1. www.TheExaminerNews.com January 19 - January 25, 2010 11
Why Now IS the Time to Start a Business
In the 21st century, the traditional is in balance with their hectic lifestyle.
American dream of home ownership may Joan was attracted to the support system
be supplanted by the dream of business that a Curves franchise offered. The largest
ownership. And why not…This is still the fitness franchise in America, Curves
land of opportunity, right? But what about hosts monthly training sessions with area
the economy? You can’t start a business directors who are constantly finding new
now! ways to motivate owners and provide new
Do you know what Burger King, CNN, marketing strategies, as well as regional
FedEx, GE, Hewlett Packard, Hyatt Corp, meetings and conventions once per year.
IHOP, Microsoft, MTV Networks, Sports “I’m delighted to be celebrating my 3rd
Illustrated, and the Wikipedia Foundation anniversary as owner of Curves Mahopac
have in common? They were all started on February 1st. I believe my success comes
during a recession – HP actually started from a passion that both my staff and I have
during the Great Depression. for empowering women (our members) to
“Why not start a business now?” embrace changes in their lives that lead to a
says Barry Kleiman, president of The • Are you organized and can operate with 225-6030. better quality of life.”
Entrepreneur’s Source. “Rents are cheaper, intent (are you goal and results oriented)? • The Women's Enterprise Development Joan believes in giving back to the
commercial landlords are eager to lease and • Are you proficient at the seven centers Center (WEDC) in White Plains offers a community. Her business participates in
are providing substantial incentives, like of management attention: leadership, 15- week Entrepreneurial Training Course fundraising events, like Making Strides for
free rent for the first one-to-three months management, marketing, money (finance), for only $150 – and guys can sign up, too: Breast Cancer and the March of Dimes.
or up to $50K worth of build out for a retail lead generation, lead conversion and client www.wedc-westchester.org. She held a workout for St. Jude’s Children’s
store - gratis. And, quality labor is abundant, fulfillment? If not, can you develop a team Hospital and Cystic Fibrosis, and every
as well as relatively inexpensive.” to compliment your talents (hire your March she hosts a food drive to benefit St.
During a recession, business owners
Spotlight: Joan Serrecchia, owner,
weaknesses)? John’s Church food pantry in Mahopac.
look to do things cheaply and efficiently. If Curves® Health Club for Women During November her club collects food
• Can you admit to what you do not 187 Mahopac Village Center, Mahopac
a start-up can survive during a recession, know? and gift cards for the Putnam Community
imagine the increase in revenues as the When life tosses you lemons, you Action Program in Brewster, and she
• Are you willing to grow in the areas make lemonade. After losing her dad,
economy picks up. required and put your business before is also an active contributor to Putnam
As a business and self-employment and gaining custody of her disabled Hospital Mother’s Club, Putnam/Northern
yourself? granddaughter, Joan was diagnosed with
coach, Kleiman helps people look at all their • Do you believe there is a relationship Westchester Women’s Resource Center and
business ownership options, including the Lupus, an autoimmune disease. Her only The Friends Network.
between risk and reward? respite from the challenges she faced was
pros and cons of starting a business from • If a franchise model, can you set aside Joan’s advice for entrepreneurs: Be
scratch versus buying an existing business her Curves membership. As a long-time patient, build a support network; stay close
old habits and beliefs to follow a system? member, she found comfort, laughs and
or a contemporary franchise opportunity. Barry’s favorite resources for to your customers and Give Back!
If you’re already in business and need help a place to release her stress – and stay in Visit the Curves Mahopac website at www.
entrepreneurs: shape.
maximizing profitability, Kleiman covers • “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael curvesmahopac.com and check out their Free
that base, too. The best part is that it won’t “It was very difficult to balance my work, Weight Management program. Ask about
Gerber -- a great book to read for anyone life and family,” said Joan. “My dad inspired
cost you a dime. Kleiman is like a buyer's interested in potentially owning their own a variety of discounts for seniors, county
rep in housing; he gets paid by the seller me to be a business owner. It was a dream workers, as well as police and firefighters.
business. The subtitle is "Why most small of his to be an entrepreneur. I wanted
though he represents the buyer. If you need businesses fail and what to do about it." Lisa Kaslyn is president of Kashen
help, get in touch via email at Bkleiman@ to follow his dream and I needed a job Communications. Specialists in public
• www.putnamscore.org -- Score where I could balance my life and have the
ESourceCoach.com. (Service Corp of Retired Executives) is a relations, search engine optimization and
We asked Barry to share some insight for flexibility to be there for my granddaughter social media, her company works with
government-run free business counseling when she needed me.”
folks considering the entrepreneurial road: service. The website provides business growing businesses to build market awareness
How do you know if you’ve got what it Why Curves? According to Joan, there is and increase website traffic. For more
plan templates you can download and a population of women in every community
takes to run your own business? then make an appointment with a SCORE information on Kashen Communications, go
• Are you self-motivated and look at the that prefer a supportive and nurturing to www.KashenComm.com or email lisa@
counselor to vet your business plan. The environment and one that allows for a
world as full of opportunity? (You need to Putnam County SCORE is in Carmel at kashencomm.com. To sign up for eMarketing
be optimistic.) time-efficient and customized workout that Bootcamp, visit www.bootcampforbiz.com.
Cold Spring Board Confronts Parking, Cable TV, and Water System Worries
By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong under consideration – metered on-street estimated the update would cost $6,000- escalate while channels decrease, resident
Old issues, including parking and water parking – could still be implemented later. $7,000. The 1992 analysis had found that Sara Dulaney questioned the oversight of
flow, mingled with new concerns – prank Agreeing on the merits of moving ahead, because of low water-pressure and other cable operators. “Who regulates them?
fire-alarm calls and cable TV bills – when the board forwarded the off-street draft to problems of aging pipes, “adequate fire As far as I can tell, nobody does,” she said,
the Cold Spring Village Board met last the Planning Board and Zoning Board of flows cannot be delivered to most areas.” asking the board to intervene. “They can do
week. Appeals before setting a public hearing. The mayor again emphasized that a fire what they want,” she said. “I think someone
At its first regular monthly meeting of Also during the meeting, Falloon that destroyed a large Nelsonville home should say, `no you can’t.’”
2010, the board went over a proposed mentioned the concern of Cold Spring Christmas Eve demonstrated the urgency of Another audience member, Betty Budney,
change to the village code to allow Fire Company members that “malicious the situation. “This is probably our biggest a Philipstown Town councilwoman, said
proprietors to pay “a fee in lieu of off-street pulling of the alarm” had recently sent issue,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a the same issue has arisen at town board
parking” – in essence, buy their way out of them to Haldane Central School twice in priority for the board and something that meetings, but “we haven’t come up with
an obligation to provide parking spaces for one morning. “It’s dangerous when the fire we’re going to have to be tracking monthly any solution.”
customers. The existing law demands that department has to go up to the school just with updates. And we’re probably going to Budney agreed with the board that
eating and drinking establishments provide because kids pull the alarm,” he said. He have to make a decision on what to do to village and town officials could convene a
one parking place for every three seats, a noted that the fire department had written increase fire flows around the village.” meeting with a cable TV representative and
bed-and-breakfast one space per guest to school officials about the incidents. The meeting ended with a look at cable residents.
room, and retail stores or professional Trustee Bruce Campbell reported on TV. “The goal would be to hear public
offices one space for each 150 square feet of pending Main Street lighting and sidewalk Expressing frustration that cable bills comment,” Gallagher said.
ground-floor area and each 300 square feet improvements. With an engineering agency
of upper-floor area. lined up to assist with details, the village
Trustee Gordon R. Robertson questioned intends to establish a new “streetscape”
the law’s rationale. advisory committee for citizen input, he
“We have this law, but I don’t know why said.
we originally enacted it,” Robertson said. “This would be the year to do design,”
Last November, the board began to followed by construction in 2012 if all goes
consider abolishing the off-street rule well, Mayor Gallagher added.
entirely, a step that Mayor Seth J. Gallagher The board discussed the importance of
described as “more of a longer-term wrapping another major project – creation
solution.” of a dry-hydrant, supplemental pump and
“In the interim,” Village Attorney water system for firefighting – into the
Stephen J. Gaba suggested, the payment- Main Street sidewalk and pavement work.
in-lieu-of-parking-places “might be a very Falloon has been conferring with a
useful tool.” supplier about installing a new pump
Board and audience members concurred at the riverfront as part of the proposed
that the existing law hinders adaptive re- firefighting system. “I’m hoping that’s going
use of buildings. to come through for us,” he said.
Giving entrepreneurs an out from the off- In a related development, Gallagher said
street parking demand “would encourage that Ron Gainer, whose firm reviewed the
people to move in, fill up the businesses” water system in 1992, promised by Jan. 15 to
vacant on Main Street, said Trustee J. Ralph submit a proposal for updating the original
Falloon, who noted that a separate option study, with options for village action. He