“Six Steps to a Better Business,” a free workshop for local business owners, will be held Aug. 24-25 at the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, 17 Broad St., Freehold.
Susan Koval and Marshall Calman, certified business coaches with Action International, will present strategies for business owners to take control of their profits and cash flow. Strategies will include how to turn marketing into an investment rather than an expense, how to build a business that no longer competes on price, how to attract and retain people, and how to increase customers, revenues and profits.
Those interested in attending may choose an evening workshop Aug. 24, from 6:30-9 p.m. or a morning workshop Aug. 25, from 7:30-10 a.m. Refreshments will be served. Details and registration: (732) 792-1311.
Mr. Switch Electric, Freehold, an electrical company, recently introduced a program that is designed to assure homeowners of their safety and security when inviting a contractor into their homes. The “Technician Seal of Safety” is a symbol that coveys to a homeowner a contractor’s commitment to conducting criminal background checks and regular drug testing on technicians who enter private homes.
It has long been the policy of Mr. Switch Electric to conduct background checks and perform regular drug testing as allowed by law, according to Jim Celidonio, vice president of Mr. Switch.
John S. Rymas, a licensed certified public accountant, has been presented the Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2006 Paul R. Carey Award. The award, which honors the late Paul R. Carey, who served as a commissioner at the SEC from 1997 to 2001, is given annually to a senior professional who demonstrates exceptional personal commitment on a significant policy matter or enforcement proceeding, and who “exhibits the qualities that Commissioner Carey exemplified: professional integrity, limitless enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication to the protection of the individual investor.”
A former resident of Manalapan, Rymas is employed in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement in the Philadelphia District Office. He is a graduate of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, and earned his bachelor of science degree in finance summa cum laude from Villanova University, Villanova, Pa. He resides in Egg Harbor Township with his wife and two children.
A free workshop, “Buying a Business or a Franchise,” sponsored by SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) Chapter 36 of Monmouth County, will be held Aug. 17 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan.
Two experienced businessmen, a franchise specialist and a certified public accountant who specializes in the buying and selling of existing businesses, will offer practical advice in finding good business opportunities and what to avoid. SCORE members who have bought or sold businesses will discuss their experiences.
For further information, contact SCORE at www.score36.org or the Manalapan library at (732) 431-7220, or leave a message at the SCORE office on the Brookdale Community College campus at (732) 219-9119. SCORE is an affiliate of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Express Music of Freehold, a program that combines music with movement to benefit children in a variety of ways, will open Sept. 8. from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the MidState Therapy Associates Carriage House, 64 E. Main St., Freehold.
Age groups range from 18 months to 5 years and include classes such as “Musical Munchkins” for ages 18 months to 2 years, and “Rythmatics” for 2- and 3-year-olds.
The program is designed to stimulate the child’s brain, build vocabulary and enhance speech skills, encourage socialization, self-expression, communication and motor development. Combined with movement, music can also help children with disabilities reach difficult milestones.
For further details, contact Lorraine Hynes, founder of Express Music, at (732) 625-2744.
Professional and Business Singles Network will host an after-hours social Aug. 18 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Barley’s Pub, Doral Forrestal, 100 College Road east, Princeton. Admission is $10 before 7 p.m. and $12 thereafter. Casual business dress, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar with drink specials. Just drop in, membership is not required. Details: (888) 348-5544 or www.PBSNinfo.com.
Male Ego Barber Spa is now open for business. Andrew Pollina, the shop’s owner, has trained for more than 20 years as a barber stylist and specializes in gentlemen’s shaving, shaping and blending. Pollina has owned and operated seven salons and spas throughout the area. Male Ego Barber Spa is at 100 Route 9, Manalapan, in the Galleria Center. For more information, call (732) 303-9199.