2:15 Session Location: First Presbyterian
Convener: Gustavo Maldonado
Scribe: Tom Domonoske
Participants-
Amy Good, Curtis Lambert, Jose Maldonado, Daniel Uribe, Aaron Hagmaier,Mickey Arefaine, Sarah Prusak, Gustavo Lemus Maldonado Jr., Doug Guith, Bruce Lundeen, Tom Domonoske
Ideas discussed
Jose started out with the downturn in the economy losing jobs and jobs opportunity and need to work together. The problem of getting people united to work together. As the economy faltered Maldonado cleaning lost a lot businesses and customers started doing their own cleaning.
Curtis mentioned that it is a problem how we get together to sustain ourselves.
Mickey talked about a need for local businesses to find out about each other for instance she runs a restaurant but did not know of Maldonado cleaning.
Daniel Uribe said the Chamber of Commerce should be doing that but perhaps its fees are.
Mickey said the Chamber membership was too expensive for its benefits.
Curtis mentioned about BALE
Sarah mentioned Business Network International (BNI) as a way to do it.
Jose started they only get referrals by word of mouth from doing a job.
Mickey talked about if it is online it can be linked with other word.
Gustavo spoke about the need to make the economy grow not only locally but in Virginia and in the United States and need to work together to do so. His business has been working in restaurants, houses, and clinics, but know trying to grow. The bad economy is holding him back. So each business needs to unite to support one another and should share company cards and send business to each other.
Mickey talked about the need for a good sheet about services and Sarah talked about testimonials from customers. Each of them agreed that seeing a competitor using the service would give them trust in the service.
Curtis wondered about what services could be made available pro bono to starting businesses.
Much discussion then developed about businesses like Maldanoda’s cleaning could market themselves better.
One idea would be to do one time cleaning rather than asking the business to sign a recurring contract. The idea is to start small with new customers and show them the work you do and then they will sign up for a longer contract.
