|
Where to from here?
|
|
by Michael Van der Gaag, President
 December is a month for looking forward to exciting possibilities. At RPCN, we are planning a year of making strides toward growing even more relevant and valuable to our members and community.
The Marketing Committee, under the leadership of David Powe, will help us better understand our stakeholders, both the membership and the non-member audience with whom we would like to engage.
With the energy of Program Chair Mike Molaire, we continue to broaden our reach in the community. Our TrendTalk dinner series brings influential thought leaders face to face with members and visitors, to stimulate conversation and inspire us. These panel discussions focus on opportunities and challenges in various business sectors in the Rochester area. The first session on the high-tech sector turned out to be a great success. We had eight sponsors and more than 60 participants (including 16 Simon School MBA students and one faculty member). Future TrendTalks will focus on the human service and health care sectors, among others.
Behind the scenes, we have a most industrious Communication Committee (chaired by Chris Swingle Farnum) that helps make every RPCN event a success. The "Using a Newsletter to Tell Your Story” presentation by the newsletter team of Chris, Janice Hanson and Ruth E. Thaler-Carter provided hints and guidance on using newsletters to market to your target audiences and the community at large.
So, what’s next?
In December, under the umbrella of “Learning from the Best,” we have Jim Ramerman coming in to share his secrets of consulting success. Jim is a very successful and highly experienced leader and an innovative organizational consultant. He believes that the essentials of a successful consulting business lie in building a strong, personal connection with each client.
In the New Year, we plan to continue with presentations from leaders in various consulting fields, including some of our own highly successful members, as well as others in the community. We are considering workshops on:
- Best practices in consulting
- The support we can provide to our clients as extensions of our fields of expertise
- The keys to client success that will lead to our success
- Trends in consulting that presenters have observed
- How consultants can help each other to grow and succeed
- What the RPCN can do to support the more advanced among us
Starting in February, RPCN will continue to support startup and experienced consultant entrepreneurs with Bob Lurz leading the Consultants Bootcamp. In May or June, Dave Bassett will lead a conference on the talents and tools you need to get and keep your business rolling (see below). If you would like to be part of this rewarding event, get in touch with Dave.
Tracey Aiello, in his recent presentation on “Having the Best Year of Your Life,” offered a number of guidelines that we should all consider as we make resolutions for the new year. Among them:
- Keep your goals visible on your wall
- Take one step toward a major goal every day
- Have a big enough reason “why” to achieve each goal
- Start today
During the recent membership survey review, it was very clear that our members are enthusiastic, energetic and have some great ideas. We encourage you to get involved, to express your leadership skills and influence the direction of the organization: get known, showcase your talents, build your credibility.
Until next month, have a great holiday season. Here’s hoping that 2014 is “the best year of your life” (thanks, Tracey).
|
|
RPCN filled in the blanks for launching ROC Shots Video Services
|
|
By Chris Swingle Farnum
Many people wish their parents’ stories and wisdom could be captured and preserved for future generations. Todd Parker of Fairport has started a business to do just that.
ROC Shots Video Services creates custom videos for families and small organizations to capture their legacies. A customer can choose a video autobiography with the option of adding family pictures, slides and video clips, or ROC Shots can create a video scrapbook from digital photos and scanned prints, with the option of narration.
Parker launched the business in June 2013, after learning valuable tips and solutions through the Rochester Professional Consultants Network (RPCN). “RPCN has helped me fill in a lot of the blanks – how to create a business, how to manage a business and the day-to-day decisions,” says Parker.
Read more about Parker, including how he changed his target market, why he made his mentor cry, and how he’s now using his skills to help RPCN and his new business. Click here for the full story. Here is a video interview with Todd Parker:
Chris Swingle Farnum is a freelance writer in Rochester.
|
|
By Bob Lurz
It’s happening – we’re planning the next RPCN Consulting Bootcamp, for five Tuesdays in February and March 2014. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to successfully start a one-person consulting business or improve an existing one. Successful consultants and experts will show you what’s unique about consulting and how to immediately apply the information to your business.
Here’s a sneak peek at the proposed lineup so far:
- A consultant’s journey to success
- Define your services, clients and benefits
- Decide on legal issues (DBA, LLC, S Corp, C Corp, etc.)
- What it takes to become a consulting entrepreneur
- Market yourself as a consultant
- Build your image and reputation
- Identify who needs your consulting service
- Use social media to grow your business
- Present your value proposition to prospective clients
Save these five Tuesdays: mornings of Feb. 4, 11 and 18; full days on Feb. 25 and March 4. When registration opens on our website in December, sign up quickly – we’ll limit attendance to only 25 people.
Stay tuned. Schedules, prices, location, etc., will follow.
Bob Lurz is leader of the RPCN Bootcamp and president of Consultants Accelerator.
|
|
Spring conference: building your business
|
|
By Dave Bassett
The RPCN plans to hold a full-day conference in May or June 2014 that will be open to members and non-members alike. Several members are forming a Conference Team and we are looking for additional volunteers to join.
The theme is building your business and the program will be geared toward small-business topics such as:
- Putting structure to your business
- Effective collaboration
- Effective interpersonal communication skills
- Negotiating skills
- Closing sales
- Legal basics
- Accounting basics
Watch the monthly newsletter for more details.
If you would like to join the Conference Team or let us know your thoughts about the program, contact me at dbassett@bassett.pro or (585) 739-9726. Your input is welcome.
Dave Bassett is vice president of RPCN and president of Bassett IP Strategies.
|
|
RPCN welcomes 1 new member this month. Click on the link below to view her profile.
Mary DeFranco
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming events
|
|
Technical Forum
Facilitated by Steve Royal
Friday, Dec. 6, 2013
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Pittsford Community Library; free
An informal, facilitated round-table discussion of any technical issues that consultants encounter in running their business, including computers, the Internet and telephones. Wondering what kind of questions people are asking lately? For a list from recent forums, click here.
Caring for Clients and the Power of Presence
Presenter: Jim Ramerman
Friday, Dec. 13, 2013
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Brighton Town Hall - Downstairs Meeting Room
Please note: The RPCN non-member meeting charge is now $10.
Co-CEO and co-founder of the McArdle Ramerman Center, Jim Ramerman believes in building a strong, personal connection with each client, based on trust and authenticity. How does the consultant build that kind of relationship? What will be the results for both the client and the consultant? This will be a dialogue with time for interaction, reflection and questions as well as answers. Here is a video introduction to his presentation:
Business Forum
Facilitated by Bob Lurz
Friday, December 20, 2013
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Pittsford Community Library; free
An informal, facilitated roundtable discussion of issues regarding starting or running a consulting business. Wondering what kind of questions people are asking lately? For a list from recent forums, click here.
RPCN Board Meeting
Friday, December 20, 2013
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.
No Meeting
Friday, December 27, 2013
Wishing you and yours a most wonderful holiday season!
|
|
RPCN is highlighted in a career story in the November/December issue of "55 Plus" Magazine. Career coach Lynn Dessert, owner of Leadership Breakthrough Inc., is quoted about the challenge of launching a new freelancing or consulting business in your field. "It may be scary," she says, "but the Rochester Professional Consultants Network may help. Check out a couple of its meetings."
|
|
By Jerry Seward
Show your pride in your RPCN membership!
The RPCN Logo Store is now online. In partnership with CafePress.com, RPCN members may now purchase merchandise imprinted with the RPCN logo. You may choose from various items, such as coffee mugs, shirts, hats, mousepads, calendars, tote bags, travel mugs and laptop sleeves.
The link to the store will soon be on the RPCN website. In the interim, you can visit CafePress.com/rpcn to shop securely online.
|
|
Making your business better
|
|
Blogging: Hannah Morgan lists three questions you need to ask yourself before starting a business blog in her Democrat and Chronicle article To blog or not to blog.
Compliments: Have you ever thought how your response to a compliment might differentiate you from your competitors? Bob Whipple explains why you should not “waste the opportunity with a throw-away line like ‘No problem’” in his blog post Response when people thank you.
|
|
