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   QUOTE
 

January 2009

  

“I really enjoy turning a property into some- thing positive and seeing job creation.”

 

Steve Putzi, Delaware and Hudson Hotel, Honesdale

  

Full Story on page18 of  the January Startups and Partnerships issue

 
 

 OBSERVE

January 2009

 

 

1    New Year’s Day

9    National Clean Off Your Desk Day

11  International     

Printing Week

23  National Pie Day

 

   QUESTION
 

How many people carpool to work in Monroe County?

   

See the GPCC Business Magazine ad

on page12 in the January 2009 PBJ for the answer.

 

 

Deadline March 2, 2009!

It's that time again: PBJ's Second Annual "GREEN LIST" applications are due March 2, 2009

Click here for application


January Feature

Business Partnership is a 'Marriage' of the Minds

 

 

Fleur-de-lis owners Josephine Mero (left) and Martha Loomis work together to provide an appealing experience to those who enter the store. Photo credit: PBJ.

By Nicholas Sergi

         “I think it’s much more about the quality of the relationship.” So says George Fowler, and it may sound like he’s talking about a marriage.  Actually, Fowler is an independent small business consultant based in New York City, and he’s talking about the core facet that makes a small business venture by two partners work.  “A business partnership is a marriage. It’s best if they know each other well before they form such a partnership.”

         To underscore his point, Fowler added that “you have to know yourself, and you have to trust that your partner knows himself or herself,” which includes trusting your partner’s level of commitment and that each person will bring his or her contacts to the table.  Fowler also believes it’s important that a partnership, surprisingly, should not be completely equal. “Someone should be able to make a final decision” if something should go awry in the relationship.

         At Arrival, a Stroudsburg shop that specializes in skateboards, snowboards and related clothing and accessories, the partners are three friends who combined their skills and their passion.  Each partner fills his own niche. While all three can alternate running the day-to-day transactions in the store itself, Aaron Rude handles the accounting, Hans Ziegler focuses on buying the merchandise, and Mike Kijewski spends time off-site nurturing potential business contacts. 

         “Everything [about the partnership] is written down,” says Ziegler, who adds that their friendship and common purpose is the foundation of the company, with each one having his defined role. 

         Arrival offers products to “kids who don’t gravitate to team sports and would rather pursue something that is not as structured, where they can do their own thing and make their own path,” notes Ziegler. 

         Josephine’s Fleur-de-lis, a small business located in Stroudsburg, is run by Josephine Mero (at photo in left) and Martha Loomis (photo, right) who consider themselves equal partners with the same vision for their shop, which offers one-of-a-kind gifts. 

         Loomis says what makes their partnership work is that each one has a trio of skills they bring, all of which have been essential to success. Mero, who worked to convert what was once a deli into a store of ornate gift items, serves as the buyer, the merchandiser (arranging the gift items to make them “appealing to the customer,” according to Loomis), and the designer.

         Loomis’s expertise lies in more business-related concerns: marketing, operations, and community relations.  Whenever possible, she says, “We let each other do what we do best.” 

  

For more on Startups and Partnerships see the January2009 edition under

"View Current Issue" above

PBJ is distributed throughout our community.
Check out the "Newsroom" tab on this Web site for distribution points.


Now in January 2009:   Available by subscription or call (570) 421-0100

PBJ's Startups and Partnerships issue

 

Business Partnerships: What Works?: Experts advise on  how to run a successful collaboration

 

Men Who Have Made An Impact: Key movers and shakers in the four counties

 

Family Ties, Family Businesses: How and when to put business first

 

Ten Things New Pocono Businesses Need to Know: Getting the best help possible in 2009

 

Professional Profile: Partnering Spells Success at Elevations Health Club in Scotrun


Coming Next Month...February 2009:

PBJ's Finding Opportunities in the Current Market issue

Job Creation Takes Turn for the Green: Carbon County about to explode on green scene

 

While You Wait: What you can (and should) strengthen now, before the economic bounceback

 

Making Workforce Development A Reality: Monroe-based business leader has plans to bring schools and business together

 

Professional Profile: Finding opportunities in the written word at Books and Prints (Milford) and Main Street Books (Hawley)


Endorsements

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the one-year subscription to the Pocono Business Journal. I look forward to reading it each month. The business community is very lucky to have such a professional publication at its fingertips. Well done!" 

Angela Tullo (winner of Spring 2008 story idea contest)

Tri-State Troopers Fund, Inc.

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Tina Dennis

Manager - Marketing, Media and Public Relations

The Synchrium Group

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Jerrold Fritz

Treasurer

NE PA Community Federal Credit Union

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Erin Baehr, CFP, EA

Erin Baehr Financial

 

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Donna L. Hamilton, MD, MS, FAAP

Manifest Excellence, LLC

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Carrie Wetherbee, Event Planner

Women Business Owners Association (WBOA)

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Northampton Community College ~ Monroe Campus

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Chuck Hannig, President/CEO
Spread Eagle Development Corp. ~ Spread Eagle Realty, Inc. ~ Hannig Enterprises, Inc
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