By Michael Cruz
When working on annual planning, we often look at the company’s strengths and its weaknesses. Most often, I see “our people” as a strength. I often see “bench depth” as a weakness.
My advice always is to build on your strengths. Then, do what is reasonable to mitigate your weaknesses. There is one simple thing you can do to reduce that bench depth pain. Invest in the people you already have. We already know that it costs less to keep our customers than it does to acquire new ones.
The same is true about the people that work for you. Hiring is difficult, it is expensive, and it is not a 100 percent solution. Many years ago, I worked for a very fast-growing software company. When I joined it, the company’s sales were $18 million. When I left, seven years later, sales topped $450 million.
One of the most stunning attributes of that industry was that we were all fairly young and inexperienced. We were a young company and we were a young management team. We worked to figure out our weaknesses and we brought in experts to address them. And that personal growth kept me loyal to the company even when I was offered more money to leave.
Organization Formed To Help Businesses Align With Charities Compatible To Their Mission
By Susan E. Campbell
A new internet-based service will soon bring together Capital District businesses with nonprofits whose missions align with a company’s goals for charitable giving.
Called Knitt LLC, founder Lisa Munter believes her organization will provide “a mindful and time efficient way to connect” donors and donor organizations. Its success, and future compensation, will depend on the “knitted” relationships among businesses and nonprofit organizations who did not have a prior relationship, Munter said.
Munter is an avid volunteer and wife of a businessman whose company, Munter Enterprises, is “inundated with requests for donations.”
“Companies may have a passion for certain causes but also may be open to others,” she said. “Knitt is a platform for not only connecting leads but also tracking giving.”
World Awareness Children’s Museum Teaches Kids About Things ‘Beyond Their Bubble’
By Christine Graf
The World Awareness Children’s Museum in Glens Falls seeks to inspire curiosity and foster understanding and appreciation of worldwide cultural diversity. It was founded by Dr. Jacquiline Touba and received its charter from New York State in 1995. Touba, an artist and former college professor, retired from the museum in 2013 but remains active as a volunteer.
Bethanie Lawrence was named executive director of the museum in 2018. A former teacher, Lawrence relocated to the area two years ago to be closer to family.
“I think we do a lot of good work here teaching people about different cultures, different people, and different places in the world,” she said. “I feel like we are truly making a difference in people’s lives, especially in the North Country/Adirondack region where there really isn’t much exposure to things that might be vastly different from what we are used to. So, we do a lot to teach people what is beyond their bubble.”
Business Report: Putting Your Cause Into Action
By Matthew Young
We are fortunate to live in a community that is so charitable and philanthropic. We have all seen or experienced how our community steps up whenever a neighbor is in need. Often, helping one neighbor in need inspires a desire to help more. But to help more, more is generally needed—more time, more resources, more money.
Establishing a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization can help with the “more,” as doing so will show the community that your cause is sincere, which should help when it comes to asking the community for more, whether it is time, resources or money. However, establishing a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization is not quite as simple as we would like it to be.
Here are the key components to doing so:
1. Certificate of Incorporation.
This is the organization’s primary governing document. The Certificate of Incorporation identifies, among other things, the organization’s name, location, initial board members and purposes.
Open Door Mission Expands Its Food Pantry Thanks To $30,000 Donation From Hannaford
Hannaford Supermarkets made a $30,000 donation to the Open Door Mission, which will enable the nonprofit organization to widely expand its food pantry and triple the number of families it serves in the greater Glens Falls area.
As a result of the grant, the Open Door Mission will relocate the food pantry to its headquarters at 226 Warren St. in downtown Glens Falls.
The pantry, which previously existed as only a single 12-foot shelf, is expected to serve up to 300 families each month when it begins operations later this month.
Stewart’s Shops Partners With Rose & Kiernan To Help Nonprofits Save On Expenses
Stewart’s Shops and Rose & Kiernan have partnered to help nonprofits save money on gasoline and their operational expenses.
Rose & Kiernan, a market leader in providing insurance and risk management service to non-profits, and Stewart’s Shops, which has a long history of helping nonprofits with financial backing and guidance, have partnered to assist these community organizations in saving money on travel and other business-related expenses.
Officials said the partnership is designed to help nonprofit organizations, many of whom often have limited budgets, put more of their financial resources to use serving people and causes vitally important to our communities.
Rose & Kiernan and Stewart’s Shops are introducing the COMDATA card to nonprofit organizations throughout the region.
Moreau Community Center Has Programs For Senior Citizens And School Children
By Jill Nagy
For more than 40 years, the Moreau Community Center has served the people of Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties. Located in the heart of South Glens Falls, in a former Methodist church, the center sees more than 500 people a month, ranging from pre-schoolers to seniors, come through its doors.
The center’s programs for youth include a pre-school and before and after school programs for children as well as summer camp and recreational activities. Seniors come in for exercise programs, meals, and just to hang out and socialize and sign up for field trips.
The seniors are the most active group during the day, according to Executive Director Donna Nichols.
A third aspect of the center’s program is a range of community services: a food pantry, referral services and a thrift shop, among them. A backpack program provides weekend meals for school children and the center also sponsors a summer meal program.
The Hyde Museum Offers Discount On Membership During Month Of December
The Hyde Collection is offering to put something extra in the stockings of city residents for the holiday season. In addition to its annual Pay as you Wish program throughout December, the museum is offering half-price membership to anyone living within the 12801 postal zip code.
This is the museum’s fourth year of Pay as you Wish, when admission fees are waived and guests are encouraged to answer a brief survey and make a donation based on their experience. The feedback is used to help The Hyde staff improve the visitor experience and the by-donation admission ensures everyone has access to the art museum.
“Pay as you Wish is a great way for us to learn how we can improve The Hyde experience,” said Anne Saile, interim director. “Over the past few years, we have learned a lot about what visitors want from the Museum and we have been able to make changes based on suggestions offered.”
Adirondack Folk School Helps Connect People With Older Crafts Like Blacksmithing
By Jennifer Farnsworth
The beauty of the Adirondacks is something that for years many people have worked hard to preserve. The Adirondack Folk School in Lake Luzerne honors the arts, crafts and traditions of the area in a unique way.
It is making a name for itself as the craft school of the Adirondacks.
Based on a Danish folk school teaching model, the school philosophy is to encourage lifelong learning through preserving the traditional arts, crafts, and culture of the Adirondack region.
They offer a hands-on learning experience in over 20 different areas of craft, including basketry, blacksmithing, canoe building, weaving, quilting, woodworking and jewelry making.
Executive director Scott Hayden said in 2017, the school experienced a measurable increase in interest. There was a 40 percent increase in student enrollment. The school also expanded to neighboring areas to accommodate the increase in numbers.
‘Arts District Of Glens Falls’ Brings Groups Together To Strengthen Promotional Efforts
By Jennifer Farnsworth
There is a lot happening within the arts community in Glens Falls, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Arts District of Glens Falls. The group is working to connect and cross-promote the city’s arts organizations that are located within a mile of one another.
Kate Austin-Avon, president of the arts marketing firm Advokate LLC, said the Arts District of Glens Falls has been meeting since early 2014 and puts out a monthly arts bulletin of featured events.
The arts organizations involved include the Shirt Factory, LARAC, the Hyde Collection, Chapman Historical Museum, Adirondack Theatre Festival, Art in the Public Eye, Park Theater, the Charles R. Wood Theater, Glens Falls Symphony, Glens Falls Community Theater, Cool Insuring Arena, Crandall Public Library, World Awareness Children’s Museum, and NorthCountryARTS.