This week Jill is pumped to chat with Alex (Alexandria) Eberhardt, Executive Director of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce. They discuss...

• The Chamber’s drive for equitable economic development, how the Chamber helps strengthen regional competitiveness as a Commonwealth and how they promote and support Western Mass. 
• Alex also shares thoughts about how becoming LGBTBE (LGBT Business Enterprise) Certified can give you a competitive advantage to succeed and how the Chamber can assist you in the process. Lastly they chat about all the great events coming up (including TWO in the 413 just this month) 
• and Jill shares her first ever experience in Texas – why??? you’ll have to tune in to find out. 

GUEST & ORGANIZATION CONTACT INFO:

• Alex (Alexandria) Eberhardt 
• Executive Director
• Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce
• Website: https://malgbtcc.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/malgbtcc 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malgbtcc/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malgbtcc 
• Alex’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-eberhardt 
• Alex’s email: [email protected]  

The BIZ BUZZ 413 guest this week is Gordon Oliver, Director of Business Development with Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. Host Jill Monson and Gordon chat about how debt isn’t a failure, how just making minimum credit card payments can keep people stuck in debt, what someone can do to get out from under debt, the idea of a spending plan vs. a budget, about employer workshops, and more. 

CONTACT INFO:

• Gordon Oliver, Director of Business Development with Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp.
• 888-544-3457
• Website: www.cambridgecredit.org/gordon-oliver
• Email: [email protected] 

This week on BIZ BUZZ 413 we sit down with Gabrielle "Gaby" King Morse, the President & CEO for the Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) for a sneak peek to the March 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight with our partner, Common Capital. They’re the guest – sign up now the event sells out each month (it’s free but all seats get reserved) > https://community.livinglocal413.org/event/413-entrepreneur-spotlight-march.

Gaby and host, Jill Monson chat about lots of things including:

• a better understanding of what CWE does and how they’re different,
• the landscape for women entrepreneurs – and if it’s changed in recent years,
• CWE offerings including about women-owned certification,
• their NEW offering, Cultivated Experience

Plus Gaby shares a book recommendation and Jill shares a story that may make some people blush. 😉 

SHOUT OUT THIS EPISODE TO:

• Phenomenal J’s
• Dri Umbrellas 
  • Check out the interview we did with them here on the website - S2 - EPISODE 7: Deirdre Bird, Founder & CEO of Dri Umbrellas

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

• Gabrielle "Gaby" King Morse
• President & CEO, Center for Women & Enterprise 
• (617) 532-0260 
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://cweonline.org
• Gaby’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-king-morse-4506084/ 
• Organization LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-women-&-enterprise
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CenterforWomenandEnterprise
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cwetalk  

Live from the 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight (February) with our partner, Common Capital. 

Our guest is Victoria Accorsi, Community Financial Coach at United Way Pioneer Valley. Here about the Thrive Financial Wellness program they offer plus lots more going on. Check them out at https://www.uwpv.org. 

Thank you to our Groundbreaker sponsor, Home City Development!

Live from the 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight (February) with our partner, Common Capital. 

The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) is our featured partner this month. BECMA is dedicated to advancing the economic well-being of Black businesses and communities across the state. 

Our guests are Jae’da Turner, Senior Manager of Development and Member Relations, and Chris Sonnie, Pipeline and Programs Manager at BECMA. 

Check the organization out at https://www.becma.org

Thank you to our Groundbreaker sponsor, Home City Development!

Live from the 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight (February) with our partner, Common Capital. 

Our guest is Ray Berry from White Lion Brewing Company. Check them out at https://www.whitelionbrewing.com.

Thank you to our Groundbreaker sponsor, Home City Development!

We are joined by the remarkable Samalid Hogan, CEO of Greylock Management Consulting. She shares more about her company, about why the need for bilingual expertise is key to success, about a new and VERY exciting program called the BII GreenEdge Accelerator, plus other helpful tips and resources for small business owners here in Western Mass. 

GUEST CONTACT INFO & RESOURCES:

• Samalid Hogan, CEO & Principal Consultant, Greylock Management Consulting
• 413-342-0013
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.greylockmgtconsulting.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greylock-management-consulting 
• Tools for Success: Business Workshop Series:
  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tools-for-success-business-workshop-series-tickets-1835657193079?aff=erelexpmlt
•  BII GreenEdge Accelerator: https://greenedgema.org
• Two AWESOME articles Samalid wrote: 
  • Safeguarding Your Dreams: The Crucial Importance of Business Insurance for Startups
  • 7 Steps for Creating Financial Projections
    • Go here for access to both: https://www.greylockmgtconsulting.com/articles

This week host, Jill Monson, has a SWEET guest just in time to talk Valentine’s Day. She welcomes Tarah Warner, the 413’s very own Willy Wonka – chocolatier and owner of Truffles by Tarah. 

This Berkshire-based business is a PERFECT solution for a Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) Day gift, but more than that, she’s doing big things for the local economy by supporting truly collaborative relationships. 

Have you ever wondered how someone chooses to become a chocolatier? We ask the question. 

Plus, Jill and Tarah also chat about:

• Her educational experience at the Culinary Institute of America
• A BUNCH of her favorite spots to eat and relax in the Berkshires
• Her favorite flavor truffle
• A Tanglewood hack (really it’s super cool 😊
• The craziest truffle flavor she’s ever been asked to make (and the one she actually made that worked and shocked even her). 
• And lots more!

GUEST INFORMATION:

• Tarah Warner
• Truffles by Tarah, owner and chocolatier
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Truffles_by_Tarah
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091738894667 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarah-warner-6619a3262 
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.trufflesbytarah.com

Another episode of BIZ BUZZ 413 is LIVE and this is one you DO NOT WANT TO MISS! This week, Jill Monson, our host sits down (finally LOL) with founder and President of Living Local 413, Bill Cole. 

They chat about a lot including… 

• What does it mean when we say the organization is a regional Business Community Development Organization.
• What are the benefits of 413online.com – what Jill call’s our LinkedIn “local”.
• The VERY popular 413 calendar.
• Why you NEED to sign up to join us for the 413 Entrepreneur Spotlight brought to you by Common Capital and LL413 (FYI… it’s coming up on 2/12 and you should register now!).
• More about who Bill is and why Living Local is vital to the success of Western Mass.
• What the new initiative, The Villages, is all about.

GUEST INFORMATION

Bill Cole, Founder and President of Living Local 413 

• Website: https://www.livinglocal413.org 
• Connect with him at the 413 Online community. Sign up as a Member (for free) today at https://community.livinglocal413.org 
• Email: [email protected] 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-cole-50605715 
• Tiger Web Designs: https://www.tigerwebdesigns.com 

Join Jill Monson with guest Elizabeth Staples; founder, president and co-owner of The Good Dog Spot. On this 'Beyond the BIZ Card' episode they go behind the scenes and discuss her background as an entrepreneur, balancing a family, and more; plus you can only imagine how many animals she has in her “zoo” at home.

Guest Contact Info

• The Good Dog Spot
• (413) 534-1333
• 35 C North Chicopee Street Chicopee, MA 01020
• 139 King Street Northampton, MA 01060
• Website: https://gooddogspot.net 
• Email: [email protected] 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegooddogspot
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegooddogspot