Hyde Jackson Monthly January 27, 2017


 
In our newsletters over the last year, we have mentioned our Community Assets Mapping project that will help us better understand the strengths of our neighborhood so that we are able to develop strategic programs to make our Main Streets district even more vibrant, inviting, and economically sound. For a small organization such as ours, this is a very audacious project but one that is extremely important to undertake at this point in time

As we continue to have short and longer conversations with community people, help us by taking a few minutes to complete our quick, online questionnaire if you have not already done so in person or on paper. Your input is extremely valuable to help us make our commercial district even stronger. Read below on how you can help.


Main Street Recap

Window Decorating Contest Winners

Hyde Jackson Square Main Street held its annual Holiday Window Decorating Contest for businesses and residents along Centre Street in December. And for the first time, Gondres Bakery's holiday window was judged Best Retail & Restaurant Business Display. Gondres Bakery's winning window, located at 333 Centre Street, showcased a beautiful Christmas winter village.
 
Gondres Bakery award
Owners, Johnny and Morelis (right side), and the staff of Gondres with their award.
 
Judging was done by community volunteers on a cold and blustery evening on December 15 who strolled along Centre Street beginning in Jackson Square and finishing in Hyde Square.   

Christian Science Reading Room award
The Christian Science Reading Room team and their award.
 
The Jamaica Plain Christian Science Reading Room, at 351Centre Street, was judged best Holiday Window in the Business Office/Nonprofit/Institution category. Volunteers selected The Julia Martin House, at 90 Bickford Street, as their favorite decorated residence in the Hyde & Jackson Squares commercial business district.
 
Julia Martin House lights
Lights and more lights at the Julia Martin House.
 
In all, more than 30 businesses participated in the business district and many of the windows and lights are still on display. We'd like to thank our volunteer judges who braved the subzero temperatures and icy wind to determine their favorite displays.
 

What Do You Think Are Our Assets?

Hyde Jackson Square Main Street has been delving deeply into learning about our community's strengths from conversations with community members. For our Community Assets Mapping project, we have been talking to people about their favorite things in our neighborhood, along with history and stories about Hyde & Jackson Squares. To do this we have had quick conversations with residents, workers, shoppers, and visitors; more intensive discussions with important community people with interesting perspectives; and focus groups and round table discussions. Once we compile all the data, we'll take some time analyzing it and then produce a report summarizing our findings. We'll present these findings to the community in a public forum. The report will be the basis of a strategic planning effort to support the community based upon our mission and focus as a Main Street program.

Assets Mapping focus group at Annual Meeting
K ick off to our Assets Mapping in 2016.
 
If you live, work or shop here, or just visit but know our great slice of Boston, please let us know your favorite places, businesses, and activities by taking our short  assets mapping survey. We approximate each survey to take 3 - 5 minutes.

On Tuesday, February 28 at 6:30 pm, we will be presenting preliminary findings from this project at a community gathering at The Old Havana Restaurant at 349 Centre Street. We'll have light food for you so please RSVP with us at info@hydejacksonsquare.org to let us know that you will be there.


Business Corner
 
Now Accepting Applications for the 2017 Emerging Leaders/E200 Program

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Emerging Leaders in Massachusetts, the Small Business Administration is looking for 15 small businesses from the Boston metro area that are interested in expanding, creating jobs, and attracting investment.  
  • Classes start in April and end September/October.      
  • Classes meet for 3 hours, every other week in the evening, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • Businesses develop a three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets.
  • Program includes 100+ hours of professional specialized training and peer-to-peer counseling. 
  • Areas of training include growth strategies plans, financing and access to capital, government contracting, CEO mentoring, marketing, sales strategies, understanding the numbers ($), live case studies, and peer group presentations. 
  • Eligible small businesses must be represented by a CEO, COO or CFO, have three years of business operation, at least one employee beside the business owner, and generate between $400,000 and $10 million in gross annual revenues. 
  • Program is free, underwritten by SBA.    
 
For more information contact: David.Polatin@SBA.gov.
 
 
FREE & LOW-COST WORKSHOPS FOR MERCHANTS   
 
Hyde Jackson Square Main Street's  
Merchant Alliance Program (MAP)
 
For Restaurants: Inspectional Services Grading & Preparing and Selling Food in Front of Your Business on Sidewalks 


Wednesday, February 15 @ 9:30 am
 
Hyde Jackson Square Main Street  
329 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain

Learn about the new grading system by the City of Boston's Inspectional Services Department as well as how to prepare and sell food on the sidewalk in front of your restaurant at the Hyde Jackson Sidewalk Sale in May.


   
Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE)

Pricing for Your Market

Often business owners price their products simply by marking up their costs. Although margin is an important consideration, it is not the only factor when determining the price of a product or service. In this workshop, we will cover:
  • Pricing strategies
  • Prospective customers' value points
  • Maximizing profits using various pricing strategies and tactics 
During the workshop, you will complete exercises to help you to develop profitable pricing strategies for your business. Workshop fee is $20. You must register to attend. Partial scholarship may be available to those who qualify. Register here.   

Friday, January 27 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Harvard iLab, Batten Hall, Rm 102, 125 Western Avenue, 
Allston


City of Boston's Office of Economic Development, Office of Business Development

Instagram

Instagram was the rising star of the social media world for 2016 and it's only going to get better in the coming year!
Are you using it to market your small business? Lynn Switanowski of Creative Business Consulting Group will lead a dynamic session to:
  • determine which posts get the most likes, comments and shares.
  • learn which time of day delivers the most eyeballs, or the demographics of your followers and how long they spend on Instagram in a day.
  • build Instagram business accounts which offer increased functionality and ways to track to make posts perform even more effectively when reaching customers or potential customers.
  • link Instagram and Facebook pages to spread your messages via sponsored ads on both platforms.

Register here.  

 

Tuesday, January 31, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 
Boston Public Library, Kirstein Business Library,700 Boylston Street


Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice

Access to Business Law

An 8 week seminar for new and existing entrepreneurs to better understand their business' legal needs.

March 16 - May 4, Thursdays from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

To register email ejp@lawyerscomm.org 
 
 
SBA Trainings and Resources
   
CORE STORY Workshop For Emerging Businesses: Moving Audiences to Action
 
Communication is at the core of everything we do. Move beyond the elevator pitch and learn the art and science of the story. There is a $20 fee for this workshop. Register here. 

Monday, January 30 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Harvard iLab, 125 Western Avenue, Allston   

This workshop is sponsored by SCORE Boston and the Harvard iLab, and will be led by author, entrepreneur, radio commentator, and communication catalyst Chuck Goldstone of the Ideaworks New Venture Initiative.

SBA Online Trainings
  

SBA  has many free online trainings that can help you in your business. Click here for a complete list of trainings.   

 
SCORE Trainings

Navigate the Health Insurance Marketplace for Small Businesses
 
In this workshop you will learn about recent trends in health insurance and what factors are driving costs both positively and negatively. Learn how health insurance for small businesses and individuals is different from large employer group programs. Most importantly, learn what YOU can do to manage your insurance costs within the legal and regulatory framework. Register here.     
 
Wednesday, February 8 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Boston Public Library, Commonwealth Salon, 700 Boylston Street, Boston 
 
Financial Statements for Small Businesses

Every entrepreneur starts a business intending to make a good living, but a surprising number of business owners are missing critical skills to understand the financial aspects of their business. Join us for this down-to-earth workshop that explains what you need to know about planning, profits, and cash flow. Register here
 
Wednesday, February 15 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street, Druker Auditorium, Newton    
     
SCORE Online Workshops 
 
The Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) has many online workshops and services. Click here for a list of online workshops.  
   

Other Business Training Resources
 
 
 
For additional small business resources in the Hyde Jackson Square Main Street district, please contact us at info@hydejacksonsqure.org.  
 


If you would like to receive further information specific to the business community (workshops, meetings, etc.), please register/re-register here by typing your email address and clicking "Go". Instructions will be send to you to change your profile. Or you can send us an email to info@hydejackonsquare to change your profile. 
 
  
In This Month's Issue
Main Street Recap
What Are Our Assets?
Business Corner


Main Street Activities


Merchant Alliance Program -
Inspectional Services Restaurant Workshop   
Wednesday, February 15  
9:30 am
329 Centre Street 

Assets Mapping: What We've Learned So Far
Tuesday, February 28
6:30 pm
The Old Havana Restaurant
349 Centre Street


 

Hyde & Jackson Squares
Business Map & Directory

 

Business Map _ Directory

Last spring at our Annual Sidewalk Sale, we re-introduced our neighborhood Business Map and Directory. This colorful, updated directory is based upon a design done in the early 2000s. We will continue to revise this regularly so that all of our businesses and neighborhood features are up-to-date.

You can find this map at many of your favorite merchants. However if you would like us to provide you with one or more, please contact us and we'd be happy to do so.










Do you have neighborhood news that you'd like others to know about or information about a meeting, activity, or event that you'd like to post?  

 

Send listings or ideas to info@hydejacksonsquare.org or call 617-522-3694.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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