Weekly News 

30 November 2009

From the keyboard of Lee Schearer,

"Trust, earned by our service, Success, achieved through results"

Through my 38 years of self-employment I have come to realize that most of us, who are self-employed, operate under the same basic premise. We want our clients to trust us, and through that trust and referrals (Leads) we will succeed in our business endeavors. From that basic concept, came about the origin of the Chapel Hill Leads Group and the numerous other Leads Groups in the region.

The reason for our success (11 + years) is that people really want to know the person with whom they are doing business and they also want to know that they are sending "leads" to fellow colleagues who are trustworthy and successful. As a result comes a successful union and a successful referral based business. While the modern forms of communications and web-based marketing is a vital part of business today, people still want that "human connection". The various Leads Groups offer such a venue both for start-ups and those whose business is well established.

I invite you to attend our regular weekly meeting and witness this experience, for yourself, and to see if this group is right for your business. I hope to see you this Wednesday morning, with a smile on your face, an uplifting song on your mind and a thankful attitude for the country in which we live and the multitude of opportunities and blessing afforded to each and every one of us, in this land we call our home, America.

Respectfully,

Lee Schearer

Calendar:
Weekly Meeting:
Our regularly scheduled weekly meeting will be held Wednesday morning at Extraordinary Ventures, Inc., 200 South Elliott Road, Chapel Hill from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Meeting Dues are $5.00 per week.  Place your business card and $1.00 in the Optional Drawing. One card will be selected and that person will receive the week's kitty. For Express Check-In, please arrive with a $5.00, a $1.00, and a business card and we will check you in. We greatly appreciate your bringing correct change. We cannot change large denomination bills ($10, $20, $50, etc.) and cannot accept checks.
This Week's Speaker:
Shawn Slome will describe what his eco-friendly specialty shop, Twig, is all about. Included will be some of the consideration he weighs between the store mission and the day to day necessities of running a business. Shawn (with a cast of characters), will also present some of Twig's more interesting products with the goal of being informative and amusing.
Speaker's Schedule for December 2009 / January 2010
9 December - Michael Lowery, Ronald McDonald House
16 December - Randy Bernstein, Etch 'n Stitch
23 December - Open
30 December - Open
6 January - Phoenix Miller, Phoenix Miller Professional Organizer
13 January - Dick O'Donnell, Cableless Solutions
20 January - Cliff Staton, State of Mind Coaching
27 January - Mike Komives, mikekomives.com

Keep It Simple - Attend the Leads Group meeting at least 50% of the time for 3 consecutive months. Ask Lou Umscheid to place you on the speakers schedule. Continue to attend at least 50% of the Leads Group meetings until your presentation. Continue to attend the Leads Group meeting to strengthen your new referral network.
Did You Know:
New Chapel Hill Leads Group Attendees - 25 November 2009
Karen Cole - Tutor Doctor
Joe Jacob - The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Co,
Mark Nussbaumer - Entrepreneur
New Chapel Hill Leads Group Attendees - 18 November 2009
Eleanor Armstrong - AmeriCare
Larry Campbell - Dover Reverse Mortgage
Marisol Pedraja - Shula's 347 at Sheraton Chapel Hill
New Chapel Hill Leads Group Attendees - 11 November 2009
Susan Cummings
Nate Howard - Louise Beck Properties
John Wearing - Hydro-Vac
Jennifer Williams - Siena Hotel
Small Business Roundtable - 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Growing Your Business in Turbulent Economic Times - Mark Vitali, CEO & Founder of All About Insurance (AAI)

What you will learn:

  • How to grow you business in today's market
  • Leadership styles that will lead your team to success
  • Meeting your customers expectations is not enough - learn how to be EXTRAORDINARY
  • Are your employees on your team?
  • How to make your personal and business dreams come true (Life and Balance)

About the Presenter - Mark Vitali is the CEO and founder of All About Insurance (AAI) one of Nationwide Insurance largest Agencies. AAI has been North Carolinas Agency of the year for two years running and has been ranked nationally in the top 5 for 8 years in a row. Triangle Business Journal has recognized AAI as one of the triangles largest insurance companies for 6 straight years. AAI has grown from a start up company in 1993 to over 30,000 customers today.

Attendance is limited to 30 registrants. If you or any of your employees have an interest in this timely and essential session, RSVP to Whitney Woodyard by November 30 and reserve your seat today.

The Small Business Roundtable meets the first Wednesday of each month in the Greater Chapel Hill Association of REALTORS Conference Room at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. Small Business Roundtable membership is open to active Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce members. Contact Robert Altier of DeWitt Law at 919.338.8200 or  Whitney Woodyard of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Program Coordinator at 919.357.9980 for information regarding the Small Business Roundtable.

Business Before Hours at 411 West, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Friday, December 4, 2009
411 West and AT&T Advertising and Publishing will co-sponsor this event. Parking will be available in metered spots on Franklin Street and in Town of Chapel Hill Parking Lot 3, next to 411 West. Parking meters are enforced 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Metered spaces are $0.25/15 minutes. Paid parking in Lot 3 is enforced 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and is $0.50/30 minutes. No registration required. Free for Chamber members. Questions? Contact Whitney Woodyard | 357.9980 | wwoodyard@carolinachamber.org. Don’t forget your business cards!
Orange Count Business Expo - 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday, December 7, 2009
The Orange County Economic Development Commission has partnered with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber or Commerce and the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce to present the sixth annual Orange County Business Expo at the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel. The Sheraton, located at 1 Europa Drive in Chapel Hill, will sponsor an “Expo Connection” networking event from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This exclusive networking event will be a great opportunity to make end-of-the-day contacts with those attending the Business Expo 2009.

Orange County businesses play a vital role in the local economy and the Expo gives them an opportunity to showcase their goods and services. The Expo is designed to encourage businesses to network and establish new relationships with each other, and with the public. For more information regarding the Orange County Business Expo please visit www.orangebusinessexpo.com or contact Yvonne Scarlett at the Orange County Economic Development at 919.245.2325 or at yscarlett@co.orange.nc.us.

Registration required for exhibitors. Register online at www.orangebusinessexpo.com. $100/table. No registration required for attendees. Free and open to the public. Questions? Contact Yvonne Scarlett, Orange County Economic Development Commission | 919.245.2325.

Year-End Awards Gala & Salute to Community Heroes - 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday, December 11, 2009
Join us at the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel for an evening of celebration as we recognize this year’s community heroes and benefit the Chamber’s community development partner, the Foundation for a Sustainable Community. The evening will include awards for our community’s Police, Firefighter and EMT of the Year, as well as the Volunteer and Citizen of the Year, a silent auction, live music by the Flabbergasters, dancing, appetizers, and MORE! Attire is festive cocktail, and the event is open to the public.

A special thank you to our sponsors: AICPA, UNC Health Care, Duke Energy, Wachovia, WCHL 1360, AT&T Communications, East54, PTA Thrift Shop, Inc. and Progress Energy.

Registration required. Cost listed below. Questions? To register online visit www.carolinachamber.org/events or contact Whitney Murphy at 919.357.9980 or wwoodyard@carolinachamber.org.

Costs for participation are as follows:

  • $50 for an individual
  • $90 for a couple (2 people)
  • $165 for a couple (2 people) plus an overnight stay at the Sheraton(*)
(*) If you plan to stay overnight, please list your preference (1 King or 2 Queen size beds) in the comment line on your registration form.

Chapel Hill Leads Group Fire Pit Party

December 12, 2008

6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Bring a Dish to Share
A Favorite Beverage and a Chair
Sit around the Fire Pit and watch the Embers Flare

Location

The Herndon's
115 Ross Drive
Pittsboro, NC 27312

(919) 542 - 6743

Directions from Durham / Chapel Hill
Take 15/501 toward Pittsboro
Pass Northwoods High School
Next exit - Turn Right on Hiway 64
Take first exit - Hiway 87 (Burlington - Spring Lake Exit
At end of ramp - turn left
Second right into Ross Ridge Subdivision
Second home on the left

In case of inclement weather, the rain date is Sunday, 13 December.
Networking In Your Neighborhood
Alamance Leads Group
The Alamance Leads Group (www.alamanceleads.com) meets every Monday at Mimi's Cafe, Alamance Crossing off I-40/I-85 at Exit 140, Burlington, 27215. Dick O'Donnell (dickodonnell@clearwire.net) with Cableless Solutions (919-760-5476) is the facilitator. The Alamance Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Apex Leads Group
The Apex Leads Group (www.apexleadsgroup.com) meets every Tuesday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 1201 Haddon Hall Drive, Apex 27502. Barry & Ellen Sherrill (aimgrouptwo@yahoo.com) with AIM Group Two Promotional Products (919-387-7588) are the facilitators. The Apex Leads Group meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Breakfast Club
Just a reminder that the breakfast club is still meeting at 7:00am at the Weathervane Restaurant. Anyone is invited to share good conversation and a quick breakfast before our regular Leads Group meeting at our new location. This is one way that we can continue to support the management & staff that supported the Leads Group for such a long time.
Cary Leads Group
The Cary Leads Group (www.caryleadsgroup.com) meets Thursdays at the BNC, 649 Walnut Street, Cary 27511. Andy Siouville (919-363-7010) is the facilitator. The Cary Leads Group meet from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Chapel Hill Leads Group
The Chapel Hill Leads Group (www.chapelhillleads.com) meets every Wednesday at Extraordinary Ventures (www.extraordinaryventures.org), 200 South Elliott Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Lee Schearer (919-490-1922) with American Real Estate and Appraisal Company and Don Bonin (919-542-2446) with Town & Country Trader are the facilitators. The Chapel Hill Leads Group meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Chatham County Leads Group
The Chatham County Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Virlies Grill, 58 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Don Bonin (chathamcountylg@gmail.com) (919-542-0376) with Town & Country Trader  is the facilitator. The Chatham County Leads Group meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Durham Leads Group
The Durham Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Piper's Deli (www.pipersdeli.com), 3219 Old Chapel Hill Road, Durham, NC 27707. Randy Bernstein (Randy@etchNstitch.com) (919-732-3473) with Etch N Stitch and Jane Clark (Jane.A.Clark@EdwardJones.com) (919-419-1761) with Edward Jones Investments are the facilitators. The Durham Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Hillsborough Leads Group
The Hillsborough Leads Group (www.hillsboroughleads.net) meets every Thursday morning of each month at The Village Diner, 600 West King Street, Hillsborough, NC. Ned Parsons of Parson’s Business Solutions (919-493-0985) and Caryn Byrd of Comfort Assurance Group (919-259-6401) are the facilitators. The Hillsborough Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Holly Springs Leads Group
Holly Springs Leads Group (hollyspringsleadsgroup.com) meets every Wednesday at Java Divine (www.javadivine.com) in the Bass Lake Shopping Center, 128 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs, NC. Wendy Harrington with Sidekick Communications (919-208-7484) and Barb Louis with PartyLite Gifts (919-772-9560) are the facilitators. The Holly Springs Leads Group meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
North Raleigh Leads Group
The North Raleigh Leads Group (www.northraleighleads.com) meets every Monday morning at the Stone Wolf Coffee, 8300 Health Park, Raleigh, NC. David Stoner with EnviroFix (919-847-5355) and Charlie Edinger with Second Chance Solutions (919-219-5264) are the facilitators. The North Raleigh Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Northern Wake Leads Group
The Northern Wake Leads Group (www.northernwakeleads.com) meets every Tuesday morning at the Bottle & Bean, 929 Heritage Lake Road, Suite 600, Wake Forest, NC, 27587. Sue Robinson with 4-Minute Fitness/ Genetic Nutrition (919-570-0913) and Lisa Angell with Mary Kay Cosmetics (919-676-0451) are the facilitators. The Northern Wake Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Western Wake Leads Group
Western Wake Leads Group (westernwakeleads.com) meets every Thursday morning at the BNC, 649 Walnut Street, Cary NC 27511. Bill Carraway with Pre-Paid Legal (919-605-4895) is the facilitator.  The cost will be $5 and includes breakfast. The Western Wake Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. For further information click here: http://smallbiz.meetup.com/483/calendar/7054450/ or call the BNC at 919-342-5251.