Flackery Spring 2019

P. 10 Issue #4 Who Joins a Business Guild? We give you the tools you need to succeed Why Start a Business Guild? P. 20 P. 16 How the guild benefits you Welcome to the NH Business Guild Spring 2019 P. 29 Reinventing your business network Meet our members 3 Reasons You Need to Join NH Business Guild What Does a Guild Do? Our Premium Subscription is LESS than $20 a Month! Planstin offers unique health plans through medical cost sharing designed for self-employed and small businesses. Coverage provides lower monthly and out -of-pocket costs . Members typically see healthcare savings from 40% -60% . Coverage is available to business across 50 states Large national PPO network of doctors and hospitals Members enjoy low-out-of pocket costs and flexible plan design Our Plans Are Available All Year Reach a targeted NH audience, network, & promote your business! Directory Listing Easy Set Up -- One simple form does it all! Customers know where to find you -- No competing with national chains with deep pockets! Customize Listing Content -- (Including graphics, videos, coupons, sales) Flackery Magazine Members enjoy free full-page ads -- including digital media Share your expertise with free articles Discounts on featured content Events & Workshops Round table discussions with local experts Lunch & Learns featuring important business topics Networking Events & Mixers Member to Member Discounts & More! PLANSTIN.COM $225/Year Join Today! Did you miss open enrollment? We've got you covered! Marketing is EASY with the NH Business Guild! Contact: 603-560-3851 Timothy@planstin.com Big changes in 2019 -- NH Business Directory is now the NH Business Guild! Here's a quick video with all the answers... In case you haven't heard, the NH Business Directory is now the NH Business Guild. The decision to re-brand was an easy one. The original business directory was a free resource of Queen City Buzz, but as it evolved it went from being a simple online directory to a robust, multi-media online resource including the business directory, Flackery magazine, live events, and many more features due to roll out later this year. Online teaching platform for members to host their paid or free courses Sales & marketing workshops Community Partners for banking, affordable insurance & more ! Instead of being a basic online yellow page type service, we became a group of people working towards common goals and NH Business Guild seemed to be a much better descriptor of who we are and what we do than NH Business Directory. With that in mind, this issue of Flackery is all about the guild. Who we are, what we do, and why you should be a member. As always, please take a few minutes to check out our articles and advertisers. If you like what you see, share the magazine with your friends and colleagues. Or better yet, join the NH Business Guild and enjoy the many marketing and networking opportunities. Pat Hammond Founder NH Business Guild Editor/Publisher Flackery (Just in case you missed it on the cover...) Editor's Note Wondering why the heck we named the NH Business Guild magazine flackery? edcartercpa.com 29 3 Reasons You Need to Join NH Business Guild 20 Who Joins a Business Guild? 32 Become a Sponsor 5 Editor's Note 781-799-1188 taxhelp@edcartercpa.com 4 Why did I name the magazine Flackery? 10 Why Start a Business Guild? 38 Business Resources 12 Who is the NH Business Guild? If you have received an IRS demand letter or are being audited, I can help. CONTENTS 16 What Does the Guild Do? p. 10 26 Member Benefits: Flackery Magazine p. 32 Small Business Taxes IRS Audits & Demand Letters Estates & Trusts p. 12 Call Today! 37 Photo Credits p. 29 38 Past Issues Skip the overwhelm, I can help you make sense of your taxes. 35 NH Business Guild Members 34 Advertising Ed Carter, CPA 23 Member Benefits: Business Directory In every issue Contact us today! 866.533.3947 Spectrum.Consulting Have old home movies? (603) 566-3075 Visit TreasuredMemoriesVid.com Our experienced consultants, Steve Wood, Susannah Chance, Jessica Lapaglia and Fran Lefavour, help small and mid-sized organizations thrive by offering customized services that help drive a company’s success. Dave@TreasuredMemoriesvid.com We can convert those memories to digital files so you can enjoy them again! Spectrum Consulting collaborates with businesses to enhance their business outcomes. Solutions for your business needs Services we offer: Staffing & Recruiting Consulting Services Outsourcing  www.johnmorganva.com Why? Join Today! Forget About WHY And Ask Why Not... I'm going to put this as plainly as possible. The reason I started NH Business Guild is that you asked for it. I'm serious. I used to be a web developer and so many of my clients were struggling that I started a blog called Queen City Buzz as a platform for Manchester area business owners to share information and connect to the people and resources they needed to start and grow their businesses. But it wasn't enough. And as I added additional features and services, more and more people popped up asking me to expand coverage to other towns and add even more services. It was crazy. They wanted a way to connect to customers and collaborate with other local business owners. They were unhappy with the way Facebook and Google kept changing the rules and they needed a better way to promote their companies to local audiences. These were things that should have been handled by the local chambers of commerce, but people said the chambers weren't listening to them. People were tired of having to pay more money for fewer services, especially when they already paid for membership. They were tired of going to networking events and seeing the same people. And they needed a way to get help for their business. Access to Information Affordable Advertising & Marketing Networking & Collaboration They were looking for a business guild. A one-stop organization that would do all of these things at a price they could afford. Just like the original merchant guilds, NH Business Guild members work together to share information and expertise. They collaborate on promotions and marketing, and enjoy a powerful built-in network of like minded entrepreneurs. With an annual membership of $225, the NH Business Guild is the perfect solution to your most pressing business challenges. A business guild is "an association of merchants who oversee the practice of their trade in a particular area. " We are the business owners, managers, and solopreneurs who provide the services that help the local economy thrive. We are an organization of New Hampshire businesses who are tired of the status quo. We're tired of fighting Google and Facebook's changing algorithms to reach local online audiences We're tired of seeing the same people at every networking event We're tired of spending money on things that don't help us grow our businesses NH Business Guild is the perfect blend of old school business and digital marketing at a price anyone can afford. In addition to in-person networking, workshops, and promotional events, our online platform is filled with tools to promote and grow your business. Multi-Media Online Directory Digital Magazine by and about members Member-Only Resource Pages - Coming Soon! Our members are the employers, employees, and entrepreneurs who make the Granite State great. We come from all walks of life and represent a wide range of products and services including: Human Resources Health Insurance Digital Marketing Wellness & Health Care Photography Business Coaching & Consulting Mortgage Loans Business Services Paralegal Services & Much More! NH Business Guild is your resource for finding the people and tools your business needs. Who? Meet our members Who is the NH Business Guild? We are you. nhbusinessguild.com 603-206-5846 www.idealhealthllc.com 170 S River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 No gimmicks, no magic pills, and no requirement to buy expensive supplements for the rest of your life It's all about creating HEALTHY habits rather than restrictions Discover the REAL you with one of our free seminars! quickly lose 2 - 5 pounds a week learn how to read labels & plan meals understand how your body processes food so you can make better choices enjoy a healthy lifestyle! Back to Contents Call Today! 603.880.7184 | careerconnectionsnh.com Promote - Connect - Succeed isn't just our motto. We built the platforms to help you do it. Multi-Media Online Business Directory Digital Magazine by and about members Live Events - Networking, Workshops, Round Table Discussions Member-Only Resource Pages Our tools help you promote your business and connect with the people and resources you need to start and grow your New Hampshire business. Business Directory Forget about a simple list of member businesses. Our business directory is like digital Yellow Pages® on steroids. Every member enjoys a searchable business card snapshot of their most important information. Business Name Contact Info Links to social media Logo graphic or avatar List of your products/services And if that wasn't enough to blow away the competition, your directory listing also includes a customizable full-page profile of your business. All the contents of your digital business card An in-depth description of your business, products, services Your Original Graphics Embedded Media - videos, slide decks, podcasts, etc.. Coupons and links to special campaigns and landing pages Even better, all directory content is fully searchable. Customers don't need to remember your full name, phone number, or address because every part of your profile is searchable. Partial Name/Business Name Town Service Partial Phone Number As long as they have a piece of anything mentioned in your directory listing they can find you. Flackery Magazine In a perfect world we'd all have time to write and promote 2 - 3 original blog posts a week, but this is the real world. It's hard enough to find the time to do more than minimal marketing for the products and services people buy, there is no way you can siphon off a little extra to market your marketing vehicle. Not to worry, the NH Business Guild has you covered. Flackery is the quarterly digital magazine by and about NH Business Guild members. Share your expertise with your own original content FREE full-page multi-media ads for all members Embed videos, slideshows, and other media Professional content to share with clients in emails, newsletter, and social media It's the perfect marketing tool for busy professionals like you. No time to write? No problem. We've partnered with professional writer and content creator Lisa J. Jackson from Write Your Way to create budget-friendly original content based on your ideas and expertise. Live Events One of the biggest challenges business owners face is connecting to the right people at the right time. Sometimes that means a promotional event to attract and meet customers, other times that means networking or training events with other local professionals. NH Business Guild hosts a bi-weekly networking group for serious professionals. No sales, no canned pitches and no requirement to share leads. We use a multi-format approach of open networking, guest speakers, problem-solving and round table discussions. New this year, we will be hosting quarterly open houses featuring members in specific industries so we can target your ideal market. We also have plans for open networking events for members and non-members, lunch and learns, and professional development workshops. Member Resources The greatest value of Guild membership is the ability to connect with other businesses for collaboration and promotion . In addition to the many NH Business Guild tools and resources, we manage multiple resource pages where members can find the tools and expertise they are looking for. Sales and Marketing Tech Tools Mentoring & Business Resources Member resources typically feature member expertise, products, and services to solve common business pain points, but if it's an area that isn't represented in our member base, we actively go out and find businesses to come in and offer special programs and discounts to members. Current examples of industries we're soliciting include: Business banking services, including merchant processing Affordable health care for small business owners and employees Sales training and marketing assistance Whether you are looking for a way to promote your business, connect with local customers or business owners, or simply find the resources to get help for your business questions, NH Business Guild is your one -stop source for the tools you need to start and grow your business in New Hampshire. What do we do? We give you the tools you need to succeed 55 South Commercial Street, 2nd Floor/West Wing, Manchester, NH 03101 www.BodyFusionFitClub.com Text You Earn Your Body Become Superhuman A Bio-Hacking Smart Gym & Human Performance Studio FREE TRIAL Sign up for a FREE week! Adaptive Resistance Exercise Training ARX Cross-HITT Interval Circuit Training Cardiovascualr Optimization Logic (CAR.O.L.) Training Micro-Impact Therapy Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy Exercise with Oxygen Training 3D Body Scan Neurofeedback Brain Training Full body Vibration Training Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna Fitness Training Area Conveniently located in the Manchester Millyard 603-232-9002 Stephanie Edwards, CEO/Paralegal Granite State Paralegal Services Allegra Boverman, Photographer/Photojournalist Spectrum Consulting is a full-service human resource staffing company for New Hampshire businesses. In addition to specializing in staffing and recruiting human resource professionals, Spectrum offers outsource services including training, full human resource services, strategic planning, and consulting. Allegra Boverman is a highly sought after photo-journalist whose work routinely appears in local and national publications. When she's not snapping breaking news and aspiring politicians, she's updating business profiles and headshots from Boston to Vermont, one pic at a time. With over 25 years of experience in many areas of law, Granite State Paralegal Services can unite skills and experience with the needs of attorneys. Stephanie and her team of paralegals provide clients with access to a deep and broad set of capabilities typically found in large law firms to help you minimize cost, maximize efficiency, and bring your clients the prompt, professional attention they are looking for. Wondering who joins a business guild? NH Business Guild members come from a cross-section of the Granite State's business community. They are solopreneurs, startups, and established business owners and managers representing large and small companies across the state. They are people like you who are looking for a new way to promote and connect their business to succeed. Ed Carter is the CPA you want in your corner when you get the dreaded IRS letter. He is a small business tax specialist and whether it's a demand for info or a full-blown audit, the breadth and depth of his experience give him a unique understanding of how the IRS and state tax departments work. Lisa Poole, Owner/Licensed Massage Therapist Peaceful Strength Massage Therapy Jessica LaPaglia, Regional Vice President Spectrum Consulting Who joins a business guild? Don't let pain slow you down. Whether you've got back pain, neck pain, or stress, licensed massage therapist Lisa Poole has the right treatment for you. Conveniently located at 167 S. River Road in Bedford, Peaceful Strength Massage is New Hampshire's premier provider of Thai Massage, a powerful technique that combines slow, deliberate movements with assisted stretches and joint movements to help relieve your pain and so you can return to your normal active lifestyle. Edgar Carter, CPA Press Coverage Member Business Directory Improve Booth Traffic Eliminate the obstacles & overcome the challenges of trade show management with 23 actionable tips from veteran PR expert Lisa Masiello. 23 Actionable tips to generate leads, maximize your budget, & more! Insider's Guide to Trade Show and Event Management: 23 Expert Insights, Best Practices, & Money Saving Tips Buy on Amazon Member Benefits FREE Money! Think Yellow Pages® on steroids... Back to Contents Have you seen the local chamber's member directory? BORING! A list of keywords that drills down to another list of business names and phone numbers. They might as well hand out a spreadsheet. NH Business Guild embraces the full power of the web in our online directory. Instead of a simple list of member businesses, the front end of our business directory features a searchable virtual business card snapshot for every member business. Business Name Contact Info Links to social media Logo graphic or avatar List of your products/services One click on your directory listing takes customers to your unique profile page with all the business card elements from the main directory and a large customizable content area that can include: An in-depth description of your business, products, services Original Graphics Embedded Media - videos, slide decks, podcasts, etc.. Coupons and links to special campaigns and landing pages And it's completely FREE to all guild members. Directory content is also fully searchable. That means if a customer meets you at a trade show or networking event and can only remember your first name is Joe or part of your phone number they can put whatever piece they have in the search bar and your company will pop up. How cool is that?  Flackery Magazine No time to write? No problem. Flackery started out as one of those late night what-if ideas. I was looking for a way to add value to directory membership and it seemed like a good way to solve many pain points. Promote Guild Members Shareable Content in a professional package Encourage Member Collaboration Promote Directory Membership In my mind, building a magazine as a marketing vehicle for members to combine and reuse that content was a no-brainer. Blog Posts Professional Presentations Video Marketing Materials People spend a lot of time putting together professional content for their business and much of it is only used once. So I did what I always do. I went out and talked to people. It turned out there was a lot of interest in a member-driven magazine. Which brings me to the question what is Flackery? Flackery Magazine is a free quarterly digital magazine by and about NH Business Guild members. Each issue contains several options for members to share their expertise and promote their business. Graphic links to all guild members Articles from & about members Articles of interest to members Multimedia Ads & More! While we do a limited print run for sponsors and featured businesses, we design the bulk of content to maximize a digital format. In plain speak that means we incorporate video and mixed media content. The magazine is a marketing vehicle for guild members, it makes sense to serve content the way customers read it. Since most people surf the web from mobile devices, that means giving them a mix of traditional text articles, videos, graphics, podcasts, slide decks, and whatever content is easy to render on a mobile device. I'm not aware of any other New Hampshire business magazine that does this. And it's all completely FREE to NH Business Guild members. Members have the ability to place FREE, multimedia ads in each issue. Video ads are the most popular, but ads can include graphics and links to websites, social media profiles, or landing pages for special sales and promotions. When was the last time a print ad in the local paper let you do that?  Check out our affordable Your Words, Only Better program from Lisa J. Jackson The quarterly magazine by and about NH Business Guild members Book Today! Member Benefits We know there isn't always enough time in the day to write your own content, NH Business Guild has teamed up with Lisa J. Jackson from Write Your Way to offer her Your Words, Your Way service to guild members. Lisa will interview you about your business and story idea then craft it into a written article featuring your ideas and expertise. DEADLINE: 30 Days before standard Flackery print deadline Get Relief Check out our new service -- Thai Massage Today! peacefulstrengthmassage.com Book Your Appointment Today! It's no exaggeration, when you run a business there is a lot of competition for your time and money. Especially for marketing and promotions.  Groups like the chamber of commerce and BNI do a fine job promoting their own products and agendas to members, but do they meet your needs?  How about your budget?  Here are the top three reasons why we think NH Business Guild is the best choice to maximize your marketing and networking efforts without breaking the budget.  1. Our goals are your goals Business guilds were the precursor to the modern-day chamber of commerce. They were a way for small business owners to pool resources for a common goal. NH Business Guild is no different. Our stated purpose, the entire reason we exist, is to help you: Promote your business, products, and services to a local audience Connect to the people, information and resources you need to grow your business Succeed by sharing resources and collaborating with other local businesses 2. We have the best toys We designed our tools and platforms to put you in front of local audiences and connect with the people and information you need to grow your business. Multi-Media Online Directory Digital Magazine by and about members Live Events - Networking, Workshops, Round Table Discussions Member-Only Resource Pages  Other groups have some of these things, but nobody else combines old school business with modern technology quite the way NH Business Guild does. (Check out how our member directory compares to the competition.)  3. It's affordable At $225 a year, our standard membership is less than $20 a month. We do have some paid events and sponsorship opportunities, but all our core programs are free to every member. Every member gets a custom digital listing in our online directory Every member is welcome to submit content to our quarterly magazine Every member gets a full page, multi-media ad in Flackery What you see is what you get, no upsell. Some premium events may incur a small fee, but our core events are free to all members. Bi-weekly Networking Quarterly round table discussions Lunch & Learns Bonus: We make it easy! We do the heavy lifting when it comes to promoting and connecting your business. Our goal is to help you promote, connect, and succeed and that starts with giving every member the tools to do that.   Events are a direct response to your needs Flagship products designed to maximize your impact with minimal effort Member-only content and resources for help with your pressing business questions NH Business Guild provides the tools and resources for you to promote, connect, and succeed at a price you can afford.  167 S River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 603-738-6393 Reasons You Need to Join NH Business Guild 3 Become a NH Business Guild Sponsor Event Hosts & Sponsors * Marketing materials include print and digital content designed to promote the NH Business Guild such as brochures, newsletters, and trade show banners. It does not include advertising placement for car wraps, special event banners or programs. Reach an audience who is already in market Community Partnerships Have you ever noticed how creative some groups get with their advertising and sponsorship "opportunities"? Events, newsletter, websites, and other marketing materials become another way to separate you from your money. It's crazy! A membership group is supposed to be about promoting the members, not lining the CEO's pocket. So I'm going to keep it simple. NH Business Guild is pleased to announce three new levels of sponsorship. Level 1: $150 a quarter for a small sidebar or inline display ad on the website Level 2: $250 a month for a small sidebar or inline display ad on the website and monthly newsletter, placement in marketing materials* Level 3: $5000 a year for a premium display ad on the website and monthly newsletter, placement in marketing materials*, a page on the website including a position on the site navigation menu We are also looking for a dedicated Level 2 print sponsor to cover the cost of printing Flackery magazine and marketing materials including display banners for live events and trade shows, brochures, and event flyers. The print sponsor would commit to one year of sponsorship rather than month-to-month. There are several opportunities for event hosts & sponsors. In addition to the bi-weekly events we currently host, the guild would like to add monthly round table discussions or lunch & learns, quarterly open houses and networking events. In order to host networking and promotional events, we need sponsors and/or hosts who are willing to either provide space or cover the cost of renting space and light refreshments. Note: Event hosting is the only sponsorship that is not based on the three base levels. The cost of being an event host or sponsor varies based on the type of event, whether it is once a year, once a quarter, once a month, or bi-weekly, and whether the host is able to host at their own location. The guild does not charge a fee for this type of sponsorship, the price is the actual cost for you to host the event. Finally, we are looking for Level 3 sponsors as community partners to provide discounted services to guild members. Industries we're currently soliciting are: Business banking services, including merchant processing Affordable health care for small business owners and employees Sales Training Marketing Assistance We are an organization of business owners and managers representing a wide range of industries. Our businesses are everything from bootstrapping startups to established organizations grossing several million dollars a year. Our members are influencers who have sway in both their own networks and the community at large. As a group, we all face the same challenges when it comes to finding top quality business services. Being a community partner will give you a dedicated audience of people who are already in the market for your services. If you would like more information about becoming an NH Business Guild sponsor please email info@nhbusinessguild.com or call 603-264-0788. 781-799-1188 Back to Contents IRS & Small Business Specialist NH Business Guild Members Ed Carter, CPA Your Business Could Be Here nhbusinessguild.com Flackery is now accepting YOUR featured posts & sponsored content! Click here for submission guidelines & rates ! Promote YOUR Business in Flackery! Back to Contents No time to write? No problem! I've teamed up with the fabulous Lisa J. Jackson from writeyourwaynh.org to bring "Your Words, Only Better" to Flackery! Lisa will interview you about your business and story idea then craft it into a written article featuring your ideas and expertise. No struggling to find the right words No issues finding the time to write No excuses! Not only will the article be included in Flackery, this is original content you can share with clients, on your website & social media! The cost is $175 for NH Business Directory members and $250 for non-members and availability is limited. Get the biggest bang for your buck with a digital ad in Flackery! The great thing about a digital publication is that your ads are digital too. This means your ad isn't limited to basic content and contact information. Link to Website, Landing Pages & Social Media Platforms Embed Digital Media (Video, Audio)  Coupon Codes, Special Offers & More! Even better, your Flackery ad is shareable, pinnable content that is available 24/7. All it takes is a few shares and the potential audience is exponential. When was the last time a print ad did that? Fall 2018 NH District Small Business Administration - Free online tools, articles, and links to partner resources. SCORE Merrimack Valley Chapter: Many free tools, mentoring, paid workshops, also on Facebook Center for Women & Enterprise: Free and budget-friendly classes and workshops NH Small Business Development Center (NHSBDC): Free online tools, budget-friendly mentoring & business advice. Veterans Business Outreach Center for New England: Free resources for veterans, active duty service personnel, and their spouses interested in starting or expanding their own business. Includes information about how to start a business, business planning, funding, and other general business topics. Live Free and Start: Live Free and Start is a collaboration between the Governor's office and the private sector. They offer many free resources for local small business owners looking to start or grow their business in the Granite State. This is a great resource for anyone looking to prepare or seek outside funding. Photo Credits Do you have a free or low cost resource you'd like to share? Spring 2018 Business Mentoring & Planning We update our resources page every month. If you know a great free or low cost business resource that should be included on our resource page, please let us know info@nhbusinessguild.com Past Issues For a small state New Hampshire has an abundance of free and low-cost resources for startups and small business owners. Here is a short list of organizations who offer classes, tools, and one-on-one mentoring to help you with your business challenge. Winter 2018 Business Resources p. 5 Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash p. 10-11 Painting Banquet of the Crossbowmen's Guild in Celebration of the Treaty of Munster, Bartholomeus van der Helst from the Rijk Museum p. 12 Photo rawpixel-665371-unsplash p.2 9 Photo Show Me the Way by Stephan Henning on Unsplash p. 30 Photo Office Time by Daniel Fazio on Unsplash p. 40 Photo Woman With Mustache from Ryan McGuire SUBSCRIBE TO GET FLACKERY IN YOUR INBOX C lick the covers to view previous issues of Flackery Magazine. With over 25 years of experience our team of paralegals can help you minimize cost, maximize efficiency, and bring your clients the prompt, professional attention they are looking for. Solo Practitioners Small to mid-size law firms Accounting Firms Title Companies Companies with in-house counsel Legal Aid www.gsps.legal Are you a solo practitioner or attorney in a small office? 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