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Next SHBN Networking Meeting
22-Jun-2007, 8 a.m.

Directory & Newest Profiles

Home 123 Mortgage Corporation

Compensation Solutions

Leverage Your Power

Alpine Business Systems

Sign-a-Rama

The Garibaldi Group

Progia

Keyvan Corporation

XSelData

VisionWorks Unlimited

ARMPCO Office Machines

Bill Storer Photography

Fidelity Business Partners

Sign-a-Rama of N. Plainfield

First Call Services

Simonik Moving & Storage

Asset Preservation Group

Premiere Media

Smith Barney

Able Office Supply.com

Noble Title Agency

Value Communications

Business Tech Team

Kiva International Business Group

Mary Ann Kokinda

Harry Herbst & Associates

Pre-Paid Legal Services

John Hadley Associates

Royce Brook Golf Club

Giammarinaro Advisory Services

Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp

Muthu G. Mudaliar

Morgan Stanley

HiTech Writing Group

Computer Toubleshooters of Basking Ridge

Fedder Solutions

Totten-McGuirl Interiors & Renovation

Freedom Financial Planning

Placemats Plus Service, Inc.

Premiere Media

Northwestern Mutual

Hennes Illustration & Design

Prism Placement

Action International

T D Sales

Smith Barney

Kathleen Mulvaney, Coldwell Banker

Weiss, Weitzman & Weiss LLP

Financial Solutions Inc.

HQ Global Workplaces Bedminster

The Store Restaurant

Somerset Hills Hotel

The Inn at Somerset Hills

HQ Global Workplaces Bridgewater

Appliance Master Inc.

Online Trading Company

 Local Business 
Headlines

Networking Event at the North Maple Inn
30-Sep-02

New Jersey Lagging in Internet Use
2-Apr-02

Courier News Profiles SHBN
28-Mar-02

Local Companies Offered Resources
24-Feb-02

2nd Networking Plus Event Draws a Crowd
22-Feb-02

21st Century Business Networking
20-Feb-02

Networking Plus Kickoff "A Great Success"
25-Jan-02

Somerset Hills Living Profiles SHBN
20-Jan-02

HQ Global Workplaces Offers Prestige Business Addresses
11-Jan-02

PNC Bank, Somerset Hills Hotel & Appliance Master
12-Dec-01

More Local Stories>>

 

Resources

Business Organizations

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Warren Twp. Business Assn.

 


Somerset County Chamber

 


Bernards Twp. Chamber

Business Development Centers

 


SBDC / Raritan Valley

 


YourBizPartner

 


Union County EDC

 


SBA NJ Calendar

 


Business Law Site

State Resources

 


NJ Commerce Commission

 


NJBiz

 


NJ Business Resource Center

 


NJ Transportation Planning Authority

 


Prosperity New Jersey

 


Innovation Garden State

 


Economic Development Association of NJ

Regional / National

 


Northeastern Economic Developers Association

Business Tools

E-Business

E-Business Parts List

 

Current ECommerce Products

 


bCentral Expert Advice

 

Dr. Ebiz (Ralph F. Wilson)

Miscellaneous Tools

 


Free Lookups (Melissa Data)

 


Mail2Web

 

Currency Exchange (XE.com)

 


Online Tax Calculator

 

PC Diagnostics

 


Expedia Driving Directions

 


MapQuest

 


register.com

 


redirection.net

 

Tier Networking

Business Directories

 

SHBN Directory

 


The Source List

 

Verizon Superpages

 


Switchboard.com

 


NJ Online

Key Web Tools

 


register.com

 


redirection.net

 


Tier Networking

Web Development Tools

 


Webmonkey

 


Boogie Jack's Web Deport

 


bCentral Free Web Tools

 

Web Tools Review

 

Database-backed Web Sites

 


Search Optimization

 


Useit: Usable IT

 


Javascript Source

 


Javascript Kit

 


Dynamic HTML

 


Bravenet

Business News

 

Business 2.0

 

ECommerce Times

 


Business News NJ

 


NJ Online

 


Next Meeting
Friday, Jun 22, 8 a.m.
NJ Skylands Insurance
First-Time Guests: Free
Members $5
Returning Non-Members: $25
Followed by:
Put More Money in Your Own Pocket…Not Uncle Sam's

Dramatically Lower Health Insurance Premiums With Two Tax Codes: Tax Advantaged Strategies in 2007

Presenter: Lisa Otto, JD, MBA, CLU, Regional Sales Director, Total Administrative Services Corporation (TASC)

With the cost of health insurance increasing at a dramatic rate, what can a business owner do to help reduce premiums without cutting benefits? 

This is an advanced course in managing the integration of employee benefits and tax law. Your accountant knows the tax code and your insurance broker knows benefits. Bring the two worlds together and save up to 25% on your employee benefits! This educational seminar will present some unique ideas to increase employee benefits while decreasing premiums and employer business taxes.

Learning objectives

Demonstrate how the proper integration of the tax code with employee benefits can result in substantial savings to business owners and their employees.

Identify ways for business owners to decrease health premiums and taxes.

Explain how you can add an employee benefit program, decrease tax liability for both employer and employee - all at no cost to the employer.

Discuss Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Direct Reimbursement Dental (DR Dental) including how each can work independently and/or together to decrease health and dental premiums as well as personal and business income taxes.

Past miniseminars:

5/25/07 The EPIC™ Program for Becoming a Rainmaker!
Presented by Ed Dolan of Kiva International Business Group, LLC

Do you enjoy buying but dislike being sold to &endash; and believe your customers feel the same? Do you have all the customers you need? Are you completely comfortable in the role of salesperson?

If you are similar to most professionals and business owners, then you would have answered YES to the first question and (candidly) NO to the next two. A steady flow of new clients, as well as growth with existing clients, is the lifeblood of every business.

While acquiring clients and growing the business is critical to the business, the responsibility for doing these things often falls through the cracks.

In small companies this role falls on the shoulders of the principal or business owner who rarely has the time to dedicate to doing it 'full time'. It then becomes a role that is pushed to the forefront when business lags and to the background when business is good. This cycle leads to a 'feast or famine' sequence that is the bane of every small business.

Breaking this cycle seems to elude many businesses but it is not difficult and the EPIC™ Program is designed to help every professional become a true "rainmaker" and to break this cycle.

In this mini-seminar Ed presented:

  • The 4 Necessary steps to being a rainmaker.
  • The ICARE™ process for enabling prospects to share their wants and needs.

The secrets to enabling prospects to ask for your help.

2007 Meeting Schedule:

January 26

Olde Mill Inn

February 23

Fiddlers Elbow Country Club

March 23

Royce Brook

April 27

The Willows

May 25

Royce Brook

June 22

NJ Skylands Insurance

July 27

TBA

August 24

TBA

September 28

TBA

October 26

TBA

November ?

TBA

December ?

TBA

2006 Meeting Schedule:

January 27

Olde Mill Inn

February 24

The Palace at Somerset Park

March 24

The Inn at Somerset Hills

April 28

Shackamaxon Country Club

May 26

Roycebrook Golf Club

June 23

Olde Mill Inn

July 28

Korman Communities

August 25

Fiddler's Elbow

September 22

Royce Brook Golf Club

October 27

Olde Mill Inn

November 17

 North Maple Inn

December 15

Red Oak Grile, NJ National Golf Club

2005 Meeting Schedule:

January 28

NJ National Golf Club

February 25

Olde Mill Inn

March 18

Royce Brook Golf Club

April 22

Raritan Valley Community College/Small Business Loan Source

May 20

Spring Hills at Somerset

June 24

Tre Vigne Restaurant / Premier Medical Care

July 22

Somerset Hills Hotel

August 26

Bernards Inn

September 23

Sunrise Assisted Living

October 21

Basking Ridge Country Club/Fairwinds Catering

November 18

Fiddler's Elbow Country Club

December 16

The Inn at Somerset Hills

4/27/07 Secrets of Local Internet Search
Presented by Loan Liu, WSIGlobal + ReachLocal and Jonathan Cloud, XSelData

The latest development in Internet marketing is "local search," which means that ads can be targeted to customers in an area as small as a 10-mile radius around your business.

Most of the U.S.'s 22 million small businesses derive more than 75% of their revenues from within 50 miles of their location. Until now it has been extremely complex and time-consuming to pinpoint the location of Internet users, serve up ads targeted specifically to their interests, and track the effectiveness of such a marketing campaign in generating sales. But new technology and advertising strategies offer just such a potential, thus measuring and maximizing the value of your advertising dollars. This patent-pending technology puts together in one place everything local and regional businesses need to set up, maintain, track and analyze local Internet advertising campaigns.

Can your business benefit from this technology? If you knew that spending $1000 on advertising a month would bring in a steady stream of qualified leads, with sustained sales and profits of five or six times that amount, would this be of interest to you? 

2/24/07 Top 5 Things Smaller Businesses Need to Know to GROW! was presented by Doug Brown of Paradigm Associates on Friday, Jan. 23, 8 a.m. at Fiddlers Elbow Country Club.

Doug Brown, Chairman/CEO of Paradigm Associates LLC, shared some tips, observations, and approaches learned as a result of their developing NJ businesses over the last 21 years.

1/15/07 The Revolution in Network Marketing

Friday, Jan. 26, 8 a.m. at the Olde Mill Inn.
Network marketing has a truly dismal reputation with many people, and often for good reasons. It's hard to come by good statistics, but some people say that as many as 98% of the people who try network marketing fail at it. They may continue as consumers of the products, but they never make any money with it, and after a few months they stop trying.

In the past decade, however, a number of new companies have emerged, with new products, compensation plans, and a new commitment to business and to addressing the realities faced by their distributor networks. As a result, the industry has grown by over 90% in the last ten years, and currently generates more than $30 billion in sales in the US alone each year.

Several members of SHBN are involved with network marketing companies, in nutritional products, financial services, and other areas. This mini-seminar, presented by Jonathan Cloud at the January 26 meeting, offers an opportunity for a presentation of new information, opportunities, and insights into the network marketing approach, and an open-ended discussion amongst representatives from several companies.

Members like Bud Pulis have found the group to be extremely helpful:
"Since I joined the SHBN seventeen months ago, a lot of doors have been opened manifesting in new clients, an affinity partnership with the Gateway Chamber, and several joint venture opportunities with others currently in the development stage."
- Charles D. "Bud" Pulis, Emerald Financial Resources

Local Internet Search
Find out how you can boost your web site, and put your business on steroids, with local Internet advertising. Call Jonathan Cloud at 908-306-9075 to schedule your free presentation.

Sustainable Nonprofit Fundraising, supported by the NJ A-Team. For more information, contact jcloud@ateamnj.com.

The Source List Online
Complete access to contacts at 54,000 New Jersey companies, by location, size, business category, and description. The New Source List - www.SourceList.net - is now online. SHBN members qualify for an automatic 10% discount on all subscriptions.
Some of Our Sponsors ->>>
(
Add Your Logo Here!)

Acumen Technology Group

XSelData
Web & Data Design

10/10/06 New Policy on Meeting Fees

After much discussion, the Board of Directors have agreed to add a $5 meeting fee for members. First-time guests would continue to be free, while other returning non-members would pay $25, which could be put toward their annual membership if they join.

The new member fee will offset the costs of the breakfasts when we are not able to find a sponsor or have the host facility pick up the tab, without discouraging new attendees.

5/1/06 Move to Blog Format?

We're considering recreating the SHBN web site in a blog format, or something similar using an online content management system.

The new site would feature a self-managed member directory and an online business card exchange. Content could be more easily updated, by any member.

This web site will cost something, so we're also looking at assessing all members an additional charge to post their materials. Thoughts or comments? Email jcloud@shbn.net -- thanks.  


2/12/05 New Member Spotlight

Royce Brook Golf Club is a semi-private golf club with 36 holes of 4-star golf, with a restaurant open to the public that also caters on-property events and banquets. Golf outings, daily-fee play, and an academy. Our March 18 event will be held at the Club.


3/10/07 Keys to a Killer Marketing Message
Presented by John Hadley

How many elevator pitches do you hear each week? And how many of those truly grab your attention? 

Developing an effective marketing message may be the most important thing you do to enhance your business success.

At a brief workshop following the March SHBN meeting, John Hadley effectively demonstrated:

* What gets attention immediately and what confuses people
* How to stand out in ways that are memorable
* How to articulate a message clearly and succinctly, and
* How to leverage this knowledge to create consistent, positive visibility

Lead Stories

12/28/05 Our New Relationship with Gateway

At the December 16/05 meeting we announced our decision to join the Gateway Regional Chamber, the largest and fastest-growing business organization in north-central New Jersey. This affiliation affords us access to a much larger market area and a network of more than 1800 members, and provides our members with a broad range of services and benefits.

We will also now be operating as an organization driven by a board of directors drawn from the members. If this role interests you, please contact jcloud@shbn.net for qualifications, meeting dates, and roles.

1/28/05 Kelly Fogarty of BMF Enterprises Wins 30-Second Introduction Award - Again!

Kelly Fogarty with Trophy

At our January meeting in the Red Oak Grille at New Jersey National, Kelly Fogarty won our award for best 30-Second Introduction. Hers is a combination of verve, energy, and razzle-dazzle that always wows the crowd, and calls plenty of attention to the web design company she represents. Check it out at http://www.bmfenterprises.com.

3/6/04 SHBN Creative Group Shows Us Their Talent

Over one hundred people attended the February 27th Somerset Hills Business Network meeting at the Somerset Hills Hotel in Warren. The meeting highlight was a group art exhibit by the SHBN Creative Group.

Eight local businesses exhibited in the diverse show of artists, writers, graphic designers, and photographers. Talent ranged from photography to oil painting, cake decorating to graphic design, scrapbook art to custom one-of-a-kind greeting cards, desktop publishing and creative writing.

Participating creatives included: Bill Storer of BGS Photography, Mona Hennes of Hennes Illustration and Design, Kathy Fulton of KC Creative Art and Design, Jay Singer of Palisades Graphic Arts, Joanne Fritz of Positive Impressions, Joe Domalewski of Prototype Marketing, Sandy Rosen of Strategic Marketing and Design, Karen E. Stober of Stober Design, and Harvey Barry of VisionWorks Unlimited.

For more information on the SHBN Creative Group, contact Mona Hennes at 732-627-9254 or mhennes@hennesdesign.com.

10/2/03 New Creatives Group Launched by SHBN Members

The first meeting of The Creative Group, a sub-group of the Somerset Hills Business Network, was held at Country Squires Restaurant in Warren on October 2nd. Nine hardly participants braved the first morning of cool temperatures at 8:00 AM.

Over breakfast, this first session was used to get better acquainted, brainstorm some ideas for the future and discuss the