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TwitterGary, Missy and Gary Jr., of American Abbey Carpet and FloorsHow did you wind up in the carpet and flooring business? I was in Ohio, working for a Fortune 500 company, thinking they were making money in spite of themselves. Visiting my parents over Christmas vacation one year, I talked with my Dad about expanding his 800 s.f. retail carpet store. I jumped at the opportunity to find out if I could manage a business on my own, and moved to Jacksonville in September of 1994.
Archive for June, 2009
Client Spotlight: Gary DiStefano Jr., American Abbey Flooring & Design/Rhino Home Pro
June 30th, 2009 
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More Tax Hikes in Massachusetts
June 30th, 2009 admin Lawmakers in Massachusetts have been working quite hard in recent years to make it increasing inhospitable to live, work, invest, and build and run a business in the state.Most glaring in recent years was the massive and misguided government intrusion into health care. (See, for example, a recent SBE Council analysis.)But there was more last week. With the new state budget year starting this Wednesday (July 1), Governor Deval Patrick (D) declared on Friday that he would sign a massive tax increase.
SBA ARC Loans in Northeast Florida
June 30th, 2009 admin Rachel Witkowski writes in the Jacksonville Business Journal this week that not all banks are jumping on the ARC loan bandwagon. We are seeing a lot of activity and have been providing technical asssistance to applicants daily. Check the UNF Small Business Blog often for program updates.Most bankers have either turned down or tiptoed cautiously into a new small-business relief loan program despite heavy demand pouring in from struggling businesses. The U.S.
U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Sotomayor
June 29th, 2009 admin In a recent SBE Council Cybercolumn looking at how business should view President Barack Obama’s selection for the U.S. Supreme Court – Judge Sonia Sotomayor – I noted:“And in the 2008 Ricci v. DeStefano case of white firefighters fighting the city of New Haven’s decision to toss out a promotion test upon which blacks and Hispanics disproportionately scored lower than whites, Sotomayor joined the opinion rejecting the firefighters case.
What’s The Best Way To “Get The Word Out” About Your Small Business …. Word Of Mouth Or Social Media?
June 29th, 2009 admin If you have a small local (niche) market, cheap local advertising is somewhat effective for the purpose of exposure. However, I’ve found that word-of-mouth exposure pays off the best.Thus, I recommend asking your happiest (perhaps even most enthusiastic) clients to recommend your services/products to whomever they feel might be able to use them. Offer them discounts or even freebie incentives to encourage them to refer your business.If your referral network grows, you might find your existing clients doing most of the selling of your business/products/services for you.
Small Business: Summer Checkup for Profitability
June 27th, 2009 admin Sound advice from Joyce M. Rosenberg in this recent Associated Press article. Many of our clients are assessing their financial situation and taking a mid-year look at the bottom line. But what about networking? That is worth some analysis as well. We advise clients to reach out to current and former clients. Recently a business owner we are working with visited a customer just to thank him for their business. The result?
Healthy Views
June 26th, 2009 admin This summer promises to be long and hot when it comes to the debate over health care policy. Much has been and will continue to be written on the topic. But I wanted to draw your attention to three important pieces penned recently.• A doctor shares his skepticism regarding the leading health care reform measures in the Chicago Tribune. Donald Palmisano explains how these measures could quickly wipe out what has taken decades to build.• Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Scott Harrington, a professor of health-care management and insurance and risk management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, lays out his case for why a government-run insurance plan will crowd out private insurers, and make a single-payer system inevitable.• And the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page did an excellent job at picking apart the Obama Administration’s assertions regarding the costs of its health care agenda.Each warrants reading.Raymond J. KeatingChief EconomistSmall Business & Entrepreneurship Council
Resources For Video Advertising For Small Businesses
June 26th, 2009 admin Many small businesses require some sort of corporate video or commerical for advertising purposes, whether online viral video, public service announcement or full-on production. Also, many small businesses require A/V services or equipment for their offices, buildings or events/conferences. ProductionHUB.com allows you to search and find endless video/digital media/film/live event production resources. ProductionHUB.com also features business directories and classifieds where you can find new or used specialized equipment, all with easy-to-find services by category or location.
