The "B" Word Blog

What Do You Know About Gary Olson?

Members of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce think they know Gary Olson. He is the man behind it all, the man with the plan. But what do we really know about Gary?

If you attend the Chamber functions you know that Gary is a stolt svensk besätta...this means he gets very excited when he meets other Olsons and will speak Swedish whenever given the opportunity.

Not only is he enthusiastic about all things Swedish, Gary is also an avid Disney fanatic. He is involved with the Disney contingent here in Burbank and gets to Disneyland whenever he is not spending his free time on the golf course.  Can you guess what Gary's favorite Disney ride is? Here's a hint: If you are behind a snazzy Lexus SUV in Burbank and the liscence plate reads, SPACEMTN, you are behind the Chamber Prez. Ride it like a kid with your hands up, Mr. Olson!

I almost forgot about Vegas. At the last luncheon when Dan Tempelis, from the California High Speed Rail Authority, opened up the floor to questions, Gary was the first to ask about plans to get the train to go to Las Vegas. Gary likes to have fun in Burbank and beyond.

Next time you attend a Chamber function feel free to rub elbows with this Swedish-speaking, Goofy-loving, High-rolling Burbankian.

What do you know about Gary Olson?

The Greener, The Healthier, The Better

The last Business Connection Luncheon was filled with lots of disscussion and enegry, and disscussion about energy.  Comments and topics seemed to be geared toward being environmetally conscience and getting healthier.

Our speaker was Dan Tempelis, from the California High Speed Train Authority. Mr. Tempelis began by explaining what the train system would mean as far as improving the congestion and smog problems here in California. He stated that 18 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions could be eliminated each year as a result of building the high speed train. This is the equivalent to removing one million cars from the roads annually. It would please our lungs, the environment and get us to San Fransisco in two and a half hours, what could be better?

Keeping with the trend of being envirnomentally conscience, Jeanette Myers from DWP was there giving out low-flow aerators for our sinks and reusable grocery bags. 

On a more physically-healthy note, Edward Goldbaum from All Pro Basics offered a free hour-long raquetball lesson with purchase of any new raquet from his store. Edward was at one time ranked in the top 50 racquetball players in the world. JC Holt, the new CEO of the YMCA Burbank, also picked up on the health-consciousness theme and was quick to point out that every Chamber function he has attended has served chocolate cake. JC suggested that all Chamber members join the YMCA in order to work off their desserts.

25 Second Commercials

There is really only one reason why people join networking groups. You are there to tell people about your business and to get new clients. I understand stage fright, getting up in front of a crowd with all eyes looking at you can be a tough and scary thing.  My own personal advice is to leave the fear at the door and take a chance. 

At most meetings you get the opportunity (and that's exactly what it is...an opportunity) to tell people who you are, what you do and why your service/product is exactly what has been missing in their life. Use this time (usually about 20-30 seconds) to demonstrate your passion for your business, be proud and get others excited.

Some members of the Burbank Chamber are really funny.  Ed Leavitt, known as "Ed Car Guy", has always been someone with a great sense of humor. At every luncheon, Ed turns his 25 second commercial into a memorable skit. Ed has used other members in his 25 second “skits”, used props and even integrated our fearless host Dr. Michael Williams and his “time” calls into script for his commercial.  Being funny is not a requirement, however it is a bonus. Ed definitely has it down to a science, but really it's more about being interesting, informative and memorable.

Just stand up and be confident. Speak clearly and into the microphone and be proud of who you are and what you do.  People will respond to that and you will get the attention you deserve. A good rule of thumb to follow is to continue tweaking and experimenting with your mini commercial until you get about 2-3 people approaching you after the meeting to ask you more about what you do...after all, that is the whole reason you're there.

Steve Cooper Spotlight

This month our spotlight has fallen on Steve Cooper of Granville Cafe. 

Steve is the marketing manager for Granville. He is involved in all three of the Granville locations; the corporate offices in Encino, Burbank and the new Glendale location.  Steve is a very social and funny guy.  Many don’t know that Steve used to be a professional stand up comic and toured around the country making people laugh. I had the great fortune of meeting Steve at my first chamber mixer years ago and he has yet to stop making me laugh.

Granville Cafe, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the most delicious restaurants in Burbank. Blown away by their excellent Happy Hour Specials, we decided to feature their Berry Patch Mojito in the "Ya Gotta Try This" category of this blog. One of my other favorites at Granville is the Grilled Cheese Dipper appetizer.  Steve and I were talking about this dish and about just how much I love grilled cheese. Steve let me in on a secret...There is an underground event held in a surprise location every year called "The Grilled Cheese Invitational".  Granville and their grilled cheese participates in the Invitational. He told me that if was interested he would keep me informed of the location and details as he got them and would have me come out and enjoy the fun. True to his word, Steve called me the day before the event. I brought a slew of grilled cheese enthusiasts with me and a great time was had by all.

Besides all the restaurant related events Steve partakes in, he also gets involved in the Burbank community.  This year justBurbank took part in the American Cancer Society’s 2008 Relay for Life event in Burbank. Steve volunteered to walk for our team and stuck with us through the blistering hot day (the high that day was 110 degrees!). On any given Thursday night you can find Steve at Victorio’s Restaurant to watch sports and enjoy the karaoke. He's also one of the regulars at every Chamber Mixer, and his wit and charm are both reasons why I always make a point to attend. Steve knows that it’s not just about his success but, the mutual success of all of his associates.

Why Have a Ribbon Cutting?

As an ambassedor of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, I have been invited to many ribbon cuttings.  In the beginning, I thought that they were just a great photo op.  I was only half right.  It's true that by having a ribbon cutting ceremony you get a professional photo (by either Harvey Branman or Andre Bern) of you in the paper, but additionally, the events serves a higher purpose.

Ribbon cuttings give the community a chance to experience your new business with it's best foot forward. Attendees can see the products in their full glory and the establishment in its most pristine condition. The event serves as a mini mixer for some of the community big-wigs including Chamber Members, City Council Members and fellow business owners.

We all join the chamber to meet other business people and to stay connected to the community.  Having a ribbon cutting puts your business in a unique setting. This is the chance to introduce yourself to the community and to encourage them to be apart of your future success.

Castaway Mixer Wrap Up

The Castaway Restaurant went all out for the Burbank Chamber mixer on Thursday, July 24th. They offered a gull bar seemed to go out of their way to shower us with all they could offer at the buffet. (I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that we are now having our luncheons at the Marriott.)

The gymnastics show for the evening was performed by Scott Rife, the Mixer MC. He had a minor mishap and completely missed the step off the stage.  Not to worry, Scott landed on the cheek that held his wallet so he was well cushioned from his fall.  Of course, there were a bevvy of attorneys who reached in to lend a hand in case he needed their services...I mean to help him up.

I had a chance to chat with Chris Easter of TheManRegistry.com. I've been telling all of my male friends about TheManRegistry.com and all of them seem to be big fans (finally, someone is paying a little attention to the Groom on his big day!) Tomik and Talin from Healthy Bites were also in attendance. By coincidence, the night before the mixer I had enjoyed a wrap and some hummus from Healthy Bites. I was pleased to shake their hands and thank them for the great food. It's always nice to put a face with a great product.

The next Mixer will be held at Junior Achievment. The food will be provided by Victorio's and special treats from Tutti Gelati. If good food, networking (and the possibility of watching Chamber members fall from the stage) isn't enough incentive, remember that the cash prize is still growing and if you aren't there you can't win it!

Burbank Invades China!

At the last Business Connection Luncheon, Gary Olson told the crowd that there are talks of arranging a trip to China for Chamber members in 2009. The trip will include tours of the Great Wall, Beijing and Shang-hi. Airfare, hotel accommodations and meals for the 9 day trip would be included in the package, which is remarkably priced under $2000.

Gary asked for a show of hands to see how many people would be interested in the trip. Libby and I were the first to shoot our hands into the air and were practically jumping out of our chairs with excitement. Then we had a chance to look around and only a few other hands slowly crept into the air...It was incredible to me to see that so few people would be interested in this fabulous business AND vacation opportunity. So if this is the first you've heard about the Burbank Chamber invasion of China, and you want to get on board, give the Chamber a call and voice your interest!

The purpose of joining the Chamber is to develop and nurture business relationships in order to increase business. What better way to get to know someone and create a lasting relationship than to travel the world together?  This trip should be looked at as 9 days of getting to know someone, their business and creating memories for a lifetime. I’d jump at the chance to get to know someone over a meal...IN CHINA!

Sign me up!

Weddings Aren't Just a Female Affair

Usually the first thing you think of when someone mentions a wedding is the image of a bride walking down the aisle in a beautiful gown, enjoying the day of her dreams.  Most people don’t think of the day as belonging to the groom.  One of the newest members to the Burbank Chamber of Commerce is trying to give the men in the wedding what they are looking for.

TheManRegistry.com, is a website designed to cater to the man’s perspective of the wedding.  This site has everything from a registry with gifts that have the guys in mind to articles with tips for the men involved with the planning of the big event.  The site is interesting and friendly much like one of the partners who came up with the idea, Chris Easter. Chris is new to the Burbank area and an excited new member of our chamber.

You should check out TheManRegistry.com.  The products are amazing and interesting kind of like browsing through Sky Mall Magazine. My favorite part of the site is definitely Groom 101.  This is where you get all the information you ever wanted from reception song suggestions to advice about selecting your groomsmen.  The articles are funny and informative and I have already sent the link to all of the men in my life! 

Save My Emergency Room

On Monday, July 7th, I attended the Burbank Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I'm always curious who the speaker will be. This time around it was Mr. Jaime Garcia of the Hospital Association of So. California. He is the Regional VP of the Association and he came to tell us of the dire situation facing our California Hospitals. The presentation was a downer to say the least. Some of the stats he presented were:

• 28 hospitals have closed since 1997.
• A number of private hospitals are considering closing their ER's due to lack of funding and staff.
• Average wait time in Los Angeles County ER's is approximately 4.5-11 hours.
• If the proposed budget cuts get passed, the state of California health care system will loose approximately $1 billion of funding.

Jaime made a point to stress that having insurance does not make you immune to the trouble the health care system is in. If you are brought to a hospital by an ambulance due to an emergency, you are still subject to those wait times even if you have rock-star-cream-of-the-crop-top-notch insurance. You will still have to wait your turn. Imagine this scenario: you're having a heart attack, the ambulance is quick to get to you, but you can't be taken to St. Joe's because it's filled to capacity...so you end up having to ride in the ambulance in LA traffic trying to find a hospital that has room for you. I shiver thinking about it.

To find out more about this, or to sign a petition to stop the proposed budget cuts, go to www.SaveMyEmergencyRoom.com.