The members of Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce's Leads Group 2 have all reaped in the benefits of a leads group this past year; with 23 members strong, Leads 2 ended a successful year with over 400 referrals passed between group members, not to mentioned giving upwards $500 to local charities and supporting one another in member presentations, advice and educational seminars. YACC Leads Group 2 regularly recruits new members through personal contacts, chamber events and business associates. They proudly added eight additional businesses to the roster in 2010; regularly recruiting and inviting guests, means new referral opportunities for all members! With only a 1-hour a week commitment, being a part of a leads group is an exceptional way to market yourself to other business owners. The relationships that you build through YACC Leads Group 2 will not only help your business grow, but will built you a reliable support system that you can trust.

Why market all on your own? We have 23 other members that can help you. If you are interested in marketing with Leads Group 2, please contact Sue Hills, Stifel Nicolaus at 630-845-7905 or hillss@stifel.com.

Spotless Image is the Final Piece of your Marketing Efforts
Cleaning company helps many medium and small businesses with their first impression.

Twenty years ago Mike Prendeville began working part time at Task Force Cleaning. Six months later he offered to buy it when the previous owner was ready to retire. Ten years later, Mike made good on the offer and now owns Task Force Cleaning serving Sandwich, Plainfield, Naperville, Aurora, Yorkville and everywhere between.

At a recent meeting of the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce Leads Group II, Mike explained to the group that a clean space for your clients is the last piece of your marketing efforts. “If your clients walk into a nice room that is clean, smells nice and is sanitary; they are impressed with your company. If they walk into an office with spider webs and overflowing trash bins, they don’t perceive you as thinking highly of your company.” Many small store-fronts such as dentists, financial planners and accountants that don’t require much square footage to operate in fall short in allure for large cleaning chains and are often overlooked and underserved.
Where those companies fall short on service; Mike and the Task Force Cleaning team more than pick up the slack.

Mike is able to quote fairly and competitively as he personally visits each location to get a sense of the time it would take a team to do the job properly and that he can also answer questions should you need to contact him. He also ensures his clients remain satisfied by visiting each location once a month, providing the facility manager with his personal number incase of questions, as well as staffing each location with a two person team, one of which is a manager. When Sue Hills inquired about pricing; Mike informed her that the best way for him to service his clients was to actually visit the location and discuss the tasks they would like performed. He also noted that they do not work under contract and do annual spring or fall cleanings as well as monthly, bi-weekly or weekly tasks. This allows clients to schedule when they feel it’s necessary, as opposed to a contracted calendar. When asked about cleaning products and the safety for children and pets, Mike assured everyone that Task Force Cleaning only uses green products that are child and pet safe.

If you would like additional information regarding how Task Force Cleaning can help your business shine, contact Mike Prendeville at 630.554.2161 or visit www.taskforcecleaning.com. Task Force Cleaning is insured, bonded and performs background checks on all employees.

LITTLE CHANGES TODAY MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE IN LATER YEARS
Evaluate your spending habits now to avoid overspending and contribute to your wealth.

Many people are concerned about their current economic status and fail to plan for their future economic status. At a recent meeting of the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce, Leads Group II; Sue Hills of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc-Fitzpatrick Group educated members on how they could immediately begin to reduce their debt, start saving and supply their future wealth.

Sue explained not only the importance of a budget, but how to create a spending plan that shows where excess spending may rob you of potential achievements in your retirement and future goals. According to Sue, one of the best ways to reduce debt and achieve faster victories is a method called “debt stacking.” Debt stacking allows you to attack each debt without trying to cover them all equally reducing impact overall.

Another problem when planning for a big purchase; is not knowing how much you can truly afford. Their website www.fitzpatrickwm.com provides access to over 30 financial calculators covering home and car affordability as well as others for loans, credit cards and other expenses. After reviewing the website, Tasha Lee said she was eager to review the risk management articles and participate in the cash management E-Seminars.

If you would like additional information regarding your future wealth and how you can maximize it, contact Sue Hills at HillsS@Stifel.com. Stifel Nicolaus & Company, Inc, is a full-service regional brokerage and investment banking firm established in 1890. The Fitzpatrick Group provides individual investments, IRA’s, 401(k) rollovers, retirement plans and business services, as well as financial analysis, education and estate planning.

The Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce’s (YACC) Leads Group II went off site and hosted an Ice Cream Social at Culvers in Yorkville. The event was held over the lunch hour and attendees had the opportunity to network, learn about the Yorkville Chamber, learn how Leads Group II will benefit the growth of their business and eat free ice cream. Leads Group II packed the house with more than 40 attendees and many of them walked away with a full belly and strong business contacts.

YACC’s Leads Group II is a non-compete networking group that focuses on business building, sharing networking opportunities and generating business for members through referrals. The leads group currently has over 21 active businesses within its membership and meets weekly on Thursdays from 11:30-12:30pm. The group is currently seeking new members. If you are interested in visiting the YACC Lead’s Group II, please contact the group’s facilitator Sue Hills of Stifel Nicolaus at 630-845-7905 or The YACC Office at 630-553-6853.