Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce

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The Art of Negotiation

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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.

It’s a “Whovillation Celebration”! Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Award Recipients

Press Release
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Thursday, December 1, 2016, 6 p.m. at the Leesburg Armory, the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their 80h Annual Chamber Awards and Installation Gala, a “Whoville-ation Celebration”.  Two hundred and thirty guests gathered to celebrate the Chamber and Leesburg Area businesses and community’s achievements.  Entering through the caves of Mount Crumpit into the lair of the Grinch, then onward to Whoville. Event coordinator and décor extraordinaire, Events by Miss Daisy transformed the venue into the festive city of Whoville, and gourmet caterer, Chef Jessy Flinn, Gourmet Today created a “Who” inspired menu. Special Guest, the Grinch was full of Christmas cheer! 

An inspirational and motivational greeting by the Chamber’s Executive Director, Sandi Moore began the event program.  Past-Presidents of the Leesburg Area Chamber presented the 2016 Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Awards to local community members and area businesses that have invested time, money and heart into Leesburg.  Recipient of the prestigious chamber award, the George O. Pringle Award was Ken Bragg.  Followed by Business Women of the Year Award recipient Jennifer Rivera, Insight Credit Union, Public Service Award recipient Don Van Beck, Veterans Memorial Park,   Ambassador of the Year Award recipient Barbara Glatt, Leadership Award recipient Al Minner, City of Leesburg, Business Achievement Award for Small Business recipient Burry’s Pharmacy, Business Achievement Award for Medium Size Business recipient, SignCrafters and Business Achievement Award for Large Business Ro-Mac Lumber and Supply.  Each award recipient was nominated by the Leesburg Area Chamber Members, Ambassadors, and Board of Directors.

Thank you to all of the Event Sponsors for helping make this night memorable and extraordinary!   Events by Miss Daisy, Classic Tent & Events, City of Leesburg, Grand Rental Station, Ford Press, Lake County Economic Growth Department, Beyers Funeral, Comcast, Deans Pest Control, Duke Energy, Insight, Lake Eye, Plaza Cadillac, Leesburg Regional Medical Center, Akers Media Group, ERA Grizzard, Leesburg Partnership, Morris Realty, Ro-Mac Lumber & Supplies, Stokes Fish Co., Lake Trucking, Citizens First Bank, Lake Eye Associates, CenterState Bank, LassiterWare Insurance, ESI, and United Southern Bank.
Promoting Progress and Profit in the Leesburg Area!

For more information please contact maria@leesburgchamber.com or Sandi@leesburgchamber.com. Visit http://www.leesburgchamber.com

Leesburg Area Chamber Foundation raises $15,800 for Leesburg Community Schools.

Community News, Press Release
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16-10-01_cwv-2366Leesburg, Florida – On Sunday, October 2, 2016, partners Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Style Magazine and co-founder of Ketel One Vodka, David Van de Velde, joined forces to organize a fundraising event at Fairfax Hall in Arlington Ridge that included a 7-course vodka infused dinner, concert, live cooking demonstrations and laughs.  Celebrity Chef Jon Ashton took the stage as the evening’s Emcee, as local chef’s Vic Donahue II, Jessy Flinn, Cody Workman and Jon Bell demonstrated how to prepare the dish while 35 students from the Leesburg High School Culinary department served that dish to the audience.  Entertainers; 3 Tenors and a Soprano serenaded the audience with familiar ballads from the Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserable.

During the evening, winners of the Cooking with Vodka Recipe Contest were announced, First Place Winner, Carole Iberer for her recipe, “Three Berry Pie with Blueberry Vodka”,  Second Place Winner, Don Moreau for his recipe, “Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo” and Third Place Winner, Gary Neumann for his recipe, “Screwdriver Tenderloin” and each were presented with an award.  Recipes from the evenings dinner are available on the https://leesburg.cookingwithvodka.com/.

The event raised $14,000.00 towards Leesburg Community Schools for special projects and an additional $1,800.00 was raised at the event and gifted to the Leesburg High School Culinary Department.

Thank you to Plaza Cadillac, Lake Eye, Fross & Fross Wealth Management, Bennett Law Center and LRMC Foundation for sponsoring this event!

The Leesburg Area Chamber Foundation is a 501 (c ) 3 that fundraises to raise money for Leesburg Area Community Schools in partnership with the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee.

Promoting Progress and Profit in the Leesburg Area! For more information, please contact maria@leesburgchamber.com. Visit leesburgchamber.com.