Networking anyone?

We’re excited to be hosting a new evening business networking group here in the Buffalo area!  We’re working cooperatively with MeetUp.com’s Buffalo Business Associates group (see: http://www.meetup.com/Business-Associates-of-Buffalo for information on this group).   We’ve decided to hold meetings at our office, every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6:30PM.  Now, many of you business people might be wondering, why in the evening?  Well, for a couple reasons: one, every other networking group we’re a part of holds their meetings between 7AM and 9AM – and there are only so many morning meetings you can get to in a week.  We want to be the first in offering an evening networking option.  Secondly, we want the atmosphere to be a bit more casual and relaxed.  Let’s be honest; no one is going to do a wine sampling theme at 7AM.

So beginning this Wednesday, December 2nd, we will start our bi-weekly meetings here.  Our first meeting will be a wine & appetizer theme – bring your favorite bottle of wine, six pack of beer or an appetizer to share.  Our office is well equipped being a converted house, with a kitchen and a bar area right off of the main conference area – and we have a Wii!  So this will be fun and hopefully productive in a business sense for everyone who wants to participate.

For those of you who don’t know it, meetup.com is a social networking site with a different edge.  They don’t want you to just go on their website and let people know what you’re having for breakfast like some other sites – they actually encourage groups in geographic regions to go out, plan events and meet people face-to-face.  I have been to several enjoyable and entertaining events with a number of meetup groups that interest me, including a couple events with the Business Associates of Buffalo group.  The group organizer for BAB is Amanda Neudeck – a very professional and out going business person here in the Buffalo area.  She is currently in the marketing and sales division of Regent Broadcasting – I would encourage everyone to stop by and get to know her!

No cost, no dues – please do check out the meetup.com group and consider joining it, but non-members are welcome also.  Simply RSVP to our office by calling 716-200-4479, or leave a comment here, or on Facebook so we know you will be attending.

Hope to see you, if not at this first meeting, definitely at one soon after!

Going Green? Be an EPEAT Supporter!

EPEAT certification logos can be found on all compliant products in our store!

You might be asking yourself right now, what is EPEAT®?  Most of you probably have never heard of it, but EPEAT® (www.epeat.net) is a system in which manufacturers declare their products’ conformance to a stringent and comprehensive set of environmental performance categories. 

That is the marketing text version.  The real world concept is, EPEAT® is a standardization of performance criteria, much like EnergyStar®, that electronic products have to conform to in order to get a stamp of approval.  EPEAT® itself is a registered 501c4 “social benefit” non-profit entity over seeing the development and management of these criteria. 

Thus far they have reviewed and certified 1,552 PC desktops, laptops, thin client stations and monitors as compliant to these performance criteria. 

What does this mean for you?  To your wallet it means EPEAT® certified products are going to provide a better total cost of ownership by using less power to run.  It also means by buying these products, you’re contributing to the betterment of our environment and the “natural selection” of technology development; the more EPEAT® certification is used as a product selection criteria, the more the manufacturers will focus on making their future products complaint. 

That all sounds good, right?  But where are the stumbling blocks?  So far the hurdles are in that EPEAT® is lacking the resources to keep up with all the new products that come out.  Literally, manufacturers introduce new product lines that need to be certified at a rate of 20+ per week, every week.  And for yesterday’s desktop that met the certification, if tomorrow’s model changes a vital component, it needs to be recertified all over again.  EPEAT® has also not set criteria for large volume product segments such as printers, televisions and network equipment. 

How can you help?  You can visit www.epeat.net to learn more about their programs and how to participate.  Also, keep an eye out for the EPEAT® Certification logos on products while you shop at our online store!  Our store is 100% EPEAT® compliant – so use the EPEAT® logo as one of your own shopping criteria the next time you need a new PC or monitor!

Visit www.aspiretechnet.com/shop to start shopping today!