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eLove Matchmaking Launches Valentine’s Day Contest

Whether it was your first date or your thirty-first date – if you have a great, offbeat date story, eLove Matchmaking wants to hear about it.

eLove Matchmaking is holding a Valentine’s Day contest for the “Best Offbeat Date” story. From now until February 13th, submit your “Best, Offbeat Date” story for a chance to win a $50 Darden Restaurant Gift Card.

“We’ve all experienced that quirky date, where plans get mixed up, Mother Nature interferes or the date takes an amusing, unusual twist. The funny thing is that an offbeat date can turn out to be a positive experience and oftentimes the beginning of a beautiful relationship,” said Paul A. Falzone, CEO of eLove, one of the largest professional introduction companies in the world.

Perhaps your romantic dinner at a swanky restaurant turned into a giddy farce when you were provided with only bread sticks and wine due to a power outage from severe weather. Or, the time your date dinged another couple’s car while parallel parking and you ended up on a double date with the other couple, springing for dinner as restitution. eLove Matchmaking will share the submitted stories online at elovemagazine.com.

On Valentine’s Day, three winning “Best, Offbeat Date” stories will be announced. Winners will receive a $50 Darden Gift Card to be used at any one of the following six restaurants: Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steak House, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze or Seasons 52.

Email your “Best Offbeat Date” story to eLove Matchmaking at pr@elove.com .

eLove is all you need

With more than 50 matchmaking offices in 25 states, eLove Matchmaking is everything that singles have been wishing for. eLove Matchmaking was voted “#1 Matchmaker” in 2010 and 2011 and their professional matchmakers have paired literally thousands of singles over the past three decades. In addition to a one-on-one meeting with each member, eLove conducts thorough background checks for the safety of everyone they match.

eLove Matchmaking offices are located in: Arizona (Scottsdale/Phoenix); Arkansas (Bentonville, Fort Smith, Little Rock); California (Costa Mesa, Palo Alto, Sacramento, Walnut Creek, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Westlake, West Hollywood); Connecticut (Glastonbury, Stamford); Illinois (Chicago, Normal, Schaumburg); Indiana (Carmel, Ft. Wayne); Kansas (Overland Park, Wichita); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Massachusetts (Newton, Norwell, Shrewsbury, Stoneham); Michigan (Bingham Farms); Minnesota (Bloomington); Missouri (Springfield, St. Louis); Nebraska (Lincoln, Omaha); Nevada (Las Vegas); New Jersey (Iselin, Saddle Brook); Ohio (Cincinnati); Oklahoma (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma City, Tulsa); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg, King of Prussia); Rhode Island (Warwick); South Carolina (Greenville); Tennessee (Memphis, Franklin); Texas (Austin, San Antonio); Virginia (Falls Church, Richmond); Wisconsin (Appleton, Elm Grove, Madison).

For more information on eLove, visit www.elove.com.

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OCES to hold Alzheimer Care Seminar for Family Caregivers on Friday, January 27

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the Brockton based regional elder services agency serving seniors, their families and caregivers throughout greater Brockton and Plymouth county, has announced that an “Essential Skills for Alzheimer Care” seminar will be held at the Kingston Senior Center, located at 30 Evergreen Street, on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
There is no cost to attend.

Presented by Jill Seiler-Moon of the Alzheimer’s Association, the “Essential Skills for Alzheimer Care” seminar is geared towards the family caregiver who wishes to learn successful ways to start conversations and activities with a loved one who has mid-to-later stage dementia. This is the first in a series of new skills-based programs specifically for family caregivers.

Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To register, call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900 or visit the website at www.alz.org/MANH.

This seminar is funded by an Administration on Aging Grant administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. OCES’ Family Caregiver Support Program presents this seminar in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is a private, non-profit corporation designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES offers a number of programs to serve seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts:
Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 157 employees. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

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PR Works president Steve Dubin featured on NuWire Investor

Time management is hard for anyone these days, but small-business owners can have a particularly hard time completing all their tasks when in some cases it falls on them to be not only CEO of their company, but HR rep and sometimes plumber.

This is the year for some business owners to tackle their fear of time management strategies.

Read more of Steve Dubin’s insight in the recent feature on NuWire Investor: http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/entrepreneurs-look-to-start-strong-in-2012-58527.aspx

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First-ever Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS) lives up to billing.

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel, Ingage Consulting

WOBURN, MA and ATLANTA, GEORGIA… 

There’s certainly no shortage of franchise conferences. Yet how much time is spent at those conference discussing franchise operations, particularly as it pertains to C-level executives? Comparatively speaking, relatively little. Hence the interest and success of the recently concluded Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS), a franchise operations conference for C-level executives held in Atlanta on December 6 and 7.

“Franchise OPS, with its concentrated focus on franchise operations, initiated some discussions you just wouldn’t get at other conferences,“ said Evan Hackel, principal of Ingage Consulting and one of the keynote speakers. “There clearly were some hot button topics that we delved deeper into, like real world compliance and social media, that made this a very worthwhile session and worthy of a future OPS session in 2012.“

Actio Marketing coordinated the two-day event, which featured several renowned franchise experts—including Evan Hackel, principal of Ingage Consulting, Eric Stites of Franchise Business Review, Stan Friedman of FranConnect, Rupert Barkoff of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, Barth Getto of BizUnited and Bill Gauthier of CCA Global Partners. In addition to real world compliance, other Franchise OPS workshops covered: 

  • Turning a Survey into a Powerful Management Tool
  • Supercharge Operational Excellence with Web 2.0 Technology
  • Making the Most of Franchise System Buying Services

Beyond the educational benefits, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities with C-level franchise executives, the Franchise OPS also offered the added bonus of being approved for 300 CFE credits by the International Franchise Association. 

“Participating in the Franchise Operations Performance Summit provided a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the essentials of franchise ops support as well as to hear new ideas from knowledgeable industry experts,“ said Ralph Thiergart, vice president of franchise services for Choice Hotels International. 

Added Jackob Hunt, vice president of operations for Dogtopia, “Networking, collaboration of ideas and practical solutions made this summit worth the time and money. I look at this as an investment in efficiency in ways to work smarter.“ 

A second Franchise Operations Performance Summit is currently being planned for late spring/early summer at a destination in greater Denver area of Colorado. The initial Franchise OPS was held at Twelve Hotel – Centenniel Park in Atlanta, Georgia and sponsored by Franchise Business Review, Kilpatrick Townsend, Actio Marketing, BizUnite and Ingage Consulting. 

For information on the first Franchise OPS and future summits, please visit, http://www.franchiseoperationssummit.com.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with cooperatives and cooperative councils and leadership to improve the organization’s culture which in turn increases sales and satisfaction; improves growth and retention and boosts loyalty and profits. 

Ingage Consulting provides solutions that drive the cooperation, commitment, passion and loyalty of cooperative members.  They offer unique services that help solve the problems of cooperatives in a number of ways.  Working closely with clients, the Ingage Consulting team quickly and thoughtfully assesses, understands and devises solutions to a cooperative organization’s challenges.  Leaders come away with ideas for improvement, including methods for maximizing collaboration among co-op members and a clear strategy and execution plan for change, customized to meet organizational objectives.  Ingage Consulting’s proven techniques to increase collaboration brings about greater productivity and success on many levels. In short, Ingage Consulting makes cooperatives more successful.

Ingage Consulting is located at 400 Trade Center, Suite 5900 in Woburn, MA.  For more information, contact (781) 569-5900 or visit the website www.ingage.net.

First-ever Franchise Operational Performance Summit (OPS) lives up to billing.Read More

American Association of Franchisees and Dealers Launches New Website and Video

SAN DIEGO, CA, January 4, 2012 – To mark the start of its 20th Anniversary Year, The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) is pleased to announce the launch of their new member website, AAFD.org,  and the publication of a powerful new 3.5 minute viral video promoting the Association’s mission.  The website redesign and video both reflect the organization’s continuing commitment to protecting franchisee interests, promoting Total Quality Franchising practices and supporting effective franchisee associations.

The redesigned website provides a new layout, intuitive navigation, advanced features, interactive opportunities and has been designed with franchisees and dealers in mind. The new site has been built from the ground up to take advantage of enhanced web technology.

“In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, the AAFD has refreshed our image and our message and is looking forward to dramatically expanding our reach over the next year,” announced AAFD CEO, Robert Purvin. “We are especially excited that our new website and video will provide strong vehicles for our message and appeal for ever greater franchisee support.”

“The site has an updated feel which will appeal to a wide range of audiences,” states Claudia Bolognesi, the AAFD’s Webmaster and site designer. “We are gearing towards a more user-friendly website that can be helpful especially to individuals who are unfamiliar the franchising community.”

Members have full access to a number of features and upgrades. From support for franchise owners to the Franchisee LegaLine to exclusive deals with Branded Program Partners, the new AAFD.org site emphasizes the AAFD’s path of growth for franchisees and dealers and a continuing commitment to Total Quality Franchising practices.

The AAFD will be announcing a series of new initiatives and membership benefits and enhancements over the next several weeks.

Everyone is invited to visit the AAFD.org website and take a look at the AAFD story video (http://youtu.be/UWwqQ7hoqs0) today!

About AAFD

May 1, 2012 marks the 20th Anniversary of the AAFD, a national non-profit trade association representing the rights and interests of franchisees and independent dealers throughout the United States. The AAFD is focused on market driven reform to achieve its mission to define and promote collaborative franchise cultures that the AAFD describes as Total Quality Franchising. Since its formation the AAFD has grown to represent more than 50,000 franchised locations throughout the United States. The AAFD has members in all 50 states and represents more than 100 different franchise systems.

The AAFD’s Fair Franchising Standards, Fair Franchising Seal, Trademark Chapters, and emphasis on Marketplace Solutions led to the Association’s recognition as a growing force in franchising. The AAFD’s Branded Partner programs add a new dimension to the value of AAFD membership. The AAFD provides a broad range of member services designed to help franchisees build market power, create legislative support of interest to franchisees, provide legal and financial support, and provide a wide range of general member benefits.

For more information about the AAFD, please call toll free – 800-733-9858 or visit www.AAFD.org.

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Initial Groundhog Day (Thursday, February 2) Exhibitors Urge Other Businesses to emerge from the Shadows at the upcoming Advertising and Business Expo sponsored by South Shore Ad Club.

Initial exhibitors at the upcoming South Shore Ad Club Groundhog Day Advertising and Business Expo are predicting an early Spring and urge other businesses to emerge from the shadows and bask in the warmth of potential new business.
As titled, the event will be held on Groundhog Day, Thursday, February 2, from 2 – 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 929 Hingham Street (Route 228), Rockland. The free event is focused on helping connect regional businesses with advertising and business resources.
Initial exhibitors include ACTSmart Video, ACTSmart IT Services, American Express, Beaulieu Design, Cape Cod & Plymouth Business, CMG, Marshfield Chamber of Commerce, Media Crawler, New England Burial at Sea, Norwell Chamber of Commerce, Owens Corning, Patch.com, Peterson Graphics, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, PR Works, South Shore Networking Professionals, and WATD-FM.
The expo’s exhibit hall – featuring advertising service providers and other business services – will be open from 2 – 7 p.m. More than 50 exhibitors will share the latest in advertising/marketing tools and techniques. A cocktail and networking reception will be held from 5 – 7 p.m. and feature free, light appetizers and a cash bar.

Exhibit/booth space is limited to the first 50 respondents. Exhibitor fee is $99 for South Shore Ad Club members and $125 for non-members. Exhibitors will be provided with a six-foot banquet table, wireless Internet access and table skirts. Electrical outlet is an additional $10.

About The South Shore Ad Club
The South Shore Ad Club is a non-profit organization committed to the personal and professional development of communications professionals located south of Boston. It’s the club’s mission to improve, strengthen and advance career goals through learning and networking opportunities; and to serve as a resource for local and Boston-area businesses requiring marketing, advertising, public relations and/or communications services.

To reserve booth space, contact Steve Dubin, SDubin@PRWorkZone.com, (781) 582-1061, or visit www.SouthShoreAdClub.com.

Initial Groundhog Day (Thursday, February 2) Exhibitors Urge Other Businesses to emerge from the Shadows at the upcoming Advertising and Business Expo sponsored by South Shore Ad Club.Read More

Marshfield’s FIVE STAR Wealth Manager John Topham Advises on High Tech Gadget Tax Deductions

Most employees who receive a W-2 assume that they are not eligible for any further tax deductions. There are actually a number of “high tech” deductions, such as cell phones, internet service, laptops, software and more that can be claimed by individuals who use these items for business.

John Topham, CPA, founding partner of Damon, Topham & Company, tax specialists and 2011 FIVE STAR Wealth Managers based in Marshfield, MA, shares his insight on high tech deductions of items an individual uses for business, but that are NOT supplied by his/her employer.

According to Topham, “To be deductible, these must be ordinary and necessary and paid or incurred in carrying out required employment activities/duties. Key deductions would be auto and travel, meals and entertainment and miscellaneous employee business expenses. Miscellaneous employee business expenses would include these high tech items.”

Topham advises taxpayers on these key deductions:

High tech gadgets are considered Miscellaneous Employee Business Expenses. Employee Business Expenses are reported on Form 2106 and are subject to a 2 percent AGI limitation. Meaning that, if your AGI is $100,000, the limit or floor is $2,000. You would need $2,001 in expenses to deduct $1 in expense.

High tech expenses can be classified into to three categories and must be ordinary and necessary business expenses:
Tangible items: Computers, laptops, smart phones, printers and modems, routers, external hard drives, Bluetooth devices, etc.
Software items: Business applications, industry-specific software, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, Adobe, etc.
Service and or access fees: Typically the monthly charge for some type of connectivity, data plans, internet fees, on-line back-up services, on-line identity protection.
Documentation is key. When purchasing high tech gadgets, documentation is key. Be sure to keep receipts, canceled checks, invoices and other documentation.
Record-keeping of usage is necessary with high tech gadgets. These are employee business expenses which fall under the IRS contemporaneous records requirement. This means a log of activity including date, business purpose or task, and time/hours. The business use is calculated from the log which records the above. An example would be 1,200 hours of total computer usage during the year with 400 of those hours business related. One third of the related expenses would be deductible that year. If the expense is clearly business-related, such as industry-specific, a log is not necessary.

Topham noted, “Stay within the limitations as outlined above, keep your receipts and track your business usage of high tech items. Be wary of trying to deduct clearly personal expenses, such as gaming systems, televisions, etc. as it will increase your risk of tax audit.”

About Damon, Topham & Company
Damon, Topham & Company, LLC, are Certified Public Accountants and Business Development Advisors. Damon, Topham & Company has been named a 2011 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager and is part of that elite group which represents less than 3 percent of the wealth managers in the Boston area.

Utilize the “Damon, Topham Advantage”- go beyond the traditional services of auditing, accounting and taxation. Damon, Topham & Company provides business valuation, estate, individual and corporate tax planning and savings, financial planning, consulting and financing solutions. A full service multi-disciplined firm, Damon, Topham & Company has been serving the South Shore for over 20 years. Damon, Topham & Company, LLC, is located just off Route 139, 475 School St., Suite 8, Marshfield, MA. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.damtopcpa.com.

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Take Stock of Aging Parents’ Health – Right At Home Offers 5-Minute Online Assessment Tool

Libet Callahan, RN, BSN, president
The holiday visits are behind us and now it’s time to review and take stock. Those of us with aging parents should heed the signs that indicate that an aging loved one may be declining, jeopardizing their safety and well-being at home. With offices in Rockland and Plymouth, Right at Home of the South Shore has launched a free, 5-Minute Online Care Assessment tool.

“There are a number of visual clues indicating a decline in health or independence that you should pay attention to,” explained Libet Callahan, RN, BSN, president of the South Shore based office of Right at Home, providers of non-medical in-home care services to seniors and disabled adults.

Callahan lists the 10 signs to watch for in your aging loved one that are cause for concern:

1.Weight loss
2.Not maintaining his/her personal appearance and hygiene
3.Not remembering when to take medication and not knowing what condition each medication is treating
4.Not eating nutritious meals or not eating at all
5.Food in the refrigerator or on the shelves that is past its expiration date or molding
6.Not maintaining the home by doing chores such as cleaning bathrooms, washing floors or regular vacuuming
7.Not paying bills – unpaid or unopened piles of bills are a red flag
8.Not taking proper care of a pet
9.Avoiding or having difficulty ascending/descending steps
10.Limiting contact with or lacking an interest in the outside world

According to Callahan, “If you believe that your loved one may be having difficulty, you need to address it with your loved one and other close family members. Your aging loved one may be in need of a number of services – from companionship to personal care and homemaking.”

If your aging loved one is showing one or more of these signs, take the Right At Home 5-Minute Online Care Assessment. Visit http://www.rightathome.net/southshore/.

Single-service care options such as meals-on-wheels or an adult daycare may be enough. But, oftentimes a multi-service provider such as Right At Home is needed to provide the companion, homemaker and personal care services that enable seniors and those with disabilities to remain in the comfort of their home for as long as possible.

For questions or more information, contact Right At Home at 781-681-3545.

About Right At Home
Right at Home provides non-medical in-home care services to seniors and disabled adults throughout the South Shore. Right At Home is among the first in the state to earn Accreditation from the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts. As a private-pay home care agency, Right At Home can provide services in settings other than the home, such as in assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement facilities, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and hospitals.

Right at Home provides care services of companionship, homemaking, physical assistance, hygiene and wellness. In addition, Right At Home accommodates clients in special care situations providing home care for Alzheimer’s and other dementia, osteoarthritis, hypertension/stroke, diabetes, heart disease, neuromuscular diseases and disorders, cancer recovery, hospice/palliative care support, mental health, traumatic brain injury and paraplegia/quadriplegia. All Right At Home caregivers are fully insured and bonded, must pass a vigorous background check, complete a training program and pass a competency test before being placed with a client.

The company serves the following areas: Abington, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton (East Side), Carver, Cohasset, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Middleboro, Milton, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, Weymouth and Whitman. Right at Home has offices located at 800 Hingham Street, in Rockland, MA and 38 Resnik Road in Plymouth, MA. For more information contact 866-681-3545 or visit the website at http://www.rightathome.net/southshore/.

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Old Colony Elder Services Appoints Kathleen Ward as Caregiver Advisor

Kathleen Ward, LPN has recently been appointed as Caregiver Advisor at Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the Brockton based regional elder services agency serving seniors, their families and caregivers throughout greater Brockton and Plymouth county.

In her new position as Caregiver Advisor in the Family Caregiver Support Program at OCES, Ms. Ward will conduct home visits with elders and their caregivers to assess caregivers’ support needs. She will provide one-on-one counseling and offer guidance should any additional resources be required, thereby ensuring that caregivers are taking care of themselves as well as elders.

Ms. Ward is a Licensed Practical Nurse and holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Counseling Psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She has more than 20 years of nursing experience. Most recently, she worked as a per diem nurse at The Cedars, an assisted living community in North Dartmouth. She has also served as a private hospice nurse. Prior to that, she was an operating room and surgical nurse at Morton Hospital in Taunton, MA for 15 years.

Ms. Ward is a past recipient of the “Tutor of the Year” award presented by the Taunton Literacy Council, where she was recognized for her volunteer work in the literacy program. She is a resident of Taunton.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is a private, non-profit corporation designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES offers a number of programs to serve seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts:

Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 157 employees. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

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