DDuulluutthh MMeerrcchhaannttss AAssssoocciiaattiioonn P.O. Box 559

Duluth, GA 30096

www.duluthmerchants.com

The DDMMAA was conceived with the idea that as business people we can best accomplish together

what no one could do alone. It is an association for members to participate in and improve the

Duluth Community.

DMA GAB-RRR

Issue 4

April 2012

Company Name

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Presidents Letter 2

Cash Mob Meeting 3-6

Board of Directors 7

Meeting Calendar 7

Member Ads 8-9

April Calendar 10

DMA’s next

“““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbb”””

will be hosted by

DMA member

businesses

...in fact one has already

been scheduled

Kurt’s Restaurant

Monday

April 16th

at 5:00 pm!

page 2

“The DMA Promotes both our

local businesses and Commnity

prosperity. When local businesses

grow and can better serve the

community, both community and

business’s prosper.”

Jim Johnson,

DMA President ‘12

Letter from the President

DMA GAB-RRR

Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught?

I always thought a business organization was a place for

entrepreneurs and want to bees to meet, network, learn from each

other and exchange ideas. Visit with professionals that support

entrepreneur companies. Even talk about successes and failures.

DMA has a lot of entrepreneurs. I am seeing some struggle in

these times. The word merchant seems to relate to

entrepreneurship. So the question comes up can

entrepreneurship be taught or does it just require skills that a

person can only develop in the real world on their own. This is a

hot topic that was covered in the Wall Street Journal article

March 17th issue. "Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught?"

I bring up the topic because one of our goals this year included

lunch and learns and maybe seminars on important business

topics and maybe discussion groups. At least learn how to use the

DMA promotion tools. Of course DMA does not have the

ability to deliver an entrepreneurship training program at this

time; however, we can add some basic topics of interest to our

members. Entrepreneurship is messy. You might get the 2011

book "The Lean Startup" if you have more interest. There are

DMA members who have life long experience as an entrepreneur.

I encourage our membership to come forward with topics you

would like us to consider providing a Lunch & Learn Program

or at least provide resources. You can contact Rayann Larson or

me if you have input to our education program. Yes, this is a start-

up program for DMA and we are being entrepreneurial.

Jim Johnson

Definition of

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is more than simply “starting a business.” The definition of entrepreneurship is a process through which individuals identify opportunities, allocate resources, and create value. This creation of value is often through the identification of unmet needs or through the identification of opportunities for change.

DMA GAB-RRR

Cash Mob Descends on Local Community!

L-R Front Row: Mary Roberts-Hands of Christ, George Hui-HealthTrac Family Wellness, Rayann Larson-The Work Spot, Jenny Wesselman-Sperry Van Ness, Chris Mc Gahee-City of Duluth, Al Brown-Cover You Insurance.

L-R Back Row: Greg Steele-Signs By Tomorrow, Jim Johnson-President DMA and JMS Consulting, Bill & Sheri Eppright-Positive Public Image, John Monk-John Monk, C.P.A., P.C, Steve & Vivian Eckman-Minuteman Press, and Marlene Marquez- Salon Prefere).

Super Tuesday got our vote both at the Polls and at the Duluth Merchant Associations’s (DMA) first “““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbb””” event, hosted by SSSttteeevvveeerrriiinnnooo ’’’sss in

downtown Duluth.

Page 3

page 4 DMA GAB-RRR

The Cash Mob is DMA’s new way of encouraging community economic stimulus. Everyone shows up at a local DMA business “en masse” with cash and business cards in hand, and spends a few dollars intermixed with a lot of “networking on steroids.”

Front Row: Vivian and Steve Eckman, Minuteman Press

Back Row: Sheri Eppright, Positive Public Image, and our terrific Server

and Host Henry Herrington, SSSttteeevvveeerrriiinnnooo ’’’sss

Faces in the crowd at this first Cash Mob included several President Lincolns, Hamiltons and Jacksons, making the event a success! Henry Herrington, host and

owener of SSSttteeevvveeerrriiinnnooo ’’’sss “shared the wealth” by donating 10% of the money he received to local chartiy Hands of Christ and Director Mary Roberts was honored to receive the

donation for the Hands of Christ Food Panty.

Hot pizza, tasty subs, spciy conversations and business cards were shared between DMA members and the many enthusiastic guests who showed up for the event.

Guest Jerry Shang, JJJooohhhnnn WWWuuu LLLaaawww FFFiiirrrmmm Guest Donna Noury, MMMrrr SSSaaannndddllleeessssss

DMA President Jim Johnson and Guest DMA President Jim Johnson and Guest

Dr. Bill Mason, PhD. DDDaaatttaaa IIInnnpppuuuttt Dr. George Hui, HHHeeeaaalllttthhhTTTrrraaaccc FFFaaammmiii lllyyy WWWeeelll lllnnneeessssss

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Our host Henry Herrington, SSSttteeevvveeerrriiinnnooo ’’’sss ,,, Thanks to DMA member Dana White, AAAllllll

thanks everyone for their participation! EEEvvveeennnttt RRReeennntttaaalllsss for providing the Podium and

Microphone!

DMA President Johnson stated his desire to make the “““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbb””” a monthly event. And

with a banner cry of ““hhaavvee ccaasshh wwiillll ttrraavveell”” we expect many other DMA members will be

happy to host future “““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbbsss”””!

The “““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbb””” concept helps the local businesses, which helps our local economy, which

helps the comunity in which we all reside. And that is to be saluted—a true economic stimulus package!

The next “““CCCaaassshhh MMMooobbb””” is AAAppprrriiilll 111666 ttthhh aaattt 555pppmmm at …Kurt’s Bistro in Duluth.

Come join the fun: bring ccaasshh and business cards!

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Page 7

D D D M M M A A A B B B o o o a a a r r r d d d

o o o f f f D D D i i i r r r e e e c c c t t t o o o r r r s s s

JAMES JOHNSON, President JMS Management (404) 626 - 6245 AL BROWN, Vice - President CoverYou.com (770) 329 - 6569 BILL EPPRIGHT , Secretary Positive Public Image (404) 803 - 7171

JOHN MONK, Treasurer John Monk CPA (770) 495 - 8900 RICHARD JACKSON Enrichment Photography (678) 644 - 2007 RYANN LARSEN The Work Spot (770) 330 - 1001 ALBERT MARQUEZ Planet Earth Adventures (907) 717 - 9666 JOHN MARTIN Gwinnett Community Bank (770) 476 - 2775 CHRIS MCGAHEE City of Duluth (770) 476 - 3434 SUN NY RAMSAY Gwinnett Medical Center Duluth (678) 312 - 6857 LAURI MCCLAIN McClain & Company (678) 474 - 9090 GREG STEELE Signs by Tomorrow (770) 4 95 - 8882

JENNIE WESSELMAN Sperry Van Ness (678) 682 - 3224

SSSccchhheeeddduuullleeeddd HHHooossstttsss fffooorrr 222000111222

DDDMMMAAA MMMeeeeeetttiiinnngggsss

AAAppprrriiilll-Fall Festival Center/ Super Networking

MMMaaayyy- Duluth Fine Wine and Spirits

JJJuuunnneee-The School House

JJJuuulllyyy- Open

AAAuuuggguuusssttt- Fall Festival Meeting

SSSeeepppttteeemmmbbbeeerrr-Duluth Park & Recreation Bunten

Park

OOOccctttooobbbeeerrr- Atlanta Flooring

NNNooovvveeemmmbbbeeerrr-Open

DDDeeeccceeemmmbbbeeerrr-Open

PPP AAA GGG EEE 111 000 DDD MMM AAA GGG RRR AAA BBB --- RRR RRR RRR

AAAPPPRRRIIILLL 222000111222 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 PPaallmm SSuunnddaayy 2 3 DDMMAA MMTTGG..

4 5 6 7 PPeett VVaacccciinneess

Fall Festival Center 6:00

pm

GGoooodd FFrriiddaayy Low –Cost 9-1 Planned

PetHood!!

8 EEAASSTTEERR

9 10 11 12 GGMMCC--DD

13 14

Queen City Shoe Sale 7-4

ER Hallway

15 16 17 $$$$$$$ 18 19 20 21

Income Tax

DUE Volunteer

Recognition Day

22 23 24 25

26 27 28

EExxeeccuuttiivvee AAddmmiinn DDaayy

29 $30.00 off your

first exam with us

for New Clients

$30.00 off your new pet's first

exam for Existing Clients!

Duluth Animal Hospital

770-476-3317

Duluth Animal Hospital

770-476-3317

Off your

new pet's first exam for Existing Clients!

$30.00 off your

new pet's first exam for Existing Clients!

Bernard Robertson

2870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.

Duluth, GA 30097

Phone (678) 957-0595

Fax (678) 957-8658

Website: duluthpackage.com

May DMA Meeting…May 1st 6:00 pm