Volume 8 Supported by: Long Branch Business League Issue 5 July 2015 Long Branch Business League Summer, and Ice Cream, Return to Long Branch IN THIS ISSUE Arts Expand Page 1 Meryl Hooker on Success Page 2 Grants Available for Signs Page 2 Purple Line Approved! Page 2 Geng to Know Carlos Perozo Page 3 Ice Cream Returns Page 4 Resources: Small Business Development Center SBDC provides counseling and classes. Coun- selors speak Spanish and other languages. [email protected]301-403-0501x11 7100 Balmore Ave, Suite 303, College Park, MD 20740 Enterprise Zone Tax Credit Program Access to County tax credits for real estate improvements and employee hiring. Mr. Pete McGinnity [email protected]240-777-8126 Montgomery County Council [email protected]Department of Perming Responsible for all permits to make property improvements and signage. permingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-0311 DED’s Small & Minority Business Empowerment Resources and training for small businesses. Judith Stephenson [email protected]240-777-2012 Montgomery County Police Non-emergency dispatch for Long Branch: 301 279-8000 All emergencies: 911 Montgomery County (All other services) For all Montgomery County services there is now a single number you can call, this includes bulk trash pickup (5 requests annually) 311 (English) 311 + 1 (Español) Department of Liquor Control DLC licenses and regulates businesses that sell alcohol, and provides education and assistance to businesses and their employees. Emily DeTitta [email protected]240-777-1904 The Business League’s New Member Welcome Breakfast! Tuesday, July 14, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. El Gavilan Restaurant, 8805 Flower Avenue — MTA representaves will be present with Purple Line update — Long Branch Business News, a monthly publicaon , Paul Grenier, Editor 301-622-2400, x 41 [email protected]As this issue goes to print, painters have begun work on a multi-colored face-lift that will transform the Flower Shopping Center on Flower Avenue. Designed by Edgar Alvarado, a VISTA member and an architecture graduate from UMD, the brightly colored façade will bring to Long Branch the same lively color combinations one often sees in Latin America and Italy — but rarely in the United States. See Arts Expand, p. 2 Meanwhile, a fifth major mural was just completed in June at the north wall of the Piney Branch Shopping Center, between Keith’s Laundromat and Chicken Loco. The mural, created by San Diego-based muralist Maxx Moses, was chosen by the selection panel from more than a dozen strong proposals submitted by local and national artists. The arts con- test was organized by the Long Branch Business League and MHP, in collaboration with the property owners of the mural sites. But wait! There is more art to come. This July, local artists Kate Deciccio and Rose Jaffe will paint another major mural, also on Piney Branch Avenue, on the west wall of the (now closed) Flower Liquor Store. The mural was one of the art contest’s two first-place winners. The above arts improvements have been made Artistic Long Branch Keeps Expanding Carlos Perozo, Long Branch Business League president, is profiled on page 3. Above: Carlos vacationing in Florence. Long Branch old-timers often remember fondly the days when there was an ice cream shop in Long Branch. Now there is one again. This June, Panaderia ‘el Arbol de Pan’ began selling Hershey Ice Cream in old-fashioned cones. The Panaderia also sells fresh croissants and traditional Latin breads and pastries. And homemade pizza too. Find the Bakery, Ice Cream and Getting to Know the (League’s) President Pizza shop at 8545 Piney Branch Road, between Eastern Carryout and Americana Grocery.
Transcript
Volume 8
Supported by:
Long Branch Business League Issue 5 July 2015 Long Branch Business League
The Business League’s New Member Welcome Breakfast!
Tuesday, July 14, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
El Gavilan Restaurant, 8805 Flower Avenue
— MTA representatives will be present with Purple Line update — Long Branch Business News, a monthly publication , Paul Grenier, Editor 301-622-2400, x 41 [email protected]
As this issue goes to print, painters have begun work on a multi-colored face-lift that will transform the Flower Shopping Center on Flower Avenue.
Designed by Edgar Alvarado, a VISTA member and an architecture graduate from UMD, the brightly colored façade will bring to Long Branch the same lively color combinations one often sees in Latin America and Italy — but rarely in the United States.
See Arts Expand, p. 2
Meanwhile, a fifth major mural was just completed in June at the north wall of the Piney Branch Shopping Center, between Keith’s Laundromat and Chicken Loco.
The mural, created by San Diego-based muralist Maxx Moses, was chosen by the selection panel from more than a dozen strong proposals submitted by local and national artists. The arts con-test was organized by the Long Branch Business League and MHP, in collaboration with the property owners of the mural sites.
But wait! There is more art to come. This July, local artists Kate Deciccio and Rose Jaffe will paint another major mural, also on Piney Branch Avenue, on the west wall of the (now closed) Flower Liquor Store. The mural was one of the art contest’s two first-place winners. The above arts improvements have been made
Artistic Long Branch Keeps Expanding
Carlos Perozo, Long Branch Business League president, is
profiled on page 3. Above: Carlos vacationing in Florence.
Long Branch old-timers often
remember fondly the days when
there was an ice cream shop in
Long Branch.
Now there is one again.
This June, Panaderia ‘el Arbol de
Pan’ began selling Hershey Ice Cream in old-fashioned cones.
The Panaderia also sells fresh croissants and traditional Latin
breads and pastries. And
homemade pizza too.
Find the Bakery, Ice Cream and
Getting to Know the (League’s) President
Pizza shop at 8545 Piney Branch
Road, between Eastern Carryout
and Americana Grocery.
Arts Expand, from p. 1
3 2
possible by generous support from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and equally generous support from Harvey Management (Flower Shopping Center) and Fin-marc Management (Piney Branch Shopping Center).
The painting on both the mural and the shopping center is sched-uled to be completed by July 30.
DiscoverLongBranch.com DiscoverLongBranch.com
Getting to Know … Business League President Carlos Perozo
How to Succeed at Business: Attitude is Key
Title: President, ZP Tax.
Years on the job: Since 2007.
Job: President of ZP Tax. Provides tax filings, pay roll and
book keeping services to individuals and businesses.
Company: Staff size varies from 3 — 7, depending on season.
Best job ever: Was cost accountant for United Distillers of
Venezuela. Had to make sure there were as many liters of
rum (or cognac) in the barrels as the producers said there
were.
Grew up: Caracas, Venezuela. Childhood memory: Throughout his early teens (12 -17),
every time there was a full moon and a clear sky, would
spend the entire night walking about a local mountain with
friends, taking photos of the moon and the moonlit land-
scape and wildlife.
Current home: Silver Spring, since 2002.
Job in another life: “If I had $200 million I would do
exactly the same thing as I am doing right now. But I would
do it on a bigger scale. I love my work!”
Daily habits: Gym every day. Get up from desk and take a
walk every two hours. Calls wife every day at noon (“she
might think that is annoying”) to see how she is doing.
Person to meet: Simone Bolivar, “the most brilliant person
in history,” because he fought many battles and “always for the right reason.”
Favorite app: Wazi navigation system on smart phone. “It tells me if there is a hole in the road, or a parked car in
the wrong place, and where the speed cameras are – for free!” Favorite movies: Sea Biscuit. Crash.
Favorite restaurants: El Golfo. Maggiano’s.
Favorite music: Tropical music (all kinds: merengue, Venezuelan traditional music, salsa … ).
Favorite book: Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People; Orson Card, Ender’s Game (and series); Game of
Thrones (book series, not the TV series). Favorite vacation spot: La Gran Sabana, Venezuela; or any cruise to anywhere – “Put me in a boat and I am
happy.”
Favorite sporting event: The World Cup.
Guilty pleasure: Praline cream with butterscotch and chocolate fudge from Baskin Robbins.
Bucket list: Take the el Camino Santiago pilgrimage (aka the Way of St. James) throughout Europe.
Family: Married, two daughters.
Hobbies: Music, playing traditional instruments (the quarto, guitar), and dancing.
Startling fact: While paragliding in the Valencia mountains in Venezuela seven years ago, survived a crash when the wind suddenly shifted and dropped Carlos 30 feet onto the rocks below and then the glider dragged him along the ground with another glider tangled on top of him. Got badly scratched up, but didn’t break anything! No longer goes paragliding.
The speaker at the Business League’s
June meeting, Meryl Hooker, is a
successful businesswoman. She made
a small fortune selling greeting cards.
She now does public speaking and
consults other businesses.
Meryl didn’t succeed at business right away, however.
“Most so-called ‘overnight
sensations,’ Meryl told the Long
Branch business owners, “take about
15 years.” Meryl admitted that
when she was first starting out, she
was fired from several jobs in just a
few years.
Meryl discovered that there are many
elements to success: branding,
marketing, sales, operations … But
the most important, she found, is attitude.
“Being positive is the key, and it’s
absolutely free,” Meryl said. “If you
aren’t happy, then go see a therapist
and get happy! It’s not optional.”
One cannot succeed in the retail
business without a cheerful attitude
toward one’s clients, Meryl said.
What is more, a positive, upbeat
attitude has to be part of everything
you do. Try doing “something goofy”
once a week, she said, such as asking
your staff to come to work wearing a crazy shirt or hat.
An often ignored part of marketing,
Meryl said, is building personal
relationships. “People like doing
business with their friends,” she said.
Get to know your customers’ first
name; ask about their children. “It’s
less expensive to love your current
customers than to find new ones.”
Media strategy
Having a web site is simply a must,
Meryl said, as is having professional
business cards. They are a sign that
your business is serious.
The most important social media sites include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
and a few others. When posting some-
thing to Facebook, be sure to use a
unique photo for every post. You can pay Facebook a fee to make your posts
more visible and to post them to the
exact ZIP Codes that are most
important for your business.
A simple newsletter can also be a very
powerful tool, Meryl noted. If you own
a Laundromat, write something about
how to keep white t-shirts from turning pink. “Three tips for sorting your
laundry,” will make a good title.
The most important thing, Meryl said, is to end with a statement explaining exactly what you want the reader to do. For example, you might say: ‘If you want your clothes done right — come to (Name of Your Store).’ For private consulting, contact: [email protected].
Meryl Hooper, ‘sales rock star’, and speaker
Need a New Sign? We
Need to Talk …
The Long Branch Arts and Design
program still has some funds left.
If your store needs a sign, or a
similar (non-major) façade design
improvement, contact us as soon
as possible. Matching grants up to
75% of the total cost of the improvement are available.
