BP 2011

PAGE 2 | BUSINESS & PROFESSIONALS 2011 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011

Abita Lumber Companyis located on Highway 36in the Historical District ofAbita Springs. AbitaLumber has been servingall of St.Tammany Parishand the surroundingparishes for over 36 years.Abita Lumber is not your“typical” lumberyard. Inorder to substantiate thevolume of sales producedwe have our very own:interior, exterior and com-mercial door shops, rooftruss plant, metal roofingplant, and wood-treatingplant. Abita Lumber’s salesteam has over 175 years ofexperience in the Lumberand Building MaterialsIndustry.

Abita Lumber offers awide range of products:cabinets, molding, hard-ware, outdoor cookingequipment and outdoorfurniture. Compare AbitaLumber’s prices to otherstores and you’ll nevershop anywhere else.

Abita Lumber recentlyexpanded their manufac-

turing capabilities. AbitaLumber now offers a fullline of metal roofing, sidingand trim.

We invite you to give usa call at 985-892-6530 orjust stop by the store andvisit us for all your all yourbuilding needs!

Our goal is completecustomer satisfaction.

We have recentlyexpanded our manufactur-ing capabilities, and nowoffer a full line of metalroofing, siding and trim.

We invite you to give usa call at 985-892-6530 orjust drop in and visit us forall your building needs.

Our goal is completecustomer satisfaction!

Abita Lumber Co., Inc.More than 175 combined years of sales

experience in lumber and building materials

AbitaLumber Co.,Inc.21459 Highway 36

Abita Springs

Pictured are, from left: Jim Andrews - outside sales, David Juneau - insidesales, Sonny Bergeron - millwork sales, Beth Fisher - outside sales, Jim Coffman- hardware specialist, Heidi Thiess - outside sales and David Melton - generalmanager.

Originally founded in1935 to help meet the finan-cial needs of paper compa-ny employees and theirfamilies, the CrownZellerbrach Corporationpurchased the BogalusaPaper Company andchanged the name to ZellcoFederal Credit Union alsoundergoing another namechange in 1983 toCommunity CharteredCredit Union, Zellco’s grewfrom servicing the localpaper mill to all ofWashington Parish. Thissmall business shocked anentire community whenrecently approved toexpand into the rural areasof St. Tammany Parish.

No one would havethought that a small creditunion for the BogalusaPaper Company employeeswould now serve more than10,000 people in fourparishes and counties.

Also opening branches inMarion and Pearl Rivercounties, in Mississippi in2003, Zellco’s invites you tobecome part of the creditunion. If you live, work,worship or attend school inHickory, Bush, Folsom,Pearl River and Talisheek,

make Zellco’s your primaryfinancial institution.

Zellco’s mission state-ment is “To provide qualityfinancial service to all cred-it union members at a rea-sonable cost.” A few oftheir services include sav-ings accounts, checking

accounts, loans, ChristmasClubs, ATM and debit cardsand online banking. Ourloan representative, TerriMalter and our MemberService Representative,Stephanie Bowman want tobuild relationships and pro-vide personal service.

Our newest location is64724 Highway 41, Suite E,Pearl River. For more infor-mation call 863-7393 orvisit our Website atwww.zellcofcu.org.

We plan to be in PearlRiver a long time.

Zellco Federal Credit UnionZellcoFederalCredit Union64724 Highway 41,

Suite E

Pearl River

BUSINESS & PROFESSIONALS 2011 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011 | PAGE 3

A-1 Remodeling & BuildingIf it has to do with home

raising , home insulation,home remodeling or prob-lem solving, A-1Remodeling & Building iswho to call.

A-1 Remodeling &Building, Inc. is a multifac-eted company specializingin residential and commer-cial “turn key” remodeling,restoration and building. Itis state licensed for bothresidential and commer-cial, building and remodel-ing; and is an active mem-ber of the NationalAssociation of HomeBuilders and its local andstate associations.

A-1 Remodeling &Building, Inc. has been inbusiness for more than 29years, serving all of St.Tammany Parish and sur-rounding areas.

A-1 Remodeling &Building, Inc. can handle allyour needs, from start tofinish, on your remodelingor restoration project. Ourcommitment to your proj-ect continues after comple-tion to assure your lastingsatisfaction.

Robert J. Delaney Jr.,board member, has morethan 50 years experience inthe construction business.He founded A-1Remodeling & Building,Inc. in 1982 and has guidedits development into theNorthshore’s premierremodeling and structuralproblem solver firm. Bob was named “Builder ofthe Year for 2003-2004” bythe St. Tammany HomeBuilders Association.His son, Vice PresidentMichael V. Delaney, is statelicensed for mold, statelicensed for residential andcommercial construction,state licensed for solar up tohigh-rise buildings withexperience in air qualitycontrol, energy efficientconstruction, site projectmanagement, land develop-ment, zoning, water intru-sion, scheduling, customerservice, contracts and war-

ranties. Michael is certified for

many several differenttypes of spray foam insula-tions and coatings. He isrecognized by theAmerican Plywood Asso-ciation as a Code PlusProfessional and certifiedby the Pella Corporation asa Certified Pella Contractor.Michael also was a regis-tered adjustor in Louisiana.He used this as a free serv-ice to help his clients settlewith their insurance com-panies to avoid legal feesand still get enough moneyto do the job right. He alsomentioned people shouldnot have to settle for inferi-or repairs because theyhave an insurance claim.Mike said his company per-forms a long list of servicesincluding house raising,structural repairs, founda-tion repair, spray foaminsulation, additions, moldremediation, fire restora-tion, design, historicrestoration, painting, reno-vations, roofing, siding,window replacement andhome building. However,he said, “most people donot know we have beendoing house raising for over29 years and working withspray foam insulation forover 10.”

The company has astrong positive reputationin the community and isone of the most respectedin the house raising busi-ness. Mike moved his firsthouse under the directionof Bob his father at the ageof 23 and has leveled andraised homes since he was17. Mike told us, “peoplecall us when they just wantthe entire job done rightand they don’t want to haveto deal with several differ-ent people or contractors.”He also mentioned we have

an excellent staff includingGreg Spencer our projectmanager who has workedwith us over 16 years. Mikealso mentioned “I wouldprefer you call one of ourpast clients. They can tellyou how we work betterthan I can.”

So the St. TammanyNews took Mike Delaneyup on this offer and wecalled the last elevation jobthey had just completed. Alocal homebuilder, RickJohnson, called A-1Remodeling when he need-ed his house raised to ahigher flood elevation inthe lower part of Slidell.The St. Tammany Newscalled Rick Johnson per-sonally to ask him about hisexperience with A-1Remodeling & Building.Johnson who owns a large,two-story home said hishouse was raised 14 feetthrough the HMGP or miti-gation grant program.He said that A-1Remodeling did “a goodjob,” and he would recom-mend the company to any-one needing work done.Johnson said he talked toother companies but wasnot pleased with theprocess the other compa-nies wanted to use.However, when he talkedwith Mike and explainedwhat he wanted, they wereable to work it out.“He did the job the way Iwanted and he did the jobright,” Johnson said.

Mike also showed usmany letters from peoplelike from Jim Strain who isquoted saying,” If you canlevel a 100-year-old home.Then you can level almostanything.” Or fromBrandon Strunk (Directorof Construction) Habitatfor Humanity St TammanyWest, who is quoted saying,

“Please accept our appreci-ation for the professional-ism and workmanship onall of the projects A-1remodeling & Building, Inc.has done for Habitatat forHumanity over the years.”The Borne Law firm said,”On behalf of myself andSusan Crawford, we wantto thank you for your coop-eration and expert testimo-ny in the field of house lev-

eling.” The letters went onand on.

At A-1 Remodeling, theDelaneys also take sprayfoam insulation seriously.The staff is certified toinstall spray foam insula-tion and they install alltypes of spray foam insula-tion including open cellfoam insulation, closed cellfoam insulation and some-times mixtures or hybrids.

They where also chosen todo the spray foam insula-tion at the Textron build-ing for the City of Slidell.A-1 Remodeling & BuildingInc. is located at 33490Sylve Road. Suite A inSlidell.

Call Michael Delaney at643-3502 or 626-9380.The company also has aWebsite, www.a1remodel-ing.com.

MIKE AND BOB DELANEY

A-1 Remodeling & Building33490 Sylve Rd., Suite A, Slidell


Slidell ChiropracticClinic is a family affair, afather and son team of doc-tors, motivated by the thrillof improving clients’ healthin their family-orientedoffice.

“There is no better feel-ing than watching someonethat was once in pain begin-ning to enjoy their lifeagain,” said Dr. BrettChapel, a 2005 graduatefrom Texas ChiropracticCollege.

Brett Chapel and hisfather Dr. William “Bill”Chapel, both members ofthe American ChiropracticAssociation and theChiropractic Association ofLouisiana, own and operatethe clinic at 2769 Third St.They take pride in success-fully treating cases thathave failed conventionaltreatment, and often followa philosophy of only taking

case they believe will bene-fit from conservative care.

Bill, with 32 years of pro-fessional experience, andBrett following his father’sfootsteps, offer customizedtreatment plans, advancediagnostic procedures andfrequently refer to medicaldoctors, massage therapistand occupational/physicaltherapists to treat patientsfrom every angle.

“This extra attentionensures that you are receiv-ing in the most effective,complete and appropriatecare possible,” Brett Chapelsaid.

His father agreed.“Seeing someone get

well after all else failed isvery satisfying,” Bill Chapelsaid.

But just as important,they said, is a family atmos-phere that surrounds theoffice. Their primary phi-losophy is treating patientslike family and making pos-itive impacts on “thousandsof people who need to getwell.”

It’s their “promise todeliver safe and effectivetreatment with the utmostattention and compassion,”Brett Chapel said. “We treateach and every patients likea member of our family …we truly are where CAREand QUALITY cometogether!”

Brett Chapel, is a thirdgeneration of Chapel familychiropractors, has the busi-ness in his blood. His goal is

to provide exceptional careof back pain, neck pain andother muscular or skeletalcomplaints, as well as preg-nancy and preventativecare and sports medicine.

Both Chapels are equallyalso involved in philan-thropic deeds in the com-munity. When the commu-nity feels better, so do thecustomers, and when thecustomers feel better sodoes the community. It’s atwo-way street that thefather and son team takepride in.

“We work with manyarea organizations toimprove the quality of lifein Slidell and the surround-ing areas,” Bill Chapel said.

For more informationvisit www.slidellchiroprac-tic.com, call 643-7247, orvisit the office Mondaythrough Friday 9 a.m. tonoon and 2 to 6 p.m.

Slidell Chiropractic Clinic

DR. WILLIAM CHAPEL AND DR. BRETT CHAPEL

SlidellChiropractic 2769 Third St.Slidell

Paige Lawnmower is abusiness that is no strangerto the Northshore. Startedby William Paige inBogalusa 28 years ago, thisfamily-run business movedto Mandeville 15 years agoand opened a store on U. S.Highway 190, and finallymoved to their presentlocation at 1998 Surgi Drivein Mandeville in February2001.

Paige’s son, Jason, who isco-owner and manager ofthe store, said PaigeLawnmower sell all sorts oflawnmowers, trimmers andblowers, as well as doinglawnmower repair. ThePaige family also has a land-scape business with twocrews of five men eachmowing lawns and doinglandscaping on a full-timebasis.

But the lawnmowerbusiness is their main occu-

pation. The shop has mow-ers by Dixie Chopper,Snapper and Toro, as wellas edgers and trimmersmade by Redmax andShindaiwa. Jason said theyhave certified factory-trained mechanics in thestore that can repair all themachines they sell.

“We enjoy solving aclient’s problems and thechallenges that we facewith the complexity ofmodern machines,” Jasonsaid.

Jason believes it is hisfamily’s attitude toward the

customer that is the key totheir success.

“We treat all our cus-tomers equally and withintegrity,” he said.

Paige Lawnmower’s suc-cess can also be attributedto having one of the largestlawnmower parts depart-ments in St. TammanyParish. Their business iscentrally located, withmore than adequate park-ing for customers.

“We plan to be inMandeville for a long time,”Jason said. “It’s a real pleas-ure working with the peo-ple here.”

Paige Lawnmower isopen from 8:30 a.m. to 5p.m. Tuesday throughFriday and from 8:30 a.m.to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Theirphone number is 624-4822,and the store is located at1998 Surgi Drive inMandeville.

Paige LawnmowerPaigeLawnmower1998 Surgi Dr.Mandeville


On behalf of our dedicated membershipand the community we serve, it is ourhonor to announce that after a comprehen-sive review, the U.S. Chamber of Commercehas awarded the East St. TammanyChamber of Commerce with 5-StarAccreditation. This prestigious honorputs the East St. Tammany Chamberamong the top 1 percent of Chambersnationwide. The U. S. Chamber ofCommerce recognizes the East Chamberfor its sound policies, effective organiza-tional procedures, and positive impact onthe community.

“Accreditation validates a chamber ashaving programs that benefit their localeconomy and for positively influencingaction in their community,” said RaymondP. Towle, IOM, CAE, U.S. ChamberExecutive Director of Political Affairs andFederation Relations. “We applaud theseorganizations for advancing the principlesof free enterprise.”

Special recognitions and remarks on thefinal report included “The chamber boardis commended for its active involvement inthe chamber’s operations, including partic-ipation in the annual Mid-Year Retreat and

the Year-End Retreat to review the strate-gic plan.” “The chamber does an excellentjob of recognizing volunteers for theirefforts on behalf of the chamber.” “Thechamber is commended for its comprehen-sive government affairs program focusingon issues at the local, state, and federal lev-els.” “The chamber is commended for con-tinuing to grow the program that its mem-bership values most, the Annual Businessand Community Showcase.”

The mission of the East St. TammanyChamber of Commerce is to advance thegeneral welfare and prosperity of theregion so that its citizens and all areas of itsbusiness community shall prosper. Formore information please visit our Websiteat www.estchamber.com.

The staff of the East St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce in front of their officein Slidell. From left is Publication and Technology Director Kendra Hamrick;Membership Director Kara Barnes, Marketing and Events Director JoBethKavanaugh and Chamber CEO Dawn Sharpe Brackett.

East St. TammanyChamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Awards East St. TammanyChamber with 5 Star Accreditation – TOP HONORS

East St. TammanyChamber ofCommerce118 West Hall Ave.

Slidell

In 1982, Red and CathyCardinale started a locallyowned and family operatedsmall engine repair shop.The Lawn & Saw Shop spe-cializes in repairs of lawnequipment and sales of newequipment dealing withbrand such as Stihl,Snapper and Ferris.

One of their proudestaccomplishments is thatthey opened again the dayafter Katrina. On May 21,2008, Lawn & Saw Shopsuffered a devastating firethat almost completelydestroyed the business. Theonly part of the buildingthat was saved was theshow room.

Lawn & Saw Shop, 985-893-4446, is the mostunique business in this fieldbecause not only is it familyowned and operated, wealso care about our cus-tomers. The customercomes first! Even through

tough times and devastat-ing obstacles, we care aboutour customers and willalways be here for them.

Red is not retired and isstill at the business. Alongwith Red’s extensive

knowledge of engines andmechanics, we also have agold level Stihl mechanic torepair the products we sell.

The Lawn & Saw Shop isproud to have served thecommunity the past 27years and our goal is to con-tinue to serve the commu-nity by offering honest, topof the line service to ourcustomers. Thank you allfor your support and welook forward to serving youfor many more years tocome.

Lawn & Saw Shop

Lawn & SawShop 1412 U.S. Highway190, Covington

Since 1945, Poole Lumber Company hasbeen known as the “The department storeof building materials,” said Mike Manguno,general manager of the store.

Our employ-ees have over300 years ofcombined expe-rience in lumberand buildingmaterials. Oursales staff is fac-tory trained byWellborn cabi-nets, Anderson

windows and Baldwin locksets.Manguno was raised in the business,

starting at 15-years old working in one ofthe three lumber yards in New Orleans thathis father ran. He has been at Poole since1977.

Among the many professional associa-tions and organization memberships arethe National Lumber and Building MaterialAssociation; St. Tammany Home BuildersAssociation; and Tangipahoa HomeBuilders Association.

Manguno started at Poole in 1977 andwas tutored by Wallace Poole. He became

general manager when Mr. Poole passedaway in 2004.

Besides lumber, Manguno said, “We havea 200,000 square-foot showroom withsamples kitchens, millwork and hardware.”

Poole Lumber Company focuses on bothnew construction and remodeling.

For more information call 892-4500 orvisit them at 1815 N. Columbia St. inCovington, behind the post office.

Poole Lumber Co.

PooleLumberCo.1815 N. ColumbiaSt., Covington

Shown is Mike Manguno featured withPoole’s large selection of Baldwinhardware.


Baldwin Motors

At Baldwin Motors, ourhighly qualified and certi-fied service technicians areher to provide exceptionalservice in a timely manner.We pride ourselves on ourability to service LightTrucks and Fleet Vehiclesquickly to help avoid down-time for the companies.From oil changes to trans-mission replacements, weare dedicated to maintain-ing top tier customer satis-faction for service andmaintenance on almost allmake and model vehicles -regardless of where theywere purchased.

Baldwin Motors also car-ries a full line of most majorbrand tires at fleet pricing,including Michelin, Good-year, BF Goodrich, General,

Pirelli, Continental, Yoko-hama, Uniroyal, Kuhmoand Bridgestone for almostall vehicles!

Baldwin Motors honorsmost extended warrantiesregardless of the make ofcar or truck.

At Baldwin Motors acomplimentary 42-pointinspection and report cardis included with each main-tenance visit and allLincolns receive a compli-mentary wash.

Allow the service staff at

Baldwin Motors to demon-strate our commitment toexcellence when it’s time toservice your vehicle. Foryour convenience you canbook your service appoint-ment online at: [email protected] or justcall 985-892-2203 to sched-ule your next appointment.

Excellence in light truck and fleet vehicle serviceBaldwin Motors1730 N. U.S. Highway 190, Covington

At right, a technicianservices one of the many

brands of trucks main-tained by Baldwin

Motors.

La-Z-Boy Furniture GalleriesIf you’re looking for fine

furniture for your livingroom or dining room, orjust a gorgeous La-Z-Boyeasy chair, than pay a visitto the showroom of La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries at31 Park Place in Covington.

La-Z-Boy opened itsCovington store in 2000and has expanded its facili-ties to a 15,000-sqare-footshowroom so it can betterserve the needs of the grow-ing St. Tammany popula-tion.

La-Z-boy, started in 1928,has come to be known for,and noted for their solidwood construction. TheCovington La-Z-Boy offerseverything from Queen Annchairs to sofa beds, and, ofcourse, the famous La-Z-Boy chair.

The gallery also featuressolid wood Kincaid furni-

ture, said owner LarryMarquez II.

“We have end tables,cocktail tables, and diningroom sets,” Marquez said.

The store also offers cus-tomers a chance to cus-tomize their furniture withmore than 1,000 fabrics and80 leather swatches tochoose from. La-Z-Boy car-ries lines designed for thebig and tall as well as thesmaller and petite cus-tomers.

Unique to the La-Z-Boyline is the independent backand leg rests. The chairallows for a longer life andcontinuous back support,especially good for cus-tomers with back problems.

Every piece of furnitureat La-Z-Boy comes with alifetime warranty of theframe, mechanisms andsprings.

They Covington storehas been open in Covingtonsince 2000 and is part of theMarquez’ furniture busi-ness which started inMetairie in 1989.

The La-Z-Boy FurnitureGalleries in Covington isopen from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Monday through Saturday.They can be reached at(985) 875-9808. You canvisit their Web site atw w w. l a z - y- b o y.c o m / -neworleans.

La-Z-BoyFurnitureGalleries31 Park Place

Covington

Pictured are, from left, Melinda Ferrell - sales consultant, Larry Marquez Jr. -general manager, and Gill Bosco - sales consultant.


The Garrett family knows one thing well,and that is Honda products. The currentGarrett family members are the fourth gen-eration that have been selling Hondamotorcycles, ATVs, scooters, watercraftand generators to the public for nearly 64years.

In fact, Garrett Honda is the oldestHonda dealership in Southeast Louisiana,having started in 1946 on the Southshore,and they are the longest running motorcy-cle dealership in St. Tammany Parish. Theystarted serving the Northshore in 1986from their Covington store on NorthCollins Boulevard.

The Garrett family believes it is becausethey are family-owned and operated thatmakes them so popular on the Northshore.They believe this family atmosphere pro-vides a friendly and comfortable ambiencefor their customers.

The effort and dedication the Garrettshave put into their business is shown by allthe numerous certificates, sales and financeawards they have garnered from theAmerican Honda Co., and the AmericanHonda Finance Group.

Garrett Honda is as diversified as theproducts they sell. Their product lineincludes motorcycles ranging from the 50cc dirt bike all the way up to the 1800 ccGoldwing motorcycle. They sell bikes,watercraft, ATVs scooters and generatorsto all ages. They say their youngest cus-tomer who rides is 3 years old, and their

oldest customer won’t say how old they are.And since this spring, Garrett Honda has

brought back Honda lawn care products,like the walk-behind, self-propelled Hondalawnmower with the roto-stop safety fea-ture. They also have a full range of Hondaedgers and trimmers. All Honda lawn careequipment are powered by four-strokeengines, which means you don’t have tomess with oil and gas mixtures.

As in years prior, Garrett Honda alsooffers a complete line of home generators,from 1000 to 6500 watts.

Garrett Honda continues to offer friend-ly local service for the “best bikes” on Earthat the best prices for the good people ofSouthern Louisiana.

The dealership provides more than 100years of experience in Honda sales andemploys factory-trained mechanics.

The Garrett Honda showroom is locatedat 1026 N. Collins Blvd., Covington. Theirphone number is (985) 892-9730.Customers can email the store at [email protected], and they can visit theGarrett Honda Web site, www.garretthon-da.com.

Garrett HondaGarrett Honda1026 N. Collins Blvd.

Covington

(ARA) - For seasonal businesses, thosefurious months of activity are the differ-ence between profit and loss, keeping thedoors open or closing them altogether.Therefore, it’s critical to carefully plan youroperations ahead of time, so you can takemaximum advantage of your opportunitiesbefore they are gone, just like the changingseasons.

Failing to plan well could cost you morethan just increased sales. The same day-to-day risks every owner faces are amplifiedduring the crush of your busy season. Thepace quickens with new and more cus-tomer demands for products or services.New, inexperienced workers may need tobe added. Investment in new capital expen-ditures has the potential to blow out budg-ets. Your business will be under the spot-light, and as mistakes will be magnified ineyes of current and potential customers,you need to have a smart plan for the busi-ness to succeed.

HHiirree aanndd ttrraaiinn wwoorrkkeerrss ccaarreeffuullllyy

The workers you hire are agents of yourbusiness, and the business is responsibleand liable for any actions they take while onthe job. So you must not take any shortcutsin the hiring process, in order to protectyourself from charges of negligent hiring.Do background checks as required; investi-gate references and past work experiences.

If a customer, vendor or another employ-ee files suit against your business becauseof the actions of a worker, you will need toshow that you took every reasonable step toprevent a bad hire. Save all paperwork fromthe hiring process to show you did your duediligence.

In addition, be sure to formally train allworkers in company procedures, especiallythe new or temporary ones, to avoid acci-dents and incidents in the first place.Documenting these procedures will protectyou against charges of negligent training,should something go wrong. Finally, termi-nate workers at the first signs of trouble,because keeping them around only opensup the business to more liability later.

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The added workers and workload likelymean additional investments or borrowingfor equipment and supplies. There is more

to track and more to lose in equipment,supplies and money. Carefully assess thestrategic goals of any new purchases, andmake sure they fit into your updated busi-ness plan and financial forecasts.

It’s important to document your pur-chases, train accordingly, limit accessibility(especially among more temporary work-ers), and be on the lookout for fraud. Besure to update your insurance policies forany expansions.

IInnccoorrppoorraattee ttoo lliimmiitt bbuussiinneessss aanndd ppeerrssoonnaall lliiaabbiilliittyy

Even if you take your time during the off-season and carefully plan your operationsto avoid workplace dangers, you can’t antic-ipate everything that could damage thebusiness. However, establishing a formalbusiness entity with state authoritiescomes with enhanced limited liability pro-tections backed by law that are difficult tosecure elsewhere.

“Incorporating your business into a for-mal entity, like a C Corporation or forminga limited liability company (LLC) meansthe company is a separate legal entityresponsible for its own debts resulting frombusiness activity,” says Karen Kobelski,general manager of BizFilings, a full-serv-ice, online incorporation provider offeringsmall business owners fast, easy and eco-nomical ways to form a corporation orother business structure online or byphone. “You, as a business owner, are onlyresponsible up to the amount you haveinvested in the company (and no more). Allof your personal assets are secure andshielded from business creditors.”

Remember, these valuable protectionsare only available to those businesses thatestablish formal entities. If you operate as asole proprietorship or simple partnership,all of your personal and business assets areat risk to creditors or lawsuits.

TTaakkee sstteeppss nnooww,, rreeaapp bbeenneeffiittss llaatteerr

While the busy season may come and gorather quickly, problems occurring duringthis period have the potential to leave a per-manent mark on your business. Assessingnewly emerging risks and planning for con-tingencies will help the busy season gomore smoothly, and make the off-seasonthat much more enjoyable.

Seasonal sales: Don’t let temporary opportunity turn into a permanent problem


Word of Jimmy Nelson’s expertise getsaround.

The auto maintenance and repair shopowner rarely advertises and relies mostlyon word of mouth accolades to keep hisMandeville area shop full of customers.

“We do the job right, don’t worry abouthow the other shops work or what theycharge,” Nelson said from Jimmy Nelson’sAutomotive on Surgi Drive off LouisianaHighway 59 in Mandeville. “We do whatshould be done and charge a fair price.”

It is this honest service that continuallyfeeds customers to the shop that has beenopened since June 1, 1994. It is the hardwork that propelled Toyota in 1999 to selectJimmy’s Automotive to be part of the STARprogram, a Toyota-sponsored program thatlends support and resources to Toyota’safter-market repair industry.

But Nelson doesn’t just work on Toyotas.He specializes in Acura, Honda and

Lexus vehicles as well. But there is not avehicle Nelson can’t fix. Most of Jimmy’scustomers have over 100,000 miles andsome have up to 400,000 miles on themdue to his proper maintenance.

After 35 years experience, he’s earnedcertifications from the National ServiceInstitute for Automotive ServiceExcellence, a non-profit agency established

to improve vehicle repair quality and serv-ice.

Jimmy is also I-CAR certified. Formedby the collision industry in 1979, I-CAR isan international not-for-profit trainingorganization. All I-CAR activities andresources focus on helping the industryachieve a high level of technical training.

The I-CAR vision is that every person inthe collision industry, current and future,has the necessary knowledge and skills rel-evant to their position to achieve a com-plete and safe repair.

In addition, Jimmy is a graduate ofSoutheastern Louisiana University inHammond and St. Paul’s School inCovington.

But when asked what is the most enjoy-able aspect of his business, Jimmy’s answeris simple: “helping people,” he said.

For more information, call JimmyNelson at (985) 626-8879.

Pictured are, from left, Jimmy Nelson, owner, and Mark Gremillion, technician.

Jimmy Nelson’sAutomotive

Jimmy Nelson’sAutomotiveSurgi Drive (off Highway 59)Mandeville

(ARA) - It used to be all a car mechanicneeded was a good set of tools, some oil andknowledge of a car’s parts and pieces.

But in today’s highly technical world,automotive technicians are going to schoolfor a lot more training, especially in thetechnology fields.

Technology is changing the automotiveindustry, and industry professionals areexpressing concern in finding enough qual-ified employees to hire. The experts stressthe importance of reaching young peopleearly to recruit them into automotivecareers and ensuring they have top-notchtraining in the technical aspects of the field.

Job opportunities will abound for skilledautomotive technicians, and continuedgrowth in the number of vehicles in use inthe United States will lead to new jobs forworkers performing basic car maintenanceand repair, according to the 2010-2011Edition of the Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Handbook. Retiring babyboomers will also create additional jobopenings.

“Qualified technicians are in greatdemand,” says John Hurd, president of theWyoTech campus in Sacramento, Calif.“Having good diagnostic and problem-solv-ing abilities, as well as training in electron-ics and computer skills, will give a job can-didate a great lead over the competition,especially for entry-level positions.”

Despite the bright job prospects, findingtalented employees with the right skill setis difficult. Hurd stressed that WyoTech

makes an important contribution to theautomotive industry by training young peo-ple for careers in automotive technology.He says that advances in automotive tech-nology do not pose significant challengesfor WyoTech. “No matter what technologyaspects manufacturers put into the newestand most advanced cars - if it’s being built,we’re going to train our technicians to fixit.”

Young students and students enteringthe automotive field from a different careerall make great candidates for automotivetechnicians, says Hurd. But one challengein educating students from so many differ-ent backgrounds is often a lack of basictechnical knowledge for entering students.“We get students who don’t even knowwhat a screwdriver is, so we still have tostart with the basics,” Hurd says.

Adjusting for new automotive trends likehybrids and advanced diagnostics alsokeeps the school up to date in the mechani-cal industry. “You have to know how to tunethe engine and chassis to work together, forinstance,” Hurd says. “While we used tohave a six-month program, we now gothrough nine-, 12- and 15-month programsso that the students can raise their skill lev-els and become better employees.”

Vocational education and technical col-leges help the automotive industry meet itsfuture talent needs. A focused technicaleducation can teach students the skills thatthey are going to need for the future as anautomotive technician.

Automotive technician: a greattech-based career opportunity


Frazier InsuranceIn 2001, after 22 years in the retail indus-

try, Chris Dalton decided to change careers.He wanted to choose a field that would

“improve the quality of life for his clients.”Chris Dalton

said he is proud tooffer home andcommercial ratesthat are moreaffordable today.

“ I have ah o m e o w n e r sinsurance compa-

ny that offers a 1 percent hurricanedeductible, A rated,” Chris said.

His goal is to be the number one insur-ance agent of choice in St. Tammany Parish,Chris Dalton works the extra hours neces-sary.

He says, “he will find the best coveragefor the best rate”. His clients protection ishis number one priority. Chris Dalton holdsa degree from the University of NewOrleans and offers all lines of insurance.

He is a member of BNI, RestaurantAssociation, The Women’s Council ofRealtors, Professional Mortgage Women ofNew Orleans and St.Tammany LeadsGroup.

FrazierInsurance 1006 Hwy. 59Mandeville

CHRIS DALTON

(ARA) - ‘Tis the season to be productive.Summer’s over, the kids are back in school,and before you know it, the holiday shop-ping season will be upon us.

So, there’s no time like now to take a clos-er look at your small business. Are youmaximizing efficiencies, or spending toomuch time on the small things? Are youdoing the right things to grow your busi-ness? Are you putting off asking yourselfthe hard questions that may turn aroundsluggish sales?

There are more than 27 million smallbusinesses in the country, employing abouthalf of U.S. workers, according to the U.S.Small Business Administration. In fact,between 60 and 80 percent of all new jobscreated in our country can be attributed tosmall businesses. For small businesses tothrive in today’s economy, they have to findways to boost efficiency with limited fund-ing and resources.

Rags-to-riches entrepreneur BarbaraCorcoran has built a thriving business fromscratch and become a leading expert andauthor on strategies for business profitabil-ity and growth.

“Small business owners wear many hats- from CEO to office manager - and theycan’t afford to get bogged down in the time-draining details,” says Corcoran. “Now isthe ideal time for small business owners tostreamline their operations and start think-ing about how they can best move theirbusiness forward.”

Here is some of Corcoran’s best advicefor anyone looking to take a small businessto the next level:

• Make a not-to-do list: It can actually betremendously helpful to sit down and make

a long list of all the things you do thatamount to nothing. Then, carefully writethe not-to-do list on a piece of paper andpost it on your refrigerator or desk whereyou’re bound to see it. It will force you to fillin your time with more productive activi-ties that might yield a better return.

• Make a system for everything. A systemcan be developed for anything - you justhave to take the time to set it up once, and itwill save you enormous time and boringrepetition. For example, small businessesneed a simple order fulfillment system.Electronic postage solutions like thosefrom DYMO Endicia integrate with youronline e-commerce platform and provideone location to store all your customerinformation, keeping you organized andmaking shipment processing and mailingfast and simple.

• Stay away from complainers: Whetheryou’re at home or at work, complainers robyou of your energy. They’re a lot like theDeath Eaters robbing the life from HarryPotter and his good friends. Always dis-tance yourself from the person whowhines. Your outlook on life will improveand your energy will soar.

• Get creative: The big guy always hasthe corner on money but the little guy usu-ally has the corner on creativity. Take sometime to sit down and analyze how yourrivals are advertising their brand and plansomething smarter. One way you can dothis is through (free) social media. If youtake the time to creatively post and writewith honesty and a touch of humor, youwill soon build a large following of fanswilling to try out your product and brag totheir friends.

Insider tips to bolster yoursmall business now


Brown Health andWellness Center, 3295 E.Causeway Approach inMandeville, is a full-serviceclinic delivering a uniquebrand of dermatology andfamily healthcare services.Located in a modern con-temporary, yet comfortablefacility, Brown Health andWellness Center is the firstnurse practitioner primaryand specialty health carepractice in the Mandevillearea.

According to ownerMelissa M. Brown, ANP-C,“Providing high-quality,cost effective health careemphasizing health promo-tion, disease prevention,and health counseling guid-ing clients to make smarterhealth and lifestyle choicesis our principle focus.”

With an Adult NursePractitioner, Master ofScience in Nursing degreefrom Loyola University inNew Orleans, and anAmerican Academy of

Nurse Practitioners Boardcertification, nurse practi-tioner Brown has advancedclinical training wellbeyond her initial profes-sional registered nursepreparation. Previouslypracticing in the Covingtonarea, Ms. Brown has grownand maintained a large andloyal client base and strivesto provide an unhurried,enjoyable and stress-freeexperience for all.

Brown Health andWellness Center offers a

full range of servicesincluding:

• Botox• Microdermabrasion• Chemical Peels• Laser Hair Removal•Infections/Rashes/

Warts• Acne/Rosacea• Colds/Flu/Mono• Strep Throat• Sport Physicals• Minor Emergencies• Ear Infections• Urinary Tract

InfectionsBrown Health and Well-

ness Center accepts mostinsurance policies. Walk-insare welcome, and the centerhas convienent hours, 9a.m. – 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday.

Brown Health and WellnessBrown Healthand Wellness3295 E. CausewayApproach, Mandeville

MELISSA BROWN, ANP-C

Konnie Anderson hasbeen an authorized YAN-KEE CANDLE® Dealer forover 20 years and has devel-oped what is, one of thelargest selection of YankeeCandles in the Country.

Originally founded inNew Jersey in 1991, Konniemoved the business toMississippi in 2006 andcontinues to grow withestablishment of Konnie’sGift Depot in Slidell.

Konnie’s Gift Depot is afull line gift shop featuringover 200 scents of YankeeCandles and types of fra-grancing including CarJars, electric plug-in fra-grancers and many moreYankee items and acces-sories, decorative flagsincluding the newMagnolia Lane flags, Fleur-de-Lis jewelry, WoodWickCandles, gourmet dips,mixes and pasta, Leanin’Tree greeting cards, and

wrappings. Konnie’s nowcarries Circle E Candles. Besure to visit Konnie’s PinkFlamingo corner. SeeKonnie for latex and Mylarballoons for all of your fes-

tive occasions. Plan to drop in and dis-

cover all of the wonderfulgifts and goodies atKonnie’s Gift Depot.

Konnie’s Gift Depot islocated in the Country ClubPlaza at the corner ofRobert and BrownswitchRoads, in Slidell. Hours are9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday, and 9 a.m. –5 p.m. Saturday. For moreinformation, call (985)643-8000.

Konnie’s Gift Depot

Konnie’s GiftDepotCorner of Robert andBrownswitch Roads,Slidell

(ARA) - From paltry paychecks to annoy-ing coworkers, more than three quarters ofAmericans are stressing out about some-thing related to their job, according to anew study.

The vast majority of Americans (77 per-cent) are stressed by at least one thing atwork, finds the Harris Interactive-EverestCollege Work Stress Survey. The most com-mon issues are: low pay, commuting, unrea-sonable workload and concern over beingfired or laid off. But these are not the onlyissues American workers are facing -annoying coworkers also made the list, fol-lowed by difficulty with a boss, poor work-life balance and lack of opportunity foradvancement.

“We’ve seen numerous surveys that con-firm workplace stress has increased duringthe last several years,” says Wendy Cullen,vice president of employer development forEverest College.

Concerns over low pay and job securityare consistently one of the top stressors forAmericans. In most regions of the U.S., 16percent of Americans listed low pay as theirtop stressor, and concerns over job securitywere a close second. For example, 13 per-cent of college graduates ranked losingtheir job as the biggest stressor, which is inline with Americans without collegedegrees.

“One change we are seeing is that moreand more Americans are pursuing careersin industries like health care, which offersmore long-term stability.” Switchingcareers or going back to school to gainaccess to a more secure or better payingcareer is one technique that many individu-als use to deal with insecurity in the work-place.

HHooww ttoo ddeeaall wwiitthh ssttrreessss

“The impact of stress cannot be overstat-ed,” says Davis Brimberg, a Los Angeles-based psychologist who focuses on work-place issues. “Almost all psychologicalproblems are worsened by stress. People ofall occupations and income levels are great-ly affected,” he says. Workplace stress canhave negative consequences on your per-formance at work, and your life.

There are a number of techniques fordealing with workplace stress. First, learnto recognize the symptoms - you may feel aconstant sense of nervousness, which canoften lead to feeling withdrawn, irritable orapathetic. Stress is also associated withphysical problems, such as fatigue andmuscle tension.

Physical exercise is also shown to helpwith stress management. Aerobic exerciseshave been shown to release mood-raisingendorphins, so getting 30 minutes of exer-cise a day can actually help decrease yourstress levels. It is also important to getenough sleep, which can help your bodydeal with the effects of stress throughoutthe day, and makes you better able to man-age emotional swings.

There are also important strategies inyour workplace that can help you deal withstress. Do not over-commit to non-essentialtasks. Prioritize important tasks, and learnto delegate non-essential ones. Also, youcan schedule regular breaks into your dailyroutine to allow yourself to get away fromyour workstation or office.

Additionally, Brimsburg suggests thatgetting help can be effective. “Counselingcan be very helpful in relieving signs andsymptoms of stress-related issues.”

Effective ways to managestress in the workplace


Dianne Gibson withOrleans Insurance Agency,1613 Highway 22 West,Madisonville, offers home,auto, recreational and busi-ness insurance.

Dianne has been in theinsurance industry for 35years and obtained the des-ignation of CIC - CertifiedInsurance Counselor in1992. She was hired at age19 as a policy typist for aninsurance company and hasserved in various positionswith companies and agen-cies throughout her career.

She started Orleans Insur-ance Agency in 2007 andrepresents numerous com-panies such as Bankers,GeoVera, Progressive, AAA,Lighthouse, Fidelity alongwith access to many othercompanies. She is the Presi-dent-Elect of the North-shore Chapter of the Pro-fessional Insurance Agents

and a member of the “Hur-ricanes” Chapter of BNI.Dianne serves her clientswith experience, customerservice and honesty.

“We put the customerfirst,” she said. We will evenmeet customers after hoursor Saturdays.

Dianne Gibson can bereached at 845-9282.

Orleans Insurance 1613 Highway 22 West, Madisonville

Orleans Insurance

From leftareMoniqueWheat,PamLambert,DianneGibsonandRanel Ivy.

(ARA) - When you start a small business,you’ll probably discover that what youlearned in business school doesn’t covereverything you need to know as a businessleader.

That’s what Michael Alter, SurePayrollpresident and CEO, discovered during his10 years leading the company. He’s puttogether five tips for growing a small busi-ness that you probably won’t learn in busi-ness school:

11.. DDoonn’’tt bbee aaffrraaiidd ttoo mmaakkee nneeww mmiissttaakkeess..Mistakes are one of the most valuable

learning tools I’ve ever come across. Youcan’t learn anything if you’re afraid to trysomething new, or worried about lettingyour staff do things differently.

As a small business owner, you can’tafford to fall victim to “the paralysis ofanalysis.” That doesn’t mean you shouldchange how you run an aspect of your busi-ness without doing your due diligence. Butthe longer you wait to try something new,the longer you’ll wait to learn somethingyour competitors might already know.

Develop a culture where you and youremployees feel comfortable trying some-thing new and embracing an entrepreneur-ial spirit. “At SurePayroll, we give a ‘BestNew Mistake’ award that’s our equivalentto the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Thewinner walks away with $400 - the largestprize we issue to any employee,” Alter says.You’ll be pleasantly surprised how muchyou learn, and how entrepreneurial youremployees can be, when you give them thefreedom to err.

22.. SSaayyiinngg ““nnoo”” ttoo nneeww bbuussiinneessss iiss oonnee ooffyyoouurr mmoosstt ppoowweerrffuull aasssseettss..

Taking on new challenges and doingpractically everything yourself is the hall-mark of a small business owner. But ratherthan accepting every new opportunity thatlooks like it might be helpful with yourbusiness, start saying “no” to things thataren’t strategically aligned with your busi-ness.

Be sure “no” is part of your vocabulary soyou can say “yes” to focusing on your corebusiness.

33.. UUssee nneeggaattiivveess aass ppoossiittiivveess..You may never have the big marketing

budgets, huge cash flow, or large infrastruc-ture that your big competitors will. Mostpeople will tell you that’s a negative you’llhave to overcome (or a “challenge” youhave to overcome, if they’re being nice).Rather, think of it as a positive - an opportu-nity you need to seize.

Working with abundant resources isalways more cumbersome. When yourcompetitors want to change, they have an

army of employees to retrain, technology toreprogram and at least a few big wigs who’llneed to sign off on it - usually after a lot ofconvincing. As the owner of a small busi-ness, you are able to change quickly. Useyour nimbleness to your advantage.Turning your idea into a reality quickly ismuch easier for you than for a colleaguewho works at a large employer.

44.. PPllaayy ttoo yyoouurr ssttrreennggtthhss,, nnoott yyoouurr wweeaakk--nneesssseess..

In past jobs your bosses probably tried tohelp you by identifying skills or traits youshould improve when they conducted yourperformance reviews. But, time is the oneresource you can never get more of. So whywaste time trying to improve somethingyou’re not good at - and probably don’t haveany passion for - when you can outsourceyour weaknesses?

If you’re buried in receipts and your gen-eral ledger, struggling to keep the booksaccurate, find an accountant or bookkeeperso you can free up your time to focus ongrowing your business. If you’re great atselling your service or product but can’thelp customers with questions, get a cus-tomer service representative on board soyou can focus on what you’re best at.

When you’re in the middle of doingsomething you hate, pass the buck to some-one else.

55.. UUssee tteecchhnnoollooggyy ttoo iimmpprroovvee eevveerryytthhiinngg..The advances in business technology

over the last 15 years have leveled the play-ing field. With the right technology, you canrevolutionize how your business and serv-ice works - and even what your marketexpects.

Find the technology that can help youimprove operations and free your staff towork on tasks that generate more revenue.If your employees are still digging throughmounds of paper files and different spread-sheets for customer and prospect informa-tion, put everything in a central online cus-tomer relationship manager (CRM) solu-tion like SalesForce.com. And when youremployees are on the go, ensure they havesmartphones with apps (such as a docu-ment and spreadsheet viewers) they needto work from anywhere.

Smart technology investments alwaysproduce a strong return on investment.

“Following these principles has helpedme in every step of my career,” says Alter.“But they wouldn’t matter if I didn’t adhereto one overarching goal: Keep learning andremaining open to change. Markets change,consumers change, needs change. You needto provide the change businesses and con-sumers demand.”

Five tips for growing a small business


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