Opening Doors to Fulfilling Work
Aubrie De Clerck, featured speaker at AHB’s April 20, 2023 meeting, is a career coach who helps people open doors to fulfilling work. She has over 15 years of experience in supporting people in entrepreneurial, corporate, non-profit, and education environments. Aubrie is known for being highly inspirational and deeply practical, meeting clients with warmth and acceptance. She calls her practice Coaching for Clarity.
Aubrie has developed a component in her coaching practice using a process known as Threads. “Threads are the things about us that don’t change. Things you do naturally. Your gifts. You couldn’t stop doing them if you tried. If you are looking for ways to talk about yourself and your business in a genuine and compelling way, Threads can help!”
Learn to Use Canva
CANVA is a free, cloud-based designing tool that is simple to use and learn. With its numerous templates, drag-and-drop interface, and thousands of design assets, anyone can create beautiful marketing materials, including flyers, postcards, social media posts, presentations, and video.
At AHB’s next monthly meeting, Thursday, March 16, 2023, Zoe Morrison will demonstrate this powerful tool for marketing, offer basic Canva tips and tricks, and provide a Q&A session afterwards. The virtual presentation will be projected on the big screen at our in-person dinner meeting in the Sellwood neighborhood of Southeast Portland.
Zoe Morrison has provided remote administrative tech support and social media services to home-based and small businesses throughout the country since 2007. An active member of AHB, Zoe is sole proprietor of a photo scanning service. Find her on Instagram @zoemorrisondigitalnomad.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, March 16, 2023 | Doors 6:00 pm | Dinner 6:30 | Program 7:00
LOCATION: SMILE Station, 8210 SE 13th Ave (at Tenino, one block south of Tacoma), Portland, Oregon, 97202
COST: $10 door fee includes supper; open to everyone.
RSVP: To make sure we have enough food for all who attend, we kindly request attendees to RSVP in advance via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326. This is a hybrid meeting, meaning people who prefer to join via Zoom are more than welcome to join us as well. When you RSVP, please let us know you plan to do so, so we can send you the Zoom meeting link.
Start the Year Off Right with SCORE—and Flying Pancakes
Join AHB on Thursday evening, January 19, 2023, for a presentation by Peter Cantone Jr. (photo at left) of Portland SCORE along with an all-you-can-eat “breakfast for dinner” provided by renowned pancake flipper Sheldon Penner, owner of Chris Cakes Northwest.
The nonprofit SCORE, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals. Since 1964, the organization’s volunteers have provided education and mentoring to more than 11 million entrepreneurs. Thanks to generous support from the SBA and the selfless contributions of thousands of dedicated volunteers, most of SCORE’s offerings are delivered at no cost. Come to AHB’s January 19th meeting to learn how your business may benefit from the services and mentoring offered by SCORE volunteers in Portland.
pancake flipper extraordinaire
The success of Chris Cakes Northwest is found in its ability to turn standard pancake breakfasts into fun, interactive food experiences where people not only get fed, but get to celebrate the joy and laughter of being a kid again. Chief pancake flipper Sheldon Penner has prepared breakfast for hundreds of folks at special community and private events all over Oregon. In 2021, he made parking lot breakfasts for many of our region’s wildfire refugees. In addition to amazing pancake flipping, Chris Cakes Northwest recently expanded into Mobile Grillin’ offering large-scale catered lunches and dinners featuring grilled chicken, hamburgers, and/or hot dogs.
The in-person meeting takes place at SMILE Station, located at SE 13th Avenue at Tenino Street (one block south of Tacoma) in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland. Doors open at 6:00pm and the presentation starts at 7:00. There is a $10 charge for dinner. The meeting is open to the public and may also be attended virtually.
To reserve your spot at the in-person dinner, or to request the virtual meeting link, please send an email to communications@ahboregon.org, or call 503-232-2326.
Ten Great Tax-filing Tips for the Self-employed
Attention small business owners! You’ll want to save the evening of Thursday, February 16, for an up-to-date review of tax tips for freelancers presented by our favorite local tax preparer, Kevin Minkoff, CPA. Kevin will discuss a number of strategies you might employ to lower your Schedule C taxes. Possibilities include covering health reimbursement accounts, employing spouses and under-age-18 children, renting from your spouse, home office deductions, business vehicle deductions, de minimis fringe benefits, business travel, and the smartphone rule. Kevin’s informative talks are always followed by Q&A, and his lively presentation style makes tax talk quite entertaining!
AHB meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. We moved back to in-person meetings a year ago, but have retained a Zoom option for those who prefer attending remotely. There is plenty of space to spread out at the SMILE Station, and masking is optional.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, February 16, 2023. Doors open 6:00pm, dinner served at 6:30, program begins at 7:00.
LOCATION: SMILE Station, S.E. 13th at Tenino (a block south of Tacoma), Sellwood Neighborhood, Portland, Oregon
COST: $10 door fee includes supper; open to everyone.
RSVP: To make sure we have enough food for all who attend, we kindly request attendees to RSVP in advance via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326. This is a hybrid meeting, meaning people who prefer to join via Zoom are more than welcome to join us as well. When you RSVP, please let us know you plan to do so, so we can send you the Zoom meeting link.
Promote your Brand/Services with an Ass-kicking Demo Video
Join TEDx SEVEN TIME speaker and TED speaker coach Frank King at the October 20th meeting of the Association of Home-based Businesses. A rousing speaker, Frank will inspire guests to consider developing a TEDx Talk as a useful demo video or anchoring a sizzle reel.
In his presentation, “Promoting your brand/services using an a**-kicking demo video,” Frank will dissect the components of video that make folks lean in to learn more. He will offer tips for the entire process, from deciding on the topic, honing your message, figuring out how it will be meaningful to an audience, and repurposing your video or pitch for different demographics.
Suicide Prevention Speaker Frank King was a writer for the Tonight Show for 20 years, speaker and comedian for 35, and TEDx coach for 7 years. He’s fought a lifetime battle with depression and chronic suicidality, turning that long dark journey of the soul into 7 TEDx Talks, (notably the most prolific TEDx speaker in the world), and offering valuable insights for corporations as well as nonprofit associations such as AHB.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, October 20. Doors open at 6:00pm; food served at 6:30; program begins at 7:00.
LOCATION: SMILE Station, 8210 SE 13th Ave, at Tenino (one block south of Tacoma), in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon
COST: $10 door fee includes supper. Meetings are open to the public.
Please R.S.V.P. to ensure enough food for all attendees — via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326. Virtual attendance is also possible (and free): just request a Zoom meeting link when you R.S.V.P.
Take Your Business to the Next Level—Affordably
At the Thursday, November 17th dinner meeting of the Association of Home Businesses, presenter Sandy Hubbard, CSM, takes up the question: “What Does it Mean to Take Your Business to the Next Level – and How Can You Do It Affordably?”
Whether you want to grow your business, be more profitable, or just be more effective as a small business owner, there are things you can do – strategy-wise – to lay the foundation for stepping up to the next level. Sandy is a marketing consultant and strategist for businesses that use print, email, social media, video, podcasting, online platforms, courses, communities, and more. Her talk will include time for idea sharing and Q&A from the audience.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for pre-dinner networking at the SMILE Station on S.E. 13th and Tenino. First-time visitors are welcome to attend as our guest. Members and returning guests pay $10.
Please R.S.V.P. to help us with our meal arrangements. Email communications@ahboregon.org or leave a message at 503-232-2326. Virtual attendance is also possible (and free): just request a Zoom meeting link when you R.S.V.P.
Sorting Health Insurance Options for Small Businesses and the Self-employed
Do you find the health insurance market confusing? At AHB’s September 15th meeting, presenter Adam Reid will do his best to resolve your health insurance questions by reviewing the Marketplace (Obamacare), Medicare, and state and federal subsidy options. Adam’s presentation will focus on how self-employed people or very small businesses can get the very best health insurance for their needs. He will answer questions, and cover the different factors and options involved in choosing the right plan.
A licensed insurance agent since 2018, Adam Reid is a member of the team at Health Plans in Oregon, one of 24 Oregon insurance agencies selected by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace to help people sign up for and re-enroll for health insurance care plans.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, September 15. Doors open 6:00pm, food served at 6:30, program begins at 7:00.
LOCATION: SMILE Station (in the Sellwood neighborhood), SE 13th Avenue at Tenino (one block south of Tacoma), Portland, Oregon
COST: $10 door fee includes supper; open to everyone.
RSVP: To ensure enough food for all attendees, please RSVP in advance — via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326. Virtual attendance is also possible (and free): just request a Zoom meeting link when you RSVP.
It’s that time again…
It’s a tradition. August is the month that Association of Home Businesses members gather for our annual picnic. Warm weather, cool breezes and long evenings make for a great outdoor ambience in the side yard of the SMILE Station. In addition to lively conversation, in past years members have been entertained by live music while chowing down. There are always lots of different food choices, and this year, along with the usual burgers, summer salads, and desserts provided by members, we’re looking forward to some tasty barbecued chicken professionally grilled by member Sheldon Penner, owner and head pancake flipper at Chris Cakes Northwest. This is a “members only” event, so if you’d like to join us on August 18th, we invite you to join AHB!
9 Essential Productivity Tips
“You CAN manage it all, if you follow nine productivity tips,” says Zoe Morrison, virtual presenter at AHB’s June 16th in-person meeting. “Most of us have a world of productivity tools at our fingertips, but don’t know how to use them.”
In this session, Zoe, a self-described “digital nomad and Google evangelist,” will walk us through nine tools that can be used to streamline your work flow. She’ll compare apples to oranges, and provide insight into how to make the most of the tools at hand, whether managing a team of one or one hundred.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, June 16. Doors open 6:00pm, dinner served at 6:30, program begins at 7:00.
LOCATION: SMILE Station, S.E. 13th at Tenino (a block south of Tacoma), Sellwood Neighborhood, Portland, Oregon
COST: $10 door fee includes supper; open to everyone.
RSVP: To make sure we have enough food for all who attend, we kindly request attendees to RSVP in advance via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326.
Interpreting Financial Reports Like A Boss
Do your financial reports generate more questions than answers? You’ll want to schedule a seat at the table (in-person or virtually) at July’s AHB meeting for another enlightening presentation by member Lura Frazey. On Thursday, July 21, Lura will unravel the hidden secrets in financial reports. It’s guaranteed, you’ll come away from this informative session armed with the information you need to have an impressive conversation with your local banker.
Presenter Lura Frazey of Easy e-Office is a full-charge bookkeeper who sees her work with small businesses as a partnership. Her favorite part of serving small businesses is the role she plays in their successes.
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 21. Doors open 6:00pm, dinner served at 6:30, program begins at 7:00.
LOCATION: SMILE Station, S.E. 13th at Tenino (a block south of Tacoma), Sellwood Neighborhood, Portland, Oregon
COST: $10 door fee includes supper; open to everyone.
RSVP: To make sure we have enough food for all who attend, we kindly request attendees to RSVP in advance via email to communications@ahboregon.org or via phone, 503-232-2326.