The speaker for the January 14, 2014, meeting of LeTip Chester County East was George Evagelou from Saki's Electric (www.sakiselectric.com). George brought in several things to show us. The electrical codes that are enforced for commercial and residential buildings change often, and George prides himself on keeping up-to-date on all the codes. He showed us a code book from several decades ago as well as one from just a few years ago, and it was easy to see how the number of rules has increased dramatically. George makes sure that any electrical job is done properly and in the safest way possible. He also showed us some newer electrical outlets, both indoor and outdoor models. He uses the most current supplies to make sure that neither water nor solid objects (other than electrical plugs) can get into the outlet openings and cause problems.

Our showboater for the week was Anthony Latino, our computer repair expert from Uneek Industries (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Anthony showed us a laptop that he had refurbished and was offering for sale. We also saw several tools that he uses when making repairs. Anthony is happy to help with computer or iPhone repair as well as virus removal.

Next week (January 21) will be the third meeting of the month, so we will be doing our visitation reports in addition to our regular program.

LeTip Chester County East started the new year with our January 7 meeting. Members braved the single-digit temperatures and wind to meet at the Wyndham Garden Hotel.

Our speaker for the morning was Eric Sacco of Kee Scaping (www.keescaping.com). Eric is the landscaper for our group, and he shared some helpful tips for how we can properly care for our lawns and gardens. For example, did you know that mulch should be as deep as the height of a dollar bill? He also talked about pruning different types of plants. Pine trees or shrubs are best pruned in the winter when the sap is more dormant. Prune your flowering shrubs soon after the blooms die off. Eric told us what it means if the tops of your grass are brown: your mower blades need to be sharpened. If moles are in your yard, they are probably looking for grubs and bugs to eat; get rid of the bugs and grubs to send the moles away. Of course, sometimes there are lawn and garden tasks that we can't do on our own or would prefer to have done professionally. Contact Eric (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for your professional landscaping needs.

Dave Kozak (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) displayed several brochures and printed materials for his showboating. Dave can help with property and casualty insurance needs, and he mentioned that January is a great time to review existing policies to see whether the coverage is appropriate.

Have a great week!

December 31 was the fifth Tuesday of the month, so we engaged in a roundtable discussion about building the membership of our LeTip chapter. We can each contact potential members via letters, e-mail, and/or personal visits. Some people may respond better to certain types of communication, and many may respond only after more than one contact. We discussed the possibility of, as a group, targeting one business category per month. We also talked about finding power partners for our existing members. Scott Darling had lists of a few power partner groups, which he read from and later e-mailed to the Chester County East members. He also shared scripts to help turn cold callers into guests. Several of our members live in communities that have homeowners' associations, and they may be able to make new business contacts or generate tips by posting messages via the association's message boards or social media outlets. Ultimately, we would like to grow our membership in order to generate more business and Dollars in Our Pockets.

Jack Ansley (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) showboated on the 31st with a framed photo and some smaller photo cards. Jack can take photos of your family or pets, but he also has many photos on file that can be made into large prints for wall-hanging or smaller prints for cards.

We have closed out the year of 2013, and we look forward to what lies ahead in 2013.

December 24 featured Glen Coral as our speaker. His company is Turning Point Wealth Strategies (www.turningpointwealth.com), and he represents Life, Health, and Disability Insurance for LeTip Chester County East. Glen gave each of us a sample of a needs assessment form that he uses with clients to help them pinpoint their financial and insurance needs. His goal is to make sure that each client has thought about their needs and goals, so they can purchase the insurance products that best suit their needs and resources. His clients may be individuals or businesses. Business owners can use insurance in different ways during different phases of their business, and Glen is well-equipped to help each person navigate the transitions. Contact him to purchase new insurance or review your existing coverage (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Our showboater on the 24th was Kallee Grube from Clear View Home Solutions (www.clearviewhomesolutions.com). She showed us samples of door, windows, siding, etc. She enjoys educating customers about the different products available and how they can help to save money on energy bills. Clear View does not use a "hard sell" technique, preferring to provide personalized, caring service and consultation. Contact Kallee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to schedule a consultation.