Leads & Introductions
Members introduced themselves and announced leads and thank you's. 

Member Spotlight
This week's spotlight is Steve Chilton.  Please keep this member top of mind this week for referrals. 

Membership Update
Pat Rogers visited our group today.  She is a fitness consultant with Joyful Moves.  She helps her clients feel and look their best.  She is interested in joining our group.  Bob Busch will complete the membership application with her. 

Chris Craig also returned to our meeting today and is considering joining.  Chris is a marketing agent with www.2gotools.com.

Board Reports
Nick Mawrenko will present a financial report on April 30th. 
Janice Jaicks is working on some social event ideas.  More information to come soon.

Meeting Schedule Update
Coming up...

• April 16 - Guest Event Day*

• April 23 - Small Table Topics and Tim & Brad Green, All About Painting

• April 30 - Lakee Hesch, Loan Factoring

• May 7 - Nutrition, Exercise, ‘Intro to Small Group’, Contest Rules, Testimonials on Success

*Guest Event Day -Bring a guest/potential member.  We will do Buddy Lunch recaps and show guests how much we love each other.  "Think outside the box" but "don't over think it".  Use good judgment.  Don't bring a guest whose business would conflict with a current member's category.  Remember, they don't have to be owners of the business.  If they are in a decision-making role they qualify. 

There will NOT be meetings on the Friday's before Memorial Day or 4th of July.

Main Program:  Shipping & Freight, Aaron Peterson of FreightLink
Aaron has been in the industry since he was 16 years old.  He started on the warehouse docks so he has seen first hand how things work.  He has worked for different companies in the industry in different positions giving him a wide range of experience.  The company he currently works for has been around for over 20 years.  They handle importing and exporting.

When & Where to Buy

Bid Websites: www.Uship.com - This site will take you step-by-step through the process of shipping everything, small and large. 

Small Package Services: Many people ship FedEx or UPS.  DHL had the best price but they no longer exist in the US.  FedEx and UPS keep their rates the same. 

LTL (less then truckload) Companies:  There are 38 LTL ompanies that ship in the US.  Up until 1989 every single product was based on a tariff.  It is now deregulated.  It is now very expensive to ship LTL.  Demand a 75% discount when you are negotiating.  Also use the term FAK (freight of all kinds) as it will save you money. 

FTL (full truckload) Companies:  You have owner-operators (truck drivers).  Prices are driven on fuel.  If you ever ship this way try not to work through a series of brokers.  This scenario can also become an insurance nightmare if there is an issue.

Resellers:  Aaron's company is a reseller.  Stay away from resellers that don't have the proper numbers as that means they are operating illegally. 

Domestic Mail: There are actually investors in the mail.  You can actually negotiate your mail rates.  You can do it through Pitney Bowes.  Usually your printers will know a fulfillment company that can help you keep expenses down.

International Mail: Companies compete for your international mail business.  There is a Swedish company in Chicago that has the best international rates.

Freight Payment Services: This is where Aaron's company is the best.  Everything you can think of is affected by shipping.  His company will help you negotiate your rates.  They are paid a small percentage (4% over the negotiated fee) for their service.

Additional Freight Coverage:  Insurance, you don't have to get coverage with the shipping company.  It is always good to underwrite your product.  Usually there is a standard coverage included in the price.  The only companies that don't include it in their cost is freight forwarders that ship international.

Helpful Negotiating Terms

Have a relationship with a mail box place.  They get discounted rates through UPS and FedEx.

As a group (MABE) we can get with Aaron and negotiate rates with the carriers.  He may not be able to beat every price but he can beat most prices.  A percentage can also come back to the group.  He would have liked to join the group but he doesn't live in Arizona. 

His company handles the complete supply chain including storage.

Moving companies are more expensive but they insure for damage.  If you are moving, the best way to do it is to insure with your current home and the home you are moving to, they will usually cover it.  Then you can tell your carrier to leave the insurance fee out of it.

When selling on E-Bay you can make money on shipping.  It is a matter of choosing the option on the website.

Buddy Lunch Pairings Reminder
Lunches are to be completed by April 15th.  On Friday April 16th we will have another Guest Event Day where members will be asked to give a brief Buddy Lunch report.

• Stacy Hyder - Sandro Menasci - Joe Hesch

• Lynn Schmelzer - Phyllis Prater - Andrew Jensen

• Nick Mawrenko - Denver Johnson - Carole Weishaar

• Chris Curran - Dave Lathrop - Joe Burr

• Guy Sawyer - Jake Ulrich - Dave Crissman

• Bill LaLonde - Jim Bache - Bob Busch

• Fred Vandervort - Joe Zingale - Mark Menasci

• Erin LaGrassa - Don Ellis - Bob Becker

• Ryan Bohlander - Roman Okonowski - Melissa Matthews

• Steve Chilton - Herb Stokes - Janice Jaicks - Althea Bussert