Friday, August 30, 2013

Free Tax Workshop Offered to Gadsden Area New Business Owners

Free Tax Workshop Offered to 
Gadsden Area New Business Owners 
September, 17th
Gadsden—Starting a new business and have tax questions?  Mark your calendar and attend the Alabama Department of Revenue’s free New Business Workshop scheduled Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, at 3 p.m. and again at 5:30 p.m. in Gadsden.
The workshop will be held at the Elliot Community Center, located at 2827 W. Meighan Blvd. in Gadsden.        
The free workshop will cover a variety of state tax information topics, including employer withholding taxes, state and local sales taxes, property taxes, business licensing requirements, and Alabama’s child labor law.  An overview of Alabama’s business tax electronic filing programs will also be presented.
ADOR presenters will also provide workshop participants with information about Alabama’s new ONE SPOT, a free Internet filing and payment portal that will allow taxpayers to file and pay state, county, and city sales, use, and rental taxes all in one place, beginning Oct. 1, 2013. 

For more information concerning the Gadsden area New Business Workshop, visit the department’s Web site at www.revenue.alabama.gov or call (256) 547-0554.
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Thursday, August 29, 2013

5 Business Lessons to Learn From "The Dreamer"




This week marks 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered what is widely known as the most powerful words spoken in the civil rights movement on the mall in Washington, DC. Those four words, "I have a dream", rang like the bell from the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, and reverberated in hearts throughout cities, states, countries and now, even decades.


The lessons one could learn from King are innumerable. But I thought it timely to look at the lessons of his life and actions and discover how to apply it to business - for the betterment of our own community and economy today. Although I'm sure these thoughts are not the most scholarly and educated, they're what I hope I can apply to my business practices, and well... my dream. Regardless of whether you're a small business owner, corporate manager, part-time employee, volunteer, independent professional or hopeful entrepreneur, maybe they'll mean something to you, too.
  1. If it's worth doing, it's worth leading. King didn't simply tell others about his dream and expect someone else to take control. Despite the danger, the turmoil and the seemingly insurmountable odds, he led. Today when we shy away from opportunity we say it's because we lack time, energy and determination. It looks hard and we don't even try. If we ever say "I wish I could make a difference/change the way we do that/open a new business/take my department to the next level" and we don't try, we never really wanted to. It just sounded good at the time. We have to be the change we want to see.
  2. Fear is real, but it's not an excuse. King has been quoted as saying "Our problem is not to be rid of fear, but rather to harness and master it". He is also noted for saying "Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." Consider, for just this moment, applying that to your business. Never fear doing what is right for the sake of your business. Other's judgments are small compared to the damage we could inflict on our livelihood - and our dream - if we look the other way. It is okay to be afraid to make changes, take another direction, terminate an ineffective employee, ask for help or stand up for what we believe; it is guaranteed destruction to let fear make us immobile.
  3. It isn't really your dream unless it's your passion. Know your passion; then follow your dream. When an objective is your passion, you can't help but do item #1. It's what defines you, consumes you, energizes you and makes the breaths you take each day worthwhile. King is known for many accomplishments, but to me, the root of what he is known for is the love of all mankind. He led the quest for equality for all people, regardless of social status, income level or the color of their skin. Love for others was the passion that fueled his dream. What about our business makes us passionate? Where does our passion show in our business? Do we have the courage to translate that passion into our dream?
  4. Have a plan. Work from the plan. But our best work is often done when the work comes from our heart, even if it veers from the plan. I challenge you to watch the full 17 minutes and 28 seconds of King's historical and powerful speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs And I want you to pay very close attention that up until about 12 minutes and 20 seconds into the speech King is working from notes. He looks down often, but he still delivers moving and motivating concepts. But the moments of this speech that grabs hold of you and doesn't let go begins at 12:20 - when things go off script and get real. And when I say real, I mean personal - between you and the man who's unabashedly baring his heart for all to see. Who do you know in your business community that isn't afraid to put their heart into everything they do? And even more, how do they measure success.
  5. A good dream inspires others, involves others, engages others and, by doing so, lives on as the legacy of The Dreamer. King did not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor, much less the additional fruits that will surely come. But he made his dream immortal and indestructible by inspiring, involving and engaging others of like minds. The resiliency and longevity of his dream for not just equality - but loving relationships between all human beings - have relied on those that keep the torch - the passion - aflame. He built a team, a coalition, a consensus, a force; and soon others who wanted to be a part of the positive movement joined without even having to be asked! There's nothing wrong with our dream benefiting us, but most importantly, does it also benefit others? Does our passion for our business inspire, involve and engage others? Will our dream survive us and leave something positive (jobs, infrastructure, beautification, restoration, research, motivation) for future generations?
In closing, I hope there's something here you can take and apply to your job, career, business, or your dream - regardless of how big or small it may seem to you - because I can promise you to someone it is very important.
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well. - Martin Luther King Jr.
Your fellow dreamer,
Heather Brothers New
President
The Chamber, Gadsden/Etowah County
Visit our Facebook at www.facebook.com/etowahchamber to share what business or life lessons you've learned from King.

 

NO WEAPONS ALLOWED SIGNS - Free To All Businesses

"No Weapons Allowed" and "Weapons Permitted" signs are available now at the Etowah County Sheriff's Office.  The front office will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and will be available in dispatch on Saturdays and Sundays.

 
(Click on any of the underlined listings for more information)



  

RIBBON CUTTINGS/GRAND OPENINGS

MEMBER EVENTS
   
  
9/19 - 10 Year Celebration, Tim Sims/Allstate, 215 N. 3rd Street, 10am.
  
  
CHAMBER EVENTS











































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Friday, August 23, 2013

Top 5 Reasons to call The Chamber about NO ADDITIONAL COST Marketing to Members!

Top 5 Reasons to call The Chamber about NO ADDITIONAL COST Marketing to Members!

1. Weekly E-Blast
2. Monthly Chinwag
3. Daily Online Job Listings and Coupons
4. Design of Marketing Flyer
5. THE COOSA CATERWAUL...now available to a computer, smart phone or tablet near you! Bookmark this site and visit often!

The New Blog...The Coosa Caterwaul
The Chamber is constantly working to bring you the best ways to promote your business, sales and events.  Starting soon we will have THE COOSA CATERWAUL!  This new and exciting blog is the best way to keep your weekly sales and events on the move. For more information on how your business/flyer can be included in The Coosa Caterwaul, call 256-543-3472 or email kgriffin@gadsdenchamber.com or cmatthews@gadsdenchamber.com.


NO WEAPONS ALLOWED SIGNS - Free To All Businesses
"No Weapons Allowed" and "Weapons Permitted" signs are available now at the Etowah County Sheriff's Office.  The front office will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and will be available in dispatch on Saturdays and Sundays.


(Click on any of the underlined listings for more information)


  

RIBBON CUTTINGS/GRAND OPENINGS










MEMBER EVENTS
  














CHAMBER EVENTS













FOR THE MOST CURRENT LIST OF EVENTS, CLICK HERE
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