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Greetings!
The MPBPA will hold its monthly luncheon meeting next Thursday, April 15th at noon at the Holiday Inn in Mount Pleasant. People generally start arriving by 11:45 to network and the meeting will start around 12:10. The luncheon is $12 for members and $18 for guests. DON'T FORGET: As always, we require an RSVP. Reply to this email no later than 10 a.m. Wednesday morning and let us know if you and any guests will be attending. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND RSVPRIGHT NOW so you'll have that part done! Click on the RSVP link or email our membership chairperson, Brian Sherman at BriSherm@bellsouth.net |
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This month's program:
"How the SBA can assist
your small business"
by Paul Thomas, Small Business Association
 Paul Thomas with the Small Business Association will be the guest speaker at the April Mount Pleasant Business Professionals Association luncheon.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government that aids, counsels, assists and protects the interests of small businesses. At the luncheon, Mr. Thomas will present an overview of the programs and services that are available to small businesses through the SBA.
Paul Thomas has been with the SBA for 31 years - three of those years as a South Carolina Senior Area Manager. Prior to joining SBA, he spent four year in the accounting field, ten years in the retail field and several year on active and reserve duty with the military. He has a business degree from Clayton College and an accounting degree from Georgia State University.
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Meeting sponsor:
HearSay Communications
Maria Aselage, President
 HearSay Communications is a public relations company that specializes in earned media, crisis communications, presentation coaching and high impact event planning.
We focus on enhancing your company's public image as well as promoting its products and services by leveraging a variety of channels including the media, the Internet and public presentations. We also have a proven track record of making community events more profitable and popular.
At the luncheon, Maria Aselage, President, will discuss EARN™, the Expert & Authority Resource Network. It is a new program that will promote your products and services through earned media.
Maria Aselage has more than 17 years experience on both sides of the microphone. She is a former award-winning television news reporter and former communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Charleston. As a reporter and anchor who pitched, wrote and produced compelling news stories on a daily basis, she understands what the media want and how to deliver it. Many reporters have come to rely on Maria as a source for stories and as a resource for experts as they cover the news and issues of the day.
Maria Aselage, President
HearSay Communications
Office: (843) 225-0008
Mobile: (843) 513-7605
maria@hearsaycommunications.com
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President's Corner - April 2010
"It's all about perspective...
And we find ourselves already in the second quarter of the year. April. The constant winter rains have abated, the sun is out, temperatures are finally climbing out of the well-digger regions and encouraging shorts and flip-flops. Easter and Spring Break have come and gone. And your Association continues to make this one of our best years yet for keeping local business professionals educated and informed.
If you missed the March meeting, you truly missed a good one - with our good friend (and former MPBPA president) John Carroll of Unlimited Performance giving us an entertaining and very informative talk about networking. I hope you were there as we all walked away with great information and a new perspective on how to network and what to expect from it.
It was third in a great series of speakers thus far.
January, Mayor Swails gave us an update on the Town's plans for the year. February, we had SCORE representative Ram Dachepalli talk to us about his organization and their counseling for small business owners. Last month, of course, John spoke to us about networking.
And this month, we present Paul Thomas of the Small Business Association, who will give a presentation on the free assistance the SBA can offer you.
This presentation is being done in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant, which has taken a greater role in working with the MPBPA to help promote business in our town. Many thanks to Quin Stinchfield for arranging this seminar, which will likely be the first of several the Town will be arranging and promoting. She and Ashley McKenzie (of the Town's Office of Community Development) have been regular attendees at meetings and have been working with your board to provide better interaction between our group and the Town. For that, we are grateful, as it fits in well with one of the board's goals this year - which is to educate and advocate for business in Mount Pleasant.
Next Thursday's meeting will be a great one and we're going to rush through regular business as quick as possible in order to give Paul as much time as available for his seminar and for your questions.
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But it's not all work around here. Part of our desire to provide networking for local business professionals includes member-only socials, like the one held last week at Crave. A great time was had by all. Many thanks to Rebecca Gooden of Crave (a member for several years) for providing some outstanding appetizers. We look forward to our next visit.
Because of the gathering's informal nature, I didn't take a head count, but would estimate we had around 30 people there. We'll plan another one in the next month to six weeks.
And what Spring would be complete without our premier networking event - the Spring Party at the Cotton Dock!
This event is planned for Thursday, April 22nd, from 5:30 to 8:30 in the Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation. The Coppertones will provide live music and the ticket price includes outstanding heavy hors d'oeuvres by caterer Tom Smith, as well as beer, wine and soft drinks.
Tickets are $22 in advance, $40 per couple, $25 at the door. Because we need to prepare the appropriate amount of food and spirits, we do request an RSVP if you will be joining us for this event. Make it easy... please consider buying an advance ticket at next week's meeting. Or emailor call (972-2356) me today with your RSVP.
We are still seeking sponsors for the event. For $250, your name will be attached to all promotion and ads, you will receive four tickets, and you will be able to have a table at the Cotton Dock to promote your business or service. Only six slots are available and two are already taken. (Thank you, Town of Mount Pleasant and Stanley Steemer.)
Or perhaps you would consider donating a raffle prizefor the event. Every year, we give away some great gifts and would love to have something from your business. Call or email or bring a raffle donation to this next week's meeting. We'd greatly appreciate it.
Hope to see you next Thursday!
To email Chuck on any issue related to MPBPA, or to RSVP for the Cotton Dock party, click here...
BUT... to RSVP for next Thursday's meeting, please click here to email Membership Chair Brian Sherman!
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Upcoming Events / Speakers / Programs
April 22 - Spring Party at the Cotton Dock
5:30 - 8:30 9.m., Boone Hall Plantation
May 3 - Next Board Meeting - 11:30 a.m., Tidelands Bank
May 20 - Regular Meeting - Program: Education
Our speaker will be Dr. McGinley, Charleston County School Superintendent and we will award our annual scholarships
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Spring Party at the Cotton Dock
Don't miss out on the best
Spring networking party on the Lowcountry on Thursday, April 22nd! We'll be gathering at the Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation to enjoy the Spring weather as well as great food and fun.
There will be live music by the Coppertones, fantastic catered food by Tom Smith Catering, beer, wine
and soft drinks, as well as desserts. And best of
all, you will have the chance to socialize with other area business professionals in a
beautiful historic setting on the water.
There will also be a raffle at the event that will include a variety of prizes,
including a stay at a local resort hotel!
This event
is open to the public.
Invite
your friends, family or business associates.
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Tickets are just $22 in advance, $40 per couple.
$25 at the door
Mark the date on your calendar, buy your ticket now (or RSVPto reserve a ticket) and plan on having a great time during our annual Spring social! |
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Interested in Sponsoring Our Spring Party?
We are seeking sponsors for our Spring Fling at Boone Hall! Put your business' name in front of 125+ people, with exclusive rights to distribute promotional materials as well as to be included in all marketing for the event. Individual Sponsorship - $250 (only 6 available) Sponsor(s) will receive 4 tickets and will have a table at the event to use for whatever promotional materials they wish. Likewise, sponsors will be included in all press releases, print ads and radio spots for the event, as well as receiving special mention at the next Association luncheon. If you are interesting in becoming a sponsor, please contact any board member ASAP! This window of opportunity is closing soon! Email Chuck about sponsorship |
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MPBPA is on FACEBOOK
 For those of you who have become involved with the hottest social network out there - Facebook - you can now join the MPBPA Facebook group. We intend to develop this as an adjunct to our website as a method to share information and communicate with one another. Because it has been asked, be aware that joining our Facebook group does not automatically make other MPBPA Facebook members your friends. It's simply a way to keep up with the MPBPA. Please join our Facebook group to network, stay informed and further extend the wonderful connections you've made at the meetings. Click the link below to go to our new page and contribute: Click Here To Go To The MPBPA Facebook Page |
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Have You Shared MPBPA with a Friend?
Remember how you felt after the first couple of MPBPA meetings that you attended? After several luncheons in which you met new people and realized what a great group you'd joined, did you think to invite some friends to share in the fun?
Be sure to do that this next meeting. Bring someone, or see the bottom of this email and you can forward the newsletter to friends and business contacts who might appreciate knowing more about this great organization!
See you at the next meeting!
MPBPA Board
Mount Pleasant Business and Professional Association
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