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)

Roger Carpenter has regretfully resigned from the group.  Amy Ahrensdorf told members that his business has turned around.  He is very busy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He is exhausted.

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

The MABE Christmas Party is on 12-07.  You must RSVP by Friday 12-01. Just a reminder that the rates did go up.  If you signed up on the "old" sheet, you need to sign up again! 

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

Program Schedule

• 11/24/06   Thanksgiving
• 12/01/06   Jana Greene @ New Location
• 12/08/06   TBD
• 12/15/06   Althea Bussert
• 12/22/06   SPECIAL PROGRAM
• 12/29/06   New Years
   

Treasurer Report

No report.

Leads Report

31-19, 31-53, 31-41, 31-04, 41-31, 47-20, 47-46, 47-31, 47-07, 23-34, 04-16, 04-21, 04-24, 49-45, 49-17, 49-47, 49-19, 07-23, 07-06, 07-21, 07-28, 37-03, 06-03, 46-16, 46-12, 46-07, 28-52, 26-54, 26-17, 26-53, 35-43, 35-53.

This week's leads focus...

• Christopher Curran
• Gus Dekavallas
• Mark Dreher
   

Notable Mentions

None.

Chris Curran and and his partner have decided to terminate a highly compensated employee. He is concerned for several reasons.  Any suggestions on what to do beforehand  to better protect himself?

• Have you documented the issues?

• Can you restructure her position?

• Be careful not to say anything because that is where they find cause to sue you.

• Can you wait until January - after the holidays?

• What about a severance package?

• Write a letter summarizing verbal conversations.  Now you have written documentation? 

• Suck it us and let them go.

• You can lose the respect of other employees if you don't fire them.

• Fire them and do it in one sentence.  Be quick, concise but be compassionate to their situation.

• You are sometimes better off not documenting problems. That very documentation can backfire on you.

Quote of the Day...
"Every time I write a letter, before I sign it I ask myself, "Is this Exhibit A?"

 

Greg Stewart recommended a Question of the Day for our next meeting....
"What we are doing for Christmas bonuses?"

[delete/bios/other/opendiscussion.htm]

Jeff Sobkoviak
Jeff is from the Chicago area.  He played four years of baseball in school where he got his marketing degree.  After graduating he played 10 years of professional baseball.  He spent most of his time in AAA.  He was a pitcher.  When he started having kids he decided it was time to get a real job. 

He knew Dave Crissman.  Dave had plans for his business that fit with Jeff's plans (and they were ethical unlike his previous job).  He has now been with ECO Water for 3 years.  His is proud to say that they have tripled their revenue.  His title is Marketing Manager but in many ways he runs the company in Dave's absence.

What is it like to work for Dave?  He is a very driven and compassionate person. Jeff says that he is "truly the easiest person to work for".

Does the company provide full service plumbing?  Not anymore.  They just don't have the time because they are so busy installing their our own equipment.

Jana Greene
Why the B&B?  The original owners were Bob and Brenda.  Three owners down the line, Jana just tells her employees to make something up. 

Talk about relocating your business...There is probably never a good time, but this truly was not.  Jana had just taken on more responsibility with another group and was busy organizing their convention.  That is when she got a call from her landlord saying her lease was up and her rate was jumping to $8000 a month.  She had to scramble to decide what to do.  She even considered closing down.  At the last minute she found a place.  She still had a lot to do but it did all come together.  It is a much smaller space.  It was a tight fit.  She admits to being foolish when she decided to stay open during the move but they got through it.   In the long run it will turn out to be a good decision. 

Jana got to the point where she let her staff run her.  She felt like they kept her hostage because they knew she needed them during the busy holidays.  But since she began working with a business consultant, she has been able to make some important staff changes.