Economic pressures in the U.S. have hit small businesses especially hard in 2022. But the resilience of America’s entrepreneurs shouldn’t be underestimated. And Affiliated Workers Association wants to make sure that we are providing resources during this challenging time that can help all of our members  – small business owners, contractors and entrepreneurs across the nation.

We recently announced a new AWA membership program, EliteHealth, that provides access to group fixed indemnity limited medical insurance benefits through an A-rated carrier, Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company. AWA EliteHealth provides an affordable health solution for members and their families. This membership also includes valuable discounts and savings through Business AdvantEdge to help save money on the costs of running a business.

And through a new partnership with Embrace Pet Insurance, our members now have access to discounted rates on pet insurance that covers accidents and illness, as well as wellness and preventive needs for our furry family members. One of our longtime partners, MetLife continues to offer AWA members special savings on auto and home needs.  You can find out more information on the AWA website.

Don’t forget about the work that Small Business Majority and Small Business Entrepreneurship Council are doing on behalf of our members.  By working with Capitol Hill to introduce legislation to further the success of small business owners, our advocacy partners are actively pursuing public policy solutions that can help our members.

As always, we welcome your feedback as we navigate the changes and challenges facing our members. Follow our updates as we continue to investigate and add resources that small business owners and entrepreneurs can use for success in this changing economy.  Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest solutions that work hard on your behalf.  Thank you for your continued support as we head into the new year.

Sincerely,

Neil Peterson

AWA Board President

Affiliated Workers Association is proud to celebrate 20 years in 2021 as a member organization dedicated to providing access to advocacy and small business resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the nation. We would like to take this time to formally thank Jeff Burley for his years of service as the AWA Vice President and an AWA Board Member. We are now excited to welcome Leslie Moore into the position of Vice President as we enter into our 21^st year as an association.

In 2021, we were pleased to provide you and your employees with access to new levels of term life through AWA BasicGuard, as well as access to critical illness and accidental death & dismemberment with AWA Life Plus Triad. We know AWA members, as small business owners and self-employed professionals, deal with even more hardship when faced with an accident-related disability, so we created a new AWA BasicAssist membership level with access to supplementary income in the event of an accident that prevents members from working. AWA members now have access to a new radiology discount through MDsave, which can help schedule radiology and imaging with local providers at the best rate.

Also, as the pandemic continues, we want to remind our members that many membership levels include a telemedicine program with free and unlimited physician consultations for you and your family members. Many of our memberships also include a Discount Rx benefit, as well as discount lab testing that can be done at home.  Check out your member portal for all the details and we will provide COVID-19 updates on the Member Portal as new information arises.

Please continue to regularly review our AWA member resources like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the newsletter, so you can stay informed as we announce new ways for our members to save money, manage their health and run their businesses.  We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

 

Sincerely,

Neil Peterson

AWA Board President

For those who may have missed the recent AWA Annual Members Meeting, President Neil Peterson provided the following remarks:

As we continue to navigate an unprecedented time in our nation during a global pandemic, the success of small businesses and entrepreneurs hangs in the balance. AWA remains committed to supporting our members with resources and tools to help their employees, families and surrounding communities during this time.

In addition, we want our members to know many of our AWA membership levels include a telemedicine program. It is highly recommended that members use telemedicine as their first option to avoid unnecessary contact. And our telemedicine benefits provide free and unlimited physician consultations for you and your family members. Many of our memberships also include a discount Rx benefit, as well as discount lab testing that can be done at home. You can find all the information about your membership in our Member Portal. We will also post COVID-19 updates on the Member Portal as new information arises.

In 2020, we were able to provide more flexible solutions for you and your small business employees with a new SecureElite membership that provides access to group accident insurance benefits at different levels. We will continue to research additional cost-saving, value-added resources for the benefit of our small business members.

This coming year, Affiliated Workers Association is proud to celebrate 20 years as a member organization dedicated to providing access to advocacy and small business resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the nation. Keep an eye out for a new, fresh look for AWA as we usher in the next phase of our association.

Please continue to regularly review our AWA member resources like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the newsletter, so you can stay informed as we continue to receive and communicate information that can be helpful to our members in the coming weeks and months. We want to say thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate an uncertain time together.  We wish everyone safety and good health during this time of precaution.

 

Sincerely,

Neil Peterson

AWA Board President

August 2-8 is designated as National Farmers Market Week. Why choose a Farmers Market for your produce versus your local grocery store?  The reasons may surprise you.

Find Inspiration

Find the freshest vegetables and fruits of the season all laid out before your eyes.  Farmers markets present all of the freshest produce of the season and chances are, new fruits and veggies that you may not have even heard of before.  Get inspired to try new flavors and recipes.

Improve Your Diet

Studies prove that eating a diet largely consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes helps to keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check.  Bring the kids too to help inspire healthy eating habits early on.

Cook for Health

When you shop at a farmers market, you want to cook the fresh foods that you purchased.  By cooking your own food, you take control of exactly what you eat, how much salt you use, the portion sizes and the choices of side dishes.  These decisions directly impact your health and gives you a chance to experiment with your cooking to increase the foods you enjoy.

Support Your Community

By supporting your local farmers markets, you are helping an entire community to thrive.  A farmers market is the ultimate small business enterprise with many families working together in the local community to offer a great product that can be used by many. You may even be able to sell your own small business products as an artisan if you create soap, candles, jewelry, pottery or other artistic pieces.

Find Farmers Markets Near You

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) keeps an updated directory on Farmers Markets searchable by zip code.  https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets

Source: eatingwell.com

At the recent AWA Annual Members Meeting, President Neil Peterson had the following remarks for members:

As John Maxwell said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”  As small business owners and entrepreneurs, AWA wants to help you take advantage of change to help your business grow. We understand that flexibility and affordability continue to be key objectives as you tackle the challenges of starting and growing a business.

In 2019, AWA introduced a new financial coaching resource through My Secure Advantage to help you plan and achieve your financial goals in any stage of life. MSA provides assessments and action plans to get you on the road to success.

Looking forward to 2020, you told us that AWA members want more benefit options to provide to their small business employees. We have partnered with FCL Dental to provide additional supplemental dental membership benefits at competitive prices. We continue to research other resources and benefits that can help you as you grow your small business and provide more options to your employees.

As always, your feedback is incredibly important as we navigate the changes and challenges facing our members. Be sure to follow our progress as we continue to grow as an association and expand the resources small business owners and entrepreneurs need for success in this new economy.  Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest solutions that work hard on your behalf.  Thank you for your continued support as we head into the new year.

Sincerely,

Neil Peterson

At our recent AWA Annual Members meeting on December 8th, President Neil Peterson took some time to update members on the association. Following is an excerpt of what he discussed: 

With the year coming to a close, we are proud to look back at our accomplishments as an association. We are pleased to report on our excellent progress and alignment on our first full year following our transition of benefits administrators to Premier Health Solutions. The support of our membership and needs by Premier Health Solutions has provided the stability and continuity necessary for the growth of our association. This year, we had some members hit hard with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. With donations to the American Red Cross and working with partners like Compass and Teladoc, we want to continue to help support those impacted by the recent hurricane and natural disasters as our members work to get their families safe and businesses growing again.  Our focus will continue to be on our members and providing the highest level of satisfaction with their membership and the benefits that AWA provides.

As part of our commitment to providing more choice and flexibility for members, AWA expanded its membership levels and benefits this year by adding new accident benefits, a fixed indemnity plan and a new vision plan. And with our partner Small Business Majority, AWA members have a voice in small business issues facing our country, as well as education resources to start and grow their businesses. By providing timely, relevant webinars and content, Small Business Majority can give you and your small business the differentiators and tools you need to set your business apart from the competition.  With industry-leading benefits and membership levels like these, we hope our members feel an advantage as they work hard to make their businesses successful. 

We are excited about 2018 and the opportunities that lay ahead for associations like ours. With a new executive order signed by President Trump in October focusing on Association Health Plans, we hope to expand the opportunities and benefits available into new directions for our AWA members. We are staying on top of this exciting news as it develops and will share with you what we learn. With resources like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, the newsletter and our Blog, we want AWA members to stay informed as we continue to investigate new, competitive benefits and resources that work hard on your behalf. 

As we say goodbye to 2017, we are reminded as an association that we truly are Stronger Together, and we look forward to serving you in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Neil Peterson

As a small business owner, you are fully invested in the success of your endeavor.  But what if the unthinkable happens and a natural disaster strikes? Is your business prepared to stay up and running in the event of a flood or tornado or hurricane?  Planning ahead for disasters can be the difference between going out of business and running a successful one.

Sign up for a Ready Business Workshop and learn about the following ways to prepare:

Program Management

• Organize, develop and administer your preparedness program
• Identify regulations that establish minimum requirements for your program

Planning

• Gather information about hazards and assess risks
• Conduct a business impact analysis
• Examine ways to prevent hazards and reduce risks

Implementation
Your preparedness plan should include:

• Resource management
• Emergency response
• Crisis communications
• Business continuity
• Information technology
• Employee assistance
• Incident management
• Training

Testing and Exercises

• Test and evaluate your plan
• Define different types of exercises
• Learn how to conduct exercises
• Use exercise results to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan

Program Improvement

• Identify when the preparedness plan needs to be reviewed or updated
• Discover methods to evaluate your plan
• Utilize the review to make necessary changes and plan improvements

For more information on building out your program, review Ready.gov and check the Ready Business Pilot Program.

If You Have Recently Been Affected By Disaster

The Small Business Administration offers disaster loan assistance through two loan programs. One helps with the actual physical damages with interest rates not exceeding 4 percent and terms up to 30 years and the other one is for economic impacts, which cover expenses normally covered before the disaster struck.  The loans are up to $2 million.  

Also, be proactive and let your lender know about the situation.  Most of the time they will work with you on deferring payments and waive fees while your business is recovering.  

 

Sources: Ready.gov, Forbes.com