JAMIE ROSENKRANS - BABM.com

NANCY CREWS, PH.D. 

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILITARY 

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YARBROUGH 

CONFECTION WITH AFFECTION 

CAMEOS: 

HALL – HULBERT – SEALUND – 

SPENCER – TRICE 

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES 

JAMIE 

ROSENKRANS 

LEADER OF THE PACK 

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inside this issue 

JAN/FEB 2009 | BABm.com 

2 

Jim’s Harley-Davidson 

A Tampa Bay Tradition 

C A R O L C O R T R I G H T 6 

thoroughly 

modern military 

nancy crews, ph.d. 

J AY WINCHESTER 14 

Celebrate Cake! 

A “Bonnie” Business 

GRETCHEN C A I N 18 

Cameos By Jay Winchester 

J AY WINCHESTER 24 

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 

Tampa Bay Area Networking Opportunities 

C A R O L C O R T R I G H T 30 

Lessons Learned 

Legal 

Protect Your Idea$ - Part VI (Brent Britton, Esq) 34 

Accounting 

WBE – A Woman’s Prerogative (Tatiana Gilbertson) 36 

Strategic Planning 

Retirement Concerns for Women (Cathy Norris) 38 

Networking 

Teeing Up for Business: How Golf Can Get You in the Game (Penny Hulbert) 40 

Strategic Planning 

The Latest on Women Owned Businesses (Rosemary DiDio Brehm) 42 

Sales Moves 

Is it the law of attraction, or the law of hard work? (Jeffrey Gitomer) 44 

Marketing 

Planning Your 2009 Online Advertising (Mark Regan) 46 

Technology 

Survive and Thrive: 6 Ways to… (Tony DiBenedetto) 48 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

Philanthropy vs. Sponsorship – What Gives? (Debra Kent Faulk) 50 

Marketing 

10 Surefire Ways To Greater Success (Dale Hutchings) 52 

Legal 

Department of Homeland Security and Social Security (Sheri D. McWhorter, JD, SPHR) 54 

Recharge 

Escape to Tranquility (Leslie Joy Ickowitz) 56 

Leadership 

Pragmatic Optimism (Doug Van Dyke) 58 

Marketing 

Marketing 2.0: Think like a Publisher (Bernie Borges) 60 

Entrepreneurship 

The Butterfly Effect (Brian Tracy) 62 

Suggested Reading 64 

Business Directory 69 

Values 

6 Keys to Becoming a Person of Action (Andy Andrews) 72 

Departments 

Editor’s Note 

Business Directory 

Business Seen 

Suggested Reading 

woMEN owNEd BuSiNESSES 

Jamie 

roseNkraNs 

lEAdEr oF ThE p A C k 

NaNcy crews, Ph.D. 

Thoroughly ModErN MiliT A ry 

BoNNie 

yarBrough 

CoNFECTioN wiTh AFFECTioN 

cameos : 

hAll – hulBErT – SEAluNd – 

SpENCEr – TriCE 

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ACCouNTiNg – lEgAl – MArkETiNg – TEChNology 

JAN/FEB 2009 

Front Cover 

Cover Photo: Judy Trice 

JAN/FEB 2008, Volume 1, Number 16

the editor’s note 


4 

Happy New Year 

Are you ready for 2009? 

Are you ready to shake off the 

negative energy that has permeated 

the business community? 

Are you ready to take control of your 

business and future? 

Are you ready to help make the 

Tampa Bay economy an example 

of good ol’ American ingenuity and 

tenacity? 

Are you ready to step out of the box? 

BABM launched in October 2006 and we have prided ourselves 

in not following the pack. We love rewriting the rules. Change 

is happening at lightening speed and the old business 

models in all industries are just that – OLD. With a passionate 

mission to educate, support, and inspire business owners and 

emerging entrepreneurs we are excited to help you take your 

businesses to the next level. 

BABM has become the trusted business resource for business 

building. We have an editorial team of some of the best 

industry experts. Our promise to you is that we will continue 

to deliver top information through multiple venues. As I write 

this editor’s note we are planning and producing our radio 

launch for December 15th. Be sure to tune into the syndicated 

Dave Ramsey Show on NewsTalk 820 every week day to receive 

additional business building tips on the BABMinute. 

BABM’s presence online is growing exponentially each month. 

Our online business directory is the 3rd highest clicked link 

on BABM.com. Our visitors are choosing their products and 

services from a site they know and trust. They’re choosing their 

products and services from the same site that helps them grow 

their businesses. As we’ve watched these numbers grow, we 

decided we are in a position to bring consumer and supplier 

together on a different level that will more than get our Tampa 

Bay economy moving forward quickly. All the details are being 

work out and we will be rolling out an exciting program in the 

first quarter of 2009. 

The eBABM newsletter data base more than doubled between 

the months of October and November 2008, increasing from 

3,200 to 6,800. There are additional business building articles 

published in the newsletter and loaded on the website that 

do not appear in the print magazine. We understand that it’s 

important to have a strong presence in print and online for our 

readers and marketing partners. The BABM team is constantly 

brainstorming and looking for better ways to educate, support 

and inspire our readers and showcase our marketing partners. 

Your success is our goal. 

We are excited about 2009. Come ride with us!

JAN/FEB 2008, Volume 1, Number 16 

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JAN/FEB 2009 | BABm.com cover story 


6

Jim’s Harley-Davidson 

A Tampa Bay Tradition 

Walking into Jim’s Harley-Davidson in St. Petersburg 

for the first time, one gets a soaring sense of space 

as sunlight filters through the high windows around 

the vaulted ceiling. Then, the gaze settles upon a vast 

emporium of merchandise dedicated to this twowheeled 

American icon. Jim’s offers a little something 

for everyone, rider and wishful enthusiast alike. 

Friendly associates navigate the sales floor, assuring 

that personal assistance is readily available. No wonder 

Jim’s is ranked #1 nationally in customer service 

among Harley-Davidson dealers.


8 

let’s ride

The driving force behind this motorcycle megastore is Jamie 

Rosenkrans, who steered the business from the old 7,000 square ft. 

space to its current 39,900 square ft. gem on 54th Ave., conveniently 

located between U.S. 19 and I-275. In doing so, she broke barriers as 

Florida’s first woman Harley-Davidson dealer and built one of the 

largest operations of its kind in the state. 

With golden Harley charms dangling from her ears, catching the 

rumble of the machines revving through the walls of her office from 

the service department on the other side, Jamie reflects on the path 

that brought her here. Born and raised in Clearwater, Jamie comes from 

pioneer stock with Taylors, McMullens and Booths peppering her family 

tree. Her mother ran a dry cleaning and laundry service and Jamie used 

to help out after school, so developing a business sense came early 

for her. 

As for the motorcycle fixation, a tiny Jamie took her first ride at six 

months, tucked snugly inside her uncle’s leather jacket while he was 

babysitting her. Also, she had lots of friends who rode motorcycles, so 

for her it was a normal mode of transportation. 

Jamie graduated from FSU with a teaching degree, but events leading 

up to the 1968 teachers’ strike made it hard to find work in Florida. She 

headed north to Atlanta and spent two years teaching there before 

things settled down and she came home, continuing a career that 

spanned thirty years, retiring in 1997. 

Along the way, that motorcycle-loving uncle, a Shriner, introduced her 

to a fellow member of the Shriners’ motorcycle unit, Jim Rosenkrans. 

Jamie and Jim were married on Valentine’s Day 1975, between his shifts 

with the St. Petersburg Fire Department. 

In the late 1970s, Jim sold some apartments and was looking for 

another business investment. Coincidentally, around the same time, 

Jamie and Jim paid a visit to Francis Worth “Cannonball” Hockett’s shop, 

Harley-Davidson of St. Petersburg, to look at a new bike. Cannonball 

was a motorcycle racer who had opened the first Harley-Davidson 

dealership in Asheboro, N.C. in 1946. 

Details were ironed out and on September 1, 1979, the Rosenkranses 

took over Cannonball’s cycle shop, but kept him on the payroll until he 

was ready to retire, learning all they could from his wealth of experience. 

Jim worked in the shop on his days off and Jamie filled in when the 

school day ended and on Saturdays. 

And so it went over the next decade, with Jim and Jamie maintaining 

a solid repair business, while bike sales slowed and Harley-Davidson’s 

corporate image and very foundation underwent a major overhaul. 

Harley-Davidson faced major competition during the 1970s from 

Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. In addition, the board of directors 

sold out to American Machine and Foundry (AMF) in an attempt to raise 

capital to boost production. Unfortunately, this led to a slip in the quality 

of the product and the brand suffered. 

Jamie credits Vaughn Beals, one of Harley-Davidson’s top executives, 

with masterminding a leveraged buyout in 1981 that effectively 

resurrected the company and paved the way for a major market 

resurgence. Meanwhile, Jamie tried to convince Jim to get merchandise 

out from behind the counter where customers could see it and “put 

their hands on it,” she said. “Once we did that, sales went crazy.” 

Early on, Jim’s was the only shop to sell leather pants and jackets and 

Jamie could only order from one company that had a limited deal with 

Harley for leather sets. Back then Harley-Davidson didn’t have the line of 

merchandise it has now, and it was difficult to get even t-shirts in stock. 

Once they started including the customer in the shopping experience, 

things really started moving. Second-hand display gondolas came from 

a hardware store that was remodeling. Existing windows were removed 

in favor of slat walls for getting parts and supplies out where people 

could see—and buy—them. 

In April 1988, tragedy struck the Rosenkrans family when Jim died from 

injuries sustained in a tractor accident. Suddenly, Jamie was left with a 

Harley-Davidson dealership during a time when motorcycle businesses 

were run by men and women had not yet come into their own as a 

strong presence in the corporate world. 

Would she sell? 

She didn’t really want to, she says. “Besides, the economy wasn’t doing 

very well then and I thought, ‘Who’s going to buy a Harley-Davidson 

dealership anyway?’” 

She couldn’t afford to retire from teaching at the time and she knew 

it would be a lot of hard work. She received tremendous support 

from other dealers who helped her learn the ropes of ordering and 

maintaining the proper mix of inventory during the difficult period 

following Jim’s death.


10 

She makes a habit out of 

wandering the sales floor 

and staff areas, thanking her 

employees for the good jobs 

they do. 

All in all, she says, once she proved herself to Harley-Davidson 

and convinced them she was interested in moving forward, the 

corporation became a helpful ally as she transitioned into her role as 

the new leader of the dealership. 

Here Comes the “Taj MaHarley” 

By 1997, Jim’s Harley-Davidson had outgrown its original location. 

Jamie looked all over town for a new spot and passed the site on 

the northwest corner of 54th Ave. N. and 28th St. N. a number of 

times. Finally, she purchased the property, petitioned the county for 

rezoning, won after two tries, and opened up the new supersized 

store in March of 1999. 

Service kiosks dot the expansive sales floor and associates are 

ready and willing to help customers find what they need and 

what they don’t even know they need. An old-fashioned Harley- 

Davidson jukebox sits between the helmet displays and apparel 

racks, and vintage advertisements hang high on the walls above the 

merchandise. Set up like a department store, there are designated 

areas for men, women and even children, the latter sporting pintsized 

jackets, backpacks, teddy bears and other kid-friendly items 

emblazoned with the signature black and orange logo. Jim’s has 

plenty of gift items, too, from mugs and coffee packets to coasters, 

patches and more —and stylish H-D wrapping paper to boot. 

One section is decked out in chrome and other assorted motorcycle 

components and necessities, adjacent to the parts counter. Toward 

the back, there’s a comfortable customer lounge for hanging out 

while bikes are serviced in the garage. 

With just over fifty employees filling department functions from 

sales and rentals to motor clothes, marketing and riders’ courses, 

plus a retail shop at John’s Pass on Madeira Beach, Jim’s Harley- 

Davidson has grown into a major presence with a diverse following 

of motorcycle riders and Harley buffs. 

But Jim’s is more than just a motorcycle shop; it’s linked into the 

Harley-Davidson corporate family which means there are standards 

to uphold, as well as professional tools available and development 

strategies to utilize. 

For assessing business direction, Jamie belongs to the H-D 

Performance Group, a peer review group representing seventeen 

dealerships nationwide that meets every three months and includes 

a mediator and three company reps. “We look at each other’s sales 

data and make suggestions based on our own experience,” she 

explains. 

On the sales floor, Jamie expects her associates to connect with the 

customers. “We not only sell motorcycles, we sell a way of life,” she 

says. “It’s the camaraderie between our customers and staff. We want 

them to feel that they’re part of the family.” To that end, they’ve 

implemented a number of ways to keep their customers engaged 

in that Harley-Davidson lifestyle, including the Motorcycle Value 

Program (MVP), an exclusive customer loyalty rewards program. 

There’s a place on the website for Women Rider’s Stories, photo 

galleries and more. 

Connect with customers.

Jamie encourages staff to send thank you notes to customers and 

give them personal alerts when items of special interest come up on 

sale. “We try to develop that culture through training and using secret 

shoppers. We’ll go over what the secret shopper said, especially if they 

fall down on asking for the sale, for example, reminding them that they 

need to ask ‘Can I put this on the counter for you?’ or something else to 

help close the deal.” 

Sales are the lifeblood of the business at Jim’s and Jamie wants her 

staff to think outside the box in getting that to happen. She recently 

challenged her parts department: pick some small item that sells for a 

dollar or two, and offer every customer the opportunity to purchase it. 

It worked. Likewise, she reminds them to upsell—if someone buys a 

leather jacket, suggest the leather cleaner as well. 

Jamie admits that the economic downturn has hurt business a little, 

forcing her to make some tough decisions. She dreaded the thought 

of laying off employees, so she asked her team if they had any ideas. 

Someone suggested a cut in hours, so they’re trying it while managing 

to keep sales steady. 

She makes a habit out of wandering the sales floor and staff areas, 

thanking her employees for the good jobs they do. She cooks for them 

and holds drawings for perks like Rays baseball game tickets to keep 

it fun. If she sees potential in her employees, she might send them to 

school so they can improve their skills and take on new challenges 

when they’re ready. 

Workload processes are always subject to change in an effort to 

constantly improve, and Jamie realizes that change is still a stickler for 

some of those in her workplace. She enthusiastically recommends Who 

Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson as “the perfect book that tells 

you how to handle change.” 

As for handling the stresses that come with running a multimillion 

dollar motorcycle dealership, she lets out a hearty laugh when asked 

how she “turns off” the business side of her brain in order to relax. 

Jamie makes time for herself by exercising with a personal trainer 

several times a week and works out the tension with a weekly massage. 

She also enjoys taking bike trips on her RoadGlide and gardening at 

the new home she built five years ago. 

Giving back to the community is a big part of her personal and 

corporate philosophy. Not only does she sponsor the annual Jim 

Rosenkrans Memorial Toy Run in December, she’s donated motorcycles 

to the Abilities Foundation and other charities for auctions. Other 

organizations close to her heart include Florida Veterinary Specialists 

and the SPCA. 

Jamie Rosenkrans looks back on her accomplishments and says, “My 

success is that I’ve taken this business and grown it into something 

that I and my staff are proud of. It’s also allowed me to give back and 

now I can help the community grow.” 

As for succession planning, she smiles: “Jim’s nephew works here now 

and he’s agreeable to the idea…one day.” But Jamie Rosenkrans isn’t 

going to be thundering off into the sunset on her Harley any time 

soon.

I nspired by her cousin, Norman, Ms. Rockwell’s 

extraordinary ability to capture the likenesses of her 

clients with loving understanding is widely acclaimed. 

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Richard D. Castellano, M.D. 

The power of dreams might not be the main focus of attention at 

medical school, but one gifted doctor quickly realized that his particular 

skills were all about making dreams come true. 

Dr. Richard Castellano is a Double Board Certified Facial Plastic 

Surgeon specializing in the areas of face and neck. Dr. Castellano 

has performed more than 2,700 cosmetic procedures, including 

over 2,000 lifting procedures, under local anesthesia - less stress, less 

risk and less recovery time than traditional lifting procedures. This 

Doctor has an amazing passion for his work, a passion which led to 

the formation of a big idea that Dr. Castellano is now putting into 

practice. 

The point about a big idea is that it has to be BIG! 

What about: “Change the way that cosmetic surgery is practiced 

throughout the world and make the benefits, of these life transforming 

procedures, accessible to everyone.” 

Enter, Signature Lift; although Signature Lift is the name of a specific 

procedure performed by Dr. Castellano; it is destined to become 

so much more; a brand synonymous with affordable, friendly and 

minimally intrusive cosmetic procedures, offering something to 

suit every need and every budget. It is gratifying to know that this 

promise of affordability comes with Dr. Castellano’s uncompromising 

commitment to quality; at Signature Lift, affordability is delivered with 

nothing less than world-class standards of medical attention and care. 

Dr. Castellano appears to be tireless; he regularly out-performs 

the benchmarks of his profession and sets new standards of 

excellence. He is involved in every aspect of Signature Lift’s 

development, from providing the best possible patient experience 

to personally working the Signature Lift booth at expos and 

seminars, where his enthusiasm for helping others is obviously real 

and impressively infectious. 

As with most talented people who are committed to a big idea, Dr. 

Castellano dismisses comments about his boundless energy and his 

work ethic with surprise; he is having a great time and gaining a huge 

amount of satisfaction from helping people to positively transform their 

self image. 

The Practice of 

Empowering 

Dreams 

Signature Lift is dedicated to delivering the most effective solution for 

each individual patient; there is no place for a ‘one-size-fits-all’ cookie 

cutter mentality in this practice! From a patient’s perspective, this is 

the way it should be; however, we can sometimes derail what is in our 

best interests by insisting, right out of the box, on knowing exactly how 

much a procedure will cost. As Dr. Castellano and his team patiently 

point out, these solutions don’t come in a box. “First it is essential to 

understand what is in our patient’s mind and what their individual 

dreams entail; only then can we evaluate the most effective approaches 

and techniques for that person and settle on a fee that fits their budget.” 

Treatment options include Dr Castellano’s own Signature Lift; a 90 minute 

procedure which is much less invasive than a traditional facelift, but offers more 

improvement than a standard mini lift. At the other end of the spectrum, Dr. 

Castellano is an experienced artist with facial fillers and facial rejuvenation; 

this is crucial to making a safe decision at a time when the availability of 

skilled practitioners has not kept pace with a rapid growth in the popularity 

of such products. Even for this relatively simple procedure, Dr. Castellano has 

developed specialized techniques to ensure the most effective results. 

While effective results can mean different things to different people, 

images of stretched and distorted celebrity faces are constant reminders 

of how not to challenge nature. 

Dr. Castellano’s guiding principle is to restore a natural appearance. A 

‘natural’ appearance is less likely to focus attention on facial or physical 

features, but on who you are as an individual. As we age, our faces drop; 

therefore the natural remedy is to lift up, not pull back! 

The culture of the Signature Lift team is influenced by the special gifts 

and skills which enable them to effectively change people’s lives - this is 

seen as a responsibility and a privilege. 

Today, concierge services are available for patients who live outside 

of Florida, smoothing the way with transportation, cars, care and 

accommodation. Of course this is just the start; the big idea is to make it 

possible for anyone to improve their quality of life through access to the 

highest quality and most affordable facial rejuvenation services, so that 

more people can look more youthful – naturally. 

For further information, visit www.SignatureLiftNow.com, or simply call 

1-877-770-FACE (3223).

feature story 

JAN/FEB 2009 | BABm.com Carol Cortright 

14

thoroughly 

modern military 

nancy crews, ph.d. 

Dr. Nancy Crews and Custom Manufacturing & Engineering provide power and security 

solutions for modern war fighters. 

There is an element to armed conflict between countries that tests 

the resolve of a nation. Many times, it also tests the resolve and the 

resources of its industry. It is one thing to go to war; it is quite another to 

go prepared to win the conflict. In terms of innovative technology and 

its applications to conflict, today’s United States Armed Forces are better 

equipped than any other force in our history and possibly the world. 

Maintaining that type of combat advantage frequently depends on the 

ability of corporate America to research and manufacture advanced 

weapons and security systems capable of assisting the efforts of the war 

fighter in securing victory. 

While the current conflicts in which we find our country involved are 

taking place half a world away, there is a company in St. Petersburg 

that is hard at work ensuring that our servicemen and women are 

properly equipped with the latest in high-tech gear. That company 

is Custom Manufacturing & Engineering, Inc. (CME; www.custommfg-eng.com), 

and it carries out its mission of creating products 

enabling its customers to choose how and when to interact with their 

world under the steady leadership of Dr. Nancy Crews, Ph.D., CME’s 

president and owner. “We focus on the research and development 

tasks necessary to allow us to engineer and manufacture equipment 

with military and security applications,” says Crews. “Currently, our 

efforts are concentrated on two main areas: power supplies for field 

applications, and unattended sensor systems. Most of these efforts 

are centered on providing solutions to the Department of Defense 

(DoD), as well as the Army, Navy and Marines. We are also targeting 

the Department of Homeland Security. And we see other potential 

government and civilian applications of these products, especially in 

rugged environments.” 

In terms of the power supplies, CME’s niche is providing what it calls 

intelligent power, meaning providing power sources that are both 

manageable, distributable, efficient and transportable. Given the mobile 

nature of an army in the field or a navy at sea, one can readily understand 

the attraction of reliable and powerful power sources. This is essential 

when forces encamp and require power for a variety of applications 

involved in sheltering, feeding and protecting personnel. 

On the sensor side, CME’s efforts are focused on sensor systems that can be 

applied in the areas of force or perimeter protection and will function while 

unattended. One CME product is a laser tripwire. When placed around 

an encampment, any intruder who breaks the laser’s beam by passing 

through it sets off alarms that trigger a security and defensive response. 

A second product in CME’s arsenal of high-tech gear is a 360° imaging 

sensor. This device is capable of providing security personnel with a 

full omni-directional view of all activities within and without the secure 

perimeter of an installation. Images are transmitted to a central command 

post where image quality and alerts can be monitored. 

Since both products operate in an unattended mode, personnel are 

freed for other tasks. Think about World War II movies with typical scenes 

featuring sentries posted overnight for security purposes. The laser 

tripwire and 360° imaging system virtually eliminate such requirements, 

although the human factor still plays a part. As one might imagine, the 

ideal customer for CME’s products is the war fighter who appreciates 

quality tech and its effectiveness. CME’s veteran Engineering and 

Manufacturing staffs enable it to quickly move products from the initial 

idea phase all the way through the product phase.

feature story 


16 

As for the company itself, CME traces its origins back to a spin-off 

effort of Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s leading developers 

of mil-spec tech. “I was tasked with assisting a downsizing and 

conversion effort of a nuclear defense plant in Largo,” says Crews. 

“I was chosen because of a background in both technology and 

marketing. The effort was focused on converting that facility to a 

civilian company and saving local jobs.” Today, CME is staffed with 

approximately 70 employees, half of whom are engineers. There is 

also a small office located in New Jersey. 

Dr. Crews started her career in chemistry, having earned both her 

doctorate and undergrad degrees in that subject at Virginia Tech and 

University of Florida, respectively. After school, she took a position 

at Eastman Kodak, working as a scientist. Although she was wellversed 

in her chosen scientific discipline, she found herself growing 

increasingly curious about marketing. Deciding to move her career 

in that direction, she ultimately became a program manager for a 

family of company products. 

While one might expect to find a woman running a marketing 

company, it’s a bit of a surprise to find one running a manufacturer 

of products with a military application, especially when one tends 

to think of the military as a predominately male organization. Crews, 

herself the product of a military family, doesn’t see it that way. 

“Today, there are more women in the sciences and in the military 

than ever before,” she says. “However, even though we can be 

considered a defense contractor, our business challenges are the 

same as any other business, and we face them every day.” 

Among those challenges is finding good customers. “I believe 

that the quality of your customer does as much to define your 

organization as your personnel and your products,” Nancy says. 

“In our business, we don’t always have a direct path with the end 

user, in this instance, the war fighter. However, we do have a better 

handle on the challenges of finding those good customers than we 

had early on.” 

“Early on” was nearly 11 years ago. “It has been a fast 11 years,” Crews 

admits, “but it certainly doesn’t seem like it. We feel good with where 

the company is today, but we are definitely future-focused.” When 

asked how the company was doing, she responded by saying it was 

“…doing well and on the verge of growth. We have refined both 

our marketplace and our customer base. We desire to continue 

manufacturing here in the United States and continue building tech 

for our war fighters in the field, wherever they may be.” 

The biggest challenge facing CME is, as one might guess in today’s 

business climate, the economy. “I am continually focused on the 

economic climate, and determining how it will affect our business 

and our industry,” Crews says. “However, our prospects look good at 

the DoD.” 

When not at work, Dr. Crews enjoys time well-spent with her 

husband and two sons. The Tampa resident is also an avid reader 

who is especially fond of the works penned by best-selling author 

Dean Koontz. “I am an avid learner who loves to read,” she says, 

finding it a pastime that not only fulfills the learner in her, but also 

provides a period of relaxation away from the concerns of running 

the business. 

This is not to suggest that Crews takes business lightly, merely that 

she is selective in where she chooses to focus her energies. This 

results from lessons learned from her former manager and mentor 

at Eastman Kodak, Lynn Hamb. “He used to always tell me, ‘You only 

have so many silver bullets at your disposal, so use them selectively’,” 

she recalls. “It’s a lesson I use every day.” 

Mentoring is a key activity at CME. The company works closely 

with John M. Sexton Elementary School, sponsoring fundraising 

breakfasts and participating in other fund drives. Additionally, the 

company pays each employee one hour’s worth of time spent 

mentoring and tutoring students. Crews herself participates in the 

Mayor’s Mentors & More program, started by incumbent St. Pete 

Mayor Rick Baker. The aim is to help bring corporations and the 

community together to make area schools become the very best 

learning institutions they can be. 

While that is vital work, CME’s efforts might be even more so. 

After all, securing the future for our children means securing the 

present as much as possible. It is a mission to which the company 

is totally committed. “As a company, we have the capability to 

produce quality products for a deserving customer base, the U.S. 

war fighter,” Crews says. “That is what we do. We take pride that our 

Armed Forces make good use of our products. We feel like we are 

contributing to their success.” 

While no civilized nation of people with good intent should ever 

choose war over any other option, it is just as important that that 

same nation of people realize that the young men and women 

chosen to go and fight are deserving of our love, prayers and 

respect. No resource should be spared in ensuring their safety, 

security, and ability to fulfill their mission and return safely home. 

That is CME’s commitment, just as it should be all of ours.

The biggest 

challenge facing 

CME is, as one 

might guess in 

today’s business 

climate, the 

economy.

feature story 

JAN/FEB 2009 | BABm.com Gretchen Cain 

18

Celebrate Cake! 

A “Bonnie” Business 

Recipe for Sweet Success: 

Identify your passion and make it your life’s work 

Stay focused on the task at hand, eliminating distractions wherever possible 

Details, details, details! Have a business plan and follow all the steps to completion 

Know your target market and cater to it with an innovative marketing plan 

Change your plan when necessary to fill the specific niche needed 

Set high standards for your product or services and adhere to them 

Utilize mentors and networking groups to provide advice, support and business leads 

When Bonnie Yarbrough of Celebration Cakes is working on one of her 

masterpieces, time is suspended. She is in her creative zone and the only 

moment is her beautiful cake; anything else that goes on in the outside 

world can wait. It is her affinity for mastering minute details, and the 

ability to stay on task, that has allowed Yarbrough to achieve what every 

entrepreneur ultimately wants: to identify one’s passion early in life and 

cultivate it into a successful business. 

Yarbrough said her experience didn’t come from a professional cooking 

school, but from her mother, who trained her to bake as a child and 

young adult. Her mother was a great believer in adding little touches 

that make the difference between a baked good that is created and a 

mass-produced item. “For example, add almond flavoring to your cherry 

and apple pie fillings and when making a spice cake, such as pumpkin, 

carrot or apple, add maple flavoring to the batter,” shared Yarbrough. 

“I taught myself how to decorate,” said Yarbrough. “Decorating cakes 

became my passion, and because I enjoy the creativity so much, it has 

always been a great stress reliever for me. It is so very rewarding to 

see your cake in the center of a ballroom, beautifully adorned for the 

occasion and to know you have delivered the finale, the centerpiece. 

“It is like the Christmas Tree for the winter season. Nothing can take that 

feeling of accomplishment away from you. It is my weekend high, every 

weekend,” Yarbrough said. 

Yarbrough recalls that she was ready to structure her own company in 

December 1999, a new business for a new millennium. “As a matter of 

fact, I was the last corporation formed in Florida in 1999,” she said. Her 

storefront on Walsingham Road in Largo opened at Sabala Plaza on 

Valentine’s Day, 2000. Serendipitously, it was the anniversary of the very 

first wedding cake she had ever made, Feb.14, 1996. 

Yarbrough’s target market continues to be the bride for wedding cakes, 

as well as local residents requiring a special occasion cake. Yarbrough’s 

husband and business partner, Ted, selected the name Celebration 

Cakes, pointing to the fact that “all cakes are for celebrations of one sort 

or another.” 

Although Yarbrough may have preferred to work out of her home or on 

a part-time basis, those options weren’t available. “Home-based food 

preparation is outlawed in Florida. One must have a separate entrance 

into the kitchen or food preparation area,” she said.

feature story 


20 

In order to defray the expenses of the store, it was necessary 

for Yarbrough to be on-site fulltime. Additionally, the landlord 

required a certain number of hours each day for the storefront to 

remain open. 

Yarbrough’s longtime mentor for Celebration Cakes is Alice 

Gallace, owner of Gallace Italian Restaurant on Indian Rocks 

Beach. “Alice came into my storefront one day and had a vision of 

how my store should look,” said Yarbrough. “As I had money and 

time I implemented her visions. Alice still comes into my store 

today and is very pleased with my progress,” she said. 

Like most savvy business owners, Celebration Cakes has a 

website to capture the customer who prefers to shop online. Still, 

Yarbrough finds dealing with customers face-to-face preferable. 

“Online shopping is so impersonal and everything about a cake is 

personal: its flavor, its filling, its color of frosting or the adornment 

on it,” she said. “This information is nearly impossible to relay 

online. However, having the site (www.celebrationcakes.biz) for 

browsing and enticement is wonderful,” Yarbrough said. 

It is the personal contact with customers and members of 

networking groups that helps Celebration Cakes to keep its edge 

over local bakeries in the area and also the grocery stores. 

Yarbrough has belonged to local chapters of many business 

networking groups, such as BNI and PLN, Women in Business, 

Monthly Mingles, Florida Barter, and Bay Area Bridal Association. 

For the first four years of business, BNI met at Celebration Cakes 

each Thursday morning. When the group’s attendance became 

too large, they moved to other facilities. 

Yarbrough said Celebration Cakes has maintained a very stable 

income over the past eight years, neither expanding nor reducing 

its services. Yarbrough attributes this to being unable to hire 

another manager or locate someone who wants to share the 

storefront in order to grow their own portion of the business. Life 

circumstances have presented a recent challenge, the diagnosis 

of Ted Yarbrough with Stage 6 of Alzheimer’s disease. Taking care 

of her husband is a top priority, yet Yarbrough has no immediate 

plans to sell her lucrative business or retire. 

Yarbrough advocates having a business plan to keep on track. 

Scheduling is critical, since the cake business has two seasons: 

Feb. 15 to June 15, and Oct. 15 to Dec. 15. According to 

Yarbrough, it is during these two time periods that the largest 

number of brides are married in the Tampa Bay area. 

“Online shopping is 

so impersonal and 

everything about 

a cake is personal: 

its flavor, its filling, its 

color of frosting or 

the adornment on it.”

feature story 

David Liller 


22 

Yarbrough advises entrepreneurs to set a standard for their products 

or services and to not deviate from it. “Find out what sells the best 

and perfect it,” she recommends. Celebration Cakes’ signature 

product is the Seashell Wedding Cake, which can be adapted for any 

flavor, with any filling, for any color scheme. 

Additional advice to entrepreneurs from Yarbrough: “Offer samples 

of your products. Volunteer to be the guest speaker at any event. 

Watch your expenses, especially your advertising dollars. Be able to 

alter your marketing plan.” 

Yarbrough said she opened Celebration Cakes with the intention of 

selling bakery supplies and offering lessons in decorating, but then 

had to alter her plans when she found there wasn’t a need. “Instead, 

I produced the quality of work the public demanded. Everyday 

was a new beginning, something new to make, to decorate or 

design. My passion for pretty became the backbone of my business,” 

Yarbrough said. 

Practice has made for perfect over the years and Yarbrough’s work 

has been lauded in publications and showcased at events such as 

NASCAR. She has earned the referrals of fine restaurants and hotels 

alike. Because of her reputation for creating cakes that are tastefully 

elegant, Yarbrough was chosen to provide the wedding cake for 

a Martha Stewart Destination Wedding at the SandPearl Resort at 

Clearwater Beach on November 9, 2008. As she does with all her 

cakes, Yarbrough personally delivered her four-tiered chocolate and 

raspberry swirled creation, designed to feed 135 wedding guests, 

and adorned with Swarovski crystals, silver beading and flowers. 

Yarbrough’s reward was much more than publicity generated 

from Martha Stewart Living Productions; it was the overwhelming 

satisfaction of seeing the bride and groom’s delighted expressions 

and knowing she was part of an age-old tradition. “The wedding 

cake is the very first thing that is shared as a couple, and represents 

their commitment to one another. It should be a celebration cake,” 

she said.

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Penny Hulbert 

Links Financial LLC 

In the mid-1950’s, there was a fictional television program, entitled 

The Millionaire, that followed this basic premise: every week, the 

incredibly wealthy industrialist John Beresford Tipton- never seen, 

but heard- would hand over a million dollar cashier’s check to his 

personal secretary, Michael Anthony (played by veteran character 

actor Marvin Miller). Anthony’s instructions were simple: deliver the 

check to specified people without revealing where it came from, and 

then step out of their lives, leaving them to decide how the money 

could best be used. As one might guess, some used it to great effect; 

others, less so. Over the course of the show’s six-year run, Tipton gave 

away $188,000,000, in addition to paying the requisite taxes. 

Penny Hulbert, Founder and President of Tampa-based Links 

Financial LLC, can actually top Tipton’s total. She has given over 

$1,000,000,000. Lest readers mistake her for either a rampant 

philanthropist or an eccentric billionaire and bombard her with calls, 

realize that Hulbert’s giving comes with its own twist: She has directly 

loaned that amount to various businesses and real estate entities 

over the course of her financial services career. 

In fact, her company, Links Financial, assists business owners, 

real estate developers and investors in finding and securing the 

appropriate financing program to meet their needs. “Having worked 

for several different banks gives me inside knowledge that is useful 

for my clients, and an appreciation for the lenders since I used to 

be one,” says Hulbert, a 20-year veteran of the banking industry 

with tenures at Bank of America, Northern Trust and Royal Bank 

of Canada’s U.S. subsidiary. “I have always been in the business of 

helping companies obtain financing.” 

The bug to build a career in banking was one that bit Hulbert early 

in life. “As a high school student, I read the Arthur Hailey book, 

The Moneychangers, deciding then and there that I wanted to be 

a banker,” recalls the aptly named Penny. So after graduating from 

Wake Forest University, it was off to the world of high finance. Then, 

two-and-a-half years ago, another bug bit, and she came down with 

a permanent case of the entrepreneurial flu, saying, “I finally gave in 

to the entrepreneurial bug and started my own business. I decided it 

was time to make money for myself instead of someone else.” 

Links Financial specializes in helping business owners safely steer 

their way through the sometimes confusing and turbulent waters 

of commercial and investment lending. “As a business owner, how 

would you know if your lending institution is a good fit for your 

company?” she asks. “How would you know if your bank likes your 

industry, or even your business model? You wouldn’t. My ideal client 

is a business owner who needs help navigating through the credit 

markets.” 

It is a mission and a business that excites her, although she has seen 

her own share of the pitfalls and successes of the entrepreneurial 

lifestyle. “There is never a ‘best time’ to start a new business,” she says 

matter-of-factly. “If every entrepreneur waited for the best time to 

start one, they never would.” Aside from the desire to be one’s own 

boss, that life-on-the-highwire feeling is another factor driving many 

e-spirited people, including Hulbert. “When I first got started, I had 

an opportunity to visit with a business-of-the-year award winner,” she 

says. “He was very supportive of me and my new business. I told him 

that starting my business was both frightening and exhilarating all 

at the same time. He replied that he had owned his business for 15 

years, and it was still that way for him.” 

Many entrepreneurs owning businesses realize quickly that there 

are certain things you have to do to be successful. But it can also 

seem that entrepreneurial success is really the by-product of artful 

alchemy, at least when you’re starting out. “One of my first clients told 

me that sometimes it’s just smoke and mirrors,” she says. “When you 

get started, you just do what you need to do to be successful. You 

make those phone calls, you contact the people that you need to and 

you keep your word.” 

These current fiscally crazy times in which we live and work have 

their share of frustrations and challenges for every business owner, 

Hulbert included. “Proceeding with major growth plans for my 

business when everyone else is sitting on the sidelines – that’s my 

biggest challenge,” she says. Penny overcomes this frustration with 

an unyielding passion for helping people turn their dreams into 

achievable goals. It’s the quality that drives her company’s success 

and keeps her motor running in overdrive. “I can’t wait to get up in 

the morning and get started each day,” says Hulbert. “I am passionate 

about helping people. I get excited about seeing businesses grow 

and thrive and serving as a catalyst for making that happen. I really 

wish that I had started my business sooner!” 

You may now proceed to bombard her with calls. 

To find out more about how the lending solutions offered by Penny 

Hulbert and Links Financial LLC can help your business grow, visit them 

on the Web at www.links-financial.com, or call 813.341.1250.

Terri L. Hall, 

Doubletake Studios, Inc. 

Doubletake Studios, Inc. is an advertising, branding and 

marketing boutique specializing in custom designed 

collateral, 3D direct mail and website design for a national 

clientele. As if the company didn’t already have enough 

to offer valued clients, owner Terri L. Hall recently added high-end 

custom corporate jewelry to the firm’s slate of quality services. It’s 

a good fit because, at Doubletake, everything revolves around a 

creative and collaborative synergy - and that’s by design. 

“Whenever we work with a new client, we must have a synergy that 

enables us to succeed,” says Hall, an Ohio native. “Whenever we have 

open communication, it’s amazing the fun and inventive things you 

can do to promote a product or service.” 

Specifically, the firm looks for clients needing to promote their 

business or service, improve sales, and introduce new products and 

services in a unique and timely fashion. Once on board, the client 

is exposed to Doubletake’s high energy creative vibe. “We have the 

unique ability to translate a client’s vision and produce something 

that is a collaboration of their idea combined with our expertise to 

generate a product that is simultaneously infused with our special 

brand of creativity while remaining highly effective,” she says. 

“Because our talented personnel have experience in both fine arts as 

well as graphic arts, we are able to offer our clients unique products 

that can enhance their branding while maintaining continuity 

between print, electronic media and specialty products such as 

custom awards and high-end corporate jewelry.” 

It’s no accident that Hall ended up owning a creative business. 

After all, her education provided an excellent framework for 

combining her passion for the arts with her drive to succeed in 

business. She is a prime example of a woman following this sage 

advice: “Make a business out of your passion, and you will be 

passionate about that business.” 

By Jay Winchester 

It’s a thought that rang true with Hall. 

“Originally I was studying fine arts in college 

and got well into my junior year when I 

started thinking about what I would do when 

I got my degree,” the University of South 

Florida grad recalls. “I realized I wanted to do 

something that integrated art with business, 

and graphic arts and advertising seemed to 

be a natural fit. I could still be creative while 

creating a career and a business around that 

passion.” 

Although the firm is successful today, Terri is quick to recall the early 

struggles while growing her business over the last ten years. She 

explains, “In the early days, we had a lot of peaks and valleys in terms 

of sales and production. We controlled growth so that we didn’t 

get too big too fast and not be able to maintain our focus on our 

customer base. We wanted to make sure that we had both the time 

and the appropriate personnel to ensure that each and every client 

remained our number one priority.” 

Looking for a solution, Hall found it by going back to her 

collaborative roots, a move that also infused Doubletake with a 

unique house style. “We added very competent, qualified people 

with work experience from other major metropolitan markets,” she 

says. “Now we were able to integrate graphic styles from New York, 

Atlanta and Miami, enabling us to offer high-end work in the Tampa 

Bay area. We take a personal interest in the success of our projects. 

Additionally, we are constantly reinventing ourselves to maintain an 

edge in the marketplace.” 

It’s a company that is also enjoying its fair share of honors, having 

recently been named as an Official Emerging Business Vendor for the 

upcoming Super Bowl XLIII, here in Tampa Bay in 2009. The company 

is offering a collectible Super Bowl Belt Buckle that it designed and 

produced. “We plan to have the buckle available during the holidays 

and up to the Super Bowl,” Hall says. “We’re very excited to participate 

in the NFL Emerging Business Program.” 

While it’s an honor, it’s not really a surprise. Doubletake’s blending of 

creative innovation within a collaborative environment is enough to 

make any potential client do a double take - even one as big as the NFL. 

To find out more about how Doubletake Studios can help your 

business, visit them on the Web at www.doubletakestudios.com, or call 

813.251.6308.


Judy Trice 

Bay Area Photography, Inc. 

When encountering the camera for the first time, some 

primitive tribes were frightened by a device they didn’t 

understand and feared that its “magic” would somehow 

capture their souls. As it turns out, they weren’t too far 

from the truth. Photography - really good photography, defined as 

high quality images captured by the potent combination of excellent 

equipment and someone with an eye for the details the camera 

reveals - does capture people’s souls. 

It’s that power to capture people’s souls that continues to drive Judy 

Trice’s passion for photography. Trice, owner of Brandon-based Bay Area 

Photography, Inc. and a veteran photographer with over 25 years in her 

craft, specializes in capturing magic moments. “We do infant portraits 

usually on location at the family’s home - these are my favorite shoots - 

as well as children and family portraits on location. We also have a studio 

for those who prefer that setting,” she says. “A family who values quality 

service and a lifelong portrait of their most valued treasure, their family, 

or a bride and groom who want great photography and are willing to 

go the extra mile - these all make great clients for us!” 

Bay Area Photography serves the greater Tampa Bay area, including St. 

Petersburg, Sarasota, Ocala, Tampa, Orlando and Clearwater. Together 

with partner Francine Vitale, the company also shoots approximately 25 

weddings a year, as well as corporate and business portraits, shot either 

on location or in the studio. Long-time readers of Bay Area Business 

Magazine are already familiar with the company’s excellent work, which 

accompanies every story in every issue. 

Two things set Trice, a Pennsylvania native whose family has lived there 

for over 150 years, apart from most other photographers working in 

this market. The first is her seven-year stint as a photojournalist working 

for newspapers. “In 1983 I started working for the Tribune Review in 

Greensburg, PA,” she recalls. “In my first year on the job, I was introduced 

to John Beal, an award-winning photojournalist. He was kind enough 

to take me to a photo contest where I met with the famous Pulitzer 

Prize winning photojournalist, Eddie Adams. I was inspired by these 

men and still am to this day!” She counts photographers David Peters 

of San Francisco and the late, legendary Monte Zucker of Maryland as 

other inspirational artists and mentors under whom she studied. It was 

an educational and professional experience that has paid continual 

dividends, not only in terms of her business, but also her experiences. 

“I have not looked back and am very privileged to do what I love for a 

living,” says Trice. “I’ve been fortunate to photograph high profile people 

such as Jane Pauley, Hugh Downs, Ivana Trump, Governor Crist, Jack 

Eckerd and Pat Robertson, among others. I have walked through a 

forest fire and been hoisted above a 747 aircraft in a cherry picker. It’s an 

incredibly diverse palette. In one day, I photographed a plane crash in 

Alabama and three hours later, I was shooting the New Year baby. By the 

time I was 27, I had seen a lot!” 

Today, those experiences pay off in her business. Bay Area Photography 

doesn’t chase clients. Rather, clients chase them, since all their business 

comes either by referral or appointment only. “What sets us apart is 

summed up by our tagline: ‘When quality and experience count,’” says 

Trice. “I have several long term clients who seem to be more like good 

friends. As an example, we are photographing a wedding in St. Maarten 

that has a family connection. I photographed the bride’s brother and his 

wife at their wedding 10 years ago. That connection enabled the bride 

to find us. I will go to a far away place with a familiar face!” That shoot 

will take Trice and Vitale on a 3,000 mile trek, but it’s all in a day’s work 

for her. 

So is an urge to ensure that customers are treated well and that their 

photographic experience is uniquely suited to them. “We try to be 

personable and creative,” she says. “We are not a cookie cutter, pick-yourbackground 

studio. In fact, we prefer to do location sessions.” 

Bay Area Photography is a unique studio producing work of the highest 

quality, and Trice believes she is blessed to be doing what she does. 

“God has given me the ability to see light and to work with people,” Trice 

says. “I am a professional observer!” 

For Judy Trice and Bay Area Photography, that’s an interesting - and 

profitable - development. 

For information on capturing the precious memories of your upcoming 

wedding or other special event, visit Bay Area Photography, Inc., on the 

web at www.bayareaphotography.com, or call 813.689.1993.

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Barbara Sealund 

Sealund & Associates 

Computer games are all the rage. The storylines and vivid 

graphic representations capture the imaginations of players, 

engaging them in new and different ways. Plus, they 

make great tools for learning, especially in the corporate 

environment. That’s the strategy promoted by Barbara Sealund and 

her company, Sealund & Associates, a St. Petersburg-based Christian 

company and global leader in providing innovative, customerfocused 

custom training, eLearning solutions and Serious Games. 

“Employees need to be motivated to learn,” says the company’s founder 

and president, Barbara Sealund. “Our proven methodologies, combined 

with computer gaming and 2D and 3D graphical elements, help make 

the learning exciting and fun. Once client C-Level executives see how 

successful the training is, they want more.” 

In business since 1985, the company enjoys relationships with both 

domestic and foreign companies in a wide array of markets, including 

financial services, health services, manufacturing, government, 

education, insurance, retail and utilities, among others. Fortune 1000 

members and household names appear regularly among the company’s 

200-plus clients, which include Bank of America, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, 

Computer Associates, IBM, Northwest Airlines, UPS, AT&T, and Kodak. 

There are three reasons why such familiar corporate entities take 

advantage of the computer-based training and virtual reality learning 

modules Sealund develops. First, these companies have a tremendous 

need to train large numbers of employees effectively and efficiently. 

Second, Sealund’s use of proven training methods and innovative 

software provide a mechanism for learning that increases employee 

participation and retention of the subject matter. Third, Sealund’s 

sterling reputation as a company focused on “Trust, Service and Quality” 

make them an excellent corporate partner. 

An example of the latter is a Virtual Learning Environment Sealund 

developed for a local physicians’ group that teaches doctors the 

procedures they should use in treating the human body. Through 

extensive use of avatars, animated graphical representations of human 

beings (some of which closely resemble real-world doubles), the doctors 

practice life-saving surgical procedures in the safety of the virtual 

operating room, with the clear understanding that the results they 

produce in the virtual world can be reproduced in the real world, with 

the attendant good - or bad - consequences. Demos of the company’s 

games, simulations and virtual learning environments are available 

online at www.sealund.com. 

As for Barbara, what she does with her company today is really a 

sophisticated extension of the teaching career she once enjoyed. After 

receiving her BA and Master’s in Education, she embarked on a 12 year 

tenure as a teacher. “I loved teaching,” she says. In fact, a handful of her 

former students now work at her company. “It is a blessing to be able 

to watch individuals and professionals grow over time and realize you 

played a part in that,” says Sealund. 

The entry into Computer-Based Training (CBT) came in 1982, when 

Barbara was working at a leading financial services firm. Knowing 

her background and her growing interest in technology, she was 

approached to work with a software firm to develop learning programs 

for 1,000 COBOL trainees. The goal was to help employees learn a new 

application through an emulated system hosted on the company’s 

mainframe computer. 

After successfully completing that project, the software company asked 

Barbara to start her own business. “They wanted me to help promote 

CBT worldwide,” she says. “I ended up helping 25 to 30 companies in 

Germany, Belgium, England and The Netherlands implement CBT into 

their training environments.” 

The rest, as they say, is history. Like much of history, the company has 

had its share of ups and downs. Through it all, though, Barbara’s faith 

has helped her maintain a proactive and grateful attitude. “Although 

our work involves developing these innovative learning tools, we are 

working to glorify God through our commitment to integrity, service 

and quality,” she says resolvedly. 

Her membership in the local chapter of The C12 Group, a peer-topeer 

executive consultancy for Christian business owners and CEO’s, 

is key in helping her company grow. As with most things involving 

Barbara, C12 is all about learning. “C12 teaches us effective strategies 

for implementing our faith, values and principles into our company 

cultures, for the express purpose of honoring God and impacting lives,” 

she says. “It’s a great opportunity for learning a different approach 

to business. Here, we make our company decisions on the basis of 

thorough analysis, good business sense and prayer.” 

It sounds like Barbara Sealund has learned the true secret to success. 

To find out more about the innovative Virtual Learning Environments 

and custom eLearning solutions offered by Sealund & Associates, visit 

them on the Web at www.sealund.com, or call 727.572.1800.

Stacey Spencer 

Teen Tyme Productions, Inc. 

Members of the boomer generation may recall their 

adolescent years as a time of social awkwardness and 

raging hormones. However, today’s younger generation 

faces a whole host of problems beyond shyness and 

understanding the opposite sex. Issues involving drugs, sexual 

orientation, recreational sex, peer pressure, gang violence, teen 

suicides, toxic parents, poor role models, latchkey kids, homelessness, 

and anxiety about their future and place in the world run rampant 

through the teenage sub-culture. 

Stacey Spencer thinks it’s important to understand that not every 

teen is a bad kid. What is true is that this current generation of young 

adults is looking for people who care enough to give them some love, 

guidance and time. Stacey is working to make that happen. Spencer 

is a motivational speaker who also serves as the producer and host of 

Teen Tyme Productions, Inc., a non-profit 501C-3 corporation based 

in Clearwater and serving young adults throughout Tampa Bay. It’s a 

company that seeks to make a positive impact on teens in hopes of 

producing fundamental change. “Teen Tyme’s mission and vision is to 

help youth gain access to information, resources, and opportunities 

that help them develop into contributing and responsible members 

of society,” says Spencer. “Our goal is to facilitate, promote and provide 

alternative, innovative, and creative programs and solutions for youth.” 

One way the company seeks to do this is with a television show called 

Just Teens. “The television show was introduced, approved and funded 

to complement our classroom-based program,” Stacey says. “This 

multi-faceted show was produced for, about, and with the involvement 

of teens. Its format included interviews, demonstrations, discussions, 

talent showcases, and informational or educational segments. The show 

provided a way to vividly portray to our community what teens were 

doing and what was on their minds.” 

Although the show is currently in search of a home, Spencer and her 

company continue their mission. “No matter where we are, the camera 

is always rolling,” says the Kentucky native and UK graduate. “We are 

always looking to produce motivational vignettes for enhancing a 

young person’s life.” Currently, Teen Tyme provides a variety of services 

and support to and for youths between 12 and 19 years old. Its 

programs and services are sought by schools, parochial, private and 

public; community and youth service agencies; faith-based and religious 

institutions; and civic and social groups. 

Teen Tyme’s services include: mentoring programs; leadership training; 

conflict resolution for individuals and groups; discussion and focus 

groups; retreats, symposiums and workshops; inspirational and 

motivational sessions; and faith-based and religious-centered group 

dialogues. 

Spencer’s interest in using media stems from her 10-year tenure 

working in radio. “During my career in broadcasting, I served in various 

other capacities in addition to the role of on-air announcer,” she says. 

“However, I always had an interest in community relations and youth 

development. Therefore, my career expanded to include roles in the 

promotions and marketing department. By serving in these capacities, 

I was able to influence the types of events I participated with in the 

community. Somehow, I always ended up on teen duty. It was then that 

I realized there was not enough good ‘positive programming’ for teens 

on the local and national levels.” 

A woman of faith, Spencer seeks inspiration in many circles. She found 

it in a program being produced under the guidance of respected 

General Colin Powell. “In 1997, America’s Promise was developed under 

the direction of General Colin Powell,” she recalls. “This initiative served 

as a call to action and it prompted me to get further involved in youth 

initiatives in my community. This was the direct answer to my heart’s 

desire to create the Teen Tyme Productions concept. My heartbeat 

involves helping others achieve their lifelong goals by mastering the 

3-D’s For Success Method: Dedication, Determination, & Discipline!” 

Funding remains a challenge, but not an impossible task. “We started 

as a small non-profit organization with so many desires and needs to 

help make the business grow, so it was up to me to convince business 

people to buy into the vision and support us,” she says. “In the initial 

board meeting, I omitted my desire to even ask for funds. When I 

spoke at the second meeting, I found that my words made a lasting 

impression. For us, the key to successful fundraising lies in first building 

successful relationships.” 

Successful relationships. That’s the end product Stacey Spencer and Teen 

Tyme deliver to America’s young adults. 

To find out how your company can 

assist Teen Tyme Productions in 

its vital mission, or for booking 

information for your school 

or organization, visit www. 

staceyspencer.com, or call 

502.339.1653. 

By Jay Winchester

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 

Tampa Bay Area Networking Opportunities 

Business & Professional Women of 

St. Petersburg-Pinellas (BPW) 

“A local organization of BPW/USA, a national alliance of individuals 

dedicated to improving the professional, personal, economic and 

educational outlook for working women. Its network includes… 

members of diverse ages, races, occupations and politics.” For more 

information, contact Carolyn Wiggins, (727) 525-9723; or visit www. 

bpwstpetepinellas.org. 

eWomenNetwork 

“The #1 resource for connecting and promoting women and their 

businesses.” For more information, contact Karen Krymski, Regional 

Executive Director, (727) 322-9596; KarenKrymski@eWomenNetwork. 

com; or visit www.eWomenNetwork.com. 

Executive Women’s Golf 

Association (EWGA) 

“Provides opportunities for women to learn, play and enjoy the game of 

golf for business and for life!” For more information, call (813) 854-8174; 

e-mail tampa@ewgachapter.com; or visit www.ewgatampabay.org. 

Network of Executive Women 

“Dedicated to improving the lives of working women. Our overall goal 

is to be the ‘Network of Choice’ for Executive Women in the Tampa Bay 

Region.” For more information, visit www.networkexecwomen.com. 

Tampa Bay Technology Forum’s 

Professional Women’s Network 

“A peer organization of professional women that provides a forum for 

information sharing, resources, and contacts. To become a member 

of the Professional Women’s Network, you must meet the following 

qualifications: Organization must be a member of TBTF; Companies 

must have 5 or more employees; Must be a female professional such as 

C-Level, Director, VP or Manager; Must have managerial responsibility 

and direct oversight of staff.” For more information, visit www.tbtf.org 

and click on Get Involved, then Networks. 

Women in Business Council 

Open to members of the Largo Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce. 

The Council presents the 2nd Annual Women in Business Forum & 

Expo - A Balancing Act, February 4, 4-7 p.m. at the Largo Cultural Center. 

Call the chamber for more information, (727) 584-2321 or visit www. 

largochamber.org. 

Women on Course 

“Women on Course opens the door and invites you to enjoy all the benefits 

the golf lifestyle has to offer. You don’t have to spend five hours on the 

course to take advantage of the networking and social benefits. Meet likeminded 

women at our events, which come in a variety of fun and creative 

formats.” For more information, visit www.womenoncourse.com. 

Women’s Business Enterprise 

National Council (WBENC) 

“Provides National Certification, opening doors to the nation’s largest 

and most successful corporations: these corporations want to do 

business with women business enterprises and we help connect 

you to them.” For more information, contact Darlene Hester, (813) 

482-7505; darlenehester@womenbusiness.info; or visit www. 

womensbusiness.info. 

Women Presidents’ 

Organization (WPO) 

“A global, nonprofit, membership peer advisory 

organization for women who own and run multi-million 

dollar businesses.” For more information, contact 

Rosemary Brehm, (727) 443-0319; rosemary@ 

turningpoints2results.com; or visit the local chapter’s 

website at www.TampaBayWPO.com or the 

national website at www.womenpresidentsorg. 

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legal 

Brent C.J. Britton 


34 

Protect 

Your Idea$ 

Turning Ideas Into 

Value – Part VI 

Intellectual Property 

Agreements 

There is no truer maxim in the law than “get it in writing.” 

Intellectual Property (IP) lawyers provide numerous services 

intended to reduce legal and business risks. Among them, the 

thoughtful structuring, negotiating, and drafting of effective 

contracts. With very few exceptions, every transaction in which 

a company engages should be governed by a written contract. 

Without the correct agreement in hand, you should never 

take money from investors, hire employees or independent 

contractors, purchase intellectual property, or let anyone see 

your confidential information, to name just a few. 

IDEA 

MARKET 

OUTLINE 

Why get it in Writing? 

During negotiations, a written contract helps reconcile 

assumptions. People naturally, often subconsciously, make 

self-interested assumptions, but rarely give voice to them. 

“Handshake deals” almost always blow up at the point when 

inharmonious or unrealistic assumptions eventually come 

to light, as they always do. A contract requires a meeting of 

the minds. There is no better way to confirm that minds have 

met than to put the deal terms on paper and get everyone to 

sign off. 

Further, a written contract is the best evidence of a deal’s 

terms. Without a written contract, the understanding of a deal 

resides only in the respective heads of the people negotiating 

it. What happens if they’re not around? If you get sued over an 

oral agreement, since you won’t be able to produce a written 

contract, you’ll have to convince the court that your recollection 

of the deal terms is the correct one. Good luck with that. 

And perhaps most importantly, the law dictates that some 

agreements must be in writing. Certain deals, such as work-forhire 

agreements with outside contractors, for example, must be 

in writing to be enforced. No writing, no deal. 

STRATEGY 

BUYER 

LEGAL 

CONTRACT 

SELLER

Size Matters 

Why are contracts so long and 

boring? A written agreement 

must be competent to 

govern the deal for which it is 

used. In a transaction of any 

complexity, the agreement 

serves as a recipe for the deal, 

a complete instruction set for 

the parties to follow to carry 

It is also an error trap, a set of contingencies for what happens when 

a party does not carry out his obligations or when assumptions 

underlying the deal change. 

Written agreements tend to grow in size in proportion to the value 

of the deal. A $200 purchase of, say, an office chair can be governed 

by a single page of contract language, primarily because no one is 

going to sue on it; if the other side breaches, it may be painful to 

lose $200, but that pain is rarely worth the expense of litigation. 

On the other hand, a $2 million agreement may very well demand 

as much as 30 or 40 pages of language to be competent. That kind 

of loss is worth suing over, so the agreement requires language to 

make it crystal clear for the judge, jury and opposing counsel to 

determine when a breach has occurred and who is owed what. 

Sometimes a legal relationship can get so complex that counsel will 

draft and circulate another document – a term sheet that outlines 

the deal terms – before drafting or reviewing an actual contract. 

A term sheet is a very effective negotiating tool that helps ensure 

you’re reasonably close to a mutual agreement on the major terms 

before getting bogged down in the minutiae of the language of the 

written contract. 

Contracts, Simplified 

Most contracts have two parties, a buyer and a seller. When you 

boil an agreement, no matter how complex, down to its bare 

essentials, that’s what you get: a buyer who’s willing to pay to get 

something the seller has and is willing to give up for that money. 

Nearly every business relationship can be reduced to a buyer-seller 

relationship and nearly every contract ultimately describes one. 

The most important provisions of any contract, therefore, consist of 

the terms that describe what the buyer gets for the money, how the 

buyer and seller will be able to know whether the buyer has gotten 

what was promised, and the terms that describe what happens if the 

buyer does not get what was promised. Provisions not obviously in 

support of these goals may be excessive or unnecessary. 

Remember that if the promises made in a contract need to be 

enforced in court, the judge and jury will be the ones reading and 

interpreting your written agreement as the last word on what 

promises have been made, kept, and broken. Read your written 

agreements carefully prior to signing them to ensure that they 

conform to your intentions. 

______________________________________________________ 

Brent C.J. Britton is an intellectual property lawyer in Tampa. Learn more at 

www.brentbritton.com. 

out their obligations. Do not tolerate typographical 

errors or misused terminology. 

Demand consistency, uniformity 

and, above all, simplicity. Make 

it easy for the jury to agree 

with you. 

More legal information at 

www.BABM.com/legal.htm 

testimonial 

“Since running our ads in the Bay Area Business Magazine 

(BABM), we have noticed a dramatic jump in website hits and in 

actual “sales” in securing business volunteers for our organization 

from these leads. BABM’s readers are decision makers who are 

now aware of our organization’s mission. We thank BABM for 

giving our Kids the Business!” 

Richard George, President, 

Junior Achievement of West Central Florida

accounting 

Tatiana Gilbertson 


36 

WBE 

A Woman’s Prerogative 

Over the past few decades, 

the amount of women-owned 

businesses has increased at a 

rate of more than four times 

the national average. It is 

mostly because of the changes in 

women’s educational and career 

achievements. This change 

started in the 1960’s when women 

began to prepare themselves for 

a career rather than a job. The 

trend continues today as many 

more women are surpassing men 

in educational achievements. 

Through education and experience, 

women have gained the confidence 

to bring their visions to fruition 

and open their own businesses. 

More accounting 

information at 

www.BABM.com/accounting.htm 

Here are a few key statistics 

that, as of 2008, related to 

women-owned businesses: 

7.2 million businesses are majority-owned 

by women (51% or more) 

They employ more than 7.3 million people 

and generate $1.1 trillion in sales 

One in five businesses with revenues of 

$1 million or more is women-owned 

Now that we have established that women-owned businesses 

are a large and growing part of our economy, let’s talk about 

one of the advantages of being a woman entrepreneur. In 1988, 

the Women’s Business Ownership Act was enacted to initiate 

efforts to assist the development of small businesses owned 

and controlled by women. This means that if you are a woman 

and want to own a business, you are at an advantage. The 

government has recognized the need for diversity and wants to 

help you succeed! The act states that, “All Federal departments 

and agencies are required to take appropriate action to facilitate, 

preserve and strengthen women’s business enterprise and to 

ensure full participation by women in the free enterprise system.” 

In order to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, you 

need to have a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) certification. 

The WBE certification is like a seal of approval which states that 

your business is, in fact, owned by a woman. Most government 

agencies will recognize the WBE certification. If you wish to do 

business with your state or local government, it is recommended 

that you educate yourself about the specific types of certifications 

they may require. First, they want to make sure that people 

are not cheating the system by, for example, having businesses 

portray that the owner’s wife is the owner in title when, in fact, 

she really has no interest or control over the company. Some 

private sector businesses also recognize the WBE certification 

for various reasons, including their business dealings with 

government agencies. Therefore, it is recommended that you 

get a certification through a third party organization such as the 

National Women Business Owners Corporation. Then you need 

to get your business name on the list of vendors from which

these companies are hiring. Purchasing 

agents will look to see if you have that 

certification before doing business with you, 

as many of these programs are set up to 

track the amount of certified women-owned 

businesses they use. 

Any company owned at least 51% by 

a woman or women can apply for the 

certification. Another condition that needs 

to be met is control. A woman has control of 

the business if she is the ultimate decisionmaker 

of the company when it comes to 

all aspects of the business, or if she has 

delegated (or has the authority to delegate) 

all of those responsibilities to another partial 

owner or manager of the company. If you 

meet those requirements, you are eligible to 

apply for your WBE certification. When you 

obtain your certification it adds credibility to 

your company. 

Obtaining your certification is as 

simple as applying if you meet 

all the criteria. If you do meet all 

criteria, there is no reason not to 

partake of all these preferential 

treats. The application requires 

comprehensive information 

to be provided by the owner, 

as well as copies of important 

business documents such as 

articles of incorporation, minutes, 

financials, etc. After the application 

has been completed and all 

attachments are in place, it is reviewed 

by the agency and an interview is 

scheduled. An agent will visit 

your place of business to 

confirm that all is as 

stated. 

It should not be assumed that any job you 

desire will be yours just because you meet 

all the requirements. Different jobs have 

further specifications, such as number 

of employees, years in the industry, and 

residency. And even then, just having the 

certification is not a guarantee you will 

get the jobs. It does, though, put you on 

a database from which government and 

private agencies will select businesses 

to whom to offer jobs. And, just as with 

everyday marketing, you will need to 

market to these agencies in order to 

increase your chances and get your name 

recognized. 

___________________________________ 

Tatiana Gilbertson is a member of the tax team at Kingery & 

Crouse. A graduate of the University of South Florida with an 

MBA degree, she has previously worked on the audit team. 

Tatiana speaks English, Spanish & German fluently. Kingery & 

Crouse, P.A. is a full service public accounting firm 

with a staff of dedicated professionals 

providing tax and accounting services, 

including audits of SEC companies. 

You may contact Tatiana at (813) 

874-1280 ext #228. Find us on the 

web @ www.tampacpa.com. 

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who want to accumulate, preserve, and 

pass on their wealth. For more 

information, visit us at www.jbh.com 

Jesse Hearn 

Financial Advisor 

(888) 524-2760 

4830 West Kennedy Boulevard 

Suite 350 

Tampa, FL 33609 

JBHanauer & Co. 

An RBC Company 

Member NASD/SIPC

strategic planning 

Cathy A. Norris 


38 

Retirement 

Concerns 

Generally Weigh 

Heavy for Women 

American women are not typically looking forward to 

retirement. Instead of envisioning the opportunity to step back 

from work and spend more time with the grandkids or pursue 

hobbies, a large number of older women are dreading the 

thought of retirement. Why? In part, the realities of a challenging 

economy, longer life spans and fewer guaranteed retirement 

plans have added a layer of financial stress to the retirement 

horizon for everyone. And women, who by virtue of their gender 

roles are more likely to have interrupted work histories, are 

feeling the pressure. 

Survey says — women have 

more to worry about 

According to a recent survey of Americans, women are more 

worried than men about their prospects for a comfortable 

retirement.† While men scored high in concern about having 

enough to do when they retire, women were more likely to 

express concern about the financial ramifications of this phase 

of their lives. Specifically, more women than men said they are 

very concerned or somewhat concerned about the following 

retirement issues: 

The rising cost of health care 

Eighty-seven percent of women responding to the survey 

believe their health care costs in retirement will grow faster than 

their retirement income. 

The cost of living in general 

Eighty-three percent of women believe the overall cost of living 

will grow faster than their retirement income. 

More strategic planning 


www.BABM.com/strategicplanning.htm 

Declining health 

Seventy-five percent of surveyed women worry about their 

health in retirement, wondering if they will require costly health 

care and have a poor quality of life. 

Outliving their money 

Sixty-four percent of women are concerned they may run out of 

money before they take their last breath. 

The reality behind the worry 

The women surveyed are not more anxious or fearful than men. 

Rather, they may simply be more realistic about their finances 

— and retirement will be more difficult for women than men. 

The Hartford survey reveals some reasons why women more 

frequently report feeling vulnerable about financing their 

twilight years. 

Being single 

contributes to worry 

As it turns out, marital status makes a difference. A much 

higher percentage of single women age 65 and above are not 

financially secure compared to their married counterparts. 

These single, lower-income women have good cause to

wonder how they will make ends meet in 

retirement if they are struggling now, while 

they are earning an income. And it’s not just 

single women who are more likely to be 

economically disadvantaged. On average, 

married women who become widowed 

experience a significant reduction in their 

earnings, which is not true for men who lose 

their spouses. 

Women feel less 

prepared because 

they are 

While American women are entering and 

staying in the workforce in unprecedented 

numbers, there remain gender differences 

in retirement preparedness, especially when 

you consider women age 45 and above who 

left the workforce to raise a family. Taking 

time off to stay home means fewer years in 

the workforce. Less time in the workforce 

translates to lower overall earnings, which 

affects your ability to save as well as your 

social security payout levels in retirement. 

Plus, not only do women tend to earn less, 

they also live longer, which can put them 

in a precarious financial position going into 

retirement. 

Do what you can with what you have 

Awareness and preparation can go a long 

way toward combating retirement anxiety. 

There are steps women can take to improve 

their retirement outlook. Here are some 

suggestions: 

Start saving now 

Whether your retirement is almost here 

or decades away, saving is fundamental. 

Contribute to your employer-sponsored 

retirement plan and take advantage of the 

company match if it’s available. 

Keep working 

Women who remain on the job stay 

active and connected to others. They also 

continue to receive a paycheck. Opting to 

retire early can significantly reduce your 

annual social security payments, whereas 

continuing to work beyond 65 means you 

will get a larger check from the government 

when you do retire. 

Mind your health 

It pays to take care of yourself and prevent 

serious illness to the extent that you can. 

Exercise, get adequate rest and eat right. Good 

health at any age makes life more enjoyable 

and keeps health care costs down. 

Have a plan 

It’s important to have realistic expectations 

about your income needs in retirement. A 

financial advisor can help you estimate how 

much income you will need and how to reach 

your goals. 

†Why Women WorrySM, The Hartford Advance 50 

Team and MIT AgeLab, 2008. 

____________________________________________ 

Cathy A. Norris is a Certified Financial Planner in Oldsmar, FL 

Contact: 813-814-2935 or cathy.a.norris@ampf.com 

The information may not be suitable for every situation and 

should not be relied on without the advice of your tax, legal 

and/or financial advisors. Neither Ameriprise Financial nor 

its financial advisors provide tax or legal advice. Consult with 

qualified tax and legal advisors about your tax and legal 

situation. This column was prepared by Ameriprise Financial. 

Financial planning services and i investments offered through 

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC. © 2008 

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. 

Wherever you go, we’re with you. 

Enjoy totAL MoBILIty. 

Deposit checks to your account without leaving the office 

using our Remote Deposit solution. 

Access our online Banking from your cell phone or PDA 

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Visit any of our banking centers, call us toll-free at 866.530.2265 or visit us online: 

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©2009, American Momentum Bank. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender

networking 

Penny Hulbert 


40 

Teeing 

Up for 

Business: 

How Golf Can Get 

You in the Game 

It’s a myth: deals are seldom finalized on the golf course. 

However, don’t be confused, that is where many deal-closing 

relationships are made. Business golf is not a meeting moved 

outdoors. The fine points of a contract probably will be covered 

at another time. But what transpires during a round of golf 

can be the foundation for a lasting business relationship. Golf 

provides the opportunity to spend as much as 4 to 6 hours 

of quality time with a business client or colleague. Few other 

venues offer such an extended period to interact and develop 

mutual respect. 

In 2003, Catalyst, a nonprofit organization for women in 

business, surveyed 705 women in Fortune 1000 companies 

about the factors they felt were holding them back at work. 

More than 40% cited the “exclusion from informal networks” 

as a barrier to their advancement. One of the most mentioned 

informal networks? GOLF. 

It has been said that golf brings out the best and 

worst in people which is why so many business leaders 

play golf with important clients, suppliers and 

potential hires. Many of the rules of golf apply to 

the business world – being prepared, paying 

attention, assessing situations quickly and 

maintaining one’s composure. The game allows a player to know 

your other playing partners’ personalities. Situations created 

on the golf course reveal how the player responds to success or 

failure, performance under pressure, and how well he abides by 

the rules and ethics of the game. 

These characteristics are all key aspects of business relationships. 

That’s why business golf isn’t as much about closing the deal as it 

is about developing the relationships that give you the ability to 

close the deals. 

To take advantage of golf for business here are some things to 

keep in mind: 

Know Your Purpose: 

Going into a business golf opportunity without identifying a 

purpose is like going into a business meeting without an agenda 

– it isn’t likely to produce the results you want! Identify what 

you want to get out of the time together and what your playing 

partners get as well. 

Plan Your Outing: 

Based on your business purpose, you should plan your outing 

the same way you plan a business meeting, a lunch meeting or 

presentation. Choices and details should be made and arranged 

in advanced to ensure they align with your business purpose. Set 

expectations up front for all participants, so there are no surprises. 

Interaction with Others: 

Focus on your business purpose. You aren’t there to shoot 

your best round of golf ever (even though it would be nice); 

check yourself on every hole – are you focused on your 

business purpose?

Know Golf Course 

Etiquette: 

Your golf skill is secondary. If you know golf 

course etiquette, everyone will enjoy joining 

you for a game of golf. You should know 

when to talk and when not to talk, where to 

stand when others are making a shot, how 

to take care of the course, where to drive the 

cart, pace of play, cell phone etiquette, how 

to tip and how to dress. 

Have Basic Golf Skills: 

Remember you have a day job and the goal 

here is business. However, a basic game is 

necessary. Here are some benchmarks: can 

you hit the ball at least a 100 yards; do you 

know the basic techniques for chipping, 

putting, pitching and sand; are you 100% 

confident that you know how to get around 

a golf course in a courteous manner? 

As more and more women add golf to their 

repertoire for business success, there are 

some additional things to consider when 

men and women tee it up together. 

Select a Course for All 

Players’ Abilities: 

Don’t assume that a woman golfer will 

always play from the forward tees or that 

men should automatically play the longest 

yardage possible. Especially for business 

golf, choose a course with multiple tee boxes 

(rated for both men and women) and the 

yardage that makes the game enjoyable for 

all who are playing. 

Viva La Difference: 

In general, men do not talk much business 

on the golf course. However, women do. 

They are more prone to multitasking and 

therefore tend to talk more business while 

they play. Keep these differences in mind 

during your on-course conversations. 

Break at the 

Forward Tee: 

Men that are accustomed to all male 

foursomes, occasionally forget to stop at the 

forward tees for a female player’s turn. To 

avoid this faux pas, try to keep the cart with 

women players in the front position while at 

the tee box. 

To acquire and hone your golf skills, seek 

out a golf professional. One resource for golf 

programs is the PGA of America’s website at 

www.playgolfamerica.com. For females, the 

Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) 

has more than125 chapters throughout the 

United States offering new golfer clinics 

and numerous other player development 

programs, as well as numerous golf, 

networking and social activities. 

See www.ewga.com 

Using golf for business can enhance your 

career and it is a sport you can enjoy 

throughout your life. Don’t be left in the 

office and out of the action when you can be 

teeing up for business. 

_____________________________________________ 

Penny Hulbert is the Past President of the Executive Women’s 

Golf Association, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens and 

President of Links Financial, LLC, in Tampa/FL, assisting clients 

in identifying the most appropriate financing program. Since 

the EWGA started in 1991, more than 100,000 women have 

benefited from membership in the organization which is 

dedicated to providing opportunities to learn, play, and enjoy 

the game of golf for business and for life. See www.ewga.com

strategic planning 

Rosemary DiDio Brehm 


42 

The Latest 

on Women 

Owned 

Businesses 

Just the Facts, Ma’am 

“40% of all privately held firms in the US are owned by women 

(where 50% of ownership or more is by a woman).” 

That means that there are “10.1 million businesses, employing 13 

million men and women, generating $1.9 trillion in sales which 

have at least 50% of its ownership women-based.” 

“And three quarter of those businesses have majority womenownership 

(51% or more) which breaks down to 7.2 million firms 

employing 7.3 million men and women in the US generating $1.1 

trillion in sales! “ 

These numbers come from The Center for Women’s Business 

Research. Every two years they update their findings; their most 

recent statistics came out in October of 2008. Here are some 

more numbers to think about from this report: 

“1.9 million businesses are majority-owned (51% or more) by 

women of color in the US and they employ 1.2 million people and 

generate $165 billion in sales. This category grew faster than all 

privately held firms.” 

“One in five women-owned businesses have revenues of $1 million 

or more.” 

“Between 2002 and 2008, the five fastest growing states for 

women-owned firms are: Nevada and Arizona 

(tied), Florida, Texas, Maryland and Georgia. 

The five fastest growing metro areas for 

women-owned firms are: Orlando, FL; 

Raleigh, NC; Atlanta, GA and Riverside, 

CA (tied for third); Charlotte, NC; and 

Phoenix, AZ.”

Interestingly, the Center’s 2006 report ranked 

Florida the number one fastest growing state 

and Tampa Bay the third fastest growing 

metro area in the US, so there have been 

some changes in the last two years. 

So there you have some NUMBERS about 

women-owned businesses. I am one of those 

10.1 million women business owners and I 

want to know how the latest research can 

help me grow my business. So I went beyond 

the numbers and found some “actionable” 

FACTS about women-owned businesses. 

Key Fact - Banking 

and Finance 

“Women business owners who obtained 

capital persevered, making an average of four 

attempts to obtain bank loans or lines of credit 

and 22 attempts to obtain equity capital.” 

Perseverance is the key, but given our 

economic challenges, what can our bankers 

and financial institutions do to help us? We 

must have good relationships with them, 

understand our financials, and have clear 

business plans. It is also essential to know 

what our financial needs are and make our 

case clearly. 

Key Fact - Exit Strategies 

Women’s “concern about (selling) price is 

equal to men who are selling their businesses; 

however, women differ from men when they 

think about the potential buyer: 

Issue Women Men 

Concern about buyer’s identity, 

personality, and background 

72% 39% 

Concern about buyer’s plan 

for business 

79% 52% 

Concern about current employees 86% 61% 

Intent to pass the business on to a 

daughter or daughters 

37% 19%” 

This is valuable information I use when I assist 

male and female clients with their exit strategies. 

Key Fact - Technology 

“Women business owners value technology as 

a means to create workplace flexibility: 

61% use technology to integrate the 

responsibilities of work and home. 

44% use technology to enable employees to 

work offsite and have flexible work schedules.” 

What this says to me is that we want 

technology to help us juggle our priorities. 

I will surely look for technology companies 

who can make my business more flexible. 

Key Fact – Management Style 

No surprise here, male and female business 

owners manage differently. “Women 

emphasize relationship building as well as fact 

gathering and are more likely to consult with 

experts, employees, and fellow business owners.” 

In both my own consulting business and 

my experience facilitating a Tampa Bay 

women’s business organization, the women 

I work with want safe environments in which 

to collaborate with peers; they want nononsense 

fact gathering sessions; and they 

want connections to those who can support 

them and whom they can support. 

“ 

It’s known as the 

premier program 

for working 

professionals in the 

Tampa Bay area. 

I agree. 

Theresa Lynn Collins 

Area President, M/I Homes 

USF MBA,’07 

Fast-track options 

Flexible schedules 

Two convenient 

Tampa locations 

Info session: 

January 19, 2009 

at 6 p.m. 

USF Downtown Center 

Channelside 

www.mba.usf.edu 

813.974.3335 

I know what I am going to do differently 

tomorrow because of these facts. Find out 

what you can do differently by going to The 

Center for Women’s Business Research: www. 

womensbusinessresearch.org/facts/index.php 

NOTE: all italicized quotes are directly from 

The Center for Women’s Business Research 

____________________________________ 

Rosemary DiDio Brehm, President of turningpoints2results and 

Facilitator of the Tampa Bay Women Presidents’ Organization, 

is an organizational strategist who helps businesses align their 

leaders, teams, and customers. Contact Rosemary at 727-443- 

0319 or rosemary@turningpoin 

More strategic planning 


www.BABM.com/strategicplanning.htm 

”

sales moves 

Jeffrey Gitomer 


44 

Is it the 

law of 

attraction, 

or the law of 

hard work? 

You decide. 

I’m a bit sick of all the bogus information I read about “the law 

of attraction.” 

I have seen everything from “just sit there,” to “meditate and 

focus on your dreams, and everything will come to you.” If you 

believe this, I have some land in Florida I want you to buy. Well, 

it’s under water, but if you just picture dry land in your mind, 

and concentrate really, really hard, you can just lay on your 

couch, eat a few donuts, all the water will evaporate, and the 

Garden of Eden will appear. Hello! 

That’s not the law of attraction. That’s the law of inaction. 

Most books, blogs, websites, CDs, and DVDs on the subject tell 

you everything BUT the 2.5 big “secrets” - the real strategies for 

creating attraction. 

They are: 

1. Position yourself . 

2. Build a platform. 

2.5 Work hard. 

I received this email yesterday: 

Jeffrey, I enjoy your newsletter. It has been a lot of help to me. The 

idea of the “Law of Attraction” is an interesting one, and I have 

always been fascinated by this concept. I recently read about a 

book in Dale Carnegie’s How to Stop Worrying and Start Living 

titled As A Man Thinketh by James Allen. This book was written 

around the turn of the 20th century and is a precursor to the Law 

of Attraction. The book is about 50 pages long, and what James 

Allen says in this book is a very simple and profound idea that 

has stuck with me ever since I read it. It brought me a whole new 

understanding of the Law of Attraction. 

James Allen states, “You attract not what you think about, pray 

for or desire, but you attract to yourself that which you are.” The 

Law of Attraction states, “You attract that which you think about 

or want,” and it is really only half of the truth. James Allen goes 

on to talk about the Law of Reciprocity, a law that states you 

get from the world and life exactly what you put into it, or more 

commonly, you reap what you sow. I find his statement brings 

new light to the Law of Attraction, more truth and more power 

to it. A lot of people misunderstand what the Law of Attraction 

is. Essentially, you gain what you give. Just a slight change of 

words can make a huge difference. Give more in value and you 

can only receive more. It is a fundamental law of nature.

First you think about it, then you pray about it, then you become an 

example of it, and then you DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Give value 

first, without any expectation of return, and the law of reciprocity 

(the law of attraction) sets in. 

Not from the person you gave something to. If you give without 

expectation, then the world pays you back, and that payment is not 

one-for-one; it’s ten-for-one. Or more. It’s the true law of attraction. 

Sound too good to be true? Well, there is a catch. Most people have 

no concept of “give to get.” They give, and EXPECT to get. 

Or they try to give and get at the same time. They feel that someone 

OWES them for giving. Not true. Not even close to true. If you give 

one and expect to get one, then one is the maximum you’ll get. 

Let me define my personal rules to create attraction. And pay 

attention, these are not rules I made up, these are rules I put into 

action every day to create my law of attraction, and it works. I may 

not be pretty, but I’m sure as heck attractive. 

1. Position yourself as attractive with 

your valuable information that others can 

use and benefit from. My weekly column 

in papers. My book in bookstores. And 

my weekly email magazine in your inbox 

positions me as a person of value that 

offers valuable information about sales, 

service, loyalty, leadership, and personal 

development that people resonate with and 

can use the minute they read it. 

2. Build a platform where people can 

easily find you and get the information or 

message you’re trying to convey. Website, 

blog, ezine, speeches, books, white papers, 

creative ideas posted, and philosophies 

offered in writing creates major attraction. 

2.5 Work your ass off. Reality 

bites – especially when times are bad or 

volatile. If you are serious about creating 

the law of attraction, you’ve got to 

resolve, create a game plan, and work at 

it daily. Harder than you can imagine. 

Position-Build-Work 

You can resolve or resign. You can attract or repel. You can 

bemoan or become. And the best part is, you have a choice. 

I have stumbled on a metaphor that works for attraction. It’s 

the difference between curious or create. Are you just curious, 

or are you willing to work to create attraction? If you want the 

metaphor, and the ideas attached to it, go to www.gitomer.com, 

register if you’re a first-time visitor, and enter the word CURIOUS 

in the GitBit box. 

_____________________________________________________ 

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. President of 

Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts 

Internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.gitomer.com and www. 

trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com 

© 2008 All Rights Reserved - Don’t even think about reproducing this document without 

written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc. • 704/333-1112 

More sales moves information at 

www.BABM.com/salesmoves.htm 

testimonial 

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happy with the exposure and feedback we have received from customers. BABM is 

the perfect business magazine for our business customers and we are pleased that 

our ad is highly visible in a content rich business resource publication.” 

Cindy McGarrigle, Vice President, Area Marketing Manager, Regions Bank

marketing 

Mark Regan 


46 

Planning 

Your 2009 

Online 

Advertising 

Online advertising is here to stay, 

especially with industry experts 

reporting that some 70 percent of 

Americans are online, that many 

start their searches for products 

online, and that they often make 

their purchases right from the 

Internet. 

While you may realize that you should be doing some online 

advertising, you may not be sure about the form in which it 

should be done. Before allocating where your online advertising 

dollars and attention will be focused this year, start by 

considering all your options. Online advertising is big business. 

In fact, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), 

online advertising revenues for 2007 totaled over $21 billion, 

which was a 26 percent increase over the prior year. Even with a 

sluggish economy, online advertising is seeing strong numbers. 

Making Wise Choices 

The fact that so much money has been spent in online 

advertising does not necessarily mean that it has been effective. 

Without doing some research and really evaluating where the 

best possible place is for a company to advertise online, your 

expenditure could be money out the window. With so many 

options for where advertising dollars can be allocated online, it 

is important to keep in mind that not all forms are created equal, 

and what works for one company may not work for another. 

One of the most popular forms of online advertising is the 

growing sector of videos, such as those on YouTube.com. Online 

videos have become so popular that ComScore, an online 

research company, reports that over 10 billion online videos 

were watched during the month of February 2008 alone, which 

was a 66 percent increase over the same month in 2007. People 

like watching videos; if a company can tie in its site, product 

or service with an interesting online video, it can see a lot of 

success from this cost-effective method of reaching consumers. 

Other popular online advertising routes include Google ads and 

other search engine and pay-per-click (PPC) options. However, 

these routes, as popular as they are, require a tightly focused 

campaign in order to see a decent return on investment. In 

addition, search engine ads are often the subject of click fraud, 

which has received a lot of attention lately, as companies like 

Google (which has a $6-billion-per-year advertising network) try 

to find solutions to stop the problem. 

2009 ONLINE 

ADVERTISING?

E-mail marketing is another popular route 

to keep your company fresh in the minds 

of people. But if it is not done correctly, 

people will see it as merely spam and 

will unsubscribe from the list quickly and 

without hesitation. It can be a very effective 

tool for those who use it correctly and to 

their advantage. 

Budgets and Bang 

The first thing a company needs to do 

this time of year is look at what its budget 

is, keeping it realistic, to see what it can 

allocate to online advertising. In order 

to get the most bang for the buck, it is 

important to continue what works and 

to ditch what does not. Accountability is 

everything in advertising. If a company is 

spending money on a marketing effort and 

not seeing a definitive result, it is time to try 

something else. 

All businesses should do some online 

advertising in 2009. But where and how 

they should do it will vary for each company. 

The best thing to do is to take some time to 

research the various methods, test a few out 

to see what works, or consult with an online 

advertising expert to get things set up and 

evaluated. Taking these steps will help create 

a prosperous new year, with plenty of leads 

being generated through online advertising 

efforts. 

Sources: 

NewTeeVee. comScore: Video Views up 66% YoY 

http://newteevee.com/2008/04/16/comscore-videoviews-up-66-yoy/ 

Technorati. Online advertising reaches new high. 

May 2008.

technology 

Tony DiBenedetto 


48 

Survive 

and Thrive 

Six Ways 

Technology 

Can Help Your 

Organization 

Overcome a Slow 

Economy 

During these slower economic 

times, many companies are taking 

a closer look at technology to help 

them further improve operational 

efficiency, retain their best 

customers and meet revenue goals. 

Here are six ways to make the 

most of your IT investments in a 

challenging market: 

Make Tough Decisions 

Now is the time to evaluate your customer and vendor 

relationships to see if they are driving or depleting your bottom 

line. This can be accomplished through a reporting system, or 

KPIs (key performance indicators), that allows you to perform an 

in-depth analysis on the value of non-profitable customers and 

focus on the ones that drive profitability. Accurate reporting and 

KPIs also enable you to assess vendor performance, whether it’s 

service, timing or cost, and take appropriate actions. 

Know Your Cash Flow 

Many businesses suffer when they don’t have a clear picture 

of accounts receivable and payable. Consider implementing 

an automated accounting system to manage financials and 

streamline functions, and you will gain a better insight into cash 

flow. Accurate and timely information will give you a “live” view 

of business trends, overdue accounts and any other potential 

issues, enabling you to proactively manage your business and 

make better decisions. 

More technology 


http://www.babm.com/technology/index.htm

Improve What You 

Already Have 

Save time and money by automating 

processes currently completed manually. 

Most organizations don’t fully maximize 

the functions and features included in their 

business software Job applications. No.: If you’re 

not ready for a major Engagement change, upgrades City: 

or updates to your existing accounting or 

reporting systems Media: can help you leverage 

new functionalities Insertion and give you Date(s): the edge 

you need to stay competitive in trying times. 

Empower Your People 

Get everyone on the same page by 

providing a single, integrated portal where 

employees can efficiently work together, 

manage content and share business-critical 

information. Facilitating collaboration across 

your company will help you automate and 

streamline organizational processes, improve 

business intelligence and productivity and 

boost your bottom line. 

Consider Managed 

Services 

The daily management and maintenance 

of critical business applications, like IT 

infrastructure and accounting systems, can 

be a drain on already limited resources. 

Look to managed services as a cost-effective 

option for deriving more value out of your 

investments. Managed services is best 

suited for companies in between needing a 

part-time and full-time position focused on 

day-to-day IT and application maintenance. 

So, before you hire another staff member, 

evaluate the benefits of outsourcing those 

functions to a trusted partner. 

Save Green by 

Going Green 

Virtualization is the ability to run multiple 

operating systems and applications, either 

locally or remotely, on a single piece of 

hardware. A virtual environment enables you 

to optimize your system, reducing the need 

for more physical servers, which in turn saves 

power and floor space. Most existing systems 

rarely utilize more than 10-20% of their 

processing capabilities, resulting in wasted 

capacity. With lowered electrical costs for 

cooling and server power consumption, your 

business will be one step closer to saving 

green and “going green.” 

Whether you implement new business 

software applications, upgrade the 

systems you already have, outsource daily 

management functions or go green through 

virtualization, there are many ways you can 

tighten the belt without losing value and 

functionality. Knowing how to leverage your 

investments for maximum return will not 

only help your business survive, but thrive, in 

a sluggish economy. 

RD0805137B 

TAMPA, FL 

TRADE AD 

________________________________ 

Tony DiBenedetto is Chairman and CEO of Tribridge, a Gold 

Certified Microsoft consulting firm recently named the 2008 

WORLDWIDE Microsoft Dynamics Partner of the Year. Tony cofounded 

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF) and is the 

executive director of the TBTF Foundation, which helps at-risk 

kids pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and 

math (STEM). He regularly speaks to groups on topics ranging 

from corporate growth to the importance of leadership. For 

more information, please visit: www.tribridge.com. 

FELD ENTERTAINMENT 

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corporate social responsibility 

Debra Kent Faulk 


50 

Philanthropy vs. 

Sponsorship 

What Gives? 

An always interesting debate is 

the difference between corporate 

philanthropy and corporate 

sponsorship. Bring up this topic in 

marketing circles and you will play 

witness to the confusion that exists 

between the two. 

Historically, philanthropy was managed by the community 

investment department or corporate foundation and was 

altruistic in nature. A philanthropic activity — such as the act 

of donating money, goods, services, time, and/or effort — was 

intended to support a socially beneficial cause without financial 

or material reward to the donor. 

In contrast, sponsorship was the responsibility of the marketing 

department and the objectives directly linked to marketing 

goals, such as brand awareness and product sales. The basic 

purpose of company sponsorship, as distinct from philanthropy, 

is that the company expects some kind of marketing opportunity 

as a result of their support; generally in the form of advertising or 

publicity in connection to the sponsored event. 

The line between philanthropy and sponsorship has begun to 

blur. As it exists today, corporate philanthropy has become, in 

many ways, a compromise or a hybrid of the two. During the 

past decade, the majority of corporate dollars going to nonprofit 

groups have come from the marketing rather than philanthropic 

budgets. The relationship is moving from “grantor-grantee” to 

one in which projects are set up to benefit both the company 

and the partnering nonprofit organization. 

No matter what you call it or how you structure it, corporate 

partnerships with nonprofit organizations must be bi-directional. 

That is, both sides need to be very clear and honest about what 

they are looking for in a relationship and to help each other 

achieve those explicit goals. 

Before these goals can be reached, it’s important to take a step 

back and understand the differences between philanthropy and 

sponsorship at a very basic level. It is important to understand 

the basic tenets of each application, because only then can 

you develop sound and effective philanthropic and sponsor 

programs for your own business. 

The following chart, from The Sponsorship Report, is a good 

starting point to address the distinct aspects of philanthropy 

versus marketing:

More corporate responsibility 


http://www.babm.com/corporate/index.htm 

Sponsorship Philanthropy 

Objective To sell more products/services; to increase 

positive awareness in markets and among distant 

stakeholders. 

Partner/recipient Events; teams; arts or cultural organizations, 

projects, programs. 

Funding Source Typically from marketing, advertising, or 

communications budgets. 

Accounting A full business expense, like promotional printing 

or media placement expenses. 

To be a good corporate citizen; to enhance the 

corporate image with closest stakeholders. 

Typically cause-related, but can also be cultural, 

artistic, or sports- related. Funding may be designated 

for a project, program or operating budgets. 

From charitable donations or philanthropy budgets. 

As a result of write-offs, limited to 75% of net income. 

Accounting/tax considerations less likely to influence 

the way a company designates funding. 

Publicity Highly public. Generally, little widespread fanfare. 

Where the money goes … Sports get the lion’s share of the sponsorship 

dollars, likely more than 50%. 

testimonial 

“I truly LOVE this magazine! It’s my favorite one that I receive and I always read it cover-to-cover. I have 

saved all of the issues that I have ever received and I often refer back to them. The Self Development and 

Suggested Reading are two sections I always look forward to, but the Cover Story and Feature Stories are 

truly my focus areas because they always depict business people in our area that I do not know, and am so 

excited to have learned about through BABM, my #1 periodical! 

Deborah M. Palombo, Elder Advocate 

Education, social services, and health sectors get 75% 

of charitable donations. 

Debra Kent Faulk is principal of DKF Connects, a socially conscious 

marketing services firm specializing in public relations, 

social marketing, and strategic partnerships. For more information, 

call (813) 258-2599 or visit www.DKFconnects.com.

marketing 

Dale W. Hutchings 


52 

10 

Surefire 

Ways 

To Greater Success 

In Direct Mail 

Marketing 

Despite the many forms of new 

advertising media that have 

emerged in recent years, from 

mobile billboards to Internet 

marketing, many traditional ways 

of promoting a business that 

have been around for decades are 

still tried and true for success, if 

implemented correctly. One of the 

most popular of these continues to 

be direct mail. 

Sure, direct mail has its drawbacks. In order for this medium 

to be effective you can’t just do one mailing. You need to do 

several (three minimum) to get your message across. The 

success of your mailing campaign will also be based heavily on 

the quality of your mailing list. Therefore, your mailing list will 

need to be continuously updated. And, of course, depending 

on the size of your mailing, the cost of doing direct mail can be 

expensive. 

However, there are numerous steps you can take to make 

your direct mail campaign more effective, and hence, more 

successful. 

1. Be Sure You Are Targeting the Right Market Audience. 

Pinpointing your target market is of utmost importance, as sales 

are directly tied to how accurately you can identify your most 

likely customers. 

2. Emphasize Benefits. The copy should be written in such a 

way that clearly tells the reader how your product or service is 

going to benefit the recipient of your direct mail piece. Convey 

in your message not just one benefit, but strive for at least three. 

In your text there is nothing stronger that will help make a sale 

than the benefits you offer. 

Be Sure You Are 

Targeting the Right 

Market Audience.

3. Make Your Contact Information Easy 

to Find. When someone reads your direct 

mail piece, your business’s telephone 

number, e-mail address and/or website 

address should be easy to find. In fact, in a 

letter, even if it is printed on your company’s 

stationery, you might want to put it right in 

the body of the text so the reader cannot 

miss finding it. 

4. Use Testimonials Whenever Possible. 

No matter what you may say about your 

product or service, nothing beats a thirdparty 

endorsement. Quotes from satisfied 

customers will speak volumes about what 

your company stands for in the mind of the 

reader. 

5. Think Free. “If it’s free, it’s for me.” 

Yeah, I know it’s an old cliché, but it’s true. 

Everybody is interested in getting something 

of value for free. Therefore, try to develop 

some kind of “free gift” as part of your direct 

mail campaign to entice potential customers 

to contact you. Maybe it’s a buy one, get 

one free offer. Maybe it’s a chance to win 

free tickets to some kind of event. Maybe 

it’s a free e-book on a subject related to your 

profession or industry. You get the idea. 

6. Stress Urgency, Have a Deadline. Like 

any other form of advertising, you want 

to be able to measure the response to 

your mailings. Therefore, whatever you 

are selling, give the recipient a deadline to 

respond to the offer. This will help you to 

determine the results of your mailings. 

7. Letters Should Be Signed by the Top 

Dog. People prefer to deal with the person 

in charge of a business. Therefore, always 

use the signature of a company head in your 

sales letters. After all, who would you rather 

get a letter from – the company president or 

its regional sales manager? 

8. Consider Postcards Rather Than Letters. 

Postcards are less expensive to mail and are 

almost always read because they require 

only seconds to read, compared to a direct 

mail piece presented in an envelope. If you 

decide to go with postcard mailings, don’t 

be stingy; go for printing your message on a 

slightly oversized postcard. A slightly more 

largely formatted card will give you more 

room for your message, is less likely to be 

lost in a stack of mail, and stands a greater 

chance of being read, rather than simply 

being trashed. 

9. When Sending Letters, Make Envelopes 

Special. How? For one thing, consider not 

using the traditional white envelope. Think 

about using a color. Also put a message on 

the outside to entice the recipient to open 

it. Something like: “Open For Your Chance To 

Win,” or “Inside: Important Information For 

Consumers.” 

10. Make It Easy to Respond. Use a 

business reply card, enclose a self-addressed 

stamped envelope, or use a toll free number 

and print it larger than the rest of the letter’s 

text. The easier it is to respond, the greater 

your response. 

Direct Mail can be a challenging advertising 

medium. But if you follow even some of 

these steps, it doesn’t have to be. The results 

should speak for themselves. 

___________________________________ 

Dale W. Hutchings, APR, specializes in “out-of-the-box” 

marketing and has more than 30 years of Public Relations, 

Marketing and Advertising experience. Since 2001 he has had 

his own practice with a heavy focus on marketing consultation 

and copywriting for a wide variety of advertising mediums. For 

more information on his services visit www.dalewhutchings. 

com or contact him via e-mail at: hutch7@verizon.net. 

Make It Easy 

to Respond. 

More marketing 


www.BABM.com/marketing.htm

legal 

Sheri D. McWhorter, J.D., SPHR 


54 

Department 

of Homeland 

Security 

and Social 

Security 

The Match Game 

“No match” 



On October 23, 2008, in yet 

another attempt by the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) to “get it right,” the DHS 

released a final supplemental 

set of regulations for procedures 

employers must follow when they 

receive “no match” letters from 

the Social Security Administration 

(SSA). “No match” letters are the 

much maligned method used by 

government to notify employers 

that an employee’s name or social 

security number may not match 

the records in the SSA database, 

or may be otherwise false or 

misleading. 


match”

The DHS regulations reversed the federal government’s 

longstanding position that SSA “no match” letters cannot, by 

themselves, be construed to place employers on notice that 

employees are not legally authorized to work in the U.S. Released 

by DHS in August 2007, the original regulations were set to take 

effect in September 2007, but were blocked by a preliminary 

injunction issued by Judge Charles R. Breyer of the U.S. District 

Court for Northern California, which also delayed SSA’s planned 

mass mailing of 140,000 “no match” letters. The court’s decision 

presented DHS with two options – either go back to the drawing 

board and revise the regulations to correct the deficiencies that 

led to the injunction, or fight the district court’s decision. The DHS 

ultimately chose to go back to the drawing board, and the newly 

released final set of supplemental regulations are the result. 

“No match” letters are sent by SSA to employers with employees 

whose Social Security numbers do not match other government 

records. According to DHS, a “no match” letter from SSA is a sign 

to the employer that something is wrong with an employee’s 

documentation. The problem may be something as simple as the 

fact that the employee has married and failed to update his last 

name with SSA. On the other hand, the problem may be more 

serious, such as where an employer has hired a worker who is 

using a fake social security number or a fake name, and is likely 

not legally authorized to work in the U.S. The DHS regulations 

put the burden on employers to take required steps to correct 

the mismatch. DHS has taken the position that employers will 

be in violation of federal immigration law and face civil and 

criminal sanctions if they ignore the “no match” letters and fail 

to take corrective steps within 90 days. If businesses follow the 

safe harbor procedures prescribed by the rules, says DHS, the U.S. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not use receipt of SSA 

“no match” letters as evidence that employers have violated federal 

immigration law, and employers supposedly cannot be sued under 

the Immigration Reform Control Act (IRCA) for national origin 

discrimination. 

Now that DHS has issued its final supplemental set of revised 

regulations on the “no match” letters, which will be published in 

the Federal Register in the near future, the agency also plans to 

notify the court of the changes to the rule, and ask the court to lift 

the injunction and allow DHS to immediately implement the new 

rules. According to DHS, once the rules are in effect, businesses 

will have a clear roadmap to follow when they receive SSA “no 

match” letters. Employers will be provided a period of time to 

address the “no match” discrepancy with the affected employee. 

If there is an innocent explanation, such as where the employee 

recently married and needs to submit a name change to SSA, then 

that should be done. If there is not such an innocent explanation, 

such as where a worker is using a fake social security number or 

fake documentation and is not legally authorized to work in the 

U.S., then the employer will be required to follow certain prescribed 

steps which will ultimately lead to the termination of employment 

for that worker. 

Employers should familiarize themselves once again with the 

required SSA “no match” action steps required by the DHS 

regulations and have procedures in place to resolve the “no match” 

letters consistently and expeditiously. Otherwise, employers who 

receive and fail to resolve “no match” letters may be targeted for an 

investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 

and company officials may be subject to criminal penalties 

including, not just fines, but also possible prison time. Employers 

may take proactive steps to avoid “no match” letters for newly 

hired workers only by calling the SSA at (800) 772-1213 for each 

new employee and verifying the worker’s SSN. It is important that 

companies not take any adverse action based upon an unresolved 

“no match” letter without first consulting employment counsel. 

_____________________________________________________ 

Sheri D. McWhorter, JD, SPHR is a Florida Bar Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law, 

and is the President and Managing Shareholder of WorkplaceLegal SolutionsSM, Law Offices 

of Sheri D. McWhorter, P.A. With offices in St. Petersburg and Tampa, WorkplaceLegalSolutions 

provides employee relations counseling and proactive employment law solutions to businesses 

and non-profits throughout Florida and the greater Tampa Bay area. 

More legal information at 

www.BABM.com/legal.htm 

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echarge 

Leslie Joy Ickowitz 


56 

Escape to 

Tranquility 

It’s only an hour 

away 

In one hour, which is how long 

it takes to get to Anna Maria 

Island by car from Tampa, 

we cross water eight times. 

Eight times! And one of those 

times is a breezy excursion 

over the soaring Sunshine 

Skyway. Flanked by a squadron 

of pelicans and with a stellar 

display of islands spread out 

before us, we inch closer to our 

destination. 

Photo Caption: Rod & Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island. 

Photo Credit: Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau 

At once it seems you have arrived in a different place in time. The 

slow pace beckons you to slip into serenity and leave your cares 

behind. What’s missing is high-rise hotels, car horns, traffic jams, 

billboards and other ugly distractions reminding us of the grind. 

Instead you’ll find warm, island hospitality and a charming choice of 

sleepy retreats from cozy cottages to stilt homes. Sensory overload is 

replaced by sensory seduction. The sights, the sounds, the flavor and 

fragrance surround you. Suddenly, you get the feeling you can stay 

here forever. But no matter how long you visit, this trip is packed with 

the stuff inspiration is made of, and you can get here whenever you 

want—in one hour. 

Pull up a front row seat to your definition of bliss. Get in on the action 

with water sports. Or not. Play beach volleyball. Or not. Rock out 

to your iPod. Shop ‘til you drop. Curl up with a good book. Catch a 

sunset. Dangle a fishing line in the water. Watch the world go by. 

Strike up a conversation with the person next to you—the one you 

swear you recognize from home. Could that be your spouse? And 

who are those kids splashing about in the water? They look familiar. 

After a sunset stroll, a long day of pure island indulgence comes to a 

close. Consumed with the complicated question of which flip-flops 

to wear, you head out for a night on the town. Anna Maria Island’s 

dining scene is abundant with choices. A foodie-festival of casual 

beach fare and gourmet cuisine is served with a side of scenery. 

Homemade Amish ice cream and some of the best pizza south of 

New York at Oma’s are among the island’s rather unexpected treats. 

The slow drive south on Gulf Drive leads to Longboat Key before 

continuing to Sarasota’s St. Armand’s Circle, delivering a generous 

dollop of delicious dining choices and the only dose of nightlife you’ll 

find in the area.

Whether you rise with the sun or prefer to 

sleep in, the Big French Breakfast is by far 

the most decadent way to start the day. Five 

dollars buys you the equivalent of heavenon-a-plate 

at Island Creperie on Bridge 

Street. Two luscious raspberry-filled crepes, 

a freshly-baked, buttery croissant and one 

divine chunk of French Baguette French 

Toast, ALL covered in powdered sugar is 

undeniably swoon worthy. 

In one hour you can find yourself hanging 

out amidst coconut palms. Coconuts, you 

may notice, are absent from the palms lining 

our local streets and neighborhoods. No 

wonder it feels like a million miles away. 

Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton 

Beach comprise Anna Maria Island, which is 

easily traversed via the free trolley. Linger on 

island time at beachfront bars and eateries 

or poised above the clear turquoise water on 

your choice of piers. Leave the driving up to 

someone with a care in the world. 

Bean Point, on the island’s northern tip is 

one of those spots where you feel like you 

can slip off the end of the earth and float 

carelessly on a breeze to Neverland, or at 

least to the next land mass. In Bradenton 

Beach, at one of Anna Maria Island’s 

narrowest points, Sarasota Bay and the 

glittering Gulf of Mexico are mere steps 

apart. Ospreys and great blue herons fish 

along the bay’s shorelines while seagulls, 

sandpipers and terns patrol the foamy coast. 

Gentle sea turtles nest in the soft sand from 

May to October and without regard for 

season, dolphins frolic parallel to beautiful 

blue horizon. 

In one hour, you can transport mind, body 

and soul. Getting there is easy as 1-2-3. Step 

1: Hop in the car. Step 2: Set the GPS. Step 

3: Accelerate. When you emerge from Anna 

Maria Island’s cocoon of tranquility, you will 

once again be ready to take on the world. 

_____________________________________________ 

Leslie Joy Ickowitz is president of Empire Public Relations and 

a personal travel concierge with 12 years experience creating 

custom vacations for couples, singles and families. Call 

813.382.4387 or email: Leslie@EmpirePublicRelations.com for 

more information and white-glove service. 

More recharge 


www.BABM.com/recharge.htm

leadership 

Doug Van Dyke 


58 

Pragmatic 

Optimism 

Recently I had a client engage my services to facilitate a 

strategic planning session for their leadership team. They 

forwarded a list of their most pressing issues. Also, they 

voiced their concerns about changes going on in their 

industry. Their list of issues contained eight nicely arranged 

items, each followed by a brief supporting comment. As I 

scanned the list I read six items over which my client had no 

control. Items such as the state of the economy and high 

fuel prices peppered their list. Contrarily, the list contained 

only two “real” items – things they could control. In addition, 

what surfaced during the planning session were a host of 

opportunities that were being overlooked because their team 

members were so stressed out about a bunch of things they 

could not control. Perhaps we could all use a little review of 

five items that I believe are particularly important these days. 

If this gets a little preachy, I apologize unreservedly. Indulge 

me, please. 

assess 

1. Honestly assess the business environment. 

When Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, was 

at the peak of his career a journalist asked a 

GE executive what made Jack so good. The 

executive stated, “Jack possesses the ability 

to see things the way they are.” In other 

words, Jack Welch was not swayed by pie-inthe-sky 

projections, nor was his enthusiasm 

dampened by negative media comments or 

uncontrollable events. Seek to emulate Jack 

and see things the way they are, not the way 

they are painted by the media or pundits. 

stop worrying 

2. Stop worrying about things you cannot 

control. Gas prices are high. Segments of the 

economy are hurting. International tension 

seemingly abounds. Can you control any of 

these things? If you can, call me. Now. 

focus 

3. Focus on what we can control. We can 

control our work ethic, our ethics in general, 

effective communication with our team and, 

hopefully, our behavior. We need to focus our 

energies squarely on items that will impact 

productivity, efficiency, and morale.

opportunities 

4. Look for opportunities. In Mandarin, the 

literal translation of the word crisis is “danger/ 

opportunity.” From a standpoint of thoroughness, 

do we need to examine the danger related 

to situations and the business environment? 

Of course we do; it is good strategic planning 

to ponder as many angles as possible. What I 

frequently observe, though, is that many leaders 

fail to think creatively about what opportunities 

may be lurking. In addition, by focusing on danger 

and hazards that are out of our control, business 

people are losing their sense of optimism. 

practice 

5. Practice pragmatic optimism. A note to all of 

my fellow entrepreneurs: it is our great sense of 

optimism that allows us to flourish. Let’s face it. 

If you are not a bold-faced optimist you would 

have never started your own business. What I 

mean by pragmatic optimism (and this is not 

from Webster’s) is this: 

Pragmatic Optimism: Maintaining a positive 

state of mind and acknowledging that the world 

offers an amazing amount of opportunities, while 

embracing the relevant realities of your business 

situation. 

More leadership information at 

http://www.babm.com/leadership/index.htm 

So what happened to the leadership team that engaged in the 

strategic planning session referenced in the beginning of this 

narrative? Well, after a little soul-searching, they jettisoned their head 

trash surrounding events and situations which they could not control. 

In addition, they created an action plan – a segment of which is shown 

below. 

1. Consistently embrace pragmatic optimism. 

2. Help our team members fully understand 

that all is not gloom and doom. 

3. Be coaches and educators in order to 

provide visionary leadership that showcases 

individual strengths and team opportunities. 

4. Acknowledge that hurdles to our success 

will arise. 

5. Acknowledge that we will ultimately 

succeed – we always do. 

In closing, I quote Henry Ford, who many years ago said, “One of the 

greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his greatest surprises, is 

to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t.” Be well, and think 

positively! 

_____________________________________________________ 

Doug Van Dyke is an executive coach, speaker, training expert, and pragmatic optimist. His recently 

released book is entitled Leadership Simplified. To have Doug energize your leadership team, call 

941-776-1121 or visit www.dvdconsulting.com. 

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marketing 

Bernie Borges 


60 

Marketing 

2.0: 

Think like a Publisher 

A successful online marketing 

strategy requires a strong content 

strategy. It’s not enough to have 

a good search engine marketing 

plan and a good website. A 

content strategy on the web is 

all about getting intimate with 

your customers, long before they 

become your customers. 

Let’s examine the types of content we can produce to capture 

our customers’ intimacy before they even talk with us. Enter a 

marketing 2.0 mentality. 

Build your content strategy by impersonating your prospective 

customers. Discover the content they find when searching 

popular keywords in your industry. This research will enable you 

to learn what content they will and won’t find. Consider some of 

these content strategies. 

Blogging 

Build your own blog around a focused topic and staff it with a 

subject matter expert(s) who is committed to keeping it chock 

full of good content. Also track other blogs in your industry 

which cover your topic. Regularly leave comments on other 

blogs to develop links back to your website on these topics. 

Forum 

People sometimes confuse blogs and forums. In a forum, the 

community can create their own “threads” around any relevant 

topic. Others who join the forum can join the threads and 

contribute to the conversation. The main value of a forum is 

providing a platform for the community to engage with each 

other around relevant content. 

FAQ 

A frequently asked question section on a website is not a 

new idea. Keeping your FAQ section up-to-date is important. 

Another aspect of FAQ is using it as feeder content into a blog. 

More sales moves information at 

www.BABM.com/salesmoves.htm

Newsletter 

A newsletter using a marketing 2.0 strategy 

provides a platform to link to your other 

content platforms. It can link to the blog, 

the forum, the website, news releases, etc. If 

the newsletter is hosted on the website it’s 

a great way for it to contribute to your SEO 

strategy when it shows up in search engine 

rankings. 

News Releases 

News releases should be distributed online 

about anything that is of interest to your 

prospective customers. You don’t need to 

wait until you ink a big deal to send a news 

release. Create news releases about the 

value of your services to your market. 

Website 

Your company website should have great 

content that informs your community. Focus 

your content around the most popular 

topics in your domain of expertise. Consider 

building a dedicated website on a popular 

topic that complements your company 

website. Co-brand this website, but focus 

the main theme of the website around 

the topic. For example, Tampa-based GCA 

Technology Services has a dedicated website 

focusing on identity management called 

www.actionidentity.com. 

Video 

My favorite form of marketing 2.0 content is 

video because it allows us to get creative and 

craft our message in a completely different 

way that is not possible in the written word. 

The most effective videos entertain us. Some 

of the most entertaining videos cover topics 

that would not otherwise be considered 

humorous topics. By adding some creative 

thinking, videos can communicate a 

message very effectively. 

Podcasts 

Podcasting is a very effective way to either 

create new content or re-purpose content 

into an audio (or video/audio) format. 

Photos 

Posting photos to your website or social 

media sites such as Flickr can accomplish 

several purposes. While it’s not traditional 

content, it can provide a strong sense 

of culture and a human element to your 

company. 

White Papers 

You can use white papers on the social 

web by saving them to PDF format and 

optimizing them. Additionally, discussing 

the content of white papers in a blog or 

forum with links to them also help promote 

the content. 

PowerPoint 

Presentations 

Many organizations have a library of 

PowerPoint (PPT) presentations developed 

over the years. Many PPT files have content 

which can be shared with your online 

community. Slideshare.net is a popular and 

free social media platform for PPT content. 

Simply upload your PPT files and Slideshare 

converts it to a URL which you can share with 

your community. 

An effective marketing 2.0 strategy requires 

a strong content strategy. However, there 

are two factors needed to be successful. 

First, the CEO must buy into the “think like 

a publisher” way of thinking. Secondly, the 

team to execute this strategy must embrace 

it enthusiastically. Content marketing 

strategies require some out-of-the-box 

thinking and creativity. Those who do it 

well seem to have a lot of fun doing it and 

enjoy their success. They set themselves 

apart from their competitors and develop 

trust and credibility with their communities 

on the social web. They embrace the social 

web for its best attribute – the ability to 

deliver relevant content and build intimate 

relationships with customers before they 

even contact them, and long after they buy. 

_____________________________________ 

Bernie Borges is the founder and president of Find and Convert, 

an Internet Marketing firm specializing in search engine 

optimization and social media marketing strategies. Bernie is 

a frequent speaker, blogger and podcaster on these topics and 

is currently writing a book on social media marketing business 

strategies. Bernie can be reached at 727-234-0952 and bernie@ 

findandconvert.com. Follow Bernie on Twitter: http://twitter. 

com/berniebay

Entrepreneurship 

Brian Tracy 


62 

The 

Butterfly 

Effect 

It has been said that, “A Butterfly 

flapping its wings in Peru can start 

a change in the weather that leads 

to a typhoon in China.” 

At every turn in the road of your life, there will be a person 

standing there helping you or hurting you, guiding you or 

blocking you, giving you good or bad direction. 

There seems to be a direct relationship between the number 

of people that you know, meet, bump into and interact with 

and the quality of your life. People who network on a regular 

basis with others, seem to be far more active and successful 

than people who go to work at the last minute, chat idly with 

coworkers, read the newspaper, make a couple sales calls and 

then go home and watch television. 

Warren Buffett applied to Columbia University and was turned 

down. He turned to Princeton University and most of the courses 

that he wanted to take were already full. Finally, he settled on 

one course taught by a Professor Fisher on Value Investing. 

Because he was young and impressionable, Warren Buffett 

absorbed Fisher’s ideas on how to choose stocks for the long 

term, went back to Omaha, and began investing for himself 

and others. The rest is history. Warren Buffett is now one of the 

richest men in the history of the world, still applying Fisher’s 

ideas to buying and holding good quality stocks. 

How many times in your life has your direction changed 

because of your meeting and interacting with another person? 

Sometimes a single observation or bit of advice from someone 

with more experience in a particular area than you can change 

the course of your destiny. 

When I was in my thirties, I was urged to run for political office. 

I put together a campaign committee of about twelve people, 

all of whom were enthusiastic supporters of my bid for office. 

I started to get carried away with the idea of being an elected 

politician and making a difference in the politics of my state. 

Then I called an elected politician on whose campaign I had 

worked a couple of years before. I told him of my plans and 

asked him if he had any advice. I still remember his words: “Are 

you financially independent at this time?” 

There seems to be 

a direct relationship 

between the number of 

people that you know, 

meet, bump into and 

interact with and the 

quality of your life

When I told him that I was a long way from financial independence, 

he told me that if I ran for office in my thirties, and was successful, I 

would never be financially independent. I would have a much lower 

income than I could earn in the private sector, and I would probably 

worry about money all my life. 

That simple observation, “Are you already financially independent?” 

slammed the brakes on my political ambitions. I folded up my early 

campaign and went back to work as a business consultant, real estate 

developer and eventually, as a professional speaker. 

The book, “The Secret” has been a best seller for the last couple 

of years. This book says that, “If you visualize and think positive 

thoughts, you will attract all good things into your life.” 

Unfortunately, this idea is misleading. Of course, it is important that 

you think positive thoughts about yourself and your possibilities, but 

it is simply not enough. In addition, you must take continuous action 

in the direction of your goals, overcoming resistance, adversity, 

difficulties and temporary failures until you win through. 

In reality, success is not based on the Law of Attraction, but rather 

the Law of Probabilities. This law says that there is a probability 

that everything can happen, and that you can influence these 

probabilities by doing more of the things that are more likely to lead 

to your success. 

In sales, the sales person who makes more appointments and sees 

more prospects is going to make more sales than the sales person 

who stays in the office and shuffles their business cards. In life, 

the professional who networks regularly with other professionals, 

especially in sales, is going to dramatically increase the probability 

that he or she will meet with the right person, at the right time, with 

the right insight or guidance that will lead to a sale that might not 

have taken place. 

The challenge is that you never know which person you meet is 

going to be the one that helps you the most. Therefore, by using 

the Law of Probabilities, you organize your life so that you network 

and meet with as many people as possible. This greatly increases the 

likelihood that you will meet the right person. 

At every stage of your life, there will be someone standing there 

giving you insights and guidance that can set you off in a different 

direction. At the same time, you can be the person who gives the 

insights and guidance that helps others to do more of the right 

things that help them achieve their goals and improve their lives. 

________________________________________________________ 

Brian Tracy is legendary in the fields of management, leadership, and sales. He is the CEO of Brian 

Tracy International, and the President of Brian Tracy University of Sales and Entrepreneurship, a 

private on-line university. Brian can be reached at (858) 481-2977, 462 Stevens Avenue, Suite 202, 

Solana Beach, CA 92075. Brian can also be contacted through his website www.briantracy.com, or 

www.briantracyu.com. 

More entrepreneurship 


http://www.babm.com/entrepreneurship/index.htm

suggested reading 



64 

Leadership 

Simplified 

The Field Guide for 

Savvy Leaders 

By Doug Van Dyke, MBA 

So often in the crowded world of 

business books, one chapter captures 

the author’s message and the rest of 

the book is a repetition of his message. 

In Doug van Dyke’s new book, every 

chapter presents a crisp, valuable, 

stand alone message that has the 

reader wanting more. In a pithy mix 

of stories, quotes and research, we are 

given what we need to know for each 

subject addressed. 

The book has five 

parts, and here are 

some highlights from 

each section: 

Part I 

Analysis, Agility, and Visioning 

Here is a concise and excellent plan for analyzing your business 

and how to organize a productive brainstorming session to 

develop your company’s vision. 

Part II 

Communication 

This is one of the most clearly written chapters that I have 

experienced on how to create a persuasive presentation for 

groups or one on one. 

Part III 

Setting the Course and Creating Buy-in 

Here is presented a refreshing synopsis of how to develop 

collaborative relationships within and outside of your company. 

Part IV 

Measure, Metrics and Structure 

Here the author discusses the importance of having processes 

that are measurable and creates opportunities for improvement. 

Part V 

Executing, Coaching and Celebration 

Knowing what to do and how to do it are empty traits when the 

company’s leader cannot bring the plan to fruition. This may 

require the help of others. And never forget to celebrate your 

successes. 

Doug van Dyke has titled his book well. It is indeed a handbook, 

not a shelf book. This is one that you will reread and refer to 

often. In my position I read numerous business books and 

finding time to read them is a challenge. I found the time to read 

Leadership Simplified, twice! So far. 

_____________________________________________________ 

Dr. Brian Beirl has a general dental practice in Seminole. In addition, he is an educator, 

author, presenter, consultant and business coach. Dr. Beirl is passionate in helping his clients 

live the life of their dreams. He may be reached through his web site, www.brianbeirl.com 

www.BABM.com/suggested-reading.htm

Why are businesswomen joining 

eWomenNetwork? 

• To market and promote what they have to offer. 

• To access powerful contacts and new opportunities. 

• To join our community of women helping women. 

Let’s get connected. 

I’d love to learn more about you. 

Connecting and promoting women and their businesses 

www.eWomenNetwork.com 

�� 

Ser 

Karen Krymski 

Regional Executive Director 

KarenKrymski@eWomenNetwork.com 

727-322-9596 

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usiness seen 

Andy Andrews 


66 

Thomas A. James, Chairman and CEO of Raymond James Financial, Inc. was named Ernst & 

Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008 winner in the Financial Services category. 

Boston WPO Chapter member Suzanne Bates, President/CEO of Bates Communication, Wellesley, 

MA. and Rosemary Brehm, Tampa Bay WPO Chapter Facilitator and President of turningpoints2results, 

spoke at the September 10th Women Presidents’ Organization Meet and Greet 

Reception in Tampa 

Finalists in the national Stevies Awards for Women in Business; Debra Curtiss ,VP and GM of Peak 

10 and the new TBTF leader, Suzanne Kelley, VP of Proggex, Inc. and Charlotte Baker. 

Florida Staffing Association president Adam Mainzer, TSC, CSP (TechStaff, Tampa, FL) 

accepted the awards from ASA chairman Linda Carchidi, CSP. Linda Carchidi, JFC 

Staffing -Camp Hill, PA,Adam Mainzer, CSP, TSC,TechStaff -Tampa, FL Richard Wahlquist, 

President & CEO, ASA - Alexandria, VA 

Charlotte Baker accepts the highly sought after SSPA award in Las Vegas. 

Mark Geary, VP of Digital Hands is on charlotte’s left.

First Bank employees Vita Muklewicz (left), Adam French (left center), Mary Pereira (right center) and Kathryn Goethe (right) 

decorate the Angel Tree to benefit the Salvation Army at First Bank’s Bradenton location, 1301 6th Ave. West. 

Jim Young of Nickel City Funding Co, 2008 Carrollwood Professionals Member of the Year accepts award from Renate Armitage, 

Ali Lassens Regional Support Representative. 

Lydian Bank & Trust recently celebrated the opening of the newest regional 

office in Sarasota. Cary Putrino, Lydian’s regional president; James Meany, 

Lydian’s president and chief executive officer and Dan Vigne, Lydian’s 

managing director in Sarasota 

Juan Long of Bayport Appraisals after being congratulated by members 

of Carrollwood Professionals Chapter of Ali Lassens Leads Club after passing 

the state certification appraisal exam. 

Richard Gerrity, Lydian’s executive vice 

president and chief investment officer; 

Dorothy Ozburn and Robert Carr.

Micheal Savage 

Laura Ingraham Bill O’Reilly 

Your Your Newstalk Newstalk Hosts! Hosts! 

Dennis Miller 

Dave Ramsey 

AM 

Roger P. Schulman Dan Shayna York 

Lance Scott Farrell Mark Larsen

Accounting 

Kingery & Crouse 

2801 West Busch Blvd., Ste 200 


813-874-1280 

www.tampacpa.com 

Artists 

Jessica Rockwell 

Master Portrait Artist 

313 Lotus Path 

Clearwater, FL 33756 

727-442-5553 

www.rockwellportraits.com 

Attorneys 

Lauro Law Firm 

101 E. Kennedy Blvd. Ste 3000 


813-222-8990 

www.laurolawfirm.com 

Auto Repair 

Courteous Car Care 

9485 Ulmerton Rd. 

Largo, FL 33771 

727-581-3600 

www.courteouscarcare.com 

Barter 

Florida Barter 

1000 Belcher Rd. South #9 


727-524-6800 

www.floridabarter.com 

Banks 

Regions Bank 

The more things change, 

The more things get better. 

www.RegionsBank.com 

American Momentum Bank 

One Urban Centre Suite 200 

4830 W. Kennedy Blvd. 


866-530-2265 

www.AmericanMomentumBank.com 

Business Development 

LSG Consulting Services, llc 

“Coaching &Consulting Tailored to Your Needs” 

Linda S. Goldfarb, Managing Member 

(727)415-3016 

Linda@lsgconsulting.com 

www.lsgconsulting.com 

Chambers of Commerce 

Greater Tampa Chamber 

813-276-9438 

www.tampachamber.com 

Brandon Chamber 

813-689-1221 

www.brandonchamber.com 

Greater Seminole Chamber 

727-392-3245 

www.seminolechamber.net 

Coaching 

Transition Resource 

Tom Wolf, Executive Coach 

16627 Sedonade Avila 


813-960-1810 

tom@transitionresource.com 

Bob Proctor’s Coaching 

www.bobproctor.com/ccp.asp 

Counseling 

Dr. Stacey Scheckner, 

Licensed Psychologist 

806 W. De Leon Ave. Ste 201 

813-362-3936 

www.happycounseling.com 

Computer Consultants 

Bluelink Consulting 

7714 Venice Dr. 

Port Richey, FL 34668 

800-258-3908 

www.bluelinkconsulting.com 

Copy Writers 

Gretchen Cain 

727-403-6726 


727-793-8826 

carolcortright@msn.com 

Kathy Ferguson 

727-541-7506 

David Liller 

813-960-7183 

dliller@lillerpublications.com 

Donna Murray 

727-822-8141 

Chary Southmayd 

727-397-5563 x306 

Marie Stempinski 

727-526-2910 


813-631-7708 

www.winchestergrouponline.com 

Dental 


7603 Seminole Blvd. 


727-391-0269 

www.brianbeirl.com 

Straighten Up Orthodontics 

Clearwater – St. Pete 

727-446-8005 

Dr. Tom Brown 

7603 Seminole Blvd. 


727-391-0269 

Displays 

Affordable Displays 

(Business and Retail) 

727-443-3469 

Toll Free 888-993-4775 

BBrehm@Affordabledisplays.net 

www.affordabledisplays.net 

Education 

Eckerd College 

Leadership Development 

Institute 

St. Pete, FL 

800-753-0444 

www.eckerd.edu/ldi 

St. Pete College 

727-341-4772 

www.spcollege.edu 

Tampa Preparatory School 

727 Cass Street 


813-251-8481 

www.tampaprep.org 

BABM business directory

BABM business directory 


70 

Trinity College 

2430 Welbilt Boulevard 

Trinity, FL 34655 

727-376-6911 

www.trinitycollege.edu 

Troy University 

813-835-6220 

www.troy.edu 

USF 

College of Business Administration 

4202 East Fowler Ave. 


813-974-3350 

www.coba.usf.edu 

Electric Supplies and Contractors 

Electric Supply, Inc. 

4407 North Manhattan Ave. 


813-872-1894 

www.electricsupplyinc.com 

Energy Management 

Total Energy Concept, Inc. 

PO Box 157 

Lithia, FL 33547 

888-643-9207 

vincetecsales@aol.com 

www.totalenergyconcepts.com 

Financial Advisors 

JB Hanauer & Co. 

Jesse T. Hearn, Jr. 

4830 W. Kennedy Blvd. Ste 350 


813-289-0004 

800-282-0001 

jhearn@jbh.com 

www.jbhanauer.com 

The Financial Well 

Kimberly D. Overman, CFP® 

300 S. Hyde Park Ave. Ste 210 


813-229-2000 

www.thefinancialwell.com 

Framing 

Crafty Framer 



727-518-1400 

www.craftyframer.com 

Golf Resorts 

Innisbrook Golf Resort 

36750 US Hwy 19 N. 

Palm Harbor, FL 34684 

727-942-2000 

www.innisbrookgolfresort.com 

Graphic Design 

TZ Design Firm 

321-632-1616 

www.tzdesignfirm.com 

Ink 

ASAP Ink 

13723 Walsingham Rd. 


727-596-4191 

www.asap-ink.com 

Jewelry 

International Diamond Center 


Clearwater, FL 

727-572-6323 

Limo Services 

1st Class Limo LLC 

813-234-1744 

info@1stclasslimollc.com 

Local Web Site Portals 

www.GoLocalTampaBay.com 

www.b2btampabay.com 

Medical Doctors 

Vein Center of Tampa Bay & Stunning Looks Medi Spa 

3001 N. Rocky Point Dr. E. 

Suite 125 

Tampa, FL, 33607 

813-282-0223 

www.veincentertampa.com 

Image International Institute 

Richard Castellano, MD 

4238 W. Kennedy Blvd. 


813-879-6040 

www.imageinin.com 

Multi Media 

Barclay Productions, LLC 

A Video Production Company 

Bill Barclay, President 

727-639-7361 

bill@barclayproductions.com 

www.barclayproductions.com

Genesis Communications Inc. 

NewsTalk 820 

4300 West Cypress St., Ste 1040 


813-281-1040 

www.1040wwba.com 

Networking 

E-Women Network 

Karen Krymski, Reg. Exec. Director 

727-322-9596 

www.eWomenNetwork.com 

Non Profits 

PACE Center for Girls 

Pinellas County 

727-456-1566 

Junior Achievement 

727-530-0884 

www.ja.org 

Wheels for Success 

www.wheelsofsuccess.org. 

Outreach Partners Network 

Kathryn Barber, CEO 

888-266-6001 

www.outreachpartners.org 

Photography 

Bay Area Photography 

813-689-1993 

www.bayareaphotography.com 

Printer 

Colorgraphx 

4721 – 110th Ave. N. 

Clearwater, FL 33762 

727-572-6364 

www.colorgraphx.biz 

Sales 

Brian Tracy University 

462 Stevens Ave., Suite 202 

Solana Beach, CA 92075 

www.BrianTracy.com 

Buy Gitomer 

704-333-1112 

www.gitomer.com 

Search Engine Optimization 

KISS Marketing 


Self Development 

Andy Andrews 

www.AndyAndrews.com 

Technology and IT Services 

High Speed Network Services 

Scott Plumley 

10022 Oxford Chapel Dr. 


813-404-5498 

www.hsnsfl.com 

Website Development 

KISS Marketing 

Deirdre Cavener, Pres. 

727-517-8450 

Deirdre@kissmarketing.com 


007 Computer Services 

Robert Fowler Jr. 

2408 - 53rd St. S. 

Unit 1-A 

Gulfport, FL 33707 

(727) 388-9442 

www.007computer.com

values 

Andy Andrews 


72 

6 Keys to 

Becoming 

a Person of 

Action 

My future is immediate. I will grasp it in both hands and carry 

it with running feet. When I am faced with the choice of doing 

nothing or doing something, I will always choose to act! 

— Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain 

When faced with the choice of doing nothing or doing 

something, always choose to act! Seize this moment. There are 

six keys to becoming a person of action: overcoming your fears, 

being prepared to make quick decisions, having a life plan, 

embracing the power of action, becoming an early riser, and 

capitalizing on your strengths. 

1. Overcoming Your Fears 

Fear debilitates action. Where has fear hindered your progress? 

Has fear kept you from pursuing a job promotion, diving 

into a new career, going after a big account, innovating, or 

reinventing your business? Fear of failure, humiliation or making 

mistakes hinders our creative impulses and our ability to create 

extraordinary changes in the world. Step 1: Identify your fear. 

Step 2: Take action. 

2. Being Prepared to Make 

Quick Decisions 

Calvin Coolidge stated, “We can’t do everything at once, but, by 

God, we can do something at once!” Changing the world begins 

with a single act. Sometimes the single act requires a quick 

reaction. One way to be a person of action is to think through 

some situations and decide beforehand how you will react when 

the time comes. 

So are you ready for your moment? Have you decided what 

you will do when your moment arrives? We’ve heard over and 

over again that success happens when preparation meets 

opportunity. 

3. Having a Life Plan 

Having a life plan is important in being a person of action. If you 

know where you want to go, making decisions will be easier. 

There are many ways to consider your life’s plan or what things 

you want to accomplish before you die. One way is to think 

about your eulogy. Write a glowing, incredible eulogy you would 

like to have read aloud at your funeral. Ask three important 

people in your life for their feedback and suggestions on what 

needs to happen for you to become the person in the eulogy. 

4. Embracing the Power of Action 

Take a look at your life plan and recognize the person you need 

to become in order to realize your ultimate vision. Identify the 

steps to take today, tomorrow, and in the weeks, months and 

years to come to help move you toward that self-actualized 

person. Then capture ten things you can do in the next twentyfour 

hours to move you in that direction. A simple action like 

picking up the phone and reconnecting with an old friend can 

help you build tremendous momentum toward your desired 

destination. 

5. Becoming an Early Riser 

Thomas Jefferson woke up early every day. He said, “Whether I 

retire to bed early or late, I rise with the sun.” There was a fiftyyear 

period in Jefferson’s life during which the sun never caught 

him in bed. Jefferson had an appetite for action. He said, “Do you 

want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act. Action will delineate 

and define you.” He also said, “Determine never to be idle. It 

is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.” 

Another one of Jefferson’s great quotes: “I’m a great believer in 

luck; and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” 

Try getting up extra early for the next thirty days. When you 

wake up come up with several new ideas that inspire and 

motivate you. Jot down the first twenty ideas that come to mind. 

Circle the idea that is most important to you. To set that idea in 

motion, quickly brainstorm five specific actions you can take 

within twenty four hours and do them. 

6. Capitalizing on Your Strengths 

Everyone excels in certain areas. Some people are fast runners. 

Some people are sharp thinkers. Others might be better at 

managing finances. The trick is to not only identify areas you 

need to improve, but to capitalize on your God-given strengths! 

If you capitalize on your current strengths, you can create 

momentum and take on the challenges that await you. 

Andy Andrews has quietly become one of the most influential people in America. 

A professional noticer, a powerful communicator, a teacher, and a serious fisherman, 

Andrews is a best-selling author with millions of books in print. He is also an in-demand 

speaker for some of the world’s largest organizations. Andy has spoken at the request of four 

different United States presidents and toured military bases around the world at the request 

of the Department of Defense. Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at 

weaving subtle, yet life-changing, lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue— 

both on paper and on stage. For more information: www.AndyAndrews.com 

More information at 

www.BABM.com/values.htm

JAMIE ROSENKRANS - BABM.com

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