'Rebel' Business Leaders Choose 'Not to Participate' in the Recession;
Go Against Tide of Doom and Gloom to Achieve Success.

For Immediate Release

May 16, 2008 (Hartford, CT).  "We Choose Not to Participate" is the mantra of a growing group of business leaders across Connecticut.  As strange at it may sound, they simply refuse to participate in the recession.  And they're succeeding in significant ways, despite bucking the economic trend.

Even though the business leaders come from various businesses and industries, with annual revenues from few million to over $350 million, they have found a way to help each other.  They've formed working groups -- about eight to ten business leaders per group -- and meet monthly to assist one another on whatever issues they face:  flat sales, staffing issues, shrinking markets, etc.  These "Peer to Peer" groups, as they're called, provide a forum for members to share business wisdom -- and help each other succeed.  There are typically over 150 years of business experience in every group.

Essential ingredient:  The perfect blend of participants in each group.

It's essential that the individuals in each group are not business competitors -- so everyone feels comfortable sharing their business insights.  The makeup of each group is thus critical.  Orchestrating the perfect blend is the noted business expert, speaker, and author, Ken Cook.

Ken Cook brings 25 years of broad-ranging business experience to create this unique business stew.  He's consulted for numerous Inc.500 and Fortune 500 companies and published books for the American Marketing Association.  Ken knows what makes businesses -- and business leaders -- tick.  And in 2005, he conceived of the "Peer to Peer" method that has quietly become extremely successful across the region.

Case history one:  Web Development Firm achieves double-digit revenue growth.

Matt Service, Founder of Service Internet Solutions (www.sisintl.com), needed to expand his base of opportunities.  Building on feedback from his peers, Matt repositioned the company’s services and the technologies they offer.  They start with the client’s bottom line and apply technologies that reduce the client’s costs, expand the client’s market opportunities and increase the client’s profitability.  The bottom line for Matt and SIS:  new markets, a full sales pipeline, and double-digit revenue growth.

Case history two:  Health Care Educational Institution increases revenues and enrollment by 33%.

Dorothy Martin-Neville, Founder of The Institute of Healing Arts & Sciences (www.instituteofhealing.com), offers training and certificate and diploma programs in alternative and energy medicine.  They operated like any school, offering traditional semester programs.  Dorothy’s peers helped her focus on contingency planning and knowing your audience and adapting.  The bottom line for Dorothy and The Institute:  increased revenues and enrollment by one-third, and expansion of affiliations with teaching hospitals from a regional to a national level. 

Case history three:  Marketing and Advertising Firm grows market share and revenue.

Tom Russo, President of L&R Productions (www.landrproductions.com) is an advocate for his peer group, deriving energy, insights and motivation from them.  He also gleaned a more disciplined approach to his own marketing efforts.  Based on specific input and peer discussions, L&R zeroed-in on some specific target markets and established a disciplined routine and calendar for their marketing communications.  The result has been higher revenues per client, a greater percentage share of each market, and a higher volume of referrals. 

Connecticut business leaders, and many of their peers, are choosing to ignore the recession and to participate in growing their companies.  The elements of collaboration, experienced input, and hard work help make that choice an effective one -- and the choice of ignoring the recession a smart one.