FMA News
General News • Events • Member News
Archive
- August 2022 1
- January 2021 1
- December 2020 1
- November 2020 1
- October 2020 1
- September 2020 1
- April 2020 3
- March 2020 1
- February 2020 3
- January 2020 4
- December 2019 1
- November 2019 4
- October 2019 2
- September 2019 2
- August 2019 2
- July 2019 3
- June 2019 2
- May 2019 2
- April 2019 5
- March 2019 2
- February 2019 3
- January 2019 3
Freeport Merchants Association (FMA) Recognized
This past May, Chase Barfield, President of the FMA, spoke at a meeting for the Rotary Satellite Club or Freeport. Chase shared the FMA’s vision and purpose; to foster an environment of encouragement for each other in order for our hometown of Freeport to be a successful and prosperous community.
See the below thank you letter and Donation to the Rotary International Polio Plus Project made in the FMA’s Honor!
January 2021 Evening Social
The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our monthly Evening Social It will be held January 14th at the Hammock Bay Lake Club from 6:30-8:30.
We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, fine food and networking with some of our current members as well as our Board Members.
This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Jill & Mark Tanner of CLUTCH Media Works & Chef Nathan Davis of the Polished Chef. Please join us for an evening of fun and mingling, while learning more about our local businesses and how they serve the people of Freeport and beyond.
2020 Christmas Party Update
The FMA 2020 Christmas Party was a success. Here are the updates from the event.
At our November Morning Meeting, the topic of more networking events and being able to have fun with other members was a heavily discussed topic. Networking won out over any other benefit from the FMA. So we decided to produce an end of the year Christmas Party. And it was a great success! We plan on making this an annual event moving forward.
The event was held at the Hammock Bay Club House. We reserved the entire Club House to give our members and guests maximum freedom to move around and enjoy the event.
The scheduled time was 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. But we had members stay after and continue on visiting after the “official” end of the party.
We enjoyed delicious food that was prepared and provided by The Infinity Chef: BBQ pulled pork, baked beans and cole slaw. It was all delicious! We had so much that there were a ton of leftovers that members and guests actually took home on plates and in Solo cups. Apparently putting some BBQ and cole slaw in a Solo cup is a great way to save a combined snack or meal for later. Hahaha!
We had many members and some guests attend. Networking was apparent as you could walk by and hear multiple conversations about what people did, what others needed and potential for them to work together or use the services of others. That is what the members wanted. So, again…another success of the party!
The party seemed to allow many of the attendees to “let their hair down”, have fun, meet new people, become better acquainted with others and generally have a great time.
The party culminated in a giveaway. Merchants brought attention grabbing swag from their businesses, creative giveaway collections or other great gifts of value and entertainment. Everyone in attendance brought business cards, placed them in a bowl and if their card was drawn, they won the next giveaway. This was so much fun. Especially having the merchant describe what the winner got.
All in all it was a great end of the year event to bring some togetherness and merriment. As we said, this will be a new annual event. Thank you to all who attended, those who brought giveaways and especially to those who volunteered to make this happen.
We have one meeting left this year. We look forward to seeing you all at the December Morning Meeting.
And, if you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
November 2020 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. We had a wonderful morning meeting and a great open forum discussion. Here are the November 2020 morning meeting highlights.
The meeting was moderately attended. As we get into the holidays, it seems that merchants are more super occupied than other times. Which is great!
We opened the meeting with Dr. Jennifer Laird welcoming everyone, the pledge and offering coffee and snacks (provided by the FMA for our guests).
This was followed by a membership report from Nanci Spears.
From here, we jumped straight into a Membership Discussion. The FMA wanted to know:
What would you like to get from your FMA Membership?
Is there anything you would like to learn more about?
How do you engage the Freeport market?
We were pleasantly surprised that we never got past the first bullet point!
The vast majority said they wanted networking opportunities out of the FMA. This was followed up by asking for participation in more events with others and holding more of our own events.
Then that springboarded into wanting more members so we could have better networking groups and asking for current members to bring a non-member to an event.
There was so much positive energy in the room that it kind of electrifying.
Although the meeting could have gone on and on we had to close. So all members should expect more things to roll out through the end of this year and into the next!
We look forward to seeing you all at the December Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
October 2020 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. We had a wonderful morning meeting and a great speaker. Here are the October 2020 morning meeting highlights.
The meeting was well attended. It seems that more and more merchants are getting back into the swing of things.
We opened the meeting with Dr. Jennifer Laird welcoming everyone, the pledge and offering coffee and snacks (provided by the FMA for our guests).
This was followed by a membership report from Nanci Spears. She said our membership was still going strong and that she would be working with new members to make sure they were signed up correctly and with renewing members that may need help with managing their accounts online. She said that ultimately if you put your credit card into your account online, it will automatically renew for you to ensure you stay current.
Then Jeff Weller put out the request for a host for our next evening social. It will be held on November 5th. So, if anyone wants to host, please contact us to reserve the date for your business.
Finally, Chase Barfield introduced our speaker. His name is Keith Miller, with SOL Sales Solutions. He is a Sales Success Advisor. Keith gave a presentation on how to create a plan ahead sales strategy, post COVID. The presentation was about the things that businesses can do to assess the situation and build for future sales success.
Keith asked the crowd if Covid-19 affected their sales in a positive, negative or neutral (no affect) way. The results within the meeting was in a positive way. Everyone in the room had growth in sales during Covid-19. Keith did say that they conducted a national survey and the results were split on the positive and negative sides; basically no or very few neutral responses.
During Covid-19 closures and restrictions, a sales person could not travel and getting the attention of customers became even more difficult. So, businesses had to get creative.
In that same survey, businesses were asked if they had a plan ahead sales strategy or sales plan. About 1/2 of them had one. The others had no clue.
Keith continued by discussing “Going Social.” This meant that you need to ask the question “What does the data say about your market? How is the environment affecting your customers?” He stated that more customers are staying home and are doing a lot more market research. So you have to “Go Social” so that you are in front of them when they do their research.
Then Keith discussed “Taking A Selfie” which meant to look inside your company. Examine how you are doing things. What works? What doesn’t? What needs to change? What do you need to do more of? It is basically a self assessment, something many small businesses do not do.
Keith concluded with the 3 R’s: Realign, Remove and React.
Realign: Where are the opportunities? Who is ideal or most profitable? What is the sales cycle? Realign with the current market environment.
Remove: Take away the idea that things don’t change. Remove any ineffective business or thought processes.
React: I can help my customers by _____. Fill in the blank and do it.
The presentation was much more in-depth than the summary here. But, needless to say, it was a wealth of information. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Keith Miller yourself and he can help you with your post Covid-19 plan ahead sales strategy.
Conclusion
That concluded the October Morning Meeting. It was a very informative meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the November Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
September 2020 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. We had a wonderful round table discussion on multiple key points of interest. Here are the September 2020 morning meeting highlights.
The meeting was lightly attended as some people are still dealing with Hurricane Sally repercussions and others are still not attending gatherings due to Covid-19. However the meeting was highly productive where we covered topics pertinent to the merchants of Freeport.
An open forum discussion was conducted where the following questions were asked and the subsequent responses given by the merchant members.
1) What would you like to get from your membership in the FMA?
The most common responses were, in no specific order, as follows: Networking, Learn About The Community, Connection To Freeport and Leverage.
The members stated that they liked the networking aspect of the ability to connect with other merchants.
And, that learning about things going on in the community as well as the history of the area helped them to be more informed all around.
Finally, being a member of the FMA allows there to be one voice that can speak on behalf of the merchants and gives the individual merchant the leverage of an entire organization.
2) Is there anything in particular that you would like to learn about?
This question was posed to identify any topics that the members would like more info on. That is because the FMA would bring in subject matter experts to speak on the topic.
Most of the members stated that they had a pretty good handle on most general business topics (accounting, marketing, etc). But acknowledged that they appreciated the updates on current events and new laws/regulations being created or already formed.
3) How are you engaging the Freeport market?
One of the common ways, and is no surprise, is Facebook. Most of the merchants use Facebook to reach out to and communicate with the population to build rapport and relationships.
In addition, also no surprise, was using word of mouth. What was a surprise was that there was no specific plan for word of mouth engagement. They said that people just refer them without being prompted at all. And we think that is because Freeport is still growing. The community is still smaller and more tight knit so people are continuously asking for recommendations. But as the city grows, a solid plan will need to be put into place.
And finally, regular mail is used. Some use direct letters where others use the EDDM service of the post office.
Business Incubator
After the round table discussion was conducted, the idea of a business incubator was discussed.
This is where you formally create a program, many times in conjunction with the city government, that has an education component to teach and guide new business owners on how to form their business, get an EIN, open a bank account, get insurance, etc.
And after they are properly formed, to learn how to setup their accounting, engage in marketing and more.
It essentially takes a business from infancy and helps it to develop into a strong operational entity.
This will be discussed in greater detail at the next meeting.
Conclusion
That concluded the September Morning Meeting. It was a great and lively meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the October Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
PPP FAQs From Trustmark
We received further guidance from Trustmark on the PPP. Please see the attached document for more information to help you properly prepare and apply for the PPP.
Financial Resources During Coronavirus Crisis
As we all know, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) originated from China and is sweeping around the world. It has reached every state in the US and continues to spread. The United States has moved into crisis mode and trying to slow down and stop the spread.
Yesterday, Governor DeSantis executed Executive Order 20-91 (read the whole thing here). The summary of it is that all non-essential businesses are ordered to shut down and “all persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.” It goes into effect April 3 at 12:01 AM (Thursday night / Friday morning). And remains in effect until April 30 at 11:59pm.
Essential businesses are allowed to stay open. In Section 2 on Page 3 of the Executive Order 20-91 it lists the essential businesses. Basically if your business aids in the health or basic needs of a person, aids in the safety of a person or aids in helping essential businesses operate, then you are considered essential.
This, obviously, will have dramatic effect on many businesses in a myriad of different ways. Those that provide many things needed for basic living, like food and toilet paper, are seeing a boom in their business. While others who sell retail items like furniture or clothing are ordered to shut down and could see a decline in their business.
Regardless of which side of the coin you are on, your business will be affected in some way. Even those who have an increase in sales may have to reduce their hours of operation and employee count.
The Federal Government has created 2 ways to help small businesses with financial resources during this time. One is the EIDL and the other is the PPP. The Federal Government as issued the SBA $350 billion towards this facilitation. Here is a link to the page where you can read about them both – https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources. And this is available to small businesses with 500 employees or less.
The EIDL is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. You apply for this online with the SBA (click here). The EIDL takes about 15 minutes to fill out. It will allow you to request a $10,000 advance. And, from all of the sources we polled, the advance is a grant so you do not have to pay it back. Then the SBA will contact you about the loan application process. The EIDL will loan businesses up to $2 million for 30 years at 3.75% interest. This loan is directly issued and administered by the SBA.
The PPP is the Paycheck Protection Program. The application for it will be available online, at many banks, starting April 3, 2020. This is backed by the SBA but it is administered through your bank. The PPP takes your payroll expenses for 1 month and will issue you a loan for 250% of that amount. The loan is at 4% interest and has a $10 million cap.
It can be used for payroll, keeping group benefits, mortgage interest (no principal) payments, rents including under a lease agreement signed before 2/15/20, utilities and interest (no principal) on any other debt that was incurred prior to 3/1/20. To clarify, payroll costs include salaries, wages, and payments paid to employees and independent contractors, including yourself, up to $100,000 each. It also includes medical insurance payments, retirement benefits, state/local tax, and payments for sick leave, family leave, or vacation.
No collateral is required. No personal guarantee is required. And the loan is 100% non-recourse. That means there is no penalty for not paying it, at all. But there is an even more unique part of this. If you maintain your workforce past the 8 week time period (after you receive the funds), the principal can be completely forgiven. So, all you would owe is the 4% interest on it.
Contact your bank to find out their process for application.
The Coronavirus Pandemic and Crisis is affecting us all. We urge everyone to seek accurate and up to date information for your personal health and the health of your business. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide any other business or financial information or insight that we acquire and pass it along to you here. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us and we will do our best to help.
We wish everyone to stay safe and stay well.
FMA April 2020 Events
Due to the Coronavirus / Covid-19 crisis and the statewide lockdown, the Freeport Merchants Association is cancelling all FMA sponsored events for the month of April, 2020
We have not received any feedback on the Florida Dept of Transportation meeting. But we would assume it is cancelled.
We will be putting out updates and resources for small business later today or tomorrow.
Stay safe and stay well.
Florida Department of Transportation Meeting In Freeport
Our VP, Chase Barfield, is on the Committee for City Facilities Planning. They had a meeting this morning and he learned of a Florida Department of Transportation meeting that is happening in Freeport in April.
The following is the notification from FL DOT District 3 Project Manager, Tori White.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will hold a public meeting concerning a project on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at the Destiny Worship Center, 16019 Hwy 331 Business, Freeport. The public meeting will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. CDT.
This meeting is being held to provide interested persons an opportunity to express their views concerning the proposed improvements.
The intent of this study is to widen an eight-mile portion of State Road (S.R.) 20 from two to four lanes from King Road to County Road 3280 (Black Creek Boulevard) in Walton County, and provide pedestrian and bicycle accommodations.
Maps, drawings, and other information will be on display at the meeting. FDOT representatives will be available to discuss proposed improvements, answer questions, and receive comments. Additional project information is available and can be viewed on the project website (www.nwflroads.com).
This meeting is being held without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact the Project Manager, at the information listed below, at least seven days prior to the meeting.
Should you have any questions regarding the project or this meeting, please contact Tori White, Project Manager toll-free at (888) 638-0250, ext. 1455, via email at tori.white@dot.state.fl.us, or by mail at 1074 Highway 90, Chipley, Florida 32428. You may also contact Ian Satter, FDOT District Three Public Information Director, at (888) 638-0250, ext. 1205, via email at ian.satter@dot.state.fl.us
The original notification can be found at the link below.
This Highway 20 road widening is going to affect businesses and traffic flow. If you have input, want to be kept abreast and especially if you own a business along the Hwy 20 corridor, we suggest that you attend.
The Freeport Merchants Association will continue to keep you notified as we receive updates.
The FMA – Uniting The Merchants of Freeport
February 2020 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. It was a great conversation with a lot of useful information. Here are the February 2020 morning meeting highlights.
After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food (the FMA Board) we launched into discussions.
Nanci Watkins, FMA Treasurer, updated everyone on our current and growing member count. We appreciate all new members and ask current membership to spread the word.
Nanci followed up with an explanation of how members can pay and about automatic reminders. New members can pay or renew online with their profile. If a member would rather pay with a check, they can contact Nanci and she can arrange to receive the check. Also, when renewal is coming up, our system will automatically notify all members about their renewal. If you have a credit or debit card saved with our system, it will automatically renew. If you do not, please arrange to have a check to Nanci before the renewal date.
She continued on with asking the membership for a host for our March FMA Evening Social. It will be on March 5th, 2020 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Being a host gives a member a unique opportunity to spotlight their business and get to know other and potential members. If you would like to host, please contact us.
After that, Chase Barfield, VP of the FMA, reminded everyone about the Social Media Workshop that the FMA is sponsoring and that is being led by Rick Gonzalez, founder of the FreeportInsider.com. This is a monthly workshop held on the 4th Monday of each month, for FMA members only. The second one is at 6:30 pm on February 24th and will last about an hour. It will be at the Hammock Bay Lake Club – Theater Room. Rick will continue his teachings to FMA Members about how to effectively use social media for marketing their businesses. If you attended the last one, remember to have your pillar content ready.
Next Chase spoke about potential causes that the FMA could get behind. The general consensus was for it to be “business oriented.” And the final determination was to get behind a Main Street initiative. So, we will be communicating with Freeport Planning and Zoning as well as The City Council and Freeport Mayor in this regard. If you have experience in the Main Street Program and would like to participate/help, please contact us.
Then Chase introduced the speaker, which was Chase Barfield. That was a quick, self-introduction. For those who are not aware, in addition to being the FMA VP, he also owns/manages NorthStar Global Inc., the local IT Services (computers, networking, etc) company.
Chase discussed a topic that most find boring until ignoring it causes panic…data backup.
Many business owners go about their daily lives believing their computers will just continue to operate as it did the day before. Technology is great when it works. But, when it does not, it can be a serious disruption to our businesses. It is imperative to have a data backup process in place, use it and test it to make sure the backups are good.
Chase explained that having a data backup process in place will save time, save money and increase business continuity.
It will save time because if data loss occurs, being able to easily restore from a good known backup allows for minutes instead of hours or days of downtime. It saves money because you do not have to pay for an expensive data recovery service to retrieve your lost data. And money is saved because it minimizes any loss of business because of focusing on retrieving/restoring lost data. And, with a solid data backup process in place, it dramatically increases business continuity (meaning, minimizes disruptions) so that we can continue to focus on building and managing our businesses.
There are many data backup options. But most can be narrowed down to a USB hard drive, a Network Attached Storage or a cloud based backup. These can be used individually or in conjunction with each other, depending on the data and workflow of your business. Chase offered to speak with any FMA member about their current business processes and recommend a suitable data backup routine for them. NorthStar Global can be reached at 850.678.9191 and at 15950 US331 Business, Freeport, FL 32439.
That concluded the February Morning Meeting. It was a great and lively meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the March Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
Magnolia Tribe Chiropractic February 2020 Special
Magnolia Tribe Chiropractic has a February 2020 Special. Please see below for details.
February is the Family Special month available for all New Tribe Members.
For only $100.00, you get:
* Complete Consultation
* Neurological Examination
* Chiropractic Assessment
* Doctors Report of Findings
Call Team Mag Tribe at 850-880-6813 to book and make sure our communities are the healthiest in the panhandle!
Florida Disclosure:
THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED OR REDUCED FEE SERVICES, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.
February 2020 Evening Social
The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our monthly Evening Social It will be held February 6th at the Hammock Bay Lake Club from 6:30-8:30
We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members as well as our Board Members.
This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Adrienne Reilly of Style Dots. Please join us for an evening of fun and learn more about Style Dots and how they serve the businesses and the people of Freeport.
Freeport Family Chiropractic Clinic January Massage Special
Freeport Family Chiropractic Clinic has a January 2020 Special. Please see below for details.
From January 20 to January 24, 2020 we are offering a 60 minute massage for just $60!
Do you like bamboo or hot stones?
No problem. Just add $10 to any massage to get that upgrade.
2 gift certificates per person only.
Hurry and get yours. Only 3 days left.
Just call 850-835-9867 today.
Magnolia Tribe Chiropractic January 2020 Special
Magnolia Tribe Chiropractic has a January 2020 Special. Please see below for details.
Don’t miss out on this amazing deal! From now until January 31st, we would love to bless our community with a New Practice Member Exam special.
For only $50.00, a savings of $25.00, you get:
*Complete Consultation
*Neurological Examination
*Doctors Report of Findings
We also have Massage and New Practice Member gift certificates now available. It’s never too late to give the gift of good health!
Call our office at 850-880-6813 for more information or to book your appointment.
Florida Disclosure:
THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED OR REDUCED FEE SERVICES, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.
January 2020 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. It was a great conversation with a lot of useful information. Here are the January 2020 morning meeting highlights.
After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food (the FMA Board) we launched into discussions.
Nanci Watkins, FMA Treasurer, updated everyone on our current and growing member count. We are around 40 now. We appreciate all new members. Not bad when all membership is from word of mouth. That will begin to change this year with our marketing material.
Nanci followed up with the current status of our marketing material, which in completed and “in hand.” If you have a brick and mortar location and want to display FMA rack cards in your business, please let us know. You can also pick some up at NorthStar Global (they have a box of them). Here is what they look like.
Next up Jeff Weller, FMA Secretary, recognized our volunteers with a heartfelt “Thank You” from the entire board. We appreciate Betsy Steinbaum for her assistance with Membership, Adrienne Reilly for her assistance with our Online Coordination and to Tami Scott for her assistance with Event Coordination. You all have been a great and welcome help to us and the FMA. If any of our members would like to volunteer with any of the above 3 areas, please contact us or one of the above members for more information.
Jeff also stated that we need a host for the February 2020 Evening Social. The January one, the first one of the year, was hosted by the FMA and it was great. It is a time to get to know the other merchants on a more personal level, build a relationship and, for the host, to allow the attendees to get to know their business better. Adrienne Reilly volunteered to host the one in February. It will be on February 6th, 6:30pm at the Hammock Bay Lake Club. Check our Events Calendar for more information. It should be placed on there soon.
After that, Chase Barfield, VP of the FMA, reminded everyone about the Social Media Workshop that the FMA is sponsoring and that is being led by Rick Gonzalez, founder of the FreeportInsider.com. This will be a monthly workshop held on the 4th Monday of each month. The first one is at 6:30 pm on January 27th and should last about an hour. It will be at the Hammock Bay Lake Club – Theater Room. Rick will be teaching FMA Members how to effectively use social media for marketing their businesses. He will go over things like building relationships, gaining authority, getting exposure and more. Please note, this is for Members only.
Next Chase spoke about the Friends of the Freeport Public Library (FFPL). Various merchants were approached by this non-profit organization to ask for a donation that would benefit the expansion of the Freeport Library. The FFPL has a program called the Circle of 100 where a person or a business can make a 1 time donation of $1000 to help with things like attach an architect to the project, pay for initial expenses, etc. in order to get the library to a “Build Ready” status. All Circle of 100 members will be honored in a memoriam in the new expansion. Betsy, from Skipper’s, had suggested that FMA members all pitch in to support The FMA being a Circle of 100 member and immediately hands shot up willing to donate. So, if you are a member and want to donate into the FMA so it can be a Circle of 100 member, please contact us.
Then Chase launched into a short discussion about causes and speakers. The FMA is discussing taking up a cause. Many were suggested at the meeting. Some were around education, others around foster children and other suggestions were to find a focus that was business oriented. So, if you are a member and have an idea, please send it to us. Following the causes discussion, Chase told the membership that we were looking for speakers that could deliver value to our members at our morning meetings. So, whether you are a member, a public speaker or know someone who is, if you have a suggestion, submit it to us.
Finally, Nanci introduced our guest speaker. His name is Scott Miller and he is with Blacktip Fi, previously CPAY NWF. He is a 17 year industry veteran and former Nationwide Trade show business owner. He is originally from Georgia and lived in Destin back in 1982-1983 where he was a life guard on the beach. He left to join the United States Marine Corps and after his service he started a career in Law Enforcement. Scott served the people of Gwinnet and DeKalb County for 14 years where he was a SWAT team member and K9 supervisor and trainer/handler. He was lucky enough to attend Broward County Florida K9 School and many other K9 training programs throughout the United States. He has two sons Zack age 34 and Matthew age 32 and also two daughters Ali age 22 and Gabrielle age 19.
Scott talked to the Membership about credit card processing. He explained the different types of rates and fees charged as well as some of the pitfalls in the industry. It was clear that Scott knew what he was talking about. He discussed what Blacktip Fi does for their clients and how he helps merchants to save money and time. He even has a $1 million dollar low rate guarantee. The discussion actually ran overtime but the members were still interested since credit card processing is so integral in most of our businesses.
To contact Scott Miller and discuss what he may be able to do for your business, you can call 850.424.1639 or visit www.blacktipfi.com.
That concluded the January Morning Meeting. It was a great and lively meeting and what a wonderful way to kick off the new year! We look forward to seeing you all at the February Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
January 2020 Evening Social
The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our January 2020 Evening Social.
It will be held January 9 at The Hammock Bay Lake Club (1830 Great Hammock Bnd, Freeport FL 32439, US) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board Members and new guests.
This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by The Freeport Merchants Association to say thank you to our current merchants and welcome to any new ones. Please join us for an evening of fun and camaraderie as the FMA continues to serve the merchants and people of Freeport.
December 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. It was a great conversation with a lot of useful information. Here are the December 2019 morning meeting highlights.
After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food (the FMA Board) we launched into discussions.
Nanci Watkins, FMA Treasurer, updated everyone on our current and growing member count. We had new members join since last meeting, so…again…The FMA is growing. We appreciate all new members.
This was followed up with the current status of our marketing material, which Nanci will have “in hand” tomorrow (December 20th). If you have a brick and mortar location and want to display FMA rack cards in your business, please let us know.
Next up Jeff Weller, FMA Secretary, talked about the FMA Evening Social. And he shared how beneficial the socials are to the host businesses. The last one was hosted by Skipper’s and within a couple days another FMA Member came in and bought new furniture. Also, FMA Members like to give benefits to other FMA Members (this is something we encourage). So, if you intend to buy furniture from Skipper’s or patronize any other FMA Member’s business, ask them if they offer an FMA Member only benefit.
Jeff also stated that we need a host for the January 2020 Evening Social. So, if you want to host, let us know. We commonly do them the 1st Thursday of the month. In January, that will be January 2nd. After a New Year’s Celebration, not many merchants will be attending an evening social on the 2nd. So, this time we are pushing it to the 9th.
After that, Chase Barfield, VP of the FMA, discussed the Social Media Workshop that the FMA is sponsoring and that is being led by local realtor and founder of the FreeportInsider, Rick Gonzalez. This will be a monthly workshop that will be held in the evening (once a month) at the Hammock Bay Lake Club. Rick will be teaching small businesses how to effectively use social media for marketing their businesses. He will go over things like building relationships, gaining authority, getting exposure and more. If you want to attend and have not notified us yet, please do so to confirm your spot.
Next, the board gave Rick Gonzalez the floor to discuss the Census. The 2020 Census is important as the data collected is what helps drives governmental decisions. The 2020 Census will be the first one ever where you can fill it out online.
According to Rick, he thinks this will become available in March of 2020 online. For complete details, check out the Census Bureau online.
On to the next topic, Chase continued with the offer that came from Corey Flynn of N2 Publishing. She granted an FMA Exclusive offer for advertising in Be Local, a magazine that is delivered to every new resident in Walton County as well as those who move within Walton County. The offer included a special reduced price and to have a Freeport Map with multiple merchants on it, each sharing in a portion of the cost. We currently have 6 members who want to commit to this offer. In order to us to make it feasible, we need 4 more. The summary version is that committing will give you broad distribution for your business at the cost of about $45 per month on a 1 year commitment. Contact us if you are interested. If we do not have 10 by January, this offer will no longer be available.
In the same vein of marketing, Chase shared Newspaper Rates from the DeFuniak Springs Herald. Stacy Martin, a Herald Reporter and Photographer, shared a Christmas Edition special where they feature one family in the newspaper. If you would like to advertise in this edition, contact Stacy Martin at stacy.dfsherald@gmail.com.
Finally, Chase introduced Ray Cyr with Bay Life. This is a local newspaper that covers the area from Niceville to Freeport. They are increasing their stories, events and coverage of the distribution area. So, if you have something to share or you want to advertise, contact Ray. You can find complete details about the paper and contact info on their website.
That concluded the December Morning Meeting. It was a great and lively meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the January Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
Lastly, we have a diverse group of members in the FMA that celebrate different holidays at the end of the year. So, we would like to wish all of our members and their families a Happy and Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport
December 2019 Evening Social
The FMA would like to extend an invitation to all of our members and anyone who is interested in becoming a member to our December 2019 Evening Social.
It will be held December 5 at Skipper’s Furniture (66 State Hwy. 20 East, Freeport FL 32439, US) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
We hope that you can join us for an evening of drinks, snacks, and networking with some of our current members, our Board Members and new guests.
This month’s After Hours Social is sponsored by Skipper’s Furniture and NextHome Bayside Realty. Please join us for an evening of fun and learn more about Skipper’s Furniture & NextHome Bayside Realty and how they serve the people of Freeport.
November 2019 Morning Meeting Highlights
Good day members. Thank you to all who attended our meeting. It was a great conversation with a lot of useful information. Here are the November 2019 morning meeting highlights.
After conducting our pledge of allegiance and thanking those who donated the coffee (Sweet Southern Comfort) and the food (the FMA Board) we launched into discussions.
Nanci Watkins, FMA Treasurer, updated everyone on our current and growing member count. This was followed up with the current status of our marketing material. All drafts and designs are created and preparing for printing/manufacture. Once we have it available, we will share it with the membership to place in their place of business and share with others.
Following on the heels of our marketing, Nanci launched into a discussion about end of the year tax tips. She explained that even subcontracted labor adds to the COGS (cost of goods sold) which reduces the profit and thereby reduces the tax burden. Additionally Nanci relayed that you can capture your receipts digitally now and do not need to keep the receipts any more (as long as you keep the digital copy). She went on to discuss how to attach that to your accounting software as well.
For more in-depth info on these tips, reach out to Nanci directly. She owns JNS Financial and you can find her contact info here.
In that same spirit, The FMA would like to extend a Happy Thanksgiving to all merchants and supporters! We are grateful for you.
Then he reminded everyone of the monthly evening social. The next one is hosted by Skippers and NextHome Realty at the Skippers Furniture location. It will be December 5th at 6:30 pm.
Next up was Chase Barfield, FMA Vice President. He relayed a suggestion give to him by City Council Member Ferris. The following is what was contained in the email and it was summarized at the meeting:
“I would like to throw something out to you and the merchants dealing with Christmas. What do you think about seeing if all of the merchants would be willing to decorate the outside of their business for Christmas? I believe it would be a great tradition to start in our city. To be able to see the eyes in our kids light up as they see the different decorations throughout our city is worth it all. To be able to bring a little joy and spread the joy of Christmas.”
Some of the merchants have storefronts while others do not. The merchants that were in attendance and have a storefront did not seem opposed to the idea at all, as long as they would not receive code violations for decorations outside of their stores and offices.
This actually caused a discussion about the Main Street Program that the FMA was (is) in discussions with Latilda (The City Planner) about. Chase spoke with Jay Evans, Executive Director of Main Street DeFuniak Springs, back in October to garner his experiences and successes with the program in DeFuniak Springs (which were quite positive and a learning experience for Mr. Evans). The general, unofficial, consensus is that the City would rather wait until FDOT is finished with the 4 lane on Hwy 20 since that is the proposed Main Street corridor. However, it makes more sense to us (members of the FMA) to work with FDOT, the county and the city so that all construction takes place at one time. Stay tuned for further updates.
After the Main Street conversation, Chase jumped into the conclusion of the land development code saga that had been going on that specifically pertained to outside influences trying to get signage and building construction changes made that will reduce choice and increase cost on the merchants. The grand sum of the efforts of our board, our members and other merchants in Freeport resulted in not adopting the new language and keeping the freedom of choice, while eliminating burdensome costs from landing on the merchants’ shoulders.
The FMA would like to thank all of those merchants who gave their support in this. We would also like to thank the Planning and Development Board who UNANIMOUSLY supported the merchants in their recommendation to not proceed with the proposed changes. And we would like to thank the entire City Council that voted in accordance with the Planning and Development Board.
To the City Council member that voted against the Planning and Development Board, we hope to win you over to our side in support of Freeport Merchants’ freedom of choice and not incurring unneeded and burdensome costs in an environment that can be difficult enough to make a profit in the first place. We need to help, not hinder, the growth of the merchants in Freeport. Our thanks yous could not be complete without thanking Latilda for talking with the FMA, at our invitation, and explaining what the land development code changes meant and granting us clarity of understanding.
One other thing came out of the last City Council meeting. Some of the Council Members suggested a collaboration between the city and the public. Chase Barfield referenced a discussion he had with Latilda about this very topic. To create a committee that included private citizens, merchants and government to learn and understand the needs and wants of all aspects of life in Freeport. Anyone interested in participating, contact us.
On to the next topic, Chase continued with the offer that came from Corey Flynn of N2 Publishing. She granted an FMA Exclusive offer for advertising in Be Local, a magazine that is delivered to every new resident in Walton County as well as those who move within Walton County. The offer included a special reduced price and to have a Freeport Map with multiple merchants on it, each sharing in a portion of the cost. We currently have 6 members who want to commit to this offer. In order to us to make it feasible, we need 4 more. The summary version is that committing will give you broad distribution for your business at the cost of about $45 per month on a 1 year commitment. Contact us if you are interested. We need to know before December 5th.
Along the lines of marketing, Rick Gonzales made a couple of offers. The first is in regards to a Social Media Workshop. This is an FMA Exclusive for Members only and each of you have already received an email about it. The other offer he gave us was to put articles on the FreeportInsider.com. It receives about 6000 views a week and it is a way to put out value to the public, become an authority on what you wrote and get free advertising.
Rick said that the article needed to be 600 words or more and include 1 picture he can use. One suggestion for a source to write about is to think about what your customers ask you as it pertains to their problems and solutions you offer. Write about their problem and your solution and viola! You have an article. Contact Rick on Facebook Messenger to discuss the article. You can find him here.
Brian McBroom from the Walton County Tax Collector’s Office had an announcement to make as well. He said, first of all, that the Freeport Office now offers EVERY service that DeFuniak and Santa Rosa Beach does with the exception of issuing driver’s licenses. He anticipates on that coming in around the first quarter of 2020 but has no concrete date. The second thing he announced, and this one saves you money, is the discount on property taxes.
If you owe property taxes, make sure you pay them before December 1 and you will get a 4% discount. This includes if you mail it in and the postmark says November 30 or earlier. But, don’t wait or you could lose out. They offer a 3% discount in December, 2% in January and 1% in February. No discount is offered in March and if you go past that, your bill could go higher. The early bird gets the worn on this one.
The meeting was concluded by Jeff Weller asking is there were any other questions, comments or concerns. We (The FMA) serve you (The Merchants). The more input you give us the more effective we can be at helping. We know you are all super busy building and running your businesses. But, if you would take some time to let us know what kind of help, direction or advice you need, we will happily do our best to help. You unanimously voted against the land development code change. So we went to work. But it was because you spoke up. We are stronger together and the FMA and its members are willing to help other members. But it is up to you to make those needs known.
That concluded the November Morning Meeting. It was a great and lively meeting. We look forward to seeing you all at the December Evening Social and our next morning meeting.
If you are not a member and wish to join to gain the benefits of membership, feel free to visit our membership page to sign up.
FMA – Uniting The Businesses of Freeport