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freevolume two issue two
solving the dehydration problem
Providence Animal Rescue League | Central Chamber
turning passioninto a thriving business
Daddy, What Do You Do For Work
FuelBelt
Record KeepingFor The Self-Employed
Founders League HitsThe Ground Running
features:
RWU.edu(401) 254-3530
Courses, Certificates, DegreesDowntown Providence and Online
Gil Lantini | From The FoUNDer
fromthe founder
Happy Anniversary to the Rhode Island Small Business
Journal! This issue marks the one year anniversary of our
first publication date. What started out as an idea in July
2011, hit the stands in February 2012 and one year later
we’ve lived to tell our story. Just like a wedding day, I
remember the day our first issue went to press. It began
with anxiety and stress, that lead up to the ultimate moment
of excitement, the “I do”. That was the moment Jim sent the
files off for production. We followed that up with our post
ceremony “reception” at a favorite Providence bar. That
night marked a celebration of eight months of hard work
we had put into building the concept and the brand, and
RISBJ was finally now going to be a reality.
Unfortunately for us, unlike a wedding there was no
honeymoon after. I recall waking up the next morning after
a long night out and thinking to myself “Do I really have
to start on our next issue NOW”? The world of publishing
was new to me and the thought of having to do this all
over again was a bit overwhelming. Not only did we start
on the next issue right away, but we’ve done it 10 more
times since. With 12 issues scheduled for 2013, RISBJ has
become the voice of entrepreneurship in Rhode Island,
supporting our small business community, and we are here
to stay.
This anniversary issue is one of our best yet. Our featured
cover story is on FuelBelt, a Rhode Island company that
has been on the Inc. 5000 list 6 years in a row. Founder
Vinu Malik turned a lifelong passion of his into a thriving
business. I truly believe that to be successful in business
you need to have passion for what you do. Malik’s story
shows us that if a market for your product exists, we can
combine our passion with hard work and determination to
be successful.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us turn our passion
into a reality. We enjoy bringing you each and every issue
of RISBJ and hope to continue to do so for a very long time.
The traditional gift for a one year anniversary is paper and
I couldn’t think of a more fitting gift to give than volume 2
issue 2 of RISBJ. If we make it to 50 years, Ralph promises
a gold plated magazine. We’ll see how that turns out. In the
meantime, I hope you enjoy this anniversary issue!
2 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal 41920 IR ,ecnedivorP tsaE • enaL sirroM 22 • moc.snoitulosecremmoctsae
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The Importance Of Optimizing Your Website For Mobile
Featured Nonprofit: Providence Animal Rescue League
Golocal
Commercial Real Estate
Community Corner
Navigating Your Communication Skills
Ways For Taxpayers To Get Tax Help
Run Your Business Like An Entrepreneur
New Jobs And New Beaches At The Quonset
Reaching Out Through The Airwaves
Show What Your Customers Think Of You
Manufacturing Renaissance Revisited
First Impressions
Your Small Business Online In 2013
Record Keeping For The Self-Employed
3 Tips For Staying Focused
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6 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SeCreTAry oF STATe | Ralph Mollis
Encouraging EconomicData Points to Better Times Ahead for EntrepreneursSecretary Of State Ralph Mollis
It appears that Rhode Island’s entrepreneurs
are continuing to be more optimistic about
the economy’s recovery, based on 2012 data
from Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis.
Last year 7,121 new business entities
registered with his office, the most since the
Great Recession officially began in 2008.
“We should be careful about reading too
much into these numbers after years of
struggle. There may still be pain ahead, but
at least there are signs that the economy is
headed in the right direction,” says Mollis.
Mollis tracks annual business filings because
most newly formed business entities in
Rhode Island choose a corporate structure
that requires registering with his office.
For example, 2012 marked the first time
there have been two consecutive years of
growth since 2006-2007. Starts were up 4
percent last year compared to 2011, which
was up 1 percent compared to 2010.
“Judging from our work with start-ups over
the past year, there were indications that
people have more faith in the future of
the economy. But the results are still a bit
surprising,” says Mollis.
And for the first time since 2004-2007, there
have been four straight years of growth in
any corporate legal structure classification.
The number of newly formed limited liability
companies hit 4,479 in 2012, up 6.6 percent
compared to 2011.
If you want to toast the encouraging
economic news, consider a beer from
Foolproof Brewing Company, which was one
of those 7,000 start-ups last year. Finding the
beer shouldn’t be a problem, according to
President Nick Garrison. Though based in
Pawtucket, you can already order Foolproof’s
brews in dozens of pubs, restaurants, and
liquor stores from Westerly to Woonsocket.
“We worked on getting the brewery off the
ground for quite some time. Last year we
reached the point where we were ready
to tackle the business in earnest,” says
Garrison. “I needed time to pull the right
team together, write the business plan, find
a location and equipment, and put together
the financing. And I had to do a lot of
research about the regulatory environment
as well.”
The Pawtucket-based brewery kicked
off with three beers in its product line.
Each one is named for a particular
life activity, or as Garrison calls
them, “sacred beer experiences:”
Barstool, Raincloud and the uniquely
Rhode Island “Backyahd.”
“It appears that ‘Backyahd India Pale Ale’ is
going to be our flagship brand,” explains
Garrison. “It’s the ultimate suburban brew,
aggressively hopped with a tantalizing hop
aroma. The beer’s bitterness pairs perfectly
with spicy foods coming straight off the grill.”
Despite the success of start-ups like
Foolproof, Mollis says there are signs that
the economic shake-out is not over. In 2012,
6,725 corporate entities disappeared, about
1.5 percent more than 2011. Still, Rhode
Island did better than in 2008,
when the Great Recession officially began.
That year a record 7,071 companies went out
of existence.
“Our economic difficulties have taken a
terrible toll on all of us, but most signs
appear to point to better days ahead,” he
says. “Making it easier to start a business in
Rhode Island will create jobs and jumpstart
the economy.”
2012 marked the first time there have been two consecutive years of growth since 2006-2007
7www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
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9www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Mind Your Own Brand | STArTUPS
by Dave Lubelczyk
One morning at breakfast my four-year-old
asked me what I do all day at work. As I
started to give my thirty-second elevator
pitch I use at networking events, I soon
realized he didn’t care how “I build stronger
brands and improve organizational
dynamics” nor did he seem interested in how
“I help companies succeed.”
So I told him that “I make companies better.”
And he asked, “Are they sick?”
“Well kind of,” I answered, struggling to
bring my complex methodology of creating
extraordinary experiences and advocacy
building down to a single phrase that would
satisfy my son. Finally I said, “I make stores,
restaurants and banks into fun places to
shop and work.” Satisfied with the answer,
he shifted the discussion to something
more important; what we were going to do
together that day.
As I later pondered this discussion, I realized
that we often describe our businesses in
terms of how we understand them, not
in terms our audiences will relate to. My
son understood ‘fun’ was better than ‘not
fun’ and he has often been bored in stores,
restaurants and banks. By putting things in
his terms, he was able to personally relate to
that description and see why making them
fun would be a good thing.
I have since changed how I describe my
business and so should you. When you
discuss your business, do not use industry
jargon, fancy marketing phrases or well-
crafted elevator pitches. Talk to the prospect
in terms of their business and their issues.
Which means you must ask them about their
business and listen to their issues before
you ramble on about your business.
If you are able to talk in terms of their
perspective and are able to make a real
connection between their business and
your product, soon you will be spending
some quality time together building a
solid relationship.
daddy, what doyou do at work?
Dave LubelczykImage Identityimageidentity.com
we often describe our
businesses in terms
of how we understand
them, not in terms our
audiences will relate to
10 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
by Jeanne A. Hulit
SBA Lending:Making a Difference for Small Business
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For two years in a row the U.S. Small Business Administration has
helped to put more than $30 billion into the hands of small business
owners across the country. In fiscal year 2012 (October 1, 2011
through September 30, 2012), SBA loan programs posted the second
largest dollar volume ever, surpassed only by the dollar volume in
fiscal year 2011, which was heavily boosted by the loan incentives
under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. The pace of SBA loan-
making is a healthy sign for the national economy and the credit
markets and is one of the foundations for ensuring the availability of
financing to small businesses trying to establish themselves, grow
and create new jobs for Americans.
Here in New England, the SBA backed just under 4,000 loans totaling
$930 million in fiscal year 2012.
In Rhode Island during the same period, SBA approved 349 loans
totaling $87.4 million.
Over the past year, SBA began streamlining and simplifying many of
the loan programs to provide more access and opportunity for both
lenders and small businesses. As part of this effort, SBA encouraged
lenders to use more of their own paperwork and the agency’s
updated processing systems, so that more than 80 percent of its loan
applications can now be processed online.
These efforts, among other loan enhancements, have resulted in
nearly 1,300 lenders returning to SBA lending, and have opened up
more points of access to capital for small businesses wherever they
do business. We have the results to prove it.
504 Loans Dollars Set All-Time Record. By improving the loan
making process and by allowing small businesses to refinance their
commercial mortgages for a limited period of time, we saw a record
year for the Certified Development Company (504) loan program,
which helped 9,471 entrepreneurs supporting $15 billion in small
SBA | Making a Difference for Small Business
11www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Making a Difference for Small Business | SBA
Jeanne A. HulitAssociate Administrator for Capital Accessand Acting SBA New England Regional Administrator
SBA Lending:Making a Difference for Small Business
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business lending. 504 loans can be used to purchase or renovate
commercial real estate or machinery and equipment.
In New England, SBA and its Certified Development Companies
loaned 636 small businesses $373 million using the 504 program. The
CDCs approved 56 loans to Rhode Island small business that totaled
$31.7 million.
CAPLines Loan Program Jumps 400 Percent. A revamped CAPLines
program, which provides working lines of credit to small businesses
such as manufacturers and government contractors, jumped 400
percent from 108 loans and $118 million in fiscal year 2011, to 532
loans and $410 million in fiscal year 2012.
Low-dollar Loans on the Rise. Lenders are making more low-dollar
loans using the Advantage loan programs - Community Advantage
(CA) and Small Loan Advantage (SLA). Community Advantage
enables non-profit mission-based lenders to use SBA’s 7a Loan
Guaranty Program for the first time. These programs encourage
lenders to make low-dollar loans, which are an important tool for small
businesses. The Small Loan Advantage ended the fiscal year with 820
loans for $106 million. Nearly 80 percent of the year’s SLA loans came
after SBA simplified the processes on June 1.
SBA’s Growth Capital Program Breaks Record for the Third
Consecutive Year. The Small Business Investment Company
(SBIC) debenture program provided a record $2.95 billion to small
businesses in fiscal year 2012, a 14 percent increase over the
previous year and the highest single-year volume in the 54-year
history of the program. This good news is due in part to a number of
improvements that contributed to an increased number of new SBIC
licenses and reduced license processing times.
here in new england, the sba backed just
under 4,000 loans totaling $930 million
in fiscal year 2012
12 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
13www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Spotlight | STArTUPS
14 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
15www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
by Elizabeth Pierotti Tips From the Trenches
when passion meets executionFor Startups…
When Passion Meets Execution | SmALL BUSINeSS
On several occasions recently, I’ve had the
opportunity to share what it means to be
an inventor and entrepreneur with middle
and high school age children. They love
the product stories, hearing about the
successes as well as the mis-steps. It’s their
chance to see in person what happens from
idea to finished product in a more hands-
on entertaining way than reading about it
in books. They find it unfathomable that a
product could take more than 10 years of
work to reach the marketplace since that
represents a longer time span than most of
them have been on the planet.
“It takes as long as it takes” can be
financially absorbed by corporations that
have the resources for sustained periods
of experimentation. James Dyson’s vacuum
cleaner, for example, took 15 years and
5000+ prototypes to complete. That’s fine
for him but entrepreneurs and start-ups
are working with more limited time and
money constraints.
One way or another, all ideas will go
through a development process if they’re
ever to transform into real products. As an
individual entrepreneur having to boot-strap
projects over the years, I’ve learned that a
far better use of resources is to focus on
concept development rather than product
development. Product development is
expensive since it includes services from
professionals with the technical skills a
project may need at some point. Concept
development costs very little and with some
effort, this process is within the grasp of
anyone committed to doing the homework.
The goal of concept development is to test
the merits of a new idea as thoroughly as
possible so that informed decisions can be
made on what to do next. A series of steps
will basically confirm whether the idea is
innovative… it works… it can be made…
the target consumers like it… and it can
turn into a profitable venture. None of this
involves any secret sauce or rocket science,
just focus, organization and research. I
call this the “Product Plan.” At the end of
this process, there will be one of several
outcomes:
• Your idea is determined to be
commercially viable and you advance
to the next stage.
• Your idea needs some modifications
and you go back to the drawing board
and revise accordingly.
• Your idea is found not to be viable, and
while this may initially be disappointing,
you are now free to let it go and move
on to a better idea.
These are all successful outcomes that cost
little or nothing and can be completed in a
relatively short time frame.
At the same time, there is a subjective
aspect to this process since no two
individuals will approach it in the same way.
Consider these three points:
• You have a unique set of skills, assets,
goals, and limitations.
• Whatever the product idea, your
approach must take into account your
resources and your goals.
• Your assets and approach converge
within the context of your product’s
industry, marketplace, and the state of
the economy at any given time.
Put these together and it becomes clear
that there is no single formula, quick answer
or common path that applies to every
person and all ideas. The good news is
that whatever your resources, if you avoid
abdicating your responsibility for doing this
work and take charge from the outset, you
will not only be following your passion, but
will have the satisfaction of executing it.
Elizabeth PierottiThe Inventing Lifewww.theinventinglife.com
the goal of concept development is to test
the merits of a new idea as thoroughly as
possible so that informed decisions can be
made on what to do next
16 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | How Social Media Has Transformed Public Relations
Ocean State Tour de CureJune 2, 2013Narragansett High SchoolTo learn how to be a part of this event,contact Event Manager, Phoebe Bunker at 617-482-4580 x 3499 or [email protected]
How Social Media Has Transformed Public Relations
For professionals in the fast-paced B2B
marketplace, social media remains a
daunting challenge. How does one make
the most of a social media tools such as
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook plus blogs and
more? I often hear: “Why do I need to spend
time on social media? I am too busy with
emails already!”
While a recent Constant Contact presenter
shared that 69% of LinkedIn participants
are closing business on LinkedIn, the use
of social media as a tactical public relations
tool may be the key. Generating awareness,
reinforcing your brand, and keeping you and
your company top-of-mind are vital elements
by Carolyn Lavin
17www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
How Social Media Has Transformed Public Relations | SmALL BUSINeSS
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why do I need to spend timeon social media? I am too busy
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18 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
Many people ask about the benefits of a “contact spheres” and how
to determine which businesses are in my contact sphere?
A contact sphere is a group of business professionals who have
a symbiotic relationship. They are in compatible, noncompetitive
professions, such as a lawyer, a CPA, a financial planner and a banker.
If you put those four people in a room for an hour, they’re going to do
business together. Each one is working with clients that have similar
needs but require different services. Hence, they’re working that
symbiotic relationship.
An effective example of a contact sphere is the caterer, the florist,
the photographer and the travel agent. I call this the “wedding
mafia”! If one gets a referral to a wedding, then they all get a
referral to the wedding. These professions, more than most, have
truly learned how to work their contact sphere.
Here are some other examples of contact spheres:
Business services: printers, graphic artists,
specialty advertising agents and marketing
consultants.
Real estate services: residential and
commercial agents, escrow companies,
title companies and mortgage brokers.
Contractors: painters, carpenters, plumbers,
landscapers, electricians and interior designers.
Health care: chiropractors, physical therapists,
acupuncturists and nutritionists.
Let’s take a computer sales and service company
as an example. That contact sphere may include
sales reps for telecommunications hardware firms
and photocopier companies. Also, contractors
who specialize in installing wiring may fit within
this contact sphere to assist in wiring installations.
Also, don’t forget the computer trainers, who work
with people and their computers on a daily basis, as well
The Benefits of Buildinga Strong Contact Sphere
19www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Building a Strong Contact Sphere | SmALL BUSINeSS
Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization.
Peter George is the BNI Area Director for Rhode Island, helping members have a successful, profitable BNI experience.
as business coaches and accountants, who may have clients that
need to improve their company’s technology.
To get the most out of your contact sphere:
1. Identify as many professions as possible that fit within your
company’s contact sphere. Take a look at what professions
your industry tends to work with to get an idea of repetitive and
reciprocal referrals. Create a list of these professions.
2. Identify specific individuals who could fit into your contact
sphere. Go to various networking groups and consult your
business card file and database.
3. Invite these people to participate in networking groups with you
so you can formalize your relationship and have a way to stay in
regular contact. Maintaining the relationship is key. A good way
to do that is to participate in groups that put you together on a
regular basis.
4. Evaluate the professionals in your contact sphere that you are
presently referring. If they are not reciprocating, you may have
the wrong profession or the wrong person. Fill the spot with
someone who is willing to reciprocate.
Although developing a solid contact sphere will greatly increase your
business, you must remember that it alone is not enough. Because
contact spheres consist of small groups, you’re not likely to gain
exposure to a large number of individuals. Hence, work on developing
your overall network of contacts at the same time you are developing
your contact sphere.
Contact spheres are a great way to start building your professional
network. Good luck!
The Benefits of Buildinga Strong Contact Sphere
An effective example of a contact sphere is the caterer, the florist, the photographer and the travel agent. I call this the “wedding mafia”! If one
gets a referral to a wedding, then they all get a referral to the wedding.
20 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
LocaLPassing.com
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SmALL BUSINeSS | An Educated Consumer Is The Best Consumer
an educated consumer is the best consumer
Energy deregulation has created
competition, savings and confusion. Fixed
rates versus index pricing are prime
examples of this.
Fixed rates may appear appealing, but
historically indexed pricing performed
superlatively. The recession, lower peak
demands, favorable wholesale production
and hurricane reports, keep index pricing
low and stable. The indexed product is
purchased in real time and mirrors the
market, thereby offering the least amount of by Miriam J. Calore
21www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
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this business marathon must be
structured as a series of sprints
(short, actionable programs with a
defined and measured result-which
is the accelerator model of business
start up) to keep the energy, focus up
and the possible costs down
32 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
33www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Overcoming a Regulatory Challenge Creates New Jobs & New Beaches at the Quonset Business Park
There are times, when it is best to look at
what may appear to be an obstacle, and see
instead opportunity. That is the approach
we took in assisting waterfront tenants
at Quonset to comply with state Coastal
Resources Management Council (“CRMC”)
guidelines regarding public access to
Narragansett Bay.
In Rhode Island, the CRMC requires that
businesses located on waterfront property
on Narragansett Bay provide public access
points to the water for public use. That meant
tenants of Quonset Business Park located
along the waterfront -- including those in the
defense and automobile industries -- are
required to provide access to the water.
We recognized this as a hurdle to these
businesses – a challenge we were
determined to help them clear. It presented
an opportunity for us to find a way to make
it easier for them to do business, which
has long been our guiding mission. And
so in 2005, the QDC came up with a
public access plan in cooperation with the
CRMC that would help meet those state
requirements, but also relieve Quonset
Business Park tenants from the hardship of
having to each create their own individual
public access points on land leased from the
QDC. The master plan is then
updated every five years in accordance with
CRMC requirements.
Under the plan, Quonset tenants would not
have to create their own individual shoreline
access plans. Instead, the QDC itself came
up with an expansive proposal that includes
numerous avenues for public access within
the Park. Among them is more than 180
acres of conservation space, a 2.3 mile
bike path, the creation of a large-scale retail
plaza, five historical and cultural venues
(including the Seabee Memorial Park,
Quonset Air Museum, and the Allen
Madison House), access to the airport
and QDC offices, and most relevant to
this discussion - the creation of four new
beaches at the Business Park. The CRMC
agreed with our vision.
We believe that the result of that plan today
serves as a good example of how creativity
and flexibility can warm the climate for
economic development, and can also serve
the greater public good. The ‘beaches’
portion of the plan itself was as Rhode Island
as they come – a true Ocean State solution.
What better way to please all of the parties
involved than to create a series of beaches,
all with breathtaking views of Narragansett
Bay. And that is just what we have done.
The QDC manages three beaches within
the Business Park, providing maintenance,
seasonal bathroom facilities, picnic tables,
and garbage cans.
By conceiving of this plan and maintaining
these beaches, we have relieved each
waterfront tenant the responsibility of
providing their own public access points. It
is a solution that makes sense for all sides.
For Rhode Islanders, we have created yet
more areas where they can embrace the
breathtaking beauty of our state.
The beaches within the business park
now include:
• Blue Beach, which includes a small
beach with sand dunes to the south
and a densely
New Jobs and New Beaches at the Quonset | SmALL BUSINeSS
by Steven J. King, PE
we are committed to working with tenant companies to overcome obstacles, and achieve success
[ CoNTINUeD oN PAGe 34 ]
34 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | New Jobs and New Beaches at the Quonset
wooded fringe to the north and east. It
is connected to a residential area and
the Kiefer Wetland to the west. It is
located next to a former salvage yard
and solid waste dump that has been
restored by cleanup efforts. It features
scenic views down the West Passage.
It has a beautiful 1,000-foot stone-dust
walking path which leads from the new
parking area to the beach.
• Compass Rose Beach is a small sandy
strip located off Roger Williams Way.
While presently owned by the state
Department of Transportation, as part
of airport property, it is leased by the
Rhode Island Airport Corporation and
managed by the QDC. It too, looks
down the West Passage.
• Spink’s Neck Beach is a narrow, sandy
strip located off Patrol Road not far
from the North Kingstown Marina. The
Little Allen Harbor area is an active
working waterfront with several marine
related businesses. The beach area
features views of Narragansett Bay from
Patience Island to Jamestown.
In time, we expect to add Calf Pasture Point
Beach, which has been managed by the
Town of North Kingstown since 2001. It is a
natural habitat that is home to many species
of wildlife, sea-life, and waterfowl. Adjacent
to the Mount View neighborhood, it sits along
the Quonset Bike Path and features views
from East Providence to Warwick Neck to
Jamestown and the sea.
Quonset Business Park continues to be an
engine of economic development and job
growth for our state. Nowhere are jobs being
created at a faster pace, and
nowhere are businesses expanding with
greater consistency.
This story of the three beaches reinforces
a key element of our recent progress here.
Simply, we are committed to working with
tenant companies to overcome obstacles,
and achieve success. Through open
communication, careful planning, and
committed investment to our infrastructure,
Quonset Business Park has been able to
make a significant contribution to helping our
state’s economy to grow.
But at the same time, it is a place that
recognizes and shares the true beauty
of the ocean front. And it is a place that
encourages you to do the same, and stop
by for a visit.
Steven J. King, PE Managing DirectorQuonset Development Corp
the result of that plan today serves as a good example of how creativity and flexibility can warm
the climate for economic development
Bishop Hendricken has a rich tradition of Catholic education, attracting gifted scholars, artists and athletes who become men of character and compassion.Visit us to learn more!Call 401.739.3450, ext. 162for more information or to register.www.hendricken.com www.hendricken.com
Visit us onOPEN HOUSESunday, March 10, 2013
noon – 3:00 pm
ENTRANCE EXAMFor 9th & 10th grade applicantsSaturday, March 23, 2013
8:15 am – 12:15 pm
Catholic Values Fostering a Tradition of ExcellenceBishop Hendricken High School
35www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
36 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS |
Patricia Raskin, President of Raskin Resources Productions, Inc., is a radio talk show host, award-winning producer, media coach and speaker. She is the host of “Positive Business” on AM790 on Fridays from 3-5PM, “Patricia Raskin Positive Living” on WPRO -630AM & 99.7FM on Saturdays from 3-5PM and “The
Patricia Raskin Show” on WSAR – 1480AM on Fridays from 10-noon. www.patriciaraskin.com
F E AT U R E D S T O R Y:For some, running, cycling and swimming are ways
to enjoy a warm sunny day. For Vinu Malik, they are
a way of life. As a 36 time Ironman triathlete, Malik
turned his passion into a thriving business.
Malik saw a need to solve the dehydration
problems he faced during races and wanted
a better way to carry his drinks. The existing
products on the market were belts that were
uncomfortable and didn’t have any flexibility. Malik
came up with a concept of a belt that had comfort
in mind, giving it flex and focusing on ergonomics.
He started by making it for himself out of necessity.
Malik recalls a time when a friend came into his
apartment, took one look at the belt and said “Don’t
quit your day job.”
47www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
48 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
®
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R E V E N G E ® R 3 0
R E V E N G E ® 4 - B O T T L E
R 1 O U T D O O R
R 2 O U T D O O R
S L I D E B O T T L E C A R R I E R
S U P E R S T R E T C H WA I S T PA C K
S P R I N T ® PA L M H O L D E R
V U E A R M B A N D
R E V E N G E A R M B A N D I T
A E R O F U E L B O X
a n d m o r e . . .
R 2 O U T D O O R
FUELBELT GEAR IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE SPECIALTY RETAILER
FeATUreD STory | FuelBelt
With continued determination, Malik started
off with 50 belts and gave them to high
profile triathletes and just months later the
winner of the Ironman World Championships
came across the finish line with a FuelBelt
on. The exposure from the win, along with
the extended media covered helped FuelBelt
go from an idea in Malik’s apartment to a
recognizable brand overnight. To this day,
Malik continues to credit much of his growth
to the media, which he maintains very close
relationships with. This has resulted in
continued widespread coverage which has
helped to build brand awareness.
FuelBelt initially sold their products
exclusively online but as sales grew, the
company built a global distribution channel
that now includes over 5,000 stores in
40 countries. From a revenue standpoint,
FuelBelt continues to be one of the fastest
growing companies in the endurance sports
49www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
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R E V E N G E ® R 3 0
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R 1 O U T D O O R
R 2 O U T D O O R
S L I D E B O T T L E C A R R I E R
S U P E R S T R E T C H WA I S T PA C K
S P R I N T ® PA L M H O L D E R
V U E A R M B A N D
R E V E N G E A R M B A N D I T
A E R O F U E L B O X
a n d m o r e . . .
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FUELBELT GEAR IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE SPECIALTY RETAILER
®
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R 1 O U T D O O R
R 2 O U T D O O R
S L I D E B O T T L E C A R R I E R
S U P E R S T R E T C H WA I S T PA C K
S P R I N T ® PA L M H O L D E R
V U E A R M B A N D
R E V E N G E A R M B A N D I T
A E R O F U E L B O X
a n d m o r e . . .
R 2 O U T D O O R
FUELBELT GEAR IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE SPECIALTY RETAILER
FuelBelt | FeATUreD STory
channel and is the only company in the
sporting goods category to make the Inc
5000 list 6 years in a row. “Making the Inc.
5000 for a sixth year in a row is the result
of having long-range goals, an exceptional
team, and incredible customers. It’s also a
privilege to share this acknowledgement
with such notable alumni as Zappos, Under
Armour, and Patagonia…” said Malik.
As a product that started with very little
real competition, FuelBelt has created
competitors based on their success. There
are now close to 10 direct competitors
that are creating similar products, however
Fuelbelt is the clear industry leader with
over 70% of the overall market share. Now
with over 200 products, FuelBelt continues
to expand their product line which includes
reflective gear, race gear, run gear and other
active lifestyle gear.
As FuelBelt continues to expand into new
markets, their Rhode Island roots remain
strong. Malik chose to start his company in
Rhode Island because the FuelBelt brand
is lifestyle based. Rhode Island is unique
in that it provides access to the beaches
for swimming, bike paths for cycling and
good roads for running. The other strength
to building the brand in Rhode Island is the
tight knit community needed to support a
startup such as FuelBelt.
When asked about some of the challenges
that Rhode Islander’s often hear about when
starting a business, Malik said “There are so
many surprising companies here in the state
and they work hard to get where they are. It’s
hard work from day one and you have to be
on top of it every day. No hand outs, no gifts.
Nothing is really given to you. No matter
where you start your business, you really
have to work at it.”
As for future growth plans, FuelBelt continues
to pursue several opportunities. From further
expansion into European markets, to the
addition of several new products, FuelBelt
looks to continue revolutionizing the industry.
In the U.S. market, FuelBelt is looking to big
box retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods and
Target as major distribution channels in 2013
to help further increase company exposure
and revenue.
FuelBelt continues to grow and evolve,
serving the needs of athletes, from runners to
cyclists, to competitive triathletes. FuelBelts
have been used to break world records,
personal bests, and have even been used at
the Olympic world stage, where every effort
and every second counts.
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R E V E N G E ® R 3 0
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R 1 O U T D O O R
R 2 O U T D O O R
S L I D E B O T T L E C A R R I E R
S U P E R S T R E T C H WA I S T PA C K
S P R I N T ® PA L M H O L D E R
V U E A R M B A N D
R E V E N G E A R M B A N D I T
A E R O F U E L B O X
a n d m o r e . . .
R 2 O U T D O O R
FUELBELT GEAR IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE SPECIALTY RETAILER
®
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R E V E N G E ® R 3 0
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R 1 O U T D O O R
R 2 O U T D O O R
S L I D E B O T T L E C A R R I E R
S U P E R S T R E T C H WA I S T PA C K
S P R I N T ® PA L M H O L D E R
V U E A R M B A N D
R E V E N G E A R M B A N D I T
A E R O F U E L B O X
a n d m o r e . . .
R 2 O U T D O O R
FUELBELT GEAR IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR FAVORITE SPECIALTY RETAILER
when a friend came into his apartment, took one look at the belt and said “Don’t quit your day job.”
50 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
business profilethis month’s
mutual Cornell
While overseas outsourcing has had
a perverse effect on the landscape of
American business, it has also created jobs
in unexpected places. Mutual Cornell, an
analytical chemistry laboratory operating
out of Providence, RI, has learned the
importance of changing with the times.
Founded in 1993 by Kevin Donahue, Mutual
Cornell focused on environmental testing
before finding its niche testing consumer
products manufactured overseas. Items
such as jewelry, toys, and household
objects must be tested for chemical
components considered toxic to people
and the environment before they may be
sold in California. Testing is legally required
by California Proposition 65, formerly
known as The Safe Drinking Water and
Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Intended
principally to prevent corporations from
contaminating water supplies, it is now
considered the gold standard regulating the
presence of toxins in items sold to the public.
Though its jurisdiction extends only to retails
items sold in California, states including
Illinois, Maryland, and Minnesota have
adopted similar laws. In 2008 Congress
passed the Consumer Product Safety
Improvement Act (CPSIA), which established
EN71-3 Testing
ASTM F 963-08 Testing
Phthalates Testing
CPSC-CH-E1004-11 Testing
Cadmium Extractability from Children’s Metal Jewelry
Total Lead and Cadmium Testing
51www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Mutual Cornell | BUSINeSS ProFILe
a national limit of hazardous materials
allowed in children’s products. The presence
of toxic materials is of particular concern to
children; risks include cancer, birth defects,
and developmental disabilities.
A family run company, Mutual Cornell
places a premium on the value of personal
interactions. “When I was first starting out
as an environmental chemist, many of my
contacts were members of the jewelry
industry here in Providence” Donahue
says of his early days in the business.
“Sadly, much of that business has been
moved abroad due to outsourcing, but the
professional relationships I established
remain strong.” Noting the importance
of the strong small business network in
Rhode Island, Donahue says: “Those
relationships led me down a different path;
they introduced me to manufactures who
needed their goods tested to Proposition 65
standards, which I had heard of, but had no
professional involvement with. It turned out
to be a natural fit, and it completely changed
the direction of my business.”
Though it has grown steadily throughout
the years, Mutual Cornell still numbers less
than 30 employees, many of them family
members or longtime business contacts.
Donahue underlines that, despite its size,
his company has undergone the same
rigorous accreditation process as the largest
and most prestigious testing laboratories
in the world. Certified by both private and
government entities, Mutual Cornell has
been accredited by both the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO/
IEC) and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC). Mutual Cornell
employees are members of the Fashion,
Jewelry, and Accessories Trade Association
(FJATA) and hold board positions on the
Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of
America (MJSA) and the newly formed U.S.
National Committee of the International
Electrotechnical Commission for Quality
(USNC/IECQ). “We are proud not only of the
work we do, but of the way our business has
grown over our twenty year history. In many
ways it was organic growth, but we owe
much of our success to the community we
operate in.” With a constant eye to the future,
Mutual Cornell’s plans for 2013 include
expanding its small parts testing
department to incorporate a wider variety of
children’s toys.
52 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
F E A T U R E D
As an organization, the Central Rhode
Island Chamber of Commerce seeks
to support and advance the business
community in Rhode Island. We provide
a myriad of benefits to our membership,
and continually strive to find new ways to
help our members succeed. The Central
Rhode Island Chamber is a leader in pro-
business innovation and advocacy. We have
approximately 1,000 members statewide
in towns including Warwick, West Warwick,
Coventry, and West Greenwich. Our
members’ loyalty is the best yardstick of our
performance, and they continue to speak
very highly of our services.
The Central Rhode Island Chamber had
numerous successes over the last year,
despite the tough economy. Our members
have leveraged the benefits of membership
with their own ingenuity to realize strong
results of their own. Together, we will seek
to build on these successes moving forward
and revitalize Rhode Island’s economy in the
process.
The Central Rhode Island Chamber of
Commerce is a member of the Rhode Island
Chamber of Commerce Coalition, which
speaks with the voice of over 7,100 Rhode
Island businesses. Through the coalition,
we successfully advocated against many
pieces of bad legislation that would have
adversely affected our members. The
Coalition’s E-Advocacy network allowed
us to mobilize our members and get them
involved on the issues that mattered most
to the small business community. If you
helped support of the issues at the State
House through www.RIBUSINESSVOTES.
com thank you. If not please visit the site
and click on the “Take Action” tab and
see how easy it is to get your message
heard. Leah Prata, Chairman of the Board,
believes wholeheartedly that the Chamber
plays a vital role in keeping our membership
informed of legislation and its implications,
while also providing “a valuable voice for the
business community in Rhode Island.”
Our many, diverse events provide our
membership with great networking and
business development opportunities.
Chamber membership yields greater
company visibility within the community,
according to Rich Hittinger, Alliance
Environmental Group LLC.
Business Assistance: Our business
assistance services are the meat and
potatoes of what we do at the Central
Chamber. Our staff meets with members
and potential startups to help them realize
their goals and attain new successes.
Through our Central Rhode Island Business
Information Center we provide business
Central ChamberLauren E.I. Slocum, President/CEO
3288 Post Road, Warwick, RI
401 732 1100 | www.centralrichamber.com
FeATUreD ChAmBer | Central Chamber
53www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
consultants who help current and would-
be small business owners. Joseph Oakes,
VR Industries Inc., called the Chamber a
“wealth of information,” and “a great business
resource,” that is “very responsive.”
Networking: The Chamber offers numerous
networking opportunities with events such as
Business After Hours and LEADS Luncheons.
“The number of networking opportunities
that the Chamber provides is impressive”,
according to Steven Kitchin, New England
Institute of Technology. Additionally, Rick
Nagele, Fort Adams Trust spoke to the value
added to his organization by events such as
the Business After Hours, saying “It was a
great experience, which has broadened my
business contacts throughout the state.”
Save Money: We strive to create as many
ways as possible for our membership to
save money. Our current benefits include
discounted rates on advertising and rental
space, money saving coupons from local
businesses and other special promotions.
Opportunities for Growth: We host various
workshops, seminars, roundtables, and
presentations on a broad range of topics.
These events offer our members the chance
to further their knowledge and broaden their
opportunities for success.
Communications: The Chamber provides our
members with a plethora of media through
which to increase their communications
effectiveness. We offer such services
as direct mail and email, press releases
on member news, and the monthly
“ChamberWorks” statewide publication.
Jeremy Doran, Signs By Tomorrow, and his
company turned to the Central Rhode Island
Chamber for help with their effort to reach
out to the community, and he was pleased
with how much easier the process was on
his business thanks to our facilitation.
Tourism: We distribute brochures for
local businesses to hotels and car rental
agencies throughout the area. In addition,
the Chamber provides information and
encouragement to businesses and
individuals nationwide who are looking to
relocate to Rhode Island.
Community Support: Through the
participation of our members and staff in
a wide array of local events and initiatives,
the Chamber is an active member of the
community gaining the tangible benefits
of increased community visibility and
networking opportunities, as well as the
intangibles of being good business citizens
and giving back to the community.
The Central Rhode Island Chamber provides
many important benefits to our membership.
The menu of benefits is extensive. We will
continue to work to advance Rhode Island’s
business community and we hope to realize
many more successes in the coming year
with the help of our members.
STATEWIDE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
The Central Rhode Island Chamber is proud
to participate with the other Rhode Island
Chambers of Commerce to offer an exciting
networking opportunity for all employers
/ employees in Rhode Island. This 3 hour
networking event features over 120 table
top displays from businesses throughout the
state. Everyone is welcome to attend for $15
per person - cash bar. Simply register with
your Chamber - contact information is listed
at www.StatewideBAH.com.
What’s New | ChAmBer ChAT
East Bay ChamberMark G. DeVine, CPA, Chairman
16 Cutler Street, Suite 102, Warren, RI
401 245 0750 | eastbaychamberri.org
Our mission is to promote businesses
as the foundation for community growth
and well-being by being the most
reliable resource and leading advocate
for businesses throughout the East Bay
and surrounding areas. We are here to
help you succeed!
Dont miss our Women’s Winter Series
Brown bag lunch series!
12:00 – 1:00 each Tuesday at the
East Bay Chamber Office, 16 Cutler
St. Warren. Revive, rejuvenate and
reconnect with your Community and
local business owners! 20 minute
speaker, discussion and networking.
Sign up now for next meeting
$5. Fun surprises each seminar!
Raffles, goodies, networking, fun!
Find details of all meetings at www.
meetup.com/WEBOND or go to www.
eastbaychamberri.org / calendar of
events
New Members
SERVPRO of Newport & Bristol
Counties
HCC Marketing
Jason Thomas Home Renovations
Traffic Signs & Safety, Inc
Tire MD
Bristol Auto Body Works, Inc
BayCoast Bank
Savon Shoes
Tinker’s Nest
Newport County Computers
Cranston Chamber
Stephen C. Boyle, President
150 Midway Road, #178, Cranston, RI
401 785 3780I | www.cranstonchamber.com
The Cranston Chamber continues
its fight for affordable healthcare by
54 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should
have a Facebook page For your business
doesn’t meanyou should
Just because you can,
I know this is a pretty radical statement
as everyone is feeling the pressure to get
“digital” these days. Don’t get me wrong,
I really love digital tools – I’ve built my
business using them and I believe in their
potential. But going digital can be a big time
suck with very little real business return for
the trouble if you aren’t careful. So before
you launch that Facebook page – here are a
few things to consider that may save you big
headaches down the road.
Have a goal. As with any advertising,
having defined business goals helps you
budget time and resources better. Another
big plus - goals give you more opportunity to
measure your results. Facebook is only one
of hundreds of ways you can advance your
business online. FB should be one piece of a
larger digital strategy, not the only piece. By
taking just a bit of time up front to create a
solid plan that rationalizes your digital goals,
you have a much better chance of success
with much less frustration long term.
Fish where the fish are. Radio, TV
and print publications have distinct, unique
audiences; so does Facebook. Make sure
your target demographic actually uses
Facebook BEFORE you add it to your plan.
Since every social platform has a distinct
user community, do your homework and
find out the profile of Facebook’s user base
today. Remember, Facebook is international.
I recommend local businesses think hard
about their goals if they are targeting an
audience close to home. Spend your time
where your target demographic spends their
time and be thoughtful about what you say
once you find them.
Learn the etiquette and rules or
suffer the consequences. Life online
is very interactive – everyone has opinions
and they share them liberally. Any business
person with a bad Yelp review will be happy
to tell you all about it. Unlike a newspaper ad
which is pretty static, your online viewers will
by Mari Anne Snow
55www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
doesn’t meanyou should
tell you EXACTLY what they think (good, bad
and ugly). They will also react quickly when
you make them mad and they will share their
anger with lots of people quickly. Online
etiquette is a key component to building a
meaningful online presence and also critical
for building engaged users. Facebook also
has rules that govern business activities on
their platform. If you don’t understand these
rules and you break them, FB could exile you
with no warning. If you lose FB privileges,
you have little recourse. Take a moment to
learn about this environment and adjust your
approach accordingly for the best results.
Be interesting and actively engage
or don’t bother. Building a page is only
the first step, building a community of
caring brand advocates who hang out with
you, buy stuff from you and say nice things
about you is an entirely different kettle of
fish. This takes a huge amount of time and
effort - plus, once you have this network,
then you have to continue taking care of
it. The minute you stop paying attention to
them, your community will turn their attention
elsewhere. This takes a lot of time and effort –
it’s also the step most businesses fail to take.
When I evaluate existing FB pages for my
clients, they have very few friends and little
interaction. Is it worth the time, effort and
expense required to launch and maintain
a FB page if no one knows you exist? The
correct business answer: absolutely not.
You can’t take “likes” to the bank.
Don’t forget that the reason you want an
engaged community is to build your business.
I see clients spend an inordinate amount of
time trying to get people to “like” them. A “like”
is only useful to a business if it somehow ties
to increased business, brand awareness (that
leads to more business) or positive PR (that
leads to more business). “Likes” are not a
bankable commodity….so design your “like”
campaigns with calls to action that lead to
more money in your bank account.
Finally, understand what you “own”
and what you don’t. When you join
Facebook, you must agree to their terms of
service before you get an account. When
you do this, you sign over ownership of your
content to Facebook. Generally, I advise
clients to use Facebook as an “outpost”
drawing people back to your primary “real
estate” – your business website, blog or
ecommerce site - to do business with you.
That way you can capitalize on Facebook’s
vast user base to increase traffic to your
primary business sites.
A great friend of mine always reminds
me – when you are online, if it’s free, you’re
the product. Facebook needs you, me and
the rest of their 1 billion users (yes, FB
currently has around 1 billion active users
worldwide) and they are doing everything
they can to sell every one of us the dream
of easy, “free” success. What FB doesn’t tell
you is their business goals don’t include the
advancement of your business – p.s. that’s
up to you. FB sells potential, you have to do
all the work. And the better your plan is up
front, the more likely you are to achieve it.
Mari Anne Snow CEOSophaya
is it worth the time, eFFort
and expense required to
launch and maintain a Fb page
iF no one knows you exist
What’s New | ChAmBer ChAT
testifying against the supplemental
increase by Blue Cross in health
insurance premiums. The Chamber
belongs to three health advocacy
groups in the state, HealthRIght, Health
Insurance Small Business Task-force
and President Stephen C. Boyle was
recently appointed by Health Insurance
Commissioner, Chris Koller to the
Health Insurance Advisory Council,
that meets on a monthly basis on
all Health insurance issues from the
Commissioner’s office. Boyle referred
to the rate increase process as ”Health
Insurance Groundhog day” where
double digit rates are approved and the
business community must find a ways
to cut benefits, raise deductibles or
pass the cost on to their employees”
New Members
Code Red
Stacey Arruda-Tracy, LICSW
East GreenwichStephen Lombardi, Executive Director
580 Main Street | East Greenwich, RI
401 885 0020 | www.eastgreenwichchamber.com
The East Greenwich Chamber of
Commerce held its Annual Meeting
on January 31st at Quidnessett
Country Club. We were very pleased
with the enthusiastic support of our
sponsors, exhibitors, and everyone
who attended. It was a great evening of
business networking in a relaxed, social
atmosphere.
Our guest speaker was Neil Steinberg,
President and CEO of the Rhode Island
Foundation. Neil told us a little bit of the
history of the Rhode Island Foundation,
and its important role in the State of
Rhode Island. Neil was instrumental in
putting together last September’s Make
It Happen Rhode Island forum at the
Rhode Island Convention Center.
January was very exciting in East
56 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
Providence’s comeback story
These first two years that I have served as Mayor of Providence have
been tremendously challenging for our City. Working together, we
have accomplished what few believed possible.
As I delivered last year’s State of the City Address, on February 13,
2012, Providence was running out of cash, and running out of time. In
the months that followed, there were some who said Providence – like
some other American cities - could not avoid filing for bankruptcy.
Today it is my privilege to deliver a much more hopeful report on the
State of our City: Providence is recovering. Through collaborative
efforts and shared sacrifice, we have all but eliminated our City’s
$110 million structural deficit, and we expect to end this year with a
balanced budget. We have put Providence on a sustainable path by
working together and setting aside our politics for the greater good.
We reached a landmark agreement with our city unions and our
retirees to reform our City’s pension system that Moody’s Investor
Service lauded as a model for other Rhode Island cities and towns.
Governing magazine recently wrote that Providence has become
a leader by making our retirement systems more sustainable. We
worked with our major tax-exempt institutions, which have committed
more than $48 million in new contributions to our City over the next 11
years. And we thank Johnson & Wales, Brown, RISD and Providence
College, and Lifespan, Care New England and CharterCARE.
Our City is home to first-class research hospitals and universities and
a developing Knowledge District. We have one of the largest industrial
deep-water ports in the Northeast. We have one of most vibrant
artistic communities in America. Small businesses act as anchors in
every neighborhood of our City. Our young and diverse workforce is
eager for training and opportunity.
We are already seeing signs of economic recovery. Projects
representing tens of millions of dollars are underway in the heart of
our Capital City, including the revival of the historic Arcade - America’s
first indoor mall - into a mixed-use development of retail shops
and micro-lofts; a project transforming the former Providence Gas
buildings into residences; Johnson & Wales University’s construction
of a new parking garage and physician assistant building; and the
creation of six new retail shops on the ground floor of the Biltmore
Garage on Washington Street.
Last Wednesday, I attended events to celebrate the opening of
Andy, Jr.’s, an Italian restaurant in the heart of Providence’s historic
Federal Hill; Ellie’s, a Parisian-style bakery that recently opened its
doors at the Biltmore Garage; Ameriprise Financial’s new offices
downtown; Citizens Bank’s grant to help revitalize our City’s Olneyville
neighborhood; and a topping-off ceremony for Brown University’s new,
state-of-the-art environmental research and teaching facility.
Providence is recovering.
At the same time, we have not lost our focus on improving public
education and strengthening our neighborhoods. We are working
to make Providence the best urban school district in America. And
we have put into effect measures to protect against the blight of
abandoned and neglected properties in our neighborhoods hit
hardest by foreclosure.
Last year, we were selected as a finalist by Bloomberg Philanthropies’
Mayors Challenge for our proposal to boost education outcomes for
low-income children by increasing the number of words they hear by
their fourth birthday. Providence has been recognized by the White
House Office of Faith-based Initiatives efforts to support struggling
schools. We were named one of our nation’s “100 Best Communities
for Young People” by America’s Promise Alliance.
We have learned there’s nothing we cannot accomplish when
we are united.
by Mayor Angel Taveras
CAPITAL CITy | Providence’s Comeback Story
57www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
What’s New | ChAmBer ChAT
Greenwich with the celebration of 4
grand openings of businesses in the
Chamber.
New Members
Diffley & Daughters
Yogurt Riffic
Unique Fittness LLC
Stomp Performing Arts – 11/26
Worth Repeating Consignment – 11/26
Todd Magiera – 11-26
RI Web Gurus – 11/26
Frenchtown Auto -11/26
EGAPL 12/1
L & S Automotive
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt-12/11
BFF Grooming Inc. 12/11
The Childrens Workshop 12/11
Greenwich Odeum
Chamber Discoveries
Peoples Credit Union
Rok Bar N Grill
Hill and Harbour Veterinary
Budget Blinds
Inskip’s Warwick Auto Mall
WPRI – TV 12 Kim Poland
North Central ChamberDeborah Ramos, President
255 Greenville Avenue, Johnston, RI
401 349 4674 | www.ncrichamber.com
As we head into Spring, we have lots
of great networking events and more
planned for the North Central Chamber
of Commerce! This is the time of year
that we all come back to life – and
that’s what we hope to do for the small
business community in the towns of
Johnston, North Providence, Smithfield,
Scituate, Foster & Glocester!
Our events will include Speed
Networking, a “State of the Town”
Address with Mayor Lombardi, the
ever popular Statewide “Business After
Hours” and more. Other upcoming
events later in Spring will be our first
“Meet Your Chamber Neighbor” and
another fabulous “Taste of North Central
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The Rhode Island Business Journal is excited to introduce our newest media partner, GoGo Cast. This Rhode Island based organiation is a leading on-demand, location based digital media company providing real-time HD digital news, information and advertising displays in hundreds of high traffic retail locations across the state. (GoGo Screens) In addition, RISBJ and GoGo Cast are proud to present GoGo Cast’s newest rewardingly addictive mobile platform, GoGo Mobile. GoGo Mobile provides business with a unique promotionl solution that delivers real-time highly relevant information directly to ther consumer when they want through a mobile
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58 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | Founders League Hits the Ground Running
FoundersLeague
runningground
hitsGetting a new business off the ground
is exhilarating. It is also one of the most
challenging things a person or team can
do. There are many uncertainties about the
obstacles and opportunities a high-growth
startup will encounter and no surefire
way to predict how a nascent venture will
evolve. But ONE thing is certain in the world
of startups: Community is king. Despite
a cultural fascination with the “lone wolf”
founder who defies the odds, startups
can’t--and shouldn’t--go it alone. No matter
how you slice it, basements just aren’t great
places to run a startup.
Enter the Founders League. Created through
a partnership between Betaspring, the
Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce,
the University of Rhode Island and Brown
University, the Founders League offers
community and programming where
entrepreneurs can find camaraderie,
resources and support.
Since launching in January, the Founders
League has offered entrepreneur-
led programming to more than 300
entrepreneurs and opened a coworking
space at it’s 95 Chestnut Street
headquarters that currently serves as a base
of operations for more than 50 people from
30 different startups.
Coworking is an important component of
the Founders League platform because it
provides entrepreneurs with ongoing access
to a community of peers who share insights,
resources, and the bond of knowing exactly
what it’s like to be in the startup grind. The
space, open 24/7, 365 days a year, include
wireless networks, printers, whiteboards,
conference rooms and break out space, soft
seating, and a kitchenette.
There are no long term commitments and
different membership options to meet a
variety of needs and work habits.
“Being a member of a community of
startups allows us to stay close to our
roots and engage with developers and
entrepreneurs firsthand. Being in the
the
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by Melissa Withers
59www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Founders League provides a close-knit
community, communication with other
entrepreneurs and peers, and a powerful
feedback mechanism that helps us to
build services that let our customers
be more productive and focused. At a
macro level, the Founders League is
doing a great job of uniting the unique
diversity of the Rhode Island startup
community,” says Mike Rowan, VP of
Research & Development for SendGrid
and head of SendGrid Labs. SendGrid
is based in Boulder, Colorado, but
Mike, a native Rhode Islander, seized
the opportunity to lead a new SendGrid
office in Providence.
In addition to helping companies like
SendGrid get rooted in Rhode Island, the
Founders League is focused on six guiding
principles for how the platform will evolve.
They are:
1. Create an iconic physical nexus.
Place matters. Creating synergies
and circulation are among the most
important components of successful
entrepreneurial communities and their
support platforms.
2. Create a Co-working community.
Coworking communities provide
entrepreneurs with access to a
strong community of peers and a
physical space to work that reinforces
entrepreneurial success.
3. Attract and connect students. Students
represent an important asset in
Rhode Island’s effort to build a strong
entrepreneurial community.
4. Deploy a self-sustaining business
model. The Founders League must
operate with a model that allows for
sustainability and longterm growth.
5. Enhanced programming. The Founders
League is offering a continuum of
programming and services to match the
wide spectrum of needs within Rhode
Island’s start-up community.
6. Engage more entrepreneurs.
The Founders League places strong
emphasis on creating a dynamic and
activated environment that attracts and
meets the needs of a diverse community
of high growth entrepreneurs.
The Founders League launch has been led
by the team at Betaspring, who are
providing leadership to the platform as the
consortium develops a long-term operating
plan that seeks to ensure the Founders
League is financially sustainable by year
three of operations.
So don’t go it alone: find more information
and register for events at foundersleague.co.
What’s New | ChAmBer ChAT
RI”. For more details, please visit www.
ncrichamber.com and be sure to make
us one of your “Favorites”.
New Members
A&W Restaurant
Bar 101
Livingstone Photography
OneAmerica Financial Partners
Palermo Salumeria Italiana
RI Local Magazine
The Children’s Workshop – Smithfield
Northern RIJohn C. Gregory, President/CEO
6 Blackstone Valley, 301, Lincoln, RI 02865
401 334 1000 | www.nrichamber.com
The Northern RI Chamber of Commerce,
in conjunction with its Coalition partners,
will host the Annual Legislative
Reception on Thursday, March 21,
2012 at the RI State House from 4:30-
6:30 PM. The Chamber of Commerce
Coalition is led by the NRI Chamber,
under the direction of John C. Gregory,
IOM and full time lobbyist David R.
Carlin III.
The Coalition is the largest business
advocate organization in the State of
Rhode Island representing 11 area
chambers, 7,500 businesses and
70,000 employees. The Coalition
leaders follow more than 300 proposed
legislative bills annually and the
Legislative Reception is an opportunity
for member businesses to discuss
business issues and meet legislative
decision makers face to face.
New Members
Local Loyalty Partners
Owner Assistance Pro, LLC
Lincoln Chiropractic
Foolproof Brewing Company
Bay Business Machines
TD Bank
Faial Restaurant & Lounge
Ferreira Home Remodeling, Inc.
A group of entrepreneurs working at the Founders League coworking community”
Melissa WithersBetaspringChief of Staff and Nerd Whisperer
60 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | Social, Visual, Mobile, Virtual
READy oR NoT, ThESE FouR MEgA TRENDS WIll AFFECT youR BuSINESS
Part tWO: Visual by Chris Poe
Social, Visual, Mobile, and Virtual: I refer
to these as Mega Trends because they
are (1) happening on a grand scale, (2)
affecting business owners and executives
whether they choose to do anything about
them or not, and (3) they are changing the
world as we know it. Moreover, while these
Mega Trends are enabled by technology,
they are more representative of the grander
transformation that is happening as a result.
Ready or not, these Mega Trends are here;
as a small business owner, what are you
doing in the face of them? This article is the
second in a series that focuses on the four
Mega Trends in more detail, and discusses
the options available to small business
owners and professionals building a career
alongside them.
The VISUAL Mega Trend
Visual has been the primary and preferred
method of communication for our species
(in fact, for most sight-species) throughout
history. Even when we had no pictures, or
words, to communicate, we would see each
other and make inferences based upon what
we’d seen, learning from one another.
This is the power of VISUAL. We are primally
wired for visual stimulus. In fact, we’re
so wired for visual that we can even trick
our own bodies into knowing what it feels
like to do something we’ve never done by
leveraging visualization techniques. For
instance, you could close your eyes and
imagine yourself holding a ceramic mug
full of steaming hot cocoa, or reaching into
a dryer to retrieve warm fluffy towels; just
by envisioning yourself performing those
actions, you can trick your body temperature
into rising a little.
Reading about or hearing about an event is
never as compelling as seeing it. Take the
viral video of the Occupy Protesters at UC
Berkley being sprayed with pepper gas –
would it have impacted us as much if we
hadn’t seen the footage? (I think not).
In case you doubt how powerful visual
interaction is, think about how much we long
for it when we can’t have it (for instance, when
a loved one is deployed overseas). Consider
those interactions that are simply not
possible without being able to see (would you
want a doctor performing surgery on you with
61www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Chris PoeChief Technology OfficerAtrion
a blindfold on?). Our visual sense connects
us, enabling us to learn from each other.
Visual stimulus transcends generational
gaps. We have an innate desire to share what
we’ve seen.
Technology facilitates all of our visual needs.
The pervasiveness of the Internet combined
with affordable video gear like webcams,
camera phones, and the countless number
of devices we can consume and create
content with, as well as the rapid growth and
propagation of YouTube (quick stats that will
blow your mind: did you know that YouTube
streams more than four billion videos DAILY?
And that 72 hours of footage is uploaded
every minute?). If that doesn’t indicate
accelerating acceptance, I don’t know what
does. All of this demand to enjoy more and
more visual interaction: leveraging these
technologies is going to quadruple IP traffic
on the Internet by 2014.
Why should we care?
Besides the fact that video makes a huge
impact on the Internet and our internal
network (both from a bandwidth demand
and a performance sensitivity), which of
course we have to be ready for, we should
focus on the heightened impact that making
things visual can have on our businesses.
More and more customers will expect to
interact with your business and its people in
a visual way. We’ve begun to embrace this
ourselves, in fact, in that we are beginning
to leverage video conferencing in our call
center with clients who have a desire to have
that heightened sense of personal contact.
While any marketing department will tell you
how important it is to consider quality visuals
in eliciting a response from an audience,
in each of our businesses we should ask
ourselves if appealing to our innate desire to
see things is something we can leverage in
accelerating or differentiating any initiative.
It doesn’t require million dollar video
conferencing systems or studio quality video
production to leverage the power of
visual stimulus to make a positive impact on
your business.
Consider the next time you have to
document a process for future use. Might
it be even more effective to create a video
of that process? Think about a time when
you’ve sent an employee to physically see
something at a client location. If a picture is
worth a thousand words, how much more
compelling is a video? Seeing is believing,
and with the decreasing cost and
increasing ease by which video can make
a difference in even just one business
process, it won’t be long before you become
a believer yourself – hopefully before a
competitor does.
What’s New | ChAmBer ChAT
Southern RIElizabeth Berman, Coordinator
230 Old Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI
401 783 2818 | www.srichamber.com
The Southern Rhode Island Chamber
of Commerce is ecstatic to run their
first ever Ignite Southern Rhode Island
event. Ignite is a fast-paced event in
over 100 cities worldwide. Presenters
share their personal and professional
passions, using 20 slides that auto-
advance every 15 seconds for a total
of just five minutes! Enlighten us, back
make it quick! The event will be hosted
by the Contemporary Theater Company
located on 327 Main Street, Wakefield
and will take place on Saturday, March
23rd, 2013 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $7
per person. Visit www.srichamber.com
for more information.
New Members
Flat Earth Rebirth
Out In Front Horticulture
Brown Family Seafood, LLC
Sexy Raw Food and Fitness
SpringBrook Property Maintenance
Music With Elegance
WE ARE BEgINNINg To lEvERAgE
vIDEo CoNFERENCINg IN ouR CAll
CENTER WITh ClIENTS Who hAvE A
DESIRE To hAvE ThAT hEIghTENED
SENSE oF PERSoNAl CoNTACT
be sure to visit risbj.
com for all the latest
chamber news & events
happening this month
62 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
SmALL BUSINeSS | The Importance of Optimizing Your Website for Mobile
by Jeremy Girard
The Importance of OptimizingYour Website for MobileThe days of customers accessing your
website on desktop computers alone is
long gone. In today’s business environment,
our websites need to communicate to our
audience on an ever growing range of
devices, including smartphones, tablets,
netbooks, laptops, desktops, gaming
systems, kitchen appliances and more. The
online landscape has changed and, to be
successful, our websites need to change too.
The “Do Nothing Approach”
Oftentimes when I speak with clients and
business owners about the importance of
their site being optimized for mobile
devices, they respond by grabbing their cell
phone, firing up a web browser, and going to
their website.
“Look, my website comes up on mobile,”
they often reply, showing me their desktop
website - which is being squeezed down to
fit on their phone’s tiny screen. This is what I
call the “do nothing” approach to supporting
mobile devices. As the name implies, you
do nothing and simply expect your website,
which was designed for desktop screens,
to provide an effective user experience on
every other possible screen as well.
The photo below shows what a
desktop website (we will use
Envision’s site for our example
purposes) looks like when it gets
squeezed down for a smartphone’s
small screen. As you can see,
the website does appear, but it is
very difficult to use. Links that were
designed to be clicked on a desktop
are impossible to touch on a small,
touch screen device and the text is
that 40% of users state that, when on
a mobile device, they will abandon a
website not optimized for that device
after 3 seconds. 46% state that they
are unlikely to return to that site and
34% say that they will visit another
site (likely a competitor) instead.
This means that customers that
found your site - either due to
your marketing efforts, a link from
a search engine, through word of
mouth, etc., will then leave your
site and take their business with
them because you offered them
a poor mobile experience.
The example below once
again shows the Envision
website on a smartphone,
but instead of the “do
nothing” approach shown
previously, we have
optimized our site for this
smaller screen. As you
can see, the content
is presented in one
column that is easy to
read on this device.
Links are adequately
sized and easy to
access and our
navigation, instead
unreadable at this size. If you want to
use the site, you will need to “pinch and
zoom” to focus in on small pieces of the
content a piece at a time. If you’ve used
a website on your phone in this way, you
know what an unpleasant experience it is.
The Rise of Mobile Website Traffic
At Envision, we host hundreds of
websites. This allows us to look at traffic
numbers as a whole to identify trends.
What we are seeing is that, on average,
our clients’ sites get about 30% of their
traffic from mobile devices of one kind
or another – and we have some sites
that are over 50% of their traffic from
mobile! This is where industry analysts
are predicting all website traffic will climb
to in the next few years. According to
Google, the mobile web
is growing at eight
times the speed of
the Internet.
With increased traffic
comes increased
expectations. The bar
has been raised for how
our websites should respond to
mobile devices and our users expect
more than the “do nothing” approach.
In fact, another recent survey found
63www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
that 40% of users state that, when on
a mobile device, they will abandon a
website not optimized for that device
after 3 seconds. 46% state that they
are unlikely to return to that site and
34% say that they will visit another
site (likely a competitor) instead.
This means that customers that
found your site - either due to
your marketing efforts, a link from
a search engine, through word of
mouth, etc., will then leave your
site and take their business with
them because you offered them
a poor mobile experience.
The example below once
again shows the Envision
website on a smartphone,
but instead of the “do
nothing” approach shown
previously, we have
optimized our site for this
smaller screen. As you
can see, the content
is presented in one
column that is easy to
read on this device.
Links are adequately
sized and easy to
access and our
navigation, instead
of being presented as a row of tiny text links,
is a large, touch-friendly “menu” button that
will bring you to a similarly large, touch-
friendly menu.
More Than Just Phones
Some may suggest that the answer to this
situation is that you need a “mobile website.”
This means that you will have two separate
sites to maintain and keep updated – a
“desktop” site and this new mobile site. Do
you really want to have double the sites to
manage? Furthermore, this approach is only
addressing the two extreme user cases –
large desktop screens and small phone
screens. Supporting multiple
devices is about more than just those two
device sizes. In fact, a study conducted by
the Pew Research Center for Excellence in
Journalism and the Economist Group found that rather than replacing old technology with new devices, these new devices are creating “multi-platform” users. The report stated that more than half of users who use a tablet also use a smartphone and 77% of them also use a desktop or laptop. This means that a single user could be accessing your website content on 3 very different devices – a smartphone, a tablet, and a desktop computer. In each instance, they expect access to the website content in an experience suited to the device they are using at that moment. This is where the bar has been raised to for our new multi-device audience.
We believe that the best approach for
supporting this new multi-device world is
called “responsive design.” Put simply, your
business has one website to maintain,
manage, and promote and that single
site would reflow its layout based on the
screen size being used to access it. In
this way, your site will always do its best to
present an optimal layout and experience
for site visitors. It will present the large
screen layout designed for desktop users
and the small screen experience meant for
smartphone visitors – as well as everything
in between. With so many new devices and
varied screen sizes entering the market each
day, this responsive approach allows
your site to respond to the devices of
today and tomorrow.
The image below shows a
variety of popular devices,
The Importance of Optimizing Your Website for Mobile | SmALL BUSINeSS
all of which are showing one website that
was built using this responsive approach.
In each case, the layout of the website has
changed slightly in order to best support
that particular device and the human being
behind the device trying to find out about
our company and our services. In the end,
this is what is really important - supporting
the human beings that are requesting your
company’s website on this ever changing
array of devices and screen sizes. When you
optimize your website for a variety of devices,
you really optimize it for a wide variety of
people and their very different needs.
Jeremy GirardDirector of MarketingEnvision Technology Advisors
64 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
FeATUreD NoNProFIT | Saving Lives 100K Style
64 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
Since 1913, The Providence Animal Rescue
League (PARL) has been serving the people
and animals throughout Rhode Island and
beyond. Established as a non-profit 501(c)3
animal welfare organization, PARL receives
no federal or state funding and relies solely
on donations from generous individuals,
businesses and foundations to support its
work to provide compassionate care, medical
treatment and adoption services to more than
2000 animals each year.
“We are proud of the fact that PARL has been
a community resource for a century now
and always strives to lead the way
by example. We are fortunate
that we are able to contribute
in such positive, effective ways
that enrich the lives of people
and animals in our state,” says
Executive Director Carmine
DiCenso. “We can now say that
we have another exciting first for
PARL...competing in the ASPCA
Rachel Ray 100K Challenge!”
The ASPCA Rachel Ray 100K Challenge
is a contest in which 50 shelters across
the country will compete to break their own
records at saving animals’ lives. Throughout
the months of June, July and August 2013,
each competing shelter must save more dogs,
cats, puppies and kittens than they did during
the same three months the previous year.
During those months in 2012, PARL saved 76
dogs and puppies and 303 cats and kittens,
such as Smokey and Angie pictured here.
It’s all about saving lives.
Last year’s Challenge started with a
major bang and included some seriously
heartwarming adoptions. Nationwide, 2,700+
Angie is a four-year-old pitbull/mastiff mix who was adopted in
June of 2012.
Bruschi is a pitbull puppy who was adopted in February of 2013. He’s pictured here with PARL staff
member, Candace.
Smokey is a three-year-old male cat who was adopted in June of 2012.
Saving Lives 100K StyleASPCA Rachel Ray 100K Challenge
65www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
We’re Up to the Challenge!
The Providence Animal Rescue League
was named one of only 50 shelters in
the entire country to compete in the
ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge!
We need you, our community, to help us
save more lives this June, July and August!
starts june ‘13
www.parl.org
34 Elbow St, Providence, RI 0903 | 421-1399
We’re in!
Are You?
Wanna help us save lives?
Saving Lives 100K StyleASPCA Rachel Ray 100K Challenge
66 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
GoLocalProv.com is the “go to” local Web experience that breaks the biggest local stories, sports, high school sports, weather, news, politics,
arts, entertainment — and allows users to go as deep as they wish. Branded, credible, and respected contributors from RI create the stories and
content. Information is delivered through multimedia, written, and video platforms. All at GoLocalProv.com.
including a solid year for meeting,
convention and sporting event bookings
and attendance, as well as the continued
development of event-based programming
by the City of Providence and other
local organizations.
“We’re very pleased with the numbers for
2012 and very optimistic about 2013,” said
PWCVB President & CEO Martha Sheridan.
“We had some large groups in last year, like
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which brought
more than 2,500 delegates to the area for
its regional conference in April, and the
International Association for Food Protection
2012 Annual Meeting, which consumed
2,470 hotel room nights in July.”
Most popular days, biggest draws
In tracking occupancy, the PWCVB also
notes that Saturday is the most popular day
of the week for an overnight stay, which
points to the strength of leisure travel.
WaterFire continues to be a top draw and
the city’s growing national reputation as a
top culinary destination has also bolstered
Providence’s visibility.
“Promoting Providence as a great weekend
getaway has been a collaborative effort.
The City of Providence has augmented
and enhanced their cultural offerings in
recent years, including introducing new
programming in Kennedy Plaza and
developing a wonderful Fourth of July
celebration. The PWCVB has also focused
on marketing Providence as a top culinary
destination, creating Providence Restaurant
Weeks and promoting local chefs to the
national media,” said Sheridan, noting that
the city was recently ranked the #1 Food
Destination in the U.S. by the readers of
Travel + Leisure magazine in their “America’s
Favorite Cities” poll.
Providence Hotels Outperform National Average For 2012Providence hotels are putting more heads
in beds, with 2012 occupancy and Average
Daily Rate (ADR) outperforming the national
average, the regional average and the city’s
own 2011 numbers.
Occupancy for Providence hotels in 2012
averaged 67.6 percent, a 4.3 percent gain
over 2011’s 64.9 percent and well above
the average for both the U.S. (61.4 percent)
and for all of New England (61.6 percent).
The largest gains were in the Average Daily
Rate. ADR for 2012 was $137.36, a 5.7
percent increase over the 2011 ADR, which
was $129.94. Nationally, ADR for 2012 was
$106.10, with ADR for New England at
$126.80.
AHL All-Stars the latest success
“Our successful efforts to attract large
conventions and events like this week’s
Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic are
bringing more visitors to Providence and
helping grow our local economy,” said Mayor
Angel Taveras. “Providence has so much to
offer, and we will continue working closely
with the Providence Warwick Convention &
Visitors Bureau to promote and market our
Creative Capital.”
The Providence Warwick Convention &
Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) attributes the
strong numbers to several factors,
the PWCvB has also
focused on marketing
providence as a top
culinary destination,
creating providence
restaurant weeks and
promoting local chefs
to the national media
67www.risbj.com | volume two issue two
Providence | GoLoCAL
Bill Would Reduce/Eliminate Minimum Corporate Tax
As Rhode Island attempts to continue its
recovery through the recent economic
downturn, one of the issues Republican,
Tea-Party and other similar tax opponents
point to as a major hurdles to small
businesses starting up in the state is a
minimum $500 corporations franchise
tax payment that all businesses in RI are
required to pay each year.
If one General Assembly member has his
way, however, that burden may soon be less
of an obstacle.
Senator David E. Bates, a Republican from
District 32 (Barrington, Bristol and East
Providence) introduced a bill this week that
would allow start-up companies a three-year
grace period before the tax is imposed and
would reduce the minimum franchise tax to
$100 per employee for up to four employees.
“This legislation is going to help small and
new businesses in Rhode Island, the kinds
of businesses that employ so many state
residents and the kinds of companies that
we want to attract to our state,” Bates said.
“A $500 minimum corporation franchise tax is
a significant amount to many small, start-up
companies and is money they could more
wisely use to make payroll or reinvest in
their company.”
Bates says he knows that the legislation
would lower the amount of tax revenue taken
in by Rhode Island but says “what is most
important is that we provide a boost to small
and start-up concerns.”
“If we are serious about growing jobs in
Rhode Island and if we are serious about
making it easier for entrepreneurs to start
and grow businesses here, then reducing
the cost for small businesses to operate
should be one of our foremost goals,”
he said.
The bill, which has been co-sponsored by
Senators Louis DiPalma, William Walaska,
Frank Lombardo and Senate Majority Leader
Dominick Ruggerio, has been referred to the
Senate Committee on Corporations.
Bates said his legislation is proof that the
State Senate’s main focus is to “make it easy
to do business in Rhode Island.”
“We know Rhode Island has a less than
wonderful reputation as a business friendly
state, but that is changing with the various
reforms and new laws that have been
enacted the past few legislative sessions,”
Walaska added. “This bill is another
example of how we can help cut costs for
those businesses already here and make it
more attractive and less expensive for new
businesses to start and grow.”
Biggest months for occupancy
Two months in 2012 – June and October
– topped 80 percent occupancy, a
height not reached since 2004. Both
were strong meeting and convention
months. June featured Netroots Nation,
a conference of progressive bloggers
and political figures; IEEE Computer
Vision and Pattern Recognition
Conference; and the 2012 Hearing
Loss Association of America Annual
Convention. The three conferences
accounted for 5,549 hotel room nights.
Highlights for October included
the University Risk Management
and Insurance Association and the
American Physical Society, whose
conference fell over Hurricane Sandy.
The two events combined for 7,278
room nights. October also featured two
popular events: the Jack O’Lantern
Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park
Zoo and the Flames of Hope WaterFire.
The Providence Warwick Convention
& Visitors Bureau is an accredited,
501(c)(6) nonprofit organization whose
mission is to create vibrant growth
for the local hospitality economy by
promoting, developing, and expanding
a united visitor industry. For more
information, contact 401-456-0200 or
visit www.pwcvb.com.
From Rhode Islanders
and for Rhode Islanders:
See it. Read it. Share it.
68 rISBJ | rhode island small business journal
THE RHODE ISLANDCOMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS®
Butler RealtyGroup
Commercial • Investment • Residential
401-886-7800www.ButlerRealty.us
Several Prime Office Locations: Providence, Warwick, Johnston, North Kingstown, South
Kingstown, and Exeter. Call for details and address Several to choose from, Some For Sale or lease. Financing available.
Call for details.
635 Arnold Road, Coventry: Great location at Exit 7 near Centre of New England. 800’ front retail/office- Rear 1700’ warehouse service area with 14’W x 10’L O.H. door. Fully air conditioned!! Recently
577 Tiogue Avenue, Coventry: 1210 sq ft retail space; former salon in this first floor left unit. Located in a very nice building. New Oriental Restaurant going in on the lower
level. Ample parking. RILiving.com MLS#1032118Two 1220 sq ft adjacent spaces (2240 sq ft total) on the second floor.
Located in a very nice building! Big picture windows in the units with waterviews! Elevator available and nice common area. New Oriental
Restaurant is going in on the first floor. MLS# 1032254
333 Main Street, East Greenwich: Best location on Main Street. Bright and open 2nd floor unit with high ceilings. Parking lot across the street. Great office
or studio space! 1,250 sq ft, $12. psf/yr.RILiving.com MLS #1018391
269 Greenville Avenue, Johnston: Bright office/retail/general business space with open floor plan- Former tanning salon. PRIME busy corner location; easily accessible. Ample
$1400/per month. Unit E.RILiving.com MLS #1010162 and MLS #1010159
24 Quaker Lane, Warwick:1,000 sf street level retail - $900 mo. 1,000 - 3,000’ sf (3units) 2nd level, bright second floor space from $750 mo.with high ceilings and sky lights. Zoned general business.
By Kent County Courthouse & “Miracle Mile” Rt.2/Rt.117.Great highway access & signage.
RILiving.com MLS #987502
20 Centerville Road, Warwick: Former school; solid brick construction. Very nice 2nd
floor space; owner on 1st floor. Space plan attached. Great Apponaug location! Quick highway access and walk to Ap-
ponaug Village amenities!RILiving.com MLS #988739
39 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich: Great Rt.3 location just a mile north of Rt.95 Exit 6. Versatile build-
ing. 13,000 sq ft clear span with high ceilings, plus two offices/service areas, 2000 & 4000 sq ft. May divide. Up to 40,000’ for Lease or buy at $1.6 Million. From $5,50 psf/yr. RILiving.com MLS #1022330
74 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich: Great Route 3 location just ½ mile from Rt 95 exit 6,
nicely appointed office or retail suite with several officesand open area,was HQ for Bess Eaton & Tim Hortons.Fresh paint and carpets. 600-3600’, from $10 psf/yr.
RILiving.com MLS #990071
1755 Smith Street, North Providence: Former Dunkin Donuts for over 30 years (they bought &
moved across the street). Seats 30+. Has a drive-thru. Park-ing for 20+. GREAT for ANY fast food concept.
2000 sq. ft. $4,500/mo. RILiving.com MLS #1028322
4 Grafton Avenue, Coventry: Free Standing Commercial Building-PRIME location next
to The Centre of New England-Exit 7 on Rt95.The building has many offices,a kitchen/cafeteria area,reception,storage & IT room. 1st floor office is 1650 sf, 2nd fl. office 2,000 sf, the warehouse is 1600sf w/650sf mezzanine. Sale at
$495,000 or lease at $10 psf. RILiving.com MLS #1031877
1 Brown Street, North Kingstown: Wickford Village- Excellent location on corner lot. Visible from three streets. Big windows, good foot traffic. Larger
unit (1,500 sq ft) beautifully finished, windows on two sides. Smaller unit (1,000 sq ft) needs finishing. Can be combined.
CALL NOW! RILiving.com MLS #1030851
PROPERTY FOR LEASE
Many more Commercial Properties@ www.ButlerRealty.us ....
THE RHODE ISLANDCOMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS
THE RHODE ISLANDCOMMERCIAL & APPRAISAL BOARD OF REALTORS®
Butler RealtyGroup
Commercial • Investment • Residential
401-886-7800www.ButlerRealty.us
400 South County Trail, Exeter: Great location!! Design Award of Excellence. Private baths. Centrally located 6 minutes South of Home Depot in North
Kingstown. Easy access at the gateway to South County. Taxes are approximate. Assessment as unfinished. 900-4,000 sq.ft.
available. From $124,000 RILiving.com MLS #995461
81 West Industrial Drive, Cranston: Flex space, office/warehouse very convenient off Rt. 295 at Rt. Up to 2,000 sq ft office, 1,000+ sq ft warehouse 14’ OH door, end unit on dead end street offers parking and vehicle
flexibility. Great for contractors. Reduced! $250,000Lease Considered!
132 Meadow Street, Warwick: Great location off Rt.117, 1 mile East of Exit 10. Office/
Mfg Wrhse combo. Great value for user. Nice, clean, bright space! This bldg has been substantially updated & is turn key ready to go. Owner can also modify to suit! Lease op-
157 Granite Street, Westerly: Great corner location at signaled intersection. Many major
retailers are in this area. Building could be rehabbed or knocked down. $650,000 Also available: The adjacent 2
family lot (lot #274) 8,712sq ft for $200,000.RILiving.com MLS #1034320
39 Nooseneck Hill Road, West Greenwich: Large multi-use building offers great flexibility, possible
multiple tenants. The church would consider a lease-back of 10,000-15,000sq ft. Additional 14 acres adjacent also available. Great Rt.3 location just a mile north of Rt.95, Exit 6. Reduced! $1,600,000 Lease Considered! RILiving.com MLS #1029643
747 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston: Great location near Rolfe Square. Three floors of office suites from 200 sq ft and up. Good income generator or large owner
occupied office. Owner keeping several suites clear anticipating a larger user to buy/occupy and have income. $875,000
RILiving.com MLS#1020960
111 Airport Road, Warwick: Very nice 2nd floor office space. Tastefully decorated, good
paint & carpet, possible office furnishings (nice stuff!) Three offices, conference, reception, lav., plus large basement stor-
400 South County Trail, Exeter: Approved Development Zoned Business 17+acres.Current per-
mitted plans for 7 office building for total of 86,000net sf.MANY POTENTIAL USES. Central Rt.2 location minutes from Home Depot/Walmart in N.Kingstown. Easy highway access-strong
traffic count! $975,000 RILiving.com MLS #1029590
111 Hopkins Hill Road, West Greenwich: ½ acre – 16 acres Very fast growing area off Exit 6A near GTech, Amgen & Centrex. Front pad is busy Dunkin Donuts, balance of
site permits office, retail, warehouse & light industrial. Traffic count 15,000 and growing! Multitude of possibilities- 6 other
avail. lots. From $150,000 RILiving.com MLS #855989
4 Grafton Avenue, Coventry: Free Standing Commercial Building- PRIME location next to The Centre of New England-Exit 7 on Rt95.The building has many offices,a kitchen/cafeteria area,reception, storage & IT room. 1st floor office is 1650sf, 2nd fl. office 2,000 sf, warehouse is 1600sf w/650sf mezzanine. Sale at $495,000
or lease at $10 psf. RILiving.com MLS #1031857
7265 Post Road, North Kingstown: 7.82 acres on US Rt.1. Zoning permits apartments/office/medi-cal/retail. Many possibilities!! Will build to suit, sale or lease,
or land only. Great location. Dozens of acres and walking trails behind property. Adjacent 5+- acres also available.
Call For Details! RILiving.com MLS #856381
PROPERTY FOR SALE
HUGE REDUCTION
Many more Commercial Properties@ www.ButlerRealty.us ....