Who helps you understand critical concepts like cash flow, profit margin and receivables management? Chances are your business is missing the critical financial insight it needs to keep your finances at fighting strength.

Join Scott Gregory, QuickBooks specialist and CPA, who will discuss “Does Your Bookkeeping Stink? How to Avoid Painful and Costly Accounting Snafus” at the Lake Communicators at the Feb. 14 membership meeting.

Gregory will share insight from his new book, “Your Bookkeeping Stinks! Why It’s Killing Your Business and Wrecking Your Plans for Retirement.”

Gregory has helped his clients put more than $900,000 in their bank accounts. He specializes in helping small businesses improve their bottomline through streamlining accounting

systems, the effective use of technology and QuickBooks financial software.

His focus is on QuickBooks and accounting consulting, part-time controllership and CFO responsibilities. Gregory is a member of the Certified QuickBooks Advisor program, CPA, the Intuit Speakers Bureau and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Provider Program. He has been a QuickBooks instructor in the Community Learning Department of Lakeland Community College for more than five years.

Gregory has been working with clients in Northeast Ohio for more than 20 years. He will bring books to sell and one to raffle off.

RSVP by Feb. 9 by calling Diana Lewis at 440-255-8932 or e-mailing Shirley Wolfe at wolfeshirley@yahoo.com.

Crystal Zaborowski is a freelance copywriter and designer, specializing in Web sites and electronic newsletters.

Her company, CMZ ink, has created successful Web-based materials for organizations nationwide, including United Way , University of Rochester and Corning Inc.

Crystal has nearly 10 years of combined experience in writing, marketing and design. Prior to striking out on her own, she held positions at United Way of Greater Rochester,

Communicators are being challenged to adopt their old media understanding to a fast-changing, often bewildering, new media reality. Lake Communicators will certainly be concentrating on this during 2007 and beyond.

The old media are no longer dominant. Newspapers are suffering lower revenues and circulation. Television networks no longer rule the airwaves as cable and Intenet alternatives expand. New terminology abounds. Some examples:

Avatars and online worlds: Online games are virtual worlds in which anyone can create a digital representation of themselves. Blogs are Web sites displaying news or commentary in

Barbara Ann Wiget is director of resource development for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio. Barbara loves her job because the end result of her efforts is. . . helping children.

The agency’s mission is: To foster the development of children in reaching their highest potential as responsible and caring adults.

“Achieving this mission is both challenging and rewarding,” Barbara says. “Charity Navigator rates BBBS as a 4-Star Charity noting that 94.2 percent of its income goes into funding its

Old Biz: The board discussed moving the board meeting to two weeks before the next regular meeting, but decided to keep it as-as. All meetings, including April and August, will be lunch meetings due to low attendance. There will be 10 meetings a year, with no regular meetings in July and December.

J. Cerne said ads ran in The News-Herald and the Lake County Women’s Journal for the February marketing seminar. D. Lewis and her daughter sent 750 flyers out. Flyers also went into the Mentor chamber newsletter and the Painesville Chamber newsletter.

L. Fredrick is trying to get a feature written in the N-H; R. Somich will do PSAs on WELW and interview J. Cerne and D. Fraser who will talk about the group’s background.

D. Lewis will pick up the organization’s mail for now as she is compiling seminar registrations.

Treasurer Report: No report. E-mailed K. Purmal for report. Special requests for budget to be handed in to K. Purmal.

Programs & Meetings: J. Venen volunteered to chair the committee. He will talk with K. Pohl. Speakers are set through April. He will plan a picnic like last year’s, this time at Holden or the Metroparks. B. Wigit offered help from Special Events.

Membership: D. Fraser recommended giving S. Wolfe a courtesy membership for all the work she does. Her title is corresponding secretary.

The board approved freelance copywriter and Web site designer Crystal Zaborowski as a new member. She moved from Rochester to Willoughby.

Some business-to-business marketers only look for special reasons to develop an ad campaign such as to support a product launch or the opening of a new store location. Others cut back their ad budgets during the summer. However, the smart business-to-business marketer advertises all year round because doing so pays off. Consider this:

Businesses are buying all year long. Don’t cut back your ad budget because you don’t think decisions are being made during the summer months. Research shows that the number of leads per ad run in the summer is just 3 percent lower than the yearly average. And U.S. Department of Commerce statistics show that new orders during the summer are only 1.5 percent below the yearly average. Inquiry levels do not vary much throughout the year with the difference between the highest and lowest quarter being just 3.6 percent.

Feb. 14 Does Your Bookkeeping Stink?
Join Lake Communicators for networking, a delicious lunch, and Scott Gregory.

RSVP Deadline: Feb. 9