December 2010 - Year in Review Issue
860-788-3764 John@GBAconnecticut.com
GBA Rocks the
CT Business Expo!
B Y
ooth 408 at the CT Business
Expo on June 10, 2010,
was full of energy and we
have our wonderful members to
thank! For 8 hours our booth was
buzzing with business owners and
other members of the business
community. Solo-preneurs, non-
profit agencies, government
representatives, GBA members, and
many others stopped by to learn
more about the group and the GBA
members who participated in the
day.
Each hour a GBA member business
that signed up to participate in the
Expo was featured at the booth. The
prime spot, a corner booth, was a
perfect way to give both members
and GBA maximum exposure to
the busy foot traffic past our area.
With a dedicated table and signage,
members were able to promote their
businesses to Expo attendees and the
results were great.
GBAConnecticut.com
Happy Holidays
from
Green Business Associates
Letter From The GBA
ou made it, you survived this 2010. I know it wasn’t easy, holy
cow it wasn’t easy, but you hung in there and made it and that
is truly worth celebrating so grab that special someone and tell
them your taking them out for dinner and tonight, they can order two
things from the dollar menu.  Actually this was a pretty amazing year for
GBA and it’s members with nearly $10,000 in just barter this year between
it’s members. While most of the country’s large corporations complain of
slowing sales do to the recession many of our members have maintained
or grew in 2010.  More importantly many of us have found other business
owners we can lean on and call friends. In fact I would be lying if I said
the new online forum or re-branding as a referral group micro-businesses
is what’s going to make 2011 better than 2010.  It’s the relationships we
have been fostering and the new ones we will make that will make next
year a great year for the group and a better year for your business.
Thanks for such a great year
John
According to Eric Lopkin from large number of people, connect
The Modern Observer Group, with existing contacts, and discuss
“The CT Business Expo was the business with other business
ultimate networking event. I was owners.”
able to present my services to a
Winter Safety for Pets
Provided to you by Out of the Dog House Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
W
inter is a wonderful time
if you are an Alaskan
Malamute or another of
the pet breeds that are more tolerant
of colder temperatures, but most
pets need a bit more attention as
the mercury drops. Puppies and
elderly dogs are especially vulnerable
because they are less efficient at
maintaining body temperature, as
are dogs with sparse coats or those
that are left outside. Here are some
things to which you should pay
attention.
Shelter is an especially important
consideration: Outdoor pets need
one that is large enough to stand up
and turn around in but still small
enough to preserve body warmth.
Equally important is providing
plenty of soft and resilient insulation
such as a heavy bed of straw.
Consider replacing outdoor water
dishes with ceramic or plastic bowls
to prevent tongues getting stuck to
cold metal.
Dogs that use the yard need a way to
get to “their” spot. For shorter dogs,
this may mean needing to shovel
a designated potty spot after each
snowfall. For all outdoor animals,
there should be clear paths to doors
or fences.
Even indoor animals usually spend at
least some time outdoors in winter,
and they too face dangers and
inconveniences from the cold. Salt
that is used on sidewalks and road
may cause irritation and pets are p
rone to dry, chapped paws. Wipe or
wash off paws after a walk. Another
common problem is frostbite: tissue
on animal’s feet, tail and tips of ears
can be exposed to freezing temps.
Frost bitten skin may appear to be
gray, white or reddish and may peel.
Seek medical attention for pets that
have these symptoms. Limit your
pet’s exposure to freezing temps and
remove chunks of snow and ice
from your pet’s body when they
come in.
Lastly, cars can be both a haven and
a danger for animals in winter. Cats
sometimes sleep under the hood
of a car or warmth, so make sure
you tap or bang on the hood before
starting to avoid injuring one. Even
if there are no outdoor cats in your
neighborhood, there may still be s
trays that find a warm engine bay
inviting. On the other hand, a car
left alone in the cold can also act as a
refrigerator, trapping a pet in the
cold.
 Do you feel that your business and your sale figures seem to be frozen as well as constrained? Spring is here,
and time for a fresh warm approach for your marketing strategies to break the thaw. When that happens, I
hope you will keep me in mind for your photography needs. call Ben Jordan, Photo Images Co.,
860-978-2949, photoi@msn.com.

Useful Advice From Star-Schein LLC

I
would like policy was that the husband was
to share classified as a carpenter. So I asked
something him…are you a carpenter? Well
that happened guess what he’s not, because in the
recently with course of his work week he does do
one of my some light carpentry, some electrical
clients. I’m work, and minor home repairs,
working with etc… In fact he is a handyman! The
a local family. The wife works for a commercial “class code” on his policy
large multi-national company and was wrong. This means that if he
the husband works as a handyman. had a claim while doing something
They became my clients this past un-carpenter like he ran the risk of
summer and they recently asked me having the claim being denied by
to research the husband’s current his insurance company and having
business insurance. his policy cancelled. On the other
side of the coin, his current agent
Of course, I agreed and the first (no, not me…but a LARGE state-
thing I noticed in their current wide chain) has a possible errors and
omissions exposure.
As a quick side note-a class code is
the code for a type of business. This
code is in turn associated with a rate.
Each business type has a different
code which means each code has
a different rate. For example a
carpenter is generally a less expensive
rate than a roofer.
Sometimes an agent might
misclassify a business deliberately
because the rates are more favorable.
An agent that does this might lose
the ability to sell insurance for that
company, especially if he/she does
continued on next page
Buying An Ad Is Not Advertising
Eric Lopkin, President, The Modern Observer Group
A
common complaint from business owners is that
they placed an ad in their local paper and didn’t
see a return. From this they have determined that
advertising doesn’t work. They are right, if you buy an ad
it won’t work. That’s because an ad is not advertising.
Think about how many advertisements you see in a day.
Is one ad going to stand out among all that? Of course
not. Advertising is about the campaign. So what does a
campaign entail? Quite a lot as it turns out, but it doesn’t
have to be as difficult as you might think.
Start With The Message
Your audience knows you’re trying to sell them
something. Simply telling them what it is will not get
their attention. Tug at their heartstrings, tickle their
funny bone, or remind them of days gone by. Don;t
simply talk to them, you must evoke a reaction. Think
about the commercials that stand out in your
memory. They don;t stand out because of the
product or service. They stand out because they
made you feel something. Your ad must do the
same.
Find Your Audience
Once you’ve crafted your message, how do you
get it to the people you need to reach? Target your
continued on next page
Useful Advice
continued from previous page
this often. While this may save you money
on your insurance it could cost you a good
deal more if your business is not classified
correctly. The point is; check with your
insurance agent to make sure that you are
correctly covered for what you do. When you
receive your commercial policy, please review
the declaration page(s) carefully to make sure
the information about your business and its
operations are correct. Commercial insurance
policies are very specific about what they will
NOT pay for. If you see something there
that either does not make sense, or you don’t
understand…ASK.
When you receive your commercial policy
and you have questions, your agent should
be very willing to answer any and all your
questions about it. By the way, when shopping
for commercial insurance, you may want to
consider using an independent insurance agent
(like me!). They have more than one company
they work with and if the rates go up with your
current carrier, they can always “shop” your
Advertising continued from previous page
market. If your ad market is senior
citizens, placing a commercial on
Cartoon Network isn’t going to
help. An ad in the AARP magazine,
however, would be an excellent
vehicle. Study your market. What
are they reading, watching, and
listening to? That’s where you need
to be. Television, radio, direct
mail, search engines, newspapers,
magazines, websites, social media,
and mobile phones all offer ways
to reach your audience. When you
think you have found the place
to put your ad, call them up. Any
media representative will be able
to give you the demographics and
psychographics of their audience. If
their market matches yours, you’ve
found the right medium for your
message.
Once Is Never Enough
To get your ad noticed it needs to be
repeated. To get your ad noticed it
needs to be repeated. To get your ad
noticed it needs to be repeated. For
your ad to have an impact it needs
to push through all the clutter. There
are several ways to do that. The first
is multiple insertions. Place your ad
in the same medium multiple times.
The more people see it, the more
they will notice it. Another way is
to create a campaign. Have several
ads that all share common elements.
Each could be a different take on a
tagline. They could share a common
theme. The important thing is that
it must be obvious that all the ads
belong together. The advantage of
the campaign is that you achieve the
repetition you need while avoiding
overexposure of your ad. Even better
is to run complimentary campaigns
in multiple media. Let your print ads
connect to your direct mail. Show
your ads on your website. Promote
your facebook fan page at the end
of a radio spot. As long as each
medium reaches your target market,
you can use them in tandem.
Advertising Alone Is Not Enough
While advertising is effective, it
doesn’t stand alone. To enhance its
effectiveness, it needs to be part of
a complete marketing campaign.
Public relations, social media
marketing, networking, and more
will all enhance your response.
Advertising is a wonderful tool, and
like any tool, only effective when
used correctly.
The Modern Observer Group is
a business and communications
consulting firm. Combining
operational excellence with marketing
expertise, the company provides you
with the services to bring you customers
and keep them coming back.
GBA Membership Directory
Accounting Bookkeeping
DP & Accounting Balanced Books by Joe
Richard Carroll Jr., EA Contact: Joe Lavoie
Phone: 860-740-6123 Southington, CT
Email:r.carrol@dptaxaccounting.com Phone: 203-464-3848
Web: www.dptaxaccounting.com Email: booksbyjoe37@aol.com
Advertising Catering
InLine Adz Request A Chef
Contact: Ray Charpentier Contact: Thomas Apgar
Phone: 860-752-5628 PO Box 504
Fax: 860-683-2271 Tolland, CT 06084
Email: ray.charpentier@inlineadz.com Phone: 860-760-5990
Web: www.inlineadz.com Email: ChefThom@RequestAChef.com
Website: www.RequestAChef.com
Natural Awakenings
Contact: Holly Danowski Computers/Networking
Phone: 203-314-9707
Email: HartfordNA@gmail.com Distinctive Computer Solutions, LLC
Web: www.naturallyhealthyct.com Contact: Sean Rogers
298 Cherry Street
Alternative Health - Healing New Britain, CT 06051
Arts Phone: 860-237-8346
Email: info@dcs-llc.biz
Personal Harmony and Health LLC Web: www.dcs-llc.biz
Diane C. Esposito, RMT/Holistic Coach
8 Whispering Pines Drive Computer Repair
Wallingford, CT 06492
O: 203-284-1204 Dan LeRoy Productions
C: 203-913-3869 Contact: Dan LeRoy
Email: diane@personalharmonyandhealth. Email: danleroy@cox.net
com Web: www.danleroyproductions.com
Web: www.personalharmonyandhealth.com
Consulting/Marketing
Attorney
The Modern Observer Group
R. Richard Croce LLC Contact: Eric Lopkin
Contact: Richard Croce 220 Julia Terrace
Middletown, CT 06457
438 Main St, suite 202 Middletown
Phone: 860.316.5404 Phone: 860-343-1579
Email: Rich@rrc-llc.com Fax: 860-343-1579
Web: www.rrc-llc.com Email: elopkin@modernobserver.com
Web: www.modernobserver.com
Automotive
Email Marketing
Patrician’s Auto Detailing
Contact: Peter Patrician Malafronte Consulting
Contact: Paul Malafronte
Portland, CT 06480
Phone: 315-278-3801 958 Dixwell Avenue
Email: Patrician.Detailing@gmail.com Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: 203-843-6657
Email: paul@malafrontehosting.com
Web: www.malafrontehosting.com
Energy Saving Devices
Green Products Systems
Contact: Ray Charpentier
Phone: 860-752-5628
Fax: 860-683-2271
Email: ray.charpentier@inlineadz.com
Financial Services/
Investments
Barnum Financial Group
Contact: Michael S. Resnick
Financial Advisor
100 Great Meadow Rd. Suite 200
P: 860-218-2880
F: 860-218-2899
Email: Mresnick@metlife.com
website: www.barnfinancialgroup.com
Fine Art
Peter A. Patrician Design & Illustration
Contact: Peter Patrician
Portland, CT 06480
Phone: 315-278-3801
Email: PPatrician.Design@gmail.com
Graphic Design
James Robert Creative
Contact: James Robert Valentino
139 Cedar Ridge Road
Newington, CT 06111
Phone: 860-666-0176
Email: mindsite09@jamesrobertcreative.
com
Web: http://www.jamesrobertcreative.com/
Health Products
My Healthy US
Contact: Dan Partiss
Middletown, CT
Phone: 860-316-5132
Email: myhealthyus@gmail.com
Web: www.myhealthyus.com
Home Improvement
Rich the Rehabber, LLC
Contact: Rich Hart
Middlefield, CT 06455
Phone: 860-575-2589
Email: rehabrich@comcast.net
Web: www.richtherehabber.com
Insurance (Property/
Casualty)
Star-Schein LLC
Contact: Charlie Schein, Owner/Agency
Principal
Rocky Hill, CT
Office Phone: 860-513-1055
Cell Phone: 860-819-9810
Fax: 877-513-6363
Email: charlie@starschein.com
Web Address: www.starschein.com
Landscaping, Snow Removal,
Lawn Care
Baba Landscaping & Snow Removal, LLC
Contact: Bhupal Baba
6 Shawnee Court
Cromwell, CT 06416
Phone: 860-913-4938
Email: bhupalbaba@yahoo.com
Media
Natural Awakenings
Contact: Holly Danowski
Phone: 203-314-9707
Email: HartfordNA@gmail.com
Web: www.naturallyhealthyct.com
Motivational Speaking
Hold Your Head High
Contact: Joe Lavoie
Southington, CT
Phone: 860-426-1057
Email: hold_your_head_high@gmail.com
Organizing Services
Organize for Today
Lauren M. Guiditta
Professional Organizer
Lauren@Organize4Today.com
860.805.7833
Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Out of the Dog House
Contact: Vicki Moyer
PO Box 2275,
Middletown, CT 06457
Phone: 860-838-4269
Email: vicki@outofthedoghousect.com
Web: www.outofthedoghousect.com
Photographer Social Media Marketing
Photo Images Co. 1 Degree LLC
Contact: Ben Jordan Contact: Richard A. Marti, Jr
702-2 Church Street Phone: 562-726-2784
Newington, CT 06111 Email: ramartijr@gmail.com
Phone: 860-978-2949 Web: www.ramartijr.com
Email: photoi@msn.com
Web: www.photoimagesco.photoreflect.com Video Production/Post
Production/Cartoon
Printers (Commercial)
Animation
Thirteenth Floor Graphics and Printing
Contact: Agata Piorkowska Dan LeRoy Productions
375 Lake Ave Contact: Dan LeRoy
Bristol, CT 06010 Email: danleroy@cox.net
Phone: 860-585-7121 Web: www.danleroyproductions.com
Email: agata@tfgp.net
Web: www.tfgp.net Web Design and Hosting
Malafronte Consulting
Publications
Contact: Paul Malafronte
Natural Awakenings 958 Dixwell Avenue
Contact: Holly Danowski Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: 203-314-9707 Phone: 203-843-6657
Email: HartfordNA@gmail.com Email: paul@malafrontehosting.com
Web: www.naturallyhealthyct.com
Writers
Retail/Online
Talcott Mountain Media, LLC
Dare to Inspire Contact: Matthew Craver
Contact: Jennifer Loscialpo 126 Wadhams Road
Glastonbury, CT 06033 Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-338-5120 Phone: 860-286-0782
Email: jennifer@daretoinspire.net Email: mcraver@talcottmountainllc.com
Web: www.daretoinspire.net
Retail/Resale Attention
The Walk In Closet Consignment Shop Members:
Contact: Jackie Goodwin
72 Pane Road
Newington, CT 06111
Phone: 860-667-6046 The deadline for your articles
Fax: 860-667-6046 and ads for the January issue is
Email: shopthewalkincloset@gmail.com
Web: www.shopthewalkin.com DECEMBER 17th
Send Out Cards
Malafronte Consulting Need Help?
Contact: Paul Malafronte
958 Dixwell Avenue Contact Talcott Mountain for
Hamden, CT 06514 barter deals for your articles
Phone: 203-843-6657
and The Modern Observer
Email: paul@malafrontehosting.com
Web: www.malafrontehosting.com Group for barter deals on ad
design.
GBA Meeting Calendar
December 1, 2010 January 20, 2011 March 2, 2011
6:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Topic: Appropriate holiday Topic: Maximizing your
gifts for clients and contacts business card at networking
events and beyond.

December 16, 2010 February 2, 2011 March 17, 2011

8:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m.
Topic: Appropriate holiday Topic: Working the room at a
gifts for clients and contacts networking event
All Meetings Held At:

January 5, 2011 February 17, 2011 Water’s Edge Center for

6:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. Health and Rehabilitation,
Topic: Maximizing your Topic: Working the room at a 111 Church Street,
business card at networking networking event Middletown, CT
events and beyond.

860-788-3764 John@GBAconnecticut.com GBAConnecticut.com