Maumee builder is at home in the family business

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Jeff Wehrle credits the huge housing slump of the past three to four years to liberal policies, bankers’ greed, and an industry—his own—going along for the ride for 15 years when it seemed like the demand for new homes would never end. “The policy idea was a good one, that everyone in America should be allowed to own a home. That’s a great concept. But once that happened the banks got involved, and whenever banks get involved, there’s a greed factor,” said Jeff, who has been in the home building business for more than 30 years. “So we created this artificial market that appeared like it was just exploding when in fact the banks were giving people mortgages that they just couldn’t afford.”

“But once people stopped being able to afford to pay those mortgages and things really started hitting, the banks changed the rules overnight. Some banks we know went from offering mortgages for zero percent down to insisting buyers put down 30 percent—and people just don’t live their lives that way anymore.”

“My company, Forrester Wehrle Homes, has a dozen subdivisions—and if someone like me can’t afford to keep my subdivisions, you know there’s no way I’m going to be able to sell them to someone else.” Jeff added that surviving the storm of the housing crash meant coming up with new and creative ways to sell homes so he could keep up with his debts. But as a result, he said, his company is much stronger today than it was five years ago. “We’re smarter, more efficient, more flexible, and we’re coming up with better plans for our customers,” he declared.

One thing Jeff said that his company never changed, though, was its focus on quality. He said that through his own experience, and his father’s before him, he knows that “what works is good quality components, good quality homes, good locations, and good people to build the houses. We have all that, and I think that’s one of the keys to why we survived the crash.”

That emphasis on quality extends to making sure that all of Wehrle’s builds are well-supervised and run on a tight schedule. Supervisors are required to visit each customer’s build site every day and are required to have contractors working on each new home every day as well. “There’s no real down time unless it’s an isolated issue,” Jeff said.

Also, rather than build subdivisions with houses that look too much alike, Jeff said that Forrester Wehrle not only has 50 different housing plans, but that his company will also customize any plan to make it fit the specific customer’s needs— everything from adding space to a particular room to the wall and floor coverings. In addition, Jeff’s company will take a customer’s own plans for her or his dream home and make those plans a reality.

Forrester Wehrle’s emphasis on quality and willingness to be flexible hasn’t just helped the company weather the housing crash. According to Jeff, his company is also seeing a huge increase in business in 2012. “We’ve got more builds going right now than we had in the past three years, and certainly more construction happening now than we had in almost all of 2009 and 2010,” he enthused. This allows Jeff to order things like lumber, counter tops, and other construction materials in bulk—a savings he said that he passes along to his customers.

Jeff’s father started Forrester Wehrle Homes with a partner in 1965, and Jeff remembers being put to work cleaning up construction sites for the family business when he was “seven or eight” years old. The business was quite small when Jeff’s father started it, and Jeff also remembers playing in the construction vans his father brought home in the evenings. Today, Jeff said, his father is no longer an owner of the company, “but he’s never far away.” After studying accounting in college and working as an accountant for about six years, Jeff said that he was drafted into the family business and has been enjoying it ever since.

Today, Forrester Wehrle Homes builds everything from entire subdivisions to single homes. Jeff said that he advises people who are looking for a builder to consider the company’s longevity, to make appointments to look at homes the company has built, and to talk to former customers before signing a contract. “Make sure the walls are straight, the windows are put in correctly, and that there aren’t any cracks in places like the door frames,” he advised. “And talk to previous customers—in my company’s case we build entire subdivisions, so we have to keep 300 customers happy at once!”

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative, or inspiring, please let Jeff know! Forrester Wehrle Homes is located at 4331 Keystone Drive, Maumee. You can call 866- 350-5247; or visit the company’s website at www.forresterwehrle.com.

Balancing the roles of optometrist, new mother and business owner

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Dr. Roxanna Potter

Four months ago, Dr. Roxanna Potter became a new mother. She has faced many challenges as owner of Personal Eyecare in Sylvania, and she admits that this was one of the toughest—juggling becoming a mother with serving as an optometrist and running her eye care practice. But she succeeded in finding a balance. She worked on her business taxes and payroll while in the hospital. When she got out, she hired an associate doctor to take over for her every Friday, so she can spend time at home. And so, this family-oriented woman continues building her family-oriented practice.

Dr. Potter’s career actually began in part because of family. Her mother was a nurse and always had interesting stories about taking care of people. Dr. Potter wanted to follow in her footsteps and help people, as well. “I went into optometry because I wanted to take care of patients, but I didn’t have the time or the finances to go to medical school proper,” she said. “So I looked into different subspecialties and ended up being fascinated with eyes and vision.” After optometry school, Dr. Potter met Dr. Carol Brown, who owned Personal Eyecare, during a one-year residency. Dr. Potter worked with Dr. Brown for a year in 2007 and then bought her out in 2008 when she moved to California.

Upon purchasing the practice, Dr. Potter had little business training. This was the first challenge she needed to overcome as a business owner. Luckily, she says most of what goes into running a business is pretty intuitive. “It’s just learning the terms and getting used to managing staff—those are the real challenges, I think,” she said.

The practice’s location in Sylvania’s Mayberry USA also presented a challenge. “I bought the practice in 2008, which was right when the economy collapsed,” she said. Neighboring office buildings that were supposed to become populated did not. But Dr. Potter has hope that as the economy picks up, so will the local business community, increasing the flow of people in and around the area. “There’s really no other direction for Sylvania to grow, so we’re just waiting now,” she joked.

Although Personal Eyecare’s Sylvania neighborhood may not be developing as quickly as Dr. Potter wishes, her business is. Personal Eyecare focuses on convenience, for those who simply want to come in and purchase glasses or contacts and also on medical services, for those needing treatment for glaucoma, injuries, infections or other issues. It also offers InfantSee, a nationwide program by which optometrists voluntarily provide free eye exams for infants under the age of one. The program, initiated by Jimmy Carter and overseen by the American Optometric Association, helps to rule out many of the main causes of childhood blindness.

Dr. Potter suggests that people of all ages get their eyes checked regularly, starting young. Sometimes, children may exhibit warning signs of potential eye problems. These may range from a child rubbing their eyes, to having a lot of eye discharge or not enjoying reading. “I think a lot of kids are diagnosed with things like ADHD or dyslexia, when it’s possible they just have a simple eye problem that wasn’t addressed,” said Dr. Potter. “Anything suspicious is worth a check.”

But regardless of whether warning signs are there, Dr. Potter suggests getting infants checked between the ages of 6 months to a year, then again around the age of three and then before school starts. “You could think everything’s okay and have no idea,” she said. “If one eye’s working and the other’s not, they can still see, so parents and school screenings often miss problems with lazy eyes or eye coordination.”

In order to properly take care of the families that come to Personal Eyecare, Dr. Potter makes it a point to stay on top of trends, both in fashion and technology. From a fashion standpoint, in addition to her more classic product offerings, Dr. Potter provides trendy options. “Big is in again, so we’re going big and bold this year,” she said of her glasses line. From a technological standpoint, the Personal Eyecare team is required to participate in continuing education every year, and Dr. Potter offers her staff incentives to go even beyond that. “I have licensed opticians who are trained to watch developments in technology and style,” she said. Her team switched to electronic records this year, in yet another effort to stay in front of technology.

As Dr. Potter continues to balance her business and her family, she encourages any working woman thinking about creating a family of her own to do so: “I waited a few years thinking there would be a better time, but as your business gets busier there just isn’t a good time,” she said. “So if you want to do it, just do it and fly with it.” Dr. Potter will continue to “fly with it” as she further develops relationships with both the families that she treats and the new family that encompasses her.

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative or inspiring, please let Dr. Potter know! You can contact her at 419-885-5300; visit Personal Eyecare at 8254 Mayberry Square North, Sylvania; email her at rpotter@personaleyecare.com; or visit the website at www.personaleyecare.com.

Perrysburg sound studio helps clients produce image

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Mark Reiter

At Level 2 Audio, owner Mark Reiter strives for a professional approach when dealing with clients. The Perrysburg sound studio specializes in audio productions for advertising agencies, television and radio spots, corporate videos, on-location audio recordings, and audio recordings for video and film shoots.

“It used to be that recording equipment was only found in a recording studio,” Mark said. “Today, with computers and technology changes, anyone can get pretty much the same equipment as I use. What sets me apart is experience and customer service.” While many recording studios have a laid-back, ultra-casual atmosphere, Mark’s approach is more business professional. “Clients can feel comfortable bringing the president of a company, a marketing professional or a government official in here to do a recording. This is a great place to come if you want to present a professional image.”

He describes his entry into the sound recording field as an accident. “I was going to school at Bowling Green University majoring in video production,” he said. “My dad introduced me to a couple of guys in the advertising industry and I followed them for awhile. I mentioned that I was looking for a summer internship, but they really didn’t need me. A couple of weeks later, I got a call from Audiocom and they were looking for someone to duplicate cassettes.” That summer internship turned into a 17-year career with the company, working as the company’s sound engineer for most of that time.

Level 2 Audio began in 2004. From sound effects to minimizing background noise on an existing audio, Level 2 Audio provides a comprehensive line of service. His specialized service in the audio industry frees his clients to focus on other aspects of a production, while Mark focuses on what he does best—the audio and sound portion of the project. With his high quality, digital equipment, Mark’s audio work adds a subtle, professional signature to any video or sound piece. Mark contracts with local talent to provide voice over work. He is also connected to studios all across the United States and can access their talent at any time via ISDN hook ups. This allows the client much more flexibility to set their productions apart from others.

His sound work has been used extensively by institutes of higher learning such as the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, the Medical College of Ohio, Mercy College and Hospital and Lourdes University. The Toledo Mudhens, Toledo Walleye, Toledo Zoo and Toledo’s Museum of Art, Vito’s Pizza and Honeybaked Ham are a sampling of satisfied customers on his lengthy client list. Dancers, skaters and cheer teams often turn to Mark when they need music for a timed performance.

One unusual project involved recording sound effects for clocks produced by Mark Feldstein and Associates. “They became famous for their bird sound clocks,” he said. “I had the opportunity to record sound effects for other clocks for the company. I got to travel to various locations and record for different themes like Harley-Davidson, John Deere, NASCAR, Ford, GM and Corvettes.” Mark recorded the sounds, and then edited out numerous tracks that the company could select for their themed clocks.

Mark recently finished recording an audio book called “Racing for Recovery—From Addict to Ironman” for Todd Crandell of Sylvania, Ohio. Todd runs Racing for Recovery, a non-profit organization that helps people overcome drug addictions.

“Knowing your demographic is key in producing the correct marketing tool,” Mark said. “We can produce a really great piece, but if it is directed at the wrong audience, we haven’t gained anything for the client.”

Many clients come in with a clear vision as to who their audience is and a precise vision of what the final product should be. Other clients may come to Level 2 Audio with a general idea and look to Mark for details and suggestions. “Either way, I can work with customers to create what they are looking for in a sound piece. I can add the correct voice, music and sound effects to create the emotion the client is looking for.” Mark’s music and sound effects libraries include thousands of sounds and music from every genre that will put the finishing touches on any of his professional productions.

“I offer a higher end service here. I am able to take more time with people and get very specific with their particular project,” Mark said. “Typically, if you buy time for radio advertising, you can get the radio spot made for free at the radio station. The difference between the free service and my services is kind of like comparing having a photograph done in a mass merchandising store to having it done with a professional photographer.

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative or inspiring, please let Mark know! You can contact him at 419-873-1794; visit Level 2 Audio at 1090 West South Boundary St., #450, Perrysburg; email him at mark@level2audio.com; or visit the website at www.level2audio.com.

Spring car care

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Spring has sprung and it’s time to give your car a thorough refresh before road trip season starts. Winter weather can take a severe toll on your ride, but some basic maintenance can have it feeling like new.

A good place to start a spring checkup is one of the most neglected parts of the car, the battery. It’s important to make sure that your battery is putting out at least 12 volts and that it will hold a charge when left sitting. Checking the alternator and accessory drive belt are next on the list.

With the electrical system up to snuff, it’s time to take care of all the fluids, starting with your engine oil. The oil filter should also be replaced with the oil. If the oil filter gets clogged, pressure can build up, causing a bypass valve to open. Additional vehicle fluids to be checked include engine coolant and brake and power steering fluids. The coolant needs to be kept full or the engine could overheat and suffer major damage.

The snow, slush and salt of winter also tear up the rubber of the windshield wiper blades. By the time spring rains start to fall, the wipers often just leave streaks on the windshield, hampering visibility.

The road salt used to melt all that snow and ice can accumulate on the underside of a car or truck and trigger corrosion. While it’s a good idea to get regular car washes throughout the winter, in the spring, your vehicle should get a thorough washing, including the undercarriage.

Every time you get in and out of the car during the winter, snow and salt on your shoes or boots can get left behind on your vehicle’s carpet and mats. A professional interior detail will extract the salt and sand out of the carpet.

At every change of season, you should check your tires for both general and uneven wear. Since the front and rear tires do differing amounts of work, they should be rotated. If the tires are wearing excessively and/or unevenly, they should be checked for the correct inflation and wheels should be checked for proper alignment.

While the wheels are off the car for rotation, it’s a good time to check out the brakes. Brake pads and rotors wear down over time, but when they get too thin, you can lose stopping power. You invest a lot of money in your vehicles and you want them to last. Basic regular maintenance at each change of season can keep them running reliably for years to come.

Jeff Steinbach is the Service Manager at Briarwood Ford in Saline. Briarwood Ford is located at 7070 E. Michigan Ave., Saline; 888-693-5001; www.briarwoodford.com.

Local pet crematory gets upgraded

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Paws & Remember of Northwest Ohio has recently made several upgrades to our pet cremation facility. We have remodeled our facility from top to bottom with new paint and floor coverings and have installed two new animal cremation retorts. Also within the past year we have added an engraving machine, which adds a personal touch to any urn or memorial container.

Not only did we upgrade our facility, but we have also welcomed a new employee to the Paws & Remember NWO team, Bill Eye. Bill will take part in the day to day operations of the facility and will be providing personal pick up service to our many wonderful customers.

Paws & Remember strives to provide all pet owners with a caring and personalized pet cremation. One of the more personalized aspects of a pet cremation is returning your beloved pet remains in an engraved urn. The urns can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, leaving ample opportunity to create a fitting tribute for any pet. Whether furry, feathered, or scaled, our customers have countless choices for choosing an urn as unique as their beloved pet. Our customers have the ability of adding their pet’s name, personal message, custom image and/or clip art image to their memorial container.

Providing compassionate, personalized customer service in a timely manner has always been our highest priority. Giving our customers all possibilities to create a distinctive and loving pet memorial is a role we approach with understanding and respect. Making these changes and upgrades to our facility will enhance our ability to serve our customers efficiently and with the best service possible.

You can contact Steve Turner at 419 345-1381; visit Turner Vault/Paws & Remember at 1021 Warwick Ave., Toledo; email him at sturner@turnervault.com; visit the website at www.turnervault.com; or visit Facebook at Paws & Remember of N.W.O.

Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup helps property owners rebuild after disaster strikes

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Forrest Cousino

When a storm or fire damages a home, residents want someone to take care of the mess—and return their lives back to normal—as quickly as possible. For more than 40 years, Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup has helped residential and commercial customers rebuild after fires, storm, vehicle damages, water losses or any other unexpected damages. “The company prides itself on fast, efficient work done well,” says founder Forrest Cousino.

“We stress quality craftsmanship, and we put our customers above profit,” he says. The company handles large-scale disasters as well as simple jobs such as replacing a window or a storm door. “I tell the employees, ‘First, do the call backs, because that defines a company. Then take care of the little jobs. The medium and big jobs will fall into place.’ ”

Because of that focus on the customer, he adds, Cousino Harris has enjoyed steady, moderate growth throughout the years. Today the company has 100 employees and five offices—Perrysburg, Columbus, Lima, Sandusky, as well as one in Ann Arbor, Mich. Forrest says Cousino Harris has many strengths garnered throughout the years that are critical to restore a home or business after a loss: great employees, who are drug tested; more than 40 years of experience in all areas of damage repair/replacement; guarantees and “lightning speed of completion” when it is needed.

Forrest says his father, who was a builder, trained him and his older brothers in the trade. After college, he resumed construction work. Traveling the country for work building restaurants and commercial projects, however, left him little time to see his children. Seeking to do business locally, he specialized in the insurance industry.

Having had both the residential and the commercial background in construction, “we determined to specialize in the insurance-related claims work because we determined we can mostly do all trades in-house.” They handle anything to do with insurance claims: roof repairs, board-up after fires, total fire reconstruction, smoke puffs, breaking and entering, trauma, water damage, sewer backup, mold and more.

“Technology has dramatically changed the industry,” says Forrest. “When we started out, there was little science to it. We had to learn from each other,” he says. “Now it has become very technical. We can look in the walls to see if there is damage through specialized equipment. We get very close and exact drying measurements and drying time. Water extraction and drying equipment is far more advanced that in early times.”

Technology has enabled the consumer to get a better product, he adds. For most insurance claims, owners should rely on a specialized insurance contractor for help. Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup is available 24/7/365. If there is a potential for ongoing damages such as a roof blown off that needs to be recovered or sewage continuing to come up in the basement, and many other scenarios, the homeowner has to immediately do what he must do to prevent ongoing damages. This is called mitigating the loss, Forrest says. When these events occur they recommend property owners call their insurance agent for an insurance contractor referral or a contractor known to them that specializes in the insurance field. They will do what they must to immediately prevent ongoing damages.

Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup says it has the “know how” and the wherewithal to address individual needs and provide all the services to alleviate the problem. Sewer back ups, roofs blown off, fires and trauma clean up cannot wait, Forrest says; they are “must do right now” situations.

“As an example, recently we had a fire where we boarded up the home, tarped the roof and moved the contents out on the same day of the fire,” he says. “We worked a third shift and did all of the washing of the owner’s salvageable clothes so their children would have school clothes the next morning.”

The company does the same thing on very large jobs. There was a huge steel mill where half the factory burned down to the ground, says Forrest. The company set up large trailers for offices, cleaned on the spot what was salvageable to re-use in operations and got them in operation within a few days downtime. The employees kept their job, and customer orders were met. “We tailored the work to meet the needs of the owner and at the same time rebuilt the factory,” he says.

Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup is also used to working on a tight deadline. One time the company worked with a grocery store that caught fire and sustained more than $1 million in damage. It was on the weekend, and it was very cold, but they got the job done in 42 hours. “We do what we must to take care of the owners,” Forrest says.

Getting involved with the community is a priority for Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup: Red Cross, Hannah’s Socks, The Aurora House, Sparrows Nest, Mom’s House, Family Shelter, Make-A-Wish, Honor Flight, MS Bike to the Bay, and more.

Forrest Cousino offers this advice to all property owners:

1. Insure the home, business, and contents with great care. Those who live in a rented home or apartment should obtain coverage through their local agent as content coverage is usually not covered by the building owner. Throughout 40 years, they have encountered too many insurance-related claims where coverage was inadequate or non-existent. “Meet with your agent and go over your policy and keep it in a ‘fire box’ container. The cost of insurance trumps the out-of- pocket pay outs and provides peace of mind.”

2. Check references before hiring a company to clean the contents or do the building reconstruction. Call local building inspectors and check on licensing. Check the company for workman’s compensation coverage and general liability insurance. All legitimate companies will supply written coverages.

3. Do not make payments without proof that materials or subcontractors have been or will be paid. Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup recommends notifying the insurance company to issue a two-party check to the owner and the outside company.

4. If the smell of smoke persists after tear-out and washing of damaged materials of the building, do not continue with additional work until the smoke odor is resolved. “One of the most frequent questions we hear is ‘How do I get rid of the smoke smell?’ We explain the procedure and end it with, ‘If the job is done right, smoke smell won’t be an issue.’”

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative, or inspiring, please let Forrest know! You can contact him at 419-874-9500; visit Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup at 26901 Eckel Rd, Perrysburg; or visit www.cousinoharris.com.

From the idea to the distribution, The Copy Shop does it all

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Amy Batchelder & Van Spears

When The Copy Shop owner, Van Spears, decided that it was time for his business to start offering web design services, he didn’t fool around—instead he hired Amy Batchelder, a web design veteran with more than 10 years of experience, a web design degree, and an award-winning newspaper site under her belt.

Amy not only designs websites, but also does the associated work that will bring traffic—and thus paying customers—to the sites. According to Amy, getting listed on Google is just part of the battle. “People don’t just go to Google and look for your website—they have to have a reason to look for it,” she explained, and added that she helps create those reasons: everything from advertising in local print publications to creating specialty publications that complement the site. If clients want to be able to add content to their own sites, Amy will create an easy-to-use design to help them do just that.

Hiring Amy about a year ago was just one of many steps that Van has taken to turn The Copy Shop from a walk-in retail copy establishment to a full-service business that helps other businesses with their creation, printing, and distribution needs. Today, The Copy Shop handles everything from more traditional jobs like business cards to fully orchestrated marketing campaigns including targeted mailings. “If you want to target a piece to people in a certain age range, or a particular zip code, we can do that for you,” Van said. In addition, Van’s business runs clients’ mailing lists through special software that ensures that the addresses on the lists are deliverable—a step that can help clients save substantially on their mailing costs.

Van met the original owner of The Copy Shop, Reed Bishop, over the course of doing business with him while Van was working in sales. Reed was a full-time teacher who ran The Copy Shop as a part-time side business, something he’d been doing happily for 25 years. But when Van bought the business five years ago he had more ambitious ideas. “Since I’d always been in sales, I started knocking on doors looking for new customers,” Van remembered. “I started looking at ways to create connections with local businesses throughout northwest Ohio, and I started adding services to make my business a one-stop shop to help my clients with all of their marketing needs.

Van stressed that his graphic designers work closely with clients to create marketing pieces that will work. When it comes to direct mail pieces in particular, he said, “You’ve got to make your pieces appealing so people will take that five to ten seconds to read them instead of just tossing them in the trash. Amy and Lee, our other designer, do a really great job of helping clients with their overall marketing strategy; not just making sure that the direct marketing pieces will work, but also fitting them into an overall plan to help clients increase their market exposure.”

While some people may think Van was bold—to say the least—for buying a business at the beginning of the recession in 2008, the move has actually paid off for him. The Copy Shop’s business has grown over 300 percent in the past five years thanks to Van’s innovations. “I like to joke about it sometimes … what a genius I must have been to buy a business at the height of the crash,” he chuckled. “But things have gone so well in this down economy, we’re really looking forward to seeing what we can do as the economy improves.”

Van isn’t just waiting for the local economy to improve, he’s doing his part to help make it happen. For example, The Copy Shop has an entire publications division that puts out small magazines for organizations including the Wood County District Public Library, the city of Bowling Green, and the Bowling Green Convention & Visitors Bureau. All of these publications accept advertising, which helps local businesses reach the specific target market of people most likely to need their products and services.

Van and The Copy Shop also support the community as volunteers, community leaders, and donors. The company’s community memberships include the Bowling Green Kiwanis Club, the BGSU Falcon Club, and the BGSU Retirees Association. Van and his business also support a huge variety of charitable organizations including Alicia’s Voice Domestic Violence Shelter, the United Way, Bowling Green City Schools, and the Bowling Green Arts Council. In addition, The Copy Shop provides employment opportunities to people struggling with behavioral illnesses. The Copy Shop was awarded “Employer of the Year” by Behavioral Connections in 2011 for providing a great place to work for people who are receiving services from that organization.

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative, or inspiring, please let Van know! The Copy Shop, Inc. is located at 117 East Court Street, Bowling Green. Call 419-352-4068 or visit the website at www.thecopyshopinc.com.

Iconic Chinese restaurant serves Sylvania patrons for two decades

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Jia Liang & JoAnne Weng

Gourmet Garden Chinese Restaurant has been a Sylvania, Ohio, fixture for 20 years. In 2008, JoAnne Weng and Jia Liang Weng took over the business from JoAnne’s uncle after working with him for several years. The couple came to the United States from China seven years earlier, seeking a better opportunity than their crowded homeland had to offer them.

“China is very crowded,” JoAnne said. “We both graduated and tried to find jobs. You can find a job but it is hard to find a perfect job. There are a lot of people and very small amount of opportunity,” JoAnne said. Although opportunities are more plentiful today, JoAnne says many of the jobs are still not very desirable.

A friend of JoAnne’s mother helped the couple move to the United States where they worked in a Michigan business for awhile. The move was a means to allow the couple a stable life and future and to see if they liked the United States. JoAnne’s uncle eventually invited them to work in his restaurant where the two have enjoyed serving the Sylvania community for the last four years.

The owners are focusing on a variety of specials. “The chef’s suggestion is a totally different item than anything we have on the menu,” JoAnne said. “We use special sauce, different vegetables and special preparation.” Their weekday lunch special costs less than five dollars and the freshly prepared meal is an inexpensive alternative to fast food. A children’s menu features American staples like French fries and chicken strips to satisfy a younger appetite while mom and dad can enjoy a more sophisticated dish. “Anytime you come in there is a special.”

“We want our customers to know that we’re still here. We’ve been open a long time. There are so many familiar faces that come in here. There are so many new restaurants around here, we don’t want people to forget about us,” JoAnne said.

JoAnne and Jia Liang have found a creative use for the room once used as the smoking section of their dining room. The separate room is now available to host meetings, events and parties and is used each Thursday evening by a local church group. The room can be reserved by calling JoAnne or Jia Liang at the restaurant.

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative or inspiring, please let JoAnne or Jia Liang know! You can contact them at 419-885-0151; or visit Gourmet Garden Chinese Restaurant at 5815 Monroe St., Sylvania.

Maumee massage therapist finds satisfaction in new beginning

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Brenda Whetro

After graduating from college with a degree in sales and marketing, Brenda Whetro thought she was on her way to success and security until a divorce forced her to reevaluate the future. “I wanted to change everything when I got divorced,” she said. “The day my husband moved out was the day I started to research massage schools and later enrolled in massage therapy school at Northwest Academy of Massotherapy in Maumee.”

Graduating in October, 2006, and becoming licensed in February of 2007 from Northwest Academy, Brenda worked full time at her day job with a land surveying company while gaining experience part time through working in salons, a doctor’s office and massage therapy offices. “I learned a lot from others and really learned what a huge difference there is between salon massages and therapy massages,” Brenda said. “I learned that I wanted to offer both, in many different options, to the client.”

When she suffered a cutback in hours and was eventually laid off from her day job in 2010, she knew it was time to embark on a journey of self-employment, and was thankful for the set of skills she had acquired while still employed full time.

“I tried sub-contracting out of different offices full time, but I found myself running all around, trying to meet everyone’s expectations, and not really paying the bills,” she said. “I took it as a sign to open my own place and do what I really wanted to do in my own massage therapy office,” Brenda said. She opened the doors at Body Wise Massage Therapies in March of 2011 and hasn’t looked back or regretted the decision.

“Just like exercise, the same kind of massage therapy isn’t suitable for every person. I do everything from therapeutic massage, using different techniques, to relaxation massage,” she said. One massage technique Brenda uses is decompression therapy, an uncommon procedure for the area. The cupping process uses vacuum pressure to lift muscle tissue and provide deeper massaging. “This is great for people with some shoulder and back issues and some cancer patients who are in remission. Sometimes the muscle tissue adheres to the bones as a side effect after treatment.”

She often uses muscle energy techniques in her therapeutic massage therapies. “I use this technique a lot for sports injuries and tight hamstrings,” she said. “A lot of runners are out now and I am seeing a lot of hamstring issues.” Brenda also finds that frozen shoulder, a painful condition resulting in decreased mobility of the shoulder, can benefit from muscle energy techniques.

“I am addicted to learning new things,” she added. “Along with the Hot Stone Massage and the Warm Bamboo Massage that I already offer, I will soon be offering cold stones to be used in combination with the hot.”

For those who don’t feel comfortable with a massage therapist, Brenda offers an FDA approved thermal table. Jade rollers within the structure provide approximately 33 minutes of therapy, depending on the setting, to the fully clothed client. The rollers stop at acupressure points and the far infrared offers benefits to expand arteries, veins, and lymph system, boost metabolism, help regenerate cell growth and can be used for detoxification purposes.

“Massage is constantly evolving,” Brenda added. Lypossage is a very aggressive massage and can reduce inches and the appearance of cellulite in 18 sessions if combined with exercise and a healthy diet.

Brenda recommends checking for licensing and insurance before engaging in any massage therapy sessions. “In Ohio, you must be licensed by the Medical Board to perform therapy. Many practitioners work without being licensed or insured.”

Brenda offers on-site chair massages at businesses or for parties. “Football season was very busy this year,” she said. “People would have friends over to watch the game and I would be off in the corner giving chair massages during the game.” Another group of women gather weekly around a favorite television show while Brenda performs chair massages during the girl’s night out.

She is excited to be one of the selections available through Alt-B, a group that offers alternative bachelorette parties or just a girl’s night out. “You meet at a house or venue and can choose from 14 or 15 different services. You can get wine service, a spray tan, manicure, a chair massage or learn belly dancing. You are safe, you are with your friends and having a great time—you are doing something fun; what could be better?”

Body Wise Massage Therapies offers monthly specials on both the website and through Facebook. She also offers customized gift packages and gift certificates as well as on-line scheduling.

If you have found this story to be interesting, informative or inspiring, please let Brenda know! You can contact her at 419-887-5790; visit Body Wise Massage Therapies at 4444 Keystone Dr., Maumee; email her at bwhetro@bwmassagetherapies.com; or visit the website at www.bwmassagetherapies.com.

Managing the peaks and valleys of cash flow

Posted on May 1, 2012 by abecadmin

Every small business owner can attest to the importance of cash flow. The amount of time it takes for a dollar to pass through your business from raw material purchases to the sale of finished goods to money in the bank is a critical factor in determining success.

Regardless of your current cash flow situation, it is a good idea to occasionally take stock of the cash management tools at your disposal. To maximize your cash flow and make the most of your money, here are a few things to consider:

Develop a Liquidity Plan: Does liquidity “just happen” or do you have a plan in place to manage your cash on hand? By creating a simple cash forecast to predict when payments will come in and go out, you can anticipate disruptions to your cash flow. Consider maintaining a line of credit to avoid fluctuations. And if you have significant, predictable payments that occur infrequently such as tax or insurance payments, consider a reserve fund that you grow on a consistent basis to neutralize the disruptions that these disbursements may cause.

Take advantage of payment technologies: The innovative banks offer a variety of technologies that can help manage your cash flow. Traditional services like credit card processing speed up your collections. Corporate cards help to consolidate and track spending as well as make fewer, better timed disbursements. And automated (online) access to investment balances and lines of credit help keep your cash balance within a target range.

Revisit your receivables strategy: Offering credit discounts to your customers may be a competitive requirement in your industry, but be sure to examine these practices closely. How much financing are you providing to your customers? Is every customer treated exactly the same? Are slow payers getting a free ride while you are searching for some liquidity relief of your own? When you look closely at this element of your business model, you can usually identify some opportunity to improve cash flow.

Seek out inventory opportunities: Assess your inventory needs carefully, evaluate your mix of suppliers and possibly renegotiate trade terms. Inventory always creates pressure on cash flow and now may be the time to reevaluate your practices.

Managing cash flow is one the most important things small business owners can do. Poor cash flow is a leading cause of small business failure. By revisiting your contingency plans, leveraging technologies and managing the factors that create cash flow pressure, you are better able to protect your business through the good times and bad.

Cynthia Gardner is the senior vice president and regional manager for PNC Bank in Washtenaw County. You may contact her at 734-995-7895, Cynthia.Gardner@pnc.com, or www.pnc.com.