​by Karen Bate, KB Concepts P.R., and Laura Drain, Random Words Marketing Group LLC 
Networking is key to being successful in business, and it’s a major reason people join the Arlington Chamber and other professional groups.
But knowing and doing are not the same thing. For many, walking into a roomful of strangers and striking up conversations is a real challenge.
For others, networking means pitching their services and passing out business cards -- not getting to know new people, discovering shared interests, or finding ways to help one another.
Are you finding the right connections, establishing relationships that help build your business, and making the right networking choices? Here are five simple tips to keep in mind as you head to your next networking event:
1. Smile. It seems obvious, but when people get nervous, they can stiffen up and forget this simple rule to making friends and being approachable. Take a couple of deep breaths and remind yourself to smile before entering the room.
2. Make the first move. Everyone dreads standing alone in a crowd, and the best way to avoid it is to simply walk up to a group or individual and say, “Hi, may I join you?” It’s a networking event – that’s why you’re all there.
3. Keep it simple and light. Ask easy questions, listen to the answers and follow up. Avoid the temptation to talk about yourself too much – the best networkers know that people like to talk about themselves, and appreciate the person who shows interest in them.
4. No sales. You’re trying to establish relationships, not make a pitch. If specifically asked, have a brief description of what you do ready. By all means convey passion for your work, but keep it short and light.
5. Bring enough business cards, ask for theirs and follow up within 48 hours. Networking is just the start of the conversation; if you make a good connection, take this important next step and go from there.
“Rather than networking to directly benefit yourself (1.0) or a total stranger (2.0), the idea here is to network solely for the benefit of your best existing clients and colleagues,” saysDerek Coburn, featured speaker of the Chamber’s upcoming event, Networking 3.0 on Wednesday, May 4.
During this interactive workshop, you'll discover new strategies to increase your networking success. Attendees of the program will learn to:
· Become the ultimate connector and resource for your clients
·Identify and develop relationships with world-class professionals
· Enhance the value you deliver to your clients
·Position yourself for more quality introductions to ideal prospective clients
· And much more!
Derek will sign copies of his book Networking is Not Working after the program. You can also purchase a copy while registering for the Chamber seminar here.
Like so many worthwhile things in life, successful business networking requires stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s helpful to remember that everyone else is in the same boat; armed with a smile and some solid tips for success, you might even enjoy yourself!  

​By Amy Turner, Executive Director/COO of Innovation Health
We all remember the days of the HMO plan – limited care options that left many employees looking for more choice and access to care for themselves and their families. To help meet this employee request many HR directors began looking toward PPO plans, which offered larger networks of doctors and specialists, but at a higher cost than the HMO plans. Today, employees want the same options, but with the increase in high-deductible health plans, many of them are also taking a closer look at cost.
As someone who has been in the health industry for more than a decade, I have seen a lot of changes take place, but one that strikes me as imperative to address is the lack of people who have, and engage with, a primary care physician (PCP). Plan options and policy changes aside, in the past people relied on family doctors for everything. Doctors intimately knew a family’s history, often treating several generations of family members. As we try to keep our employees healthy and lower the overall cost of care, it is important that we bring this tradition back with the PCP. 
Whether you are the HR director in charge of selecting health plans for your company or the CEO who is paying them, here are the top four reasons you should be advocating for your employees to engage with a PCP!
They are focused on preventive care
A PCP can be your employee’s main health care provider for their most common medical problems. But they also look out for your employee’s overall health, recommend screenings, make referrals and encourage healthy habits.
They help maintain good health
A PCP provides employees with continual care. And that’s what good health maintenance over a lifetime requires. PCPs can treat the whole person, taking into account both your employee’s history and existing conditions.
They serve as an important point of contact and resource
PCPs are personal doctors who can coordinate care. That takes stress off your employees as their doctors are ready to make sure their best interests are met. Furthermore, they are often the first people  your employees can contact when they have a question or a problem. He or she can provide answers and care, or recommend a specialist when needed.
They help keep costly ER visits down
Because they will be your employees’ first line of defense, PCPs can answer questions, call in a prescription or even suggest the action your employees should take.  This will help them to avoid costly ER visits as they are able to manage any health issues before they escalate.
Once your employees select a PCP, make sure they are aware that under the Affordable Care Act they’re entitled to one, free yearly checkup. You read that correctly – every single employee you have can receive one free check-up a year.  This is something all of them should take advantage of. So, if you aren’t doing it already, please express to your employees the importance of building a PCP relationship and getting a yearly checkup. Not only will their health likely improve, but it could save your company and themselves valuable dollars. 

by Tim Hughes, Managing Shareholder, Bean, Kinney & Korman 
Effective July 1, 2016, it will get a little bit easier for nonprofit boards to do their work without the need for formal meetings of the full board. The General Assembly passed HB 234 which will allow non-profit boards to act without having a formal meeting if they comply with the new statute.
The Issue
Having served on a lot of nonprofit boards, I am acutely aware that we are all struggling for time. Organizing a board meeting, even using the currently available means of telephone attendance, can be a real struggle. As a result, I see non-profits conduct a lot of decision-making via email. The problem is that email is not permitted for formal board action. Many boards are undisciplined about documenting ratification of email decisions at the next board meeting.
The current provisions of the Code of Virginia allow for action without a board meeting, but they require written agreement from each and every board member. One unengaged board member, or one person upset about a course of action, could stymie a non-profit and block prompt action.
The Solution
My colleague at Bean, Kinney & Korman, PC, Delegate Rip Sullivan, introduced HB 234 to allow board action without a meeting. The code changes will be effective July 1, 2016 and provide as follows:
- The non-stock corporation needs to expressly adopt the power to act under this statute in its Articles of Incorporation;
- The greater of the majority of the board, or a quorum of the board if greater, must agree to action without the meeting;
- The voting for any action must comply with the entity’s applicable voting rules for action during board meetings, such as quorum and majority/supermajority voting;
- Notice of action without a meeting must be expressly given to each director; and
- Any director is allowed to object to acting without a formal meeting thereby forcing the action towards a more formal meeting for decision.
Next Steps
Based on my experience, I would hazard a guess that most smaller nonprofits are not even aware that their board’s ability to act through email as opposed to in person meeting was so limited in Virginia. I am a big fan of flexibility and options, so I would counsel all Virginia non-stock corporations to amend their Articles of Incorporation to add this option to their available governance practices.
​
Timothy R. Hughes is the Managing  Shareholder of  the law firm of Bean, Kinney & Korman, PC,  in Arlington, Virginia. He represents clients in construction and commercial litigation, and corporate, contracts, and general business matters. He can be reached by email at thughes@beankinney.com and by phone at 703-525-4000.

​by Greta Menard, Founder & Principal, Capital MarCom 
Ask a business owner what keeps them up at night, and they're likely to mention talent management—not just the challenges that come with finding great employees, but also hiring and keeping them. The competition for top talent is, indeed, fierce. And in the face of this, more and more progressive employers are tapping the power of the "disability dividend" by proactively hiring employees with disabilities and fostering disability-inclusive workplace cultures.
If you're unfamiliar with the benefits of hiring people with disabilities, just ask some of the many companies already reaping the rewards, from SAP to Walgreens. They'll all tell you that proactively hiring and advancing employees with disabilities—including veterans—makes good business sense. As Mark Wafer, a Tim Hortons franchise owner puts it, "workers with disabilities are more productive, work more safely, stay longer, require less supervision, are more innovative and have less absenteeism." More innovative, indeed. Because people with disabilities are often accustomed to thinking creatively, they tend to be skilled problem solvers with a demonstrated ability to adapt to different situations and circumstances.
Diversifying your workforce with employees with disabilities can deliver another benefit, as well—a slice of a trillion dollar market segment. You see, people with disabilities represent the third largest market segment in the U.S.  So employees with disabilities can help businesses gain a better understanding of how to meet the needs of an important and expanding customer base.
If you're a federal contractor, which many Arlington Chamber members are, there's an additional and very important reason to foster a culture of inclusion—the law. In 2014, updates to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act took effect, requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to increase their efforts torecruit and retain qualified people with disabilities. And if you aren’t a federal contractor or subcontractor but perhaps want to be in the future, taking steps to increase your company’s inclusion of people with disabilities now may provide a competitive edge later.
The updates to Section 503 have sparked increased demand for tools and resources related to disability inclusion. So how can you get started? Here are five steps you can take toward a disability-diverse workforce:
1. Check out the Steps to Success: Not all businesses—particularly small ones—know where to start on this journey. That's why the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (DOL/ODEP) created Small Business & Disability Employment: Steps to Success. This free, online toolkit provides a path to an inclusive workplace, outlining effective small business strategies for hiring and advancing qualified people with disabilities.
2. Connect with EARN: The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) is a free resource for employers seeking to recruit, hire, retain and advance qualified employees with disabilities. Take a look at EARN's website (AskEARN.org), subscribe to its newsletter, tune in to its webinars, and read about other employers who are getting it right.
3. Subscribe to Business Sense: Created as a ready resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs, ODEP's Business Sense newsletter provides an inside track for all employers on the latest information related to disability employment.
4. Leverage local partnerships to find job candidates: A key strategy for finding qualified candidates with disabilities is building relationships with local recruitment sources, such as vocational rehabilitation specialists, American Job Centers, disability and veterans service providers, and other organizations. Start with the Arlington Employment Center and the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia. Another great resource is Chamber Board member Linda Chandler, whose company Linden Resourcesworks to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities right here in Arlington.
5. Hire interns with disabilities. Research shows that employers who have internships for people with disabilities are 4.5 times more likely to hire a person with a disability than those who do not, making it a wonderful gateway to a more inclusive workplace. Check out theseresources to connect with intern candidates and learn more about internships and mentoring programs for people with disabilities.
While there is certainly more to tapping the talents of workers with disabilities, these are just a few steps in the right direction that you can take right now. The key takeaway is that disability diversity is great for business. It's your key to an untapped talent pool, and an effective way to add value to our workplaces and the Arlington community at large.