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 Dear Catapult Community, Flipping through Fortune magazine this past month, a feature caught my eye; 40 Under 40: The Young Guns Who Are Rocking The Business World. I came to a center fold-out section in the middle of the magazine with features on 40 CEOs, founders, presidents, partners, athletes, musicians, etc. The people highlighted had found great success in their respective industries, many by simply following their individual passions. I thought more about this and how it relates to Catapult. Wouldn't it be great to have our members featured in these publications! What programming and resources could we offer to help bolster and inspire our members as they follow their own paths to great achievement? Well this year we intend to delve deeper into this question, and as we have mentioned before, our board of directors recently went through a strategic planning process with the intention of ratcheting up our goals, prioritizing our ideas and fine-tuning current practices so we can achieve better results in the year(s) to come. As we celebrate our three-year anniversary, we will be reaching out you and requesting your help in working toward our objective to help cultivate our future business and community leaders, the Seacoast's "young guns". What can we offer "young guns" in the coming year? Please take our Member Survey to help us plan what you want for 2010. Check out Seacoast Business Briefs sections for some local success stories. I wish you all a warm and joyful holiday with your friends and families. Cheers to happiness, health and bold achievements in the year to come. Warm regards, Helen Donington, Chair and Co-Founder On another note: I would like to take a moment to thank those who have donated their time and resources to Catapult over the past year. It is with sincere gratitude that I mention the following as special contributors: Jamila Taylor Lasante, Philip Cohen, Philip Lewis, Matthew Romano, Jared Lemos, Giuseppe Bellavita, Liza Dube, Lisa Landry, Lexi Manus, Kara Townley, Shannon Drew, Marilee Lafond, Chase Brackett, Casey Snyder, Katie Cassidy, Allison Pimley Potter, Brent Beckett, J.T. O'Donnell, Maine-ly New Hampshire, WFNX, Isles of Shoals Steamship Company, Fat Belly's Bar and Grill, Portsmouth Kayak Adventures, Sheraton Harborside Hotel, Wentworth by the Sea Hotel & Spa, The One Hundred Club, Portsmouth Museum of Fine Arts, Portsmouth Public Library, Ocean Bank, Print Savvy, Fishnet Media.   Catapult's 3-Year Anniversary & Holiday Celebration: A Celebration of our Past, Present and Future  Three cheers for Catapult! As 2009 draws to a close, we look forward to seeing you at Catapult's Anniversary & Holiday Celebration as we celebrate three successful years and toast the next three to come. Cash bar and light hors d'oeuvres will be provided.Portsmouth Museum of Fine Art One Harbour Place - Suite 275 Portsmouth, NH 03801 Wednesday, December 16, 2009 from 5:30pm to 8:00 pm $5 online, $10 at the door Jan-May 2010 Bowling — Dover Bowl Catapult takes to the lanes up at Dover Bowl beginning in 2010. On top of our monthly professional, social and informational events, we're offering our members a chance to bowl off some steam! Dust off your tacky shirts, grab a clean pair of matching socks and prep yourself with The Big Lebowski. White Russians are optional. Check back on our website and social media pages for more information on the first bowling date! CATAPULT RECOMMENDS: 'Tis the Season! UNH Seacoast Alumni Chapter at a Holiday Cocktail Reception Wednesday, December 9, 2009 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, NH Come celebrate with fellow alumni and friends, as well as President Huddleston and UNH men's hockey Coach Dick Umile '72, for an evening of good cheer. The cost is $15 for alumni and guests and $10 for current UNH students. A portion of the proceeds will go towards the UNH Seacoast Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund for a deserving UNH student. Register online by Dec. 1 or call (800) 891-1195 for more information.  10/22/2009 New England Curiosities — Haunted Pubs Walking Tour Catapult recently embarked on a walking tour of Portsmouth history to celebrate the fall. Roxie of New England Curiosities took us on a journey of Portsmouth's Haunted Pubs and shared with us the rich and sometimes controversial history behind some of Portsmouth's present day pubs and shops. Our tour included a complimentary wine tasting at Maine-ly New Hampshire where we sampled some made in NH wines, and concluded with a sit down dinner at the Blue Mermaid. The vote was unanimous, we'll be doing this tour again next fall, so make sure you sign up early!
 
Brent is the founder of Slim Famous (S.F.), a business specializing in product, brand and business development. Since it was founded in 1999, Slim Famous Original products have captured the attention of national media and retail executives including those at Warner Bros./Disney. Brent also provides clients with holistic, strategic marketing plans that are creative, penetrating, effective, unique and with proven results.- brentbeckett@gmail.com Lemonade for Sale In her new book, The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life, Ivanka Trump tells of failing at her first entrepreneurial venture- her lemonade stand. She failed because it was at the end of a dead-end street in a gated community. It came down to location, location, location. Each year, Inc. magazine profiles "The Best Lemonade Stand In America" and this year Good Morning America started a "Best Business Stand In America" contest. Two 15-year-olds in North Carolina won the Inc. contest by turning their front lawn into a lemonade emporium. In addition to 'incredibly good' lemonade served in the summer sun, they offered frequent-buyer punch cards, games-to-win discounts and 'great service.' Their stand was impossible to ignore and they created the ultimate lemonade experience; deservedly, they were featured on the magazine's cover. While setting up product carts in malls this past week for the holiday season, I was reminded how the components of this micro business are in fact the structural backbone to any business. In order for these six-foot-wide rolling 'shops' to be operational and effective they require the right location, well merchandised products, correct price points, available inventory, informative signs and so forth. We sell t-shirts, but coffee, jewelry, chairs, computers or lemonade can easily replace them. The business model remains the same. In fact, McDonalds and many of America's large companies began as pushcarts or stands. Stonewall Kitchen started at the farmer's market in Portsmouth and The Kittery Trading Post was once a small shed on the side of the road selling moccasins. For the past few years, I have used the kiosk business model as a way to simplify the process of starting a company. People can quickly become intimidated and overwhelmed at the prospect of starting a business when they are confronted with the multitude of things to think about; especially if that includes "business speak". Business consultants are quick to take over the process, eliminating the client's need to learn, and business books are often filled with jargon that even an experienced businessperson can find confusing. The questions are always 'where and how do I begin?' However, everyone has had, or at least, visited a lemonade stand and can relate to and understand the various components that make it a good or bad stand. A lemonade stand needs products, supplies and a place to set up. The basic premise is to make more money than you spend being in business. Customers make decisions to buy or not buy the lemonade based on their assessment of what they see and experience. My intention is not to oversimplify or trivialize the challenges involved with starting a business, but make the prospect manageable for a person in the start-up stage. I suggest starting with a good idea and combining it with common sense. Create the checklist of items needed to open your business just the way you would if setting up a lemonade stand.
- Brent
  Ocean BankOcean Bank is a locally managed commercial bank headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, with $2.3 billion in assets and 38 branches in New Hampshire and southern Maine. Ocean Bank is a division of People's United Bank, a federally-chartered savings bank with approximately $20 billion in assets and 300 branches in Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and New York.  Wondering how your business can reach the over 1400 young professionals that make up Catapult? Become a sponsor today! Catapult offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities to local businesses who want to become part of one of the most successful networking groups of young professionals in the Seacoast. For more information, please contact sponsorships@catapultseacoast.org.
 4 Self-Perceptions Can Improve Your Career! November 10, 2009 by sparktalk By CAREEREALSM-Approved Expert, Debra Wheatman 
Is it any wonder that the better you feel about yourself the more fulfilling your relationships are and the more empowered you feel in your work? It shouldn't be! If you think about it, your own self-perception is the biggest driver of how others perceive you. It makes perfect sense that if you feel good, you project a positive and upbeat manner — other people area drawn to that. Human nature indicates that people like to be around those that make them feel happy, successful and good. If you feel good you give off vibes that attract others — smile and the whole world smiles with you — frown and everyone around you frowns. Here are my top tips to 'feeling good and spreading the love' to facilitate strong relationships that translate directly to positive career choices:Give a little, get a little: One of the single biggest ways to improve your job prospects is to network with other people. How you network is a critical component to success. Interested in getting help from someone influential? You need to give that person something first. And no, I don't mean give them 50 bucks — I mean something that they need. Look for ways that you can add value for that person; you will then be in a much better position to solicit help — or, even better — they might offer. One of the best ways to increase your circle of influence is by providing something yourself first. I am not usually big on quoting scripture but "give and ye shall receive" has always worked for me. Dress for success: It should come as no surprise that others like to be around good-looking people. I am not making this up — studies show that those who present better get offered positions more often. They way you carry yourself and how you dress is directly correlated to how you feel about yourself. If you look put together, you will feel better about yourself; the chances that your positive impression will come across to those around you will vastly improve. As a result your self-perception will improve. I think you get the idea. The point is that when looking for work you need to put your best foot forward in all areas to drive your success. A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet: I know it's difficult to just start a conversation with someone you don't know. How many times have you been in an elevator and said hello to someone? How many times has that led to a full-blown conversation? You didn't know that person before stepping into the elevator. BUT, you could very well end up developing a valuable friendship from a short exchange. I even have an example! Many years ago my husband's ex-wife was in a post office in New York. She gave some assistance to a man who was visiting from Holland. Their brief conversation turned into a 20+-year friendship. When he and his family come to the States they visit with her and vice versa. Is this an extreme example? Maybe. You never know though where or when you will encounter someone that you are in a position to help — or who is in a position to help you. Establishing your personal brand: Your personal brand and perception in the market is critical to facilitate your success. You want to create a demand for YOU. The idea is to generate recognition so that others perceive you as valuable, in the know, a resource. You need to present yourself in a way that engages others so they are interested in pursuing you. Establish your presence as someone who can deliver — consistently. Demonstrating that you are a valued resource will go a long, long way in establishing your personal brand. This in turn will generate interest in you. Deliver what you say you are going to deliver. Follow-up with people. This will ensure that when your name is mentioned only positive things are shared and spread. The bottom line — Look your best, act your best, feel your best and you will be your best; and those around you will be their best too. You will end with a spiral of goodness that makes everyone perform at the top of his or her game. Smile and see what happens — my bet, is you will be surprised at the impact — for the better. Debra Wheatman has more than 20 years' experience developing career roadmaps to achieve professional success. Having coached thousands of clients, and written more than 10,000 resumes, Debra understands the importance of proper career planning. She has successfully helped clients negotiate improved compensation and positions in leading organizations. Follow Debra on Twitter.Or contact her today on her website. |
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  Letter from the ChairUpcoming EventsIn Case You Missed ItEntrepreneurial Advicefrom Brent Beckett Sponsor SpotlightBecoming a SponsorCareeralism with J.T. O'Donnell 
 
 Friends of Catapult  The goal of Stay, Work, Play NH is to expose more young people to the advantages of remaining in or returning to New Hampshire. Learn More  Fishnet Media is a unique, full-service, integrated marketing solutions studio combining strategic marketing, creative, and production services under one roof. Learn More  Support the initiative, share ideas on the blog and take part in a state-wide, collective -effort to attract and retain a young workforce. Learn More  Congratulations to our friends at JBC Communications for their documentary receiving exposure at the 2008 NH Film Festival! Learn about the "Graying of NH" and form your own opinions on the need for affordable housing in NH. Learn More  Networking doesn't stop at Catapult events. Get even more connected by becoming active in the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce. For nearly a century, the GPCC has been helping business leaders and citizens get connected. The Chamber's goals are to support and promote local business, influence public policy, develop tourism and improve the quality of life in the Seacoast. Learn More  Learn how Leadership Seacoast has educated and inspired over 500 people in the Seacoast community over the last 20 years. Leadership Seacoast positively impacts the communities of the Seacoast area by developing a base of effective, knowledgeable, and engaged leaders through exploration of community issues, effective leadership practices, and opportunities for personal involvement. Learn More  NHBSR aims to build and support a network of businesses committed to adopting socially responsible business practices, recognizing that people, principles and profits are inseparably linked. Learn More  The UNH Advising and Career center offers academic advising, career and internship advising, and employer services to UNH students and Alumni. Learn More  Are you a UNH Alumni living in the Seacoast? Visit the UNH Alumni site and sign on to Wildcat World. Create your own virtue yearbook page, search for friends, post a class note and learn about future events! Learn More  Catapult endorses NH Businesses for Transportation and Infrastructure's initiative to bring rail to NH. Learn More  Catapult has partnered with the United Way of the Greater Seacoast in an effort to bring the community together to identify issues that pertain to the Greater Seacoast region and work together to determine the most efficient solutions. Learn More Special Thanks to All Catapult Sponsors Your sponsorship and encouragement allows Catapult to continue working toward making a positive impact on the Seacoast by providing unique and valuable opportunities to enhance personal and professional development for our next generation of business and community leaders. We sincerely appreciate your continued support. Thank you. - Catapult Board Live in the Seacoast but work in another area of NH? Connect with other YP groups around the State: NASHUA www.iugonashua.com MANCHESTER www.mypn.org CONCORD www.concordypn.org KEENE www.keeneypn.org MOUNT WASHINGTON VALLEY www.mwvyp.org Catapult Wants to Hear from You! Interested in volunteering your time to help Catapult in 2010? Click Here. We welcome your input! Share ideas on what you would like to see from Catapult in 2010. Click Here. Have a great testimonial of how Catapult events have benefited you or your business? We want to hear it! Click Here. Would you like greater visibility for your business while helping to support Seacoast young professionals? Click Here. Found an article you think a friend ought to read? Send him or her to the online version of today's issue of catapult eNews. Connect with other Catapult Members! Join the Catapult LinkedIn Group.  
  catapult eNews December 4, 2009 Volume 3, Issue 7 We hope you enjoyed reading today's issue of Catapult eNews. Written and designed by Catapult in Portsmouth, Catapult eNews is a free email publication. Event dates are subject to change. |
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