Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
Many companies send holiday greeting cards to clients and friends. The Maccabee Group in Minneapolis sent a booklet in January to about 400 people, filled with coupons good for discounts at a dozen places around town where its staffers like to hang out.
It’s called “Maccabee Group’s Holiday Coupon Book of insanely generous stuff from the places we love to explore when we’re not at work.” Each coupon features a different staff member, complete with photo and title, and a short blurb about a favorite store that also reveals something about the person.
Gwen Chynoweth, vice president, for example, cites Midwest Mountaineering, where she shopped before her and her husband’s trip to Iceland. A $10 gift certificate to the store is included. Paul Maccabee, president, likes Twin Cities Magic. Deanna Boss, office manager, likes Pacifier, the trendy baby goods store in Minneapolis.
The coupon book was the product of an annual brainstorming session, in August, when everyone at the agency gets together to come up with an original idea for the public relations agency’s “We don’t want our holiday greeting to look like everyone else’s,” she says. The book “not only reflects who we are as an agency, but also gives them something they can use.”
How did they get the discounts from vendors? “We have a very intrepid office manager, and she’s great on the phone,” Chynoweth says. “She collected all our favorite places, and then started cold-calling them. We got a great response.”Gwen Chynoweth, Maccabee Group: 612.337.0087; gw**@******ee.com; www.maccabee.com
