Your BottomLine Text Version
SeaComm Business Newsletter
4th Edition 2023
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Northern Roots
Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy. Entrepreneurs work very hard each day to provide great services, especially at the local level. Keely Ashley is no different. Her hard work and dedication to her craft is about to pay off. She is the owner of Northern Roots Salon & Spa, and her journey is one worth paying attention to.
After graduating from Norwood-Norfolk Central School in 2021, Keely Ashley went on to study at the Center for Natural Wellness School of Therapeutic Massage in Albany, NY. She also started working at Studio 162 in Massena, NY as a Nail Technician trainee. Her passion for massage therapy led her to Truly Chiropractic in Brasher Falls, NY where she started practicing massage therapy. Now that she has passed her boards and is an official New York State Licensed Massage Therapist, it’s time for the next big step. With her clinical and spa setting experience, Keely is building something of her own.
Keely’s dream has always been to open her own business, and that is exactly what she’s doing. Northern Roots Salon & Spa is her dream coming to life. Keely founded the business in June 2023, and she has big plans for her space, which is currently under construction. Along with massage therapy, Keely is looking to provide the community of Norfolk with a full service salon. Her business model will be similar to other salons where freelancers can come in and rent a space for their service. Keely explains, “I will be offering three rooms for rent, where I’m hoping to have a Reiki practitioner, facialists, and wax technicians.” Those aren’t the only services Northern Roots Salon & Spa will provide. “There will also be four hair dresser stations, as well as two nail stations for manicures and pedicures.”
Opening and running a business isn’t without its challenges. Keely has clients to take care of as well as her own professional goals. She said, “The stress is a challenge, just trying to give people more of what they want, and keep it to what I want my business to be as well.” Another challenge has been keeping things running smoothly while in the middle of construction. Even with the obstacles that are associated with embarking on a new business adventure, Keely still loves what she does. For her, it’s all about the clients. “I personally love the fact that I can connect with all of my clients, especially helping them through their healing journey, whether physically or mentally,” said Keely. “I just love being able to help people.”
From her late teens through her time as a new business owner, Keely has been working closely with SeaComm. “I’ve been a member since I was about 16, and I have had a really great experience working with SeaComm,” said Keely. “The loan process has been very positive and I’ve had amazing people helping me with that.” Providing both a positive and helpful experience makes the process a lot easier.
Once construction is complete, visitors can find Northern Roots Salon & Spa at 4A North Main Street in Norfolk, NY, with a scheduled opening for early 2024. For more information or to book an appointment, you can find the salon on Facebook @Northern Roots Salon & Spa.
Manager's Notebook
A True "Page Turner" for New Hires... the Handbook
The latest hot crime novel just dropped. It's a real page-turner, and you have it. Your heart pounds and you want to start flipping pages. There's just one problem. The book in front of you is the employee handbook. Not exactly a best seller, huh?
Unfortunately, roughly 60 percent of employees skip reading the employee handbook altogether. While reading company rules, regulations and policies isn't exactly thrilling, understanding all of the above is vital.
Knowing how to use personal days or file for vacations may help you get more R&R when needed. Sometimes days roll over, sometimes they don't. Some companies are fine with you taking two weeks off, others may limit vacations to a week. So on and so forth.
The employee handbook can keep you out of hot water as well. At your old job, showing up 10 minutes late may not have been a big deal. But at your new job, that might result in a write-up and a black mark on your record. Likewise, there may be specific instructions for handling company documents, using company vehicles or whatever else.
Employees new and old may be looking to impress their bosses and organization as a whole. The right moves now could result in a raise or promotion later. By reading the company handbook, you can develop a feel for your organization and its priorities. So before you jump into the latest novel topping the charts, take a dive into the company handbook.
"It's not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen."
- Scott Belsky
Will This New Product Solve the Armrest War?
Among the many inconveniences of air travel is the battle for the armrest.
To whom does the single armrest belong, we ask. Is it a fence that separates strangers or is it an award for the person in the dreaded middle seat? Is using it just survival of the fittest or is it a courtesy extended?
No need to fret anymore. A new product might solve the problem for those who feel they have to have possession of the armrest.
Arthur Chang came up with a solution that turns a single armrest into a double armrest, presumably appealing to those who learned to share as a child. Called Soarigami, the $20 portable device latches onto the armrest and creates a two-elbow space.
Chang told The Wall Street Journal that it is a nice conversation piece. If you bring it with you, he says, and offer it to the closest passenger, it give you a kind of moral triumph. "[If] they refuse then you kind of won the armrest fair and square," he says.
Quick Tip:
When trying to save money, write down your financial goals as a daily reminder of what you are saving for.
Find more helpful tips and articles at seacommblog.com
Foxconn and Nvidia Aim to Build AI Factories
Could software soon be assembled on an assembly line, much like the modern car?
A decade ago, the idea of AI (artificial intelligence) might have seemed farfetched. Now, AI has shifted to the forefront of everyone's mind, and it turns out, software may soon be assembled in fully automated AI factories.
In partnership with Nvidia, which produces a variety of components useful for AI, Foxconn is looking to build an AI-driven software assembly line that will be able to teach itself to develop software platforms. In the words of Foxconn, the resulting software programs will be all but impossible for humans to build. If Foxconn can deliver, these software solutions might upend many sectors, including the automobile industry.
Akin to Henry Ford revolutionizing the auto industry and manufacturing when he introduced the modern assembly line, the drive to create AI factories is partially driven by Foxconn's desire to become a major player in the electric vehicle craze. Foxconn is already famous for assembling many of the 2.35 billion iPhones sold over the years.
Now they're looking to disrupt the automobile industry with white-label automobiles. Rather than dealing with the hassle of marketing cars, Foxconn currently sells buses and two passenger vehicles that other companies can label with their own branding and sell. Foxconn's buses already cruise the streets in Taiwan, and Taiwanese automaker Luxgen is expected to launch a Foxconn car under the N7 brand in 2024.
Foxconn's status as a gadget manufacturer has some people doubting if they can break into the automobile market, let alone the AI market. However, at least with automobiles, some analysts believe Foxconn may be more innovative and less bound by tradition, perhaps following in the wake of industry disruptor Tesla.
Jerry Manor
Business Development Manager
jmanor@seacomm.org
800-764-0566 ext. 546
Christina Smutz
Member Business Loan Officer
csmutz@seacomm.org
800-764-0566 ext. 510
Locations
Main Office
30 Stearns Street
Massena, NY 13662
Malone Branch
3349 Route 11
Malone, NY 12953
Potsdam Branch
6 Sisson Street
Potsdam, NY 13676
Canton Branch
101 East Main Street
Canton, NY 13617
Ogdensburg Branch
3001 Ford Street Extension
Ogdensburg, NY 13669
Plattsburgh Branch
139 Smithfield Blvd
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
South Burlington Branch
1680 Shelburne Rd
So. Burlington, VT 05401
Essex Branch
125 Carmichael Street
Essex, VT 05452
Watertown Branch
20565 State Route 3
Watertown, NY 13601
Branch Managers
Joanne Langdon
30 Stearns St. Branch Manager
Christine Marshall
Malone Branch Manager
Barbara Bessette
Canton Branch Manager
Elizabeth Holliday
Ogdensburg Branch Manager
Ashley Allen
Potsdam Branch Manager
Melissa Comer
Plattsburgh Branch Manager
Jess Roach
Watertown Branch Manager
Joseph Feltz
Essex Branch Manager
Yvonne Alterie
South Burlington Branch Manager
Business Development
Jerry Manor
Business Development Manager
Christina Smutz
Member Business Loan Officer
315-764-0566 / 800-764-0566
www.seacomm.org
Let us Spotlight your business!
We are proud of our business members and want to share your story! Contact Jerry Manor for more information. Call (315) 764-0566 or toll-free (800) 764-0566 or email jmanor@seacomm.org
SeaComm
30 Stearns St
Massena, NY 13662
*This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other profesional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material.