Weekly News 

14 September 2009

From the keyboard of Lee Schearer,

Take pride in how far you have come, have faith in how far you can go. -- Anonymous

A few years ago, I passed along a sheet of paper asking our members to write down where they were born. I was amazed at some of the entries as we had menders from 5-6 different countries, and about 30 different states. Also, I am always interested in what type of occupations our members had before they choose to become self-employed entrepreneur's. Someone once said that it isn't important where you came from, but where you are going. I disagree, as I think it is important where we came from as our past life experiences help shape our futures.

We are fortunate to have such a wide variety of folks with such diverse backgrounds. From such diversity we can draw upon a plethora of life experiences that can help us make the right choices in our business ventures and in our life choices as well. I, for one, take pride in our members and their individual backgrounds, as I take pride in my own life experiences.

I also have faith in our members to make the right choices, guided by our collective life experiences, in being successful both in business and in the journey of our life. I invite you to attend our meeting this Wednesday morning with a smile on your face, a song in your heart and an attitude of success that makes the Chapel Hill Leads Group the premier referral group in the region.

Respectfully,

Lee Schearer

Calendar:
Weekly Meeting:
Our regularly scheduled weekly meeting will be held Wednesday morning at Extraordinary Ventures, Inc., 200 South Elliott Road, Chapel Hill from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Meeting Dues are $5.00 per week.  Place your business card and $1.00 in the Optional Drawing. One card will be selected and that person will receive the week's kitty. For Express Check-In, please arrive with a $5.00, a $1.00, and a business card and we will check you in. We greatly appreciate your bringing correct change. We cannot change large denomination bills ($10, $20, $50, etc.) and cannot accept checks.
This Week's Speaker:
Martin McCorkle will be the game show host for "Great Harvest Jeopardy" where a correct answer could earn you a 6-pack of cookies or a 4-pack of scones. Make sure to tune in!
Speaker's Schedule for September / October 2009
23 September - John Marlowe
30 September - Jamey Tippens, Jamey Tippens, LLC Home Inspection
7 October - Marcia Corprew, Town Planner
14 October - open
21 October - Barbara-Lynn Freed, Center for Transformational Studies
28 October - Vivienne Carosso, Cookie Lee Fine Fashion Jewelry

Keep It Simple - Attend the Leads Group meeting at least 50% of the time for 3 consecutive months. Ask Lou Umscheid to place you on the speakers schedule. Continue to attend at least 50% of the Leads Group meetings until your presentation. Continue to attend the Leads Group meeting to strengthen your new referral network.
Did You Know:
Heals 4 Hope Race - 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 31, 2009
The Arc of Orange County to setup a table and laptop for the upcoming Heels 4 Hope Race on October 31st sponsored by Granville Towers and Pi Kappa Phi. The Arc of Orange County is a beneficiary of the race and we would like to see as many Leads Meeting members participate in the 5K Walk-Run Race and support our efforts in the community.

Please stop by our registration table next Wednesday the 16th starting at 7:30am, at breaks and after the Leads Meeting to register onsite.

The cost for registration is $15. For more information, please contact Pat Richardson at 919-942-5119, ext 116 or via email at prichardson@arcoforange.org.
Retail Roundtable - 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The purpose of the Retail Roundtable is to bring Chamber members together for an exchange of ideas about a shared interests in a non-competitive environment. Members share stories of challenges, successes and day-to-day best practices to assist in the success of every member. The Retail Roundtable meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. The Retail Roundtable is open to Chamber members. Contact Gene Wolf, Great Earth Vitamins at Meadowmont at 919.338.8160 or Meg Branson, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Programs and Communications Manager at 919.357.9977 for information regarding the Retail Roundtable.
Business After Hours - Kenan Stadium - 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Chamber's premiere monthly networking event, Business After Hours will be held in the Pope Box inside Kenan Stadium on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. The Business After Hours is hosted and sponsored by UNC Athletics and will be held at Kenan Stadium. The event is co-sponsored by High & Rubish Insurance. The non-profit spotlight is UNC Dance Marathon. Kenan Stadium is located on Stadium Drive. Parking is available in the Rams Head Parking deck on Ridge Road. From the Rams Head parking deck, follow signs to the Concourse Level and exit the deck. Enter the stadium at gate 2 and take the elevators to your left up to the Pope Box. For a map, click here.

Contact Whitney Woodyard of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce at 919.357.9980 for additional information regarding Business After Hours. Don't forget your business cards!
Orange County Development Briefing - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 22, 2009
With the real estate industry changing so rapidly, it is more important now than ever to have good up-to-date information about the local market. On Tuesday, September 22, the Chamber, in partnership with the Greater Chapel Hill Association of Realtors and the Home Builders Association of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties is pleased to present the third annual Orange County Development Briefing from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Friday Center. Commercial and residential real estate professionals, along with planners and economic developers will present the latest trends about the regional and local markets as well as the status of approved projects in Orange County and its municipalities.

Registration required. $30 for members, $40 for non-members. Questions? Contact Whitney Woodyard | 357-9980 | wwoodyard@carolinachamber.org. Follow this link to register for the event: http://carolinachamber.org/members/register.html.
Networking In Your Neighborhood
Alamance Leads Group
The Alamance Leads Group (www.alamanceleads.com) meets every Monday at Mimi's Cafe, Alamance Crossing off I-40/I-85 at Exit 140, Burlington, 27215. Dick O'Donnell (dickodonnell@clearwire.net) with Cableless Solutions (919-760-5476) is the facilitator. The Alamance Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Apex Leads Group
The Apex Leads Group (www.apexleadsgroup.com) meets every Tuesday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 1201 Haddon Hall Drive, Apex 27502. Eric Sayer (ESayer@LendingForYou.com) with Prime Mortgage Lending, Inc. (919-601-38235) is the facilitator. The Apex Leads Group meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Breakfast Club
Just a reminder that the breakfast club is still meeting at 7:00am at the Weathervane Restaurant. Anyone is invited to share good conversation and a quick breakfast before our regular Leads Group meeting at our new location. This is one way that we can continue to support the management & staff that supported the Leads Group for such a long time.
Cary Leads Group
The Cary Leads Group (www.caryleadsgroup.com) meets Thursdays at the BNC, 649 Walnut Street, Cary 27511. Andy Siouville (919-363-7010) is the facilitator. The Cary Leads Group meet from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Chapel Hill Leads Group
The Chapel Hill Leads Group (www.chapelhillleads.com) meets every Wednesday at Extraordinary Ventures (www.extraordinaryventures.org), 200 South Elliott Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Lee Schearer (919-490-1922) with American Real Estate and Appraisal Company and Don Bonin (919-542-2446) with Town & Country Trader are the facilitators. The Chapel Hill Leads Group meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Chatham County Leads Group
The Chatham County Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Our Neighborhood School Pizzeria (www.ourneighborhoodschool.com/pizzeria.html), 87 Thompson Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Don Bonin (chathamcountylg@gmail.com) (919-542-2446) with Town & Country Trader  is the facilitator. The Chatham County Leads Group meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Durham Leads Group
The Durham Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Piper's Deli (www.pipersdeli.com), 3219 Old Chapel Hill Road, Durham, NC 27707. Randy Bernstein (Randy@etchNstitch.com) (919-732-3473) with Etch N Stitch and Jane Clark (Jane.A.Clark@EdwardJones.com) (919-419-1761) with Edward Jones Investments are the facilitators. The Durham Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Hillsborough Leads Group
The Hillsborough Leads Group (www.hillsboroughleads.net) meets every Thursday morning of each month at The Village Diner, 600 West King Street, Hillsborough, NC. Ned Parsons of American Speedy Printing (919-493-0985) and Caryn Byrd of Home Instead Senior Care (919-933-3300) are  the facilitators. The Hillsborough Leads Group meet from 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Holly Springs Leads Group
Holly Springs Leads Group (hollyspringsleadsgroup.com) meets every Wednesday at Java Divine (www.javadivine.com) in the Bass Lake Shopping Center, 128 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs, NC. Wendy Harrington with Sidekick Communications (919-208-7484) and Barb Louis with PartyLite Gifts (919-772-9560) are the facilitators. The Holly Springs Leads Group meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
North Raleigh Leads Group
The North Raleigh Leads Group (www.northraleighleads.com) meets every Monday morning at the Stone Wolf Coffee, 8300 Health Park, Raleigh, NC. David Stoner with EnviroFix (919-847-5355) and Charlie Edinger with Second Chance Solutions (919-219-5264) are the facilitators. The North Raleigh Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Northern Wake Leads Group
The Northern Wake Leads Group (www.northernwakeleads.com) meets every Tuesday morning at the Bottle & Bean, 929 Heritage Lake Road, Suite 600, Wake Forest, NC, 27587. Sue Robinson with 4-Minute Fitness/ Genetic Nutrition (919-570-0913) and Lisa Angell with Mary Kay Cosmetics (919-676-0451) are the facilitators. The Northern Wake Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Western Wake Leads Group
Western Wake Leads Group (westernwakeleads.com) meets every Thursday morning at the BNC, 649 Walnut Street, Cary NC 27511. Bill Carraway with Pre-Paid Legal (919-605-4895) is the facilitator.  The cost will be $5 and includes breakfast. The Western Wake Leads Group meet from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. For further information click here: http://smallbiz.meetup.com/483/calendar/7054450/ or call the BNC at 919-342-5251.