Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce

News

New principal at Leesburg High School to host community roundtable discussion

Community News, Press Release
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LEESBURG – Parents, students, staff and other community members are invited to join new Leesburg High School Principal Michael Randolph for a roundtable discussion at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, in the school auditorium, 1401 Yellow Jacket Way.

Mr. Randolph will discuss his vision for the new school year including changes at Leesburg High and partnerships with the surrounding community. He will address questions from the audience as well. This will be the first of more community discussions that will be planned throughout the year.

Michael Randolph, Principal

Michael Randolph, Principal

For more information, contact Leesburg High School front office at (352) 787-5047.

Go On Offense!

Community News
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This Article is brought to you by Arthur D. Levy, CPA of The RoArt Group

Recently, I received a call from a business owner who was bemoaning his fate, unhappy with his customers and generally complaining about his business.

What was his problem? From his point of view “everything.” In reality he was struggling with lack of money stemming from poor cash flow ….which is what we all see as the first sign of trouble in any business.

After all, while some of us have esoteric or a high moral reason for being in business, for a majority of us it’s MONEY!

Cash Is King!  Business survival is based on cash flow.  You need to control it, manage it and handle it with care.  The success and very survival of your business is dependent on planning and control.

I meet with the business owners regularly and discuss a few basic ground rules about money.  The following are strategies to help control their cash;

  • Do a credit check on new customers – don’t assume you will get paid
  • Check references, call banks, check D&B
  • Clearly spell out the terms of the sale in writing
  • Be sure to get deposits on all orders
  • Be sure all paperwork is correct – POs, invoices, shipping docs, bank a/c info.
  • Consider getting paid electronically rather than snail mail
  • Consider offering discounts for early or advance payments
  • Drop clients who are not profitable – In the long run they are more work and cost you more money

Go on offense and overcome your biggest business challenge:  CASH FLOW!

Cash Flow – Cutting Costs

  • Negotiate better proceeds from vendors – Shop vendors
  • Go paperless
  • Cut tasks rather than cut employees
  • Use electronic communication
  • Shop insurance costs – Negotiate everything
  • Increase salaries based on performance
  • Review overhead – Office supplies, merchant processing, coffee etc – Don’t be wasteful

Review your business plan regularly and if you don’t have one – it’s imperative that you write one!

Think outside the box!

If you would like a complimentary copy of our e-book, How To Control Cash Flow

Email rosann@theroartgroup.com and we will be happy to send it to you.

Arthur D. Levy, CPA and Rosann Levy are principals of the The RoArt Group, LLC. The RoArt Group, helps restaurateurs, small, midsize, & family owned businesses create strategies to increase profits and “grow” their business.  www.theroartgroup.com

Central Florida Health Welcomes Dr. Baig!

Community News, Ribbon Cutting
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Central Florida Health is Leesburg’s premier Medical Group and they are growing!

Dr. Ajmal Baig is a board-certified and fellowship trained general surgeon. Specializing in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, Dr. Baig uses these techniques in robotic surgery to deliver outstanding results. Being on the cutting edge of technology is always a goal of his. Having Ajmal Baig, MD at Central Florida Health and as a member of the Leesburg Community is something we are all very excited about.

Join us as we celebrate Dr. Baig’s arrival at a Ribbon Cutting.
The Leesburg Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, June 28th at 11:30am. Come out and see what Dr. Baig is all about!

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The Art of Negotiation

Uncategorized
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Negotiation is a game, yet many don’t play it as they lack confidence. But once you know how to play the game negotiating can be fun and you can come out the winner. Once you learn the rules, the strategies, tactics, and play by the rules, negotiating gets easier because the emotion has been removed.

Consider the following and learn the win-win:

Pick a Strategy
Do you want a win-win or a win-lose?

First decide if you want to use a win-win strategy or a win-lose strategy.  Striving for a win-win outcome is conventional business wisdom; that is you get most of want you want by helping the other side get much of what they want. Win-win negotiations, when they work, are great because all parties feel good about the outcome and hard feelings are put aside.

Occasionally, win-win outcomes do not work or are not preferred. This is when to use the win-lose strategy; meaning try to get what you want and don’t worry about any bad feelings.

Regardless which strategy you decide upon, the next step is to do your homework. Learn about the weaknesses and strengths of the other side and the greater your chances of getting what you want.

Examples:

If your employer will have a hard time replacing you, consider holding out for the best deal.

When negotiating a lease, knowing the building has been empty for a year is very valuable information.

Tactics
Having your negotiation tactics ready can make the difference between winning and losing.  Depending on the situation consider the following:

  1. Avoid making the first offer – Negotiation 101
  2. Ask for more than you want – Play the game
  3. A friendly gesture – this is a good tactic for the win-win – creates good will.
  4. Be creative – Ask for something else if you can’t get what you want
  5. Don’t be too interested — make it seem like you’ll take it or leave it.
  6. Red herring — Use this as a diversion and allow yourself a chance to compromise and hold out for what your really want
  7. Wrap it up — give a little nudge and get the deal done
  8. Blowup — blowing up then cooling off sometime gets people to be more cautious about what’s being offered
  9. Willing to walk — the single most powerful weapon you have is the willingness to walk away with no deal

Whether you are negotiating for a raise, for a new lease, a higher position, suppliers, investors learn to play the negotiating game and it will be a win-win.

Arthur D. Levy, CPA and Rosann Levy are principals of the The RoArt Group, LLC. The RoArt Group, helps restaurateurs, small, midsize, & family owned businesses create strategies to increase profits and “grow” their business.  www.theroartgroup.com

Downtown Leesburg Update: Main Street Milling and Resurfacing Construction Schedule

Press Release
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LEESBURG, Fla – The City of Leesburg will begin milling and resurfacing Main Street from Canal Street to Orange Avenue in downtown starting June 11, and expects to finish on or before June 30. Roadway construction will occur nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and will include temporary street closures, and detours along with periodic loss of street parking on Main Street from Canal Street to Orange Avenue.

Work will begin at the west end of the project at Orange Avenue and will include the following construction sequence and lane closures:

  • June 11 thru June 13:
    • Eastbound Main Street lane from Orange Avenue to 1st Street
  • June 13 thru June 16:
    • Eastbound Main Street lane from 1st Street to Canal Street
  • June 18 thru June 20:
    • Westbound Main Street lane from Canal Street to 1st Street
  • June 20 thru June 23:
    • Westbound Main Street lane from 1st Street to Orange Avenue

The City’s goal is to complete the roadwork quickly, efficiently, and with minimal disruption. Weather may affect the construction schedule.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact John Farfaglia at (352) 516-9230 or john.farfaglia@LeesburgFlorida.Gov.

Leesburg is a progressive city of more than 21,000 residents in northwest Lake County. The city government serves twice as many people with its electric, gas, water, wastewater and fiber-optic public utilities. Leesburg also is a central hub for commerce, attracting 50,000 people to work each weekday. For more information, visit www.leesburgflorida.gov.

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Teacher & Staff Appreciation Breakfast

Community News
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The annual Teacher and Staff Appreciation Breakfast will take place on August 8th this year. It will be held at Lake Sumter State College and will be for all Leesburg Area Schools. The expectation is to reach over 1,200 teachers and staff.

This event is held each year by the Leesburg ARea Chamber of Commerce and is a perfect time for you and your business to say thank you to one of the most crucial parts of this community, our educators.

There are ample opportunities for you to become involved, large and small. If you would like more information on the sponsorships and/or needs of this event please email Danielle Parker @ daniellep@leesburgchamber.com or call the Chamber office at 352.787.2131.

To watch clips from last year https://youtu.be/lGrDLbmjpew

Leesburg Visitor and Welcome Center

Community News, Press Release
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Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce opens in the Historic Mote-Morris House.

Leesburg, Florida – On Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 5:30 p.m, Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce will open its doors as the new Leesburg Visitor and Welcome Center located at 1195 W. Magnolia St., the Mote-Morris House.  The Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce office has approximately 3,000 visitors a year inquiring about Leesburg. The Chamber has partnered with the Leesburg Heritage Society to stage the house for self-guided tours and open as the Leesburg Visitor and Welcome Center.

The Mote-Morris House, was built in 1892 for eight-term Leesburg Mayor, Edward H. Mote, and his wife Lucretia, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.   In 1918, the home was sold to John S. and May James Morris and a member of the Morris family would live in the house for the next 70 years.

The Mote-Morris House is a fine example of late Victorian Architecture.  It is a combination of styles, including its four-story turret, and two-story bay on the east side of the house.  It is one of only a few original residences remaining. The house was built shortly after the town was platted and has had only minor changes in its 125-year history.

Leesburg Visitor and Welcome Center will host self-guided tours Monday thru Friday from 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Large groups are welcome with reservation. To reserve your tour today, please call 352-787-2131.

Join us Thursday, March 16th at 5:30 p.m. for the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s March Business After Hours and Open House as we celebrate 125 years of Mote-Morris House history, a historical Leesburg treasure!

Promoting Progress and Profit in the Leesburg Area!

For more information, please contact maria@leesburgchamber.com. Visit leesburgchamber.com.