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Zoomin Groomin® of Palm Bay Expands & Is Hiring

Zoomin Groomin® Mobile Pet Services of Palm Bay has been in business for only 18 months and has just reached a milestone – their 1,000th new customer.

Cathy Evans, a resident of Palm Bay, FL is the Franchise Owner of the fast growing Zoomin Groomin® of Palm Bay. The company provides traditional dog and cat mobile grooming service, as well as in-home pet care and grooming, residential services for the Space Coast area. Ms. Evans caters to clients with her team member and head groomer, Pat White of Palm Bay. Ms. White has been in the dog grooming industry for more than 30 years and has been working in pet care management for over 15 years.

Due to their rapid growth, Zoomin Groomin® of Palm Bay is hiring additional staff. Groomers, assistants, dog walkers and pet sitters who are interested in applying should visit the Pet Jobs section of the website at ZoominGroomin.com.

Zoomin Groomin® of Palm Bay was a nominee for Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “2012 Business Champion of the Year” Award. The company participates in many community outreach events including: Bark in the Park for the Central Brevard Humane Society; Purina’s Adopt-A-Thon; Whiskers, Wags & Wine for a benefit for the Central Brevard Humane Society; Paws in the Park and Paws on the Pier for the Central Brevard Humane Society.

According to Donna Sheehey, Zoomin Groomin® CEO, “Cathy is our first franchisee to attain this scale this quickly. She has done an amazing job of acquiring 1,071 customers to date. Cathy actually had the largest month of growth volume thus far this past February.”

“This has been a dream come true. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to cater to pet parents in the Space Coast area while doing what we truly enjoy which is pampering pets,” noted Ms. Evans.

About Zoomin Groomin®
Zoomin Groomin® Mobile Pet services, with corporate offices in Hingham, Massachusetts and locations throughout the East Coast, is a mobile pet service company that provides convenient, professional, door-to-door pet grooming, dog walking, and residential services, at participating locations.. Zoomin Groomin caters to clients living in single family and town homes, as well as those residing in retirement communities, assisted living communities, apartment and condo complexes.

Owned and operated by a team of professionals with copious experience in sales, marketing, management and pet care, the company is franchising new locations to pet enthusiasts throughout the country.

Zoomin Groomin® is committed to using products that will not harm pets or the environment. By providing traditional dog and cat grooming mobile spa services, as well as in-home pet and residential services in an environmentally responsible manner, Zoomin Groomin® can help protect the world for generations of pets and pet parents to come. For more information, please visit www.ZoominGroomin.com.

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Old Colony Elder Services to Hold Workshop for Family Caregivers on March 21st

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), a private, non-profit agency designated as an Aging Services Access Point (ASAP), will hold a free seminar for family caregivers of elders on March 21, 2013 at the Hanson Council on Aging, 132 Maquan Street in Hanson. (Snow date March 28, 2013.)

The “It’s About Time” workshop will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will teach caregivers techniques and strategies for managing their time and reducing stress. Topics to be covered include:

Meal Preparation
Time Management
Relaxation Techniques
“The ‘It’s About Time’ workshops teach strategies which help caregivers avoid burnout and remain physically and emotionally healthy while they provide essential care-giving services,” noted Diana DiGiorgi, OCES’ Executive Director.

This “It’s About Time” workshop is offered in partnership with the Hanson Council on Aging. OCES received a grant of $6,054 from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation which supports these program workshops.

Attendees will receive lunch and a companion book for the program. Class size is limited so pre-registration is required.

Caregivers must pre-register for the workshop by contacting Rochelle Sugarman at OCES (508) 584-1561 ext 312.

About OCES

Founded in 1974, OCES serves 20 towns in Plymouth County as well as Avon, Easton and Stoughton. OCES is a private, non-profit organization located in Brockton and designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The organization’s mission is to support the independence and dignity of elders and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living.

The agency has 169 employees and operates more than 15 programs serving elders, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

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Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI) offers internship opportunities for college students for fall 2013

Dr. Jeff Robinson, founder of Behavioral Concepts, Inc.

WORCESTER, MA…

Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with autism in Central Massachusetts, recently announced the expansion of its fellowship program with Worcester State University. Starting March 26, BCI will be accepting applications for students looking to intern during the fall of 2013.

“We’re in the business of teaching very important skills to children with autism. Yet the learning is certainly not limited to our students. I think as instructors and clinicians, we learn every bit as much from our students as they do from us,” said BCI Founder and Director Dr. Jeffrey Robinson. “For a college student who wants to be in that kind of environment, I can promise you will get quite a bit more out of this experience than course credits.”

Adds Robinston,”We’ve had a great relationship with Worcester State University in bringing over interns to work with our students but we certainly welcome applicants from other universities looking to earn course credit while gaining invaluable work experience in an extremely rewarding field.”

BCI interns typically are college students with aspirations of being a clinical coordinator or therapists. BCI interns have typically been psychology, education, special education and criminal justice, though all majors are welcome to apply. Students must receive course credit to participate in BCI’s internship program.

Interested applicants can stop by BCI’s booth at Worcester State University’s Career Fair on March 26. The fair takes place on Worcester State’s campus at 486 Chandler Street in Worcester. After March 26, interested applicants can also send a cover letter and resume to info@bciaba.org or by snail mail to: Behavioral Concepts, Inc., 170 Goddard Memorial Drive, Worcester, MA  01603, ATTN: Dr. Jeffrey Robinson.

About Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI)

Founded in 2002, BCI provides educational, behavioral, consultative and assessment services to children with autism and their families. These services are based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and are tailored to the unique needs of the individuals BCI works with. It’s BCI’s goal to maximize student potential, increase independence and enhance our clients’ quality of life within their home, school and community.

BCI’s main care center is located at 170 Goddard Memorial Drive, in Worcester, Massachusetts. BCI operates its BASICS services at 100 Hartwell Street in West Boylston, Mass. The BASICS program is a sub-contract arrangement between Behavioral Concepts, Inc. and the Central Massachusetts Special Education Collaborative. BASICS provides services to children aged 7-22 with autism and maladaptive behaviors. BCI’s Corporate Offices are located in Mansfield, Mass.

For complete information, visit http://bciaba.org or to arrange a consultation with a BCI clinician, please call (508) 363-0200.

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VoiceNation Accomplishes Another Industry First, Offering Instant Activation for Live Answering Services

Instant activation, once unheard of in the telecommunications industry, is now a reality for business owners in need of professional answering services and virtual phone solutions. VoiceNation customers can now instantly activate any live answering service plan they choose, whereas most other call centers in the industry require days for setup.

“We are constantly working to raise the bar, set new industry standards, and eliminate consumer challenges,” reports Jay Reeder, President of VoiceNation. “The ability to activate a live answering account online within seconds is truly a relief for companies who need an answering service in place immediately.”

With the fastest setup time around, VoiceNation’s instant activation enables customers to choose their plan at http://www.qualityansweringservice.com/pricing-made-simple, complete the online setup wizard, and have a live receptionist answering their calls with their company name within seconds. “We’ve made it fast, simple, and convenient,” states Mr. Reeder.

Once an account is live, customers are able to fully manage their live answering service online via the feature-rich-dashboard. It’s all part of the VoiceNation experience.

About VoiceNation

VoiceNation is America’s telecommunications leader in virtual PBX, voicemail, and innovative live answering solutions. Named “Top Provider in Industry” by PC World, VoiceNation provides live answering services and call center solutions utilizing the latest in proprietary technology to deliver high quality call answering services at the lowest cost to their customers. In this way, VoiceNation enables businesses of all sizes to compete in the marketplace with 24-hour availability that adapts to any situation.

Founded in 2002, VoiceNation is a privately-held company that serves more than 40,000 customers including FEMA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Dell, AIG and the U.S. Coast Guard. The company also provides qualified non-profit, tax-exempt charities with access to voicemail, faxmail and other specialized communication services at reduced cost through their Care2Call outreach program.

To learn more about VoiceNation, visit http://www.qualityansweringservice.com.

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SelecTech Becomes Vendor Partner of Health Care Institute

SelecTech, Inc., a leader in the manufacture of innovative flooring products from recycled materials, has recently become a vendor partner of Health Care Institute, an International Facility Management Association (IFMA) alliance partner.

SelecTech is the creator of the top performing, 100 percent recycled FreeStyle commercial flooring line as well as the StaticStop ESD flooring line, which is renowned as an interlocking flooring powerhouse and the only conductive flooring of its kind that can contribute to LEED™ points.

The unique interlock system on SelecTech’s flooring products enable it to be installed at a much lower cost, without adhesives, and without a lot of costly downtime or disruption. For these reasons, SelecTech’s solutions provide significant value to those that the Health Care Institute serves, including academic medical centers, community hospitals, retirement facilities, specialty hospitals and clinics.

SelecTech’s innovative flooring is easy to install and does not require messy adhesives, copper foil, underlayments or padding. The company’s FreeStyle flooring can help contribute to LEED points and is 100 percent “cradle-to-cradle recovery”, meaning that SelecTech’s products are 100 percent recyclable back into new Freestyle Flooring. StaticStop ESD flooring is manufactured with a minimum of 20 percent recycled materials and it is the only conductive flooring of its kind that can contribute to LEED™ points.

Health care industry clients that utilize SelecTech’s flooring include Kaleida Women’s and Children’s Hospital, GlaxoSmithKline and BC Biomedical Laboratories.

To learn more about SelecTech’s flooring, visit http://www.selectechinc.com.

For more information about the Health Care Institute, visit http://hci.ifma.org.

About SelecTech, Inc.

SelecTech, Inc. was founded in 1993 with the mission of creating valuable products from scrap plastics. The company has become a leader in the manufacture of flooring products from recycled materials and uses one million pounds of recycled materials annually. Their products are made with up to 100 percent recycled content, are 100 percent recyclable and install without adhesives making them some of the “greenest” and most cost-effective flooring products available.

SelecTech, Inc.
is headquartered at 33 Wales Avenue, Suite F in Avon, MA. For more information about SelecTech, visit www.selectechinc.com.

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National Speakers Association (NSA) adds Ingage Consulting’s Evan Hackel to its roster of professional speakers

Evan Hackel
Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting

WOBURN, MA …

The National Speakers Association (NSA) recently accepted Evan Hackel of Ingage Consulting, a leading consulting firm in the franchise arena. During his 25 years in working with franchises, Evan Hackel has developed a reputation as an expert on engagement and how it improves performance. With his recent acceptance to the NSA, Hackel will be taking this message to a broader audience.

“The franchisee member who is engaged tends to be more successful on an individual basis and is also the best sales agent an organization can have in attracting potential franchisees,” said Hackel, who founded the Woburn, MA-based Ingage Consulting in 2009, Massachusetts. “In joining the NSA, I would like to continue bringing that message to franchise organizations. I would also like the opportunity to speak to other types of organizations in both the public and private sector on how engagement can raise the performance level from top to bottom.”

To be accepted to NSA’s Professional Speaker roster, candidates must meet the organization’s requirements based on stringent criteria. Hackel met that criteria though his experience giving keynotes, meeting and workshop facilitation and breakout presentations and other speaking engagements.

Hackel has previously been tabbed as keynote speaker for a variety of companies and organization types, ranging from Fortune 50 companies to professional associations. The audience sizes have also varied, with Hackel speaking at smaller, interactive workshops to addresses for several thousand.

In particular, Hackel’s message resonates with franchise organizations. His next featured speaking engagement will be at the Franchise Operations Performance Summits (OPS), the only franchise executive conference dedicated to operations performance excellence as well

Beyond topics relevant to franchise organizations, Hackel is known for his energetic and interactive presentations. “Evan showed how franchisees grow stronger as the organization grows stronger, and how the organization grows stronger as franchisees grow stronger. That struck a credible nerve that everyone understood,“ said Steven C. Bursten, CEO and chairman of Exciting Windows! “We had more favorable comments than any convention speaker in our eight years of franchising. In fact, last year’s presentation was transformative.  Business owners who never appreciated what it means to pull together “got it”, and have been more supportive than ever this year.“

Some of the topics on which Hackel has spoken on in the past include:

  • Better Together:  Understand the most effective ways to tackle individual agendas and dysfunction in your organization.
  • The Need for Change: Learn how to address the paradigm shifts your organization needs to make to ensure long-term success.
  • The Power of Collaboration: Explore the power and possibilities of collaboration that lead to better ideas and a greater passion for success.
  • The 4 “Ps” of Selling: Learn to think differently about selling by focusing on the four “Ps.”
  • Overcoming the Price Objection: Leave with real-world tools to better deal with difficult customers and price objection.

Hackel is available for keynotes, breakout and facilitation sessions, and a variety of speaking engagements. You can contact him directly at 781-569-5900. To see more of Hackel’s previous speaking engagements, visit his profile page on the National Speakers Association website, http://www.nsaspeaker.org/.

About Ingage Consulting

Ingage Consulting is a management consulting firm that works with franchisors and franchisees to improve the franchise 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 both franchisors and franchisees.  The company helps solve the problems of franchise organizations by offering services that range from partnership creation and vibrant intranet community creation to trust building, improved communication and strategic planning.  After a thorough assessment, Ingage Consulting devises solutions to a franchise organization’s challenges. These solutions may include the development of methods that maximize collaboration among franchisees/licensees or the development of a clear strategy and execution plan for change which is customized to meet organizational objectives.

Evan Hackel, Ingage founder and management expert has more than two decades of experience in best practices, turnaround strategies and team dynamics.  He is often engaged to analyze franchise businesses, provide recommendations and facilitate strategic planning.  He is a member of the International Franchise Association and New England Franchise Association.

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.

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Sigman Law Office Launches Restaurant Division

Sigman Law Office, P.C. of Stoneham, specializing in real estate, business, franchise and estate planning law, has recently launched a new Restaurant Division.

Renowned as the transactional law experts, Sigman Law has established a dedicated Restaurant Division to meet significant demand for their legal services in the start up, sale and acquisition of restaurants. For Sellers and Buyers, Sigman Law reviews and drafts any and all of the documents produced for transaction from the offer to the closing documents. Their representation also includes assistance with due diligence requests and assistance with the unique issues of permitting and licensing necessary to close the transaction. Sigman Law attorneys also review franchise, co-op or other documentation related to the business so Buyers are fully informed of their potential investment prior to closing.

“As with any transaction that we are involved with, it is our goal to eliminate surprises and strive towards a smooth transaction from beginning to end,” explained Eric Sigman, Esq. of Sigman Law.

He continued, “For sellers, we make sure that they can walk away with peace of mind after the closing. We ensure that they sell their business and never have to think about it again. For buyers, we make it so that they are protected and that they are getting what they paid for. They want to be sure that they get the assets that they are buying free and clear of any liabilities left over from the seller.”

Essentially, Sigman Law provides “soup to nuts” legal services to the Buyer/Seller involved in the restaurant transaction. Sigman Law represents Buyers/Sellers under a flat fee rate.

For more information, contact Sigman Law Office at 781-333-4182.

About Sigman Law Office

Renowned as the transactional law experts, Sigman Law Office, P.C., specializes in real estate, business, franchise and estate planning law. Providing a high level of service with an emphasis on individual attention, honest representation and reasonable fees, Sigman Law Office represents clients in and around greater Boston, the North Shore and Metro West. Sigman Law Office attorneys set themselves apart by performing nearly all of their legal services under a flat fee.

Sigman Law Office is the home of the Business Wellness Program™, where business clients are able to obtain the benefits of “in-house” counsel without the cost. The program has three different levels, designed to address any business’ needs and budget.

The practice is located at 2 Main Street, Suite 300 in Stoneham, MA. For more information, contact 781-333-4182 or visit the website http://www.sigmanlaw.us.

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Plymouth South freshmen get off to perfect start earning Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s Driven Students of the Month for January

Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac General Sales Manager Joe Wilkerson, far right, and Plymouth South Assistant Principal Marc Loranger, far left, lead the pizza toast with the Plymouth South students who earned Tracy’s Driven Students of the Month honors.

PLYMOUTH, MA…

It’s unlikely too many high school freshmen are familiar with Woody Allen’s famous expression about “80 percent of success is showing up”. Yet for 17 Plymouth South High School freshmen who have yet to miss a day of school, they clearly got the memo. And for their perfect attendance record in the 2012-13 school year, they are the deserving winners of the Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s Driven Student of the Month Award.

“The transition from middle school to high school can be quite difficult. In many ways, it’s like you’re starting all over after spending a year in eighth grade as the oldest in the school,” said Marc Loranger, assistant vice principal and director of Plymouth South’s freshman academy. “The kids we honored today with the Tracy Driven Student Award are an example for their peers in that the best way to make the transition to high school is to simply be here every day.”

For being chosen as the Driven Students of the Month, the group received a pizza party courtesy of Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac. In addition to pizza and refreshments, each student also received a Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac drink koozie.

“As somebody who hires and manages people, one of the key attributes we look for is dependability,” said Joe Wilkerson, general sales manager at Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac. “These students have shown early on in their high school careers that they understand that just showing up every day is a big deal and that will serve them well in school and in the work force. They are very worthy recipients of our Driven Student Award.”

Students selected for the Driven Student Award include: Andrew Baier, Andrew Bastoni, Heather Brzykoy, Mackenzie Callanan, Quinn Carey, Edward Coombes, Eileen Coughlin, Victoria Delph, Nathan Dupes, Kayle Forgette, Richard Gast, Jr., Brendan Johnson, Spencer Mazzola, Colin Moran, Teagan Ponte, Adrian Rigatuso and Michael Shea.

Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s Driven Student program recognizes Plymouth high school students for their performance and achievements in and out of the classroom. Awarded on a monthly basis, recipients are selected by faculty and advisors at the student’s given school.

So easy at Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac

For more than 80 years and three generations of dealers, the Tracy family has made it so easy for customers on the South Shore and greater Plymouth area to purchase new and used automobiles. Since its beginnings in 1992, Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac has emphasized first-rate customer service and straightforward, bottom-line pricing with fair trade-ins every time–without the games or gimmicks you find at other dealerships. For more information on new and used trucks and automobiles, you can go to www.tracymotors.com or stop by the dealership, conveniently located at 137 Samoset Street, just off exit 6 on Route 3. For more information, or to make a service appointment, you can also call (508) 830-0101.

 

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For lakefront buyers, hope springs eternal—particularly in the spring

Scott Freerksen, owner of Lakefront Living Realty, LLC

MANSFIELD, MA…

In general, there’s something about the spring that elicits hope in even the most cynical among us. Perhaps it’s the fact that spring marks the start of a new beginning for everyone and everything. Even the Red Sox are still in contention on the first day of spring. For those looking to buy lakefront property, there’s very good reason to be hopeful in the spring because it is statistically when most lakefront homes sell.

“We’ve been in business for 10 years and I’d say 40 percent of all our sales take place between the months of February and May,” said Scott Freerksen, owner of Lakefront Living Realty, LLC, a Massachusetts-based brokerage that specializes in properties that are directly on lakes.

Freerksen says there are a number of reasons why spring generates more sales than any other time of year for lakefront homes. Those can include:

  • Eager buyers who want to buy a lakefront property and be moved in time for the summer season. Some can be so eager that they might overpay in order to get in for the summer.
  • Motivated sellers – Many lakefront homeowners put their property on the market in the late summer or fall. If the property is still on the market come late February or early March, some might be more flexible with their asking price.
  • Cold and inclement winter weather – Bad weather in the winter and early spring discourages foot traffic to view and visit lakefront properties. This means fewer casual buyers and more serious players looking to make a deal. This can greatly expedite going from purchase and sale to done deal.
  • Lakefront properties taken off the market – With a traditional home, the decision to sell is usually pretty straightforward. With lakefront homeowners, the decision to leave the lake can be very difficult and there’s likely a greater chance for the seller to pull the home from the market the closer you get to the warm weather. That tends to make buyers more aggressive with their bid

“Of course, another reason for spring being a great time to buy is that prices for lakefront properties have been fairly flat the last several years so the motivated and educated consumer knows they can find very good value, especially if they work with a broker that knows the ins and outs of buying lakefront property,” said Freerksen.

Lakefront Living Realty, LLC routinely holds information seminars for prospective buyers of lakefront property. Their next seminar, “Keys to Lakefront Buying”, takes place on Saturday, March 16, from 10am to noon. The seminar is $29 and seating is limited to the first 50 people. All attendees will be entered into a drawing for a free kayak. To register, please visit http://www.lakefrontliving.com/seminarKeys.asp  or call 508-377-7167.

About Lakefront Living Realty, LLC

Based in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Lakefront Living Realty, LLC is a full service real estate brokerage specializing solely on the purchase and sale of pond and lakefront property in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Owner Scott “The Lake Guy” Freerksen, a Real Estate Broker and Realtor, founded Lakefrontliving.com in 2003 as way to support his real estate practice and to bring to potential buyers and sellers a website that features direct lakefront homes. All the “riverfront”, “oceanfront”, “across the street”, “within walking distance” homes are taken out of the site.

Lakefront Living Realty has one mission: To passionately unite Buyers and Sellers of lakefront property. For complete information, please visit www.lakefrontliving.com or call Scott at 508-377-7167.

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