Business Rap

Smart business owners know that the best way to achieve their goals is by leveraging the talents of their teams. Finding and developing that talent takes time, preparation and skill. We have assembled a panel of top experts together to discuss the process of developing an all-star team, and how “Coaching for Higher Performance” will help you grow your business. Hear insights from; Greg Coyne, Sales Expert at Sandler Training, and Paul Yaeger, Human Resources Manager, AccessPoint.

Marketing may not be a top priority for nonprofit organizations, but it’s an important aspect of creating connections with donors. We have assembled a panel of top experts together today to help you understand how to market your nonprofit organization and processes you can put in place to make sure you are maximizing your efforts. Hear insights from; Cindy Kangas, Director of Development and Community Relations for the Capital Area Humane Society, Paul Schmidt, Owner and Creative Video Strategist, UnoDeuce Multimedia, and Todd Ross, Manager of Communications at Michigan Osteopathic Association.

Michigan is keeping talented residents in the state, and revitalizing their urban centers by developing high-tech talent. Hear Insights from top experts from around the state; Fred Molnar, Entrepreneur and Innovation Initiative, Michigan Life Science Innovation Center, Executive Director at MEDC, Amy Cell, CEO and Founder Chief Match Maker at Amy Cell Talent, David O’Hagan, Schoolcraft College Professor, and Zach Brewer of PRINDL.

A company’s culture defines the atmosphere that people work in, and is developed over time. Creating cultural change may be necessary to grow or in some cases save a business, but the process of successfully doing so is often extremely difficult to master. We have assembled a panel of top experts together to help you identify when your company needs a cultural change, and best practices for driving cultural change within your business. Hear insights from Bryan Bogardus, Chief Operating Officer, AF Group, and Chris Buck, Owner of CJ Buck Consulting.

A grand opening ceremony allows you to create a first impression for your customers and potential customers and sets the tone for your business going forward. Few industries understand how to do this better, and have more experience with grand openings, than the restaurant industry. We have assembled a panel of top business experts together, who have successfully held many grand openings and they will share their best practices, and procedures with us. Hear insights from; Jacques Van Staden, Founder and CEO of 2941 Street Food and JVS Culinary Group, Julie White, Director of Marketing and Communications of Mainstreet Ventures, and Ken Seneff, Founder of Local Logic Media and Restaurant Logic.

Business owners in the skilled trades have a lot on their plates. You have heard many times on this show, business owners in heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing and welding (to name a few), say finding talent, and marketing their services are two major challenges, shared by many in the trades. We have assembled a panel of top experts together to help you understand how to overcome those challenges, and teach you how to successfully market your skilled trades business. Hear insights from Brian Town, CEO of Michigan Creative, Elyse Kopietz, Director of Communications, Marketing and Events at the Michigan Manufacturers Association, and Peggy Doty, Owner of Doty Mechanical.

Over the last few years, the mobile app market has rapidly expanded. Creating your own mobile app may be a platform for your unique idea or a way to help you grow your business. We will discuss strategies for “Building Your First Mobile App” with top experts. Hear insights from; Adam Oxner, Co-Founder & iOS Lead of Myswimpro, Fares Ksebati, Co-Founder & CEO of Myswimpro, Michael Allon, Co-Founder & Android Lead of Myswimpro and Brandon Marken, Co-Founder, and President of pitch.Me.

Placemaking is a term designated to describe the act of creating experiences, and an identity that connects people to a place. Mid-Michigan has made placemaking a focus, and we have assembled a panel of top experts together to discuss how placemaking changes towns and cities, and how what has been done in Mid-Michigan can be done in other areas. Hear insights from; Kristin Beltzer, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Meghan Martin, Program Manager at The Arts Council of Greater Lansing, Ryan Henry, Owner of Kincaid Henry, Vanessa Shafer, Executive Director of the Old Town Commercial Association, and Jennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate for The Michigan Municipal League.

Creating an estate plan may be done with strategic planning and preparation and may save your family from financial and possible legal conflicts in the future. We have assembled a panel of top experts together to help you understand why and how to create an estate plan. Hear insights from; Chris Savage, Shareholder and Lawyer, Lowe Law Firm, Kate Moss, Relationship Manager and Registered Representative Equanimity Wealth Management, and Scott Danek, Owner of Equanimity Wealth Management.

Figuring out the best coverage options for your business may be difficult. There are many variables to consider, including; should you purchase a packed policy or should you choose a la carte options? We have assembled a panel of top experts together to help you make educated decisions when purchasing insurance for your business. Hear insights from; Jim McDaniels, Owner of The McDaniels Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance, and Tom Humphreys, Director of the Risk Management and Insurance Center at Olivet College.

Natural disasters occur without warning and they may have a shattering effect on your small business. Preparing for disaster in advance and knowing how to recover after natural disasters strike often means the difference between staying open and permanently closing your doors. We have assembled a panel of experts together to discuss “Getting Your Business Up and Running After a Natural Disaster.” Hear insights from Holly Petroff, Service Consultant, McCardel Restoration, and Jim McDaniels, Owner of The McDaniels Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance.

"More than 14,000 people in the U.S. Google 'How to Become a Realtor' each month," According to realtor.com. Regardless of the reasons people are drawn to the career, there are many things to consider before pursuing a future in real estate. We have assembled a panel of experts; Judy Bolhuis, Real Estate Educator, and Kim Laforet, Owner of The Laforet Team, Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood, to explain the process you will need to complete before becoming a successful real estate agent.

Find out why leading with integrity will make you successful, and best practices for living and leading with integrity with insights from Phil Zeller, CEO of Dale Carnegie - Michigan, and Scott Carney, IT Expert and Senior Director of Information Technology at Neogen.

When you think of your company’s most valuable asset, what comes to mind? Possibly your products, services, or your staff? Although those assets are very important, our panel stresses that your most valuable asset is actually your company’s reputation. Our panel of experts will tell you how to prevent damage to your reputation and what to do if damage has already occurred. Hear insights from Bernard Fuhs, Shareholder and Attorney, Butzel Long, Jeff Caponigro, President and CEO of Caponigro Public Relations Inc. and Author of The Crisis Counselor, and Ken Seneff, Founder of Local Logic Media and Restaurant Logic.

Facebook is continuously evolving, and over the last few years so has the way businesses market on the platform. We have assembled a panel of top experts to help you understand how you can create a Facebook strategy for your business. Hear insights from Courtney Maki Larvadain, Owner and Managing Director, Glow Social Media, Paul Schmidt, Owner and Creative Strategist, UnoDeuce Multimedia, and Rose Tantraphol, Founder and Principal, Moonsail North.

Small to medium businesses are not immune to security breaches. Data is the lifeblood of many businesses and making sure that it does not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to it is fundamental to the success of the business. We have assembled an expert panel together from Dewpoint and Fortinet to help you understand how to reduce the risk of being compromised on Entrepreneur Connect brought to you by Dewpoint. Hear insights from Don Cornish, Chief Information Security Officer at Dewpoint, Kacy Reed, Solutions Architect at Dewpoint, Joe Kunk, Application Architect of Dewpoint, and Dave Carter, Systems Engineer at Fortinet.

Social Security plays a large part in many people’s retirement plans, yet many people don’t completely understand how it works and how to make the most of it. We have assembled a panel of top experts together to help you understand where to start, from; Equanimity Wealth Management, Simplified Tax and Accounting, and The Social Security Administration.

Staying focused while experiencing difficulties in life may be extremely challenging. Phil Zeller of Dale Carnegie - Michigan and Dr. Bill Lindow of Eaton Rapids Family Dentistry will give you advice and processes that may help you persevere in hard times.

In many cases conducting an interview may require just as much preparation, if not more, than applying and interviewing for a job. Finding the perfect candidate for your business may not be easy, but with expert advice from our panel, we will equip you with information and techniques you can use to successfully grow your staff and business. Hear insights from Chris Buck, Owner of CJ Buck Consulting, Jodi Schafer, Owner of Human Resource Management Services, and Kim Laforet, Owner of The Laforet Team at Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood.

We focus on collaboration between the state, university, and industry, on this episode of Entrepreneur Connect brought to you by the MEDC. Hear insights from The MEDC, Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, and The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).