jamie Robinson

Lots of customers Lots of customers out-source the holiday out-source holiday cooking, andthe we’re happy cooking, and we’re happy to feed your friends, to feed your friends, family, employees, clients, family, employees, clients, etc. so you can relax & etc. sothe youcelebrations! can relax & enjoy enjoy the celebrations!

Our big seller is a Our big seller is a Longwood Gardens Longwood Gardens Holiday package with Holiday package with tickets to the light display tickets the lightstay display and a to two-night at and a two-night stay Faunbrook B&B. Weat Faunbrook B&B.for Wethe provide the “home provide the “home for the holidays” feel that families holidays” feel that families want at Christmas time. want at Christmas time.

Boxcar variety cases are Boxcar cases are a greatvariety gift around the a great gift around the holidays.

Everyone holidays.towards Everyone gravitates the gravitates towards guy who shows up tothe the guy who shows up to thea office holiday party with office with a case holiday of local party craft beer. case of local craft beer.

Chefanti

Faunbrook B&B

Boxcar Brewing Co.

By: Donna Saul

What Three Frogs Can Teach You About Success This is one of my favorite stories: Three frogs are sitting on a log in a swamp. One decided to jump in. How many frogs are left on the log?

come from inside than from outside, so create a system or plan of action that keeps that spirit alive and well within your company.

Nope, there are still three. There’s a difference between deciding and doing, and until you execute, all decisions are just plain-old intentions.

Doing is harder. It takes a plan, and a commitment to that plan.

“I believe, I support, I approve” are all just weasel words unless they’re connected with action.

Adopt good operating practices: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

There are a myriad of sources to inform and to provide you with best industry practices, but the real trick is to understand how each of these fit into your overall objectives and goals. You’re bound to come across a few outstanding ideas, but before you act, think and ask yourself a few questions.

And this time of year is a perfect time to decide what actions you will take toward ensuring your company’s growth in the coming year.

There are many options—build a strong sales team, target a market, streamline processes, and more, just to name a few—and all of them may not be right for you and your company. (For those of you interested, I’ve outlined five of them in an earlier article you can find here: http://donnasaul.com/five-tips-to-starting-strong-in-2014/)

1. Is this realistic? Unless it solves a problem without creating another, walk away from the idea while you can do it unharmed.

This month I wanted to build on this concept by adding a few other weapons to your arsenal of action planning and doing, so you can decide which makes the best sense for your business and its goals.

You already know that doing comes as a direct result of meticulous planning, tenacity, clarity of vision and determination, patience and commitment, but it’s still the tip of the iceberg. Here are a few other items to consider: Make processes efficient: I’ve said this before and it’s worth another mention—be fanatical in evaluating how you do things, why you do them, and in making improvements wherever possible. If your company culture is all about doing things better and more efficiently, your company will survive and thrive, and so will your employees.

Encourage innovation: Time and again I’ve seen great suggestions ignored or underplayed because the time wasn’t right, the money wasn’t available, or the skillsets within the company were non-existent.

Develop a ‘not now’ mentality—it’s far more productive than “no” and leaves the door open for ingenuity and further examination at a later time. There always are plenty of reasons NOT to do something, and if you look close enough, an equal number of reasons that the idea in question not only is worth doing, but worth doing now. I’m not referring to excessive optimism, which can crash a company just as often as it can raise a company to its next level. It’s about discernment—do your homework and then be discerning about if, why and when a new idea is viable, and communicate this reasoning down through the organization to encourage future innovation. Hands down the best ideas more often

2. Does it generate value at low cost or with little risk? Unless the answer is yes and yes, check the fine print on the idea and re-evaluate the down- and up-sides.

3. What are the weaknesses or vulnerabilities in this idea? Every idea has them, and the two most obvious are poor general management, which will cause any great idea to fail, and weakness in the idea itself, which will generate the same result, so it’s best if you understand what these are and how they will affect the intricate management and workings within your company before you launch.

4. Will this practice work within this company? Generally you want to know that the context from which the practice is derived is comparable to the context in which the practice will be applied within your company. If it passes that sniff-test alone, it is worth further investigation. Do your best not to all victim to ‘excessive optimism’ while still in your research phase.

5. Act ‘as if’. Once your investigation is all said and done, act as if. This means live as if you’ve made the decision. What do you think and how do you feel? Run it down for your key employees and ask them to do the same. This is the best, most immediate and most efficient way to troubleshoot the practice, and to see the potential long term effects of implementing it.

Invest in your people and in your community: it’s just good business.

And finally, sit down with your management team, map it all out in terms of time, cost, function and more, assign benchmarks and timeframes, and most important, put someone in charge and make everyone accountable for doing, rather than just deciding or intending. Only then can you attain the success you want.

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 build a stronger bottom line.

ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS

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

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By: Kathy Wileczek

Looking for Cash Flow Leaks Businesses and individuals like to define success by growth in revenue. It’s an obvious way to tell the world you are doing something right. It is exciting to announce “sales have increased 20%” or “I just received a large bonus”.

When we are operating efficiently, more money in should mean more money left at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, as more money comes in, it’s easy to stop paying as much attention to the money going out.

People are busy and technology has reduced the burden associated with the bill paying process. That makes it easy to continue to pay for things you no longer want or need. It also prevents you from shopping for competitive services, since it is easier to continue paying more than to put the effort into finding a new vendor.

These leaks in your cash flow can have the same long-term effect of a leaking faucet. Individually each drop is meaningless, until the water bill arrives.

As with most projects, preparation and planning will get the job done. Choose a period of time when you will not be disturbed.

Ideally, this will be during business hours so that once you decide on a course of action it will be easier to execute. The tools needed are a computer, a telephone and several months (up to a year) of credit card or bank statements. The actual statements are important because many businesses post credit card transactions in a summary format. If your credit card company allows you to download transactions into an excel format, the transactions can be sorted by vendor. This can be a real eye opener.

Identify subscriptions to magazines, clubs, websites, and software services. These can easily fly under your radar when you only get charged a few dollars each month. You might even be paying for duplicate sets of benefits across multiple vendors. Review each one and cancel the ones you are not using.

Review your credit card and bank fees. There are many different types of bank accounts and credit cards. Look at your spending patterns and the fees charged. Are you using the right financial products for your needs? Could you be earning better rewards or are you paying excess fees because you have the wrong type of account for your business?

Canceling an unused service can be tedious. The vendor has a great incentive to make it difficult. Start with the vendor’s website to find out how to cancel the account and follow through. Sometimes you may be able to cancel on the website, but you will frequently be required to make a phone call or send a request in the mail.

It helps to keep in mind that each dollar not spent represents a direct increase in your profitability without selling one additional item or service.

Kathy Wileczek, CPA is a principal in the West Chester office of Maille LLP (formerly Maillie Falconiero & Company, LLP). Maille LLP offers broad accounting capabilities to track, analyze and manage every financial aspect of your business, agency or organization.

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

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

By: Daniel R. Zajac

Financial Planning for the Business Owner Business owners have a greater number of financial questions as compared to non-business owner clients. I love this. This work allows me to delve deeper into their financial plan and develop solutions that help meet both their professional and personal goals.

Often, the single biggest hurdle to overcome is finding a starting point. How do the personal and business assets work together?

Are my business partners on board with this? What is this going to cost? What if I already have a “guy?”

Business Planning Have you analyzed your 401k and profit sharing plan recently?

A strong employer sponsored retirement plan may offer a great opportunity for business owners to fund their retirement and offer valuable benefits to attract and retain key employees.

By implementing the “right” design strategy, business owners may defer up to $52,000 per year (depending on their age) into the plan each year.

My first priority when meeting with business owners is separating the planning process into two parts, personal planning and business planning.

Do you have adequate key man insurance? Have you considered the impact of the death of a key person in your organization? This may be your best leader, sales person, or one of the owners. Would your business survive if one of these people were to die tomorrow?

Personal Planning Are you saving money outside of the business? Business owners love reinvesting in their business. They understand it, they control it, and they believe they will benefit from a big sale come retirement. However, it’s critically important that business owners are creating liquidity outside the business. You don’t want to turn around one day and have all your wealth tied up in one asset.

Is the buy/sell agreement up to date and funded? A buy/sell agreement plans for the fair transition of business ownership in the event of death, disability, or divorce of the business partners. We all hope you get to see the transition of your business to the next generation, but what if you don’t? What if you die? It likely means your business partners will now be in business with your spouse (or appropriate beneficiaries). A good buy/sell agreement plans for an orderly transfer of your business interests is a must.

How is your money being invested? I have business owner clients who couldn’t be more aggressive in making business decisions. But when it comes to investing, they are as conservative as it gets. With that new found liquidity from above, you need to create a sound investment strategy.

Do you have other executive compensation needs? Great businesses grow from great ideas and strong teams. As a business owner, you need to attract and reward key employees of the business. As the saying goes, “there is no ‘I’ in team.” Having the tools to recruit the best talent for your business is essential.

Have you looked at your estate plan? The answer, “my family will have enough,” is nonsense. You’ve built a business, you’ve created wealth. Now, it’s your responsibility to plan properly for your family’s future in the event of death. Not only can you save on taxes and pass assets more efficiently with proper planning, but taking estate planning seriously makes the process easier for your family.

This article is taken from www.financeandflipflops.com.

To learn more, please visit the site directly.

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 senior advisor with Simone Zajac Wealth Management Group. To learn more about Daniel and read his thoughts on financial planning, visit www.financeandflipflops.com.

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

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Ring in the Holiday Season with the 2014 Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration.

When: Friday, December 5th through Sunday, December 7th With over 40 events planned, from musical performances to Breakfast with Santa, you and your family are sure to find something to get you in the holiday spirit!

Main Event Schedule

Jingle Elf Run Friday, December 5th 2014 at 6:30pm Register at RunCCRS.com 2014 MARS Drinks

Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade presented by QVC Friday, December 5th 2014 at 7:15pm

Old-Fashioned Toy Drive November 5th through December 8th Drop off on High Street between Market and Gay Streets For A Complete List of Events, visit GreaterWestChester.com

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

t h e 2 0 1 4 H o - H o - H o l i d ay S e a s o n Is U p o n U s !

T i s t h e s e a s o n f o r t h e M AR S D r i n k s

Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade p r e s e n t e d b y Q V C i n d o w n t o w n W e s t C h e s t e r PA .

The Old Fashioned Christmas Parade is a revered local tradition that has been hosted annually since 1980 by the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce. The parade will kick off Friday, December 5th at 7:15pm—in the middle of our Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration—which runs Thursday, December 4th through Sunday, December 7th. The 3-day celebration features over 40 events including theatrical performances, musical celebrations, guided walking tours, breakfast with Santa, and much more.

This year’s parade promises to provide a seasonal mix of traditional elements with an exciting twist.

Local schools, businesses, volunteer fire companies, restaurants, and other service organizations will join the many marching bands, floats, and antique automobiles that have cemented themselves as mainstays in the Old-Fashioned Christmas experience.

But that’s not all! Before the parade, many local businesses and organizations throughout downtown West Chester will be hosting Holiday Open Houses featuring yummy holiday treats and entertainment in preparation for the parade—in addition to the 6th Annual Jingle Elf Run. Sponsored by ESC Janitorial & Maintenance, this two-mile race (or one mile walk) kicks off at 6:30pm (right before the parade).

“The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with MARS Drinks on this project,” says Chamber President Mark Yoder. “Their continued investment in the parade demonstrates their support, not only for the Chamber, but the entire West Chester community.”

QVC is also returning as the presenting sponsor behind Friday night’s parade. QVC will broadcast on-site with live updates of the parade. The company will also film extended parade highlights that will be broadcasted periodically during Christmas Day, so when you’ve had all you can take of that 24-hour Christmas Story marathon, tune in to QVC for some true holiday magic.

Sign Up for the 6th Annual Jingle Elf Run 2 Mile Run, 1 Mile Walk Cash Prizes & More!

The 35th Annual MARS Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade presented by QVC is made possible thanks to the amazing volunteers and support of local West Chester business community.

“Without the generosity of our sponsors, this wonderful event wouldn’t be possible,” said Chamber President Mark Yoder.

“The Chamber and its Board of Directors greatly appreciates their ongoing commitment to the Greater West Chester region, and the Old-Fashioned Christmas celebration in particular.”

Returning for a 6th year as Title Sponsor is MARS Drinks North America, and for the second year in a row, QVC will act as the parade’s Presenting Sponsor.

Special Thanks: Parade Producers Todd Marcocci and Amy Walp, Under the Sun Productions Inc. Supporting sponsors include: - DNB First - ESC Janitorial & Maintenance - Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union - Fred Beans Ford Lincoln Mercury of West Chester - Infiniti of West Chester

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Lamb McErlane PC PECO Under The Sun Productions Univest Wells Fargo Bank WSFS Bank

Friday, December 5 - 6:30pm Downtown West Chester Register on-line www.runccrs.com Jingle Elf Hats guaranteed to all pre-registrants.

All others will receive hats while supplies last.

Great holiday prizes to age group winners.

Cash to the top 3 male and female in the 2 mile.

Great costume awards for the most creative holiday outfits.

Cash to the best elf costume!

B e n e fiting

FAME Fire Company On-Site Registration at CCRS 24 South High Street

Media Sponsors include: - 6abc - The Chester County Women’s Journal

P r e s e nt e d by :

- Daily Local News - Main Line Today Magazine - MoreFM at 101.1 FM News

M o r e I nf o rmati o n at www . gr e at e rw e stch e st e r . c o m

Additional Sponsors include: - AAA Mid-Atlantic - Brandywine Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau - Hotel Warner

- The Rotary Club of West Chester - Side Bar & Restaurant - West Chester Business Improvement District

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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Forget Retreating – Charge Forward with a Plan

By: Spencer Deane

When developing an annual strategic plan, many companies go off site to a “retreat.”

Retreating is an inherently defensive and reactionary move that implies the leaders of the company are leaving the field with their tails between their legs.

Employees may ask themselves: • Why are they hiding?

• Is it time to wave the white flag?

• Will we be able to keep our personal firearms and horses?

Consider an alternative label for your strategic planning event.

Depending on the focus and circumstances, it can be called a strategic planning meeting, a company renovation or renewal, or a planning rally. Read these titles aloud and see how you emotionally react. No matter which term you choose, your employees and co-participants will have vastly improved mindsets about the process.

Whether this gathering takes place in a corporate, government, non-profit and or small business environment, here are a few pointers that can improve the outcome of your event.

• Choose a comfortable, neutral setting and establish an atmosphere of safe and open communication. (In TAB, we refer to this as a TABENOS – an environment based on the Greek concept of temenos, a sanctuary where all feel safe.) Sorry, the boss’ house doesn’t qualify.

• Establish an “Up Front Contract” for the event that includes clearly defined outcomes and agreed upon expectations.

• Consider using a trained and experienced facilitator to lead the meeting. A facilitator can: - Manage meeting time so it is used efficiently.

- Make sure everyone feels heard.

- Help people find common ground, come to agreements and make decisions.

- Help the team surface individual and collective undercurrents, manage conflicts and come to some resolution.

• Make sure that next actions are clear and that all understand what is to happen in the future.

• Have a process for follow up, including clear assignments and deliverables, that creates accountability and keeps the plan alive.

You don’t want to produce a binder of notes that simply sits on a bookshelf and is never looked at again.

• Finally provide some form of follow-up communication on the event to the employees who did not participate.

Those who move forward without a plan are indeed planning to fail.

The strategic planning event, however it’s labeled, is an essential best practice to keep your business moving toward its goals – it’s worth the time to do it right!

Spencer Deane is a Partner at The Alternative Board (TAB) – PA & Ohio Valley.

TAB is an exclusive, membership-based organization that helps business owners achieve more – more profitability, productivity, and personal fulfillment. TAB brings together owners of privately held businesses to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities with a combination of peer advisory board settings and one-to-one business coaching sessions.

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

11 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

DARE_ad_chamber_011714.pdf

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1/17/14

1:46 PM

Family Owned Since 1976

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610-696-7153

dareauto.com

Our Services Include: PA State & Emissions Inspection • Heating & Air Conditioning • Brakes & Tune-Ups Alignments • Oil, Lube & Filter Changes • Preventative Maintenance • Tire Services Foreign & Domestic Cars • Same Day Service Local Shuttle Service • Belts & Hoses

301 S. Bolmar Street, West Chester, PA 19382 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday • 8:30-4:00 Saturday www.edwardjones.com

Meeting on your schedule, not ours.

Face-to-face meetings. One-on-one relationships.

How did Edward Jones become one of the biggest financial services companies in the country? By not acting like one.

Jeff Kitchen, AAMS® .

Financial Advisor

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105 South High Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-430-1320

Eric S Smith, CFP®, AAMS®

Brad Abel

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

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704 West Nields Street, Suite G West Chester, PA 19382 610-436-4101

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105 South High Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-430-1320

MKT-8275-A-AD © 2013 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Chamber Chatter NEWS

| 12

November Events Calendar

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Thursday, November 6

Thursday, November 13

Business Card Exchange

Coffee Connection

Thursday, November 6

Thursday, November 13

720 East Eagleview Boulevard, Exton 5:30pm – 7:30pm

975 Paoli Pike, West Chester 7:45am – 9:00am

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

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

Thursday, November 20

EVERY TuesDAY @ 1PM

Economic Update Luncheon

Chamber Chatter Radio Show Listen Live

Hilton Garden Inn West Chester/Exton

Arthur Hall Insurance

LA Fitness

Presented by:

Thursday, November 20 Penn Oaks Golf Club 150 Penn Oaks Drive, West Chester 11:45am – 1:00pm $25 for members | $35 for non-members RSVP is required

13 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

www.wche1520.com Proudly Supported by:

December Events Calendar

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

Wednesday, December 3

Friday, December 5

Business Card Exchange

Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade

Wells Fargo Bank

Wednesday, December 3 17 N. High Street, West Chester 5:30pm – 7:30pm Free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

Friday, December 5 7:15pm Downtown West Chester See pages 9 for details

Friday, December 5

Wednesday, December 10

Jingle Elf Run 2 Mile Run, 1 Mile Walk

Toy Drive Breakfast

Presented by:

Presented by:

WSFS Bank

Wednesday, December 10 Friday, December 5 6:30pm Downtown West Chester See pages 10 for details

West Chester Golf and Country Club 111 West Ashbridge Road, West Chester 7:45am – 9:00am In lieu of payment please bring an unwrapped gift.

RSVP is required

Chamber Chatter NEWS

| 14

Advisor. Advocate. Agent.

610-696-2394 | www.arthurhall.com

15 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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17 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce 119 North High Street West Chester, PA 19380

PAID

West Chester, PA Permit #177

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays

When business as usual requires something more unusual. | design6degrees.com | 610.844.9868