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By David Powe, RPCN President 
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” —Warren Bennis RPCN
has thrived for 25 years due to the leadership and involvement of many
volunteers. This month, I want to recognize the current group of people
who are entrusted with the leadership of this organization. These
individuals contribute more time, talent and energy than you realize to
ensure that RPCN is turning its vision into reality, meeting the needs
of its members and remaining a strong organization for years to come.
The 2015–16 officers are:
- David Powe – president
- Laurie Enos – vice president, Marketing Committee chair
- Dave Bassett – immediate past president and
treasurer - Sandy Glanton – secretary
The board members at large are:
- Jim Barton – Conference Committee co-chair
- Marcia Bornhurst Parkes
- Mary DeFranco
- Robin Dettman
- Fred Lutz
- Bob Manard – Conference Committee co-chair
- Jerry Seward – Membership Committee chair
- Michael Van der Gaag – Program Committee chair
The other committee chairs are:
- Bob Lurz – Alliances and career fairs, Boot Camp, Business Forum
- Janice Hanson – Newsletter
- Joe Groden – Events
- Peter Burns – Hospitality
- Ruth Balkin – librarian
- Steve Royal – Website, Technical Forum, office phone
- Barbara Moore – Social Media
Please
support these individuals with your time, energy, talent and ideas.
Maybe even talk to them about joining their committees. And, although
they may not be seeking it, a warm thank you would go a long way toward
making them feel appreciated for their efforts.
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Coaching business provides independence and variety
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
 RPCN members who offer coaching as their business service can look to Robin Dettman,
MSL, CPLC, as a role model. Dettman – who bills himself as an education
and business organization coach in his longstanding role as owner of
Coaching for Success – launched his consulting business in 1990 but has
more than 30 years of “successful coaching focusing on the questions
that have helped [his] clients achieve the success they desired.”
Establishing
a coaching business was a natural progress for Dettman. He had done the
equivalent of coaching in his full-time corporate work with Radio Shack
over the years – he managed six different stores for the chain, and a
store manager had to encourage and motivate store employees.
For
Dettman, “independence is a big part” of the appeal of consulting, as
is the variety of projects and clients he can work with. “I thrive on
variety,” he said. “If I’m doing the same thing for too long, boredom
sets in. That’s why I managed six stores (for Radio Shack) – I needed
new challenges. When I achieved success at one, I would move on to
another store.” He launched his own business because “I like working for
myself,” he said.
Dettman
joined RPCN last year and attended this year’s RPCN Consulting Business
Boot Camp; he recently became a member of the RPCN board.
Among the RPCN programs and services of greatest value to Dettman has
been the Absolutely Abby program that helped him strengthen his LinkedIn
profile and the
Friday speakers have been useful as well. “Recently, we’ve had really
powerful speakers,” he said. “They’ve helped me with my approach to
clients and what to charge clients.”
Dettman
isn’t all business; he also contributes to the community and does some
pro bono work, which he has found “often will lead to paid work.” He
cares about causes such as arts and culture, children, civil rights and
social action, economic empowerment, education, human rights, poverty
alleviation, and social services, and currently serves on advisory
boards for three nonprofit organizations.
To read the rest of the article – including his advice for those considering launching a consulting business – visit this page on the RPCN website.
And click here to watch a video of Dettman talking about why he launched his business and joined RPCN.
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Making your business better
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Business First Wednesday workshops at Central Library
The Central Library of Rochester and Monroe
County and the College at Brockport’s Small Business Development Center
have released the schedule of 2015–16 business programs to be held the
first Wednesday of each month, September through June. The sessions will
feature professionals offering guidance on start-ups, procurement
opportunities, legal considerations, marketing, record keeping and more.
The programs take place from 10 AM to 12:30 PM at the Central Library’s
Kate Gleason Auditorium, 115 South Ave. The first program, on September
2, is Small Business Start Up: Doing it Right! Click here for more information and to register. To see the full list of workshops, click here. 2015 RPCN Entrepreneur of the Year featured in Time article on solutions that matter
Jon Schull, 2015 RPCN Entrepreneur of the Year, is featured in an 8-31-15 Time article, “See How Kids Are Getting 3D-printed Hands for Free.”
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Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
MeetUp
Please
note that RPCN has a new mailing address: Rochester Professional
Consultants Network, 2604 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 294, Rochester, NY
14618-2213
Please use this address from now on. Mail will
still be accepted at the old address for several months, but the old PO
box will not be checked frequently and is being phased out.
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We want you!
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The
RPCN newsletter welcomes news, success stories, tips, resources, events
and other items that would be of broad interest to consultants. Submit a
newsletter item by email to the Communication Committee. RPCN members also may write articles for our website; submit articles here. In the newsletter, we'll highlight submitted articles aimed at helping consultants make their businesses better.
If you have newsletter questions or
suggestions, or ideas for how RPCN could improve communications, contact
the Communication Committee:
Janice Hanson, Chair
Barbara Moore
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Steve Royal
Sheryl Rhodes
Please send articles for the October newsletter by September 15.
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Upcoming events
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Please note that RPCN’s second and fourth Friday meetings will be at NeighborWorks through December.
Technical Forum
Facilitated by Steve Royal
Friday, September 4, 2015
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Pittsford Community Library
An
informal, facilitated roundtable discussion of any technical issues
that consultants encounter in running their businesses, including
computers, the Internet and phones. Wondering what kind of questions
people are asking? For a list from recent forums, click here.
The Art and Science of Marketing Success
Presented by Mark A. Dulaney
Friday, September 11, 2015
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
NeighborWorks, 570 South Avenue, Rochester, NY
Consultants are great at solving the problems
their clients face. But, to get a flood of new clients, consultants have
to be just as effective at marketing. This presentation will help make
your marketing simpler and more successful by combining the “art” of
marketing with the “science” of quality improvement. You will receive a
two-step process that will give you a solid plan to dramatically improve
your marketing.
Here is a short video in which Dulaney describes his presentation.
Business Forum
Facilitated by Bob Lurz
Friday, September 18, 2015
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Pittsford Community Library
An
informal, facilitated roundtable discussion of issues regarding
starting or running a consulting business. Wondering what kind of
questions people are asking? For a list from recent forums, click here.
RPCN Board Meeting
Friday, September 18, 2015
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Pittsford Community Library
RPCN’s monthly board meeting begins at
approximately 10:00 AM, after the Business Forum. Everyone is welcome to
attend, but only board members may vote.
Key Do’s and Don’ts for Patenting Inventions
Presented by Dave Bassett
Friday, September 25, 2015
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
NeighborWorks, 570 South Avenue, Rochester, NY
So you have come up with a great idea that’s
going to set the world on fire. How do you protect your idea so you can
monetize it? Getting a patent could be a great tool. But there are some
do’s and don’ts that you should know before you try to get a patent.
Whether patenting is new to you or you already have a large portfolio to
your name, you will learn more about inventions and protecting them.
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