News from Executive Forum of the Lehigh Valley

On Wednesday, September 1st, the members of the Executive Forum met to trade business tips with one another. Read below to see what members had to say.
- Kris Rooney
- Price increases
- Be honest and call it a “price increase”
- Clearly explain why
- Relate the value back to your client
- Increase your prices more than once a year – revisit those conversations with your clients
- Chad Clauser
- Do videos and place them on your website
- Kevin McElwain
- Keep your household in relationship to your business
- Credit – review your credit ratings and how much credit you have
- Debt – there are low interest rated currently see where you can take advantage
- Auto payment system – set this up in your computer to make sure your bills are paid in a timely manner
- Keep your household in relationship to your business
- Dave Pike
- Postage rates have just gone up to $.58 and post cards $.40 (4x6 and 6x9)
- Consider refreshing and perhaps re-designing your logo
- Victor Scalicetti
- Review the APP “Blinkest” – this is a professional book summary service that allows you to understand key insights from the world’s best non-fiction books in 15 minutes or less
- Donna Braden
- An easy way to get good help for your office is SLIP (state and local internship programs)
- Get liability insurance
- Our company, Jack’s Glass is covered by many car insurers for replacing windshields
- Bryan Lobach
- Fraud issues:
- Regarding the Rental Assistance Program
- ACH
- Use of corporate credit cards
- Make sure you have some system to keep an eye out for issues
- Fraud issues:
- InterCounty – Guest
- Make sure that you do pre-employment screenings; education, credit, criminal, etc.
- Most importantly use an accredited service
- Todd Lindsey
- Stop focusing results and look at the process
- Respond to safety and avoid near misses
- Focus on processes that generate sales
- Ken MacKenzie
- Keep your eye on interest rates – investment rates are going up and bonds are going down
- We will be starting to see inflation across all areas
- Take a look at the length of maturity - short term government and cap bonds – look for potential impact
- John Gilboy
- Read your owner’s manual for your vehicles– you could avoid problems
- Be vigilant regarding the service and maintenance for your vehicles
- Gary Gower Jr.
- Keep an eye on social media regarding what your competitors are doing in their business
- John Filipos
- Review your financial information monthly
- Kathy Keich
- Review your clients – if they do not pay on time review the cost of collections
- Sue McCann
- Review lines of credit that you can apply for
- Equipment line of credit can be approved and put together in 24-48 hours
- Dawn Davis
- As a business owner are you prepared for any disasters?
- Know where your sprinkler system turn offs are
- Know a good and reliable plumber
- Dave Kopew
- Review your website on your PC, tablet, and mobile devices to make sure that they are all in sync
- Review all of your links, phone numbers, etc.
- Sandy Kuhns
- For your clients provide 3 important offers to provide:
- Best appearance
- Best value
- Best product
- For your clients provide 3 important offers to provide:
- Rob Baker
- Keep an eye on your security
- Mike Sterner-Service Electric
- Preparation is the key
- Know who your customers are
- Amy Keats
- Be prepared to adapt and pivot
- Listen very carefully to your clients to hear their needs and concerns
- Samantha Falcone
- Be a connector so that you can help people
- Know what an architect does and could provide for your company
- John Eltringham
- Buy flood insurance
- Collaboration drives success – recommended reading the book “The Collaborative Way”
- Dan Schafer
- Regarding hiring – hire smart and hire fast
- Identify your employees’ skillset
- Develop and train your employees
- Jenn Shimmel
- Be “in the moment” with your client
- When you are with your client block our other distractions
- Pause and think
- Recommended the book “Atomic Habits” –(an easy and proven way to Build good habits and break bad ones)
- Bob Mateff – Cetronia Ambulance
- Read the book “First 90 Days” – critical success strategies for new leaders
- Reflect on that as you go forward in your business
- Adapt and change
- Jon Black
- Respond to your messages and emails daily
- Let people know that you will get back to them within 24-48 hours
- Review your investment and insurance
- Review to see that you are not over spending
- Denise Grothouse
- Make sure that you have passwords and administrative passwords for all social networks
- Trust your intuition and instincts regarding your website
- Scott Gingold
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- Many companies have been hacked and do not realize this – make sure that you have your systems reviewed for any and all security issues that you may not be aware of
- There are many talents and resources in “this room” regarding the Executive Forum members
- Justin – Fire Media
- Have your portrait updated on your social media sites – people want to “see” who they are meeting
- Lucille Arslanian
- When creating a project make sure that part of the strategy includes any and all problems that could possibly happen from all departments, vendors, partners, etc.
- Make sure you address these possible problems with real time solutions.
- This way you will be ready way ahead of time if and when the problem occurs.
- This is a critical element for having a project to be on time, be of the highest quality and creates “buy in” from everyone on the team.