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Steve Royal appreciates camaraderie of RPCN membership
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By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, RPCN Communication Committee
 Like so many RPCN members, Steve Royal is a former Kodaker, but his story is a little different from that of people were laid off or dismissed as Rochester’s former employment giant cut back so drastically in recent years. The chemist-by-training had evolved into an internal training and business expert in his years with Kodak and was able to translate that angle into a consulting business – something he attributes to his RPCN membership.
“I started my consulting business in 1992, about a year after a buyout from Kodak,” Royal said. “I was only 49 when I left Kodak, but the deal was so good that I couldn’t bring myself to stay.” He had several job interviews, but all were for about half what he had been making, with no benefits and extensive traveling, which did not appeal to him. He had been spending “a lot of time” at the Career Resource Center on Culver Road when someone from the RPCN came there to discuss consulting. Royal went to an RPCN meeting and “kept going every week. I decided that, with the help of RPCN, I could become a consultant.” He’s been at it ever since.
Click here to watch a video interview with Royal. To read the full interview and find out more about his business and how RPCN has helped him find new clients, visit this page on the RPCN website.
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader and speaker whose motto is “I can write about anything!”™
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25 years of the RPCN – here’s to 25 more
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By Dave Bassett, RPCN President
 Back in 1990, a group of 10 or so former Kodak workers formed a mutual support group. Little did they know that the small group that met in a diner would still be going strong a quarter-century later as the Rochester Professional Consultants Network (RPCN).
We are planning on kicking off a long celebration of this important milestone in the coming months. Details of all we have planned will be coming out soon. (For a bit more info on the 25th anniversary, please click here.)
As my first act as RPCN president, I would like to thank Michael Van der Gaag and the rest of the past board for their dedicated service to the membership. It is my great privilege to let you know that all but one member of the current board will be staying on for this 25th-anniversary year. Paula Randall, who has served in several capacities – as secretary, member at large and membership chairwoman, and on the Conference Committee – has regrettably tendered her resignation to take a position as vice president of health services at Huther Doyle. We wish her the best of luck in her new position and hope she gets a chance to make it to some of our meetings and events.
It is also my privilege to welcome Laurie Enos, president of Blue Dog Marketing, to the board. Laurie is a marketing expert and has been working with the Conference Committee.
Speaking of the Conference Committee, plans are well underway for “Picture Yourself … a Successful Consultant,” a three-track, full-day conference to be held at MCC on October 15. Dr. Bruce Katcher, author of An Insider’s Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice, will be the keynote speaker.
On July 11, we held the first of two strategy implementation sessions. The meeting was open to the entire membership and the turnout was great. Roughly 20 percent of our members attended and helped brainstorm how we can implement the strategic plan that was passed at the June board meeting. The priorities we are focused on for the coming year are:
- Create opportunities for members to build potential relationships with clients.
- Prepare for and conduct an RPCN Boot Camp, conference and TrendTalks on an ongoing basis.
- Promote and celebrate RPCN’s 25th anniversary.
- Implement marketing and communication strategies to promote RPCN and its members.
- Update the RPCN website.
(To see the entire strategic plan, including our vision, mission, organizational values, outcomes and strategic objectives, please check it out on the website.)
On August 8, after the regularly scheduled meeting at the Brighton Town Hall, we will hold a session with the membership to review the brainstorming session and to get your input on how best to implement these goals. We’ll have snacks and coffee for this 10 AM meeting, so please plan on sticking around after the morning meeting.
Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts on how we’re doing, what you think we’re doing well and what you think we could do better. The members are the lifeblood of RPCN and we look forward to your enthusiasm and continued participation and support.
Thank you all for your help in making 2013–14 so successful; I look forward to working with you to make 2014–15 even stronger! Our first 25 years were very good; here’s to an even better next 25!
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25 years of RPCN accomplishments – how we’re “Delivering on the Promise”
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By Bob Lurz
What has RPCN accomplished in 25 years? No RPCN buildings or monuments exist, so what can we point to? RPCN is dedicated to serving members, so let’s look at them. Since our promise is to provide members with opportunities for networking, learning and mutual support, our “monuments” are those who benefit from RPCN’s opportunities.
Members: Founded in 1990 with about 10 members, peaked at 240 in the mid-1990s. Lately, members numbered 100–120. There’s no 25-year record of members’ names, but assuming an average of 100 members each year means more than 1,000 members over time, many of whom are long-time repeat stalwarts of the organization.
Meetings: 1,000 Friday meetings with networking and learning opportunities. Started with two-per-month: Presentations and Describe Your Services. Added two-per-month in mid-1990s: Business and Technical Forums, the “crown jewels” of RPCN. Conferences, boot camps, board/committee meetings add 1,200 meetings, creating 2,200 RPCN opportunities where members and others learn, network and volunteer. Through our Friday sessions, RPCN has touched the lives of several thousand actual and potential members.
Opportunities (thousands):
- Learn about/from each other.
- Build networks.
- Explore and learn about starting up, getting clients and more.
- Present/facilitate at meetings, events to showcase expertise, build trust.
- Present 30-second commercials.
- Obtain referrals, recommendations.
- Do business with members.
Plus:
- Write for the newsletter or website.
- Serve on RPCN board/committees/projects.
- Collaborate on business projects.
- Form “ alliances” (expand services).
Yes, we’ve delivered on the RPCN promise. We’ve built a 25-year “living monument” to the consulting and business community.
Bob Lurz is founder and facilitator of the RPCN Business Forum, leader of the RPCN Consulting Boot Camps and a past president of RPCN.
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Making your business better
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Getting away: Your consulting business may seem all-consuming, but taking a vacation is vital to your mental and physical health. On the Society for Technical Communication (STC) website, RPCN member Ruth E. Thaler-Carter has vacation tips for freelancers that apply to consultants as well.
Selling yourself: Need to write a bio? Hannah Morgan suggests that you search LinkedIn summaries for inspiration. Read her Democrat & Chronicle Nextpert column on "Write bio that sells yourself" for more tips.
We are friendly: Rochester received a B grade for its overall friendliness to small business from the Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey. Rochester was rated 5th nationally in the ease of starting a small business. For the complete report, click here.
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RPCN welcomes the following new member. Click on the name to view his profile.
Joel Shertok
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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
Please send articles for the September newsletter by August 15.
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Upcoming events
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Technical Forum
facilitated by Steve Royal
Friday, August 1, 2014
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.
Why and How to Blog
presented by Laurie Enos and Mary Sperr, Blue Dog Marketing
Friday, August 8, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Brighton Town Hall - Downstairs Meeting Room
Have you thought about blogging for your business? Do you know how to go about it? Learn how blogging will benefit your business, tips on writing compelling and effective blogs, and how to schedule your posts. You will come away from this presentation having set up your blog.
If you want to start a blog, here is some "homework" to do before the workshop. And here is a short video introduction to the presentation.
Business Forum
facilitated by Bob Lurz
Friday, August 15, 2014
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, August 15, 2014
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.
Networking for Introverts
presented by Eric R. Derby
Friday, August 22, 2014
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Brighton Town Hall - Downstairs Meeting Room
Are you tired of being bombarded with messages about how you should be networking? Are the methods that are pushed on you irritating or just plain wrong?
This short course is for introverts who want to find ways to network effectively, taking into account your own style and comfort level. We will talk about the goals of networking, and try some exercises to help you be authentic in your own communications.
Surprise Thursday
Thursday, August 28, 2014
6:00 PM
Location TBD
There is no RPCN meeting on Friday, August 29, the fifth Friday of the month, so if you are beside yourself for what to do, or want to get to know your RPCN colleagues in a more informal setting, come to this social gathering (location TBD). Cash bar, but appetizers are on us. Bring friends, colleagues or clients.
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Picture Yourself … as a Successful Consultant conference is shaping up
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The RPCN’s full-day 2014 conference, “Picture Yourself … as a Successful Consultant,” to be held on Wednesday, October 15, at MCC, will be the event of the season. The conference will focus on ways and tools to grow and expand your small/consulting business.
We have an excellent keynote speaker lined up: Dr. Bruce Katcher – founder and executive director of the Center for Independent Consulting and author of An Insider’s Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice. We’ll have many interesting and helpful topics following three tracks, focusing on: consulting fundamentals, marketing and selling, and business building. Whether you are well-seasoned or just starting out, we’ll have something for you.
If you are interested in helping with this conference, we’d love to have you. The committee has been meeting at 3 PM on Thursdays at the Corner Bakery Café (3300 Monroe Avenue, across the street from Pittsford Plaza). We have our program well-hammered-out but still have a lot of work to do. Our main areas of focus now are recruiting sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers; publicizing the conference; and putting together the conference program booklet. We are looking for someone to head up our efforts in getting advertisers. If you, or someone you know, would like to sponsor or exhibit at the conference, check out the RPCN website or contact Tracey Aiello at tracey@winningcareerstrategies. com. If you, or someone you know, would like to advertise at the conference, check out the RPCN website or contact Dave Bassett at dbassett@bassett.pro.
As we get closer to October 15, we’ll be looking for help with putting together conference materials, registration and day-of-the-event activities. If you’d like to help, we have a subcommittee that can use your skills; it’s a great way to get to know other RPCN members and demonstrate your skills. To help, or just find out more about the conference, contact Dave Bassett at (585) 739-9726 or dbassett@bassett.pro.
In the next week or two, we will be putting registration information up on the RPCN website. There will be early-bird discounts, so plan on signing up early. We hope to see you there.
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