Happy Holidays!
In the spirit of the holidays, MABE-a-Clause brought gifts for members.  And because MABE-a-Clause is cheap, no gift was over $1.  Ho, Ho, Ho!

Member Spotlight
Did you notice anything different about the MABE home page?  We will feature a different member each week.  (Bribes accepted! ;-p)

Leads & Introductions
Members introduced themselves and announced leads.

Advice on buying A Christmas gift for your wife
Courtesy of Joe Zingale - Wait until the last minute and go to Nordstrom's on Christmas Eve.  There is room full of husbands being served appetizers while the store clerks help them buy their wives a gift.  Knowing that his wife is "cheap", Joe buys the most expensive gift available.  He gets brownie points for the gift AND he knows his wife will return it so it is a win-win situation for him....unless his wife reads these minutes! 

Jim Bache has additional advice to offer...If you are going to follow Joe's plan, make sure you don't have the gift engraved (amateur mistake!).

Social Update
The holiday party will be at Melissa Matthews' home this year (4391 E Marshall Ct, Gilbert AZ 85297).  The date is Saturday, December 19th....TOMORROW!  We are in desperate need of appetizers.  6:30pm!

Feature Program - "What are you going to do different next year?"
Dave Crissman led this morning's discussion.  Many of us have gone through an evolution in our businesses over the past few years.  

• Dave Crissman - Mid-2007 we realized we were in trouble if we continued to follow our current business model.  Each business has a beginning, and then goes on a journey full of challenges.  Dave attended meetings given by Rosie Romero that discussed understanding your cash flow management.  The cash flow analysis he had to do for his company was the last piece of the puzzle needed to survive.  They needed to get lean and mean.  Dave is very optimistic about 2010.  Not about the economy but about how his company will respond to it.

• Janice Jaicks - She was glad this topic was introduced.  She too decided to make changes in 2010.  In 2009 she got into an ugly partnership...now her competition.  She made bad choices, bad decisions.  In 2010 she is going to be proactive.  She hired a new marketing person.  In spite of tight cash flow, she is going for it.  She put money into a new space because she wanted to grow and, "by golly", she is going to do it!  She is going to be proactive and not worry about the economy.

• Joe Zingale - Most people under 40 have not gone through a downturn in the economy.  Most of the gray-hairs in this room have been through this.  We know it won't last forever and we react accordingly.  For us, we looked at opportunities to keep cash flow going.  This is why we started our maintenance division.  We continually look at our expenses and we cut way back.  It is important to always monitor the expenses.  We are probably going to be just as profitable at half the volume.  You have to reinvent yourself all the time.  Sometimes reinventing yourself means pulling the plug on your business.  It is not an easy thing but sometimes it is necessary and good.  Times like these are a good opportunity to get rid of weak employees.

• Roman Okonowski - For 19+ years we owned a small family insurance company.  In January 2007 we joined a much larger agency.  At that point in time I tried to acclimate myself to the corporate environment.  It was a struggle, it is still a struggle.  I have resigned my position as a manager and I'm going back to what I enjoy which is working directly with the clients.  My goal for 2010 is to become reconnected with developing relationships.

• Mike Whalen - I still question what is going to happen in the economy and how are we going to respond.  When you have 24 years of your life invested in a business you come to have a relationship with it.  It is hard to look at things objectively.  I brought in a business consultant that helped me make the tough decisions.  I actually called competitors to offer them a good employee that I was having to let go.  It went a long way in easing my burden and eased the transition towards a stable cash flow.  I now monitor cash flow regularly.  I know my number and I make sure I hit it each day.  It's hard.

• Bob Busch - I have been through this.  I have walked through it with several members here.  At times we all thought we were going to lose our business.  Things won't turnaround here in Arizona in 2010.  It will be tough and we have to watch our expenses.  I have never taken insurance but that is something I am considering now.  You have to reinvent yourself and do things you never thought you would do.  The owner's energy is important.  Your employees notice.

• Sandro Menasci - The most profit I ever made was when I first started out because of my energy and attitude.  Now, it would be better for me if I was in a better location, but at what costs?  I am planning to work as long as I can.  I cut myself out a little bit but not my employees.  I don't recall one month where I had a negative balance sheet since starting my business.  It is because I make adjustments when necessary.

• Don Ellis - I am in the same position of most everyone here.  I have employees that have been with me for 10-20 years.  Like Sandro, Candy and I have cut back personally but not with our staff.  I don't want to start over either.  We are debt free, thank goodness.  Even if the economy improves, our street is going to be torn up for the light rail.  But we have to keep plugging away.  It would be a good time to sell but who is buying.  And nobody takes left turns!