Table of Contents

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

Committee Reports

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

We are proud to make it official....Roger Carpenter is our newest member of MABE!

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

No report.

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

• 08/20/04     Mike Whalen
• 08/27/04     Charles Hultstrand

• 09/03/04     Labor Day - No Meeting
• 09/10/04     Keith Miller

Treasurer Report

All the bills are paid.  We are doing fine.

Leads Report

20-10, 20-43, 17-28, 23-17, 41-33, 29-16, 12-32, 12-16, 12-44, 12-14, 12-04, 12-06, 12-33, 24-45, 24-04, 05-37, 15-41, 13-22, 33-44, 11-19, 11-02, 06-34 (x1/2), 34-31, 34-26, 35-22, 03-17, 31-29, 19-41.

Notable Mentions

Brian Verbraken and his wife welcomed a son into their family on Monday.  They named him Alec.  Congratulations!

Be careful!  Several members of our group have been victims of fraud in one form or another.  Someone printed checks using Mike Whalen's business checking account number and cashed them at Wal-Mart.  If it wasn't for online banking, he would not have noticed it right away and been able to act so quickly.  Roger Carpenter also credits online banking for helping him to quickly spot 3 fraudulent checks cashed in 3 different cities.  It was a hassle to deal with but it could have been worse.  Sandro Menasci checks his accounts online every morning and has added extra security to his cards.  Dave Spiess opened up a second account just to handle credit card orders so that if fraud does occur, it won't be so devastating.  This was actually a recommendation by the bank.  Of course the bank is not always this helpful.  Just ask Dave Crissman.  Wells Fargo (and their subcontractors) were not very helpful when he was the victim of an $11,000 fraud.  In fact, they made it worse and even profited by it. The police won't even bother with small amounts, especially if they are under $1000.  The crooks know this.  Just be prudent in how you do business and handle your accounts.

Question of the Day

What are your thought about MABE?

• Gus Dekavallas - I would like to see new members get involved faster, let the body of members choose the board and get rid of the clicks.  We need to make the board wide open to all.
• Roman Okonowski - I feel new members need to be here a while before joining the board.  They need to be mentored. 
• Amy Ahrensdorf - It is difficult as a new member to place names and faces.  It helps having that one-on-one interaction.  The Buddy Lunches are a great idea.
• Dave Spiess - When MABE began, we attempted to visit each members' business instead of always meeting at a restaurant.  You got an intimate feel for the persons business and what they do.
• Greg Stewart - I would like to ask the newer members what their expectations from MABE were and if we achieved them.
• Amy Ahrensdorf - I think a lot of it has to do with your sponsor.  Every time Bill LaLonde came to clean my pool he used the opportunity to talk about MABE.  I came to the first meeting based on his recommendation.  He presented it as more than just a leads group.
• Phil Passante - I don't always associate names with what people do.  If members could give a 60-second commercial during Leads & Introductions it would help.  Some already do but others breeze through leads.  It would also be nice to have a time to mention things like we are doing now.
• Roman Okonowski - You can certainly interject anything on your mind during L&I.
• Phil Passante - Last week I used the advise that members gave me on an employee issue and it is working out.  The mentoring aspect of the group is great.
• Steve Chilton - We all join for different reasons but it is, after all, a leads group.  In Europe the leads groups were very professional.  There was no joking around.  It takes a while to get used to it.  At first you talk on a business level.  It takes a while to break out.  The language barrier here is the worst!  It just takes time.  It can be daunting coming in as a small business.  You wonder if you will be able to converse on the same level as the more established business owners.  The laughter and joking around help...It makes you feel great.
• Roman Okonowski - What is important to me as a member is that this is a comfortable place to come.   There are very few places in the world where you can feel this comfortable.
• Steve Chilton - A group like this opens people up.
• Roger Carpenter - Gus Dekavallas was after me for a while to join.  It was important for me to put myself out there. 
• Sandro Menasci - The social events are important.  But it is always the same people that go.  Sometimes I too find it difficult to get away but they are important.  The new people don't know our history.
• Amy Ahrensdorf - After joining I received calls from three members welcoming me.  It was nice to have those personal phone calls.
• Greg Stewart - There is a wealth of business knowledge here.  We rarely get into deep business conversations.  I think once a month we should open up discussions on business topics that affect all of us.
•  James Bache - I came from another contacts group.  They would have members talk about how you could get leads for them.  It was affective but in a group this size it would be hard to manage.  I have a hard time selling myself.
• Roman Okonowski - We used to have a Mighty Minute where two members where scheduled to stand up for a minute or two and tell the group what they do and how to get them leads.
• Chris Curran - It would be hard to improve this group.  I think it is pretty damn good.  We are all salesmen.  Otherwise we would have no clients.  In another group I was in, after a buddy lunch-type meeting we would each get up and talk about the other's business.
• Randy Clark - It is simple to do during leads.  Just introduce yourself and say "this is how you can get me leads" in 30-seconds or less.
• Chris Curran - When I joined I was intimidated by this large group of successful people.  I don't think the comradery is terrible.  It weeds out the suckers - those not qualified to be here or those coming in just expecting to get leads.
• Roman Okonowski - Joining MABE is not an entitlement.  You must earn leads.  I am a big guy on the level of expectation.  You must earn the opportunity.  So if you don't commit you probably won't see results.
• Joe Zingale - I met with Donna Killoughey last night.  She was a member over 10 years ago.  She asked me for more brochures.  She still sees the value of MABE and still hands out our brochures.  That speaks volumes about what we do and who we are.
• Randy Clark - MABE is a lot of things.  Most come in to generate business.  We have 45 salesmen here.  It is my job to use MABE as an asset to my business.  I have 45 business to refer and I do it on a regular basis.
• Roger Carpenter - As with many of you, I am challenged with advertising.  I have learned that 95% of my clients either saw my sign or were referred by another customer.  Referrals are important.
   

Board Elections

Dave Spiess and Mark Dreher were both elected to the board by acclamation.  There will be a board meeting 2 weeks from today to make the transition.  The new board will take affect on September 1st.

Dave Spiess was present at today's meeting to give his nomination speech...

Dave has been a member of MABE since its inception.  He left for about 1-1/2 years but came back as soon as his category opened up again.  He realizes the benefits that MABE has to offer.  It is a great place to stay in contact with other business owners, to receive and give mentoring.  He has served on the board 2 or 3 times before and was president at one point.  Being a member of MABE has been good for Dave's business and for him personally.  What Dave would like to see happen during his term on the board:

• A focus on retention

• Continued growth

• A focus on bringing in quality members

• Improved mentoring of new members

• Generation of more business among members

• Greater member involvement

Dave firmly believes that members will get more out of the group if they get more involved.  It does take effort and time but it is well worth it.

Dave's speech lead to a discussion on the benefits of MABE.  Please refer to the Question of the Day to view comments from both new and old members.