July 17, 2009
you’re invited
I just sent out an invitation for the one-year anniversary celebration of La Piele Skincare Studio and it made me think about how starting a business in this economy is surely a leap of faith. Every day as I drive into Huntington Village, I sadly notice the “for rent” signs popping up with alarming frequency. Because of my work in the village, I have become friends with many of the owners and I remember the excitement of their own beginnings as well as the stress of their struggles. There are many different reasons behind a decision to close, but each business takes its unique personality with it when it goes.
Celebrating a one-year anniversary in this climate is a milestone that anyone should be proud of. It’s hard to understand just what goes into starting and running your own business unless you’ve been there, but it definitely does take a certain kind of personality to see it through. La Piele’s owner, Michelle Kelly, is a perfect example of the type of person it takes to survive and thrive. Since meeting her I have been impressed with the non-stop energy that she generates, not just for her own business, but also for the many others that she reaches out to in an effort to build a foundation of strength in numbers.
If you want to witness cooperative marketing and networking in action, you should stop by the La Piele one-year anniversary party taking place at Mac’s Steakhouse, 12 Gerard Street in the village, next Tuesday, July 21 beginning at 6:30 pm. Local businesses have donated raffle prizes and money raised will be donated back to the community through the Junior Welfare League. Mac’s is providing free appetizers and bartenders Anna and Gina have created special “skinny” cocktails which are super low calorie and made with all natural ingredients. They also happen to be amazingly delicious, which I discovered while doing research for this blog post 
E-mail me at JeanneM@live.com and I’ll send you an invitation. Whether you’re a business owner, resident, local politician, or just someone who loves the village, stop by and wish Michelle a happy anniversary while you mingle with some of the people who add the character to this community. – Jeanne
July 9, 2009
village connection weekly
I had mixed feelings when I decided to leave my job as associate publisher of the Village Connection magazine last summer. There were parts of that job that I loved – mainly the freedom of creativity. With my brother as owner, we pretty much did whatever we felt like doing, and the result was a magazine that our readers and advertisers loved…..so, even though I left to pursue my own interests, I am still doing what I can to promote the magazine and help with the marketing efforts.
One of my recent contributions has been the creation of a weekly e-mail supplement to the mag. A lot of work goes into putting out a monthly magazine, but there are always last minute events and promotions that we just didn’t find out about in time. The second edition of Village Connection Weekly was sent this morning. We are already getting thanks and positive feedback about our new way of getting the word out about all of the great things going on in Huntington.
E-mail villageconnection@live.com to sign up for our mailing list or to share your own news with the Huntington community. – Jeanne
June 25, 2009
auto expo
Used car salesmen often have to deal with “trust” issues from the second a potential buyer first steps onto the lot. “Would you buy a used car from this man?” is a question that is used to suggest that the subject has less than honest intentions. That’s why I wanted to give a shout out and say thank you to Cliff and Julio over at Auto Expo on Jericho Tpke in Huntington. After buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee there recently, I found myself with a sunroof that was stuck in the open position just when we were hitting rain day number ??? (seriously, i lost track). If you passed a green Cherokee on the Northern State Parkway this morning and were wondering about the blue tarp that was blowing in the breeze, well, that was me driving to Huntington in the rain so that they could take a look at it as a courtesy, even though I knew that it would not be covered by warranty. I left it there for the day and was thrilled to go back at 4:30 to find out that it had been fixed and for NO CHARGE. Of course, I did the right thing and tipped the mechanic, but with the bad reputation that used car salesmen have to endure, I just wanted to say that there are some honest business people who care about doing the right thing and preserving their reputation. So, if you find yourself in the market for a used car, check out auto expo and give them the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes people can surprise you.
closed!
