I have been so busy over the past year. Work has just kept on coming, and I have welcomed it with open arms.

In the past few months, though, I’ve been excited because the deadlines began to ease up. I caught up on some me time. Took a few vacations. Cleaned my closets. Reorganized my house. Repotted some plants. All that stuff. You know.

Then, I carved out some time to reflect on my 25th anniversary of launching Beetle Press. Way back in 1998.

I had a 25th anniversary logo created months ago, and I printed it on t-shirts for my husband and myself, but that was about it. I didn’t have the time or the mental bandwidth for more. I was determined to create a little 25th anniversary marketing campaign.

I sat down to dig out some memorabilia and start doing some planning to celebrate 25 years as a business owner.

I found my first Beetle Press business card with its clip art of a ladybug on a leaf. I found my first newsletters, which were printed and mailed back then, and I read through lots of thank you notes from Westfield State University interns I’ve had over the past few decades.

One of them said, “Thank you for letting me see all of the hard work, frustration, and amazing end results that go into running a business. I will be taking what I have learned at Beetle Press with me as I continue my journey through life.”

It took me back to read this note and all the others and put faces to names and remember projects and services from so long ago.

I read some of the great feedback I received from clients, people I’d interviewed for stories and readers of local publications I wrote for. I remembered assignments long forgotten.

Then, I stumbled on the newspaper coverage of Beetle Press’ 20th anniversary. I sent out a press release back then, and it was picked up in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the Springfield Republican and BusinessWest.

Oops, I realized as I read. All the clips were dated 2018. That means 2024 is actually my 26th anniversary.

Right. I had that logo made in September 2023, thinking I’d create a little anniversary campaign and then, wham, I began some interim work for a local newspaper in New Hampshire that was woefully short of staff. Time got away from me until the middle of March, when that paper was in much better shape and no longer needed my help.

I’d forgotten we were in a whole new year. My 26th year, to be precise.

That’s fine. Over the remaining months in 2024, I’ll be posting on social media to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Beetle Press.

Because I love my work. I’m privileged to still be able to do it 26 years after I got started, and I’m thankful for the clients I am working with now who bring me new things to research and explore.

Happy 26th, Beetle Press, and thank you to each of you who follow my work.

The post Celebrating more years than I thought appeared first on Beetle Press.

Ten sessions focus on simplifying the process of enewsletter production for businesses

NORTHAMPTON—Dee Dice, the owner of the marketing and consulting business Constant Growth, will offer a workshop series on enewsletter production, Wednesdays from Feb. 14 through April 24, from noon to 1:30 p.m., via Zoom.

“From Concept to Inbox” is for business owners who have dabbled with distributing enewsletters and want better results in less time. Participants will learn to enhance the readability, effectiveness, production time and engagement of their communications. Checklists and templates will be provided. 

Each week will focus on a specific topic, technical aspects, hands-on activities, demonstrations, and Q&A sessions to ensure participants can apply the new concepts and technology to their email newsletter.

Dee is an experienced small business consultant who excels at entrepreneurship, strategic and vision planning, budget development and community relations and is a Certified Solutions Provider for Constant Contact, the email marketing platform.

She is a consultant with the Hilltown Community Development Corporation and formerly was the small business director for Valley Community Development. She also has worked as a business advisor for the Center for Women and Enterprise and Small Business Strong, and she serves these organizations that provide free business consulting: Hilltown Community Development Center, Center for Women and Enterprise, Small Business Strong and Sphere Northampton.

To register or learn more, email Dice at dd@constant-growth.com.

The post Marketing Consultant with Constant Growth of Northampton to Offer Workshop Series appeared first on Beetle Press.

I am still feeling the financial effects of COVID-19. 

While I continue to have new authors contact me to help them with a book project they have in mind—two contacted me just in the past week—the majority of my business clients with Beetle Press remain unable to use my PR and communications services for one reason or another.

Many of my clients had to close a year ago; some reopened quickly but with severe restrictions that didn’t allow them to offer events, for instance. Without events, my clients don’t need me to help them with promotion via a press release sent to the media or a blog they’d post on their websites. 

Those who are open for business don’t know what to plan or what to promote because the pandemic continues to see them tap dancing around ever-changing protocols and processes.

In addition, many of my clients were also hurt financially, and they don’t have the funds now for communications.

Now and again, the effects of the pandemic drop me back into the year 2010, when my late husband, Ed, died four days after I lost my full-time job. 

When I get my credit card bill, and the balance is daunting—bam, I’m back in the wounded, grieving place.

When I want to do something I once wouldn’t think twice about, such as planning a trip, and I can’t—bam, I’m back there.

Yet, the past 10 years of my life were a willful evolution that took me from grieving to great. I worked hard to survive and transform my life. I learned how to make more money. I got physically stronger. I learned about patience, the perspectives of others, and I learned a whole lot about perseverance. 

I use these superpowers now as I cope with COVID. 

When I have a little session where I knock myself down, I rouse myself. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. Get up. Do your thing. Knock on doors. It’ll all be good.”

I also tell myself this: “Really? You are fine. You have first-world problems. Get over yourself. Make something happen.”

So, I’m over here getting over myself and trying to make things happen. 

I’m reaching out to lots of people. I’m checking in with clients to see how they are and if they need my help.

I’ve partnered with another writer in the area, and we are working on new creative projects. We’re sharing passages with one another and trading feedback. My project is my first work of fiction, and I’m pleased with how it’s going.

I’ve also had the time to work on transforming my Poem Pods into a children’s coloring book. I will have a draft soon, and I’m looking for 20 children between the ages of 6-10 to get a free copy of the book with a four-pack of crayons in exchange for feedback from the parents on how to make the book better. Interested? Please email me!

I’m also trying to figure out how to promote my new book, “Willful Evolution,” during a pandemic when I can’t be out there reading from it live.

“Willful Evolution” tells the story of the past decade, and it shows the ways in which I grew and got stronger over the past 10 years. I wrote the book in hopes it might help others take a fresh look at their own lives to consider if they need inspiration for their own evolution. Because that’s what my book can do. It can inspire you, and it will also make you laugh.

If you have the COVID-19-oh-my-god-how-do-I-get-passed-this-shit blues, my book could help you now. 

The short advice is: Be patient and know that change will come. Be open to all the ways you might be able to bring that about.

The post Using My Relatively New Superpowers to Fight Against COVID-19 appeared first on Beetle Press.

Unique online event supports area businesspeople and provides residents and community members with a fun activity—and information

LONGMEADOW—Glenmeadow will offer a livestreamed raffle at the end of October, supporting area businesses while also providing a fun and informative activity for residents and those in the wider community.

Laura Lavoie, director of life enrichment, conceived of United We Shop #Glenmeadow; this new event will be broadcast to Glenmeadow residents on Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m. via the nonprofit’s in-house television station. The program will also be available online for the general public at https://youtu.be/zxKqU5NfIas. After the event, a video of the raffle will remain up for viewing on YouTube.

The idea to host United We Shop #Glenmeadow came to Lavoie after a resident, Bill Burrows, asked if Glenmeadow would host such an event as an activity, and Lavoie was hesitant, given the economy. 

“There was no way I could ask small businesses struggling with COVID-19 for something we could raffle off,” Lavoie said, noting that items in raffles typically are provided through donations from area businesspeople. “I thought about it and realized, ‘What if we turn it completely around? What if we say to businesspeople, ‘We’re calling because we want to support you and want to purchase something from you.’”

For United We Shop #Glenmeadow, the life plan community purchased one item each from roughly 50 local businesses, and the products will be raffled off during a livestreamed event intended for both residents and community members. 

From Oct. 23-29, residents can purchase raffle tickets in person and indicate the items they are interested in. Members of the public can purchase tickets online and indicate their items of interest by visiting Glenmeadow.org/events. 

In addition to viewing the purchased products up for raffle, residents and community members will also be privy to information from each business, highlighting safety precautions each has taken to ensure customer safety during the pandemic.

Some of the business owners will be also be featured in brief Zoom-based conversations, in which the entrepreneurs can talk about how they have adapted their safety protocols due to COVID and whether they are open, allowing curb-side pickups, making deliveries to customers, or have other new measures in place. “Whatever they would like the public to know,” Lavoie said.

“The people running these businesses are extremely grateful,” said Lavoie, who organized the event with a committee that included these residents: Burrows, Bunny Bewick, Janet Black, and Joan Rosenbaum. “This allows businesspeople to say, ‘We’re still here. Please come in. We’re keeping people safe.’”

Lavoie said some business owners are so grateful for the support that they are matching Glenmeadow’s purchase amount, donating another item of similar—or added—value.

Professional entertainer Jimmy Mazz will help host the event with Glenmeadow’s President and CEO Anne Thomas. Together, they will draw winners’ names.

Any proceeds that result from the raffle will be used to defray the cost of Glenmeadow’s own adaptations due to COVID. 

Anne Thomas, Glenmeadow’s president and CEO, said the raffle is a great example of the creative freedom that staff have to be innovative as they enhance the lives of residents. “This is a great idea, and I’m proud it came from a long-time team member,” Thomas said, adding, “We hope it goes viral. It’s a total win-win concept.”

Glenmeadow is a nonprofit life plan community—formerly known as a retirement community—and it has a mission to serve seniors in the Greater Springfield region, whether they live on the Longmeadow campus or in their own homes.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is an accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.  

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org. 

The post Glenmeadow to Offer United We Shop #Glenmeadow Raffle appeared first on Beetle Press.

Protocols are outlined, and store owners reinvent themselves

NORTHAMPTON—Sharon Cohen, the owner of Footbeats for Women on the main level of Thornes Marketplace, will enter her fourth year in business on July 1. It’s a difficult time, but like all merchants in the eclectic shopping center, Cohen’s working hard to reach customers and ensure their safety.

Thornes reopened for business on June 8 after putting many new protocols and equipment in place, including air filters that heighten air quality, foggers that sanitize the building nightly, and door monitors at each of the two open entrances to ensure that people entering Thornes wear masks and sanitize their hands. Thornes also installed hands-free door openers on bathroom doors. 

Without college students and tourists from out of town, business is slower than is typical for this time of year, but customers are returning steadily. Shops owners such as Cohen, who have also instituted countless safety measures, are happy to see them.

“We’ve revamped the way the store is laid out to promote social distancing,” Cohen said. “Shoppers are saying, ‘I just wanted to shop with somebody locally.’ We’re hearing a lot of that. I think that’s awesome.”

After Thornes—and most retail and other industries statewide—were shut down this spring due to COVID-19, Cohen launched a website at footbeatsforwomen.com, so customers could still purchase her shoes. She made deliveries to peoples’ homes.

Every Friday afternoon, she also began using Facebook live to talk about shoes in stock and offer commentary on trends and new styles. “I pick them off the displays on the wall and talk about them. Customers would text and ask questions about cost or size,” she said, noting she will likely continue that practice. “We tried new, inventive ways to meet the customers.”

Cohen also said when customers try on a pair of shoes in the store, if they are leather and cannot be sanitized, they are put in quarantine for 24 hours, as per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) guidelines. 

Thornes itself has the safety of shoppers, store owners, and staff at the forefront as it expands and flexes systems and operations.

“Thornes has done a lot to prepare for our opening, and we continue to stay educated and follow safety protocols,” Thornes Co-President Richard Madowitz said. “We are receiving consistent positive feedback from shoppers on the cleanliness of the building and their comfort. We are providing a safe environment.” 

He added, “We have installed iWave ionizing air filters in all AC air handlers in the building to ensure high air quality, and we’ve purchased foggers that allow us to do extensive sanitizing overnight, while we are closed.”

Masks are available at the two open entrances, which are on Main Street and at the skywalk to and from the parking garage. “Masks are not required for those with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing one,” Madowitz added.

All shared tables and chairs on the building’s second and third floors, such as Share Coffee’s seating, have been removed, and directional arrows on the floors separate traffic and promote social distancing, as do stanchions throughout.

“Signage is everywhere,” Madowitz stressed. “Each store is managing its state-mandated capacity count, and Thornes itself is managing the state-mandated capacity counts for its common spaces without shops.”

Every morning before work, all Thornes staff follow CDCP protocols, running through a COVID-19 readiness checklist before reporting for work. 

Beginning this week, all shops in Thornes will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. All merchants must also open on a fifth day of their choice. Many stores are open daily, including Cedar Chest, Rebekah Brooks, Share Coffee, Booklink Booksellers, Footbeats for Women, Jackson & Connor, ASSEMBLE, Captain Candy, and Herrell’s Ice Cream.

Check thornesmarketplace.com for specifics on other stores, or visit individual shop websites or social media channels.

Parking downtown is free through July 1. Thornes will be closed July 4 and 5. Madowitz said, “We have historically been closed on July 4, and we’ve added a closing on July 5, given that the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, and we have limited hours on Sunday.”

To learn more about Thornes Marketplace, visit thornesmarketplace.com.

Thornes Marketplace has been the cornerstone of downtown Northampton and at the center of the Main Street shopping district for more than a century. Built in 1873, it holds 55,000 square feet of space for merchants and includes features like pressed tin ceilings and hardwood floors.

The post As Thornes Marketplace Reopens, Foot Traffic Returns appeared first on Beetle Press.

Both of my businesses were thriving when COVID-19 first showed itself in this country. I had a long list of ongoing projects through Beetle Press and had two manuscripts in the works for clients through Janice Beetle Books.

Then, clients cancelled events. Promoting them and other services became a moot point in the face of reacting to the spread of the pandemic. My Beetle Press clients were scrambling to learn how to interact with clients remotely; my Janice Beetle Books clients were watching their investments shrink. Within a week, my work load came to a complete and utter halt.

My inbox was empty, no matter how many times I checked it. My to-do list had only a few, non-essential items on it.

I spent a day freaking out, and then I got my shit back together. I decided I would relax for a change. Do things I enjoy doing, tick through projects for my own businesses, and get to those manuscripts I’ve had on hold.

I made a new to-do list, with only fun things at the top. These are some of the things I’ve gotten to so far:

My grandchildren. My daughter Sally had a baby 12 weeks premature on March 29. Phoibe Mae still weighs just shy of two pounds, and she is in the NICU of Baystate Health in Springfield for about five more weeks. My daughter was in the hospital for about a week before, and then right after, Phoibe was born; my son-in-law was at work (and grateful to have a job), and my grandson was home alone. Time spent on those days was keeping up with the evolving news, worrying, waiting, wringing my hands, checking in with Eli, trying to keep him company over the phone. Then, Phoibe was born, and, although frail and wee, she was healthy and strong. As a way to distract Eli, and to help Phoibe get to know me, I began reading picture books into the voice memo app on my phone. I text the stories to both of my daughters and Eli, and Sally reads the stories to Phoibe—one per day. Eli is 11, but I think he is listening as well—even though he will not admit it. So far I’ve read “Silly Sally,” a favorite of Sally’s; a Little Critter book about a boy with a little sister, a favorite of Eli’s; some Dr. Seuss; and very amusing, perverse stories by Florence Parry Heide in “Fables You Shouldn’t Pay Any Attention To” and “Tales for the Perfect Child.” Reading aloud to grandchildren is fun.

Phone calls. I never talk on the phone. I didn’t have time for social calls. For at least a decade, the phone has been a tool for communicating information quickly. For the past few weeks, it’s instead become a lifeline. I’ve called my mother daily about 4:30 in the afternoon. She’s in an assisted living facility and has been alone in her room for two weeks. She loves getting the call and chatting. She’s good for about 10 minutes, then she’s had enough! I’ve also spent time on the phone and FaceTiming with my brothers and their wives, once at cocktail time; with my daughters; and with Jacques’ mother, his brother, and Jacques’ children. Talking is fun.

Strolls down memory lane. In cleaning my file drawers in my office, I’ve stumbled on some fun things. Photos of a former home in Florence, Massachusetts; photos of my children when they were young; letters I’ve written to my children and others; and a printed excerpt from my book Divine Renovations that features Eli. Reminiscing is fun.

Workouts. Because the gyms are closed, Jacques and I have been working out together. Long, intense workouts that range from rowing on our rowing machine to walking and running on the treadmill. We lift weights, do boot-camp-style routines, and we are on Day 14 of the 30-day yoga challenge with Adrien. (Wanna try Adrien’s first of 30?) My daughter Molly’s friend Kaylie also has her own yoga program on YouTube. Extended workouts are fun.

Books. I’ve so far read “Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult, a book on race relations that I found fascinating, and “Educated” by Tara Westover. This latter book is a breathtaking read you cannot put down. If you haven’t read it, please do. Other books on the list: “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah, and Laurie Halse Anderson’s “The Seeds of America Trilogy: Chains; Forge; Ashes,” and books by Fredrik Backman! Reading is fun.

Working on my businesses. I’ve written blogs, put out the March edition of my newsletter, managed a few incoming projects. Next up is tackling several on-hold manuscripts, including one on online dating. It’s fun to work on your business.

Phoibe. I have a new favorite pastime that involves Phoibe. It’s quite amazing.

What are you doing to distract yourself?

The post Time, Unlimited appeared first on Beetle Press.

While I don’t feel at liberty at this time to talk openly about the people whose stories I am helping bring to life through Janice Beetle Books, I will give you a glimpse of the range of topics and services I’m providing. 

I can tell you I am helping my dear friend, Judith Kelliher, take the final steps to bring her manuscript to life. For the past five-plus years, Judy has been working on a book about her brother Bobby’s two tours in Vietnam—and life after.

As you might imagine, “A Wartime PhD: One soldier’s story of Vietnam and learning to live again,” is a powerful story with moments that hurt the heart. Judy’s writing is clear and wrenching, and also loving.

The manuscript is now in my hands. I have copy edited it—as has another friend of Judy’s—and now it is time to design the book and work with Levellers Press and its Off the Common Books division to get it printed. I adore both Judy and Bobby, so this work is a labor of love. 

I am so proud of Judy—and Bobby as well; it is often not easy to share such a deeply personal story. I am also proud of these clients, whom I am helping at this time:

• A retired pediatrician, who founded a health center in the South End of Boston in 1969 and is telling the story of the center’s founders, staff, and its 50th anniversary last year. 
• An octogenarian, for whom I’m writing a memoir that tells the story of various crises she faced in her life, including polio and breast cancer diagnoses, and how she overcame those challenges. 
• A local entrepreneur, who’s story centers on a system she devised and uses in coaching her clients to become stronger leaders and employers. (I will use my systems in coaching her to write this book.)
• A retired English teacher, who has written a clever and loving story about her mother’s life, which I am editing. 
• A retired engineer, for whom I’m editing a fictional who-dun-it.
• A nurse, who wants to share the story of a brutal beating she suffered at the hands of a patient and how she believes change is needed in health care management.

I hope to tell you more about this work as time passes.

The post Covering a lot of Ground appeared first on Beetle Press.

Focus of work will be on transitioning students with disabilities from high school to college

FLORENCE—Bonni Alpert of Florence has announced the creation of her new business, Bonni Alpert Educational Consulting, which will serve high school students with disabilities impacting executive functioning who are transitioning into college.

Formerly the assistant dean/director of Student Disability Services at Western New England University for 21 years, Alpert will work with students and their families in navigating the college accommodation process and developing the necessary skills to enhance the student’s chances for success.

“The transition from high school to college can be challenging for all students and families,” Alpert said. “When disability and accommodation needs are added into the mix, navigating the process can seem almost impossible. I am well-equipped to help remove the mystery and frustration.”

Alpert said her services are a good fit for high school students with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and those on the Autism spectrum.

“My goal is to help students and parents build the level of self-knowledge, self-awareness, and critical skills necessary to prepare them for the challenges inherent in the transition to the post-secondary experience,” she added.

As part of her work, Alpert will conduct a thorough review of each student’s disability-related documentation and also implement a personal awareness inventory and college-readiness assessment in order to fully understand each student’s strengths and challenges.

Alpert will also conduct a college readiness assessment to determine which of the student’s strengths and skills need to be further developed in order to succeed in a traditional higher education setting.

And she will meet with clients, in person or via Skype, for support sessions aimed at helping the student learn skills for a better adjustment to college life, manage stress and time, manage workload and assignments, communicate with professors and advisors, and become familiar with learning strategies and resources.

Alpert will also provide training sessions and workshops for high school professionals and parents.

The mother of two grown daughters, Alpert is an educator and professional ADHD coach with over 30 years’ experience supporting students with disabilities and other learning challenges in a post-secondary environment.

Her professional experience in higher education includes teaching undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in psychology, providing counseling services to students, and working with students and families during their transition to the post-secondary environment.

Alpert holds a doctoral degree in counseling and educational psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Vermont.

For more information, visit alpert-consulting.com or contact Alpert at bonni@alpert-consulting.com.

The post Expert in Student Disability Services Opens Bonni Alpert Educational Consulting appeared first on Beetle Press.

If you are a business owner, you write every day. Emails, notes, newsletters, articles, blog posts, Facebook updates, you name it, you’ve gotta write it. And as far as writing correctly, you either chew your nails over “its” versus “it’s,” or you don’t—you write what you think is right and hope the reader will forgive you if it isn’t.

You might think that it’s easy as an editor to proof my own stuff, but no. It’s even more painful, because I check everything I write thoroughly and still make mistakes. I’m here to tell you, though, how important it is to make sure everything you write is as accurate as possible, because it all reflects on you as a business person and professional.

I have seen much in my years of editing for businesses. Believe it or not, I have seen people misspell their own company name—which to an editor is like fingernails on a chalkboard! So here’s my advice.

Don’t trust your computer program. Forget spell check and grammar check; you won’t like it when they turn “publick” into “pubic,” only to notice after you’ve sent out that letter to your local historical society. Do the work. Use Merriam Webster for spelling and a free online writing guide like Paradigm.

Check for more than spelling and grammar. Check font for consistent size and weight; check headings (a typical place for errors); check your phone number, email address, and company name. Proof also for clarity and tone.

Read it over. Don’t ever, ever, ever send anything out without reading it carefully first. The simplest email can turn off a customer if it’s full of errors, an attachment is missing, or you sound angry or perturbed when you really aren’t.

Let it sit. The best thing you can do, if you have 24 hours, is to let it sit and read it again tomorrow. Pretend it’s wine and let it keep aging. You won’t believe what you find if you read it with fresh eyes.

Get a second set of eyes. Have a colleague or a trusted friend read it.

Get help. If you aren’t good at writing, or don’t have someone else who can give it a clean read-through, get someone like me to do it for you. Proofreaders are fast, reasonably priced, and we’ll help you look marvelous. Good luck!

The post Proofreading: Feel the Pain appeared first on Beetle Press.

Terra Missildine will offer Archetypes at Work on Tuesday, June 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Cultivate and Nest, 2 Bay Road in Suite 100.

The workshop will focus on discovering participants’ personality archetypes and exploring how they can use that knowledge more effectively in their branding and in attracting their ideal clients.

“Participants will have fun and have a chance to be introspective while digging deep to discover who they really are in business and, more importantly, how they are perceived in the marketplace,” Missildine said.

Missildine is an experienced entrepreneur. She and her husband, David, launched Beloved Earth, a green cleaning business, 10 years ago, and she founded Cultivate and Nest, a membership-based co-office space that incorporates a child care component, in January.

The workshop is free, but seats are limited; participants are encouraged to email terramissildine@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

For more information, visit cultivateandnest.com or contact Missildine at 413-345-2400.

The post Free Workshop to Help Entrepreneurs Tune in to Their Personality Archetype appeared first on Beetle Press.