Table of Contents

• COMMITTEE REPORTS
  • MEMBERSHIP REPORT
  • SOCIAL REPORT
  • SPEAKER COORDINATOR REPORT
  • TREASURER REPORT
• LEADS
• NOTABLE MENTIONS
• MIGHTY MINUTE
• QUESTION OF THE DAY
• MAIN SPEAKER

Committee Reports

Membership Report
(Click here to go to the Membership page)

Mike Whalen uses an employee leasing company that he is very happy with.  They handle all payroll-related items.  If there are no conflicts with other members, he will talk to the owner about joining MABE.

Mike is also happy with the service he has received from Kool Energy, an air conditioning  repair company.  But he hasn't known the owner that long.  Mike would like to wait before officially proposing them as a member.

Greg Stewart has a couple more categories to consider this week:

• TV/Stereo/VCR Repair

• Juice Bar

Social Report
(Click here to go to the Social Event page)

There is an opening for anyone that wants to go on the trip to Winkelman in June.  Dave Spiess had signed up but now cannot go.  If you are interested in taking his two spots, please contact Dave or Althea Bussert.

Speaker Coordinator Report
(Click here to go to the Speaker Schedule)

• 05/14/04     Panel Discussion "Positive Solutions for Changing Times"
• 05/21/04     Gus Dekavallas
• 05/28/04     Fred Vandervort
• 06/04/04     Randy Clark

We have open speaker slots.  Please contact Wayne Unruh to get on the schedule.

Treasurer Report

No report.

Leads Report

09-42, 09-17, 46-06, 37-17, 23-45, 12-34, 12-06, 18-30, 24-37, 10-22, 15-10, 02-28, 19-04, 13-33, 13-26, 06-19, 06-28, 06-26, 38-17, 04-25, 31-02, 43-15, 43-11.

Notable Mentions

Don Ellis is a new grandpa!

George Booth advised us that sign fever is here again.  It is that time of the year when you see for home sale signs go up all over the place.  If a property looks interesting to you, even those "for sale buy owner", call George and he can give you the information on it.

Mighty Minute

None.

Question of the Day

Any burning issues?

Ralph Cunningham reminds members again to keep their virus protection updated and run your spy-ware.  When you have spy-ware on your computer, it gives viruses a back door to get into your system.  Norton does not catch everything.  But use it in conjunction with AVG and a firewall and you will catch 99% of the viruses out there. 

Jean Batt has a problem with a full-time employee.  She is hourly and receives full-time benefits.  She frequently requests time off and is willing to take time off without pay.  But should she get full benefits?  

Member Responses

• Replace her.
• Knock her down to part time.
• Let her know that if you didn't need her on a regular basis, you wouldn't need her at all.
• Set a policy that they need to work a minimum number of hours to receive benefits and tie their vacation to the number of hours actually worked.
• If you let it go on, it will have a negative impact on other employees.

Greg Stewart had an awkward situation to deal with recently.  An employee quite to go to his dream job at a gallery.  Greg promoted another employee to this vacated position, put an ad in the paper and hired another employee to fill the other open spot.  Then the former employee called Greg wanted his job back.  He even had his wife call!

Dave Lathrop
Moderator

Today's concept is Share:

• Participate or take part in.
• Experiencing something with others.
• Connect with others through personal accounts.

With this in mind...

Tell us something you learned in a previous career that has affected how you run your business today.

• Roman Okonowski - In banking you were always concerned with the bottom line.  I have learned that if you do things the way they are supposed to be done, taking care of the customer, the bottom line with take care of itself.
• Althea Bussert - I used to be a teacher.  I have learned that it is better to teach a client about why something should be done a certain way rather than tell them.
• Greg Stewart - I watched my father run his agricultural business.  The slogan was "you reaped what you sowed."  It is a slogan based on a strong code of ethics and integrity.  Unfortunately, it doesn't exist in a lot of businesses today.
• Gus Dekavallas - I was in the furniture business.  I have a good appreciation for what all of you now do - dealing with employees, the bottom line, OSHA, etc.  I know that I don't want a business where I deal with employees anymore.
• Joe Zingale - I did the reverse.  I sold my former business to come here and retire.  Now I manage over 100 employees!  But I did learn that if you improve employee satisfaction, even if it costs you a little, your profitability will go up.
• George Booth - While writing grant proposals I learned that things go much more smoothly if you make people feel comfortable.  It helps you get around the bumps.
• Sandro Menasci - I learned what NOT to do from my dad.  He worked morning to night, 365 days a year.  He lost his patience with a customer one-time and tried to tackle him.  I learned not to lose it!

What drew you to the business you are in?

• Gus Dekavallas - While in the furniture business, I bought a huge policy from New York Life.  The agent tried to talk me into selling insurance.  He persisted until I decided to try it.  No employees was the biggest selling point.
• James Bache - In high school I had the opportunity to shadow a professional.  I chose a lawyer.  Visiting him in his air conditioned office on a top floor of a high rise was very enticing. 
• Althea Bussert - I was always the artist in high school.  In college I loved to get dirty doing the art projects.  But I also enjoyed getting dressed up to go to work in the administration office.  In interior design, I still get to enjoy both aspects of art and business.
• Brian Verbraken - Family pride.  My whole family is in the business going back to my great grandfather.  Besides, my hockey career didn't work out.
• Randy Clark - As a kid I had a lawn mowing business, paper route, etc.  As an adult I spent several miserable years behind the desk as a purchasing agent.  I went back to my roots by opening my own carpet cleaning company.  I enjoy getting out and doing the work. 
• Adam Dekavallas - At 19 I was waiting tables when someone asked me to come in and teach dance lessons for their company.  I was reluctant because I didn't know how to dance.  I found out I could do it, stuck with it and here I am now.  If I can do it, anyone can.
• George Booth - When the Mesa grant program was pulled out from under me due to lack of funding, I tried freelance work.  It was like swimming with sharks.  I decided to try real estate.  It looked easy.  You collected money and handed it out.  I got in during the last year of a 5-year boom.  Then the market took a dive and everyone went out of business.  I stayed in.  I didn't know any better.
• Steve Chilton - Just to offer a different point of view...It is amazing that you get a choice.  In the third world you are streamlined from school.  When I left school at 15 my career was already lined up.  I joined the armed forces just to get out of the country and not have to go into the job streamlined for me.

What gives your business that competitive edge?

• Sandro Menasci - Luck!  The pendulum swings back and forth.
• Mike Tanner - There is a saying, "The harder you work, the luckier you get."  My business is plagued with a lot of guys that claim that their work is the best.  I bring the "taking care of the customer" aspect into my business.  That is what makes me lucky. 
• Greg Stewart - Some competitors do quality work but they take a long time to do it.  We do quality work quickly.  The name says it all.
• Dave Spiess - Employees.  My employees show concern for and take care of our customers.  I couldn't get the job done without them.  It is a combination of being well trained and having people skills. 
• Gus Dekavallas - Having a superior product.
• John Gruber - I married well.  Betsy is my greatest asset.  She had the college training and I had that "seat-of-the-pants" part down.  We bounce ideas off of each other.  We also listen to our young employees.  We don't treat them like meatballs.
• Roman Okonowski - My wife and son both work with me.  There is a level of trust there.  I have good employees that know the customer comes first.  We do not emphasis volume.  We emphasis taking care of the customer and our staff buys into this concept.

What experience have you had with another MABE business, but not dealing with the member?

• Mike Whalen - Dennis Johnson is doing our whole neighborhood.  We call him the Crocodile Hunter.  He doesn't take money up front.  He wants to make sure you are happy with the job first.
• Jean Batt - Greg Stewart's employees are always very helpful.
• Roman Okonowski - Don Ellis's staff, Dave Spiess's staff... they are all wonderful.
• Don Ellis - Sandro Menasci's guys know the history of my car.
• Althea Bussert - I got a referral from Sandro Menasci that has been a wonderful gold mine.
• Joe Zingale - Jill at Anderson/Witt is great to work with.
• Sandro Menasci - Kevin (Verbraken and Sons) does a great job.
• Althea Bussert - All of the staff at the Landmark are friendly and helpful.  Don Ellis is wise at who he hires.
• Greg Stewart - People are sometimes thrown in front of customers before they are ready and you pay the price.  Training is so key.

Who has been a role model for you and why?

• Phyllis Prater - I idolized a man with a lot of integrity.  He took six months to train me on product knowledge and made me feel like I was smart and could do the job.  He was very patient.
• Gus Dekavallas - I had an unbelievable high school coach.  He drilled us and we were never out of control.  He had good ethics.  Bob Walker was another.  He got me started in the furniture business.  He taught me to look at the worst possible thing that could happen.  If I could survive it, then I should do it.
• Greg Stewart - My dad taught me that if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.  I love people like George Booth that have passion for what they do .  It inspires me.
• Sandro Menasci - The area manager of a Firestone I worked for.  He opened up, help stock tires and take care of customers.  He was always working.
• Adam Dekavallas - I had a few role models.  My dad was a remodel for sales.  People who could dance, sell...there were people in different categories that I wanted to emulate.