Green Light, Go!

Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company is symbolic of
the signs of the reopening economy and the return to somewhat
normalcy in life and work.

Shortly after it was bought by new owners, pandemic restrictions forced the company to shut down its operations and postpone plans to refurbish the bus company that’s been a transportation lifeline for commuters and travelers from the Cape,
Plymouth and the South Shore to Boston. Like many businesses,
layoffs ensued. Unlike many businesses, there was no work from
home option. The buses were stalled.

Like many business leaders, the owners used the “time off” to
regroup and figure out the next steps. They established new
health and safety protocols and equipment to ensure the safety
of drivers and passengers. While the working from home option
has become the norm for many businesses, P&B knew its market
well. They recognized there would be a pent-up demand at least
for travelers, when the pandemic restrictions eased up, and now
it looks like office life will be resuming in some capacity as well.

Cheers to Win Sargent, John Cogliano and Paul Fuerst for their
innovative strategies enabling the blue buses to again operate on
our region’s highways and leading the way to fully opening up the
Massachusetts economy

BY THE NUMBERS – June Brings History And Celebration

COFFEE BREAK – Speaking Of Talking: How Toastmasters Boosted My Communications Skills

TIDBITS

ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY – Les Lutz: Heritage Museums & Gardens

NEWS AND MOVES

NONPROFIT NEWS

SPOTLIGHT ON GIVING – Cook Family Charitable Fund Gosnold

MARKETING – Businesses Share Tips To Grow Your Company

MARKETING – Why Your Business Needs A Podcast

FEATURE STORY – Entrepreneural Spirit Stephanie Viva: Radio Layoff Didn’t Silence This Voice

FEATURE STORY – Entrepreneural Spirit Passion For Kombucha Propels A New Business

ON THE ROAD AGAIN – Plymouth & Brockton Buses Rolling Again After 14-Month Shutdown

BUSINESS TOOLBOX – Security: Failing To Plan Is Planning To Fail

BUSINESS TOOLBOX – Human Resources: Know PMFL Act Limitations, Options

BUSINESS TOOLBOX – Insurance: Protect Yourself Against Distracted Drivers

LAST WORD – Creating Successful Team Behavior

By the Numbers 

June Brings History and Celebration

When thinking of the month of June, we conjure images of weddings, ice cream cones, swimming pools, backyard barbecues and, of course, the official beginning of summer.

Here are a few noteworthy and interesting dates. 

2 – On June 2, 1685, Barnstable County was established on Cape Cod. Barnstable County comprises 15 towns: Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Harwich, Dennis, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown.

14 – June 14 marks Flag Day in the U.S. On this day, we celebrate the history and symbolism of the American flag. What we know fondly as the “Stars and Stripes” was adopted by the Continental Congress as the official American flag on June 14, 1777, in the midst of the Revolutionary War. 

19 – On this day in 1865, Union General Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation aloud in Galveston, Texas, effectively liberating slaves in the state, which had thus far been beyond control of the Union Army. Once known as Emancipation Day, it is now known as “Juneteenth.”

20 – June 20 is the summer solstice, which heralds the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also the day with the most hours of daylight. In the Southern Hemisphere, winter begins at this time.

21 – Father’s Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the third Sunday in June. It celebrates and honors the men who have embraced the essential role of fatherhood. 

1942 – In June 1942, one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, U.S. naval airplanes stopped the advance of the Japanese Imperial Navy near Midway Island. 

SOURCE: ALMANAC.COM, WIKIPEDIA

Cape Cod 5 held virtually its Annual Meeting of the Board of Corporators of the Cape Cod Five Mutual Company. During their remarks, Dorothy Savarese, Chair and CEO of Cape Cod 5, and Co-Presidents Matt Burke and Bert Talerman discussed the year’s record earnings and how the Bank continuously adapted throughout 2020 in order to safely serve its customers and support the community. They praised Cape Cod 5’s employees for their exhaustive efforts to help individuals and businesses persevere through one of the most challenging periods in many people’s lives, while highlighting the Bank’s continued leadership as a community bank and corporate citizen.

“We have purpose-built this organization for times like these. Underpinned by our values, we have worked through the years to leverage our focus on mission, our collaborative One Bank approach, our culture and forward-leaning posture, our investments in the future and our engagement with our customers and communities to continually reinvent this critical resource that is Cape Cod 5,” said Savarese. “When combined with the ingenuity and resilience of the residents, businesses and organizations in our area, there is no challenge that is beyond our collective efforts. And rise to the challenge we all did.”

In 2020, Cape Cod 5 enabled over 2,300 businesses to secure more than $200 million in critical funding through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – more than any other financial institution in the region. This effort helped save over 22,000 local jobs and made Cape Cod 5 the 9th largest PPP lender in Massachusetts. The Bank’s total commercial loan portfolio grew 21.3% for the year.

Cape Cod 5 made over $1.5 billion in new residential and consumer loans during the year, three times more than any other lender in our market and an all-time high for the Bank. At the same time, the Bank also provided payment relief to over 1,900 requesting borrowers who experienced a hardship due to the pandemic. Deposits grew to $3.7 billion, totaling 25% market share (#1) for all FDIC-insured deposits in its footprint. Wealth assets under management grew to $1.3 billion.

These and other efforts and strong business line results supported the institution’s record financial results. Net income of $32.3 million provided for a return on average assets of 0.82%. Total assets grew 17% for the year to $4.3 billion.

This financial strength allows the Bank to continue its mission and commitment to supporting its communities. In 2020, between the Bank and its Foundation, Cape Cod 5 contributed $1.54 million to organizations providing critical services and contributing to the health and sustainability of the region.

“As a purpose-driven institution, we will take the learnings, insights and progress from the last year and leverage them to build a better tomorrow for all we serve,” Savarese said in closing.

Read more about Cape Cod 5’s 2020 results in the Bank’s Annual Report at www.capecodfive.com/annualreport. 

By Stephen D. Rogers

Please raise your hand if any of this sounds familiar.

Running my own business, I’ve learned the hard way the importance of being able to communicate effectively.

I’ve learned I need to know exactly what my customers want so that I can make them happy.  Furthermore, I’ve learned that what they want isn’t necessarily the same thing as what they say they want.

I’ve learned that I need to be clear with vendors so I don’t have to wait (and sometimes pay) for the job to be redone, or (if there isn’t time or budget) settle for something that doesn’t really make me happy.

I’ve learned I need to be able to communicate successfully in-person, through email, and on social media.  I’ve learned that while sometimes I have the luxury of spending hours crafting my message, sometimes I have to respond on the fly.

If you raised your hand, you can put it down now.  If you didn’t raise your hand, you’re either better at this than I was, or you’re in for a rude awakening.  I hope for your sake it’s the former.

After learning what I needed to learn, the next step was finding ways to learn it.  While I signed up for workshops and classes on improving communication, I soon grew disillusioned with the process.  Yes, I was gaining theoretical knowledge, but what I needed was practical experience.

That’s when, coincidentally, I wandered into my local library and noticed a sign.  “South Coast Toastmasters – Meeting today – Noon to 1 p.m.”  That’s when I decided to check it out.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.  There are more than 364,000 members spread throughout more than 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

Even though the Toastmasters experience revolves around club meetings, the online Pathways education program allows you to tailor your path through over 300 practical workplace skills, including:

• Interview preparation
• Online meeting management
• Leadership development
• Project management
• Conflict resolution

What I found was a group of people committed to improving their communication skills, committed to supporting others on the same journey, committed to giving feedback that helped everybody improve.  Even though I brought a check to the next meeting, it was still months before I worked up the courage to give my first speech, and I think my fingers have retained the muscle memory of gripping that lectern for dear life.

That was OK, though, as the program is self-paced and tailored to the individual.  I was assigned a mentor who encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone, and I did so.  Slowly.

It was five and a half years ago that I joined Toastmasters, and since then I’ve since given over a hundred prepared speeches.  I’ve entered (and won) speech contests.  I’ve organized events, run for club officer positions, and volunteered at the district level.

Every meeting, I become better at communication.  Every meeting, I make a new friend.

Stephen D. Rogers is club president of South Coast Toastmasters. South Coast Toastmasters meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month from noon to 1 p. m.  Visit southcoast.toastmastersclubs.org for more information. 

On Cape Cod, check out these Toastmasters groups: https://outermosttoast.toastmastersclubs.org/, https://uppercape.toastmastersclubs.org/

Town of Mashpee

Source: census.gov/quickfacts, city-data.com

Form of Government: Open Town Meeting

Incorporated: 1870

Demographics:

Total population: 14,229

Female: 53.8%

Male: 46.2%

White: 86.2%

Black: 3.2%

Asian: 2.2%

Persons reporting two or more races: 2.3%

Hispanic or Latino: 0.6%

Total housing units: 9,321

Family households: 6,360

Average household size: 2.21

Median household income: $77,019

Per capita income: $44,176

Mean travel time to work: 25.3 minutes

Educational Attainment (age 25+):

High school graduate: 97.6%

Bachelor’s degree: 41.4%

Women-owned businesses: 458

Minority-owned businesses: 186

Veteran-owned businesses: 447

The state’s top five most valuable seafood landings are shellfish, yet there hasn’t been a plan to grow and protect the industry in more than a generation. Until now.  

Earlier this spring, after more than two years of effort, the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative released a strategic plan with recommendations on how to navigate the competing demands for the state’s nearshore areas and maximize the economic, environmental, and social benefits of shellfish.  

In addition to cleaning the water and helping keep the food web strong, shellfish create thousands of year-round jobs, and happy diners. Massachusetts boasted more than $45 million in commercial shellfish landings from state waters in 2018, which doesn’t include the indirect benefits of helping drive tourism dollars.

Recreational shellfisheries are also very popular, but their value is not measured; one MSI recommendation is to quantify that value by asking towns to have people report last year’s landings when they renew their permit.

The 21-member task force’s overarching goals include educating growers on opportunities other than oysters and incentivizing nature-based solutions to address stormwater and wastewater management (think salt marsh and cranberry bog protection/restoration).

Melissa Sanderson, chief operating officer at the Fishermen’s Alliance, served on the task force and said hundreds of people participated. Now, she said, making it work will take a village as well; the wild shellfish population is a public resource. 

Source: capecodfishermen.org

NOTE to Carolyn: Cut Lars comment if this is too long.

Source: vineyardwind.com

Les Lutz

Director of Horticulture & Facilities Management, Heritage Museums & Gardens
What does your job entail?
My title is Director of Horticulture & acilities Management. I’m responsible for the design, care and management of all of the gardens and property of Heritage Museums & Gardens (a 100-acre public garden). I determine priorities, design new areas and manage a crew of four senior gardeners in the care of the gardens. Our goal is to help to ensure the visiting public have an enjoyable, educational experience at HMG.

How did you get into this field?

When I was in high school I built (of plastic) a small greenhouse and began growing plants. I eventually got a job (while in high school) working for a large plant nursery. After high school I was accepted into a training program at Longwood Gardens, a large public garden 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia. That experience changed my life. Until then I had always assumed I would work in commercial horticulture. Longwood Gardens showed me the world of public gardens. I’ve been in this field now for 45 years. I’ve been at HMG for almost 10 years. I’ve had the pleasure of working at Longwood Gardens (after I graduated from their program), The New York Botanical Garden, Lauritzen Gardens (Omaha Botanical Garden), Salisbury University, and now Heritage Museums & Gardens. I also design gardens pri-vately. Training in public garden management is my education background.

What are your favorite plants and why?
That’s a hard question. I guess I’d have to say I love rhododen-drons and hydrangeas. But I also have a very strong inclination toward landscape design. I love to design beautiful spaces, using plants.

What do you like about your job?
That’s easy. Designing spaces that people love. Seeing the faces of the public as they enter the Hydrangea Garden, The McGraw Family Garden of the Senses, or any one of many garden spaces at Heritage. Listening to them talk about the plants, the plant combinations, the beauty of the world of plants.

Do you have an out of the ordinary job? Email carol@capeplymouthbusi-ness to be considered for this feature.

Goretti Andrade of Somerset has been promoted to assistant vice president/mortgage closing officer at BayCoast Mortgage Company, LLC .

In this management role, Andrade is responsible for the prompt and efficient closing and post-closing process for residential mortgage loans with a focus on operational efficiency, loan quality, compliance, technology and profitability.

Andrade, whose previous title was mortgage loan closing officer, joined BayCoast Mortgage in 1987 (then known as Citizens-Union Savings Bank).

The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod has announced the appointment of Richard “Rick” Zilewicz as Chief Commercial Banking Officer. 

As a member of the bank’s senior leadership team, Zilewicz will lead the development and execution of the bank’s commercial banking focus and help businesses meet their business goals.

Zilewicz brings more than three decades of experience in the banking industry to the role, having held leadership roles at prominent, national banks. Most recently, he served as market manager, senior vice president of Business Banking at Citizens Bank in Boston, a post he held for seven years. He has also served in senior business banking positions at Bank of America and Fleet National Bank. Zilewicz has risen through the ranks and comes to The Coop well-positioned to oversee relationships with commercial clients and work with the team to offer banking solutions and exceptional service to businesses. 

Zilewicz received a degree in Economics from Boston University and an MBA from American International College in Springfield. He also completed advanced studies in business at Harvard Extension School.

BayCoast Bank announces that Cidalia Silva of Wareham has been named branch manager of the Elm Street location in New Bedford.

Silva joins BayCoast Bank with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as a branch manager with Southeastern Mass Credit Union in Fall River. Previously, she was the assistant vice president, business development sales manager with East Cambridge Savings Bank in Cambridge.

Silva, who is fluent in English and Portuguese, is a graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and attended Burdett College in Boston.

Douglas F. Hanson of Greenville, R.I. has been named as vice president for Commercial Lending for BayCoast Bank.

In this role, he works within BayCoast Bank’s market to develop key loan-providing opportunities that dovetail with the goals of the bank with additional focus on increasing deposits and promoting the bank’s roster of products, such as insurance, wealth and cash management services.

Hanson joins BayCoast Bank with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as vice president of Centreville Bank in West Warwick, R.I.

Jeffrey D. Perry has joined Asset Management Resources, LLC an investment advisor representative. 

In this role, Perry will primarily be responsible for advising and consulting with AMR clients on financial planning and portfolio management services. He will also implement a new financial mentoring service and host financial educational workshops later this year.

Prior to joining AMR, Perry was superintendent/special sheriff for the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office. He also served as adjunct professor at Cape Cod Community College for 13 years, instructing students on courses related to constitutional law, civil litigation, and U.S. history and was a former state representative for the 5th Barnstable District.

Perry earned a juris doctorate degree from New England School of Law and holds several professional certifications including Investment Advisor Representative, Massachusetts Attorney at Law, Massachusetts Real Estate Broker and Florida Real Estate Broker.

He resides in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

Paul Niedzwiecki has been named the next chief executive officer of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.. He will succeed Wendy Northcross, who retires on June 30 after leading the chamber for 24 years.

Niedzwiecki, of West Barnstable, is a public policy professional and attorney with more than two decades of experience in public administration and crafting environmental and economic policy on Cape Cod. He previously served as former executive director of the Cape Cod Commission, as assistant town manager for the Town of Barnstable, and held senior positions with Southfield Redevelopment Authority and Cape Cod Healthcare. 

Niedzwiecki holds a bachelor of science degree in public administration from Suffolk University and a juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School.

He will assume the CEO position on July 1.

Melane Wayburn, former bridal manager of Sposabella Bridal in Hyannis, has opened her own bridal salon, Seaside Bridal Couture, at 187 West Main St., Unit B, in Hyannis.

Seaside Bridal Couture is a full-service bridal boutique providing one-stop shopping for all formal events as well as on-site alterations, serving Cape Cod and the Islands.

A native of the Philippines, Wayburn spent many years working in the garment industry, focusing on manufacturing and production.

For more information, seasidebridalcouture.com.

DJSA Architecture PC has named John Kinney of North Attleboro as Building Information Modeling (BIM) manager.  BIM is a highly collaborative process that allows multiple stakeholders and AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) professionals to collaborate on the planning, design, and construction of a building within one 3D model. 

He served in a similar capacity at Integrata Architecture in Falmouth prior to joining DJSA. His additional industry experience includes serving as job captain at Ellenzweig, an architectural firm in Cambridge and downtown Boston. He also served on the Revit (building model software) Standards Committee.

After studying at Roger Williams College, he completed his architectural studies at Boston Architectural College. 

Elevate Counseling Services has announced that licensed social worker Julia Mullin of Mansfield Center, Conn. has joined the practice’s Telehealth Division and Ashley Luongo has been promoted to assistant director of Clinical Operations.

Mullin’s areas of specialization will include adolescent children, adults, and older adults. Prior to joining the Elevate team, she worked in patient psychiatry at MetroWest Medical Center in Natick, where she was the lead clinician, working with children, adolescents, adults and geriatric clients.

Mullin earned a master’s degree in Social Work and an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Education from Simmons College.

Ashley Luongo previously held the position of associate administrative director of the practice’s Bellingham location.

In her expanded role, she will focus on growing the groups that Elevate Counseling is offering to its clients. She is working with CEO Leigh-Ann Larson on expanding the topics and numbers of groups that are available. She will continue overseeing the day-to-day operations of the practice’s Bellingham location, including administrative and training functions. She additionally maintains her own caseload of clients, with a concentration on high school teenagers.

Prior to joining Elevate Counseling Services in 2017 as a clinician, she worked in community mental health in Boston and on the South Shore, as well as in home therapy.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Curry College and a master’s degree from Assumption College, and holds the licensed mental health counselor designation.

RogersGray has announced that Jeff Cotto, Jeff Bastien, John Foley, John Turco and Ryan O’Connell have been named partners, effective Jan. 1, 2021, in the nationally recognized insurance agency.

“The five individuals we have welcomed to the Partnership Group at RogersGray have all contributed greatly to the agency, culture and clients and we are thrilled to be expanding this team of leaders,” said Michael Robinson, chairman of RogersGray. “Their industry expertise represents all aspects of our business – employee benefits, business and personal insurance – and all have demonstrated an exceptionally strong commitment to our clients.”

Bastien, Foley and Turco are consultants in the Employee Benefits Division, working with employers on creative solutions for employee health benefits including self-funding and traditional plans. Turco joined the agency in 2008, Foley in 2011 and Bastien in 2018.

O’Connell joined the agency in 2002, specializes in coastal risk exposures for homeowners and is the first personal insurance consultant to achieve partner.

Cotto, a business insurance consultant, began at RogersGray in 2007and focuses on contractors, condominiums, and nonprofits

Kim Dee, executive vice president, customer transformation director, has been
promoted to head of Retail Banking at Citizens.

In her new role, she will be managing a retail organization of 5,000 colleagues and 1,000 retail branch locations. 

She is an accomplished retail and business banking executive with more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry. She has held a number of roles during her  career at Citizens including executive vice president/sales strategy and distribution, head of sales for Business Banking, and product management and retail director for the Greater Boston and New England South regions. In her most recent role as customer transformation director for Core Banking, Dee implemented a large-scale, complex change agenda in the retail branch network. The program focused on digital migration, relationship and advice-based solutions, enhancements to colleague development, and streamlining retail operation processes and procedures.

A resident of Braintree, Dee is a prud graduate of Boston College Carroll School of Management where she graduated with a degree in finance and marketing.

Heather Crane of Avon of Peabody Properties has received the Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®) certification through the Boston Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management .

Crane, who joined Peabody Properties in November 2016, currently serves as property manager of Braintree Village Apartments in Braintree.  The ARM® certification, announced last month, is designed for early-career residential property managers that teaches the core competencies – including budgeting, leasing, maintenance, risk management, resident relations and retention – to manage residential properties successfully. 

BayCoast Mortgage Company, LLC announces that Charles Coelho of Bristol, R.I. has been appointed residential mortgage loan officer.

In this role, he is responsible for originating, submitting, tracking and closing loans that comply with bank policies and federal regulations.

Prior to joining BayCoast Mortgage, Coelho was a loan officer with St. Anne’s Credit Union.  He is also the current managing member of The CMC Family Limited Partnership, a real estate holding entity comprising residential, commercial and manufacturing properties.

Previous to his career in the mortgage loan industry Coelho was a Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee; from 1994 through 2018 he owned and operated seven Dunkin’ Donuts locations in Seekonk, Mass., and East Providence, R.I. He is a founding member, previous board of director, and served as secretary of the Ocean State Central Manufacturing Location in East Providence, a facility that baked and delivered doughnuts to close to 200 Dunkin’ locations throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Coelho is a graduate of Roger Williams University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Science.

BayCoast Mortgage Company announces that Bruno Freire of New Bedford, has been named Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) loan officer.

His responsibilities include originating real estate mortgages by sourcing prospective customers, with a primary focus on affordable loan products, low-to-moderate Income borrowers and first time homebuyers.

Prior to joining BayCoast Mortgage, Freire was assistant branch manager with Mechanics Cooperative Bank and also worked previously as a relationship manager with Bank of America.

Freire, who attended Bristol Community College and the New England Institute of Technology, is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Cape Verdean Krioulo.

Bridgewater resident Sharon Mutrie, vice president of sales at Bay Copy in Rockland, has been named to the Difference Maker” list by the national trade journal ENX Magazine.

She was featured in the magazine’s May 2021 edition, which published its annual “Difference Maker” list, featuring a handful of professionals from across the United States selected for this honor.

Each year, ENX Magazine seeks peer and industry recommendations for the people who are making a difference in the industry. ENX editor Erik Cagle noted that 2020-2021 has been a year of challenges for the industry.

“These people guided us through the challenges, taking on added responsibilities, to make life and work continue as unimpeded as possible,” he said.

He noted that 2020 was a pivotal year in Mutrie’s career, with her playing a key role in securing a five-year contract for Managed Print Services for one of the state’s larger regional healthcare facilities. Mutrie oversaw the sale and the on-site installations of 500 units, which included rigid safety protocols because the work occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mutrie has been with Bay Copy for nearly 35 years, beginning as a sales trainee.

She is president of the board of South Shore Habitat for Humanity in Weymouth.  Previously, she was the chair of the board of directors for Fontbonne Academy in Milton for more than five years.  She has also served in many various roles for the South Shore Chamber of Commerce on their Women Business Network and Athena Program.

Mutrie received a degree in Criminal Psychology from the University of Maine.

Peabody Properties assistant property manager Rosa Nunez has earned a Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SCHM®) designation issued by the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA).

The SHCM® certification was developed by NAHMA for management professionals involved with properties developed and operated under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The SHCM certification program is designed to ensure that management professionals have attained the knowledge, experience and competence required to excel in the housing credit property management industry.

Nunez is the property manager for The Hayes at Railroad Square, J.M. Lofts, The Granville, and The Apartments at 165 Winter, all in Haverhill.  She is a resident of Hudson, N.H. and joined Peabody Properties in December 2017.

The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod has announced the promotion of several employees to officer-level positions within the organization.

“These team members have all displayed outstanding leadership in their roles, in the industry and in the community,” said Lisa Oliver, president, chair and CEO of The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod. “Their contributions, particularly through the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, have been significant to our success and our ability to continue providing exceptional service to our clients and community. I congratulate all of them for a well-deserved promotion.”

Promoted employees include:

• Rob Carey, Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager, was promoted to First Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager. 
• Don Jacobs, Data Analytics Officer, was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Senior Data Analyst. 
• Eric Emmel, Electronic Banking Officer, was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Group Operations Manager.
• Kate McElroy, Audit Liaison, was appointed an officer. 
• Jill Levesque, Electronic Payments Manager, was appointed an officer. 
• Haley Wells, Deposit Operations Manager, was appointed an officer. 
• Andrea Merianos, Client Assistance Center (CAC) Manager, was appointed an officer.
• Florene Kimbro, Loan Services Representative, was promoted to officer.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth recently received a grant of $2,500 from the Vermont Mutual Insurance Group Giving Fund.  This grant is earmarked for construction support of two homes on Long Pond Road in Plymouth, both of which were designated for military veterans and their families.   

The Vermont Mutual Insurance Group Giving Fund provides financial support to organizations that help to build, maintain, and enrich healthy lives and strong vibrant communities.  

In April, two single-mother veterans and their five children (collectively) will close on their two new homes recently completed in Plymouth.  This grant will help cover the costs of the final stages of construction and necessary finishing touches before these two families are able to call these new residences home.

More efforts are underway to identify and secure new land throughout Habitat’s region, which includes Plymouth, Kingston, Carver, Middleboro, Plympton and Lakeville, in order to help address the significant increasing need for affordable workforce housing.

Road to Responsibility, a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, was the recipient of a $5,400 grant from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism.  These funds will provide funding for the purchase of iPads for people with autism participating in RTR’s day programs to help augment virtual learning.

OpenCape, a nonprofit organization that owns and operates Cape Cod’s 100 percent fiber optic network, has announced the appointment of Sarah B. Deutsch of Brewster to its board of directors.

Deutsch is a practicing attorney in the Washington, D.C. area handling copyright, trademark, privacy and internet policy issues. Previously she was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Verizon Communications where she was responsible for Verizon’s global IP practice, including copyrights, trademarks, patent licensing and unfair competition.

“Broadband has become an essential feature of our daily lives and, as demonstrated by the pandemic, is now a human rights issue,” said Deutsch. “I am passionate about OpenCape’s mission to make broadband accessible for everyone on Cape Cod and look forward to working with the board.”

Deutsch also managed Verizon’s privacy practice and worked on a broad set of global intellectual property policy issues, including Internet policy, online liability, privacy and related advocacy.

Deutsch also serves on the boards of the National Center for Health Research, a non-profit think tank based in Washington D.C.; the Electronic Frontier Foundation and ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

For more information visit www.opencape.org.

The Community Development Partnership launched Phase II of its Public Education Campaign at the end of April.

The campaign is centered on the slogan “We can’t afford to lose the people that can’t afford to live here” and addresses the misconceptions around the people who need affordable housing in our communities. Over the next several months three videos and their companion print advertisements will be shared across social media, and in local newspapers.

Phase I, launched in 2019, emphasized the need for affordable housing for residents employed in key sectors including teachers, first responders and nurses. Rising costs on the Lower and Outer Cape have made it nearly impossible for people employed in these industries to find housing that they can afford.

Phase II builds on this message and highlights the diverse members of our community who need affordable housing and how the lack of it affects many aspects of peoples’ lives. Seniors who are looking to downsize, young families, and small business owners are just some of those affected by the housing crisis.

“This campaign is intended to remind all of us who care about the Lower Cape that we must take action to ensure the sustainability of our communities and address our affordable housing crisis,” says Jay Coburn, the CDP’s chief executive officer.

The Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership is a three-pronged community-based approach to addressing the housing needs of the Lower and Outer Cape through the Cape Housing Institute, advocacy training and the public education media campaign.

For more information visit www.capecdp.org.

Wellfleet Shellfish Promotion and Tasting (SPAT) was awarded a Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (M.O.T.T.) Recovery Grant for its marketing campaign to successfully promote Wellfleet and its “Quintessential American Oyster.”

The campaign will inform potential visitors about all that Wellfleet has to offer as a tourist destination, its rich shellfishing history and connect them to Wellfleet’s shellfish farmers and wild harvesters in order to reinvigorate tourism to this unique region and increase demand for its exceptional shellfish.

“The tourism and hospitality industry is vital to the economic well-being of Massachusetts,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “Our administration recognizes the challenges this industry has faced during the pandemic, and these grants will support the Commonwealth’s recovery by allowing grant recipients to market to their local strengths.”

More than $1.5 million was awarded to 59 tourism organizations, chambers of commerce, and municipalities as part of the newly created Travel and Tourism Recovery Grant Pilot Program.

Shannon Smith, a senior at Marshfield High School, has been named the 2021 Marshfield Youth of the Year by The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield.

According to Jim Bunnell, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield, “Shannon truly sets an example for others. She has an incredible leadership ability with a capacity for bringing about positive change.”

Each year, the club selects one exceptional member as “Youth of the Year” to serve as an ambassador for the club’s youth as well as a voice for all young people. 

Smith has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield since fourth grade. Over the past three years, she has held a number of leadership roles, including counselor in training, club staff, Keystone secretary and Keystone president. 

Smith has received Honors and High Honors for most of her high school career. She has been involved in Irish Step Dance at Dunleavy Boyle Academy in Hanover and has danced competitively for many years. She is a dedicated community volunteer, helping around town with Grad Nite Live and arranging food donations.

Smith will be attending Merrimack College in the fall and majoring in Business/Marketing. 

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has entered into a lease agreement to open a Shark Center on historic MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown.

In addition to leasing the ground floor of 16 MacMillan Wharf, former home of the Whydah Pirate Museum, the non-profit has leased a slip at the property’s marina and will operate its 25-foot vessel for shark ecotourism trips from the location. The conservancy’s team will also utilize the new slip for research trips.

“We are thrilled to be opening a second Shark Center to be located in Provincetown and to be connecting with the local community,” said Cynthia Wigren, CEO and co-founder, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. “Provincetown is a perfect location to engage with visitors from all over the world to further our mission to support scientific research, improve public safety, and to educate the community to inspire conservation of Atlantic white sharks.”

The new Shark Center will offer visitors an in-depth look at great white sharks through interactive exhibits, videos and displays, as well as provide insight into groundbreaking local research. The Conservancy will also continue to operate a Shark Center in Chatham, which welcomes thousands of visitors annually.

Ecotourism, along with a merchandise shop, will be operating this summer in Provincetown.  Information on booking a private shark viewing charter can be found on the Conservancy’s website.

Exhibits at the new Shark Center are expected to open in summer 2022, following an extensive build-out and renovation of the 3,100-square-foot space.

Community Health Center of Cape Cod announces the addition of two new members to their board of directors, Bhawana Chitkara and Rev. Will Mebane Jr.

Chitkara, of Mashpee, is the founder and owner of Fabvilla, a lifestyle boutique in Mashpee Commons. She received her bachelor of arts in Sociology from the University of Delhi in India and has more than 20 years of professional management experience. Prior to owning her own business, she was a vice president, branch Manager at Eastern Bank. She also worked at RBS Citizens Financial Group as assistance vice president, branch manager.

Mebane serves is the rector of St. Barnabas Memorial Episcopal Church in Falmouth and is a member of the faculty for the Episcopal Preaching Foundation. Prior to his enrollment in seminary; he held executive management positions with broadcast outlets in North Carolina, New York and Connecticut where he founded a management, media, and marketing consulting firm. 

Mebane, a Falmouth resident, holds a bachelor of arts degree in Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He entered Yale Divinity School just before his 50th birthday and earned the master of divinity degree along with an award for excellence in preaching from Yale University.

The SouthCoast Community Foundation has announced  the hiring of two new positions, Werlaine Badio as programs officer, supporting arts and culture, education, and economic development initiatives, and Nhamaa Cortes as accounting clerk. Additionally, Adrianna Heard is promoted from development systems administrator to donor services associate. 

Werlaine grew up in Brockton, graduated from UMass Dartmouth, and is now living in Fall River. 

Heard was born and raised in New Bedford and graduated in 2020 from Westfield State University. 

Nhamaa was born and raised in New Bedford and will graduated this spring from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Accounting and Finance. 

The Cook Family Charitable Fund, a nonprofit organization founded in 2006 whose mission is to improve the lives of those struggling from substance use disorder, cancer and intellectual disabilities by helping to eliminate financial barriers that may impact their journeys, has appointed Peter Thompson to the organization’s board of directors.

Thompson, a Braintree businessman and resident and his wife, Heather lost their son Ryan to the disease 10 years ago. As a result of this tragedy, the Thompsons have focused their energies on doing everything they can to help other families. Ryan’s favorite expression that he was “a good kid with a bad disease,” has inspired Peter and Heather’s belief that the fight against drugs needs a compassionate and not a punitive approach.

Over the years, the Thompson Family has been a key sponsor of the Gavin Foundation, the Cook Family Charitable Fund and One Life at a Time.  In partnership with the Cook Family Charitable Fund, the family has established a scholarship fund to honor Ryan, with a focus on families and individuals who are suffering from substance use disorder.

Road to Responsibility, a nonprofit organizations supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is putting the finishing touches on a “smart home” at one of their group homes in Norwell serving people with complex needs, where assistive technology will be implemented to promote client independence. 

The home will be run primarily through Alexa products, including window blinds, lights, mirrors, appliances, televisions, robot vacuums, doorbell, automatic trash containers, iPads, and thermostat.  Other mechanisms controlled by assistive technology will include mattress pads that monitor sleep, pens that read text aloud, a microwave braille overlay and a number of entertainment-related devices. 

Installation of the devices is anticipated over the next several weeks, at which time Road to Responsibility will hold an open house at the group home.

This creative approach to support residential clients is made possible through funding by the Pilgrim Bank Foundation, the HarborOne Foundation and the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism.

“Our ‘smart house’ is certain to promote residents’ independence tremendously,” said Christopher White, Ed.D., CEO of Road to Responsibility.  “We are beyond grateful to our sponsors for providing the funding to make it all happen and look forward to seeing this amazing technology in use.”

NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions’ Associate Real Estate Development Director Noelle Humphries recently completed the 2020-2021 Community Development Mentoring Program, which was co-sponsored by the Mel King Institute for Community Building, the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations and the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association.  Humphries finished the nine-month program as a mentor focused on real estate development earlier this spring.

The Mentoring Program is designed to promote and support a culture of learning and mentoring within the community development field. The program enhances the preparation of mid- to senior-level professionals of color who demonstrate leadership potential, for advancement and growth into positions of leadership and authority, by facilitating effective and meaningful relationships between and amongst community development professionals. The program has a racial equity lens by looking at the implicit bias and racism that exists in our work.

The 2020-2021 Mentoring Program cycle focused on those who have or are pursuing a career in housing, with the goal of supporting the pipeline of project managers, real estate directors, asset managers, property managers, and others joining the community development field to build networks of professionals and to support professionals of color in housing careers.

Humphries has more than 20 years of experience in housing development, and specifically with multi-family housing development.  Her primary focus has been the preservation. She has been with NHS for nearly two years, and during this time has played a key role in the development of multiple affordable housing developments.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, a Chatham-based nonprofit committed to funding scientific research, improving public safety and educating the community about white sharks, has launched  “Gills Talk,” a podcast featuring interviews with women working in shark and ocean science.

“Gills Talk” is a branch of the Conservancy’s Gills Club. With the motto “Smart About Sharks,” The Gills Club is the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s STEM-based education initiative dedicated to connecting youth with female scientists from around the world, sharing knowledge and inspiring the next generation of shark and ocean advocates and scientists.

“Gills Talk” is a free podcast available on the Gills Club App and various streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, and Google Podcasts. Episodes will be released every other Monday and can be found using the search terms “Gills Talk” on the podcast platform of choice. The interviews highlight the achievements and careers of women in marine science to amplify the voices of women, but not at the exclusion of men.

Cotuit Center for the Arts has announced the appointment of Robin Joyce Miller to its board of directors. 

Miller joins the center after retiring from a 30-year career with the New York City Department of Education. She served as a special ed teacher for the first 15 years and the second half as an art teacher and Blueprint for the Arts Facilitator. She has conducted staff development workshops in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, MOMA and the Whitney Museum. Miller was the recipient of several awards including New York City and New York State Region 8 Art Educator of the Year. She has participated in several art exhibits on the Cape. She and her husband James, who is a poet and retired banker, have been presenting a BLM series with Cotuit Center for the Arts since 2020.

737 Webster St.
Marshfield, MA 02050
CookFamilyCharitableFund.org
781-535-5900
tavery@cookfamilycharitablefund.org

Total number of employees:
2 staff, 19 board members
Annual revenues: $150,000 per year to date
Year established: 2006

Mission

Believing in the value of education, research and direct care, the
Cook Family Charitable Fund supports programs and individuals
working to improve the lives of those struggling from addiction,
cancer and intellectual disabilities by helping to eliminate
financial barriers that may impact their journeys.

Geographic Area

New England

Leadership

Peter A. Cook, Sr. and Peter A. Cook, Jr. CO-FOUNDERS
Trudy Avery EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

2021 Goals

Changing more lives, one day at a time, by increasing annual
fundraising revenue goals to support families struggling from
addiction, cancer and intellectual disabilities.

Fundraising Events/Opportunities

Annual golf tournament and comedy night; 2021 dates yet to be
determined.

Giving Opportunities

Event sponsorships; individual & corporate giving, scholarship

Volunteer Opportunities

Event Committee, Auction Committee, Advisory board.

Total Number Of Employees: 450

Year Established: 1972

Mission

Our mission is to excel in addiction and mental health
treatment, to serve men, women, and families affected by
these illnesses, and to promote lasting recovery.

Service Area

Cape Cod, the Islands, and all of massachusetts and New England

Board of Directors

Don Quenneville, CHAIRMAN
Richard Curcuru, PRESIDENT
Charles Reidy, VICE-CHAIRMAN
John Schulte, TREASURER
Linda Zammer, CLERK
Richard Abisla, MD
William Cafferky
John Cook
Robert Korwatch
Thomas Mundy, MD

Who We Are

Gosnold is an innovative non-profit leader in behavioral health
and substance use disorder treatment. At Gosnold, we know a successful
recovery does not end with the completion of a treatment
plan; we offer ongoing support for our patients and their families.
We are committed to the community and, in addition to our inpatient
and outpatient treatment and recovery offerings, Gosnold
provides family education, school-based counseling, medical care
integration, and supports for public prevention coalitions. Our
programs are generating positive outcomes and are partially funded
through grants and generous philanthropic support.
Facing the many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,
Gosnold continues to sustain high-level care delivery to
enable any person who seeks treatment to successfully find it.
Thanks to the support and commitment of loyal donors, Gosnold’s
programs continue to thrive at near-full occupancy, despite unexpected
twists and turns along the way.

By Cape & Plymouth Business Staff

Growing a business in a post-pandemic world won’t be easy, but in the Plymouth and Cape Cod areas, business owners know that their hard work will be worth it when their small businesses come out alive on the other side of COVID. 

What are some best practices to succeed? Local business owners recently weighed in with some suggestions.

Target Your Market

It’s Important to know who your customers are and also what your competitors are charging. Ask yourself, what sets you apart from the competition?

“Identify your target market and what price they would be willing to pay for your product or service. If you plan to charge more than your competitors, be prepared to justify what sets you apart from the competitors,”  said Barbara Liftman, Cape Cod Uncontested Divorce. “I think people on Cape Cod are price-conscious. They are very hard-working and living here is very expensive, so they want the best value for their money. I find that I am able to charge more in other areas. I think if your target market is tourists, it may be very different.

Prepare For Lean Times

The pandemic showed that a back-up plan is crucial for your business to survive a crisis and for seasonal businesses, during or the long, off-season months where you might be traditionally closed or have less income.

“It will take a few years to figure out your winter income, so prepare for the off-season and save money. My store is only two years old and half of that was surviving through a pandemic! But, we are continuing to grow and thrive every day,” shares Katie Scott, owner of Pure Vita Modern Apothecary Studio.

“Make a plan to combat the seasonality of the Cape and Islands. Our economy is unique and so you need to adjust your business plan and budgeting to handle the tidal seasons of revenue. I always set certain benchmarks in my budgeting. Once you know you can cover your fixed and variable expenses (and it’s wise to tuck a safety net aside), you have some room to breathe and can decide to reinvest in growth.” – Nicole Bessette, Capt’n Cod’s Bear Cove.

“Think about an online product or service you can offer to have a larger audience base. In the past year, many independent, local businesses have offered online services, sampling programs, and expanded how they reach and engage with more potential customers,” suggests Janet Morgenstern Passani, Jute Marketing.

Importance Of Social Media, Reviews, Websites 

If you’re not engaged in social media of some sort you are likely missing a large part of your customer base. A vast number of shoppers, diners and other consumers are checking Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and websites for information and/or reviews. 

“People have time on their hands and will look you up before visiting your store or considering your service,” says Merry Flynn, manager and co-owner of Woolfie’s Bakery in Dennis Port. “Once you have the momentum of followers, good reviews, and an overall presence online it will help carry you through tougher times. On our last day at Woolfie’s we created a brand new flavor – the ‘Funfetti’ muffin –  and posted it to Facebook and Instagram. About 30 minutes after the post, I was hearing customers say, ‘Do you have any Funfetti muffins left?’ I was surprised and happy! People were seeing our post and coming just from social media. It can take years to get to that point but building an audience is powerful and can really help your business.”

Business Organizations

Yes, it’s lonely and scary out there when you’re an entrepreneur but there are loads of business organizations and mentoring groups whose members are willing to share experiences or just be a sounding board. 

“It’s important to remember you’re not alone and there’s support for the challenges you face. Join a business peer group, take a business class, pick something that works for you,” says Amanda Kaiser, Program Manager at EforAll Cape Cod & Founder at Cape Cause Marketing & Events LLC. “I would tell someone who is thinking about seeking out mentoring or a peer group to try it at least once. It can feel nerve-wracking to reach out to others. But if you give it a try, you’ll discover that there are an absolutely stunning number of people who are generous with their time and expertise. People who have already had a lot of experience are often anxious to pay it forward and help others avoid the same mistakes they’ve made. There’s nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.” 

Build Relationships 

Is your business trustworthy? Do you have clear policies and procedures?

“People shop/work with those that they know, like and trust. Be yourself – authentic and consistent,” advises Laurie Hannah Walsh of Direct Sales for AVON & PARTYLITE. “When you or your product provides the solution to a problem they have, and they have trust in what you’re offering, they are more comfortable. It’s all about the relationship you build with people,” 

“Create policies and procedures. For those tasks that are repeatable processes, make sure you have them down pat,” says Michaela Herlihy of Beacon Financial Planning in Hyannis.

“Use your creativity in connecting with your clients. We are in financial planning so we look for ways to ask open-ended questions about who clients are and what their values are. Oftentimes, people won’t understand how that impacts their financial picture, but we know from experience the more we know about the client’s total personality and values, the better we can service them and help with their financial plan and investment portfolio. We have gone to clients’ children’s volleyball games, met for a walk, had them to our office for a private, ladies-only bra fitting (for our Beacon’s Got Your Back event), etc.” 

“Make sure you implement impactful DEI procedures and policies to promote equity and justice if your business is large enough to have staff and/or volunteers. Hire and promote minorities!” says Tara Vargas Wallace,  founder & CEO at Amplify POC.

Emphasize your local connection, says Mark Ameres, management consultant and technology implementation advisor, and hone in on what people can get from your business, even though they might not be able to communicate their needs.

“Get a 508 number. Listen to what people need. They may not know how to describe their solutions or they don’t know what they don’t know.”

By Stephanie Viva

In short, a podcast is an audio file that is like a radio show, except hosted through a digital platform.  If you are a listener, you know about this format, but if not, they range from mental health conversations and TED talks to DIY, travel and true crime.

Podcasts can be any length. From a five-minute “quick tips” pod to an hour-long instructional “how-to.” 

The advantage of listening to a podcast is this is the only “media” you can absorb while doing ANYTHING and everything! Driving, folding laundry, going for a walk, sitting on the beach, or even in the shower! My hubby has Bluetooth in our bathroom fan, and as crazy as I thought he was, I use it the most.

Listeners can stream a podcast, download an episode to listen to later, and they can subscribe, all while going about their regular life. You don’t lose the station when you drive out of the area; you can rewind to essential parts, skip parts that don’t interest you- there is no interruption between you, the host, and your listener.

It is easy to get started, and the barrier to entry is low.

If you are an established business, you already have a ton of content you have created over the years to reuse that will get your podcast into full swing. Stories, best practices, tools and tricks, tips, and how-tos all make for fabulous podcasts. You can demonstrate why your business is a trusted source because you share your knowledge on your website, social media and podcast.

Suppose you are a new business; what a great way to introduce yourself to the market and start a real relationship with your customers by podcasting. You can share your story about how and why you started this business and your visions for the future.

Having a podcast will increase your web traffic

A podcast helps you make a deeper connection with your customer. It fosters your existing relationship with customers and also shows potential clients who you are as a business. Having a podcast builds a closer connection and is a library as to why they should choose your business over another.

Inexpensive marketing is the best

Everyone needs and uses different strategies to market their business. We have so many choices: radio, TV, print, magazines, websites, highway signs, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn. It’s a sea of choices as to how we reach customers.

You have total control of your podcast and you own the channel. No expensive ads and you can take audio clips from your podcast and use them everywhere for self-promotion.

You can keep your audience and clients in the loop when something new is dropping, and they will feel connected because they heard it first- directly from you.

Podcasting can be another source of untapped revenue. You don’t have to monetize your podcast. You can team up with another business or have guests on to promote their business. You can even ask listeners to support a cause you champion or donate directly to your pod, depending on the subject matter.

All business owners want everyone to know how fantastic their business is!

You can demonstrate to the world what a unique culture you have created in your business and provide clients with an inside view of “the room where it happens.” Business owners can let employees host a pod about a topic they want to share.

Building a relationship with your audience will lead to reaching a larger audience which leads to more business. 

Start authentically talking to your customers, and don’t miss out on a chance to get your company’s message out to a new audience. 

Bring new clients in the door and boost your revenue with podcasting.

Stephanie Viva is the founder of the startup business Lemonadio, which focuses on giving businesses a voice with podcasting and brand narration. She can be reached at stephanie@stephanieviva.com, 774-205-4634, https://lemonadio.com/

By Carol K. Dumas

If you’ve lived in the Cape Cod and Plymouth area for a while, you’d recognize Stephanie Viva’s distinctive voice in less than it takes to name a  tune playing on the radio.

Viva, who lives in Mashpee with her husband and family, has been a familiar radio personality for 25 years, most recently as a popular morning show co-host on iHeart radio’s 106 FM before being laid off last year due to budget cuts. 

The classic making lemonade out of lemons adage certainly applies to her.

This year Viva launched a business  appropriately named Lemonadio, reflecting her layoff situation “and making lemonade” by starting her own company helping businesses create podcasts as a marketing tool. She is one of 14 entrepreneurs involved in eForAll’s Spring 2021 Accelerator Program, where she hopes to gain business skills and knowledge from mentors to grow her business.

Viva hasn’t totally left radio; she was recently scooped up by The Dunes Radio X102.3 “Cape Cod’s Music Channel,” which started broadcasting April 1 (no joke!) Her morning program is called “And Stephanie,” which features guests and a different co-host every week. 

But back to Lemonadio.

Lemonadio’s business angle is to educate businesses and organizations about the value of podcasting and help them get started in podcasting. Podcasting is a relatively new phenomenon in digital media. Basically, it’s a series of spoken episodes in digital audio  that a user can download to listen on their computer, smartphone or other device. The most popular podcasts in the world are the New York Times’ The Daily and NPR News Now, but there are countless other companies and individuals, famous and not-so-famous, who use podcasts to further brand their business, educate or entertain.

“I find that here, on the Cape, people are not using it to brand their business,’ Viva says. “I saw a hole in the marketplace.”

Podcasts, she notes, are creating huge SEOs. The cost of producing a podcast is also less expensive than traditional advertising and analytics gained from a podcast are valuable.

“It brands you as an expert in your field,” Viva says. “You can share your mission, show your clients why you are an expert.”

Big business is also using podcasting as an internal communication tool, she adds.

Viva will set up a template for a podcast, explore licenses to music and other potential legal issues and direct her clients to apps and resources to create their own podcast.

She’s taught a course in how to get started in podcasting at Cape Cod Community College’s Center for Corporate Communication. 

Viva’s favorite website is The Joe Rogan Experience, hosted by the comedian Joe Rogan.  Her website (stephanieviva.com) also lists new favorites and of course, you can listen to episodes of her own podcast on Lemonadio Live. Recent episodes focused on the annual Dance Marathon supporting Cape Cod Health Care’s Women’s Early Detection Fund, Seaside Bridal’s owner Melane Wayburn, the women behind Orleans’ Wild Water Collective and even a plug about hiring Lemonadio to launch your podcast.

Keys to podcasting success?

“People get caught up on content,” she says. “Reuse your blog posts, for example. It’s also important to be consistent and create content constantly.“

CAPTIONS:

The flavor lineup for Fieldstone Kombucha.

Golden Hour Kombucha is made with fresh ginger and turmeric.

Emily Mellgard sells her kombucha at a local farmers market.

Fieldstone Kombucha founder Emily Mellgard.

Info Box

Fieldstone Kombucha

508-642-5214
Emily@FieldstoneKombuchaCo.com

fieldstonekombuchaco.com

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Passion For Kombucha Propels A New Business

By Ann Luongo

Kombucha a fizzy sweet-and-sour drink made with tea, which has been around for nearly 2,000 years. It was first brewed in China and then spread to Japan and Russia, and became popular in Europe in the early 20th century. Sales in the United States are on the rise because of its reputation as a health and energy drink. 

For local business owner Emily Mellgard, her company, Fieldstone Kombucha, began as a personal passion project. 

“I was introduced to the fabulous beverage that is kombucha by a friend of mine,” said Mellgard. “She made it on her kitchen counter and drank it with her family for its immune system-boosting properties. Kombucha was love at first taste for me, there in her kitchen.

“When I returned home, I bought some in the store, took an eager gulp, and nearly spit it out. Whereas my first taste of kombucha had been light, effervescent, slightly sweet and smokey, this store-bought bottle was nearly vinegar and carbonated to taste like soda, which masked whatever flavors there may have been. I decided then that I would make my own kombucha because I wanted to drink the good stuff.”

Mellgard’s passion became a business when demand for it among family and friends outgrew what she could produce in her own kitchen and out of her own pocket. She found that other people wanted an alternative to what they found on the grocery store shelves as well. But, getting a new business up and running is a daunting task, and she knew she’d need help and guidance.

“While the ultimate responsibility of the business is mine, a host of mentors, family, and friends have made it possible to build. I do not have an entrepreneurial or business background, so when I decided to build my kombucha-making into a business, I spoke with other local business owners and beverage producers,” she said. “When I launched the business and increased production, my mother, who had been my chief taste-tester, came on as my informal assistant brewer. My Dad and fiancé are always willing to help me build a new tool or piece of equipment, and to make trips with me to collect materials. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Mellgard also credits the EforAll mentoring organization.  As part of the 2020 Summer Business Accelerator program, she ended up winning first place in the end-of-program presentations. 

“The program was essentially a super-condensed, incredibly practical, business certificate. The program, and particularly my team of mentors, helped me professionalize my business, bring in structures, and plan for the future.”

There are only three ingredients in kombucha at its base: tea, sugar and a kombucha culture (existing kombucha). Within those three ingredients, she said, is an entire world of experimentation, individuality, and fun. 

“You can use a myriad of different teas (though avoid teas flavored with essential oils, as they can hinder the process). Many kombucha brewers use black, green, or a combination of the two. I use a black and white tea combination for most of my kombucha. I prefer the taste to green tea.”

The fermentation process is similar to that of beer or wine making. The sugar feeds the fermentation process (like barley in beer, and natural sugars in grape juice for wine). Most of it is consumed by the yeast during the primary fermentation. The third ingredient is kombucha. Like yogurt, kombucha is a culturing fermentation. This means a culture of existing end products is needed to introduce the microorganisms (yeast and bacteria) that work through the new tea, consuming and altering it into kombucha.

The potential benefits of kombucha are said to vary from help with digestion and ridding the body of toxins to boosting the immune system and helping with weight loss. There have been claims that kombucha helps with, or even cures, everything from cancer to diabetes. There is currently no scientific findings to support this, advocates claim kombucha is still a delicious and healthy supplement for a healthy body. 

“As a kombucha brewer and business owner, I need to be very careful of the claims I make about my kombucha,” said Mellgard. “What is established science is that raw kombucha is a good source of probiotics and can help maintain a healthy immune system.”

Mellgard sources many of her ingredients from local farms and seasonally rotates flavors to take advantage of the most delicious and freshest ingredients in the fields. She grows as many ingredients as she can, such as beets and many of the herbs and even started a berry orchard this year to grow blueberries, raspberries, elderberries and goji berries. The tea and sugar are sourced organically.

“My flavors are also inspired by New England farms and produce,” she said. “Each year I’ve expanded the flavoring. It’s one of my favorite parts of the business.”

The spring line up at Fieldstone Kombucha includes Garden Blush (strawberry rhubarb), Crimson Dawn (earthy beet), Farm Dreams (spicy ginger), and Golden Hour (turmeric with ginger). Summer brings Baby Bandit (blueberries, raspberries, and thyme), Botanical (the whole herb garden), Summer Nights (smoke and lavender), and Snow Birds (red currant and mint). Autumn brings Traditions (spiced apple), Harvest Moon (pumpkin), Bog Witch (cranberry rosemary), and Firefly (cranberry with hot peppers).

Mellgard began selling kombucha in mid-December 2019. When the pandemic shut everything down in March, she was active in only one farmers market and had lost her market to gyms and yoga studios.

“COVID-19 caused a major pivot in my plans,” she recalled. “I introduced home deliveries and signed up for local delivery services like What’s Good and Farm Fresh RI to keep me going. It was a difficult year, even when I had nothing to compare it to. Without previous years’ sales records to show a drop in revenue, I was ineligible for assistance programs. The business was able to remain viable though thanks to loyal customers and increased interest in local food and drink, and products that boost the immune system.”

As restrictions ease, more people are returning to farmer’s markets, and now that Mellgard has her wholesale license, she’s getting the kombucha into local stores, restaurants, and cafes as they reopen. She is planning a summer full of markets and sales to yoga studios. 

“Business is definitely picking up. It’s going to be a very exciting year,” she said. 

In fact, she’s hiring for farmers markets and brewing assistance. She’s also looking for any businesses in the Cape and Plymouth area that might be interested in offering the kombucha. They can email her directly at emily@fieldstonekombuchaco.com.

In addition to spreading word about her business, she’s also planning her September wedding. 

“Planning a wedding and building an expanding business in the twilight of the pandemic makes for an interesting work life balance,” she said. “Sitting on the back porch at the end of the day with a kombucha cocktail always helps!”

Captions:

One of the new P&B motor coaches that feature state-of-the art technology, safety and air purification systems.

FILE pic Winthrop Sargent is the CEO of Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company. His partners in the company are John Cogliano and Paul Fuerst. 

Info & Schedules

https://www.p-b.com/

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

SUBHEAD: Plymouth & Brockton Buses Rolling Again After 14-Month Shutdown 

By Carol K. Dumas

In late 2019, Winthrop “Win” Sargent was jubilant after he and his two partners bought the Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company. They had plans to re-energize the company, founded in 1888, with new buses and more routes to solidify their place as the number one bus service for the Cape and South Shore.

“We finished 2019 and started 2020 with plans to add routes to our service area, and introduce a new fleet of 27 motorcoaches to the service. We brought the first few buses to P&B and were preparing to introduce them to our passengers,” recalled Sargent, the company’s chairman and CEO. “Then COVID happened.”

What followed were layoffs and a shutdown of their operations for 14 months. P&B is a popular choice for commuters to Boston and for travelers to Logan Airport. When the need for commuting diminished, workers were relegated to working from home and the travel industry shut down as the pandemic raged, P&B was stalled in its progress.

However, this year, on May 13, the sun was shining on the company’s headquarters in Plymouth as Sargent, president John Cogliano and CFO Paul Fuerst addressed an assembly of media and legislators who had come to hear the good news that P&B bus services were back starting May 14 with service between Hyannis and Boston. Two of the fleet’s shiny new buses, emblazoned with the new company logo, served as a backdrop for the event.

Last year, the company used its time off to make a number of upgrades to technology and safety and institute new health measures, such as frequent disinfecting of the buses and installation of air purification systems.  The company has approximately 50 employees back to work and plans on hiring more as they move into the next phase of service. In addition, P&B partnered with the U.S. Army, which guarantees soldiers an interview with the company and the possibility of employment following their terms of service. The Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) Program is a strategic partnership between the U.S. Army and a cross section of corporations, companies and public sector agencies. 

As the country and Massachusetts move towards reducing their carbon footprint, bus travel couldn’t be more timely, said P&B partner John Cogliano, a former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and CEO of the Mass Turnpike Authority.

“Every P&B bus can take up to 55 cars off the road which reduces local traffic congestion, reduces overall gas consumption, and truly benefits the environment,” he noted.

Cogliano said in the future, the company would be exploring greener alternatives to diesel-fueled buses, but he’s leaning more toward hydrogen fuel cell technology, when that’s developed, rather than electric vehicles.

P&B plans to upgrade its fleet frequently, he said. 

The company has been inundated with interest mainly about its service to Logan. At the end of May, 14 trips from Hyannis to Logan Airport were offered, starting at 3 a.m.

“It is very encouraging to see our critical transportation networks coming back on-line, after seeing business models crushed by severe capacity limits due to COVID-19,” reflected Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross. “P&B has served as a critical lifeline to the Cape – and transported generations of Cape Codders to work in Boston or Logan Airport, and it is a relief to see those beautiful blue buses on the road again!”

South Shore Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Peter Forman noted that the company not only offers a critical option for commuting to Boston and the airports, but also provides access for people who moved to the South Shore and Cape Cod during the pandemic.

“P&B offers local residents a critical option for commuting to Boston, Logan Airport and now Green Airport that the MBTA often cannot match,” he said. “That helps open the South Shore and Cape to more people who want to live here but need access to those areas without the stress or expense of driving themselves.  That makes P&B essential to the region’s economic future. The new ownership is already showing important community leadership.  The new fleet of busses incorporating the latest technology for safety and air quality will help reduce anxiety about returning to work.  By resuming commuting service before the MBTA restored some of its services led the way in announcing it is time to re-open the economy.”    

More Routes

The company also introduced service May 14 to T.F. Green in Warwick, R.I., as the smaller airport on the outskirts of Providence was a popular alternative airport of choice for especially Cape Cod and Islands residents. Stops are made in Barnstable, Sagamore, New Bedford and Fall River. The route will run four round trips every day.

“As more ridership returns we will be adding even more bus service,” said Cogliano. “The new T.F. Green Airport bus service from Hyannis has had a strong start with people traveling from Hyannis and other stops to TF Green Airport. We’re seeing increased ticket sales and are confident that our new Hyannis to TF Green bus route will develop into an important transportation service for the residents on the Cape and Southeastern Massachusetts as well as bring residents from Rhode Island to locations in Massachusetts.”

Cogliano also said P&B was planning to offer service from Woods Hole to T.F. Green and Logan. The company’s plans call for adding stops at Woods Hole as well as Falmouth Station in the center of town and providing routes to the two airports. It is working out an access license agreement with the Steamship Authority which will allow P&B buses at Woods Hole to pick up ferry passengers coming from Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

“For people coming from Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket who are looking to get to the airports, this will be a great solution for them,” he said, adding, “And of course for the Falmouth residents seeking a comfortable and state-of-the-art transportation solution to Boston and Logan Airport and T.F. Green Airport, we look to fill that need.”

P&B’s owners are glad that 2020 is behind them.

“The past 14 months have been extraordinarily difficult,” Sargent acknowledged in May. “We need people to feel confident and get on and ride.”

By Kevin Ricci

It has been said that a data breach is not a matter of “if,” but a matter of “when.” Against the ever-increasing sophistication and efficacy of cyberattacks, staying secure is akin to Sisyphus rolling a boulder uphill for all eternity. Criminals have an uncanny ability to stay one step ahead of the latest defenses, find backdoors to circumnavigate the latest and greatest security solutions, and be ready to pounce on one misconfigured setting or unaddressed vulnerability. The following examples are just a fraction of the disastrous fates which lie in the wake of a cyber incident:

• A construction company was breached by an attacker who, after deleting all data residing on the servers, wiped out the cloud backups as well, leaving the company unable to access any of their information.
• A healthcare entity was struck by ransomware during their busy season, instantaneously bringing their ability to provide services to a halt until they paid a six-figure ransom to decrypt their data.
• A manufacturer had their most sensitive client data stolen and then surreptitiously exposed on a public file sharing site, laying bare the entirety of their clients’ sales history, replete with pricing and payment information.

If compromise is, in fact, inevitable, it is imperative that a business prepares to respond so that recovery can be as expeditious a process as possible. The two key elements of response preparation are developing an incident response plan and having the right resources to quickly help restore operations after an attack. According to the Ponemon/IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020, organizations who have formed incident response teams and test their incident response plans reduced the average total cost of a data breach by $2 million.

The first element, an incident response plan, should include detailed action steps, communication protocols, and other key information needed to help execute the recovery game plan. And while having a plan is crucial, testing the plan on a regular basis is just as important. Members of management from all departments, not just IT, should partake in the testing process so that everyone can efficiently execute their responsibilities in the event a real incident should occur.

The second element, a dependable expert resource to help with the restoration, is essential to have in place. Unless a business has internal forensic and restoration expertise in place to tackle a cyber attack, they will need an external resource standing by. This resource should possess the relevant certifications to confirm their credentials are legitimate and they should be available at a moment’s notice.

Having the right response team on retainer can be the difference between experiencing a few hours of inconvenience as opposed to several weeks’ worth of downtime. To help companies mitigate the trauma that accompanies a cyberattack, Citrin Cooperman has developed CyberSecure, an incident response team that delivers readiness and rapid response services to help companies prepare and respond to data security incidents or breaches. This elite cyber cavalry brings many benefits, including:

• Peace of mind that a 24/7/365 incident response team is at your service;
• Front-of-the-line access to our rapid response breach recovery team and network partners;
• Establishment of a proactive zero cost incident response engagement letter with terms and conditions to expedite the data breach response time;
• Opportunities to obtain discounted rates when combined with our other cybersecurity services.

To help get the right response resources in place, consider setting up a meeting to discuss how Citrin Cooperman can help protect your business with CyberSecure. To get started, please reach out to Michael Camacho at mcamacho@citrincooperman.com or Kevin Ricci at kricci@citrincooperman.com, or click here for more information on CyberSecure.

By Gabriel DeSouza

Can your employees go 40 days without receiving income? Did you know that Massachusetts’ Paid Medical Family Leave (PFML) on average takes 40 days from filing date to payment?

The Paid Family Medical Leave Act is now law. It is a new employee benefit that business and employees contribute. The fund is used to pay eligible Massachusetts’ residents a qualified work leave not covered by a short-term disability policy (if provided for by their employer). 

Starting Jan. 1, 2021, employees in Massachusetts could apply for and receive paid leave under the state’s new PFML law. Most Massachusetts workers will be eligible to take up to 26 weeks of paid leave per benefit year under the new law. Year-to-date approximately 30,000 claims have been filed, however only about one fourth have started to receive the benefit, and none in a timely fashion. Typical wait time is five to six seeks. In theory this is a great benefit, however, the timely claim process has adversely impacted employees.

The state fund is not an employer’s only choice. Did you know other options exist? Private insurers offer the same coverage benefit with more competitive rating, easier administration, and faster claim payments.

You may want to consider purchasing (or ask your employer) the PMFL coverage from the private market for the following reasons: 

1. Better pricing: private insurers rates are more competitive. And Massachusetts has already announced a rate increase effective Oct. 1, 2021 (which is only ten months into the program). 
2. A claim payment turnaround of 5 days versus the states average of 40-day claim turnaround. 
3. As an employer providing this benefit, why not get faster claim service for less money and help your employees benefit should they need to file for this benefit. 

Gabriel DeSouza is a commercial lines account manager at Murray and MacDonald Insurance Services, with offices in Falmouth and Bourne. He can be reached at 800-800-8990 or gabriel@riskadvice.com

By Douglas MacDonald

Did you know that at any given day there are approximately 660,000 drivers attempting to use their phones while behind the wheel of an automobile? And that nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. In fact, texting and driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.

What are you doing to protect yourself against distracted drivers and the damage they could cause you and your family?

Did you know that your personal auto policy has an important coverage feature that protects you as a driver, passenger, pedestrian and cyclist on the road against distracted drivers? It is called Uninsured and Uninsured Motorists Protection. 

This very important policy provision covers you if another driver hits you with their vehicle and does bodily damage to you, and they either have no insurance or inadequate limits of liability. It allows you to file an insurance claim with your own insurance company and collect proceeds from the damages incurred upwards of $500,000.

You can also purchase a rider on your personal umbrella policy that will extend the uninsured and underinsured motorist protection an additional $1 million.

If you enjoy going for walks or riding your bike in addition to driving your car, you are at risk of getting hit by a distracted driver.

The best time to understand the coverage you have, and available options is now. As they say, “there is no time like the present.” Contact us and one of our advisors will help you understand how best to protect your family with uninsured and underinsured motorist protection.

Douglas MacDonald, CPCU, CIC, CRM is the CEO and president of Murray & MacDonald Insurance Services, Inc. Visit www.riskadvice.com, text or call us at 800-800-8990 to learn more.

By Andrew Botieri

When you’re green you grow, When you’re ripe you’re rotten. 

It’s something I often say to the companies I work with.

Many of the companies I worked with last year pivoted and grew during the pandemic. Some others went out of business. It’s about survival of the fittest. 

The success triangle is a three-legged stool of Attitude, Behavior and Techniques. 

Attitude

Attitude is a belief in yourself, a love of life and in a higher power. It’s another three-legged stool of mind, body and spirit. You hire for attitude. You can teach the product or service later. Some people just have a bad attitude. Ask why.

You can’t manufacture attitude. It’s got to be there. It’s about our upbringing, personal experiences and our own stick-to-itiveness.  If you get knocked down, you’ve got to get back up. That’s life! Attitude trickles down to influence, your commitment to your behavior, commitment and willingness to use whatever strategies, policies, and implementations your company might have.  When you’re hiring people or working with people, these are things we want to look for.

I’ve had some of the best gains with my sales teams in depressed markets because we didn’t buy the hype that “nobody was going to buy.” We knew we had the best products and nothing was going to stop us. In short, we had a great attitude.

In 2020, this was all tested with COVID. I had so many people who had just given up, they were afraid to walk out their door. The spirit is the most important part of our attitude. It gets us up in the morning.

A simple saying I use: If it’s to be, it’s up to me. When I hit a roadblock, I think about that.

You’ve always got to be stimulating your mind to get that synergy going. I do a couple of workshops on “Sales Reluctance,” about sales people who are sometimes reluctant to make prospecting calls. We don’t call them “cold” calls, we call them “new” calls. It’s all a frame of mind. Prior to making these tougher calls I have them call an existing client, somebody who loves you. You get your confidence up. THEN you make the tough calls.

Also, make sure you’re exercising and getting enough sleep. It’s not about getting to the gym and pumping a bunch of iron, it can be a 10 minute walk.

The average person spends 80 percent of their time thinking negative thoughts! Why can’t it be 50 percent or less? We’re all going to have negative thoughts about our ability, we’re only human! In your spare time, write down a few things that might limit your success. Once you identify those things, maybe you can put some goals together to overcome the negativity.

Behavior

Everyone has an aura around them. 

I’ve had people who have looked great on paper but they didn’t present themselves well enough and I didn’t hire them. It’s not how you feel that determines how you act, it’s how you act that determines how you feel. 

When we run a business, it’s important to know how behavior relates to our goals. Our subconscious mind is the most powerful tool we have. In our conscious mind, we don’t think about our goals because we’re too occupied with running our business. Write down those goals to train your subconscious mind to put those triggers into place and direct those goals in your conscious mind. 

When you’re goal setting, also set professional goals that are in sync with your personal goals. If you’re not happy in business, it affects your family life. If you’re not happy in your personal life, it affects your business. Find a balance. 

When I’m hiring I always ask people about particular challenges they’ve had at a particular job.

Techniques

Techniques could be sales driven, about new service initiatives, or new prospects in your outreach programs.

I “time block”, I write everything down on my calendar. If you have anyone on your team struggling with time management, have them time block. It’s an incredibly powerful tool. I note meetings, calls, workshops and even lunch.

In summary, you need to have a plan to execute these “BAT” strategies. You have to think about the strategies, the pros and cons of those strategies and how to make it happen. Maybe making sure you have the right crew working at the right site, for example. To paraphrase Bill Belichick: just do your job! If everyone at companies just did their job, it would be amazing what they could do!

Andrew Botieri of Plymouth leads Sales, Management and Leadership Training at Greg Nanigian & Associates of the Sandler Sales Institute. He can be reached at andrewbotieri@gnatraining.com