John Giroux - Family Mortgage

My Leadership Loveland Experience

Connie and I moved here nine years ago. Loveland has been a great place for our two sons to grow up. When we moved here I already had 15 years of experience in banking, including service as a regional bank president. My business - Family Mortgage, Inc. - resides at the corner of 4th and Washington in a white Queen Anne-style two-story, with bright yellow and royal blue accents. It seems everyone can find it easily.

Family Mortgage's tag line says exactly how I run my business, “Where families come first and dreams come true.”

We lived in Florida before moving here. I graduated from a one-year Leadership program there, so I was familiar with what to expect when I heard about the Loveland Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Program five years ago. Loveland's program, though, runs two years. In the second year, as leaders ourselves, we implemented the skills we learned to facilitate the new participant's program. The second year was a breeze compared to the first year!

In my opinion, the best thing about the program is the diversity of topics, access to city leadership and the networking and relationships we build. As a small business owner it can be challenging to take a full day off every month during the program. You don't get any say about when you are going to participate; you have to show up at Leadership Loveland. At times I was busier than ever, but I did show up.

As part of our Leadership Loveland class project we spent some time in the middle schools. Although our class project had nothing to do with drugs, classmate Scott Eastman and I gravitated toward the same idea at the same time. We saw a need in the community and decided to do something about it. The result was the creation of C.L.E.A.R., the Coalition of Loveland for Education, Awareness and Resources in the fight against methamphetamine (Meth).

C.L.E.A.R is a central clearing house of information on meth education, awareness, intervention and rehabilitation services available in the Loveland community and Larimer County, a grassroots, non-profit, all volunteer organization not affiliated with any national organization or government entity.

Honestly, we just jumped in. We knew nothing about meth or prevention at the time, but believed if more people would take an active role and get involved … even one person can make a huge difference. It wasn't because I believed I had a talent or knowledge … just saw a need and jumped in. If people were less fearful of failing or looking foolish and would just get involved … think of the possibilities!

A leader figures out what needs to be done. If no one does anything, nothing is going to change.

Involvement in Leadership Loveland returns so much more than the small fee you pay to join the program. Like anything, you get out of it what you put into it!

For more information see: LovelandCLEAR.org.

Editor's Note: John Giroux is the idea man behind the year-long 2010 project, Loveland365.com to publish a book about the People, Places and Things that make Loveland America's Sweetheart City. The project for 2011, 365 Sweethearts of Loveland, will profit breast cancer research.

Interview by: Maryjo Morgan (FredsUsedWebsites.com)

Spell it right

Remember when you were back in school, and you wondered why do we have to learn this stuff? Many of us had thoughts along this line when we had to memorize historical dates or figure out what happened if one train left a station at noon going 50 m.p.h., and another left half an hour later at 45 m.p.h.

This is not true with the spelling lessons that were drilled into you. If my memory serves, we had weekly spelling lists and tests to see if we were paying attention.

Now you are in the business world. I bet you create emails, memos, brochures or web content in your business life. People notice when you do not spell a word correctly.

Here are a few that seem to be troublesome:

Privilege --Many, like me want to put a “d” before the” g”.

Acknowledge -- Ok, English is quirky. In this case, do put the “d” before the “g.”

Accommodate --There is a tendency to drop one of the “c”s or “m”s in this word.

Liaison --Those tricky French people threw an extra “i” in the word that sometimes eludes me.

Absence --I know it sounds like it should be and “s” instead of a “c.”

Deductible --Am I the only one that wants to use and “a” instead of an “i?”

Commitment --Two “m”s and one “t” in the middle

Weird -- This is an exception to the “i” before “e” except after “c” rule.

Principle and principal --Both are correct in context. The “pal” is the person that ran your school.

Misspelled -- Ironically, this one gets misspelled a lot. You would think there is only on “s.”

Luckily, a computer spell check will find most of these, but it misses many others.

What words do you find hard to spell?

Bob McDonnell

Words By Bob

Email: wordsbybob@gmail.com

Website: http://www.wordsbybob.com

Posted on May 23, 2011

Ann Clarke - Colorado Women of Influence

GR8 Ideas You Can Use: Prepare yourself to be at ease in a crowd of strangers and talk to anyone with confidence

I am often reminded that sometimes it's easier said than done to be comfortable with networking. Several years ago, I invited Group Realtor Billie Cook to talk about "How To Work A Room" to a group of high school girls who wanted to own their own businesses. After Billie's presentation, the girls practiced among themselves, and later went to the Loveland Chamber Business After Hours. I was so proud of them--they were little stars--comfortable and at ease while talking to adults they had never met. Yes, TEENAGERS talking to adults!

Here are some tips you can use to prepare yourself to be at ease in a crowd of strangers and talk to anyone with confidence :

1. Read, read, read. You can find common interests and be a sparkling conversationalist if you are informed! Read Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, US magazine, Parents magazine and even The National Inquirer. That way you will know who the Broncos just cut, or what movies are block-busters. You'll know when The Ranch will host the Eagles game, and who's in the production at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Know local news and national gossip. I take 1/2 hour each day just to catch up on my reading, and I always have a magazine with me in case I have a few minutes to spare between appointments or while waiting for a client.

2. Stop selling yourself and concentrate on gathering information. Listen rather than talk; ask questions and say "tell me more." Pretend you are a reporter getting ready to write a story on the person. When you put the other person in the spotlight, they will remember you with great affection!

3. Use the information you've just heard as resource-gatherer to become a match-maker. Put people together: If you meet someone who is a copy writer, you might say, "You should meet Alice. She just started a small business and might need some brochures written. And then there's Susan who is creating a website. She might need someone with a way with words to help. Let's go find them!" Or if the other resources aren't present, just say, Would you like their phone numbers?" Make it easy for people to connect through YOU and they will all remember you in a very positive way.

We do business with people we know, and especially with people we like. Networking is just the first step. These are just three GR8 Ideas to make networking easier. If you want to hear more, you'll just have to book me to do a presentation to your group!

You may reprint this article and make copies for your team.

Ann Clarke
Colorado Women of Influence
"Award-winning consultant, speaker, photographer and writer"
PO Box 412, Masonville CO 80541
toll-free (877) 669-5089
Ofc (970) 817-5315

©Ann Clarke 2011