Matt Lafata’s Weekly Community News

January 31, 2008 – Volume 7, Issue 5

matt@mattlafatamarketing.com – www.mattlafatamarketing.com

This newsletter and information source is designed to bring us all a little closer together each week by providing coverage of so many things going on in our community. There are so many amazing things in this newsletter, as there are every week. Please forward this newsletter to all your friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign up to receive it themselves. They will greatly appreciate you for it as no citizen should be without this important information at their fingertips.  Let’s work to get all Frisco citizens on this list as a more informed society is a more functional society.

If you have questions or have any community events, people or groups you want to recognize, fundraising events, or any newsworthy items you would like to see added and shared with more than forty thousand residents and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please send me an email so I may include them. The newsletter goes out each Thursday and I need materials by the end of the day on the preceding Wednesday if you want something to be included.

If you received this from somebody else and would like to be added to the list, just send me an email. Your email address will never be sold or given to anybody else for any reason. All newsletters can also be found on our web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com.

Matt’s Blog - Blog - an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page

Inspirational Quote of the Week:

"Without faith a man can do nothing; with it all things are possible.” – Sir William Osler

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

As always, this newsletter is absolutely packed with information – something for everyone. There is always something going on in our great city and I try to include everything I can. In this jam packed issue you will find lots of great information. There is something for everyone including the following…

Speed Limit Raised on US 287: 40

Frisco 2008 Mayoral Race

On a personal note, I feel extremely blessed that I have been able to serve our great city as a City Council member for the past six years. My term will expire in May of 2008 however, and as many of you know, I will be running for Mayor in the May 2008 race. There is still so much for us to accomplish together and I want to help lead this city in the right direction for many years to come.

This column will appear from time to time with updates on our campaign. As with any part of this weekly newsletter, you can simply choose to ignore this section if Frisco politics is something you don’t have an interest in. For those interested, I just wanted to give a quick update.

Erika and I are so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement that we get everywhere we go and from everyone we meet. We love meeting new people and hearing about their hopes and concerns about Frisco. We love reconnecting with others and talking about where our City is going. Simply put, we want to reach out to every corner of Frisco and to as many people as possible as this campaign and the office of Mayor is all about the great people of Frisco.

On that note, February 11 is the first day to officially file to run for Mayor and therefore I will be filing that day. As a result, we would like to invite you to a campaign “meet and greet” that evening at Lochrann’s Irish Pub, as we enter the campaign season. The event will take place from 6:30-8pm and we hope you can attend and bring along your friends and colleagues to meet with us.

Election Day is May 10, just over three months away, and I am looking forward to continuing our work as your next Mayor. I have spent the past six years on the City Council and have so much more to accomplish.

As we are all well aware, Frisco needs leadership, experience, integrity, vision, dedication, passion for our city, the ability to work with others and the ability to make things happen. During my tenure on the City Council, I have demonstrated that I possess these qualities and more. I’m now asking you to join me in making the future brighter for all our citizens. The best is yet to come and I want you to help, as this is our City and together, we can make a difference and be proud of what we can accomplish.

I believe our ability to be a great city, and the strength of Frisco lies in you, and all the great people of Frisco. We will face many challenges in the coming years and I am confident that as your Mayor, we will take these challenges head on and turn difficulties into opportunities, weaknesses into strengths, and failures into victories.

Please help to get your friends out to join our campaign and most importantly to vote, as every vote really does count. We must work together to ensure that people are not only registered to vote but that they come out and vote this May.

To join our team or to help our campaign in any way, including financial support, please visit www.MakeMattMayor.com

Thank you, and God Bless you and your family!

Matt and Erika Lafata and family

Newsletter Staff Members and Contributors

Matt Lafata – Editor and Publisher – 214-336-3355

Kaleigh Lafata – Tornado Talk

Sarah Ianace – Happenings in the

Frisco ISD

Glenn Kopanski – Landscape Design

Pedro Checo – Advice from Dr. Checo

Joe Hockaday, CPA – Today’s Tax Talk From Joe

Citizen of the Month and Neighborhood of the Month Details

If you have a citizen or neighborhood you would like to nominate, please send it to me.

The Citizen of the Month will focus on a person or group in Frisco who has been nominated by another individual. He, she or they could be a person or a group who has recently done something special that contributes to the well-being of our city and/or its citizens, or it could be somebody who has had (or currently has) an interesting career or experiences that could be shared with our readers.

The Neighborhood of the Month will highlight a particular neighborhood in our city. I am looking to hear from you as to why your Neighborhood is so special.

The Citizen of the Month for January is one of our FISD crossing guards. Frisco resident Jennifer Heard nominated this person and here is what she had to say:

“I would like to nominate one of the neatest people in our city to be the citizen of the month for the Frisco Community newsletter.  I have no idea what her name is but she is faithful to show up every school day to help the children of Frisco ISD. 

This beautiful lady is the crossing guard at the corner of Hillcrest and Lebanon on the east side of town. She is energetic and happy to see each and every child that crosses her path.  At one time, both she and her husband worked together for the Frisco ISD but his failing health has resulted in her doing this job with a different partner this year.  You will not pass by her corner during the after/before-school hours without hearing things like "good morning, kids!"  "how ya doing today?"  "alright!!!!"  She even brings cold water bottles for the children during the incredible Texas heat for them to have on their way home. 

This crossing guard is a jewel and my kids (not even in Frisco schools) LOVE to roll down the window and wave to her.  We all should have such a fantastic attitude about our jobs.  She is one of a kind.  Just drive by one day and you will see what I mean.

City of Frisco Related Question of the Week:

Q. We were considering putting up siding.

Do we need a permit to do so? Is there a restriction on the type of siding that can be used and if so, what are our choices?

A. New homes are required to be 100% masonry construction. Although not considered masonry, cement fiber siding may be allowed in some locations such as bay window, dormers and second floor wall areas above a roof. Cement fiber siding would be allowed for replacement siding on existing homes. Permits and inspection for the weather resistive barrier behind the siding would be required. Contact Building Inspections at 972 292-5301 if you need more information.

This Day in History – January 31, 1968: Viet Cong Attack U.S. Embassy

From the History Channel…

On this day in 1968, as part of the Tet Offensive, a squad of Viet Cong guerillas attacks the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. The soldiers seized the embassy and held it for six hours until an assault force of U.S. paratroopers landed by helicopter on the building's roof and routed the Viet Cong.

The Tet Offensive was planned as a massive, simultaneous attack on the
major cities and provincial capitals of South Vietnam. It was scheduled to take place during Tet, the Vietnamese lunar New Year celebration, which was traditionally a time of decreased fighting. In December 1967, following an attack on the U.S. Marine base at Khe Sanh, 50,000 American troops were sent in to defend the area, thereby weakening U.S. positions elsewhere. This American response played into the Viet Cong's strategy to clear the way for the surprise Tet
Offensive, in which Communist forces attacked Saigon, Hue (the imperial capital) and over 100 other urban areas.

The timing and magnitude of the attacks caught the South Vietnamese
and American forces off guard, although they quickly recovered and
recaptured the occupied areas. Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a
disaster for the Communists, who suffered devastating losses. However,
while the offensive was a crushing military defeat, the Communists
scored a huge psychological victory that would ultimately help them win the war. The graphic images of U.S. casualties suffered during the offensive helped stoke anti-war sentiment among the American people, who had grown tired of the long conflict (active U.S. combat troops had been in Vietnam since 1965; the U.S. first sent in military advisers in 1961). The public was disillusioned by earlier overly
optimistic reports of progress in the war and disenchanted with President Lyndon Johnson's handling of it.

Johnson, frustrated with his inability to reach a solution in Vietnam, announced on March 31, 1968, that he would neither seek nor accept the nomination of his party for re-election. General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, requested an additional 206,000 troops to finish off the weakened enemy forces. Johnson denied Westmoreland's request and replaced him with General Creighton Abrams. In May 1968, the U.S. and North Vietnamese began peace talks in Paris and reached a formal agreement in January 1973. Fighting between the
North and South continued in Vietnam before the war finally ended on April 30, 1975, when Saigon fell to the Communists and the last Americans left Vietnam.

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month:

So far this month we have covered National Blood Donor Awareness, Stalking awareness, Cervical Cancer awareness and Rotary Club awareness…

Every time you look in the mirror, a key to your well-being is staring you right in the face: your thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below your Adam’s apple. Your thyroid gland helps control the function of your body’s metabolism as well as function of many important organs, including your heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and skin. Making sure your thyroid gland is healthy and functioning properly is extremely important to your overall well-being.

The first step toward taking control of your thyroid health is identifying whether your thyroid hormone levels are in balance. The second step is to recognize that there are effective treatments to manage thyroid disease, as long as you follow your doctor’s instructions.

This website will help you understand the role of your thyroid gland and illustrate how you and your doctor can partner to identify your risk for thyroid disease, how to best treat your condition if you are diagnosed, and how to live an active and fulfilling life by keeping your thyroid in balance. Remember, if your thyroid gland isn’t working properly, neither will you.

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

Homeowner Association Meetings and Other Group Meetings:

If you have an upcoming meeting that you would like a city official at, just to be available to answer any questions, please let us know. If Matt’s schedule permits, he would love to attend.

Answering Questions for Kids and Young Adults:

As you know, communication and sharing information is something that I spend a lot of time doing. I frequently get asked to answer questions for kids and young adults for school projects or leadership programs. Usually the project involves getting these questions answered from somebody in a leadership position, and as a City Council member, I’m always happy to take the time to do this. If your son or daughter ever needs questions answered from a leadership figure for projects of any kind, please feel free to contact me or have them contact me directly.

Alternatively, if your child is interested in learning more about city government and has questions, feel free to contact me.

Finally, if you are looking for a speaker to talk to a group of kids or young adults about city government or Frisco in general, I’m happy to try and schedule something.

All the opinions, endorsements or recommendations in this newsletter are mine alone and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of any organization or group with whom I am affiliated or the individuals who are a part of such organizations and groups.  You should not rely on any statement made in this newsletter as evidenced of how I may act as a member of any organization or group.  Inclusion of news, events and other information in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement; it merely serves as my effort to be of service to the readers.

All About Frisco:

In our continuing efforts to bring information to our great community, we have updated our web site with listings of:

·         Frisco Neighborhoods and Homeowner Associations

·         Churches and other places of Worship

·         Clubs and Organizations

·         The Frisco Independent School District and other Schools

Visit www.friscocommunity.com to access this information and I look forward to your feedback. This site will continue to grow and evolve over time.

Clubs, Groups and Organizations in and around Frisco:

Frisco is home to a very diverse and numerous set of clubs, groups and organizations. If your group or organization is missing, and you would like to get it listed, please send me an email so we can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive list available.

 
AARP – 972-335-2478

Alcoholics Anonymous Frisco – 972-708-5086

Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parent Group

American Cancer Society of Collin County – 214-819-1221

American Legion Post 178

American Red Cross of North Texas – 972-542-5642

Angel Food Ministries – 214-282-5576

AroundTown Kids

Arts of Collin County

Association of Frisco Retired School Personnel – 972-335-3040

Boy Scouts of America – 214-902-6754

Boys and Girls Club

CASA of Collin County – 972-529-2272

Celebrate Recovery – 214-282-5576

Chamber of Commerce

Christian Community Action – 972-436-4357

City of Frisco – 972-292-5000

Collin County – 972-424-1460

Collin County Association of Realtors – 214-618-3800

Collin County Community College

Collin County Community College Education Foundation

Collin County Connection – 214-544-0666

Collin County Early Childhood PTA – 972-712-3634

Collin County Gay and Lesbian Alliance – 214-521-5342

Collin County Genealogy Association – 972-231-4190

Collin County Republican Party

Dallas Athletic Rugby Club

Daughters of the American Revolution – 972-307-5906

Democratic Party of Collin County

Denton County

Downtown Advisory Board – 972-292-5108

Downtown Merchants Association – 972-292-5108

FamilyWatchdog.com

FC Dallas

Frisco A&M Club – 972-897-7765

Frisco American Business Women’s Association (ABWA)

Frisco Al-Anon Family Group – 972-978-8757

Frisco-Allen Texas Area Alumnae Panhellenic

Frisco Area Children’s Theater – 972-377-2675

Frisco Area Republican Women

Frisco Association For the Arts

Frisco Athletic Network

Frisco Bar Association

Frisco Baseball/Softball Organization – 972-712-2288

Frisco Business and Professional Women – 972-377-0335

Frisco Chamber of Commerce

Frisco Chorale

Frisco Community Band – 972-668-5315

Frisco Community Theatre – 972-377-3868

Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau

Frisco Cycling Club

Frisco Democratic Party

Frisco Dog Park

Frisco Ducks Unlimited – 972-712-5049

Frisco Early Childhood PTA

Frisco Economic Development Corporation – 972-668-5550

Frisco Education Foundation – 469-633-6066

Frisco Family Services Center – 972-335-9495

Frisco Family YMCA – 972-335-3222

Frisco Fire Department – 972-335-5525

Frisco Football League – 972-712-0558

Frisco Garden Club – 972-335-3812

Frisco Gymnastics Center – 972-377-0888

Frisco Humane Society – 972-498-8980

Frisco Independent School District – 469-633-6000

Frisco Kiwanis Club

Frisco Noon Lion’s Club – 972-335-2487

Frisco Music Teachers Association

Frisco Neighborhood Watch

Frisco Police Department – 972-292-6000

Frisco Post Office – 972-335-7453

Frisco Pride

Frisco Public Library

Frisco Quilt Guild

Frisco Republican Men’s Club

Frisco Republicans – 972-335-9176

Frisco Residents of Color

Frisco Rotary Club – 972-701-2801

Frisco RoughRiders

Frisco Soccer Association – 972-712-4625

Frisco Square

Frisco Sunrise Rotary

Frisco Swim Team

Frisco Thunder Professional Football

Frisco Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8273 – 972-712-5611

Frisco Women’s League – 972-712-8890

Frisco/Plano Christian Women’s Club – 972-668-4464

Frisco Youth Volleyball Leagues

Heritage Association of Frisco – 972-335-6684

Heroes for Children – 214-256-5824

Kids Kaleidoscope

KittiCo Cat Rescue – 214-826-6903

Labrador Retriever Rescue of North Texas

Lewisville Independent School District

Meals on Wheels – 972-562-6996

Miracle League of Frisco

MOMS Club of Frisco – East Central Chapter - 972-712-1789

MOMS Club of Frisco – South Chapter – 214-336-8001

MOMS Club of Frisco – SE Chapter – 214-2272418

MOMS Club of Frisco – SW Chapter – 469-384-8002

MOMS Club of Frisco – West Central Chapter

MOMS Club of Frisco – West Chapter – 214-504-9223

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) – 972-668-7458

North Texas Tollway Authority – 214-461-2000

OU Club of Collin County – 972-797-9708

Overeaters Anonymous – 972-832-5263

Play Pals – 972-839-0312

Senior Center at Frisco Square – 972-292-6550

SPCA of Texas – 972-562-7387

Speak Up – Frisco Toastmasters Group – 972-881-9989

Stonewall Democrats of Collin County

Texas Democratic Women of Collin County

Texas Tornado Hockey

Toastmasters Club of Frisco – 972-712-4611

Visual Arts Guild of Frisco

Volunteer Center of North Texas

Voter Registration Information – Collin County

Voter Registration Information – Denton County

Women Encouraging Business – 972-335-9522

Word of Mouth Productions

WOVI-Frisco: Women of Visionary Influence – 469-252-4528

Young Life Frisco – 972-424-6339

Youth Leadership Frisco

Churches and other Places of Worship in and around Frisco

One of the wonderful things about Frisco is the many diverse religions you can find. If your Church is not listed, please contact me at matt@mattlafata.com so we can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive list available.

Apostolic Temple – 972-712-5673

Assembly of God Cornerstone Community Church – 972-335-4704

Celebration Covenant – 214-387-9833

Central Christian Church – 972-377-2608

Church of God in Christ – 972-377-3649

Church of Living Stones – 972-335-3499

Compass Christian Church – 972-335-7546

Congregation B’nai Israel

Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church - 469-362-7844

Cornerstone Community Church – 972-335-4704

Crossroads Community Church – 972-712-0582

Crosswalk Community Church

Faithbridge Presbyterian – 972-377-9560

Fellowship of Frisco – 972-335-1700

First Baptist Church of Frisco – 972-335-9830

First Pentecostal Church – 972-292-3174

First United Methodist – 972-335-4380

Frisco Bible Church – 972-335-8150

Frisco Church of Christ – 972-335-2118

Frisco Trails Fellowship Bible Church – 972-731-5999

Genesis Metro – 469-450-6277

Grace Avenue United Methodist – 972-335-2882

Grace Church - 469-633-9104

Grace Pointe – 972-292-3174

Hamilton Chapel Baptist Church – 972-377-3348

Hope Fellowship – 972-377-8855

Kingdom Life Christian Center – 214-618-1500

Lebanon Baptist Church – 972-377-3348

Liberty Baptist Church – 972-625-3546

Living Waters Family Worship Center – 214-387-9602

Lone Star Baptist Church – 469-358-7089

Newstart Church of the Nazarene – 214-282-5576

Northstar Church – 972-712-8282

Praise Fellowship Worship Center – 214-387-9397

Preston Ridge Baptist Church – 972-712-7007

Preston Trail Community Church – 972-668-1244

Rejoice Lutheran Church – 972-335-6411

Revolution Ministries – 214-649-0623

Rock Hill Church of Christ – 972-346-2710

Shawnee Trail Church of Christ – 972-377-9106

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church – 972-712-2645

St. Philips Episcopal Church – 214-387-4700

Stonebriar Church of Christ – 972-712-9264

Stonebriar Community Church – 469-252-5000

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – 972-377-4724

The Journey – 214-529-8873

Turning Point CMA Church – 469-733-3196

Water’s Edge Lutheran Church – 972-712-7377

About Matt Lafata:

Matt Lafata and his wife Erika share six children between the two of them. In January 1999, Mr. Lafata moved to Frisco from Gloucester, MA. Mr. Lafata has helped build several highly successful businesses for more than 20 years. A long-time business consultant, entrepreneur and human resources professional, he is the Director of Business Development with the Frisco-based HR strategy and technology consulting firm HRchitect (www.HRchitect.com). He is also the founder of several marketing and public relations agencies including The Matt Lafata Marketing Group (www.mattlafatamarketing.com). Previously, Mr. Lafata was an Executive Vice President of a computer software company where he was responsible for corporate development, marketing, sales, product development and more. Mr. Lafata studied finance and business management at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.

Mr. Lafata is involved in numerous organizations throughout Frisco. He is in his 2^nd term as a Frisco City Council member and has been involved in the following…

·         Former Deputy Mayor Pro Tem on the Frisco City Council

·         Former Planning & Zoning Commissioner

·         Graduate of Leadership Frisco

·         2005 recipient of the “21 Leaders of the 21^st Century” by Inside Collin County Business

·         Graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy and a member of the Alumni group

·         Youth sports coach

·         Past board member for the Frisco Family Services Center

·         St. Francis of Assisi Knights of Columbus Member

·         Member of the Frisco Heritage Association

·         Member of the Frisco Association for the Arts

·         Member of the Frisco Community Theatre

·         Community Advisory Board member for the Frisco Women’s League

·         Friends of the Frisco Public Library Member

·         Board member for the Frisco Square Municipal Management District

·         City of Frisco Technology Committee member

·         City of Frisco Budget and Audit subcommittee member

·         Tax Increment Finance board member

·         Wakeland High School PTA Technology/Publicity Committee Chairperson

·         Co-Director of the Mrs. Texas United States Pageant

·         Honorary Chair for World AIDS Day 2007 in Collin County

Since 2001, Matt and his marketing company have produced this very popular e-newsletter that goes out every week to over 40,000 people and businesses which keeps the Frisco community in touch with local events and businesses.

In July 2007, Matt announced his bid for Mayor of Frisco in the May 2008 election. Visit www.matt4mayor.com for more information about his candidacy.

How to “Whitelist” this Frisco Community Newsletter in Your Spam Filter:

With the advent of outrageous volumes of unwanted email these days, of which I get a ton, it's unfortunate that legitimate email publications like this are not being seen by some of the readers who enjoy those publications. There is much fear today that the email publishing/marketing industry is in serious trouble, due to mistakes in filtering when legitimate email is erroneously tagged as unwanted email.

While we applaud the anti-spam industry for removing the plethora of unwanted email from many of our mailboxes, from time to time, some legitimate email publications are mistaken as unwanted.

Sometimes, this results in our mailings bouncing back, with requests for us to respond to challenge/response messages to prevent future filtering. However, due to the size of our list, it's nearly impossible for us handle the volume of such requests.

To that end, please realize that we want our readers to always anticipate and enjoy the valuable information that this community newsletter delivers.

If you currently use an anti-spam program or service, we ask that you take just a minute or two to add this newsletter to your "safe" or permitted email sender list. This usually involves simply adding our sending address (From:) to your whitelist, safelist, or list of privileged senders. This is commonly known as whitelisting a publication. Simply add the email addresses of matt@mattlafata.com and matt@mattlafatamarketing.com.

If you wish to be removed from this list, please send an email to matt@mattlafatamarketing.com and simply put the words REMOVE in the subject line.

Any Political Advertising contained in this newsletter is Paid for by Matt Lafata for Mayor - Sarah Ianace, Treasurer, 6061 Pintail Lane, Frisco TX 75034 

Dear Friends,

This week’s newsletter is Proudly Sponsored by Organized Chaos, who can help organize your home or office. Also check out the Spotlight on Venture Opportunities, Inc. They are business brokers and consultants and you will be hearing more about them in future issues of this newsletter. A lot of work goes into putting this newsletter together and I greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors so please patronize them wherever possible.

This is a community newsletter, YOUR community newsletter, and as such, I want to encourage you to send me community events as well as write-ups about people or groups who should be recognized and/or commended for what they do or have done. This is a newsletter about Frisco for all of us to play a part in. It is designed to bring our community closer together so please submit stuff to me at any time.

If you have a business, restaurant or a service and are interested in advertising and reaching more than 40,000 individuals and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please email us at sales@mattlafatamarketing.com for more details on the various options available to you. The newsletter is also included on the web site www.mattlafatamarketing.com and www.frisco-online.com for additional exposure. It’s a great way to promote your business, promote an event at your place of business and is the most cost effective and efficient way to reach a large segment of the Frisco population. You may want to also consider providing a special offer to newsletter readers only.

Newsletter Sponsor – Organized Chaos:

Has your office or home been taken over by the paper monster? Have you once again made the New Year’s resolution to get organized, yet clutter is still driving you crazy?

If you’ve found yourself saying, "I need to get organized!" but you don’t know where to start, it’s time to contact Organized Chaos™! Valuable time is wasted when areas are cluttered and messy. Clutter and disorganization add stress to your life which directly affects your health. Enlisting the help of a Professional Organizer is an investment in improving your health and managing your time wisely. Organized Chaos™ can provide the necessary changes to help you regain and claim precious time to your day. This allows you to work more efficiently and productively resulting in more time for relaxing or doing the things you truly enjoy such as golf or travel.

To see how we can help, visit our website www.find-my-desk.com and complete the on-line request form, E-mail us at organizeme@find-my-desk.com, or phone us at 469-323-5220. Claim the freedom from disorganization and clutter that you deserve by contacting Organized Chaos™ today and receive a free 1/2-hour consultation. We look forward to helping you organize your chaos!

Spotlight on… Venture Opportunities, Inc. – Business Brokers and Consultants:

Anne Barr, Vice President of Venture Opportunities, Inc., has been a business broker for 26 years, starting out as a franchisee in 1982.  She and her husband own the business brokerage firm, Venture Opportunities, Inc. As a broker/consultant, she has personally closed over 367 transactions.  Anne has been focusing on the franchise industry for the last seven years.  As a franchise consultant, Anne meets with clients to determine their skill set, business goals, personality traits and personal finances.  Then she recommends franchise/business opportunities that are a “fit” for them to consider.  After she has recommended franchises, she assists in the research/due diligence process to help each client choose which franchise is the right one for them.  Anne enjoys helping people find the “right fit” in business ownership.

In addition, Anne assists business/franchise owners who wish to sell their business.  Preparation is key for business owners who wish to sell their business and maximize their return on investment.  Good books and records, satisfied customers, good marketing strategy, the right staff in the right positions, etc., all contribute to making the business more saleable.

Venture Opportunities, Inc. offers additional services such as business valuations for banks making loans, partnership disputes, divorce situations and for any business owner wanting to determine the value of their business in today’s market. Another service is to source financing for the buyer client and assist in securing funding for their acquisition.

Anne holds the designation of Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers.  She recently earned the Certified Franchise Executive designation with the International Franchise Association. 

Anne was recently chosen by the IBBA to present a workshop at the IBBA Conference for Professional Development held here in Frisco in November. The workshop was en